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^ 


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^^  SSsa,  WMiAnm  ^ 


%/: 


PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


** 


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Presented    bpr\'0'^7^a\\A\  n^CNV^^vaKo  ^^^TX), 

ma34i 


Diuision 
Section 


V. 


■,2 


/<^' ''^^>\ 

It         -: 

THE  V/X.  ,•>'■ 

BIBLE  READERS'  COMMEl^TARY. 

THE    NEW    TESTAMENT, 

m  TWO  YOLUMES. 

VOL.  II. 
THE  ACTS,  THE  EPISTLES,  AND   THE  REVELATION. 

THE    TEXT    ARRANGED    IN    SECTIONS  :    "WITH    BRIEF    READINGS    AND    COMPLETE    ANNOTATIONS, 

SELECTED  FROM  "THE  CHOICE  AND  BEST  OBSERVATIONS"  OF  MORE  THAN  THREE 

HUNDRED  EMINENT  CHRISTIAN  THINKERS  OF  THE  PAST  .VND  PRESENT. 

WITH    ILLUSTRATIONS,    MAPS,    AND    DIAGRAMS. 


PREPARED    PY 

J.  GLENTWORTH  BUTLER,  D.  D. 


80  they  read  in  the  book  in  the  kw  of  God,  distinctly,  and  gave  the  sense,  and  caused  them  to  understand  the  reading. — 
Nehemiah  viii.  8. 

That  form  of  -writing  which  in  my  judgment  is  of  all  others  most  rich  and  precious,  is  positive  divinity,  collected  upon 
particular  texts  of  Scriptures  in  brief  observations;  not  dilated  into  commonplaces,  not  chasing  after  controversies,  not  re- 
duced into  method  of  Art.  .  .  .  For  I  am  persuaded  that  if  the  choice  and  best  observations  upon  texts  of  Scripture  which 
have  been  made  dispersedly  in  sermons  ....  leaving  out  the  largeness  of  exhortations  and  applications  thereupon,  had 
been  set  down  in  a  continuance,  it  had  been  the  best  work  upon  divinity  which  had  been  made  since  the  apostles'  times. — 
Bacon,  Advancement  of  Learning. 


NEW  YORK : 
D.    APPLETOI^    AXD    COMPAjST, 

549   AND   551   BROADWAY. 
1879. 


CQPTEIGITT   BT 

J.  GLENTWORTH  BUTLEE, 
1879. 


Explanation  of  two  slight  changes  made  in  this  volume, 

1.  In  the  closer  ("solid")  setting  of  the  lines  in  portions  of  the  Text  and  of  the  Comment. 
In  tlie  Text,  this  has  been  done  to  indicate  such  paragraphs  as  may  be  passed  over  where  for 
any  reason — as  in  the  daily  household  worship — brevity  is  desirable ;  the  subject-matter  in 
these  paragraphs  containing  less  of  vital  instruction  as  well  as  of  practical  force.  In  the  Cotn- 
ment,  the  purpose  has  been  simply  the  abbreviation  of  space.  As  a  general  distinction,  espe- 
cially in  the  Epistles  and  Revelation,  the  introductory,  historical,  and  strictly  exegetical  matter 
is  set  in  the  "  solid "  form ;  while  the  thoughtful  exposition  and  spiritual  suggestion,  directly 
and  vitally  unfolding  the  truth,  will  be  found  in  the  open  or  "leaded"  form,  as  exclusively 
used  in  the  first  volume. 

2.  In  a  variation,  to  some  extent,  from  the  initials  of  writers  as  found  in  the  previous 
volume.  This  change  is  necessitated  by  the  new  and  different  sources  from  which  the  matter 
is  drawn. 


INDEX    OF    CONTENTS. 


Acts  of  the  Apostles 190-234 

Romans 235-257 


1  Corinthians    . 

2  Corinthians 
Galatians   . 
Ephesians 
Philippians 
Colossians 

1  Thessalonians 


258-276 
277-290 
291-296 
297-304 
305-308 
309-312 
313-317 


2  Thessalonians 318-320 


1  Timothy 

2  Timothy 
Titus    . 
Philemon 
Hebrews 
James 

1  Peter 


321-326 

327-330 

331-333 

334 

335-349 

350-355 

356-361 


2  Peter 362-364 


1  John 

2  John    . 

3  John 
Jnde 
Revelation 


Summarized  Topics  : 

Christ  the  Center  of  Christian  Theology 

The  Priesthood  of  Christ 

Christ  the  Center  and  Solution  of  Human  History 
Christianity— as  History,  as  Truth,  and  as  Life 
Three  Distinctive  Features  of  Christianity  . 
Christianity  a  Eeligion  of  Facts       .... 
Three  Opponents  of  Primitive  Christianity 
The  Spread  and  Achievements  of  Christianity 
Intimations  of  the  Final  Supremacy  of  Christianity 
The  Inspiration  of  the  Holy  Scriptures    . 
Faith  and  Kevelation    .         .         . 

The  Church 

Considerations  Eespecting  Christian  Missions 
Authors  Cited,  and  Key  to  Abbreviations     . 


365-369 

370 

371 

372 
373-386 


387 
388 
389 
390 
391 
392 
393 
394 
395 
396 
397 
398 
399 


5 
194 
276 
345 
391 
414 
444 
466 
484 
498 
504 
527 
543 
551 
554 
617 
643 
669 
680 
703 
704 
707 
712 


787 
788 
792 
793 
796 
800 
601 
807 
809 
813 
819 
821 
824 
828- 


ILLUSTRATIONS,  MAPS,  AND  DIAGRAMS. 


SECTION  PAGE 

Frontispiece:  Map  for  the  Acts,  Epistles,  and  Revelation. 

Eastern  Seaboard  of  the  Mediterranean.     Map 204  61 

Damascus.     Illustration       ....                 204  62 

Windows  on  the  Wall — Damascus.     Illustration 205  66 

Modern  Tarsus.     Illustration     .        .        , •      .  205  67 

Lydda — the  Modern  Village.     Illustration 206  69 

Jaffa — Ancient  Joppa.     Illustration 206  70 

Ruins  of  Cesarea.     Illustration 207  73 

Ctrene.     Illustration 209  80 

Plan  of  Antioch 209  81 

Modern  Antioch.     Illusti'ation 209  83 

Paul's  Gate.     Distant  View  of  Antioch.     Illustrations 211  89 

Island  of  Cyprus.     Map 211  91 

Ancient  Alexandria.     Ground-plan       ..........  211  93 

Provinces  of  Asia  Minor.     Map 212  94 

Antioch  in  Pisidia.     Illustration 212  99 

Konieh — Ancient  Iconium.     Illustration 213  101 

Ancient  Lystra.     Illustration 213  103 

Northern  Shores  of  the  ^gean  Sea.     Map 21.5  112 

Salonica — Ancient  Thessalonica.     Illustration 217  119 

Athens — the  Acropolis.     Illustration 218  122 

Plan  of  Athens,  showing  the  Agora,  Pnyx,  Areopagus,  Acropolis,  and  Museum     .  218  123 

The  Areopagus  and  the  Acropolis.     Illustration 218  124 

Ancient  Altars.  ,  Illustrations       ...........  218  125 

Greece  Proper  and  Peloponnesus.     Map 219  129 

Corinth  and  the  Acrocorinthus.     Illustration 219  130 

Site  of  Ephesus.     Illustration 220  135 

Coin  of  Ephesus.     Illustration 221  139 

View  of  the  Theatre  at  Ephesus.     Illustration 221  141 

Troas,  from  Tenedos.     Illustration 222  143 

Interior  of  Oriental  House.     Ruins  of  Assos.     Illustrations          .....  222  144 

Ruins  of  Miletus.     Illustration 223  146 

Ruins  of  Tyre.     Illustration 224  150 

Ruins  of  Cesarea.     Illustration 229  166 

Stern  Portion  of  Ancient  Vessel.     Illustration 231  174 

Southwest  Coast  of  Crete,  and  the  Island  Claud  a.     Coast-chart      .        .         .         .  231  176 

Part  of  Island  op  Melita,  with  Course  of  Vessel,  etc.     Coast-chart    .        .        .         .231  179 

St.  Paul's  Bay,  Malta.     Salmonetta  in  the  distance.     Illustration    ....  232  181 

From  Melita  to  Rome.     Map 233  185 

Rome — the  Forum.     Illustration     ...                 234  187 

Plan  of  Ancient  Rome 234  188 

CoLOSSE.     Illustration 309  468 

The  Tabernacle  and  Inclosure.     The  Holt  Places.     Illustrations         ....  343  587 

Supposed  Form  of  the  Altar  of  Incense.     Illustration 343  588 

Altar  of  Burnt  Offering,  from  Surenhusius's  Mislma.     Illustn-ation     ....  344  592 

Patmos.     Illustration 374  720 

Smyrna.     Illustration 375  726 

Pergamos.     Illustration 376  729 

Thyatira.     Illustration 376  730 

Ruins  of  Sardis.     Illustration 377  732 

Philadelphia.     Illustration 377  734 

Ruins  of  Laodicea.     Illustration 377  735 


THE 


ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES. 


Section  190. 


I.   Relation  of  the  Acts  and  Epistles  to  the 
Gospels. 

The  general  effect  of  the  manifestation  which  is 
made  in  the  Gospels  is  such  as  almost  necessitates 
further  disclosures.  One  shining  with  the  glory  of 
the  Only-Begotten  of  the  Father,  but  clothed  in  the 
poverties  and  infirmities  of  man,  has  walked  before 
us  in  power  and  weakness,  in  majesty  and  woe.  He 
has  come  close  to  us,  and  drawn  us  close  to  him ; 
has  touched  every  chord  of  our  hearts  ;  has  secured 
our  implicit  tri^t,  and  become  the  object  of  adora- 
tion and  love :  then  he  has  hung  upon  a  cross,  has 
sunk  into  a  grave,  has  risen,  has  ascended,  and  is 
gone.  It  was  a  brief  dispensation,  and  is  finished 
once  for  all.  What  did  it  mean?  What  has  it 
done  ?  What  are  our  relations  with  him  now  ?  and 
in  what  way  has  this  brief  appearance  affected  our 
position  before  God  and  the  state  and  destiny  of  the 
soul  ?  What  is  the  nature  of  the  redemption  which 
he  has  wrought,  of  the  salvation  which  he  has 
brought,  of  the  kingdom  of  God  which  he  has  opened 
to  all  believers?  These  were  questions  left  for  the 
disciples  when  Jesus  was  gone ;  and,  when  the 
reader  of  the  gospel  story  reaches  its  close,  these 
questions  remain  for  him.  The  doctrine  delivered 
in  the  Gospels  appears  to  need,  and  to  promise, 
further  explanations,  combinations,  and  develop- 
ments. It  has  not  the  appearance  of  being  final, 
and  it  explicitbj  declares  that  it  is  not  complete. 
When  it  was  ended,  it  was  to  be  followed  by  a  new 
testimony  from  God,  in  order  that  many  things 
might  be  spoken  which  had  not  been  spoken  then. 
The  testimony  came ;  the  things  were  spoken ;  and 
in  the  apostolic  writings  we  have  their  enduring  rec- 
ord. In  those  writings  we  find  the  fulfillment  of 
an  expectation  which  the  Gospels  raised,  and  recog- 
nize the  performance  of  a  promise  which  the  Gospels 
gave.    T.  D.  B. 

II.  The  Book  of  Acts. 

The  difference  between  the  historical  books  of 
the  Xew  Testament  consists  in  this,  that  while  the 
four  Gospels  record  the  history  of  the  revelation  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  of  its  foundation  in  the 


person  and  the  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  Book  of 
Acts  describes  the  royal  administration  of  Christ  as 
manifested  in  planting  his  kingdom  in  and  for  the 
world,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  working 
through  the  apostles.     Lange.  ** 

It  is  not  the  function  of  an  historical  record  to 
work  out  expositions  of  doctrine,  but  such  a  book 
may  be  expected  to  present  the  general  character 
which  the  doctrine  bore,  and  to  clear  to  our  view 
the  agencies  and  the  stages  by  which  it  was  matured. 
This  is  precisely  what  is  done  in  the  Book  of  Acts. 
It  is  the  purpose  of  the  book  to  do  it ;  a  purpose 
which  ought  to  be  more  fully  recognized  than  it 
is.     T.  D.  B. 

This  '■'■  second  treatise"  or  Book  of  Luke,  records 
the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  according  to  the  promise 
of  the  Father,  ami  the  resulting  diffusion  of  the  gospel 
among  Jews  and  Gentiles.  It  traces  the  founding, 
early  training,  and  the  expansion  of  the  Christian 
Church  from  Jerusalem,  the  capital  of  Judea,  to 
Rome,  the  metropolis  of  the  world.  It  covers  the 
whole  period  of  transition  from  the  old  dispensation 
to  the  new,  and  details  those  providential  measures 
by  which  the  infant  company  of  believers  attained 
its  independent  organization,  was  gradually  released 
from  the  shackles  of  the  past,  was  brought  to  a  con- 
sciousness of  its  true  character  and  mission,  and  was 
fairly  embarked  upon  its  new  career,  equipped  for 
its  work,  and  secure  of  its  destiny.  It  is  in  form  a 
sequel  to  the  gospel  written  by  the  same  author, 
who  thus  intimates  the  close  connection  between 
what  is  here  narrated  and  the  personal  ministry  of 
Christ.  And  it  stands  in  almost  perpetual  relation 
with  the  epistles,  upon  whose  occasion  and  design  it 
sheds  much  welcome  light,  while  receiving  from 
them  incidental  corroboration  of  many  of  its  state- 
ments, and  important  aid  for  the  more  exact  under- 
standing of  others.     An. 

This  book  describes  what  Christ,  the  invisible 
head  of  the  Church,  ^^docs,"  or  ^^ makes"  by  the 
visible  instrumentality,  or  "actings"  of  apostles, 
who  are  his  chief  ministers.  The  title  is  "  Actings 
of  the  Apostles,"  and  two  of  the  apostles  are  selected 
as  specimens  of  the  rest,  and  certain  acts  of  theirs 
are  chosen  as  specimens  of  their  operations.  The 
one,  Peter,  was  called  by  Christ  on  earth  ;  the  other, 


6 


SECTION  100.— rUE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES. 


Paul,  was  called  by  Christ  from  heaven.  One  had 
denied  Christ ;  the  other  had  persecuted  Christ. 
One  was  an  unlettered  fisherman  of  Galilee ;  the 
other  a  learned  Pharisee,  brought  up  at  Jerusalem. 
Therefore,  in  the  choice  of  Peter  and  Paul  as  spe- 
cial instruments  for  propagating  the  gospel  of  €hrist, 
his  power  is  signally  glorified.  The  plan,  then,  of 
this  divine  book  is  to  enlarge  our  view  of  Christ's 
ministry ;  to  prevent  us  from  confining  it  to  his 
brief  bodily  sojourn  on  earth ;  to  reveal  to  us  Christ 
sitting  in  heaven,  not  like  one  of  the  deities  of  the 
heathen  world,  indifferent  to  human  affairs  and  con- 
trolled by  destiny,  but  enthroned  King  of  kings  and 
Lord  of  lords,  and  ever  ruling  all  things  by  his 
word,  for  the  advancement  of  his  gospel  and  the 
establishment  of  his  kingdom.  This  book  may  be 
called  the  sum  and  substance  of  all  Church  History. 
In  it  we  see  the  laws  by  which  Christ,  who  is  un- 
changeable, works ;  in  it  we  see  what  he  has  done, 
and  from  it  we  may  infer  what  he  will  continue  to 
do,  even  to  the  end.  Thus  this  divine  history  is 
also  a  divine  prophecy.  Thence  we  learn  that  all 
persecutions  without,  and  all  perils  within,  the  Church, 
will  be  overruled  by  the  power  of  Christ  for  the  tri- 
umph of  the  gospel ;  that  all  things,  however  ad- 
verse, shall  be  made  subservient  to  himself.  There- 
fore, from  reading  this  book,  we  may  raise  our  eyes 
to  heaven,  and  look  for  that  blessed  time  when  all 
things  will  be  made  subject  to  Christ,  and  then  he 
wi#  reign  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords.     W. 

The  history  of  the  Christian  Church  under  the 
apostles  runs  in  two  streams,  one  Jewish,  the  other 
Gentile.  The  Jewish  stream  for  the  most  part  fol- 
lows the  track  of  the  twelve  apostles ;  the  Gentile, 
mainly  that  of  Paul.  The  earlier  part  of  the  Book 
of  Acts  presents  chiefly  the  one ;  the  latter,  chief- 
ly the  other.  Religion  now  becomes,  much  more 
prominently  than  before,  a  dispensation  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  It  is  by  a  divine  power  sent  from  heaven — 
by  a  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost — that  men  are 
drawn  to  God.  It  had  always  been  so,  indeed,  and 
the  later  prophets  had  dwelt  much  on  this  subject ; 
but  now  the  reality  of  spiritual  agency  becomes 
more  obvious,  and  the  third  person  of  the  Holy 
Trinity  stands  out  more  conspicuously  before  the 
Church,  as  the  great  agent  in  the  conversion  of 
men.     W.  G.  B. 

The  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  in  a  narrative  all 
alive  with  graphic  details,  and  written  in  a  style  of 
animated  simplicity  and  natural  ease,  carries  us 
through  a  period  of  human  history  of  incalculable 
interest  and  importance :  one  in  which  the  effects 
of  the  manifestation  of  the  Son  of  God  were  de- 
veloped and  tested  ;  in  which  the  life  which  he  had 
introduced  among  men  disclosed  its  nature  and 
power,  and  the  truth  which  he  had  left  connnenced 
its  struggles  and  conquests  ;  in  which  the  Christian 
Church  was  constituted,  gradually  detached  from 
its  Jewish  integuments,  and  brought  to  the  con- 
sciousness of  its  freedom  and  catholicity ;  in  which 
it  verified  its  credentials,  proved  its  arms,  recog- 
nized its  destinies,  and  commenced  its  victories  ;  in 
which  impulses  were  given  which  would  never  cease 
to  vibrate  and  precedents  were  cst.nblished  to  which 
distant  ages  would  refer  ;  in  which  solemn  and  ex- 
citing scenes,  marvels  and  miracles,  saintly  and 
heroic  characters,  their  labors,  their  conflicts,  their 
sufferings,  their  journoyings,  their  collisions  with 
all  classes  of  men,  seem  to  force  upon  the  historian 
a  confusing  multiplicity  of  materials.  Yet  through 
all  this  he  makes  his  way  straight  in  one  direction, 


as  a  man  guided  by  that  instinct  of  selection  which 
belongs  to  the  ruling  presence  of  a  definite  purpose. 
It  is  just  this  definiteness  of  purpose  which  is  apt 
to  pass  unobserved.  It  is  nowhere  announced,  and 
the  unconstrained  freedom  of  manner  and  easy  in- 
artificial style  suggest  no  thought  of  it. 

But  we  know  Luke's  inteUigent,  inquiring  mind, 
his  opportunities  of  information,  his  "  perfect  un- 
derstanding of  all  things  from  the  very  first,"  his 
personal  intercourse  with  those  "  who  from  the  be- 
ginning had  been  eye-witnesses  and  ministers  of  the 
Word."  We  can  not  for  a  moment  suppose  that 
his  acquaintance  with  the  "  Acts  of  the  Apostles  " 
was  limited  to  the  facts  recorded  in  the  book  ;  that 
lie  knew  nothing  of  the  proceedings  of  John  or 
James,  or  of  the  manifold  movements  and  events 
which  were  going  on  by  the  side  of  those  which  he 
has  related.  In  fact,  there  is  not  a  book  upon 
earth  in  which  the  principle  of  intentional  selection 
is  more  evident  to  a  careful  observer.  There  is  in- 
deed no  reason  given  why  one  speech  is  reported 
and  one  event  related  at  length,  in  preference  to 
others  which  are  passed  over  or  slightly  touched ; 
yet  when  we  reach  the  conclusion  we  see  the  rea- 
sons in  the  result.  We  find  that  by  an  undeviating 
course  we  have  followed  the  development  of  the 
true  idea  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  in  its  relations 
first  to  the  Jewish  system,  out  of  which  it  emerges, 
and  then  to  the  great  world,'to  which  it  opens  it- 
self. When  the  words  and  deeds  of  Philip  or 
Stephen,  of  Peter  or  Paul,  are  implicated  with  this 
progress  of  things,  we  find  ourselves  in  their  com- 
pany, but  when  we  part  from  Peter  without  notice 
of  his  after-course,  when  we  leave  Paul  abruptly  at 
the  commencement  of  his  two  years  in  Rome,  we 
are  given  to  understand  that  we  have  been  reading, 
not  their  personal  memoirs,  but  a  higher  histor}-, 
which  certain  portions  of  their  careers  serve  to 
embody  or  to  illustrate.     T.  D.  B. 

The  political  condition  of  Palestine,  at  the  time 
to  which  the  New  Testament  narrative  properly  be- 
longs, was  one  curiously  complicated  and  anoma- 
lous ;  it  underwent  frequent  changes,  but  retained 
through  all  of  them  certain  peculiarities,  which 
made  the  position  of  the  country  unique  among  the 
dependencies  of  Rome.  The  chief  representative 
of  the  Roman  power  in  the  East — the  President  of 
Syria,  the  local  governor,  whether  a  Ilerod  or  a  Ro- 
man procurator,  and  the  High  Priest,  had  each  and 
all  certain  rights  and  a  certain  authority  in  the  coun- 
try. A  double  system  of  taxation,  a  double  adminis- 
tration of  justice,  and  even  in  some  degree  a  double 
military  command,  were  the  natural  consequence ; 
while  Jewish  and  Roman  customs,  Jewish  and  Roman 
words,  were  simultaneously  in  use,  and  a  condition 
of  things  existed  full  of  harsh  contrasts,  strange 
mixtures,  and  abrupt  transitions.  The  New  Testa- 
ment narrative,  however,  falls  into  no  error  in  treat- 
ing of  the  period  ;  it  marks,  incidentally  and  with- 
out effort  or  pretension,  the  various  changes  in  the 
civil 'government :  the  sole  kingdom  of  Herod  the 
Great ;  the  partition  of  his  dominions  among  his 
sons ;  the  reduction  of  Judea  to  the  condition  of  a 
Roman  province,  while  Galilee,  Iturca,  and  Tracho- 
nitis  continued  under  native  princes ;  the  restora- 
tion of  the  old  kingdom  of  Palestine  in  the  person 
of  Agrippa  the  First,  and  the  final  reduction  of  the 
whole  under  Roman  rtile,  and  reestablishment  of 
procurators  as  the  civil  heads.  Again,  the  New 
Testament  narrative  exhibits  in  the  most  remark- 
able way  the  mixture  in  the  government — the  occa- 


SECTIOF  191.— A  GTS  1 : 1-13. 


sional  power  of  the  President  of  Sj'ria,  as  shown  in 
Cyrenius's  "taxing";  the  ordinary  division  of  au- 
thority between  the  high  priest  and  the  procurator ; 
the  existence  of  two  separate  taxations — the  civil 
and  the  ecclesiastical,  the  "  census  "  and  the  "  di- 
drachm  "  ;  of  two  tribunals,  two  modes  of  capital 
punishment,  two  military  forces,  two  methods  of 
marking  time  ;  at  every  turn  it  shows,  even  in  such 
little  matters  as  verbal  expressions,  the  coexistence 
of  Jewish  with  Koman  ideas  and  practices  in  the 
country — a  coexistence  which  (it  must  be  remem- 
bered) came  to  an  end  within  forty  years  of  our 
Lord's  crucifixion.     G.  R. 

The  oldest  known  division  of  the  Greek  text  of 
the  Acts,  by  Euthalius,  who  lived  in  the  sixth  cen- 
tury, was  into  forty  chapters.  The  present  division 
into  twenty-eight  was  made  by  Cardinal  Hugo,  in 
the  thirteenth  century,  to  facilitate  the  use  of  his 
Concordance  to  the  Latin  Vulgate,  and  was  not 
adopted  in  the  copies  of  the  Greek  text  till  the 
fifteenth  century.  The  division  into  verses  first  ap- 
pears in  the  margin  of  Stephens's  edition  (1551), 
and  is  said  to  have  been  made  by  him  during  a 
journey  between  Paris  and  Lyons.  The  actual 
separation  of  the  verses,  by  printing  them  in  para- 


graphs, appears  for  the  first  time  in  Beza's  edition 
(1565),  and  although  discontinued  in  the  latest  pub- 
lications of  the  Greek  text,  still  prevails  in  most 
editions  of  the  English  Bible  and  of  other  modern 
versions.  The  history  of  these  divisions  should  be 
clearly  understood,  not  only  to  prevent  their  being 
thought  original,  or  even  ancient,  but  also  to  de- 
prive them  of  an  undue  influence  upon  the  exposi- 
tion of  the  text  itself.  The  distinction  of  the  chap- 
ters in  this  book  is  often  injudicious  and  unskillful, 
and  at  best  these  conventional  divisions  are  mere 
matters  of  mechanical  convenience,  like  the  para- 
graphs and  pages  of  a  modern  book.     J.  A.  A. 

The  Book  of  Acts  embraces  the  period  from 
A.  D.  31  to  A.  n.  64,  in  which  there  reigned  as  Ro- 
man emperors  :  (1)  Tiberius  (from  19th  August,  14), 
until  16th  March,  37;  (2)  Caligula,  until  24th  Janu- 
ary, 41  ;  (3)  Claudius,  until  15th  October,  54;  (4) 
Nero,  until  9th  June,  68.  The  great  conflagration 
of  Rome  under  Nero  broke  out  on  19th  July,  64 
(Tac.  Ann.  15,  41),  whereupon  commenced  the  per- 
secution of  the  Christians.     Meyer. 

It  seems  most  probable  that  the  book  was  writ- 
ten in  Rome  during  the  latter  part  of  the  imprison- 
ment of  Paul,  narrated  in  the  closing  chapter.     B. 


Section  191. 

Acts  i.  1-12. 

1  The  former  treatise  have  I  made,  O  Theophilus,  of  all  that  Jesns  began  both  to  do  and 

2  teach,  until  the  day  in  which  he  was  taken  up,  after  that  he  through  the  Holy  Ghost  had 

3  given  commandments  unto  the  apostles  whom  he  had  chosen:  to  whom  also  he  shewed 
himself  alive  after  his  passion  by  many  infallible  proofs,  being  seen  of  them  forty  days,  and 

4  speaking  of  the  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom  of  God :  and,  being  assembled  together 
with  them,  commanded  them  that  they  should  not  depart  from  Jerusalem,  but  wait  for  the 

5  promise  of  the  Father,  which,  saith  he,  ye  have  heard  of  me.     For  John  truly  baptized  with 

6  water ;  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost  not  many  days  hence.  When  they 
therefore  were  come  together,  they  asked  of  him,  saying,  Lord,  wilt  thou  at  this  time  re- 

7  store  again  the  kingdom  to  Israel  ?     And  he  said  unto  them,  It  is  not  for  you  to  know  the 

8  times  or  the  seasons,  which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power.  But  ye  shall  receive 
power,  after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you:  and  ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  me 
both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Judtea,  and  in  Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the 
earth. 

9  And  when  he  had  spoken  these  things,  while  they  beheld,  he  was  taken  up  ;  and  a  cloud 

10  received  him  out  of  their  sight.     And  while  they  looked  steadfastly  toward  heaven  as  he 

11  went  up,  behold,  two  men  stood  by  them  in  white  apparel;  which  also  said.  Ye  men  of 
Galilee,  why  stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven  ?  This  same  Jesus,  which  is  taken  up  from 
you  into  heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into  heaven. 

12  Then  returned  they  unto  Jerusalem  from  the  mount  called  Olivet,  which  is  from  Jerusa- 
lem a  sabbath  day's  journey. 


The  ascension  of  Christ  is  the  great  pledge  and  proof  of  our  eternal  state ;  that  our  nature  is  for  ever 
identified  with  his,  so  that  as  long  as  he  is  Man  we  must  be  happy,  as  one  ivitli  Him  ;  that  the  great 
value  of  this  transcendent  fact  is,  not  merely  that  it  is  an  example  of  our  future  ascension,  but  that  it  is 
our  ascension  hecjun — we  in  him  having  risen  to  heaven,  we  in  him  being  at  this  time  present  before  God, 
we  in  him  being  united  with  the  eternal  plans  and  procedures  of  heaven,  so  that  we  are  for  ever  blended 
with  Christ — his  property — his  purchased  possession — the  very  members  of  his  body ;  insomuch  that  they 
who  succor  his  suffering  disciples  in  this  world  shall  be  pronounced  to  succor  himself.     And  if  this  be  so 


8 


SECTION  191.— ACTS  1:1-12. 


— if  Christ  Jesus  has  thus  borne  with  him  our  nature  into  the  inmost  sanctuary  of  heaven,  if  he  has  not 
hesitated  to  wear  the  form  that  Adam  wore,  in  that  Holy  of  Holies  where  angels  tremble  as  they  gaze — 
what  ought  to  be  our  feelings,  as  we  reflect  upon  this  astonishing  transit  ?  How  ought  we  to  be  animated, 
as  we  remember  that  a  body  spiritual  indeed,  but  yet  tangible  and  visible — a  nature  immaculate  indeed, 
but  yet  human  and  ours — has  been  uplifted  bythe  energy  of  indwelling  Godhead,  and  set  in  the  center  of 
the  Paradise  of  God  !  To  know  that  it  has  happened  mainly  with  a  view  to  our  own  future  exaltation  ; 
that  it  is  but  the  prologue  of  a  drama  which  is  to  take  in  the  whole  blessed  company  of  the  redeemed  ; 
that  it  is  a  prei)aratory  measure  which  is  to  introduce  an  endless  procession  of  future  entrances  like  itself 
— saint  after  saint  rising  into  the  glory  thus  secured  by  this  Captain  of  Salvation,  and  each  met  at  the 
threshold  by  him  who  thus  has  scaled  the  skies  that  he  might  be  there  before  us  ! — to  know  this,  and  to 
believe  it,  is  to  awake  to  emotions  that  annihilate  earth  and  open  heaven  already  to  the  exulting  soul ! 
W.  A.  B. 


1 .  With  these  words  we  enter  on  a  new  stage 
of  history  and  of  doctrine,  and  they  are  words  which 
connect  it  with  the  past.  The  links  of  Scripture 
uniting  one  part  to  another,  and  assisting  our  sense 
of  the  continuity  of  the  whole,  are  worthy  of  espe- 
cial notice.  Thus  does  the  Book  of  Acts  at  its  open- 
ing attach  itself  to  the  preceding  record ;  throwing 
back  our  thoughts  on  "  the  former  treatise  of  all 
that  Jesus  began  both  to  do  and  teach,"  and  then 
passing  rapidly  in  review  the  last  circumstances 
which  connect  the  apostles  with  their  Lord,  as  the 
instruments  which  he  had  chosen  and  prepared  for 
the  work  which  he  had  yet  to  do.  Thus  the  history 
which  follows  is  linked  to,  or  welded  with,  the  past ; 
and  the  founding  of  the  Church  in  the  earth  is  pre- 
sented as  one  continuous  work,  begun  by  the  Lord 
in  person,  and  perfected  by  the  same  Lord  through 
the  ministry  of  men.  "  The  former  treatise  "  de- 
livered to  us,  not  all  that  Jesus  did  and  taught,  but 
"  all  that  Jesus  bcr/an  both  to  do  and  teach,  wiiil  the 
day  when  he  was  taken  up."  The  following  writ- 
ings appear  intended  to  give  us,  and  do  in  fact  pro- 
fess to  give  us,  that  which  Jesus  continued  to  do  and 
teach  after  the  day  in  which  he  was  taken  up.     T. 

D.  B. From  the  arrangement  of  these  words  in 

the  original  Greek,  two  things  are  plain  which  escape 
the  English  reader :  First,  there  is  an  emphasis  on 
the  verb  "  bcffau  "  /  secondly,  there  is  none  on  the 
word  "  Jesus."  The  contrast  is  not  that  the  former 
treatise  related  what  Jcsm  began,  and  this  relates 
what  some  other  person  or  persons  continued ;  but 
it  is  that  the  former  treatise  related  what  Jesus 
began  to  do  and  to  teach ;  and  this  relates  what  he, 
the  same  Jesus,  continued  to  do  and  to  teach,    A. 

There  was  nothing   then  on  the  lips  of  the 

preachers  of  the  gospel,  but  what  had  been  "  begun 
to  be  spoken  "  by  its  first  preacher ;  and  in  follow- 
ing to  their  utmost  the  words  of  the  apostles  we 
are  still  within  the  compass  of  the  words  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.     T.  D.  B. 

Mark  expands  and  explains  this  statement  to 
refer  to  Christ's  ministry,  by  the  Spirit,  through  his 
witnessing  disciples :  "  They  went  forth  and  preached 
everywhere,  tfie  Lord  working  with  them,  and  con- 


Jirming  the  word  with  signs  following."    B. 

Tlie  Lord  working  with  them.  Yes!  in  all  his 
rest  he  is  full  of  work,  in  all  their  toils  he  shares, 
in  all  their  journeys  his  presence  goes  beside  them. 
Whatever  they  do  is  his  deed,  and  the  help  that  is 
done  upon  the  earth  he  doeth  it  all  himself.  This 
blessed  conviction  of  Christ's  continuous  operation 
in  and  for  his  Church  underlies  the  language  of  this 
introduction.  The  Gospel  records  the  beginning ; 
the  Book  of  the  Acts  the  continuance  ;  it  is  one  biog- 
raphy in  two  volumes.  Everywhere  "  the  Lord  "  is 
the  true  actor,  the  source  of  all  the  life  which  is  in 
the  Church,  the  arranger  of  all  the  providences 
which  affect  its  progress.  The  Lord  adds  to  the 
Church  daily.  His  name  works  miracles.  To  the 
Lord  believers  are  added.  The  Gentiles  turn  to  the 
Lord  because  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  with  the  preach- 
ers. The  Lord  calls  Paul  to  carry  the  gospel  to 
Macedonia.  The  Lord  opens  the  heart  of  Lydia, 
and  so  throughout.  Xot  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
but  the  Acts  of  the  Lord  in  and  by  his  servants,  is 
the  accurate  title  of  this  book.     A.  M. 

The  kingdom  of  God  was  indeed  first  to  be  ex- 
hibited as  a  communion  of  men  bound  together  by 
the  same  spirit,  inspired  by  the  same  consciousness 
of  God ;  and  this  communion  was  to  find  its  central 
point  in  Christ,  its  Kedeemer  and  King.  As  he 
himself  ordered  and  directed  all  things  in  the  first 
congregation  of  his  disciplet^,  so  he  was  subsequently 
to  inspire,  rule,  and  cultivate  this  community  of  men 
by  his  law  and  by  his  Spirit.  The  revelation  of  the 
Spirit,  shared  by  all  its  members,  was  all  that  was 
to  distinguish  it  from  the  world,  so  called  in  the 
New  Testament,  that  is,  the  common  mass  of  man- 
kind, as  alienated  from  God.  And  Christ  was  grad- 
ually, through  this  community,  his  organ  and  his 
royal  dwelling-place,  to  establish  his  kingdom  as  a 
real  one,  more  and  more  widely  among  men,  and 
subdue  the  world  to  his  dominion.     N. 

2.  Through  the  Holy  Ghost.  A  remark- 
able statement,  as  showing  how,  to  the  very  end,  it 
was  through  the  Spirit  that  he  did  and  said  every- 
thing ;  and  this  even  after  his  resurrection.  It  was 
not  as  "  God  over  all "  that  he  instructed  his  apos- 


SECTION  191.— A  CIS  1 :  1-12. 


ties,  but  as  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  As  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King,  he  was 
anointed  by  the  Spirit ;  and  it  was  as  one  full  of  the 
Spirit,  and  on  whom  the  Spirit  rested  (Isa.  11:2), 
that  he  came  to  discharge  these  his  offices.  As  our 
Moses,  our  Aaron,  our  David,  our  Melchizedck,  he 
was  filled  with  the  Iloly  Spirit.  Thus  we  see  him 
full  of  the  Spirit  for  us,  dispensing  that  Spirit  to 
us  according  to  our  need,  that  we  may  come  behind 
in  no  gift,  but  receive  from  him  grace  according  to 
the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ.     Bonar. 

3.  He  shewed  himself  alive  by  many 
infallible  proofs.  The  resurrection  of  Christ 
was  the  great  fact  in  proof  of  his  divinity  that  the 
apostles  were  to  preach.  And  the  proof  was  ample 
to  them.  During  forty  days  Jesus  appeared  ten 
or  eleven  times  to  one  or  many  disciples,  in  various 
circumstances,  for  brief  periods  of  time,  when  they 
could  judge  without  excitement ;  by  words  and  acts 
simple  and  significant  establishing  in  their  minds 
such  an  absolute  conviction  of  the  fact,  that  it  con- 
trolled their  after-life,  and  led  them  through  per- 
secution to  death.     B. This  period  of  the  forty 

days  was  full  of  the  future.  During  it,  his  dis- 
courses were  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God — that 
is,  the  Church  of  the  future — her  constitution  and 
her  fortunes.  During  it  were  uttered  by  him  those 
commandments  by  which  their  future  course  was  to 
be  guided.     A. 

4.  He  commands  them  to  tarry  in  Jerusalem  for 
the  Promised  Spirit. — They  were  to  remain  in  order 
that  the  miracle  of  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
upon  them  might  be  more  striking  and  convincing, 
as  wrought  in  the  capital  of  Judea,  and  at  the  next 
great  festival  after  the  crucifixion,  when  strangers 
from  all  parts  of  the  world  would  be  gathered  at 
Jerusalem,  who  would  carry  back  the  tidings  of 
that  manifestation  into  all  lands ;  and  also  that 
the  Christian  Law  might  go  forth  from  Mount 
Zion  (Isa.  2:3;  Mic.  4  :  2)  and  so  show  its  har- 
mony with  the  Levitical  dispensation.     W. The 

promise  of  the  Father.  Because  it  is  the  one 
sum  and  substance  of  all  the  Old  Testament  prom- 
ises, in  that  dispensation  which  was  especially  de- 
claratory of  the  Father's  purpose  and  will:  it  is 
"  the  promise  of  the  Father,"  as  embracing  in  one 
all  other  promises,  and  as  the  inclusive  blessing  of 
the  covenant,  being  no  less  than  the  entire  renewal 
of  man  by  the  indwelling  Spirit :  a  blessing  un- 
known to  the  earlier  dispensation,  and  by  virtue 
of  which  the  least  under  the  latter  covenant  is 
greater  than  the  greatest  under  the  former  one. 
This  baptism  by  the  Holy  Ghost  was  to  be  the  ful- 
fillment of  that  which  the  baptism  of  John  only 
foreshadowed. 

5.  Not  many  days  hence.  Why  was  this 
especially  the  time  for  this  indwelling  of  the  Holy 


Ghost  in  our  nature  to  begin  ?  John  furnishes  us 
with  the  answer,  when  he  tells  us  (7  :  39),  "the 
Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet,  because  Jesus  was  not  yet 
glorified."  On  him,  the  inclusive  head  of  our  hu- 
manity, the  Holy  Spirit  alighted  in  his  baptism.  To 
him  the  Spirit  was  given  without  measure.  But  the 
fullness  of  the  outpouring  of  this  Spirit  from  him 
over  all  flesh  summed  up  in  him,  awaited  the  full 
acceptance  of  all  our  flesh  in  him,  when  he  had  by 
himself  purged  our  sins  and  sat  down  on  the  right 
hand  of  the  Majesty  on  High.  It  is  this  which  so 
closely  binds  on  the  narrative  of  the  Ascension  to 
all  that  is  to  follow.  It  is  this  which  makes  the 
"not  many  days  hence"  so  pregnant  with  deep 
meaning,  as  assigning  to  the  greatest  event  in  the 

Church's  history  its  proper  and  only  place.     A. 

The  time  is  indefinite  of  purpose.  "Xot  many 
days,"  says  Chrysostom,  "  that  they  may  hope,  but 
he  does  not  say  hoio  few,  in  order  that  they  may 
watch."     The  interval  was  ten  days. 

6.  The  apostles'  question  about  the  kingdom 
was  a  strange  one,  yet  it  had  a  grand  measure  of 
faith  in  him  in  it.  He  was  the  Restorer/  They 
called  him  Lord,  the  same  word  used  in  the  Greek 
Old  Testament  for  Jehovah.  But  the  question  was 
all  wrong  in  its  meaning  and  spirit.  It  is  at  once 
the  most  affecting  and  conclusive  pi'oof  of  their 
"slowness  of  heart  to  comprehend"  the  essential 
truths  Christ  had  been  gradually  disclosing  all  the 

way  to  his  betrayal.     B. In  spite  of  all  that  our 

Lord  said  and  did  during  his  lifetime,  and  even  with 
the  advantage  of  his  second  ministry,  "  speaking 
to  them  of  the  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom  of 
God,"  the  apostles  never  advanced  till  after  the  as- 
cension to  the  understanding  and  apprehension  of 
Chrisfs  peculiar  redemptive  ivorl:  Even  after  having 
followed  the  finger  of  the  Master  from  scroll  to 
scroll,  and  from  page  to  page,  as  he  showed  to  them 
what  Avas  written  in  the  law,  the  psalms,  and  the 
prophets  concerning  himself,  they  do  not  seem,  to 
have  retained  the  meaning  of  the  exposition.  Their 
understandings  though  "opened"  got  closed  again; 
and,  instead  of  rising  to  the  height  of  the  great  ar- 
gument and  learning  to  preach  "  repentance  and  re- 
mission of  sin  to  all  nations,"  they  sank  down  into 
mere  expectants  of  secular  glory  and  national  de- 
liverance. This  is  evident  from  the  fact  that,  on 
the  very  morning  of  the  ascension,  they  actually 
proposed  the  question,  "  Lord,  wilt  thou  at  this  time 
restore  the  kingdom  to  Israel  ?  " — thus  still  dream- 
ing about  mere  political  ascendancy  and  national  ad- 
vantage, when  such  pains  had  been  taken,  by  his 
opening  to  them  the  meaning  of  the  law  and  the 
prophets,  to  make  them  understand  that  which  had 
been  said,  "I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth" 
(signifying  by  what  death  he  should  die),  "  will  draw 
all  men  unto  rne."     T.  B. 


10 


SECTION'  191.— ACTS  1:1-12. 


7.  One  departmcut  of  knowledge,  our  Lord  here 
teaches  us,  is  kept  by  God  within  his  own  power, 
or,  in  other  words,  is  reserved  to  himself,  and  not 
laid  open  before  the  eyes  of  mortals.  The  coming 
history  of  the  world,  the  future  life  of  every  indi- 
vidual man  lies  beyond  conjecture.  Even  the  events 
which  are  to  affect  his  own  kingdom  of  grace  God 
has  kept  in  his  own  power.  lie  has  disclosed  a  lit- 
tle, he  has  made  the  final  winding  up  sure,  but  this 
is  a  region  of  knowledge  where  he  reigns  alone, 
and  shares  the  particulars  of  the  boundless  plan 
with  no  other.     T.  D.  W. 

If,  from  a  prophetical  text  or  two,  we  were  able 
to  count  on  our  fingers  how  many  years  the  world 
will  last,  such  knowledge  would  puff  up,  and  lead 
us  to  talk  and  speculate,  instead  of  doing  with  our 
might  W'hat  our  hand  finds  to  do.  It  is  not  enough 
that  we  submit  to  leave  the  ages  and  epochs  in  the 
Father's  hand,  because  we  can  not  wrench  them  out 
of  it  ;  we  should  be  glad  and  grateful  that  he 
spares  us  such  sights  into  the  future  as  we  should 
not  be  able  to  bear.  It  is  the  part  of  a  dear  child 
to  read  eagerly  all  that  the  Father  reveals,  and  to 
trust  implicitly  wherever  the  Father  indicates  a  de- 
sign to  conceal.  "  Blessed  are  those  servants  whom 
the  Lord,  when  he  cometh,  shall  find  " — not  predict- 
ing, but — "  watching."  In  removing  the  speculative 
inquiry,  he  placed  a  great  practical  work  in  their 
hands.     Arnot. 

He  did  not  reveal  to  them  jjlainly  the  fall  of  the 
Mosaic  dispensation,  accompanied  with  the  desti-uc- 
tion  of  the  Jewish  state,  and  scattering  of  the 
nation  over  the  world  for  so  many  centuries.  This 
was  the  breaking  up  of  all  that  they  clung  to  as 
patriots  and  Jewish  believers.  The  whole  founda- 
tion of  their  faith  would  be  convulsed  by  the  thought 
of  it.  It  was  only  the  unfolding  of  Christianity  in 
its  spiritual  power,  the  fulfillment  of  types  and  sac- 
rifices in  more  glorious  realities,  the  transference 
of  -their  affections  to  a  higher  fatherland,  and  the 
view  of  the  heavenly  beauty  of  the  Jerusalem  above, 
that  could  enable  them  to  bear  the  loss  of  their  gor- 
geous ritual,  and  the  dispersion  of  their  race.     Ker. 

8.  How  wisely  kind  is  his  answer  !  No  rebuke 
now  for  dullness.  Our  Lord  intimates  that  there 
shall  indeed  be  a  restoration,  though  not  in  the  way, 
nor  with  the  results,  they  imagined.  The  final  re- 
sults arc  in  the  Father's  ordering.  But,  ha  says, 
turning  to  indicate  the  very  way  by  which  ultimate- 
ly his  kingdom  should  be  established,  and  really 
answering  their  question  in  an  affirmative  spirit, 
ye  shall  receive  power  from  Ihe  Holy  Ghost  ami  shall 
be  xntnesse.1  unto  me  in  the  vhole  earth.  "  Strike  in 
upon  the  work,  and  leave  the  issue  with  God"  (Ar- 
not). You  shall  be  qualified  for  the  work.  Power 
shall  be  imparted  to  you  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Of 
that  "  all  power  given  imto  me,"  shall  He  bestovir 


upon  you,  matching  the  gift  always  to  your  needs. 
Use  the  gifts  bestowed  in  toiling  to  establish  my 
kingdom  in  human  hearts.  And  we  know  how, 
when  Christ  had  ascended  and  the  Holy  Ghost  had 
descended,  they  dropped  out  of  thought  for  ever  their 
old  conceptions  about  rich  rewards  and  lordly  places 
in  Israel's  kingdom  ;  how,  taught  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
they  linked  together  in  a  beautiful  completeness  all 
that  Christ  had  taught  about  humiliation,  serving, 
and  suffering,  as  the  way  to  the  kingdom,  and  faith 
in  Christ  with  the  inward  joy  and  peace  of  God  the 

Holy  Ghost,  as  itself  the  kingdom.   B. Ye  shall 

be  witnesses  unto  me  in  Jerusalem,  and  in 
all  Judsea,  and  in  Samaria,  and  unto  the 
uttermost  part  of  the  earth.  In  these  words 
we  have  a  brief  table  of  contents  of  the  whole  book. 
The  testimony  in  Jerusalem  occupies  the  history  as 
far  as  the  end  of  chapter  7  ;  in  chapter  8  it  spreads 
to  all  Judea  and  Samaria ;  in  chapter  9  we  have  the 
preparation,  by  the  conversion  of  the  apostle  to  the 
Gentiles,  for  its  being  carried  over  all  the  world  ; 
in  chapter  11  we  pass  from  Jerusalem  to  Antioch, 
thence  over  Asia  Minor  and  into  Greece,  thence, 

finally,  to  the  world's  great  capital,  Rome.     A. 

Mark  the  exactness  with  which  he  indicates  the  lines 
in  which  they  should  go  on  their  journey  of  witness- 
bearing  and  service — the  same  which  in  their  spirit 
bind  all  Christian  sympathy  and  activity  to  the  end 
of  time.  First,  Jerusalem,  their  own  city ;  next, 
Judea,  their  own  country  ;  then  Samaria,  their  next 
neighbor,  an  enemy  at  that ;  and  finally,  the  whole 

earth.   B. The  charity  that  will  convert  the  world 

is  a  charity  that  begins  at  home — hefjins,  but  does 
not  end  there.  Unless  our  love  be  of  such  a  kind  as 
greatly  to  disturb  a  godless  neighborhood  at  home, 
it  will  not  set  on  fire  a  distant  continent.  We  must 
go  out  to  the  uttermost  parts  with  our  message,  but 
must  let  the  men  beside  us  feel  the  glow  of  our  zeal 
as  it  passes  by.  The  command  of  the  Lord  is  still 
the  rule  for  his  people — beginning  at  Jerusalem,  , 
but  not  ending  till  we  reach  the  uttermost  part  of 
the  earth.     Arnot. 

There  is  for  all  of  us  also  a  "Jerusalem,"  a 
"Judea,"  a  "Samaria,"  if  not  an  "uttermost  part 
of  the  earth"  —  some  well-dressed  city  with  its 
ragged  fringe  of  want  and  wickedness,  some  coun- 
try district  with  its  neglected  and  untrained  fami- 
lies, some  sophisticated  brain  that  has  gone  astray 
from  the  old  standards  and  home  of  the  faith  and 
set  up  its  Gerizim  rivalry  —  some  that  you  can 
minister  to  by  your  charity  and  win  back  by  your 
witnessing,  if  that  witnessing  is  only  as  zealous 
as  Peter's,  and  as  patient  as  Paul's,  and  as  loving  as 
John's.     F.  D.  H. 

9-11.  The  Ascension  and  the  AngcVs  Messacfe. 
— His  last  words,  "  ye  arc  my  witnesses,"  spoken — 
and  what  intense  sismificance  this  fact  carries  to 


SECTIO:^  191.— ACTS  1:1-W. 


11 


all  disciples ! — ffe  lifts  his  hands  in  bicssinff,  and 
in  the  act  of  blessing  rises.  Of  all  that  is  sublime 
and  tender  in  this  beautiful  and  attractive  life,  no- 
thing surpasses  in  power  over  a  true  human  heart 
this  spectacle,  upon  which  we  still  are  looking. 
The  last  act,  an  abiding  memory  to  us  of  blessing  ; 
hands — once  outstretched  in  cruel  agony,  shame, 
and  death — now  for  ever  outstretched  with  a  bene- 
diction, from  the  living,  I'isen,  reigning  Christ,  of 
joy,  of  promised  glory,  and  of  everlasting  life  to 
every  uplooking,  fervid,  trusting,  hoping  soul ! 
And  we  know  that  the  bright  cloud  that  has  taken 
will  restore  him,  in  that  blessed  day  when  we  shall 
rise  with  all  believers  to  meet  him  in  the  air.  This 
is  the  message  to  iis  of  the  angels  who  spake  from 
the  hallowed  spot  on  Olivet  upon  that  bright  day 
of  Christ's  ascension.     B. 

9.  Our  Lord  after  his  resurrection  seems  to  have 
done  nothing  like  a  common  man.  Whatever  was 
natural  to  him  before  seems  now  miraculous  ;  what 
was  before  miraculous  is  now  natural.  On  earth  he 
had  no  longer  any  local  residence ;  his  body  re- 
quired neither  food  for  its  subsistence,  nor  a  lodg- 
ing for  its  shelter  and  repose ;  he  was  become  the 
inhabitant  of  another  region,  from  which  he  came 
occasionally  to  converse  with  his  disciples  ;  his  visi- 
ble ascension,  at  the  end  of  forty  days,  being  not 
the  necessary  means  of  his  removal,  but  a  token  to 
his  disciples  that  this  was  the  last  visit — an  evi- 
dence to  them  that  "  the  heavens  had  now  received 
him,"  and  that  he  was  to  be  seen  no  more  on  earth 
"  till  the  restitution  of  all  things."     Horsley. 

Taken  up.  They  saw  with  them,  as  Master, 
Comforter,  Consoler,  and  Protector,  a  man,  such  as 
they  saw  themselves.  If  they  saw  not  something 
of  this  kind,  they  were  fain  to  think  him  absent ; 
whereas  he  is  everywhere  present  by  his  majesty. 
And  it  was  needful  that  they  should  now  begin  to 
have  spiritual  views  of  him,  as  the  Word  of  the 
Father,  God  with  God,  by  whom  all  things  were 
made ;  and  these  the  flesh,  which  they  saw,  suffered 
them  not  to  have.  It  was  therefore  expedient  for 
them  to  be  confirmed  in  faith  by  his  converse  with 
them  during  forty  days  ;  but  it  was  more  expedient 
for  them  that  he  should  withdraw  himself  from 
their  eyes,  and  that  whereas  upon  earth  he  had  been 
conversant  with  them  as  a  brother,  he  should  suc- 
cor them  from  heaven  as  God,  and  they  should  learn 
to  think  of  him  as  God.  They  would  not  think  of 
the  God,  until  the  man  were  removed  from  them 
and  from  their  sight ;  so  that,  when  the  familiar  in- 
tercourse which  they  had  had  with  the  flesh  was  cut 
off,  they  might  learn,  even  in   the   absence  of  the 

flesh,  to  think  of  his  Godhead.    Aug. If  faith 

and  spiritual  affection  are  the  life  of  the  Church,  it 
was  for  the  advantage  of  the  Church  that  Jesus, 
instead  of  remaining  in  the  midst  of  her,  should  go 


'  away.  Before  the  departure  of  Jesus  Christ  there 
is  no  Church,  but  there  is  one  immediately  after. 
Those  men  who,  after  a  long  residence  with  their 
Master,  put  questions  to  him,  and  start  doubts  which 
almost  make  us  blush  for  them,  are  after  his  de- 
parture enlightened,  intelligent,  resolute  men.  This 
Church,  in  which  he  leaves  only  his  remembrance,  and 
in  which  the  visible  signs  of  his  power  lasted  only  a 
very  short  time,  still  subsists,  and  even  now,  amid 
the  decline  of  all  belief  and  the  overthrow  of  all 
systems,  is  the  only  thing  which  has  strength,  life, 
and  a  future.  A.  V. Inasmuch  as  a  cloud  re- 
ceived him  out  of  their  sight,  it  was  declared  to  them 
that  the  human  form  of  the  Lord  which  thus  de- 
parted from  among  them  has  not  disappeared  into 
the  air,  but  has  entered  heaven,  the  abode  of  God, 
and  is  there  working  and  acting.  But  how  ?  Enter- 
ing heaven  as  the  glorified  King,  it  is  concerning 
his  kingdom  that  he  is  acting  and  working;  but 
inasmuch  as  he  is  withdrawn  from  them,  and  no 
longer  personally  among  them,  it  is  not  outwardly 
and  visibly  that  he  is  thus  working  ;  not  concerning 
a  visible  earthly  kingdom,  but  only  by  that  out- 
pouring of  the  Spirit  which  he  is  gone  up  to  receive, 
and  concerning  an  inward  and  Spirit  kingdom.     A. 

There  is  among  us,  ever  since  that  wondrous  day, 

a  power  beyond  all  powers,  a  strength  to  nerve  the 
feeble  heart,  an  unction  to  anoint  the  sightless  eye, 
an  energy  to  revivify  the  spiritually  dead.  There 
is  a  secret,  subtile,  unseen  power — mightier  than 
all  that  fabling  romance  ever  dreamed  of  its  magic 
— it  is  near  us  if  we  will  but  know  it,  within  us  if  we 
will  but  call  it — this  is  the  heritage  of  the  believing 
world  ever  since  that  day  of  OUvet.     W.  A.  B. 

What  tongue  of  the  highest  archangel  of  heav- 
en can  express  the  welcome  of  the  King  of  Glory 
into  those  blessed  regions  of  immortality?  Sure- 
ly, the  empyreal  heaven  never  resounded  with  so 
much  joy :  "  God  ascended  with  jubilation,  and  the 
Lord  with  the  sound  of  the  trumpet."  It  is  not  for 
us,  weak  and  finite  creatures,  to  conceive  those  in- 
comprehensible, spiritual,  divine  gratulations  that 
the  glorious  Trinity  gave  to  the  victorious  and  now 
glorified  human  nature.  Certainly,  if,  "  when  he 
brought  his  Only-Begotten  Son  into  the  world,  he 
said,  Let  all  the  angels  worship  him  "  ;  much  more 
now  that  he  "  ascends  on  high  and  hath  led  cap- 
tivity captive,  hath  he  given  him  a  name  above  all 
names,  that  at  the  name  of  JESUS  all  knees  should 
bow."  And,  if  the  holy  angels  did  so  carol  at  his 
birth,  in  the  very  entrance  into  that  estate  of  hu- 
miliation and  infirmity,  with  what  triumph  did  they 
receive  him  now,  returning  from  the  perfect  achieve- 
ment of  man's  redemption !     Bp.  H. 

We  see  humanity  glorified  when  the  Son  of  man 
thus  mounts  his  Father's  throne  ;  and  not  too  high, 
assuredly,    sounded   the    ancient   vaunt   of    faith, 


12 


SECTION  191.— ACTS  1:1-12. 


"  that  our  flesh  is  in  the  heaven."  "  To-day,"  so 
spoke  the  famed  Ghrysostom,  in  the  most  ancient 
ascension  sermon  of  the  Christian  Church  which 
has  been  preserved  for  us — "  to-day  are  we,  who  do 
not  seem  worthy  of  earth,  taken  up  into  heaven : 
we  win  the  royal  throne  ;  and  tlic  human  race,  who 
were  driven  by  cherubim  from  paradise,  take  even 
a  place  above  the  cherubim."      Van  0. 

10.  It  is  said  that  the  apostles  "  looked  stead- 
fastly toward  heaven  as  he  went  up  " ;  methinks 
it  is  so  that  we  also,  as  we  read  or  hear  this  won- 
drous event,  should  fix  eye  and  heart  upon  that 
heaven  which  he,  the  first-born,  has  preoccupied ; 
that  we  should  feel  that  in  him  a  portion  of  our- 
selves has  departed  thither,  a  sinless  type  of  hu- 
manity, which  keeps  its  place  for  the  rest;  and 
that  our  heart,  in  Christ,  being  already  there,  all 
else  should  struggle,  with  holy  impatience,  to  fol- 
low.    W.  A.  B. 

The  final  demonstration  of  his  Messiahship  is 
complete.  Henceforth  the  Redemption  of  Jesus, 
his  incarnation,  his  life,  his  redeeming  death,  his 
resurrection  and  ascension,  enter  as  living  truths, 
the  most  vital  and  grandest  truths,  into  human  his- 
tory. Roman  falsehood,  Jewish  malice,  Grecian 
skepticism,  can  never  crush  them  out  of  human 
thought,  or  palsy  their  ennobling  power  over  hu- 
man hearts.  From  soul  to  soul  these  eternal  reali- 
ties pass  into  possession ;  men  feed  upon  them 
and  grow  pure  and  strong.  The  sphere  of  faith 
enlarges  from  generation  to  generation,  and  as  it 
enlarges,  new  power,  new  joy,  new  hope  exalts  and 
strengthens  man.    S.  W.  F. 

Read  in  the  gospels,  repeated  in  sermons,  faint- 
ly reflected  in  Christians,  that  matchless  life  is 
every  day  humanizing,  stimulating,  rebuking,  consol- 
ing thousands  ;  impelling  to  deeds  of  generous  self- 
sacrifice  and  difficult  self-conquest,  which  he  was 
himself  the  first  to  exhibit,  and  inspiring  with  hope 
those  lovers  of  their  race  who  would  otherwise  de- 
spair of  mankind.  The  perfection  of  beauty,  a  full- 
orbed  Sun  of  Righteousness,  there  he  stands  and 
will  ever  stand,  history's  great  miracle  and  the 
world's  great  hope,  a  sign  that  is  still  spoken 
against,  but  a  name  which  is  continually  making 
progress,  and  daily  working  miracles.  And  ever 
since  over  Bethany  he  spread  forth  his  hands  and 
blessed  the  men  of  Galilee,  a  balm  has  lingered  in 
earth's  atmosphere,  which  was  not  there  before ; 
and  we  all  feel  that  earth  will  never  again  be  so 
bleak  since  Jesus  has  been  here,  nor  the  grave 
again  so  dark  since  Jesus  has  been  there ;  just  as 


we  feel  that  goodness  has  new  charms  since  he 
showed  us  what  it  is,  and  that  heaven  has  most 
nearness  since  he  said,  "  I  go  to  my  Father,"  and 
"  Lo,  I  am  with  you  always."     Hamilton. 

11.  He  will  come  again  ;  but  times  and  seasons 
which  man  can  not  number  will  ntervcne.  These 
are  times  of  witnessing  for  all  the  disciples  of 
Christ.  They  must  receive  the  Spirit ;  they  must  be 
witnesses  for  Christ ;  they  must  begin  at  Jerusalem  ; 
they  must  reach  the  ends  of  the  earth.  After  that 
shall  the  end  be.  The  time  seems  long ;  and  yet 
it  is  approaching  quickly.  That  fixed  star  seems 
fixed  indeed  to  our  eyes  ;  there  it  has  stood  in  the 
deep  of  heaven,  and  glittered  down  on  the  upturned 
eyes  of  longing  disciples  these  eighteen  hundred 
years — the  bright  promise  of  his  coming ;  but  though 
it  seems  to  stand  still,  it  is  moving ;  it  is  approach- 
ing. Be  of  good  cheer,  disciples,  your  redemption 
is  nearer  than  when  those  Galileans  first  left  their 

nets  to   follow  Jesus.      Arnot. The   return  of 

Christ  is  that  ultimate  and  yet  most  proximate 
point  to  which  the  believer  constantly  looks,  toward 
which  is  all  his  hope,  and  from  which  he  receives 
constantly  the  deepest  impulses  and  motives  for 
purification  and  diligent  labor.  The  grace  of  God, 
bringing  salvation,  Lath  appeared — this  is  our  sun- 
rise— teaching  us  to  wait  for  the  appearing  of  our 
great  God  and  Saviour — this  is  our  perfect,  never- 
ending  day.     A.  S. 

This  question,  "  Why  stand  ye  gazing  up  ?  "  is 
the  first  thing  in  the  order  of  events,  and  in  the 
Bible  narrative,  after  the  closing  of  Christ's  earth- 
ly ministry.  Only  a  little  breathing  space  was  to  be 
given  them  first  to  gather  up  their  energies,  and 
even  that  was  not  to  be  an  interval  of  idleness. 
They  were  to  go  at  once  to  Jerusalem,  as  the  chosen 
headquarters  of  the  great  warfare  for  the  world's 
conversion,  and  their  waiting  there  was  to  be  like 
the  waiting  of  the  still  midsummer  elements,  be- 
fore the  mountain  winds  sweep  down  and  the 
tongues  of  fire  leap  out — a  busy  waiting — a  prepa- 
ration for  this  long  campaign  of  many  ages.  They 
were  to  occupy  the  ten  days  fi'om  Ascension  to 
Pentecost,  with  its  mighty  wind  and  flame,  in  mak- 
ing ready  incessantly  for  the  coming  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  inaugurate  their  work.  They  were  to  be 
earnest  and  constant  in  prayer  and  praise.  They 
were  to  cease  wasting  their  time  on  the  empty  cloud 
through  which  the  Saviour's  form  had  gone,  that 
they  rather  might  find  and  follow  and  possess  for 
ever  the  living  Saviour  himself,  in  doing  by  faith  the 
substantial  service  of  his  love,  for  his  sake.   F.  D.  H. 


SECTION  192.— ACTS  1:13-36. 


13 


Section  192. 

Acts  i.  13-26. 

13  AxD  TNiien  they  were  come  in,  they  went  up  into  an  upper  room,  where  abode  botli 
Peter,  and  Jatues,  and  John,  and  Andrew,  Philip,  and  Thomas,  Bartholomew,  and  Matthew, 

14  James  the  son  of  Alphseus,  and  Simon  Zelotes,  and  Judas  the  brother  of  James.  These  all 
continued  with  one  accord  in  prayer  and  supplication,  with  the  women,  and  Mary  the 
mother  of  Jesus,  and  with  his  brethren. 

16       And  in  those  days  Peter  stood  up  in  the  midst  of  the  disciples,  and  said,  (the  number  of 

16  names  together  were  about  an  hundred  and  twenty,)  Men  and  brethren,  this  scripture  must 
needs  have  been  fulfilled,  which  the  Holy  Ghost  by  the  mouth  of  David  spake  before  con- 

17  cerning  Judas,  which  was  guide  to  them  that  took  Jesus.     For  he  was  nunabered  with  us, 

18  and  had  obtained  part  of  this  ministry.  Now  this  man  purchased  a  field  with  the  reward 
of  iniquity ;  and  falling  headlong,  he  burst  asunder  in  the  midst,  and  all  his  bowels  gushed 

19  out.     And  it  was  known  unto  all  the  dwellers  at  Jerusalem  ;  insomuch  as  that  field  is  called 

20  in  their  proper  tongue,  Aceldama,  that  is  to  say.  The  field  of  blood.  For  it  is  written  in  the 
book  of  Psalms,  Let  his  habitation  be  desolate,  and  let  no  man  dwell   therein :  and  his 

21  bishoprick  let  another  take.     Wherefore  of  these  men  which  have  companied  with  us  all 

22  the  time  that  the  Lord  Jesus  went  in  and  out  among  us,  beginning  from  the  baptism  of 
John,  unto  that  same  day  that  he  was  taken  up  from  us,  must  one  be  ordained  to  be  a  wit- 

23  ness  with  us  of  his  resurrection.     And  they  appointed  two,  Joseph  called  Barsabas,  who 

24  was  surnamed  Justus,  and  Matthias.    And  they  prayed,  and  said.  Thou,  Lord,  which  know- 

25  est  the  hearts  of  all  men,  shew  whether  of  these  two  thou  hast  chosen,  that  he  may  take 
part  of  this  ministry  and  apostleship,  from  which  Judas  by  transgression  fell,  that  he  might 

26  go  to  his  own  place.  And  they  gave  forth  their  lots;  and  the  lot  fell  upon  Matthias  ;  and 
he  was  numbered  with  the  eleven  apostles. 


What  an  epoch  of  prayer  was  that !  So  elevated  are  these  ardent  and  consecrated  souls  toward 
heaven,  so  open  toward  God's  spirit,  so  conscious  that  they  have  only  to  ask  to  receive,  that  devotion 
seems  to  have  become  an  instinct,  and  they  pray  as  they  breathe.  And  M^hat  followed  ?  The  Church 
grew  before  men's  eyes  with  such  swiftness  that  a  thousand  converts  were  gathered  in  the  time  that  it 
takes  us  to  gather  ten  :  in  the  short  lifetime  of  a  single  generation  the  worship  of  Christ  raised  itself  to 
power  in  the  chief  cities  of  three  continents  ;  the  swords  of  all  the  Herods  and  Caesars  and  their  legions 
could  not  strike  fast  enough  to  cut  down  one  Christian  where  twenty  sprang  up  ;  hundreds  were  baptized 
in  a  day;  the  times  of  refreshing  had  come ;  the  prediction  was  literally  accomph  shed;  the  windows  of 
heaven  were  opened,  and  the  blessing  was  so  poured  out  that  there  was  not  room  enough  to  receive  it. 
These  were  the  fruits.  How  can  we  fail  to  connect  together  the  fruit  with  the  seed — the  glorious  move- 
ment and  the  motive  power — the  Church  pure  in  doctrine  and  victorious  in  converting  the  world  with  the 
multitude  of  her  members  not  only  standing  full-clad  in  all  the  panoply  of  the  Christian  warfare,  but 
praying  always,  with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit  ?  All  along  since  the  last  of  the  twelve  laid 
down  his  life,  this  rule  has  never  had  an  exception — the  Church  has  been  both  strong  and  pure,  victorious 
abroad  and  peaceful  with  itself,  just  according  to  its  spirit  of  supphcation,  according  to  its  devotional 
nearness  to  Christ.     F.  D.  II. 


13-36.  From  the  parting  with  their  ascended 
Lord,  with  the  vision  still  in  thought  of  those  hands 
outstretched  in  blessing,  the  apostles  returned  to 
Jerusalem.  In  a  large  chamber  in  the  upper  story 
of  a  certain  house,  probably  the  room  already  hal- 
lowed by  their  last  intercourse  with  the  Master,  they 
gather  together,  and  many  other  disciples  with  them. 
For  ten  days  this  first  assembly  of  the  Christian 
Church  remained  in  almost  continuous  prayer,  and 


in  perfect  unison  of  feeling,  calmly  expecting  the 
fulfillment  of  the  Lord's  many  promises  respecting 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Luke's  Gospel  tells  us  that  "  they 
went  to  the  Temple  daily,"  at  the  usual  hour  of 
prayer.  The  whole  number  was  one  hundred  and 
twenty,  and  they  are  distinguished  into  four  groups : 
the  apostles,  the  women  who  had  followed  Jesus, 
his  mother  Mary,  and  his  brethren — Mary  seen  for 
the  last  time  in  the  beautiful  attitude  of  prayer  with 


14 


SECTION  192.— ACTS  1:13-^ 


the  other  believers,  sharing  their  spiritual  aspira- 
tions and  sympathizing  in  their  trust  and  hope,  and 
equally  looking  for  and  depending  upon  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  and  fiis  brethren,  now  also  believing,  rejoic- 
ing, expectant ;  and,  lastly,  the  larger  assemblage 
of  disciples. 

Peter  now  proposes  that  the  vacancy  in  the 
apostleship  be  filled.  After  consideration  as  well  as 
prayer,  resort  was  had  to  the  lot  to  determine 
the  choice  of  Christ.  This  was  their  last  confor- 
mity to  a  usage  of  the  old'  dispensation,  for  they 
were  to  have  from  henceforth  a  better  guide  to  the 
will  of  God.  Matthias  was  chosen  and  numbered 
with  the  apostles.  Concerning  him,  as  concerning 
several  other  apostles,  we  have  no  further  definite 
information.  This  we  know,  they  all  fulfilled  the 
mini.stry  appointed  them.  Each  had  a  history  and 
performed  a  life-work  whose  record  of  fruitf ulness 
and  blessing  shall  be  gratefully  traced  in  the  studies 
of  the  redeemed. 

With  singleness  of  expectation  and  absolute 
assurance  of  faith,  every  heart  in  perfect  oneness 
with  every  other,  asking,  as  He  had  bidden,  in  his 
name,  they  quietly  awaited  the  time  appointed  for 
the  advent  of  the  Comforter.     B. 

14.  There  was  perseverance  in  the  prayer  of 
the  primitive  Church — "  they  continued."  There 
was  unity  in  those  early  prayer-meetings — they 
prayed  "  with  one  accord."  The  prayers  were  not 
soon  broken  off,  and  were  not  hindered  by  disagree- 
ments among  the  suppliants.  They  ascended 
straight  to  heaven  in  a  pillar  of  pure  incense,  and 
descended  soon  in  showers  of  blessing — a  great  re- 
freshing from  the  presence  of  the  Lord.     Arnot. 

Mary.  The  Holy  Spirit  takes  leave  of  her 
here,  associated  with  the  apostolic  company  of  wor- 
shipers in  the  upper  room  at  Jerusalem.  She  is  oae 
of  those  who  there  continue  steadfast  in  prayer. 
How  unlike  the  spirit  and  language  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  that  will-worship  which  takes  her  out  of 
that  holy  fellowship  and  makes  her  an  object  of 
adoration !     W. 

We  see  her  to  have  been  a  devout  Jewish  maid- 
en, a  faithful  wife,  a  loving  mother,  illustrating  in 
her  life  a  true  womanhood.  Her  faith,  her  study 
of  the  Scriptures,  her  humility,  her  modesty,  her 
fidelity — all  commend  her  as  an  example  of  the 
character  produced  by  the  grace  of  God.  Not  a 
single  hint  is  given  of  her  sinlessness,  or  that  she 
differed  in  her  nature  from  Elizabeth  or  Anna,  or 
any  of  those  devout  and  loving  women  who  followed 
Christ  to  the  cross  and  early  visited  his  sepulchre. 
Her  honor,  her  peculiar  blessedness  consisted  in 
this,  that  she  was  chosen  to  be  the  mother  of  Jesus. 
As  woman  in  Eve  bore  her  part  in  the  fall,  so  wo- 
man in  Mary  bore  her  part  in  giving  birth  to  him 
who  is  the  Redeemer  of  the  world.     To  the  Church 


she  sustains  no  official  relation  whatever,  Christ 
himself  expressly  disclaims  all  such  human  relation- 
ship in  his  kingdom.  The  moment  he  appears  she 
retires.  A  few  allusions,  and  she  vanishes  from  the 
scene.  The  apostles  never  once  allude  to  her.  She 
is  put  as  entirely  aside  as  if  she  never  had  existed. 
To  those  inspired  men  she  is  utterly  unknown  in 
any  other  relation  to  the  Church  than  that  of  a 
simple  believer,  saved  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  early  records,  nothing  in  the 
early  fathers  of  the  Church  for  the  first  five  cen- 
turies, which  indicates  that  Mary  was  anything  more 
than  an  honored  member  of  the  Church.     S.  W.  F. 

John  has  nothing  to  say  of  her,  or  to  report 
from  her.  If  he  had  her  with  him  even  for  years, 
speaking  freely  of  what  she  knew,  how  many  things 
could  she  have  told  him  that  we  so  much  long  to 
hear !  And  yet  the  apostle,  beginning  his  gospel 
far  back  in  the  solemn  arcana  of  the  Eternal  Word, 
and  passing  directly  over  Mary  to  speak,  fourteen 
verses  after,  of  "the  Word  made  flesh,"  gives  not 
so  much  as  a  trace  of  mention  concerning  her  ma- 
ternal place  and  office  in  the  story.  Making  no  re- 
port of  her  conversations,  he  is  equally  silent  as 
regards  her  death ;  telling  never  when  she  died,  or 
how  she  died,  or  in  what  place  she  was  buried.  And 
it  is  well ;  for  there  was  even  a  much  higher  neces- 
sity in  her  case,  than  in  that  of  Moses,  that  her 
burial-place  should  be  hidden  from  mortal  knowl- 
edge. Otherwise  it  would  be  the  center  of  a  vaster 
idolatry  than  the  world  has  ever  known.  The  di- 
vine wisdom  somehow  took  her  aside,  with  a  set 
purpose  not  to  let  her  mix  her  human-story  prod- 
ucts, beautiful  and  graceful  as  they  were,  with 
Christ's  immortal  life-word  from  above.     H.  B. 

15,  It  is  the  commencement  of  God's  kingdom 
on  which  we  gaze  with  quiet  admiration,  and  it  may 
be  to  us  as  though  we  stood  beside  the  hidden  source 
of  a  stream  which  thence  speeds  along  to  water  re- 
gions vast  beyond  belief.  These  hundred  and  twenty 
persons,  what  a  small  beginning  compared  with  the 
vigorous  progress  and  the  fair  destiny !  Still  the 
spiritual  kingdom  of  God  stands  toward  the  unbe- 
lieving world  as  for  ten  days  the  humble  upper 
chamber  stood  toward  the  powerful  and  magnificent 
Jerusalem  ;  yet  it  appears  here,  too,  that  the  great 
question  is  not  on  what  side  is  the  majority  to  be 
found,  but  on  what  side  is  the  truth.      Van  0. 

18,  It  is  natural  to  suppose  that  Judas  hanged 
himself  on  some  tree  growing  out  of  a  precipice ; 
and  that  the  branch  breaking,  or  whatever  he 
hanged  himself  with,  he  fell  down  headlong,  and 

dashed  himself  to  pieces.      M. Supposing  this 

part  of  Hinnom  to  have  been  the  scene  of  the  sui- 
cide, it  fits  in  exactly  to  the  narrative  in  the  Acts. 
There  are  places  with  overhanging  trees  of  various 
kinds,  at  which  the  rugged  rock  rises  sheer  up  to 


SECTION  193.  -ACTS  2  : 1-11. 


15 


forty  or  fifty  feet ;  and  supposing  an  individual  to 
be  suspended  by  the  neck  from  a  branch  of  one  of 
those  trees,  there  is  nothing  improbable  in  the  branch 
breaking,  in  his  falling  body  being  torn  by  some 
jagged  projecting  stone  as  he  descended,  and  in  his- 
being  dashed  to  pieces  by  the  hard  rock  at  the  bot- 
tom. The  potter's  field,  which  was  purchased  with 
the  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  is  shown  on  the  same 
eminence.  We  found  its  soil  to  be  clayey  as  we 
walked  over  it ;  and  if  you  ask  almost  any  potter  in 
Jerusalem  where  he  finds  his  material,  he  will  direct 

you  to  this  very  Aceldama.     A.  TJio^nson. 1  felt, 

as  I  stood  in  the  valley  and  looked  up  to  the  rocky 
terraces  which  overhang  it,  that  the  proposed  ex- 
planation was  a  perfectly  natural  one.  I  was  more 
than  ever  satisfied  with  it.  Trees  still  flourish  on 
the  margin  of  these  precipices,  and  in  ancient  times 
must  have  been  more  numerous.  A  rocky  pave- 
ment exists,  also,  at  the  bottom  of  the  ledges,  and 
on  that  account,  too,  a  person  falling  from  above 
would  be  liable  to  be  crushed  and  mangled,  as  well 
as  killed.     Hackett. 

19.  This  verse  should  be  included  in  a  paren- 
thesis, and  thus  considered  as  conveying  not  the 
words  of  Peter  but  of  the  historian  :  which  effectu- 
ally answers  the  objection  from  the  fact  having  hap- 
pened but  a  few  days  before  the  speech  was  deliv- 
ered. This  also  accounts  for  his  calling  the  Syriac, 
which  was  spoken  by  the  Jews  at  that  time,  their 
language.     D. 

24.  liOrd.  This  word,  equivalent  to  the  Je- 
hovah of  the  Old  Testament,  and  correspondent  to 
it  in  the  Septuagint  version,  is  constantly  applied  to 
Christ  in  the  Acts,  where  it  is  found  nearly  a  hun- 
dred times,  and  is  like  a  sacred  key-note  of  the 
whole  ever  sounding  forth  his  divine  Lordship  in 
the  ear  of  the  world.  It  is  "  the  Lord  Jesus  "  who 
is  said  by  Peter  to  have  come  in  and  gone  out  .among 
them.  It  is  he  who  chooses  Matthias ;  he  who  sends 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  he  who  adds  believers  daily  to  the 
Church  ;  he  who  works  miracles  by  the  hands  of  his 
apostles.  To  the  Lord  Jesus,  Stephen,  the  first 
martyr,  looks  up  and  prays  at  the  hour  of  death. 
It  is  he  who  calls  to  the  persecuting  Saul  from 


heaven ;  he  sends  Ananias  to  baptize ;  he  sends 
Peter  to  Cornelius.  He  (says  Peter)  is  Lord  of  all. 
Thus  the  mind  is  elevated  from  earth  to  heaven,  and 
from  the  acts  of  envoys  to  the  majesty  and  glory  of 
the  universal  Lord  and  King,  sitting  on  his  heavenly 

throne.     W. It  is  not  said,  "  Show  whom  thou 

wilt  choose,''^  but  "  whom  thou  hc(^t  chosen."  There 
exists  no  more  decisive  proof  of  the  absolute  recog- 
nition of  the  divinity  of  our  blessed  Lord  than  this 
first  prayer  of  his  Church.  That  the  prayer  is  made 
to  him  is  undeniable.  The  very  word  in  which  he 
says  (John  6  :  70),  "  Have  not  I  chosen  you  twelve  ?  " 
is  also  used  here :  if  he  chose  the  twelve,  his  it  was 
to  choose  the  new  apostle.  And,  the  prayer  being 
thus  made  to  him,  there  is  in  it  attributed  to  him 
knowledge  of  the  hearts  of  all  men,  and  that  divine 
foreknowledge  which,  before  all  secondary  agents, 

determines  the   destiny  of  men.     A. 25.  The 

style  of  the  gospel  is  admirable  in  a  thousand  dif- 
ferent views  ;  and  in  this,  among  others,  that  we 
meet  there  with  no  invectives  on  the  part  of  the  his- 
torians against  Judas  or  Pilate,  nor  against  any  of 
the  enemies,  or  the  very  murderers  of  their  Lord. 

Pmcal. To  his  own  place.     In  the  eternal 

world  every  man  has  his  place,  and  it  is  his  own.  No 
other  can  make  it,  and  no  other  can  occupy  it,  for 
him.  Whatever  may  be  in  it  outwardly,  its  essence 
lies  in  his  own  soul  and  in  the  condition  to  which  he 
has  brought  it.  Here  in  the  last  issue  consists  his 
misery  or  joy,  for  only  through  his  soul  can  his 
share  be  measured  in  the  universe  of  God  and  in 
God  himself.  And  God  has  made  the  man's  own 
soul  witness  and  judge  over  itself.  This  difference 
only  shall  exist  between  the  present  and  the  future, 
that  then — confronted  with  the  eternal  laws  of  truth 
and  justice — the  witness  shall  have  no  power  of 
false  testimony,  and  the  judge  be  unable  to  use 
favor  or  sophistry.  Men  shall  take  their  own  place 
in  the  spiritual  universe  as  bodies  take  their  place 
in  the  natural — by  the  power  of  gravitation  which 
is  in  them — nearer  God  or  farther  from  him,  as 
they  have  impressed  the  character  upon  themselves, 
and  in  nearness  will  lie  life  and  peace — in  distance, 
death  and  misery.     Ker. 


Section  193. 

Acts  il.  1-11. 

1  And  when  the  day  of  Pentecost  was  fully  come,  they  were  all  ■rt'ith  one  accord  in  one 

2  place.     And  suddenly  there  came  a  sound  from  heaven  as  of  a  rushing  mighty  wind,  and 

3  it  filled  all  the  house  where  they  were  sitting.     And  there  appeared  unto  them  cloven 

4  tongues  like  as  of  fire,  and  it  sat  upon  each  of  them.     And  they  were  all  filled  with  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  began  to  speak  witli  other  tongues,  as  the  Spirit  gave  them  utterance. 

5  And  there  were  dwelling  at  Jerusalem  Jews,  devout  men,  oat  of  every  nation  under 


16 


SECTION  193.— ACTS  2  : 1-11. 


6  lieaven.     Now  when  this  was  noised  abroad,  the  multitude  came  together,  and  were  con- 

7  founded,  because  that  every  man  heard  them  speak  in  his  own  language.     And  they  were 
all  amazed  and  marvelled,  saying  one  to  another,  Behold,  are  not  all  these  which  speak 

8  Galila;ans  ?     And  how  hear  we  every  man  in  our  own  tongue,  wherein  we  were  born  ? 

9  Parthiuns,  and  Medes,  and  Elamites,  and  the  dwellers  in  Mesopotamia,  and  in  Judfea,  and 

10  Cappadocia,  in  Pontus,  and  Asia,  Phrygia,  and  Pamphylia,  in  Egypt,  and  in  the  parts  of 

11  Libya  about  Cyrene,  and  strangers  of  Rome,  Jews  and  proselytes,  Cretes  and  Arabians,  we 
do  hear  them  speak  in  our  tongues  the  wondeiful  works  of  God. 


jEsrs  has  ascended  to  his  Father,  but  this  other  paraclete  is  to  come  and  dwell  in  his  people  for  ever. 
His  office  work  is  threefold :  First,  with  reference  to  Christ's  immediate  disciples,  he  was  the  revcaler — 
Jesus  had  instructed  and  opened  truth  to  their  minds  ;  but  their  minds  were  weak,  their  memories  treach- 
erous. This  Holy  Spirit  comes  to  bring  to  mind  his  words,  to  strengthen  memory,  to  fill  them  with  the 
truth  thus  spoken  in  all  its  vividness  and  power,  and  open  the  true  meaning  of  what  was  obscure  and 
dark.  Nor  is  this  all.  There  were  many  things  Jesus  had  for  them,  which  they  could  not  bear,  were  not 
able  to  receive,  before  his  departure.  These  the  Spirit  should  make  known  to  them ;  these  things  to  come 
he  should  unfold  to  them.  This  promise  is  the  foundation  on  which  the  whole  New  Testament  rests  as 
the  inspired  truth  of  God.  They  spake,  they  wrote  the  things  pertaining  to  Christ  and  his  kingdom,  as 
they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  second  office  is  that  of  the  convictcr  and  regenerator.  He  is 
to  convince  the  world  of  sin,  of  righteousness,  of  judgment ;  and  as  he  convinces  and  convicts  he  is  to 
renew  and  lead  them  to  Jesus.  On  the  day  of  Pentecost  he  first  demonstrated  this  divine  power ;  thou- 
sands were  pricked  in  their  hearts  ;  thousands  believed  in  Jesus.  Ever  since  that  time  his  presence  has 
heen  revealed  in  conviction  and  conversion.  Religion  advances  ;  Jesus  is  received ;  the  gospel  is  victo- . 
rious  only  as  he  brings  the  truth  home  to  dead  hearts  of  men.  The  third  office  is  that  of  quiclcencr,  guide, 
and  comforter.  To  the  soul  once  penitent  and  believing,  this  blessed  Spirit  comes  and  quickens  it  to  see 
and  feel  the  fullness,  and  richness,  and  power  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus ;  stimulates  it  to  sacrifice  and 
labor,  excites  to  prayer,  strengthens  against  temptation,  supports  and  comforts  amid  trial,  sorrow,  and 
death.  Jesus  sends  this  divine  Spirit  to  work  in  his  Church  and  through  its  members.  This  is  his  great 
promise,  and  this  completes  the  cycle  of  redemption.  The  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  each  in  their 
office  ministering  life  and  salvation  to  the  world.     S.  W.  F. 


1.  The  day  of  Pentecost.  Pentecost  is  a 
(Greek)  New  Testament  term,  meaning ^//ie^/i,  indi- 
cating the  celebration  of  this  feast  on  the  fiftieth 
day  from  that  of  the  Passover.  This  is  called  in 
the  Old  Testament  the  Feast  of  Harvest ;  and  also 
the  Feast  of  Weeks,  because  it  was  seven  weeks,  or 
"  a  week  of  weeks,"  from  the  Passover.  The  Jews 
also  called  it  "The  Feast  of  the  joy  of  the  Law,"- as 
occurring,  according  to  their  tradition,  on  the  very 
day  when  the  Law  was  given  from  ilount  Sinai,  the 
fiftieth  of  the  Exodus,  from  the  night  of  the  first 
Passover.  And  so  this  Feast  of  Pentecost  associates 
the  old  covenant  of  the  Law  with  the  new  covenant 
of  the  Gospel,  the  organization  of  the  Old  Testament 
Church  under  Moses  with  a  partial  ministry  of  the 
Spirit,  with  its  reorganization  under  the  apostles 
with  the  fullness  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  In  this  we  see 
the  vital  connection  of  the  now  covenant  with  the 

old.     B. At  the  Feast  of  the  Passover  the  lamb 

was  slain — at  the  Feast  of  Pentecost  the  Law  was 
given.  Coincident  with  the  slaying  of  the  lamb  was 
the  death  of  Christ ;  coincident  with  the  giving  of 
the  Law  was  the  descent  of  the  Spirit.     On  the  first 


Pentecost  the  Law  was  written  on  tables  of  stone ; 
on  the  last  came  the  Spirit  to  write  the  Law  on  the 
living  tables  of  the  heart.     Arnot. 

In  the  old  dispensation  there  were  three  great 
annual  festivals  at  which  the  sons  of  Abraham  went 
up  to  Jerusalem — that  of  the  Passover,  which  com- 
memorated and  renewed  their  gladness  over  their 
deliverance  from  the  Egyptian  house  of  bondage ; 
that  of  the  first  fruits,  when  the  earliest  ripe  sheaves 
gave  joyous  foretoken  of  the  coming  harvest ;  and 
that  of  Tabernacles,  when  for  a  season  their  tent- 
life  was  renewed,  and  they  blessed  God  for  their 
settled  enjoyment  of  the  promised  land.  But  what 
was  temporary  and  occasional  in  the  former  econ- 
omy, is  permanent  under  the  gospel ;  and  the  glad- 
ness of  all  these  three  festivals  is  united  in  the 
Christian  life.  The  Pascal  joy  of  deliverance — the 
Pentecostal  gladness  of  first  fruits  in  the  possession 
of  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit — and  the  Tabernacle  re- 
joicing in  the  contemplation,  from  out  the  frail 
booth  of  the  flesh,  of  "  the  city  which  hath  founda- 
tions whose  builder  and  maker  is  God  " — these  all 
combine  to  make  the  experience  of  the  believer  a 


SECTION  193.— ACTS  2:1-11. 


continuous  feast,  which  is  not  the  less  real  because 
it  is  internal  and  spiritual.     W.  M.  T. 

All  in  one  place.  It  is  not  of  the  apostles 
only  that  the  whole  history  is  related.  Throughout 
the  latter  part  of  chapter  1  we  are  in  presence  of 
the  assembled  believers,  the  hundred  and  twenty 
names  of  verse  15.  In  verse  23,  it  is  "they"  who 
"  appoint  two  "  ;  in  verse  24,  "  they  "  who  pray  ; 
in  verse  26,  "they''  who  give  forth  their  lots;  in 
chapter  2  :  1,  "they"  who  are  "all  with  one  accord 
in  one  place  " ;  in  verse  3,  it  is  upon  "  each  of  them  " 
that  the  fiery  tongues  rest.  There  is  no  change  of 
subject  throughout.  And  with  this  agree  the  words 
and  acts  of  the  twelve.     A. 

Our  Saviour  Christ,  who  is  Lord  of  the  Sabbath, 
fulfilling  the  work  of  our  redemption  by  his  resur- 
rection upon  the  first  day  of  the  week,  and  by  his 
mission  of  the  Holy  Ghost  miraculously  the  first  day 
of  the  week,  and  by  the  secret  message  of  his  Spirit 
to  the  apostles  and  the  primitive  Church,  hath  trans- 
lated the  observation  of  the  seventh  day  of  the  week 
to  the  first  day  of  the  week,  which  is  our  Christian 
Sabbath ;  that  as  our  Christian  baptism  succeeds  the 
sacrament  of  circumcision,  and  as  our  Christian 
pascha,  in  the  sacrament  of  the  euchai'ist,  succeeded 
the  Jewish  passover,  so  our  Christian  Sabbath,  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  succeeds  the  Sabbath  of  the 
seventh  day  of  the  week ;  and  that  morality  which 
was,  by  Almighty  God,  under  that  covenant,  confined 
to  the  seventh  day,  is,  by  the  example  of  Christ  and 
his  apostles  to  us  Gentiles,  transferred  to  the  first 
day  of  the  week.     Hale. 

2,  3.  Suddenly  came  the  fulfillment  for  which 
the  disciples  now,  and  the  devout  of  their  preceding 
generations,  had  waited.  And  in  this  his  Pente- 
costal gift  we  find  further  evidence  that  Christ  came 
to  fulfill  the  long  promise  of  the  prophets.  Two 
signs  preceded,  and  one  followed  the  immediate 
advent  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  First,  a  sound,  as  of  a 
rushing  mighty  wind,  without  a  breath  of  movement 
in  the  air,  a  sound  sweeping  down  through  the  still 
sky  from  the  upper  heaven,  a  sound,  heard  in  its 
downward  course  by  many  in  the  immediate  vicinity, 
taking  the  direction  and  entering  into  the  very  cham- 
ber where  the  disciples  were  sitting,  and  there  ceas- 
ing. This  was  an  expressive  intimation  to  those 
who  understood  the  symbolic  use  of  the  term  wind, 
or  breath,  or  spirit,  as  applied  to  the  divine  Spirit ; 
it  was  an  advance  sign  from  heaven  of  his  coming. 
Next,  in  addition  to  the  sound  appealing  to  the  ear, 
instantly  followed  a  light,  as  of  flame,  appealing  to 
the  eye.  An  appearance  it  was,  of  a  body  of  flame, 
disparted  and  distributed  in  the  form  of  tongues, 
one  resting  upon  the  head  of  each  disciple.  A 
brightness  as  of  fire  or  flame,  but  like  the  bush  at 
Horeb  there  was  no  burning.  This  miraculous  light, 
with  its  peculiar  form,  also  bore  an  expressive  inti- 
2 


mation,  which  we  can  as  readily  interpret.  Spiritual 
light  and  spiritual  energy,  coming  from  the  Holy 
Ghost  into  the  heart,  were  the  experience  signified 
by  the  seeming  flame.  "  The  form  of  tongues  sig- 
nified that  the  tongue,  the  word,  or  speech,  con- 
trolled by  the  Holy  Spirit,  should  communicate  all 
that  is  heavenly.  That  such  a  tongue  of  light  and 
fire  descended  upon  each  individual  present,  was  an 
emblem  of  that  fullness  of  the  Spirit  imparted  to 
each  individual  as  a  permanent  gift."  Thus  these 
signs,  audible  and  visible,  impressively  indicated  the 
power  and  the  mode  of  working  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
More  than  this,  they  were  specific  pledges  of  the 
conquering  might  of  the  divine  Spirit  that  should 
attend  the  preaching  of  Christ  crucified  and  risen.   E. 

Tell  it  wherever  there  are  ears  to  hear,  tell  it  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth,  God  hath  spoken ;  man  has 
not  been  forgotten ;  there  is  a  gospel,  a  "  speech  of 
God  " ;  questions  affecting  salvation  are  settled ;  and 
our  way  to  holy  living  and  happy  dying  traced  by 
the  Hand  which  rules  both  worlds.  In  strict  keep- 
ing with  the  spiritual  stamp  of  Christianity  was  the 
symbol  which,  once  for  all,  announced  to  the  Church 
the  advent  of  her  conquering  power.  The  symbol 
is  a  TONGUE,  the  only  instrument  of  the  grandest 
war  ever  waged :  a  tongue — man's  speech  to  his 
fellow  man ;  a  message  in  human  words  to  human 
faculties,  from  the  understanding  to  the  under- 
standing, from  the  heart  to  the  heart.  A  tongue 
of  fire — man's  voice,  God's  truth;  man's  speech, 
the  Holy  Spirit's  inspiration ;  a  human  organ,  a  su- 
perhuman power.     Arthur. The  truth  revealed 

is  the  condition  and  the  instrument  of  the  Spirit's 
working.  Hence,  only  when  the  revelation  of  God 
is  complete  by  the  message  of  his  Sou,  his  life, 
death,  resurrection,  and  ascension,  was  the  full 
permanent  gift  of  the  Spirit  possible,  not  to  make 
new  revelations,  but  to  unfold  all  that  lay  in  the 
Word  spoken  once  for  all,  in  whom  the  whole  name 
of  God  is  contained.    A.  M. 

4.  Immediately  succeeding  these  miraculous 
manifestations  is  the  advent  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Of 
this  the  simple  sublime  record  is,  They  were  all 
filed  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  As  of  old  "  God  was 
not  in "  this  seeming  of  the  "  wind  and  the  fire," 
but  entered  invisibly  and  inaudibly  into  the  hearts 
of  the  disciples  to  breathe  into  them  the  fullness  of 
spiritual  life  and  light,  to  speak  thereafter  to  them 
in  "  the  still  small  voice,"  and  to  abide  in  them  and 
with  them  for  ever.  Fullness  and  permanence  char- 
acterize the  influence  and  communication  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  from  henceforth.  Hitherto  prophets 
and  apostles,  and  all  believers,  had  only  received  In 
lesser  measure  partial  and  limited  foretastes  of  the 

divine  working.     B. As  the  Son  was  working  in 

the  world  long  before  his  incarnation,  so  did  the 
Holy  Ghost  also  act  upon  mankind  long  before  his 


18 


SECTION  193.— ACTS  2  : 1-11. 


effusion;  as  it  was  at  the  incarnation  of  the  Son 
that  the  fullness  of  his  life  first  manifested  itself, 
so  it  was  not  until  the  effusion  which  took  place  on 
the  day  of  Tcntccost  that  the  Spirit  poured  forth  all 
his  power.     Oh. 

The  normal  guidance  of  the  apostles  by  their 
Lord  was  not  occasional,  but  habitual,  not  through 
separate  interventions,  but  through  the  Holy  Ghost 
dwelling  in  them.  So  the  promise  ran  that  it  should 
be ;  and  so  in  fact  it  was.  The  Day  of  Pentecost  is 
the  opening  of  the  second  period  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment dispensation.  It  stands  alone,  as  does  the  day 
which  now  we  call  Christmas :  the  one  the  birthday 
of  the  Lord,  the  other  the  birthday  of  his  Church ; 
the  one  proclaimed  by  pi'aises  sung  by  hosts  in 
heaven,  the  other  by  praises  uttered  in  the  various 
tongues  of  earth.  That  change  is  significant :  for 
now  the  Spirit  conveys  the  true  knowledge  of  the 
wonderful  works  of  God  into  the  recesses  of  the 
human  heart.  A  dispensation  is  begun,  in  which 
the  mind  of  God  has  entered  into  mysterious  com- 
bination with  the  mind  of  man,  and  henceforth  the 
revealing  light  shines,  not  from  without,  but  from 
within.  God  at  that  time  not  only  stirred,  but  taught, 
the  hearts  of  his  faithful  people,  and  sent  to  them 
not  only  the  warmth  but  the  light  of  his  Holy  Spirit. 
T.  D.  B. 

5.  In  Christ's  time  one  might  have  spoken  with 
truth  of  the  omnipresent  Jew.  "  The  Jews  had 
made  themselves  homes  in  every  country,  from  the 
Tiber  to  the  Euphrates,  from  the  pines  of  the  Cau- 
casus to  the  spice-groves  of  happy  Arabia."  A 
mere  catalogue  of  the  cities  where  they  had  settled 
at  that  time — in  the  far  East,  in  Egypt,  in  Syria,  in 
Greece  and  her  islands — is  astonishing.  With  but 
few  exceptions,  they  seem  to  have  been  everywhere 
a  wealthy  and,  in  general,  an  influential  class.  The 
decrees  issued  from  time  to  time  by  the  Roman 
Senate,  favoring  or  honoring  the  Jews  in  the  differ- 
ent cities  of  the  empire,  were  very  numerous,  and 
throw  much  light  upon  their  numbers,  character, 
prosperity,  and  their  civil  and  social  relations  and 
standing.     Merrill. 

6-11.  Many  of  the  more  devout  among  these 
foreign  Jews,  under  the  then  prevalent  belief  that 
the  Messiah  was  about  to  appear,  bad  fixed  their 
abode  at  Jerusalem,  permanently  or  for  a  time. 
These,  with  others  who  came  up  to  this  feast,  were 
providentially  prepared  as  witnesses  of  this  great 
miracle.  Subsequently,  as  the  subjects  of  the  re- 
newing power  and  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they 
were  as  providentially  made  bearers  of  the  glad  tid- 
ings to  the  nations  among  whom  they  dwelt,  whose 
languages  they  had  acquired  from  birth.  5Iany 
of  them  were  now  gathered  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
temple,  and  heard  the  strange  sound  that  had  fallen 
from  the  sky.     Among  this  multitude  came  the  dis- 


ciples from  the  upper  room,  and,  under  the  prompt- 
ing and  guidance  of  this  new  divine  inspiration,  one 
and  another  attaches  himself  to  some  group  of  for- 
eigners, and  accosts  them  in  their  own  language  with 
the  wondrous  message  of  the  Holy  Ghost  concerning 
the  crucified  and  risen  Jesus.  No  wonder  that "  they 
were  all  amazed,  and  marveled "  that  Galilean 
peasants  should  "  speak  in  their  tongues  the  won- 
derful works  of  God  "  !  Here  were  representatives 
of  all  nations :  eastward,  "  the  Parthians,  Medes, 
Elamites,  and  dwellers  in  Mesopotamia,"  from  the 
heart  of  Asia  ;  northward,  strangers  from  "  Cappa- 
docia,  Pontus,  Phrygia,  and  Pamphylia,"  and  the 
rest  of  Asia  Minor ;  southward,  from  "  Egypt, 
Libya,  and  Arabia  "  ;  and  westward,  "  Cretes  and 
Romans."     B. 

Proselytes.  After  the  captivity,  the  prose- 
lytes were  for  the  most  part  willing  adherents  to 
the  Jewish  faith.  With  the  conquests  of  Alexan- 
der, the  wars  between  Egypt  and  Syria,  the  struggle 
under  the  Maccabees,  the  expansion  of  the  Roman 
Empire,  the  Jews  became  more  widely  known,  and 
their  power  to  proselytize  increased.  The  influence 
was  sometimes  obtained  well,  and  exercised  for 
good.  In  most  of  the  great  cities  of  the  empire 
there  were  men  who  had  been  rescued  from  idolatry 
and  its  attendant  debasements,  and  brought  under 
the  power  of  a  higher  moral  law.  The  converts  who 
were  thus  attracted  joined,  with  varying  strictness, 
in  the  worship  of  the  Jews.  They  were  present  in 
their  synagogues ;  they  came  up  as  pilgrims  to  the 

great  feasts  at  Jerusalem.     S. These  were  the 

seed-vessels,  now  charged  with  precious  seed,  and 
then  thrown  back  upon  the  countries  whence  they 
had  come.  Thus  Christ  was  preached  in  many  dis- 
tant countries  very  soon  after  his  own  ministry  was 
closed.  A  great  harvest  sprang  in  many  lands 
from  the  seed  that  these  vorshipers  found  at  Jeru- 
salem— a  great  flame  of  spiritual  life  was  kin- 
dled far  and  wide  by  these  fiery  tongues  of  the  Pen- 
tecost revival.     Arnot. 

11.  The  miracle  of  tongues,  what  is  it  but  a 
significant  intimation  of  the  appointment  of  Chris- 
tianity to  be  the  religion  of  the  world  ?  The  gospel 
must  speak  all  languages,  and  can  and  shall  do  so 
one  day,  because  its  deepest  marrow  and  essence, 
really  divine,  is  also  human;  not  from  man,  nor 
according  to  man,  but  still  for  man,  for  all  men 
without  exception,  adapted  to  the  deepest,  the  un- 
varying cravings  of  humanity,  and  alone  fitted  fully 
to  satisfy  them.     Van  0. 


The  signs,  and  that  which  followed  them — the 
speaking  with  tongues — were  but  indications  of  the 
deeper  and  greater  event  itself,  the  being  filled  with 
the  Holy  Ghost.  The  rushing  wind  and  the  tongues 
of  flame  passed  away  in  a  few  minutes,  the  speaking 


8ECTI0X  1H.—ACTS  2:12-36. 


19 


with  tongues  in  a  few  years  :  but  the  event  of  Pen- 
tecost remains  in  all  its  presence  and  all  its  power. 
The  filling,  teaching,  indwelling  Spirit  is  as  much 

with  us  as  he  was  with  them.     A. The  condition 

of  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost  with  converting 
power  in  the  Church  is  ever  the  same  as  at  his 
first  coming.  Oneness  of  heart,  and  united,  believ- 
ing, persevering  prayer  on  the  part  of  Christ's 
banded  disciples,  will  assuredly  bring  the  largest 
blessing  that  is  asked  or  desired.  "For  this  I  will 
be  inquired  of,"  is  still  the  divine  utterance,  and 
the  promise  yet  stands  good,  I  will  "  increase  with 
men  like  a  flock."  Prayers,  unhindered  by  disa- 
greements, by  lukewarmness  of  desire,  by  diversion 
of  interest  and  purpose,  by  wavering  faith,  or  for- 


getfulness  of  the  objects,  will  never  be  denied  ;  they 

will  be,  must  be  answered,  as  God  is  true.    B. 

Every  accessory,  every  instnunent  of  usefulness, 
the  Church  has  now  in  such  a  degree  and  of  such 
excellence  as  was  never  known  in  any  other  age ;  and 
we  want  but  a  supreme  and  glorious  baptism  of  fire 
to  exhibit  to  the  world  such  a  spectacle  as  would 
raise  ten  thousand  hallelujahs  to  the  glory  of  our 
King.  Let  but  this  baptism  descend,  and  thou- 
sands who  have  been  but  commonplace  or  weak 
ministers  would  then  become  mighty.  Prayer  ear- 
nest, prayer  united,  and  prayer  persevering,  these 
are  the  conditions ;  and,  these  being  fulfilled,  we 
shall  assuredly  be  "endued  with  power  from  on 
high."     Arthur. 


Section   194. 

Acts  ii.  12-36. 

12  And  they  were  all  amazed,  and  were  in  doubt,  saying  one  to  another,  "Wlaat  meaneth 

13  this?     Others  mocking  said,  These  men  are  full  of  new  wine. 

14  But  Peter,  standing  up  with  the  eleven,  lifted  up  his  voice,  and  said  unto  them.  Ye  men 
of  Judsea,  and  all  ye  that  dwell  at  Jerusalem,  he  this  known  unto  you,  and  hearken  to  my 

15  words :  for  these  are  not  drunken,  as  ve  suppose,  seeing  it  is  hut  the  third  hour  of  the  day. 

16  But  this  is  that  Avhich  was  spoken  by  the  prophet  Joel ;  and  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last 

17  days,  saith  God,  I  will  pour  out  of  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh :  and  your  sons  and  your  daugh- 
ters shall  prophesy,  and  your  young  men  shall  see  visions,  and  your  old  men  shall  dream 

18  dreams:  and  on  my  servants  and  on  my  handmaidens  I  will  pour  out  in  those  days  of  my 

19  Spirit;  and  they  shall  prophesy:  and  I  will  shew  wonders  in  heaven  above,  and  signs  in 

20  the  earth  beneath ;  blood,  and  fire,  and  vapour  of  smoke :  the  sun  shall  be  turned  into  dark- 

21  ness,  and  the  moon  into  blood,  before  that  great  and  notable  day  of  the  Lord  come  :  and  it 

22  shall  come  to  pass,  that  whosoever  shall  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved.  Ye 
men  of  Israel,  hear  these  words;  Jesus  of  Kazareth,  a  man  approved  of  God  among  you  by 
miracles  and  wonders  and  signs,  which  God  did  by  him  in  the  midst  of  you,  as  ye  your- 

23  selves  also  know :  him,  being  delivered  by  the  determinate  counsel  and  foreknowledge  ot 

24  God,  ye  have  taken,  and  by  wicked  hands  have  crucified  and  slain :  whom  God  hath  raised 
up,  having  loosed  the  pains  of  death:  because  it  was  not  possible  that  he  should  be  holden 

25  of  it.    For  David  speaketh  concerning  him,  I  foresaw  the  Lord  always  before  my  face,  for 

26  he  is  on  my  right  hand,  that  I  should  not  be  moved:  therefore  did  my  heart  rejoice,  and 

27  my  tongue  was  glad  ;  moreover  also  my  flesh  shall  rest  in  hope :  because  thou  wilt  not  leave 

28  my  soul  in  hell,  neither  wilt  thou  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corruption.    Thou  hast  made 

29  known  to  me  the  ways  of  hfe;  thou  shalt  make  me  full  of  joy  with  thy  countenance.  Men 
and  brethren,  let  me  freely  speak  unto  you  of  the  patriarch  David,  that  he  is  both  dead  and 

30  buried,  and  his  sepulchre  is  with  us  unto  this  day.  Therefore  being  a  prophet,  and  know- 
ing that  God  had  sworn  with  an  oath  to  him,  that  of  the  fruit  of  his  loins,  according  to  the 

31  flesh,  he  would  raise  up  Christ  to  sit  on  his  throne ;  he  seeing  this  before  spake  of  the 
resurrection  of  Christ,  that  his  soul  was  not  left  in  hell,  neither  his  flesh  did  see  corruption. 

32  This  Jesus  hath  God  raised  up,  whereof  we  all  are  witnesses.     Therefore  being  by  the  right 

33  hand  of  God  exalted,  and  having  received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he 

34  hath  shed  forth  this,  which  ye  now  see  and  hear.  For  David  is  not  ascended  into  the 
85  heavens :  but  he  saith  himself,  The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand,  until 
36  I  make  thy  foes  thy  footstool.     Therefore  let  all  the  house  of  Israel  know  assuredly,  that 

God  hath  made  that  same  Jesus,  whom  ye  have  crucifled,  both  Lord  and  Christ. 


20 


SUCTIOI^  m.—ACTS  2  :  12-S6. 


From  the  moment  when  the  apostles  saw  their  Lord  ascend,  they  were  in  full  possession  of  all  the 
external  facts  of  which  they  were  appointed  to  bear  witness.  But  they  were  not  in  possession  of  the 
spiritual  meaning,  relations,  and  consequences  of  those  facts,  and  therefore  the  hour  of  their  testimony 
was  not  come,  and  the  interval  was  passed  not  in  preaching  but  in  prayer.  As  soon  as  the  promise  is 
fulfilled,  they  lift  up  their  voice  and  speak.  Never  were  men  so  changed.  Who  does  not  note  the  acces- 
sion of  boldness,  faithfulness,  and  fervor !  Their  clear,  firm  testimony  rises  in  a  moment  before  the 
world,  never  hesitating  or  wavering,  never  to  sink  or  change  again,  only  manifesting  more  fully,  as  time 
advances,  the  largeness  of  its  compass  and  the  definiteness  of  its  announcements.  Ever  after  they  speak 
as  men  would  do  who  were  conscious  of  a  ground  of  certainty  which  could  not  be  questioned,  who  could 
say  that  things  "  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Ghost  and  to  them  "  ;  that  their  word  was  "  not  the  word  of 
man  but  the  word  of  God  " ;  that  it  was  "  the  Spirit  that  bore  witness  "  ;  that  they  "  preached  the  gospel 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven  " ;  that  they  "  had  the  mind  of  Christ."  It  is  enough.  The 
three  testimonies  concur — the  testimony  of  him  who  gave  the  Spirit,  the  testimony  of  those  who  received 
it,  and  the  testimony  of  the  facts  which  ensued  on  its  reception.  Are  we  then  at  a  loss  to  know  what  was 
the  nature  of  the  gift  which  the  Holy  Spirit  brought  for  the  purposes  of  the  apostolic  work  ?  Certainly 
it  was  vast  and  various — "  a  sevenfold  gift "  ;  but  its  most  essential  part  lay  not  in  tongues  and  powers 
which  witnessed  to  the  gospel,  not  in  the  fervor  and  boldness  which  preached  it,  rather  it  ivas  the  Gospel 
itself.    T.  D.  B. 


Tlie  First  Preaching  of  Christ. — Peter's  address 
is  bold  and  aggressive,  not  defensive,  but  his  bold- 
ness is  tempered  with  the  "  meekness  of  wisdom," 
And,  alike  in  his  courage,  his  gentleness,  and  his 
wisdom,  we  discern  the  clearest,  surest  proofs  of 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Nothing  less  than 
divine  energy  could  have  enabled  these  timid  fugi- 
tives of  six  weeks  before  to  face  a  multitude  of  the 
very  men  from  whom  they  had  fled  —  nay,  more, 
intrepidly  to  confess  the  Master  whom  they  had 
deserted. 

For  Peter,  the  change  is  marvelous  indeed ! 
Not  merely  in  the  extreme  of  daring  so  soon  suc- 
ceeding to  cowardice,  nor  in  the  confession  of  Christ 
again  after  his  craven  denial,  but  in  the  subjection 
of  that  rough,  impetuous,  indiscreet  temper  to  the 
quietness  of  spirit  and  admirable  judgment  mani- 
fest in  this  whole  discourse.  He  is  still  foremost, 
indeed — he  would  not  be  natural  otherwise — but  he 
is  not  forward.  He  refutes  the  rude  charge  of 
drunkenness  at  the  outset,  but  with  what  mildness 
of  manner  and  modesty  of  argument  !  And  no- 
thing can  be  wiser,  no  form  of  argument  can  be  con- 
ceived as  combining  a  more  excellent  judgment  and 
temper,  than  the  whole  course  of  this  introductory 
preaching  of  a  completed  redemption. 

There  is  here  no  direct  assault  upon  Judaism,  no 
reference  to  its  lapse  from  spiritual  truth  and  life 
into  the  barrenness  of  superstitious  form.  On  the 
contrary,  the  Jewish  Scriptures  furnish  his  start- 
ing-point, his  constant  resting-place  and  reference. 
There  is  a  clear  implication  running  through  this 
sermon  (and  through  all  other  discourses  of  the 
Acts)  that  the  old  dispensation  was  the  foundation 
of  the  new,  the  Jewish  of  the  Christian ;  that  the 
teachings,  ceremonies,  and  events  of  the  Jewish 
Church  all  bore  with  an  intense  significance  upon 
the  development  of  Christianity.     And  now,  under 


the  express  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Peter 
traces  (and  after  him  Stephen  and  Paul)  these 
events  which  had  wrought  their  wonder  to  the  pre- 
vious prophecies,  and  then  conclusively  shows  that 
Christ  himself  is  the  Messiah  of  these  Scriptures. 
But  in  the  midst  and  at  the  close  of  his  reasoning 
he  tells  them,  with  perfect  quietness  and  simplicity 
of  utterance,  that  they  have  delivered  up  and  cruci- 
fied this  Jesus. 

12,  13.  A  large  number  were  simply  astonished 
at  these  marvels,  and  in  utter  perplexity  that  they 
could  not  account  for  them.  Another  class  scoffed 
and  sneeringly  said.  These  men  are  frenzied  with 
strong  drink.  {Siveet  wine  is  referred  to,  not  new, 
made  by  soaking  dried  grapes  in  old  wine  and  press- 
ing them  a  second  time.)  We  see  here,  what  was 
so  often  seen  in  Christ's  own  history,  of  how  little 
avail  are  miracles  in  affecting  a  haidened  will  and 
an  unbelieving  heart. 

14,  15.  Peter  affirms,  for  his  companions  and 
himself,  that  they  are  not  drunken ;  and  only  refers 
to  the  improbability  of  any  one  being  intoxicated  at 
so  early  an  hour  (before  nine  o'clock).  For  all  knew 
it  was  a  universal  rule  among  the  Jews,  bad  and 
good,  not  to  eat  or  drink  before  morning  prayer, 
which  was  at  this  hour. 

16-18.  He  has  said,  This  is  not  intoxication; 
now  he  asserts  that  it  is  inspiration.  What  you  see 
and  hear  is  nothing  else  than  the  fulfillment  of  the 
prophecy  of  Joel ;  and  then  he  cites  the  prophet's 
words.  One  well  remarks  here,  "Even  the  illumi- 
nation of  the  Spirit  can  never  render  the  written 
word  superfluous.  The  apostle,  when  filled  ■nith 
the  Spirit,  seeks  a  firm  foundation  in  the  word  of 
prophecy  "  (2  Pet.  1:19).  "  The  last  days,"  referred 
to  here,  include  the  whole  period  of  the  Spirit's  work- 
ing— the  entire  Christian  dispensation  now  far  ad- 
vanced.     In   this  new  dispensation,  the  prophecy 


SECTION  194.— ACTS  2:12-36. 


21 


notes  as  one  point  of  advance  that  there  shall  be 
perfect  equality  in  spiritual  privileges.  Not  only 
shall  the  Spirit  be  poured  out,  far  more  largely  and 
abundantly  imparted,  but  in  this  outpouring  of  the 
Spirit  all  classes  shall  equally  partake,  without  dis- 
tinction of  sex,  of  age,  of  condition,  or  of  race. 
There  shall  be  no  longer  a  Court  of  the  Women,  or 
of  the  Gentiles,  or  even  of  the  Priests,  but  all  par- 
tition walls  shall  be  broken  down,  and  the  very  Holy 
of  Holies  opened  for  evermore  to  "  Jew  and  Greek," 
to  "  bond  and  free,"  to  "  male  and  female,"  since 
henceforth,  inhabited  by  the  same  Spirit,  "all  are 
one  in  Christ  Jesus."  These  predictions  may  have 
manifold  applications  throughout  these  "  last  days." 
Primarily,  they  refer  to  the  near  destruction  of  the 
Jewish  state  and  nation.  But  they  also  apply  to 
other  nations,  that  serve  not  Christ  and  that  hinder 
the  progress  of  his  gospel.  And  the  symbols  have 
in  all  cases  the  same  meaning.  The  wonders  and 
signs,  of  darkness  and  blood  and  fire  and  smoke,  are 
portents  of  calamities  that  are  familiar  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  past,  and  will  be  repeated  yet  more  sig- 
nally until  the  "  great  and  notable  day  of  the  Lord 
shall  come." 

But  while  the  predictions  of  judgment  are  gen- 
eral and  spoken  of  the  mass,  the  promise  of  salva- 
tion is  individual  and  personal,  and,  like  all  the 
promises  of  the  Old  Testament  and  New,  it  is  with- 
out limitation  or  exception.  One  condition  only, 
calling  on  the  Lord,  implying  a  conviction  of  fearful 
personal  peril,  a  belief  that  the  Lord  can  and  will 
save,  a  simple  trust  in  him,  and  reliance  upon  his 
faithfulness  to  his  own  voluntary  promise.  With 
this  condition  as  a  permanent  inward  experience. 
Christians  of  this  day,  and  of  the  very  latest  days, 
like  those  who  were  saved  (every  one)  from  the 
awful  slaughter  in  Jerusalem,  shall  be  surely  deliv- 
ered, and  rejoice  in  the  salvation  of  God. 

22,  23.  Peter  has  accounted  for  the  miraculous 
sound  and  gift  of  tongues.  Now  he  turns  to  the 
main  point  of  his  discourse,  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
the  man  they  had  known  and  crucified,  now  risen 
and  exalted  into  heaven,  had  "  shed  forth  this 
which"  they  had  seen  and  heard  (verse  33),  and 
that  the  same  Jesus  is  Lord  and  Messiah  (verse  36). 
In  introducing  tliis  central  theme  of  the  gospel,  the 
apostle  elevates  correspondingly  the  style  of  his 
address.  Including  all  foreign  and  native  Jews, 
under  their  highest  title,  Israel,  he  respectfully  so- 
licits their  attention,  and  lends  dignity  to  the  charge 
he  lays  plainly  upon  them.  "  Ye  yourselves  know," 
he  said,  "  that  Jesus  was  sufficiently  accredited  to 
you  by  the  miracles  he  did,  and  the  wonderful 
events  that  attended  him."  Precisely  this  had 
Christ  himself  said  to  them  again  and  again,  when 
claiming  perfect  unity  with  the  Father  in  the  power 
of  working  miracles.     Then   in   the   simplest  but 


most  explicit  words,  forbearing  all  irritating  epi- 
thet, he  declares  that  they,  knowing  these  things, 
had  apprehended  and  crucified  him  by  heathen 
hands.  They  had  done  it,  but  God  had  determined 
the  result,  as  Christ  himself  had  affirmed,  "  The 
Son  of  man  goeth  as  it  was  determined."  So  we 
learn,  sir/nalh/,  how  man  is  guiltily  free,  because 
without  compulsion  save  of  his  own  evil  passions, 
and  yet  God  is  holily  sovereign.  For  we  see  in 
Christ's  death,  on  the  one  hand,  the  free  acting  of 
voluntary  human  guilt,  and  on  the  other,  a  fulfilled 
decree  of  God  for  human  redemption.  But  neither 
divine  decree  in  the  interest  of  mercy,  nor  Christ's 
willingness  to  suffer,  changed  their  relation  to  their 
own  murderous  act,  or  relieved  their  consciences 
from  thc^burdening  guilt.  B. The  act  is  de- 
clared to  be  wicked,  yet  it  is  equally  declared  to  be 
by  the  "  determinate  counsel  of  God  " ;  therefore, 
acts  which  are  evil  may  be  included  in  the  plan  of 
Providence.     J.  W.  A. 

24-28.  Affirming  of  his  own  knowledge  that 
God  had  raised  this  Jesus  of  Nazareth  from  death, 
he  first  assigns  the  essential  reason,  that  the  Lord 
of  life  could  not  be  holden  of  death.  So  the  pre- 
dictions of  the  Old  Testament  assured  them.  And 
in  proof  he  cites  from  the  16th  Psalm,  and  ex- 
pounds  the  words  cited.  David  is  speaking,  not  of 
himself — for  in  no  sense  could  the  words  be  ful- 
filled in  his  experience — but  of  Christ.     B. It 

may  be  conceived  that  in  David  the  dread  of  cor- 
ruption and  of  the  dark  valley  of  death  awakened 
the  longing  desire  of  victory  over  it ;  and  this  the 
prophetic  Spirit  led  him  to  see  realized  in  the  per- 
son of  the  Messiah.  Now,  in  Psalm  16,  death  is 
contemplated,  first,  in  relation  to  the  body,  and 
secondly,  to  the  soul.  The  body  is  represented 
as  guarded  against  the  last  effect  of  death,  viz., 
corruption,  and  the  soul  is  described  as  behold- 
ing indeed  the  dark  place  of  shades  ("hell,"  or 
better,  hades),  but  as  speedily  delivered  from  it 
and  restored  to  the  kingdom  of  light.  The  ex- 
actness with  which  these  points  were  realized  in 
the  development  of  Christ's  life  makes  the  pre- 
diction one  of  the  most  remarkable  in  holy  writ. 
ffackett. 

29-31.  To  insure  their  conviction  that  David 
is  here  predicting  the  McssiaKs  resurrection,  the 
apostle  reasons  further,  simply  but  conclusively 
from  the  death  and  burial  of  David,  and  from  his 
faith  in  the  covenant  God  had  made  concerning 
Christ.  Thus  the  threefold  conclusion  is  reached, 
the  glorious  substance  of  this  first  proclamation  of 
the  gospel :  TJiis  Jestis  hath  God  rained  up  ;  having 
received  of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  He  hath  shed  forth  this,  which  ye  see  and 
hear;  therefore  let  all  the  house  of  Israel  know 
assuredly  that  God  hath  made  this  Jesus  whom  ye 


22 


SECTION  195.— ACTS  2:S7-lf[. 


have  crucified  hoth  Lord  and  Christ !  (Versea  32, 
33,  36.)    B. 

One  of  the  blessed  fruits  of  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost was  that  the  Holj  Spirit,  who  had  spoken  of 
old  by  the  prophets  and  in  the  Psalms,  now  inter- 
prets their  words  by  the  apostles.  On  that  day  he 
founded  in  the  Church  a  school  of  Scriptural  herme- 
neutics.  lie  declared  on  his  own  divine  authority 
that  certain  Scriptures  which  he  expounded  by  the 
mouth  of  Peter,  inspired  by  the  divine  Teacher  the 
Comforter,  refer  to  Christ.  He  teaches  us  how 
they  apply  to  Christ,  and  has  given  us  a  key  for 

unlocking  other  prophecies  of  like  import.     W. 

Here,  too,  we  may  see  how  the  Old  Testament,  or 
Judaism  in  its  purity,  underlies  Christianity,  fur- 
nishing its  foundation  facts  and  proofs.  Both  are 
equally  from  God,  and,  of  course,  in  harmony  with 
each  other.  Each  interprets  the  other.  The  new 
or  Christian  dispensation  is  the  natural  expansion 
of  the  old  or  Jewish.  The  principle  of  membership, 
faith,  and  the  spirit  of  service  and  worship,  are 
alike  in  both.  The  only  difference  is  in  the  forms 
of  obedience  and  devotion,  and  the  extent  of  knowl- 
edge.    B. 

33.  Witnesses,  They  knew  that  which  they 
affirm.  At  first,  in  their  anticipations  of  a  visible 
kingdom,  they  would  not  believe  that  Christ  would 
die.  But  they  were  compelled  to  believe  the  fact 
when  it  transpired.  They  did  not  believe  that  he 
would  rise  again  ;  they  even  doubted  the  first  report 
of  it ;  they  yielded  at  last  to  the  direct,  positive, 
visible  fact,  and,  when  thus  convinced,  they  believed 
fully.  Then  it  was  they  became  witnesses  of  what 
their  eyes  had  seen  and  their  hands  had  handled ; 
and  assured  of  its  truth,  as  a  living  confirmation  of 
the  divine  gospel,  they  devoted  themselves  to  the 
proclamation  of  this  truth  among  the  nations. 
S.  W.  F. 

33.  The  great  gift  of  the  Spirit  at  this  eventful 
hour  came  before  the  universe  as  the  Father's  en- 
dorsement of  the  scheme  of  salvation  to  which  the 
Son  was  fully  committed.  It  testified  that  hence- 
forth the  whole  Deity — every  perfection  and  power 
of  the  Triune  God,  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit — are  at 


one  in  working  for  this  sublime  consummation,  the 
redemption  of  the  world  to  Christ.     H.  C. 


This  view  of  the  operation  of  the  Spirit,  as  the 
medium  through  which  the  Lord  Jesus  wrought  and 
taught,  is  carried  through  the  whole  course  of  the 
history  which  follows.  As  in  the  promise,  so  in  the 
history,  "  The  Comforter  will  come  unto  you" — 
"/will  come  unto  you" — are  but  two  sides  of  one 
and  the  same  fact.  On  critical  occasions  and  at 
each  onward  step  the  hand  of  the  Master  is  made 
distinctly  visible.  The  first  martyr  dies  for  a  testi- 
mony, which  is  felt  to  be  an  advance  on  what  had 
been  given  before,  being  understood  to  imply  that 
"  this  Jesus  of  Nazareth  shall  destroy  this  place, 
and  change  the  customs  which  Moses  delivered  us  " ; 
and  his  words  are  sealed  by  the  vision  of  his  Lord 
in  glory.  The  consignment  of  the  gospel  to  the 
Ethiopian  proselyte  was  another  step  in  advance, 
and  for  this  "  the  angel  of  the  Lord  spake  unto 
Phihp."  The  preaching  of  the  Word  to  Gentiles, 
and  their  admission  into  the  Church,  was  a  greater 
step  ;  and  for  this  the  Lord  intervenes  by  the  mis- 
sion of  an  angel  to  Cornelius,  by  a  vision  and  a  voice 
of  the  Spirit  to  Peter,  and  by  a  kind  of  second  Pen- 
tecost to  the  converts  themselves.  But  when  the 
greatest  step  of  all  is  to  be  taken  in  the  onward 
course  of  the  gospel,  then  most  visibly  does  the 
great  Head  of  the  Church  make  manifest  his  per- 
sonal administration.  A  new  apostle  appears,  not 
like  him  who  was  added  before  Pentecost,  com- 
pleting the  number  of  the  original  college,  and 
losing  his  individuality  in  its  ranks,  but  one  stand- 
ing apart  and  in  advance,  under  whose  hand  both 
the  doctrines  and  the  destinies  of  the  gospel  receive 
a  development  so  extensive  and  so  distinct  that  it 
seemed  almost  another  gospel  to  many  who  wit- 
nessed it,  and  to  some  who  study  it  seems  so  still. 
Thus  does  he,  who  at  the  commencement  of  the 
history  was  seen  to  pass  into  the  heavens,  continue 
to  appear  in  person  on  the  scene.  Ilis  apostles  act, 
not  only  on  his  past  commission,  but  under  his  pres- 
ent direction.  He  is  not  wholly  concealed  by  the 
cloud  which  had  received  him  out  of  their  sight. 
Now  his  voice  is  heard,  now  his  hand  put  forth, 
and  now  through  a  sudden  rift  the  brightness  of  his 
presence  shines.  And  these  appearances,  voices, 
and  visions  are  not  merely  incidental  favors  ;  they 
are,  as  we  have  seen,  apportioned  to  the  moments 
when  they  are  wcmted,  moments  which  determine 
the  course  which  the  gospel  takes,  and  in  which  a 
manifestation  of  divine  guidance  proves  the  divine 
guidance  of  the  whole.     T.  D.  B. 


Section   195. 

Acts  ii.  37-47. 

37  Now  when  they  heard  this,  they  vrere  pricked  in  their  heart,  and  said  nnto  Peter  and 

38  to  the  rest  of  the  apostles,  Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do  ?     Then  Peter  said  unto 
them,  Eepent,  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remis- 

39  sion  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     For  the  promise  is  unto  you, 
and  to  your  children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall 

40  call.     And  with  many  other  words  did  he  testify  and  exhort,  saying,  Save  yourselves  from 


SECTION  195.— ACTS  2  :  37-47. 


23 


41  this  untoward  generation.  Then  they  that  gladly  received  his  word  were  haptized :  and 
the  same  day  there  were  added  unto  them  about  three  thousand  souls. 

42  And  they  continued  stedfastly  in  the  apostles'  doctrine  and  fellowship,  and  in  breaking 

43  of  bread,  and  in  prayers.     And  fear  came  upon  every  soul :  and  many  wonders  and  signs 

44  were  done  by  the  apostles.     And  all  that  believed  were  together,  and  had  all  things  com- 

45  mon  ;  and  sold  their  possessions  and  goods,  and  parted  them  to  all  men,  as  every  man  had 

46  need.     And  they,  continuing  daily  with  one  accord  in  the  temple,  and  breaking  bread  from 

47  house  to  house,  did  eat  their  meat  with  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart,  praising  God,  and 
having  favour  with  all  the  people.  And  the  Lord  added  to  the  church  daily  such  as  should 
be  saved. 


The  Christian  faith  is  shown  to  us,  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  working  out  its  first  simple  develop- 
ments in  human  society.  In  that  plain  picture,  we  see  how  this  new  force,  this  divine  idea,  acted  on  the 
world  of  living  men  and  women ;  how  it  took  possession  of  them,  and  organized  them  into  a  peculiar 
institution,  which  has  lived  on  ever  since — the  Church.  Christ's  visible  presence  is  withdrawn  out  of  the 
world  at  his  resurrection ;  but  thenceforth  he  appears  to  mankind  in  the  living  body  of  his  Church,  which, 
holding  in  its  heart  and  its  hand  his  Spirit  and  his  Word,  takes  the  place  of  his  physical  form.     F.  D.  H. 

Doubtless  the  form  in  which  spiritual  life  now  appears,  differs  in  many  respects  from  what  it  was  at 
first ;  but  in  essence  and  principle  it  is  the  same,  and  all  who  arc  now  gathered  into  the  Church  of  the 
redeemed  are  really  akin  to  the  first  confessors  of  the  gospel.  It  is  a  church  consisting  of  such  as  shall 
be  saved ;  it  is  the  spiritual  body  of  Christ  bom  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     It  is  wholly  our  own  fault  if  we 

are  not  members  of  it ;  it  is  wholly  the  grace  of  the  Lord  if  we  are  in  truth  brought  into  it.     Van  0. 

Daily,  ever  since  men  were  multiplied  on  the  earth,  have  the  saved  streamed  through  the  strait  gate  into 
life,  and  now  a  multitude  whom  no  man  can  number  inhabit  the  mansions  of  the  Father's  house.  He 
added  the  saved  to  the  Church  :  added  them  in  the  act  of  saviug,  saved  in  the  act  of  adding.  He  does 
not  add  a  withered  branch  to  the  vine ;  but  in  the  act  of  inserting  it,  makes  the  withered  branch  live. 
"  Daily  "  some  are  added :  every  day  some ;  but  only  while  it  is  day  this  process  goes  on.  The  night 
Cometh  wherein  no  man  can  work — not  even  the  Son  of  man,  Son  of  God.  He  is  now  about  his  Father's 
business  :  he  is  finishing  the  work  given  him  to  do.  "  To-day,  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your 
hearts,"  for  the  day  is  wearing  away,  the  day  of  grace.  The  night  cometh,  cometh — how  stealthily  it  is 
creeping  on ! — the  night  wherein  not  even  this  Great  Worker  can  work  any  more.     Amot. 


37.  Bffed  of  the  First  Preaching  of  Christ  cru- 
cifed,  with  the  Poioer  of  the  Holy  Ghost. — Peter  has 
proved  to  them,  according  to  the  clear  statements 
of  their  own  Scriptures,  that  Jesus  was  their  long- 
looked-for  Messiah ;  that  they  had  rejected  and 
slain  him ;  but  that  he  had  risen,  ascended,  and 
from  the  throne  of  heaven  had  sent  forth  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  teach,  to  convince,  and  to  quicken.  And 
the  proof  of  the  Spirit's  convincing  power  we  be- 
hold in  this  his  first  work  upon  multitudes  of  the 
guiltiest  among  the  then  living — of  those  to  whom 
pertained  the  guilt  of  crucifying  their  own  Messiah. 
Pierced  in  the  heart,  their  understandings  convinced, 
their  feelings  deeply  stirred,  and  their  wills  mightily 
influenced  by  the  combined  force  of  the  truth  and 
the  Spirit,  they  ask  the  one  question  of  conscious 
guilt,  Wliat  shall  we  do  ?  Utterly  self-condemned, 
their  consciences  demanding  relief  from  the  tremen- 
dous pressure  of  such  guilt,  they  turn  to  these 
very  Galileans  whom  they  had  despised,  and  with 
an  awakened  gentleness  of  penitence,  answer  back 
the  address  of  Peter,  Men^  brethren  !  tell  us,  what 
shall  we  do  to  be  saved  ?    B. 


The  divine  Spirit  may,  and,  for  aught  that  ap- 
pears to  the  contrary,  must  use  the  instrument  of 
Truth  in  this,  his  frst  act,  as  well  as  in  any  and  in 
every  further  operation.  And  lohen  he  speaks,  he 
makes  the  deaf  to  hear,  as  well  as  the  hearing  to 
understand.  "  When  they  heard  this,  they  were 
pricked  in  their  heart,"  was  the  experience  of  the 
three  thousand  to  whom  Peter  preached  the  gospel 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  and  whose  hard  hearts  the 
Spirit  pierced  by  what  they  heard.     J.  S.  S. 

38.  Tlie  One  Counsel  and  Promise  of  the  Gospel 
to  those  convinced  of  Unbelief  and  Guilt. — The  coun- 
sel is  twofold  :  Repent  and  be  baptized ;  likewise 
the  promise,  the  remission  of  sins  and  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Christ,  on  the  eve  of  his  ascen- 
sion, had  instructed  them  to  preach  repentance  and 
remission  of  sins  in  his  name,  and  Peter  now  uses, 
so  far,  his  very  words.  The  word  "  repentance  " 
means  simply  "  change  of  mind,"  the  reversal  of  a 
man's  controlling  thoughts,  feelings,  and  aims  of 
life.  Sorrow  forms  no  part  of  the  meaning,  but 
sorrow  is  involved  in  and  precedes  it.  More  than 
this,  "  godly  sorrow,"  sorrow  toward  God,  "  work- 


24 


SECTION  195.— ACTS  2  :  37-lf!. 


cth  repentance,"  leads  to  a  radical  change  of  senti- 
ment, feeling,  and  purpose,  with  respect  to  man's 
relation  and  duty  toward  God.  Repentance,  then, 
is  the  turning  of  the  whole  soul  from  self  to  God, 
and  involves  the  breaking  off  from  a  selfish,  sinful 
course  of  life,  and  the  entrance  upon  a  life  of  obe- 
dience, trust,  and  supreme  devotion  to  God.  And 
this  repentance,  while  it  is  man's  own  act,  is  not 
simply  of  his  own  unaided  and  spontaneous  doing, 
and  so  meritorious ;  but  it  is  performed  under  the 
prompting  and  with  the  help  of  God  himself.  And 
so  in  this,  as  in  all  else,  salvation  is  whoUy  of  grace. 
The  cases  before  us  admirably  illustrate  and  im- 
press this  meaning  of  the  familiar  gospel  term. 

The  additional  outward  requirement  of  baptism 
was  designed  as  an  expression  of  their  faith  in 
Jesus  as  Messiah  and  Saviour,  and  of  their  open 
consecration  to  his  service.  On  God's  part,  it  is 
his  seal  of  acceptance  and  of  his  fulfillment  of  all 
the  promises  included  in  the  covenant  of  grace. 
As  Christ  had  commanded,  baptism  was  adminis- 
tered in  the  name  of  the  Three  Divine  Persons. 
Hence  the  expression  here,  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ,  signifies  the  recognition  of  his  authority 
and  the  acceptance  of  his  doctrine,  his  mediator- 
ship,  and  his  service. 

Of  the  twofold  promise,  enforcing  the  counsel 
or  exhortation,  the  remission  or  forgiveness  of  shis 
stands  foremost.  So  it  stands  first  in  David's  enun- 
ciation of  mercies  in  that  life-psalm  of  the  grate- 
ful heart,  the  one  hundred  and  third.  It  is  first, 
not  merely  as  it  ministers  quiet  to  conscience  and 
heart,  but  as  it  changes  the  standing  of  the  par- 
doned soul  with  reference  to  the  law  of  God,  and 
makes  the  further  gifts  of  God  consistent  and 
meet.  The  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  next  promised, 
refers  not  to  any  miraculous  tokens  such  as  they 
had  heard  that  day,  but  to  that  indwelling  and  in- 
working  of  the  divine  Spirit  which  is  given  to 
every  penitent  believer  in  Jesus. 

39.  "  The  promise "  is  that  of  which  he  has 
been  speaking  (verses  IT,  21),  the  quickening  power 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  "  being  saved "  by 
Christ.  To  you  and  to  your  children  this  promise 
is  given.  To  you,  though  you  have  crucified  your 
Saviour.  To  your  children,  meaning,  in  the  passage 
from  Joel,  and  in  similar  passages  in  Isaiah  and 
elsewhere,  to  your  descendants  or  posterity.  But 
the  implication  is  clear,  that  children  as  children  are 
also  included.  For  from  the  first  day  of  the  cove- 
nant with  Abraham,  the  children  of  every  covenant- 
ing parent  were  distinctly  recognized,  and  the  recog- 
nition sealed  by  divine  ordinance,  as  members  of 
the  Church  and  people  of  God.  B. We  are  ex- 
pressly told  that  under  Christ,  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, the  same  covenant  is  renewed,  only  expanded 
and  deepened.    Throughout,  the  law  of  descent  is 


carefully  respected.  The  hereditary  tie  is  recog- 
nized. Offspring,  at  birth,  are  supposed  to  be 
bound  up  in  the  same  bond  of  Christian  privileges 
and  helps  which  encircles  their  believing  progeni. 

tors.    F.  D.  H. And  to  all  afar  off,  is  the  simple 

widening  of  the  hope  and  promise  of  the  gospel  to 
include  Gentile  with  Jew.  It  is  the  plain  intima- 
tion that  the  divine  forgiveness  and  indwelling  are 
in  purpose  designed,  and  in  measure  adequate,  for 
the  race  of  guilty  men. 

40.  The  Discoui'se  prolonged  but  not  reported, 
saoe  in  its  Substance  and  Conclusion. — In  keeping 
with  the  great  essential  truths  already  stated,  he 
continued  to  testify  and  exhort.  The  order  of  these 
words,  especially  the  dependence  of  exhortation  upon 
testimony  or  instruction,  is  worthy  of  note.  It  in- 
timates that  what  is  called  "  exhortation  "  is  Scrip- 
tural and  useful,  when  it  follows  and  is  strictly 
based  upon  Scripture  truth.  Peter's  concluding  ex- 
hortation is  brief  and  to  the  point — "  Save  your- 
selves," or  be  saved,  by  separating  yourselves  from 
this  perverse  and  gainsaying  generation,  and  so  es- 
caping its  doom. 

41.  Tlie  Result  of  that  Day^s  Ministry  of  the 
Gospel  with  the  Holy  Spirit. — "  Greater  works  than 
mine  shall  ye  do,"  said  Christ,  "  because  I  go  to  the 
Father,  and  send  upon  you  the  Spirit."  And  now, 
at  the  very  outset,  closely  following  his  ascension 
to  the  Father,  three  thousand  souls  gladly  receive 
the  glad  tidings,  are  baptized,  and  enrolled  as  mem- 
bers of  the  infant  Church  of  Christ.  An  amazing 
fulfillment,  too,  of  the  word  of  Christ  to  the  fisher- 
man Peter,  "From  henceforth  thou  shalt  catch 
men." 

42.  Four  Essential  Elements  in  the  Christian 
Life  of  these  Eirst  Believers. — First,  as  most  im- 
portant, they  received  needed  instruction  from  the 
twelve,  and  perhaps  from  others.  This  was  as  the 
Master  had  directed.  After  making  disciples,  and 
baptizing,  then  teaching  more  fully  all  things  I  have 
commanded — so  ran  the  commission.  And  this  is 
still  the  only  wise,  true  method.  After  receiving 
and  enrolling  disciples,  then  instruct  fully.  Stead- 
fast heed  to  instruction  in  God's  Word  was  and  is 
needed,  not  only  for  personal  growth  in  the  Chris- 
tian life,  but  for  the  great  life-duty  of  every  be- 
liever, of  bearing  witness  concerning  Christ.  How 
well  these  early  believers  learned  the  spirit  of  Christ, 
we  see  from  their  continuance  in  fellowship.  This 
means  communication,  not  communion,  and  refers 
particularly  to  that  self-sacrificing  spirit  of  love  to 
our  neighbor  and  fellow  which  prompts  to  deeds  of 
helpfulness,  the  actual  communication  of  good  in 
supply  of  his  need.  The  idea  is  actualized  in  the 
facts  stated  in  verses  44  and  45.  The  third  particu- 
lar, the  breaking  of  bread,  refers  to  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, which  was  naturally  a  divine  means  of  deep 


8EGTI02T  195.— ACTS  2  :  37-47. 


25 


and  tender  impression,  a3  well  as  of  confirming 
other  instruction.  Such  is  still  its  purpose,  and 
may  be,  if  rightly  partaken,  its  increasingly  happy 
effect.  The  last  element  of  Christian  life  in  the 
practice  of  which  these  first  believers  continued 
steadfast,  was  prayer.  All  other  means  and  evi- 
dences of  life  or  growth  are  vain  where  prayer, 
fervent,  continuous,  and  expectant,  is  wanting. 
"  Behold,  he  prayeth ! "  was  the  offered  and  ac- 
cepted proof  of  Saul's  conversion.  And  it  is  the 
surest,  safest  test  of  continued  Christian  life. 

43.  TTie  Impression  made  upon  the  IfuUUude 
of  Unbelievers. — "  Fear  came  upon  every  soul ! " 
This  shows  how  broad  and  deep  was  the  impression 
wrought  by  the  miracles  and  the  preaching  of  those 
wonderful  days.  The  great  body  of  the  people  were 
subdued  and  awed.  No  voice  of  mocking  was  heard, 
no  thought  of  persecution  was  cherished  among 
them.  Xot  till  the  instigators  and  leading  actors  in 
the  Crucifixion,  the  chief  priests  and  rulers,  were 
aroused  by  hearing  of  these  wonderful  effects,  did 
persecution  begin.     B. 

44.  All  things  common.  There  was  a  spe- 
cial reason  for  this  at  Jerusalem,  where  converts  to 
Christianity  would  be  regarded  by  the  Jews  as  rene- 
gades, and  be  cut  off  from  domestic  intercourse 
and  from  former  means  of  subsistence.  The  need 
to  be  met  was  instant  and  special,  and  such  as  did 
not  exist  afterward  among  the  churches  formed 
among  the  heathen.     K. 

45.  The  Mutual  Ahoundi/ig  Helpfulness  of 
these  First  Christians. — In  this  sharing  and  distri- 
bution  of  goods  there  was  no  surrender  of  per- 
sonal rights  of  property,  as  Peter's  words  to  Ana- 
nias clearly  show.  There  was  no  "  community  of 
goods,"  as  each  proprietor  himself  sold  and  distrib- 
uted such  portion  as  he  pleased.  But  as  each  one 
having  possessions  saw  the  needs  of  others,  and 
felt  the  call  and  obligation  to  aid,  he  sold  so  much 
as  his  judgment  prescribed,  and  "  parted,"  distrib- 
uted to  them  relief.  That  is,  a  conscientious  judg- 
ment was  exercised  in  connection  with  charitable 
feeling.  There  was  no  compulsion  of  apostolic 
commandment,  nor  any  improper  self-impoverish- 
ment. What  heart  conscience  and  judgment  to- 
gether dictated,  they  gave,  according  to  the  gospel 
principle  of  stewardship  and  trust  (so  thoroughly 
taught  to  and  by  the  apostles).  Alike  in  their 
worship,  their  helpfulness,  their  active  ministry  for 
Christ  and  for  men,  and  in  receiving  their  daily 
food,  gladness  and  singleness  of  heart  prompted 
them  to  blend,  with  all,  the  praises  of  God.     How 


beautiful,  yet  natural,  this  conclusion  of  the  briefly 
told  story !  And  how  natural,  too,  the  recorded  re- 
sult of  this  harmonious,  praying,  self-denying,  prais- 
ing, happy  fellowship  !  The  accordant  daily  pray- 
ers and  praises  are  heard  and  accepted.  The  sin- 
gle-hearted love  to  God  and  man,  evinced  in  faithful 
word  and  helpful  deed,  deepens  grateful  devotion  to 
the  Lord  of  all  grace.  And  as  the  blessed  effect  of 
answered  prayer,  accepted  praise,  and  helpful  word 
and  deed,  Christ,  the  Lord,  adds  to  their  number 
daily  of  the  saved!  And  ever  since,  through  the 
same  instrumentality  of  human  prayer  and  praise, 
of  faithful,  self-denying  word  and  deed,  the  saved 
have  been  daily  added  to  the  blessed  family  of 
which  Christ  is  the  head !     B. 

46.  In  the  temple.  The  apostles  and  primi- 
tive disciples  would  not  separate  themselves  from 
the  Temple,  but  resorted  habitually  to  it,  that  it 
might  not  be  supposed  that  the  gospel  which  they 
preached  was  at  variance  with  the  law  of  Moses, 
and  that  they  might  give  a  practical  confirmation  to 
their  argument  that  Christ  has  been  foretold  by 
Moses  and  the  Prophets,  whose  office  it  was  to  pre- 
pare the  way  for  him.     W. 


The  first  representatives  of  the  Christian  Church 
on  earth  were  the  disciples,  of  varied  name  and 
pursuit — men  and  women  who  first  adhered  to 
Christ  with  intelligent  faith  in  him,  as  the  Saviour  of 
the  world.  The  first  local  and  particular  church  was 
that  formed  in  Jerusalem,  But  there  was  in  fact 
little  of  "  forming  "  in  the  matter.  It  formed  itself, 
as  it  were.  It  was  a  collection  of  believing  men 
and  women,  who  were  baptized  in  testimony  of  their 
Christian  belief.  All  the  organization  there  was 
about  it  appears  to  have  been  as  exigencies  arose, 
necessities  required,  and  proprieties  prompted.  What 
Christ  enjoined  was,  that  every  creature  should  be- 
lieve on  him  as  the  personal  Redeemer ;  that  all 
who  believe  on  him  should  observe  his  ordinances, 
baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  Nothing  beyond  this 
do  we  find  in  the  record.  Our  Lord  always  indi- 
vidualizes men.  Faith  in  the  heart  of  the  particu- 
lar man  is  the  essential  thing.  All  those  who  be- 
lieved on  him  after  this  manner,  gravitating  toward 
a  common  center,  naturally  and  voluntarily  associ- 
ated together,  and  so  particular  churches  were  formed 
and  organized,  by  the  election  of  their  own  officials 
and  the  administration  of  their  own  rules.  So 
simply  lies  the  whole  matter  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment.    W.  A. 


26  *  SECTION  196.— ACTS  3:1-26. 

Section   196. 

Acts  iii.  1-26. 

1  Now  Peter  and  John  went  up  together  into  the  temple  at  the  hour  of  prayer,  leing  the 

2  ninth  hour.    And  a  certain  man  lame  from  his  mother's  womb  was  carried,  whom  they  laid 
daily  at  the  gate  of  the  temple  which  is  called  Beautiful,  to  ask  alms  of  them  that  entered 

3  into  the  temple ;  who  seeing  Peter  and  John  about  to  go  into  the  temple  asked  an  alms. 

4  And  Peter,  fastening  his  eyes  upon  him  with  John,  said,  Look  on  us.     And  he  gave  heed 

5  unto  them,  expecting  to  receive  something  of  them.     Then  Peter  said,  Silver  and  gold  have 

6  I  none ;  but  such  as  I  have  give  I  thee :  In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth  rise  up 

7  and  walk.     And  he  took  him  by  the  right  hand,  and  lifted  him  up :  and  immediately  his 

8  feet  and  ancle  bones  received  strength.     And  he  leaping  up  stood,  and  walked,  and  entered 

9  with  them  into  the  temple,  walking,  and  leaping,  and  praising  God.     And  all  the  people 

10  saw  him  walking  and  praising  God :  and  they  knew  that  it  was  he  which  sat  for  alms  at 
the  Beautiful  gate  of  the  temple :  and  they  were  filled  with  wonder  and  amazement  at  that 

11  which  liad  happened  unto  him.  And  as  the  lame  man  which  was  healed  held  Peter  and 
John,  all  the  people  ran  together  unto  them  in  the  porch  that  is  called  Solomon's,  greatly 
wondering. 

12  And  when  Peter  saw  it^  he  answered  unto  the  people.  Ye  men  of  Israel,  why  marvel  ye 
at  this  ?  or  why  look  ye  so  earnestly  on  us,  as  though  by  our  own  power  or  holiness  we 

13  had  made  this  man  to  walk?  The  God  of  Abraham,  and  of  Isaac,  and  of  Jacob,  the  God 
of  our  fathers,  hath  glorified  his  Son  Jesus ;  whom  ye  delivered  up,  and  denied  him  in  the 

14  presence  of  Pilate,  when  he  was  determined  to  let  Mm  go.    But  ye  denied  the  Holy  One 

15  and  the  Just,  and  desired  a  murderer  to  be  granted  unto  you ;  and  killed  the  Prince  of  life, 

16  whom  God  hath  raised  from  the  dead;  whereof  we  are  witnesses.  And  his  name  through 
faith  in  his  name  hath  made  this  man  strong,  whom  ye  see  and  know :  yea,  the  faith  which 

17  is  by  him  hath  given  him  this  perfect  soundness  in  the  presence  of  you  all.    And  now, 

18  brethren,  I  wot  that  through  ignorance  ye  did  it^  as  did  also  your  rulers.  But  those  things, 
which  God  before  had  shewed  by  the  mouth  of  all  his  prophets,  that  Christ  should  suffer, 
he  hath  so  fulfilled. 

19  Eepent  ye  therefore,  and  be  converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out,  when  the 

20  times  of  refreshing  shall  come  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord;  and  he  shall  send  Jesus 

21  Christ,  which  before  was  preached  unto  you :  w^hom  the  heaven  must  receive  until  the 
times  of  restitution  of  all  things,  which  God  hath  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  all  his  holy 

22  prophets  since  the  world  began.  For  Moses  truly  said  unto  the  fathers,  A  prophet  shall 
the  Lord  your  God  raise  up  unto  you  of  your  brethren,  like  unto  me ;  him  shall  ye  hear  in 

23  all  things  whatsoever  he  shall  say  unto  you.     And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  every  soul, 

24  which  will  not  hear  that  prophet,  shall  be  destroyed  from  among  the  people.  Yea,  and 
all  the  prophets  from  Samuel  and  those  that  follow  after,  as  many  as  have  spoken,  have 

25  likewise  foretold  of  these  days.  Ye  are  the  children  of  the  prophets,  and  of  the  covenant 
which  God  made  with  our  fathers,  saying  unto  Abraham,  And  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the 

26  kindreds  of  the  earth  be  blessed.  Unto  you  first  God,  having  raised  up  his  Son  Jesus,  sent 
him  to  bless  you,  in  turning  away  every  one  of  you  fi-om  his  iniquities. 


The  apostle  enforces  his  exhortation  to  repent  by  an  appeal  to  the  final  coming  of  Christ,  not  be- 
cause he  would  represent  it  as  near  in  point  of  time,  but  because  that  event  was  always  near  to  the  feel- 
ings and  consciousness  of  the  first  believers.  It  was  the  great  consummation  on  which  the  strongest 
desires  of  their  souls  were  fixed,  to  which  their  thoughts  and  hopes  were  habitually  turned.  They  lived 
in  expectation  of  it ;  they  labored  to  be  prepared  for  it ;  they  were,  in  the  expressive  language  of  Peter, 
looking  for  and  hasting  unto  it.  It  is  then  that  Christ  will  reveal  himself  in  glory,  will  raise  the  dead, 
invest  the  redeemed  with  an  incorruptible  body,  and  introduce  them  for  the  first  time  and  for  ever  into 
the  state  of  perfect  hohness  and  happiness  prepared  for  them  in  his  kingdom.     The  apostles,  the  first 


SECTION  196.— ACTS  3:1-26. 


27 


Christians  in  general,  comprehended  the  grandeur  of  that  occasion ;  it  stood  forth  to  their  contemplation3 
as  the  point  of  culminating  interest  in  their  own  and  the  world's  history,  threw  into  comparative  insig- 
nificance the  present  time,  death,  all  intermediate  events,  and  made  them  feel  that  the  manifestation  of 
Christ,  with  its  consequences  of  indescribable  moment  to  all  true  believers,  was  the  grand  object  which 
they  were  to  keep  in  view  as  the  end  of  their  toils,  the  commencement  and  perfection  of  their  glorious 
immortality.  In  such  a  state  of  intimate  sympathy  with  an  event  so  habitually  present  to  their  thoughts, 
they  derived  their  chief  incentives  to  action  from  the  prospect  of  that  future  glory ;  they  hold  it  up  to 
the  people  of  God  to  encourage  them  to  fidelity,  zeal,  and  perseverance,  and  appeal  to  it  to  warn  the 
wicked,  and  impress  upon  them  the  necessity  of  preparation  for  the  revelations  of  that  day.     Hackett. 


1 .  Strong  as  was  the  contrast  in  natural  charac- 
ter and  disposition  between  Peter  and  John,  these 
■were  the  two  of  all  the  twelve  who  finally  drew  clos- 
est together.  The  day  of  Pentecost  wrought  a  great 
change  upon  them  both,  and  by  doing  so  linked  them 
in  still  closer  bonds.  The  grace  was  given  them 
which  enabled  each  to  struggle  successfully  with 
his  own  original  defects,  and  to  find  in  fhe  other 
that  which  he  most  wanted.  It  is  truly  singular, 
in  reading  the  earlier  chapters  of  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,  to  notice  how  close  the  coalition  between 

Peter  and  John  became.     W.  H. Now  and  for  a 

considerable  period,  they  are  joint  leaders  of  the 
apostolic  band,  Peter  the  speaker,  John  the  coun- 
selor and  inspirer. 

While  on  their  way  to  the  afternoon  service  of 
daily  worship  in  the  temple,  they  are  accosted.  It 
should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  disciples  had  no 
command  to  withdraw  at  once  from  the  Jewish 
worship.  According  to  the  universal  law  of  God's 
acting,  there  were  no  sudden  or  extreme  transitions 
directed  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  Judaism  was  not  to 
be  overthrown  and  obliterated,  but  gradually  trans- 
formed by  the  infusion  into  it  of  the  spirit  of  Chris- 
tianity. Sacrifice  and  incense  were  to  them  merely 
symbols  of  the  death  now  accomplished  for  sin,  and 
the  intercession  now  availing  in  the  heavens.  For 
a  time,  therefore,  and  with  the  purpose  of  using 
these  ceremonials  to  impress  the  realities  they  shad- 
owed forth  upon  other  minds,  the  disciples  retained 
their  relation  to  the  Jewish  church,  and  conformed 
to  its  pure  temple  worship.  We  shall  find  the  illus- 
tration of  this  in  the  further  history, 

2,  3.  A  Lame  Man  asks  Aid  of  Peter  and  John 
at  the  Temple  Gate. — The  parallel  to  this  case  is  the 
impotent  man  at  Bethesda  (John  5).  That  man  was 
thirty-eight  years  a  wreck.  This  one  had  never 
walked,  and  for  forty  years  had  been  recognized 
and  known  as  a  helpless  dependent  cripple.  For  a 
long  time  he  had  been  carried  every  morning  to  the 
Beautiful  Gate  of  the  Temple,  there  to  solicit  help 
from  the  multitude  of  passers-by.  As  the  name  im- 
plies, this  was  the  most  magnificent  and  costly  of  the 
nine  chief  gates.  Forming  the  eastern  entrance  to  the 
Temple,  it  fronted  the  holy  place  or  sanctuary,  and 
was  more  frequented  than  any  other.  (Vol.  I.,  p.  623.) 


4-6.  Peter^s  Double  Reply. — First,  concentrat- 
ing his  gaze,  with  that  of  John,  upon  the  suppliant, 
he  answers,  "  Look  on  us ! "  They  had  learned  the 
Master^s  method,  and  were  now  practicing  it.  He, 
almost  always,  tarried  to  question,  or  to  interpose 
some  act  which  required  delay.  And  his  purpose 
was  always  the  same  ;  to  excite  or  deepen  expecta- 
tion, faith,  hope  on  the  part  of  the  helpless  needy 
one.  He  always  helped  the  spirit  first;  led  it  to 
trust,  and  then  deepened  the  trust  by  rewarding  it 
with  healing.  So  the  twain  disciples  stirred  the 
man  to  expect  some  gift — how  much,  he  knew  not. 

Then  followed  Peter's  response  to  the  man's  en- 
treaty :  "  Rise,  walk,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth ! "  A  stupendous,  sublime  faith  in  Christ's 
absolute  Deity  and  Lordship  stands  out  in  these  bold 
words !  To  these  disciples  he  is  indeed  the  living 
reigning  God.  His  own  spirit  of  mercy  toward  mis- 
ery led  them  thus  to  invoke  his  willing  might  for 
deliverance  of  the  wretched.  Aiid  it  is  the  title  of 
the  Cross  by  which  they  invoke  his  presence  and 
favor,  the  name  by  which  he  was  lifted  up,  by  which 
he  was  already  known,  and  by  which  he  would  draw 
all  men  unto  him.  Surely  the  poor  sufferer  had 
heard  and  knew  full  well  this  name,  and  the  sound 
stirred  his  heart  to  more  than  expectation,  even  to 
faith.  For  there  was  no  doubt  or  hesitation.  He 
obeyed  so  far  as  he  could,  in  his  will  and  heart. 
And  this  was  faith,  a  dawning  feeble  but  real  faith ! 

7,  8.  77ie  Restoration,  and  its  Effects  upon 
the  Healed  Man. — Not  only  by  Peter's  expression 
of  utter  dependence  upon  the  power  of  Christ,  but 
also  by  his  act  in  taking  the  man's  hand  and  lift- 
ing him  up,  do  we  distinguish  the  disciple's  miracle- 
working  from  the  Master's.  Christ  spoke,  some- 
times touched,  but  never  used  physical  strength  in 
connection  with  any  miracle.  This  act  of  Peter 
has  also  significance,  on  one  side,  as  proving  his 
faith  in  his  own  bold  command,  to  rise ;  and  on  the 
other,  as  indicating  that  faith  to  the  man,  and  so 
helping  to  excite  the  corresponding  faith  and  effort 
in  his  soul.  The  restoration  which  instantly  fol- 
lowed, apd  the  added  miracle  of  instantaneous  abil- 
ity to  walk  and  leap  (for  one  who  had  never  walked), 
proved  and  justified  the  word  and  deed  and  faith  of 
Peter.    And  the  restored  man's  exclusive  praise  to 


28 


SECTION  196.— ACTS  3:1-26. 


God,  in  entire  disregard  ofsthe  apostle  for  the  time, 
as  conclusively  proved  the  reality  of  his  faith,  and 
of  his  recognition  of  Jesus  Christ  as  Lord  and  God. 
So  "  his  name,  through  faith  in  his  name,  made  this 
man  strong." 

Like  many  miracles  of  healing,  this  may  be  re- 
garded as  a  parable  of  redemption.  It  suggests 
these  points :  imperfection  of  a  far  deeper  and  more 
grievous  kind  as  the  universal  birthright  of  the 
fallen  soul;  its  helplessness  and  hopelessness  of 
human  cure  ;  the  limit  of  friendly  interest  and  help, 
bringing  the  soul  in  the  arms  of  faith,  and  pleading 
with  God  the  prayer  of  faith ;  the  sinner's  respon- 
sive willingness,  desire,  and  faith ;  and  the  conse- 
quent healing  and  forgiveness  in  the  name  and  by 
the  Spirit  of  Christ. 

Obedience,  -willing  submission  to  God  is  the  first 
act  of  a  returning  soul.  This  man  obeyed  in  his 
will  and  heart,  and  in  this  he  did  all  that  he  could. 
So  let  every  soul  seeking  life  obey  the  first  felt  duty, 
obey  it  by  prayer,  or  act  of  consecration,  but  obey 
it  in  V}ill  and  heart.  Then  Christ's  Spirit  will  give 
life.  We  may  well  believe  that  this  man's  soul 
was  quickened  to  a  peculiarly  deep  trust  and  conse- 
cration. In  him,  and  in  the  many  Christ  had  healed, 
apart  from  their  natural  joy  and  thankfulness  for 
great  restoration,  there  must  have  been  wrought  a 
depth  and  strength  of  conviction  concerning  his 
divine  Messiahship  that  nothing  could  shake.  "  I, 
at  least,"  each  must  have  said  and  often  repeated, 
"  I,  at  least,  know  him  to  be  my  Saviour  and  my 
Lord!"  And  how  large  the  ministry  and  effective 
the  testimony  for  Christ,  of  this  vast  company  of 
the  physically  and  spiritually  healed,  none  can  ade- 
quately measure !     B. 

9-11.  Effect  upon  the  People. — For  years 
he  must  have  been  one  of  the  persons  best  known 
to  all  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem ;  and  this  tended 
further  to  magnify  the  miracle  when  he  appeared 
at  the  hour  of  public  prayer  in  the  Temple,  *'  walk- 
ing, and  leaping,  and  praising  God."     K. They 

saw  him  restored,  heard  him  praising  God  for  his 
restoration,  and  knew  that  it  was  the  same  whom 
they  had  long  noticed  lying  helpless  at  the  gate ; 
and  they  were  filled  with  wonder  and  amazement. 
Isaiah's  prophecy  had  been  literally  fulfilled  before 
their  eyes,  "  The  lame  man  shall  leap  as  a  hart." 
Other  wonders  had  the  apostles  performed  during 
the  now  considerable  interval  since  the  Pentecost, 
but  none  so  marked  as  this  by  the  clearest  proof  of 
divine  power.  It  was  designed,  we  afterward  sec, 
as  an  occasion  of  another  great  discourse,  another 
immense  ingathering  of  saved  souls ;  and  also  proved 
the  immediate  cause  of  the  first  hostile  naovement 
of  the  priests  and  rulers.  The  tidings  of  the  mira- 
cle rapidly  spread  through  the  city,  and  a  multitude 
of  people  thronged  into  the  Temple.   They  gathered 


in  the  wide  space,  beneath  the  lofty  double-pillared 
portico  on  the  eastern  side,  called  Solomon's,  because 
standing  on  a  terrace  which  he  had  raised  from  the 
valley  beneath.  Here  they  found  the  healed  man 
standing  between  Peter  and  John,  holding  a  hand 
of  each  in  token  of  his  grateful  affection  to  them, 
while  still  praising  God  for  his  restoring  power. 
And  with  this  visible,  most  affecting  testimony  be- 
fore them,  Peter,  as  a  fisher  of  men,  seizes  his  op- 
portunity, and  preaches  again  to  the  multitude 
Christ  and  him  crucified.     (Vol.  I.,  p.  620.) 

12.  He  answered,  not  to  any  uttered  question, 
but  as  Christ  so  often  is  said  to  have  answered,  to 
the  unspoken  state  or  inquiry  of  the  minds  and 
hearts  gathered  around  him.  And  as  we  have  seen 
the  power  of  Jesus'  name  in  the  healing  of  this  one 
body  and  soul,  so  in  the  result  of  this  second  ser- 
mon we  see  it  in  the  healing  of  thousands  of  souls. 

13-15.  Their  God  had  glorified,  hut  they  had 
denied  and  hilled  Jesus,  the  Prince  of  Life. — It  was 
no  other  than  the  God  of  Abraham,  of  Isaac,  and 
of  Jacob,  their  only,  proudly  acknowledged  God, 
whose  Son  this  Jesus  was,  whom  they  had  just  be- 
fore rejected,  scorned,  and  murdered.  This  great 
crime  is  pressed  upon  them  in  its  particular  aggra- 
vations by  sharp  contrasts.  Peter  thus  helps  them 
to  see  themselves  and  their  guilty  deeds  as  the  God 
of  their  fathers  sees  it.  The  Holy  Spirit  directs 
and  uses  the  charge  to  convince  of  the  sin  of  not 
believing  in  Christ — everywhere,  in  all  generations, 
the  sin  of  sins,  set  down  as  the  only  sin  that  brings 
condemnation.  So  the  apostle  tells  them  that 
when  Pilate,  an  uncircumcised,  untaught  heathen, 
sought  again  and  again  to  rescue  and  release  this 
Son  of  their  God,  they,  whose  accepted  Scriptures 
plainly  revealed  his  divine  Sonship,  yet  pushed  their 
cruel  murderous  hate  to  the  very  end,  and  killed 
their  own  Prince  and  Saviour.  Still  more  to  press 
their  consciences,  he  contrasts  with  this  pure  spot- 
less being,  whose  death  they  had  demanded,  the 
murderer  Barabbas,  whom  they  in  their  madness  of 
unbelief  had  preferred  and  released  from  deserved 
death.  "  You  spared,"  he  says,  "  the  destroyer, 
and  doomed  to  destruction  the  Saviour  of  life !  " 
He  concludes  this  clear,  plain-spoken  home-charge 
with  the  assertion,  again,  of  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus,  as  a  proof  that  he  is  the  Prince  of  life.  And 
he  responds  again  to  the  Master's  word,  "  We  are 
uitncsses  !  " 

IG.  Chrisfs  Name  or  Poiucr,  exerted  in  Pe- 
sponse  to  Faith,  had  healed  the  Lame  Man. — "Ye 
delivered  him  up,  denied  him,  preferred  a  mur- 
derer, killed  him,  but  he,  the  Prince  of  Life,  risen 
again  and  ascended,  hath  wrought  this  soundness 
in  the  man  before  you,  because  of  our  faith,  and 

his,  in  his  divine  willingness  and  might."     B. 

The  old  carnal  thoughts  of  his  mission  had  been 


SECTION  196.— ACTS  S  :  1-26. 


29 


left  ia  his  grave,  and  could  never  rise  from  it  again. 
It  was  the  "  Prince  of  Life  "  who  had  risen  from 
the  dead ;  it  was  the  "  King  of  Glory "  who  had 
passed  into  the  heavens.  And  no  less  did  these 
facts  declare  the  spiritual  consequences  of  his  mani- 
festation, since  they  carried  with  them  the  impli- 
cation of  those  three  corresponding  gifts,  which  we 
celebrate  for  evermore,  saying  with  solemn  joy,  "  I 
believe  ....  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  body,  and  the  life  everlasting."  Toward 
these  topics  the  preaching  of  Christ  in  the  Acts  of 
the  Apostles  continually  turns.     T.  D.  B. 

17,  18.  Peter  has  spoken  plainly.  The  truth 
of  his  charge  made  it  severe.  He  sees  the  effect, 
and  then  practices  another  lesson  he  had  learned 
from  the  Master.  With  gentleness  and  an  excusing 
spirit  he  seeks  to  heal  after  wounding.  So  Christ 
had  excused  the  three  unwatchful  disciples  (Peter 
among  them)  during  his  agony,  "  The  flesh  is  weak." 
And  so  had  he  pleaded  on  the  Cross  for  his  slayers, 
"  They  know  not  what  they  do  !  "  Now  the  disciple 
calls  these  murderers  brethren^  and  repeats  in  sub- 
stance that  plea  upon  the  Cross,  "  Through  igno- 
rance ye  did  it  "  ;  and  still  further  goes  his  gentle, 
forgiving  spirit  (now  so  changed !),  "  as  did  your 
rulers." 

And,  as  Joseph  to  his  brethren,  "  Ye  meant  it 
for  evil,  but  God  for  good,"  Peter  comforts  them 
with  the  fact  that  their  guilty  deed  God  had  over- 
ruled for  (it  might  be)  even  their  own  salvation. 
All  their  prophets  had  announced  this  very  deed  of 
theirs  as  God's  way  of  showing  mercy  to  transgres- 
sors. He  means  to  assure  them  that  Christ's  blood, 
though  shed  bi/  them,  was  also  shed  for  them,  for 
their  forgiveness  and  cleansing. 

19-24.  Recall  and  fix  the  meaning  of  these 
words.  JRepcnt  is  to  change  the  mind,  to  reverse 
the  current  of  thought,  feeling,  will,  from  self  to 
God ;  therefore  the  Scripture  says  repentance  toward 
God.  Be  converted  is  to  change  the  life,  to  corre- 
spond with  the  changed  thought  and  feeling.  One 
result  of  this  double,  entire  change  is  the  utter  era- 
sure of  the  sin  that  our  past  life  has  set  down  in  the 
Book  of  Account.  So  God  says,  "  I  have  blotted 
out  thy  transgressions,  and  will  not  remember  them 
any  more  for  ever." 

The  other  result  is  figuratively  intimated  here. 
There  are  diversities  of  interpretation  concerning 
the  times  here  spoken  of.  It  would  seem  that  the 
"times  of  refreshing"  referred  to  the  fullness  of 
blessings  possessed  under  the  dispensation  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  until  the  "  times  of  restitution,"  or  res- 
toration. These  latter  times,  and  their  consummate 
blessings,  avowedly  attend  and  characterize  the  sec- 
ond coming  of  Christ.  To  all  these  blessings,  prom- 
ised by  all  the  prophets,  and  especially  by  that  prophet 
to  whom  Moses  explicitly  referred,  by  Christ  him- 


self, to  all  the  blessings  that  he  has  introduced 
with  his  first  coming,  and  all  that  he  shall  bring  at 
his  second  coming,  the  repenting,  returning,  forgiv- 
ing, believing  soul  has  access  now  and  hereafter. 
While  from  these  "  every  soul  who  will  not  hear 
that  prophet "  shall  be  excluded.  This  is  the  sub- 
stance of  Peter's  earnest  plea.  It  is  made  more 
effective  with  them,  as  it  is  based  upon  the  declara- 
tions of  Moses  and  all  their  own  prophets.  Com- 
pare Gen.  17  :  14  and  Deut.  18  :  15-19.  And 
now,  in  conclusion,  he  gathers  and  emphasizes  the 
entire  truth  he  has  spoken,  his  charge  of  guilt,  his 
excuse,  his  counsel  and  encouragement  to  repentance 
and  faith  in  Christ.  In  the  way  of  concentrated 
promise  and  appeal, 

25,  26.  He  declares  Jesus  to  he  the  Promised 
Seed  of  Abraham,  the  Son  of  God,  se-nt  to  bless 
them,  every  One. — "  Children  of  the  prophets  and 
of  the  covenant,"  he  calls  them ;  those  who  have  a 
hereditary  interest  and  intimate  connection  with 
the  prophecies  and  promises  of  God.  Frankly 
Peter  acknowledges  their  descent  and  their  privi- 
leges, purposely  classing  himself  among  them  to 
strengthen  the  force  of  his  words  that  follow : 
"  Unto  you  first,"  in  the  fulfillment  of  this  long- 
continued  covenant,  God  has  sent  this  Jesus,  his 
Son,  to  bless  you.  But  plainly  and  faithfully  he 
tells  them,  what  as  a  people  they  had  long  been 
ignorant  of,  that  the  main  blessing  of  this  their 
old  and  long-trusted  covenant  first  made  with  Abra- 
ham was  tJie  turning  away  ever^y  one  from  his  ini- 
quities. Not  restored  temporal  power  or  national 
exaltation,  which  had  been  their  dream  for  genera- 
tions, but  the  cleansing  of  their  souls  through  the 
blood  of  Christ.  And  he  intimates  as  clearly  that 
without  this  saving  from  sin,  through  personal  repen- 
tance and  conversion,  all  the  covenants  and  promises, 
through  patriarchs  and  prophets,  would  be  only  oc- 
casions of  a  deeper  condemnation.  The  discourse 
was  rudely  interrupted  at  this  point,  but  not  till  it 
was  completed.  The  effect  is  narrated  in  the  next 
chapter.  Two  thousand  more  believed — 5,000  men 
in  all. 

Summary  of  Leading  Thoughts  and  Lessons. 

We  discern  a  wonderful  comprehensiveness  and 
unity  in  the  discourse.  The  substance  of  all  reve- 
lation, the  purpose  of  all  the  divine  counsels  and 
acts  from  the  beginning,  the  subject  of  all  divine 
predictions  by  the  mouth  of  successive  prophets,  the 
theme  of  all  divine  promises,  center  in  and  upon 
the  person,  the  suffering,  the  sacrifice  of  Christ, 
upon  the  incomparable  spiritual  and  eternal  bless- 
ings he  has  brought  with  his  first  coming,  and  will 
bring  with  his  second  appearing.  John  sums  it  all 
up  in  a  single  sentence  at  the  close  of  the  inspired 
canon :  The  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  sjnrit  of  prophecy  ! 


30 


SECTION  197.— ACTS  ^  :  1-3L 


The  one  purpose  of  Christ's  coming  is  to  bless 
every  one  in  turning  him  from  his  iniquities.  Faith 
in  his  name,  trust  in  his  blood,  with  personal  re- 
pentance and  conversion,  are  the  conditions  of  re- 
newal by  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  whatever  period 
and  blessedness  are  intended  by  the  "  times  of  re- 
freshing and  restitution,"  this  is  clear,  that  it  is 
only  the  repentant  and  believing,  the  forgiven  and 
sanctified  of  all  nations,  who  shall  know  and  experi- 
ence all  their  meaning  and  reality.  The  Jew  first — but 
the  Jew  as  believer,  not  as  Jew — and  also  the  Gentile. 

Both  discourses  of  Peter,  with  their  effect,  ad- 
mirably interpret  and  illustrate  the  Holy  Spirit's 
office  work  as  described  by  Christ  (John  16  :  8-11). 
He  convinces  of  the  sin  of  sins,  the  not  believing  in 
Christ ;  of  the  justifying  righteousness  wrought  by 
Christ  through  his  substituted  sacrifice  ;  and  of  the 
judgment  of  God  against  the  finally  impenitent  and 
unbelieving.     B. 

These  successive  witness-bearings  of  Peter  are 
all  framed  on  one  model,  all  strike  the  same  note. 
In  every  one  there  is — 1st,  a  Scriptural  argument. 


more  or  less  full,  identifying  Jesus  with  the  Mes- 
siah of  the  prophets ;  2d,  a  plain,  piercing  charge, 
laying  the  guilt  of  crucifying  Christ  to  the  door  of 
his  audience  and  judges ;  and  3d,  a  tender  and 
pressing  offer  of  mercy,  through  the  blood  of  Christ, 
to  his  murderers.     Arnot. 

The  hearers  of  these  discourses  had  been  among 
the  multitude  who  had  answered  Pilate,  "  His  blood 
be  upon  us  and  our  children ! "  That  blood  was 
upon  all  of  them,  upon  the  five  thousand  who  be- 
lieved and  repented  for  their  justification  and  eter- 
nal life,  and  upon  the  unrepentant  and  unbelieving 
for  their  condemnation  and  eternal  death.  So  has 
it  ever  been,  so  is  it  now ;  in  every  individual  case 
either  the  blood  of  forgiveness  and  blessing  or  of 
abiding  wrath  and  curse. 

Whatever  view  be  taken  of  Christ's  second  com- 
ing, let  it  be  seriously  considered  that  almost  every 
page  of  the  New  Testament  refers  to  the  sublime 
fact  and  its  consequences,  in  the  way  of  appeal  and 
motive  to  Christian  practice  and  life,  side  by  side 
with  the  fact  and  results  of  his  first  coming !     B. 


Section  197. 

Acts  iv.  1-31. 

1  And  as  they  spake  unto  the  people,  the  priests,  and  the  captain  of  the  temple,  and  the 

2  Sadducees,  came  upon  them,  being  grieved  that  they  taught  the  people,  and  preached 

3  through  Jesus  the  resurrection  from  the  dead.     And  they  laid  hands  on  them,  and  put 

4  them  in  hold  unto  the  next  day:  for  it  was  now  eventide.     Howheit  many  of  them  which 
heard  the  word  believed ;  and  the  number  of  the  men  was  about  five  thousand. 

5  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  morrow,  that  their  rulers,  and  elders,  and  scribes,  and  Annas 

6  the  high  priest,  and  Caiaphas,  and  John,  and  Alexander,  and  as  many  as  were  of  the  kin- 

7  dred  of  the  high  priest,  were  gathered  together  at  Jerusalem.     And  when  they  had  set 
them  in  the  midst,  they  asked.  By  what  power,  or  by  what  name,  have  ye  done  this  ? 

8  Then  Peter,  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  said  unto  them.  Ye  rulers  of  the  people,  and 

9  elders  of  Israel,  if  we  this  day  be  examined  of  the  good  deed  done  to  the  impotent  man, 

10  by  what  means  he  is  made  whole ;  be  it  known  unto  you  all,  and  to  all  the  people  of  Israel, 
that  by  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth,  whom  ye  crucified,  whom  God  raised  from 

11  the  dead,  even  by  him  doth  this  man  stand  here  before  you  whole.     This  is  the  stone  which 

12  was  set  at  nought  of  you  builders,  which  is  become  the  head  of  the  corner.  Neither  is 
there  salvation  in  any  other :  for  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men, 
whereby  we  must  be  saved. 

13  Now  when  they  saw  the  boldness  of  Peter  and  John,  and  perceived  that  they  were  un- 
learned and  ignorant  men,  they  marvelled ;  and  they  took  knowledge  of  them,  that  they 

14  had  been  with  Jesus.     And  beholding  the  man  which  was  healed  standing  with  them,  they 

15  could  say  nothing  against  it.     But  when  they  had  commanded  them  to  go  aside  out  of  tlie 

16  council,  they  conferred  among  themselves,  saying,  "What  shall  we  do  to  these  men?  for  that 
indeed  a  notable  miracle  hath  been  done  by  them  is  manifest  to  all  them  that  dwell  in  Jeru- 

17  salem ;  and  we  cannot  deny  it.     But  that  it  spread  no  further  among  the  people,  let  us 

18  straitly  threaten  them,  that  they  speak  henceforth  to  no  man  in  this  name.     And  they 

19  called  them,  and  commanded  them  not  to  speak  at  all  nor  teach  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  But 
Peter  and  John  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Whether  it  be  right  in  the  sight  of  God  to 


SECTION'  107.- ACTS  4:1-31. 


31 


20  hearken  unto  you  more  than  unto  God,  Judge  ye.     For  we  cannot  but  speak  the  things 

21  which  we  have  seen  and  heard.  So  when  they  had  further  threatened  them,  they  let  them 
go,  finding  nothing  how  they  might  punish  them,  because  of  the  people :  for  aU  7nen  glori- 

22  fied  God  for  that  which  was  done.  For  the  man  was  above  forty  years  old,  on  whom  this 
miracle  of  healing  was  shewed. 

23  And  being  let  go,  they  went  to  their  own  company,  and  reported  all  that  the  chief  priests 

24  and  elders  had  said  unto  them.  And  when  they  heard  that,  they  lifted  up  their  voice  to 
God  with  one  accord,  and  said,  Lord,  thou  art  God,  which  hast  made  heaven,  and  earth, 

25  and  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is :  who  by  the  mouth  of  thy  servant  David  hast  said, 

26  "Why  did  the  heathen  rage,  and  the  people  imagine  vain  things?  The  kings  of  the  earth 
stood  up,  and  the  rulers  were  gathered  together  against  the  Lord,  and  against  his  Christ. 

27  For  of  a  truth  against  thy  holy  child  Jesus,  whom  thou  hast  anointed,  both  Herod,  and 

28  Pontius  Pilate,  with  the  Gentiles,  and  the  people  of  Israel,  were  gathered  together,  for  to 

29  do  whatsoever  thy  hand  and  thy  counsel  determined  before  to  be  done.  And  now.  Lord, 
behold  their  threatenings :  and  grant  unto  thy  servants,  that  with  all  boldness  they  may 

30  speak  thy  word,  by  stretching  forth  thine  hand  to  heal ;  and  that  signs  and  wonders  may 
be  done  by  the  name  of  thy  holy  child  Jesus. 

31  And  when  they  had  prayed,  the  place  was  shaken  where  they  were  assembled  together ; 
and  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  they  spake  the  word  of  God  with  bold- 
ness. 


There  is  no  power  but  life-power.  You  can  not  move  a  dying  world  by  speculation,  by  eloquence,  by 
majestic  thought,  by  argument,  by  persuasion,  except  it  be  kindled,  inspired,  and  accompanied  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  except  it  be  set  on  fire  of  love.  If  we  would  speak  of  Jesus  to  others,  we  must  have  been 
with  him  ourselves.  If  we  would  speak  of  heaven  to  others,  and  of  God,  and  of  sin,  and  of  hell,  with  the 
tone  and  power  of  reality,  with  the  vividness  and  fire  of  one  thoroughly  in  earnest,  we  must  be  much 
with  Christ  in  secret.  A  Christian  can  no  more  be  a  fervent  messenger  for  God,  while  running  on  his 
own  errands,  with  heart  and  mind  absorbed  in  the  things  of  this  world,  than  he  can  serve  God  and 
mammon.     G.  B.  C. 

There  is  no  way  under  heaven  to  be  interested  in  Christ,  but  by  believing.  Jle  that  helieveth  shall  be 
saved,  let  his  sins  be  ever  so  many  or  great ;  and  he  that  believeth  Tioi  shall  be  damned,  let  his  sins  be  ever 

so  little  or  few.     Brooks. If  men  need  not  go  to  heaven  by  the  Cross,  but  by  some  other  way,  then  the 

Cross  may  become  an  old,  worn,  unused  way ;  no  footfall  of  a  traveler  may  cheer  it,  heaven  may  be  filled 
through  other  avenues,  and  other  songs  than  those  of  praise  to  the  Lamb  may  echo  through  the  arches  of 
the  upper  Temple.  If  Christ  is  not  the  exclusive  Saviour,  then  other  Saviours  could  be  made  without  the 
Cross,  and  the  Cross  is  all  an  idle  waste.  We  are  lost  men  outside  of  God's  kingdom.  There  is  a  way 
into  it — Jesus  Christ.  There  is  a  name,  one  name  given  whereby  we  can  be  saved.  That  name  is  Jesus. 
There  has  come  from  the  sweet  heavens  over  us  no  other.     It  is  enough.     We  need  no  other.     J.  D. 


Peter's  second  address  to  the  people,  upon  the 
miraculous  restoration  of  the  disabled  man,  was  in- 
terrupted by  the  ofiicials  of  the  Temple,  who  arrest- 
ed and  imprisoned  both  apostles  for  the  night.  The 
next  morning  they  were  formally  arraigned  before 
the  Sanhedrim,  the  supreme  tribunal  of  the  nation, 
consisting  of  the  high  priests  Annas  and  Caiaphas 
and  their  kindred  (of  the  same  office),  with  the 
elders,  or  rulers,  and  scribes,  to  the  number  of  sev- 
enty. These  were  the  men  who  had  tried  and  con- 
demned Christ.  The  reference  (verse  2)  to  the 
resurrection  recalls  the  singular  fact  that  we  hear 
nothing  of  the  Pharisees  after  Christ's  apprehen- 
sion, although  up  to  that  period  they  had  been  his 
leading  opponents.  At  the  trial  and  after  it,  the 
Sadducees  assumed  the  chief  direction  and  responsi- 


bility of  the  opposition  and  condemnation  of  Christ 
and  the  apostles.  For  to  this  sect  belonged  the 
chief  priests  and  the  more  prominent  of  the  rulers 
and  scribes.     B. 

1.  The  captain.  The  officer  of  the  priests 
and  Levites  who  kept  guard  at  the  Temple — not  a 
Roman  functionary.  The  Romans  do  not  appear, 
in  the  Acts,  as  persecutors  of  the  apostles.  The 
Saddncees.  They  said  that  there  was  no  resur- 
rection. They  foresaw  that  their  own  influence  with 
the  people  would  be  impaired  if  the  apostles  suc- 
ceeded in  convincing  them  of  the  truth  of  the  resur- 
rection in  Christ.  Hence  i/icir  activity  against  the 
gospel  after  the  resurrection.  The  high  priest  and 
many  of  his  assessors  and  associates  were  Sad- 
ducees.   W. We  find  the  Sadducees  established 


32 


SECTION  197.— ACTS  4:1-31. 


in  the  highest  oflBce  of  the  priesthood,  and  possessed 
of  the  greatest  powers  in  the  Sanhedrim :  and  yet 
they  did  not  believe  in  any  future  state,  nor  in  any 
spiritual  existence  independent  of  the  body.  They 
do  not  appear  to  have  held  doctrines  which  are  com- 
monly called  licentious  or  immoral.  On  the  con- 
trary, they  adhered  strictly  to  the  moral  tenets  of 
the  law,  as  opposed  to  its  mere  formal  technicalities. 
They  did  not  overload  the  sacred  books  with  tradi- 
tions, or  encumber  the  duties  of  life  with  a  multitude 
of  minute  observances.  They  were  the  disciples  of 
reason  without  enthusiasm — they  made  few  prose- 
lytes— their  numbers  were  not  great,  and  they  were 
confined  principally  to  the  richer  members  of  the 
nation.     H. 

6.  Annas.  Annas  is  here  called  the  high 
priest,  and  placed  before  Caiaphas,  who  was  the 
high  priest.  The  reason  seems  to  be,  that  though 
Caiaphas  was  high  priest  de  facto^  being  intruded 
into  the  office  by  the  civil  power  of  Rome,  yet  Annas 
was  high  priest  de  jure,  and  was  regarded  as  such 
ecclesiastically.  Ilence  our  Lord  was  taken  to  Annas 
first  (John  18  :  13).  Annas  was  the  head  of  the 
Jewish  hierarchy.     The  nominee  of  Rome,  Caiaphas, 

had,  as  such,  a  subordinate  place.     W. Pontiffs 

aiid  priests,  scribes  and  Pharisees,  Herod  and  Pilate, 
and  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  condemned  the 
Truth ;  they  crucified  and  buried  it ;  but  it  rose  from 
the  tomb  and  conquered  them  all,  sending  forth  in 
its  stead  twelve  preachers  of  the  Word.    Huss. 

8-12.  Feier^s  Good  Confession  of  Christ,  and 
Daring  Impeachment  of  the  Chief  Priests  and 
Rulers. — This  judicial  investigation  gave  Peter  the 
opportunity  which  he  boldly  and  faithfully  used, 
while  standing  in  the  very  place  of  his  Master,  of 
proclaiming  Christ  crucified  as  the  only  Saviour  of 
men.  Mark  these  particulars  :  Christ's  promise 
that  the  Spirit  should  speak  in  them  when  they 
were  brought  before  councils,  was  here  fulfilled. 
Peter  was  filed  ivith  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  speaks 
respectfully  and  with  dignity,  recognizes  their  right- 
ful authority  in  the  terms  of  his  address.  He  an- 
swers directly  to  their  question,  declaring  that  by 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth — using  again 
to  them  the  title  of  the  Cross — the  man  stood  be- 
fore them  whole.  More  than  this,  standing  where 
his  Master  had  stood  when  he  had  denied  Him,  the 
now  rocl--like  apostle  fearlessly  charges  home  upon 
the  very  murderers  the  crime  of  Christ's  crucifixion, 
and  reasserts  the  offensive  doctrine  of  his  resurrec- 
tion by  the  God  of  Israel.  And  to  both  the  charge 
and  the  assertion  they  were  silent.  The  crucifixion 
they  could  not  deny,  and  concerning  the  resurrec- 
tion they  dared  not  now  repeat  their  own  previous 
falsehood  that  the  disciples  had  stolen  the  body  of 
Jesus  by  night. 

But  the  brave  and  faithful  preacher  of  Christ 


goes  further  still.  He  has  asserted  the  facts  of 
Christ's  death  and  resurrection.  Now  he  empha- 
sizes the  central  truth  of  their  own  Scriptures,  and 
asserts  it  to  be  the  central  truth  of  all  divine  revela- 
tion. This  Christ,  he  tells  them,  the  Son  of  God, 
whom  they,  the  representatives  of  God  himself  in 
the  nation  and  so  the  builders  of  God's  spiritual 
house,  had  rejected,  was  himself  the  corner-stone  of 
that  spiritual  fabric.  So  their  own  Scriptures  de- 
clared. And  then,  plainly  interpreting  the  figure  as 
Jesus  had  done  (Mat.  21),  the  apostle,  under  the  in- 
spiration of  the  Holy  Ghost,  declares  to  all  the  race 
of  sinning  men  the  one  supreme  disclosure  of  heaven, 
that  there  is  salvatioyi  in  Christ,  and  in  none  other  ! 

The  whole  scene  is  deeply  impressive — a  repro- 
duction in  many  points  of  the  Master's  trial !  Ar- 
raigned before  the  same  judges,  the  disciple  also 
arraigns  and  by  their  own  Scriptures  convicts  them 
of  that  crime  of  the  deepest  dye — the  killing  of  the 
Son  of  God.  Nay,  he  goes  further,  he  preaches  sal- 
vation through  that  very  Cross  to  them  by  whom  it 
had  been  raised,  and,  plainly  as  the  Master,  utters 
words  of  warning  to  the  men  before  whose  bar  he 
stands !    B. 

10,  11.  The  way  in  which  the  apostles  re- 
ferred to  Christ  is  precisely  the  way  in  which  he 
referred  to  himself.  They  do  not  profess  to  teach 
simply  what  he  taught ;  they  do  not  confine  them- 
selves to  ideas  which  he  put  into  words.  These 
were  not,  in  their  estimation — valuable  as  they  might 
be  in  other  respects — the  one  thing  needful,  the 
saving  truth,  the  unspeakable  gift,  the  source  and 
means  of  immortal  life.  No  ;  it  was  not  what  Jesus 
had  said  that  they  dwelt  upon,  but  what  he  was — 
what  he  had  done.  They  preached  Him — they  spoke 
of  what  he  had  "  accomplished,"  and  spoke  of  it  in 
such  a  way  as  to  show  that  he,  perso7ially,  was  the 
life  of  the  world  and  the  light  of  men,  and  not  that 
he  had  simply  taught  or  revealed  it.     T.  B. 

13.  Belter,  "  when  they  beheld  the  freedom  of 
speech  of  Peter  and  John,  having  also  previously 
known,  etc. :  and  they  recognized  them,  that  they 
had  been  with  Jesus."    A. 

Effect  of  this  Bold  Address  upon  the  Sanhedrim. 
— They  wondered  at  the  boldness  of  Peter  and 
John,  and  well  they  might,  for  these  unknown  Gali- 
lean peasants,  in  the  presence  of  the  highest  in  the 
nation,  had  dared  to  turn  defense  into  accusation. 
With  no  token  of  mere  fanatics,  but  with  respectful 
manner  and  manifest  sincerity  of  conviction,  they 
had  spoken  and  acted.  The  council  wondered  too 
at  the  knowledge  of  the  men,  at  their  familiarity 
with  and  understanding  of  the  Scriptures.  And 
while  thus  marveling  they  remembered  that  this 
boldness  and  knowledge  had  been  even  more  signal- 
ly evinced  by  him  whom  they  had  crucified,  and  this 
likeness  of  the  disciples  to  the  Master  led  to  the 


SECTION  197.— ACTS  Jt :  1-31. 


33 


further  recollection  that  they  had  seen  Peter  and 
John  with  Jesus. 

14.  They  could  do  no  more  than  marvel.  They 
could  make  no  reply,  for  there  stood  the  man  they 
had  so  long  noticed  and  known ;  his  very  posture  a 
proof,  his  silent  gratitude  and  eager  interest  a  fur- 
ther confirmation  of  the  miracle. 

15-18,  Confuted  and  silenced,  they  confer  to- 
gether, and  seek  to  quench  the  Spirit  with  the  Truth 
hy  silencing  the  Human  Agents. — The  people,  to  whom 
Peter  had  twice  preached,  convinced  of  their  guilt 
in  crucifying  Christ,  had  asked  of  the  disciples. 
What  shall  we  do  for  ourselves  ?  But  these  proud 
priests  and  rulers,  untouched  in  heart  and  will  how- 
ever convinced  in  understanding,  ask  of  each  other. 
What  shall  we  do  tvith  these  men?  Gladly  would 
they  have  stoned  them,  as  soon  afterward,  when 
grown  a  little  bolder  through  increasing  malignancy 
and  passion,  they  stoned  Stephen.  But  now  they 
dared  do  no  more  than  forbid  to  preach,  or  even 
speak,  the  name  of  Jesus.  So  they  forbade  Peter 
and  John  to  continue  their  work  of  witnessing  for 
Christ.  Mark  here,  that  they  said  nothing  about 
the  further  working  of  miracles.  It  was  not  the 
effect  of  miracles  so  much  as  the  word  that  was 
preached  in  explanation  of  the  miracle,  the  facts  of 
Chrisfs  death  and  resurrection,  attested  as  the  Son 
of  God  and  Saviour  of  men  by  the  miracle.  So  it 
has  been  ever  since.  The  word  about  Christ,  con- 
vincing of  sin  and  offering  mercy,  this  is  the  only 
influence  under  heaven  which  leads  to  repentance 
and  faith,  or  which  hardens  the  hard  soul  and  stimu- 
lates the  malignancy  of  the  determinedly  malignant. 

19,  20.  The  Brave  and  Noble  Answer  of  the 
Two  Apostles. — Instantly,  tarrying  for  no  confer- 
ence, of  one  mind  and  soul,  yet  with  all  respect  to 
the  tribunal,  they  first  appeal  the  question  back 
for  further  consideration  and  judgment  by  assert- 
ing this  prohibition  to  be  contrary  to  God's  com- 
mand ;  and  then  calmly  say  that  they  must  speak 
that  which  God  hath  bidden.  And,  with  all  their 
previous  knowledge  of  Christ,  with  the  power  of 
his  character  and  words,  with  the  events  of  his 
agony,  betrayal,  death,  resurrection,  and  ascension, 
impressed  in  all  their  vividness  of  reality  and  sub- 
limity of  meaning  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  how  could 
these  first  heralds  of  the  Cross  and  ambassadors  of 
the  Crucified  fail  to  stand,  in  this  crisis,  for  God 

and  for  the  gospel !    B. They  had   seen  and 

heard  such  things  of  and  from  Christ,  they  had  re- 
ceived such  a  commission  to  proclaim  him  to  the 
world,  that  it  was  morally  impossible  for  them  to 
obey  the  commands  of  the  Sadducees.  The  courage 
to  obey  God  rather  than  man  proceeded  from  what 
had  come  under  their  own  experience,  from  Christ's 
words,  from  his  works,  his  life,  his  resurrection. 
But  this  outward  experience  could  have  inspired 
3 


them  with  no  such  boldness,  if  it  had  not  aroused 
an  inward  experience  ;  if  it  had  not  attached  them 
to  Christ  as  a  Friend,  a  Master,  a  Saviour,  and  a 
King.  The  influences  of  things  seen  and  heard 
within  their  souls  and  in  their  lives  created  their 
strength  to  endure,  to  resist,  to  hope  on  amid  dis- 
couragements, to  believe  in  the  efiicacy  and  the  tri- 
umph of  the  gospel.     T.  D.  W. 

Here,  at  its  outset,  Christianity  recognizes  the 
full  liberty  of  the  individual  conscience,  and  in  so 
doing  puts  responsibility  solely  upon  the  individual. 
Thus  it  establishes  the  right  and  the  duty  of  pri- 
vate judgment.      B. Bearing  in  mind  the  fact 

that  a  right  to  preach  the  gospel  involved  a  right 
to  organize  churches,  and  through  them  carry  on  a 
systematic  effort  to  change  the  religious  life  of  the 
whole  people,  it  is  safe  to  conclude  from  these  re- 
plies that  neither  civil  nor  ecclesiastical  rulers  are 
authorized  to  determine  what  forms  of  religion  may 
be  taught  among  the  people.  In  obvious  harmony 
with  the  apostles'  language  to  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim 
was  their  conduct  ever  after.  They  acted  on  the 
assumption  that  religious  truth  should  be  laid  before 
the  mind  of  every  man,  in  order  that  he  might  ac- 
cept or  reject  it  freely.     Hovey. 

21,  22.  With  Further  Threats,  the  Sanhedrim 
direct  the  Release  of  Peter  and  John. — The  manly 
appeal  of  the  apostles  is  disregarded.  It  can  not 
be  answered  or  turned  aside  with  reason.  Afraid 
to  go  further  with  persecution,  they  resort  to  the 
persecutor's  first  and  feeblest  argument,  threaten- 
ing. 

23-30.  The  First  Recorded  Prayer  of  the 
Christian  Chiirch. — Naturally,  on  their  release,  the 
two  apostles  sought  their  companions  in  the  faith, 
the  body  of  believers,  and  told  their  story.  Then 
uprose  from  the  hearts  of  the  gathered  disciples  a 
simple  Scriptural  prayer,  an  appeal  based  upon 
what  God  had  revealed  of  his  own  power  and  of  his 
purposed  redemption  by  Christ.  All  their  preach- 
ing and  prayer  are  confessedly  based  upon  the 
very  Word  of  God,  apprehended  and  believed.  No- 
tice here,  that  it  is  to  great  truths  rather  than  to 
special  promises  they  refer.  They  rest  their  faith 
and  appeal  upon  the  sovereign  might  of  God,  and 
the  certain  accomplishment  of  his  plan  in  the  face 
of  all  opposition,  (The  quotations  are  from  Psalm 
146  and  Psalm  2,  and  are  made  clearer  by  the  whole 
context.)  This  prophecy  of  David  concerning  Christ 
had  been  first  and  most  emphatically  fulfilled  by 
Herod,  representing  "  the  kings  "  ;  by  Pilate,  "  the 
rulers  "  ;  by  the  Koman  soldiers,  "  the  heathen  " ; 
and  the  Jews,  "the  people."  But  it  has  had  con- 
tinuous fulfillment  in  the  continuous  conflict  of 
Christianity  with  its  foes. 

The  point  upon  which  they  rest  in  this  portion 
of  the  prayer  is  the  same  Peter  brought  out  in  his 


34 


SECTION  19S.—ACTS  4:32-37 ;  5:1-11. 


discourses.  They  here  believingly  recognize  that 
this  combined  agency  of  rulers  and  people  against 
Jesus  only  accomplished  the  merciful  purpose  of 
God,  and  laid  foundations  for  the  establishment  and 
spread  of  his  gracious  salvation  in  all  the  earth. 
And  with  this  basis  of  faith  in  God's  overruling 
power  bringing  to  pass  his  purposed  redemption, 
how  simply  unselfish  and  manly  is  the  spirit  and 
substance  of  their  prayer!  '■'■Now,  Lord,  behold 
their  thrcatcnings  !  "  No  word  or  thought  of  ven- 
geance against  these  malignant  murderers  and  per- 
secutors. Only,  behold  thou,  and  interpose  as  thou 
wilt,  and  when  thou  wilt  1  And  for  themselves,  they 
ask  no  immunity  from  further  persecution  or  dan- 
ger, only  that  their  faith  and  courage  may  not  fail, 
that  they  may  hold  on  in  their  work  of  testifying 
for  Christ  and  preaching  the  Word.  Not  for  the 
destruction  of  their  enemies  and  the  removal  of  ob- 
stacles, but  for  steadfastness  to  endure  persecution, 
boldness  to  face  and  strength  to  surmount  difficul- 
ties. They  do  indeed  ask  for  God's  miraculous 
interposition,  but  not  for  their  help  or  comfort. 
Stretch  forth  thy  hand  in  healing  to  give  assurance 
that  the  Word  is  thine,  and  that  Jesus  is  Lord  and 
Christ.  There  is  a  wonderful  simplicity  and  con- 
centration of  faith  in  God's  Word  and  Christ's 
work  embodied  in  this  first  prayer  of  the  infant 
Church  1  And  the  faith  was  regarded  in  the  instant 
answer.    B. 

We  see  here  a  Church  that  prays,  and  just  by 
this  gives  incontestable  evidence  of  awakened  in- 
ward life.  Here  is,  moreover,  a  Church  that  prays 
for  her  servants.  Although  we  may  pray  for  our- 
selves,  who  among  us  pray  for  others  ?    Especially 


what  amount  of  personal  and  social  prayer  ascends 
from  us  in  behalf  of  the  ministers  of  the  Word, 
from  whom  so  much  is  required,  who  are  so  severely 
criticised,  so  often  with  or  without  cause  condemned, 
and  who  must  first  receive  before  they  can  impart 
to  others  ?     Van  0. 

31.  The  Sublime  Effect  torought  outwardly  by 
Miracle  and  inwardly  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  He- 
sponse  to  their  Prayer. — They  had  appealed  to  the 
might  of  God,  and  that  appeal  was  responded  to  by 
the  palpable  interposition  of  his  power  in  the  shak- 
ing of  the  place  where  they  were  gathered.  They 
had  besought  help  to  obey  Christ's  last  word  of 
direction,  faithfully  to  witness  for  him,  and  the 
Pentecostal  power  was  communicated  afresh  to 
them :  they  were  all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Their  one  personal  request  was  that  they  might, 
with  steadfast,  undaunted  spirit,  stand  in  the  front 
of  peril  and  declare  the  word  given  them  to  utter. 
And  the  answer  is  recorded  in  the  very  terms  of 
their  asking  :  "  And  they  spake  the  Word  of  God 
with  boldness."     B. 

A  congregation  shows  itself  here  which  unites 
fervent  prayer  with  unanimous  work.  They  do  not 
leave  the  work  entirely  to  the  apostles,  but  co- 
operate with  them ;  and,  as  though  reanimated  by 
this  awakened  life  in  the  Church,  these  last  soon 
with  greater  boldness  bear  witness  to  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  Lord.  What  think  ye  ?  Should  no 
greater  blessing  be  expected  on  such  unanimous 
prayer  and  labor  and  struggle,  than  on  the  endless 
lamentations  over  both  the  friends  and  foes  of  the 
Lord,  in  which  so  many  appear  inexhaustible  ? 
Van  0. 


Section    198. 

Acts  iv.  32-37 ;  v.  1-11. 

33  And  with  great  power  gave  the  apostles  witness  of  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus : 
82  and  great  grace  was  upon  them  all.     And  the  multitude  of  them  that  believed  were  of  one 

heart  and  of  one  soul :  neither  said  any  of  them  that  ought  of  the  things  which  he  pos- 

34  sessed  was  his  own  ;  but  they  had  all  things  common.     Neither  was  there  any  among  thera 
that  lacked :  for  as  many  as  were  possessors  of  lands  or  houses  sold  them,  and  brought  the 

35  prices  of  the  things  that  were  sold,  and  laid  them,  down  at  the  apostles'  feet :  and  distribu- 
tion was  made  unto  every  man  according  as  he  had  need. 

36  And  Joses,  who  by  the  apostles  was  surnamed  Barnabas,  (which  is,  being  interpreted,  The 

37  son  of  consolation,)  a  Levite,   and  of  the  country  of  Cyprus,  having  land,  sold  it,  and 

1  brought  the  money,  and  laid  it  at  the  apostles'  feet.     But  a  certain  man  named  Ananias, 

2  with  Sappliira  his  wife,  sold  a  possession,  and  kept  back  part  of  the  price,  his  wife  also  being 

3  privy  to  it,  and  brought  a  certain  part,  and  laid  it  at  the  apostles'  feet.     But  Peter  said, 
Ananias,  why  hath  Satan  filled  thine  heart  to  lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  keep  backj9«r« 

4  of  the  price  of  the  land  ?     Whiles  it  remained,  was  it  not  thine  own  ?  and  after  it  was  sold, 
was  it  not  in  thine  own  power  ?  why  hast  thou  conceived  this  thing  in  thine  heart  ?  thou 


SECTION  198.— ACTS  ^  ;  32-37;  5  : 1-11. 


35 


5  hast  not  lied  unto  men,  but  unto  God.     And  Ananias  hearing  these  words  fell  down,  and 

6  gave  up  the  ghost :  and  great  fear  came  on  all  them  that  heard  these  things.     And  the 

7  young  men  arose,  wound  him  up,  and  carried  him  out,  and  buried  him.     And  it  was  about 

8  the  space  of  three  hours  after,  when  his  wife,  not  knowing  what  was  done,  came  in.     And 
Peter  answered  unto  her.  Tell  me  whether  ye  sold  the  land  for  so  much  ?    And  she  said, 

9  Yea,  for  so  much.     Then  Peter  said  unto  her.  How  is  it  that  ye  have  agreed  together  to 
tempt  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  ?  behold,  the  feet  of  them  which  have  buried  thy  husband  are 

10  at  tlie  door,  and  shall  carry  thee  out.     Tljen  fell  she  down  straightway  at  his  feet,  and 
yielded  up  the  ghost :  and  the  young  men  came  in,  and  found  her  dead,  and,  carrying  her 

11  forth,  buried  Aer  by  her  husband.    And  great  fear  came  upon  all  the  church,  and  upon  as 
many  as  heard  these  things.  

Ihe  same  Peter,  who  in  Christ's  name  had  spoken  so  gently,  and  even  escusingly,  to  the  very  crucifiers 
of  Christ,  here,  in  the  same  name,  denounces  the  most  fearful  judgment  of  God  against  professed  followers 
of  Jesus.  Thus  the  Gospel  repeats  the  declaration  of  the  Law,  that  God  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty ; 
while  the  injunction  is  sharply  emphasized,  "Let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart  from 
iniquity."'  And  the  chief  danger  to  the  Church  to-day  arises  not  from  outward  assailants,  but  from  in- 
ward corruption  or  unfaithfulness  ;  from  the  false  vows  of  counterfeit  members  or  hypocrites  ;  and  from 
the  incomplete  vows  or  partial  consecration  of  true  members.  Still  Christ's  word  needs  to  be  heeded  by 
all,  Take  heed  and  beware  of  hypocrisy  !  Still  the  Holy  Ghost  exhorts,  Pay  unto  the  Lord  thy  vows,  and 
Lift  up  holy  hands  !  Without  honest  service,  sincere,  hearty  giving  as  well  as  praying,  let  there  be  no 
guise  of  service,  of  charity  or  worship,  for  a  Pharisaic  show  or  reputation  ! 

Nothing  in  human  character  is  so  valuable,  so  beautiful,  so  Christlike,  and  therefore  so  all-essential  as 
truthfulness.  Regarded  from  a  merely  human  aspect,  it  is  the  cementing  force  and  safeguard  of  society. 
Falsehood,  of  word  or  act,  is  destructive  of  the  order  and  peace  of  human  fellowship,  vitiates  the  currents 
of  intercourse  in  the  family,  in  traffic,  in  social  hfe,  and  undermines  the  very  foundation  of  the  Church. 
And  God's  hatred  of  hypocrisy  and  regard  of  truth,  read  upon  every  page  of  his  revelation,  may  be  summed 
up  in  two  or  three  statements :  Lying  lips  are  an  abomination  to  the  Lord ;  but  they  that  deal  truly  are  his 
delight  f  Of  the  dweller  in  God's  holy  hill  it  is  said  with  a  singular  emphasis,  He  speakelh  ihe  truth  in  his 
heart !  And  the  girdle  of  the  Christian  armor,  that  which  binds  and  holds  together  the  entire  panoply,  is 
truth  !  Then  let  every  disciple  of  Christ,  and  every  partaker  of  human  fellowship,  by  word  and  by  life, 
unweariedly  emphasize  the  supreme  worth,  and  exemplify  the  inherent  beauty  of  truthfulness !     B. 


"  Jews  and  proselytes  "  had  come  up  to  the  Fes- 
tival of  Pentecost  from  the  banks  of  the  Tigris  and 
Euphrates,  of  the  Nile  and  of  the  Tiber,  from  the 
provinces  of  Asia  Minor,  from  the  desert  of  Arabia, 
and  from  the  islands  of  the  Greek  Sea ;  and  when 
they  returned  to  their  homes,  they  carried  with  them 
news  which  prepared  the  way  for  the  glad  tidings 
about  to  issue  from  Mount  Zion  to  "  the  uttermost 
parts  of  the  earth."  But  as  yet  the  gospel  lingered 
on  the  holy  hill.  The  first  acts  of  the  apostles 
were  "  prayer  and  supplication "  in  the  "  upper 
room  "  ;  breaking  of  bread  "  from  house  to  house  "  ; 
miracles  in  the  Temple ;  gatherings  of  the  people 
in  Solomon's  cloister,  and  the  bearing  of  testimony 
in  the  coimcil  chamber  of  the  Sanhedrim.     H. 

33-35,  The  Beautiful  Picture  reproduced,  of  j 
the  Unity,  Mutual  Sympathy,  and  Helpfulness  of  the  [ 
First  Christian  Disciples. — We  would  read  verse  33 
first,  and  then  32,  34,  35  together.  While  all  were 
filled  whh  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  spake  the  word,  the 
apostles,  as  ordained  leaders  and  witnesses  of  the 
resurrection,  were  specially  endued  with  power  to 


impress  the  truth,  and  when  necessary  to  work  mira- 
cles in  confirmation  of  the  word. 

But  as  in  all  faith  was  working  actively  by  love, 
so  great  grace,  the  marked  favor  of  God,  was  upon 
and  with  thon  all.  Then,  as  a  token  and  evidence 
of  this  grace,  the  story  of  their  oneness  of  spirit, 
of  their  true  sympathy  one  with  another,  evinced 
by  acts  of  self-sacrifice,  by  the  sharing  of  their 
means  with  those  who  had  any  need,  is  here  told 
again.  It  is  repeated,  we  infer,  partly  because  it  ia 
inherently  so  beautiful  and  effective  as  an  example 
for  all  coming  ages,  and  partly  to  introduce  the  two 
persons,  Joses  and  Ananias,  and  to  contrast  their 
spirit  and  actions  respecting  this  practical  matter  of 
consecrating  possessions.     B. 

This  is  a  picture  of  what  every  Christian  Church 
ought  to  be,  and  what  every  Christian  Church  will 
probably  be,  when  the  fullness  of  the  Spirit  shall  be 
poured  out  in  the  last  days.  Here  we  meet  with  no 
factions  or  divisions  on  the  part  of  the  people,  no 
jealousy,  no  party  spirit.  No  desire  of  distinction 
disturbed  the  harmony  of  the  primitive  Church. 


36 


SECTION  198.— ACTS  4:32-37;  5:1-11. 


The  first  law  of  their  divine  Master  was  fulfilled  : 
mutual  and  holy  love  was  the  sacred  bond  of  their 
union,  the  ruling  principle  of  their  life  and  actions. 

G.  T. They  regarded  themselves  as  one  family, 

with  one  heart  and  one  soul,  with  common  needs 
and  common  joys  and  common  sufferings.  This  is 
the  perfection  of  that  unity  in  his  Church  for  which 
Christ  prayed,  and  it  showed  as  in  a  pattern  what 
all  should  aim  to  realize  in  spirit.     W. 

The  elements  of  prosperity  in  a  family  or  church 
of  Christ  are  these :  Christ  preached,  as  God  incar- 
nate, crucified,  risen  and  reigning ;  living  in  the 
Church  and  working  through  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and 
oneness  of  heart  evinced  in  prayer  and  in  mutual 
helpfulness.  Where  these  are  found,  faith  appro- 
priates Christ's  person  and  work,  effectually  pleads 
his  power  and  promise,  and  "  zvorks  by  love."  There- 
by all  essential  conditions  of  life  and  prosperity  are 
met.     B. 

33.  With  the  apostles,  especially  in  the  Pente- 
costal period,  the  i-esurrection  is  the  palmary  proof, 
the  invincible  assertion  of  the  truth  of  Christianity. 
That  Jesus  was  literally  risen  was  for  the  apostles  a 
fact  resting  upon  distinct  evidence  of  their  senses. 
Their  first  effort  was  to  publish  this  fact,  and  so  to 
let  it  do  its  proper  work  in  the  understandings  and 
the  consciences  of  men.  When  therefore  the  au- 
thor of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  is  describing  the 
missionary  action  of  the  earliest  Church,  he  tells  us 
that  "  with  great  power  gave  the  apostles  witness  of 

the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  Jesus."     H.  P.  L. 

Everywhere  they  preach  a  "  Christ  that  died,  yc«, 
rather,  that  is  risen  again."  This  event  is  presented 
by  them  not  simply  as  the  seal  of  his  teaching,  or 
more  generally  (to  use  the  poor  and  shrunken  phrase 
of  later  times)  as  the  proof  of  his  divine  mission, 
but  as  itself  the  cause  and  the  commencement  of 
that  eternal   life  which  was   consciously  the  hope 

of  man.     T.  D.  B. As  they  looked  with  the  eye 

of  faith  upon  the  interests  of  eternity,  the  relations 
and  interests  of  time  dwindled  into  insignificance, 
and  with  fearlessness,  with  simplicity,  and  with  great 
power,  gave  they  witness  to  the  central  and  incon- 
trovertible fact  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  to 
the  freeness  and  preciousness  of  the  salvation  that 
is  in  him,  and  left  the  event  with  God.  Pursuing 
this  course,  Christianity  was  aggressive  and  tri- 
umphant.    M.  H. This  is  our  testimony  still — 

a  testimony  concerning  the  risen  Christ.  This  is 
the  very  core  and  kernel  of  our  preaching.  Our  glad 
tidings  are,  "  The  Lord  is  risen."  It  is  a  risen  Lord 
that  we  follow.  It  is  to  a  risen  Lord  that  we  are 
conformed — a  risen  Prophet — a  risen  Priest — a  risen 
King !     Bonar. 

34,  35.  With  reference  to  the  sale  and  sharing 
of  their  possessions,  all  that  can  properly  be  inferred 
is  that  there  was  a  voluntary  disposing  of  a  portion 


only  by  the  rich,  and  a  distribution  in  accordance 
with  the  actual  need  of  the  poor.  There  was  no 
community  of  goods,  no  giving  up  of  all  he  had  by 
any  one.  Neither  example  nor  precept  of  such  fatu- 
ity have  we  in  the  Acts  or  Epistles.  But  the  grand 
principle  is  inculcated  here  most  impressively — a 
principle  that  should  characterize  the  disciples  of 
Christ  and  the  spirit  of  church  fellowship  in  all 
time — that  the  strong  should  aid  the  weak,  "  espe- 
cially those  who  are  of  the  household  of  faith." 
The  spirit  of  the  Master  and  of  his  gospel  lays  a  tax, 
proportional  and  voluntary,  upon  the  worldly  goods, 
as  well  as  the  personal  sympathies  and  counsels,  of 
more  gifted  believers  in  the  interest  of  those  less  en- 
dowed. No  other  subject  is  more  fully  unfolded  by 
Christ  and  the  apostles  than  this  of  consecrated 
earthly  possessions,  and  the  teaching  has  been  but 
imperfectly  learned  thus  far.  The  summing  up  we 
read  in  the  words  of  the  final  award,  "  Inasmuch  as 
ye  did  it,  or  did  it  not,  to  these !  " 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  largeness  of  the  gifts 
referred  to  here  grew  out  of  the  peculiar  circum- 
stances of  the  case.  Jewish  prejudices  would  at 
once  cast  out  the  poorer  behevers  from  all  customary 
employments,  and  so  leave  many  entirely  destitute. 
This  was  the  case  for  many  years,  as  we  know  from 
Paul's  "  gatherings  for  the  poor  Saints  at  Jerusalem  " 
in  almost  every  foreign  city.  And  the  same  circum- 
stances produce  like  effects  in  heathen  lands  to-day. 

36,  37.  TJie  True  Spirit  and  the  True  Gift  of 
Barnabas. — Joses,  afterward  called  Barnabas,  the 
first  named  convert  from  the  priestly  tribe  of  Levi 
(whose  conversion  was  soon  followed  by  that  of 
"many  priests,"  ch.  6),  begins  his  long  and  useful 
career  by  the  willing,  glad  consecration  of  a  portion, 
it  might  have  been  all,  of  his  possessions.  His 
surname,  "  Son  of  Consolation,"  may  have  referred 
in  part  to  this  giving  of  his  whole  estate  in  help  of 
the  destitute,  or  to  the  special  magnetism  of  his 
sympathy  and  wisdom  of  his  comforting  counsel. 
And,  we  remember,  Barnabas  it  was  who  brought 
Paul  to  the  apostles,  and  who  was  associated  with 
him  in  his  early  missionary  journey. 

1-11.  The  beautiful  picture  of  church  fellow- 
ship is  now  to  be  sadly  marred.  The  native  evil  of 
the  heart  shows  itself  even  among  the  little  band 
of  Christ's  proscribed  followers.  And,  as  through- 
out the  Old  Testament,  the  fact  is  shown,  by  way  of 
contrast  and  comparison,  in  the  history.  We  have 
had  Barnabas  with  his  attractive  character  and  his 
true-hearted  sacrifice.  Now  we  have  Ananias  and 
Sapphira  (with  names  only  significant  of  "grace'" 
and  "beauty")  illustrating  falsehood  in  its  most 
daring  and  impious  form,  a  counterfeit  offering  to 
God  himself.  And  the  teaching  by  comparison  goes 
further.  It  presents  the  two  Personal  Beings,  the 
respective  sources  and  inspircrs  of  truth  and  false- 


SECTION  198.— ACTS  4  :  3S-37 ;  5:1-11. 


37 


hood,  the  Holy  Ghost  of  God,  and  Satan,  the  unholy 
spirit  of  evil.  The  Holy  Ghost //&  the  heart  of  the 
true  disciples ;  Satan  "  fills  the  heart "  of  these  two 
false  professors. 

The  timing  of  Satan's  appearance,  at  the  out- 
start  of  the  infant  Christian  Church  upon  its  wit- 
nessing mission,  was  in  exact  accordance  with  his 
previous  methods.  As  he  came  to  Adam  and  Eve 
in  the  garden ;  to  Cain,  the  first  born  man ;  to  Nadab 
and  Abihu  at  the  commencement  of  Israel's  national 
life,  and  afterward  to  Achan  in  the  first  establish- 
ment of  Israel's  power  in  Canaan ;  and  above  all,  as 
without  effect  he  came  to  Christ  at  the  very  outset 
of  his  personal  ministry ;  so  now  and  here,  "  when 
the  sons  of  God  came  to  present  themselves  before 
the  Lord,  Satan  came  also  among  them."  He  would 
fain  use  the  time  of  inexperience  and  feeble  faith  to 
detach  one  and  another,  and  so  undermine  the  power 
and  destroy  the  life  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 

Concerning  this  signal  judgment  of  God,  let  two 
facts  be  borne  in  mind  :  1.  Many  miracles  of  mercy 
had  already  been  wrought,  and  many  more  were  sub- 
sequently done  during  the  ministry  of  the  apostles. 
This  is  the  one  only  miracle  of  judgment.  So  was 
it  even  under  the  Law  of  Moses  as  ministered  by 
himself  and  the  prophets.  The  many  miracles  were 
of  mercy.  Only  at  long  intervals  were  single  tokens 
of  judgment.  While  in  the  personal  ministry  of 
Christ  himself,  we  find  none  but  miracles  of  mercy 
to  men.  His  only  direct  judgment  was  against  a 
fruitless,  senseless  tree.  2.  The  one  manifest  pur- 
pose of  every  direct  judgment  of  God,  in  the  Old  and 
New  Testament  times,  was  to  impart  needful  knowl- 
edge and  warning  lolien  it  was  most  needed,  and  so 
impressively  that  it  would  be  heeded.  Therefore  it 
was  in  the  critical  time  of  inexperience  and  weak- 
ness, the  very  time  when  Satan  was  busiest,  that  the 
clear  manifestation  of  God's  authority  and  might 
were  most  necessary  as  a  warning  to  counteract  the 
temptations  of  Satan.  For  this  reason,  the  first 
Sabbath-breaker  was  stoned  (Num.  15:36);  the 
first  breach  of  a  special  commandment  after  Israel 
had  taken  possession  of  their  inheritance,  the  con- 
cealed sacrilegious  theft  of  Achan,  was  visited  with 
death  upon  himself  and  his  family ;  and  now,  the 
first  impious  deception  and  falsehood,  under  the 
guise  of  piety  and  worship,  in  the  new-born  Church, 
was  thus  decisively  adjudged  and  punished.  These 
and  other  cases  of  flagrant  impiety  demanded  and 
received  the  open  and  palpable  judgments  of  God, 
that  his  people  might  be  warned,  and  the  guilty 
taught,  that  he  saw  sin  in  the  heart  and  would  as- 
suredly punish  the  sinner.  No  other  means  than 
those  direct  severe  personal  visitations  could  so  well 
have  wrought  this  necessary  knowledge  and  convic- 
tion in  their  minds. 

1-6.   TJie  Sin,  the  Judc/ment,  and  the  Doom  of 


Ananias. — His  sin  was  not  the  bringing  "  a  certain 
part  of  the  price,"  for  this  he  might  rightly  have 
done  if  he  had  done  it  avowedly.  As  Peter  said,  it 
was  in  his  own  power,  subject  to  any  disposition  he 
pleased,  after  the  money  was  received.  But  while 
— for  scJjish  motives  of  some  kind,  we  knoiv — keep- 
ing back  part  of  the  money,  he  professed  to  have 
devoted  all  that  he  received.  And  this  transaction 
was  a  public  one,  nay,  was  a  part  of  worship  in 
which  all  were  associated,  nay,  further  still,  on  his 
part  it  was  an  act  of  professed  devotion  to  God  him- 
self. And  he  knew  it  was  a  lie.  He  was  deliber- 
ately mocking  God  under  pretense  of  worshiping 
him !  Peter  knew  it  too.  By  extraordinary  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  he  saw  into  the  very  heart  of  Ana- 
nias, knew  the  whole  transaction ;  and  by  the  im- 
pulse of  the  same  Spirit  he  opens  the  whole  to  the 
assembled  body  of  disciples  by  these  successive  burn- 
ing questions,  ending  with  the  terrible  affirmation, 
"  Thou  hast  not  lied  to  men,  but  unto  God.'''' 

Without  a  word  Ananias  fell  to  the  ground  dead. 
He  was  not  prostrated  by  the  shame  of  exposure, 
nor  the  sharpened  sting  of  an  aroused  and  terrified 
conscience,  overwhelming  as  their  force  might  be ; 
but  the  direct  fiat  of  God  adjudged  him  to  this  in- 
stant doom.  Not  by  any  word  or  purpose  of  Peter, 
but  solely  by  the  act  of  God  was  the  fiat  executed. 
For  this  once,  in  the  New  Testament  Christian  his- 
tory, "  sentence  against  an  evil  work  was  executed 
speedily."  And  the  lesson  was  heeded.  Great  fear, 
fear  of  God,  an  intelligent  fear  of  his  searching  vis- 
ion and  unerring  sure  judgment,  and  a  dread  con- 
viction of  the  deadliness  of  sin,  "  came  upon  all  them 
that  heard  these  things." 

In  an  orderly  manner,  and  in  accordance  with 
the  usual  custom  of  burial  on  the  day  of  death,  the 
younger  men  then  bore  the  body  of  Ananias  to  the 
place  of  interment  outside  the  city.  During  their 
absence,  for  three  hours,  it  would  seem  that  the 
body  of  disciples  remained  together.  At  their  re- 
turn it  was  that  Sapphira,  ignorant  of  what  had  oc- 
curred, and  doubtless  supposing  that  the  fraud 
upon  which  they  had  agreed  had  been  successfully 
achieved,  came  in  to  the  assembly. 

7-11.  TJie  Falsehood  and  the  Doom  of  Sap- 
phira.— Peter  gave  her  no  time  or  opportunity  to 
learn  what  had  transpired.  Instantly  he  asks  the 
plain  direct  question  as  to  the  sum  received  for  the 
land.  And  as  instantly,  unhesitatingly,  she  re- 
affirms in  words  the  acted  falsehood  of  her  now 
dead  husband.  To  this,  her  last  utterance,  Peter 
responds  by  stating  the  aggravation  of  their  guilt, 
in  their  deliberate  agreement  to  deceive  and  defraud 
the  Spirit  of  God,  and  then  prophetically  announces 
her  like  fearful  doom  and  burial  with  her  husband. 
Speechless,  also,  she  falls  and  dies !  By  the  same 
hands  her  body  is  laid  beside  her  husband.    The 


38 


SEGTI02T  199.— ACTS  5  :  12-4& 


bodies  lie  together  in  the  tomb — the  spirits  together 
in  the  realm  of  eternal  doom. 

Again  the  record  declares,  that  great  fear  came 
upon  all  that  heard  as  well  as  witnessed  those  things. 
Deep  indeed  would  be  the  impression  and  long  the 
memory  of  so  awful  a  judgment  of  the  manifest 
God !  And  thus  was  the  infant  Church  taught  and 
warned  and  guarded  in  her  time  of  greatest  weak- 
ness and  need  against  corruption  from  within,  es- 
pecially against  "  that  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  which 
is  hypocrisy,"  an  evil  always  greater  and  more  de- 
moralizing than  persecution  from  without ! 

Some  Leading  TnitJis. — While  personal  influence, 
even  to  the  xcorking  in  human  hearts,  is  ascribed  to 
Satan,  yet  his  power  is  only  that  of  temptation,  and 
is  resistible.  It  is  the  man  that  sins^  by  his  own 
uncontrolled  act  of  yielding  to  the  temptation. 
Hence  the  helpful  injunction,  "  Resist  the  devil,  and 
he  will  flee." 

Every  human  heart  is  under  the  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  or  of  Satan,  but  under  compulsion  of 
neither.  AVhat  the  Holy  Ghost  has  aimed  to  do  in 
the  saving  of  all  that  have  been  saved,  he  still  seeks 


to  do  in  behalf  of  the  lost  and  imperilled.  And 
what  Satan  has  done  to  destroy,  what  he  succeeded 
in  accomplishing  by  his  influence  with  Saul,  Ahith- 
ophel,  Judas,  and  now  with  Ananias  and  Sapphira, 
he  seeks  novj,  as  earnestly,  to  do  with  every  one. 

In  this  fearful  twofold  judgment  we  have  God's 
protest  and  refutation  respecting  the  false  tenet  or 
behef,  that  because  he  is  infinitely  merciful  and 
long-suffering,  he  will  clear  the  guilty  and  transform 
hell  into  heaven.  The  voice  of  this  judgment  is. 
Be  not  deceived,  God  is  not  mocked ;  whatsoever  a 
man  sowcfh  that  shall  he  reap :  In  no  ivise  shall  enter 
they  who  make  a  lie :  For  our  God  is  a  consaming 
fire.     B. 

No  matter  whether  the  miracle  happens  once  or 
every  day.  It  is  simply  the  type  of  a  law  inevitable 
and  universal.  Whether  the  outer  stroke  should 
ever  be  repeated  or  not,  it  was  only  the  visible  sign 
of  a  thing  that  is  always  going  on  while  the  world 
stands — unrighteousness  blasted,  lying  exposed,  the 
cheating  man  and  the  cheating  woman,  in  spite  of 
their  skill  in  concealment,  sent  down  at  last  to  mis- 
ery.    F.  D.  H. 


Section  199. 

Acts  v.  12-42. 

13  Ajtd  of  the  rest  durst  no  man  join  himself  to  them :  but  the  people  magnified  thera. 
12  And  they  were  all  with  one  accord  in  Solomon's  porch.     And  by  the  hands  of  the  apostles 

15  were  many  signs  and  wonders  wrought  among  the  people ;  insomuch  that  they  brought 
forth  the  sick  into  the  streets,  and  laid  them  on  beds  and  couches,  that  at  the  least  the 

16  shadow  of  Peter  passing  by  might  overshadow  some  of  them.  There  came  also  a  multitude 
out  of  the  cities  round  about  unto  Jerusalem,  bringing  sick  folks,  and  them  which  were 

14  vexed  with  unclean  spirits  :  and  they  were  healed  every  one.  And  believers  were  the  more 
added  to  the  Lord,  multitudes  both  of  men  and  women. 

17  Then  the  high  priest  rose  up,  and  all  they  that  were  with  him,  ("which  is  the  sect  of  the 

18  Sadducees,)  and  were  filled  with  indignation,  and  laid  their  hands  on  the  apostles,  and 

19  put  them  in  the  common  prison.     But  the  angel  of  the  Lord  by  night  opened  the  prison 

20  doors,  and  brought  thera  forth,  and  said.  Go,  stand  and  speak  in  the  temple  to  the  people 

21  all  the  words  of  this  life.  And  when  they  heard  that,  they  entered  into  the  temple  early  in 
the  morning,  and  taught.  But  the  high  priest  came,  and  they  that  were  with  him,  and 
called  the  council  together,  and  all  the  senate  of  the  children  of  Israel,  and  sent  to  the 

22  prison  to  have  them  brought.     But  when  the  ofiicers  came,  and  found  them  not  in  the 

23  prison,  they  returned,  and  told,  saying,  The  prison  truly  found  we  shut  with  all  safety,  and 
the  keepers  standing  without  before  the  doors:  but  when  we  had  opened,  we  found  no  man 

24  within.     Now  Avhen  the  high  priest  and  the  captain  of  the  temple  and  the  chief  priests 

25  heard  these  things,  they  doubted  of  them  whereunto  this  would  grow.  Then  came  one  and 
told  them,  saying.  Behold,  the  men  whom  ye  put  in  prison  are  standing  in  the  temple,  and 

26  teaching  the  people.     Then  went  the  captain  with  the  officers,  and  brought  them  without 

27  violence :  for  they  feared  the  people,  lest  they  should  have  been  stoned.     And  when  they 

28  had  brought  them,  they  set  them  before  the  council :  and  the  high  priest  asked  them,  say- 
ing. Did  not  we  straitly  command  you  that  ye  should  not  teach  in  this  name?  and,  behold, 
ye  have  filled  Jerusalem  with  your  doctrine,  and  intend  to  bring  this  man's  blood  upon  us. 


SECTION  199.— ACTS  5  :  12-J^. 


39 


29  Then  Peter  and  the  other  apostles  answered  and  said,  We  ought  to  obey  God  rather  than 

30  men.     The  God  of  our  fathers  raised  up  Jesus,  whom  ye  slew  and  hanged  on  a  tree.     Ilim 

31  hath  God  exalted  with  his  right  hand  to  le  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  for  to  give  repentance  to 

32  Israel,  and  forgiveness  of  sins.  And  we  are  his  witnesses  of  these  things ;  and  so  is  also 
the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  God  hath  given  to  them  that  obey  him. 

33  "When  they  heard  that,  they  were  cut  to  the  heart,  and  took  counsel  to  slay  them.     Then 

34  stood  there  up  one  in  the  council,  a  Pharisee,  named  Gamaliel,  a  doctor  of  the  law,  had  in 
reputation  among  all  the  people,  and  commanded  to  put  the  apostles  forth  a  httle  space  ; 

35  and  said  unto  them.  Ye  men  of  Israel,  take  heed  to  yourselves  what  ye  intend  to  do  as 

36  touching  these  men.  For  before  these  days  rose  up  Theudas,  boasting  himself  to  be  some- 
body ;  to  whom  a  number  of  men,  about  four  hundred,  joined  themselves  :  who  was  slain ; 

37  and  all,  as  many  as  obeyed  him,  were  scattered,  and  brought  to  nought.  After  this  man 
rose  up  Judas  of  Galilee  in  the  days  of  the  taxing,  and  drew  away  much  people  after  him  : 

38  he  also  perished ;  and  all,  ct^?;-  as  many  as  obeyed  him,  were  dispersed.  And  now  I  say  un- 
to you.  Refrain  from  these  men,  and  let  them  alone  :  for  if  this  counsel  or  this  work  be  of 

39  men,  it  will  come  to  nought :  but  if  it  be  of  God,  ye  cannot  overthrow  it ;  lest  haply  ye  be 

40  found  even  to  fight  against  God.  And  to  him  they  agreed  :  and  when  they  had  called  the 
apostles,  and  beaten  the7n,  they  commanded  that  they  should  not  speak  in  the  name  of  Jesus, 
and  let  them  go. 

41  And  they  departed  from  the  presence  of  the  council,  rejoicing  that  they  were  counted 

42  worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  his  name.  And  daily  in  the  temple,  and  in  every  house,  they 
ceased  not  to  teach  and  preach  Jesus  Christ. 


"  They  ceased  not  to  teach  and  preach  Jesus  the  Christ."  Similar  expressions  continually  recur  in  the 
Acts.  No  such  announcements  are  heard  in  the  Gospels.  The  preaching  spoken  of  there  is  not  of  the 
person,  but  of  the  kinnJom.  In  the  Acts  the  two  expressions  are  sometimes  united,  as  when  the  Samari- 
tans "believed  Philip,  preaching  the  things  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God  and  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  "  :  and  yet  again,  with  more  evident  purpose,  in  the  closing  verse  of  the  book,  which  describes  the 
two  years'  continuous  ministry  by  the  words  "  preaching  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  teaching  those  things 
which  concern  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  The  two  expressions  are  combined  to  show  that  the  preaching  of 
the  kingdom  and  the  preaching  of  Christ  are  one.  All  is  founded  upon  the  old  Jewish  expectation  of  a 
kingdom  of  God ;  but  it  is  now  explained  how  that  expectation  is  fulfilled  in  the  person  of  Jesus ;  and 
the  account  of  its  realization  consists  in  the  unfolding  of  the  truth  concerning  him,  "  the  things  concern- 
ing Jesus."  The  manifestation  of  Christ  being  finished,  the  kingdom  is  already  begun.  Those  who  re- 
ceive him  enter  into  it.  Having  overcome  the  sharpness  of  death,  he  has  opened  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
to  all  believers.  Those,  therefore,  who  w^ere  once  to  "  tell  no  man  that  he  was  Christ,"  are  now  to  make 
"  all  the  house  of  Israel  know  assuredly  that  God  hath  made  that  same  Jesus,  whom  they  had  crucified, 
both  Lord  and  Christ "  ;  yea,  they  are  to  proclaim  that  fact  to  every  nation  under  heaven.  Through  the 
blessed  ordinance  of  a  written  word  they  have  not  ceased  to  do  so  now.  To  us  they  preach  him  still ;  a 
Christ  "  who  died  for  our  sins  and  rose  again  for  our  justification"  ;  a  Christ  who  saves  without  the  Law, 
yet  one  who  is  witnessed  by  the  Law  and  the  Prophets.  So  they  preach,  and  so  we  beheve.  This  was 
the  beginning  of  the  confidence  and  the  rejoicing  of  the  hope  to  the  Church  at  its  birth,  and  this  begin- 
ning it  will  hold  firm  unto  the  end.  It  is  for  us  to  see  that  we  bear  our  part  in  the  long  history  of  the 
faith,  finding  its  reality  in  the  joy  of  our  own  salvation,  and  transmitting  its  testimony  to  the  generation 
to  come.     T.  D.  B. 


12-16.  Effects  wrought  among  the  People  by 
the  Apostles'  Preaching  and  Healing  in  the  Name  of 
Jesus. — These-  verses  cover  a  considerable  period  of 
undisturbed  ministry.  The  most  appropriate  order 
would  probably  be  this :  verse  13;  the  last  sentence 
in  verse  12;  the  first  sentence  in  the  same  verse, 
attached  to  verses  15  and  16  ;  and  verse  14.  Read 
thus,  without  any  parenthesis,  the  meaning  is  clear 
and  the  narrative  orderly  and  progressive. 

The  rest,  the  multitude  without,  had  been  so 
impressed  by  the  miraculous  judgment  upon  Ananias 


that  they  stood  in  awe  of  the  apostles  as  divine  mes- 
sengers, and  none  ventured  to  join  the  company  cf 
believers  unless  drawn  by  a  true  faith  and  honest 
confession.  Nevertheless  they  "  magnified,"  in  their 
hearts  honored,  the  character  and  work  of  the  apos- 
tles. They  had  learned  at  least  the  difference  be- 
tween false  pi-etense  and  true  service. 

Solomon's  porch  was  now  the  daily  meeting  and 
preaching  place  of  the  apostles.  No  other  place  was 
large  enough  for  the  concourse  of  believers  and  peo- 
ple.    (Vol.  L,  p.  620.) 


40 


SECTION  199.— ACTS  5  :  12-4£. 


The  account  given  in  verses  15  and  IG  recalls 
similar  statements  respecting  great  periods  and  wide 
circuits  of  Christ's  ministry  in  Galilee.  Everywhere 
from  within  Jerusalem  itself,  and  from  the  numerous 
cities  adjacent,  the  sick  and  the  possessed  with  un- 
clean spirits  were  brought  by  multitudes  to  the  apos- 
tles. And  the  result  is  told  in  the  old  language  of 
the  gospels,  "they  were  healed  every  one."  Not, 
we  suppose,  that  any  one  was  healed  by  the  length- 
ened shadow  of  Peter's  person,  as  he  returned  to- 
ward sunset  from  the  crowded  evening  service  in 
Solomon's  porch.  Yet  we  know  that  the  sick  were 
afterward  healed  by  the  touch  of  aprons  and  handker- 
chiefs that  had  been  in  contact  with  the  person  of 
Paul ;  and  we  remember  how  one  was  healed  by 
the  touch  of  a  garment-hem.  There  may  have  been 
such  faith,  as  these  cases  showed,  in  the  placing  of 
the  sick  within  the  line  of  the  apostle's  shadow, 
and  if  there  was,  God  may  have  healed  in  like  con- 
descension to  human  ignorance  and  infirmity.  But 
the  text  does  not  furnish  any  inference  that  there 
was  such  faith,  or  that  healing  was  wrought  by  this 
means.  The  fact  is  stated  to  show  the  extent  and 
pervasive  character  of  the  influence  which  had  al- 
ready gone  forth  from  these  few  illiterate  fishermen, 
within  the  city  and  outside  of  it. 

The  "  many  signs  and  wonders  "  now  "  wrought 
among  the  people "  were  in  answer  to  the  first 
prayer  of  the  Church.  They  were  designed  to  honor 
the  apostles  in  the  sight,  and  so  with  the  favor,  of 
the  people  ;  that  the  people  might  interpose,  as  they 
did,  to  protect  them  against  the  assaults  of  the 
rulers.  But,  chiefly,  their  miracles  of  healing  were 
wrought,  like  their  Master's,  to  show  how  much  God's 
mercy  delighted  to  rejoice  against  his  judgment,  how 
much  more  willing  were  his  helpful,  gracious,  loving 
purposes  and  acts,  than  his  enforced  strange  deeds 
of  judgment.  And  all  these  ends  of  miracle,  we 
read,  were  accomplished. 

14.  Believers  were  the  more  added*  This 
is  the  natural  close  to  this  whole  statement.  Even 
the  terrible  judgment  combined  with  the  multitude 
of  healing  mercies,  in  connection  with  the  preaching 
of  Jesun,  produced  far  more  faith  than  fear.  Of  the 
vast  numbers  who  had  been  outwardly  convinced 
by  miraculous  demonstration,  many  were  inwardly 
touched  by  the  truth  concerning  Jesus  impressed 
by  the  present  mighty  Spirit  of  God.  Multitudes 
both  of  men  and  women  were  added  to  the  Lord  ! — 
to  Christ,  not  to  the  roll  of  the  Church.  Here,  as 
before,  the  Lord,  i.  e.,  Christ,  added  to  the  Church 
the  saved  !  but  frst — then,  now,  and  ever — added  to 
the  Lord  !  as  branches  to  the  vine,  by  the  principle 
and  through  the  divine  implanting  of  a  spiritual  life : 
living  branches,  and  fruitful  if  living,  in  the  living 
vine — these  only  are  "  the  saved,"  these  only  make  up 
the  roll  of  the  true  Church,  visible  or  invisible !     B. 


17-19.  The  apostles  are  brought  forward  to 
preach  before  the  Sanhedrim  the  doctrine  of  the 
resurrection,  by  the  agency  of  the  Sadducees  who 
denied  it.  The  Sadducees  imprison  the  apostles ; 
but  the  angel  of  the  Lord  opens  the  prison  doors. 
Thus  Christ  overrules  the  designs  of  the  Sadducees, 
who  denied  the  existence  of  angels,  and  makes  the 
Sadducees  themselves  to  be  the  means  of  showing  to 
the  world  that  his  angels  are  ministering  spirits, 

encamping  about  his  Church.     W. As  their  hate 

increased,  their  malignity  gave  them  increased  cour- 
age to  seize  and  imprison  the  apostles.  While  these 
imprisoned  men  are  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
leave  all  things  quietly  with  God,  their  persecutors 
— into  whose  hearts  we  are  continually  permitted  to 
see — are  filled  with  Satan,  and  undertake  themselves 
to  carry  out  the  devices  he  has  inspired. 

But  S  This  is  a  divine  "  but,"  which  deranges 
all  their  plans.  The  excess,  or  "  remainder,"  of 
men's  wrath  over  what  may  be  needful  in  the  execu- 
tion of  hh  plans,  God  easily  restrains,  and  generally 
by  his  usual  methods  of  providence.  Here,  for  the 
same  purpose  that  he  wrought  by  miracle,  he  sends 
an  angel  to  release  his  first  "  ambassadors  "  to  the 
world.  Silently,  and  unnoticed  by  the  slumbering 
guard,  the  prison  doors  are  opened,  and  the  rescued, 
newly  animated  disciples  are  bidden  to  resume  their 
work  for  the  Master.  Go,  as  heralds  go,  not  seek- 
ing safety  in  concealment,  but  before  the  face  of  the 
people.  Utter  the  message  of  life — all  of  it — ^faith- 
fully to  all  the  people  !  It  was  a  reaffirmation  of  the 
commission  from  their  risen  Lord,  uttered  under 
circumstances  of  implied  approval,  encouragement, 
and  yet  larger  promise.  And  there  was  no  hesita- 
tion or  wavering  in  their  response.  Early  in  the 
morning,  soon  as  the  temple  gates  were  opened,  they 
gathered  in  Solomon's  porch  and  taught  the  throng- 
ing crowds.     B. The  Lord  sent  his  angel  and  set 

his  servants  free.  He  showed  the  persecutors  that 
they  had  no  power  over  these  men,  "  except  it  were 
given  them  from  above."  But  having  done  this,  the 
Master  left  the  witnesses  in  their  enemies'  hands. 
His  will  was,  that  his  servants  should  neither  flee 
nor  fight ;  that  they  should  preach  the  Cross,  and 
bear  it ;  that  they  should  overcome  as  he  had  over- 
come— by  enduring.   Arnot. 

21-26.  Then  came  the  specially  called  meet- 
ing of  the  great  Sanhedrim,  showing  how  exasper- 
ated the  priestly  party  were  and  how  determined 
now  'utterly  to  destroy  these  teachers  of  Christ. 
"  All  the  senate,"  i.  e.,  all  the  elders  of  the  nation, 
were  called  in  to  give  counsel  and  add  weight  to  the 
judgment  of  the  Sanhedrim.  The  officers  were  sent 
to  the  prison,  and  excitedly  returned  with  the  won- 
derful story  of  an  empty  ward  and  carefully  guard- 
ed doors  and  building.  The  meaning  was,  that 
there  was  full  proof  of  divine  interposition  in  the 


SECTION  199.— ACTS  5:12-42. 


41 


escape.  And  while  the  assembly  were  amazed  and 
wondering  what  would  come  out  of  these  mar- 
vels, one  came  with  the  intelligetice  that  the  men 
who  had  mysteriously  disappeared  out  of  their 
prison  were  boldly  preaching  again  in  the  temple. 
At  the  instance  of  the  high  priest,  the  captain  of 
the  temple — the  custodian  of  the  sacred  house — 
then  went  with  his  own  band  and  quietly  summoned 
the  apostles  into  the  presence  of  the  assembled 
council.  The  obedient  response  of  the  apostles 
prevented  any  outbreak  among  the  people. 

The  strongly  favorable  feeling  of  the  people  in 
behalf  of  these  persecuted  disciples  is  the  instruc- 
tive and  cheering  fact  of  this  portion  of  the  narra- 
tive. Many  causes  combined — all  of  them  noble 
and  grand — to  produce  this  feeling.  These  lowly 
but  bold  disciples  had  dared  to  come  right  from  the 
prison  to  the  sanctuary  and  stronghold  of  their  own 
and  their  Master's  persecutors,  instead  of  fleeing 
from  them.  They  spake  with  like  boldness  as  they 
acted ;  repeating  in  calm  and  serious  words  the  of- 
fensive doctrines.  Here  were  evidences  of  their 
own  truthfulness,  of  their  belief  in  the  word  they 
preached,  and  of  a  wonderful  strength  of  personal 
trust  in  the  Christ  they  proclaimed  and  urged  upon 
others.  And  their  forbearance  equaled  their  cour- 
age and  truth.  Though  their  release  showed  that 
superhuman  power  was  theirs,  yet  they  did  not  seek 
to  employ  it  in  opposition  to  the  high  priest  and 
elders.  Not  to  resist  the  rulers,  not  to  smite  with 
judgment-might  the  men  who  had  accumulated  a 
vaster  amount  of  even  more  aggravated  guilt  than 
the  false  Ananias,  but  to  heal  the  sick  and  suffer- 
ing they  used  the  might  of  miracle. 

And  perhaps  the  "signs"  most  wonderful  and 
powerful  with  the  people  were  the  signs  of  their 
Christlike  spii'it — their  utterly  unselfish  lives  and 
ministry — the  avo^ved  purpose  of  their  preaching  as 
well  as  the  manifest  ultimate  object  of  their  miracles, 
to  save  the  lost  soul!  In  palpable  contrast  to  these 
"  signs  and  wonders  "  of  Christlike  spirit  and  living, 
had  been  life-long  presented  before  their  eyes  the 
selfish  greed  and  rapacity,  the  open  hypocrisy,  and 
especially  the  utter  lack  of  sympathy  or  care  for 
others,  which  characterized  the  priests  and  rulers  of 
that  day  above  any  other  time  even  in  Jewish  his- 
tory. Multitudes,  therefore,  of  the  common  people 
heard  these  true-hearted  apostles,  also,  gladly! 
They  heard  the  words  and  read  the  life,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  impressed  his  own  truth  in  both  forms, 
and  wrought  miracles  of  deliverance  for  multitudes 
of  penitent,  believing  souls,  more  wondrous  far 
than  the  angel's  release  of  the  imprisoned  bodies  of 
the  apostles ! 

27,  28.  If  we  needed  proof  of  the  superior  in- 
telligence and  shrewdness  of  these  foremost  priests 
and  rulers,  we  have  it  in  their  discriminating  appre- 


ciation of  the  preaching  and  doctrine  concerning 
Jesus  as  the  source  of  the  apostles'  power,  and  of 
their  own  consequent  danger.  These  men  of  the 
Sanhedrim  cared  nothing  for  mere  miracles.  They 
did  not  want  to  know,  they  wished  not  to  know,  how 
the  apostles  escaped  from  the  prison ;  and  passed 
that  matter  over  in  silence.  But  when  the  known 
companions  of  Jesus  jo?-mc/i  a  spiritual  religion,  and 
declare  a  salvation  of  grace,  when  their  preaching  is 
attested  not  only  by  numerous  and  stupendous  mira- 
cles, but  by  an  unselfish,  true,  pure,  and  helpful  life, 
when  the  religion  they  preach  and  practice  stands 
forth  in  striking  contrast  with  the  teaching  and  life 
of  authoritative  Jewish  teachers,  and  when,  for  all 
these  reasons,  multitudes  from  city  and  country  are 
drawn  to  seek  heahng  and  find  repentance  in  the 
name  of  Christ,  no  wonder  these  false  hypocritical 
leaders  take  alarm,  and  seek  to  silence  and  destroy 
the  apostles. 

But  the  charge  they  make  of  a  design  "  to  bring 
this  man^s  blood"  (purposely  throwing  contempt 
upon  the  name  that  the  apostles  had  exalted)  "  upon 
them"  is  surprising,  when  we  remember  that  these 
very  rulers  had  led  in  that  answering  cry  to  Pilate, 
"  His  blood  be  on  us  and  on  our  children."  But 
they  had  an  object  in  saying  this  now  ;  they  wished 
to  create  an  impression  among  the  people  that  the 
apostles  were  actuated  by  revengeful  and  hostile 
feelings  in  making  the  charge.     B. 

29-32.  Critics  have  noticed  the  structure  of 
Peter's  brief  defense  as  one  of  the  finest  specimens 
of  pleading  on  record.  It  is  a  proof  that  the  prom- 
ise, "It  shall  be  given  you  in  that  hour  what  ye 
shall  speak,"  was  amply  fulfilled.  It  is  clear  and 
cogent ;  it  is  very  short,  but  it  is  long  enough.  The 
speaker  says  all  that  is  needful,  and  stops  when  he 
is  done.  In  this  short  space  he  defends  himself, 
confounds  his  adversaries,  and  commends  Christ  to 
the  bystanders.     Arnot. 

Taking  no  notice  of  their  attempt  to  create 
odium  against  himself  and  his  companions,  with 
manly  boldness  he  repeats  the  main  points  of  his 
previous  address.  Again  he  reverses  the  position 
of  the  parties,  becomes  himself  the  accuser  of  his 
judges,  and  preaches  the  gospel  plainly  to  them.  So 
did  Stephen  afterward,  before  that  very  same  tri- 
bunal. 

29.  First,  he  declares  directly,  not  as  before 
in  the  way  of  appeal  to  their  judgment,  that  God 
must  be  obeyed  rather  than  men.  In  saying  this,  he 
boldly  implies  that  they  are  commanding  things  con- 
trary to  God  ;  and  he  justifies  the  disregard  of  their 
injunction  solely  on  the  ground  of  obedience  to  the 
liigher  authority  of  God  himself.  He  does  not  deny 
the  allegiance  properly  due  to  these  rulers  as  the 
highest  human  authority  in  the  nation.  He  claims 
and  attempts  no  right  of  open  opposition  or  organ- 


42 


SECTION  190.— A  CTS  5  :  12-J^. 


ized  resistance.     But  he  must  speak  the  word,  and 
so  obey  the  supreme  command  of  God.     B. 

How  much  the  world  owes  to  the  word  that 
Peter  uttered  before  the  Sanhedrim  that  day !  It  is 
the  foundation  of  all  the  true  liberty  that  exists  in 
the  world.  On  this  rock — ^thc  word  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  spake  by  Peter's  lips — has  the  liberty  of  the 
Church  been  built,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  against  it.  Leaning  on  this,  human  liberty 
has  been  able  to  maintain  a  footing  on  the  world 
during  the  dark  centuries  that  are  past ;  and  that 
liberty,  Mhercwith  the  Son  has  made  his  people  free, 
is  waxing  apace,  as  the  dawn  advances  into  day. 
Freedom  of  conscience — the  subjection  of  a  human 
spirit  to  God,  and  its  emancipation  therefore  from 
all  inferior  control — is  deposited  here  in  the  ground 
as  a  living  seed.  Thence  it  has  sprung  and  spread ; 
thence  it  will  spring  and  spread  until  all  superstition 
and  tyranny  shall  be  swept  away.     Arnot. 

30.  Next  Peter  reasserts  the  offensive  doctrine 
of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus,  carefully  naming  him 
whom  they  would  not  name.  Still  speaking  as  him- 
self a  Jew  and  to  them  as  Jews,  he  declares  that 
their  God  had  "  raised  up  Jesus,"  and  unqualifiedly 
to  their  faces  reaffirms  the  charge  that  they  had 
slain  him  by  crucifixion.  It  was  true  that  Christ's 
blood  was  upon  them.  No  words  could  be  more 
direct  or  pointed;  yet  he  instantly  follows  them 
with  other  words  of  promise  and  hope. 

31.  The  same  God,  their  God,  had  exalted  this 
Jesus,  who  is  already  a  Prince  and  Saviour — names 
well  known  to  them  as  applied  by  Isaiah  to  the  Mes- 
siah— ^by  him  to  give  repentance  and  forgiveness  to 
Israel !  The  statement  was  very  plain  and  the  mean- 
ing very  clear  to  them.  All  the  facta  of  Christ's 
life — his  character,  his  wondrous  deeds  and  yet  more 
wonderful  words,  his  death  and  rising  again — all  ac- 
corded perfectly  with  the  known  and  accepted  teach- 
ing of  their  prophets.  Even  the  outpouring  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  was  distinctly  promised.  In  all  this 
Peter  was  speaking  no  enigmas  to  them. 

32.  In  further  asserting  that  the  apostles  are 
tvitnesses  of  all  those  things  respecting  Christ,  Peter 
still  refers  them  back  to  Isaiah  (43 :  10,  12,  and  44  : 
6,  8),  where  the  Lord  the  Saviour,  Israel's  King  and 
Deliverer,  utters  these  very  words.  Repeated  by 
this  Lord  himself,  after  his  resurrection,  in  the  ears 
of  the  disciples,  Peter  now  triumphantly  responds 
to  them,  and  affirms  that  thei/  are  his  witnesses ! 
And  then,  in  support  of  their  merely  human  testi- 
mony, and  in  conclusive  proof  of  all  these  things  re- 
specting Christ,  he  refers  to  a  divine  witness,  the 
long-promised  and  now  received  Spirit  of  God.  27ds 
witness,  the  Holy  Ghost,  with  his  internal  convincing 
testimony,  he  declares  to  these  heartless,  disobedient 
priests  of  the  Temple,  God  will  give  to  them  that 
obey  him. 


Thus  calmly,  without  sign  of  personal  feeling, 
save  earnest,  faithful  kindness,  in  the  very  spirit  of 
the  Master,  this  brave  apostle  preached  to  the  San- 
hedrim the  whole  doctrine  of  Christ  and  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  to  them  he  offers  salvation  by  repentance 
toward  God  and  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
through  the  inworking  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

33-40.  The  Cowiscl  of  Gamaliel,  and  the  Final 
Judgment  of  the  Sanhedrim. — The  same  excessive 
madness  of  rage  and  hate  that  filled  them  against 
the  Master  was  now  excited  toward  the  disciples. 
Under  the  first  impulse,  they  would  have  done  with 
these  what  they  had  done  with  him.  But  at  this 
crisis  God  interposed  for  his  people's  sake,  and 
raised  up  a  helper  in  the  person  of  the  most  influ- 
ential and  least  moved  of  their  number. 

Gamaliel,  here  referred  to  as  one  of  the  council 
or  Sanhedrim,  a  Pharisee,  a  teacher  of  the  law,  and 
of  high  repute  among  the  people,  is  said  by  the 
Talmud  to  have  been  the  grandson  of  Hillel,  the 
founder  of  the  then  leading  Rabbinical  school. 
They  say  further  that  he  was  the  second  and  last 
who  "  obtained  the  name  of  Rabban,  a  title  of  the 
highest  eminency  and  note  of  any  among  their  doc- 
tors." Apparently  he  is  the  only  one  unmoved,  and 
therefore  apprehends  the  peril  of  murdering  the 
apostles,  and  certainly,  though  unconsciously,  he  is 
actuated  by  a  divine  impulse  in  his  interposition. 
But  he  shows  masterly  skill  and  judgment  in  reach- 
ing his  object.  He  removes  these  hated  men  out  of 
sight,  and  so  takes  away  one  stimulus  and  supply 
of  their  excited  feeling.  He  tells  his  colleagues  of 
their  peril  in  undertaking  this  murderous  scheme. 
He  recalls  two  well-known  instances,  of  many  simi- 
lar ones  in  the  history  of  the  time,  where  insurgent 
leaders  had  taken  advantage  of  strong  Jewish  ex- 
pectation and  feeling,  and  undertaken  the  overthrow 
of  the  Roman  dominion,  but  had  been  themselves 
slain  and  their  bands  dispersed.  With  the  designed 
intimation  that  such  would  be  the  issue  with  the 
movement  begun  by  the  apostles,  he  counsels  that 
these  men  be  let  alone.  And  then  he  enforces  all 
by  stating  a  fact  and  using  it  as  a  basis  for  a  prin- 
ciple— the  fact  that  man's  plan  or  work  can  not 
stand  as  against  God's ;  and  the  principle  that  one 
should  wait  for  the  actual  issue  to  determine  wheth- 
er a  work  is  God's  or  man's. 

From  this  method  and  reasoning  of  Gamaliel  wc 
may  take  this  one  bare  grain  of  wisdom  out  of  a 
full  measure  of  folly  and  mistake.  It  is  wise  and 
right  to  deal  tolerantly  with  errorists  in  sentiment ; 
and  intolerance  with  supposed  error  is  always  un- 
justifiable and  wrong.  In  conclusive  proof  of  this, 
we  have  Christ's  spirit,  his  words,  and  his  acts. 
But  Gamaliel's  principle,  his  main  argument  witli 
his  fellow-councillors,  is  essentially  and  most  hurt- 
fully  wrong.     It  is  conspicuously  untrue,  as  applied 


SECTIOIT  200.— ACTS  6  : 1-15. 


43 


to  present  results,  in  time,  that  all  which  fails  to 
succeed  is  not  of  God.  For  many  true  churches  of 
God  in  every  age,  and  other  beneficent  Christian 
institutions,  have  been  suffered  to  languish  and  be- 
come extinct.  And  we  need  not  speak  of  unnum- 
bered personal  sacrifices  of  possessioqf  and  life 
for  Christ  and  the  truth.  Only  as  applied  to  ulti- 
mate and  eternal  issues  is  it  true  that  failure  is 
God's  condemnation.  And  as  obviously,  for  similar 
reasons,  it  is  untrue  that  seeming  success  and  con- 
tinuance in  this  life  is  certainly  of  God.  David's 
teaching,  as  well  as  that  of  David's  Lord,  is  clear 
and  abundant  upon  this  point.  Nothing  short  of 
or  prior  to  the  final  plaudit  at  the  judgment  is 
decisive  of  God's  purpose  and  part  in  any  life  suc- 
cess. 

Further,  Gamaliel's  counsel  is  fatally  defective 
in  this,  that  not  only  as  responsible  men,  but  espe- 
cially as  accredited  teachers  of  a  divine  religion,  as 
the  ministers  of  a  divinely  ordained  worship,  they 
were  bound  to  ascertain  if  these  men  were  not 
really  on  God's  side,  and  if  they  were,  to  side  with 
them.  They  had  God's  "counsel"  in  their  Scrip- 
tures, and  could  compare  it  with  the  words  and 
works  of  "these  men."  Xay  more,  as  we  have 
seen,  Peter  had  expressly  referred  them  to  these 
Scriptures  throughout.  And  all  the  facts  of  Christ's 
career  and  of  the  Pentecost,  to  which  he  had  also 
referred  them,  were  open  to  their  knowledge,  and 
abundant  for  their  conviction  of  the  truth.  For 
these  reasons  their  obhgation  was  to  inquire  and 
to  act  according  to  their  best  knowledge,  not  to  ig- 
nore the  matter  as  of  no  concern  to  them. 

Perhaps  they  appreciated  the  counsel.  Perhaps 
they  did  not  feel  quite  strong  enough  to  kill  so 
many  men  in  face  of  the  protest  of  a  friendly  peo- 
ple. But  they  did  not  entirely  "  refrain  " ;  for  they 
severely  scourged  the  apostles  before  they  let  them 
go.  This  scourging  gave  trifling  relief  to  their 
wrath  as  well  as  their  offended  dignity ;  it  served 
to  show  the  people  that  they  had  not  made  so  much 
stir  without  cause ;  and  it  would  operate  as  a  warn- 
ing, if  not  to  the  apostles,  to  deter  persons  of  feeble 
will  and  timid  spirit  from  joining  them. 

41,  43.   The  Joy  and  Unchanged  Fidelity  of  the 


Apostles. — Thus  far  they  had  encountered  threats, 
imprisonment,  and  scourging,  but  none  of  these 
things  moved  them  except  to  joyfulness,  that  thus 
the  force  of  their  testimony  might  be  strengthened. 
It  is  a  beautiful  expression,  evincing  a  depth  of 
humility  and  strength  of  devotion  that  is  marvel- 
ous in  such  weak  men  as  they  had  been :  "  rejoic- 
ing that  they  were  counted  worthy  to  suffer  shame 
for  his  name."  The  lesson  of  the  Passion  and  the 
Cross,  from  which  they  had  shrunk,  was  now  fully 
learned ! 

Released  once  more,  they  went  again  "  to  their 
own  company"  and  to  their  appointed  wcrk  of 
preaching  Jesus  Christ.  This  they  did  daily,  in  the 
Temple  at  the  hours  of  concourse  for  worship,  and 
in  every  house  where  they  were  welcomed.  Christ 
had  delivered  them,  in  order  that  they  might  con- 
tinue in  the  fulfillment  of  his  commission.  And 
for  a  considerable  period  again  they  had  rest,  while 
believers  continued  to  multiply  under  faithful  teach- 
ing, with  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


Christ  is  Prince  and  Saviour.  He  rules  in  all 
whom  he  saves,  and  saves  all  in  whom  he  rules. 
Christ  rules  among  his  enemies  and  protects  his 
friends.  His  Church  will  abide  against  "  the  gates 
of  hell,"  and  his  kingdom  shall  come.  "The  exten- 
sion of  this  kingdom  depends  on  the  counsel  of  God 
and  the  work  of  man."  Let  us  loyally  look  for  the 
counsel  and  the  needed  grace,  and  faithfully  do  the 
work  assigned !     B. 

The  Christian,  if  at  least  he  is  a  genuine  believer, 
can  not  constantly  remain  silent  concernii^g  Christ ! 
The  same  thing  which  we  see  here  in  the  apostles, 
the  experience  of  every  really  living  Christian  con- 
firms. To  speak  of  the  Lord  may  often  be  difficult ; 
to  be  continually  silent  regarding  him  is  impossible. 
Our  privilege  is  too  great  for  us  to  be  silent ;  our 
vocation  is  too  exalted  for  us  to  leave  the  testimony 
regarding  Christ  to  others,  since  we  are  personally 
destined  each  in  his  own  circle  to  be  the  fight  and 
the  salt  of  the  earth.  Out  of  the  abundance  of  the 
heart  the  mouth  speaketh ;  out  of  the  animated 
word  the  life  speaketh ;  and  life  alone  is  able  to 
awaken  life.     Van  0. 


Section  200. 

Acts  vi.  1-15. 

1  AsTD  in  those  days,  when  the  number  of  the  disciples  vras  multiplied,  there  arose  a  mur- 
muring of  the  Grecians  against  the  Hebrews,  because  their  widows  were  neglected  in  the 

2  daily  ministration.     Then  the  twelve  called  the  multitude  of  the  disciples  unto  them,  and 

3  said,  It  is  not  reason  that  we  should  leave  the  word  of  God,  and  serve  tables.    Wherefore, 
brethren,  look  ye  out  among  you  seven  men  of  honest  report,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and 


44 


SECTION  200.— ACTS  6:1-15. 


4  wisdom,  wliom  we  may  appoint  over  tMs  business.     But  we  will  give  ourselves  continually 

5  to  prayer,  and  to  the  ministry  of  the  word.     And  the  saying  pleased  the  whole  multitude: 
and  they  chose  Stephen,  a  man  full  of  faith  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  Philip,  and  Pro- 

6  chorus,  and  Nicanor,  and  Timon,  and  Parmenas,  and  Nicolas,  a  proselyte  of  Antioch :  whom 
they  set  before  the  apostles :  and  when  they  had  prayed,  they  laid  their  hands  on  them. 

7  And  the  word  of  God  increased;  and  the  number  of  ^he  disciples  multiplied  in  Jerusalem 

8  gi'eatly ;  and  a  great  company  of  the  priests  were  obedient  to  the  faith.     And  Stephen,  full 
of  faith  and  power,  did  great  wonders  and  miracles  among  the  people. 

9  Then  there  arose  certain  of  the  synagogue,  which  is  called  the  synagogue  of  the  Liber- 
tines, and  Cyrenians,  and  Alexandrians,  and  of  them  of  Cilicia  and  of  Asia,  disputing  with 

10  Stephen.     And  they  were  not  able  to  resist  the  wisdom  and  the  spirit  by  which  he  spake. 

11  Then  they  suborned  men,  which  said,  We  have  heard  him  speak  blasphemous  words  against 

12  Moses,  and  against  God.     And  they  stirred  up  the  people,  and  the  elders,  and  the  scribes, 

13  and  came  upon  him,  and  caught  him,  and  brought  him  to  the  council,  and  set  up  false  wit- 
nesses, which  said,  This  man  ceaseth  not  to  speak  blasphemous  words  against  this  holy 

14  place,  and  the  law:  for  we  have  heard  him  say,  that  this  Jesus  of  Nazareth  shall  destroy 

15  this  place,  and  shall  change  the  customs  which  Moses  delivered  us.     And  all  that  sat  in  the 
council,  looking  steadfastly  on  him,  saw  his  face  as  it  had  been  the  face  of  an  angel. 


The  transfiguration  of  Stephen  is  always  a  thing  of  the  present,  filled  with  a  fresh  life  which  touches 
our  deepest  nature  whenever  we  look  on  it.  Material  scenes  of  the  highest  grandeur  live  only  in  the 
pages  of  history ;  and  they  become  dimmer  as  distance  intervenes.  But  spiritual  greatness  is  everlast- 
ingly new,  and  we  can  be  as  closely  in  its  presence  as  when  it  first  appeared  in  the  world.  As  time  tests 
it  and  brings  out  its  reality,  we  see  and  feel  more  of  its  ever-during  power.  Of  this  kind  are  all  the 
moral  evidences  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  all  the  signs  of  the  higher  life  which  then  entered  the  world, 
which  never  become  old  with  years,  but  renew  themselves  in  us  as  we  open  our  souls  to  them.  To  this 
the  form  of  Stephen  belongs ;  not  the  angelic  face  alone,  but  the  angelic  spirit  of  which  it  was  the 
index,  a  thing  which  never  appeared  in  the  world  till  Christ  was  heard  of,  and  which  true  Christianity 
alone  can  reproduce.  The  canvas  of  that  picture  never  decays,  the  dust  of  time  does  not  gather  on  the 
features.  It  is  no  picture,  for  we  may  come  and  feel  the  life  in  it  while  we  look,  and  share  it  as  we  gaze 
on  the  great  object  of  his  view.  So  true  is  it  that  we  are  come  even  now  "  to  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect,  and  to  Jesus,  the  mediator  of  the  New  Covenant."    Ker. 

The  things  within  affect  the  outward  appearance,  and  find  there  perpetual  expression.  Facial  bright- 
ness, if  you  have  it — and  you  may  have  it  with  any  kind  of  features — what  is  it  but  an  overflowing  from 
the  light  of  God  within  }  Calmness  on  the  countenance  is  index  to  peace  in  the  soul.  Benignity  appear- 
ing in  the  features  is  the  flushing  out  of  indwelling  love.  Keep  soul-brightness,  and  the  smile  will  some 
way  ripple  through.  Keep  soul-peace,  and  fear  or  misery  will  not  settle  on  your  face.  Steel  your  heart 
with  heroic  purpose,  and  you  will  never  go  with  bloodless  lips  and  coward  eye.  Love  God  with  heart  and 
soul  and  strength  and  mind,  and  your  neighbor  as  yourself,  and  you  will  never  need  to  think  of  putting 
up  a  face-advertisement  of  what  will  be  found  within.  The  poor  will  bless  you,  and  the  fallen  will  look 
up  in  your  face,  as  they  looked  in  the  face  of  Christ,  and  see  pity  and  help  written  there.  Be  a  Christian 
man  through  and  through,  in  belief  and  practice,  among  fellow-disciples,  among  worldly  people,  and  the 
Lord  your  God  will  put  his  "  beauty  "  on  you,  in  one  or  other  of  its  many  forms ;  and  in  some  supreme 
moments  of  life,  in  suffering,  in  trial,  in  death,  may  give  your  friends  beholding  you  the  privilege  and  joy 
of  looking  as  it  were  upon  the  face  of  an  angel.     A.  R. 


1.  Hebrews.  The  Jews  of  Palestine  and 
Syria,  with  those  who  lived  on  the  Tigris  and 
Euphrates,  interpreted  the  Scriptures  through  the 
Chaldee  paraphrases,  and  spoke  kindred  dialects  of 
the  language  of  Aram  :  and  hence  they  were  called 
Aramcean  Jews.  Grecians.  Of  the  other  part 
of  the  nation  dispersed  through  those  countries 
where  Greek  was  spoken,  Alexandria  was  the  capi- 


tal. They  used  the  Septuagint  translation  of  the 
Bible ;  and  they  were  commonly  called  Hellenists,  or 
Jews  of  the  Grecian  speech.  The  mere  difference 
of  language  would  account  in  some  degree  for  the 
mutual  dislike  with  which  we  know  that  these  two 
sections  of  the  Jewish  race  regarded  one  another. 
We  can  not  be  surprised  that,  even  in  the  deep 
peace  and  charity  of  the  Church's  earliest  days,  this 


SECTION  200.— ACTS  6  : 1-15. 


45 


inveterate  division  reappeared,  and  that  the  old 
jealousy  between  the  Aramaic  and  Ilellenistic  Jews 
reappeared.  A  murmuring  of  the  Grecians  against 
the  Hebrews,  or  of  the  Hebrews  against  the  Gre- 
cians, had  been  a  common  occurrence  for  at  least 
two  centuries;  and,  notwithstanding  the  power  of 
the  divine  Spirit,  none  will  wonder  that  it  broke 
out  again  even  among  those  who  had  become  obe- 
dient to  the  doctrine  of  Christ.     H. 

Differences  of  feeling  found  expression  in  con- 
nection with  the  ministration  to  the  poorer  disciples. 
The  complaint  made  by  the  foreign  Jews  that  the 
widows  of  their  number  were  neglected  was  proba- 
bly just.  But  there  is  no  implication  of  ill  feeling 
or  intentional  injustice  on  the  part  of  the  native 
Jews  who  had  charge  of  the  daily  ministration. 
These  persons  could  not  know  the  circumstances  of 
the  foreign  widows,  and  the  latter  would  not,  natu- 
rally, press  the  statement  upon  them.  2-4.  The 
apostles  took  prompt  measures  to  i-emove  the  trou- 
ble. Their  plan  was  to  put  definite  respomihility  for 
this  special  work  upon  men  of  conscience,  heart,  and 
eminent  godliness.  A  division  of  labor  was  demand- 
ed at  this  point,  and  a  new  ofiBce  grew  out  of  this 
necessity,  as  every  true  office  only  can  grow,  or  after- 
wai'd  subsist.  We  note,  in  passing,  an  indication 
here  of  the  advance  of  the  New  Testament  Church 
or  dispensation  over  the  Old.  In  the  New,  measures 
of  administration  are  planned  and  set  in  operation 
as  called  for  by  actual  occasion.  In  the  Old,  divine 
laws  and  ordinances  are  devised  and  published  in 

anticipation  of  both  ignorance  and  need.    B. The 

apostolic  institution  of  the  office  of  deacon  seemed 
to  grow  naturally  out  of  a  providential  occasion. 
That  occasion  illustrated  what  was  likely  to  be  a 
common  and  permanent  want  of  the  Church,  a  want 
clearly  foreseen,  no  doubt,  by  those  inspired  men. 
It  was  simply  the  need  of  a  systematic  arrangement 
for  distributing  the  Church's  alms  among  her  needy 
members  equitably  and  satisfactorily.  The  apostles 
intended  to  secure  such  provision  for  needy  Chris- 
tians, in  such  a  way  as  to  relieve  themselves  of  at- 
tention to  it.  They  were  called  to  the  deaconry  of 
the  word,  and  would  remit  the  deaconry  of  tables  to 
other  hands.  These  phrases  illustrate  the  greater 
expressiveness  of  the  original,  in  which  one  term  is 
applied  to  both  kinds  of  ministration.     Nelson. 

The  method  of  accomplishing  their  plan  also 
accorded  with  the  simplicity  of  the  Christian  sys- 
tem, and  with  the  principle  of  equal  personal  right 
everywhere  embodied  in  the  gospel.  The  body  of 
the  members  were  bidden  to  make  the  choice  of 
men  for  the  new  office,  men  of  good  reputation  as 
well  as  good  character,  actually  held  in  esteem  as 
wise  and  true  men,  indicated  as  such  by  the  mani- 
fest Spirit  of  God  in  their  words  and  life ;  and,  fur- 
ther, qualified  by  sound  practical  judgment.     In  a 


word,  they  were  to  select  seven  godly  men  for  their 
aptness  in  administering  these  temporal  affairs,  and 
for  their  heart  and  skill  in  blending  spiritual  counsel 
with  help.  They  were  to  choose,  the  apostles  to 
put  in  place  ;  how,  we  shall  see. 

For  themselves,  the  apostles,  as  ambassadors  of 
Christ,  concentrate  all  the  purposes  of  their  self- 
consecration  in  these  two :  prayer,  and  preaching 
of  the  Word.  It  is  the  ministry  of  the  Word  that 
God  employs  to  save  and  sanctify.  But  it  is  through 
prayer,  through  the  actual  dependence  of  the  man  of 
God  upon  God  in  his  actual  preparation  and  utter- 
ance of  the  Word,  it  is  through  such  an  unceasing 
spirit  of  trusting  request,  that  the  minister  of  the 
Word  receives  the  guidance  and  help  which  are  vital 
to  success  in  his  ministering. 

5-7.  TJie  Seven  chosen  and  ordained.  Still 
Greater  Expansion  of  the  Church. — Of  five  of  these 
seven  men  we  know  nothing  save  this  record.  The 
names  are  all  Greek.  Some,  a  majority  certainly, 
were  "  Grecian "  or  Hellenist  Jews ;  so  that  they 
knew  and  could  help  the  foreign  widows.  But  some, 
we  infer,  were  native  Jews,  since  Greek  names  were 
also  common  among  these.  The  "  appointing  "  by 
the  apostles  was,  in  its  accompanying  worship  and 
in  its  outward  form,  simple  and  significant.  There 
was  a  recognition  of  God  in  the  call  and  appoint- 
ment, and  a  resting  upon  his  communicated  grace 
and  benediction  to  make  the  proposed  service  effec- 
tual ;  this  was  the  meaning  and  design  of  the  pray- 
er. And  there  was  a  formal  indication  of  setting 
apart  to  office  in  the  name  and  by  the  authority  of 
Christ;  this  was  the  meaning  and  design  of  the 
laying  on  of  hands.  And  this  is  New  Testament 
ordination. 

Perfect  harmony  was  now  restored,  and,  as  be- 
fore, the  power  of  the  Spirit  and  the  Word  was  more 
widely  exerted.  As  ever  it  had  been,  an  earnest, 
harmonious,  praying,  and  working  Church,  with  a 
fervent  active  ministry,  rejoiced  in  a  great  develop- 
ment of  spiritual  life,  and  in  a  large  increase  of 
disciples.  And,  as  a  signal  proof  of  divine  con- 
verting grace,  many  priests  were  obedient  to  the 
faith ;  men  whose  prejudices  against  the  Christian 
doctrine  were  most  intense,  and  who  forfeited  their 
birthright  position  and  living  upon  the  avowal  of 
their  belief  in  Christ.  This  was  the  culminating 
point  of  popularity  and  power  with  the  primitive 
Church  at  Jerusalem.  The  Sadducees  of  the  San- 
hedrim had  suspended  their  open  persecution — the 
priesthood  and  the  people  were  being  gradually 
brought  to  respect  the  apostles'  influence  and  to 
heed  their  teachings. 

But,  in  God's  purpose,  through  men's  evil  de- 
sign, there  came  an  assault  from  the  old  enemies  of 
Christ,  the  Pharisees,  who  since  his  apprehension 
had  withdrawn  from  the  leadership  of  the  opposi- 


46 


SECTION'  300.— ACTS  6  : 1-15. 


tion.  The  Sadducees  had  been  compelled  to  cease 
.their  persecution,  because  the  Pharisees  had  really 
sided  with  the  apostles  in  the  question  at  issue — the 
fact  of  a  resurrection.  But  the  old  Pharisaic  spirit 
began  to  be  stirred  by  the  plain  preaching  of  the 
disciples ;  and,  mainly  through  the  bold  fidelity  of 
Stephen,  speaking  as  his  Master  had  done,  a  bitter 
intolerance  and  hatred  grew  up  afresh  among  the 
Pharisees.  And  again,  we  shall  see,  the  predomi- 
nant influence  of  this  sect  with  the  people  was  suc- 
cessfully exerted  to  bring  about  the  killing  of  the 
first  martyr  to  Christ  and  his  Cross. 

8-10.  Skphcn  maintains  the  Faith  of  Christ 
against  opposing  Pharisees. — Brief  but  beautiful  is 
the  story  of  Stephen ;  beautiful  because  so  eminently 
Christlike  in  temper,  in  self-forgetting  fidelity  to 
truth  and  to  God,  in  clear  reasoning  upon  the  Old 
Testament  Scriptures,  in  boldness  of  warning  and 
directness  of  accusation,  and  in  the  final  issue  of 
trial  before  the  same  tribunal.  Rapidly  maturing 
under  the  tuition  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  first,  the  out- 
ward gifts  of  miracle-working  are  added  to  his  qual- 
ifications as  servitor  to  the  poorer  saints,  to  keep 
pace  with  the  expanding  inward  forces  of  faith  and 
love;  then,  without  formal  indication  of  transfer, 
the  Holy  Ghost  advanced  him  to  the  higher  office  of 
ministering  the  Word,  as  afterward  Philip  was  simi- 
larly advanced.  The  fullness  of  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  shown  in  his  discriminating  and  thor- 
ough exposition  of  the  Christian  doctrines  of  grace, 
in  comparison  with  the  Old  Testament  teachings, 
and  in  sharp  contrast  with  gross  and  destructive 
Pharisaic  errors.  In  his  discussions,  referred  to 
here,  with  the  men  of  the  synagogues,  as  in  his 
subsequent  defence  before  the  Sanhedrim,  he  lays 
down  in  outline  and  substance  the  doctrinal  scheme 
afterward  so  sublimely  expanded  and  applied  by 
Paul. 

As  a  Hellenist  or  foreign  Jew,  Stephen  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  synagogues  mentioned  in  verse  9,  of 
one  of  which  he  was  probably  a  member.  Of  the 
synagogues  in  Jerusalem,  some  were  established  by 
the  foreign  Jews  for  their  own  use  and  for  that  of 
their  sons,  sent  thither  to  complete  their  education 
at  the  schools  and  colleges  which  in  most  instances 
were  attached  to  the  synagogues.  With  the  young 
men  of  these  schools  as  well  as  the  older  members 
of  the  synagogues  Stephen  was  thus  brought  into 
contact.  And  it  was  his  decisive  and  irresistible 
preaching  of  Christ  crucified  and  risen  that  awak- 
ened such  intense  hostility  on  the  part  of  both  older 
and  younger  adherents  of  the  Pharisaic  doctrines, 
and  led  to  their  determined  and  organized  persecu- 
tion against  him.  To  one  of  these  synagogues,  that 
of  the  Cilician  Jews,  the  young  Saul  of  Tarsus  then 
belonged ;  and  the  inference  is  strong,  that  he  was  a 
listener  at  least  to  these  unrecorded  words  of  Ste- 


phen, as  he  almost  certainly  must  have  been  to  the 
martyr's  noble  defense  before  the  Sanhedrim. 

11-15.  The  Arrest,  Arraignment,  and  Charge 
against  Stephen. — Failing  to  find  accusing  testimony 
in  his  words  or  acts,  as  they  had  done  with  his  Mas- 
ter, these  malignant  Pharisees  sought  false  witness 
against  him.  By  circulating  the  old  charge  of  blas- 
phemy against  Moses  and  against  God,  they  wakened 
afresh  the  hostile  feeling  of  the  bigoted  people,  who 
instantly  joined  the  elders  and  scribes  (the  Pharisaic 
party)  in  seizing  Stephen  and  hurrying  him  tumultu- 
ously  before  the  Sanhedrim.     B. 

It  is  evident,  from  the  vivid  expression  which  is 
quoted  from  the  accusers'  mouths — '■'■tliis  place^'' 
"  this  holy  place''' — that  the  meeting  of  the  Sanhedrim 
took  place  in  the  close  neighborhood  of  the  Temple. 
Their  ancient  and  solemn  room  of  assembly  was  the 
hall  Gazith,  or  the  "  Stone-Chamber,"  partly  within 
the  Temple  court  and  partly  without  it.  The  presi- 
dent sat  in  the  less  sacred  portion,  and  around  him, 
in  a  semicircle,  were  the  rest  of  the  seventy  judges. 
H.    (Vol.  I.,  p.  623.) 

There  the  charge  is  repeated  and  amplified  by 
particulars  which  serve  to  unite  all  classes,  Pharisees 
and  Sadducees,  rulers  and  people,  in  the  common 
purpose  of  destroying  the  disciples  as  they  had  de- 
stroyed the  Master.  Perverting  Stephen's  language 
respecting  Christ,  as  before  they  had  perverted 
Christ's  words  respecting  the  Temple,  they  charge 
him  with  speaking  against  their  holy  Temple  and 
Law,  and  with  some  truth  they  add,  predicting  the 
overthrow  of  their  national  customs  and  worship  by 
"  this  Jesus  of  Nazareth."  Thus,  in  the  person  of 
Stephen,  the  issue  is  joined  for  the  first  time  but 
finally  between  the  people,  hitherto  favorable  and 
friendly  to  the  apostles,  and  the  infant  Church  or 
company  of  believers  in  Jesus.  From  thenceforth 
the  great  commission  takes  on  its  broader  terms, 
and  those  who  bear  it  know  that  they  who  have  be- 
gun its  execution  in  Jerusalem  must  go  forth  into 
neighboring  and  distant  regions. 

But  for  the  central  object  of  this  malignant 
throng,  the  arraigned  disciple  before  the  already 
prejudging,  condemning  tribunal,  for  him  who  stands 
in  the  Master's  place,  environed  by  all  the  Master's 
peril,  surely  destined  to  the  Master's  doom,  stands 
he  as  the  Master  stood,  calm,  unflinching,  with  the 
Master's  promised  peace  in  the  heart  and  manifest 
upon  the  countenance  ?  The  record  answers :  They 
saw  his  face  as  it  had  hcen  the  face  of  an  angel!  He 
stood  before  them  seemingly  transfigured  with  a  re- 
flected glory,  with  the  brightness  of  a  seeming  pre- 
ternatural light.  And  yet,  was  it  other  light  or  halo 
than  came  from  the  inner  soul  of  an  already  tri- 
umphant faith  and  hope  in  the  near  prospect  of  that 
fulfilled  Christ-longing  prayer,  breathed  forth  at  the 
moment  of  his  heavenward  flight  ?     B, 


.  SECTION  SOL— A  CTS  7  : 1-53.  47 

Section  201. 

Acts  vii.  1-53. 

1  Thex  said  the  high  priest,  Are  these  tilings  so  ?    And  he  said,  Men,  brethren,  and  fathers, 

2  hearken ;  The  God  of  glory  appeared  unto  our  father  Abraham,  when  he  was  in  Mesopo- 

3  tamia,  before  he  dwelt  in  Charran,  and  said  unto  him,  Get  thee  out  of  thy  country,  and 

4  from  thy  kindred,  and  come  into  the  land  which  I  shall  sliew  thee.  Then  came  lie  out  of 
the  land  of  the  Chaldasans,  and  dwelt  in  Charran:  and  from  thence,  when  his  father  was 

5  dead,  he  removed  him  into  this  land,  wherein  ye  now  dwell.  And  he  gave  him  none 
inheritance  in  it,  no,  not  so  much  as  to  set  his  foot  on:  yet  he  promised  that  he  would  give 

6  it  to  him  for  a  possession,  and  to  his  seed  after  him,  when  as  yet  he  had  no  child.  And 
God  spake  on  this  wise,  That  his  seed  should  sojourn  in  a  strange  land ;  and  that  they 

7  should  bring  them  into  bondage,  and  entreat  them  evil  four  hundred  years.  And  the  nation 
to  whom  they  shall  be  in  bondage  will  I  judge,  said  God  :  and  after  that  shall  they  come 

8  forth,  and  serve  me  in  this  place.  And  he  gave  him  the  covenant  of  circumcision:  and  so 
Abraham  begat  Isaac,  and  circumcised  him  the  eighth  day ;  and  Isaac  tegat  Jacob ;  and 

9  Jacob  tegat  the  twelve  patriarchs.     And  the  patriarchs,  moved  with  envy,  sold  Joseph  into 

10  Egypt:  but  God  was  with  him,  and  delivered  him  out  of  all  his  aflflictions,  and  gave  him 
favour  and  wisdom  in  the  sight  of  Pharaoh  king  of  Egypt;  and  he  made  him  governor  over 
Egypt  and  all  his  house. 

11  Now  there  came  a  dearth  over  all  the  land  of  Egypt  and  Chanaan,  and  great  affliction  : 

12  and  our  fatliers  found  no  sustenance.      But  vrhen  Jacob  heard  that  there  was  corn  in 

13  Egypt,  he  sent  out  our  fathers  first.     And  at  the  second  time  Joseph  was  made  known  to 

14  his  brethren ;  and  Joseph's  kindred  was  made  known  unto  Pharaoh.     Then  sent  Joseph, 

15  and  called  his  father  Jacob  to  him,  and  all  his  kindred,  threescore  and  fifteen  souls.     So 

16  Jacob  went  down  into  Egypt,  and  died,  be,  and  our  fathers,  and  were  carried  over  into 
Sychem,  and  laid  in  the  sepulchre  that  Abraham  bought  for  a  sum  of  money  of  the  sons  of 

17  Emmor  the  father  of  Sychem.     But  when  the  time  of  the  promise  drew  nigh,  which  God 

18  had  sworn  to  Abraham,  the  people  grew  and  multiplied  in  Egypt,  till  another  king  arose, 

19  which  knew  not  Joseph.     The  same  dealt  subtilly  with  our  kindred,  and  evil  entreated 

20  our  fathers,  so  that  they  cast  out  their  young  children,  to  the  end  they  might  not  live.  In 
which  time  Moses  was  born,  and  was  exceeding  fair,  and  nourished  up  in  his  father's  house 

21  three  months :  and  when  he  was  cast  out,  Pharaoh's  daughter  took  him  up,  and  nourished 
him  for  her  own  son. 

22  And  Moses  was  learned  in  all  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians,  and  was  mighty  in  words 

23  and  in  deeds.     And  when  he  was  full  forty  years  old,  it  came  into  his  heart  to  visit  his 

24  brethren  the  children  of  Israel.     And  seeing  one  of  them  sufler  wrong,  he  defended  him^ 

25  and  avenged  him  that  was  oppressed,  and  smote  the  Egyptian :  for  he  supposed  his  breth- 
ren would  have  understood  how  that  God  by  his  hand  would  deliver  them  :  but  they  under- 

26  stood  not.^  And  the  next  day  he  shewed  himself  unto  them  as  they  strove,  and  would  have 
set  them  *at  one  again,  saying.  Sirs,  ye  are  brethren;  why  do  ye  wrong  one  to  another? 

27  But  he  that  did  his  neighbour  wrong  thrust  him  away,  saying,  "Who  made  thee  a  ruler  and  a 

28  judge  over  us?    Wilt  thou  kill  me,  as  thou  didst  the  Egyptian  yesterday?    Then  fled  Moses 

29  at  this  saying,  and  was  a  stranger  in  the  land  of  Madian,  where  he  begat  two  sons.     And 

30  when  forty  years  were  expired,  there  appeared  to  him  in  the  wilderness  of  mount  Sina  an 

31  angel  of  the  Lord  in  a  flame  of  fire  in  a  bush.     When  Moses  saw  it,  he  wondered  at  the 

32  sight:  and  as  he  drew  near  to  behold  it,  the  voice  of  the  Lord  came  unto  him,  saying,  I  am 
the  God  of  thy  fathers,  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  tiie  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob. 

33  Then  Moses  trembled,  and  durst   not  behold.     Then  said  the  Lord  to  him,  Put  off  thy 

34  shoes  from  thy  feet:  for  the  place  where  thou  standest  is  holy  ground.  I  have  seen,  I  have 
seen  the  affliction  of  my  people  which  is  in  Egypt,  and  I  have  heard  their  groaning,  and 

35  am  come  down  to  deliver  them.  And  now  come,  I  will  send  thee  into  Egypt.  This  Moses 
whom  they  refused,  saying,  Who  made  thee  a  ruler  and  a  judge?  the  same  did  God  send  to 

36  Ite  a  ruler  and  a  delivei-er  by  the  hand  of  the  angel  which  appeared  to  him  in  the  bush.  He 
brought  them  out,  after  that  he  had  shewed  wonders  and  signs  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  in 
the  Red  sea,  and  in  the  wilderness  forty  years. 

37  This  is  that  Moses,  which  said  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  A  Prophet  shall  the  Lord  your 

38  God  raise  up  unto  you  of  your  brethren,  like  unto  me;  him  shall  ye  hear.  This  is  he,  that 
was  in  the  church  in  the  wilderness  with  the  angel  which  spake  to  him  in  the  mount  Sina, 

39  and  icith  our  fathers:  who  received  the  lively  oracles  to  give  unto  us:  to  whom  our  fathers 


48 


SECTION  201.— ACTS  7  : 1-53. 


■would  not  obey,  but  tlirust  liim  from  them,  {md  in  tlieir  hearts  turned  back  again  into 

40  Egypt,  saying  unto  Aaron,  Make  us  gods  to  go  before  us :  for  as  for  this  Moses,  which 

41  brought  us  out  of  the  hmd  of  Egypt,  we  wot  not  what  is  become  of  him.  And  they  made 
a  calf  in  those  days,  and  oftered  sacrifice  unto  the  idol,  and  rejoiced  in  the  works  of  their 

42  own  hands.  Then  God  turned,  and  gave  them  up  to  worship  the  host  of  heaven ;  as  it  is 
written  in  the  book  of  the  prophets,  O  ye  house  of  Israel,  have  ye  ottered  to  me  slain 

43  beasts  and  sacrifices  ly  the  space  of  forty  years  in  the  wilderness  ?  Yea,  ye  took  up  the 
tabernacle  of  Moloch,  and  the  star  of  your  god  Remphan,  figures  which  ye  made  to  worship 
them  :  and  I  will  carry  you  away  beyond  Babylon. 

44  Our  fathers  had  the  tabernacle  of  witness  in  the  wilderness,  as  he  had  appointed,  speak- 

45  ing  unto  Mo'ses,  that  he  should  make  it  accoi'ding  to  the  fashion  that  he  had  seen.  Which 
also  our  fathers  that  came  after  brought  in  with  Jesus  into  the  possession  of  the  Gentiles, 

46  whom  God  drave  out  before  the  face  of  our  fathers,  unto  the  days  of  David ;  who  found 

47  favour  before  God,  and  desired  to  find  a  tabernacle  for  the  God  of  Jacob.    But  Solomon  built 

48  him  an  house.     Howbeit  the  most  High  dwelleth  not  in  temples  made  with  hands;  as  saith 

49  the  prophet,  Heaven  is  my  throne,  and  earth  is  my  footstool :  what  house  will  ye  build  me? 

50  saith  the  Lord :  or  what  is  the  place  of  my  rest?    Hath  not  my  hand  made  all  these  things? 

51  Ye  stifinecked  and  uncircumcised  in  heart  and  ears,  ye  do  always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost : 

52  as  your  fathers  <Zf6?,  so  do  ye.  Which  of  the  prophets  have  not  your  fathers  persecuted? 
and  they  have  slain  them  which  shewed  before  of  the  coming  of  the  Just  One ;  of  whom 

53  ye  have  been  now  the  betrayers  and  murderers :  who  have  received  the  law  by  the  dis- 
position of  angels,  and  have  not  kept  it. 


God  gave  the  covenant  to  Abraham  for  all  believers  in  Jehovah  Jesus  !  This  is  the  original,  ever  vital 
charter  of  restored  sonsbip  to  God  and  heirship  with  Christ.  It  is  one  and  the  same  covenant  of  grace, 
unchanged  amid  all  changes  of  outward  dispensation  and  ordinance  of  worship.  Upon  this  covenant, 
ratified  and  sealed  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  rest  the  hope  of  the  generations  living  and  to  come,  and  the 
blessed  life  of  all  the  dead  in  Christ. 

No  histories  so  naturally  and  thoroughly  impress  us  with  the  fact  of  God's  providential  supervision 
and  control,  as  these  of  the  prominent  men  in  Israel's  earliest  period,  including  the  three  great  progeni- 
tors of  God's  chosen  people.  Yet  of  all  that  are  prominent  until  Moses,  Joseph  occupies  a  unique  pre- 
eminence. Honesty  in  truthful  speaking  and  pure,  faithful  action — an  honesty  avowedly  the  product  of 
an  exalting  fear  of  God — formed  a  characteristic  which  shone  in  scarce  another  Old  Testament  leader, 
and  which  was  conspicuously  absent  in  many  at  some  period  of  their  career.  This  beautiful  lesson,  of  so 
true  and  pure,  so  generous,  forgiving,  and  beneficent  a  youth  and  man,  may  well  be  emphasized  afresh, 
whenever  brou^rht  to  view.     B. 


Like  John  the  Baptist,  Stephen  had  a  brief  but 
effective  career  ;  his  words  were  bold  and  trenchant, 
and  his  death  was  that  of  the  martyr.  The  source 
of  his  courage  and  endurance  for  Christ  is  disclosed 
in  the  expressions  by  which  he  is  characterized : 
J^ull  of  faith  and  the  Holy  Ghost — full  of  faith  and 
power.  He  believed,  and  therefore  spoke  and  acted. 
The  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  wrought  in  and  by 
him. 

As  the  Jewish  leaders  could  not  gainsay  his 
Christian  teachings,  nor  deny  the  miracles  done  by 
him  among  the  people,  they  resorted,  as  in  the  Mas- 
ter's case,  to  false  witnesses.  First,  before  the  peo- 
ple, these  charged  him  with  blaspheming  Moses  and 
God.  Then,  when  the  people  had  been  stirred  up  to 
arrest  Stephen,  and  when  the  crowd  stood  with  him 
before  the  Sanhedrim,  the  charge  was  that  he  had 
spoken  blasphemous  words  against  the  Temple  and 
the  Law.     For,  they  said,  loe  have  heard  him  say 


that  this  Jesus  of  Nazareth  shall  destroy  this  place, 
and  shall  change  tlve  customs  (ceremonial  rites)  which 
Hoses  delivered  us. 

For  the  understanding  of  Stephch's  answer,  note 
carefully  that  Stephen  had  taught  that  Christ  was 
about  to  abrogate  the  Temple  and  its  ceremonial 
service,  and  to  introduce  a  new  and  more  spiritual 
form  of  worship.  The  charge  of  blasphemy  was 
false ;  but  the  statement  upon  which  they  based 
the  charge  was  true.  Stephen  had  so  taught,  and 
he  proceeds  directly  to  justify  this  teaching.  Of 
himself  he  says  nothing ;  attempts  no  personal  de- 
fense, but  in  this,  his  last  discourse,  preaches  the 
gospel  as  taught  in  God's  dealings  with  his  ancient 
people. 

The  Jews  had  come  to  believe  that  the  Temple, 
with  its  ritual  worship,  was  a  permanent  divine 
institution.  Therefore  when  Christ,  and  after  him 
Stephen,  intimated  its  abrogation  of  God,  they  were 


SECTION  SOL—ACTS  7:1-53. 


49 


charged  with  blasphemy.  One  of  Stephen's  iivo 
objects  was  to  answer  and  refute  this  charge.  This 
he  did  by  showing  from  the  historj',  that  from  period 
to  period,  God  had  different  places  and  methods  of 
manifesting  himself,  and  variable  ordinances  of  wor- 
ship. Many  localities  in  alien  and  heathen  coun- 
tries he  had  made  sacred  by  his  presence.  Differ- 
ing forms  of  outward  worship  he  had  prescribed 
and  accepted.  His  entire  dealings  with  the  Jewish 
nation  were,  characterized  all  along  by  changes  of 
dispensation  and  method,  and  by  progress  through 
change.  Therefore  it  was  not  blasphemy  to  believe 
in  another  change.  It  was  rather  in  accordance 
with  his  plans  in  the  past  to  look  for  a  further  and 
even  greater  change.  It  was  in  harmony  with  the 
progress  thus  far  manifest  to  expect  a  dispensation 
wherein  God  would  make  a  fuller  personal  revela- 
tion of  himself  in  connection  with  a  moi-e  direct  and 
spiritual  worship. 

While  Stephen's  whole  address  implies  that  their 
Scriptures  actually  taught  the  advent  of  this  new 
dispensation  and  its  inauguration  by  the  "Spirit 
of  God,"  yet  he  refers  to  the  Son  of  God  as  the 
authority  for  all  that  he  has  preached.  But  this 
Christ  of  God  they  had  rejected  and  now  denied. 
Therefore,  as  his  second  object,  Stephen  suggests 
successive  points  in  the  history  bearing  upon  the 
claim  of  Christ,  and  upon  their  rejection  of  that 
claim.  The  persons  referred  to — Abraham,  whose 
noted  faith  centered  upon  this  Messiah  ;  Joseph  and 
Moses,  David  and  Solomon,  the  signal  types  of 
Christ  in  office-work  and  in  life  experience — these 
persons  suggested  and  enforced  the  claim  of  Christ. 
And  the  treatment  of  Joseph  and  Moses,  here  dis- 
coursed upon  at  large,  as  sharply  impressed  their 
treatment  of  Christ.  As  their  fathers  had  dis- 
believed and  rebelled  against  God,  so  they,  his  accu- 
sers and  judges,  were  guilty  of  similar  unbelief  and 
rebellion:  Ye  do  always  resist  the  Holy  Ghost:  as 
your  fathers  did,  so  do  ye!  Of  the  Just  One  ye  have 
been  now  the  betrayers  and  murderers  ! 

In  the  outline  of  the  history  he  chooses  details 
which  bear  upon  this  double  object,  justifying  what 
he  had  taught  about  the  displacing  of  the  Jewish  by 
the  Christian  economy,  and  dealing  faithfully  with 
their  souls,  in  the  spirit  of  prophet  and  apostle.  So, 
plainly  and  effectually,  he  transfers  the  charge  of 
blasphemy  from  himself  to  them. 

1,2.  TJie  Question  of  the  High  Priest,  and  the 
Formal  Ojjcning  of  Stephen'' s  Reply. — "  You  are  per- 
mitted to  answer  this  accusation,"  was  the  meaning 
of  the  presiding  high  priest's  words.  And  Stephen's 
personal  address  was  respectful  to  the  Council  and 
friendly  to  the  people.  Like  Peter,  he  claimed  a 
common  interest  in  their  nationality  and  history,  as 
God's  chosen  people.  His  argument  and  appeal,  too, 
rested   on  the  facts  of  their  history.     Both  argu- 


ment and  appeal  were  honestly  addressed  to  candid 
hearers.  The  argument  was  designed  to  instruct 
misguided  Jews  concerning  their  great  error,  their 
reliance  upon  the  Temple  glory  and  ritual  as  the 
source  and  hope  of  national  continuance.  And  the 
appeal  was  intended  to  convince  them  of  their  sin 
in  rejecting  and  crucifying  Christ.  One  of  his  hear- 
ers, the  only  one  that  is  mentioned  by  name,  then 
a  conscientious  persecutor,  but  afterward  a  Chris- 
tian leader,  sums  up  Stephen's  meaning  in  Heb. 
1  :  1,  2. 

3-8.  Points  of  Abraham'' s  History. — The  brief 
clause.  The  God  of  glory,  forms  both  a  fine  in- 
troduction to  this  discourse  and  a  striking  contra- 
diction of  the  charge  of  blasphemy.  His  reference, 
as  they  well  knew,  was  to  the  Shechinah  or  foi'mer 
visible  glory  above  the  mercy-seat.  It  was  their 
God  and  his  God,  of  whose  dealings  he  was  about 
to  speak.  And  this  glory  of  God  Stephen  saw  at 
his  death  hour  (v.  55). 

The  first  departure  of  Abram  from  Ur,  Stephen 
said,  was  at  the  call  of  God.  This  we  may  infer 
from  Gen.  11  :  31.  The  call  was  repeated  at  Ha- 
ran,  here  called  Charran  (the  Greek  form).  The 
summons  to  separate  utterly  from  his  idolatrous 
kindred  and  people  was  imperative,  while  the  direc- 
tion of  his  journey  and  place  of  his  sojourn  were 
indefinite.  Yet  with  implicit  faith  he  obeyed. 
And  this  absolute  faith  and  heroic  obedience  justly 
stands  commended  in  the  Old  Testament  by  God 
himself,  by  Christ  and  his  teachers  in  the  New.  A 
chief  lesson  suggested  is  this  :  "  There  is  no  grace 
which  God  delights  more  to  exercise  and  try  than 
the  faith  of  his  people ;  as  faith  puts  honor  upon 
God,  so  doth  God  put  honor  upon  faith  ;  and  faith 
never  honors  God  more,  nor  is  more  highly  honored 
by  him,  than  when  it  is  put  upon  the  greatest  exer- 
cise and  trial."    (Purkitt.) 

Not  only  does  Stephen  recall  the  forgotten  faith 
of  their  father  Abraham,  but  he  reminds  them  that 
neither  Abraham  nor  the  twelve  patriarchs,  nor  the 
nation  which  sprang  from  them,  had  for  long  cen- 
turies any  temple  or  ritual,  any  city  or  even  country 
that  they  could  call  their  own.  Thus  he  rebukes, 
indirectly  but  forcibly,  their  extravagant  and  idola- 
trous reverence  for  their  Temple  and  its  ceremonial, 
their  capital  and  nationality.  Further  to  empha- 
size this  rebuke,  he  quotes  the  divine  prediction  to 
Abraham,  that  his  seed  should  be  enslaved  and 
degraded  for  four  centuries.  Yet  in  all  this  home- 
less and  oppressed  period,  Abraham  and  the  patri- 
archs and  their  descendants  practiced  some  kind  of 
worship.  So,  Stephen  intimates,  as  worship  ex- 
isted before  Jerusalem  and  the  Temple,  it  may  exist 
when  these  are  no  more.  And  more,  as  God  once 
called  Abram  from  idolatry  and  fieathenism,  so  he 
may  call  idolatrous  Jew  and  barbarous  Gentile  to 


50 


SECTION  SOL— ACTS  7  : 1-53. 


the  exercise  of  Abraham's  faith,  and  to  the  bless- 
ings of  his  covenant  with  Abraham. 

Mention  of  this  covenant  is  made  to  show  that 
God's  promise  of  grace  preceded  by  many  centuries 
the  law  and  customs  given  to  Moses.  The  promise 
or  covenant  was  .simple  and  unalterable,  while  the 
ceremonials  were  many,  various,  and  changeable. 
Take  away  the  covenant,  and  there  was  left  no 
ground  or  hope  for  worship.  But  take  away  the 
ceremonials,  and  the  heart  could  worship  just  as 
well  and  truly.  This,  also,  was  a  part  of  Stephen's 
answer.  In  predicting  change  or  abrogation  of  the 
Mosaic  customs,  he  surely  had  not  blasphemed  the 
God  or  the  worship  of  Israel. 

9-16.  Outline  of  JosepKs  Story. — Prominence 
is  next  given  to  Joseph's  history  to  show  how  God's 
plan  of  his  people's  progress  is  developed  by 
changes.  Here,  as  at  almost  every  step,  the  pur- 
posed advance  is  made  by  his  interposing  deliverance 
in  peculiar  crises  of  individuals  or  of  the  people. 
When  some  of  his  brethren  would  have  killed  Jo- 
seph, God  led  Reuben  and  Judah  to  save  his  life. 
When  he  was  sold,  God  directed  the  event,  and 
brought  him  to  Egypt.  And  God  rescued  him  from 
an  unjust  imprisonment  and  led  him,  by  successive 
steps,  to  become  a  ruler  and  deliverer  of  Egypt  and 
a  savior  to  his  brethren.  Thus  God  was  with  Jo- 
seph to  rescue  and  exalt  him,  and  through  him  to 
bring  the  sons  of  Israel  into  Egypt  for  present  safe- 
ty and  future  increase  into  a  nation.  Seventy-five 
souls  (cited  from  the  Greek  translation  of  the  Old 
Testament)  thus  multiplied  into  two  millions  in 
four  hundred  years ;  their  isolated  compacted  con- 
dition, even  with  servitude,  kept  them  from  the  dis- 
persion which  must  have  ensued  from  the  nomadic 
life  of  Canaan.  All  these  facts  Stephen  glances  at 
in  support  of  his  point,  that  at  every  age,  in  all 
change  of  circumstance,  God  was  with  his  people, 
and  was  producing  progress  by  changes,  cither  small 
iT  great. 

Another  reason  for  the  fullness  of  Joseph's  story 
may  have  been  his  singular  resemblance  to  Christ, 
in  his  rejection  by  his  brethren,  his  exaltation  to 
power,  and  his  deliverance  of  those  who  rejected 
him. 

lT-34.  The  Earlier  Years  of  Moses.— M  the 
expiration  of  the  four  hundred  years  of  bondage 
(v.  6)  occurred  the  time  of  the  promise  (v.  7).  It 
would  seem  that  the  oppression  had  been  compar- 
atively light  during  nearly  this  whole  period.  At 
length,  toward  the  end,  arose  a  king  of  a  new 
dynasty  who  beheld  the  wonderful  increase  of 
Israel's  descendants  with  alarm.  Various  devices 
(Ex.  1)  were  carried  into  effect  to  destroy  the 
young  children  among  the  Hebrews.  And  the  bur- . 
dens  were  made  heavy  and  galling  so  as  to  induce 
Hebrew  parents  to  consent  willingly  to  the  destruc- 


tion of  their  male  children.  But  all  these  events, 
also,  God  overruled  to  accomplish  his  purpose  and 
promise. 

Two  facts  in  this  part  of  the  narrative  concern- 
ing Moses  are  to  be  briefly  noted.  One  suggests 
Stephen's  charge  against  them  ;  the  other  forms  part 
of  his  answer  to  their  charge.  The  first  is  the  re- 
jection of  Moses  by  his  brethren  when  he  would 
have  delivered  them.  Indirectly  the  connection  of 
Moses  with  Christ  is  here  intimated.  For  like 
Moses,  Christ  was  rejected  as  a  deliverer  by  his 
brethren.  The  sequel  of  Stephen's  words  shows  this 
to  have  been  his  meaning.  And  verses  26,  2Y  dis- 
close this  other  point  of  analogy :  that  as  Moses 
was  "  thrust  away  "  because  he  urged  right  doing,  so 
Christ  was  rejected  because  of  his  demand  of  right- 
eousness in  heart  and  life. 

The  other  fact,  helping  to  answer  their  charge,  is 
the  manifestation  of  God  to  Moses  in  the  burning 
bush.  Five  centuries  before  the  Temple  was  built 
and  its  inclosure  made  holy  ground,  in  an  alien  and 
afterward  hostile  country,  God  had  sanctified  by 
his  presence  a  portion  of  the  ground.  So — Stephen 
suggests  to  their  quick  apprehension — when  the 
Temple  is  removed,  he  may  reveal  himself  elsewhere, 
nay,  everywhere.  Afterward,  as  before,  he  may  be 
worshiped  without  a  ritual.  Afterward,  as  before, 
he  may  deal  directly,  spiritually,  with  the  individual 
soul,  without  intervention  of  altar,  priest,  or  sacrifice. 

35-38.  Moses,  sent  of  God,  Israels  Deliverer 
from  Egypt,  Leader  in  the  Wilderness,  Lawgiver, 
Prophet,  and  Mediator. —  Thu  Moses  whom  they  re- 
fused is  the  emphatic  thought  in  these  four  verses. 
He  whom  God  sent  as  their  savior  from  bondage, 
through  whom  he  wrought  stupendous  mii'acles  for 
their  deliverance  and  preservation,  through  whom 
he  transmitted  living  precepts  and  truths,  and 
whose  mediation  he  appointed  and  of  ttimes  gracious- 
ly accepted,  this  Moses  was  refused  by  the  people 
for  whom  he  so  faithfully  wrought  and  interceded. 

And  in  the  very  midst  of  these  weighty  par- 
ticulars respecting  ]\Ioses  occurs  his  signal  prophecy 
of  Christ.  One,  like  unto  himself,  should  deliver, 
teach,  intercede  for,  lead,  and  provide  for  his 
people.  Such  a  one,  whose  offices  of  redemption, 
whose  coming,  life,  death,  and  resurrection,  were 
further  set  forth  by  David  and  the  prophets,  Ste- 
phen here  asserts  that  this  Moses,  their  Moses,  had 
promised  in  the  future.  And  until  Christ,  no  being 
answering  in  person  and  work  to  the  promise  had 
appeared.  But  this  Chuist  had  fulfilled  to  the  letter 
evei'y  statement  of  prophecy,  every  particular  of 
promise.  This  was  the  culminating  intimation  con- 
vey<^  in  the  address  of  Stephen.  With  all  that 
had  occurred  in  the  events  of  Christ's  history  and 
of  the  apostle's  subsequent  teaching  and  miracles, 
these  keen-witted  priests  could   not    mistake    his 


SECTION  SOL— ACTS  7  : 1-53. 


51 


meaning.  And  if  Christ  were  the  prophet  pre- 
dicted by  Moses,  they  could  not  but  feel  the  charge 
as  proven  against  them  which  they  had  brought 
against  Stephen.  For  they  were  dishonoring  Moses 
in  rejecting  Him  whom  Moses  had  foretold. 

39-43.  How  Israel  refused  Moses  and  rejected 
God  by  turning  to  Idolatry. — Stephen  refers  only 
to  their  prominent  sin  as  a  conclusive  illustration. 
The  making  and  worshiping  the  calf  of  gold  was  an 
open  defiance  to  God.  And  it  was  prefaced  with 
scornful  contempt  of  this  Moses.  Reminding  his 
hearers  of  this  to  deepen  previous  impressions,  he 
also  tells  them  plainly  what  God  did  to  the  rebel- 
lious people :  how  when  they  turned  from  him  he 
abandoned  them  to  their  own  desires  and  left  them 
to  idolatrous  worship.  In  verse  43  he  refers  to  the 
unnatural  and  murderous  sacrifices  offered  to  Mo- 
loch and  to  the  star-god  Remphan  (in  Amos  5  :  26, 
Chiun),  or  Saturn  worshiped  under  the  image  of  a 
star.  And  he  cites  the  threatening  of  God,  after- 
ward sorely  fulfilled  to  their  fathers,  to  drive  them 
out  into  distant  captivity.  Thus  plainly  Stephen 
reminds  them  of  their  father's  guilt  and  its  punish- 
ment to  point  his  own  severe  charge  that  follows. 

44,  45.  Their  Possession  of  the  Tabernacle  an 
Aggravation  of  their  Guilt. — In  this  structure,  built 
and  furnished  under  God's  direction,  the  law  of 
God  was  kept  and  the  symbol  of  God's  presence 
was  visible.  And  God  had  shown  his  presence  and 
power  by  driving  out  idolatrous  nations  from  their 
promised  inheritance.  So  that  the  generation  in 
the  wilderness  and  the  after  generations  to  David 
were  without  excuse  for  their  disobedience  and  idol 
worship.     B. 

46,  47.  There  is  really  a  tacit  contrast  between 
David  and  Solomon,  in  favor  of  the  former.  Solo- 
mon, notwithstanding  his  wisdom  and  the  splendor 
of  his  reign,  holds  a  very  inferior  place  to  David  in 
the  Scriptures.  This  being  well  known  to  the 
priests  and  scribes  whom  Stephen  was  addressing, 
he  employs  it  to  enforce  his  argument,  but  tacitly 
and  indirectly,  lest  he  should  appear  to  speak  inde- 
corously of  so  great  and  wise  a  king  as  Solomon. 
What  is  thus  suggested  or  implied  may  be  brought 
out  mftre  distinctly  by  a  paraphrase.  "  So  far  is  a 
permanent  and  solid  temple  from  being  essential  to 
acceptable  worship,  that  even  David,  the  favorite 
of  Jehovah,  the  man  after  God's  own  heart,  whose 
darling  wish  it  was  to  find  a  shelter  and  a  home  for 
his  divine  protector,  was  not  suffered  to  erect  the 
house  which  he  had  planned,  and  for  which  he  had 
collected  the  materials,  but  it  was  Solomon  who 
built  it ! "     J.  A.  A. 

46-50.  Even  the  Temple  shown  by  Solomon  and 
the  Prophet  Isaiah  to  be  an  Insufficient  Dwelling  for ^ 
the  lord  of  Hosts, — Their  superstitious  and  idola- 
trous veneration  for  their  temple,  in  which  God  had 


never  visibly  entered,  Stephen  rebukes,  while  he 
still  more  effectually  refutes  their  charge  of  blas- 
phemy "  against  this  place."  He  reminds  them 
that  even  Solomon,  who  built  the  first  temple  by 
express  command  of  God,  who  had  seen  the  symbol 
of  lighted  flame  descend  from  heaven,  God  himself, 
enter  and  abide  within  the  completed  structure — 
even*  Solomon  at  that  very  time  publicly  declared 
that  the  Most  High  dwelleth  not  in,  is  not  confined 
to,  any  hand-made  temples.  Nay,  more  than  this, 
Stephen's  mind,  under  its  divine  inspiration,  expands 
to  the  wider,  grander  thought  of  Isaiah  (66  :  1,  2), 
where  his  prophecies  culminate  in  the  sublime  pre- 
diction of  God's  universal  spiritual  indwelling  in 
human  hearts.  •  Then  shall  be  no  longer  temple, 
ritual,  nor  priest.  Then  the  framer  of  the  heavens 
and  the  earth,  he  who  formed  and  lighted  every 
world,  whose  power  holds  or  energizes  all  natural 
things,  will  be  worshiped  in  spirit  and  truth  !  How 
grand  the  climax  and  how  complete  the  proof,  in  the 
martyr's  argument !  How  clear  the  prophetic  predic- 
tion of  the  very  change  of  dispensation  announced  by 
Christ  and  by  Stephen,  a  change  which  these  sharp- 
minded,  convinced  Jewish  priests  and  rulers  saw 
already  taking  place  in  the  marvels  of  the  infant 
Christian  Church  of  Jerusalem  !    B. 

51,  52.  One  of  Stephen's  lines  of  argument 
was  now  completed.  He  had  shown,  by  a  simple 
but  masterly  historical  deduction,  the  temporary  na- 
ture of  the  ceremonial  law,  and  of  the  Temple  as  a 
part  of  it,  concluding  by  a  reference  to  Solomon 
himself,  and  to  Isaiah,  who  had  foretold  the  same 
changes  now  foretold  by  Stephen.  What  link  could 
have  been  added  to  this  chain  of  proof  ?  All  that 
was  left  then  was  to  take  up  and  complete  his  other 
line  of  argument,  designed  to  show,  by  means  of 
the  same  history  which  he  had  been  expounding, 
that  the  Jews  had  always  been  unfaithful  to  their 
trust,  and  that  the  abrogation  of  the  present  system 
was  not  only  necessary  to  the  execution  of  God's 
purpose  as  revealed  from  the  beginning,  but  a  right- 
eous retribution  of  the  sins  of  those  by  whom  the 
system  was  administered.  Having  prepared  the 
way  for  this  conclusion  by  referring  to  the  sins  of 
Joseph's  brethren,  and  of  the  Israelites  in  Egypt 
and  the  wilderness,  he  now  suggests  the  conclusion 
itself,  not  by  a  formal  inference,  but  by  a  terrible 
invective,  summing  up  all  that  he  had  said  on  this 
point  in  a  brief  description  of  the  men  whom  he 
addressed,  and  of  the  nation  which  they  represented. 
As  the  ancient  Israel  had  been  rebellious  and  un- 
faithful, so  the  present  generation  had  exactly  the 
same  character,  and  therefore  might  expect  the  evils 
threatened  to  their  fathers.  To  them  the  prophets 
had  applied  the  same  reproachful  epithets  which 
Stephen  here  applies  to  his  accusers  and  his  judges. 
The  compound  terms,  uncircumcised  in  heart  and 


52 


SECTION  202.— ACTS  7  :  5Jh60 ;  8  : 1-J^. 


ears,  mean  those  who  hear  and  think  and  feel  like 
Gentiles,  like  the  heathen  ;  and  their  sudden  appli- 
cation to  the  Sanhedrim,  instead  'of  necessarily  im- 
plying a  departure  from  the  theme  of  his  discourse, 
is  rather  a  tremendous  summing  of  it  up  in  the  con- 
clusion, that  these  proud  representatives  and  rulers 
of  the  chosen  people  were  in  fact  mere  heathen. 

53.  Who  have  received  the  law,  «and 
have  not  kept  it.  The  Jfews,  as  a  nation,  had 
betrayed  the  highest  trust,  and  proved  themselves 
unworthy  of  the  greatest  honor  ever  granted  to  a 
people.  They,  the  recipients  and  depositaries  of  an 
exclusive  revelation,  had  themselves  endeavored  to 
defeat  the  very  end  for  which  it  was  vouchsafed  to 
them.  Beyond  this,  accusation  or  invective  could 
not  well  be  carried.  In  point  both  of  rhetoric  and 
logic,  Stephen  could  not  have  concluded  more  effec- 
tively.    J.  A.  A. They  could  deny  nothing,  for 

Stephen  had  stated  only  facts.  The  inferences  they 
perfectly  understood.  The  points  he  had  made,  in 
his  own  justification  and  in  the  plainly  implied 
chai'ge  against  them,  Stephen  knew  that  these  sharp- 
witted  leaders  both  apprehended  and  felt.  They  were 
prepared  for  a  direct  accusation,  and  Stephen's  con- 
science as  well  as  his  argument  pressed  him  to  make 
it.  So,  as  first  the  Master  and  afterward  Peter,  in 
the  identical  tribunal  and  before  the  very  same 
priests  and  rulers,  Stephen  now  reverses  the  posi- 
tion of  the  parties.     Guided  and  girded  by  the  in- 


dwelling Spirit  of  Christ,  he  fearlessly  arraigns  bis 
judges  for  a  far  higher  crime  before  a  more  august 
tribunal. 

Up  to  this  point,  he  had  only  implied  this  charge 
and  laid  a  broad  foundation  for  it.  But  now,  con- 
centrating in  one  view  the  crimes  of  many  genera- 
tions of  their  fathers  against  God,  he  boldly  afiirms 
that  of  all  these  they  have  been  guilty.  As  their 
fathers  resisted  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  in  his  par- 
tially exerted  force,  they  have  openly  defied  the  same 
Spirit  now  manifest  in  his  mightiest  energy  of  bless- 
ing and  life.  As  their  fathers  persecuted  the 
prophets  who  announced  the  coming  and  the  redemp- 
tion of  Messiah,  the  Just  One,  they  have  pursued  to 
the  death  the  Just  One,  the  Christ  himself.  And  as 
their  fathers,  so  they  have  despised  the  holy  Law  of 
Jehovah.  This  Law  they  professed  to  honor  as  sent 
through  their  great  leader  Moses.  He  reminds  them 
of  an  even  greater  dignity,  upon  which  also  they 
prided  themselves,  in  its  transmission  to  Moses 
through  the  instrumentality  of  angels.  Yet  this 
Law,  in  itself  of  divine  origin  and  ordination,  trans- 
mitted through  agents  so  august  and  revered — this 
Law,  which  they  had  falsely  charged  him  with  blas- 
phemy, they  themselves  had  utterly  disobeyed  and 
dishonored.  And  in  truth,  as  Stephen  charged,  they 
were  not  the  true,  the  spiritual  Israel.  With  all 
their  proud  boasting,  they  were  only  aliens  and  hea- 
then.    B. 


Section  202. 

Acts  vii.  54-60 ;  viii.  1-4. 

54  "When  they  heard  these  things,  they  were  cut  to  the  heart,  and  they  gnashed  on  him  with 

55  their  teeth.     But  he,  being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  looked  up  stedfastly  into  heaven,  and 

56  saw  the  glory  of  God,  and  Jesus  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  said,  Behold,  I  see 

57  the  heavens  opened,  and  the  Son  of  man  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God.     Then  they 

58  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  and  stopped  their  ears,  and  ran  upon  him  with  one  accord,  and 
cast  him  out  of  the  city,  and  stoned  him :  and  the  witnesses  laid  down  their  clothes  at  a 

59  young  man's  feet,  whose  name  was  Saul.     And  they  stoned  Stephen,  calling  upon  God,  and 

60  saying,  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit.  And  he  kneeled  down,  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their  charge.     And  when  he  had  said  this,  he  fell  asleep. 

1,  2  And  Saul  was  consenting  unto  his  death.  And  devout  men  carried  Stephen  to  his  iurial, 
and  made  great  lamentation  over  him.  And  at  that  time  there  was  a  great  persecution 
against  the  church  which  was  at  Jerusalem ;  and  they  were  all  scattered  abroad  throughout 

3  the  regions  of  Judaea  and  Samaria,  except  the  apostles.    As  for  Saul,  he  made  havock  of  the 
churcli,  entering  into  every  house,  and  haling  men  and  women,  committed  them  to  prison. 

4  Therefore  they  that  were  scattered  abroad  went  everywhere  preaching  the  word. 


The  death  of  Stephen  is  the  New  Testament  translation,  and  he  is  to  be  set  as  the  third  with  Enoch 
and  Elijah,  only  higher,  inasmuch  as  each  manifestation  of  God  rises  while  time  moves  on.  It  is  a 
greater  thing  to  overcome  death  than  to  be  carried  past  it,  and  here  it  is  no  fire-chariot  which  lifts  to 


SECTION'  202.— ACTS  7  :  54-60;  8  : 1-4. 


63 


heaven,  but  the  outstretched  hand  of  Christ,  according  to  his  own  word,  "I  will  come  and  receive  you 
unto  myself,  that  where  I  am  there  ye  may  be  also."  In  the  death  of  Stephen  it  is  intended  that  we 
should  see  how  thin  the  veil  is  between  the  two  worlds — how  the  Lord  stands  on  the  very  confine,  send- 
ing across  his  look  and  arm  and  voice,  so  that  ere  his  servant  left  the  «arth  he  saw  his  heavenly  master, 
heard  his  words,  and  returned  his  smile.  And,  in  our  own  time,  God  lets  us  see  how  he  can  lighten  the 
dark  valley  with  his  presence,  and  make  his  most  beautiful  gems  sparkle  in  the  coronet  of  death.  He 
reveals  to  us'  in  our  Christian  friends  oftentimes  such  a  beauty  and  tenderness  of  soul  in  the  hour  of 
parting,  that  we  can  see  they  were  directing  their  look  clear  into  the  heavenly  world,  and  we  walking  with 
angels  unaware.  The  calmness  and  tender  sweetness  of  the  dying  hour,  the  faith  and  patience  and  hope, 
are  most  evident  tokens  of  the  presence  of  Christ's  Spirit ;  but  may  not  the  smile  of  more  than  human 
joy,  the  glow  which  sometimes  suffuses  the  countenance  till  it  is  seen  like  the  face  of  an  angel,  be  the 
reflection  of  the  look  of  Christ  himself,  and  the  first  faint  ripple  of  the  waves  of  unutterable  glory  that 
are  beginning  to  touch  the  feet  and  sparkle  in  the  eyes  of  the  awakening  soul  ?  Most  sure,  to  those  who 
have  witnessed  it,  is  the  conviction  that  there  must  be  light  beyond,  that  this  gleam  is  not  from  death's 
darkness  but  God's  own  day,  and  may  well  be  encouragement  to  us  "  to  hope  in  his  word,  and  to  wait 
for  the  Lord  more  than  they  that  watch  for  the  morning;  yea,  more  than  they  that  watch  for  the 
mominpr."    Kcr. 


54.  Deeply  stung  by  the  Direct,  Incisive  Charge 
of  Stephen,  the  Leaders  and  People  are  maddened 
with  Rage  against  him. — As  he  intended,  his  words 
are  truthful  home-thrusts  that  can  neither  be  avoided 
nor  turned  aside.  And  where  conviction  does  not 
melt  into  penitence,  it  hardens  into  a  stronger  hate, 
and  flames  into  a  fiercer  wrath.  So  here,  the  hate 
and  the  wrath  seek  God's  sent  reprover.  They 
would  rend  to  pieces  the  Christlike  man  who  now 
stands  calmly  before  them,  with  eyes  upcast,  and 
with  the  "  sheen  of  heaven  "  still  upon  his  brow. 

55,  56.  His  Vision  of  the  Opened  Heavens,  the 
Glory  of  God,  and  the  Man  Christ  Jesus  standing 
at  the  Right  Hand  of  God. — The  very  first  words  of 
Stephen  were,  Tlie  God  of  glory.  These  words  com- 
prised his  theme.  In  the  ways  and  working  of  this 
God,  traced  to  his  incarnation  in  Christ,  he  finds  his 
justification  and  defense.  And  now  this  God  con- 
firms the  martyr's  truth  by  a  palpable  vision  of  his 
glory  in  vital  association  with  the  person  of  Jesus,  the 
Son  of  man.  Instantly  the  self -forgetting  Stephen 
avails  himself  of  the  vision  for  his  enemies'  advan- 
tage. Virtually  continuing  his  address,  he  fervently 
preaches  Hira  whom  he  now  beholds.  With  a  testi- 
mony so  clear  and  marvelous  that  demanded  belief, 
he  proclaims  the  risen  and  glorified  Christ  to  these 
hardened  men,  if  he  may  move  them. 

Concerning  this  marvelous  experience  of  Stephen, 
it  was  certainly  true  that  a  supernatural  spiritual 
illumination  was  vouchsafed,  which  had  all  the  effect 
of  actual  vision.  The  latter  may  have  been  added. 
But  the  purpose  of  this  opened  heaven  and  visible 
Christ  seems  to  be  clear  and  manifold.  As  it  related 
to  the  martyr  himself,  it  was  designed  to  lend  in 
this  crisis-hour  special  strength  to  his  faith,  and  so 
give  a  tone  of  triumph  to  his  final  testimony. 

But  there  seems  to  be  a  more  significant  purpose 
and  use  intimated  by  the  form  of  Stephen's  declara- 
tion.   To  these  very  men,  only  three  or  four  years 


before,  Christ  had  said.  Hereafter  shall  the  Son  of 
man  sit  on  the  nght  hand  of  the  poiver  of  God ! 
Now  Stephen  affirms  in  their  p-esence  that  this  as- 
sertion of  Christ  is  fulfilled :  Behold,  I  see  the  Son 
of  man  standing  on  the  right  hand  of  God  !  Thus 
another  most  powerful  testimony  to  the  truth  and 
Godhood  of  Christ  is  added  to  deepen  the  impres- 
sion upon  their  minds.  That  Stephen's  words  are 
designed  to  be  thus  responsive  to  Christ's,  we  find 
strong  confirmation  in  his  use  of  the  expression  Son 
of  man.  Nowhere  but  here,  in  the  Gospels,  Acts, 
or  Epistles,  is  this  title  applied  to  Christ  except  by 
himself.  If  here  used  by  Stephen  in  responsive 
quotation  or  parallel,  we  have  a  reasonable  explana- 
tion of  his  use  of  a  title  so  solemnly  appropriated 
by  our  Lord  himself. 

A  minor  difference  between  the  two  utterances 
of  the  Master  and  disciple  carries  with  it  a  touch- 
ing suggestion.  In  Christ's  words,  and  elsewhere, 
he  is  described  as  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  God. 
Stephen  beholds  him  arisen  as  if  ready  and  waiting 
to  welcome  his  first  martyred  disciple ! 

57,  58.  Stephen  is  borne,  with  Outcry  and  Vio- 
lence, out  of  the  City  and  stoned. — The  enraged  lead- 
ers and  people  understand  his  meaning,  but  they 
scorn  the  Christ  he  declares  to  be  God.  To  their 
blinded  minds  and  envenomed  hearts,  Stephen's 
words  only  aggravate  his  guilt.  Their  cry  of  blas- 
phemy now  rings  loudly  out  on  the  air.  Then,  with- 
out further  form  of  trial,  without  a  moment's  re- 
spite or  a  thought  of  pity,  the  maddened  throng 
seize  this  unbefriended  man,  drag  him  with  insult 
and  stroke  through  the  Temple  gate  outside  the  city, 
and  there  maim  and  crush  his  body  with  stones  to 
the  death.     B. 

Somewhere  about  the  rocky  edges  of  the  ravine 
of  Jehoshaphat,  where  the  Mount  of  Olives  looks 
down  upon  Gethsemane  and  Siloam,  or  on  the  open 
ground  to  the  north,  which  travelers   cross  when 


54: 


SECTION  SOS.— ACTS  7  :  54-60;  8  :  1-4. 


they  go  toward  Samaria  or  Damascus — with  stones 
that  lay  without  the  walls  of  the  Holy  City — this 
heavenly-minded  martyr  was  murdered.     H. 

The  witnesses,  according  to  the  law  (Dcut.  1*7 :  V), 
were  required  to  cast  the  first  stones  and  afterward 
to  lead  the  rest,  in  the  execution  of  sentence.  They 
laid  aside,  therefore,  the  outer  garment,  or  mantle, 
that  their  action  might  be  freer.  The  garments  were 
put  in  charge  of  Saul,  who,  in  God's  purpose,  will 
ere  long  take  this  stoned  man's  place  as  witness  to 
Christ.  Saul's  only  human  teacher  was  Stephen. 
He  was  instructed  if  not  convinced  by  Stephen's  ad- 
dress. He  could  not  but  have  been  impressed  by 
the  martyr'3  bold  fidelity  and  utter  self-consecration. 
He  must  have  felt  that  sublime  trust  which  expelled 
all  fear  and  power  of  death.  And  deeply  must  he 
have  been  touched  by  the  beautiful  spirit  that  added 
to  forgiveness  of  his  murderers  fervent  intercession 
with  God  in  their  behalf.  For  Saul  certainly,  prob- 
ably for  many  besides,  Stephen's  intercession  availed 
as  a  means  of  ultimate  conversion.     B. 

It  is  deeply  interesting  to  think  of  Saul  as  listen- 
ing to  the  martyr's  voice,  as  he  antedated  those  very 
arguments  which  he  himself  was  destined  to  reiterate 
in  synagogues  and  before  kings.  There  is  no  reason 
to  doubt  that  he  was  present.  And  it  is  evident, 
from  the  thoughts  which  occurred  to  him  in  his  sub- 
sequent vision  within  the  precincts  of  the  Temple 
(Acts  22  :  20),  how  deep  an  impression  Stephen's 
death  had  left  on  his  memory.  We  can  not  dis- 
sociate the  martyrdom  of  Stephen  from  the  con- 
version of  Paul.  The  spectacle  of  so  much  con- 
stancy, so  much  faith,  so  much  love,  could  not  be 
lost.  It  is  hardly  too  much  to  say  with  Augustine, 
that  "  the  Church  owes  Paul  to  the  prayer  of  Ste- 
phen."    H. 

59,  60.  The  Dying  Prayers  and  the  Death-Sleep 
of  the  Proto-Marlyr. — For  himself  and  for  his  mur- 
derers, he  prays ;  as  before,  in  like  experience,  the 
Master  had  prayed.  Only  this  difference  in  the 
petition  for  himself  :  Christ  had  commended  •  his 
spirit  to  the  Father.  But  He  had  taught  his  disci- 
ples that  they  belonged  immediately  to  Hhn  ;  and 
that  He  would  7-eceive  them  again  unto  himself  at 
death.  So  understanding  and  believing,  Stephen 
simply  responds,  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit  f    B. 

Plainly  in  this  prayer  Stephen  honored  the  Son 

even  as  the  Son  honored  the  Father  when  he  prayed, 
"  Father,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit."  As 
plainly  neither  the  Master,  nor  this  first  martyr 
among  his  followers,  questioned  the  separate  exis- 
tence of  the  spirit  after  death.     0.  E.  D. 

And  the  prayer  for  his  murderers  is  identical 
in  spirit  with  Christ's  upon  the  cross.  Specially 
touching  are  the  circumstances  of  this  prayer. 
While  crushing  blows  were  overwhelming  him  and 
his  life-blood  was  freely  flowing,  mindful  only  of 


their  guilt  and  God's  mercy,  he  gathers  his  last 
strength,  kneels  down — that  they  may  see  his  attitude 
of  prayer — and  prays  with  full  voice — that  they  may 
hear — for  their  forgiveness.  Thus,  in  Christlike 
love,  under  circumstances  never  humanly  matched, 
he  deliberately  leaves  this  last  iaipression  of  his 
spirit  and  purpose.  And  this  completes  and  crowns 
his  ministry  that  day  to  them.  He  had  "  magnified 
Christ  in  his  life  "  by  Christlike  fidelity  and  boldness. 
And  now  he  "magnifies  Christ  in  his  death"  by  his 
tranquil  and  triumphant  faith,  and  by  his  fervent 
intercession  for  his  slayers.  As  he  stands  or  kneels, 
the  target  of  their  murderous  rage,  their  tumultuous, 
passionate  outcry  is  met  by  his  calm,  patient  endur- 
ance, his  steadfast  heavenward,  gaze,  his  fervent 
prayer,  his  trustful  self-commitment — and  then  his 
falling  asleep ! 

And  when  he  had  said  this,  he  fell  asleep. 
Sleep  is  Christ's  word  for  death,  which  Luke  and  his 
teacher  Paul  have  thoroughly  learned.  But  how 
striking  its  use  just  here  !  Amid  such  tumult,  while 
raging  passions  are  actually  venting  themselves  in 
violent  outcry  and  murderous  deed,  how  does  this 
figure  of  perfect  calmness  in  a  soul  departing  from 
its  crushed  body  add  wonderful  testimony  to  the 
truth  and  power  of  the  Christ  here  appealed  to  ! 

Now  that  they  have  silenced  this  faithful  voice, 
and  stilled  this  fervid  heart  in  death,  the  Jewish 
priests  and  leaders  seem  to  have  prevailed.  But 
they  were  the  conquered,  not  the  conquering,  party. 
From  that  one  sacrifice  sprang  many  new-created 
souls,  as  gracious  trophies  of  the  power  that  from 

the  planted  seed  brings  life  out  of  death.     B. 

The  revelation  of  such  a  character  at  the  moment 
of  death  was  the  strongest  of  all  evidences,  and  the 
highest  of  all  encouragements.  Nothing  could  more 
confidently  assert  the  divine  power  of  the  new  reli- 
gion ;  nothing  could  prophesy  more  surely  the  cer- 
tainty of  its  final  victory.     H. 

At  the  martyrdom  of  Stephen,  the  malice  of  the 
Jews  became,  under  the  power  of  Christ,  the  means 
of  proving  that  He,  whom  they  had  crucified,  the 
divine  proto-martyr,  Jesus  Christ,  now  reigning  in 
heaven,  is  the  source  of  all  the  courage  of  martyrs 
in  the  dying  hour,  and  of  all  the  hope  which  gives 
them  a  foretaste  of  bliss,  and  of  all  the  charity 
which  makes  them  love  and  bless  their  persecu- 
tors.    W. 

The  reader  is  not  likely  to  die  for  his  allegiance 
to  Christ  under  a  shower  of  stones,  but  how  does  he 
bear  it  when  a  single  stone  is  thrown  at  him  ?  He 
may  be  assailed  by  injurious  words,  which  often 
wound  more  sharply,  leave  uglier  scars,  and  are 
harder  to  be  borne ;  and  does  he  hold  fast  his  se- 
renity and  good  will  ?  Trivial  trials  may  be  as  de- 
cisive of  character  as  martyrdoms.  Many  a  disciple 
to-day  in  some  obscure    lot   of   suffering  or  want 


SECTIOir  203.— ACTS  8  :  5-1^0. 


65 


treads  as  closely  in  the  footsteps  of  the  Master  as 
his  first  martyr  Stephen.     0.  E.  D. 

1-4,  The  first  seven  chapters  trace  the  found- 
ing of  the  Christian  Church,  and  its  extension 
among  the  Jews.  The  eighth  and  ninth  chapters 
sketch  some  marked  details  of  its  transition  from 
the  Jews  to  the  Gentiles. 

Stephen's  bold  declaration  that  the  Temple  and 
its  service  were  to  be  laid  aside  struck  directly  at 
the  most  deeply  rooted  prejudices  and  feelings  of 
the  people.  Against  the  apostles,  who  said  nothing 
about  the  Temple,  but  simply  preached  Christ  as  the 
Messiah  of  the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  the  people  had 
taken  no  decided  part.  They  had  little  sympathy 
with  the  priestly  party,  by  whom  mainly  the  apos- 
tles had  been  prosecuted.  But  now,  thoroughly 
roused  by  Stephen's  defense  and  not  satisfied  with 
his  destruction,  the  people  turn  their  persecuting 
rage  against  the  body  of  believers  in  Jerusalem. 
Of  this  persecution  Saul  was  the  leader.  And  so 
sharp  and  fierce  was  the  pursuit,  that  the  Church 


fellowship  was  broken  up,  and  its  members  com- 
pelled to  disperse.  In  small  detached  companies 
they  went  into  the  whole  region  of  Judea,  and 
thence  northward  into  Samaria;  so  fulfilling  the 
terms  of  the  Master's  commission.  A  few,  doubt- 
less, remained' with  the  apostles  in  Jerusalem.     B. 

The  martyrdom  of  Stephen  forms  an  epoch  in 
the  early  history  of  the  Church,  the  date  of  which 
is  the  more  interesting  on  account  of  its  bearing 
upon  Paul's  life.  But  the  narrative  in  the  Acts  sup- 
plies us  with  no  chronological  data,  from  the  day  of 
Pentecost  in  a.  d.  30  down  to  the  famine  under 
Claudius  and  the  death  of  Herod  Agrippa  I.  in  a.  d. 
44.  That  Paul's  conversion  followed  at  no  long  in- 
terval after  Stephen's  martyrdom  seems  clear ;  and 
various  indications  concur  to  place  it  somewhere 
within  the  limits  of  Caligula's  four  years'  reign. 
Coming  to  narrower  limits,  we  shall  see  that  the 
strongest  arguments  and  the  best  modern  opinions 
concur  in  fixing  the  conversion  of  Paul  about  a.  d. 
37.     S. 


Section  203. 

Acts  viii.  5-40. 

5  Then  Philip  went  down  to  the  city  of  Samaria,  and  preached  Christ  unto  them.     And 

6  the  people  with  one  accord  gave  heed  unto  those  things  which  Philip  spake,  hearing  and 

7  seeing  the  miracles  which  he  did.     For  unclean  spirits,  crying  with  loud  voice,  came  out  of 
many  that  were  possessed  loith  them :  and  many  taken  with  palsies,  and  that  were  lame, 

8  were  healed.    And  there  was  great  joy  in  that  city. 

9  But  there  was  a  certain  man,  called  Simon,  which  beforetime  in  the  same  city  used  sor- 
cery, and  bewitched  the  people  of  Samaria,  giving  out  that  himself  was  some  great  one:  to 

10  whom  they  all  gave  heed,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest,  saying,  This  man  is  the  great  power 

11  of  God,     And  to  him  they  had  regard,  because  that  of  long  time  he  had  bewitched  them 

12  with  sorceries.  But  when  they  believed  Philip  preaching  the  things  concerning  the  king- 
dom of  God,  and  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  tliey  were  baptized,  both  men  and  women. 

13  Then  Simon  himself  believed  also:  and  when  he  was  baptized,  he  continued  with  Philip, 

14  and  wondered,  beholding  the  miracles  and  signs  which  were  done.  Now  when  the  apos- 
tles which  were  at  Jerusalem  heard  that  Samaria  had  received  the  word  of  God,  they  sent 

15  unto  them  Peter  and  John :  who,  when  they  were  come  down  prayed  for  them,  that  they 

16  might  receive  the  Holy  Ghost:  (for  as  yet  he  was  fallen  upon  none  of  them:  only  they 

17  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.)     Then  laid  they  their  hands  on  them,  and 

18  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost.     And  when  Simon  saw  that  through  laying  on  of  the  apos- 

19  ties'  hands  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given,  he  offered  them  money,  saying.  Give  me  also  this 

20  power,  that  on  whomsoever  I  lay  hands,  he  may  receive  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  Peter  said 
unto  him,  Thy  money  perish  with  thee,  because  thou  hast  thought  that  the  gift  of  God  may 

21  be  purchased  with  money.     Thou  hast  neither  part  nor  lot  in  this  matter :  for  thy  heart  is 

22  not  right  in  the  sight  of  God.     Repent  therefore  of  this  thy  wickedness,  and  pray  God,  if 

23  perhaps  the  thought  of  thine  heart  may  be  forgiven  thee.     For  I  perceive  that  thou  art 

24  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity.  Then  answered  Simon,  and  said. 
Pray  ye  to  the  Lord  for  me,  that  none  of  these  things  which  ye  have  spoken  come  upon 

25  me.  And  they,  when  they  had  testified  and  preached  the  word  of  the  Lord,  returned  to 
Jerusalem,  and  preached  the  gospel  in  many  villages  of  the  Samaritans. 

26  And  the  angel  of  the  Lord  spake  unto  Philip,  saying,  Arise,  and  go  toward  the  south, 

27  unto  the  way  that  goeth  down  from  Jerusalem  unto  Gaza,  which  is  desert.  And  he  arose 
and  went  :■  and,  behold,  a  man  of  Ethiopia,  an  eunuch  of  great  authority  under  Candaco 
queen  of  the  Ethiopians,  who  had  the  charge  of  all  her  treasure,  and  had  come  to  Jerusa- 


56 


SECTION  203.— ACTS  8  :  5-^0. 


28  lem  for  to  worship,  was  returning,  and  sitting  in  his  chariot  read  Esaias  the  prophet. 

29  Then  the  Spirit  said  unto  Philip,  Go  near,  and  join  thyself  to  this  chariot.     And  Philip  ran 

30  thither  to  him,  and  heard  him  read  the  prophet  Esaias,  and  said,  Understandest  thou  what 

31  thou  readest?    And  he  said.  How  can  I,  except  some  man  should  guide  me?     And  he 

32  desired  Philip  that  he  would  come  up  and  sit  with  him.     The  place  of  the  Scripture  which 
he  read  was  this,  He  was  led  as  a  sheep  to  the  slaughter ;  and  like  a  lamb  dumb  before  liis 

38  shearer,  so  opened  he  not  his  mouth :  in  his  humiliation  his  judgment  was  taken  away : 

34  and  who  shall  declare  his  generation?  for  his  life  is  taken  from  the  earth.    And  the  eunuch 
answered  Philip,  and  said,  I  pray  thee,  of  whom  speaketh  the  prophet  this?  of  himself,  or 

35  of  some  other  man  ?     Then  Philip  opened  his  mouth,  and  began  at  the  same  Scripture,  and 

36  preached  unto  him  Jesus.    And  as  they  went  on  their  way,  they  came  unto  a  certain  water: 

37  and  the  eunuch  said,  See,  here  is  water ;  what  doth  hinder  me  to  be  baptized  ?    And  Philip 
said,  If  thou  believest  with  all  thine  heart,  thou  mayest.     And  he  answered  and  said,  I 

38  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God.     And  he  commanded  the  chariot  to  stand  still : 
and  they  went  down  both  into  the  water,  both  Philip  and  the  eunuch  ;  and  he  baptized  him. 

39  And  when  they  were  come  up  out  of  the  water,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  caught  away  Philip, 

40  that  the  eunuch  saw  him  no  more :  and  he  went  on  his  way  rejoicing.     But  Philip  was 
found  at  Azotus :  and  passing  through  he  preached  in  all  the  cities,  till  he  came  to  Cgesarea, 


The  one  theme  of  apostles  and  disciples  all — of  Peter,  Stephen,  Philip,  Paul,  and  of  the  many  here 
unnamed — was  Jesus  Crucified.  This  word  of  Isaiah  about  the  Crucified  and  Risen  One  is  preeminently 
that  which  moves  the  selfish  dull  heart.  The  preaching  of  law  and  morality  either  strikes  against  an 
antagonistic  will  or  quiets  the  conscience  by  falling  in  with  the  self-righteousness  of  the  heart.  But  to 
stir  the  soul  to  a  needed  sense  of  sin,  and  awaken  the  craving  and  the  cry  for  peace  and  pardon,  this  can 
be  effected  by  nothing  save  the  sublime  fact  of  a  divine  self-sacrifice  for  human  guilt ;  nothing  but  the 

preaching  and  the  telling  of  Jesus.     B. The  treasurer  had  come  from  Ethiopia  to  Jerusalem  with  the 

burden  of  sin  ;  he  was  going  away  with  it,  much  as  he  came,  when  the  Holy  Spirit  turned  his  eye  to  the 
Sin-bearer,  the  Lamb  of  God.  He  saw  that  the  sin-bearing  work  was  done ;  he  accepted  the  divine  testi- 
mony to  that  finished  work ;  and  in  the  acceptance  of  that  testimony  he  found  immediate  joy.  What  he 
read  was  as  blessed  as  it  was  true,  and  our  joy  comes  from  the  same  testimony  to  the  same  finished  work. 
The  passage  of  Scripture  may  be  different ;  that  matters  not.  There,  are  a  thousand  passages,  and  a 
thousand  testimonies,  all  bearing  on  the  one  cross,  the  one  propitiation,  the  one  Lamb  of  God,  the  one 
blood,  the  one  sacrifice.  Any  one  of  these  testimonies  in  the  hand  of  the  Holy  Spirit  can  pour  in  glad- 
ness into  the  soul.     Bonar. 


5-8.  Stephen's  death,  introducing  a  general  per- 
secution of  the  disciples,  formed  the  turning  point 
of  the  gospel's  extension  among  the  Gentiles.  For 
they  that  were  scattered  abroad  went  everywhere preacli- 
ing  the  loord.  Of  the  many,  Luke,  under  inspiration, 
briefly  refers  to  Philip,  who  had  been  a  fellow- 
deacon  with  Stephen,  and  was  also  a  Greek.  Like 
the  many  who  preached,  this  man  was  ordained  to 
the  higher  ministry  directly  and  only  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  By  the  Spirit  he  is  first  led  to  a  city  of 
Samaria.  We  know  not  what  city.  But  we  may 
well  infer  that  it  was  Sychar,  where  Christ  had  pri- 
vately taught  for  two  days  with  wonderful  results. 
He  performed  no  miracle,  yet  they  acknowledged 
him  to  be  indeed  the  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 
Now  we  see  further  fruit  in  their  hearty  reception  of 
PhiUp's  preaching,  accredited  as  he  was  by  many 
miracles.  The  simple  recital  of  the  effect  wrought 
in  his  ministry  is  noteworthy :  And  there  was  great 
joy  in  that  city. 


9-11.  The  Previoiis  Influence  of  Simon  the  Sor- 
cerer in  that  City. — This  man  was  one  of  a  class 
who  had  existed  from  the  earliest  period  in  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  East.  With  various  names — sooth- 
sayers or  sorcerers,  magicians  or  conjurors — they 
pretended  to  possess  supernatural  power  from  the 
spirit  world.  In  ignorant  and  credulous  ages,  when 
superstitions  of  every  sort  abounded,  it  was  easy  to 
delude  by  professed  enchantments  and  by  the  as- 
sumption of  a  superior  nature  and  force.  Thus  did 
the  magicians  in  Egypt  and  the  astrologers  in  Assyria 
and  Persia.  The  Samaritans  held  this  man  in  fear, 
"  because  for  a  long  time  he  had  astonished  (not  be- 
witched) them  with  sorceries." 

12,  13.  Effect  of  Philip's  Preaching  upon  the 
Samaritans  and  upon  Simon. — Mark  what  it  was 
that  Philip  preached,  and  how  he  was  accredited  as 
from  God.  He  preached  the  kingdom  of  God  as 
opened  by  Christ:  Christ,  of  whom  they  knew  in 
their  Scriptures,  with  whose  teaching  and   recent 


SECTION  203.- ACTS  8  :  B-Jfi. 


57 


death  they  vrere  familiar.  Against  this  the  Samari- 
tans opposed  no  prejudice  of  false  Pharisaic  teach- 
ing. To  them,  too,  the  miracles  of  PhiUp  were 
proven  to  be  real  by  their  blessed  effects  in  healing 
and  restoring.  Therefore  they  believed  him,  and  re- 
ceived his  teaching ;  while  by  Simon's  wonders  of 
jugglery,  subserving  no  useful  purpose,  they  had 
only  been  amazed.  So  God  contrasted  the  real  with 
the  counterfeit  miracle,  and  the  real  prevailed,  as  it 
had  aforetime  with  Moses  before  Pharaoh.  The 
people  believed,  and  were  baptized  in  testimony  of 
their  belief.  And  their  belief,  as  subsequently 
proven,  \;a.s  genuine. 

But  Simon  believed  also,  ayid  was  baptized.  He 
believed — what  ?  Just  that  which  his  unenlightened 
mind  understood  of  the  statements  of  Philip.  He 
believed  in  the  bare  fact  of  marvels  pertaining  to 
Christ's  nature,  life,  and  resurrection,  because  he  saiu 
absolute  miracles:  effects  clearly  supernatural,  ut- 
terly overmatching  his  poor  deceits.  But  of  the 
spiritual  aspects  and  truths  lying  beneath  the  out- 
ward statements  and  facts  he  had  no  discernment, 
and  of  course  could  exercise  no  faith.  He  believed 
in  the  miracles,  and  in  the  necessary  inferences  of 
fact  suggested  by  the  miracles,  but  no  more.  As 
the  people  had  icondcred  at  him,  so,  Luke  says,  he 
wonde)-ed  (the  same  word  translated  "  bewitched " 
before),  as  he  closely  watched  Philip,  and  "the  mir- 
acles and  signs  done."  Only,  like  "the  devils,"  he 
"  beheved  and  trembled."  Yet,  without  an  idea  of 
spiritual  saving  faith,  he  went  through  the  form  of 
profession ;  he  dared  to  attach  himself  to  Christ's 
visible  body. 

14-17.  Tlie  3Itssion  of  Peter  and  John  to  Sa7na- 
ria. — The  apostles  as  a  body  still  directed  and  con- 
trolled the  great  religious  movement.  So  had  Christ 
ordained.  As  a  body,  without  a  primate,  they  sent 
Peter  and  John  to  Samaria  so  soon  as  they  heard 
the  results  of  Philip's  preaching.  John  once  would 
have  called  down  destroying  fire  upon  the  Samari- 
tans. Now  he  gladly  seeks  to  bring  upon  them  the 
blessed  baptism  of  fire  from  the  Holy  Ghost.  To- 
gether these  fervid  brother-apostles  plead  for  this 
special  power,  and  their  prayer  is  answered.     B. 

It  is  not  surprising  that  the  college  of  apostles, 
when  they  heard  that  Samaria  had  received  the 
Word  of  God,  should  send  a  deputation  to  the  place 
where  the  good  work  had  begun ;  not  because  Philip 
was  only  a  deacon,  for  he  was  more ;  or  because 
they  wore  jealous  or  suspicious  of  him  ;  or  because 
they  doubted  the  sincerity  or  depth  of  the  Samari- 
tan conversions ;  or  to  show  that  the  apostles, 
though  this  work  began  without  them,  still  retained 
their  old  position ;  but  because  they  were  the  con- 
stituted organizers  of  the  Church,  and  as  such  not 
only  authorized  but  bound  to  enter  every  open  door, 
whoever  might  have  opened  it.    J.  A.  A. 


They  received  the  Holy  Ghost. — The  meaning 
seems  to  be  clear.  They,  like  all  true  converts,  had 
received  his  ordinary  gifts  bestowed  in  regeneration. 
Now  they  receive  the  peculiar,  extraordinary  gifts 
of  Pentecost,  of  special  illumination  and  knowledge 
of  truth.  These  gifts  were  needed  in  that  crisis  by 
many  in  various  regions.  And  they  were  imparted 
here  in  connection  with  a  special  formality,  the  im- 
position of  hands  by  these  divinely  guided  apostles. 

18,  19.  Simon^s  Sacrilegious  Proffer  and  Re- 
quest.— Evidently  Simon  was  not  of  the  number 
who  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  he  would  not  have 
made  this  request,  »He  saw  in  others  the  effect  of 
this  special  divine  gift,  and  so  was  led  to  ask.  He 
did  not  offer  himself,  as  others  had  done,  to  receive 
the  gift,  but  he  offered  money  to  buy  it.  And  this 
offer,  together  with  his  proposed  use  of  the  power, 
plainly  show  what  his  spirit  and  purpose  were.  He 
wished  to  be  the  "  great  one  "  that  he  had  before 
proclaimed  himself.  He  would  use  this  surpassing 
power  as  he  had  used  his  own  trivial  sorceries,  for 
his  selfish  ambition,  enrichment,  and  gratification. 
A  fearful  condition  of  heart  indeed,  that  dared 
cherish  and  express  such  a  sacrilegious  purpose  in 
the  face  of  these  servitors  of  the  Most  High  God, 
nay,  more,  in  presence  of  stupendous  tokens  of  the 
manifest  God  himself. 

20-23.  Peter'' s  Sharp  Rebuke  and  Exposure  of 
Simon's  Impiety,  and  his  Faithful  Counsel. — The 
apostle  did  not  need  a  special  gift  to  discern  this 
man's  spirit,  for  the  attempt  to  influence  them  by 
money  considerations  showed  plainly  that  he  was 
controlled  by  selfish  motives.  Peter's  rebuke  was 
an  outburst  of  holy  indignation,  not  an  utterance  of 
divine  judgment,  as  in  the  case  of  Ananias.  The 
difference  in  the  cases  and  circumstances  accounts 
for  his  different  dealing.  Calvin  interprets  verse 
20,  "  Thou  art  worthy  to  perish  with  thy  money, 
when  thou  dost  blaspheme  the  Spirit  of  God." 
The  apostle  tells  him  that  his  profession  of  Christ 
and  his  baptism  were  worthless,  because  his  heart 
was  not  right  in  God's  sight.  He  is  still  what  he 
had  been  before,  with  the  poison  of  sin  embittering 
his  nature  and  its  servitude  binding  his  life.  There- 
fore he  counsels  repentance  of  this  wickedness  and 
prayer  for  forgiveness.  As  Peter  had  condemned 
the  thought  of  Simon's  heart,  not  the  act  it  prompt- 
ed, so  now  this  is  the  point  of  the  prayer  he  urges : 
"Pray  God,  if  perhaps  the  thought  of  thine  heart 
may  be  forgiven  thee." 

24.  Simon's  Reply,  showing  only  an  Ignorant 
and  Untouched  Heart. — No  proper  sense  of  sin  was 
awakened  by  the  apostle's  warning.  He  was  tem- 
porarily alarmed,  but  only  on  account  of  threatened 
punishment.  Instead  of  praying  as  a  consciously 
sinful  penitent  man  for  his  own  forgiveness,  as 
Peter  had  bidden  him,  he  selfishly  begged  the  apos- 


58 


SECTION  SOS.— ACTS  8  :  5-Jfi. 


ties  to  pray  that  the  consequences  of  bis  sin  might 
be  remitted.  Ignorant  of  the  very  rudiments  of 
divine  teaching,  he  dreams  of  forgiveness  without 
either  faith,  repentance,  or  prayer  of  bis  own.  And 
so  he  disappears  from  the  history,  without  hint  of 
after  change  in  his  stolid  heart. 

25.  The  Home  Journey  of  the  Apostles  a  Mis- 
sionary Circuit  through  Samaria. — By  the  way  of 
many  villages  of  the  Samaritans,  in  each  of  which 
they  tarried  to  preach  the  gospel,  Peter  and  John 
returned  to  Jerusalem. 

26-37.  The  spurious  conversion  of  Simon  is 
here  contrasted  with  a  true  one,  in  connection  with 
the  same  ministry.  27iai  was  an  enforced  alarming 
belief  in  the  mere  miracle-working  power  of  the 
Christ  who  was  preached.  This  is  a  glad  belief  of 
the  heart  in  Christ's  personal  love  and  full  redemp- 
tion. Another  contrast  we  see  in  the  sphere  of 
Philip's  ministry  here.  Multitudes  heard,  heeded, 
and  believed,  when  he  "  preached  Christ "  in  that 
city  of  Samaria.  One  man  believed,  when  "he 
preached  Jesus"  in  an  untraveled  highway.  Yet 
he  went  willingly  from  the  large  "  field "  to  the 
small ;  toiled  far  more,  and  preached  as  fervently  to 
one  man  as  to  the  multitude.  Philip  was  obviously 
an  excellent  example  to  all  who  in  Christ's  name 
say,  "  Come."  Another  useful  thought,  of  wide  ap- 
plication in  our  New  Testament  study,  is  that  both 
these  instances  of  Philip's  preaching,  with  its  di- 
verse effects,  are  given  simply  as  sufficient  illustra- 
tions of  his  whole  ministry,  and  of  the  ministry  of 
all  who  "went  everywhere  preaching  the  Word." 
They  are  designed  to  show  how  the  gospel  was  car- 
ried abroad,  and  made  effectual  in  winning  individ- 
uals and  communities.  And  herein  lies  the  peculiar 
purpose  and  value  of  the  Acts.  All  after  individual 
experience  and  church  history  is  shadowed  forth  or 
plainly  exemplified  in  this  book. 

26.  Philip's  New  and  Special  Commission. — 
He  had  finished  his  designed  work  in  the  Samari- 
tan city.  He  is  now  called  of  God  elsewhere. 
By  the  ordinary  intimations  of  Providence  the 
Spirit  had  guided  him  to  Samaria.  By  an  extraor- 
dinary message  through  an  angelic  messenger  the 
same  Spirit  now  sends  him  on  a  peculiar  errand. 
The  direction  is  simple  in  terms :  Go  to  a  certain 
road  !  Yet  it  is  vague,  for  it  indicates  no  point  or 
place  in  the  road.  The  road  is  one  of  many  from 
Jerusalem  to  Gaza.  It  is  a  desert  road,  passing 
through  a  region  without  cities  or  villages.  No 
point  upon  this  road,  no  time,  and  no  duty,  are  indi- 
cated. To  realize  how  indefinite  the  direction  yet 
how  surely  divine  the  appointment,  remember  that 
this  road  was  sixty  miles  in  length,  and  a  considera- 
ble portion  of  it  was  "desert."  But  Philip  at  once 
obeyed.  Like  a  commander  who  sails  for  a  given 
point,  with  sealed  orders  to  be  opened   there,  he 


reached  the  place,  and  found  his  further  procedure 
definitely  marked.  And,  throughout,  he  was  obedi- 
ent to  the  heavenly  vision. 

27-29.  His  Meeting  with  the  Ethiopian  Cham- 
berlain, and  the  Further  Direction  he  received. — 
Himself  on  foot,  he  is  overtaken  by  a  chariot 
and  its  attendants.  In  the  chariot  sits  a  stranger, 
a  high  court  officer  of  the  reigning  Queen  of 
Ethiopia.  He  is  returning  southward  from  Jeru- 
salem, where,  as  a  Gentile  proselyte  of  the  Jewish 
religion,  he  had  gone  to  worship.  Now  he  is  read- 
ing aloud,  as  he  journeys,  from  a  scroll  containing 
the  prophecies  of  Isaiah.  This  simple  fact,  show- 
ing his  interest  in  the  truth  and  earnest  desire  to 
understand  and  receive  it,  is  evidence  of  some  spe- 
cial influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  preparing  him  to 
accept  Philip's  teaching.  Thus  we  see  the  Spirit 
operating  on  both  sides,  sending  the  teacher,  and 
making  ready  the  heart  to  be  taught  and  convinced. 
Nay,  more,  he  leads  this  interested  man's  thought 
to  the  central  theme  of  the  Old  Testament  Gospel. 
And  it  is  always  thus.  The  Spirit  of  God  prepares 
the  agents  and  means  and  the  heart  itself  in  every 
case  of  true  conversion.  Now  by  an  inward  voice 
the  Spirit  bids  Philip  run  after  and  overtake  the 
chariot,  which  had  passed  on.  Other  subsequent 
divine  directions  to  Philip  appear  in  the  part  he 
took  in  the  conference  that  followed. 

30,  31.  The  Question  of  Philip  and  its  Answer. 
"  Undcrstandcst  Thou?'''' — A  question  of  vital  mo- 
ment— now  as  then  !  "  Ye  know  not  the  Scriptures," 
was  Christ's  bold  declaration  to  the  cultured  Sad- 
ducees.  And  the  question  repeats  itself,  the  charge 
lies  against  multitudes  to-day  who  profess  to  read 
them.  Frankly  and  humbly  this  Ethiopian,  nobler 
in  this  frank  humility  than  in  his  high  position, 
acknowledges  his  ignorance.  He  asks  the  poor  foot- 
traveler  to  sit  beside  him  in  his  chariot,  and  to  be  his 
guide  to  the  "understanding"  of  the  Scripture.  As 
frankly  and  as  humbly  Philip  assents,  and  takes  the 
equal  place  assigned  him. 

32-35.  The  Question  of  the  Ethiopian  and 
Philip's  Answer. — He  was  reading  the  53d  chapter 
of  Isaiah ;  the  signal  prophecy  of  Christ's  vicarious 
sufferings,  many  times  distinctly  referred  to.  Seven 
centuries  had  passed  since  it  had  been  recorded  for 
the  Jewish  people.  But  it  had  never  been  appre- 
hendijd,  much  less  accepted,  by  the  Jews ;  for  it  dis- 
closed a  suffering  Messiah,  and  they  looked  only  for 
a  world-conquering  and  long-reigning  king.  Read- 
ing about  this  patiently  suffering  Servant  of  God, 
his  heart  is  moved.  He  has  heard  no  Jewish  inter- 
pretation, and  yet  wishes  to  know  to  whom  this  sad 
story  refers.  A  tradition  of  the  Jews  described  the 
persecution  of  Isaiah,  and  his  death  by  being  sawn 
asunder.  Is  it  then  himself  to  whom  the  prophet 
refers,  or  some  other  man  ? 


SECTION  SO4.—ACTS  9:1-19. 


59 


No  better  text  for  his  one  great  theme  could 
Philip  desire.  From  it  he  began,  and  preached  unto 
him  Jesus.  Jesus  the  suffering  Lamb  of  God,  tak- 
ing away  the  sins  of  men.  Not  as  fully  as  Christ 
upon  his  resurrection  afternoon  had  expounded  to  the 
two  disciples,  on  another  road,  all  "  the  things  con- 
cerning himself."  Eut,  led  by  the  Spirit,  his  words 
were  satisfactory  to  this  open-hearted,  devout  listener. 
He  answered  all  the  questions  that  were  proposed, 
and  at  length  the  man's  mind  was  convinced  that 
Christ  was  the  Son  of  God,  the  Saviour  of  the  world, 
and  his  heart  converted.  There  remained  but  one 
thing :  avowedly  to  join  himself  to  the  company  of 
Christian  believers. 

36-38.  The  Baptism  of  the  Believer  in  Christ. — 
The  Scripture  has  doubtless  been  explained  by  Philip 
in  accordance  with  the  direct  command  of  Christ. 
So  the  newly  converted  man  expresses  his  wish,  and 
avows  his  purpose  to  stand  openly  on  the  Lord's 
side,  in  the  question,  "  What  doth  hinder  me  to  be 
baptized  ?  "  If  the  reply  of  Philip  belongs  to  the 
inspired  account  (v.  37),  which  is  more  than  doubt- 
ful, it  would  seem  that  he  had  learned  caution  from 
Simon's  case.  For  he  asks  a  heart-test  of  the  man's 
faith.  Satisfied  with  the  test,  Philip  descends  with 
him  to  the  water,  and  baptized  him  there.     B. 

39,  40.  These  two  were  brought  together  by 
the  agency  of  an  angel,  and  now  they  are  parted 
asunder  by  a  miracle,  but  a  miracle  of  wisdom  as 
well  as  of  power.  For  this  sudden  and  supernatural 
removal  of  the  preacher  was  a  powerful  confirma- 
tion of  the  doctrine  which  he  taught,  and  had  an 
obvious  tendency  to  impress  on  the  mind  of  the  new 
convert  this  important  truth,  that  although  a  man 
had  been  employed  as  the  instrument  of  his  conver- 
sion, yet  the  work  itself  was  truly  divine,  and  the 

glory  of  it  due  to  God  alone.     Pi.  W. They  met 

and  parted  in  a  few  hours.  But  those  hours  were 
charged  with  experiences  for  ever  memorable  to  both. 
As  there  had  been  great  joy  in  the  city  upon  Philip's 
ministry  there,  so  now  the  Christian  eunuch  goes  on 
his  way  rejoicing,  when  his  human  guide  had  disap- 
peared. For  a  divine  companion,  a  perfect  guide 
unto  all  ti'uth,  even  the  Holy  Ghost  who  shows  the 
things  of  Christ,  is  with  him  now.     And  Abyssinia 


traces  to  this  man  (Indich  he  is  called)  the  source  of 
that  influence  which  made  many  of  her  people 
Christian  in  name. 

Philip  was  next  heard  of  at  Azotus  or  Ashdod, 
another  of  the  five  cities  of  the  Philistines,  north  of 
Gaza.  From  that  point  he  preached  in  all  the  cities 
on  or  near  the  sea-coast,  including  Lydda  and  Joppa, 
until  he  reached  Cesarea.  In  Cesarea  he  made  his 
home,  and  became  an  evangelist  for  that  region. 
Here,  twenty  years  afterward,  he  entertained  Paul 
as  his  guest  (Acts  21:8). 

Trutlis  worthy  of  2'hought. — Every  saved  soul, 
in  the  history  to  be  read  hereafter,  will  learn  that  a 
vast  amount  of  labor  and  an  accumulation  of  com- 
bined influences  were  expended  by  God  in  the  sav- 
ing. First,  chief,  and  in  all,  the  Holy  Spirit ;  then 
the  word  and  the  providences  of  God  ;  and  in  a 
place  appointed,  the  human  teacher  and  pleader. 

Another  truth  respects  the  actual  work  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  in  behalf  of  human  conversion.  On  the 
one  hand,  every  believer — preacher,  parent,  teacher, 
or  simple  disciple — just  in  proportion  to  the  willing- 
ness and  earnestness  of  his  desire  to  do  good,  is 
specially  prompted,  guided,  and  enabled  to  speak  or 
act  effectively  for  Christ  and  for  souls.  And  on  the 
other  hand,  every  unbeliever  receives  the  same 
divine  help,  in  proportion  to  his  simple  willingness 
to  be  taught  and  led  of  God.  This  double  truth 
stands  out  in  this  incident :  the  entire  control  of  all 
its  details  and  issues,  of  its  two  characters  and  their 
actions  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  Let  this  be  thoroughly 
pondered !    B. 


The  preaching  of  the  gospel,  begun  from  Jeru- 
salem according  to  Christ's  command,  had  embraced 
all  classes  of  the  Jewish  name — the  pure  Jews  and 
the  despised  Samaritans,  the  representatives  of  the 
dispersion,  and  the  circumcised  proselyte  from  the 
far  southern  region  which  Christ  himself  had  called 
the  ends  of  the  earth.  Such  were  the  results  accom- 
plished about  the  epoch  marked  by  the  death  of 
the  Emperor  Tiberius  (a.  d.  37),  and  distinguished 
also  by  the  disgrace  of  Caiaphas  and  Pilate,  the  two 
chief  actors  in  the  death  of  Christ.     S. 


Section  204. 

Acts  ix.  1-19. 

1  And  Saul,  yet  breathing  out  threatenings  and  slaughter  against  the  disciples  of  the  Lord, 

2  went  unto  the  high  priest,  and  desired  of  him  letters  to  Damascus  to  the  synagogues,  that 
if  he  found  any  of  this  way,  whether  tliey  were  men  or  women,  he  might  bring  them  bound 

3  unto  Jerusalem.     And  as  he  journeyed,  he  came  near  Damascus:  and  suddenly  there  shined 

4  round  about  him  a  light  from  heaven :  and  he  fell  to  the  earth,  and  heard  a  voice  saying 


60 


SECTION  20It.—AGTS  9  : 1-19. 


5  unto  liim,  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me?    And  be  said,  "Who  art  tlion.  Lord?    And 
the  Lord  said,  I  am  Jesu§  wliom  thou  persecutest :  it  is  hard  for  tliee  to  kick  against  the 

6  pricks.     And  he  trembling  and  astonished  said.  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?    And 
the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Arise,  and  go  into  the  city,  and  it  shall  be  told  thee  what  thou 

7  must  do.     And  the  men  which  journeyed  with  him  stood  speechless,  hearing  a  voice,  but 

8  seeing  no  man.     And  Saul  arose  from  the  earth ;  and  when  his  eyes  were  opened,  he  saw 

9  no  man:  but  they  led  him  by  the  hand,  and  brought  him  into  Damascus.     And  he  was  three 
days  without  sight,  and  neither  did  eat  nor  drink. 

10  And  there  was  a  certain  disciple  at  Damascus,  named  Ananias ;  and  to  him  said  the  Lord 

11  in  a  vision,  Ananias.  And  he  said.  Behold,  I  am  here,  Lord.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him, 
Arise,  and  go  into  the  street  which  is  called  Straight,  and  enquire  in  the  house  of  Judas  for 

12  one  called  Saul,  of  Tarsus:  for,  behold,  he  prayeth,  and  hath  seen  in  a  vision  a  man  named 

13  Ananias  coming  in,  and  putting  his  hand  on  him,  that  he  might  receive  his  sight.  Then 
Ananias  answered,  Lord,  I  have  heard  by  many  of  this  man,  how  much  evil  he  hath  done 

14  to  thy  saints  at  Jerusalem :  and  here  be  hath  authority  from  the  chief  priests  to  bind  all 

15  that  call  on  thy  name.     But  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Go  thy  way :  for  he  is  a  chosen  vessel 

16  unto  me,  to  bear  my  name  before  the  Gentiles,  and  kings,  and  the  children  of  Israel :  for  I 

17  will  shew  him  how  great  things  he  must  suffer  for  my  name's  sake.  And  Ananias  went 
his  way,  and  entered  into  the  house ;  and  putting  his  hands  on  him  said,  Brother  Saul,  the 
Lord,  even  Jesus,  that  appeared  unto  thee  in  the  way  as  thou  camest,  hath  sent  me,  that 

18  thou  mightest  receive  thy  sight,  and  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  immediately 
there  fell  from  his  eyes  as  it  had  been  scales :  and  he  received  sight  forthwith,  and  arose, 

19  and  was  baptized.     And  when  he  had  received  meat,  he  was  strengthened. 


Evert  great  truth  which  is  to  win  a  triumphant  way  must  become  incarnate  in  some  one  man,  and 
derive  from  a  living,  fervent  heart  that  passion  and  power  which  constrain  and  subdue.  So  long  as  it 
remains  in  the  cold  region  of  mere  ideas,  it  exercises  no  mighty  influence  over  mankind.  The  truths  of 
rehgion  are  not  exceptions  to  this  law.  God,  therefore,  prepared  a  man,  who  was  to  represent  in  the 
primitive  Church  the  great  cause  of  the  emancipation  of  Christianity,  and  whose  mission  it  was  to  free  it 
completely  from  the  bonds  of  the  synagogue.  This  man  was  Paul,  and  never  had  noble  truth  a  nobler 
organ.  He  brought  to  its  service  an  heroic  heart,  in  which  fervent  love  was  joined  to  indomitable  courage, 
and  a  mind  equally  able  to  rise  to  the  loftiest  heights  of  speculation,  and  to  penetrate  into  the  deepest 
recesses  of  the  human  soul.  All  these  great  qualities  were  enhanced  by  absolute  devotedness  to  Jesus 
Christ,  and  a  self-abnegation  such  as,  apart  from  the  sacrifice  of  the  Redeemer,  has  had  no  parallel  upon 
earth.  His  life  was  one  perpetual  offering  up  of  himself.  His  sufferings  have  contributed  no  less  than 
his  indefatigable  activity  to  the  triumph  of  his  principles.     De  P. 

By  faith,  Saul  of  Tarsus,  journeying  toward  Damascus,  exchanged  the  path  of  persecution  for  that  of 
martyrdom.  By  faith,  Saul  filled  the  known  world  with  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  did  a  work  which 
no  other  human  work  has  equaled,  either  in  extent  or  in  depth.  By  faith,  Saul,  victorious  over  a  rebel- 
lious nature,  attained  to  a  height  of  Christian  life  which  would  have  been  judged  above  man,  if  it  had 
not  been  realized  in  his  history.  "  Go,  and  do  likewise,"  It  is  not  a  question  of  strength — it  is  a  ques- 
tion of  faith.     Monod, 


Tarsus  of  Cilicia,  where  Saul  was  born,  was  a 
city  of  wealth  and  culture.  The  education  he  re- 
ceived there  was  perfected  at  Jerusalem  under  the 
instruction  of  the  greatest  teacher  of  his  time,  the 
Rabban  Gamaliel.  What  Saul  became  as  a  scholar, 
and  with  what  fine  fiber  of  heart  and  large  capacity 
of  intellect  he  was  naturally  gifted,  we  readily  gather 

from  his  inspired  letters.     B. Saul  was  born  and 

spent  his  earliest  days  in  the  shelter  of  a  home  which 
was  Hebrew,  not  in  name  only  but  in  spirit.  He 
grew  up  an  Israelitish  boy,  nurtured  in  those  his- 
tories of  the  chosen  people  which  he  was  destined  so 


often  to  repeat  in  the  synagogues,  with  the  new  and 
wonderful  commentary  supplied  by  the  life  and 
resurrection  of  a  crucified  Messiah.  The  histories 
of  Abraham  and  Isaac,  of  Jacob  and  his  twelve  sons, 
of  Moses,  Joshua  and  Samuel,  Elijah,  Daniel  and  the 
Maccabees,  were  the  stories  of  his  childhood.  The 
destruction  of  Pharaoh  in  the  Red  Sea,  the  thunders 
of  Mount  Sinai,  the  dreary  journeys  in  the  wilder- 
ness, the  land  that  flowed  with  milk  and  honey — 
this  was  the  earliest  imagery  presented  to  his  open- 
ing mind.  The  triumphant  songs  of  Zion,  the  lamen- 
tations by  the  waters  of  BabyloU)  the  prophetic 


SECTION  20 J^.— ACTS  9  : 1-19. 


61 


praises  of  the  Messiah,  were  the  songs  around  his 
cradle.  Above  all,  he  would  be  familiar  -with  the 
destinies  of  his  own  illustrious  tribe.  How  little 
was  it  imagined  that,  as  Benjamin  was  the  youngest 
and  most  honored  of  the  patriarchs,  so  this  listening 
child  of  Benjamin  should  be  associated  with  the 
twelve  servants  of  the  Messiah  of  God,  the  last  and 
most  illustrious  of  the  apostles !     H. 

1,2.  SauVs  Self -moved  Mission  to  persecute  the 
Christiaiis  of  Damascus. — This  abrupt  introduction 
of  Saul  is  deeply  stirring  and  suggestive.  Here  is  a 
man  of  intense  energy  with  a  soul  on  fire  with  a  pur- 
pose  of  serving  God  in  the  only  way  he  knew,  by 
destroying  those  whom  he  thought  were  overthrow- 
ing  religion.  Even  then,  as  a  persecutor,  Saul  bold- 
ly acted  out  his  belief.  And  with  what  depth  of 
passion  is  evident  from  these  words,  "  breathing  out 
slaughter,"  and  from  his  own  after  statement,  "  I 

was   exceedingly  mad  against  them."      B. The 

position  of  Saul  at  the  death  of  Stephen  was  due, 
not  to  natural  cruelty,  but  to  a  perverted  judgment. 
He  thought  he  did  God  service  by  slaying  the  disci- 
ples of  Christ.  At  this  time  bis  belief  was  that 
Stephen's  doctrines  were  subversive  of  the  true  reli- 
gion ;  and  that  the  best  way  of  checking  a  heresy 
was  to  put  the  heretics  to  death.  These  principles 
did  not  die  out  with  the  conversion  of  Saul.  They 
survived,  and  deluged  Europe  with  blood  do^vn  to  a 
very  recent  period.  It  is  only  now,  in  our  own  gen- 
eration, that  religious  toleration  has  been  estab- 
lished.   Arnot. 

3.  The  authority  of  the  Sanhedrim  of  Jerusalem 
was  very  great,  so  that  not  only  the  Jews  who  in- 
habited the  land  of  Israel,  but  the  Babylonian  and 
Alexandrian  Jews,  received  its  decrees,  and  obeyed 
them  with  reverence.  They  acknowledged  the  San- 
hedrim as  the  bulwark  of  the  oral  law.  They  more 
especially  submitted  to  its  authority  in  accusations 
of  heresy,  and  trial  of  false  prophets,  which  the  San- 
hedrim alone  was  supposed  competent  to  consider. 
The  Romans,  to  whose  power  the  whole  of  Arabia 
at  this  time  submitted,  granted  to  the  Jewish  coun- 
cil the  power  of  imprisonment  and  scourging,  not 
only  over  the  Jews  of  Palestine,  but  over  other  syna- 
gogues, which  willingly,  in  religious  matters,  yielded 
to  the  control  of  the  Sanhedrim.     G.  T. 

3-7.  The  conversion  of  Saul  was  like  the  call  of 

a  second  Abraham.     H. It  was  the  most  striking 

and  important  individual  conversion  between  Christ's 
ascension  and  his  return  to  judge  the  world.  In  its 
results,  direct  and  indirect,  it  is  the  largest  single 
fruit  that  has  yet  been  gathered  from  the  tree  of 
righteousness  that  the  Lord  by  his  death  and  resur- 
rection planted  in  the  world.  No  mere  man,  before 
or  since,  has  filled  so  great  a  space  in  the  scheme 
of  Providence,  or  left  his  mark  so  wide  and  deep 
upon  the  world.    The  gospel  is  the  greatest  power 


that  has  ever  operated  on  earth,  and  Paul  was  its 
greatest  minister.    Arnot. 


^      O        Ptolema^ 


Eastern  Seaboard  of  the  Mediterranean.     (The  position  of 
the  several  places  named  should  be  carefully  noted.) 

3.  Damascus  is  the  oldest  city  in  the  world.  Its 
fame  begins  with  the  earUest  patriarchs,  and  con- 
tinues to  modern  times.  It  was  founded  before 
Baalbec  and  Palmyra,  and  it  has  outlived  them 
both.  While  Babylon  is  a  heap  in  the  desert,  and 
Tyre  a  ruin  on  the  shore,  it  remains  what  it  is  called 
in  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah,  "  the  head  of  Syria." 
How  important  a  place  it  was  in  the  flourishing  pe- 
riod of  the  Jewish  monarchy,  we  know  from  the 
garrisons  which  David  placed  there,  and  from  the 
opposition  it  presented  to  Solomon.  And  how  close 
its  relations  continued  to  be  with  the  Jews,  we  know 
from  the  chronicles  of  Jeroboam  and  Ahaz,  and  the 
prophecies  of  Isaiah  and  Amos.  Its  mercantile 
greatness  is  indicated  by  Ezekiel  in  the  remarkable 
words  addressed  to  Tyre — "  Damascus  was  thy  mer- 
chant in  the  multitude  of  the  wares  of  thy  making, 
for  the  multitude  of  all  riches  ;  in  the  wine  of  Hel- 


62 


SECTION  204.— ACTS  9:1-19. 


bon,  and  white  wool."  Leaving  the  Jewish  annals, 
we  might  follow  its  history  through  continuous  cen- 
turies, from  the  time  when  Alexander  sent  Parmenio 
to  take  it,  while  the  conqueror  himself  was  march- 
ing from  Tarsus  to  Tyre — to  its  occupation  by  Pom- 
pey — to  the  letters  of  Julian  the  Apostate,  who 
describes  it  as  "the  eye  of  the  East" — and  onward 
through  its  golden  days,  when  it  was  the  residence 
of  the  Ommiad  caliphs,  and  the  metropolis  of  the 
Mohammedan  world — and  through  the  period  when 
its  fame  was  mingled  with  that  of  Saladin  and 
Tamerlane — to  our  own  days,  when  the  praise  of 
its  beauty  is  celebrated  by  every  traveler  from 
Europe.     H. 

Saul's  journey  of  five   or  six  days  (140  miles) 
was  nearly  completed.     Damascus,  the  queen  city 


of  the  East,  beautifully  situated  upon  a  fertile  plain, 
between  two  broad  streams  rushing  down  from  the 
foot  of  Hermon  and  the  anti-Lebanon  mountains, 
was  now  close  at  hand,  perhaps  visible  in  the  dis- 
tance. The  anticipation  of  success  and  triumph  in 
his  persecuting  work  was  in  his  heart  as  he  pressed 
eagerly  on.     Suddenly  his  career  was  checked  by  a 

blinding  light  from  heaven.     B. The  light  was 

that  which  the  Jews  called  the  Shechinah,  or  glori- 
ous presence  of  Jehovah,  dwelling  in  the  tabernacle 
— the  divine  indwelling  majesty.  It  was  the  very 
light,  the  sacred  light,  which  their  fathers  knew 
so  well.  It  appeared  at  sundry  times,  and  in  diverse 
forms,  for  various  purposes  ;  now  of  mercy,  now  of 
judgment.  It  was  this  light  that  blazed  out  in  the 
flaming  sword ;  that  appeared  to  Abraham  in  Ur  of 


Damascus. 


the  Chaldees ;  that  was  seen  by  Moses  in  the  burn- 
ing bush ;  that  shone  out  in  the  pillar  of  fire,  and 
compassed  the  top  of  Sinai ;  that  dwelt  in  the  taber- 
nacle and  in  the  temple;  that  showed  itself  to 
Gideon's  father ;  that  kindled  the  fire  on  Solomon's 
altar ;  that  was  seen  by  Ezekiel  departing,  and  by 
Daniel  in  his  visions ;  that  for  four  hundred  years 
left  the  earth,  but  reappeared  at  Bethlehem  to  the 
shepherds  and  to  the  wise  men;  at  Christ's  bap- 
tism ;  at  the  transfiguration  ;  at  Pentecost ;  at  Ste- 
phen's martyrdom ;  and  now  at  Saul's  conversion ; 
and  afterward  at  Patmos.  Such  is  the  history  of 
this  wondrous  light — the  representation  of  Ilim  who 
is  light,  and  in  whom  is  no  darkness  at  all ;  of  Him 
who  is  the  light  of  the  world  ;  of  Him  who  is  the 
brightness  of  Jehovah's  glory.  The  history  of  that 
light  is  the  Christology  of  Scripture.     Bonar, 


As  he  was  stricken  to  the  earth,  a  voice  dis- 
tinctly articulates  the  question,  "Saul,  Saul,  why 
persccutcst  thou  me  ?  "  In  the  double  address,  as 
also  used  by  Christ  to  Martha  and  Simon,  is  designed 
both  accusation  and  tender  remonstrance;  first 
(always)  a  convincing  of  sin,  and  then  a  gracious 
pity.  Saul's  thought  was  of  binding  and  punishing 
Christ's  disciples,  and  so  doing  service  to  God. 
Christ  calls  it  persecution.  And  he  identifies  him- 
self completely  with  these  imperiled  persecuted  dis- 
ciples :  Why  persecutest  thou  Me  ?  In  the  thou, 
Christ  further  emphasizes  Saul's  self-prompting  in 
his  cruel  work.  Then  in  answer  to  the  question  of 
the  prostrate  but  uplooking  man,  "  Who  art  thou 
Lord  ? "  comes  a  repetition  of  the  charge :  /  am 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  whom  thou  persecutest !  Here, 
too,  again  Christ  identifies  his  suffering  members 


SECTION  20Ji.—AGTS  9  : 1-19. 


63 


with  himself.  And  in  a  figure  that  was  proverbial 
he  counsels  Saul  against  a  vain  and  a  hurtful  re- 
sistance. 

These  first  words  of  Jesus  were  not  merely  enough 
to  convince  Said  of  sin  and  draw  his  faith  to  Christ, 
revealed  here  as  Jehovah  through  the  known  She- 
chinah,  a  symbol  of  dazzling  light.  This  we  know 
they  did  effect,  and  this  was  Saul's  conversion.  It 
was  wrought  as  all  other  conversions  are  wrought, 
through  truth  convincing  the  conscience  of  sin  and 
through  the  revelation  of  Christ  as  a  divine  Re- 
deemer. It  differed  from  others  in  the  personal, 
visible  manifestation  of  Christ.  The  transfigured 
God-man  Saul  saw,  even  as  Peter  and  James  and 
John  had  seen  him  "in  the  holy  mount,"  and  as 
Stephen  had  seen  him  through  the  opened  heavens. 
So  Paul  distinctly  affirms. 

But  these  first  words  of  Christ  did  more  than  con- 
vert. They  were  imprinted  so  deeply  upon  Saul's 
very  heart  that  they  shaped  all  his  after  thought 
and  teaching.  A  deep  intense  conviction  of  sin  as 
unbelief  in  and  rejection  of  Christ ;  an  overwhelm- 
ing conception  of  the  inconceivable  breadth  and 
depth  of  the  grace  of  Christ  in  saving  and  seeking  ; 
and  a  realization  of  Christ's  identity  with  his  disci- 
ples, especially  of  his  living  present  sympathy  with 
them  in  suffering — these  great  fundamental  truths, 
rooted  in  the  soul  of  Saul  in  this  personal  interview 
with  Christ,  form  the  staple  and  substance  of  his 
preaching  and  his  epistles.  Ofttimes  he  refers  to 
this  first  experience  as  the  source  of  his  knowledge. 

That  he  is  already  converted,  that  his  strong  will 
is  subdued,  voluntarily  subjected  to  the  will  of 
Christ,  that  his  heart  is  humbled,  utterly  turned 
from  persecution  to  devotion,  that  he  is  henceforth 
consecrated  to  Christ  and  to  Christ's  service,  his  an- 
swering question  assures  us :  Lord,  what  vnlt  thou 
have  me  to  do  ?  His  question  is  a  new  request  for 
another  commission,  for  one  directly  opposed  in  its 
spirit  and  object  to  that  which  had  sent  him  thus 
far  on  his  journey.  And  this  request  is  answered 
with  a  direction  to  arise  and  go  into  the  city  (Da- 
mascus). There  he  would  receive  instruction  ichat 
to  do.  Thus  far  no  human  instrumentality  had  been 
employed.  Saul  had  been  apprehended,  as  he  calls 
it  (Phil.  3),  grasped  and  taken  possession  of  by  Christ. 
For  this  end,  too,  all  that  was  supernatural  was 
wrought  by  Christ.  But  he  teas  not  disobedient  to 
the  heavenly  vision  !     B. 

8.  Thus  entered  Saul  into  Damascus;  not,  as  he 
had  expected,  to  triumph  in  an  enterprise  on  which 
his  soul  was  set,  to  enter  into  houses  and  carry  off 
prisoners  to  Jerusalem ;  but  he  passed  himself  like 
a  prisoner  beneath  the  gateway  and  through  the 
street  called  "  Straight,"  where  he  was  led  by  the 
hands  of  others  to  the  house  of  Judas,  his  dark  and 
solitary  lodging.     H. 


9.  The  Three  Days  of  Blindness  and  Fasting. — 
A  period  and  an  experience  of  inestimable  value. 
Without  sight  and  food,  the  world  shut  out  from 
every  sense,  that  the  spirit  may  have  undisturbed 
communion  with  itself  and  with  God.  Thought 
upon  his  own  previous  life,  upon  the  Old  Testament 
disclosures  of  Messiah,  upon  the  glowing  words,  the 
saintly  spirit,  and  the  glad  sacrifice  of  Stephen,  and 
thought  upon  his  own  part  in  that  sacrifice.  And 
now  the  Christ  of  Nazareth,  seen  by  him  as  by 
Stephen,  as  the  God  of  glory,  had  come  into  his 
heart.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  was  opening  his  under- 
standing and  inspiring  his  soul  to  fervent  trustful 
communion  with  God  in  supplication  and  praise. 
So  passed  those  days  of  thought,  of  confirmed  con- 
victions and  purposes,  of  grateful  adoration,  of 
penitent  joy,  and  of  earnest  yearning  and  pleading 
with  God — days  of  special  divine  inworking  and 
preparation  for  the  work  before  him. 

10-16.  Christ  sends  Ananias  to  Saul. — A  hu- 
man instrumentality  is  now  employed  for  Saul's 
further  instruction  and  reception  into  Christian  fel- 
lowship and  ministry.  The  agent  is  an  obscure  dis- 
ciple, unknown  before  and  after  this  transaction. 
But  he  is  supernaturally  directed,  and  Saul  super- 
naturally  prepared  to  receive  him,  showing  that 
Christ  controls  all  human  ministry.  In  the  vision 
Christ  directs  Ananias  to  go  to  Saul,  plainly  inti- 
mating the  change  wrought  in  this  persecutor  by 
the  words,  "  For,  behold,  he  prayeth!"  But,  with 
the  knowledge  of  Saul's  slaughter  of  the  saints  in 
Jerusalem,  and  of  his  purpose  in  coming  to  Damas- 
cus, and  otherwise  ignorant  of  what  had  occurred  to 
Saul,  the  faith  of  Ananias  is  not  equal  to  so  sudden 
and  strong  a  demand.  Frankly  he  tells  his  difficulty 
to  the  Lord,  and  without  a  word  of  reproach  Christ 
removes  it.  "  A  chosen  vessel  is  this  intensely  ear- 
nest enemy  !  He  shall  bear  my  name  before  kings 
and  all  peoples !  For  my  name's  sake  he  must 
suffer  great  things  !  "  Yet  Christ  granted  this  suf- 
ferer, as  since  every  sufferer  for  Him,  to  do  great 
things  also.     B. 

11.  Behold,  he  prayeth.  As  he  the  Phar- 
isee of  Pharisees  has  never  prayed  before ;  he  prays 
with  the  heart  of  a  publican.  Where  prayer  like 
this  is  uttered,  a  foe  of  Christ  has  been  disarmed. 
Here  is  a  light  arisen  for  the  blind,  of  which  ho  had 
never  dreamed  when  he  sat  at  Gamaliel's  feet;  a 
light  on  the  greatness  of  his  own  guilt,  by  which  he, 
who  had  dreamed  himself  to  be  already  on  the  sum- 
mit of  perfection,  awakens  on  the  brink  of  an  abyss. 
But  here,  too,  a  thirsty  soul  is  brought  nigh  to  the 
spring  of  consolation,  where  refreshing  is  never 
sought  in  vain.  Can  we  ever  doubt  again  that  in 
heaven  an  ear  is  opened  to  the  prayer  of  penitence  ? 
Who  has  not,  on  the  contemplation  of  the  spiritual 
greatness  of  this  Paul,   trembled  involuntarily  in 


64 


SECTION'  205.— ACTS  9  :  19-30. 


silent  wonder  ?  But  the  key  to  it  all  lies  in  the 
prayer-chamber  at  Damascus,  whence  he  issued  as 
one  awakened  to  new  life.  When  a  sinner  prays  in 
this  manner,  a  future  song  of  praise  is  made  certain. 
Happy  is  he  who  has  learned  to  pray  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  even  in  heaven  it  may  be  termed  prayer, 
and  who  can  declare,  "  To  me  is  mercy  shown ! " 
Van  0. 

15.  A  chosen  vessel.  It  was  a  polished  and 
capacious  vessel  that  the  Great  King  wrenched 
from  the  hands  of  the  arch-enemy  near  the  gate  of 
Damascus.  One  of  the  clearest  intellects  that  ever 
glowed  in  a  human  frame  changed  hands  that  day. 
Saul  was  a  man  of  rare  courage.  He  was  a  good 
soldier  of  the  wicked  one  before  he  owned  allegiance 
to  Christ.  He  was  Christ's  chief  enemy  then  in  the 
world.  He  breathed  forth  threatenings  and  slaugh- 
ter against  the  members  of  the  Church,  blasphemies 
against  its  living  Head.  God  looks  down  from 
heaven  on  this  man,  not  as  an  adversary  whose  as- 
saults are  formidable,  but  as  an  instrument  which 
may  be  turned  to  another  use.  As  clay  in  the  hands 
of  the  potter  this  man  lies.  Saul  of  Tarsus,  called 
to  be  an  apostle,  is  a  conspicuous  example  of  Divine 
sovereignty.  He  did  not  first  choose  Christ,  but 
Christ  chose  him.     Arnot. 

17,  18.  The  Words  of  Ananias  and  the  Result 
Wrought  by  the  Holy  Ghost. — Ananias  at  once  obeys 
the  heavenly  vision,  goes  to  the  "  street  called 
Straight,"  enters  the  house  of  Judas  and  the  cham- 
ber where  Saul  is  lying,  puts  his  hands  upon  those 
sightless  eyes,  and  utters  the  message  of  Christ. 
Two  things  Ananias  announces  as  the  purpose  of 
his  mission,  and  connects  with  the  laying  on  of  his 
hands.  One,  the  receiving  again  of  bodily  sight ; 
the  other,  the  hcmg  filled  ivith  the  Holy  Ghost.  The 
latter,  we  have  already  learned,  refers  only  to  his 
extraordinary  and  miraculous  gifts ;  for  his  quick- 
ening power  had  been  already  exercised  at  Saul's 
conversion.  At  once  the  darkness  was  exchanged 
for  clear  vision.  Accepting  the  ordination  and  ap- 
pointment of  Christ,  as  duty  and  privilege,  he  for- 
mally joined  himself  to  the  living  body  of  Christ, 
and  by  an  ordinary  believer  was  baptized.  So  the 
persecutor  became  a  disciple  and  leader  of  the  per- 
secuted— the  inveterate  enemy  a  devoted  adherent. 
And  all  without  human  agency.     "An  apostle,"  he 


said,  "  by  the  will  of  God,  sent  not  from  man  nor 
by  man,  but  by  Jesus  Christ." 


The  leading  points  of  profitable  thought  are 
found  mainly  in  the  impressions  left  upon  Paul's 
heart  by  this  memorable  experience  of  conversion, 
impressions  elaborately  inwrought  in  his  inspired 
letters  for  the  help  and  comfort  of  believers.  First 
of  all,  the  facts  of  sin  and  grace,  imprinted  upon  his 
soul  by  the  question  and  responses  of  Christ,  sin,  as 
unbelief  in  Christ,  and  grace,  Christ's  compassionate 
seeking  and  saving  the  guilty,  these  are  the  truths 
which  comprise  the  substance  of  the  gospel.  Next, 
ChrisCs  absolute  identification  of  his  people  ivith  him- 
self. His  constant  vision  of  every  believer,  and  in- 
stant sympathy  with  every  need  and  trial.  With  in- 
imitable tenderness  the  words  "  I  am  Jesus  whom 
thou  jyersecutcst "  respond  to  the  whole  spirit  of  his 
last  discourse  and  prayer.  They  prove,  hy  fact,  his 
oneness  with  his  own  after  he  had  passed  into  the 
heavens  !  Again,  suffering,  in  some  form,  is  a  vital 
part  of  the  highest  training  for  effective  service. 
Saul's  experience  and  teaching  abundantly  declare 
that  the  faithful  follower  must,  like  the  Master,  be 
"  made  perfect  through  suffering." 

Another  expression  of  Christ  concerning  Saul,  a 
chosen  vessel,  the  apostle  dilates  upon,  in  its  twofold 
meaning,  as  applicable  to  all  believers.  Vessels  for 
use — of  varying  capacity — that  can  only  give  of  that 
which  is  first  received ;  empty  and  useless  unless 
filled  by  the  grace  of  God,  but,  when  thus  supplied, 
made  sources  of  blessing  to  others  to  the  praise  of 
God.  And  chosen — "elect  of  God  and  precious." 
Signally  as  this  truth  of  God's  choice  is  proven  in 
Saul's  conversion,  as  cei-tainly  is  it  proven  by  the 
e:tperience  of  every  true  believer.  And  the  teaching 
of  this  sustaining  truth  Paul  expressly  and  only  ad- 
dresses to  the  believer,  since  the  believer  alone  can 
fully  and  joyfully  accept  it.  Yet  another  theme,  in 
its  grandeur  of  reality,  was  impressed  indelibly  upon 
his  heart.  It  was  the  glory  of  the  risen  Christ.  A 
living,  glorified,  Divine  Saviour,  who  was  and  is  Jesus 
of  Nazareth  !  Glorying  in  the  Cross  because  of  the 
redemption  wrought  upon  it,  he  glories,  ever  in  a 
higher  strain  of  rapture,  in  Jesus,  the  man  of  Naza- 
reth, effulgent  with  light  celestial  and  majesty 
Divine !    B. 


Section  205. 

Acts  ix.  19-30. 

19  Then  was  Sanl  certain  days  with  the  disciples  which  were  at  Damascns.     And  straight- 

20  way  he  preached  Christ  in  the  synagogues,  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God.     But  all  that  heard 

21  Mm  were  amazed,  and  said ;  Is  not  this  he  that  destroyed  them  which  called  on  this  name 


SECTIO:^  205.— ACTS  9  :  10-30. 


65 


in  Jerusalem,  and  came  hitlier  for  that  intent,  that  he  might  bring  tliem  bound  unto  the 

22  chief  priests?  But  Saul  increased  the  more  in  strength,  ;md  confounded  the  Jews  which 
dwelt  at  Damascus,  proving  that  this  is  very  Christ. 

23  And  after  that  many  days  were  fulfilled,  the  Jews  took  counsel  to  kill  him  :  but  their  laying 

24  await  was  known  of  Saul.    And  they  watched  the  gates  day  and  night  to  kill  him.    Then  the 

25  disciples  took  him  by  night,  and  let  him  down  by  the  wall  in  a  basket.    And  when  Saul 

26  was  come  to  Jerusalem,  he  assayed  to  join  himself  to  the  disciples :  but  they  were  all  afraid 

27  of  hhn,  and  believed  not  that  he  was  a  disciple.  But  Barnabas  took  him,  and  brought  Mm 
to  the  apostles,  and  declared  unto  them  how  he  had  seen  the  Lord  in  the  way,  and  that  he 
had  spoken  to  him,  and  how  he  had  preached  boldly  at  Damascus  in  the  name  of  Jesus. 

28  And  he  was  with  them  coming  in  and  going  out  at  Jerusalem.     And  he  spake  boldly  in  the 

29  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  disputed  against  the  Grecians:  but  they  went  about  to  slay 

30  him.  Which  when  the  brethren  knew,  they  brought  him  do\^  n  to  Csesarea,  and  sent  him 
forth  to  Tarsus. 

In  the  fusing  of  Christianity  and  Judaism,  what  and  who  is  needed  ?  The  man  must  be  a  pure  Jew  by 
birth,  and  by  education  imbued  with  the  fullest  and  deepest  knowledge  both  of  the  law  itself  and  of  that 
fabric  of  human  traditional  interpretation  which  the  rabbis  had  built  up  around  it.  No  less  necessary  is 
it  that  he  should  have  been  versed  in  the  Greek  tongue,  which  was  then  the  universal  vehicle  of  thought 
and  argument ;  should  have  been  trained  in  Gentile  habits  of  joining  thought  to  thought ;  and  should 
have  acquired  that  degree  of  acquaintance  with  heathen  literature  which  might  enable  him  to  dispute 
with  effect  in  Grecian  schools  and  among  Grecian  audiences.  These  qualifications  were  united  in  Saul  of 
Tarsus.  And  his  personal  qualifications  were  to  the  full  as  marvelous.  Ardent,  sympathetic,  universal 
in  his  regards,  and  able  to  cast  himself  into  every  other  man's  position ;  within  certain  limits  becoming 
all  things  to  all  men,  but  absolutely  immovable  as  to  compromise  beyond  these  limits ;  carrying  all  in  his 
heart,  and  making  every  man's  griefs  and  joys  his  own ;  with  tears  for  every  sorrow,  and  glowing  term3 
of  endearment  and  congratulation  ever  on  his  tongue ;  master  at  the  same  time  of  the  most  melting 
exhortation  and  the  keenest  and  most  delicate  irony ;  pouring  out  his  words,  which  crowded  one  another 
to  keep  pace  with  the  rapidity  of  his  phases  of  thought,  flying  from  proof  to  proof,  and  from  one  indig- 
nant refutation  to  another ;  sometimes  seemingly  forgetful  of  his  main  subject,  while  he  pursues  word 
after  word  which  have  sprung  up  along  the  path  of  his  disputation,  then  returning  to  it  again,  in  like 
manner  again  to  desert  it :  till  at  last  all  these  off-lying  ideas  and  images  and  allusions  are  bound  up 
together  in  the  majestic  and  overwhelming  conclusion.  Such  was  the  mind  and  such  was  the  heart  of 
which  God  made  choice,  to  bring  about  the  greatest  revolution  ever  wrought  in  the  history  of  man.     A. 


19-32.  Saul  straightway  preaches  Christ  to  the 
Amazed  Je^vs. — Uis  obedience  to  the  heavenly  vision 
was  instant,  unquestioning,  and  whole-hearted.  No 
thought  had  he  of  looking  back,  and  none  of  mea- 
suring hindrances  or  of  forecasting  difficulties  in  his 
forward  path.  At  the  outset  his  conviction  was  as 
clear  and  decisive  as  it  was  intense  and  deep ;  and 
it  remained  unchanged  to  the  end.  And  his  courage 
was  that  of  conviction,  not  of  mere  nerve  or  will. 
This  bold  fronting  of  danger  for  the  preaching  of 
Christ  was  first  manifested  now,  and  to  his  old  as- 
sociates. He  had  led  them  in  their  hatred  and  per- 
secution of  Christ  and  his  disciples — now  he  would 
turn  them,  with  himself,  to  the  service  of  his  re- 
vealed Lord.  The  same  Saul,  with  aim  and  object 
of  life  reversed,  he  throws  the  same  intensity  into 
his  new  mission  of  love.  As  one  who  has  seen  the 
Lord,  whose  soul  is  taken  captive  by  the  Lord's 
grace  to  him,  as  one  who  believes,  he  must  speak. 
He  must  bear  testimony  at  least,  that  may  help  to 
5 


counteract  the  evil  he  had  done.  No  wonder  that 
his  former  associates  were  amazed  at  the  extreme 
change  produced  in  him.  They  saw  it  was  real,  and 
felt  that  an  incomprehensible  power  had  wrought  it. 
His  honest  consecration  had  a  life  and  energy  which 
contrasted  with  their  formal  and  lifeless  religion.  B. 

That  the  bigoted  persecutor,  at  the  climax  of 
honor  with  his  own  nation,  and  in  the  full  career 
of  success,  should  have  suddenly  cast  in  his  lot  with 
the  Christians,  and  entered  on  the  new  course  of 
self-sacrificing  labor  and  suffering  which  made  up 
the  rest  of  his  life,  has  often  been  esteemed  of  itself 
a  complete  evidence  of  the  truth  of  Christianity.    S. 

Next  to  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  and 

the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  gospel  history 
has  no  testimony  which  equals  the  conversion  of 
Saul  of  Tarsus.  It  has  been  felt  in  all  ages ;  and 
many  a  reflective  mind,  hitherto  unmoved,  has  yield- 
ed to  the  power  of  this  page  of  the  gospel.    Monod. 

23.  Interval  of  Special  Preparation  in  Arabia, 


66 


SECTION  S05.~ACTS  9:19-30. 


and  Return  to  Damascus. — His  spontaneous  testi- 
mony borne  for  Christ,  after  brief  stay — certain  da>/s, 
verse  19 — he  tells  us  (Gal.  1 :  17)  that  he  went  into 
Arabia  and  returned  again  to  Damascus.  The  interval 
spent  in  Arabia  comprised  nearly  the  whole  of  the 
three  years  (Gal.  1  :  18)  between  his  conversion  and 
his  first  visit  to  Jerusalem.  This  interval  is  indi- 
cated in  verse  23  by  many  or  sufficient  days.  B. 

As  used  by  Paul  (Gal.  1  :  17),  Arabia  does  not  ne- 
cessarily mean  the  wilderness  of  Arabia,  commonly 
so  called.  Early  Christian  writers  assign  Damascus 
itself  to  Arabia ;  and  the  region  of  Auranitis,  on 
the  south  of  Damascus,  is  reckoned  by  Roman  wri- 
ters as  belonging  to  Arabia.  Luke  passes  over  an 
interval  of  three  years.  And  it  is  observable  that 
"  many  days  "  are  equivalent  to  three  years  in  1  K. 
2 :  38.     W. 


■Windows  on  the  Wall — Damascus. 

Like  Moses  and  Elijah,  he  seems  to  have  been 
led  into  the  quiet  of  the  wilderness  for  a  period  of 
needful  thought  and  prayer.  Thought  upon  the 
Old  Testament  Scriptures  in  their  new  light,  upon 
his  own  previous  career,  upon  the  heavenly  vision, 
the  Christ  of  prophecy  now  disclosed  to  him  in  the 
person  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ;  and  prayer  for  guid- 
ance, for  qualification  to  serve  and  teach,  for  needed 
inward  discipline  and  training  of  spirit  to  do  and 
bear.  And  gradually,  as  others  are,  was  he  guided 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  into  truth.  Not  by  any  direct  or 
independent  revelation,  but  in  connection  with  the 
studied  Scriptures  and  the  known  facts  of  Christ's 


incarnate  career.  Visions  indeed  he  had,  at  inter- 
vals and  in  emergencies  of  his  after-life.  But  here 
he  was  led  to  the  right  apprehension  and  full  mean- 
ing of  the  written  word,  and  of  the  teachings  of 
Christ.  The  Spirit  took  of  the  things  of  Christ  and 
showed  them  unto  him.  Yet  let  it  be  remembered 
that  to  the  three  days  of  blindness,  and  the  three 
years  of  thoughtful  study  and  prayer,  five  years  of 
practice  are  added  before  he  is  fully  charged  with 
his  great  commission.  God  takes  time  to  prepare 
those  whom  he  specially  employs. 

33  -25  •  SauVs  Escape  from  Damascus. — Returned 
again,  he  goes  straightway  to  the  synagogue.  With 
even  stronger  faith  and  zeal,  as  his  views  of  truth 
were  wider,  his  skill  in  argument  and  force  of  state- 
ment were  such  that  his  old  opponents  could  not 
meet  or  refute  his  teachings.  And,  since  he  thor- 
oughly knew  them  and  their  views,  his  refutation  of 
their  errors  would  be  especially  pointed  and  effec- 
tive. Naturally,  therefore,  Saul's  former  associates 
became  his  most  implacable  foes.  They  conspired 
with  the  governor  of  Damascus  to  kill  him  (2  Cor. 
11  :  32,  33).  But,  from  the  overhanging  window  of 
a  house  upon  an  unguarded  part  of  the  wall,  the 
disciples  let  him  down  into  the  open  country,  and 
he  made  good  his  first  escape  from  persecuting 
Jews.  The  Lord  has  already  begun  to  show  him 
how  great  things  he  niust  suffer. 

26-29.  Brief  Visit  and  Ministry  at  Jerusa- 
lem.— Paul's  own  account  of  this  visit  we  find  in 
Gal.  1  :  11-18.  His  chief  motive  was  to  see  Peter 
and  James.  But  even  these  leaders  of  the  apos- 
tles (and  he  sought  "and  saw  none  besides  these 
two)  doubted  his  sincerity.  They  would  not  receive 
him  until  Barnabas — who  was  from  Cyprus,  not  far 
from  Tarsus — who  had  learned  the  facts  of  Saul's 
conversion,  probably  from  himself,  took  the  new 
convert  to  the  two,  and  told  them  his  marvelous 
story.  For  only  fifteen  days  the  three  remained  to- 
gether.    B. 

The  first  meeting  of  the  fisherman  of  Galilee 
and  the  tent-maker  of  Tarsus,  the  chosen  companion 
of  Jesus  on  earth  and  the  chosen  Pharisee  who  saw 
Jesus  in  the  heavens,  the  apostle  of  the  circum- 
cision and  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  is  passed 
over  in  Scripture  in  a  few  words.  The  divine  record 
does  not  linger  in  dramatic  description  on  those 
passages,  which  a  mere  human  writing  would  labor 
to  embellish.  What  took  place  in  the  intercourse 
of  these  two  saints,  what  was  said  of  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth, who  suffered,  died,  and  was  buried,  and  of 
Jesus,  the  glorified  Lord,  who  had  risen  and  as- 
cended, and  become  "  Head  over  all  things  to  the 
Church,"  what  was  felt  of  Christian  love  and  devo- 
tion, what  was  learned  under  the  Spirit's  teaching 
of  Christian  truth,  has  not  been  revealed  and  can 
not  be  known.     H. 


SECTIOX  206.— ACTS  9  :  31-1 


67 


Boldly  and  effectively  he  proved  his  divine  mis- 
sion in  presence  of  these  veteran  apostles.  Boldly 
he  entered  the  very  synagogue  of  the  Grecians 
where  Stephen  had  taught,  and  effectively  preached 


the  same  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  conclusively  refuting 
all  opposing  argument.  And  again,  as  their  only 
way  of  silencing,  they  seek  to  slay  him  ! 

30.  Sent  to  his  Native  City. — Not  merely  the 


Modern  Tarsus. 


counsel  of  the  two  apostles,  but  a  positive  command 
of  Christ  (Acts  22  :  18-21),  led  Saul  to  leave  Jeru- 
salem and  go  to  his  own  home.  Another  long  inter- 
val in  Saul's  history  here  occurs,  during  which  we 
only  know  that  he  remained  in  comparative  retire- 
ment, preaching  simply  as  other  disciples  did,  without 
special  appointment  or  formal  ordination,  as  occa- 
sion called  or  the  leading  of  the  Spirit  prompted.  B. 
The  early  chapters  of  the  Acts  are  like  the  nar- 
ratives in  the  Gospels.  It  is  often  hardly  possible 
to  learn  how  far  the  events  related  were  contempo- 
rary or  consecutive.  It  is  impossible  to  determine 
the  relations  of  time  which  subsist  between  Paul's 
retirement  into  Arabia  and  Peter's  visit  to  the  con- 
verted Samaritans,  or  between  the  journey  of  one 


apostle  from  Joppa  to  Cesarea  and  the  journey  of 

the  other  from  Jerusalem  to  Tarsus.     H. The 

interval  of  uncertain  length,  which  he  spent  in 
Cilicia  and  Syria,  after  his  flight  from  Jerusalem 
to  Tarsus,  is  a  blank  in  the  story  of  the  Acts  ;  but 
some  refer  to  this  period  the  chief  part  at  least  of 
the  perils  and  sufferings  which  he  recounts  to  the 
Corinthians,  including  two  Roman  and  five  Jewish 
scourgings  and  three  shipwrecks.  At  all  events,  we 
may  safely  regard  this  as  the  great  probationary 
period  of  the  apostle's  ministry,  in  which,  laboring 
alone  and  unaided  by  man,  he  was  specially  pre- 
pared for  the  wide  field  to  which  he  was  called  when 
Barnabas  came  to  Tarsus  to  seek  his  aid  for  the 
work  at  Antioch.     S. 


Section  206. 

Acts  ix.  31-43. 

81  Then  had  the  churches  rest  throughout  all  Judsea  and  Galilee  and  Samaria,  and  were  edi- 
fied ;  and  walking  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  were  mul- 
tiplied. 

32  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  Peter  passed  throughout  all  quarters,  he  came  down  also  to  the 

33  saints  which  dwelt  at  Lydda.     And  there  he  found  a  certain  man  named  ^neas,  which  had 

34  kept  his  bed  eight  years,  and  was  sick  of  the  palsy.    And  Peter  said  unto  him,  ^neas,  Jesus 


68 


SECTION  S06.—ACTS  9  :  31-43. 


35  Christ  maketh  thee  whole  :  arise,  and  make  thy  bed.     And  he  arose  immediately.     And  all 
that  dwelt  at  Lydda  and  Saron  saw  him,  and  turned  to  the  Lord. 

36  Now  there  was  at  Joppa  a  certain  disciple  named  Tabitha,  which  by  interpretation  is 

37  called  Dorcas  :  this  woman  was  full  of  good  works  and  almsdeeds  which  she  did.     And  it 
came  to  pass  in  those  days,  that  she  was  sick,  and  died  :  whom  when  they  had  washed,  they 

88  laid  her  in  au  upper  chamber.     And  forasmuch  as  Lydda  was  nigh  to  Joppa,  and  the  disci- 
ples had  heard  that  Peter  was  there,  they  sent  unto  him  two  men,  desiring  him  that  he 

89  would  not  delay  to  come  to  them.     Then  Peter  arose  and  went  with  them.     "When  he  was 
come,  they  brought  him  into  the  upper  chamber :  and  all  the  widows  stood  by  him  weeping, 

40  and  shewing  the  coats  and  garments  which  Dorcas  made,  while  she  was  with  them.    But 
Peter  put  them  all  forth,  and  kneeled  down,  and  prayed  ;  and  turning  hijn  to  the  body  said, 

41  Tabitha,  arise.     And  she  opened  her  eyes :  and  when  she  saw  Peter,  she  sat  up.     And  he 
gave  her  his  hand,  and  lifted  her  up,  and  when  he  had  called  the  saints  and  widows, 

42  presented  her  alive.     And  it  was  known  throughout  all  Joppa ;  and  many  believed  in  the 

43  Lord.     And  it  came  to  pass,  that  he  tarried  many  days  in  Joppa  with  one  Simon  a  tanner. 


"  Tabitha  was  not  a  fashion-plate,  but  a  model  for  every  Christian  female."  She  "  looked  echo  on  the 
things  of  others"  helped  to  bear  the  burdens  of  others,  and  "  so  fulfilled  the  law  of  Christ."  Her  methods 
were  appropriate  and  womanly,  as  her  spirit  was  Christlike.  By  this  record  not  only,  but  by  manifold  or- 
ganizations and  bands  that  have  wrought  a  similar  work  of  love  in  every  Christian  age  and  nation,  Dorcas 
being  dead  hath  spoken  and  yet  speaketh.  She  is  one  of  three  women  (Mk.  12  :  44  ;  14  :  9)  whose  self- 
consecration  was  shown  in  their  gifts  and  deeds,  and  whose  memorial  and  eulogy  have  gone  wheresoever 
the  gospel  has  been  preached.     B. 

Dorcas  died  regretted ;  she  was  worth  regretting,  she  was  worth  being  restored,  she  had  not  lived  in 
vain  because  she  had  not  lived  for  herself.  The  end  of  life  is  not  a  thought,  but  an  action — action  for 
others.  But  you,  why  should  you  be  regretted  ?  Have  you  discovered  spiritual  truth  like  Paul  ?  Have 
you  been  brave  and  true  in  defending  it,  like  Peter ;  or  cheered  desolate  hearts,  like  Ananias ;  or  visited 
the  widow  and  the  fatherless  in  their  affliction,  like  Dorcas  ?  If  you  have,  your  life  will  leave  a  trace 
which  will  not  soon  be  effaced  from  the  earth.  But,  if  not,  what  is  your  worthless  self-absorbed  existence 
good  for  but  to  be  swept  away  and  forgotten  as  soon  as  possible  ?  You  will  leave  no  record  of  yourself 
on  earth  except  a  date  of  birth  and  a  date  of  death,  with  an  awfully  significant  blank  between.    F.  W.  R. 


31.  77ie  Upbuilding  and  Inci'ease  of  the  Church 
in  the  Three  Provinces. — This  verse  is  a  point  of 
transition  in  the  history.  After  brief  statement  of 
Saul's  conversion  and  early  ministry,  Luke's  narra- 
tive returns  for  two  or  three  chapters  to  further 
incidents  in  Peter's  career.  No  points  of  time  are 
given  in  either  case,  as  they  were  not  needful  to  the 
purpose  of  the  revelation.  This  purpose  (and  it 
should  be  carefully  noted)  was  to  show,  by  these  few 
specific  incidents,  in  lohat  manner,  and  how  rapidly, 
and  widely,  the  gospel  was  carried  through  the  land, 
how  effectively  it  ivas  preached,  and  with  what  won- 
derfid  results  in  the  conversion  of  men  and  the  for- 
mation of  churches.  Many  "  had  gone  everywhere 
preaching  the  word,"  and  founding  communities  of 
believers.  So  we  find  churches  in  Judca,  Samaria, 
and  even  in  far  Galilee — this  in  spite  of  persecution, 
and  as  its  indirect  effect  in  scattering  abroad  disci- 
ples filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  "  rest,"  or  interval  of  freedom  from  perse- 
cution, here  referred  to,  grew  out  of  an  intense 
excitement,  which   for   a  considerable  period  ab- 


sorbed the  whole  thought  of  the  Jewish  rulers  and 

people.     B. About  this  time  a  more  urgent  and 

immediate  danger  than  the  progress  of  Christianity 
occupied  the  mind  of  the  Jewish  people.  The  very 
existence  of  their  religion  was  threatened,  for  the 
frantic  Caligula  had  issued  orders  to  place  his  statue 
in  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem.  The  historian  of  the 
Jews  must  relate  the  negotiations,  the  petitions,  the 
artful  and  humane  delays  interposed  by  the  prefect 
Petronius,  and  all  the  incidents  which  show  how 
deeply  and  universally  the  nation  was  absorbed  by 
this  appalling  subject.  It  caused,  no  doubt,  a  diver- 
sion in  favor  of  the  Christians  ;  and  the  temporary 
peace  enjoyed  by  the  churches  is  attributed,  with 
great  probability,  rather  to  the  fears  of  the  Jews 
for  their  own  religious  independence,  than  to  the 
relaxation  of  their  hostility  against  the  Christians. 
This  peace  was  not  disturbed  for  about  three  years. 
The  apostles  pursued  their  office  of  disseminating 
the  gospel  in  every  part  of  Judea  until  Herod 
Agrippa  took  possession  of  the  hereditary  domin- 
ions.    Milman. 


SECTION  206.— ACTS  9  :  31-1 


60  ^ 


And  so,  through  the  providence  of  God,  his  peo- 
ple had  needed  quiet.  The  result  of  quiet  is  two- 
fold. They  were  edified,  or  built  up  ;  referring  to 
the  inward  life,  not  the  outward  organization.  Ad- 
vanced and  strengthened  internally,  they  ravi^Q  prog- 
ress in  spiritual  life  and  its  fruits.  And  they  were 
multiplied,  increased  in  the  number  of  the  saved. 
Mark  the  conditions  of  this  increase  !  The  walking, 
or  going  on  and  forward,  actively  meeting  daily  du- 
ties. Walking  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  with  filial 
reverence  and  obedience  at  heart.  And  walking  in 
the  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  soul's  resting 
upon  the  helpful  interposition  of  the  Iloly  Spirit  at 


every  needful  point — this  is  the  meaning  of  "  com- 
fort," as  it  is  of  "  comforter  "  (the  same  word),  ap- 
plied by  Christ  to  the  Holy  Ghost.  These  condi- 
tions fulfilled,  inwardly  strengthen,  advance,  and 
make  fruitful  the  Church ;  they  increase  the  vital 
force,  they  expand  the  graces,  and  make  larger  and 
richer  the  fruitage  of  the  heliever''s  life. 

32-35.  The  3firaculous  Healing  of  Eneas  at 
Lydda,  and  its  Blessed  Results. — Peter's  visit  at  Lydda 
and  stay  at  Joppa  (see  map,  p.  61)  probably  oc- 
curred while  Saul  was  at  Tarsus.  Nothing  like 
apostolic  circuits  or  visitations  seems  to  be  even 
hinted  at  in  the  Acts  until  we  reach  Paul's  history, 


Lydda— the  Modern  Village. 


and  that  is  purely  exceptional  in  this  matter,  grow- 
ing out  of  his  exclusive  appointment  and  work  as 
the  apostle  to  the  Gentiles.  As  a  body  the  apostles 
remained  at  Jerusalem  controlling  and  guiding  the 
general  movements  of  the  new  Christian  body  or 
church.  So  Christ  had  ordained.  But  individual 
apostles,  like  other  individual  disciples,  went  as  they 
were  called  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  upon  specific  mis- 
sions. In  such  a  mission  Peter  was  now  engaged, 
and  in  his  journeying  arrives  at  Lydda,  an  inland 
village  a  few  (six)  miles  from  Joppa.  There  he 
seeks  the  saints— a,  Scriptural  term,  and  therefore  a 
proper  one  if  properly  employed — signifying  the 
holy  ;  and  descriptive  of  believers,  all  of  whom  are 
called  to  he  saints. 

Among  them — the  connection  implies — he  finds 
a  man  for  eight  years  crippled  with  palsy.  There 
is  here  no  testing  or  prompting  of  faith,  as  in  the 
case  of  unbelievers,  by  question  or  address  (Acts 
3  :  4).  But,  addressing  him  as  one  who  alreadv  be- 
lieves, he  simply  announces  a  gracious,  joyful  fact : 
Jesics  Christ  makeih  thee  lohole  !  For  proof  of  this, 
the  command  is  added :  "  Arise,  and  make  thy  bed." 
The  doing  for  himself  what  for  eight  years  had 
been  done  for  him  was  conclusive  evidence  that  his 
infirmity  was  gone  and  his  strength  restored. 


The  widespread  results  of  this  miraculous  heal- 
ing furnish  yet  further  verification  of  Christ's 
words  (John  14  :  12),  that  greater  works  than  His 
should  be  done  in  his  name.  Not  only  in  Lydda, 
but  over  the  broad,  fertile,  and  beautiful  plain  of 
Sharon — reaching  from  Cesarea  to  Joppa — the 
tidings  of  the  cure  and  the  name  of  Jesus  the  healer 
were  spread  by  grateful  believing  disciples,  and 
many  of  the  multitudes  that  dwelt  in  that  vast  re- 
gion received  Christ  and  were  enrolled  as  his  disci- 
ples. 

36-42.  The  Character,  Death,  and  raising  to 
Life  of  Dorcas,  and  the  Result  wrought  in  Joppa. — 
Joppa  ("  beautiful "),  on  a  high  hill  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean coast,  distant  forty  miles  from  Jerusalem, 
was  its  seaport  from  the  time  of  Solomon.  This 
disciple  of  Christlike  spirit  was  called  Tabitha  in 
the  Aramaic  tongue,  used  by  the  Jews,  and  Dorcas 
by  the  Greeks.  The  name  signifies  "  gazelle,"  and, 
as  an  image  of  peculiar  attractiveness,  was  often 
appropriated  as  a  proper  name  for  females. 

Though  nothing  is  said  of  her  faith,  she  had 
faith,  for  she  was  a  true  disciple.  More  and  better, 
she  proved  faith's  possession  by  its  u'orJcs.  Her  life 
was  actively  employed  in  helping  disciples  and  oth- 
ers.    She  wrought  with  her  hands,  and  gave  from 


70 


SECTION  201.— ACTS  10  : 1-23. 


her  store  for  the  supply  of  poor  and  needy ;  espe- 
cially for  toidoics,  who  in  that  period  and  country 
were  in  peculiar  need.  That  her  motive  was  utter- 
ly single  and  unselfish,  we  know  from  the  common 
high  sentiment  concerning  her.  When  she  died, 
this  sentiment  was  at  once  manifest.  All  the  Chris- 
tian fellowship  was  moved  to  the  deepest  grief.  In 
their  yearning  for  comfort,  and  if  possible  for  help 
in  some  unknown  way  from  God,  they  instantly  send 


to  Peter,  six  miles  oif,  asking  that  he  hasten  to  do 
what  he  can  in  their  grief  and  need.  As  they  de- 
sired, Peter  came  at  once,  arriving  before  the  inter- 
ment, which  ordinarily  takes  place  on  the  day  of 
death  in  the  East. 

The  body  lay  in  an  upper  chamber,  and  was  sur- 
rounded by  "  saints  and  widows,"  that  is,  by  fellow 
disciples  and  by  those  she  had  helped.  With  a 
natural   and  tender  touch,  Luke  tells   how  these 


Jaffa— Ancient  Joppa. 


grieving  but  grateful  beneficiaries  recited  her  me- 
morial. But  Peter  puts  them  all  forth.  He  would 
be  alone  with  God,  especially  when  he  had  so  great 
a  request  to  urge,  so  mighty  a  boon  to  obtain. 
Kneeling  down,  he  prayed !  The  spirit  of  the  pray- 
er, its  intense  fervor  and  its  energy  of  faith,  and  the 
motive  which  he  urged,  the  greater  glory  of  Christ, 
we  may  know  by  the  assurance  given  to  Peter  by 
the  Holy  Ghost — that  inward  assurance  by  which 
he  was  prompted  to  say,  "  Tabitha,  arise."  His  faith 
was  in  the  divine  power,  and  his  word  was  guided 
by  the  divine  spirit.  In  response  to  his  faith,  im- 
mediately upon  the  utterance  of  his  word,  "  she 
opened  her  eyes,"  and  her  spirit  came  again.  To 
those  who  mourned  her  dead,  "  saints  and  widows, 
he  presented  her  alive."  And  joy  takes  the  place  of 
mourning.     In  all  this,  not  Peter,  but  Peter's  Lord, 


is  glorified.  Therefore  it  was  that,  when  the  people 
of  Joppa  heard  of  this  restored  life  of  Dorcas,  many 
heeded  the  preaching  of  Jesus  the  Restorer,  and  be- 
lieved in  him  unto  a  higher,  even  an  everlasting  life. 
43.  Simon  Peter  tarries  in  the  House  of  the  Taii- 
ner  Simon. — "  Many  days,"  indicating  a  sufficient 
period  for  tlie  work  to  be  done,  in  connection  with 
his  stay  there.  The  tanner's  business — that  of  pre- 
paring skins  for  different  uses — was  an  unclean  one, 
and  therefore  dishonorable  in  Jewish  estimation, 
because  it  required  contact  with  dead  animals.  But 
Peter's  Judaism  is  already  so  much  modified,  and 
his  apprehension  of  Christ's  exposures  of  Pharisaic 
interpretation  so  clear,  that  he  is  willing  to  risk  the 
unclcanness  and  the  dishonor,  by  sharing  the  home 
and  table  of  his  namesake,  the  hospitable  Christian 
tanner.     B. 


Section  207. 

Acts  x.  1-23. 

1  There  was  a  certain  man  in  Caesarea  called  Cornelius,  a  centurion  of  the  band  called  the 

2  Italian  land,  a  devout  man,  and  one  that  feared  God  with  all  his  house,  which  gave  much 

3  alms  to  the  people,  and  i)rayed  to  God  alway.     He  saw  in  a  vision  evidently  about  the 
ninth  hour  of  the  day  an  angel  of  God  toming  in  to  him,  and  saying  unto  him,  Cornelius. 

4  And  when  he  looked  on  him,  he  was  afraid,  and  said,  Wliat  is  it,  Lord  ?     And  he  said  unto 

5  him,  Thy  prayers  and  thine  alms  are  come  up  for  a  memorial  before  God.     And  now  send 

6  men  to  Joppa,  and  call  for  one  Simon,  whose  surname  is  Peter:  he  lodgetli  with  one  Simon 


SECTION  207.— ACTS  10:1-23. 


71 


7  a  tanner,  whose  house  is  by  the  sea  side  :  he  shall  tell  thee  what  thou  oughtest  to  do.    And 
when  the  angel  which  spake  unto  Cornelius  was  departed,  he  called  two  of  his  household 

8  servants,  and  a  devout  soldier  of  them  that  waited  on  him  continually ;  and  when  he  had 
declared  all  these  things  unto  them,  he  sent  them  to  Joppa. 

9  On  the  morrow,  as  they  went  on  their  journey,  and  drew  nigh  unto  the  city,  Peter  went 

10  up  upon  the  housetop  to  pray  about  the  sixth  hour:  and  he  became  very  hungry,  and  would 

11  have  eaten:  but  while  they  made  ready,  he  fell  into  a  trance,  and  saw  heaven  opened,  and 
a  certain  vessel  descending  unto  him,  as  it  had  been  a  great  sheet  knit  at  the  four  corners, 

12  and  let  down  to  the  earth:  wherein  were  all  manner  of  fourfooted  beasts  of  the  earth,  and 

13  wild  beasts,  and  creeping  things,  and  fowls  of  the  air.     And  there  came  a  voice  to  him, 

14  Else,  Peter ;  kill,  and  eat.     But  Peter  said.  Not  so.  Lord ;  for  I  have  never  eaten  any  thing 

15  that  is  common  or  unclean.     And  the  voice  spa^e  unto  him  again  the  second  time,  What 

16  God  hath  cleansed,  that  call  not  thou  common.     This  was  done  thrice:  and  the  vessel  was 

17  received  up  again  into  heaven.  Now  while  Peter  doubted  in  himself  what  this  vision  which 
he  had  seen  should  mean,  behold,  the  men  which  were  sent  from  Cornelius  had  made  en- 

18  quiry  for  Simon's  house,  and  stood  before  the  gate,  and  called,  and  asked  whether  Simon, 
which  was  surnamed  Peter,  were  lodged  there. 

19  While  Peter  thought  on  the  vision,  the  Spii'it  said  unto  him.  Behold,  three  men  seek  thee. 

20  Arise  therefore,  and  get  thee  down,  and  go  with  them,  doubting  nothing :  for  I  have  sent 

21  them."   Then  Peter  went  down  to  the  men  which  were  sent  unto  him  from  Cornelius;  and 

22  said,  Behold,  I  am  he  whom  ye  seek:  what  is  the  cause  wherefore  ye  are  come?  And  they 
said,  Cornelius  the  centurion,  a  just  man,  and  one  that  feareth  God,  and  of  good  report 
among  all  tlie  nation  of  the  Jews,  was  warned  from  God  by  an  holy  angel  to  send  for  thee 

23  into  his  house,  and  to  hear  words  of  thee.  Then  called  he  them  in,  and  lodged  them.  And 
on  the  morrow  Peter  went  away  with  them,  and  certain  brethren  from  Joppa  accompanied 
him. 

Alms  and  prayers  are  branches  from  a  common  stem,  -which  binds  them  together.  That  stem  is  the 
moral  law  of  God ;  that  law  to  which,  though  it  be  not  the  covenant  under  which  (as  Christian  men)  we 
live,  we  must  yet  be  conformed  as  a  rule  of  life.  The  law  branches  out  into  two  great  precepts — supreme 
and  mibounded  love  to  God,  and  love  to  our  neighbor  as  to  ourselves.  Now,  the  man  who  really  and  habit- 
ually prays,  the  man  who  lives  in  tlie  spirit  of  prayer,  fulfills  the  first  great  branch  of  duty.  True  spirit- 
ual prayer — "  the  effectual,  fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man,"  such  as  was  that  of  Cornelius — is  the 
outcome  and  expression  of  a  man's  duty  to  God.  Such  prayer  is  called  in  Scripture  "  incense  "  ;  partly 
from  its  reaching  the  throne  of  grace,  even  as  incense  when  kindled  soars  up  to  the  sky  ;  partly  from  its 
spiritual  fragrance  and  acceptability.  "  Let  my  prayer  be  set  forth  in  thy  sight  as  the  incense.'^  And  the 
man  who  gives  alms,  in  the  true  spirit  of  almsgiving,  is  equally  fulfilling  the  second  great  branch  of  duty. 
Devout  almsgiving — such  as  was  that  of  Cornelius,  who  "  gave  much  alms  to  the  people  " — is  the  outcome 
and  expression  of  a  man's  duty  to  his  neighbor.  Yet  think  not  that  the  act  passes  no  further  than  to  our 
neighbor.  It  too,  no  less  than  prayer,  comes  up  before  God  as  a  memorial.  It  too,  no  less  than  prayer, 
finds  in  the  fragrant,  soaring  incense  its  Scriptural  emblem  and  type.     E.  M.  G. 


Not  only  was  God's  covenant  made  with  the  Jew- 
ish nation,  not  only  did  he  intrust  that  nation  with 
his  word  and  ordinances  of  worship,  not  only  was 
Christ  a  Jew,  and  as  he  affirmed,  "  salvation  was  of 
the  Jews,"  but  the  frst  Christian  disciples^  and  the 
entire  membership  of  the  first  Chrhtian  Church  up 
to  this  period,  were  members  of  the  Jewish  Church, 
by  descent  or  adoption.  They  were  all  imbued  with 
the  prevalent  Jewish  belief,  respecting  the  essential 
importance  of  the  leading  Mosaic  rites.  They  were 
filled  with  the  Jewish  feeling  of  their  immense  su- 
periority as  God's  people  over  all  other  nations.     It 


seemed  natural  to  them,  therefore,  when  Christianity 
was  to  be  introduced  among  the  Gentiles  (and  they 
knew  that  all  nations  were  to  receive  the  gospel), 
that  it  should  be  introduced  under  Jewish  auspices 
and  in  connection  with  long  venerated  Jewish  forms. 
The  apostles,  with  others,  were  still  imbued  with 
these  conceits  and  prejudices. 

Before  God's  work  among  the  Gentijes  can  be 
begun,  these  teachers  must  be  taught ;  their  narrow, 
erroneous  notions  removed.  First  and  emphatically 
they  must  Icnoio  that  in  Christ  Jesus  the  Gentile  is 
equal  to,  is  one  with  the  Jew :  "  a  fellow-heir,  of  the 


72 


SECTION  207.— ACTS  10  :  1-23. 


same  body,  and  partaker  of  the  same  promise  by 
the  gospel."  And  this  is  the  lesson  conveyed  by  the 
vision  to  Peter,  the  man  strongest  in  feeling  and  pre- 
judice, the  foremost,  most  energetic,  whole-souled 
in  active  obedience,  among  the  body  of  apostles. 
More  fully  afterward,  and  frequently,  the  same 
needed  lesson  was  taught. 

It  is  conveyed  to  Peter  in  the  first  act  of  transi- 
tion in  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  from  the  Jew  to 
the  Gentile.  A  period  this  of  marked  significance, 
as  a"  turning-point  in  the  history  of  the  Christian 
Church.  And  because  so  necessary,  at  this  eminent 
juncture,  to  prepare  the  body  of  apostles  and  disci- 
ples for  right  ministry  among  the  Gentiles,  God 
added  supernatural  means  to  the  natural.  He  con- 
nected a  miraculous  vision  with  many  providences. 
As  respects  the  latter,  it  is  interesting  to  note  how 
events  are  linked  in  with  each  other  by  God's  plan 
and  providence.  Lydda  was  nigh  to  Joppa,  so  Peter 
was  called  from  Lydda. .  Now,  Joppa  is  so  nigh  to 
Cesarea  that  he  is  called  from  Joppa.  Yet  it  is  the 
Lord  and  the  Lord's  work  that  call.  So  God  ever 
marshals  providences  in  the  way  and  for  the  dis- 
charge of  our  duty. 

Another  point  worthy  of  note  is  the  analogy  be- 
tween this  bringing  together  of  Peter  and  Cornelius 
and  that  of  Saul  and  Ananias.  Each  was  prefaced 
with  a  double  and  responsive  vision,  and  with  in- 
struction, from  God ;  and  a  hindering  difficulty  re- 
moved from  the  minds  of  Ananias  and  Peter. 

1}  2.  The  Posilioii  and  Character  of  Cornelius. 
— Cesarea,  on  the  Mediterranean  coast,  about  thirty 
•miles  north  of  Joppa  and  sixty  northwest  from  Je- 
rusalem, was  lavishly  built  by  Ilerod  the  Great,  and 
made  his  residence  and  the  civil  and  military  capital 
of  Judea.  Now,  it  was  the  seat  of  the  Roman  pro- 
curators or  governors,  as  is  frequently  intimated  in 

the  Acts.     13. The  gospel  made  its  first  conquest 

over  heathenism  in  this  large  city,  named  from  the 
Roman  Caesar,  a  military  stronghold  and  naval  ar- 
senal of  the  Roman  power.  And  it  made  that  con- 
quest over  a  soldier  called  Cornelius,  one  of  the 
noblest  of  Roman  names — an  officer  of  the  Italic 
band — a  cohort  of  Roman  blood.  In  his  conversion 
we  may  see  a  prophetic  intimation  of  the  submission 
of  the  great  Fourth  Monarchy  to  the  mild  yoke  of 
the  gospel.  Devout.  A  worshiper  of  one  God,  in 
contradistinction  to  polytheists  and  idolators.  In 
the  providence  of  God,  the  military  successes  of  the 
Macedonian  and  Roman  monarchies  had  impaired 
the  local  reverence  for  national  deities,  and  had 
cleared  the  ground  for  the  planting  of  a  purer  faith. 
The  diffusion  of  the  Hebrew  Scriptures  and  the  de- 
composition of  paganism  had  tended  to  produce  a 
class  of  persons  in  all  parts  of  the  world  who  may 
bo  said  to  have  been  the  seminary  of  the  Gentile 
■  Church.     These  were  "  the  devout,"  or  God-fearing, 


of  the  Acts.  Tired  of  polytheism,  and  yet  unwilling 
to  subject  themselves  to  the  ceremonial  law,  these 
"  God-fearing  "  men  received  with  joy  the  tidings  of 
the  gospel ;  they  recognized  in  Christianity  a  religion 
which  satisfied  the  wants  of  their  nature,  the  re- 
quirements of  their  reason,  and  the  yearnings  of 
their  hearts,  without  impairing  any  of  the  reverence 
with  which  they  had  learned  to  regard  the  God  of 
the  Old  Testament,  but  rather,  and  much  more,  en- 
larging the  ideas  they  had  already  conceived  of  his 
merciful  purposes  and  glorious  atti'ibutes.  The 
apostles  everywhere  in  their  journeys  met  with  this 
class  of  proselytes.     W. 

Three  centurions  of  the  New  Testament  are  re- 
ferred to  as  favoring  the  truth,  either  in  the  person 
of  Christ — as  the  centurion  of  Capernaum,  and  the 
witness  of  the  crucifixion — or,  as  in  this  case,  under 
such  forms  as  the  truth  bad  been  brought  to  his 
knowledge.  The  character  here  given  him  is  spe- 
cially attractive  when  we  consider  that  he  was  only  a 
ti'uth-loving  and  -seeking  man,  looking  for  and  tak- 
ing it  where  he  could  find  it,  and  voluntarily  finding 
and  accepting  enough  from  the  Jewish  Scriptures 
and  worship  to  make  him  devout — that  is,  to  lead 
him  to  the  true  and  filial  fear  and  personal  worship 
of  God.  Such  a  man  we  have  here.  Like  Abraham, 
he  influenced  his  household  by  imparting  his  own 
convictions  of  duty  and  worship.  To  God's  poor  or 
to  God's  call,  he  consecrated  a  portion  of  God's  in- 
trusted gifts.  And  in  all,  in  the  ordering  of  his  own 
life,  in  the  guidance  of  his  household,  and  in  his 
helpful  alms,  he  looked  upward  (?bntinually  for 
divine  direction,  acceptance,  and  blessing.  All  this 
is  conveyed  by  the  statement  of  inspiration.  Only 
partially  is  he  taught,  but  he  heartily  receives  and 
faithfully  acts  out  all  he  had  learned  of  God  and  his 
will.  And  how  many  the  evidences  in  all  mission- 
ary history  that  God  prepares  heathen  hearts  for  his 
gospel,  and  that  with  but  little  of  truth  and  without 
specific  human  instrumentality  he  takes  possession 
of  many  such  hearts  ! 

3-6.  Cornelius  is  instructed  by  an  Angel  o/ 
God,  in  a  Vision. — At  the  afternoon  hour  of  prayer, 
or  three  o'clock,  while  himself  at  prayer,  there  ap- 
peared coming  in  to  him  a  human  form,  marked  in 
some  manner  intelligibly  to  him  as  a  messenger  from 
another  world.  To  the  certain  sight  and  to  the  audi- 
ble call  of  this  supernatural' being,  the  alarmed  cen- 
turion uttered  the  briefest  question  in  response.   . 

Two  things  are  conveyed  in  the  angel's  message. 
Both  intimate  a  superhuman  knowledge :  one  in  re- 
gard to  the  internal  acting  of  the  mind  of  God,  the 
other  in  regard  to  God's  will  respecting  the  two  men, 
Cornelius  and  Peter.  First  he  says,  God  has  heard 
thy  prayers  and  beheld  thy  gifts,  and  he  remembers 
both.  Tins  direct  assurance,  for  the  encouragement 
and  greater  trust  of  the  centurion,  none  other  than 


SECTION  207.— ACTS  10  : 1-23. 


73 


a  heavenly  messenger  could  give.  Next,  he  directs 
Cornehus  to  send  for  Peter  as  his  instructor,  merely 
using  his  own  superior  knowledge  to  inform  the  cen- 
turion where  the  apostle  was  to  be  found.  But,  be- 
sides the  simple  encouraging  assurance,  the  angel 
teaches  him  nothing.  He  is  only  a  celestial  guide  to  a 
human  teacher!  Because  the  occasion  is  so  great 
and  prophetic,  the  first  opening  of  the  fold-door  to 
the  "  other  sheep  "  of  the  great  Good  Shepherd,  or 
the  first  breaking  down  of  the  middle  wall  of  parti- 
tion between  Jew  and  Gentile,  therefore  it  is  sig- 
nalized by  the  sending  of  this  messenger  from 
heaven.  But  even  God's  angels,  while  they  joyfully 
and  triumphantly  herald  the  advent,  redemption, 
and  glory  of  the  Incarnate  Son,  have  no  part  in  the 
direct  ministry  of  the  gospel.  For  this  ministry  he 
exclusively  uses  and  honors  a  human  instrumentality. 
7,  8.  Obedient  to  the  Vision,  Cornelius  sends 
Three  Messengers  to  Peter. — Gladly  and  instantly  he 
obeys  the  divine  direction.  He  selects  and  sum- 
mons two  household  servants  and  a  soldier  of  his 


band,  all  in  sjTnpathy  with  his  devout  feeling  and 
life,  to  whom  he  could  therefore  fully  'infold  the 
vision  and  intelligently  commit  the  peculiar  errand 
and  message.  And  on  the  same  afternoon,  the  three 
men  start  for  Joppa,  arriving  on  the  next  day  soon 
after  noon.     B. 

Cornelius  was  in  Cesarea  and  Peter  in  Joppa — 
the  Roman  soldier  in  the  modern  city,  which  was 
built  and  named  in  the  Emperor's  honor — the  Jew- 
ish apostle  in  the  ancient  seaport  which  associates 
its  name  with  the  early  passages  of  Hebrew  history 
— with  the  voyage  of  Jonah,  the  building  of  the 
Temple,  the  wars  of  the  Maccabees.  All  the  splen- 
dor of  Cesarea,  its  buildings  and  its  ships,  and  the 
Temple  of  Rome  and  the  Emperor,  which  the  sailors 
saw  far  out  at  sea,  all  has  long  since  vanit-hcd. 
Herod's  magnificent  city  is  a  wreck  on  the  shore. 
A  few  ruins  are  all  that  remain  of  the  harbor. 
Joppa  lingers  on,  like  the  Jewish  people,  dejected 
but  not  destroyed.  Cesarea  has  perished,  like  the 
Roman  Empire  which  called  it  into  existence.     H. 


Ruins  of  Cesarea.     (From  the  north.) 


9-16.  What  Peter  sav>  while  in  a  Trance. — On 
the  next  day  at  noon,  within  half  an  hour  of  the 
arrival  of  the  centurion's  messengers,  Peter  sought 
the  secluded  house-top,  to  lift  his  vision  and  heart 
heavenward,  as  he  was  wont.  After  his  prayer,  it 
would  seem,  while  waiting  the  call  to  the  noonday 
meal  and  craving  food,  the  trance,  or  supernatural 
absorption  of  mind  upon  themes  supernaturally 
suggested,  took  place.  He  saw  heaven  open — not, 
as  Stephen,  the  heavens — but  that  bound  of  the 
visible  upper  sky  which  we  call  heaven,  and  above 
which  we  place  the  region  of  God's  dwelling-place. 
Within  the  immense  folds  of  a  vast  seemingly 
woven  fabric,  knit  together  by  four  suspending 
cords,  and  rapidly  lowered  from  the  cleft  sky  to  the 
level  of  Peter's  vision,  he  saw  all  manner  of  clean 
and  unclean  animals.  And  he  heard  a  voice  sum- 
moning him  to  kill  and  eat.  To  his  respectful  but 
distinct  demur,  that  he  could  not  partake  that 
which  v.-as  ceremonially  unclean,  the  voice  sharply 


forbade  him  call  that  unclean  which  God  had  made 
clean. 

No  instruction  by  symbol  could  possibly  be 
clearer,  more  decisive  than  this.  The  very  method 
of  it,  the  suddenness,  swiftness,  and  repetition  in 
the  descent  and  ascent  of  this  vast  sheeted  fabric 
with  its  strange  contents,  and  the  shortness  and 
sharpness  of  the  command  and  reproof,  all  were 
admirably  suited  to  Peter's  strong  nature.  More 
than  the  other  apostles,  and  for  them,  he  needed 
just  such  plain  teaching.  And  he  could  neither  mis- 
understand nor  forget  it,  when  the  immediate  event 
made  its  interpretation  clear,  and  even  lent  after- 
force  to  the  vision  itself.     B. 

There  was  then  a  distinction  between  clean  and 
unclean,  indicated  by  the  calling  of  Abjaham,  but 
more  explicitly  by  the  Levitical  rites  and  laws ;  yet 
appointed  from  the  beginning,  for  we  read  of  it  in 
the  time  of  Noah  ;  a  distinction  applicable  to  men, 
to  food,  to  dwellings,  to  land,  to  animals.     This  dis- 


74 


SECTION  207.— ACTS  10  : 1-23. 


tinction  was  made  by  God  for  special  ends,  but  at 
Christ's  death  the  distinction  had  served  its  purpose. 
God  interposed,  and  threw  down  the  middle  wall  of 
partition ;  not  rejecting  the  Jew,  yet  accepting  the 
Gentile ;  not  obliterating  national  distinctions,  but 
making  these  no  longer  of  any  importance,  and  at- 
taching to  them  no  spiritual  or  religious  privilege. 
Without  lowering  the  Jew,  he  lifted  up  the  Gentile  ; 
not  making  the  Jew  unclean,  but  the  Gentile  clean ; 
so  that  from  that  time  there  should  be  (so  far  as 
access  to  God  was  concerned)  "  neither  Jew  nor 
Greek,  bond  nor  free."  In  the  vision  or  trance, 
Peter  was  taught  that  the  Gentile  was  now  made  as 
clean  as  the  Jew ;  that  God  had  done  it,  and  that 
even  he,  though  the  apostle  of  the  circumcision, 
must  at  once  accept  the  verdict.     Bonar. 

17-20.  The  Ilessengers  arrive,  and  the  Spirit 
inst}~ucts  Peter. — While  he  pondered  the  vision,  the 
three  men  from  Cornelius  stand  at  Simon's  door 
asking  for  Peter.  This  the  apostle  learns  not  from 
any  human  summons,  but  from  the  intimation  of  the 
same  Divine  Spirit  who  had  previously  produced  the 
audible  voice.  The  vision  is  thus  linked  with  the 
three  visitors  and  their  errand.  And  the  connection 
is  confirmed  by  the  positive  Divine  direction,  that 
Peter  should  return  with  these  men  whither  they 
went,  and  the  conclusive  assurance  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  had  sent  them  on  this  errand.  No  explana- 
tion of  the  vision  has  been  offered.  But  Peter  is 
bidden  to  obey  certain  directions,  to  do  something, 
and  in  the  doing  all  his  questions  about  the  vision 
were  to  be  resolved.  Here  is  the  same  principle  we 
meet  at  every  step  in  the  histories  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments.  It  is  that  obedience  leads  to 
knowledge.  "  We  shcdl  know  if  we  follow  on.^^  If  any 
one  wills  to  do  God's  will,  he  shall  knoiv.  In  what 
follows  we  find  this  principle  again  verified.  Both 
Peter  and  Cornelius,  in  their  implicit  following  of  the 
Spirit's  directions,  learn  that  which  they  desire  to 
know,  and  with  knowledge  receive  larger  grace.     B. 


Points  of  Usefid  Thought. — We  miss  very  much 
devotional  joy,  by  the  neglect  oi  fragmentary  prayer. 
In  the  intervals  which  separate  periodical  seasons  of 
devotion,  we  need  a  habit  of  offering  up  brief  ejacu- 
latory  expressions  of  devout  feeling.  The  morning 
and  the  evening  sacrifice  depend  very  much  upon 
these  interspersed  offerings,  as  these  in  return  are 
dependent  on  those.  Communion  with  God  in  both 
is  assisted  by  linking  the  "  set  times  "  together  by  a 
chain  of  heavenward  thoughts  and  aspirations,  in  the 
breaks  which  occur  in  our  labors  and  amusements. 
Nothing  else  can  do  this  so  naturally  as  the  habit  of 
ejaculatory  prayer.  The  spirit  of  prayer  may  run 
along  the  line  of  such  a  habit  through  a  lifetime. 
So  one  may  live  in  a  state  of  prayer,  "  a  devout  man 
that  prays  always."     A.  P. 


The  eyes  which  run  through  the  whole  earth  be- 
hold also  the  searching  soul  struggling  for  life  and 
light  which  it  can  not  procure  for  itself.  To  the  up- 
right there  ariseth  light  in  the  darkness ;  yet  by  de- 
grees, through  the  use  of  means,  only  and  alone 
through  the  preaching  of  a  full  and  free  gospel,  of 
which  Christ  is  the  center,  peace  the  basis,  and  grace 
the  glad"  tidings.  This  man  who  fears  God  and 
worketh  righteousness  is  pleasing  to  him,  not  in 
order  that  he  may  remain  what  he  is,  but  that  by 
the  way  of  faith  and  repentance  he  may  be  re- 
ceived into  the  kingdom  of  God,  without  which 
there  is  no  safety  for  those  who  in  themselves  are 
lost.     Van  0. 

Cornelius  was  recompensed  for  his  prayers  and 
alms  by  the  visit  of  an  angel,  by  the  visit  of  an 
apostle,  by  the  glad  tidings  of  the  gospel,  and,  to 
crown  all,  by  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  How 
striking  an  instance  of  the  large  and  munificent 
scale  on  which  God  responds  to  the  desires  and  ef- 
forts which  his  own  free  grace  has  prompted — of 
his  "giving  more"  (as  is  his  wont)  "than  either 
we  desire  or  deserve "  !  How  wonderful  a  fulfill- 
ment of  the  promise  made  by  our  Lord  both  to 
secret  alms  and  secret  prayers — "  Thy  Father,  which 
seeth  in  secret,  himself  shall  reward  thee  openly." 
E.  M.  G. 

Beneficence  or  almsgiving  is  always  remembered 
of  God,  and  ranks  in  his  estimate  with  prayer  or 
direct  worship.  It  is  counted  a  vital  part  of  that 
obedience  which  is  worship  in  act  or  life.  It  comes 
from  the  heart  equally  with  that  worship  which  finds 
expression  in  uttered  prayer  and  praise.  Prayer 
and  alms  equally  show  the  presence  of  an  operative 
faith  and  a  living  active  love. 

The  diversity  of  God's  methods  and  the  special 
adaptation  of  each  to  his  particular  purpose  are  il- 
lustrated in  this  case  of  Cornelius  as  compared  with 
that  of  Saul.  An  obscure  disciple  baptized  and  re- 
ceived into  the  Church  the  great  apostle  to  the 
Gentiles ;  and  this  because  God  would  have  his 
ministry  from  the  first  free  from  all  human  depen- 
dence. But  this  first  pagan  disciple,  a  purely  Gentile 
member  of  the  Christian  Church,  was  received  into 
Church  fellowship,  not  even  by  Philip  the  evangelist 
who  lived  at  Cesarea,  but  by  the  foremost  of  the 
apostles ;  and  this  because  God  would  throw  around 
an  event  so  signal,  prophetic,  and  glorious — the  re- 
ceiving of  this  first-fruit  of  a  world  harvest — all  that 
could  give  it  impressiveness  and  significance !     B. 

Douhting  nothing  !  That  is  the  secret  of  liberty, 
of  efficiency,  of  success  in  every  work  which  is  un- 
dertaken by  men:  a  confidence  in  the  practicability, 
in  the  value  of  the  work,  in  the  Divine  authority 
which  imposes  it  upon  us  as  an  obligatory  work,  and 
in  the  Divine  providence  and  power  which  will  bring 
it  to  a  successful  performance.     R.  S.  Si 


SECTION  ms.— ACTS  10: 2Jf-li8.  ■  75 

Section  208. 

Acts  x.  24-48. 

24  And  the  morrow  after  they  entered  into  Ceesarea,     And  Cornelius  waited  for  them,  and 

25  had  called  together  his  kinsmen  and  near  friends.    And  as  Peter  was  coming  in,  Cornelius 
2G  met  him,  and  fell  down  at  his  feet,  and  worshipped  Jiim.     But  Peter  took  him  up,  saying, 

27  Stand  up ;  I  myself  also  am  a  man.     And  as  he  talked  with  him,  he  went  in,  and  found 

28  many  that  were  come  together.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Ye  know  how  that  it  is  an  unlaw- 
ful thing  for  a  man  that  is  a  Jew  to  keep  company,  or  come  unto  one  of  another  nation ; 

29  hut  God  hath  shewed  me  that  I  should  not  call  any  man  common  or  unclean.  Therefore 
came  I  unto  you  without  gainsaying,  as  soon  as  I  was  sent  for:  I  ask  therefore  for  what 

30  intent  ye  have  sent  for  me?  And  Cornelius  said.  Four  days  ago  I  was  fasting  until  this 
hour;  and  at  the  ninth  hour  I  prayed  in  my  house,  and,  behold,  a  man  stood  before  me  in 

31  bright  clothing,  and  said,  Cornelius,  thy  prayer  is  heard,  and  thine  alms  are  had  in  remem- 

32  brance  in  the  sight  of  God.  Send  therefore  to  Joppa,  and  call  hither  Simon,  whose  sur- 
name is  Peter;  he  is  lodged  in  the  house  of  one  Simon  a  tanner  by  the  sea  side:  who,  when 

33  he  Cometh,  shall  speak  unto  thee.  Immediately  therefore  I  sent  to  thee ;  and  thou  hast 
well  done  that  thou  art  come.  Now  therefore  are  we  all  here  present  before  God,  to  hear 
all  things  that  are  commanded  thee  of  God. 

34  Then  Peter  opened  his  mouth,  and  said,  Of  a  truth  I  perceive  that  God  is  no  respecter  of 

35  persons :  but  in  every  nation  he  that  feareth  him,  and  worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted 

36  with  him.     The  word  which  God  sent  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  preaching  peace  by  Jesus 

37  Christ:   (he  is  Lord  of  all:)  that  word  ye  know,  which  was  published  throughout  all 

38  Judaea,  and  began  from  Galilee,  after  the  baptism  which  John  preached  ;  how  God  anointed 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  power :  who  went  about  doing  good,  and 

39  healing  all  that  were  oppressed  of  the  devil ;  for  God  was  with  him.  And  we  are  witnesses 
of  all  things  which  he  did  both  in  the  land  of  the  Jews,  and  in  Jerusalem  ;  whom  they  slew 

40  and  hanged  on  a  tree :  him  God  raised  up  the  third  day,  and  shewed  him  openly ;  not  to 

41  all  the  people,  but  unto  witnesses  chosen  before  of  God,  even  to  us,  who  did  eat  and  drink 

42  with  him  after  he  rose  from  the  dead.  And  he  commanded  us  to  preach  unto  the  people, 
and  to  testify  that  it  is  he  which  was  ordained  of  God  to  ie  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead. 

43  To  him  give  all  the  prophets  witness,  that  through  his  name  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
shall  receive  remission  of  sins. 

44  While  Peter  yet  spake  these  words,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  an  all  them  which  heard  the 

45  word.  And  they  of  the  circumcision  which  believed  were  astonished,  as  many  as  came 
with  Peter,  because  that  on  the  Gentiles  also  was  poured  out  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

46  For  they  heard  them  speak  with  tongues,  and  magnify  God.     Then  answered  Peter,  Can 

47  any  man  forbid  water,  that  these  should  not  be  baptized,  which  have  received  the  Holy 

48  Ghost  as  well  as  we  ?  And  he  commanded  them  to  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
Then  prayed  they  him  to  tarry  certain  days. 


Truth  and  mercy  and  self-devotion  in  men  are  greater  than  all  miracles,  and  have  the  very  essence  of 
God  in  them.  Therefore  we  are  bound  to  thank  him  for  every  disinterested  act  performed  by  any  man, 
for  every  generous  and  heroic  deed,  for  the  search  after  truth,  simply  because  it  is  truth,  by  those  great 
minds  that  seek  her  as  hid  treasure,  for  unpaid  devotion  to  the  cause  of  suffering  and  want,  for  the 
blessed  feet  that  seek  out  shame  and  sin,  and  the  lips  that  plead  with  them  to  bring  them  home  contrite 
and  forgiven.  These  are  all  testimonies  to  the  greatness  of  the  soul  of  man,  and  therefore  to  the  being 
of  God.  Those  footsteps  are  echoes  of  the  feet  of  him  who  went  about  doing  good,  and  help  us  to 
believe  that  he  once  walked  our  earth,     /ler. 

In  every  nation,  now  that  Jesus  Christ  has  come,  there  is  an  equal  access  to  the  open  door  for  every 
tongue  and  tribe  and  people.  Under  this  new  and  heavenly  reign  of  light  and  love  which  has  been  set 
up,  all  are  free  citizens.     There  are  no  external  disqualifications.     There  are  no  internal  incapabilities  for 


76 


SECTION  20S.—AGTS  10  :  U-J18. 


being  saved.  All  this  Peter  had  just  found  out  in  a  peculiar  way,  the  vision  of  the  four-cornered  sheet 
three  times  let  down  from  heaven,  to  show  him  that  the  ceremonial  distinctions  of  things  to  be  lawfully 
eaten,  symbols  of  all  other  natural  disqualifications,  were  abolished.  The  Gentile  world  which  God  has 
now  liberated  from  its  long  neglect,  "  call  not  thou  common."  But  go  to  it,  preach  to  it,  respect  and  love 
human  nature  in  Cesarca  just  as  much  as  in  Jerusalem  or  Bethany :  there  is  no  difference.  The  gospel 
is  no  respecter  of  persons.     Christ  died  for  all.     F.  11.  D. 


24-33.  After  the  narrative  of  the  first  Christian 
Pentecost,  the  second  book  of  Luke  scarcely  contains 
a  picture  which  in  beauty  and  interest  can  be  placed 
above  that  of  the  reception  into  the  Church  of  Cor- 
nelius and  his  household.  It  is  the  history  of  the 
Gentile  day  of  Pentecost.  Moment  worthy  of  eter- 
nal remembrance,  when  the  first  Gentile  threshold 
was  crossed  for  the  first  time  by  the  feet  of  them 
who  published  peace,  and  the  earliest  beam  of  light- 
dawned  on  the  land  of  the  shadow  of  death !    Van  0. 

The  three  messengers  from  Cornelius  tarried  over 
night  in  tho  house  of  Simon  at  Joppa.  On  the  next 
morning  Peter  departed  with  them  for  Cesarea,  a 
distance  of  thirty  Roman  miles.  Six  Jewish  Chris- 
tians of  Joppa  voluntarily  accompanied  him.  The 
journey  required  a  day  and  a  half ;  so  that  they 
reached  Cesarea  the  day  following,  or  the  fourth  day 
after  the  vision  of  Cornelius. 

The  centurion,  anticipating  the  time  of  their  ar- 
rival, had  called  together  a  considerable  company, 
from  his  own  and  other  friendly  Gentile  households. 
Whatever  blessing  is  to  come,  he  would  extend  its 
effects  to  as  many  as  he  could  reach.  Regarding 
Peter  as  one  directly  and  especially  sent  of  God,  his 
mind  ingrained  with  the  Roman  notion  of  deifying 
such  ambassadors  from  heaven,  the  centurion  would 
have  rendered  divine  honors  to  the  apostle  upon  his 
entrance.  But  instantly  Peter  checked  his  purpose, 
gave  him  his  hand,  and  bade  him  stand ;  assuring 
him  that  he  himself  was  only  a  man.  After  a  mo- 
ment's friendly  converse,  Peter  went  in  to  the  gath- 
ered company.  Without  further  reference  to  Cor- 
nelius, he  first  accounts  for  his — to  them  strange — 
presence,  a  Jew  among  Gentiles,  by  frankly  declar- 
ing that  God  had  taken  away  his  Jewish  prejudice ; 
had  taught  him  that  all  nations  were  equally  accept- 
able to  Him.  Ue  then  asks  why  they  have  sum- 
moned him.  To  this  question  Cornelius  replies  by 
reciting  his  vision  of  the  fourth  afternoon  before — 
the  direction  he  had  received,  and  his  obedience  to 
it — and  then  expresses  the  readiness  of  all  present  to 
hear  all  things  commanded  of  God  for  Peter's  ut- 
terance. 

34,  35,  Peter^s  Introduction:  all  Men  and  Na- 
tions alike  before  God. — The  singular  coincidence  of 
the  two  miraculous  visions,  and  the  manifest  spirit 
and  desire  of  this  company  of  Gentile  souls,  at  once 
deepened  into  strong  settled  assurance  the^new  view 
God  had  taught  him  of  the  relation  of  the  Gentiles 


to  the  Gospel.  And  this  conviction  naturally  first 
finds  utterance,  "  I  have  thoroughly  learned  this,  that 
God  looks  favorably  upon  Gentile  and  Jew  alike, 
and  on  the  single  condition  of  filial  fear  in  the 
heart,  and  integrity  in  the  life."  But  Peter  stops 
not  here.  His  new  knowledge  of  something  that 
had  always  been  true  could  not  help  Cortielius.  If 
he  had  no  more  to  say  he  need  not  have  come.  For 
if  alms  and  prayers,  with  a  devout  and  beneficent 
life,  were  sufficient  for  a  man's  justification  before 
God,  then  this  man  and  his  company  need  no 
"  words  "  of  Peter  "  telling  them  how  they  may  be 
saved."  If  Cornelius  himself  (not  merely  his  pray- 
ers and  alms)  had  been  already  accepted  by  God, 
then  neither  vision  nor  angel,  neither  Peter  nor  his 
gospel  of  Christ,  neither  divine  nor  human  baptism 
would  have  been  necessary  or  appropriate.  But 
Peter  saw  in  this  "  fearing  God  and  working  right- 
eousness "  only  the  indications  that  God  had  been 
preparing  these  devout  hearts  for  the  further  es- 
sential knowledge  of  Christ,  in  his  sacrificing  life 
and  death,  his  resurrection  and  exaltation ;  and  for 
the  instant  glad  acceptance  of  this  justifying  Saviour. 
And  this  is  the  "  Word  "  he  proceeds  to  preach. 

3G,  37.  Substance  of  the  Word  preached,  cmd  the 
Sphere  of  its  Proclamation  thus  far. — That  Word  God 
had  sent  to  the  children  of  Israel,  and  it  had  been 
published  from  the  Baptist's  coming  in  all  the  coun- 
try of  the  Jews.  These  general  facts  they  knew.  But 
the  substance  of  that  Woj-d,  which  they  did  not  know, 
he  here  frsf  sums  up,  in  a  clause  and  an  included 
parenthesis :  preaching  peace  by  Jesus  Christ  (he  is 
Lord  of  all).  No  single  word  expresses  so  well  and 
winningly  the  very  heart  of  the  gospel,  in  its  design 
and  effect  upon  human  souls,  as  this  word  '^^ peace." 
It  is  God's  peace,  for  there  is  no  other.  And  the 
giver  is  God,  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son. 
There  is  no  other  giver,  for  He  is  Lord  over  all  souls. 
And  this  proclamation  of  peace  provided  and  prof- 
fered to  men  in  their  disquiet — disquiet  because  of 
sin  and  its  consequent  misery — fully  meets,  and  it 
alone  meets,  the  deepest  most  vital  craving  of  the 
disturbed  heart.  How  winning,  how  blessed  then 
this  divine  gospel,  with  this  its  great  disclosure — 
Christ,  God  over  all,  in  good-will  to  men,  bringiiig 
peace  upon  earth! 

38-43.  The  Particulars  of  this  Published  Divine 
Gospel,  the  Facts  of  Chrid's  Incarnate  Career,  here 
testified  to  by  Peter,  and  referred  back  to  Previous 


SECTIOX  20S.—ACTS  10  :  2it-JiS. 


Ti 


Testimony  by  (he  Prophets. — The  same  facts  that  he 
ha^s  heretofore  preached  to  Jews  of  every  degree,  he 
declares  to  this  first  audience  of  Gentiles.  While  he 
asserts  Christ's  Lordship  over  men,  and  his  ordina- 
tion as  Judge  of  quick  and  dead  in  the  great  and 
final  assize,  he  yet  declares  His  humanity  by  the 
name  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  and  tells  of  His  ignomini- 
ous death  by  hanging  on  a  tree. 

By  His  anointment  "  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
with  power,"  the  apostle  intimates  Christ's  three- 
fold functions  as  God's  appointed  prophet,  priest, 
and  king  for  men,  for  only  these  three  were  anoint- 
ed among  men.  His  beneficent  and  blessed  ministry 
is  summed  up  in  the  simple  but  sublime  record : 
He  icent  about  doing  good!  To  all  his  marvels  of 
divine  power  in  healing  and  in  casting  out  devils, 
to  (dl  his  deeds  of  mercy  and  help,  the  apostle  here 
interjects  the  fact  that  he  himself  was  witness. 
Also  His  death  upon  the  Cross,  and  His  resurrec- 
tion upon  the  third  day,  Peter  declares.  And  here 
again  he  refers  to  his  own  personal  witness  and 
knowledge.  He  states  a  fact  that  thoughtful  read- 
ers of  the  Gospel  history  have  noticed,  but  which 
is  nowhere  stated  in  that  history.  It  is  that  the 
risen  Saviour  showed  himself  only  to  disciples,  never 
to  unbelievers.  The  single  object  of  the  showing 
was  to  secure  ivitnesses  enough  and  of  sucB  a  charac- 
ter as  could  testify  and  as  leould  be  credited.  Such 
witnesses  could  not  be  found  among  unbelievers. 
They  could  only  be  found  among  honest  disciples, 
and  that  after  testimony  strong  and  conclusive 
enough  to  overbear  their  previous  honest  doubt  and 
unbelief. 

And  the  witnesses  of  Christ's  beautiful  and 
blessed  life,  they  who  had  companied  with  him 
during  the  brief  period  of  his  ministry  to  men,  who 
had  known  of  his  condemnation  and  death  by  the 
Cross,  who  had  beheld  him  arisen  and  saw  him  as- 
cend to  heaven,  these  chosen  witnesses  (of  whom 
Peter  was  one  of  the  foremost)  Christ  had  commis- 
sioned to  speak  unto  all  people  that  uhieh  they  knew, 
and  to  testify  that  they  had  seen  ;  and  to  declare  that 
He,  the  ascended  Redeemer,  should  finally  reappear 
as  the  Judge  of  the  quick  and  dead.  Lastly,  to 
complete,  confirm,  and  crown  these  details  of  Christ's 
oSice-work  on  earth  and  in  heaven,  the  apostle  de- 
clares the  sublime  end  and  object  of  all :  that  whoso- 
ever lelieveth  in  Him  sJiall  receive  remission  of  sins. 
This,  he  affirms,  is  the  witness  of  the  prophets  to 
Christ,  thereby  asserting  that  this  is  the  ultimate 
supreme  fact  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament  Gospel. 
Tlie  same  Being  wlio  is  Lord  a7id  Judge  of  all  is  the 
Saviour  of  all  that  trust  in  Him.  This  Lord  and 
Saviour — in  his  incarnate  life  of  love,  his  death  of 
shame,  and  his  glorious  resurrection  and  ascension, 
already  often  preached  to  Jewish  rulers  and  people 
— by  express  command  of  God  Peter  now  preached 


to  this  first-gathered  company  of   Gentiles.      And 
similar  are  the  results  which  ensue. 

44-48.  Gentiles  receive  the  Holy  Ghost  and  are 
baptized,  tchile  Believing  Jews  stand  amazed. — The 
prayers  of  Cornelius  find  now  abundant  answer. 
In  the  preaching  of  Christ  all  is  revealed  that  he 
sought  to  know  and  receive.  And  not  the  centurion 
alone;  but  the  whole  Gentile  company  gathered  at  his 
call,  listened,  heeded,  believed,  and  received  the  of- 
fered Saviour.  And  now,  as  of ttiraes  before  upon 
Jewish  multitudes,  upon  these  first-fruits  of  the 
Gentiles  descended  the  fullness  of  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  quickening,  converting,  and  endowing 
with  limited  supernatural  gifts.  It  was  the  Pentecost 
of  the  Gentiles,  and  they  also  spake  with  tongues, 
and  magnified  the  grace  of  God  in  their  salvation. 

This  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon  pagan  hearers 
is  the  significant  fact  emphasized  in  the  whole  nar- 
rative. All  the  previous  occurrences  by  miracle  and 
providence  had  been  definitely  arranged  to  give  the 
utmost  pi'ominence  and  significance  to  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  Gentiles  into  the  Christian  Church.  And 
this  mainly  to  make  the  deepest  impression  upon  the 
minds  of  cdl  Jewish  disciples,  apostles  and  Church 
members  alike ;  to  produce  an  unquestioniig  con- 
viction that  from  henceforth  the  middle  wall  of  par- 
tition between  Jew  and  Gentile  was,  by  God's  own 
purpose  and  hand,  for  ever  broken  down.  How 
much  needed  was  this  lesson  and  how  hard  it  was 
to  learn,  striking  as  it  did  directly  at  the  heart  of  a 
prejudice  incorporated  for  ages  in  the  very  fabric  of 
the  Jewish  mind,  we  may  gather  from  the  entire 
after-history  of  the  Acts,  and  from  large  portions 
of  Paul's  leading  epistles.  The  lesson  was  this : 
That  Judaism  %vas  not  the  way  of  entrance  to  Chris- 
tianity ;  that  the  ceremonial  rites  of  the  Jewish  law 
were  not  in  any  wise  conditions  of  admission  to  the 
Chnstian  Church  ;  nay  more,  that  the  Mosaic  ritual 
teas,  in  its  two  chief  features,  now  replaced  by  two 
unbloody  and  simple  sacramental  symbols,  whose  sig- 
nificance better  suited  the  new  relations  of  the  Church 
to  Christ. 

Peter  learned  this  now  as  the  lesson  of  his  vision 
at  Joppa,  and  at  once  acted  upon  it.  Taking  ad- 
vantage of  the  amazement  and  conviction  of  the 
Jewish  disciples  from  Joppa,  he  puts  to  them  the 
conclusive  question  of  verse  47.  "  Uncircumcised 
as  they  are,"  he  says,  "  they  have  received  the  bap- 
tism of  God.  Shall  we  refuse  them  the  baptism  of 
man,  as  appointed  by  Christ  ?  "  And,  by  the  ordi- 
nance then  administered  at  his  command,  Peter 
there  declared,  and  afterward,  upon  his  recital  of 
the  facts,  the  body  of  the  apostles  reaffirmed  the 
declaration,  that  Gentile  believers  henceforth  were  to 
be  received  through  the  simple  Christian  symbol  of 
baptism  alone,  and  were  entitled  to  fidl,  equal  right 
and  privilege  in  Christian  Church  membership.     B. 


78 


SECTION  209.— ACTS  11  : 1-30. 


Suggested  Thoughts.— The  scale  of  God's  plans 
is  large,  and  the  fulfillment  gradual  and  slow.  For 
fifteen  hundred  years  the  Jewish  people  were  the 
chosen  recipients  of  his  special  regard  and  favors. 
But  never  for  themselves  alone.  Instruments,  fa- 
vored indeed,  but  only  instruments  they  were, 
trained  by  instruction  and  discipline,  to  .testify  of 
the  one  Jehovah,  to  receive  and  distribute  his  Word 
of  Life.  Yet,  in  the  later  centuries,  God  had  also 
been  training  two  other  nations  to  take  part  in  the 
great  crisis  of  human  history.  Now  that  the  Jew- 
ish nation  has  fulfilled  its  appointed  function,  all 
that  is  special  in  God's  dealing  ceases.  Now  that 
Greek  and  Koman  are  prepared  for  God's  working 
in  their  behalf,  above  all,  now  that  the  time  for  hu- 
manity's divine  redemption  has  fully  come,  and  the 
work  of  that  redemption  is  complete,  now  the  prom- 
ise and  the  salvation  of  God  takes  a  breadth  and 
reach  that  includes  all  nations.  And  it  is  this  wide 
transfer  of  divine  blessings,  it  is  the  universal  proc 
lamation  of  the  redemption  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  we 
read  in  the  occurrence  narrated  here. 

Two  expressions,  found  in  this  story  in  different 
connections,  seem  to  be  wonderfully  adapted  for  in- 
scriptions in  our  churches ;  one  on  either  side-wall, 


where  they  may  be  read  from  pulpit  and  pew  :  We 
are  all  here  present  before  God,  to  hear  all  things 
that  are  commanded  thee  of  God  !  Every  word  is 
emphatic  and  quickeningly  suggestive.  And  the 
other  is  equally  profitable :  Who  (i.  e.,  God's  preach- 
er) shall  tell  thee  words,  whereby  thou  and  all  thy 
house  shall  be  saved!  Words  that  are  spirit  and 
life,  words  from  Christ,  about  Christ,  for  Christ: 
words  from  the  Word  of  Life,  accompanied  by  the 
living  Spirit,  which  are  able  to  make  wise  unto  sal- 
vation. Here  we  find  the  design,  the  sure,  the  only 
subject-matter,  and  right  temper  of  preaching  and 
hearing  ! 

Peter's  first  sermon  to  Gentiles  may  be  beauti- 
fully and  effectively  summed  up  in  its  first  and  last 
expressions  :  Peace  by  Jesus  Christ,  Lord  of  all ! 
Through  his  name  every  one  who  believeth  shall 
receive  remission  of  sins !  Peace  by  pardon — re- 
demption by  faith  ! 

Now,  too,  the  world,  of  Jews  as  well  as  Gentiles, 
in  heart  are  craving  the  message  of  peace  by  Jesus 
Christ,  and  remission  of  sins  by  faith  in  his  name. 
Now,  too,  individual  souls — and  many — like  Corne- 
lius arc  desiring,  praying  !  Shall  we  not  send  far  and 
wide  the  living  voice  with  the  living  gospel  ?     B. 


Section  209. 

Acts  xi.  1-30. 

1  And  the  apostles  and  brethren  that  were  in  Judfea  heard  that  the  Gentiles  had  also  re- 

2  ceived  the  word  of  God.     And  when  Peter  was  come  up  to  Jerusalem,  tliey  that  were  of 

3  the  circumcision  contended  with  him,  saying,  Thou  wentest  in  to  men  uncircumcised,  and 

4  didst  eat  with  them.     But  Peter  rehearsed  the  matter  from  the  beginning,  and  expounded 

5  it  by  order  unto  them,  saying,  I  was  in  the  city  of  Joppa  praying :  and  in  a  trance  I  saw  a 
vision,  A  certain  vessel  descend,  as  it  had  been  a  great  sheet,  let  down  from  heaven  by  four 

6  corners ;  and  it  came  even  to  me :  upon  the  which  when  I  had  fastened  mine  eyes,  I  con- 
sidered, and  saw  fourfooted  beasts  of  the  earth,  and  wild  beasts,  and  creeping  things,  and 

7  fowls  of  the  air.    And  I  heard  a  voice  saying  unto  me.  Arise,  Peter ;  slay  and  eat.    But  I  said, 

8  Not  so,  Lord:  for  nothing  common  or  unclean  hatli   at  anytime  entered  into  my  mouth. 

9  But  tlie  voice  answered  me  again  from  heaven.  What  God  hath  cleansed,  that  call  not  thou 

10  common.     And  this  was  done  three  times:  and  all  were  drawn  up  again  into  heaven.     And, 

11  behold,  immediately  there  were  three  men  already  come  unto  the  house  where  I  was,  sent 

12  from  Csesarea  unto  me.     And  the  spirit  bade  me  go  with  them,  nothing  doubting.     More- 

13  over  these  six  brethren  accompanied  me,  and  we  entered  into  the  man's  house :  and  he 
shewed  us  how  he  had  seen  an  angel  in  his  house,  which  stood  and  said  unto  him,  Send  men 

14  to  Joppa,  and  call  for  Simon,  whose  surname  is  Peter;  who  shall  tell  thee  words,  whereby 

15  thou  and  all  thy  house  shall  be  saved.     And  as  I  began  to  speak,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on 

16  them,  as  on  us  at  the  beginning.  Then  remembered  I  the  word  of  the  Lord,  how  that  he 
said,  John  indeed  baptized  with  water;   but  ye  sliall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 

17  Forasmuch  then  as  God  gave  them  the  like  gift  as  he  did  unto  us,  who  believed  on  the  Lord 

18  Jesus  Christ ;  what  was  I,  that  I  could  withstand  God  ?  When  they  heard  these  things, 
they  held  their  peace,  and  glorified  God,  saying.  Then  hath  God  also  to  the  Gentiles  granted 
rei)entanco  unto  life. 

19  Now  tliey  which  were  scattered  abroad  upon  the  persecution  that  arose  about  Stephen 
travelled  as  far  as  Phenice,  and  Cyprus,  and  Antioch,  preaching  the  word  to  none  but  unto 

20  the  Jews  only.     And  some  of  them  were  men  of  Cyprus  and  Cyrene,  which,  when  they 

21  were  come  to  Antioch,  spake  unto  the  Grecians,  preaching  the  Lord  Jesus.  And  the  hand 
of  the  Lord  was  with  them:  and  a  great  number  believed,  and  turned  unto  the  Lord. 


I 


SECTION  209.— ACTS  11 : 1-30. 


Y9 


23      Then  tidings  of  these  tilings  came  unto  the  ears  of  the  church  which  was  in  Jerusalem : 

23  and  they  sent  forth  Barnabas,  that  he  should  go  as  far  as  Antioch.     Who,  when  he  came, 

and  had  seen  the  grace  of  God,  was  glad,  and  exhorted  them  all,  that  with  purpose  of  heart 

21  they  would  cleave  unto  the  Lord.     For  he  was  a  good  man,  and  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and 

25  of  faith :  and  much  people  was  added  unto  the  Lord.    .Then  departed  Barnabas  to  Tarsus, 

26  for  to  seek  Saul:  and  when  he  had  found  him,  he  brought  him  unto  Antioch.  And  it  came 
to  pass,  that  a  whole  year  they  assembled  themselves  with  the  church,  and  taught  much 
people.     And  the  disciples  were  called  Christians  first  in  Antioch, 

27  And  in  these  days  came  prophets  from  Jerusalem  unto  Antioch.    And  there  stood  up  one 

28  of  them  named  Agabus,  and  signified  by  the  spirit  that  there  should  be  great  dearth 

29  throughout  all  the  world:  which  came  to  pass  in  the  days  of  Claudius  Cajsar.  Then  the 
disciples,  every  man  according  to  his  ability,  determined  to  send  relief  unto  the  brethren 

30  which  dwelt  in  Judaea :  which  also  they  did,  and  sent  it  to  the  elders  by  the  hands  of  Bar- 
nabas and  Saul.  

By  cleaving  unto  Jesus  is  meant  that  we  hold  fast  to  his  religion,  abhorring  the  thought  of  apostasy — 
that  we  adhere  to  him  as  the  Kevealer  of  truth,  avoiding  every  heresy  and  error — that  we  rest  upon  hira 
by  faith  as  our  atoning  Priest — that  we  kneel  to  him  as  our  King — that  we  cling  to  his  example — that  we 
keep  near  him  as  the  source  of  all  spiritual,  sanctifying  influence — and  that  we  abide  in  him  as  our  ever- 
lasting portion  and  ultimate  good.  Abiding  in  Christ  is  abiding  in  his  service,  walking  in  his  will,  doing 
that  which  shall  please  him,  and  living  to  his  glory.  And  this  derives  new  force  from  the  consideration 
that  holiness,  whether  of  heart  or  conduct — in  other  words,  cleaving  to  the  Lord  in  duty — can  by  no 
means  be  secured,  except  by  cleaving  to  him  in  acts  of  personal  faith  and  affection.     J.  W.  A. 

Let  the  central  flame  of  Christian  love  burn  in  yom'  hearts  with  an  undying  constancy  and  purcness. 
Let  your  sweet  charity  and  patience  and  peace  breathe  as  a  fragrance  throughout  the  society  of  believers. 
Let  the  sustaining  and  heavenly  hope  which  comes  through  Christ  impart  its  beauty  to  your  character 
always,  and  shine  with  clear  celestial  luster  throughout  your  life.  Let  your  self-devoted  labors  for  others 
reach  out  to  them,  and  bring  both  them  and  us  a  blessing.  Take  what  of  influence  from  the  spheres  un- 
seen you  here  may  meet,  and  make  it  felt  throughout  the  circles  which  you  affect.  Seek  first  of  all  in 
yourselves,  at  all  times,  the  richest,  brightest,  most  abounding  experience  of  all  that  which  the  Spirit  of 
God  will  work,  through  the  gospel,  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of  those  who  receive  him ;  of  all  which  study, 
prayer,  and  effort,  beneficent  action  and  the  wisest  self-discipline,  can  bring  to  the  soul  through  Christ  its 
Lord ;  of  all  which  God  imparts  in  his  grace  to  those  whom  he  chooses  for  his  own.  And  then  let  this  be 
spontaneously  revealed,  in  endurance  and  in  action,  in  your  life  and  on  your  lips,  in  all  the  circumstances 
in  which  you  may  be  placed,     E.  S.  S, 


1-18.  Thia  event  was  the  crown  and  consumma- 
tion of  Peter's  ministry.  He  who  had  first  preached 
the  resurrection  to  the  Jews,  baptized  the  first  con- 
verts, and  confirmed  the  Samaritans,  now,  without 
the  advice  or  cooperation  of  any  of  his  colleagues, 
under  direct  communication  from  heaven,  first  estab- 
lished principles  which  issued  in  the  complete  fusion 
of  the  Hebrew  and  Gentile  elements  in  the  Church. 
It  was  no  mere  acquiescence  in  a  positive  command, 
but  the  development  of  a  spirit  full  of  generous 
impulses,  which  found  utterance  in  the  words  spo- 
ken by  Peter  on  that  occasion,  both  in  presence  of 
Cornelius  and  afterward  at  Jerusalem.  But  the 
Church  at  Jerusalem  was  slow  to  learn  the  lesson 
involved  in  the  tidings  that  the  Gentiles  had  also 
received  the  word  of  God.  When  Peter  returned  to 
Jerusalem,  he  was  accused  by  "  those  of  the  circum- 
cision" because  he  had  eaten  with  the  uncircum- 
cised.  But  his  plain  narrative  of  the  whole  trans- 
action, crowned  by  the  argument  that,  in  the  out- 


pouring of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  had  recognized  that 
same  baptism  of  the  Spirit  which  Christ  had  prom- 
ised as  the  sign  of  his  presence  with  the  apostles 
themselves,  silenced  every  objection,  and  opened 
every  mouth  in  praise  to  God  for  the  great  revela- 
tion  which  marks  this  epoch  in  the  history  of  the 
Church :  "  T/icn  hath  God  also  to  the  Gentiles  f/ranU 
ed  repentance  nnto  lifej'^     S. 

We  note,  here  and  throughout  the  Acts,  in  the 
record  of  personal  contentions  and  church  divisions, 
the  same  ingenuous  frankness  in  telling  the  story  of 
their  own  weaknesses  and  sins,  that  we  read  so  often 
and  plainly  in  the  gospels.  The  bearing  of  this 
honesty  of  the  sacred  writers  upon  the  truth  of 
their  writings  is  obvious. 

19-21.  The  Gospel  widely  diffused  through  Per- 
secution. Its  first  Great  Triumph  among  Gentiles 
at  Antioch. — The  work  of  Christ  thus  far  had  only 
reached  the  limit  of  Palestine.  As  bidden  at  his 
ascension,  the  disciples  had  begun  at  Jerusalem,  and 


80 


SECTIOy  209.— ACTS  11  : 1-30. 


[Cyrene  was  the  principal  city  of  that  district  of  northern  Africa  lying  between  Carthage  and  Egypt.    It  lies  on  a  table-land 
with  descending  terraces  to  the  sea.    It  was  a  Greek  city,  with  a  large  settlenaent  of  Jews.    B.] 


thence  gone  into  Judea,  Samaria,  and  Galilee.  Now 
a  signal  step  in  advance  is  taken  ;  an  earnest  vital 
movement  is  begun  among  the  Gentiles. 

I  uke  recurs  (v.  19)  to  the  fact  previously  stated 
(8  :  4),  only  specifying  regions  where  the  scattered 
believers  went,  and  the  single  class  of  persons 
(Jews)  to  whom  they  preached  the  Word.  The  time 
is  indefinite  and  considerably  prolonged.  Phenicia, 
here  referred  to,  was  a  province  of  Syria  on  the 
Syro-Palestinian  coast  of  the  Mediterranean,  extend- 
ing northward  from  Mount  Carmel  one  hundred  and 
thirty  miles  in  a  strip  of  land  bounded  by  the  Leba- 
non range.  It  included  Tyre,  Sidon,  Barytus  (Beirut), 
and  other  cities.  Cyprus  is  the  large  island,  distant 
sixty  miles  from  the  Phenician  coast,  noted  at  that 
period  for  its  productions  and  commerce,  and  for 
the  luxury  of  its  inhabitants.     (See  map,  p.  61.) 

After  the  dispersion  of  the  disciples  at  Stephen's 
death  those  two  populous  regions  were  ultimately 
reached,  and  the  gospel  preached  to  the  Jews.  But 
we  learn  (v.  20)  that  some  of  these  preaching  dis- 
ciples, natives  of  Cyprus  and  of  Cyrene  in  Lybian 
Africa,  were  moved  by  the  Spirit  to  go  to  Antioch 
■  and  there  to  preach  to  Greeks.  They  were  prompt- 
ed, we  can  hardly  doubt,  by  tidings  of  what  had  oc- 
curred in  Cesarea;  for  their  movement  followed 
close  upon  Peter's  ministry  in  the  house  of  Corne- 
lius.    The  method  employed  was  the  preaching  of 


a  personal  Saviour,  telling  the  story  of  Christ. 
Peter  and  Stephen  to  the  Jerusalem  Jews,  Philip 
to  the  Samaritans  and  the  Ethiopian,  Peter  to  the 
Gentile  company  of  Cornelius,  and  now  these  un- 
named disciples  to  the  Greeks  of  Antioch,  alike 
dwelt  upon  the  facts  of  Christ's  person  and  history. 
They  unfolded  the  truths  of  salvation  incarnated  in 
his  serving  life,  his  suffering  death,  and  his  trium- 
phant resurrection  and  ascension.  And  as  before, 
so  now,  "  the  arm  of  the  Lord  is  revealed  "  as  di- 
recting and  energizing  this  ministry  of  men ;  so  that 
"  a  great  number  believed  and  turned  unto  the 
Lord."  Ilere  we  see  the  one  only  method  of  bring- 
ing truth  and  salvation  effectually  to  men :  man 
preaches  peace  by  Jesus  Christ,  but  God  inspires 
and  guides  the  preaching,  and  makes  the  truth 
preached  quickening  and  sanctifying !     B. 

Hence  we  learn  how  much  was  accomplished  in 
the  first  Christian  propagandism  by  the  easy,  natu- 
ral, and  spontaneous  influence  of  laymen.  The  first 
successes  of  Christianity  in  foreign  parts  were  on 
this  wise.  Individual  believers,  dispersed  abroad 
in  the  providence  of  God,  imparted  to  others  those 
glad  tidings  with  which  their  own  souls  were  glad- 
dened. In  those  passages  in  the  Evangelists  and 
the  Acts  which  relate  to  the  promulgation  of  the 
Gospel,  we  find  three  several  words,  all  of  which 
are  translated  into  our  English  word  preacJi.     The 


SECTION  209.— ACTS  11  : 1-30. 


81 


original  word  in  verse  19  is  the  very  word  we  should 
have  employed  to  describe  simple  conversation. 
Their  hearts  were  full  of  Christ,  and  so  they  talked 
everywhere  concerning  him.  It  was  with  them  as 
when  the  news  of  some  joyful  event  is  abroad  in 
the  city ;  it  spreads  in  advance  of  all  messengers, 
throbbing  along  amid  high-wrought  enthusiasm,  re- 
flected from  the  countenance  and  repeated  from  the 
mouth  of  all  you  meet.     W.  A. 

22<  Impression  made  upon  the  3fother  Church 
in  Jerusalem  by  the  Tidings  from  Antioch. — They 
had  learned  that  God  had  also  given  to  the  Gentiles 
repentance  unto  life.  Here  God  summoned  them 
to  behold  a  great  and  marvelous  work.  He  put 
upon  them  a  new  and  vast  responsibility.  For  An- 
tioch was  then  one  of  the  three  or  four  greatest 
cities  of  the  civilized  world.  Lying  on  the  river 
Orontes,  about  twenty  miles  back  from  the  north- 
eastern angle  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  inclosed  by 
the  Taurus  mountain  range  on  the  north  and  Leba- 
non on  the  east,  by  its  harbor  of  Seleucia  inviting 
the  trade  of  the  great  sea,  and  through  the  open 
country  beyond  Lebanon  accessible  to  the  caravans 


of  the  East,  it  had  every  advantage  to  attract  mul- 
titudes of  all  classes  from  every  portion  of  the 
woi-ld.  It  was  now  the  residence  of  the  Roman 
governors,  as  it  had  been  the  capital  of  the  Syrian 
kings,  from  whom  it  had  received  grandeur  and 
name.  Of  great  size,  with  immense  and  costly  pub- 
lic and  private  structures,  with  temples,  groves,  and 
gardens,  attractive  with  statues  and  works  of  art, 
almost  rivaling  Rome  in  extent  and  variety  of  its 
population,  and  surpassing  it  in  the  luxurious  aban- 
donment and  worthless  character  of  the  people,  An- 
tioch was  at  once  the  most  brilliant  and  the  most 
debased,  the  greatest  and  the  worst  of  the  Oriental 
Greek  cities  under  the  wide  Roman  rule.  Many  Jews 
had  originally  settled  here,  because  unmolested  in 
their  religion. 

Under  the  pressure  of  their  responsibility  for 
helping  on  the  movement  of  God's  Spirit  in  this 
great  and  wicked  metropolis,  the  mother  Church  at 
once  sent  Barnabas  thither.  We  remember  him, 
first  as  Joses  (Acts  4  :  36),  and  next  as  the  endorser 
of  Saul  to  Peter  and  James.  As  a  native  of  Cyprus 
and  familiar  with  Antioch,  himself  also  of  Greek 


Plan  of  Antioch. 


82 


SECTION  209. —ACTS  11 : 1-80. 


origin,  with  a  transparently  beautiful  character  and 
high  natural  and  spiritual  endowments,  the  selection 
and  trust  were  eminently  wise. 

Note  here,  however,  that  it  is  the  Church  body 
that  sends,  not  the  apostles ;  and  that  an  unofficial 
Church  member,  not  an  apostle,  is  sent.  From  hence- 
forth the  apostles  act  as  such  only  upon  certain  oc- 
casions which  call  for  the  exercise  of  their  special 
commission  from  Christ.  Thus  it  appears  that  the 
offices  in  the  Church  by  Christ's  appointment  are 
limited  to  specific  purposes,  and  always  subordi- 
nated to  the  interests  of  the  body  of  beUevers. 

23,  34.  What  Barnabas  saw,  fell,  and  did  at 
Aniioch,  and  what  ensued. — He  saw  that  which  he 
had  spiritual  vision  to  discern,  and  spiritual  desire 
to  look  upon.  He  saw  the  fruits  of  the  grace  of 
God,  in  a  multitude  of  souls  "  turned  to  the  Lord," 
that  is,  converted.  And  spiritual  vision  and  desire, 
through  sympathy,  naturally  begat  spiritual  joy: 
ITe  was  glad.  Yet  further,  his  quick,  glad,  deep 
sympathy  seeks  and  finds  its  true  relief  in  active 
helpfulness.  He  enters  at  once  upon  a  ministry  of 
instructive  exhortation.  Only  the  key-note  and  sub- 
stance of  that  exhortation  is  given  us  here.  But  it 
is  very  rich  and  full  in  its  instruction. 

Earnestly  Barnabas  counsels  those  who  had 
turned  unto  the  Lord  to  cleave  unto  Him  with  full 
consecration  (so  the  word  purpose  implies)  of  heart. 
Cleaving  or  holding  fast  is  only  a  keeping  turned 
unto  the  Lord.  Christ  is  the  vital  center  of  trust 
and  of  life;  and  through  the  heart's  cleaving,  or 
close  living  union,  to  Him,  the  soul's  attachment 
and  consecration  is  made  firm  and  enduring.  It  is 
the  old  and  always  beautiful  figure  of  the  vine  and 
its  branches.  Faith  in  the  living  Christ  turns  the 
heart  to  Him ;  and  a  grafting  of  the  believer's  life 
into  His  life  holds  fast  the  once-turned  heart.  But 
let  it  be  always  remembered  that,  as  the  graft  con- 
tinues to  live  by  the  unceasing  transmission  of  sap 
from  the  nourishing  stem,  so  the  believer's  life  is 
maintained  by  unbroken  communion  with  Christ. 
Personal  love  to  a  personal  Saviour  is  made  living 
and  fruit  f id  by  continuous  personal  communion  tvilh 
Him  !  This  is  the  one  essential  truth  declared  by 
Christ  and  by  all  these  primitive  preachers  in  preach- 
ing Jesus. 

The  Christlike  character  of  this  "  Son  of  Conso- 
lation "  is  here  happily  embodied  in  three  particu- 
lars :  his  goodness  of  heart  and  life ;  the  principle 
from  which  that  goodness  proceeded,  faith  ;  and  the 
Divine  agent  who  wrought  the  inward  principle  and 
actuated  the  outward  life — who  "  worked  in  him  to 
will  and  to  do."  Thus  earnestly  he  taught  the 
newly  converted,  and  his  inwrought  faith  and  excel- 
lence confirmed  his  teaching.  But  the  good  eS;ects 
were  not  limited  to  disciples.  The  same  truths, 
so  enforced  by  his  manifest  character  through  the 


Holy  Ghost,  reached  and  converted  multitudes  be- 
sides. 

25,  26.  A  Year  of  Ministry  in  Aniioch  by  Bar- 
nabas and  Said. — The  hope  and  prospect  of  a  yet 
larger  ingathering,  and  the  promise  of  a  great  and 
permanent  prosperity  for  the  growing  Church  of 
Christ,  prompted  Barnabas  to  seek  help.  Naturally 
he  turns  to  Saul.  He  had  recognized  a  Divine  pur- 
pose in  Saul's  conversion,  and  he,  better  than  others, 
appreciated  Saul's  qualifications  for  effective  minis- 
try. Under  divine  impulse,  therefore,  and  without 
conference  with  the  apostles,  he  sought  Saul  in  his 
home  at  Tarsus.  Together  they  return  to  Antioch, 
and  together  minister  to  the  increasing  Church  for 
"  a  whole  year." 

Thus  gradually  still,  and  by  no  appointment  of 
men,  is  Saul  brought  into  prominence.  For  not  yet 
has  he  been  specially  commissioned  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  ordained  to  his  world-wide  work.  And 
thus  simply,  by  the  labors  of  two  unordained  disci- 
ples, was  the  mother  Church  of  the  Gentiles  found- 
ed. Thus  quietly,  without  notice  or  knowledge  of 
men,  was  established  a  new  and  second  center 
around  which  the  great  movements  of  the  Church 
were  to  circulate.  Thenceforth  the  Church  of  An- 
tioch held  the  same  relation  to  Gentile  Christianity 
as  that  at  Jerusalem  held  to  Jewish  Christianity. 

Disciples  were  called  Christians  first  in  Antioch. 
— As  a  natural  consequence,  as  soon  as  they  were 
seen  to  be  characterized  by  something  distinctive, 
as  compared  with  other  sects  or  parties  among  the 
Jews,  they  received  a  name  taken  from  their  pecu- 
liar doctrines  and  practices.  And  since  the  faith, 
the  love,  and  the  hope  of  this  body  of  believers  was 
concentrated  upon  the  person  and  worl^  of  Christ,  it 
was  especially  appropriate  that  they  should  be  called 
Christians.  The  name,  doubtless,  originated  with 
the  Gentiles,  and  was  distinctive  only,  given  neither 

in  mockery  nor  opprobrium.     B. This  much  at 

least  is  evident,  that  they  who  called  themselves  His 
disciples  must  in  a  conspicuous  manner  have  sepa- 
rated themselves  from  those  who  did  not  believe  the 
gospel ;  that  not  only  their  regard  for  Jesus  and 
their  assent  to  his  commands,  but  their  confession 
of  the  Christ  as  their  Lord  and  King,  was  the  cause 
of  their  receiving  such  a  name.      Va7i  0. 

So  from  the  world  the  Church  received  its  best 
descriptive  name ;  from  heathen,  in  a  heathen  city, 
believers  received  their  most  appropriate  and  honor- 
able title.  "A  Latin  derivative  from  the  Greek 
term*  for  the  Messiah,  it  is  connected  with  the  office, 
not  the  name,  of  our  Lord."  The  term  is  derived 
not  from  Jesus,  the  Saviour,  but  from  Christ,  the 
anointed  of  God,  referring  to  His  appointed  and  ac- 
cepted work.  So  believers  are  fellow-workers,  not 
fellow-saviours,  with  him;  Christians  not  Jesuits. 
For  t](.eir  work  they  "  have  an  unction  (anointing) 


SECTION  209.— ACTS  11 :  ISO. 


83 


Modern  Antioclu 


from  the  Holy  One."  B. Derived  from  the  three- 
fold ofiBce  of  Christ,  the  Anointed  One  of  God,  to  be 
Prophet,  Priest,  and  King  of  the  world,  the  name  in- 
timates the  obligation  of  those  who  bear  it  to  faith 
in  him,  to  worship  through  him,  and  to  obedience  to 
him  as  the  Christ,  and  it  also  declares  their  partici- 
pation in  his  unction.  The  name  Christian  is  also 
a  protest  against  all  religious  titles  derived  from 
human  leaders.  This  name  was  not  given  at  Jeru- 
salem, but  at  Antioch,  a  Gentile  city — an  intimation 
of  the  future  diffusion  of  Christianity  throughout 

the  heathen  world.     W. Before  this,  they  were 

called  by  the  Jews  Nazarenes^  or  Galileans  ;  and  by 
each  other,  disciples,  believers,  brethren,  or  saints- 
But  they  now  assumed  the  name  of  their  great 
Leader.     D. 

27-30.  The  Predicted  Dearth,  and  the  Christian 
Charity  of  the  First  Gentile  Church  to  their  Needy 
Jewish  Brethren. — The  prophets  here  referred  to  were 
simply  men  specially  inspired  with  helpful  messages 
of  various  kinds.  This  message  was  a  prediction 
but  its  purpose  was  obviously  helpful.  The  matter 
of  verses  27  and  28  is  introduced  here  only  to  set 
forth  the  charity  of  the  Gentile  Church  that  fol. 
lowed.  In  that  charity,  kindred  with  previous  simi- 
lar acts  of  the  Jewish  believers  at  Jerusalem,  we 
see  the  unity  of  the  Christian  spirit.  And  what  was 
in  the  beginning  has  been,  is  now,  and  shall  be  until 
need  and  relief  become  obsolete  terms.  Here,  each 
was  willing  to  give,  and  gave  what  he  could.  Judg- 
ment and  conscience  determined  the  measure  of  ob- 
ligation, and  each  gave  heartily ;  and  the  combined 
gift,  the  first  evidence  of  their  fraternal  affection, 


was  sent  by  their  teachers,  Barnabas  and  Saul,  to 
Jerusalem.     B. 

One  of  the  two  events  in  the  life  of  Paul  which 
give  us  sure  marks  of  time,  is  his  journey  from  Anti- 
och to  Jerusalem  with  Barnabas,  on  the  occasion  of 
the  great  famine  under  Claudius,  about  the  time  of  the 
death  of  Herod  Agrippa  I. — an  event  which  we  can 
fiy  with  certainty  to  a.  d.  44 ;  and  the  visit  itself 

could  not  be  later  than  a.  d.  45.    S. They  carried 

from  Antioch  a  contribution  to  sustain  the  Christians 
of  Jewish  origin  at  Jerusalem  through  the  famine. 
From  Jerusalem,  and  from  Jews,  came  forth  the 
spiritual  things  wherewith  the  Gentiles  at  Antioch 
were  enriched ;  they  only  obey  a  law  of  the  king- 
dom when  they  load  the  returning  train  with  tem- 
poral gifts  for  Christian  Jews  in  Jerusalem.  Such 
reciprocal  charities  were  eminently  fitted  to  break 
down  the  partition  walls  and  blend  all  believers  into 
one.    Arnot. 

30.  Elders.  Hitherto  Luke  had  applied  the 
word  to  the  elders  of  the  Jews ;  henceforth  the  El- 
ders are  oflBcers  recognized  in  the  Church.  Thus  the 
Church  almost  insensibly  succeeds  to  the  Synagogue, 
and  supplies  its  place.  W. The  office  of  presby- 
ter, or  elder,  was  the  only  permanent  essential  ofiSce 
of  the  Jewish  church,  and  as  such  was  retained 
under  the  new  organization,  without  any  formal  in- 
stitution, and  therefore  without  any  distinct  men- 
tion in  the  history,  such  as  we  find  afterward  in  ref- 
erence to  the  organization  of  the  Gentile  church- 
es, where  the  office  had  no  previous  existence,  and 
must  therefore  be  created  by  the  act  of  ordination. 
J.  A.  A. 


84  SECTION  210.— ACTS  IS  :  I-S4. 


Section  210. 

Acts  xii.  1-24. 

1  Now  about  that  time  Herod  the  king  stretched  forth  his  hands  to  vex  certain  of  the 

2  church.     And  he  killed  James  the  brother  of  John  with  the  sword.     And  because  he  saw 

3  it  pleased  the  Jews,  he  proceeded  further  to  take  Peter  also.     (Then  were  the  days  of  un- 

4  leavened  bread.)     And  when  he  had  apprehended  him,  he  put  him  in  prison,  and  delivered 
him  to  four  quaternions  of  soldiers  to  keep  him  ;  intending  after  Easter  to  bring  him  forth 

5  to  the  people.     Peter  therefore  was  kept  in  prison  :  but  prayer  was  made  without  ceasing 

6  of  the  church  unto  God  for  him.     And  when  Herod  would  have  brought  him  forth,  the 
same  night  Peter  was  sleeping  between  two  soldiers,  bound  with  two  chains:  and  the  keep- 

7  ers  before  the  door  kept  the  prison.     And,  behold,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  came  upon  him, 
and  a  light  shined  in  the  prison :  and  he  smote  Peter  on  the  side,  and  raised  him  up,  saying, 

8  Arise  up  quickly.     And  his  chains  fell  off  from  Tiis  hands.     And  the  angel  said  unto  him, 
Gird  thyself,  and  bind  on  thy  sandals.     And  so  he  did.     And  he  saith  unto  him.  Cast  thy 

9  garment  about  thee,  and  follow  me.     And  he  went  out,  and  followed  him ;  and  wist  not 

10  that  it  was  true  which  was  done  by  the  angel ;  but  thought  he  saw  a  vision.  When  they 
were  past  the  first  and  the  second  ward,  they  came  unto  the  iron  gate  that  leadeth  unto  the 
city  ;  which  opened  to  them  of  his  own  accord :  and  they  went  out,  and  passed  on  through 

11  one  street;  and  forthwith  the  angel  departed  from  hiin.  And  when  Peter  was  come  to 
himself,  he  said,  Now  I  know  of  a  surety,  that  the  Lord  hath  sent  his  angel,  and  hath  de- 
livered me  out  of  the  hand  of  Herod,  and  from  all  the  expectation  of  the  people  of  the 

12  Jews.     And  when  he  had  considered  the  thing,  he  came  to  the  house  of  Mary  the  mother 

13  of  John,  whose  surname  was  Mark;  where  many  were  gathered  together  praying.     And 

14  as  Peter  knocked  at  the  door  of  the  gate,  a  damsel  came  to  hearken,  named  Rhoda.  And 
when  she  knew  Peter's  voice,  she  opened  not  the  gate  for  gladness,  but  ran  in,  and  told 

15  how  Peter  stood  before  the  gate.     And  they  said  unto  her.  Thou  art  mad.     But  she  con- 

16  stantly  afBrmed  that  it  was  even  so.     Then  said  they.  It  is  his  angel.     But  Peter  continued 

17  knocking:  and  when  they  had  opened  the  door,  and  saw  him,  they  were  astonished.  But 
he,  beckoning  unto  them  with  the  hand  to  hold  their  peace,  declared  unto  them  how  the 
Lord  had  brought  him  out  of  the  prison.  And  he  said.  Go  shew  these  things  unto  James, 
and  to  the  brethren.     And  he  departed,  and  went  into  another  place. 

18  Now  as  soon  as  it  was  day,  there  was  no  small  stir  among  the  soldiers,  what  was  become 

19  of  Peter.  And  when  Herod  had  sought  for  him,  and  found  him  not,  he  examined  the 
keepers,  and  commanded  that  they  should  be  put  to  death.     And  he  went  down  from  Judsea 

20  to  CsBsarea,  and  there  abode.  And  Herod  was  highly  displeased  witli  them  of  Tyre  and 
Sidon  :  but  they  came  with  one  accord  to  him,  and,  having  made  Blastus  the  king's  cham- 
berlain their  friend,  desired  peace ;   because  their  country  was  nourished  by  the  king's 

21  country.     And  upon  a  set  day  Herod,  arrayed  in  royal  apparel,  sat  upon  his  throne,  and 

22  made  an  oration  unto  them.     And  the  people  gave  a  shout,  saying,  It  is  the  voice  of  a  god, 

23  and  not  of  a  man.  And  immediately  the  angel  of  the  Lord  smote  him,  because  he  gave 
not  God  the  glory :  and  he  was  eaten  of  worms,  and  gave  up  the  ghost. 

24  But  the  word  of  God  grew  and  multiplied. 


The  kingdom  of  God  on  earth  is  in  real,  vital  connection  with  his  kingdom  in  heaven  ;  so  that  there 
is — shall  we  say  ? — a  sympathy  between  them  ;  so  that  when  a  saint  is  smitten  on  earth,  there  is  a  sensa-1 
tion  conveyed  to  the  upper  sky.  The  Lord  of  saints  and  angels  says,  "  Saul,  why  pcrsecutcsf.  thou  me  ?  "  a 
strange  expression  of  the  union  of  the  "  King  of  Glory  "  and  his  humble  mortal  friends !  The  mighty 
spirits  that  he  has  on  high  in  his  service  take  their  share  of  interest  in  his  kingdom  below.  Throughout 
the  Scriptures  we  see  them  prompt  to  come  down,  in  aid  and  in  avcngemcnt  of  his  oppressed  saints. 

There  will  be  a  time  when  wc  shall  have  to  go  out  from  the  prison-house  of  mortality,  and  from  the 
world  itself.  And  let  us  seriously  think  what  previous  course,  what  habits,  what  spirit  prevailing  through 
our  life,  will  be  likely  to  terminate  in  our  finding  such  a  messenger  appointed  to  be  with  us  at  that  hour — 
appointed  to  be  with  us,  and  not  to  leave  us — to  accompany  us  in  an  immense  and  amazing  journey ;  that, 


SECTION  210.— ACTS  12:1-24. 


85 


whereas  Peter  came  to  be  delightedly  and  collectedly  sensible  of  the  grand  intervention  when  he  found 
himself  alone  in  the  street,  tve  may  become  sensible  of  the  wondrous  reality  of  it,  by  finding  ourselves 
in  the  presence  of  saints,  and  angels,  and  their  supreme  Lord  !     J.  F. 


1,2.  The  Murder  of  James  bij  Herod  Agrippa 
I. — The  three  striking  incidents  of  this  chapter 
break  for  a  moment  the  thread  of  the  history.  The 
connection  is  restored  in  the  last  verse.  The  killing 
of  James  and  the  taking  of  Peter  occurred  in  Jeru- 
salem about  the  time  of  the  journey  thither  of  Bar- 
nabas and  Saul  from  Antioch.  The  closing  verse 
records  their  return  from  Jerusalem  to  Antioch, 
after  fulfilling  their  ministry  as  bearers  of  the  first 
Gentile  benefactions. 

James,  the  older  brother  of  John  and  son  of 
Zebedee,  was  one  of  the  three  admitted  into  the 
closest  intimacy  with  Christ.  Yet  concerning  him 
we  have  scarcely  anything  distinctive ;  no  record 
whatever  except  in  connection  with  his  younger 
brother.  And  as  his  life,  so  his  death  is  entirely 
unmarked  by  special  record.  Like  John  the  Bap- 
tist, he  was  suddenly  beheaded  by  an  arbitrary  king- 
ly will,  to  gratify  others.  In  each  case  the  royal 
murderer  was  a  Herod,  son  and  grandson  of  the 
great  Herod  who  slaughtered  many  children  in  a 
vain  effort  to  destroy  Christ.  James  was  the  first 
martyr  among  the  apostles.  He  drank  of  the  Mas- 
ter's cup,  and  was  baptized  with  his  baptism  of 
blood,  as  Christ  had  declared ;  and  was  the  first  re- 
stored to  Christ's  abiding  fellowship.     B. 

Herod  Agrippa  L  (here  only  referred  to)  was  the 
Bon  of  Aristobulus  and  Berenice,  and  grandson  of 
Herod  the  Great.  He  was  sent  to  Rome  on  his 
father's  execution,  and  was  brought  up  with  Drusus 
the  son  of  Tiberius.  On  the  death  of  Drusus,  he  found 
himself  excluded  from  the  emperor's  presence,  and 
was  besides  overwhelmed  with  debt.  Returning  to 
Palestine,  he  obtained  through  his  sister  Herodias 
the  protection  of  Herod  Antipas,  who  made  him 
governor  of  Tiberias.  But  a  quarrel  soon  took 
place,  and,  after  strange  vicissitudes  and  adventures, 
Agrippa  returned  to  Italy.  He  attached  himself  to 
the  young  Caius  (Caligula),  and  having  been  over- 
heai'd  to  express  a  hope  for  his  friend's  speedy  suc- 
cession, he  was  thrown  into  prison  by  Tiberius, 
where  he  remained  till  the  accession  of  Caligula,  a.  d. 
37.  The  new  emperor  gave  him  the  governments 
formerly  held  by  the  tetrarchs  Philip  and  Lysanias, 
and  bestowed  on  him  the  ensigns  of  royalty  and 
other  marks  of  favor,  and  he  arrived  in  Palestine 
in  the  following  year,  after  visiting  Alexandria. 
The  jealousy  of  Herod  Antipas  and  his  wife  Herodias 
was  excited  by  these  distinctions,  and  they  sailed  to 
Rome  in  the  hope  of  supplanting  Agrippa  in  the 
emperor's  favor.  Agrippa  was  aware  of  their  design, 
and  anticipated  it  by  a  countercharge  against  An- 


tipas of  treasonable  correspondence  with  the  Par- 
thians.  Antipas  failed  to  answer  the  accusation, 
and  was  banished  to  Gaul  (a.  d.  39),  and  his  domin- 
ions were  added  to  those  already  held  by  Agrippa. 
During  the  brief  wild  reign  of  Caligula,  Agrippa 
continued  his  faithful  friend,  and  used  his  influence 
on  behalf  of  the  Jews.  Having  paid  the  last  honors 
to  his  patron's  remains,  he  smoothed  the  path  of  his 
successor  to  the  throne  by  his  activity  and  discretion 
in  carrying  messages  between  the  senate  and  the 
praetorian  camp.  Claudius  rewarded  him  with  the 
kingdom  of  Judea  and  Samaria,  in  addition  to  his 
tetrarchy,  and  thus  the  dominions  of  Herod  the 
Great  were  reunited  under  his  grandson  (a.  d.  41).  S. 

Herod  Agrippa  had  courted  the  favor  of  the 
Jews.  He  had  done  much  for  them,  and  was  pre- 
paring to  do  more.  Josephus  tells  us  that  "  he  had 
begun  to  encompass  Jerusalem  with  a  wall,  which, 
had  it  been  brought  to  perfection,  would  have  made 
it  impracticable  for  the  Romans  to  take  it  by  siege  ; 
but  his  death,  which  happened  at  Cesarea,  before  he 
had  raised  the  walls  to  their  due  height,  prevented 
him."  That  part  of  the  city,  which  this  boundary 
was  intended  to  inclose,  was  a  suburb  when  Paul 
was  converted.  The  work  was  not  completed  till 
the  Jews  were  preparing  for  their  final  struggle  with 
the  Romans.     H. 

He  was  the  only  Hnr/  after  the  Great  Herod,  and 
the  last  one  that  reigned  in  Jerusalem.  His  son  Agrip- 
pa received  only  a  limited  and  qualified  sovereignty. 
In  this  persecution  of  the  Church  at  Jerusalem, 
Herod  simply  sought  popularity  aS  a  means  of 
power.  To  please  the  Jews,  and  aid  his  own  plans, 
he  directed  the  murder  of  James.      And  for  the 

same  reason  he  proceeded  to  take  Peter  also.    B. 

In  his  recollection  of  James,  no  such  idea  obtruded 
itself  in  his  mind,  as  that  the  martyred  apostle  had 
ascended  as  a  "  swift  witness "  against  him  to  the 
throne  of  Heaven.  Whither  he  might  suppose  the 
departed  saint  did  go,  we  can  not  conjecture ;  but  he 
thought  he  might  send  another  the  same  road  with- 
out danger  of  ever  hearing  of  it  again,  except  in  the 
demoniac  applauses  of  his  mob.  Peter  would  be 
easily  found,  and  taken.  He  had  not  absconded 
from  affright  at  the  fate  of  his  fellow  apostle. 
Cowardice  in  behalf  of  his  Lord  had  been  shown 
once  before ;  but  that  was  the  last  time.  The  death 
of  his  great  Master,  and  the  love  manifested  toward 
Peter  after  he  rose  again,  had  devoted  Peter  to  die 
for  him,  whenever  fidelity  to  his  cause  should  re- 
quire the  sacrifice.     J.  F. 

3-5.    Imprisonment  of   Peter   and  Prayer  of 


86 


SECTION  210.— ACTS  12  : 1-i 


the  Church. — The  arrest  occurred  early  in  the  week 
following  the  paschal  supper,  during  which  only  un- 
leavened bread  was  eaten.  By  Jewish  rules  crimi- 
nals could  not  be  executed  upon  days  of  festival. 
Therefore  Ilerod,  intending  a  public  execution,  kept 
him  until  after  the  Passover  feast  was  concluded.  A 
quaternion  was  a  detachment  of  four  soldiers,  con- 
stituting a  watch.  As  there  were  four  night-watches 
of  three  hours  each,  four  quaternions  were  required. 
In  the  actual  guard  two  were  stationed  at  the  gates, 
and  two  in  the  apartment  with  the  prisoner.  In 
Peter's  case,  a  chain  from  either  arm  was  linked  to 
a  soldier  on  either  side.  So  securely  "Peter  was 
kept  in  prison." 

"But  prayer  was  made  without  ceasing  of  the 
Church  unto  God  for  him."  This  fact  is  thus  prom- 
inently set  over  against  the  other.  Peter's  rescue 
was  humanly  impossible,  as  the  disciples  knew. 
But  they  also  knew  that  nothing  was  impossible 
with  God,  and  that  Peter's  danger  grew  out  of  his 
faithful  ministry  for  God.  And  they  believed  there- 
fore that  God  would  somehow  answer  the  prayer  he 
had  bidden  them  to  offer.  So  they  prayed,  earnest- 
ly, importunately ;  desisting  not  day  by  day  through 
those  remaining  days  of  the  trying  of  their  faith. 
And  God,  who  had  delayed  both  the  extreme  peril 
and  deliverance  of  Peter,  thus  gave  the  Church  oppor- 
tunity to  intercede,  and,  in  the  result,  occasion  to  know 
the  efficacy  of  prayer.  The  sudden  killing  of  James 
prevented  such  intercession  for  him.  The  deferring 
of  Peter's  death  was  taken  full  advantage  of,  and 
in  the  only  method  of  help  or  hope  available  to  them. 

6-11.  Feter^s  Miraculous  Release,  and  his  Cor- 
rect Judgment  concerning  it. — The  time  of  this  re- 
lease is  to  be  carefully  noted.  It  was  not  only  the 
night  before  Herod's  proposed  public  murder,  but  it 
was  in  the  fourth  watch  or  during  the  last  three 
hours  of  that  night.  This  we  know  from  the  fact  that 
the  escape  was  not  discovered  until  the  morning, 
when  the  fourth  watch  was  relieved.  But  last  night, 
as  it  was  known  to  be  by  Peter,  with  no  outlook 
of  human  hope  for  the  morrow,  he  had  laid  him 
down  between  the  two  soldiers,  and  was  enjoying 
the  peaceful  sleep  of  God's  beloved.  Once  he  had 
heard  the  word :  "  What  I  do  thou  knowest  not 
now,  but  thou  shalt  know  hereafter."  With  Christ's 
doing,  whatever  it  should  be,  he  was  content. 

While  thus  quietly  sleeping  the  sleep  of  faith, 
an  angel  of  the  Lord  suddenly  appeared  beside  him, 
and  a  supernatural  light  shone  within  the  room. 
With  strong  grasp  Peter  is  awaked  and  lifted  to  his 
feet,  while  his  chains  fall  silently  to  the  ground. 
Then,  as  bidden,  he  fastens  his  girdle,  binds  on  his 
sandals,  puts  on  his  cloak  or  outer  garment,  and  in 
half  stupor  follows  the  angel  out.  Between  the  first 
guard  (of  sleeping  soldiers)  and  the  second,  and  then 
through  the  outer  iron  gate,  without  human  touch 


noiselessly  opening  before  them,  they  pass.  Onward 
through  one  street  the  silent  angel  accompanies  the 
bewildered  apostle,  then  suddenly  disappears. 

By  the  fresh  night  air  aroused  from  his  bewil- 
derment, Peter  at  once  discerns  the  divine  hand  and 
purpose  in  his  deliverance.  His  trusted  Lord  had 
sent  a  releasing  angel,  and  thus  foiled  the  purpose 
of  Herod  and  disappointed  the  murderous  spirit  of 
the  Jews.  For  reasons  which  we  may  conjecture, 
he  determines,  before  concealing  himself  from  Her- 
od's pursuit,  to  acquaint  the  disciples  with  the  fact 
of  his  miraculous  rescue.  With  this  purpose  he 
seeks  the  house  of  Mary,  Mark's  mother,  one  of  the 
homes  where  Christian  believers  were  wont  to  as- 
semble for  private  worship.  The  Mark  here  referred 
to  is  the  author  of  the  second  gospel,  and  son  in  the 
faith  to  Peter. 

13-17.  How  Peter  ivas  received  by  the  Gathered 
Disciples. — Far  as  it  was  into  the  night,  these  wrest- 
ling seekers  were  praying  still.  It  was  the  last  night 
and  their  last  opportunity  to  pray.  For  many  days 
and  nights  their  pleas  had  been  ascending,  and  no 
answer  had  come.  But  not  content  with  asking 
and  seeking,  they  continued,  almost  against  hope,  in 
knocking  at  the  door  of  divine  mercy,  with  their 
urgent  entreaty  for  help.  And  now  while  they  are 
still  speaking,  God's  answer,  in  the  person  of  the 
released  apostle,  stands  knocking  at  their  house 
door.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  when  first  they  are  told 
this  by  the  maid  who  had  responded  to  the  summons 
and  heard  Peter's  voice,  they  did  not,  could  not  be- 
lieve. It  seemed  to  them  too  marvelous  to  be  true. 
They  knew  not  of  the  miracle,  and  expected  none ; 
but  they  knew  that  nothing  save  miracle  could  avail. 
In  their  amazement  they  fell  back  upon  an  old  pop- 
ular notion,  and  said  it  must  be  Peter's  guardian 
angel  assuming  his  guise. 

But  God's  answer,  Peter  himself,  continued 
knocking.  So  in  a  body,  passing  through  the  court 
to  the  gate,  they  open  the  small  door  and  are  amazed 
to  behold  the  apostle.  But  he,  instantly  quieting 
their  outburst  of  gladness,  simply  tells  the  story  of 
his  deliverance  by  the  Lord,  and  they  learn  how  their 
fervent  intercessions  have  been  answered.  Their 
hearts  are  comforted,  and  their  faith  and  patience ' 
strengthened.  Thenceforth  more  earnestly  they  can 
pray  ;  more  faithfully  labor  or  trustingly  endure  for 
a  Lord  so  mighty  and  gracious. 

With  a  message  to  James,  our  Lord's  own  broth- 
er, acquainting  him  with  what  occurred,  Peter  takes 
leave  of  these  disciples,  and,  because  he  knows  it  is 
God's  will,  goes  to  some  place  of  concealment.  And 
it  may  be  added  that  Peter  now  retires  finally  from 
whatever  prominence  he  had  previously  had,  while 
this  James  presides  over  the  councils  of  the  remain- 
ing apostles.     B. 

Peter's  work  is  not  ended.     He  will  still  labor 


SECTION  210.— ACTS  12  :  l-2Jf. 


8Y 


much,  till  his  last  and  fruitful  labor  of  martyrdom ; 
but  since  he  has  given  to  the  evangelization  of  the 
world  an  impulse  which  will  never  be  arrested,  his 
part  is  no  longer  the  same.  If  henceforth  anything 
distinguishes  him,  if  any  preeminence  can  be  claimed 
for  him,  it  is  that  of  humility.  Who  can  read,  who 
has  ever  read  the  letters  of  this  holy  apostle,  with- 
out being  struck  with  this  character  above  all  others  ? 
Where  is  the  impetuous  Simon  who  strikes  the  high 
priest's  servant  ?  Where  the  presumptuous  Simon 
who  dares  to  say  to  his  Lord,  "  Though  all  should 
deny  thee,  yet  will  not  I  deny  thee  "  ?  Where  also 
is  the  Simon  who  denied  his  Master  and  his  Friend  ? 
I  now  find  only  a  man  emptied  of  himself,  and 
wholly  full  of  his  Saviour;  a  grave,  meek,  pious, 
modest  servant  of  God  and  man ;  an  admirable  model 

of  humility  and  candor.     A.  V. He  has  achieved 

much — exactly  that  for  which  he  was  fitted.  He 
has  stood  bravely  in  the  front,  and  has  both  led  and 
inspirited  the  band  of  disciples  in  their  aggressive 
work  for  the  Master.  But  now  his  special  mission 
is  done.  Another,  more  broadly  qualified  by  nature 
and  training,  Christ  will  nov?  take  up,  to  do  for  Ilim 
another  larger  and  as  brave  a  work.     B. 

20-23.  In  the  fourth  year  of  his  reign  over  the 
whole  of  Judea  (a.  d.  44)  Agrippa  celebrated  some 
games  at  Cesarea  in  honor  of  the  emperor.  When 
he  appeared  in  the  theatre  on  the  second  day  in  a 
royal  robe  made  entirely  of  silver  stuff,  which  shone 
in  the  morning  light,  his  flatterers  saluted  him  as  a 
god  ;  and  suddenly  he  was  seized  with  terrible  pains, 
and  being  carried  from  the  theatre  to  the  palace, 
died  after  five  days'  agony  a  loathsome  death,  like 
those  of  the  great  persecutors  Antiochus  Epiphanes 
and  his  own  grandfather.  The  miraculous  and  ju- 
dicial character  of  his  death  is  distinctly  affirmed 
by  the  sacred  historian :  "  Immediately  the  angel  of 
the  Lord  smote  him,  because  he  gave  not  God  the 
ghry.^''  The  Greeks  of  Sebaste  and  Cesarea,  with 
his  own  soldiers,  showed  brutal  exultation  at  his 
death,  and  the  censure  which  the  riot  brought  down 
from  Claudius  upon  the  Roman  soldiers  embittered 
their  feelings  toward  the  Jews  to  such  a  degree,  that 
Josephus  regards  this  as  one  of  the  chief  causes  of 
the  Jewish  war.  S. After  his  sudden  and  miser- 
able death,  his  whole  kingdom  was  again  made  a 
Roman  province,  ruled  by  procurators,  two  of  whom, 
Claudius  Felix  and  Porcius  Festus,  figure  in  the  Acts 
of  the  Apostles.  The  last  procurator  was  Gessius  Flo- 
rus,  under  whom  the  tragical  fate  of  the  Jewish  na- 
tion, so  long  in  preparation,  was  finally  decided.  P.  S. 

23.  The  angel  of  the  Lord  led  forth  Peter ;  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  struck  Herod.  That  both  acts 
were  done  by  angels,  mortals  saw  not ;  it  was  known 

only  to  the  saints.     Beng, Luke,  as  a  physician, 

was  qualified  to  scrutinize  natural  causes,  and  was 
not  at  all  likely  to  be  credulous.     He  among  the 


evangelists  who  was  least  likely  to  be  carried  away 
by  a  superstitious  belief  in  supernatural  agency,  has 
been  employed  more  than  any  other  sacred  writer  to 
reveal  to  us  the  operations  of  invisible  beings  in  the 
history  of  the  Church.     W. 

24.  The  death  of  Herod  relieved  the  Christians 
from  persecution.  But  in  their  turn  the  Jews  were 
troubled.  The  brief  conciliatory  rule  of  Herod  was 
then  finally  exchanged  for  the  rigorous  tyranny  of 
Roman  governors.  And  the  Jewish  historian  notes 
tins  providence  in  Herod's  sudden  death :  that  the 
third  wall,  which  as  planned  by  him  would  have 
made  Jerusalem  almost  impregnable  to  the  Roman 
assault,  was  left  incomplete.  So  God  7-ules  !  Peter 
lives  and  Herod  dies.  And  the  persecuted  Church, 
delivered  from  the  persecutor,  again  finds  rest  and 
prosperity.    The  Word  of  God  grew  and  multiplied/ 

Suggested  Thoughts. — Christ  directs  all  events  in 
the  interest  of  his  people.  Neither  human  nor 
Satanic  scheme  or  endeavor  can  avail  to  thwart  his 
purpose  or  shake  his  "all  power  in  earth."  So  all 
things  must  work  together  for  good  both  to  the 
trusting  believer  and  the  praying  Church.  Yet  he 
has  his  own  way  in  actually  bringing  good  to  pass, 
and  uses  various  vjays.  Not  always  one  way,  or  the 
way  that  seems  to  us  the  wise  and  suitable  way. 
For  he  suffers  a  John  Baptist,  a  Stephen,  and  a 
James  to  be  murdered  that  human  malice  may  be 
gratified,  while  he  interposes  to  rescue  a  Peter  and 
Paul.  Yet  how  clearly  do  we  see  that  his  high  and 
only  blessed  purpose  is  equally  accomplished  by  the 
martyrdom  of  those  and  the  deliverance  of  these ! 
And  throughout  the  history  of  the  Christian  believer 
and  Church,  we  read  the  single  sure  lesson :  that  his 
non-interference  or  his  interference  with  human 
schemes  is  controlled  by  an  unerring  wisdom  and 
an  unfailing  love. 

An  effective  practical  exposition  have  we  here  of 
Christ's  teaching,  that  men  should  pray  and  not 
faint.  Only  one  other  prayer-meeting  like  this,  in 
the  importunity  and  persistence  of  the  pleaders,  do 
we  find  in  this  whole  history.  That  one  preceded 
and  helped  to  bring  the  Pentecostal  baptism.  This 
one  secured  the  very  blessing  they  so  fervently  and 
continuously  besought.  And  can  any  doubt  that 
God  hears  and  answers  such  prayer  from  every  seek- 
ing and  knocking  tivo  or  three  gathered  in  his  name  ? 

An  assuring  truth  is  beautifully  suggested  in  this 
prison-visit  of  the  angel  to  the  sleeping  apostle. 
Not  indeed  by  conscious  spirit-ministers,  but  by 
providential  interpositions  and  spiritual  suggestions, 
does  every  child  of  God  partake  his  personal  watch 
and  guard,  and  experience  many  wonderful  deliver- 
ances. At  the  end,  rather  in  the  beginning  of  the 
true  life,  we  shall  read  his  doings  now  unknown, 
and  adoringly  praise  his  always  rescuing  and  finally 
delivering  grace  I     B. 


88 


SECTION  211.— ACTS  IS  :  25;   13  : 1-13. 


Section  211. 

Acts  xii.  25 ;  xiii.  1-13. 

25  And  Barnabas  and  Saul  returned  from  Jerusalem,  when  they  had  fulfilled  their  ministry, 
and  took  with  them  John,  whose  surname  was  Mark. 

1  Now  there  were  in  the  church  that  was  at  Antioch  certain  prophets  and  teachers;  as 
Barnabas,  and  Simeon  that  was  called  Niger,  and  Lucius  of  Gyrene,  and  Manaen,  which 

2  had  been  brought  up  with  Herod  the  tetrarch,  and  Saul.     As  they  ministered  to  the  Lord, 
and  fasted,  the  Holy  Ghost  said.  Separate  me  Barnabas  and  Saul  for  the  work  whereunto  I 

3  have  called  them.     And  when  they  had  fasted  and  prayed,  and  laid  their  hands  on  them, 
they  sent  them  away. 

4  So  they,  being  sent  forth  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  departed  unto  Seleucia;  and  from  thence 

5  they  sailed  to  Cyprus.     And  when  they  were  at  Salamis,  they  preached  the  word  of  God 

6  in  the  synagogues  of  the  Jews :  and  they  had  also  John  to  their  minister.     And  when  they 
had  gone  through  the  isle  unto  Paphos,  they  found  a  certain  sorcerer,  a  false  prophet,  a  Jew, 

7  whose  name  was  Bar-jesus:  which  was  with  the  deputy  of  the  country,  Sergius  Paulus,  a 
prudent  man ;   who  called  for  Barnabas  and  Saul,  and  desired  to  hear  the  word  of  God. 

8  But  Elymas  the  sorcerer  (for  so  is  his  name  by  interpretation)  withstood  them,  seeking  to 

9  turn  away  the  deputy  from  the  faith.     Then  Saul,  (who  also  m  called  Paul,)  filled  with  the 

10  Holy  Ghost,  set  his  eyes  on  him,  and  said,  O  full  of  all  subtilty  and  all  mischief,  thou  child 
of  the  devil,  thou  enemy  of  all  righteousness,  wilt  thou  not  cease  to  pervert  the  right  ways 

11  of  the  Lord?  And  now,  behold,  the  hand  of  the  Lord  w  upon  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be 
blind,  not  seeing  the  sun  for  a  season.     And  immediately  there  fell  on  him  a  mist  and  a 

12  darkness;  and  he  went  about  seeking  some  to  lead  him  by  the  hand.     Then  the  deputy, 

13  when  he  saw  what  was  done,  believed,  being  astonished  at  the  doctrine  of  the  Lord.  Now 
when  Paul  and  his  company  loosed  from  Paphos,  they  came  to  Perga  in  Pamphylia :  and 
John  departing  from  them  returned  to  Jerusalem. 


We  enter  upon  the  second  great  division  of  the 
Acts.  The  first  (chs.  1-12)  described  the  advent  of 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  and,  under  his  inspiration,  the 
founding  of  the  Christian  Church  among  the  Jews 
of  Jerusalem  and  Judea,  and  the  extension  of  Chris- 
tianity into  Samaria  and  among  the  nearer  Gentiles. 
The  chief  result  among  the  heathen  was  the  found- 
ing of  a  second  prominent  Christian  Church  among 
the  Gentiles  of  Antioch  in  Syria.  This  had  been 
mainly  the  work  of  Barnabas  and  Saul. 

The  second  division  of  the  Acts  recounts  the  chief 
features  of  the  fuller,  more  distinctive  introduction 
of  the  gospel  among  the  Gentiles  of  Asia  Minor, 
Greece,  and  Rome.  It  follows,  therefore,  mainly 
the  career  of  P.aul,  Christ's  special  messenger  to 
these  Gentile  nations.  By  comparing  with  this  his- 
tory of  Luke  Paul's  own  statements  in  his  epistles, 
that  incomparably  signal  career  may  be  fully  under- 
Btood.  This  second  half  of  the  book  also  divides 
itself  naturally  into  the  twelve  years  of  Paul's  active 
missionarg  work,  and  his  five  years  of  labor  in  cap- 
tivity. The  twelve  years  of  liberty  include  his 
Three  Missionary  Journeys.  Times  and  periods 
•should  be  definitely  marked  as  a  basis  for  an  intelli- 
,gent  study  of  these  Journeys.     The  periods  and  in- 


tervals referred  to  cover  a  duration  of  years,  where 
the  brief  fragmentary  accounts  seem  to  indicate 
months.  The  First  Journey  (chs.  12  and  14)  prob- 
ably extended  over  a  period  of  two  years.  Then 
succeeded  an  interval  of  two  years  or  longer,  spent 
mainly  with  the  mother  Church  of  the  Gentiles  at 
Antioch.  Toward  the  end  of  this  interval  occurred 
the  council  at  Jerusalem,  where  the  great  question 
of  the  relation  of  Gentile  Christianity  to  Judaism 
was  decided  (ch.  15).  The  Second  Journey  (chs. 
16-18)  occupied  about  three  years  ;  and  the  Third 
(chs.  19,  20)  almost  four  years.  These  are  the 
most  probable  periods. 

But  it  should  be  remembered  that  the  Book  of 
Acts  furnishes  no  basis  for  a  detailed  chronology. 
The  principal  dates  are  largely  hypothetical.  Paul's 
conversion  is  set  down  by  scholars  all  the  way  from 
33  to  41  A.  D.  The  dates  35  or  37  a.  d.  are  most 
largely  accepted.  The  interval  between  his  conver- 
sion and  his  setting  apart  for  labor  among  the  Gen- 
tiles is  also  variously  estimated.  Assuming  46  a.  d. 
as  the  latter  date,  this  interval,  spent  in  preparation 
for  his  great  life-work,  extended  nearly  or  beyond 

ten  years.     B. Not  Jerusalem,  but  Antioch,  not 

the  Holy  City  of  God's  ancient  people,  but  the  pro- 


SECTION  211.— ACTS  12  :  25;   13  : 1-13. 


89 


fane  city  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans,  is  the  place  to 
which  the  student  of  sacred  history  is  now  directed. 
During  the  remainder  of  the  xVcts  of  the  Apostles 
our  attention  is  at  least  divided  between  Jerusalem 
and  Antioch,  until  at  last,  after  following  Paul's 
many  journeys,  we  come  with  him  to  Rome.     11. 

The  relation  of  Paul  to 
the  two  great  Churches,  the 
Jewish  Christian  of  Jerusa- 
lem and  the  Gentile  Christian 
of  Antioch,  should  be  care- 
fully borne  in  mind.  While 
his  personal  connection  and 
his  labors  are  exclusively  with 
the  Gentile  Church,  while 
Antioch  is  his  point  of  de- 
parture and  return,  yet  after 
every  journey  he  goes  also  to 
Jerusalem,  and  recounts  to  the 
mother  Church  and  its  leaders 
the  progress  of  the  Divine 
work.  Thus  keeping  up  a 
close  intercourse  between  the 
two  great  centers,  he  was  him- 
self a  bond  of  union  to  the 
entire  Christian  Church. 

1-3.   The  Call  and  Send- 
ing of  the  First  Foreign  Ilissionaries.^Antioch  (in 
Syria),  situated  at   the  northeastern  angle   of  the 
Mediterranean  shore,  long  a  flourishing  city  with  a 
large  mixed  population,  was  now  the  eastern  head- 


Antioch.  There  was  everything  in  the  situation 
and  circumstances  of  this  city  to  make  it  a  place 
of  concourse  for  all  classes  and  kinds  of  people. 
By  its  harbor  of  Seleucia  it  was  in  communication 
with  all  the  trade  of  the  Mediterranean ;  and, 
through  the  open  country  behind  the  Lebanon,  it 


Distant  View  of  Antioch,  from  the  Aleppo  Eoad. 


quarters  of  Imperial  Rome.     B. Antioch  was 

founded  by  Seleucus,  and  called  after  his  father's 
name.  He  is  said  to  have  built  in  all  nine  Seleu- 
cias,  sixteen  Antiochs,  and  six  Laodiceas.  But  by 
far  the  most  famous  of  these  cities  was  the  Syrian 


Paul's  Gate,  from  the  Interior.     (The  road  from  Antioch  to  Aleppo  passes  through  the 
ancient  gate  now  called  Bab  Paulos,  or  Paul's  Gate.) 

was  conveniently  approached  by  the  caravans  from 
Mesopotamia  and  Arabia.    It  was  almost  an  Oriental 
Rome,  in  which  all  the  forms  of  the  civilized  life 
of  the  empire  found  some  representative.     Through 
the  first  two  centuries  of  the 
Christian  era,  it  was  what  Con- 
stantinople became  afterward, 
"the  Gate  of  the  East."     H. 

As  we  have  already  learned, 
this  great  mart  of  the  nations 
had  readily  received  the  gos- 
pel, and  organized  a  strong, 
distinctively  Gentile  Church; 
the  only  one  that  compared  in 
vigor  and  cfiicicncy  with  the 
mother  (Jewish)  Church  at  Je- 
rusalem. Naturally  this  Gen- 
tile Church  at  Antioch  became 
the  starting-point  of  mission- 
ary effort  among  the  Gen- 
tiles. The  s£?/-development 
(of  course  under  Divine  influ- 
ence) of  this  new  movement 
appears  in  the  simple  account. 

B. We  now  hear,  not  of  the 

mother  Church  only,  but  of  churches  in  other  parts. 
And  in  this  multiplication  of  churches,  let  us  not 
fail  to  observe  how  the  Spirit,  in  his  manifold  gifts 
and  strength,  asserts  his  independence  of  mere 
official   cooperation  of  men.      The   founding  and 


90 


SECTION  Sll.—ACTS  13  :  25;  13  : 1-13. 


ruling  of  the  Church,  the  orderly  assembly  of  be- 
lievers, is  bound  to  the  appointed  offices  and  officers 
in  the  Church ;  but  the  spread  of  the  gospel  from 
heart  to  heart,  from  the  living  voice  to  the  pricking 
conscience,  is  not  thus  bound.  Every  Christian  is 
not  a  church  officer ;  but  every  Christian  is  a  witness 
of  Christ,  and,  if  need  so  be,  a  missionary  of  Christ 
to  his  brethren.     A. 

It  is  while  the  Church  and  its  leaders  are  en- 
gaged in  worship  and  fasting  for  some  special  object, 
that  the  direction  of  the  Holy  Ghost  comes  to  them. 
Christ's  great  commission  they  must  often  have  pon- 
dered. The  missionary  spirit  of  the  gospel,  exem- 
plified by  the  Church  at  Jerusalem,  must  have  been 
begotten  among  them.  Their  new  name  of  Chris- 
tians must  have  impressed  a  new  sense  of  responsi- 
bility for  extending  the  truth  and  power  of  Christ 
among  their  own  peoples.  In  a  word,  they  must 
have  reached  a  pondering,  questioning  state  respect- 
ing their  duty  in  this  matter ;  and  this  great  ques- 
tion may  have  been  that  which  engaged  them  now 
in  special  worship  and  fasting,  when  the  summons 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  was  received.  How  the  will  of 
the  divine  Spirit  was  made  known,  does  not  appear. 
But  it  tvas  distinctly  communicated.  A  specific  work 
is  referred  to,  and  definite  persons  are  designated  as 
divinely  appointed  agents  in  this  work.  Obedient  to 
the  direction,  the  Church  at  Antioch,  in  connection 
with  another  service  of  prayer  and  fasting,  laid 
their  hands  on  Barnabas  and  Saul,  and  sent  them 
forth  upon  the  first  divinely  organized  mission  to 
the  Gentiles. 

Of  the  five  persons  mentioned  in  the  first  verse, 
one,  Manaen,  is  noted  by  Luke  as  having  been  in 
childhood  the  foster-brother  of  Herod  Antipas,  the 
murderer  of  the  Baptist,  and  the  mocker  at  the  ar- 
raigned and  bound  Christ.  Herod  was  now  a  de- 
throned, wretched  exile  upon  the  banks  of  the 
Rhone.  The  note  is  appended  seemingly  to  empha- 
size the  contrast  in  character,  life,  and  destiny  be- 
tween the  two  foster-fellows — one  a  despiscr,  the 
other  a  disciple,  of  Christ. 

In  reference  to  the  transaction  narrated  in  the 
second  and  third  verses,  two  things  are  to  be  care- 
fully observed : 

1.  This  was  not  Paul's  call  to  the  aposllcship,  but 
his  summons  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to  the  exercise  of 
the  gifts  and  functions  of  that  office.  The  Scrip- 
tural facts  pertaining  to  the  apostolatc  of  Paul  and 
of  the  Twelve  are  strikingly  similar.  Christ  person- 
ally called  the  Twelve,  as  by  miraculous  personal 
manifestation  he  called  Paul.  lie  trained  and  ex- 
ercised the  Twelve  in  a  preliminary  period  of  in- 
struction and  of  itinerant  practice  in  preaching,  as 
he  similarly  trained  and  practiced  Paul.  Not  until 
the  Twelve  were  specially  endowed  with  the  gifts  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  were  called  by  Him,  did  they 


enter  upon  the  exercise  of  apostolic  functions.  And 
not  until  Paul  was  now  similarly  endowed  and  called 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  did  his  work  as  an  apostle  begin. 
Thus  Paul's  experience  corresponds  precisely  with 
that  of  the  Twelve.  Only  his  natural  gifts  and  ac- 
quired culture  were  superior,  and  his  special  train- 
ing during  his  retirement  and  early  ministry  occu- 
pied a  longer  period.  So  that  his  whole  preparation 
was  more  thorough  and  complete,  as  demanded  by 
the  higher,  broader  work  with  which  he  was  intrust- 
ed by  the  Master. 

2.  In  this  transaction  we  see  also  the  agency  of 
the  Church  at  Antioch  joined  icith  that  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  This  double  agency,  the  human  with  the 
Divine,  is  employed  simply  and  only  in  connection 
with  a  icork.  This  action  of  the  Church  had  refer- 
ence to  a  work  to  be  done  by  those  previously  ap- 
pointed of  God  to  the  office.  The  act  of  laying  on 
of  hands  was  designed  not  to  confer  the  Spirit  nor 
to  impart  authority,  but  was  a  sign  in  recognition  of 
the  Spirit's  appointment  and  of  his  designation  to 
this  mission.  And  for  the  wisest  reasons,  the  same 
combined  agencies  are  always  demanded  in  the 
actual  sending  forth  to  the  ministry  of  the  gospel. 
A  brotherhood  of  believers,  either  directly  or 
through  their  official  leaders  and  representatives, 
must  have  reasonable  assurance  of  a  Divine  call  to 
the  office,  before  they  can  properly  set  apart  and 
send  forth  any  to  actual  service  in  the  ministry  of 
Christ.  And  none  may  rightly  go  forth  to  such' 
ministry  except  through  the  warrant  of  such  double 
sending  of  the  Spirit  and  the  Church.  So  it  is  said 
here,  that  the  Church  sent  them  away ;  yet  it  is  im- 
mediately added,  "  they,  being  sent  forth  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  departed." 

4,  5.  Their  Jlissionary  Ministry  is  begun  at 
Salamis  in  the  Island  of  Cyprus. — From  Seleucia, 
fifteen  miles  distant  from  Antioch,  Barnabas  and 
Saul  sailed  to  Cyprus,  landing  at  Salamis,  a  chief 

city  on  the  eastern  side.     B. As  Antioch  had 

been  chosen  as  the  second  resting-place  of  the 
Church  because  of  its  Gentile  character,  it  was 
natural  that  the  missionaries  should  be  guided  by 
the  Holy  Ghost,  not  eastward,  to  the  land  of  primi- 
tive histoi'y  and  of  the  springs  of  Judaism,  but  to 
the  west,  where  lay  the  Gentile  world  with  its  intel- 
lect, and  its  arts,  and  its  arms,  to  be  won  for  the 
gospel  of  Christ.  Westward — but  whither?  As 
they  stood  on  the  coast  looking  seaward,  the  native 
island  of  Barnabas  lifted  its  blue  hills  in  the  hori- 
zon. The  guidance  of  the  Spirit  fell  in  with  the 
yearnings  of  the  apostle's  heart,  and  Salamis  in 
Cyprus  witnessed  the  opening  of  the  first  missionary 
teaching.     A. 

Cyprus  lay  in  a  through  route  to  Asia  Minor, 
which  was  the  nearest  unvisitcd  sphere  of  mission- 
ary labor,  and  therefore  the  next  in  order  according 


SECTION  211.— ACTS  12  :  25;  13  : 1-13. 


91 


to  Christ's  command.  Cyprus  itself  had  long  before, 
probably  soon  after  Pentecost,  received  the  gospel ; 
and  Christian  disciples  were  there.  Hence  no  note 
occurs  of  any  stay  or  success  there  on  the  part  of 
the  two  missionaries.  Of  necessity  they  passed 
through  the  island  on  their  way  to  the  mainland, 
and  they  labored  as  they  went.  They  preached  ex- 
clusively in  the  synagogues  on  this  island.  And 
everywhere  it  was  Paul's  custom  to  go  first  to  these 
Jewish  centers,  and  to  stay  there  until  his  message 
was  openly  rejected.  Two  reasons  he  had  for  this 
course.     There  were  the  Jews,  ever  the  objects  of 


m 


I  K^ 


f^  C  /y 


'***»'^s„ 


-PTphos_ 


Isbnd  of  Cyprus.    (About  140  miles  long,  with  a  breadth  of 
40  miles  for  its  greater  portion.) 

God's  first  choice  and  care,  and  still,  by  Christ's 
command,  the  first  recipients  of  the  glad  tidings. 
And  in  the  synagogues  were  the  Gentile  proselytes : 
men  who  had  renounced  heathen  notions  and  prac- 
tices, and  were  seeking  a  knowledge  of  the  true 
God.  These  proselytes  formed  a  needed  link  for  a 
ready  transmission  of  the  gospel  to  the  Gentiles. 
For  these  reasons,  the  synagogues  afforded  the  most 
suitable  places  and  the  best  opportunities  for  their 
Christian  ministry. 

6-13.  The  Judgment  -upon  Elymas  the  Sorcerer, 
and  its  Effect  upon  the  Roman  Deputy. — Paphos,  on 
the  western  end  of  Cyprus,  the  city  where  Venus 
is  fabled  to  have  risen  from  thp  sea,  and  noted 
throughout  Greek  history  as  the  templed  center  of 
her  infamous  worship,  was  now  the  residence  of  the 
Roman  deputy,  or  proconsul.  Here,  and  through 
this  chief  man,  was  opened  the  first  door  of  access 
to  the  Gentile  world. 

Luke's  accuracy  in  the  use  of  the  differing  titles 
of  the  Roman  provincial  governors  is  instructive. 
In  consolidating  his  imperial  rule,  Augustus,  that  he 
might  leave  some  semblance  of  the  old  republican 
authority  and  yet  retain  exclusive  control  of  the 
army,  divided  the  numerous  provinces  into  two 
classes.  The  government  of  one  class — the  provin- 
ces where  a  peaceful  administration  could  be  secured 
without  soldiery — he  relinquished  to  the  Senate  and 
people.     In  the  title  of  the  governors  of  these  Sena- 


torial provinces.  Proconsul,  was  reproduced  the  name 
of  Consul,  which  had  long  represented  the  Senate'a 
administrative  power.  The  second  class  of  provin- 
ces was  known  as  the  Imperial,  and  of  these  Cesar 
retained  absolute  control.  In  these  were  quartered 
bodies  of  military  under  the  command  of  Cesar's 
governor.  As  the  Emperor's  representative,  this 
governor  was  called  Propraetor,  from  a  name  (Prae- 
tor) long  the  symbol  of  supreme  personal  authority 
and  of  military  command.  He  was  also  called  in 
the  larger  provinces  (as  in  Syria)  the  Legate,  or 
commissioner  of  the  Emperor ;  and  in  subordinate 
districts  (as  in  Judea)  the  Procurator,  or  high  stew- 
ard. All  these  distinctions  are  accurately  noted  by 
Luke  in  both  "  treatises."  Here  the  term  used  indi- 
cates a  proconsul  of  a  senatorial  province.  And  we 
learn  that  in  27  b.  c.  Cyprus  had  been  relinquished 
by  Augustus  to  the  control  of  the  Senate. 

This  Sergius  Paulus  is  characterized  as  a  man  of 
intelligence.  Yet,  like  many  of  the  Roman  patri- 
cians of  his  time,  he  was  credulous  because  bred  in 
superstition.  Reaching  out  on  every  side  for  a  lar- 
ger knowledge  of  hidden  things,  he  encouraged  pre- 
tenders to  occult  learning  and  professors  of  the 
magic  arts.  Such  a  one  is  introduced  to  us  here,  a 
renegade  Jew  and  an  impostor,  falsely  claiming  su- 
perhuman inspiration  and  the  power  of  magical 
working.  From  him  the  deputy  turns  away  to  these 
new  teachers,  in  his  unsatisfied  thirst  for  a  fuller 
disclosure  of  truth.  Seeing  how  strongly  the  pro- 
consul is  impressed  by  the  words  of  the  apostles, 
this  Bar-jesus  (in  the  Arabic  form,  Elymas),  the 
magian  or  wise  man  (rather  than  sorcm-er),  inter- 
posed with  sophistries  and  denials  to  counteract  the 
effect  of  truth  from  heaven.  But  this  form  of  op- 
position, like  that  of  violent  persecution,  is  also 
overruled  by  God  as  a  means  of  greater  good. 
Where  truth  and  falsehood  are  in  open  conflict,  as 
here,  the  result  is  never  doubtful ;  for  truth  is  God's, 
and  He  will  maintain  its  supremacy. 

An  issue  so  sharply  made,  between  the  two  re- 
spective agents  of  the  Evil  Spirit  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  needs  at  this  important  juncture  an  instant 
and  decisive  settlement.  Therefore,  by  inspiration, 
Paul  in  the  presence  of  the  governor  at  once  de- 
nounces this  Bar-jesus,  or  son  of  the  Saviour,  as  the 
child  of  the  devil.  This  apostate  Jew,  who  was  ac- 
counted by  cultured  yet  deceived  Romans  as  a  re- 
vealing seer  and  sage,  the  apostle  charges  with  an 
excess  of  deceit  and  mischief ;  declaring  that  he  is 
an  enemy  and  perverter  of  all  truth  and  righteous- 
ness. And  he  pronounces  God's  instant  judgment 
upon  his  daring  impiety  in  withstanding  the  truth. 
The  fulfillment  of  this  judgment  of  temporary 
blindness  followed.  So  the  evil  spirit  in  the  person 
of  Elymas  was  vanquished  by  the  good  through  the 
agency  of  Paul.     And  the  punishment  so  suited  to 


92 


SECTIOy  211.— ACTS  12  :  25;   13  : 1-1 


the  offense — the  seeking  to  blind  others — suited  too 
to  the  reformation  of  the  offender,  was  also  adapted 
to  impress  and  convince  the  lookers-on.  It  so  af- 
fected the  governor  that  he  received  the  word  of 
Paul  as  the  word  of  life.  Whether  he  became  a 
personal  convert  and  Christian  disciple,  we  are  not 
informed ;  but  the  inference  that  he  did  so  acknowl- 
edge Christ  is  a  reasonable  one. 

The  fad,  merely,  of  the  apostle's  change  of 
name,  from  Saul  to  Paul,  is  here  stated.  So  long  as 
restricted  to  labor  among  the  Jews,  he  retained  the 
Hebrew  name,  Saul.  Throughout  his  apostolic  min- 
istry to  the  Gentiles,  he  was  known  under  the  Latin 
and  Hellenistic  equivalent  name  of  Paul.  The 
change  is  noted  here  at  the  turning-point  of  his  life 
and  work,  in  direct  connection  with  the  first  promi- 
nent Gentile  convert.  As  double  names  are  com- 
mon in  the  New  Testament  among  Jewish  disciples, 
both  names  may  have  been  his  from  infancy.  But 
from  thenceforth  onward,  upon  the  name  and  min- 
istry of  Paul  is  concentrated  the  deepest  thought, 
the  highest,  most  grateful  appreciation  of  Christian 
believers  in  every  age. 

13.  From  Cyprus  to  Pcrga.  Return  of  John 
Mark. — From  the  island  home  of  Barnabas  they 
sailed  northward  to  the  mainland  of  Asia  Minor;  up 
the  river  Cestrus  seven  miles  to  Perga,  in  the  dis- 
trict or  province  of  Pamphylia.  This  region  ad- 
joined Cilicia,  in  whose  chief  city  Paul  was  born  ; 
and  in  the  principal  portions  of  which  he  had  previ- 
ously labored  among  the  Jews.  It  is  no  longer  Bar- 
nabas and  Saul,  but  Paul  and  his  company,  or  those 
around  him  ;  intimating  his  new  central  position  and 
prominence,  which  continued  to  the  end  of  his  career. 

John,  whose  surname  was  Mark  (the  author  of 
the  gospel),  had  accompanied  Barnabas  and  Saul  on 
their  return  from  Jerusalem  to  Antioch.  As  their 
assistant  he  had  gone  with  them  through  Cyprus  and 
as  far  as  Perga.  Now  he  leaves  them  for  his  moth- 
er's home  at  Jerusalem.  Whether  discouraged  at 
the  prospect  of  privation  and  peril,  or  dissatisfied 
with  the  transfer  of  leadership  from  his  uncle,  Bar- 
nabas, to  the  younger  Paul,  or  whether  the  double 
attraction  of  an  older  and  stronger  attachment,  to 
his  mother  and  to  Peter  Vx'S,  father  in  the  faith,  drew 
him  back  to  Jerusalem,  can  not  be  determined.  That 
Barnabas  justified  his  departure,  while  Paul  re- 
garded it  as  unjustifiable,  we  learn  from  the  subse- 
quent quarrel  and  separation  of  these  two  mission- 
aries, occasioned  by  Mark's  withdrawal.  The  inci- 
dent with  its  sequel  illustrates  the  old  lesson  of  hu- 
man infirmity  as  characterizing  the  best  of  C/.ristian 
men.  It  is  pleasant  to  know  that  afterward  Mark 
worked  so  heartily  with  Paul  that,  at  the  close  of 
his  ministry,  this  apostle  expressed  his  highest 
esteem  for  the  evangelist,  and  the  warmest  appreci- 
ation of  his  helpfulness.    B. 


Summary  of  Historical  Facts  bearing  upon  the 
Missionary  Career  of  Paul. 

1.  Oreek  Element  in  the  Providential  Prepara- 
tion.— Two  of  the  monarchical  lines,  descended 
from  Alexander's  generals,  were  the  Ptolemies,  or 
the  Greek  kings  of  Egypt,  and  the  Seleucidaj,  or  the 
Greek  kings  of  Syria.  Their  respective  capitals, 
Alexandria  and  Antioch,  became  the  metropolitan 
centers  of  commercial  and  civilized  life  in  the  East. 
Both  became  the  residences  of  Roman  governors, 
and  both  were  patriarchates  of  the  primitive  Church. 
But  before  they  had  received  either  the  Roman  dis- 
cipline or  the  Christian  doctrine,  they  had  served 
their  appointed  purpose  of  spreading  the  Greek  lan- 
guage and  habits,  of  creating  new  lines  of  commer- 
cial intercourse  by  laud  and  sea,  and  of  centralizing 
in  themselves  the  mercantile  lite  of  the  Levant.  The 
Acts  of  the  Apostles  remind  us  of  the  traffic  of  An- 
tioch with  Cyprus  and  the  neighboring  coasts,  and  of 
the  sailing  of  Alexandrian  corn-ships  to  the  more 
distant  harbors  of  Malta  aud  Puteoli. 

Of  all  the  Greek  elements  which  the  cities  of  An- 
tioch and  Alexandria  were  the  means  of  circulating, 
the  spread  of  the  language  is  the  most  important. 
That  language,  which  is  the  richest  and  most  deli- 
cate that  the  world  has  seen,  became  the  language  of 
theology.  The  Greek  tongue  became  to  the  Chris- 
tian more  than  it  had  been  to  the  Roman  or  the 

Jew.     H. Those  remains  which  have  come  down 

to  us  are  especially  rich  in  the  expressions  of  spirit- 
ual truth,  and  in  terms  which  are  adapted  to  illus- 
trate the  Bible,  so  that,  though  the  doctrines  of  the 
gospel  are  new  and  divine,  hardly  a  term  required 
to  be  modified  in  order  to  adapt  this  language  to  the 
purpose  of  expressing  them.  In  the  time  of  Christ 
whatever  was  written  in  Greek  became  accessible  to 
all  who,  by  their  religion  (as  the  Jews),  or  their  in- 
telligence (as  the  Greeks),  or  their  power  (as  the 
Romans),  gave  character  to  their  age,  or  conferred 
distinction  on  their  nation.     J.  A. 

2.  The  Roman  Element. — Rome's  dominion  was 
not  a  pervading  influence  exerted  by  a  restless  and 
intellectual  people,  but  it  was  the  grasping  power 
of  an  external  government.  The  idea  of  law  had 
grown  up  with  the  growth  of  the  Romans;  and 
wherever  they  went  they  carried  it  with  them. 
Wherever  their  armies  were  marching  or  encamp- 
ing, there  always  attended  them,  like  a  mysterious 
presence,  the  spirit  of  the  city  of  Rome.  Univer- 
sal conquest  and  permanent  occupation  were  the 
ends  at  which  they  aimed.  Strength  and  organiza- 
tion were  the  characteristics  of  their  sway.  Greek 
science  and  commerce  were  wafted  by  irregular 
winds  from  coast  to  coast ;  but  Roman  legions,  gov- 
ernors, and  judges  advanced  along  Roman  roads, 
which  pursued  their  undeviating  course  over  plains 
and  mountains,  and  bound  the  city  to  the  farthest 
extremities  of  the  provinces.  When  all  parts  of  the 
civilized  world  were  bound  together  in  one  empire 
— when  one  common  organization  pervaded  the 
whole — when  channels  of  communication  were  ev- 
erywhere opened — when  new  facilities  of  traveling 
were  provided — then  the  Messiah  came.  The  Greek 
language  had  already  been  prepared  as  a  medium 
for  preserving  and  transmitting  the  doctrine ;  the 
Roman  Government  was  now  prepared  to  help 
the  progress  even  of  that  religion  which  it  perse- 
cuted. The  manner  in  which  it  spread  through  the 
provinces  is  well  exemplified  in  the  life  of  Paul :  his 
right  of  citizenship  rescued  him  in  Judea  and  in 
Macedonia;  he  converted  one  governor  in  Cyprus, 


SFCTIOy  211.— ACTS  12  :  25;   13  : 1-13. 


93 


was  protected  by  another  in  Achaia,  and  was  sent 
from  Jerusalem  to  Rome  by  a  third. 

3.  The  Jewish  Element:  The  Dispersion. — As 
the  intellectual  civilization  of  the  Greeks  and  the 
organizing  civilization  of  the  Romans  had,  through 
a  long  series  of  remarkable  events,  been  brought  in 
contact  with  the  religious  civilization  of  the  He- 
brews, so  the  dispersion  of  the  Jewish  people  made 
this  contact  almost  universal  in  every  part  of  the 
empire.  Their  dispersion  began  early,  though  early 
and  late  their  attachment  to  Judea  has  always  been 
the  same.  The  first  scattering  of  the  Jews  was  com- 
pulsory, and  began  with  the  Assyrian  exile,  when, 
about  the  time  of  the  building  of  Rome,  natives  of 
Galilee  and  Samaria  were  carried  away  by  the  East- 
ern monarchs ;  and  this  was  followed  by  the  Baby- 
lonian exile,  when  the  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benja- 
min were  removed  at  different  epochs.     H. In 

Babylon  and  the  neighboring  region  a  multitude  of 
them  had  remained  after  the  close  of  the  captivity. 
A  colony  of  them  had  been  planted  at  Alexandria 
by  its  founder,  and  there  they  became  so  numerous 
as  to  occupy  two  out  of  the  five  sections  of  the  city, 
but  were  not  confined  to  these  quarters.  In  Egypt, 
in  the  first  century  of  our  era,  there  were  not  less 
than  a  million  of  Jews,  constituting  an  eighth  part 
of  the  population  of  the  country.  In  the  flourishing 
city  of  Cyrene  they  formed  a  large  portion  of  the 
inhabitants.  Nowhere,  outside  of  Palestine,  was  the 
Jewish  population  more  numerous  than  in  Syria  and 
Asia  Elinor.  At  Antioch  they  constituted  a  power- 
ful body,  and  enjoyed  there  privileges  analogous  to 


those  of  their  brethren  at  Alexandria.  From  Syria 
they  passed  over  into  Asia  Minor,  forming  settle- 
ments in  all  the  principal  towns.  Besides  the  natu- 
ral emigration  from  Syria,  Antiochus  the  Great  had 
transplanted  to  that  region  two  thousand  Jewish 
families  from  Mesopotamia.  Among  other  places, 
Ephesus  and  Tarsus  were  noted  scats  of  Jewish 
communities.  In  Crete,  Cyprus,  and  other  islands, 
there  were  synagogues  crowded  with  worshipers. 
From  Asia  the  Jews  had  found  their  way  into  the 
cities  of  Macedonia  and  Greece.  Athens,  Corinth, 
Thcssalonica,  Philippi,  are  among  the  places  where 
were  Jewish  settlements.  Jews  were  found  in  Illy- 
ricum,  and  early  penetrated  to  the  northern  coasts 
of  the  Black  Sea.  The  Jewish  prisoners  brought  by 
Pompey  to  Rome  afterward  received  their  freedom. 
The  district  across  the  Tiber  was  principally  occu- 
pied by  them.  An  embassy  of  Herod  to  Augustus 
is  said  to  have  been  accompanied  by  eight  thousand 
Jewish  residents  of  Rome.  Among  other  towns  of 
Italy,  Caprea,  and  especially  Puteoli,  are  known  to 
have  had  a  Jewish  population.  Apart  from  perma- 
nent residents  of  Hebrew  extraction,  Jewish  mer- 
chants made  their  way  to  every  place  in  the  Roman 
Empire  where  there  was  any  hope  of  profit  from 
trade.  Thus  the  Palestinian  community,  though 
still  the  religious  center  of  all  the  Jews,  comprised 
within  its  limits  only  a  portion  of  this  ubiquitous 
nation.  Capable  of  making  a  home  for  himself 
anywhere,  the  Jew  was  specially  adapted  to  the 
state  "  which  was  to  be  built  on  the  ruins  of  a  hun- 
dred living  polities."     G.  P.  F. 


94: 


SECTION  212.— ACTS  13:11^52. 


Proviiices  of  Asia  Minor. 

(There  are  twelve  divisions  of  Asia  Minor  commonly  recognized.  Three  were  on  its  southern  coast, 
Cilicia,  Pamphylia,  Lycia ;  three  on  its  western,  Caria,  Lydia,  Mysia ;  three  on  its  northern,  Bithynia,  Paph- 
lagonia,  Pontus  ;  and  three  in  the  interior,  Cappadocia,  Galatia,  Phrygia.  Caria,  Lydia,  and  Mysia  consti- 
tuted the  Roman  province  of  Asia,  and  it  is  in  this  limited  sense  that  the  word  Asia  is  used  in  the  New 
Testament — e.  g..  Acts  2:9;  16  :  6,  7.  The  seven  churches  in  Asia  (Rev.  1  :  4)  accordingly  were  in  this 
region,  viz. :  Ephesus,  Smyrna,  Pcrgamos,  Thyatira,  Sardis,  Philadelphia,  and  Laodlcea,  though  the  last 
named  was  in  Phrygia,  and  therefore  farther  inland  than  the  rest.  W.  H.  G. After  the  Roman  pro- 
vincial system  was  established  in  Asia  Minor,  the  boundaries  of  the  provinces  were  variable.  The  two 
districts^  Pisidia  and  Lycaonia,  mentioned  Acts  13  and  14,  were  politically  attached  to  one  or  other  of  the 
contiguous  provinces.  Yet  each  had  its  chief  town,  which  had  been  its  capital :  Antioch  in  Pisidia,  and 
Iconium  in  Lycaonia.    B.) 


Section    212. 

Acts  xiii.  14-52. 

14  But  when  they  departed  from  Perga,  they  came  to  Antioch  in  Pisidia,  and  went  into  the 

15  synagogue  on  the  sabbath  day,  and  sat  down.    And  after  the  reading  of  the  hiw  and  the 
prophets  the  rulers  of  the  synagogue  sent  unto  them,  saying,  Ye  men  and  brethren,  if  ye 

16  have  any  word  of  exhortation  for  the  people,  say  on.     Then  Paul  stood  up,  and  beckoning 

17  with  his  hand  said.  Men  of  Israel,  and  ye  that  fear  God,  give  audience.     The  God  of  this 
people  of  Israel  chose  our  fathers,  and  exalted  the  people  when  they  dwelt  as  strangers  in 

18  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  with  an  high  arm  brought  he  them  out  of  it.    And  about  the  time  of 

19  forty  years  suffered  he  their  manners  in  the  wilderness.     And  when  he  had  destroyed  seven 

20  nations  in  the  land  of  Chanaan,  he  divided  their  land  to  them  by  lot.     And  after  that  lie 
gave  unto  them  judges  about  the  space  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  years,  until  Samuel  the 

21  prophet.     And  afterward  they  desired  a  king:  and  God  gave  unto  them  Saul  the  son  ot 

22  Cis,  a  man  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  by  the  space  of  forty  years.     And  when  he  had  re- 


SECTION  212.— ACTS  13:11^52.  95 

moved  him,  he  raised  up  unto  them  David  to  be  their  king ;  to  whom  also  he  gave  testi- 
mony, and  said,  I  have  found  David  the  son  of  Jesse,  a  man  after  mine  own  heart,  which 

23  shall  fulfil  all  my  will.  Of  this  man's  seed  hath  God  according  to  Ms  promise  raised  unto 
Israel  a  Saviour,  Jesus  : 

24  When  John  had  first  preached  before  his  coming  the  baptism  of  repentance  to  all  the 

25  people  of  Israel.  And  as  Jolin  fulfilled  his  course,  he  said,  Whom  think  ye  that  I  am?  I 
am  not  he.     But,  behold,  there  cometh  one  after  me,  whose  shoes  of  his  feet  I  am  not 

26  worthy  to  loose.     Men  and  brethren,  children  of  the  stock  of  Abraham,  and  whosoever 

27  among  you  feareth  God,  to  you  is  the  word  of  this  salvation  sent.  For  they  that  dwell  at 
Jerusalem,  and  their  rulers,  because  they  knew  him  not,  nor  yet  the  voices  of  the  propliets 

28  which  are  read  every  sabbath  day,  they  have  fulHlled  them  in  condemning  him.  And 
though  they  found  no  cause  of  death  in  him^  yet  desired  they  Pilate  that  he  should  be  slain. 

29  And  when  they  had  fulfilled  all  that  was  written  of  him,  they  took  him  down  from  the  tree, 

30  and  laid  him  in  a  sepulchre.     But  God  raised  him  from  the  dead  :  and  he  was  seen  many 

31  days  of  them  which  came  up  with  him  from  Galilee  to  Jerusalem,  who  are  his  witnesses 

32  unto  the  people.     And  we  declare  unto  you  glad  tidings,  how  that  tlie  promise  which  was 

33  made  unto  the  fathers,  God  hath  fulfilled  the  same  unto  us  their  children,  in  that  he  hath 
raised  up  Jesus  again ;  as  it  is  also  written  in  the  second  psalm.  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day 

34  have  I  begotten  thee.  And  as  concerning  that  he  raised  him  up  from  the  dead,  now  no 
more  to  return  to  corruption,  he  said  on  this  wise,  I  will  give  you  the  sure  mercies  of  David. 

35  Wherefore  he  saith  also  in  another  psalm,  Thou  shalt  not  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  cor- 

36  ruption.     For  David,  after  he  had  served  his  own  generation  by  the  will  of  God,  fell  on 

37  sleep,  and  was  laid  unto  his  fathers,  and  saw  corruption :  but  he,  whom  God  raised  again, 
saw  no  corruption. 

38  Be  it  known  unto  you  therefore,  men  and  brethren,  that  through  this  man  is  preached 

39  unto  you  the  forgiveness  of  sins :  and  by  him  all  that  believe  are  justified  from  all  things, 

40  from  which  ye  could  not  be  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses.     Beware  therefore,  lest  that 

41  come  upon  you,  which  is  spoken  of  in  the  prophets ;  behold,  ye  despisers,  and  wonder,  and 
perish :  for  I  work  a  work  in  your  days,  a  work  which  ye  shall  in  no  wise  believe,  though 

42  a  man  declare  it  unto  you.     And  when  the  Jews  were  gone  out  of  the  synagogue,  the  Gen- 

43  tiles  besought  that  these  words  might  be  preached  to  them  the  next  sabbath.  Now  when 
the  congregation  was  broken  up,  many  of  the  Jews  and  religious  proselytes  followed  Paul 
and  Barnabas:  who,  speaking  to  them,  persuaded  them  to  continue  in  the  grace  of  God. 

44  And  the  next  sabbath  day  came  almost  the  whole  city  together  to  hear  the  word  of  God. 

45  But  when  the  Jews  saw  the  multitudes,  they  were  filled  with  envy,  and  spake  against  those 

46  things  which  were  spoken  by  Paul,  contradicting  and  blaspheming.  Then  Paul  and  Barna- 
bas waxed  bold,  and  said.  It  was  necessary  that  the  word  of  God  should  first  have  been 
spoken  to  you:  but  seeing  ye  put  it  from  you,  and  judge  yourselves  unworthy  of  everlast- 

47  ing  life,  lo,  we  turn  to  the  Gentiles.  For  so  hath  the  Lord  commanded  us,  saying,  I  have 
set  thee  to  be  a  light  of  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  shouldest  be  for  salvation  unto  the  ends  of 

48  the  earth.     And  when  the  Gentiles  heard  this,  they  were  glad,  and  glorified  the  word  of 

49  the  Lord :  and  as  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life  believed.     And  the  word  of  the 

50  Lord  was  published  throughout  all  the  region.  But  the  Jews  stirred  up  the  devout  and 
honourable  women,  and  the  chief  men  of  the  city,  and  raised  persecution  against  Paul  and 

51  Barnabas,  and  expelled  them  out  of  tlieir  coasts.     But  they  shook  off  the  dust  of  their  feet 

52  against  them,  and  came  unto  Iconium.  And  the  disciples  were  filled  with  joy,  and  with 
the  Holy  Ghost. 


The  promise  goes  beyond  "pardon,"  and  proclaims  "justification"  as  the  portion  of  every  man  who 
believes.  When  "justified  "  as  well  as  "  pardoned,"  we  are  taken  up  to  the  level  of  the  unfallen  and  sin- 
less ;  nay,  we  are  treated  according  to  the  character  and  deservings  of  Ilim  through  whom  the  justifica- 
tion comes.  We  are  made  to  stand  where  he  stands,  and  to  receive  the  righteous  favor  which  he  receives. 
Yes ;  we  are  justified  from  all  thirigs.  Our  whole  person  is  accepted  ;  and  everything,  great  or  small,  that 
was  against  us  is  taken  out  of  the  way.  All  this  simply  in  believing !  Not  working,  nor  feeling,  nor 
striving,  nor  wrestling,  but  simple  believing.  It  is  our  believing  that  introduces  us  into  the  condition  of 
justified  men ;  it  is  this  believing  that  God  acknowledges ;  it  is  this  believing  that  the  conscience  responds 
to ;  for  that  which  we  believe  is  the  one  justifying  thing,  the  one  thing  which  is  well-pleasing  to  God, 
and  which  pacifies  the  conscience.  We  have  to  do  with  a  propitiation  completed  on  the  Cross.  In  credit- 
ing God''s  testimony  to  that  propitiation,  we  have  pardon ;  and  in  accepting  the  promise  annexed  to  the 
testimony,  we  know  that  we  have  it ;  because  God  is  true.     Bonar. 


SECTION  212.— ACTS  13  :  U-52. 


14.  The  Pisidian  Antioch  lay  a  hundred  miles 
north  of  Perga,  on  the  central  table-land.  Like  the 
Syrian  Antioch,  it  was  founded  by  Seleucus  Nicator, 
one  of  the  four  successors  to  Alexander's  divided 
kingdom,  and  named  after  his  father,  Antiochus.  It 
was  a  considerable  city,  and  had  been  made  by  Au- 
gustus a  Roman  colony.  Its  previous  history,  and 
the  added  distinction  conferred  upon  it  by  the  em- 
peror, together  with  its  connections  with  the  east 
and  west,  rendered  it  a  point  of  great  importance  in 
the  extension  and  establishment  of  the  Christian 
Church.  Here,  as  in  every  considerable  place  in 
the  Roman  Empire,  Jews  formed  part  of  the  popu- 
lation, with  Greeks,  Romans,  and  natives.  And, 
though  few  (as  indicated  by  their  sinr/le  synagogue), 
they  possessed  great  influence,  and  had  made  many 
proselytes,  especially  among  Gentile  women.  This 
marked  influence  of  the  Jews  appears  in  all  the 
events  of  Paul's  missionary  career.  On  the  first  Sab- 
bath in  Antioch  the  Christian  missionaries,  as  usual, 
first  sought  the  synagogue.     B. 

15,  16.  There  are  certain  traditional  peculiari- 
ties whicii  have  doubtless  united  together  by  a  com- 
mon resemblance  the  Jewish  synagogues  of  all  ages 
and  countries.  The  arrangement  for  the  women's 
places  in  a  separate  gallery,  or  behind  a  partition  of 
lattice-work ;  the  desk  in  the  center,  where  the  read- 
er, like  Ezra,  may  "  open  the  book  in  the  sight  of 
all  the  people  "  ;  the  carefully  closed  Ark  (on  the 
side  of  the  building  nearest  to  Jerusalem)  for  the 
preservation  of  the  rolls  or  manuscripts  of  the  law ; 
the  seats  all  round  the  building,  whence  "  the  eyes 
of  all  them  that  are  in  the  synagogue "  may  be 
"  fastened  "  on  him  who  speaks  ;  the  "  chief  seats," 
which  were  appropriated  to  the  "  ruler  "  or  "rulers" 
of  the  synagogue,  according  as  its  organization  might 
be  more  or  less  complete — these  are  some  of  the 
features  of  a  synagogue,  which  agree  at  once  with 
the  notices  of  Scripture,  the  descriptions  in  the  Tal- 
mud, and  the  practice  of  modern  Judaism.  On  their 
entrance  into  the  building,  the  four-cornered  Tal- 
lith  was  first  placed  like  a  veil  over  the  head,  or 
like  a  scarf  over  the  shoulders.  The  prayers  were 
then  recited  by  an  officer  called  the  "  Angel  "  or 
"  Apostle  "  of  the  assembly.  The  sacred  roll  of 
manuscript  was  handed  from  the  Ark  to  the  Read- 
er by  the  Chazan,  or  "  minister,"  and  then  certain 
portions  were  read  according  to  a  fixed  cycle,  first 
from  the  Law  and  then  from  the  Prophets.  The 
Reader  stood  while  thus  employed,  and  all  the  con- 
gregation sat  around.  The  manuscript  was  rolled 
up  and  returned  to  the  Chazan.  Then  followed  a 
pause,  during  which  strangers  or  learned  men  who 
had  "  any  word  of  consolation  "  or  exhortation  rose 
and  addressed  the  meeting.  And  thus,  after  a  pa- 
thetic enumeration  of  the  sufferings  of  the  chosen 
people  or  an  allegorical  exposition  of  some  dark 
passage  of  Holy  Writ,  the  worship  was  closed  with 
a  benediction  and  a  solemn  "  Amen." 

To  such  a  worship  in  such  a  building  a  congre- 
gation came  together  at  Antioch  in  Pisidia  on  the 
Sabbath  which  immediately  succeeded  the  arrival  of 
Paul  and  Barnabas.  Proselytes  came  and  seated 
themselves  with  the  Jews ;  and  among  the  Jewesses 
behind  the  lattice  were  "  honorable  women  "  of  the 
colony.     The  two  strangers  entered  the  synagogue. 


and,  wearing  the  Tallith,  which  was  the  badge  of  an 
Israelite,  "  sat  down  "  with  the  rest.  The  prayers 
were  recited,  the  extracts  from  "  the  Law  and  the 
Prophets  "  were  read,  the  "  Book  "  returned  to  the 
"  Minister,"  and  then  we  are  told  that  "  the  rulers 
of  the  synagogue  "  sent  to  the  new-comers,  on  whom 
many  eyes  had  already  been  fixed,  and  invited  them 
to  address  the  assembly,  if  they  had  words  of 
comfort  or  instruction  to  speak  to  their  fellow  Is- 
raelites. The  very  attitude  of  Paul,  as  he  answered 
the  invitation,  is  described  to  us.  He  "rose"  from 
his  seat,  and,  with  the  animated  and  emphatic  ges- 
ture which  he  used  on  other  occasions,  "  beckoned 
with  his  hand."     II. 

17-39.  In  its  method,  this  first  recorded  dis- 
course of  Paul  resembled  that  of  Peter  at  Pente- 
cost, and  the  defense  of  Stephen.  Each  of  the 
three  speaks  as  a  Jew  to  Jews ;  takes  the  Jewish 
history  and  Scriptures  as  the  basis  of  the  doctrines 
advanced  ;  specially  refers  to  God's  choice  and  con- 
duct and  care  of  Israel,  and  to  the  prophetic  revela- 
tion of  a  Messiah  to  come  and  to  suffer ;  and  each 
declares  that  the  Messiah  has  come,  in  the  person 
of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ;  that  he  has  suffered  death 
and  has  risen  again  through  the  power  of  God. 
Paul  here  outlines  the  history  until  David's  reign ; 
then  abruptly  turns  from  it  because  he  has  reached 
his  theme,  God's  crowning  mercy  and  promise  to 
David,  (he  actual  advent  of  Messiah.  He  cites  the 
Baptist's  testimony  (as  one  well  known  and  accred- 
ited by  all  Jews  as  a  prophet)  to  Christ's  true  and 
sole  Messiahship.  Then  he  preaches  Jesus  and  the 
resurrection,  and  adds  a  clear  announcement  of  the 
central  doctrine  of  Christianity,  justificidion  by 
failh.  More  sharply  than  either  Peter  or  Stephen, 
he  contrasts  the  latter  with  justification  by  law. 

26-37.  "  llie  Word  of  Salvation  "  includes  the 
Crucifixion  and  Resurrection  of  the  3Iessiah,  Jesus. 
—  To  you  the  saving  word  is  sent,  he  says  emphati- 
cally, for  your  sacred  prophecies,  being  exactly  ful- 
filled in  his  death  and  resurrection,  demonstrate 
that  Jesus  is  indeed  the  long-desired  Messiah  and 
Redeemer.  Yet,  he  adds  with  reference  to  both  the 
crucifiers  and  the  friendly  buriers  of  Christ,  unwit- 
tingly they  fulfilled  all  that  was  written  of  him ; 
and  this  although  the  words  of  the  prophets  were 
heard  by  them  every  Sabbath.  He  docs  not  excuse 
the  rulers'  guilt,  neither  does  he  sharply  denounce 
it.  His  aim  seems  to  be  to  press  upon  his  hearers 
their  deeper  responsibility  in  now  receiving  this  knowl- 
edge which, Christ's  crucifiers  did  not  so  clearly 
possess. 

With  the  statement  of  the  two  facts  (of  cruci- 
fixion and  the  resurrection  as  disclosed  in  their 
Scriptures),  he  proceeds  with  a  broader  sweep  of 
thought  and  in  warmer  tones  of  personal  feeling  to 
press  this  word  of  salvation,  or  these  glad  tidings, 
upon  them.  Not  only  was  this  the  tenor  of  pro- 
phetic disclosure,  but  the  sacrificial  death  and  the 
resurrection,  the  eternal  life  and   reign  of  Jesus 


SECTION  212.— ACTS  13:14-52. 


97 


comprised  the  ve^-y  snhstance  and  complete  fulJiUment 
of  God's  original  and  oft-repeated  promise  to  the 
fathers.  This  grand  point  Peter  and  Stephen  had 
made.  From  first  to  last  Paul  insists  upon  it.  By 
sacrifice  and  ceremonial,  by  prophecy  and  promise, 
in  history  and  psalm,  through  symbol  and  fact, 
through  dark  saying  and  plain,  the  entire  Old  Tes- 
tament revelation  comprises,  as  its  one  only  theme, 
Messiah,  the  Son  of  God  and  Son  of  man,  the  self- 
moved  offerer,  the  divinely  appointed  and  accepted 
offering  for  the  sin  of  man.  Ilis  voluntary  death, 
His  self-resurrection,  His  quickening  power  and  eter- 
nal sovereignty — these  are  included  in  the  promise 
of  mercy  first  to  Adam,  afterward  to  Abraham  and 
his  descendants,  emphatically  to  David  ;  these  com- 
prise the  substance  of  all  ancient  revelation.  They 
are  the  facts  upon  which  we  rest,  and  which  make 
the  Old  Testament  o?ie  promise  of  glad  tidings,  still 
of  vital  force  and  value  to  all  who  receive  the  Christ 
of  God.  So  Paul  teaches  here,  and  so  we  must  be- 
lieve. 

In  verses  33  to  37,  referring  to  prophetic  prom- 
ises in  the  psalms  seemingly  made  to  David  and  con- 
cerning him,  he  shows  their  higher  reference  to  the 
resurrection  of  David's  Lord  and  Son.  As  matching 
his  own  purpose  here,  in  citing  from  the  second 
psalm  (v.  33),  we  may  take  Paul's  assertion  that 
Christ  was  "  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with 
power  by  the  resurrection  of  the  dead."  He  shows 
from  further  passages  that  after  resurrection  Christ 
shall  never  die  again  (as  David  died  and  saw  cor- 
ruption), but  will  live  and  reign  eternally.  And  in 
the  light  of  this  Messiah's  unchangeableness  of 
being,  he  illustrates  the  certainty  of  the  mercies 
promised  through  him.  In  all  these  citations  and 
statements,  Paul  is  only  adding  to  and  enforcing  the 
Scriptural  proofs  of  Christ's  resurrection  and  abid- 
ing life,  because  this  was  the  main  fact  to  be  sub- 
stantiated ;  first,  as  having  been  foretold,  and  next, 
as  having  been  fulfilled.  Upon  this,  as  Paul  else- 
where plainly  asserts,  hangs  the  entire  truth  of 
Christianity,  and  the  sole  hope  of  guilty  man. 

38,  39.  Remission  of  Sins  and  Complete  Justifi- 
cation from  the  Condemning  Hold  of  Law,  the  Sure 
Result  of  Faith  in  this  Crucified,  Risen,  and  Reigning 
Redeemer. — In  these  and  the  previous  verses  we 
find  the  germ  thoughts  of  the  Epistles  to  the  Ro- 
mans and  the  Galatians.  The  manner  in  which 
Paul  introduces  this  root  doctrine  of  justification  by 
faith  is  in  keeping  with  its  vital  character.  He 
uses  a  form  of  bold  and  earnest  proclamation.  He 
assumes  the  fact  of  their  sinfulness.  He  says  no- 
thing directly  of  the  way  of  forgiveness  and  justifi- 
cation. This  he  has  distinctly  hinted  at  in  announc- 
ing Christ's  death  and  resurrection  as  glad  tidings, 
and  as  the  fulfillment  of  God's  great  promise  of 
mercy.  But  he  emphasizes  the  fact  that  there  is  re- 
7 


mission  of  sin,  and  deliverance  from  the  law's  con- 
demnation, in  Christ,  through  His  achieved  re- 
demption. 

Forgiveness  and  remission  of  sins  "  through  this 
one  "  (not  this  man)  had  been  already  preached  by 
Peter  and  others.  But  they  had  said  nothing  about 
being  justified,  about  a  sinner's  being  accounted  right- 
eous, or  treated  by  God  as  though  he  were  righteous. 
Righteousness  was  the  great  text  and  theme  of  the 
Pharisees.  But  until  this  convert  from  their  ranks 
uttered  these  words  (v.  39),  the  true  relation  of 
a  sinner  to  the  law  of  perfect  righteousness  had 
not  been  expressly  stated  by  any  Christian  teacher. 

Scholars  are  agreed  in  changing  a  translation 
(v.  39)  which  seems  to  teach  that  the  law  does 
justify  from  some  things,  and  Christ  makes  up  the 
deficiency.  Contrary  to  this,  Paul  says :  "  From  all 
[sins],  from  which  ye  could  not  be  justified  by  the 
law  of  Moses,  by  Him  every  one  ivho  believes  is  justi- 
fied.''^ The  law  justifies  from  none  !  Christ  justi- 
fies  the  believer  from  all !  Therefore  all  effort  to 
keep  the  law  as  a  mean^  of  divine  acceptance  is  both 
useless  and  evil.  Faith,  which  Christ  calls  a  work, 
"  the  work  of  God  "  (or  that  God  commands),  a  sim- 
ple utter  reliance  upon  His  mercy  in  Christ,  this  is 
our  part  and  our  only  part  in  the  supreme  matter  of 
being  accounted  righteous  and  so  treated  by  Him. 

And  this  grand  vital  principle  of  justification 
by  the  heart's  faith,  now  first  clearly  proclaimed, 
really  gave  to  the  sacrificial  system  of  Moses  all  its 
meaning  and  utility.  The  sin-offering,  prescribed 
and  presented  under  the  law  to  expiate  even  the 
smaller  offenses,  implied  as  the  condition  of  its  efii- 
cacy  an  underlying  sorrow  for  the  offense,  and  a 
reliance  upon  the  mercy  that  accepted  a  substitute- 
sufferer  in  the  offender's  place.  So,  strictly  speak- 
ing and  most  truly,  the  laiv  of  itself  could  do  no- 
thing for  forgiveness  or  justification.  The  lav:giver's 
act  alone  accepted  a  substitute  for  the  offender. 
Thus  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New  are  in  accord 
ujion  this  vital  matter.  The  Jew,  standing  upon  the 
ceremonial  law  of  Moses,  finds  there  the  New  Testa- 
ment principle  of  forgiveness  through  a  substituted 
sacrifice.  Only  in  the  ancient  offering  the  victim 
was  a  typical  one,  and  a  true  spiritual  deliverance 
lay  in  the  offerer^s  faith  that  God  would  provide  a 
real  and  sufficient  sacrifice. 

Thus  far  in  this  first  discourse  (of  which  we  have 
at  least  a  complete  outline)  Paul  proves  the  facts 
of  the  gospel  from  their  familiar  Scriptures.  Ear- 
nestly he  proclaims  Christ's  sacrificial  death,  resur- 
rection, and  eternal  life,  as  God's  fulf  lied  promise  of 
grace,  and  therefore  as  glad  tidings.  And  he  urges 
their  acceptance  of  this  word  of  salvation,  their 
personal  trust  in  Christ,  in  order  that  they  may  be 
delivered  from  the  law's  condemning  power.  Jesus 
Christ,  he  says,  is  the  Messiah  of  ancient  promise. 


98 


SECTION  212.— ACTS  13  :  U-52. 


In  exact  fulfillment  of  your  inspired  prophecies,  He 
lived  and  died,  He  rose  and  lives  for  ever !  Then, 
believe  in  Him  !  Or,  if  you  will  not  hclievc^  then  be- 
ware! His  closing  word  of  warning,  which,  like 
Peter,  he  foreknows  will  be  needful,  is  taken  from 
Hab.  1  :  5.  The  original  prediction  had  been  ful- 
filled by  the  Chaldees  upon  their  fathers.  He  uses 
it  again,  thus  strongly  enforced  by  one  fulfillment, 
to  impress  the  tremendous  peril  impending  over 
them.  In  little  more  than  twenty  years  its  second 
fulfillment  came  upon  the  whole  Jewish  people,  for 
they  renewed  their  rejection  of  God's  mercy  in  the 
person  and  saving  work  of  His  own  incarnate,  risen, 
and  reigning  son. 

43,  43.  The  Earnest  Request  and  the  Private 
Conference  that  followed  PauVs  First  Discourse. — 
According  to  the  better  reading,  all  who  had  heard 
(as  they  were  leaving  the  synagogue)  besought  him 
to  repeat  his  teaching  on  the  next  Sabbath.  This 
request  showed  an  intense  interest  on  the  part  of 
the  body  of  Jews  and  Gentile  proselytes  in  the  new 
doctrine  of  Paul.  In  many  of  both  classes,  so 
strong  was  their  instantaneous  faith,  that  they  fol- 
lowed Paul  and  Barnabas  to  their  tarrying-place,  in 
order  to  receive  further  instruction.  At  once  recog- 
nizing the  grace  of  God  that  had  wrought  the  faith, 
the  missionaries  simply  but  fervently  exhorted 
these  infant  converts  to  continue  trusting  in  and 
looking  for  the  same  Divine  grace.  This  phrase, 
"  grace  of  God,"  is  here  fi7-st  presented  in  the  large 
sense  of  reconcihation  and  redemption  by  Christ's 
saving  work.  In  connection  with  a  reliance  upon 
this  gi'ace,  the  converts  were  also  counseled  to  dis- 
trust and  avoid  self-righteous  attempts  at  legal 
obedience.  And  the  whole  exhortation  was  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  great  truths  of  Paul's  discourse. 

44,  45.  27ie  Immense  Gathering  of  Pagan 
Gentiles,  and  the  Consequent  Envy  and  Malice  of  the 
Jews. — The  intervening  week  had  been  one  of  gen- 
eral discussion  of  the  strange  doctrines,  by  all 
classes  in  the  city.  So,  when  the  next  Sabbath  caftie, 
the  apostles  were  greeted  with  an  immense  multi- 
tude of  pagans  anxious  simply  to  hear  the  wonder- 
ful toords  which  had  been  reported.  They  hungered 
for  truth — "  to  hear  the  word  of  God  " ;  for  no  men- 
tion is  made  of  a  single  miracle,  by  which  they 
might  have  been  attracted.  And  this  moving  of  al- 
most a  whole  city  was  the  effect  of  a  single  sermon, 
and  of  its  widespread  report  by  Gentile  proselytes. 
Was  not  this  ample  assurance  that  God's  time  had 
come,  and  His  purpose  in  the  conversion  of  the  Gen- 
tiles was  now  to  be  fulfilled  ? 

But  the  Gentile  multitudes,  whose  presence  re- 
jqiced  the  hearts  of  the  missionaries  and  their  true 

disciples,  only  stirred  the  Jews  to  envy.     B. 

Their  spiritual  pride  and  exclusive  bigotry  was  im- 
mediately roused.    They  could  not  endure  the  notion 


of  others  being  freely  admitted  to  the  same  religious 
privileges  with  themselves.  This  was  always  the 
sin  of  the  Jewish  people.  Instead  of  realizing 
their  position  in  the  world  as  the  prophetic  nation 
for  the  good  of  the  whole  earth,  they  indulged  the 
self-exalting  opinion,  that  God's  highest  blessings 

were  only  for  themselves.     H. And  yet  their 

own  prophets  had  declared  that  the  Messiah,  "  the 
glory  of  his  people  Israel,"  was  also  "a  light  to 
lighten  the  Gentiles."  Now,  inflamed  by  jealous 
envy  and  arrogance,  with  passionate  violence  of 
speech,  they  railed  at  and  so  blasphemed  "  the  word 
of  God  spoken  by  Paul." 

46,  47.  The  First  Plain  Announcement  of  God's 
New  "  Election  "  of  the  Gentiles. — The  apostles  meet 
the  calumnies  and  blasphemies  of  the  fanatical 
Jews  with  bold  and  sharp  reply.  "  This  Messiah 
whom  you  reject,"  say  they,  "  bade  us  first  utter  the 
word  of  salvation  to  you.  But  since  you  will  not 
receive  it,  since  by  your  own  act  in  deliberately  re- 
jecting it,  you  count  yourselves  unworthy  of  eternal 
life,  He  bids  us  turn  to  those  who  are  now  heeding 
his  call."  The  words  of  self-pronounced  verdict 
have  only  the  simple  but  terrible  severity  of  truth. 
They  do  but  anticipate  the  self-conviction  of  all 
once  enlightened  but  finally  lost  souls  in  the  day  of 
final  judgment.  They  have  judged  themselves  un- 
xvorthy  of  everlasting  life  ! 

Paul  and  Barnabas  turned  from  the  Jews  to  the 
Gentiles  in  Antioch.  And  in  many  other  places, 
this  turning  was  subsequently  repeated,  and  similar 
scenes  were  enacted.  And  now,  for  more  than  eigh- 
teen hundred  years,  God's  covenant  people  have 
turned  from  their  own  Messiah,  and  "  through  their 
fall  salvation  is  come  unto  the  Gentiles."  Yet  we 
know  that  God  hath  not  utterly  "  cast  away  his 
people"  (Rom.  11).  They  shall  be  restored  to  the 
faith  and  joy  of  God,  and  be  incorporated  into  the 
grand  spiritual  kingdom  of  Messiah  on  the  earth. 
And,  as  in  the  earlier  ages  they  were  chosen  as  the 
medium  of  conveying  God's  light  and  promises  to 
the  world,  so  in  the  later  ages  their  conversion 
shall  furnish  a  sure  testimony  to  the  consummation 
of  all  prophecy  and  promise,  in  the  latter-day  glory 
of  Messiah  as  King  over  all  peoples. 

48,  49.  This  Antioch,  also,  became  the  center 
of  a  widespread  and  mighty  Christian  movement 
under  the  joint  labors  of  the  two  apostles  and  their 
new  disciples.  "  Throvghout  all  that  region  the  icord 
of  the  Lord  ivas  published.''^  By  so  extended  and 
successful  a  work  among  the  Gentiles,  first  in  the 
city,  and  afterward  in  the  country  around  Antioch, 
did  the  Holy  Ghost  honor  the  very  outset  of  their 
mission.      »" 

As  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternall 
life  believed.  The  word  here  employed  signifiesj 
more  than  mere  disposition  or  preference.     It  in-J 


SECTION  212.— ACTS  13  :  U-52. 


99 


eludes  the  idea  of  determination.  And  the  passive 
form  of  the  word  shows  that  this  determination  is 
exercised  upon  the  subject  by  another.  That  other 
can  only  be,  clearly  is,  God,  who  "  worketh  in"  the 
believer  "  to  will  and  to  do."  The  fact  here  asserted 
is  the  divine  disposing  of  these  Gentile  believers  to 
eternal  life.  In  this,  as  in  other  fuller  and  more 
explicit  teachings,  the  intimation  is  conveyed  that 
all  things  pertaining  to  salvation,  like  all  provi- 
dences bearing  upon  the 
earthly  life,  are  ordered  and 
arranged  according  to  the 
purpose  and  by  the  power 
of  God.  Believing,  then, 
is  the  effect  of  no  accident 
or  whim  of  man,  of  no  pur- 
pose originating  with  man, 
unmoved  from  without.  "  No 
man  can  come  to  me,"  said 
Christ,  "except  the  Father 
draw  him."  Rightly  appre- 
hended and  gratefully  re- 
ceived, this  is  a  most  in- 
spiriting and  comforting 
truth. 

But  the  connected  truth, 
indicated  in  the  injunction 

"Work  out  your  own  salvation,"  though  not  re- 
ferred to  here  by  Luke,  always  finds  place  in  the 
exposition  of  God's  working  in  us.  For  it  intimates 
that  the  divine  ordering  neither  annuls  nor  directly 
counteracts  man's  own  agency  in  the  matter  of  sal- 
vation, any  more  than  in  providences  affecting  the 
outward  life.  Every  believer  knows  that  he  was 
won,  not  arbitrarily  forced,  to  submission  to  the 
wiser,  better  will  of  God.  Except  the  power  of  di- 
vine grace  had  first  persuasively  drawn  his  heart, 
he  never  would  have  submitted  ;  so  that  gratitude 
was  blended  with  gladness  in  his  blessed  experience 
of  being  "  made  willing."  Both  truths — God's  de- 
termining or  working  in  us,  and  our  yielding  yet 
working  out  our  own  salvation — are  clearly  revealed ; 
the  one  to  impress  the  supremacy  of  divine  grace, 
the  other  to  enforce  the  sense  of  human  responsi- 
bility. And  the  opposite  results,  of  faith  and  unbe- 
lief, may  be  thus  summed  up  :  God's  determination, 
with  which  man's  will  is  in  unison,  admits  to  the 
everlasting  kingdom  ;  while  man's  own  sole  inclina- 
tion and  decision  excludes  from  the  kingdom.  And 
the  personal  consideration  may  be  added,  that  though 
we  can  not  harmonize  the  two  revealed  facts,  of 
God's  ordination  to  life  and  man's  uncontrolled 
choice  of  life  or  death,  yet  any  and  every  one  may 
practically  reconcile  them  by  believing  ! 

50-52.  Persecution,  instigated  by  the  Jeivs  of 
Antioch,  led  the  Tim  Missionaries  to  leonium. — This 
first  great  success  aroused  great  opposition.     So  it 


was  ever  afterward.  "  A  wide  door  and  many  ad- 
versaries," is  Paul's  terse  statement  of  a  uniform 
fact  in  his  entire  experience. 

The  chief  cause  of  offense,  in  this  and  subse- 
quent persecutions,  was  not  the  preaching  of  the 
Cross  and  the  Resurrection.  It  was  the  extension, 
directly  and  without  any  condition,  to  the  Gentiles  of 
the  divine  privileges  and  promises  exclusively 
claimed  by  the  Jews.     This  enraged  both  Jews  and 


Antioch  in  Pisidid. 

proselytes,  when  they  saw  the  Christian  movement 
spreading  widely  and  the  Christian  doctrine  taking 
root  among  the  people.  It  was  easy  to  stir  up  the 
female  proselytes,  and  natural  to  incite  them  to  em- 
ploy their  great  influence  with  the  leading  men  to 
oppose  this  new  and  hated  religion.  And  this  fact, 
often  repeated  in  Paul's  history,  finds  singular  cor- 
roboration in  the  statement  of  a  writer  (Strabo) 
familiar  with  the  region  of  western  Asia.  He  ex- 
pressly states  that  in  religious  opinions  the  influence 
of  the  women  was  controlling  with  the  men. 

From  the  systematic  persecution  thus  brought 
against  the  apostles,  they  retired  to  Iconium,  on  the 
western  border  of  Lyconia,  and  on  the  confines  of 
Pisidia,  Galatia,  and  Phrygia.  Not  through  fear, 
but  in  accordance  with  the  express  instructions  of 
Christ,  they  withdrew,  in  companionship  with  their 
invisible  Lord.  But  the  pereecution  that  compelled 
them  to  flee  did  not  harm  the  Church  they  had 
planted.  The  same  Lord  who  went  with  the  rejoic- 
ing apostles  to  Iconium,  remained  with  the  new  dis- 
ciples at  Antioch  ;  so  that  they,  too,  were  filled  with 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Persecution  can  not  injure  the  cause  or  set  back 
the  course  of  truth.  The  periods  of  sorest  trial 
have  often  been  those  of  greatest  progress  to  the 
Church.  Opposition  stimulates  true  Christian  prin- 
ciple ;  it  nerves  courage  and  strengthens  faith  by 
evoking  the  prayer  that  brings  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.     B. 


100  SECTION  213.— ACTS  U  :  1-28. 


Section  213. 

Acts  xiv.  1-2S. 

1  And  it  came  to  pass  in  Iconium,  that  they  went  both  together  into  the  synagogue  of  the 
Jews,  and  so  spake,  that  a  great  multitude  both  of  the  Jews  and  also  of  the  Greeks  be- 

2  lieved.     But  the  unbeUeving  Jews  stirred  up  the  Gentiles,  and  made  their  minds  evil  aflFected 

3  against  the  brethren.     Long  time  therefore  abode  they  speaking  boldly  in  the  Lord,  which 
gave  testimony  unto  the  word  of  his  grace,  and  granted  signs  and  wonders  to  be  done  by 

4  their  hands.     But  the  multitude  of  the  city  was  divided :  and  part  held  with  the  Jews,  and 

5  part  with  the  apostles.     And  when  there  was  an  assault  made  both  of  the  Gentiles,  and  also 

6  of  the  Jews  with  their  rulers,  to  use  them,  despitefully,  and  to  stone  them,  they  were  ware 
of  it^  and  iled  unto  Lystra  and  Derbe,  cities  of  Lycaonia,  and  unto  the  reigion  that  lieth 

7  round  about :  and  there  they  preached  the  gospel. 

8  And  there  sat  a  c6rtam  man  at  Lystra,  impotent  in  Lis  feet,  being  a  cripple  from  his 

9  mother's  womb,  who  never  had  walked  :  the  same  heard  Paul  speak  :  who  stedfastly  behold- 

10  ing  him,  and  perceiving  that  he  had  faith  to  be  healed,  said  with  a  loud  voice,  Stand  upright 

11  on  thy  feet.  And  he  leaped  and  walked.  And  when  the  people  saw  what  Paul  had  done, 
they  lifted  up  their  voices,  saying  in  the  speech  of  Lycaonia,  The  gods  are  come  down  to 

12  us  in  the  likeness  of  men.     And  they  called  Barnabas,  Jupiter;  and  Paul,  Mercurius,  be- 

13  cause  he  was  the  chief  speaker.  Then  the  priest  of  Jupiter,  which  was  before  their  city, 
brought  oxen  and  garlands  unto  the  gates,  and  would  have  done  sacrifice  with  the  people. 

14  Which  when  the  apostles,  Barnabas  and  Paul,  heard  q/,  they  rent  their  clothes,  and  ran  in 

15  among  the  people,  crying  out,  and  saying.  Sirs,  why  do  ye  these  things?  We  also  are 
men  of  like  passions  with  you,  and  preach  unto  you  that  ye  should  turn  from  these  vanities 
unto  the  living  God,  which  made  heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  all  things  that  are 

16  therein:  who  in  times  past  suffered  all  nations  to  walk  in  their  own  ways.     Nevertheless  he 

17  left  not  himself  without  witness,  in  that  he  did  good,  and  gave  us  rain  from  heaven,  and 

18  fruitful  seasons,  filling  our  hearts  with  food  and  gladness.  And  with  these  sayings  scarce  re- 
strained they  the  people,  that  they  had  not  done  sacrifice  unto  them. 

19  And  there  came  thither  certain  Jews  from  Antioch  and  Iconium,  who  persuaded  the  peo- 
^0  pie,  and,  having  stoned  Paul,  drew  him  out  of  the  city,  supposing  he  had  been  dead.    How- 

beit,  as  the  disciples  stood  round  about  him,  he  rose  up,  and  came  into  the  city:  and  the 

21  next  day  he  departed  with  Barnabas  to  Derbe.  And  when  they  had  preached  the  gospel 
to  that  city,  and  had  taught  many,  they  returned  again  to  Lystra,  and  to  Iconium,  and 

22  Antioch,  confirming  the  souls  of  the  disciples,  and  exhorting  them  to  continue  in  the 

23  faith,  and  that  we  must  through  much  tribulation  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  And 
■when  they  had  ordained  them  elders  in  every  church,  and  had  prayed  with  fasting,  they 

24  commended  them  to  the  Lord,  on  whonl  they  believed.    And  after  they  had  passed  through- 

25  out  Pisidia,  they  came  to  Paraphylia.     And  when  they  had  preached  the  word  in  Perga, 

26  they  went  down  into  Attalia:  and  thence  sailed  to  Antioch,  from  whence  they  had  been 

27  recommended  to  the  grace  of  God  for  the  work  which  they  fulfilled.  And  when  they  were 
come,  and  had  gathered  the  church  together,  they  rehearsed  all  that  God  had  done  with 

28  them,  and  how  he  had  opened  the  door  of  faith  unto  the  Gentiles.  And  there  they  abode 
long  time  with  the  disciples. 

Still,  as  at  first,  through  much  tribulation  we  must  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  To  that  end  i 
even  our  glorious  Leader,  the  Captain  of  our  salvation,  is  "made  perfect,"  not  in  the  infinite  and  eternal 
perfection  of  his  nature,  but  in  the  perfcctness  of  bis  condescending  incarnation  and  mediatorial  sympa- 
thy— made  perfect  "  through  suffering."  SubHme  mystery  of  God  !  Gracious  wonder  of  our  redemption !  I 
Why  should  we  complain  of  the  sorrow  that  we  ourselves,  by  our  disobedience,  have  created  ?  of  the  sor- 
row that  ends,  not  begins,  our  real  misery  ?  the  sorrow  that  is  as  much  the  needed  pathway  and  natural  1 
preparation  of  the  joy  of  immortality  with  our  Lord — joy  that  no  eye  hath  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  heart 
conceived — as  the  night  is  the  needed  preparation  of  the  morning,  or  hardship  the  natural  path  from  the  j 
wilderness  of  the  far  country  to  the  peace  of  the  Father's  house  ?     F.  D.  H. 


SECTION'  213.— ACTS  U  :  1-38. 


101 


1-4.  The  district  of  Lycaonia  extends  from  the 
ridges  of  Mount  Taurus  and  the  borders  of  Cilicia 
on  the  south  to  the  Cappadocian  hills  on  the  north. 
It  is  a  bare  and  dreary  region.  Of  the  whole  dis- 
trict, leonium  was  properly  the  capital ;  and  the 
plain  round  Iconium  may  be  reckoned  as  its  great 
central  space,  situated  midway  between  Cihcia  and 
Cappadocia.     This  plain  is  spoken  of  as  the  largest 

in  Asia  Minor.     H. leonium  was  a  populous  city 

on  the  western  border  of  Lycaonia,  on  a  main  line  of 


communication  between  east  and  west.  It  has  had 
a  signal  history  since,  and  still  exists  as  Konieh.  Its 
extended  connections  and  intrinsic  importance  led 
the  apostles  to  remain  for  some  months,  until  driven 
away  by  the  persecuting  Jews.     (See  map,  p.  94.) 

As  at  Antioch,  the  missionaries  preached  for  a 
"  long  time  "  in  the  synagogue  at  Iconium.  By  the 
grace  of  Christ  (here  and  throughout  the  Acts  re- 
ferred to  as  the  Lord),  they  were  enabled  so  to  speak 
that  a  g}-eat  multitude  believed.    More  than  this,  the 


Konieh— Ancient  Iconium. 


same  Lord,  in  testimony  of  his  presence,  confirmed 
their  words  by  miracles  "done  by  their  hands." 
Only  here,  and  some  years  after  at  Ephesus,  was 
this  special  confirmation  of  mant/  miracles  granted 
to  Paul's  ministry.  In  each  of  these  cases,  as  in 
every  single  miracle,  there  was  special  call  and  fit- 
ness. 

5-7.  The  wide  division  of  sentiment  among  the 
entire  population,  which  followed  the  long-continued 
faithful  preaching  of  the  apostles,  shows  what  great 
results  that  preaching  had  wrought.  Here  the  Jews 
succeeded  in  engaging  the  rulers  and  influential  Gen- 
tiles in  the  persecution  of  Paul  and  Barnabas. 
Warned  of  the  purpose  to  assault  and  stone  them, 
the  apostles  fled  to  Lystra,  in  the  interior  wilds  of 
Lycaonia.  They  fled,  not  from  fear,  but  in  obedience 
to  their  Lord's  direction  to  continue  their  work  else- 
where. But  the  seed  was  largely  sown  in  Iconium. 
In  some  hearts  it  was  left  to  grow ;  in  others,  the 
very  persecution  that  drove  the  apostles  away  led  to 
questionings  and  stirrings  of  conscience.  So  oppo- 
sition helps,  as  well  as  hinders,  a  good  cause.  At 
Lystra,  and  afterward  in  Derbe,  where  were  no  Jews 
(therefore  no  synagogue),  and  but  few  of  the  more 
cultivated  Greeks,  "  they  preached  the  Gospel "  for 
another  considerable  period.     (See  map,  p.  94.) 

8-10.  Healing  of  the  Life-long  Crijjple  at  Lys- 
tra.— Like  the  man  at  the  Temple  gate,  similarly 


healed  by  Peter,  this  one  had  never  walked.  Aside 
upon  some  thoroughfare,  he  was  sitting — not  beg- 
ging, for  he  asked  no  alms.  At  that  point,  among 
others,  Paul  chanced  to  preach.  The  man  not  only 
heard,  but  his  heart  was  opened,  like  Lydia's,  to 
receive  the  words  spoken  by  Paul.  This  the  apostle 
saw,  when  his  attention  was  drawn  by  the  man's  in- 
tent gaze.  And  it  was  in  response  to  the  faith  hi 
Christ  which  he  discerned  in  the  man's  soul,  that 
Paul,  in  the  very  spirit  and  manner  of  the  Blaster, 
and  under  His  inspiration,  bade  him  test  his  faith 
by  the  attempt  to  stand  upright.  The  test  was  sus- 
tained, and  the  man  not  only  stood,  but  leaped  and 
walked.  The  miracle  was  twofold:  The  withered 
members  were  made  perfect,  and  without  any  pre- 
vious practice  he  instantly  put  them  to  their  highest 
exercise  and  use.  So  the  man's  faith  led  to  the 
healing  of  the  body,  in  addition  to  the  saving  of  the 
soul.  It  was  one  of  Christ's  own  familiar  works, 
only  done  invisibly,  through  the  instrumentality  of 
his  honored  apostle. 

11-13.  Worship  offered  to  Paul  and  Barnabas. 
— Besides  the  beneficent  effects  of  the  miracle  upon 
the  man  himself,  and  in  the  assurance  afforded  to 
the  new  disciples,  it  greatly  excited  the  rude  super- 
stitious people.  Their  gods  were  only  deified  men  ; 
and  Jupiter,  the  mightiest  among  them,  was  the 
tutelary  or  protecting  deity  of  their  city.      As  was 


102 


8ECTI02T  213.— ACTS  U  :  1-2S. 


customary,  they  had  honored  him  by  erecting  cither 
temple  or  statue,  or  both,  outside  but  near  the  main 
gate.  Mercury  was  the  frequent  companion  of  Jupi- 
ter in  his  expeditions  to  the  earth.  According  to  a 
then  current  legend  (given  at  length  by  Ovid),  these 
two  divinities  had  visited  in  disguise  Lycaon,  from 
whom  the  name  of  the  district  was  derived.  It  was 
natural,  therefore,  that  this  people  should  think  that 
Jupiter  and  llercury  had  come  again  to  them  in  the 
likeness,  or  disguised  forms,  of  Barnabas  and  Paul. 

14-18.  The  Missionaries'  Interne  Repulsion  of 
such  Worship,  and  PauVs  Fervid  Address. — Rend- 
ing their  garments,  as  the  strongest,  most  convinc- 
ing expression  of  grief  and  horror,  they  ran  in 
among  priests  and  people.  Then,  as  soon  as  atten- 
tion was  gained,  Paul  first  earnestly  expostulates, 
and  then  preaches  such  a  gospel  as  they  could  un- 
derstand. "  We,  too,  are  but  men  like  yourselves, 
subject  to  all  manner  of  suffering  and  disease,  and 
to  death!  We  come  not  here  to  receive  divine 
honor,  but  to  tell  you  of  the  true  God!"  From 
their  unreal  gods — "their  vanities  " — he  turns  their 
thoughts  to  the  one  Jehovah  To  these  ignorant, 
uncultured  heathen,  who  deified  certain  forces  of 
nature,  or  counted  as  gods  imperfect  men,  he  de- 
clares a  personal  God.  This  God  he  reveals  as  liv- 
ing and  life-giving — the  architect  and  builder  of  the 
visible  universe,  the  patient  ruler  and  wise  disposer 
of  nations,  the  gracious  author  of  providence,  the 
giver  of  every  good  gift.  Nature  and  providence 
"  witness  "  to  the  being,  the  working,  and  the  bounty 
of  such  a  personal,  creative  God.  This,  as  Paul 
afterward  wrote  (Rom.  1  :  18-21),  left  them  without 
excuse  for  their  atheism.  To  no  further  statement 
or  appeal  were  they  susceptible.  No  knowledge  had 
they  of  the  Jewish  Scriptures.  Nor  with  these  rude 
people  could  Paul's  reasoning  upon  the  facts  of  nat- 
ural religion  take  even  that  broader  grasp  with 
which  afterward  he  sought  to  reach  the  more  cul- 
tured Athenians.  Yet,  with  all  that  the  apostles 
did  and  said,  they  with  difficulty  checked  the  pro- 
posed offering  of  sacrifice. 

19,  20.  7'he  Stonirtg  of  Paul  and  the  Depar- 
ture from  Lystra. — The  same  Jews  who  had  driven 
the  missionaries  out  of  Antioch  and  Iconium,  hear- 
ing of  their  successes,  followed  them  to  Lystra. 
Here  they  accomplished  what  they  had  failed  in 
doing  before.  Easily  persuading  these  credulous 
and  fickle  Lycaonians  that  the  apostles  were  deceiv- 
ers, and  thus  securing  their  participation,  these  Jew- 
ish emissaries  stoned  Paul  in  the  streets  of  Lystra, 
dragged  his  supposed  lifeless  body  through  the  city 
gate,  and  cast  it  forth  without  the  walls.  At  Ico- 
nium, where  many  miracles  were  wrought  in  confir- 
mation of  their  teaching,  they  were  protected  from 
stoning.  Here  the  one  miracle,  which  had  occa- 
sioned the  paying  of  divine  honors,  was  followed  by 


this  dishonoring  treatment,  as  if  to  stamp  a  deeper 
conviction  of  the  mere  humanity  of  the  man  they 
would  have  worshiped. 

They  stoned  Paul — not  Barnabas.  Signally  is 
the  controlling  spirit  and  fervid  zeal  of  the  great 
Apostle  manifest  in  this  exclusive  direction  of  tlie 
Jews'  fury  against  Paul.  In  that  affecting  summary 
of  his  experiences  (2  Cor.  11  ;  25)  he  includes  this: 

Once  was  I  stoned  !     B. Once  he  stoned  another, 

and  once  he  was  stoned  himself.  What  a  crowd  of 
memories  must  have  rushed  up  when  he  felt  his 
spirit  swooning  away  under  the  stone  shower !  This 
would  seem  the  echo  of  his  own  dread  act.  Ste- 
phen's heroic  death  must  have  left  its  mark  deep 

on  the  heart  of  the  converted  Paul.     Arnot. As 

the  disciples  gathered,  in  grief  and  doubt,  about  his 
ruthlessly  handled  body,  Paul  rose  up;  and,  for 
their  confirmation  in  faith  and  courage,  went  with 
them  again  into  the  midst  of  his  foes.  That  this 
was  a  merely  natural  recovery  from  so  severe  a 
stoning,  is  scarcely  credible.  Only  God's  special 
shielding  protected  that  frail  body  from  many  a 
vital  stroke.  And  only  a  supernatural  restoration 
could  instantly  give  back  their  use  to  the  fearfully 
bruised  members. 

In  this  word,  disciples,  we  liave  the  first  mention 
of  converts  in  Lystra.  Among  these  disciples,  and 
probably  one  of  Paul's  converts  at  this  visit,  was 
Timothy.  This  we  learn  by  comparing  Acts  16:1 
with  2  Tim.  3  :  10,  11,  and  1  Tim.  1  :  2. 

21-24.  Conclusion  of  the  First  Missionary  Jour- 
ney.— Derbe,  whither  they  went  from  Lystra,  was 
the  farthest  eastern  point  they  visited.  Here  they 
rested  long,  and  preached  in  peace.  And  Paul's 
reference  in  2  Tim.  3  agrees  with  the  absence  of 
any  note  by  Luke  of  persecution  in  Derbe.  After 
making  many  disciples,  they  returned  homeward  on 
the  identical  route  of  their  previous  journey  as  far 
as  Perga.  They  could  have  taken  the  direct  and 
much  shorter  route  into  the  low  plain  of  Cilicia,  de- 
scending through  the  pass  known  as  the  "  Cilician 
Gates,"  and  have  sailed  from  Tarsus  to  the  Syrian 
Antioch.  But  the  new  disciples  needed  instruction, 
comfort,  encouragement,  and  especially  organiza- 
tion. Therefore  they  retrace  their  steps,  and  go 
again  to  the  scenes  of  their  persecution,  to  Lystra, 

Iconium,   and   Antioch   (in  Pisidia).      B. Their 

specific  task  this  time  was  different.  They  set 
themselves  on  this  occasion  to  confirm  the  souls  of 
the  converts,  and  exhort  them  as  to  their  subsecfucnt 
course.  The  Christians  in  those  places  were  al- 
ready born,  but  they  needed  to  be  nourished  into 
strength.  The  first  necessity  is  to  see  that  they  are 
in  Christ,  and  the  next  to  see  that  they  grow  strong 
in  the  Lord.  Corresponding  with  their  specific  ob- 
ject, the  burden  of  the  missionaries'  preaching  this 
time  is,  "  Continue  in  the  faith."     And  for  the  rest. 


SECTION  213.— ACTS  U  :  1-i 


103 


the  warning  word  rings  clearly  out,  "  We  must 
through  much  tribulation  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God."     Arnot. 

This  return  journey  through  Pisidia  and  Pam- 
phj-lia  is  memorable  for  the  first  record  of  the  ap- 
pointment of  permanent  officers,  here  called  Elders, 
for  the  teaching  and  guidance,  the  comfort  and  gov- 


ernment, of  the  churches.  We  have  already  had  an 
incidental  mention  of  such  officers,  even  in  the 
churches  of  Judea.  Much  more  did  the  newly 
planted  churches  which  Paul  and  Barnabas  were 
leaving  to  themselves  need  to  have  the  means  of  edi- 
fication and  order  complete  within  themselves ;  and 
so  they  ordained  them  Elders  in  every  church.    S. 


104 


SECTION  ^11— ACTS  15:  1-29. 


Thus  the  young  disciples  were  not  left  long 

without  institutions  and  order.  For  edification,  dis- 
cipline, and  defense,  each  community  was  consti- 
tuted a  corporation,  and  in  each  corporation  elders 
were  ordained.  It  was  on  the  second  visit  of  the 
missionaries  that  this  was  done.  An  interval  was 
permitted  to  elapse  that  the  fittest  men  might 
emerge ;  and  already  the  rule,  "  Lay  hands  suddenly 
on  no  man,"  was  practiced  before  it  was  prescribed. 
Arnoi. 

25-27.  After  tarrying  also  at  Perga,  to  "  preach 
the  word,"  they  sailed  from  the  seaport  Attalia,  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Oestrus,  direct  for  Antioch,  their 
point  of  departure.  Between  two  and  three  years 
had  been  occupied  in  this  first  missionary  tour. 
Only  some  of  the  prominent  events,  enough  to  show 
the  character  and  details  of  the  entire  work,  are  re- 
corded in  these  two  brief  chapters.  The  breadth 
and  depth  of  the  sowing,  and  the  reach  and  force 
of  the  results  directly  and  ultimately  achieved,  can 
not  be  gathered  from  this  mere  outline. 

The  mother  Gentile  Church,  now  comprising  sev- 


eral churches,  was  convened  to  hear  "  all  that  God  had 
done  with  '  its  missionaries,'  and  how  he  had  opened 
the  door  of  faith  unto  the  Gentiles."  This  was  the 
first  missionary  meeting.  And  the  ivJiole  Church  had 
concern  enough  to  come  together  and  hear  the  new 
and  marvelous  story.  Their  interest  was  intensified 
by  the  fact  that  it  was  their  own  venture,  as  well  as. 
the  first  that  had  been  undertaken  among  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  that  it  was  a  saving  effort  in  behalf  of 
their  own  peoples.  Both  the  commission  of  Christ 
and  the  call  of  the  Holy  Ghost  still  make  the  mis- 
sionary enterprise  the  cause  of  the  Church,  and  still 
put  its  efficient  support  upon  the  conscience  and 
heart  of  all  Christian  disciples.  The  rehearsal  of 
the  missionary's  work  has  lost  none  of  its  interest 
to  a  true-hearted  believer  or  Church.  As  the  Divine 
agent  who  supervises  and  gives  success  to  missions, 
the  Holy  Spirit  still  opens  the  door  of  faith  unto  all 
peoples  to  whom  He  sends  preachers  of  the  truth. 

28.  In  Antioch,  Paul  and  Barnabas  returned  to 
their  old  ministry,  and  remained  quietly  at  their  toil 
for  about  two  years.     B. 


Section  214. 

Acts  xv.  1-29. 

1  And  certain  men  which  came  down  from  Judfea  tanght  the  brethren,  and  said,  Except  ye 

2  be  circumcised  after  the  manner  of  Moses,  ye  cannot  be  saved.  When  therefore  Paul  and 
Barnabas  had  no  small  dissension  and  disputation  with  them,  they  determined  that  Paul  and 
Barnabas,  and  certain  other  of  them,  should  go  up  to  Jerusalem  unto  the  apostles  and 

3  elders  about  this  question.  And  being  brought  on  their  way  by  the  church,  they  passed 
through  Phenice  and  Samaria,  declaring  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles :  and  they  caused 
great  joy  unto  all  the  brethren. 

4  And  when  they  were  come  to  Jerusalem,  they  were  received  of  the  church,  and  of  the 

5  apostles  and  elders,  and  they  declared  all  things  that  God  had  done  with  them.  But  there 
rose  up  certain  of  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees  which  believed,  saying,  That  it  was  needful  to 

6  circumcise  them,  and  to  command  theyn  to  keep  the  law  of  Moses.    And  the  apostles  and 

7  elders  came  together  for  to  consider  of  this  matter.  And  when  there  had  been  much  dis- 
puting, Peter  rose  up,  and  said  unto  them,  Men  and  brethren,  ye  know  how  that  a  good 
while  ago  God  made  choice  among  us,  that  the  Gentiles  by  my  mouth  should  hear  the  word 

8  of  the  gospel,  and  believe.     And  God,  which  knoweth  the  hearts,  bare  them  witness,  giving 

9  them  the  Holy  Ghost,  even  as  he  did  unto  us ;  and  put  no  diflFerence  between  us  and  them, 

10  purifying  their  hearts  by  faith.     Now  therefore  why  tempt  ye  God,  to  put  a  yoke  upon  the 

11  neck  of  the  disciples,  which  neither  our  fathers  nor  we  were  able  to  bear?     But  we  believe 

12  that  through  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  we  shall  be  saved,  even  as  they.  Then  all 
the  multitude  kept  silence,  and  gave  audience  to  Barnabas  and  Paul,  declaring  what  mira- 
cles and  wonders  God  had  wrought  among  the  Gentiles  by  them. 

13  And  after  tliey  had  held  their  peace,  James  answered,  saying,  Men  and  brethren,  hearken 

14  unto  me :  Simeon  hath  declared  how  God  at  the  first  did  visit  the  Gentiles,  to  take  out  of 

15  them  a  people  for  his  name.     And  to  this  agree  the  words  of  the  prophets ;  as  it  is  written, 

16  After  this  I  will  return,  and  will  build  again  the  tabernacle  of  David,  which  is  fallen  down; 

17  and  I  will  build  again  the  ruins  thereof,  and  I  will  set  it  up :  that  the  residue  of  men  might 
seek  after  the  Lord,  and  all  the  Gentiles,  upon  whom  my  name  is  called,  saith  the  Lord, 

18  wiio  doeth  all  these  tilings.     Known  unto  God  are  all  his  works  from  the  beginning  of  the 

19  world.     Wherefore  my  sentence  is,  that  we  trouble  not  them,  which  from  among  the  Gen- 


SECTION  214.— ACTS  15  : 1-29. 


105 


20  tiles  are  turned  to  God :  but  that  we  write  unto  them,  that  they  abstain  from  pollutions  of 

21  idols,  a.n&jrom  fornication,  a.\\(\.from  thinjis  strangled,  and  from  blood.  For  Moses  of  old 
time  hath  in  every  city  them  that  preach  him,  being  read  in  the  synagogues  every  sabbath 
day. 

22  Then  pleased  it  the  apostles  and  elders,  with  the  whole  church,  to  send  chosen  men  of 
their  own  company  to  Antioch  with  Paul  and  Barnabas  ;  namely^  Judas  surnamed  Barsabas, 

23  and  Silas,  chief  men  among  the  brethren :  and  they  wrote  letters  by  them  after  this  man- 
ner; The  apostles  and  elders  and  brethren  send  greeting  unto  the  brethren  which  are  of  the 

24  Gentiles  in  Antioch  and  Syria  and  Cilicia :  forasmuch  as  we  have  heard,  that  certain 
which  went  out  from  us  have  troubled  you  with  words,  subverting  your  souls,  saying,  Te 

25  must  be  circumcised,  and  keep  the  law :  to  whom  we  gave  no  such  commandment :  it 
seemed  good  unto  us,  being  assembled  with  one  accord,  to  send  chosen  men  unto  you  with 

26  our  beloved  Barnabas  and  Paul,  men  that  have  hazarded  their  lives  for  the  name  of  our 

27  Lord  Jesus  Christ,    ^Ye  have  sent  therefore  Judas  and  Silas,  who  shall  also  tell  you  the  same 

28  things  by  mouth.     For  it  seemed  good  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  us,  to  lay  upon  you  no 

29  greater  burden  than  these  necessary  things  ;  That  ye  abstain  from  meats  offered  to  idols,  and 
from  blood,  and  from  things  strangled,  and  fi'om  fornication :  from  which  if  ye  keep  your- 
selves, ye  shall  do  well.    Fare  ye  well. 


I,  2*  The  issue  raised,  first  at  Antioch  (v.  1) 
and  afterward  at  Jerusalem  (v.  5),  was  vital  to  Chris- 
tian faith  and  experience.  Its  correct  decision  in- 
volved the  very  continuance  of  Christianity  in  the 
world.  The  conflict  here  begun  has  never  ceased 
through  the  ages.  Whether  salvation  is  of  grace 
alone,  or  of  grace  and  human  works  combined,  was, 
has  always  been,  still  is,  the  question  at  issue.  The 
result  in  the  one  case  is  spiritual  liberty  and  peace ; 
in  the  other,  bondage  to  a  formal  hfeless  ritual,  and 
disquiet  in  self-righteous  working.  The  issue  was 
rightly  decided  here ;  but  sixteen  centuries  later  it 
had  to  be  decided  again,  through  the  apostolic  Re- 
formers. 

Antioch  was  the  center  and  life-spring  of  the 
evangelical  movement  among  the  Gentiles.  The 
form  of  the  question,  here  first  raised,  pertained  to 
the  relation  of  these  Gentiles  to  the  ancient  Jewish 
ritual.  Especially  it  turned  upon  the  necessity  of 
their  circumcision,  as  the  initial  rite  of  admission 
into  the  kingdom  of  God.  The  parties,  who  at  An- 
tioch made  the  broad  and  positive  assertion  that  this 
rite  was  an  essential  condition  of  salvation,  were 
fake  brethren  ;  so  Paul  declares  (Gal.  2).  Professed 
members  of  the  Christian  flock,  they  were  yet  actu- 
ated by  nothing  higher  or  other  than  the  baleful 
spirit  of  Jewish  proselytism.  All  the  way  from  Jeru- 
salem to  Antioch  they  had  come  on  a  self-prompted 
mission,  not  to  preach  the  gospel  to  those  who  had 
it  not,  nor  to  rejoice  with  those  already  rejoicing  in 
the  Christian  hope,  but  to  counteract  the  effects  of  a 
gospel  faithfully  preached. 

Instantly  and  sharply  Paul  (Gal.  2)  resisted  the 
intrusion  and  antagonized  the  efforts  of  these  false 
brethren.  As  fearlessly  as  before  he  had  encountered 
the  assaults  of  Jews  without,  he  now  meets  this  new 


attack  from  Jews  within  the  fold.  He  knew  that 
the  Jewish  believers  might  properly  continue  for  a 
time  to  honor  the  rite  of  circumcision  as  a  long  fa- 
miliar obligation ;  but  that  it  never  had  been  designed 
for  and  could  not  now  be  imposed  upon  Gentile  be- 
lievers. He  knew,  moreover,  that  this  particular 
demand  was  a  mere  introduction  to  a  larger  claim — 
even  the  whole  cumbrous  ceremonial  of  the  law  of 
Moses.  To  accept  this  ritual  law  would  be  to  per- 
petuate the  old  covenant  upon  the  ruin  of  the  new. 
Christ,  he  knew,  had  declared  the  old  to  be  outworn 
and  useless,  not  to  be  patched  upon  with  the  new 
and  living.  The  old  yoke  and  burden  of  ceremonial, 
Christ  had  replaced  u'ith  fresh,  glad,  living  t)~uth,  to 
be  learned  of  Him.  By  this  truth,  He  had  said,  the 
receiving  soul  would  be  made  free  and  find  rest  in 
Him !  These  Judaizing  proselyters  would  take  away 
this  freedom  and  rest.  They  would  despoil  the 
gospel  of  Christ  of  all  that  made  it  a  gospel — a 
proclamation  of  glad  tidings.  They  would  subvert 
the  foundation  of  the  Christian  scheme,  by  denying 
the  sufiiciency  of  faith  in  Christ  as  the  sole  com- 
plete condition  of  salvation.  And  Paul  further 
knew  that  the  perpetuation  of  the  Jewish  spirit  of 
exclusivism,  by  making  Gentile  believers  into  Jews, 
would  continue  to  foster  among  all,  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles, the  pride  and  arrogance  which  had  for  centuries 
cursed  and  destroyed  God's  ancient  people. 

So  much  at  least,  as  to  the  first  raising  of  this 
question  at  Antioch,  we  may  gather  from  Paul's 
own  narrative  to  the  Galatians.  He  sought  no  coun- 
sel, for  he  needed  none  to  instruct  him,  and  took 
small  part  in  the  after  conference.  But  the  ques- 
tion had  a  vital  concern  to  all  believers,  then  and 
thenceforth.  Many  of  the  Syrian  Christians  were 
troubled  and  unsettled  by  these  persistent  Judaizing 


106 


SECTI02T  21Jf.—ACTS  15  : 1-29. 


teachers.  For  their  comfort,  nay  more,  for  the  fu- 
ture being,  not  merely  the  well-being  and  peace,  of 
the  Church  in  that  aad  in  every  age,  a  wise  and 
authoritative  decision  was  essential.  So  the  Church 
at  Antioch  and  its  two  great  leaders  obeyed  a  spe- 
cial Divine  direction  to  seek  such  decision  from  the 
apostles  and  the  mother  Church  of  the  Jews  at 
Jerusalem. 

3,  4.  A  deputation,  including  Paul  and  Barna- 
bas, was  cordially  received  at  Jerusalem,  and  the 
story  of  the  two  missionaries  rehearsed.  This  was 
the  first  personal  interview  of  the  apostles  (except 
Peter  and  James,  Gal.  1 :  18,  19)  with  Paul,  although 
fourteen  years  or  more  had  elapsed  since  his  con- 
version. He  speaks  (Gal.  2  :  9)  of  a  private  inter- 
view, in  which  the  great  leaders,  Peter,  John,  and 
James,  gave  to  Barnabas  and  himself  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship.  At  this  interview,  doubtless, 
Paul  narrated  for  their  information  the  efforts  of 
the  Judaizers  at  Antioch,  and  how  he  had  success- 
fully opposed  them. 

5,6.  Very  soon  the  same  question  was  formally 
presented  to  the  apostolic  body.  This  second  tirae 
it  was  brought  forward  and  more  broadly  stated  by 
comparatively  honest  Pharisaic  believers.  "  It  was 
essential,"  they  claimed,  "  that  the  obligation  to  ob- 
serve all  the  ceremonial  law  of  Moses  should  be 
enforced  upon  all  Christian  believers.  Gentile  and 
Jew."  At  once  the  apostles  met  the  issue  as  one 
demanding  careful  and  solemn  consideration.  They 
assumed  no  reliance  upon  their  infallibility  as 
apostles,  but  invited  the  whole  body  of  Jewish  be- 
lievers to  confer  with  them  upon  the  matter.  Only 
thus  could  the  deliberation  be  thorough,  the  decision 
unanimous  and  effective. 

7-9.  Much  discussion  followed  the  statement 
of  the  question.  The  sincere  JewisV>  objectors  to 
Paul's  free  reception  of  the  Gentiles  could  make 
this  strong  case :  "  God  had  appointed  the  ceremo- 
nial institutes  of  Moses,  especially  circumcision,  as 
a  sign  of  covenant  with  himself  and  a  seal  of  ad- 
mission into  his  kingdom.  He  had  never  repealed 
these  ordinances.  Nor  had  Christ  formally  abro- 
gated them.  Nay,  in  his  person  and  his  teaching  he 
had  recognized  and  honored  them."  To  these  points, 
mainly  true,  the  sufficient  answer  would  be  this : 
"  God's  appointment  of  the  Mosaic  ritual  was  exclu- 
sively for  the  nation  he  had  chosen,  not  for  the  Gen- 
tiles. The  ceremonial  observances  were  designed  ex- 
clusively to  teach  and  influence  that  people,  to  make 
Himself  known  and  his  saving  purpose  in  Christ,  to 
lead  them  to  obedience  and  worship,  and  so  fit  them 
for  earth  and  heaven.  This  he  would  do  by  these 
special  symbols,  for  introductory  and  temporary 
use.  But,  through  the  misleading  blindness  and 
long  disobedience  of  that  people,  that  which  he  had 
devised  for  good  they  had  perverted  to  evil.     All 


this  Christ  had  abundantly  affirmed,  and  so  em- 
phatically implied  the  repeal  of  these  misused,  now 
actually  useless,  ceremonies.  More  than  this.  He 
had  declared  that  the  truth  should  make  them  free 
from  the  yoke  of  ordinances ;  that  true  worship 
was  heart  worship,  without  reference  to  the  Temple. 
And,  as  a  final  chief  point,  the  whole  law  of  sacrifice 
was  abrogated  by  its  fulfillment  in  the  death  of 
Christ." 

Such  might  have  been  the  main  points  of  argu- 
ment presented  on  either  side  in  the  protracted  dis- 
cussion which  preceded  the  address  of  Peter.  With- 
out any  assumption  of  superiority,  Peter  clearly  pre- 
sents three  fads  as  the  unanswerable  grounds  of  a 
right  decision  in  the  matter.  The  first  was  that 
God  himself  had  "  a  good  while  ago "  introduced 
the  innovation  complained  of.  Fourteen  years  be- 
fore, in  connection  with  Peter's  special  ministry  to 
Cornelius  and  his  company,  God,  who  knew  the 
hearts  of  those  Roman  Gentiles,  in  response  to  the 
simple  faith  he  saw  in  their  hearts,  had  given  them 
the  Holy  Ghost,  his  very  Pentecostal  gift  to  Jewish 
believers.  He  had  thus  disregarded  and  so  broken 
down  the  dividing  wall  of  long  effete  and  meaning- 
less ordinances.  Nay,  more,  to  show  that  God  him- 
self had  substituted  faith  for  circumcision,  Peter 
affirms  that  God  ha.6i  purified  their  hearts  hy  faith  ; 
had  taken  away  (without  circumcision  and  by  faith) 
that  uncleanness  whose  taking  away  had  been  be- 
fore only  symboli7,ed  by  circumcision. 

10.  The  second  fact  (based  upon  the  first), 
Peter  asserts  under  the  form  of  a  direct  charge 
against  the  Jewish  objectors.  "  You  are  tempting 
God,  in  seeking  to  put  this  yoke,  which  neither  you 
nor  your  fathers  could  bear,  upon  these  Gentile  dis- 
ciples, to  whom  it  has  never  been  commanded.  Not 
merely  undirected  and  useless  work  is  this,  but  by 
it  you  are  hindering  and  imperiling,  instead  of  aid- 
ing, their  salvation."  They  and  their  fathers  had 
long  felt  the  law  of  Moses  to  be  an  intolerable  bur- 
den. Its  ceremonials  were  wearisome  and  meaning- 
less, and  in  its  moral  precepts  broken  and  sanctions 
incurred  they  could  find  no  relief  for  a  guilty  con- 
science, no  hope  of  eternal  life.  The  law — they 
knew  by  experience — could  give  the  knowledge  of  sin, 
but  not  the  knowledge  of  salvation. 

1 1 .  With  the  third  fact,  he  completes  their  over- 
throw. Simply,  faithfully,  as  taught  by  the  Spiriti 
of  Christ,  he  declares  that  for  them  as  Jews,  as  well 
as  for  the  Gentiles,  the  grace  of  the  Lord  JesuSi 
Christ  is  the  only  thing  sufficient,  and  it  alone  is  suf- 
ficient for  salvation  and  eternal  life.  Thus  Peter 
reaches  Paul's  conclusion.  He  too  affirms  that  thej 
Jewish  rites,  though  appointed  and  long  honored  oij 
God,  are  now  not  essential,  not  longer  binding  ever; 
upon  the  Jew.  Nay,  they  are  hindering  and  hurt- 
ful ;  impediments  in  the  way  of  the  gospel. 


SECTIOy  214.— ACTS  15  : 1-29. 


107 


12.  The  simple  narration  of  Barnabas  and  Paul  i 
follows  the  unanswerable  facts  and  appeal  of  Peter. 
Paul  entered  into  no  argument,  nor  did  he  directly 
touch  the  question  at  issue.  He  only  told  what 
wonders  of  grace  God  had  wrought  among  the  Gen- 
tiles, at  their  hands — how  his  Spirit  had  been 
poured  forth — what  multitudes  had  believed,  and 
proved  their  faith  to  be  divine.  And  this  statement 
of  the  effects  following  upon  the  simple  testimony  to 
the  crucified,  risen,  and  reigning  Jesus,  without  word 
of  Temple  or  sacrifice,  of  ablution  or  circumcision, 
or  of  any  outward  ordinance  of  the  Hebrew  econ- 
omy, this  was  all  the  part  that  Paul  took  in  the 
great  Conference  at  Jerusalem.  But  his  fervent 
words  were  intently  heeded,  and  wrought  a  deep  im- 
pression upon  "the  multitude." 

13-21.  James,  "the  Lord's  brother"  (Gal.  1  : 
19),  to  whom   Christ   specially    disclosed  himself 

after  his  resurrection,  closed  the  discussion.    B. 

From  this  time  he  appears  as  the  head  of  the  Church 
at  Jerusalem,  having  virtually  the  character  and 
standing  of  an  apostle.  G.  P.  F. His  high  re- 
pute for  wisdom  and  excellence  had  long  given  him 
a  foremost  place  in  the  Church  of  Jerusalem ;  while 
the  austere  tone  of  his  piety  and  his  strong  sympa- 
thy with  Jewish  legalism  and  prejudice  gave  him 
the  gi'eatest  weight  with  the  Christian  Pharisees. 
His  address  accords  with  these  peculiarities  of  char- 
acter. He  refers  to  Peter  by  his  Hebrew  name,  and 
to  the  testimony  of  the  Old  Testament  prophets 
upon  the  question  before  them.  Appealing  particu. 
larly  to  the  prophecy  of  Amos,  he  confirms  by  the 
■word  of  God  the  facts  of  God's  working,  narrated 
by  Peter  and  Paul.  The  passage  cited  speaks  of 
the  typical  kingdom  ^f  David,  and  the  once  stately 
temple  structure  as  now  fallen ;  and  of  the  spiritual 
kingdom  and  Church  of  the  "  greater  David  "  that 
shall  rise  upon  the  ruins.  It  declares  that  a  world- 
wide, all-inclusive,  permanent  Christianity  shall  suc- 
ceed to  the  narrow,  temporary  Jewish  system ;  and 
so  implies  that  the  Jewish  is  only  the  preparation 
for  the  Christian.  And  God,  the  foreknowing  and 
foreplanning,  had  ordained  this  from  the  beginning. 
His  ultimate  plan  included  a  Church  in  which  Gentile 
as  well  as  Jew  should  receive  salvation  by  faith  in 
the  name  of  his  Christ.  So,  infers  James,  it  is  in 
accordance  with  this  purpose  declared  by  the  proph- 
ets, that  God  is  now  "  taking  out  of  the  Gentiles  a 
people  for  his  name."  Therefore,  he  concludes,  we 
may  not  interfere  with  His  work  among  the  Gen- 
tiles, by  troubling  them  with  ceremonials  that  He 
has  laid  aside. 

Thus,  in  harmony  with  Peter,  James  conclusively 
advocates  the  exemption  of  the  Gentile  Christians 
from  the  ritual  burdens  of  the  Mosaic  law.  Only 
upon  certain  matters  bearing  upon  educated  preju- 
dices and  unrecognized  sin,  he  recommends  a  frank 


expression  of  opinion  ;  and  this  in  aid  both  of  Jew- 
ish and  Gentile  believers.  The  result,  embodied  in 
the  letter,  was  the  fruit  of  honest  and  thorough  con- 
sideration of  the  working  and  the  w-ord  of  God,  by 
good  and  inspired  men.  The  conference  was  con- 
ducted in  the  fear  of  God,  without  bigotry  or  as- 
sumption on  the  part  of  any,  but  with  the  simple 
desire  of  all  to  ascertain  and  declare  the  mind  of 
God. 

22-29.  Points  in  the  Letter  to  the  Gentile 
Churches. — This  first  written  document  of  the  New- 
Testament  was  necessary,  in  order  that  the  judg- 
ment of  the  Apostolic  Church  upon  so  vital  a  mat- 
ter might  be  accurately  conveyed  to  the  entire  Gen- 
tile world.  It  was  borne  by  trustworthy  messengers 
— Silas  (called  Silvanus  by  Paul)  and  Judas  Barsa- 
bas.  It  was  addressed  to  the  Gentile  Christians  of 
Syria  and  Cilicia. 

The  introduction — much  the  longest  portion — 
expresses  a  strong  judgment  respecting  the  original 
parties  to  the  issue  now  decided  by  the  apostles  and 
brethren.  The  Pharisaic  opponents  of  Paul  and 
Barnabas  are  characterized  as  troublers  and  subvert- 
ers  of  soids — thus  sustaining  all  that  Paul  says  of 
them  to  the  Galatians.  Their  demand  of  circum- 
cision and  other  legal  observances  as  essential  to 
salvation  is  declared  to  be  soul-dest)~uctive,  and  their 
mission  wholly  unauthorized.  For  Barnabas  and 
Paul  the  letter  expresses  only  warm  affection,  and  a 
deep  appreciation  of  the  suffering  and  self-sacrifice 
in  which  they  were  the  pioneers  of  the  great  mis- 
sionary host  of  Christ.  The  28th  and  29th  verses 
contain  the  formal  decision  of  the  question  sub- 
mitted.    B. 

The  decision  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  given  them  as 
leaders  of  the  Church,  is  laid  down  as  the  primary 
and  decisive  determination  on  the  matter ;  and  their 
own  formal  decision  follows,  as  giving  utterance  and 
scope  to  his  will  and  command.  A. The  apos- 
tles, and  those  joining  with  them  in  this  act,  claim 
for  their  own  decision  a  divine  authority,  as  having 
been  suggested  or  inspired  by  tbe  Holy  Ghost.  J. 
A.  A.— ^ — By  this  decision,  the  apostles  and  Church 
at  Jerusalem — the  natural  guardians  of  whatever  it 
might  have  been  right  to  preserve  in  the  ancient 
dispensation — gave  their  solemn  and  final  approval 
to  that  version  of  the  gospel  which  Paul  had 
preached  by  the  revelation  given  to  him.  The 
emancipation  of  the  Gentile  converts  from  Jewish 
rites  involved  far  more  than  their  personal  liberty. 
It  abolished  that  separation  of  the  race  of  Israel 
from  the  other  nations,  of  which  circumcision  was 
the  sign  and  seal ;  and,  in  place  of  the  divine  favor 
of  which  they  boasted  as  the  sons  of  Abraham,  ac- 
ceptance with  God  was  offered  to  Jew  and  Gentile 
in  common  through  the  new  spiritual  bond  of  faith 
in  Christ.     And,  as  the  speech  of  Peter  declares, 


108 


SECTION  215.— ACTS  15  :  30^41;  16  : 1-12. 


tliis  view  of  the  gospel  was  of  no  less  vital  moment 
to  the  Jew  than  to  the  Gentile.  If  the  Jewish  be- 
lievers were  thrown  back  on  the  Jewish  law,  and 
gave  up  the  free  and  absolute  grace  of  God,  the 
Law  became  a  mere  burden,  just  as  heavy  to  the 
Jew  as  it  would  be  to  the  Gentile.  The  only  hope 
for  the  Jew  was  in  a  Saviour  who  must  be  the 
Saviour  of  mankind.     S. 

Four  things  they  recommend  the  Gentile  Chris- 
tians to  abstain  from.  Three  of  these  touched 
merely  the  law  of  charity  and  kindness  as  between 
Gentile  and  Jew.  They  were;  the  use  of  meats 
that  had  been  offered  in  sacrifice  to  idols;  the 
blood  of  slaughtered  animals,  often  used  at  idol 
feasts ;  and  things  strangled,  or  cattle  that  had  not 
been  slaughtered  but  suffocated  in  their  blood. 
There  were  two  reasons  for  the  prohibition  of  these 
things,  which  in  themselves  were  not  sinful.  First 
and  chiefly,  out  of  proper  regard  to  the  educated 
prejudices  of  the  Jews,  who  detested  and  were  scan- 
dalized by  these  idol  sacrifices  and  methods  of  pre- 
paring them.  Secondly,  the  restrictions  were  great- 
ly helpful  to  the   Gentiles  also.      They  aided  in 


disentangling  them  from  the  old  connections  of 
heathenism,  and  in  breaking  the  force  of  life-long 
idolatrous  customs.  The  fourth  prohibition  respects 
a  positive  sin,  yet  is  here  classed  with  things  indif- 
ferent. No  more  striking  proof  than  this  do  we 
find  of  the  ntier  lapse  of  morality  itself  out  of  the 
heathen  systems  of  religion.  For  no  form  of  per- 
sonal impurity  was  in  these  systems  counted  a  sin. 
Obviously  upon  this  point  there  was  necessity  for 
the  instruction  of  Gentile  believers,  and  the  awa- 
kening of  a  conscience  of  sin  respecting  this  matter 
of  "  fornication."  And  proper  deference  to  the 
Jews  also  required  this  restriction,  for  they  were 
scrupulously  sensitive  to  the  crime  of  unchastity.  B. 
This  letter  is  a  model  of  Christian  toleration.  It 
is  not  weighted  with  anathemas :  it  does  not  even 
use  the  tone  of  command  :  it  is  not  the  promulga- 
tion of  a  decree.  After  explaining  the  cause  of  the 
disputation,  it  goes  no  further  than  to  tell  the 
churches  they  would  do  well  to  conform  to  the  reso- 
lutions passed  at  Jerusalem.  The  letter  recognizes 
the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  shared  by  all 
who  took  part  in  the  council.     De  P. 


Section  215. 

Acts  xv.  30-41 ;  xvi.  1-12. 

30  So  when  they  were  dismissed,  they  came  to  Antioch :  and  when  they  had  gathered  the 

31  multitude  together,  they  delivered  the  epistle :  which  when  they  had  read,  they  rejoiced  for 

32  the  consolation.     And  Judas  and  Silas,  being  prophets  also  themselves,  exhorted  the  breth- 

33  ren  with  many  words,  and  confirmed  them.     And  after  they  had  tarried  thei'e  a  space,  they 

34  were  let  go  in  peace  from  the  brethren  unto  the  apostles.     Notwithstanding  it  pleased  Silas 

35  to  abide  there  still.     Paul  also  and  Barnabas  continued  in  Antioch,  teaching  and  preaching 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  with  many  others  also.  • 

36  And  some  days  after  Paul  said  unto  Barnabas,  Let  us  go  again  and  visit  our  brethren  in 

37  every  city  where  we  have  preached  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  see  how  they  do.     And 

38  Barnabas  determined  to  take  with  them  John,  whose  surname  was  Mark.    But  Paul  thought 
not  good  to  take  him  with  them,  who  departed  from  them  from  Pamphylia,  and  went  not 

39  with  them  to  the  work.    And  the  contention  was  so  sharp  between  them,  that  they  de- 
parted asunder  one  from  the  other :  and  so  Barnabas  took  Mark,  and  sailed  unto  Cyprus ; 

40  and  Paul  chose  Silas,  and  departed,  being  recommended  by  the  brethren  unto  the  grace  of 

41  God.     And  he  went  through  Syria  and  Cilicia,  confirming  the  churches. 

1  Then  came  he  to  Derbe  and  Lystra :  and,  behold,  a  certain  disciple  was  there,  named 
Timotheus,  the  son  of  a  certain  woman,  wliich  was  a  Jewess,  and  believed;  but  his  father 

2  teas  a  Greek :  which  was  well  reported  of  by  the  brethren  that  were  at  Lystra  and  Iconiura. 

3  Him  would  Paul  have  to  go  forth  with  him  ;  and  took  and  circumcised  him  because  of  the 

4  Jews  which  were  in  those  quarters :  for  they  knew  all  that  his  father  was  a  Greek.    And 
as  they  went  through  the  cities,  they  delivered  them  the  decrees  for  to  keep,  that  were 

5  ordained  of  the  apostles  and  elders  which  were  at  Jerusalem.     And  so  were  the  churches : 
established  in  the  faith,  and  increased  in  number  daily. 

6  Now  when  they  had  gone  throughout  Phrygia  and  the  region  of  Galatia,  and  were  for- 

7  hidden  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  preach  the  word  in  Asia,  after  they  were  come  to  Mysia,  they 

8  assayed  to  go  into  Bithynia:  but  the  Spirit  snifered  them  not.     And  they  passing  by  Mysiai 

9  came  down  to  Troas.     And  a  vision  appeared  to  Paul  in  the  night ;  There  stood  a  man  of' 


SECTION  215.— ACTS  15  :  30-41;   16  : 1-12. 


109 


10  Macedonia,  and  prayed  him,  saying,  Come  over  into  Macedonia,  and  iielp  us.  And  after  he 
had  seen  tiie  vision,  immediately  we  endeavored  to  go  into  Macedonia,  assuredly  gathering 

11  that  the  Lord  had  called  us  for  to  preach  the  gospel  unto  them.     Therefore  loosing  from 

12  Troas,  we  came  with  a  straight  course  to  Samothracia,  and  the  next  day  to  Neapolis ;  and 
from  thence  to  Phihppi,  which  is  the  chief  city  of  that  part  of  Macedonia,  and  a  colony : 
and  we  were  in  that  city  abiding  certain  days. 


The  collision  of  natural  affection  in  Barnabas  with  the  somewhat  unchastened,  untempered  zeal  of 
Paul  produced  a  contention  between  them.  Sharp  words  passed  and  mutual  recriminations,  and  the  feel- 
ings of  both  parties  were  exasperated — alas !  so  much  so  that  they  found  it  impossible  to  work  together ; 
they  must  henceforth  choose  different  spheres  of  duty.  How  ?  Are  these  apostles  ?  Are  these  two  of 
God's  most  eminent  saints?  Are  these  two  eminent  pillars  of  the  Church  of  Christ?  Yes,  apostles, 
and  saints,  and  pillars,  not  as  our  fancy  portrays  them,  nor  as  they  are  now,  in  the  calm  and  deep  repose 
of  Paradise,  but  as  they  were  in  the  struggles  and  collisions  of  daily  life.  E.  M.  G. Since  this  inci- 
dent did  occur,  it  is  good  that  it  is  recorded  ;  since,  if  it  gives  us  much  to  lament,  it  gives  us  not  a  little  to 
learn.  It  humbles  us  to  perceive  the  relatively  small,  but  not  the  less  disfiguring,  blemish  on  such  re- 
vered countenances.  Frequently  the  best  men  are  sadly  inconsistent ;  and,  even  in  the  most  eminent 
Christian,  nature  at  times  is  stronger  than  education !  And  this  first  dispute  of  which  we  read  in  the  an- 
nals of  God's  kingdom,  by  what  a  countless  number  of  others  has  it  been  followed  in  later  ages,  fre- 
quently from  causes  yet  more  trifling.     Van  0. 


30;  3 1 .  27ie  Reading  of  iJie  Letter,  and  its  Happij 
Effects  upon  the  Gentile  Christians. — It  was  not  the 
requisitions  of  the  apostolical  epistle  that  excited 
joy  at  Antioch,  but  the  comforting  assurance  that 
their  faith  was  not  vain,  or  their  souls  in  jeopardy. 
J.  A.  A. The  Gentiles  were  confirmed  in  their  free- 
dom from  the  ceremonial  law ;  and  the  yoke  of  that 
law  was  broken  for  the  Jewish  believers.  Unity 
and  peace  were  established  between  Jew  and  Gen- 
tile ;  and  both  were  indoctrinated  anew,  with  fresh 
authority  from  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  blessed  sim- 
plicity and  pure  spirituality  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

Thus,  once  and  for  all  time,  was  decided  the 
question  of  spiritual  liberty  or  bondage,  of  grace  or 
works.  The  full  points  and  reasonings  of  the  de- 
cision are  found  in  Paul's  matchless  Epistles  to  the 
Romans,  the  Corinthians,  and  the  Galatians.  And 
the  world  has  needed  them.  For  centuries  without 
them,  it  relapsed  into  a  civilized  idolatry  and  bar- 
barism. Brought  again  into  the  light  at  the  Refor- 
mation, they  have  proved  their  power  afresh  for 
these  three  hundred  years.  And  they  are  needed, 
above  all  needs  of  humanity  beside,  in  all  their 
blessed  power  to-day ! 

35.  Returning  from  Jerusalem  with  Silas  and 
Judas,  Paul  and  Barnabas  resumed  for  a  short  pe- 
riod their  customary  labors  in  Antioch  and  the  ad- 
jacent region  of  Syria. 

Gal.  2:11-31.  Peter's  Temporary  Wealcness 
and  Defection  at  Antioch. — During  this  interval,  ac- 
cording to  the  order  of  Paul's  narrative,  occurred 
that  strange  conduct  of  Peter,  for  which  Paul  felt 
constrained  publicly  to  rebuke  the  older  apostle. 
With  the  thrice-uttered  monitory  question  and  sol- 


emn charge  of  his  risen  Lord  graven  on  his  soul, 
with  all  the  special  help  and  continuous  inworking 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  even  after  many  years  of 
unflinching  boldness  under  the  severest  tests  of 
fidelity,  yet  here,  for  a  very  brief  period,  we  find 
Peter  enacting  over  again  the  old  cowardice  and 
dissimulation.  This  he  did  by  disowning  his  own 
recent  intense  protest  in  the  Council ;  by  trampling 
under  foot  the  Gospel  principles  respecting  social 
intercourse  with  Gentiles,  which  he  had  so  long  and 
so  signally  illustrated  in  his  practice.  On  his  first 
arrival  at  Antioch  he  fellowshipped  freely  with  Gen- 
tile believers.  But  to  gratify  certain  brethren  by 
complying  with  their  strong  Jewish  prejudices — and 
this  out  of  mere  deference  to  their  high  position  in 
the  Church  at  Jerusalem — Peter  withdrew  from  the 
society  of  the  Gentiles.  There  was  here  no  question 
of  a  wise  expediency,  or  of  proper  consideration  for 
tender  consciences,  respecting  things  non-essential. 
As  it  had  been  long  years  before,  his  yielding  was 
prompted  solely  by  a  weak  fear  of  man.  And  not 
only  did  he  withdraw,  but  he  led  others,  including 
even  Barnabas,  to  withdraw  with  him ;  and  Paul 
charges  them  all  with  "playing  the  hypocrite"  in 
the  matter.  Such  conduct  was  peculiarly  reprehen- 
sible, as  promoting  a  divisive  influence  at  this  most 
critical  period  in  the  introduction'of  Christianity.  It 
was  a  positive  sanction,  by  one  who  had  long  been 
the  foremost  of  the  Apostles,  of  the  very  heresy  that 
the  Jewish  council  had  just  condemned ;  viz. :  that 
circumcision,  and  not  faith,  was  essential  to  salva- 
tion. And  this  heresy  was  noiv,  in  every  place,  assault- 
ing and  endangering  the  life  of  the  infant  Church. 
While  Paul's  rebuke  was  personal,  it  went  argu- 


110 


SECTION  215.— ACTS  15  :  30-Jfl ;   16  : 1-12. 


mentatively  to  the  very  heart  of  the  question  at 
issue.  In  its  complete  statement  of  the  essential 
principles  of  the  Gospel  as  compared  with  the  Law, 
it  presents  a  grand  epitome  of  his  chief  Epistles. 
That  the  rebuke  was  rightly  received,  and  was  effec- 
tual in  rcenforcing  Peter's  courage  and  faith,  and 
so  restoring  him  to  fidelity,  is  evident.  For  in  one 
of  his  own  letters  he  refers  to  "  the  Epistles  of  oior 
beloved  brother  Paul,''  "Epistles  in  one  page  of 
which  his  own  censure  is  recorded."  But,  tempo- 
rary as  was  this  defection  of  one  so  thoroughly 
taught  and  tried,  it  is  a  strange  sad  story.  It  im- 
presses a  fact  and  points  a  warning  that  may  well 
be  pondered  by  the  best,  the  strongest,  and  most 
active  Christian  soul ! 

36-39.  The  Quarrel  between  Paul  and  Barna- 
bas.— This  second  painful  occurrence  followed  not 
long  after.  It  was  a  sharp  personal  discussion,  in 
which  each  had  some  reason  on  his  side,  yet  both 
were  faulty.  They  only  proved  that  they  were,  as 
they  had  said  to  the  Lystrans,  men  of  like  passions 
as  others.  The  plain  story  of  imperfection  indi- 
cates an  authentic  and  honest  record.  It  suggests 
a  strong  presumption  of  the  truth  of  the  narrative, 
as  well  as  the  genuine  earnestness  and  positive  con- 
victions of  the  men.  Good  men  they  were ;  both 
set  apart  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  old  friends  and  long 
work-fellows  in  eminent  service,  signally  honored 
and  prospered  of  God.  Yet,  in  connection  with  the 
proposed  renewal  of  this  very  work  for  God  and 
man,  they  quarreled — nay,  more,  they  finally  parted 
asunder. 

It  was  a  matter  bearing  upon  personal  peculiari- 
ties that  led  to  the  quarrel.  Paul's  ever  unyielding 
principle  could  make  no  allowance  for  what  seemed 
to  be,  ^nd  probably  was,  weakness  in  John  Mark. 
I'arnabas,  who  had  just  before  himself  yielded  to 
Peter's  wrong  example,  could  more  readily  overlook 
Mark's  weakness.  His  love,  too,  to  his  young  kins- 
man, who  had  now  returned  from  Jerusalem  ready 
for  toil,  and  his  strong  desire  to  have  Mark  per- 
manently engaged  in  Christian  work,  joined  possibly 
with  some  remaining  vigor  of  the  old  nature,  led 
him  to  persist  to  the  point  of  entire  separation  from 
Paul. 

But  God  overruled  the  result  to  double  the  work 
and  the  workmen.  Instead  of  tioo  went  forth  yb7/r  ; 
and  into  two  fields  of  labor,  instead  of  one.  And 
no  bitterness  was  left  behind,  for  we  find  Paul  after- 
ward speaking  of  Barnabas  as  his  equal  in  active 
and  successful  toil ;  and  of  Mark  as  his  "  fellow- 
laborer,"  "  profitable  to  the  ministry,"  and  a  "  com- 
fort" to  himself.  We  may  add,  that  good  men  as 
well  as  earnest  missionaries  have  differed  ever  since. 
And,  as  here,  God  has  forborne  with  their  imperfec- 
tions, and  in  many  cases  He  has  wrought  a  greater 
good  out  of  their  personal  differences. 


While  we  have  no  record  of  the  labors  of  Bar- 
nabas and  Mark  in  Cyprus  (as  we  have  none  of  the 
many  other  laborers — apostles  and  disciples),  the 
ultimate  marked  success  of  the  gospel  in  Cyprus 
may  justly  be  attributed  in  great  part  to  their  faith- 
ful and  efficient  ministry. 

40,  41.  The  Second  Missionary  Journey  of 
Paul. — More  than  two  years  had  elapsed  since  his 
return  from  the  First  Journey.  The  Second  was 
begun  A.n.  51,  and  occupied  between  three  and  four 
years,  including  eighteen  months  at  Corinth,  until 
A.  D.  54.  The  account  is  included  in  chapters  15  : 
40,  41  to  18  :  22.  The  41st  verse,  with  the  first  twelve 
verses  of  chapter  16,  merely  outline  a  very  long 
course  of  travel  and  labor,  covering  many  months. 
With  Silas,  he  goes  through  the  provinces  of  Syria 
(in  part)  and  Cilicia,  Phrygia  and  Galatia,  visiting 
their  chief  cities,  and  tarrying  again  in  Derbe,  Lys- 
tra,  Iconium,  and  the  neighboring  Antioch.  At 
length,  from  Troas,  on  the  coast,  he  crosses  to  Eu- 
rope, and  preaches  first  at  Philippi  in  Macedonia. 
A  fact  of  special  interest,  to  be  noted  here,  is  that 
Paul  had  no  further  thought  in  starting  out  than  to 
visit  the  churches  already  established,  in  the  field 
previously  visited  by  Barnabas  and  himself.  From 
place  to  place,  and  definitely  from  Asia  to  Europe, 
he  was  led  by  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and,  as  he  was  di- 
rected, he  went.     B. 

41.  Syria  and  Cilicia.  In  consequence  of 
the  range  of  Mount  Taurus,  the  Eastern  (or  "  Flat ") 
Cilicia  has  a  greater  geographical  affinity  with  Syria 
than  with  Asia  Minor.  Hence  "  Sip-ia  and  Cllkia  " 
appears  in  history  almost  as  a  generic  geographical 
term,  the  more  important  district  being  mentioned 
first.  Within  the  limits  of  this  region  Saul's  activi- 
ties were  first  exercised  in  studying  and  in  teaching 
at  Tarsus,  and  in  founding  those  Churches  which 
were  afterward  greeted  in  the  Apostolic  letter  from 
Jerusalem  as  the  brethren  "  in  Antioch,  and  Syria, 
and  Cilicia,"  and  which  Paul  himself  confirmed  after : 
his  separation  from  Barnabas,  traveling  through 
"  Syria  and  Cilicia."     H.     (See  map,  p.  94.) 

1-5.  Timothy  ordained  and  joined  to  PauPs 
Missionary  Company. — Paul  had  reached  the  famil- 
iar region  of  Derbe,  Lystra,  and  Iconium,  ascend' 
ing  into  Lycaonia  from  Cilicia  through  the  pass 
known  as  the  Cilician  Gates,  a  great  fissure  in  the 
Taurus  Kangc,  extending  eighty  miles  north  andi 
south.  Living  in  Lystra,  Timothy  had  probably 
been  converted  under  the  ministry  of  Paul,  four  op 
five  years  before.  From  his  mother  and  grand- 
mother he  had  received  impressions  of  truth  in  ear 
liest  childhood.  And  since  his  conversion  to  Christ- 
he  had  specially  commended  himself  to  the  brethren 
in  the  three  cities  of  Lystra,  Iconium,  and  Antioch 
(2  Tim.  2  :  10,  11).  This  "good  report  from  those 
without"  (1  Tim.  3  :  T),  together  with  Paul's  owr 


SECTION  215.— ACTS  15  :  30-41;   16  : 1-12. 


Ill 


impression  of  bis  Christian  character,  and  of  his 
fitness  for  ministry  in  the  Gospel,  led  the  apostle, 
under  divine  guidance,  to  impress  him  into  Christ's 
service.  Gladly  and  gratefully  Timothy  gave  him- 
self to  missionary  toil,  and,  "  after  he  had  made  a 
good  confession  before  many  witnesses,"  was  sol- 
emnly set  apart  by  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of 
Paul  and  of  the  elders  in  those  churches.  And 
from  thenceforth  the  relation  between  the  apostle 
and  this  youthful  disciple  was  most  intimate  and 
tender.  A  son,  indeed,  in  the  depth  and  constancy 
of  Paul's  affection,  as  well  as  "  in  the  faith,"  was 
this  earnest,  single-hearted  Timothy  accounted  by  the 
apostle ;  as  many  touching  passages  in  his  two  Let- 
ters amply  prove. 

Paul  had  two  sufficient  reasons  for  circun^cising 
Timothy,  before  inducting  him  into  the  ministry: 
the  chief  one  was  that  as  an  uncireumcised  Jew  Tim- 
othy could  not  be  admitted  into  the  synagogues,  nor 
listened  to  with  respect  by  the  unconverted  Jews. 
Besides  this  positive  necessity,  no  principle  was 
compromised  in  the  case  of  Timothy.  Further, 
Paul  was  willing  to  avail  himself  of  this  opportuni- 
ty (as  he  did  of  one  other.  Acts  21)  practically  to 
correct  certain  misrepresentations  that  his  enemies 
had  made  against  him — the  same  that  had  been 
made  against  the  Master :  that  he  bad  despised  and 
blasphemed  the  law  of  Moses.  And  it  is  to  be 
noted  that  Paul's  refusal  to  circumcise  Titus,  while 
at  Jerusalem  (Gal.  2  :  3-5),  was  perfectly  consistent 
with  his  action  here.  For  Titus  was  a  Greek — a 
heathen  born;  with  no  claim  to  the  Jewish  rite  or 
privilege.  Those  who  demanded  his  circumcision 
did  it  upon  the  express  grounds  that  the  Gentiles 
must  become  Jews  before  they  could  become  Chris- 
tians ;  that  the  burden  of  ceremonials  must  be  as- 
sumed, and  especially  circumcision,  as  an  essential 
condition  of  salvation.  All  this  was  in  direct  con- 
tradiction of  the  principles  affirmed  by  the  Council : 
that  the  Gentiles  were  free  from  the  yoke  of  the 
Mosaic  Law ;  and  that  faith,  not  circumcision,  was 
the  only  essential  to  salvation.  In  the  case  of  Titus, 
Paul  was  intolerant  in  defense  of  vital  principles. 
In  the  case  of  Timothy,  he  was  tolerant  of  mere 
prejudices,  that  he  might  help  the  more  effectual- 
ly to  remove  them ;  that  unconverted  Jews  might 
not  be  repelled  from  the  Christian  teacher  and  the 
Christian  truth.  In  this  case,  he  "  became  unto  the 
Jews  as  a  Jew,  that  he  might  gain  the  Jerts."  And 
that  no  inconsistency  was  thought  of  or  recognized 
m  this  action  we  know  by  the  statement  immedi- 
ately followimr,  respecting  the  decrees  of  the  Coun- 
cil. 

6-8.  After  preaching  throughout  the  Region  of 
Phrygia  and  Galatia,  they  pass  ovej'  Asia  to  Troas. 
— Under  the  names  of  Phrygia  and  Galatia,  whose 
boundaries  are  entirely  indefinite,  the  central  table- 


land region  of  Asia  Minor  is  here  referred  to.  At 
this  time  Paul  must  have  planted  the  churches  of 
Galatia,  though  Luke  makes  no  record  here.  For 
these  churches  are  referred  to  as  confirmed  by  Paul 
in  his  next  succeeding  journey  (Acts  18  :  23).     B. 

Luke  makes  no  mention  of  any  of  Paul's  Epis- 
tles, or  even  of  the  fact  that  he  wrote  a  single  Epis- 
tle ;  and  yet,  in  dictating  the  Acts  by  the  agency  of 
Luke,  the  Holy  Spirit  appears  to  have  his  divine  eye 
on  what  had  been  already  given,  or  would  be  here- 
after given,  by  himself  to  the  world  in  those  Epis- 
tles by  the  hand  of  Paul.  Here  is  the  ground  of 
the  argument  handled  by  Dr.  Paley  in  his  "  Hora; 
Paulinae."  The  Acts  and  the  Epistles  are  from  one 
Spirit.  No  wonder  that  there  is  a  beautiful  har- 
mony among  them,  more  deeply  felt  because  not  the 
result  of  effort  and  art,  but  of  oneness  of  origin 
from  the  Spirit  of  truth.     W. 

How  they  were  forbidden  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
to  preach  in  Asia — the  Roman  province  bordering 
upon  the  .^Jgean  Sea — and  how  hindered  from  going 
northeastward  into  the  larger  province  of  Bithynia, 
wo  are  not  informed.  The  curiosity  that  desires  to 
investigate  such  a  question  is  wholly  ungratified  by 
the  Scripture.  Paul  was  made  to  understand  the 
mind  of  the  Spirit,  and — the  only  real  point  of  ra- 
tional interest — he  obeyed  it!  And,  to  every  one 
cherishing  the  same  obedient  spirit,  the  mind  of  God 
will  in  some  assured  way  be  made  known.  ^Vhy 
their  proposed  movements  were  thus  divinely  hedged 
round  on  every  side  save  that  of  the  sea,  is  clearly 
intimated  in  the  summons  that  so  soon  followed : 
to  cross  the  sea,  and  enter  Europe  !  So  plainly  it  ap- 
pears that  the  Gospel's  first  marked  entrance  into 
Europe  was  definitely  directed  by  the  Lord  Christ. 

9,  10.  PauVs  Vision  at  Troas. — Alexandria 
Troas,  this  seaport  and  free  city,  upon  or  near  the 

site  of  ancient  Troy,  had  been  named.    B. Nearly 

four  centuries  had  passed  since  the  Macedonian  con- 
queror crossed  the  narrow  strait  of  the  Hellespont,  to 
overthrow  the  great  despotism  that  enthralled  Asia ; 
and  now,  near  that  plain  of  Troy,  on  which  Alexan- 
der stayed  to  indulge  the  dream  of  rivaling  the  fame 
of  his  ancestor,  Achilles,  at  the  very  city  named  in 
the  conqueror's  honor,  Paul  beheld  in  vision  another 
"  man  of  Macedonia,"  uttering  the  cry  of  the  west- 
ern world  suffering  beneath  the  despotism  of  sin, 
and  calling  to  the  soldiers  of  the  Cross,  "  Come  over 
and  help  us."  The  power  which  had  led  Europe  to 
the  armed  conquest  of  Asia  was  the  first  to  invite 
conquest  from  the  spiritual  force  of  which  Asia  had 

been  the  primeval  cradle.     S. This  vision  is  still 

perpetuated.  The  cry  of  humanity  in  its  sense  of 
need — its  guilt  and  wretchedness,  its  helpless,  hope- 
less despair — is  still  sounding  now  from  East  to 
West,  as  then  from  "West  to  East.  It  comes  from 
every  heathen  continent,  and  from  the  many  islands. 


112 


SECTION  215.— ACTS  13  :  30-41;   16  : 1-12. 


Northern  Shores  of  the  Mg^^&n  Sea.    (Note  Troas,  in  the  province  of  Asia;  the  seaport  Neapolis,  at  the  head  of  the  Stry- 
monic  Gulf;  Philippl,  on  the  Via  Egnatia;  Thessalonica,  at  the  head  of  the  Thenuaic  Gulf;  and  Berea.) 


to  the  Church  of  every  region,  and  to  the  Christian 

of  every  name.     B. And  it  has  been  abundantly 

shown  that  it  is  death  to  a  Church  or  a  Christian 
either  not  to  hear  this  cry,  or,  having  heard  it,  not 
to  heed  it.     Riddle. 

Luke,  "  the  beloved  physician  "  and  "  the  broth- 
er whose  praise  is  in  all  the  Churches,"  who,  in  his 
native  place,  Antioch,  had  labored  with  Paul,  joined 
the  three  missionaries  at  Troas.  Although  the  his-, 
torian  of  all  these  events,  and  the  companion  of 
Paul  in  a  large  part  of  his  journeying,  he  nowhere 
alludes  to  his  presence  otherwise  than  by  the  words 
"  we  "  and  "  us  "  in  the  narrative. 

11,  13.  From  Troas  across  the  ^gcan  to  Neap- 
olis  and  Philippi. — Paul's  "  immediate  endeavor  to 
go  into  Macedonia  "  was  succeeded  by  finding  a  ves- 
sel about  to  sail  for  Neapolis.     B. And  these 

four  men  go  on  board  the  vessel — Paul,  with  his 
fervent  soul  and  his  strong  intellect ;  Silas,  with  his 
zeal  and  his  prophetic  gifts ;  Luke,  with  his  scholar- 
ly culture  and  professional  accomplishments ;  and 
Timothy,  with  his  youthful  earnestness  and  as  yet 
undeveloped  powers  for  work.  77ic.se  four  men, 
guided  by  the  Divine  Spirit,  come  to  Europe  !  And 
that  ship  has  in  it  the  seeds  of  all  that  is  to  be  de- 
veloped in  the  religion  and  learning,  the  philosophy, 
legislation,  art,  science,  and  everything  else  that  has 
made   European   nations    the   acknowledged   regal 

masters  of  the  world.     T.  B. The  very  elements 

prospered  this  outward  voyage ;  so  that  their  course 


was  direct,  by  Tenedos,  Imbros,  and  Samothracia ; 
and  the  eighty  miles  was  accomplished  in  two  days. 

Macedonia  was  previously  a  prominent  kingdom 
of  ancient  Greece,  now  a  Roman  province.  It  had 
been  a  military  kingdom,  and  its  cities  had  not  re- 
ceived the  culture  of  Athens,  nor  shared  the  com- 
mercial prosperity  of  Corinth.  The  truth,  there- 
fore, had  a  readier  reception,  and  found  fewer  ob- 
stacles than  afterward  in  those  cities. 

From  Neapolis,  a  Macedonian  harbor  on  the 
Strymonic  Gulf,  they  followed  for  ten  miles  one  of 
the  great  Roman  roads,  over  a  lofty  ridge  extending 
from  Mount  Pangceum,  and  then  descending  into  the 
plain  of  Philippi.  Upon  this  plain,  b.  c.  42,  An- 
thony and  Augustus  (afterward  emperor),  in  a  final, 
decisive  battle,  had  defeated  Brutus  and  Cassius. 
As  a  monument  of  that  signal  victory,  Augustus 
had  planted  a  Roman  colony  upon,  or  near,  the  site 
of  the  older  Macedonian  city.  Of  the  border-tract 
of  Eastern  Macedonia,  which  formed  the  barrier 
against  Thrace  with  its  barbarous  hordes,  Philippi 
was  the  cjiief  city.  As  a  colony,  settled  with  freed- 
men  and  veteran  soldiers,  organized  as  to  its  govern- 
ment, laws  and  social  customs  on  the  model  of  im- 
perial Rome,  and  as  a  frontier  defensive  post,  its 

privileges  and  its  distinction  were  great.    B. 

And  now  a  Jewish  apostle  came  to  the  same  place, 
to  win  a  greater  victory  than  that  of  Philippi,  and 
to  found  a  more  durable  empire  than  that  of  Au- 
gustus.    H. 


SECTION  216.— ACTS  16  :  IS-Jfi.  II3 

Section  216. 

Acts  xvi.  13-40. 

13  Akd  on  the  sabbath  we  went  out  of  the  city  by  a  river  side,  where  prayer  was  wont  to 

14  be  made;  and  we  sat  down,  and  spake  unto  the  women  which  resorted  thither.  And  a  cer- 
tain woman  named  Lydia,  a  seller  of  purple,  of  the  city  of  Thyatira,  which  worshipped 
God,  heard  us:  whose  heart  the  Lord  opened,  that  she  attended  unto  the  things  which  were 

15  spoken  of  Paul.  And  when  she  was  baptized,  and  her  household,  she  besought  us,  saying, 
If  ye  have  judged  me  to  be  faithful  to  the  Lord,  come  into  my  house,  and  abide  there. 
And  she  constrained  us. 

16  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  we  went  to  prayer,  a  certain  damsel  possessed  with  a  spirit  of 

17  divination  met  us,  which  brought  her  masters  much  gain  by  soothsaying:  the  same  followed 
Paul  and  us,  and  cried,  saying,  These  men  are  the  servants  of  the  most  high  God,  which 

18  shew  unto  us  the  way  of  salvation.  And  this  did  she  many  days.  But  Paul,  being  grieved, 
turned  and  said  to  the  spirit,  I  command  thee  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  to  come  out  of 

19  her.  And  he  came  out  the  same  hour.  And  when  her  masters  saw  that  the  hope  of  their 
gains  was  gone,  they  caught  Paul  and  Silas,  and  drew  tliem  into  the  marketplace  unto  the 

20  rulers,  and  brought  them  to  the  magistrates,  saying.  These  men,  being  Jews,  do  exceedingly 

21  trouble  our  city,  and  teach  customs,  which  are  not  lawful  for  us  to  receive,  neither  to  ob- 

22  serve,  being  Eomans.     And  the  multitude  rose  up  together  against  them :  and  the  magis- 

23  trates  rent  off  their  clothes,  and  commanded  to  beat  them.    And  when  they  had  laid  many 

24  stripes  upon  them,  they  cast  them  into  prison,  charging  the  jailor  to  Iseep  them  safely :  who, 
having  received  such  a  charge,  thrust  them  into  the  inner  prison,  and  made  their  feet  fast 
in  the  stocks. 

25  And  at  midnight  Paul  and  Silas  prayed,  and  sang  praises  unto  God :  and  the  prisoners 

26  heard  them.  And  suddenly  there  was  a  great  earthquake,  so  that  the  foundations  of  the 
prison  were  shaken :  and  immediately  all  the  doors  were  opened,  and  every  one's  bands 

27  were  loosed.  And  the  keeper  of  the  prison  awaking  out  of  his  sleep,  and  seeing  the  prison 
doors  open,  he  drew  out  his  sword,  and  would  have  killed  himself,  supposing  that  the  pris- 

28  oners  had  been  fled.     But  Paul  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  Do  thyself  no  harm :  for  we 

29  are  all  here.    Then  he  called  for  a  light,  and  sprang  in,  and  came  trembling,  and  fell  down 

30  before  Paul  and  Silas,  and  brought  them  out,  and  said,  Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved? 

31  And  they  said,  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved,  and  thy  house. 

32  And  they  spake  unto  him  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  to  all  that  were  in  his  house.     And  he 

33  took  them  the  same  hour  of  the  night,  and  washed  their  stripes ;  and  was  baptized,  he  and 

34  all  his,  straightway.  And  when  he  had  brought  them  into  his  house,  he  set  meat  before 
them,  and  rejoiced,  believing  in  God  with  all  his  house. 

35  And  when  it  was  day,  the  magistrates  sent  the  Serjeants,  saying.  Let  those  men  go.     And 

36  the  keeper  of  the  prison  told  this  saying  to  Paul,  The  magistrates  have  sent  to  let  you  go: 

37  now  therefore  depart,  and  go  in  peace.  But  Paul  said  unto  them.  They  have  beaten  us 
openly  uncondemned,  being  Romans,  and  have  cast  us  into  prison  ;  and  now  do  they  thrust 

38  us  out  privily  ?  nay  verily;  but  let  them  come  themselves  and  fetch  us  out.  And  the  Ser- 
jeants told  these  words  unto  the  magistrates:  and  they  feared,  when  they  heard  that  they 

39  were  Romans.     And  they  came  and  besought  them,  and  brought  them  out,  and  desired  them 

40  to  depart  out  of  the  city.  And  they  went  out  of  the  prison,  and  entered  into  the  house  of 
Lydia:  and  when  they  had  seen  the  brethren,  they  comforted  them,  and  departed. 


On  the  same  page  of  Scripture  there  is  the  record  of  two  most  remarkable  conversions,  as  different 
from  each  other  as  any  two  processes  of  mind,  leading  to  the  same  result,  can  by  possibility  be.  Lydia, 
the  purple-seller  of  Thyatira,  became  a  Christian  through  the  gentle  opening  of  the  heart,  as  by  the  quiet 
river-side  she  attended  to  the  things  which  were  spoken  of  Paul.  The  Philippian  jailer  is  converted,  on 
the  other  hand,  in  a  manner  such  as  mi.a;ht  be  expected  from  the  previous  habits  of  ignorance  and  vice  in 
which,  we  may  reasonably  suppose,  he  had  been  sunk.     The  critical,  all-important  question  for  all  of  us 


114 


SECTION  216.— ACTS  16  :  13-40. 


13,  whether  we  be  indeed  Christ's  at  present,  and  are  following  the  lead  of  his  Spirit ;  if  so,  how  we  were 
brought  to  Ilim,  whether  by  the  quiet  drawings  of  gratitude  and  love,  or  by  the  gradual  growth  of 
reflectiveness  and  our  experience  of  life's  hollowness,  or  by  the  trepidations  of  alarm,  is  but  of  little 
moment.     E.  M.  G. 

Strike  from  the  world's  history  what  has  been  done  for  Jesus'  sake — go  back  along  the  track  of  time, 
and  erase  the  deeds  that  have  been  wrought,  the  self-denials  undergone,  the  books  written,  the  Uves  lived, 
the  martyrdoms  endured,  the  stern  missions  begun  and  prosecuted,  and  how  poor  would  the  world  be ! 
Strike  out  the  love  to  Jesus  that  human  souls  have  felt,  and  all  that  it  has  prompted  them  to  do,  and  what 
a  waste  would  the  past  eighteen  centuries  present !  The  blackest  pages  of  human  history  have  been 
illumined  by  some  deeds  of  true  glory  that  love  to  Jesus  has  begotten.  When  wickedness  has  been  most 
rampant,  there  have  ever  been  some  who  have  sung  their  songs  in  the  night,  irradiated  the  moral  gloom 
with  their  light,  and  been  ready  to  seal  their  affection  by  their  blood.     J.  D. 


13.  In  Europe,  as  in  Asia,  Paul  preaches  chiefly 
in  the  cities  and  large  towns,  that  a  deeper  and 
broader  impression  may  be  made  at  the  first,  and 
the  truth  scattered  more  widely  afterward.  For,  in 
ancient  as  in  modern  times,  the  populous  centers 
exercised  a  controlling  influence  over  social  and  reli- 
gious customs.  But  the  first  announcement  of  the 
gospel  in  Europe  —  in  Philippi  —  was  remarkable 
both  as  to  the  place  and  the  hearers.  Nothing  could 
have  been  more  simple  and  unassuming.  In  the 
city  was  no  synagogue.  Nbr  did  Paul  find  an  open- 
ing for  highway  preaching.  But  out  of  the  city,  by 
a  still  river-side,  in  a  spot  where  a  few  godly  women, 
Jewish  proselytes,  were  accustomed  to  meet  9nd 
pray  together  on  the  Sabbath,  the  apostle  began  his 
work  in  Europe.  It  was  only  a  quiet  talk  about 
Christ,  while  speaker  and  hearers  sat  together  in  a 
little  group.  But,  like  the  Master  at  Jacob's  well, 
Paul  throws  into  this  simple  ministry  as  much  ear- 
nestness of  purpose  and  thoroughness  of  instruction 
as  afterward  he  employed  in  addressing  the  vast 
multitude  of  cultured  Athenians.  And  this  unre- 
ported conversation  produced  a  rich  harvest,  while 
the  grand  discourse  at  Athens  was  almost  barren  of 
fruit. 

14,  A  woman  was  Paul's  first  European  con- 
vert; from  Thyiitira,  a  city  in  the  province  of 
"  Asia."  So  that  the  first  convert  in  Greece  is  from 
the  very  province  in  Asia  Minor  where  the  Spirit 
had  forbidden  them  to  preach.  And  the  Lord 
opened  her  heai't ;  the  same  Lord  that  had  sent  his 
ambassadors  from  Asia  into  Europe.  The  process 
of  her  conversion  seems  also  very  natural  and  sim- 
ple. Her  heart,  once  closed,  is  now  opened ;  not  by 
force,  but  in  a  way  suited  to  a  free  intelligent  na- 
ture. For  it  was  opened  to  truth,  which  contained 
only  high,  pure,  divine,  blessed  motive.  It  was 
opened  to  hear,  to  heed,  to  receive  gladly  with  all 
the  grasp  of  intellect  and  heart,  with  all  the  energy 
of  will  in  self-consecration,  the  truths  of  life,  "the 

things  spoken  of  Paul."     B. The  Lord  had  laid 

words  on  Paul's  lips  suited  to  find  entrance  to  her 
heart;  lie  has  bestowed  on  her  the  listening  ear  to 


receive  the  voice  of  truth,  the  opened  eye  to  see  its 
light.  And  where  now  the  last  doubt  gives  way, 
and  it  is  given  her  by  grace  to  believe  in  Christ,  how 
completely  is  sketched  forth  the  blessed  change 
which  has  had  place  first  in  her  mind,  but  thereafter 
in  her  whole  life  and  destiny!      Van  0. 

15.  Then  followed  the  confession  of  her  new 
faith,  her  baptism,  and  her  grateful  offer  of  hospi- 
tality and  Christian  service.     Altogether  the  story  is 

an  attractive  and  instructive  Christian  idyl.     B. 

With  the  baptism  of  Lydia  that  of  her  "  household  " 
was  associated.  Whether  we  are  to  understand  by 
this  term  her  children,  her  slaves,  or  workpeople,  or 
all  these  collectively,  can  not  easily  be  decided. 
But  we  have  here  an  example  of  that  family/  religion 
to  which  Paul  often  alludes  in  his  Epistles.  The 
"  connections  of  Chloe,"  the  "  household  of  Stepha- 
nas," the  "church  in  the  house"  of  Aquila  and 
Priscilla,  are  parallel  cases.     H. 

Christianity  adopted  and  shared  the  distinguish- 
ing characteristic  of  Judaism  as  a  family  religion. 
The  children  of  Jews  were  accounted  heirs  of  the 
covenant.  And  it  would  seem  that,  if  Jewish  Chris- 
tians had  been  denied  this  same  relation,  they  would 
have  demanded  it,  and  a  great  controversy  must 
then  have  arisen.  Whether  there  were  or  not  in- 
fants in  any  of  the  several  baptized  households  can 
not  certainly  be  determined.  But  the  unexplained 
and  unqualified  mention  of  households  surely  implies 

that  infants  were  included.     B. Who  can  believe 

that  not  one  infant  was  found  in  all  these  families, 
and  that  Jews,  accustomed  to  the  circumcision,  and 
Gentiles,  accustomed  to  the  lustration  of  infants, 
should  not  have  also  brought   them   to   baptism? 

Bcng. The  practice  of  infant  baptism  does  not 

rest  on  inference  but  on  the  continuit>j  and  identity 
of  the  covenant  of  grace  to  Jew  and  Christian,  the 
sign  onhj  of  admission  being  altered.     A. 

And  we  have  here  the  first  example  of  that  Chris- 
tian hospitality  which  was  so  emphatically  enjoined, 
and  so  lovingly  practiced,  in  the  Apostolic  Church. 
The  scenes  by  the  river-side,  and  in  the  house  of 
Lydia,  are  beautiful  prophecies  of  the  holy  influence 


SECTION  216.~A  CTS  16  :  13-40. 


115 


which  women,  elevated  by  Christianity  to  their  true 
position,  and  enabled  by  divine  grace  to  wear  "  the 
ornament  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,"  have  now  for 
centuries  exerted  over  domestic  happiness  and  the 
growth  of  piety  and  peace.     H. 

16-21.  For  the  first  time  in  Paul's  experience 
opposition  and  persecution  came  directly  and  ex- 
clusively from  the  Gentiles.  The  motive,  too,  was 
entirely  disconnected  with  his  religious  teaching. 
It  came  from  human  hate  produced  by  disappointed 
selfishness ;  and  this  was  occasioned  by  a  humane 

action.     B. A  poor  bond-girl,  possessed  with  a 

spirit  which  was  supposed  to  inspire  oracles  like 
those  uttered  by  the  Pythoness  at  Delphi,  drove  a 
gainful  trade  for  her  masters  in  the  oracles  which 
she  vended,  probably  to  the  wild  natives  who  fre- 
quented the  market  outside  the  city  walls.  As  Paul 
and  his  companions  went  out  to  the  place  of  prayer, 
she  followed  them  with  the  continued  cry,  "  Those 
men  are  the  servants  of  the  most  high  God,  which 
shew  unto  us  the  way  of  salvation."  S. Repeat- 
ing this  for  many  days,  her  words  must  have  become 
known  throughout  the  city.  At  length  Paul,  in  the 
very  spirit  of  the  Master  (of  compassion  for  the 
possessed  and  of  indignation  toward  the  Satanic 
possessor)  and  after  Ilis  manner,  under  His  inspira- 
tion and  in  His  name,  commanded  the  evil  spirit  to 
come  out  of  her.  The  whole  account — Paul's  spirit 
and  words,  and  Luke's  statement  of  the  consequent 
fact  (that  "  he  came  out  the  same  hour ") — shows 
that  she  was  a  demoniac,  or  "  one  possessed  with  a 
devil."  Though  the  evil  spirit  in  her,  whether  by 
constraint  or  with  malicious  purpose,  gave  true  testi- 
mony to  the  missionaries,  yet  the  source  whence  it 
came  would  taint  the  testimony  itself.  Therefore 
Paul,  like  his  Master,  would  none  of  it.     B. 

The  whole  history  of  the  Acts  shows  that  the 
direct  agency  of  the  Evil  Spirit  is  made  subservient 
to  the  cause  of  Christ,  In  the  case  of  Ananias 
(5  :  3-5)  he  is  made  to  preach  to  the  world  a  per- 
petual warning  against  the  sin  of  sacrilege  ;  in  the 
case  of  Simon  Magus  (8  :  20),  against  the  sin  of 
simony.  In  the  case  of  Elymas  at  Paphos  (13  :  10- 
12),  Satan  is  defeated  and  Christ  is  glorified.  Satan 
meets  the  apostle  in  Fhilippi,  and  flatters  him  by 
the  mouth  of  her  whom  he  had  possessed.  But  his 
adulations  are  rejected,  and  he  is  cast  out,  and  the 
Gentile  world  is  taught  that  the  spirit  in  their 
divination  and  oracles  is  a  spirit  of  darkness. 

19.  The  hope  of  their  gains  \ras  gone. 
A  clew  to  the  powerful  motive  of  persecutions 
against  Christianity.  Both  the  persecutions  from 
Heathenism,  mentioned  in  the  Acts,  are  from  this 
source.  ■  In  the  account  of  both,  the  word  craft 
occurs;  here,  and  in  19:24,  2.5.  As  Blunt  re- 
marks :  "  The  Priesthood,  in  all  its  branches,  con- 
templated the  advance  of  Christianity  with  dismay. 


It  emptied  their  temples,  curtailed  their  sacrifices 
reduced  their  profits,  exposed  their  frauds."  20. 
Being  Jews.  Christianity  was  hated  as  Judaism 
by  the  heathens,  and  as  worse  than  heathenism  by 
the  Jews.  It  had  to  contend  against  Judaism  and 
Heathenism,  and  it  triumphed  over  both.     \V. 

The  owners'  investment  had  lost  its  value,  and 
the  law  had  no  remedy  to  meet  the  case.  Caring 
nothing  for  their  own  souls,  they  cared  not  for  this 
one  now  released  from  such  terrible  thraldom. 
Their  gains  were  their  supreme  thought  and  care. 
Since  these  were  hopelessly  gone,  in  their  rage  they 
sought  revenge  by  stirring  up  the  ignorant  populace, 
who  had  a  superstitious  interest  in  the  girl's  sooth- 
saying, to  assault  the  strangers  and  drag  them  into 
the  forum.  There,  before  the  magistrates  (the 
Duumviri,  or  prators),  concealing  the  facts,  they 
cunningly  resort  to  another  charge.  Picferring  to 
Paul  and  Silas  only  as  Jews,  they  accuse  them  of  in- 
troducing customs  not  lawful  for  Romans  to  receive. 
Their  charge  had  a  color  of  reason  in  the  laws 
which  prohibited  Romans  from  forsaking  their  re- 
ligion. But  its  chief  force  and  its  success  with  the 
magistrates  lay  in  the  facts  :  that  the  Jews  had  been 
just  then  expelled  from  Rome,  and  that  Philippi,  a 
Roman  colony — i.  e.,  a  Rome  in  miniature — may 
and,  ought  to  imitate  the  metropolis.  This  race- 
prejudice,  and  just  enacted  example  of  intolerance, 
instantly  won  the  magistrates  to  an  illegal  and  in- 
iquitous compliance  with  the  will  of  the  mob. 

22-24.  The  Scourging  and  Imprisonment  of 
Paul  and  Silas. — By  command  of  the  two  magis- 
trates, the  lictors  rent  oif  with  violence  the  gar- 
ments so  that  the  flesh  was  bare,  and  laid  many 

stripes  upon  them.     B. It  is  difficult  for  us  to 

estimate  the  severity  of  this  punishment.  The  vic- 
tim was  beaten  on  the  naked  flesh  with  thick  rods 
by  trained  professional  executioners.  The,  insignia 
of  a  Roman  ruler  consisted  of  a  bunch  of  rods  tied 
together  like  a  sheaf,  and  an  axe  protruding  from 
the  end  of  theljundle.  The  rods  symbolized  second- 
ary, and  the  axe  capital,  punishment.     Arnot. 

No  inquiry  was  instituted,  no  time  or  means  of 
defense  afforded  ;  not  even  the  opportunity  to  plead 
their  Roman  citizenship.  This  fact  Paul  would  not 
now  thrust  upon  them  for  many  good  reasons ;  all 
of  them  for  tlie  furtherance  of  the  gospel,  as  we 
hereafter  see.  One  may  be  referred  to  here.  Paul, 
like  his  Lord,  opened  not  his  mouth  before  these 
persecutors.  "  As  seeing  Him  who  is  invisible,"  he 
endured  that  severe  Roman  scourging  that  he  might 
illustrate  to  those  believers,  and  to  all  thereafter, 
the  spirit  of  self-sacrifice  and  the  force  of  trust 
under  the  fire  of  suffering.  At  Corinth,  not  long 
after,  writing  to  the  Thessalonians,  he  recalls  this 
cruel  experience,  "  how  we  were  shamefully  en- 
treated at  Philippi." 


116 


SECTION  216.— ACTS  16  :  13-40. 


Then,  with  their  backs  lacerated,  they  are  thrown 
into  prison ;  and,  as  if  more  dangerous  and  guilty 
than  other  criminals,  their  feet  are  painfully  dis- 
tended and  shut  up  immovably  in  "the  stocks." 
By  this  unrelieved  position  of  constraint  and  dis- 
tention the  pain  of  their  bruised  bodies  is  in- 
tensified. Yet  through  the  afternoon,  and  up  to 
the  midnight  hour,  their  faith  and  fortitude  held 
firm. 

25,  26.  T/ieir  Praying  Song  in  the  Night,  and 
(he  Consequent  Earthquake. — They  prayed  in  song 
to  God.  Their  song  was  prayer,  their  prayer  was 
song.  What  they  sang  we  may  infer.  For  David's 
trustful  utterances  would  well  suit  their  needs  and 
their  hearts.  Yet  not  these  alone ;  for  theirs  was  a 
larger  knowledge,  a  richer  experience  of  a  realized 
Lord  and  Comforter.  And  out  of  that  revealed  ex- 
perience, how  readily  their  souls  could  pour  them- 
selves out  in  trustful  rejoicing  and  fervent  interces- 
sion !  Their  praising  prayer  was  a  sermon,  too,  to 
a  strange  congregation;  for  the  prisoners  heard. 
What  was  its  ultimate  effect,  we  know  not.  But 
none  of  those  listeners  used  the  opportunity  for  es- 
cape, when  unnaturally  the  earth  was  shaken,  and 
supernaturally  the  doors  were  opened  and  their 
chains  loosed.  They  must  have  felt  what  ice  knoio  : 
that  there  was  a  connection  between  these  marvels 
and  the  sublime  utterances  of  praise  and  supplica- 
tion that  preceded  them.  Eight  well  are  ice,  here 
and  in  this,  assured  that  God  is  the  hearer  and 
answerer  of  prayer. 

27, 28.  7%e  Priso7i-Iieeper^s  Suicide  hindered 
hy  Paul. — By  the  steVn  Roman  law,  death  was  the 
penalty  of  a  jailer's  unwatchfulness  and  the  escape 
of  his  prisoners.  Finding  the  doors  wide  open  and 
inferring  that  the  prisoners  had  fled,  in  his  proud 
Koman  despair  he  was  about  to  take  his  own  life, 
as  the  only  honorable  alternative  for  retrieving  the 
disgrace.  Suicide,  among  the  Romans,  was  accounted 
not  only  lawful,  but  under  irretrievable  misfortune 

was  regarded  as  a  virtue.      B. And   this  very 

city,  Philippi,  had  been  famous  in  the  annals  of 
suicide.  Here  Cassius,  unable  to  survive  defeat,  cov- 
ered his  face  in  the  empty  tent,  and  ordered  his 
frecdmen  to  strike  the  blow.  Here  Brutus  bade 
adieu  to  his  friends,  exckiming,  "  Certainly  we  must 
fly,  yet  not  with  the  feet,  but  with  the  hands."  And 
many  of  their  adherents  ended  their  last  struggle  for 
the  republic  by  sell-inflicted  death.     H. 

The  same  prison  lamps  that  revealed  to  the 
keeper  the  open  doors  would,  through  those  doors, 
reveal  the  jailer  to  Paul,  and  his  purpose  would  be 
conjectured  by  the  drawing  of  his  sword.  And  now 
the  eager  sympathy  of  the  apostle's  heart  on  the 
instant  cooperated  with  God's  purpose  in  the  earth- 
quake and  the  supernaturally  opened  doors.  That 
purpose  was  not  the  release  of  the  prisoners,  but  the 


awakening  of  the  jailer's  conscience  so  that  a  sav- 
ing impression  might  be  made  upon  his  hardened 
heart.  Paul's  loud,  impassioned  cry  was  but  the 
seconding  of  God's  saving  purpose  toward  the  man. 
And  with  what  sublime  emphasis  did  that  cry,  forced 
out  of  Paul's  Christlike,  loving  heart.  Do  thyself  no 
harm. !  sum  up  the  supreme  design  of  Christ's  in- 
finite love,  as  expressed  in  his  redemption  and  re- 
vealed through  his  gospel. 

29-32.  The  Keeper^s  Question  and  PauVs  An- 
swer. The  Word  pressed  home  upon  Opened  Hearts. 
— The  instant  revulsion  of  feeling  consequent  upon 
such  an  appeal,  enforced  by  the  assurance  that  none 
had  fled,  joined  with  the  earthquake  shock  and  the 
evidences  of  miraculous  visitation — all  combined  to 
arouse  in  his  conscience  a  new  and  overwhelming 
fear.  It  was  not  a  dread  of  temporal  danger ;  for 
all  was  quiet  now,  and  his  armed  assistants  were  at 
his  side.  It  was  the  kindling  of  sensibility,  through 
a  fear  wrought  in  his  callous  spiritual  nature  by 
these  startling  tokens  of  a  Divine  presence  and  an 
unseen  world.  Impelled  by  this  fear,  out  of  the 
depths  of  his  aroused  soul,  as  he  cast  himself  at 
the  feet  of  Paul  and  Silas,  came  the  intense  yearn- 
ing cry,  "  What  must  I  do  to  he  saved  ?  "  Those 
oft-repeated  and  widely-reported  words  of  the  fren- 
zied girl  must  have  left  an  impression  upon  his  ig- 
norant, superstitious  nature.  He  now  felt,  in  his 
confused,  amazed  terror,  "  These  men  must  be  ser- 
vants of  the  most  high  God,  to  shoio  the  way  of  sal- 
vation." And  so  the  question  forms  itself  to  the 
inward  craving  of  his  consciously  lost  soul :  "  To  be 
saved,  what  must  I  do?" 

That  this  was  his  condition  and  this  his  meaning, 
the  answer  of  the  faithful  men  of  God  clearly 
shows.  Sirs,  or  Lords,  he  had  called  them,  as  in 
his  heathen  thought  he  prostrated  himself  in  almost 
worship  before  them.  Believe,  is  their  answer,  not 
in  us,  but  in  the  one  only  Lord,  Jesus  Christ !  and 
thou  shall  be  saved!  They  saw,  in  his  trembling 
and  in  his  despairing  cry,  his  strong  conviction  of 
sin,  his  craving  for  deliverance,  his  yearning  to 
know  and  willingness  to  do  what  was  demanded  of 
him ;  and  they  said  all  that  could  be  said  to  any 
wretched,  sinful  soul  of  man.  They  put  into  their 
answer  the  whole  gospel.  They  declared  all  that  is 
essential  to  human  salvation.  They  demand  no 
"  doing  "  of  the  man  save  faith,  or  trust :  faith  in 
the  Perso7i  of  Christ — trust  in  His  redeeming  work. 
And  who  this  Christ  was,  what  saving  work  He  had 
done,  what  it  was  to  trust  this  Saviour  and  to  re- 
ceive Him,  Paul  instantly  went  on  to  tell  this  eager- 
ly listening  man,  and  the  members  of  his  household 
who  were  now  gathered  around  them.  There  was 
no  magical  suddenness  in  these  conversions.  From 
this  summary  text,  the  Word  of  the  Lord — about 
the  Lord — was  clearly  spoken  to  all ;  and  they,  like 


SECTION  217.— ACTS  17  : 1-15. 


117 


Lydia,  with  hearts  now  opened  by  the  Lord,  heard 
and  heeded,  believed  and  rejoiced. 

33,  34.  The  Good  Works  that  follow  the  Trans- 
formed Kceper^s  Faith. — The  rude,  harsh,  almost 
brutal  nature  becomes  at  once  tender  and  sympa- 
thetic. Before  they  apply  the  baptismal  water,  to 
seal  by  outward  sign  his  sacramentum  or  oath  of 
allegiance  to  his  new  spiritual  Lord,  he  washes  their 
wounds  left  by  the  scourge.  Then  in  humble,  thank- 
ful gladness  of  spirit  he  makes  them  welcome  guests 
at  his  table  and  in  his  home.  And  this  change  from 
previous  reckless  inhumanity  to  kind  treatment  and 
•renerous  hospitality  gave  full  assurance  of  the  in- 
ward change  wrought  in  his  heart.  These  first- 
offering  duties  fulfilled,  were  the  fruit  and  proof  of 
that  faith  which  worketh  by  love. 

35-40.  The  Release  of  the  Missionaries,  and  their 
Departure  from  Philippi. — Early  the  next  morning 
the  magistrates — as  the  result  either  of  reflection 
upon  their  hasty  and  illegal  procedure  or  of  relapse 
into  indifference  about  the  matter — sent  a  message, 
in  careless  or  contemptuous  tone,  dismissing  the 
prisoners.  This  message  was  joyfully  communica- 
ted by  the  keeper  to  Paul.  But  now  the  Christian 
principle,  properly  se//'-respecting  and  mindful  of 
the  ends  of  human  justice,  stands  manfully  for  the 
vindication  of  outraged  personal  rights.  Yet  not 
merely  for  their  own  sake.  For  Christ's  sake  they 
had  silently  borne  the  suffering ;  but  for  Christian- 
ity's sake  they  make  the  protest  against  the  infrac- 
tion of  law  by  its  appointed  administrators.  Paul's 
main  object  was  to  honor  and  help  Christianity  ;  to 
secure  respect  and  protection  for  the  Christian  be- 
lievers in  Philippi.  These  believers  he  would  en- 
courage and  embolden  to  fidelity.  Upon  the  magis- 
trates and  people  he  would  impress  a  higher  esti- 
mate and  respect  for  the  Christian  movement.  All 
this  he  effectually  accomplished  by  proclaiming  their 
Roman  citizenship  ;  by  denouncing  the  injustice  of 
a  punishment  without  trial  and  condemnation ;  and 
by  demanding  an  acknowledgment  of  the  inflicted 
wrong  as  open,  and  a  release  as  public,  as  had  been 
their  arrest  and  imprisonment. 

Very  willing  were  these  now  alarmed  magistrates 
to  humble  themselves  by  coming  to  the  prison ;  and 
publicly  to  confess  their  own  injustice  by  personally 
entreating  these  Roman  citizens  to  come  forth  to 


liberty.  For  Roman  law,  so  harsh  to  others,  was 
very  partial  to  the  interests  and  jealous  for  the 
rights  of  Roman  citizens.  And  that  law,  under 
penalty  of  death  to  the  magistrate  infringing  it 
absolutely  forbade  the  application  of  the  scourge  tc 
the  person  of  a  Roman,  and  that  a  Roman  should 
be  punished  without  trial  and  judgment. 

Thus  the  Christian  leaders  were  justified  before 
all ;  and  in  their  persons  Christianity  was  honored. 
Through  these  occurrences  and  the  apostle's  gener- 
ous forbearance  in  declining  all  appeal  to  Rome 
against  the  magistrates,  the  infant  Church  at  Phi- 
lippi started  upon  high  vantage-ground  in  the  com- 
pelled respect  of  the  rulers  and  people.  Beginning 
with  these  two  households — of  Lydia  and  the  name- 
less prison-keeper — it  seems  to  have  well  maintained 
the  spirit  and  teaching  of  the  great  Apostle. 

Going  from  the  prison  as  innocent  men,  for  their 
own  dignity's  sake  as  well  as  to  leave  parting  words 
of  instruction  and  comfort  with  the  new  disciples, 
they  tarried  awhile  at  the  house  of  Lydia.  Then, 
leaving  these  first  Macedonian  converts  to  the  care 
of  Luke  (and,  perhaps,  Timothy),  Paul  and  Silas  set 

forth  on  their  journey.     B. We  do  not  see  Luke 

again  in  the  Apostle's  company  till  the  third  mis- 
sionary journey  and  the  second  visit  to  Macedonia. 
At  this  exact  point  of  separation,  we  observe  that 
he  drops  the  style  of  an  eye-witness  and  resumes 
that  of  a  historian,  until  the  second  time  of  meeting, 
after  which  he  writes  as  an  eye-witness  till  the  ar- 
rival at  Rome  and  the  very  close  of  the  Acts.  He 
appears  again  on  a  voyage  from  Philippi  to  Troas 
(Acts  20  :  56),  as  now  he  has  appeared  on  a  voyage 
from  Troas  to  Philippi.     H. 

Of  all  the  churches  which  Paul  founded,  the 
Philippians  seem  to  have  been  the  most  free  from 
fault,  and  the  most  attached  to  him,self.  In  the 
Epistle  which  he  wrote  to  them  we  find  no  censure 
and  much  praise ;  and  so  zealous  was  their  love  for 
Paul,  that  they  alone  (of  all  the  churches  which  he 
founded)  forced  him  from  the  very  beginning  to  ac- 
cept their  contributions  for  his  support.  We  might 
suppose  from  this  that  they  were  a  wealthy  church ; 
yet  Paul  tells  us  that  "  in  the  heavy  trial  which  had 
proved  their  steadfastness,  the  fullness  of  their  joy 
had  overflowed  out  of  the  depth  of  their  poverty,  in 
the  richness  of  their  liberality."     C. 


Section  217. 

Acts  xvii.  1-15. 

1  Now  when  they  had  passed  through  Araphipohs  and  Apollonia,  they  came  to  Thessalo- 

2  nica,  where  was  a  synagogue  of  the  Jews :  and  Paul,  as  his  manner  was,  went  in  unto  them, 

3  and  three  sabbath  days  reasoned  with  them  out  of  the  scriptures,  opening  and  alleging. 


lis 


SECTION'  217.— ACTS  11  : 1-15. 


that  Christ  must  needs  have  suffered,  and  risen  again  from  the  dead  ;  and  that  this  Jesus, 

4  whom  I  preach  unto  you,  is  Clirist.     And  some  of  them  beUeved,  and  consorted  with  Paul 
and  Silas-  and  of  the  devout  Greeks  a  great  multitude,  and  of  the  chief  women  not  a  few. 

5  But  the  Jews  which  believed  not,  moved  with  envy,  took  unto  them  certain  lewd  fellows 
of  the  baser  sort  and  gathered  a  company,  and  set  all  the  city  on  an  uproar,  and  assaulted 

6  the  house  of  Jason,  and  sought  to  bring  them  out  to  the  people.     And  when  they  found 
tliem  not,  they  drew  Jason  and  certain  brethren  unto  the  rulers  of  the  citv,  crying,  These 

7  that  have  turned  the  world  upside  down  are  come  hither  also :  whom  Jason  hath  received : 
and  these  all  do  contrary  to  the  decrees  of  Cajsar,  saying  that  there  is  another  king,  one 

8  Jesus.     And  they  troubled  the  people  and  the  rulers  of  the  city,  when  they  heard  these 

9  things.     And  when  they  had  taken  security  of  Jason,  and  of  the  other,  they  let  them  go. 

10  And  the  brethren  immediately  sent  away  Paul  and  Silas  by  night  unto  Berea :  who  com- 

11  ing  fMther  went  into  the  synagogue  of  the  Jews,  These  were  more  noble  than  those  in 
Thessalonica,  in  that  they  received  the  word  with  all  readiness  of  mind,  and  searched  the 

12  scriptures  daily,  whether  those  things  were  so.     Therefore  many  of  them  believed  ;  also  of 

13  honourable  women  which  were  Greeks,  and  of  men,  not  a  few.  But  when  the  Jews  of 
Thessalonica  had  knowledge  that  the  word  of  God  was  preaclied  of  Paul  at  Berea,  they 

14  came  thither  also,  and  stirred  up  the  people.     And  then  immediately  the  brethren  sent 

15  away  Paul  to  go  as  it  were  to  the  sea:  but  Silas  and  Timotheus  abode  there  still.  And 
they  that  conducted  Paul  brought  him  unto  Athens:  and  receiving  a  commandment  unto 
Silas  and  Timotheus  for  to  come  to  him  with  all  speed,  they  departed. 


What  true  nobleness  is  and  how  it  manifests  itself,  according  to  God's  estimate,  is  here  disclosed  by 
the  Holy  Ghost.  It  is  that  open-heartedness  that  sem-chcs,  and  ponders,  and  receives  Cod's  own  loord  of  in- 
struction and  direction.  It  is  that  childlike  receptivencss  of  heart  that  not  only  believes  and  trusts  in  God, 
but  AaJiitoa%  delights  in  bis  truth  and  tests  his  promises.  The  truth  of  God  is  adapted  to  the  whole 
spiritual  being,  and  is  the  only  thing  that  meets  and  satisfies  all  its  needs.  As  its  reception  is  necessary 
to  the  knowledge  of  God,  so  the  heart-appropriation  of  its  promises  is  essential  to  their  actual  experience. 
Therefore,  of  all  searching  and  study,  this  in  itself  best  rewards  the  soul ;  while  it  alone,  through  an  in- 
wrought faith  and  hope,  insures  the  rich  return  of  God's  continual  blessing.     B. 

I  believe  that  the  Bible  is  to  be  understood  and  received  in  the  plain  and  obvious  meaning  of  its  pas- 
san'es  ;  since  I  can  not  persuade  myself  that  a  book  intended  for  tlie  instruction  and  conversion  of  the 
whole  world  should  cover  its  true  meaning  in  such  mystery  and  doubt  that  none  but  critics  and  philoso- 
phers can  discover  it ;  and  that  he  is  the  most  accomplished  Christian  scholar  who  hath  been  educated  at 
the  feet  of  Jesus.     Daniel  Webster. 


The  vast  territory  subject  to  Rome  was  covered 
with  a  network  of  magnificent  roads,  which  moved 
in  straight  lines,  crossing  mountains  and  bridging 
rivers,  binding  together  the  most  remote  cities,  and 
connecting  them  all  with  the  capital.  The  deep 
ruts,  worn  in  the  hard,  basaltic  pavement,  and  still 
visible  even  in  places  far  from  the  metropolis,  show 
to  what  extent  they  were  used.  Five  main  lines 
went  out  from  Rome  to  the  extremities  of  the  em- 
pire. These,  with  their  branches  running  in  what- 
ever direction  public  convenience  required,  were 
connected  at  the  seaports  with  the  routes  of  mari- 
time travel.  A  journey  might  have  been  made  upon 
Roman  highways,  interrupted  only  by  brief  trips 
upon  the  sea,  from  Alexandria  to  Carthage,  thence 
through  Spain  and  France,  and  northward  to  the 
Scottish  border ;  then  back  through  Leyden,  Co- 
logne, Milan,  eastward  by  land  to  Constantinople 
and  Antioch,  and  thence  to  Alexandria ;  and  the  dis- 


tance traversed  would  have  exceeded  seven  thousand 
miles.  The  traveler  could  measure  his  progress  by 
the  mile-stones  along  all  these  roads.     G.  P.  F. 

1-4.  At  Thessalonica  Paul  preaches  Christ  and 
founds  a  Church. — From  Philippi  to  Thessalonica 
— one  hundred  miles  a  little  south  of  west — Paul 
traversed  one  of  the  gi'eat  Roman  roads.  The  Via 
Egnatia  extended  across  Macedonia  nearly  east  and 
west,  five  hundred  miles,  from  the  Adriatic  to  the 
river  Ilcbrus  in  Thrace.  Thessalonica  was  about 
midway  between  these  points.  Amphipolis,  an  his- 
toric city,  thirty-three  miles  from  Philippi  and 
Apollonia,  a  further  thirty  miles,  were  convenient 
tarrying  places  on  the  three  days'  journey ;  the 
third  bringing  them  thirty-seven  miles  to  Thessa- 
lonica.   (See  map,  p.  112.) 

Thessalonica,  at  the  head  of  the  Thermaic  Gulf, 
was  then  the  capital  and  chief  city  of  the  Roman 
province  of  Macedonia.     Originally  called  Thermae, 


SECTIOIf  217.— ACTS  11 : 1-15. 


119 


it  was  renamed  by  Cassander,  who  rebuilt  it  in 
honor  of  his  wife  Thessalonica,  the  sister  of  Alex- 
ander the  Great.  This  name  had  been  given  her  by 
Philip  as  a  memorial  of  a  signal  victory  in  Thessaly. 
Fronting  the  sea,  built  in  successive  tiers  upon  a 
steep,  rocky  ascent,  it  was  a  beautiful  city ;  and, 
under  the  Eomans,  a  populous  and  wealthy  com- 


mercial center.  B. Before  the  founding  of  Con- 
stantinople, it  shared  the  trade  of  the  .^gean  with 
Ephesus  and  Corinth.  Through  the  middle  ages,  it 
never  ceased  to  be  important ;  and  it  is  at  the  pres- 
ent day,  under  the  name  Salonica,  the  second  city  in 
European  Turkey.  The  reason  of  this  continued 
preeminence  is  found  in  its  geographical  position : 


Salonica — Ancient  Thessalonica.    (See  map,  p.  112.) 


on  the  inner  bend  of  the  Thermaic  Gulf;  on  the 
sea-margin  of  a  vast  plain  watered  by  several  rivers ; 
and  at  the  entrance  of  the  pass  which  commands  the 
approach  to  the  other  great  Macedonian  level.  We 
see  at  once  how  appropriate  a  place  it  was  for  one 
of  the  starting-points  of  the  Gospel  in  Europe ;  and 
we  can  appreciate  the  force  of  Paul's  expression  a 
few  months  later,  when  he  says  that  from  them 
"  the  word  of  the  Lord  had  sounded  forth  like  a 
trumpet,  ni^  only  in  Macedonia  and  Achaia,  but  in 
every  place."  H. Attracted  by  the  great  advan- 
tages for  trade,  the  number  of  Jews  was  large;  and 
it  has  remained  so  until  the  present  day,  when  it  is 
estimated  at  nearly  one  third  in  a  population  of 
seventy  thousand. 

Into  their  synagogue,  "  as  his  manner,  or  cus- 
tom, was,"  Paul  went  upon  the  first  Sabbath  after 
his  arrival.  His  theme  was  Christ — a  suffering  Mes- 
siah— and  one  risen  from  the  dead.  His  sole  au- 
thority, his  only  ground  both  of  argument  and 
appeal,  was  the  Jewish  Scriptures.  As  at  Antioch 
(ch.  13)  so  here — and  everywhere — always  "out  of 
the  Scriptures^''  he  "  opens  "  or  explains,  and  "  al- 
leges "  or  proclaims,  "  Christ  crucified,  the  power  of 
God  and  the  wisdom  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every 
one  that  believcth.'.'     His  basis  of  statement,  like 


Eis  Master's,  is,  "  It  is  ivAden."  And  responsive  to 
the  rise7i  Master's  expression  to  the  two  disciples  on 
the  road,  "  Ought  not  Christ  to  have  suffered  ?  "  is 
this  of  Paul,  "  that  Christ  must  needs  have  suif  ered  ! " 
Doubtless,  too,  responsive  to  the  Master's  proof  from 
"  Moses  and  the  Prophets  "  was  Paul's  unfolding  of 
the  Christ ;  in  the  types,  the  sacrifices,  the  promises 
and  the  prophecies  of  the  old  covenant.  The  mean- 
ing of  the  ought  and  the  must  needs,  as  applied  to 
Christ's  suffering,  was  explained,  as  he  has  reasoned 
it  in  his  Epistles  :  tltat  God  might  be  just  and  yet  the 
justifier  of  the  sinner,  penitent  and  believing  in  Jesus. 
Three  weeks  he  continued  his  ministry  in  the 
synagogue.  Then,  although  a  few  of  the  Jews  be- 
lieved, the  greater  number  arrayed  themselves  against 
Paul.  Compelled  to  desist  from  preaching  in  their 
synagogue,  he  remained  for  a  considerable  period — 
at  least  three  or  four  months — laboring  among  the 
Gentiles,  and  with  great  success.  Besides  the  few 
Jews,  "  a  great  multitude  "  of  Greek  proselytes,  and 
many  of  the  "  chief  women,"  believed,  and  were 
divinely  led  to  cast  in  their  lot  with  Paul  and  Silas. 
In  so  comparatively  brief  a  period  was  created  and 
organized  that  Church  of  the  Thessalonians  to  whom 
not  long  after  Paul  addressed  his  two  Epistles.  As 
we  learn  from  these  Epistles,  a  chief  topic  of  his 


120 


SECTION  217.— ACTS  17  : 1-15. 


preaching  at  this  time  had  been  the  second  coming 
of  Christ  in  regal  majesty.  It  is  not,  therefore, 
surprising  that  the  unbelieving  Jews  (who  had 
listened  to  purpose)  should  instigate  the  mob  to 
accuse  these  Christians  of  setting  up  another  king, 
one  Jesus.. 

5-9.  Jason  and  Other  Disciples  dragged  before 
the  Rulers  and  accused,  but  released  on  Bail. — The 
Jews  were  again  the  persecutors,  and  from  the  same 
cause  as  at  Antioch — envy  that  the  Gentiles  should 
be  fellow-heirs  to  the  promises  of  God.  Yet  their 
pride  neither  disdained  nor  scrupled  to  employ  the 
worst  elements  of  the  populace,  the  vagabond  and 
vile  idlers  around  the  market-place.  This  rabble 
they  stirred  up  to  gather  at  the  house  of  Jason  and 
demand  the  surrender  of  Paul  and  Silas.  When 
these  could  not  be  discovered,  they  seized  the  dis- 
ciples found  in  the  house  and  dragged  them  before 
the  rulers.  Their  exaggerated  statement  respecting 
Paul  and  Silas,  in  the  introduction  to  their  charge 
against  Jason  and  the  rest,  affords  striking  evidence 
of  the  widespread  and  deep  impression  made  by  the 
Gospel  in  the  few  years  of  Paul's  ministry.  "  These 
men  have  turned  the  world  upside  down ! "  is  the 
testimony  by  which,  while  designing  to  calumniate 
and  injure  these  preachers  of  Jesus,  they  only  prove 
their  fidelity  and  success.  The  charge  is  the  old 
one  against  Christ — of  disloyalty  to  Caesar.  Yet 
the  loyalty  of  these  accusing  Jews,  like  those  before 
Pilate,  was  only  a  cloak  and  pretense. 

The  charge  had  a  peculiar  significance  in  Thes- 
salonica.  For  it  was,  by  special  favor  of  the  Romati 
emperors,  a  free  city,  with  elective  magistrates  and 
a  representative  legislature.  And  these  high  privi- 
leges of  self-government  were  conditioned  upon 
strict  fidelity  to  Rome.  Hence  the  charge  of  com- 
mitting or  inciting  treason  would  be  jealously  heed- 
ed by  magistrates  and  people.  But  unlike  the 
magistrates  (praetors)  of  Philippi,  who  yielded  to 
the  mob's  demands,  these  rulers,  ov  jwUtarcJis  (a  term 
meaning  "  governors  of  the  citizens,"  also  accurate- 
ly used  by  Luke,  and  a  title  still  existing  in  an  in- 
scription upon  an  entrance  archway),  acted  as  be- 
came their  judicial  character.  Either  they  received 
the  explanation  that  Christ  had  given  Pilate  of  His 
kingship  over  the  empire  of  truth  with  the  heart  as 
the  sphere  of  his  rule,  or  they  were  satisfied  that 
no  treason  was  intended.  For  they  released  Jason 
and  his  companions,  after  receiving  security  for  their 
pledge  that  no  more  trouble  should  ensue.  Partly 
in  compliance  with  this  pledge,  but  chiefly  for  the 
safety  of  Paul  and  Pilat,  and  the  prosperity  of  the 
infant  Church,  "  the  brethren  immediately  sent 
them  away  by  night  to  Berea." 

10-12.  The  Berean  Jews  compare  the  ApostWs 
Preaching  with  the  Word  of  God.  Their  Consequent 
Faith. — In  Berea  Paul  keeps  up  "  his  manner  "  of 


going  first  to  the  synagogue,  notwithstanding  his 
discouraging  reception  by  the  Thessalonian  Jews. 
This  city,  forty-five  miles  southwest  of  Thessalonica, 
still  remains  under  the  name  of  Verria,  with  a  pop- 
ulation of  eighteen  or  twenty  thousand. 

The  record  of  the  Jews  of  Berea — a  considerable 
body — is  most  honorable.  The  mass  of  the  nation, 
especially  the  highest  in  office  and  culture,  had 
everywhere  before  rejected  the  claims  of  Christ 
without  investigation,  through  contempt  and  pride. 
These  Bereans  were  characterized  by  a  far  different 
temper  and  a  nobler  spirit.  What  Christ  had  vainly 
urged  upon  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  (John  5  :  39), 
they  did ;  and  as  a  body  for  the  first  time  was  this 
"  searching  "  done  in  the  spirit  of  candid  and  ear- 
nest inquiry.  Their  nobleness — so  is  their  spirit  char- 
acterized by  the  Holy  Ghost — was  evinced  in  a  mind 
attent  to  hear  and  awake  to  perceive,  and  a  heart 
willing  to  receive  the  new  truths  and  thoroughly  to 
investigate  their  authority  and  their  claims.  There- 
fore, day  by  day,  as  Paul  taught,  they  tested  his 
teaching  by  its  agreement  with  the  Scriptures  to 
which  he  appealed.  Thus  going  to  the  divine  source, 
without  any  bias  of  prejudice  or  partisanship,  they 
honestly  sought  for  truth,  applied  their  minds  to 
its  test,  and  formed  their  own  judgment  upon  the 
evidence  divinely  furnished.  So  they  most  honored 
the  Word,  and  best  seconded  the  efforts  of  its  preach- 
ers. And  so  searching,  as  Christ  commanded,  they 
found,  as  Christ  had  promised  :  they  believed!  Would 
that  all  thoughtful  souls  were  thus  noble  I  Would 
that  preachers  in  the  study  and  the  pulpit,  hearers 
in  the  pew,  and  readers  in  the  home,  were  all 
free  from  the  unconscious  trammels  of  preconceived 
opinions,  of  educated  prejudice  or  trained  partisan- 
ship, respecting  the  truths  of  the  Divine  Word ! 
Would  that  all  were  habituated  to  simple,  honest, 
earnest,  prayerful  search  to  know  nothing  but  the 
mind  of  God,  as  disclosed  in  the  Scriptures  He  has 
given  us  by  inspiration. 

13,  14,  Paul  sent  away  from  Berea,  because  of 
Persecution  stirred  up  by  Jeius  from  Tlicssalonica. — 
Only  a  few  weeks,  at  the  most,  did  he  probably  re- 
main in  Berea.  During  this  period  he  sought,  but 
was  unable,  to  revisit  Thessalonica  (1  Thes.  2  :  18). 
With  the  same  spirit  and  purpose  as  in  his  First 
Journey  he  was  pursued  to  Lystra,  the  envious,  hating 
Jews  sought  to  break  up  his  good  work  in  Berea. 
And  they  employed  their  usual  method,  of  instigat- 
ing the  people  to  mob  violence.  But  the  "  brethren  " 
anticipated  their  plans  by  sending  away  Paul.  Many 
of  them  escorted  him  (not  "  as  it  were,"  but)  even 
doivn  to  the  sea,  as  the  quicker  and  safer  way  of  es- 
cape, and  the  more  direct  and  expeditious  route  to 
some  place  of  destination.  Some  went  with  him  as 
far  as  Athens,  and  returned  with  his  message  to 
Silas  and  Timothy.     B. 


SECTION  218.— ACTS  17  :  16-34.  121 

That  the  apostle  had  no  deliberate   purpose  of  I  to  the  conflict  with  Greek  pMlosophy  and  Roman 
going  to  Athens  seems  clear  from  the  statement     force.     S. 

that  the  brethren  at  Berea  sent  him  away  to  go  to  Of  the  future  of  this  Berean  church  we  are  not 

the  sea  ;  and  then  his  conductors,  guided  no  doubt     informed.     Silas  remained  with  it  for  a  considerable 


by  circumstances,  such  as  what  vessels  happened  to 
be  sailing,  brought  him  to  Athens.  The  distinctive 
divine  call  which  appointed  him  the  Apostle  of  the 
Gentiles  is  made  all  the  clearer  from  the  slowness, 
not  to  say  reluctance,  with  which  he  is  urged  on 
from  Jerusalem  to  Cilicia  and  Syria,  from  Asia 
Minor  to  Europe,  from  the  Jewish  settlements  in 
Macedonia  to  Athens  and  Corinth,  as  if  the  voice 
were  repeated  at  every  step,  "  BepaH !  for  /  ivill 
send  thee  far  hence  unto  the  Gentiles."  Paul  was  no 
rash  adventurer,  rushing  forward  in  his  own  strength 


period  longer.  And  Timothy  took  part  in  tis  care 
of  it,  until  Paul  sent  the  youthful  evangelist  (in  his 
stead)  to  exhort  and  confirm  in  their  faith  the  Thes- 
salonian  believers.  But  the  noble  character  of  its 
members,  their  remarkable  freedom  from  prejudice, 
and  their  instant  hearty  acceptance  of  the  Word, 
seem  to  authorize  the  belief  that  theirs  was  an  un- 
usually attractive  history ;  developing  no  peculiar- 
ities of  doctrine  or  practice  that  required  a  dis- 
tinctive epistle  from  their  great  Christian  foun- 
der.    B. 


Section  218. 

Acts  xvii.  16-34. 


16  Now  while  Paul  waited  for  them  at  Athens,  his  spirit  was  stirred  in  him,  when  he  saw 

17  the  city  wholly  given  to  idolatry.     Therefore  disputed  he  in  the  synagogue  with  the  Jews, 

18  and  with  the  devout  persons,  and  in  the  market  daily  with  them  that  met  with  him.  Then 
certain  philosophers  of  the  Epicureans,  and  of  the  Stoics,  encountered  him.  And  some 
said,  Wliat  will  this  babbler  say  ?  other  some,  He  seemeth  to  be  a  setter  forth  of  strange 

19  gods :  because  he  preaclied  unto  them  Jesus,  and  the  resurrection.  And  they  took  him, 
and  brought  him  unto  Areopagus,  saying,  May  we  know  what  this  new  doctrine,  whereof 

20  thou  speakest,  is?     For  thou  bringest  certain  strange  things  to  our  ears:  we  would  know 

21  therefore  what  these  things  mean.  (For  all  the  Atlienians  and  strangers  which  were  there 
spent  their  time  in  nothing  else,  but  either  to  tell,  or  to  hear  some  new  thing.) 

22  Then  Paul  stood  in  the  midst  of  Mars'  hill,  and  said,  Ye  men  of  Athens,  I  perceive  that 

23  in  all  things  ye  are  too  superstitious.  For  as  I  passed  by,  and  beheld  your  devotions,  I 
found  an  altar  with  this  inscription,  TO  THE  UNKNOWN  GOD.     Whom  therefore  ye 

24  ignorantly  worship,  him  declare  I  unto  you.  God  that  made  the  world  and  all  things 
therein,  seeing  that  he  is  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  dwelleth  not  in  temples  made  with 

25  hands;  neither  is  worshipped  with  men's  hands,  as  though  he  needed  anything,  seeing  he 

26  giveth  to  all  life,  and  breath,  and  all  things  ;  and  hath  made  of  one  blood  all  nations  of  men 
for  to  dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  hath  determined  the  times  before  appointed, 

27  and  the  bounds  of  their  habitation ;  that  they  should  seek  the  Lord,  if  haply  they  might 

28  feel  after  him,  and  find  him,  though  he  be  not  far  from  every  one  of  us:  for  in  him  we 
live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being ;  as  certain  also  of  your  own  poets  have  said,  For  we 

29  are  also  his  offspring.  Forasmuch  then  as  we  are  the  offspring  of  God,  we  ought  not  to 
think  that  the  Godhead  is  like  unto  gold,  or  silver,  or  stone,  graven  by  art  and  man's  de- 

30  vice.     And  the  times  of  this  ignorance  God  winked  at;  but  now  commandeth  all  men 

31  every  where  to  repent:  because  he  hath  appointed  a  day,  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the 
world  in  righteousness  by  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained;  whereof  he  hath  given  assur- 
ance unto  all  men,  in  that  he  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead. 

32  And  when  they  heard  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  some  mocked :  and  others  said, 

33  "We  will  hear  thee  again  of  this  matter.     So  Paul  departed  from  among  them.     Howbeit 

34  certain  men  clave  unto  him,  and  believed :  among  the  which  was  Dionysius  the  Areopagite, 
and  a  woman  named  Damaris,  and  others  with  them. 


122 


SEGTIOX  218.— ACTS  17  :  16-34. 


By  no  means  so  strange  to  the  ear  of  the  ancient  world  was  the  doctrine  of  the  future  life,  and  of 
the  resurrection  of  the  body,  as  was  this  doctrine,  That  Truth  is  every  man's  concernment,  every  man's 
ri^ht  and  every  man's  most  necessary  possession.  The  apostolic  voice,  sounding  throughout  the  ancient 
world  and  callin'^  upon  "all  men  everywhere  to  repent,  and  to  believe  the  gospel,"  besides  its  direct  re- 
lit^ious  import,  carried  an  inevitable,  though  latent  inference,  which  has  effected  the  greatest  of  all  the 
revolutions  that  have  marked  the  intellectual  condition  of  mankind.  This  challenge  to  repent  and  to 
believe  awakened  in  every  bosom  a  sense  of  responsibility  altogether  new,  putting  as  it  did  every  human 
bcin"  in  a  position  of  direct  relationship  to  God,  the  Judge  of  all,  and  fixing  in  the  minds  of  all  a  deep 
conviction  tliat  the  difference  between  truth  and  error  is  of  infinite  consequence  to  men  individually. 
Never  until  it  was  proclaimed  by  the  apostles,  had  it  been  surmised,  either  by  Greek  or  Jew,  that  Truth, 
sacred  Truth,  the  brightest  daughter  of  the  skies,  might  be  vulgarized,  and  offered  to  the  acceptance  of 
the  mass  of  mankind.  In  the  ancient  world.  Truth,  whether  theological  or  physical,  was,  like  the  costly 
perfumes  of  the  East,  an  exquisite  luxury,  which  should  be  found  only  within  marble  palaces.  But  in 
the  modern  world,  and  this  vast  change  is  attributable  mainly  to  the  spread  of  Christianity,  truth  has 
become,  like  the  very  breezes  of  heaven,  common  property,  and  is  everywhere  sweet,  salutary,  free.     I.  T. 


The  order  and  course  of  Paul's  Second  Journey 
is  easily  remembered  by  noting  its  three  geographi- 
cal divisions — -^he  first  including  Asia  Minor;  the 
second,  Macedonia,  with  the  cities  of  Philippi,  Thes- 
salonica,  and  Berea ;  the  third  (upon  which  we  now 
enter),  Greece,  then  called  Achaia.  Athens  and  Cor- 
inth were  its  principal  cities.     (See  map,  p.  129.) 

IG,  17.  Athens,  forty-six  miles  east  of  Corinth, 
was  situated  three  to  four  miles  from  the  coast  of 
the  Saronic  Gulf,  though  connected  by  a  wall-inclos- 
ure  with  its  seaport,  Piraeus.  It  had  long  been  dis- 
tinguished above  other  ancient  cities  in  art  and  phi- 
losophy, in  learning  and  culture ;  noted,  too,  for  its 
statesmen  and  warriors.     Even  in  its  subject  and 


Athens — the  Acropolis. 

declining  condition  under  the  Romans,  it  was  still 
outwardly  magnificent — still  famous  for  its  trophies 
of  art,  its  schools  of  science  and  philosophy.  It 
was  still  the  university  of  the  world,  and  its  people 
retained  all  their  pride  of  knowledge  and  culture. 

There  were  mainly _^i'c  great  centers  of  public  at- 
traction, centers  of  renowned  historic  transactions. 


1.  The  Agora,  or  marl-et,  upon  a  low  level  in  a  cen- 
tral locality — a  place  of  concourse  for  traffic,  for 
worship,  and  for  public  discourse  or  discussion.  2. 
The  Museum,  upon  a  hill  (south  of  the  Agora).  3. 
The  Pnyx,  an  inclosed  rocky  eminence  (on  the  west 
of  the  Agora)  where  political  assemblages  met.  4. 
The  Acropolis,  a  towering  temple-crowned  height  on 
the  east,  with  a  table  summit  (1,000  by  500  feet), 
long  appropriated  to  the  structures  and  offices  of 
worship.  5.  Another  separate  rocky  eminence  (on 
the  north  of  the  Agora,  between  the  Pnyx  and 
the  Acropolis),  the  Areopagus,  or  Mars  Hill — so 
called  from  the  legendary  trial  of  that  god.  A  flight 
of  sixteen  steps,  cut  in  the  stone,  led  up  from  the 
Agora  to  the  Areopagus. 
Here  was  the  seat  of  the 
supreme  tribunal,  which 
sentenced  eminent  State 
criminals,  and  adjudicated 
upon  questions  of  religion. 
No  other  place  was  so  ap- 
propriate for  the  proposed 
theme  of  Paul's  discourse. 
All  these  five  centers  of 
popular  interest  were  still 
great  sanctuaries  of  art, 
religion,  and  history.  They 
were  still  resplendent  with 
temple  -  structures,  porti- 
coes, and  altars ;  edifices 
of  the  rarest  architectural 
beauty,  consecrated  to  the 
gods  and  to  the  glory  of 
the  nation.  They  were  filled  with  the  master-pieces 
of  statuary,  by  Phidias  and  his  creative  succes- 
sors, representing  all  mythical  and  imaginary  divin- 
ities, and  all  memorable  persons  and  events  in  the 
long  brilliant  history  of  this  widely  known  and 
famous  city.  But  all  this  glory  of  art  and  history 
was  perverted  to  the  uses  and  corrupting  effects  of 


SECTION  SIS.— ACTS  17  :  16-34. 


123 


idolatrous  worship.  Appreciating,  as  Paul  could, 
the  grandeur  and  beauty  of  its  architecture  and 
sculptures,  the  high  culture  and  renowned  deeds  rep- 
resented in  its  monumental  statuary,  his  heart  was 
yet  profoundly  saddened  by  the 
waste  and  misuse  of  these  prod- 
ucts of  genius  in  their  subservi- 
ence to  a  worsliip  which  was  the 
medium  of  all  seltish  and  vile 
gratification.  Destitute  of  all 
knowledge  of  God  and  of  sin, 
without  any  high  aim  or  object 
in  living,  their  religious  senti- 
ments, beliefs,  and  ceremonies  of 
worship,  nay  more,  the  very  min- 
istry of  art,  taste,  and  culture, 
encouraged  and  wrought  only  a 
shameless  profligacy.  The  popu- 
lar estimate  of  the  character  of 
their  gods  was  such  that  Seneca 
said,  "  that  no  other  effect  could 
possibly  be  produced,  but  that  all 
shame  on  account  of  sin  must  be 
taken  away  from  men,  if  they  be- 
lieve in  such  gods." 

Beholding  the  multitude  of 
idols,  to  which  such  a  character  was  attributed  and 
such  worship  rendered,  no  wonder  that  Paul's  spirit 
was  stirred  within  him.  No  wonder  that  with  the 
Jews  in  the  synagogue,  and  with  the  Greeks  in  the 
Agora  or  market,  he  reasoned  (not  disptited),  aqd 
preached  his  old  theme — Jesus  and  the  Eesurrection. 

18-21.  Here,  first,  Christianity  came  in  contact 
with  human  philosophy :  especially  with  the  two 
systems  most  at  variance  with  its  pure  and  elevating 
principles.  Daily,  for  many  days,  he  entered  this 
new  arena,  where  men  congregated  for  worship  or 
gossip,  for  trade  or  discussion ;  and  in  temple,  bazaar, 
or  cloister,  boldly  avowed  and  pressed  home  the 
Christian  truth  upon  all  of  every  creed  and  class 
who  would  listen.  Of  the  four  great  schools  of  phi- 
losophy, which  had  their  origin  and  seat  in  the  city 
of  Socrates,  only  the  representatives  of  two  seem  to 
have  here  encountered  Paul.  No  reference  is  made 
to  disciples  of  the  two  more  distinguished  philoso- 
phers, Plato  and  Aristotle ;  the  former,  as  pupil  of 
Socrates,  founder  of  the  Lyceum,  and  the  latter  of 
the  Academy.  B. It  is  observable  that  no  men- 
tion is  here  made  of  the  Peripatetics,  Academics,  or 
Plaionists,  whose  doctrines  were  not  so  much  op- 
posed to  Christianity  as  those  of  the  Stoics  and 
Epicureans.  Indeed,  they  may  be  said  to  have  in 
some  degree  prepared  the  better  part  of  the  world 
for  the  reception  of  the  gospel.     W. 

In  a  remarkable  conception  respecting  the  Teach- 
er from  heaven  whom  the  world  needs,  occurs  this 
prophetic  utterance  of  Plato:    "This   just   person 


must  be  poor,  and  void  of  all  qualifications  but 
those  of  virtue  alone.  A  wicked  world  will  not 
bear  his  instructions  and  reproofs ;  and  therefore, 
within  three  or  four  years  after  he  begins  to  preach, 


Plan  of  Athens,  showing  the  Agora,  or  Market,  the  Pnyx,  the  Areopag-us,  the 
Acropolis,  and  the  Museum. 

he  should  be  persecuted,  imprisoned,  scourged,  and 
at  last  be  put  to  death."     B. 

Epicureans,  or  Philosophers  of  the  Garden,  owed 
their  name  to  Epicurus,  who  died  at  Athens  in  b.  c. 
270,  leaving  his  house  and  garden  to  be  the  constant 
seat  of  his  philosophy ;  which  was  accordingly  main- 
tained there  till  the  time  of  which  wc  are  now  read- 
ing. Ue  taught  that  the  highest  good  and  great  end 
of  existence  was  serene  enjoyment,  which  his  fol- 
lowers interpreted  as  meaning  pleasure,  and  that 
often  of  the  grossest  kind.  He  ascribed  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world  to  chance ;  and,  although  he  ac- 
knowledged the  existence  of  the  gods,  described 
them  as  indifferent  to  human  interests  and  human 
conduct.  The  Stoics,  or  Philosophers  of  the  Porch, 
were  so  called  from  the  Stoa  Fcecih,  or  Painted 
Porch,  adjoining  one  of  the  Athenian  squares  or 
markets,  where  their  founder  taught  at  the  same 
time  with  Epicurus.  The  Stoics  acknowledged  the 
supremacy  of  moral  good,  and  even  affected  to  deny 
the  difference  between  pain  and  pleasure.  They 
also  acknowledged  a  supreme  God  and  a  providence  ; 
but  the  former  confounded  with  the  world  or  uni- 
verse, the  latter  governed  by  a  fatal  necessity.  In 
later  times,  the  Epicurean  system  was  a  favorite 
with  the  Greeks,  and  the. Stoical  with  the  Romans, 
as  suiting  their  national  characters  respectively  ;  but 

each  had  adherents  in  both  races.     J.  A.  A. In 

Epicureanism,  it  was  man's  sensual  nature  which 
arrayed  itself  against  the  claims  of  the  gospel ;  in 
Stoicism,  it  was  his  self-righteousness  and  pride  of 


124 


SECTION  218.— ACTS  17  :  16-34. 


intellect ;  and  it  is  difficult  to  say  wliicli  of  the  two 
systems  rendered  its  votaries  the  more  indisposed  to 
embrace  the  truth.     Hackett. 

With  mixed  curiosity  and  scorn,  Paul  was  heard 
by  these  disciples  of  Epicurus  and  Zeno.  Some 
called  him  "babbler,"  literally,  a  bird  that  picks 
up  seeds ;  then,  a  scrap-beggar  about  the  market- 
place; and  last,  a  reporter  of  idle  tales  picked  up 
anywhere.  Others,  according  to  the  Greek  notion 
of  peopling  all  worlds  with  spiritual  powers  or 
demons,  said.  He  is  telling  us  of  new  demons  or  dei- 
ties. Still  they  were  so  much  interested  in  Paul's 
teaching  that  they  asked  him  to  address  them  more 
formally  and  at  length,  from  the  inclosure  of  the 
Areopagus  adjoining,  and  led  him  up  the  stony  steps 
to  a  rock-hewn  platform.     B. 


He  had  brought  the  new  truth,  to  proclaim  it  in 
this  capital  of  men's  intellectual  life.  In  his  per- 
son, on  his  landing  at  the  Piraeus,  the  morning  light 
of  the  new  age  rose  on  a  second  continent.  Yet 
everything  about  him  was  appallingly  bleak,  every 
face  was  unfriendly.  Any  courage  less  valiant  than 
that  of  the  Son  of  God  in  his  heart  must  have 
quailed  before  the  overpowering  splendor  and  des- 
potism of  the  old  heathenism,  in  the  very  strong- 
hold of  its  dominion.  Athens  was  the  brain  of  the 
world.  The  apostle  had  come  to  it,  as  fearless  of 
its  sophistries  and  arrogance  as  he  had  been  of  the 
swords  and  dungeons  of  Syria.  He  had  come  to 
say:  "You  classic  Greeks,  artists,  poets,  philoso- 
phers, are  seeking  after  wisdom ;  but  the  foolish- 
ness of  God  is  wiser  than  the  wisest  of  you.     One 


The  Areopagus  and  the  Acropolis. 


God  made  you ;  one  Saviour  died  for  you.  Your 
Olympus  is  a  fiction.  I  preach  unto  you  Christ,  and 
him  crucified,  the  wisdom  of  God  and  the  power  of 
God;  your  Saviour,  if  you  will  be  saved."  How 
right  that  this  should  have  been  spoken  from  the 
Athenian  Areopagus,  the  hill-top  of  that  luminous 
center  of  the  old  pagan  civilization:  where  Stoics 
and  Epicureans  and  soldiers — philosophy  and  pleas- 
ure and  power — Alexandria  and  Corinth  and  Rome, 
and  the  three  continents,  could  hear !  F.  D.  H. 
Not  only  in  Athens,  but  no  doubt  often  in  his 


circuit  through  Greece  and  its  colonies,  he  stood 
surrounded  by  the  sarcastic  curiosity  of  Stoics,  Epi- 
cureans, and  Academicians.  He  knew,  on  such  oc- 
casions, in  what  spirit  he  was  listened  to,  as  a  busy 
and  babbling  zealot  of  the  Jewish  superstition.  He 
could  penetrate — nay,  he  could  feel  a  sympathy  with 
the  erudite  scorn  of  his  auditors :  he  understood  the 
sentiment  with  which  men  of  high  culture  give  ear, 
for  a  moment,  to  a  tale  of  wonder  which  they  have 
condemned  as  absurd  before  it  is  commenced.  In 
the  oblique  glance  of  the  half-closed  eye,  in  the 


SECTION  218.— ACTS  17:16-34. 


125 


sneer  that  played  on  the  lip,  he  read  the  mind  and 
the  malice  of  every  sophist.  He  could  mentally 
change  positions  with  his  auditors,  and  at  the  mo- 
ment while  uttering  the  "strange  things"  of  the 
gospel  could  feel  as  they  felt — the  harsh  and  ab- 
horrent character  both  of  the  principles  and  of  the 
facts  which  he  had  to  announce — Jesus,  the  Gali- 
lean teacher — crucified — raised  to  life — constituted 
Lord  and  Judge  of  men,  and  now  giving  repentance 
for  remission  of  sins.  This  was  his  burden,  at  An- 
tioch,  at  Ephesus,  at  Nicopolis,  at  Corinth,  and  at 
Athens !    I.  T. 

32,  23.  The  Introduction  and  Theme  of  PauVs 
Discourse  on  Mars  Hill. — The  outlook  upon  the 
city  from  the  memorable  rocky  height  upon  which 
he  stood,  the  character  of  his  audience,  and  the 
special  purpose  for  which  they  were  now  gathered 
about  him,  help  us  to  some  just  appreciation  of  the 
courage  of  the  man,  and  of  his  wonderful  skill  in 
shaping  bis  discourse.  In  it  we  find  a  rare  combi- 
nation of  prudence  and  courtesy,  of  wisdom,  fidelity, 
and  boldness.  Never  was  Paul's  own  counsel  to 
Timothy  (2  Tim.  2  ;  24),  especially  its  one  particular, 
apt  to  teach.,  more  signally  illustrated  than  in  this 
introduction  and  in  the  plan  of  his  address.  He 
does  not  (as  our  translation  unhappily  expresses 
it)  charge  them  with  being  "  superstitious  "  or  with 
"ignorantly"  worshiping.  He  simply  speaks  of 
their  exceeding  devoutness  or  reverence  for  their 
gods ;  and  characterizes  their  worship  by  borrowing 
the  very  term  inscribed  on  their  altar.  As  a  wise 
and  model  reformer,  he  knows  that  truth  expels  er- 
ror as  light  banishes  darkness.  He  seizes  his  oppor- 
tunity, not  to  de- 
li nounce  heathen 
priestcraft  and 
impure  worship, 
but  to  proclaim 
the  true  God  and 
explain  true  wor- 
ship. With  a  di- 
vine guidance  he 
j^^  masters  the  peril 
of  his  position  by 
turning  its  very 
difficulties  into  a 
means  of  educa- 
tion and  of  con- 
viction. As  often  before,  in  the  manner  of  Christ,  he 
uses  things  familiar  to  the  Athenians  to  teach  them 
great  and  sublime  truths  they  had  never  appre- 
hended. With  this  purpose  and  in  this  spirit  he  re- 
fers to  the  multitude  of  altars  (not  devotions,  but 
objects  of  devotion),  and  takes  his  theme  from  an  in- 
scription upon  one :  (literally)  To  God  uxknowable. 
This  God,  whom  they  unknowingly  worshiped,  and 
whom  they  thought  to  be  unknowable,  Paul  pro- 


Ancient  Altars :  1, 2.  Egyptian.  3, 5.  As- 
syrian.   4.  Babylonian. 


claims  to  them.  And  he  addresses  them  as  men  of 
intelligence,  and  of  capable  judgment,  in  all  things 
showing  them  proper  respect  and  courtesy.     B. 

The  religion  of  the  Greek  had  in  it  a  kind  of  at- 
tractiveness, but  it  took  all  the  grandeur  out  of  the 
universe.  Instead  of  seeing  the  supreme  God  and 
Father  everywhere  and  in  all  things — shining  in  the 
beauty,  dazzling  in  the  glory,  giving  in  the  fruitful- 
ness,  speaking  in  the  truth — he  saw  himself  imaged 
there.  It  was  man's  universe,  not  Jehovah's.  He 
humanized  the  clouds,  the  forests,  the  rivers,  the 
seas;  peopled  them  with  deities  and  haK  deities, 
with  satyrs  and  fauns,  with  muses  and  nymphs,  each 
of  which  represented  some  side  of  man's  nature. 
He  set  upon  everything  his  own  image  and  super- 
scription. If  there  was  any  real  and  mighty  God, 
any  power  irresistibly  making  for  righteousness  and 
yet  overflowing  with  love,  the  Greek  had  pushed 
him  afar  ofif  and  out.  At  best  there  remained  but 
a  horrible  dream  of  God  in  his  conception  of  all- 
comprehending  and  relentless  fate.  The  altar  "  to 
the  unknown  God"  became  the  only  Greek  altar 
which  was  in  any  sense  an  altar  to  the  true  God. 

D.  S.  G. Paul  declared  the  unknown  God,  whom 

the  Athenians  ignorantly  worshiped,  to  be  the  great 
Creator  of  the  world,  in  whom  and  by  whom  all 
things  were  made,  and  exist.  From  the  visible 
proofs  of  his  providence,  in  his  government  of  the 
world,  he  leads  them  to  the  consideration  of  his 
spiritual  nature ;  and  thus  condemns  the  idolatrous 
worship  of  the  Athenians,  while  he  gradually  un- 
folds to  his  philosophical  audience  the  important 
truths  of  their  accountableness  and  immortality, 
which  were  demonstrated  by  the  fact  of  Christ's 
resurrection  from  the  dead.     G.  T. 

24,  25.  God,  the  Creator,  Ruler,  and  life  of 
the  Universe  needeth  no  Service  of  Jilen's  Hands. — 
The  independent,  unlimited,  absolute  source  and 
controller  of  all  manifest  existences  is  separate 
from  and  superior  to  all.  In  this  implied  statement, 
without  directly  controverting  the  polytheism  of  the 
Greeks,  or  particular  notions  of  Epicurean  or  Stoic, 
Paul  yet  overturns  the  main  points  of  all  their  sys- 
tems. For  he  announces  a  personal  God,  against 
the  Greek  belief  in  material  deities;  he  declares 
"  the  unity  of  the  Godhead,  against  Polytheism ;  the 
creation  of  all  things  by  him,  against  the  Epicurean 
theory  of  a  fortuitous  concourse  of  atoms ;  of  his 
government  of  the  world,  against  the  Stoical  doc- 
trine of  Fate  and  the  Epicurean  notion  of  indiffer- 
ence "  ( Wordsworth). 

With  temples  on  every  side,  majestic  and  beauti- 
ful, but  structures  of  human  hands,  he  yet  boldly 
asserts  (as  Stephen  before  him  to  the  Jews)  that  in 
hand-made  temples  the  Lord — the  Master — of  heav- 
en and  earth  does  not  dwell ;  to  them  he  is  not  con- 
fined.   Nay,  more,  with  thousands  of  altars  smoking 


126 


SECTIOy  218.— ACTS  17  :  16^4. 


with  offerings,  and  ten  thousand  idol-shrines  laden 
with  costly  gifts  and  with  food  and  drink,  from 
those  who  thus  supplied  their  dependent  deities' 
needs,  Paul  as  boldly  announces  the  new  and  elevat- 
ing truth,  that  the  Maker  and  Giver  of  all  needs  no 
rciuistry  of  those  He  has  made.  And  amid  innu- 
merable forms  of  idol  gods,  wrought  in  gold  and 
silver  and  stone  with  every  ingenious  device  of  finest 
human  art,  he  hesitates  not  to  tell  them  that  the 
Godhead  is  not  to  be  conceived  of  or  symbolized 
under  such  graven  or  chiseled  forms.  So  boldly  and 
wisely  Paul  disclosed  the  positive  and  fundamental 
conceptions  relating  to  the  one  only  living  and  true 
God.  Having  thus  declared  the  unity  of  God,  with 
his  creatorship  and  control  of  the  universe,  he  turns 
to  consider  the  corresponding  unity  of  man,  and  his 
place  and  work  in  God's  plan.     B. 

Up  to  a  certain  point  in  this  high  view  of  the 
Supreme  Being,  the  Philosopher  of  the  Garden,  as 
well  as  of  the  Porch,  might  listen  with  wonder  and 
admiration.  It  soared,  indeed,  high  above  the  vulgar 
religion ;  but  in  the  lofty  and  serene  Deity,  who  dis- 
dained to  dwell  in  the  earthly  temple,  and  needed 
nothing  from  the  hand  of  man,  the  Epicurean  might 
almost  suppose  that  he  heard  the  language  of  his 
own  teacher.  But  the  next  sentence,  which  asserted 
the  providence  of  God  as  the  active,  creative  energy 
— as  the  conservative,  the  ruling,  the  ordaining  prin- 
ciple— annihilated  at  once  the  atomic  theory,  and 
the  government  of  blind  chance,  to  which  Epicurus 
ascribed  the  origin  and  preservation  of  the  universe. 

Milman. And  when  the  Stoic  hea-rd  the  apostle 

say  that  we  ought  to  rise  to  the  contemplation  of 
the  Deity  without  the  intervention  of  earthly  objects, 
and  that  we  live  and  move  and  have  our  being  in 
him — it  might  have  seemed  like  an  echo  of  his  own 
thought — until  the  proud  philosopher  learned  that 
it  was  no  pantheistic  diffusion  of  power  and  order 
of  which  the  apostle  spoke,  but  a  living  center  of 
government  and  love — that  the  world  was  ruled,  not 
by  the  iron  necessity  of  Fate,  but  by  the  providence 
of  a  personal  God — and  that  from  the  proudest 
philosopher  repentance  and  meek  submission  were 
sternly  exacted.     H. 

26-29>  ManMncl  one  in  Nature,  limited  and 
controlled  as  to  Time  and  Place ;  yet  Children  of 
God,  supplied  by  his  Providence,  and  designed  for 
his  Companionship. — Heathenism  had  never  at- 
tained the  conception  of  unify  in  the  origin  or  in 
the  history  of  the  race.  According,  to  the  common 
belief,  different  races  or  nations  had  a  different  ori- 
gin, and  each  its  independent  mission  and  history. 
Humanity  had  no  common  tics  of  interest,  associa- 
tion, and  destiny.  This  erroneous  belief,  which 
suggested  and  fostered  the  idea  of  many  gods,  Paul 
corrects  by  the  assertion  that  God  had  made  all  na- 
tions of  one  blood.     Especially  he  cuts  up  by  the 


root  the  conceit  of  the  Athenians  that  they  came  of 
an  aboriginal  stock,  and  were  thus  distinct  from  and 

superior  to  all  others.     B. The  Greeks  were  a 

fine  race  of  men ;  and  they  knew  it.  They  trusted 
in  themselves  that  they  were  intellectually  aud 
physically  beautiful,  and  despised  others.  Mankind 
were  divided  in  their  conception  into  two  great  sec- 
tions— Greeks  and  Barbarians.  They  would  not  ad- 
mit a  community  of  race  with  other  peoples.    Arnot. 

Paul  tells  them  that  they  belong  to  the  one 

race,  made  and  controlled  by  the  one  God;  that 
this  God  is  not  far  from  them ;  that  he  can  be 
sought  and  found  by  them  ;  nay,  more,  that  he  has 
made  them  in  order  that  they  might  seek  his  fellow- 
ship, and  so  find  that  supreme  good  for  which  their 
souls  had  long  been  craving  and  unconsciously  grop- 
ing.    B. 

Till  Christ  came,  this  majestic  fact  in  our  condi- 
tion, that  our  little  human  tent  here  is  overarched 
by  an  infinite  heaven  of  light  and  love  which  really 
opens  and  pours  down  a  living  influence  upon  us, 
scarcely  anywhere  broke  through  the  pagan  shad- 
ows. Here  and  there,  in  some  half-awakened  soul, 
there  was  a  religious  dream  or  guess — some  glim- 
mer of  the  light  that  was  to  rise  on  rich  and  poor 
alike — some  Athenian  thinker,  such  as  Paul  found 
"  feeling  after  God,  if  haply  he  might  find  him  " — 
some  solitary  flash  like  the  Stoic  maxim,  "  Deny  thy- 
self and  aspire,"  almost  worthy  of  the  Son  of  man — 
some  morning-star  like  the  reason  of  Plato.  But 
these  harbingers  of  the  day  only  cast  slender  streaks 
on  a  few  hill-tops,  showing  how  broad  and  deep  the 
darkness  lay  on  all  the  lands  below,     F.  D.  H. 

Not  far  from  any  one  of  us.  Paul  pur- 
posely calls  this  to  mind  in  addressing  the  men  of 
Athens,  who  were  accustomed  to  represent  their 
gods  as  in  Olympic  rest  and  self-satisfaction,  thron- 
ing it  high  above  earth  and  her  puny  inhabitants. 
He  was  really  within  reach  of  their  hand  ;  they  had 
not  to  climb  to  the  height  of  heaven,  or  to  descend 
into  the  depths  of  earth,  but  merely  to  look  within 
their  own  bosoms,  in  order  to  discover  unmistakable 
traces  of  him.      Van  0. 

Then  he  advances  to  the  idea  of  the  fatherhood 
of  God.  To  conciliate  their  minds  toward  this 
grand  truth,  he  cites  one  of  the  many  vague  con- 
ceptions of  this  fatherly  relation  (of  Jove),  found  in 
passages  of  the  Greek  mythical  poetry.  The  words 
quoted  are  found  in  an  astronomical  poem  of  Ara- 
tus,  a  native  of  Soli  in  Paul's  own  province  of  Cili- 
cia ;  and  also  in  a  hymn  to  Jupiter  by  Ckanthes  of 
Lycia, 

The  point  which  Paul  makes  (v.  29)  of  our  child- 
ship  to  God,  as  proving  image-worship  to  be  irra- 
tional, is  presented  in  the  same  conciliatory  spirit. 
"  As  we  are  the  offspring  of  God,  ive  ought  not  to 
think,"   etc.     But   he  puts  his   point  clearly  and 


SECTI02T  218.— ACTS  17  :  16-3 4. 


127 


strongly.  If  we,  possessing  such  intellectual  and 
spiritual  forces,  are  sprung  from  Him,  we  must  con- 
ceive of  God  as  something  other  and  higher  than  a 
mere  metal  or  stone  image.  This  human  spirit  can 
not  proceed  from  the  stone  or  metal  forms  which 
human  hands  have  shaped.  Human  hands  can  not 
create  the  Creator  of  this  breathing,  moving,  living 
fabric  of  body  and  soul. 

30,  31.  llieir  Past  Ignorance  God  had  over- 
looked;  hut  now,  in  the  Light  from  the  Incarnation, 
the  Cross,  and  the  Resurrection  of  Christ,  all  are  en- 
joined to  Repentance  and  Trust ;  and  Disobedience 
must  encounter  only  Stern  Condemnation. — Two  fur- 
ther instances  of  Paul's  moderation  and  forbear- 
ance occur  in  the  simple  phrase,  "  the  times  of  this 
ignorance."  One,  that  the  weightiest  charge  he 
makes  against  corrupt  heathenism  is  its  ignorance. 
The  other,  that  he  does  not  make  even  this  a  per- 
sonal  charge  against  his  listeners ;  he  only  includes 
them  in  a  general  way  with  the  cultured  heathen  of 
many  centuries.  Yet,  though  so  courteous  and  con- 
ciliatory, he  is  faithful.  For  he  does  charge  these 
intelligent  and  polished  Athenians  with  ignorance. 
And,  while  intimating  that  God  forbore  with  {not 
"winked  at" — a  figure  the  word  will  not  bear)  the 
ignorance  of  past  generations,  suffering  it  to  pass 
without  special  interference  of  his  grace  or  reproof, 
sending  no  messengers  to  them  as  he  did  to  the 
Jews,  yet,  in  God's  name,  he  now  commands  their 
repentance,  as  sharing  the  common  guilt  of  men. 
In  his  previous  daily  preaching,  the  apostle  had 
taught  some  of  them  about  repentance  and  faith  in 
the  crucified  and  risen  Christ.  Now  he  presses 
the  obligation  upon  all  to  confess  and  turn  from 
sin ;  and  enforces  God's  command  by  the  great,  de- 
cisive fact  that  they,  with  all  mankind,  must  stand 
before  Christ  in  an  appointed  day  of  judgment. 
And,  in  completion  of  his  appeal,  he  adds,  that 
Christ,  novj  impliedly  the  Saviour,  is  proven  by  the 
resurrection  to  be  then  the  Judge  !    B. 

There  is  a  day  appointed  wherein  the  Son  of 
man  will  appear  in  sensible  glory,  and  exercise  his 
judicial  power  upon  angels  and  men.  He  is  now 
"seated  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high," 
and  the  celestial  spheres  are  under  his  feet :  uni- 
versal nature  feels  the  power  of  his  scepter :  he 
reigns  in  the  hearts  of  the  saints  by  his  Word  and 
Spirit,  and  restrains  the  fury  of  his  enemies  in  what 
degrees  he  pleases :  but  still  his  servants  are  in  dis- 
tress, and  his  rebellious  enemies  insolently  break 
his  laws;  and  the  curtains  of  heaven  conceal  his 
glory  from  us :  therefore  a  time  is  prefixed  when  in 
the  face  of  the  world  he  will  make  an  eternal  dif- 
ference by  rewards  and  punishments  between  the 
righteous  and  the  wicked,  and  his  government  shall 
have  its  complete  and  glorious  issue.     Bates. 

38-34.  Results  of  PauVs  Discourse  to  the  as- 


sembled Athenians. — Wise,  forbearing,  and  concilia- 
tory as  was  his  address,  the  indirect  preaching  of 
personal  guilt,  accountability,  and  condemnation  to 
the  haughty  self-righteous  Stoic  and  the  pleasure- 
seeking  Epicurean,  and  especially  the  mention  of  a 
resurrection — counted  by  all  classes  an  impossible 
absurdity — at  once  broke  up  the  audience,  and  "  Paul 
departed  from  among  them."     B. 

Paul  rightly  divided  that  day  the  Word  of  Truth, 
and  the  Word  divided  the  hearers  into  distinct  and 
well-defined  groups:  into  mockers,  hesitators,  and 
cleaving  believers.  The  mockers,  whether  socially 
higher  or  lower,  were  in  spirit  the  hardest  and  cold- 
est of  the  company.  They  were  fast  and  free  livers.* 
They  enjoyed  life,  and  kept  the  thought  of  death 
away.  They  went  away  laughing  at  the  truth  of 
God  and  the  God  of  truth.  The  hesitators,  con- 
vinced in  their  consciences  that  the  testimony  of 
the  apostle  had  all  the  air  of  truth,  did  not  dare 
to  scoff ;  but,  wedded  to  their  own  ease  and  pleas- 
ure, they  were  not  willing  to  take  up  the  cross 
and  follow  Christ.  Accordingly  they  made  a  re- 
spectful apology  to  the  preacher  and  went  away. 
The  third  class  cleaved  to  him  and  believed ;  that 
is,  while  this  man's  lips  were  the  channel  through 
which  the  Word  of  Life  reached  them,  the  ultimate 
longing  of  their  hearts — their  ultimate  grasp — 
reached  and  rested  on  Christ  crucified,  whom  Paul 
preached.  They  cleaved  to  Paul,  but  they  believed 
in  Christ.     Arnot. 

A  few  converts  were  gained ;  but  one  of  the 
large  and  intelligent  class  whom  he  had  aimed  to 
reach.  With  his  name  is  intimated  his  membership 
of  that  most  ancient  Athenian  tribunal  comprising 
only  men  of  the  highest  integrity  and  greatest  dis- 
tinction. The  lesson  of  this  failure  was  of  great 
value  to  Paul ;  and  he  has  written  it  in  full  in  the 
first  three  of  his  Epistles.  Among  communities  of 
the  ignorant,  the  hardened,  and  even  the  wealthy 
and  profligate,  as  in  Asia  Minor  and  Macedonia,  and 
afterward  in  Corinth  and  Ephesus,  the  gospel  found 
ready  and  abundant  entrance.  But  in  this  city, 
which  represented  the  highest  attainments  in  human 
wisdom  and  genius,  it  could  obtain  no  foothold. 
Paul's  utter  failure  here  to  found  a  church  of  Christ 
not  only  showed  that  "  the  world  by  wisdom  knew 
not  God,"  but  that  mere  human  wisdom  is  the 
mightiest  hindrance  to  the  introduction  of  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  to  the  acceptance  of  a 
gracious  salvation. 


In  every  age,  the  same  two  states  of  mind  com- 
prise the  chief  hindrances  to  the  entrance  and  con- 
verting energy  of  the  truth  of  God.  On  the  one 
hand,  a  worldly  heart  and  the  love  of  pleasure,  ex- 
emplified by  the  Sadducees  among  the  Jews  and  the 


128 


SECTION  219.— ACTS  18  :  1-22. 


Epicureans  among  the  Greeks.  On  the  other,  the 
pride  of  reason  and  of  self-righteousness,  exempli- 
fied by  the  Pharisees  and  the  Stoics.  Behind  these 
two  hindering  states  of  mind  and  helping  to  produce 
them,  were  the  two  leading  heresies  of  ancient  and 
modem  times:  one — the  doctrine  of  the  Stoics — 
that  confounds  God  with  his  entire  creation,  or  pan- 
thdsm  ;  the  other — that  of  the  Epicureans — which 
denies  a  God  in  creation,  or  materialism.    B, 

God  can  dwell  only  in  himself,  where  he  was  be- 


fore he  made  the  world.  He  is  Himself  his  temple. 
Nevertheless,  he  has  built  as  many  temples  for  him- 
self as  there  are  living  hearts  that  love  him ;  in 
these  he  desires  to  dwell,  to  be  known,  and  to  be 
adored.    Aug. 

In  every  age,  those  who  in  any  measure  realize 
the  force  of  truth  are  to  be  classified  as  were  Paul's 
hearers  in  Athens :  those  who  dare  deride  it ;  those 
who  hesitate  and  put  off  obedience  to  its  demands ; 
and  those  who  take  it  to  their  hearts.    B. 


Section  219. 

Acts  xviii.  1-22. 

1  After  these  things  Paul  departed  from  Athens,  and  came  to  Corinth  ;  and  found  a  cer- 

2  tain  Jew  named  Aquila,  born  in  Pontus,  lately  come  from  Italy,  with  his  wife  Priscilla;  (be- 
cause that  Claudius  had  commanded  all  Jews  to  depart  from  Kome:)  and  came  unto  them. 

3  And  because  he  was  of  the  same  craft,  he  abode  with  them,  and  wrought :  for  by  their 

4  occupation  tliey  were  tentmakers.     And  he  reasoned  in  the  synagogue  every  sabbath,  and 

5  persuaded  the  Jews  and  the  Greeks.  And  when  Silas  and  Timotheus  were  come  from 
Macedonia,  Paul  was  pressed  in  the  spirit,  and  testified  to  the  Jews  that  Jesus  was  Christ. 

6  And  when  they  opposed  themselves,  and  blasphemed,  he  shook  his  raiment,  and  said  unto 
them,  Your  blood  le  upon  your  own  heads;  I  am  clean :  from  henceforth  I  wiU  go  unto  the 
Gentiles. 

7  And  he  departed  thence,  and  entered  into  a  certain  man's  house,  named  Justus,  one  that 

8  worshipped  God,  whose  house  joined  hard  to  the  synagogue.  And  Crispus,  the  chief  ruler 
of  the  synagogue,  believed  on  the  Lord  with  all  his  house ;  and  many  of  the  Corinthians 

9  hearing  believed,  and  were  baptized.     Then  spake  the  Lord  to  Paul  in  the  night  by  a  vision, 

10  Be  not  afraid,  but  speak,  and  hold  not  thy  peace :  for  I  am  with  thee,  and  no  man  shall  set 

11  on  thee  to  hurt  thee:  for  I  have  much  people  in  this  city.     And  he  continued  there  a  year 
and  six  months,  teaching  the  word  of  God  among  them. 

12  And  when  Gallio  was  the  deputy  of  Achaia,  the  Jews  made  insurrection  with  one  accord 

13  against  Paul,  and  brought  him  to  the  judgment  seat,  saying.  This  felloic  persuadeth  men  to 

14  worship  God  contrary  to  the  law.     And  when  Paul  was  now  about  to  open  his  mouth, 
Gallio  said  unto  the  Jews,  If  it  were  a  matter  of  wrong  or  Wicked  lewdness,  O  ye  Jews, 

15  reason  would  that  I  should  bear  with  you:  but  if  it  be  a  question  of  words  and  names,  and 

16  of  your  law,  look  ye  to  it ;  for  I  will  be  no  judge  of  such  matters.     And  he  drave  them 

17  from  the  judgment  seat.     Then  all  the  Greeks  took  Sosthenes,  the  chief  ruler  of  the  syna- 
gogue, and  beat  him  before  the  judgment  seat.     And  Gallio  cared  for  none  of  those  things. 

18  And  Paul  after  this  tarried  there  yet  a  good  while,  and  then  took  his  leave  of  the  breth- 
ren, and  sailed  thence  into  Syria,  and  with  him  Priscilla  and  Aquila ;  having  shorn  his  head 

19  in  Cenchrea:  for  he  had  a  vow.     And  he  came  to  Ephesus,  and  left  them  there:  but  he 

20  himself  entered  into  the  synagogue,  and  reasoned  with  the  Jews.     "When  they  desired  him 

21  to  tarry  longer  time  with  them,  he  consented  not;  but  bade  them  farewell,  saying,  I  must 
by  all  means  keep  this  feast  that  cometh  in  Jerusalem :  but  I  will  return  again  unto  you,  if 

22  God  will.     And  he  sailed  from  Ephesus.     And  when  he  had  landed  at  Ciesarea,  and  gone 
up,  and  saluted  the  church,  he  went  down  to  Antioch. 


Papl  does  not  forget,  even  when  he  is  living  for  the  higher  aim,  the  care  meanwhile  necessary  for  the 
things  of  this  world.  Faith  in  the  earthly  task,  not  less  than  in  the  heavenly  calling,  is  here  shown  in  its 
true  nature  and  in  its  high  significance.  The  preacher  of  the  gospel  and  the  tent-maker  are  not  two  dis- 
tinct persons,  but  one  and  the  same ;  in  a  higher  and  lower  sphere,  animated  by  the  same  principle,  and 
with  the  question  on  his  lips:  "Lord,  what  wilt  Thou  have  mc  to  do?"     He  shuns  not  to  declare  the 


SECTION  219.— ACTS  18  : 1-i 


129 


whole  counsel  of  God ;  but  there  is  in  Corinth  no  more  faithful,  honest,  conscientious  artisan  than  he. 
Van  0. The  having  a  trade,  besides  enabling  him  to  present  an  example  of  quiet  industry  to  his  con- 
verts, gave  him  scope  for  the  exercise  of  self-denial  and  almsgiving.  The  extra  work  and  weariness 
which  the  trade  entailed  was  a  means  of  keeping  under  his  body  and  bringing  it  into  subjection ;  while 
the  money  which  it  brought  in  to  him  was  employed  in  relieving  the  wants  of  others  as  well  as  his  own ; 
for  he  says  to  the  elders  of  Ephesus :  "  Ye  yourselves  know  that  these  hands  have  ministered  unto  my 
necessities,  and  to  them  that  were  with  me.  I  have  showed  you  all  things,  how  that  so  laboring  ye  ought  to 
support  the  weak."     E.  M.  G. 

Let  none  be  ashamed  who  follow  a  trade ;  but  only  let  those  be  ashamed  who  live  to  no  purpose,  and 
are  idle.  The  souls  of  those  who  are  always  at  work  are  purer  and  stronger ;  for  the  idler  speaks  and 
does  many  vain  things.  But  he  who  labors  aright  does  not  easily  allow  anything  useless,  either  in  work, 
word,  or  thought,  for  his  soul  is  always  directed  to  a  life  of  labor.  For  we  are  the  disciples  of  the  fisher- 
men, of  the  publicans,  of  the  tent-makers,  of  Him  who  was  brought  up  in  the  carpenter's  house.    Chri/s. 


1 .  Faul  finally  withdraws  from  A  thens  and  goes 
to  Corhdh. — After  his  brief  work  and  its  scanty  re- 
sults, he  goes  from  intellectual  but  idle  Athens,  with 
nothing  living  but  its  memories  of  past  eminence, 
to  busy,  bustling,  crowded  Corinth.  Forty-five  miles 
apart,  both  cities  were  in  Greece,  or  the  Roman 
province  of  Achaia.     This  province  comprised  the 


mainland  south  of  Macedonia,  and  the  peninsula 
called  Peloponnesus,  or  island  of  Pelops. 

A  neck  of  land,  itself  a  barren  plain,  about  four 
miles  across  at  the  narrowest  part,  joined  the  penin- 
sula with  the  mainland.  Called  the  Isthmus  (after- 
ward giving  a  name  to  similar  strips  of  connecting 
land),  it  was  washed  on  the  western  side  by  the 


Greece  Proper  and  Peloponnesus.    (Note  the  positions  of  Athens  and  Corinth ;  the  Saronic  Gulf,  between  the  two  cities  • 
the  Gulf  of  Corinth,  west  and  north  of  Corinth  ;  and  the  Isthmus,  between  the  two  Gulfs  ) 

9 


130 


SECTION  210.— ACTS  18  : 1-22. 


Gulf  of  Corinth,  flowing  in  from  the  Adriatic  Sea ;. 
and  on  the  eastern  by  the  Saronic  Gulf,  a  great  in- 
let of  the  ^gean  Sea.  Across  the  northern  end  of 
the  Isthmus  ran  a  mountain  ridge,  having  only  three 
defiles,  or  passes.  The  southern  end  was  also  pro- 
tected by  a  ridge  (on  the  east  and  middle),  and  by 
a  lofty  rock-citadel  rising  abruptly  to  a  height  of 
two  thousand  feet,  called  the  Acrocorinthus.  Be- 
tween the  ridge  and  the  rocky  height  was  a  ravine, 
and  on  either  gulf  side  a  level  place.  At  the  base 
of  the  northern  slope  of  the  Acrocorinthus,  "just 
within  the  Isthmus,  on  a  table-land  descending  in 
terraces  to  the  low  plain,"  lay  the  city  of  Corinth. 
By  two  seaports — Lechceum  on  the  Western  Sea,  and 
Cenchrea  on  the  Eastern — it  could  send  forth  its 
ships  westward  and  eastward  into  all  waters,  and  to 
all  the  ports  of  the  known  then  world..  And  to 
save  time  and  avoid  peril,  vessels  from  either  port 


were  borne  over  the  narrow  Isthmus,  thus  affording 
larger  opportunity  for  interchange  of  commodities 
in  the  transit  and  tarry. 

The  ancient  city,  i.  e.,  the  Grecian  Corinth,  had 
had  a  memorable  history.  It  had  colonized  the 
shores  of  the  Ionian  and  Jilgeau  Seas  with  noted 
cities.  It  had  established  an  early  historic  fame  for 
success  in  arts  and  arms,  and  in  manufacture,  as 
well  as  for  commercial  greatness  and  prosperity. 
But  the  (rrcc^  Corinth  lasted  only  until  b.  c.  146.    B. 

In  that  year,  by  an  insult  to  the  ambassadors 

of  Rome,  it  drew  down  that  terrible  destruction 
which  Cicero  describes  as  the  extinction  of  the 
"  light  of  Greece."  Excepting  the  temples  and  the 
buildings  on  the  Acrocorinthus,  the  city  lay  in  ruins 
for  a  century,  till  it  was  rebuilt  by  Julius  Cesar  in 
B,  c.  46,  and  the  new  Colonia  Julia  Corinthus  was 
made  the  capital  of  the  Roman  province  of  Achaiaj 


Corinth  and  the  Acrocorinthus. 


and  the  residence  of  the  proconsul.  Rapidly  re- 
covering its  ancient  wealth,  as  a  place  of  great  com- 
mercial and  manufacturing  enterprise,  it  regained 
also  its  infamous  celebrity  as  the  most  dissolute  of 
Greek  cities,  and  a  chief  seat  of  the  worship  of 
Aphrodite;  while  at  the  same  time  it  was  second 

only  to  Athens  in  intellectual  activity.     S. It  is 

now  an  inconsiderable  town  of  two  thousand  inhabi- 
tants, with  few  remnants  of  the  splendid  buildings 
which  gave  name  to  the  Corinthian  order  of  archi- 
tecture.    J.  A.  A. 

Not  only  by  its  intense  activity  and  its  world-ex- 
tended commerce  was  Corinth  fitted  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian center,  but  its  people  comprised  the  three  main 
elements  upon  whom  the  apostle  sought  to  impress 


the  truths  of  the  gospel.  There  were  in  largea 
numbers  the  native  Greeks  of  every  class  and  de 
gree  of  culture.  As  a  Roman  colony,  there  werd 
also  a  great  number  of  Romans,  as  is  intimated  bj 
the  Latin  names  in  Rom.  16,  that  epistle  being 
written  from  Corinth  during  Paul's  second  visit 
And  that  a  chief  settlement  of  Jcios  was  at  Corintl 
we  know  from  its  commercial  distinction,  and  thci) 
universal  prominence  as  world-traders,  and  fron 
Paul's  Epistles  to  the  Corinthians.  And  at  thii 
time  many  had  been  banished  from  Rome  by  Claul 
dius.  For  these  reasons,  Paul  was  guided  in  th^ 
selection  of  Corinth  as  the  first  great  center  of  Eu 

ropean  Christianity.     B. Corinth  claims  a  con 

spicuous  distinction  as  the  residence  of  the  apostlfl 


SECTION  S19.—ACTS  18  : 1-22. 


131 


during  his  most  critical  contests,  both  with  Jews 
and  Greeks,  in  defense  of  the  very  essence  of  the 
gospel ;  as  the  place  whence  he  wrote  his  first  apos- 
tohc  letters — the  two  Epistles  to  the  Thessalonians  ; 
as  the  Church  to  which  he  addressed  those  other  two 
epistles,  which  not  only  contain  the  fullest  directions 
on  matters  of  Christian  faith  and  practice,  but  which 
reiterate,  in  terms  unequaled  in  human  language  for 
simplicity  and  force,  the  one  great  central  truth  of 
the  whole  gospel — Jesus  Christ  and  Him  Crucified. 

S. From  Corinth  also,  upon  his  second  visit  (and 

third  journey),  he  wrote  his  most  elaborate  and  in- 
structive Epistle  to  the  Romans. 

3,  3.  Takes  up  his  Abode  with  Aquila  and  Prls- 
cUla. — Though  natives  of  Pontus  in  Northeast- 
em  Asia  Minor,  these  Jews  had  resided  in  Rome, 
until  recently  expelled  thence  with  others  by  Clau- 
dius, the  fourth  Roman  emperor.  But  we  find  a 
kind  Providence  in  that  edict  of  Claudius  that  drove 
these  childless,  well-to-do  tent-makers  with  their 
sjTnpathetic,  refined  natures  from  Rome  to  Corinth. 
This  was  God's  care  of  Paul's  personal  comfort,  and 
his  arrangement  for  the  missionary's  self-supporting 
toil.  Thus,  during  the  most  effective  and  trying 
period  of  his  whole  career,  with  the  "  open  door " 
for  the  gospel  and  the  "  many  adversaries,"  Paul 
had  a  home,  congenial  fellowship,  and  what  he  also 
greatly  needed  then,  a  means  of  invigorating,  physi- 
cal toil  and  of  independent  subsistence. 

Tent-making  he  had  been  taught  as  a  trade  in 
early  life,  in  accordance  with  universal  Jewish  usage. 
This  was  based  upon  the  idea  that  without  some 
means  of  honest  livelihood  the  temptation  might 
arise  to  knavery  or  theft.  "  Teach  thy  son  the  law, 
and  teach  him  a  trade  !  "  was  the  Talmudic  instruc- 
tion to  fathers.  The  latter  custom  still  obtains  in 
the  East,  and  to  some  extent  in  Germany  and  Rus- 
sia. We  may  add  that  the  use  of  tents  was  and  still 
is  very  great  in  those  regions ;  and  tent-making  has 
always  been  a  large  and  important  business.  The 
material — still  largely  used — was  a  cloth  of  goat's 
hair,  which  was  obtained  chiefly  from  Paul's  native 
province  of  Cilicia.  From  the  fact  that  Aquila  had  a 
house  in  Corinth,  and  afterward  another  in  Ephesus 
(1  Cor.  16  :  19),  and  one  also  in  Rome  (Rom.  16  :  3- 
5),  it  would  seem  that  he  conducted  an  extended 
and  prosperous  business,  at  the  same  time  laboring 
with  his  own  hands.  So  that  his  example,  as  well 
as  that  of  Paul,  affords  a  signal  illustration  of  the 
precept:  Not  slothful  in  business  ;  fervent  in  spirit ; 
serving  the  Lord !  They  showed  that  daily  labor, 
hand-toil  or  brain-toil  (both  equally  honorable),  con- 
sists perfectly  with  and  helps  to  promote  spirituality 
of  mind  and  consecration  of  heart. 

It  is  further  to  be  noted  that  Paul  had  other  and 
special  reasons  in  laboring  for  his  own  support 
among  the  Greeks  of  Corinth  and  Achaia.     It  was 


not  a  pride  of  personal  independence  that  led  him 
to  forego  in  his  own  behalf  the  Christian  law  of 
ministerial  support  upon  which  he  so  earnestly 
insists  in  writing  to  these  very  Corinthians  (1  Cor. 
9  :  7-14).  But  he  "would  not  be  burdensome  to 
them " ;  nor  would  he  give  opportunity  to  selfish, 
sharp-eyed  Greeks,  in  or  out  of  the  Church,  to 
charge  him  with  seeking  theirs  and  not  them.  Lest 
we  should  hinder  the  gospel  of  Christ,  summed  up 
his  assigned  reasons  for  declining  support  from  the 
feeble,  partially  instructed  Corinthian  Church. 

4-6.  His  Brief  Ministry  in  the  Synagogue,  and 
hoio  brought  to  a  Close. — Until  the  arrival  of  Silas 
and  Timothy — probably  for  some  weeks — he  wrought 
daily  through  the  week,  and  on  the  Sabbath  earnestly 
preached  in  the  synagogue  to  Jews  and  Greeks. 
During  this  period,  until  after  the  encouraging  vision 
and  words  of  Christ  (vs.  9,  10),  Paul  seems  to  have 
passed  through  something  like  Elijah's  one  experi- 
ence of  excited  depression,  though  without  any  cor- 
responding act  of  defection.  Speaking  of  this 
period,  he  tells  the  Corinthians  that  he  was  with 
them  in  weakness,  and  in  fear,  and  in  much  trem- 
bling ;  while  the  tone  of  both  Epistles  implies  his  in- 
tensely moved  yet  depressed  frame  of  mind  at  this 
time.  And  the  occurrence  in  the  synagogue,  with 
the  special  manifestation  of  Christ  immediately  fol- 
lowing, confirms  an  impression  derived  from  these 
Epistles,  that  the  whole  of  this  first  Corinthian  visit 
was  a  time  of  ordeal  and  crisis,  a  period  the  most 
active,  trying,  and  decisive  in  his  entire  apostolic 
career. 

Yet  this  depressed  state  of  mind  did  not  arise 
from  personal  timidity,  for  of  this,  like  Elijah,  he 
had  none.  But  his  utter  failure  in  Athens,  the  vast- 
ness  of  that  brilliant  but  most  flagrant  corruption 
in  the  midst  of  which  he  stood  alone  for  God,  his 
deep  sense  of  impotence  to  cope  with  such  tremen- 
dous forces  of  evil,  the  hardened  perversity  of  the 
Jews  agamst  the  truth  and  their  virulent  hatred 
against  himself,  and  his  own  felt  desolation  and 
utter  loneliness  although  naturally  so  self-reliant — 
these  combined  causes  stirred  all  his  soul  within 
him.  In  this  excited  yet  depressed  condition  Silas 
and  Timothy  found  him ;  and,  while  relieving  his 
loneliness  with  their  human  sympathy  and  spiritual 
fellowship,  they  stimulated  his  spirit  the  more  by 
their  encouraging  news  from  the  Churches  of  Thcs- 
salonica  and  Berea. 

As  Christ  was  straitened  till  his  baptism  of  suf- 
fering was  accomplished,  so  Paul,  under  this  state  of 
unworldly  excitation,  was  straitened  in  his  work  of 
testimony  for  Christ.  And  this  intense  pressure  of 
spirit  wrought  itself  out  in  direct  fervent  appeals  to 
the  Jews — to  God's  own  people,  who  ought  to  have 
heeded.  But  almost  as  one  man,  with  only  a  single 
known  exception,  they  opposed  Paul  and  blasphemed 


132 


SECTION  219.— ACTS  18:1-^ 


their  own  Messiah,  Jesus.  And,  under  the  same 
intense  sense  of  crisis,  the  apostle  symbolically  pro- 
tests, as  their  prophets  were  wont  to  do,  by  shaking 
his  raiment ;  emphatically  asserts  his  own  clearance 
from  the  guilt  of  their  destruction ;  and,  with  warn- 
ing solemnity,  places  that  guilt  upon  themselves. 

7,  8.  Forsakes  the  Synagogue,  and  preaches  in 
the  Court  of  Justus's  House. — As  before,  at  Antioch 
of  Pisidia,  Paul  departs  from  the  Jewish  house  of 
worship.  But  he  goes  not  far,  and  with  him  goes 
the  synagogue's  chief  ruler  as  a  Christian  disciple. 
In  an  adjoining  house,  gladly  opened  to  him  by  an- 
other convert  to  Christ — a  Roman  proselyte  named 
Justus — he  resumes  his  fervent  faithful  ministry. 
In  this  new  preaching-place,  accessible  to  all  of  every 
race  and  creed  and  station,  many  Corinthians  were 
drawn  in  to  hear  the  truth ;  and  many,  besides  Cris- 
pus  and  Justus,  believed,  and  confessed  Christ  in 

their  baptism.     B. From  this,  as  well  as  several 

other  passages,  we  find  that,  when  the  parents,  or 
heads  of  households,  became  Christian  believers,  so 
did  their  children.  All  were  baptized  together.  So, 
in  one  place,  we  read  of  "  the  church  which  is  in  the 
house  of  Nymphas  "  ;  showing  that  such  a  group  of 
believers,  comprising  parents  and  their  children, 
might  constitute  a  church  of  itself.  How  much 
beauty  and  sanctity  there  would  be  in  such  a  spec- 
tacle— a  church  in  each  house — and  how  mightily 
the  world  would  gain  in  Christian  order,  purity,  and 
power,  if  it  were  generally  realized !     F.  D.  H. 

9,  10.  The  Manifestation  and  E7icouraging 
Charge  of  Christ. — This  vision  and  the  subsequent 
prosecution  before  Gallio  seem  to  have  occurred 
very  soon  after  Paul's  departure  from  the  syna- 
gogue ;  and  while  he  was  still  "  in  weakness  and 
fear  and  much  trembling."  Discerning  this  state  of 
His  apostle's  heart  and  the  sense  of  insufficiency 
that  was  enfeebling  his  faith,  and  foreknowing  the 
greatness  of  his  labor  and  conflict  in  the  protracted 
ministry  before  him,  Christ,  by  this  miraculous  ap- 
pearance and   word,   forearms   while    forewarning 

Paul.     B. "  I  have  much  people  in  this  city  " — 

serving  now  at  heathen  altars,  slaves  now  of  the 
grossest  vices,  nevertheless  they  are  my  people  ;  and 
here  you  are  to  abide,  from  these  vile  dust-heaps  to 
gather  out  my  jewels — they  have  not  chosen  me,  but 
I  have  chosen  them ;  not  for  their  merits,  but  out 
of  my  mercy  chosen  them  before  the  foundation  of 
Corinth,  or  of  the  world  itself.  If  God's  ways  are 
equal,  unless  there  was  one  rule  for  the  sinners  of 
Corinth  and  another  for  us,  none  are  chosen  from 
regard  to  their  merits,  or  saved  through  their  own 
ability — salvation  being  all  of  grace,  pure  and  un- 
deserved.    T.  G. 

Enough  for  this  single-hearted  worker  and  trust- 
ful disciple  were  the  two  simple  clear  declarations 
of  his  Master :  /  am  with  thee,  and  /  have  much  peo- 


ple in  this  city  !  No  longer  could  he  fear,  or  would 
he  hold  his  peace.  We  believe  and  therefore  speak  ! 
were  among  his  after  words  to  this  very  people  (2 
Cor.  4  :  V-13),  verified  beforehand  in  his  present 
large  and  blessed  experience  among  them.  And  his 
Lord's  assurance  of  abundant  success  was  with  him 
only  a  stronger  stimulus  to  persistent  exertion. 

11.  Summary  of  Eighteen  Months'  Ministry  in 
Corinth. — His  labor  was  great,  his  encouragements 
and  discouragements  were  many  and  signal.  A 
large  church  was  formed  in  Corinth,  and  smaller 
ones  in  Cenchrea  and  at  other  points  in  Achaia ; 
for  here,  as  everywhere,  his  ministry  reached  to 
many  of  the  places  accessible  from  the  capital. 
Meanwhile  Paul  failed  not  to  keep  up  communica- 
tion with  the  infant  churches  of  Macedonia.  During 
this  period,  too,  were  written  the  Two  Epistles  to 
THE  Thessalonians.  Thesc  were  the  first  written 
-Epistles;  and  the  first  of  Paul's  nine  Letters  to 
Churches,  though  the  last  in  the  order  of  our  New 
Testament.  Of  these  two  Epistles,  the  first  was 
prepared  and  sent  soon  after  Timothy's  arrival  at 
Corinth  with  encouraging  intelligence  from  the 
church  at  Thessalonica.  Some  months  later,  after 
receiving  further  information,  the  apostle  sent  the 
Second  Letter  to  emphasize  and  confirm  the  instruc- 
tions of  the  First.  These  Epistles  furnish  hints  of 
his  state  of  mind :  his  zealous  absorption  and  suc- 
cess in  his  labors,  his  determination  of  self-support, 
and  his  keen  sensitiveness  to  the  hostile  spirit  of 

the  Jews.     B. It  is  notorious  that  the  order  of 

the  Epistles  in  the  New  Testament  is  not  their  real 
or  chronological  order.  The  mere  placing  of  them 
in  their  true  sequence  throws  considerable  light 
upon  the  history ;  and,  happily,  the  time  of  the 
composition  of  the  more  important  Epistles  can  be 
stated  with  sufficient  certainty.     S. 

12-17.  Prosecution  of  Paul  before  Gcdlio. — This 
immediately  followed  the  night-vision  and  promise 
of  Christ ;  and  in  the  result  that  promise  was  veri- 
fied. The  Jews  were  the  persecutors.  They  assault- 
ed Paul  and  brought  him  to  the  judgment  seat  of 
the  proconsul  Gallio.  The  accusation  was  the  same 
for  which  Paul  and  Silas  had  been  illegally  scourged 
and  imprisoned  at  Philippi.  But  Gallio  (the  brother 
of  Seneca)  had  intelligence  to  discern  the  truth  of 
the  case,  and  courage  to  declare  an  independent 
judgment  upon  it.  Like  Lysias  and  Festus  after- 
ward, he  refused  to  adjudicate  upon  religious  ques- 
tions outside  of  their  bearing  upon  Roman  law.  In 
his  decision,  he  ruled  out  the  charge  which  the  Jews 
had  made.  Not  only  this,  but  Paul's  accusers  were 
disgracefully  driven  from  the  judgment-seat.  Even 
further  than  this,  when  the  Greeks  present  immedi- 
ately turned  upon  these  accusing  Jews  and  beat 
their  leader  Sosthenes,  the  new  ruler  of  the  syna- 
gogue, Gallio  suffered  it  to  be  done  in  his  presence. 


SECTION  2W.—AGTS  18  :  S3-S8 ;  19  :  ISO. 


133 


And  so,  as  Christ  had  said,  "  no  man  set  on  Paul  to 
hurt  him."  His  work  went  on  not  only  without 
hindrance,  but  the  influence  of  Greeks  and  Ro- 
mans thus  indirectly  favored  the  Church  and  its 
teacher. 

18-23.  Conclusion  of  the  Second  Missionary 
Jwirney. — His  work  in  Corinth  for  the  time  was 
done.  Having  entered  the  city  alone,  after  eighteen 
months  of  bold,  fervent  toil,  he  left  it  with  many 
converts  and  an  organized  church.  Another  organ- 
ization in  Cenchrea,  and  congregations  of  disciples 
at  other  points  in  Achaia,  were  additional  fruits  of 
his  labor.     B.  . 

Much  importance  should  not  be  attached  to  the 
fact,  incidentally  mentioned  here,  that  he  had  his 
head  shorn  in  Cenchrea,  before  embarking,  on  ac- 
count of  a  vow.  Paul's  idea  of  liberty  under  the 
gospel  did  not  go  the  length  of  forbidding  liberty. 
He  bore  witness  that  those  who  made  any  of  these 
observances  their  righteousness  before  God,  shut 
themselves  out  from  Christ ;  but,  when  any  one  was 


justified  through  faith  in  the  Redeemer,  Paul  and  his 
fellow-apostles  allowed  the  convert  unlimited  liberty 
to  observe  or  not  observe  the  Jewish  ceremonial. 

Arnot. With  the  Greeks  it  was  usual  only  for 

slaves  to  wear  the  hair  cut  short ;  and  to  have  ap- 
peared with  it  cut  short  at  Corinth  among  the  Greek 
Christians  might  have  exposed  him  to  ridicule  and 
his  preaching  to  contempt.  He  acted  with  prudence, 
therefore,  in  not  cutting  off  his  hair  till  he  was  on 
the  point  of  quitting  Greece.     W. 

From  the  eastern  harbor  of  Corinth,  by  the 
great  route  of  commerce,  he  crossed  over  the  .(Egean 
to  Ephesus,  the  emporium  of  the  Asian  coast.  Here 
a  few  days'  preaching  proved  so  acceptable  to  the 
Jews  that  they  prayed  him  to  tarry.  But  he  prom- 
ised to  return  to  them;  and,  leaving  Aquila  and 
Priscilla  in  Ephesus,  sailed  to  Cesarea.  After  a  brief 
visit  to  Jerusalem,  a  greeting  and  report  to  the 
apostles  and  the  Church,  Paul  returned  for  the  last 
time  to  Antioch.  About  three  years,  from  a.  d.  51 
to  54,  this  Second  Journey  had  extended.     B. 


Section  220. 

Acts  xviii.  23-28;  xix.  1-20. 

23  And  after  he  had  spent  some  time  there,  he  departed,  and  went  over  all  the  country  of 
Galatia  and  Phrygia  in  order,  strengthening  all  the  disciples. 

24  And  a  certain  Jew  named  Apollos,  horn  at  Alexandria,  an  eloquent  man,  and  mighty  in 

25  the  scriptures,  came  to  Ephesus.     This  man  was  instructed  in  the  way  of  the  Lord ;  and 
being  fervent  in  the  spirit,  he  spake  and  taught  diligently  the  things  of  the  Lord,  knowing 

26  only  the  baptism  of  John.     And  he  hegan  to  speak  boldly  in  the  synagogue :  whom  when 
Aquila  and  Priscilla  had  heard,  they  took  him  unto  them,  and  expounded  unto  him  the  way 

27  of  God  more  perfectly.    And  when  he  was  disposed  to  pass  into  Achaia,  the  brethren  wrote, 
exhorting  the  disciples  to  receive  him :  who,  when  he  was  come,  helped  them  much  which 

28  had  believed  through  grace  :  for  he  mightily  convinced  the  Jews,  and  that  publickly,  shew- 
ing by  the  Scriptures  that  Jesus  was  Christ. 

1  And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  while  Apollos  was  at  Corinth,  Paul  having  passed  through  the 

2  upper  coasts  came  to  Ephesus :  and  finding  certain  disciples,  he  said  unto  them,  Have  ye 
received  the  Holy  Ghost  since  ye  believed?     And  they  said  unto  him,  We  have  not  so  much 

3  as  heard  whether  there  be  any  Holy  Ghost,     And  he  said  unto  them,  Unto  what  then  were 

4  ye  baptized?  And  they  said.  Unto  John's  baptism.  Then  said  Paul,  John  verily  baptized 
with  the  baptism  of  repentance,  saying  unto  the  people,  that  they  should  believe  on  him 

5  which  should  come  after  him,  that  is,  on  Christ  Jesus.     When  they  heard  this,  they  were 

6  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.     And  when  Paul  had  laid  his  hands  upon  them, 

7  the  Holy  Ghost  came  on  them  ;  and  they  spake  with  tongues,  and  prophesied.     And  all  the 

8  men  were  about  twelve.     And  he  went  into  the  synagogue,  and  spake  boldly  for  the  space 

9  of  three  months,  disputing  and  persuading  the  things  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God.  But 
when  divers  were  hardened,  and  believed  not,  hut  spake  evil  of  that  way  before  the  multi- 
tude, he  departed  from  them,  and  separated  the  disciples,  disputing  daily  in  the  school  of 

10  one  Tyrannus.     And  this  continued  by  the  space  of  two  years ;  so  that  all  they  which  dwelt 
in  Asia  heard  the  word  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  both  Jews  and  Greeks. 

11  And  God  wrought  special  miracles  by  the  hands  of  Paul :  so  that  from  his  body  were 

12  brought  unto  the  sick  handkerchiefs  or  aprons,  and  the  diseases  departed  from  them,  and. 


134: 


SECTION  230.— ACTS  18:23-28;   19:1-20. 


13  the  evil  spirits  went  out  of  them.     Then  certain  of  the  vagahond  Jews,  exorcists,  took  upon 
them  to  call  over  them  which  had  evil  spirits  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  sayiug,  We 

14  adjure  you  by  Jesus  whom  Paul  preacheth.    And  there  were  seven  sons  of  one  Sceva,  a  Jew, 

15  and  chief  of  the  priests,  which  did  so.     And  the  evil  spirit  answered  and  said,  Jesus  I  linow, 

16  and  Paul  I  Icnow  •  but  who  are  ye?     And  the  man  in  whom  the  evil  spirit  was  leaped  on 
them  and  overcame  them,  and  prevailed  against  them,  so  that  they  fled  out  of  that  house 

17  naked  and  wounded.    And  this  was  known  to  all  the  Jews  and  Greeks  also  dwelling  at  Ephe- 

18  sus  •  and  fear  fell  on  them  all,  and  the  name  of  tlie  Lord  Jesus  was  magnified.     And  many 

19  that  believed  came,  and  confessed,  and  shewed  their  deeds.    Many  of  them  also  which  used 
curious  arts  brought  their  boolvs  together,  and  burned  them  before  all  men :  and  they  counted 

20  the  price  of  them,  and  found  it  fifty  thousand  ^^eces  of  silver.     So  mightily  grew  the  word 
of  God  and  prevailed. 

The  surface  of  our  reading  has  immensely  enlarged,  but  not  the  limits  of  human  life.  Our  morning 
newspaper  must  be  scanned  ;  we  must  sweep  the  whole  horizon,  and  be  posted  in  the  world's  news.  And 
then  the  race  is  working  out  great  problems ;  thinkers  are  flinging  their  thoughts  to  the  winds  for  the 
revolving  arms  of  the  printing  press,  and  we  must  keep  pace  with  the  march  of  advanced  thought.  Many 
of  the  books  are  professedly  religious,  and  so  corameud  themselves  to  our  consciences,  and  so  piquant  and 
palatable  as  to  commend  themselves  to  our  taste.  Thus,  all  unwittingly,  while  we  believe  in  the  Bible, 
praise  it,  we  only  read  it  by  snatches.  We  fail  to  feed  upon  it  with  the  keenness  of  relish  and  thorough- 
ness of  digestion  essential  to  our  highest  profit.  Hence  arises  a  generation  eloquent  about  the  Scriptures, 
but  not  mighty  in  them.     An. 

The  great  question  which  we  should  be  anxious  to  be  able  to  answer  in  the  affirmative  is  this,  "Are 
we  receiving  the  Holy  Ghost  since  we  believed  ?  "  Have  we  been  ever  since,  and  are  we  still,  receiving  the 
Holy  Ghost  ?  0  blessed  above  all  blessedness,  if  we  can  say  that  this  is  true  of  us !  0  blessed  with  a 
blessedness  most  complete,  if  we  only  do  not  too  entirely  abandon  ourselves  to  enjoy  it !  Elect  of  God ; 
holy  and  beloved ;  justified  and  sanctified ;  there  is  nothing  in  all  the  world  that  could  impair  or  destroy 
such  happiness,  except  we  ourselves,  in  evil  hour,  believed  it  to  be  out  of  the  reach  of  danger.     T.  A. 


23.  Commencement  of  PauVs  Third  Missionary 
Journey. — Recall  the  chief  periods  of  Paul's  apos- 
tolic career  thus  far ;  The  First  Journey  of  two  years 
or  more  in  Asia  Minor ;  an  interval  of  more  than 
two  years  in  Autioch  and  Syria  ;  the  Second  Journey 
of  three  years  or  more  through  Asia  Minor,  Mace- 
donia, and  Achaia ;  and  an  interval  of  a  few  months 
:at  Antioch.  Now  he  undertakes  his  Third  and  last 
Missionary  Journey  ;  again  through  Asia  Minor,  tar- 
rying only  among  the  churches  in  Phrygia  and  Ga- 
.latia,  abiding  in  Ephesus,  and  then  visiting  Mace- 
donia and  Achaia.  The  period  of  this  final  circuit 
(recorded  Acts  18  :  23  to  21 :  17)  covered  about /owr 
years,  from  the  summer  or  fall  of  a.  d.  54  onward. 
During  this  period  Paul  wrote  the  Epistles  to  the 
Corinthians,  to  the  Galatians,  and  to  the  Romans. 

24-28.  An  Episode  concerning  Apollos. — With 
a  few  glimpses,  Luke  here  introduces  a  remarkably 
fine  natural  and  Christian  character,  and  a  history 
though  brief  yet  rich  in  instructive  suggestions. 
ApoUog,  like  Paul,  was  chosen  by  Christ  for  his 
great  and  special  work.  He  was  taken  out  of  the 
very  region  where,  and  from  the  class  by  whom,  the 
Old  Testament  Scriptures  had  been  translated  three 
centuries  before  into  the  now  world-language. 
Taught  all  the  learning  and  trained  in  the  culture  of 
the  schools  of  Alexandria,  he  had  applied  all  his  ac- 
quired resources  with  his  great  natural  gifts  to  the 


study  of  his  own  Scriptures.  Through  some  undis- 
closed teacher,  the  testimony  of  the  Baptist  to  Christ 
and  some  of  the  leading  facts  of  Christ's  life  and 
ministry  had  been  brought  to  his  knowledge. 
Enough  he  had  heard  to  trace  the  correspondences 
of  that  Life  with  the  Old  Testament  prophecy  and 
promise ;  and  to  produce  a  conviction  that  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  was  the  expected  Messiah.  Though  unin- 
formed of  the  eventful  issue  of  that  Life,  and  of  the 
marvels  of  Pentecost  that  followed  the  Ascension, 
his  faith  yet  fastened  itself,  like  Abraham's,  to  a 
dimly  revealed  Deliverer.  To  this  Redeemer  he  con- 
secrated himself  and  all  his  culture.  Under  divine 
prompting,  he  became  a  self-appointed  evangelist  of 
the  Messiah  ;  telling  in  fervent  words  all  the  gospel 
he  knew,  the  gospel  of  the  Prophets  as  fulfdlcd. 

While  Paul  is  traversing  the  provinces  of  Phry- 
gia and  Galatia,  Apollos  is  led  by  the  same  Spirit  to 
Ephesus,  where  Aquila  and  Priscilla  had  been  some 
time  abiding.  No  wonder  that  these  tent-makers 
were  intensely  stirred  when  this  man  of  bright  intel- 
lect and  burning  zeal  suddenly  appeared  in  the  syna- 
gogue at  Ephesus ;  and,  like  another  John,  seemed 
by  his  eloquence  and  might  of  Scriptural  truth  to  be 
preparing  the  way  of  the  Lord.  For,  partially  taught 
as  he  was,  note  Luke's  description  (vs.  24,  25)  of  his 
qualifications  and  his  spirit.  An  eloquent  man — one 
who  could  understand  his  subject  and  his  occasion ; 


SECTIOX  220.— ACTS  18  :  23-28;   19  : 1-20. 


135 


who  could  grasp  and  use  his  points  of  argument  and 
appeal  with  clearness,  force,  and  fervor ;  mighly  in 
the  Scriptures,  in  the  substance  and  spirit,  not  in  the 
letter,  of  the  truth  of  God ;  instructed  in  the  loay  of 
the  Lord,  so  instructed  only  by  the  Lord's  own  Spirit ; 
fervent  in  the  spirit,  with  a  soul  kindled  and  ever 
aglow  with  a  Godlike  love  for  God  and  man;  he 
spake  and  taught  diligently  the  things  of  the  Lord — 
in  private  and  public,  without  weariness  or  ceasing, 
unfolding  and  impressing  the  Scriptures  of  truth, 
those  Old  Testament  Scriptures  which  Paul  after- 
ward affirmed,  "  are  able  to  make  wise  unto  salva- 
.  tion."  These  particulars  may  well  be  pondered,  if 
we  would  learn  the  true  secret  of  an  evangelist's 
success.  Quick  to  discern  these  divine  gifts  and  the 
missionary  spirit  of  Apollos,  yet  perceiving  how  de- 
fective was  his  knowledge  of  the  gospel,  the  tent- 
makers  sought  to  instruct  him  in  the  fullness  of  the 
truth  which  theyha.d  received  from  Paul.  They  rec- 
ognized as  their  vocation,  if  not  to  preach,  to  teach 
more  perfectly  this  divinely  called  preacher. 

Again,  by  this  teaching,  as  often  before  in  this 
apostolic  age,  God  honors  the  common  priesthood  of 
behevers.  While  the  apostles,  and  after  them  other 
appointed  ministers,  had  due  honor  and  a  definite 
vocation,  yet,  in  emergencies  and  for  special  pur- 
poses, unordained  disciples  ministered  the  Word  and 
the  ordinances.  So,  after  Stephen's  martyrdom,  the 
scattered  members  of  the  infant  Church  went  every- 
where preaching  the  Word.  So  an  obscure  believer 
was  Christ's  messenger  to  Saul,  to  declare  the  truth 
and  admit  to  the  Christian  fellowship.  And  in  this 
case  of  Apollos,  two  simple  disciples,  and  one  a  wo- 


Site  of  Ephesus. 

man,  were  guided  to  this  needed  ministry  of  instruc- 
tion by  the  Spirit  of  Christ. 

The  manner  in  which  their  joint  ministry  of  help 
and  guidance  was  accepted  and  acted  upon  by  Apol- 
los furnishes  yet  further  evidence  of  the  grace  of 


God  as  magnified  in  his  thorough  and  beautiful 
Christian  spirit.  And  if  we  trace  through  his  sub- 
sequent history,  and  read  all  that  Paul  wrote  con- 
cerning him,  we  find  an  absence  of  self-assertion,  a 
retiring  modesty,  a  spirit  of  humble,  earnest  helpful- 
ness, blended  with  boldness  and  intense  fervor. 
Watering  that  which  Paul  had  planted,  building 
upon  Paul's  foundation  in  Corinth,  yet,  when  a  party 
would  form  itself  around  himself  as  a  Christian 
leader  distinct  from  Paul,  he  withdraws  to  Ephesus, 
and  toils  thenceforth  under  the  counsel  and  guidance 
of  the  veteran  apostle. 

Simply  but  clearly  are  the  two  chief  functions  of 
the  gospel  preacher  intimated  in  connection  with  the 
work  of  Apollos  at  Corinth  (vs.  27,  28).  He  helped 
them  much  which  had  believed  through  grace  ;  and  he 
mightily  convinced  those  that  loere  unbelieving. 

\,  At  the  End  of  a  Considerable  Journey,  Paul 
settles  down  in  Ephesus. — Timothy  seems  to  have 
accompanied  Paul  throughout  this  Third  Circuit; 
Titus  in  the  earlier,  and  Luke  in  the  later  part. 
The  route  from  Antioch  was,  as  in  the  previous  jour- 
ney, over  the  Cilician  plain,  through  the  "  Gates," 
the  noted  pass  of  the  Taurus  Range,  into  the  high 
table-land  of  Lycaonia ;  thence  through  Cappado- 
cia  into  Galatia,  and  then  through  Phrygia  to  the 
JEgQwa.  coast.  Besides  confirming  and  strengthen- 
ing the  churches  everywhere  throughout  this  jour- 
ney, as  specially  charged  by  the  apostles  and  breth- 
ren in  Jerusalem  he  took  order  for  future  collec- 
tions in  behalf  of  the  poorer  Christians  in  Judea. 
Paul  declares  that  he  was  "  forward  to  do  "  this, 
that  the  helpfulness  of  Gentile  to  Jewish  Christians 
might  promote  a  closer 
spiritual  unity  and  fel- 
lowship between  them. 
To  Ephesus  Paul 
now  comes,  in  accord- 
ance with  his  previous 
promise  (18:  21).  And 
Ephesus  proved  to  be  his 
zvorling  -  center  during 
the  greater  portion  of 
this  Third  missionary 
tour,  as  Corinth  had 
been  during  the  larger 

/  ^t  "I  %^^B"'-i  ^"^^I^j:^  ^^^^  ^^  *^®  Second.  For 
^  <"  ''  C  ^w45^^'^%-*  Ephesus,  like  Corinth, 
was  a  great  world-cen- 
ter of  commerce,  popu- 
lation, and  influence. 
These  two  cities  shared 
the  highest  position  of  prominence  and  power  with 
Rome  and  Antioch.  And  in  all  these  world-centers 
Paul  planted  an  effective  and  aggressive  Christi- 
anity.    B. 

From  the  frontier  of  Phrygia  a  tract  of  country 


136 


SECTION  220.— ACTS  18  :  23-28;   19  : 1-20. 


extends  to  the  -^gean,  which  is  watered  by  two  of 
the  long  western  rivers,  the  HeiTnus  and  the  Mean- 
der, and  which  is  celebrated  through  an  extended 
period  of  classical  history,  and  is  sacred  to  us  as  the 
scene  of  the  churches  of  the  Apocalypse.  Laodicea 
is  in  the  basin  of  the  Meander ;  Smyrna,  Thyatira, 
Sardis,  and  Philadelphia  are  in  that  of  the  Hermus ; 
Percamus  is  further  to  the  north,  on  the  Caicus. 
Between  the  Hermus  and  the  Meander  is  a  smaller 
river,  named  the  Cayster.  And  here,  in  the  level 
valley  of  the  Cayster,  in  a  situation  preeminent 
among  tlie  excellent  positions  which  the  lonians 
chose  for  their  cities,  Ephesus  was  built,  on  some 
hills  near  the  sea.     H.     (See  map,  p.  94.) 

Originally  the  royal  city  of  the  kings  of  Ionia,  it 
passed  successively  under  the  control  of  Persia  and 
Lydia,  until  b.  c.  129,  when  under  the  Roman  rule 
it  was  made  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Asia. 
Upon  the  great  line  of  commerce  east  and  west,  the 
meeting  place  of  vessels  from  all  points  of  the 
Mediterranean,  connected  by  great  roads  with  the 
interior  markets  of  the  East,  the  most  central  point 
between  east  and  west,  it  naturally  drew  together 
Jew  and  Greek,  Eoman  and  Oriental.  It  was,  more- 
over, a  free  city,  though  the  mass  of  its  population 
was  Oriental  in  origin  and  in  worship.  Reason 
enough  we  discern  why  Paul  should  tarry  so  long 
and  toil  so  arduously  here  ! 

3-7.  The  Holy  Ghost  falls  upon  Twelve  Disci- 
ples of  John  the  Baptist. — Christian  disciples  they 
were,  for  the  word  is  only  used  of  such,  and  because 
Paul  recognizes  them  as  believers.  Like  Apollos, 
these  men  had  not  heard  of  the  descent  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  To  Paul's  question,  "  Did  ye  receive  the 
Holy  Ghost  ? "  (referring  not  to  the  rc(jenerating 
power,  but  to  the  extraordinary  gifts  which  then  so 
frequently  followed  conversion),  they  replied :  "  We 
did  not  even  hear  whether  the  Holy  Ghost  is,"  i.  e., 
is  given;  whether  these  miraculous  gifts  have  ap- 
peared. They  had  understood  and  practiced  repen- 
tance toward  God,  and  some  vague  yet  real  faith  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  but  they  had  not  heard 
Christ's  disclosures  about  "  another  Comforter,  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  nor  had  they  experienced  his  special 
Pentecostal  gifts.  John  had  taught  Christ's  true 
Messiahship.  This  was  his  central  truth :  Behold 
the  Lamb  of  God  !  So  much  these  men  knew, 
when  they  were  initiated  by  baptism  into  the  reli- 
gion which  John  taught.  That  religion  included  as 
its  two  main  doctrines  repentance  or  reformation  of 
heart  and  life,  and  trust  in  that  Lamb  of  God  of 
whom  John  was  the  forerunner  and  herald. 

After  brief  colloquy  with  these  believers  in  the 
Messiah,  Paul  made  clear  what  was  vague,  and  fully 
unfolded  Christ's  career  to  His  Ascension,  and  the 
sending  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ten  days  thereafter. 
And  now,  with  vastly  enlarged  vision  of  spiritual 


truth,  and  with  deepened  faith,  "  they  were  baptized 
into  "  (as  better  representing  the  chief  idea  of  in- 
corporation) "  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  Again, 
as  before,  the  laying  on  of  the  apostle's  hands  was 
followed  with  the  miraculous  gifts  (the  speaking 
with  other  tongues,  and  by  special  inspiration,  i.  e., 
"  prophesying  ")  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  upon 
these  twelve  disciples  Paul  laid  the  foundation  of 
the  great  Church  of  the  Ephesians. 

This  singular  incident  (we  note  in  passing),  as 
well  as  the  similar  history  of  Apollos,  shows  how 
slowly  the  knowledge  of  the  essential  facts  of  Chris- 
tianity was  spread  abroad.  It  further  indicates  the 
depth  and  force  of  the  impression  made  upon  the 
whole  Jewish  people  by  the  brief  yet  powerful  min- 
istry of  the  Baptist.  Nearly  thirty  years  had  now 
elapsed  since  his  beheading  by  Herod,  yet  at  two 
widely  separated  points  we  find  so  rich  and  precious 

fruit  of  his  faithful  testimony.     B. The  incident 

is  also  important  as  showing  that  those  who  are  in 
a  truly  believing  state  of  mind  believe  more  or  less 
of  Christian  truth  according  to  their  opportunities 
of  knowledge.  Abraham's  faith  was  probably  as 
strong  as  that  of  Paul,  but  not  so  extensive.  This 
gives  us  great  hope  for  those  who  are  ignorant,  but 
not  for  those  who  reject  the  truth  when  made 
known.  If  one  has  "  faith "  he  will  hold  "  the 
faith  "  as  soon  as  he  can  properly  discover  it ;  with- 
out "  faith,"  holding  "  the  faith  "  is  a  dead  ortho- 
doxy.     Riddle. 

8-10.  Three  Months  in  the  Synagogue  on  the 
Sabbath,  then  Two  Years  in  the  School  of  Tyrannus 
daily,  Paul  jjr caches  the  Word  of  the  Lord  Jesiis. — 
Though  Aquila  and  Priscilla  are  not  mentioned  here, 
we  have  seen  them  so  lately  instructing  Apollos,  and 
we  find  them  so  soon  again  sending  salutations  to  Cor- 
inth in  the  apostle's  letter  from  Ephesus  (1  Cor.  16), 
that  we  can  not  but  believe  he  met  his  old  associates. 
It  is  even  probable  that  he  again  worked  with  them 
at  the  same  trade :  for  in  the  address  to  the  Ephe- 
sian  elders  (20  :  34)  he  stated  that  "his  own  hands 
had  ministered  to  his  necessities " ;  and  in  writing 
to  the  Corinthians  he  says  (1  Cor.  4:11,  12)  that 
such  toil  had  continued  even  "to  that  hour."     H. 

First,  three  months  in  the  synagogue  he  spal^e 
boldly.  His  theme,  as  at  Thessalonica,  was  that  of 
the  Baptist.  It  was  that  doctrine  of  the  kingdom  of 
God  which  was  the  key  to  Christ's  whole  ministry. 
To  the  Jews,  who  were  still  looking  for  a  visible 
world-empire,  he  faithfully  declared  a.j\d  pressed  home 
the  truth  respecting  "  the  kingdom  of  God  within 
them,"  as  the  condition  of  entrance  into  the  final 
glory  of  the  everlasting  kingdom.  But  his  bold 
fidelity  was  offensive  because  his  truth  was  un- 
welcome. They  hardened  themselves  against  his 
appeals  by  willfully  refusing  to  believe.  Nay,  fur- 
ther, they  dared  jiublicly  revile  the  truth  of  God 


SECTION'  220.— ACTS  18  :  23-28;  19  : 1-20. 


137 


and  to  belie  the  Christian  xoay  of  believing  and 
living. 

Thereupon,  as  at  Corinth,  Paul  withdrew  his 
disciples  from  among  them.  As  the  house  of  Justus 
at  Corinth,  so  here  the  school  of  Tyrannus  became — 
and  for  two  years  continued — the  daily  meeting- 
place  of  the  Christians  and  the  chief  preaching-place 
of  Paul.  (From  the  lack  of  any  note  of  the  man,  it 
would  seem  that  this  was  a  hired  room  where  pre- 
viously a  Greek  philosopher  of  that  name  had  been 
wont  to  teach.)  And  for  yet  nine  months  longer, 
making  three  full  years  (20  :  31),  in  this  great  cen- 
tral city  Paul  maintained  his  sublime  work  of  pub- 
lishing the  Christian  truths.  Doubtless  he  made 
many  brief  tours  into  the  interior,  and  possibly 
crossed  the  Jilgean  to  Corinth ;  for  of  such  move- 
ments we  find  some  indications.  So  it  was  that  all 
the  inhabitants  of  pro-consular  Asia  "heard  the 
word  of  the  Lord  Jesus  " ;  a  fact  confirmed  even  by 
heathen  writers.  And  during  this  period  most,  if 
not  all,  of  the  Seven  Churches  of  the  Apocalypse 
may  have  been  planted.  Of  four  congregations  in 
that  province,  those  of  Ephesus,  Colosse,  Laodicea, 
and  Hierapolis,  Paul  speaks  definitely  in  Col.  1 
and  4. 

11,  13.  PauVs  Work  for  God  attested  by  Spe- 
cially Adapted  Miracles. — For  a  second  time,  and  the 
last,  in  Paul's  history  we  read  of  many  miracles 
wrought  in  connection  with  his  ministry.  The  oc- 
casion— always  the  same — is  some  specially  de- 
manded attestation  of  God's  presence,  speaking  and 
working  through  him.  As  in  the  case  of  Moses  be- 
fore Pharaoh,  and  as  in  Paul's  own  previous  expe- 
rience before  the  deputy  in  Cyprus,  an  issue  was 
raised  here  between  the  antagonistic  powers  of  light 
and  darkness.  On  the  one  side  were  numerous  sor- 
cerers, pretended  exorcists,  and  magic-workers,  apos- 
tles of  falsehood  and  impurity  with  whom  Ephesus 
was  teeming,  from  all  lands ;  and  on  the  other, 
Christ's  apostle  of  truth  and  purity.  To  give  sharp- 
ness and  force  to  the  decision  of  this  issue,  an  un- 
questioned and  signal  manifestation  of  Divine  power 
was  essential  at  this  juncture  in  this  infested  city. 
Hence,  besides  the  miracles  wrought  by  the  hands  of 
Paul,  God  wrought  special  wonders  in  connection 
with  him,  yet  without  his  direct  intervention.  Not 
the  relics  of  a  dead  saint,  but  aprons  and  handker- 
chiefs used  by  a  living  one  in  his  honest,  hallowed, 
daily  toil,  were  made  means  of  imparting  a  healing 
power,  like  that  of  Christ's  garment-hem  to  the  suf- 
fering woman's  touch.  Those  who  sought  them  for 
this  purpose  had  faith  in  the  application,  and  God 
condescended  to  meet  and  reward  the  faith.  But 
only  for  the  time  and  occasion.  There  was  no  sec- 
ond-hand use,  for  there  was  no  second-hand  faith  of 
superstition. 

The  unusual  form  of  these  miracles — therefore 


called  special — was  adapted  to  meet  the  leading  su- 
perstition of  Ephesus.  These  very  supernatural 
effects,  so  publicly  wrought  and  so  conclusively  real, 
were  designed  to  confute  and  triumphantly  confuted 
all  professed  magical  or  talismanic  claims.  Especi- 
ally did  they  challenge  comparison  in  their  effects 
with  the  charms  and  amulets  constituted  by  the  ut- 
terance or  transcription  of  the  famous  mystic  sym- 
bols or  sentences  known  as  the  Ephesian  Letters, 
thrice  graven  upon  Diana's  image.  In  connection 
with  these  admirably  adapted  miracles — which  have 
no  parallel  in  apostolic  or  other  subsequent  times — 
Luke  is  careful  to  note  (17)  that  it  was  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  not  that  of  Paul,  that  was  magnified. 

B. Eustathius  says  that  the  mysterious  symbols 

called  "Ephesian  Letters"  were  engraved  on  the 
crown,  the  girdle,  and  the  feet  of  the  goddess. 
When  pronounced,  they  were  regarded  as  a  charm ; 
and  were  directed  to  be  used,  especially  by  those 
who  were  in  the  power  of  evil  spirits.  When  writ- 
ten, they  were  carried  about  as  amulets.  The  study 
of  these  symbols  was  an  elaborate  science :  and 
books,  both  numerous  and  costly,  were  compiled  by 
its  professors.     H. 

13-16.  So  conclusively  real  and  certainly  Divine 
were  the  "  special  miracles  "  wrought  in  connection 
with  Paul's  preaching,  that  "  certain  wandering  Jew- 
ish exorcists  undertook  to  name  over  them  who  had 
evil  spirits  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  saying,  We 
adjure  you  by  the  Jesus  whom  Paul  preacheth."  This 
blasphemous  appeal  was  not  only  damaging  as  its 
utter  failure  showed  them  to  be  counterfeits  and 
pretenders ;  it  involved  the  absurdity  of  a  feebler 
evil  agent,  with  a  means  confessedly  not  understood, 
much  less  controlled,  attempting  to  dispossess  a 
stronger.  In  these  words,  too,  the  sons  of  Sceva  prac- 
tically confessed  that  they  had  no  faith  in  and  stood 
in  no  personal  relation  to  Christ ;  that  they  were 
not  warranted  therefore  in  such  a  use  of  His  name; 
that  their  own  claim  to  supernatural  power  was 
false;  that,  unlike  them  and  all  other  sorcerers, 
Paul  was  a  true  man,  successfully  engaged  in  a 
work  helpful  to  man  and  so  honoring  to  God  ;  and 
that  in  this  work  he  was  in  living  alliance  with  Di- 
vine power.  Furthermore,  this  wicked,  absurd,  and 
humiliating  appeal  brought  out  another  demoniac 
attestation  to  the  truth  of  Paul's  mission  and  the 
conquering  might  of  Christ.  "Jesus  I  acknovd- 
edge"  as  Ruler  over  the  world  of  evil  and  good, 
"and  Paul  I  know,"  as  Eis  minister,  "but  who 
are  ye  ?  "  promptly  answered  back  the  kindred  spirit 
whom  they  could  not  exorcise.  And  assaulting  two 
of  the  seven  brothers,  he  rent  off  their  clothes  and 
drove  them  wounded  from  the  house. 

17-20.  Effect  of  the  Word  and  its  Accompany- 
ing Miracles,  and  of  the  Overthrow  of  the  Jewish 
Exorcists,  upon  Believers  in  Magic  and  Dealeis  in 


SECTION  221.— ACTS  19  :  21-41. 


Sorcery. — To  all  the  dwellers  in  Ephesus,  both  Jews 
and  Greeks,  Paul's  faithful  preaching  of  Jesus,  the 
special  marvels  connected  with  him,  and  the  dis- 
comfiture of  the  sons  of  Sceva,  had  become  known. 
Through  this  knowledge  Christ's  name  was  magni- 
fied and  multitudes  believed.  Luke  notes  the  special 
effects  of  the  strikingly  exhibited  superiority  of  the 
divine  miracles  over  the  human  counterfeits.  On  the 
one  hand,  many  who  had  previously  believed  (18),  and 
yet  had  not  thrown  off  the  early  superstitious  faith 
in  magic  arts,  now  formally  confessed  their  folly  and 
renounced  all  connection  with  sorcerous  practices. 
And  on  the  other,  many  of  the  sorcerers,  of  those 
"  who  practiced  magical  arts,"  openly  brought  to- 
gether and  burned  the  parchment  rolls,  transcribed 
laboriously  and  at  great  cost  with  the  secret  formulae 
and  mystic  symbols  of  the  magic  art,  accumulated 
through  previous  ages.  That  these  became  also 
Christian  believers  is  evident  from  the  cost  and 
completeness  of  their  voluntary  sacrifice.  They  did 
not  make  gain  of  that  which  they  now  knew  to  be 
only  evil ;  but  showed  their  sincerity  of  repentance 


by  utterly  and  openly  destroying  the  books  that 
might  have  been  sold  for  a  great  sum.  The  money- 
value  thus  deliberately  sacrificed  by  constraint  of 
Christian  principle  amounted  to  many  thousand  dol- 
lars. Thus,  as  always,  a  genuine  faith  wrought  an 
honest  purpose ;  a  purpose  that  will  sacrifice  at  any 
cost  and  hazard  every  hindrance  in  the  way  of  obe- 
dience to  God  and  helpfulness  to  man.  A  sharp 
lesson,  not  only  upon  sacrifice  but  upon  sincerity, 
these  converted  sorcerers  of  Ephesus  convey  to 
many  professedly  converted  men  and  women  in  their 
business  dealings. 

In  this  connection  the  20th  verse  presents  a 
remarkable  summary  of  Paul's  work  in  Ephesus: 
So  mightily  greio  the  Word  of  God,  and  prevailed  ! 
The  breadth  of  the  sowing  of  truth,  the  depth  of 
its  rooting,  its  vital  force  in  the  heart  and  its  rich 
fruitage  in  the  life,  are  here  referred  to.  Of  these 
great  and  wide  results,  the  submission  and  sacrifice  of 
the  sorcerers,  just  alluded  to,  afford  signal  examples. 
The  opposite,  selfish  course  of  Demetrius  and  his 
workmen  present  as  signal  exceptions.    B. 


Section  221. 


Acts  xix.  21-41. 


22 


23 


21       After  these  things  were  ended,  Paul  purposed  in  the  spirit,  when  he  had  passed  through 
Macedonia  and  Achaia,  to  go  to  Jerusalem,  saying,  After  I  have' been  there,  I  must  also  see 
Eome.     So  he  sent  into  Macedonia  two  of  them  that  ministered  unto  him,  Timotheus  and 
Erastus ;  hut  he  himself  stayed  in  Asia  for  a  season. 
And  the  same  time  there  arose  no  small  stir  about  that  way.     For  a  certain  man  named 

24  Demetrius,  a  silversmith,  which  made  silver  shrines  for  Diana,  hrought  no  small  gain  unto 

25  the  craftsmen;  whom  he  called  together  with  the  workmen  of  like  occupation,  and  said, 

26  Sirs,  ye  know  that  by  this  craft  we  have  our  wealth.  Moreover  ye  see  and  hear,  that  not 
alone  at  Ephesus,  hut  almost  throughout  all  Asia,  this  Paul  hath  persuaded  and  turned 

27  away  much  people,  saying  that  they  he  no  gods,  which  are  made  with  hands :  so  that  not 
only  this  our  craft  is  in  danger  to  be  set  at  nought ;  hut  also  that  the  temple  of  the  great 
goddess  Diana  should  be  despised,  and  her  magnificence  should  be  destroyed,  whom  all  Asia 

28  and  the  world  worshippeth.     And  when  they  heard  these  sayings,  they  were  full  of  wrath, 

29  and  cried  out,  saying,  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians.  And  the  whole  city  was  fiUed  with 
confusion :  and  having  caught  Gaius  and  Aristarchus,  men  of  Macedonia,  Paul's  companions 

30  in  travel,  they  rushed  with  one  accord  into  the  theatre.    And  when  Paul  would  have  en- 

31  tered  in  unto  the  people,  the  disciples  suffered  him  not.  And  certain  of  the  chief  of  Asia, 
which  were  his  friends,  sent  unto  him,  desiring  him  that  he  would  not  adventure  himself 

32  into  the  theatre.     Some  therefore  cried  one  thing,  and  some  another:  for  the  assembly  was 

33  confused;  and  the  more  part  knew  not  wherefore  they  were  come  together.  And  they  drew 
Alexander  out  of  the  multitude,  the  Jews  putting  him  forward.     And  Alexander  beckoned 

84  with  the  hand,  and  would  have  made  his  defence  unto  the  people.  But  when  they  knew 
that  he  was  a  Jew,  all  with  one  voice  about  the  space  of  two  hours  cried  out,  Great  is  Diana 

35  of  the  Ephesians.  And  when  the  townclerk  had  appeased  the  people,  he  said,  Te  men  of 
Ephesus,  what  man  is  there  that  knoweth  not  how  that  the  city  of  the  Ephesians  is  a  wor- 

36  shipper  of  the  great  goddess  Diana,  and  of  the  image  which  fell  down  from  Jupiter?    See- 


SECTION  221.—AGT8  19  :  SI-4I. 


139 


ing  then  that  these  things  cannot  be  spoken  against,  ye  ought  to  be  quiet,  and  to  do  nothing 

37  rashly.     For  ye  have  brouglit  hither  these  men,  which  are  neither  robbers  of  churches,  nor 

38  yet  blasphemers  of  your  goddess.     Wherefore  if  Demetrius,  and  the  craftsmen  which  are 
with  him,  have  a  matter  against  any  man,  the  law  is  open,  and  there  are  deputies:  let  them 

39  implead  one  another.     But  if  ye  enquire  any  thing  concerning  other  matters,  it  shall  be  de- 

40  termined  in  a  lawful  assembly.     For  we  are  in  danger  to  be  called  in  question  for  this  day's 

41  uproar,  there  being  no  cause  whereby  we  may  give  an  account  of  this  concourse.     And 
when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  dismissed  the  assembly. 


Conceive  the  apostles  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  tent-maker  or  the  fisherman,  entering,  as  strangers,  into  one 
of  the  splendid  cities  of  Syria,  Asia  Minor,  or  Greece.  Everywhere  they  behold  temples  on  which  the 
utmost  extravagance  of  expenditure  has  been  lavished  by  succeeding  generations  ;  idols  of  the  most  exqui- 
site workmanship,  to  which,  even  if  the  religious  feeling  of  adoration  is  enfeebled,  the  people  are  strongly 
attached  by  national  or  local  vanity.  They  meet  processions,  in  which  the  idle  find  perpetual  occupation, 
the  young  excitement,  the  voluptuous  a  continual  stimulant  to  their  passions.  They  pass  a  magnificent 
theatre,  on  the  splendor  and  success  of  which  the  popularity  of  the  existing  authorities  mainly  depends, 
and  in  which  the  serious  exhibitions  are  essentially  religious,  the  lighter  as  intimately  connected  with  the 
indulgence  of  the  baser  passions.  They  behold  another  public  building,  where  even  worse  feelings — the 
cruel  and  the  sanguinary — are  pampered  by  the  animating  contests  of  wild  beasts  and  of  gladiators.  They 
encounter,  likewise,  itinerant  jugglers,  diviners,  magicians,  who  impose  upon  the  credulous,  and  excite  the 
contempt  of  the  enlightened.  Such  must  have  been  among  the  overpowering  difficulties  they  contemned 
and  defied.    Milman. 


21,  22.  The  Ultimate  Plan  of  PauVs  Further 
Journey.  Timothy  and  Erastus  sent  before. — In  2 
Cor.  1  :  15,  16,  a  slightly  differing  plan  is  referred 
to.  He  had  intended  to  pass  through  Corinth  "  to 
Macedonia  and  to  come  again  out  of  Macedonia  unto 
Corinth  " ;  that  is,  to  give  them  a  second  benefit  in 
this  journey.  But  this  purpose  was  changed,  to 
spare  them,  that  he  might  not  grieve  them,  or  come  to 
them  in  sorrow  or  severity  (2  Cor.  1  :  12 ;  2  :  10). 
The  First  Epistle  explains  all.  Sad  intelligence 
reached  him  in  Ephesus  of  divisions  and  contentions 
in  the  Corinthian  Church,  of  uncensured  gross  im- 
moralities, and  of  the  scandalous  profanation  of  the 
Lord's  Supper.  Instead  of  the  sharp  rebuke,  which 
he  would  have  personally  administered  had  he  gone 
first  to  Corinth,  he  remains  still  longer  in  the  prov- 
ince of  Asia,  and  from  Ephesus  (1  Cor.  16:8)  writes 
the  admonitory  words  of  his  First  Epistle  to  the  Co- 
rinthian Church.    B. While  arranging  his  plans 

80  as  to  give  his  disciples  at  Corinth  a  space  for  re- 
pentance before  his  arrival,  he  stimulated  them  to 
that  repentance,  and  gave  directions  for  that  refor- 
mation of  their  disorders  which  would  prepare  for 
his  coming  to  them  in  joy  and  peace,  by  writing  this 
letter.  Its  contents  give  decisive  indications  of  its 
date  and  place :  it  was  written  after  Paul's  second 
visit  to  Galatia ;  after  the  mission  of  Timothy,  and 
Erastus;  and  after  the  change  in  the  apostle's 
plans.  Paul  alludes  to  his  being  still  in  Asia,  and 
at  Ephesus,  whence  he  was  contemplating  his  de- 
parture at  the  ensuing  Pentecost ;  circumstances 
which  fix  the  date  to  the  spring  of  his  last  year's 
residence  at  Ephesus  (a.  d.  57).     S. After  thjjt, 


he  decides  to  delay  still  further  and  to  go  first  to 
Macedonia,  that  he  might  learn  the  effect  of  his 
First  Letter.  While  in  Macedonia  he  receives  grat- 
ifying tidings,  to  which  he  refers  and  responds  in 
his  Second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  written  from 
Macedonia.  Then  he  goes  to  Corinth,  and  after  win- 
tering there  is  brought  on  his  return  journey  to  Je- 
rusalem. Luke,  writing  here  after  the  event,  sim- 
ply narrates  Paul's  actual  journey.  The  tarrying 
"  in  Asia  "  (in  Ephesus)  covered  another  period  of 
nine  months,  which  completes  the  three  years  of 
chapter  20  :  31.  During  these  latter  months  oc- 
curred the  events  that  follow  in  this  chapter. 

23-28.  Demetrius,  a  Manufacturer  in  Silver, 
craftily  excites  the  Workmen  to  Riotous  Demonstra- 
tions against  the  Christian  Movement  and  its  Lead- 
ers.— Again,  this  movement  is  characterized  as  "  that 
way  "  ;  meaning  the  Christian  way  of  believing  and 
living.     Some  knowledge  of  the  temple,  the  image 


Coin  of  Ephesus,  exhibiting  the  head  of  Nero  and  the  Tem- 
ple of  Diana. 

and  the  worship  of  Diana,  the  tutelary  deity  of 
Ephesus,  is  essential  to  a  clear  understanding  of 
the  appeal  of  Demetrius  and  the  resulting  commo- 
tion.   B. 


uo 


SECTION  221.— ACTS  19  :  21-41. 


One  building  at  Ephesus  surpassed  all  the  rest 
in  magnificence  and  in  fame.  This  was  the  Temple 
of  Artemis  or  Diana,  which  glittered  in  brilliant 
beauty  at  the  head  of  the  harbor,  and  was  reckoned 
by  the  ancients  as  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world. 
The  sun,  it  was  said,  saw  nothing  in  his  course  more 
magnificent  than  Diana's  Temple.  It  consisted  es- 
sentially in  horizontal  entablatures  resting  on  verti- 
cal columns.  These  colonnades  were  erected  as  sub- 
sidiary decorations  round  the  cell  which  contained 
the  idol,  and  were,  through  a  great  part  of  their 
space,  open  to  the  sky.  The  Temple  was  425  feet  in 
length  and  220  in  breadth,  and  the  columns  were  60 
feet  high.  The  number  of  columns  was  127,  each 
of  them  the  gift  of  a  king;  and  36  of  them  were 
enriched  with  ornament  and  color.  All  the  Greek 
cities  contributed  to  the  structure.  The  national 
pride  in  the  sanctuary  was  so  great  that,  when  Alex- 
ander offered  the  spoils  of  his  eastern  campaign  if 
he  might  inscribe  his  name  on  the  building,  the 
honor  was  declined.  The  value  and  fame  of  the 
Temple  were  enhanced  by  its  being  the  treasury,  in 
which  a  large  portion  of  the  wealth  of  Western  Asia 
was  stored  up. 

If  the  Temple  of  Diana  at  Ephesus  was  magnif- 
icent, the  Image  enshrined  within  the  sumptuous 
inclosure  was  primitive  and  rude.  It  resembled  an 
Indian  idol  rather  than  the  beautiful  forms  which 
crowded  the  Acropolis  of  Athens.  The  figure,  which 
assumed  an  emblematic  form  above,  representing 
the  life  of  all  animated  beings  as  fed  and  supported 
by  nature,  was  terminated  below  in  a  shapeless 
block.  The  material  was  wood.  A  bar  of  metal 
■was  in  each  hand.  The  dress  was  covered  with 
mystic  devices ;  and  the  small  shrine,  where  it  stood 
within  the  Temple,  was  concealed  by  a  curtain  in 
front.  Yet,  rude  as  the  image  was,  it  was  the  ob- 
ject of  the  utmost  veneration.  Like  the  Palladium 
of  Troy — like  the  most  ancient  Minerva  of  the 
Athenian  Acropolis — like  the  Paphian  Venus  or 
Cybele  of  Pessinus — like  the  Ceres  in  Sicily — it 
was  believed  to  have  "  fallen  down  from  the  sky  " 
(v.  35). 

One  of  the  idolatrous  customs  of  the  ancient 
world  was  the  use  of  portable  images  or  shrmes, 
which  were  little  models  of  the  more  celebrated  ob- 
jects of  devotion.  They  were  carried  in  processions, 
on  journeys  and  military  expeditions,  and  set  up  as 

household  gods  in  private  houses.    H. Such  were 

the  "  silver  shrines  for  Diana,"  largely  manufactured 
by  Demetrius  ;  small  portable  models  of  the  Tem- 
ple, and  containing  a  figure  of  the  goddess.  These 
shrines  were  in  great  demand,  not  only  in  Ephesus 
and  the  province  of  Asia,  but  among  all  nations  and 
in  all  countries ;  and  hence  the  business  of  their 
manufacture  was  extensive  and  lucrative. 

The  great  annual  festival  of  Diana,  the  patron 


deity  of  Ephesus,  took  place  in  her  own  month  of 
May ;  when  the  rude  wooden  image  of  the  goddess 
was  exhibited  to  the  multitude,  and,  in  her  honor, 
games  and  dramas  were  publicly  celebrated.  Of 
this  opportune  occasion  Demetrius  took  advantage 
to  stir  up  the  idle  and  excitable  Greek  populace. 
Yet  with  all  his  shrewdness  he  is  constrained  to 
confess  the  immense  power  and  success  of  the  Word, 
in  the  very  facts  upon  which  he  bases  his  inflamma- 
tory appeals.  That  the  craftsmen  in  image*  mold- 
ing and  carving  were  out  of  work  he  declares  to 
result  from  the  preaching  of  this  Paul.  By  him, 
"  much  people  in  Ephesus  and  throughout  all  Asia" 
(that  is,  the  broad  strip  of  the  western  seaboard  of 
Asia  Minor,  the  province  of  Asia)  have  been  turned 
away  from  Diana's  worship,  and  led  to  disbelieve 
in  gods  made  with  hands.  He  further  praises  the 
true  character,  methods,  and  effects  of  the  Gospel, 
shows  where  the  real  power  of  its  preacher  lies,  and 
how  God  honors  that  power,  by  the  words :  Tliis 
Paul  hath  persuaded  much  people  !  To  reason  and 
motive  they  have  intelligently  and  voluntarily  re- 
sponded with  faith.  And  that  these  are  undeniable 
facts,  he  appeals  to  the  workmen :  Ye  see  and  hear 
all  this  ! 

Naturally  his  first  argument  based  upon  such 
facts  touches  the  selfish  side.  "  This  craft  of  ours — 
the  making  of  these  silver  temple-models — by  which 
we  get  our  living,  is  in  danger  of  being  done  away. 
Nay  more,  in  time  our  occupation  will  become  ab- 
surd and  be  accounted  disgraceful."  Next  he  ap- 
peals to  the  religious  and  national  feeling  of  the 
gathering  townspeople,  as  well  as  of  the  workmen. 
He  warns  them  that  the  success  of  the  Christian 
teaching  means  the  decline  and  overthrow  of  the 
Diana-worship,  and  of  the  supremacy  of  their  regal 
city  Ephesus. 

Arguments  so  artfully  set  forth,  having  so  much 
foundation  in  fact,  and  touching  his  hearers  at  every 
personal  and  practical  point,  appealing  to  their  im- 
periled living,  to  their  religious  faith,  such  as  it 
was,  and  to  their  patriotic  feeling,  could  not  but  suc- 
ceed in  inflaming  their  wrath  to  the  utmost.  With 
a  mighty  outcry,  which  expressed  all  the  substance 
of  their  superstitious  faith  and  patriotic  devotion, 
Great  !  Diana  of  the  Ephesians  !  the  surging  crowd 
of  artisans  and  people  that  had  gathered  at  the 
speech  of  Demetrius  went  turaultuously  through  the 
streets,  increasing  as  they  went,  until  they  poured, 
a  vast  throng,  into  the  great  theatre. 

29-41.  Proceedings  in  the  Theatre.— This  is  be- 
lieved to  have  been  the  largest  open-air  structure  of 
its  kind  ever  constructed  by  the  Greeks — capable  of 
seating  50,000  persons  in  its  many  semicircular  tiers 
of  stone  seats,  rising  from  the  stage  floor.  The  still 
visible  remains  show  its  vast  dimensions. 

Two  of  Paul's  Macedonian  disciples,  companions 


SECTION  221.— ACTS  19:21-41. 


141 


in  travel,  were  seized  by  the  mob  on  the  way,  and 
borne  into  the  theatre.  Paul  was  kept  back  from 
entering  by  some  "  of  the  chief  of  Asia,"  or  Asi- 
archs.  B. These  were  men  (ten  in  number)  an- 
nually elected  from  the  wealthiest,  most  distin- 
guished and  influential  citizens  of  the  whole  prov- 
ince, to  conduct  the 
sacrificial  worship  and 
to  preside  over  the 
games  of  the  Artemi- 
sian  festival,  to  pro- 
vide the  necessary  ex- 
penses, and  to  see  that 
due  order  was  main- 
tained. They  held  for 
the  time  a  kind  of  sa- 
cerdotal position ;  and 
when,  robed  in  man- 
tles of  purple  and 
crowned  with  gar- 
lands, they  assumed 
the  duty  of  regulating 
the  great  gymnastic 
contests,  and  control- 
ling the  tumultuary 
crowd  in  the  theatre, 
they  might  literally  be 
called  the   "chief  of 

A?ia."    H. Some  of  the  men  honored  with  this 

high  office  at  this  festival  were  so  friendly  to  Paul, 
if  not  to  the  Christian  teachings,  that  they  be- 
sought him  not  to  expose  himself  to  unnecessa,ry 
peril  by  venturing  into  the  excited  and  turbulent 
throng. 

Confusion  and  uproar  filled  the  vast  amphi- 
theatre. Probably  by  Alexander  the  coppersmith 
(2  Tim.  4  :  14),  the  Jews  sought  to  clear  themselves 
of  the  odium  and  charge  against  the  Christians. 
But  the  angry,  blinded  crowd  recognized  no  distinc- 
tion and  would  hear  no  defense.  For  two  hours 
they  filled  the  air  with  their  senseless  shout,  Great 
is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians  !  Then  came  among  them 
their  highest  magistrate,  a  secretary,  or  recorder, 
who  kept  the  archives,  and  prepared  and  published 
all  state  papers ;  and  who,  in  various  other  ways, 
officially  represented  the  people  of  the  free  city  of 
Ephesus.  This  officer  was  chosen  by  themselves,  his 
presence  was  familiar,  and  his  judgment  trusted.   B. 

The  speech  is  a  pattern  of  candid  argument  and 
judicious  tact.  He  first  allays  the  fanatical  passions 
of  his  listeners  by  a  simple  appeal.  Then  he  bids 
them  remember  that  Paul  and  his  companions  had 
not  been  guilty  of  profaning  the  Temple,  or  of  ca- 
lumnious expressions  against  the  goddess.  Then  he 
points  out  that  the  remedy  for  any  injustice  was 
amply  provided  by  the  assizes,  or  by  an  appeal  to 
the  proconsul.    And  he  reminds  them  that  such  an 


uproar  exposed  the  city  to  the  displeasure  of  the 
Romans  ;  for,  however  great  the  liberties  allowed  to 
an  ancient  and  loyal  city,  a  tumultuous  meeting 
which  endangered  the  public  peace  would  never  be 
tolerated.  So  he  tranquilized  the  multitude,  and 
formally  dismissed  the  assembly.     Thus  God  used 


View  of  the  Theatre  at  Ephesus. 

the  eloquence  of  a  Greek  magistrate  to  protect  his 
servant,  as  he  had  used  the  right  of  Roman  citizen- 
ship at  Philippi,  and  the  justice  of  a  Roman  gov- 
ernor at  Corinth.  And,  as  in  those  cases,  the  nar- 
rative here  concludes  with  the  notice  of  a  deliberate 
and  affectionate  farewell.     H. 

The  town  clerk  said,  "  These  men  are  neither  rob- 
bers of  churches  nor  blasphemers  of  your  goddess." 
It  would  appear  from  this  that  Paul  had  proceeded 
at  Ephesus  with  the  same  caution  which  he  had  dis- 
played at  Athens.  He  effectually  undermined  all 
idolatry  by  preaching  Christ ;  but  he  did  not  fly  in 
the  face  of  what  his  audience  considered  sacred. 
His  argument  was  always  grave  and  considerate. 
He  would  not  needlessly  trample  on  the  prejudices 
of  the  heathen.     Arnot. 

Nothing  more  hinders  men  from  going  to  or 
going  from  an  opinion  than  the  interest  they  have 
by  holding  it.  Men  do  not  care  so  much  for  the 
opinions  they  hold  as  for  what  they  hold  by  their 
opinions.  Many  a  man  thinks  what  Demetrius  said : 
*'  This  craft,  by  which  we  have  all  our  wealth,  is 
like  to  be  set  at  naught."  Hence  they  begin  to  fly 
in  the  face  of  truth,  and  oppose  it  with  outrageous 
rage,  so  dearly  sweet,  and  sweetly  dear,  is  their  dar- 
ling gain.  When  once  the  copyhold  of  gain  and 
honor  is  touched,  men  begin  to  look  about  them, 
and  will  never  call  godliness  gain,  because  gain  is 
their  godliness.     V. 


142 


SECTION  222.— ACTS  20  : 1-16. 


Section  222. 

AoTS  XX.  1-16. 

1  And  after  the  uproar  was  ceased,  Paul  called  unto  Mm  the  disciples,  and  embraced  them, 

2  and  departed  for  to  go  into  Macedonia.     And  when  lie  had  gone  over  those  parts,  and  had 

3  given  them  much  exhortation,  he  came  into  Greece,  and  tliere  abode  three  months.     And 
when  the  Jews  laid  wait  for  him,  as  he  was  about  to  sail  into  Syria,  he  purposed  to  return 

4  through  Macedonia.     And  there  accompanied  him  into  Asia  Sopater  of  Berea ;  and  of  the 
Thessalonians,  Aristarchus  and  Secundus  ;  and  Gains  of  Derbe,  and  Tiraotheus ;  and  of  Asia, 

5  Tychicus  and  Trophimus.     These  going  before  tarried  for  us  at  Troas.     And  we  sailed  away 

6  from  PhUippi  after  the  days  of  unleavened  bread,  and  came  unto  them  to  Troas  in  five  days; 
where  we  abode  seven  days. 

7  And  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  the  disciples  came  together  to  break  bread, 
Paul  preached  unto  them,  ready  to  depart  on  tlie  morrow  ;  and  continued  his  speech  until 

8  midnight.     And  there  were  many  lights  in  the  upper  chamber,  where  they  were  gathered 

9  together.     And  there  sat  in  a  window  a  certain  young  man  named  Eutychus,  being  fallen 
into  a  deep  sleep :  and  as  Paul  was  long  preaching,  he  sunk  down  with  sleep,  and  fell  down 

10  from  the  third  loft,  and  was  taken  up  dead.     And  Paul  went  down,  and  fell  on  him,  and 

11  embracing  ?dm  said.  Trouble  not  yourselves  ;  for  his  Hfe  is  in  him.  When  he  therefore  was 
come  up  again,  and  had  broken  bread,  and  eaten,  and  talked  a  long  while,  even  till  break  of 

12  day,  so  he  departed.  And  they  brought  the  young  man  alive,  and  were  not  a  little  com- 
forted. 

13  And  we  went  before  to  ship,  and  sailed  unto  Assos,  there  intending  to  take  in  Paul:  for 

14  so  had  he  appointed,  minding  himself  to  go  afoot.     And  when  he  met  with  us  at  Assos,  we 

15  took  him  in,  and  came  to  Mitylene.  And  we  sailed  thence,  and  came  the  next  day  over 
against  Chios ;  and  the  next  day  we  arrived  at  Samos,  and  tarried  at  Trogyllium  ;  and  the 

16  next  day  we  came  to  Miletus.  For  Paul  had  determined  to  sail  by  Ephesus,  because  he 
would  not  spend  the  time  in  Asia :  for  he  hasted,  if  it  were  possible  for  him,  to  be  at  Jeru- 
salem the  day  of  Pentecost. 


Three  years  of  faithful  labor  had  been  given  to 
Ephesus  and  the  accessible  regions  of  the  interior 
country.  Many  churches  had  been  planted,  includ- 
ing some  or  all  of  the  seven  addressed  in  the  Apoc- 
alypse. The  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthian  Church 
had  been  written.  Timothy  had  been  sent  into  Ma- 
cedonia, and  Titus  to  Corinth  :  both  to  superintend 
the  great  work  of  gathering  contribution?  from  the 
Gentile  churches  for  the  Christian  poor  of  Judea. 
Titus  had  also  been  charged  with  a  report  to  Paul 
of  the  reception  given  to  his  First  Epistle  by  the 
Church  of  Corinth. 

1-6.  In  these  six  verses  is  compressed  the  story 
of  ten  months'  journeying  and  tarry :  from  Ephesus 
to  Macedonia  and  Greece,  and  back  to  Troas.  Three 
Epistles — the  Second  to  the  Corinthians,  and  those  to 
the  Galatians  and  the  Romans — largely  supplement 
Luke's  brief  record  here.  They  detail  many  inci- 
dents, and  fully  disclose  Paul's  state  of  mind ;  the 
causes  of  his  anxiety,  the  special  objects  and  aims 
of  his  toil,  and  the  sources  of  his  comfort.  They 
further  show  that,  intellectually,  this  was  the  most 
active  period  of  his  career. 

From  2  Cor.  2  :  12  wo  learn  that,  after  leavincr 


Ephesus,  he  first  tarried  at  Troas,  preaching  for 
some  weeks  to  welcome  ears  the  glad  tidings,  while 
anxiously  waiting  the  return  of  Titus  from  Corinth. 
Titus  failing  to  come,  Paul  sailed  for  Macedonia, 
landing  as  before  at  Neapolis,  and  crossing  the 
mountains  to  Philippi.  Here  he  was  rejoined  by 
Timothy  ;  and  very  soon  after  was  comforted  by  the 
news  brought  by  Titus  fi'om  the  Church  at  Corinth. 
Under  mingled  emotions  awakened  by  this  intelli- 
gence, in  conjunction  with  Timothy,  he  then  wrote 

The  Second  Epistle  to  the  Churches  of  Cor- 
inth and  of  the  province  of  Achaia,  and  sent  it  by 
the  hands  of  Titus,  who  was  charged  with  complet- 
ing the  collection  successfully  begun.  This  time  and 
place  of  writing  are  intimated  by  the  following  facts : 
B. It  was  written  after  the  troubles  that  had  be- 
fallen the  apostle  in  Asia ;  after  his  preaching  and 
disappointment  at  Troas,  his  arrival  in  Macedonia, 
and  the  consolation  received  there  by  his  meeting 
with  Titus ;  while  he  was  engaged  in  making  the 
collection  for  the  poor  at  Jerusalem  ;  and  in  antici- 
pation of  a  renewed  visit  to  Corinth.  This  Epistle 
reveals  to  us  what  manner  of  man  Paul  was  when 
the  fountains  of  his  heart  were  stirred  to  their  in- 


SECTION  222.-~AGTS  20  : 1-16. 


U3 


most  depths.  Every  reader  may  perceive  that,  on 
passing  from  the  First  Epistle  to  the  Second,  the 
scene  is  almost  entirely  changed.  In  the  First,  the 
faults  and  difficulties  of  the  Corinthian  Church  are 
before  us.  The  apostle  writes  of  these,  with  spirit 
indeed  and  emotion,  as  he  always  does,  but  without 
passion  or  disturbance.  He  calmly  asserts  his  own 
authority  over  the  Church,  and  threatens  to  deal 
severely  with  offenders.  In  the  Second,  he  writes 
as  one  whose  personal  relations  with  those  whom  he 
addresses  have  undergone  a  most  painful  shock. 
The  acute  pain  given  by  former  tidings — the  com- 
fort yielded  by  the  account  which  Titus  brought — 
the  vexation  of  a  sensitive  mind  at  the  necessity  of 
self-assertion — contend  together  for  utterance.  The 
highly  wrought  personal  sensitiveness,  the  ebb  and 
flow  of  emotion,  so  peculiarly  characteristic  of  the 
Epistle,  are  as  intelligible  as  they  are  noble  and 
beautiful.  We  see  what  sustained  him  in  his  self- 
assertion  ;  he  knew  that  he  did  not  preach  himself, 
but  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord.     S. 

From  Philippi  the  apostle  went  upon  a  preach- 
ing tour  westward  "  as  far  as  lUyricum,"  on  the 
Adriatic  (Rom.  15  :  19),  thus  "completing  (at  least 
in  outline)  the  evangelization  of  the  Eastern  divi- 
sion of  the  empire,  preparatory  to  a  movement  upon 
Rome  itself."  Referring  to  this  extended  circuit, 
Luke  says :  "  When  he  had  gone  through  these  parts, 
he  came  into  Greece,  and  there  abode  three  months.'''' 

The  three  winter  months  (of  a.  d.  57-58)  at  Cor- 
inth are  those  here  alluded  to.  Occupied  with  the 
settlement  of  disturb- 
ing questions  and  dis- 
orders in  that  church, 
with  an  oversight  of 
other  churches  in  the 
province,  and  with  "  the 
care  of  all  the  church- 
es "  that  he  had  found- 
ed, the  apostle  yet  found 
time  for  the  composi- 
tion of  two  kindred 
Epistles :  one  to  the  Ga- 
latians,  the  other  to  the 
Romans.  Of  these  the 
former,  which  was  first 
written,  is  a  sort  of 
ground-plan  to  the  lat- 
ter. 

The  Epistle  to  the 
Galatians  was  written 
in    the    early   part    of 

this  winter  at  Corinth.  Some  think  that  it  was 
prepared  and  sent  before  leaving  Ephesus.  It 
was  aimed  at  the  grand  hindrance  everywhere  en- 
countered in  these  earliest  churches:  the  Judalz- 
ing  doctrine  that  sapped  the  very  life  of  the  Chris- 


tian system,  by  taking  out  of  it  all  that  was  spirit- 
ual and  essential,  and  leaving  an  outward,  heart- 
less, lifeless  ceremonial  framework.  Abrupt,  se- 
vere, and  self-asserting  against  the  men  attempt- 
ing insiduously  to  inculcate  this  destructive  teaching, 
and  seeking  by  falsehoods  to  supplant  Paul  in  the 
attachment  of  the  disciples ;  sometimes  ironical  even 
toward  those  easily  deceived  disciples ;  yet  his  tone 
of  sadness  and  intense  affection  shows  Paul's  heart 
firmly  set  upon  rescuing  and  saving  them. 

The  EnsTLE  to  the  Romans,  the  master-work  of 
Paul,  which  has  ever  since  formed  the  chief  founda- 
tion of  Christian  theology,  was  certainly  written  at 
Corinth.  Paul  writes  as  the  guest  of  Gains,  one  of 
the  most  conspicuous  members  of  the  Corinthian 
Church.  He  sends  salutations  from  Erastus,  the 
chamberlain  of  the  city,  from  Timotheus  his  fellow- 
laborer,  and  from  Sosipater,  whom  we  presently  find 
accompanying  him  on  his  voyage  from  Greece  to 
Asia  (Rom.  16  :  23).  He  mentions  the  completion, 
not  only  in  Macedonia,  but  also  in  Achaia,  of  the 
collection,  which  he  was  then  on  the  point  of  carry- 
ing to  the  poor  saints  at  Jerusalem.     B. 

This  sacred  mission  of  charity  was  now  the  only 
remaining  hindrance  to  the  gratification  of  a  desire 
which  he  had  cherished  for  many  years,  but  which 
his  labors  in  the  East  had  hitherto  postponed,  to  visit 
the  Church  of  Rome,  and  even  to  extend  his  western 
mission  as  far  as  Spain.  His  great  work  of  break- 
ing up  new  ground,  of  planting  the  churches,  which 
his  successors,  like  Apollos,  were  to  water,  was  now 


Troas,  from  Tenedos. 

done  in  the  Greek  division  of  the  Roman  world. 
"But  now  having  no  more  place  in  those  regions,"  is 
a  striking  description  of  a  completed  work  (Rom. 
15  :  20-28).  It  is  very  striking  that,  ardent  and 
long-cherished  as  was  his  desire  to  see  his  Christian 


144 


SECTION  222.— ACTS  20:1-16. 


brethren  at  Rome,  he  speaks  of  its  approaching  ful-  |        7-13.   Thus  we  have  the  interesting  story  of 
fillment  as  but  a  passing  visit,  on  his  way  to  break  |  the  evening  meeting  at  Troas,  with  its  showing  of 

the    manner   of    primitive  gatherings    for 

worship  ;  and  its  illustrative  argument  for 
the  first-day  Sabbath,  for  the  observance 
of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  for  the  sermon 
(not  the  after  "  speech  until  midnight "), 
as  parts  of  an  orderly  Christian  service.  B. 
The  place  was  an  upper  room,  with  a 
balcony  projecting  over  the  court.  While 
Paul  was  continuing  in  earnest  discourse, 
an  occurrence  suddenly  took  place  which 
filled  the  assembly  with  alarm,  though  it 
was  afterward  converted  into  an  occasion 
of  joy  and  thanksgiving.  A  young  listener, 
whose  name  was  Eutychus,  was  overcome 
by  heat  and  weariness,  and  sank  into  a  deep 
slumber.  He  was  seated  or  leaning  in  the 
balcony ;  and,  falling  down  in  his  sleep, 
was  dashed  upon  the  pavement  below  and 
was  taken  up  dead.  Confusion  and  terror 
Interior  of  Onental  House.  followed,  with  loud  lamentation.    But  Paul 

up  virgin  soil  for  the  good  seed  in  Spain.  Yet  the  I  was  enabled  to  imitate  the  power  of  that  Master  whose 
very  errand  of  mercy  to  Jerusalem,  which  he  regards  |  doctrine  he  was  proclaiming.  He  went  down  and 
as  but  a  temporary  de- 
lay of  his  inroad  upon 
the  West,  was  the  cause 
of  his  being  sent  as  a 
prisoner  to  the  capital, 
where  his  two  years' 
enforced  residence  pro- 
vided for  the  work  he 
had  to  do  both  among 
Jews  and  Gentiles.     S. 

3,  4.  To  disconcert 
a  Jewish  plot  against 
his  life,  Paul  returned 
toward  Syria  by  way  of 
Macedonia.  The  seven 
persons  named  as  com- 
panions of  the  journey 
— possibly  bearers  of 
the  collection,  and  in 
some  sort  representa- 
tives from  the  Gen- 
tile Churches  to  the 
mother  Jewish  Church 
at  Jerusalem  —  sailed 
over  to  Troas  in  ad- 
vance of  Paul  and  Luke. 
For  this  no  reason  is 
given, 


r>  ■_  — ag^  _l::i 


Ruins  of  Assos. 

[Assos  w-is  a  seaport  of  the  Roman  province  of  Asia,  in  the  district  anciently  called  Mysia. 

It  was  situated  on  the  north  shore  of  the  pulf  of  Adramyttium,  about  seven  miles  from  the 

opposite  coast  of  Lesbos,     A  i^ood  Roman  road,  connecting  the  central  parts  of  the  province 

with  Alexandria  Troas  (Troas),  passed  thron<rh  Assos,  which  was  about  twenty  miles  from 

Troas.    These  geographical  points  illustrate  Paul's  rapid  passage  through  the  town.     He  took 

the  much  shorter  journey  by  land,  and  thus  was  able  to  join  the  ship  without  difficulty,  and 

6.  At  Philippi  where    ^  sufficient  time  for  her  to  anchor  oflf  Mitylene  at  the  close  of  the  day  on  which  Troas  had 

we  left  Luke  (16:  17),   ^««°left-    ^l 


he  rejoins  Paul,  and  continues  with  him  to  Rome. 
At  once  we  note  more  specific  statements  of  time 
and  place,  and  particulars  of  incident  and  address. 


fell  upon  the  body,  and  said  to  the  bystanders  :  "Do 
not  lament;  for  his  life  is  in  him."  With  minds 
solemnized  and  filled  with  thankfulness  by  this  won- 


SBCTION  223.— ACTS  20  :  17-38. 


145 


derful  token  of  God's  power  and  love,  they  celebrated 
the  Eucharistic  feast.  This  act  was  combined,  as 
was  usual  in  the  apostolic  age,  with  a  common  meal ; 
and  Paul  now  took  some  refreshment  after  the  pro- 
tracted labor  of  the  evening,  and  then  continued  his 
conversation  till  the  dawning  of  day.     II. 

13-16.  To  gain  further  time  at  Troas,  and  per- 


haps to  get  special  strength  from  solitary  communion 
with  Christ  by  the  way,  Paul  walks  the  twenty  miles 
between  Troas  and  Assos,  while  the  ship  with  his 
companions  doubled  the  promontory  of  Lectum. 
From  Assos  their  course  lay  by  the  islands  of  Les- 
bos (of  which  Mitylene  was  the  capital),  Chios,  and 
Samos,  to  Miletus.    B. 


Section  223. 


Acts  xx.  17-38. 

17  And  from  Miletus  he  sent  to  Ephesus,  and  called  tlie  elders  of  the  chnrch.    And  when 

18  they  were  come  to  him,  he  said  unto  them,  Ye  know,  from  the  first  day  that  I  came 

19  into  Asia,  after  what  manner  I  have  been  with  you  at  aU  seasons,  serving  the  Lord  with 
all  humility  of  mind,  and  with  many  tears,   and  temptations,   which  hefel  me  by  the 

20  lying  in  wait  of  the  Jews  :  and  how  I  kept  back  nothing  that  was  profitable  unto  you,  hut 

21  have  shewed  you,  and  have  taught  you  publickly,  and  from  house  to  house,  testifying  both 
to  the  Jews,  and  also  to  the  Greeks,  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord 

22  Jesus  Christ.     And  now,  behold,  I  go  hound  in  the  spirit  unto  Jerusalem,  not  knowing  the 

23  things  that  shall  befal  me  there :  save  that  the  Holy  Ghost  witnesseth  in  every  city,  say- 

24  ing  that  bonds  and  aflflictions  abide  me.  But  none  of  these  things  move  me,  neither  count 
I  my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I  might  finish  my  course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry, 

25  which  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God.  And 
now,  behold,  I  know  that  ye  all,  among  whom  I  have  gone  preaching  the  kingdom  of  God, 

26  shall  see  my  face  no  more.     "Wherefore  I  take  you  to  record  this  day,  that  I  am  pure  from 

27  the  blood  of  all  men.    For  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare  unto  you  all  the  counsel  of  God. 

28  Take  heed  therefore  unto  yourselves,  and  to  all  the  flock,  over  the  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
hath  made  you  overseers,  to  feed  the  church  of  God,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his 

29  own  blood.    For  I  know  this,  that  after  my  departing  shall  grievous  wolves  enter  in  among 

30  you,  not  sparing  the  flock.    Also  of  your  own  selves  shall  men  arise,  speaking  perverse 

31  things,  to  draw  away  disciples  after  them.     Therefore  watch,  and  remember,  that  by  the 

32  space  of  three  years  I  ceased  not  to  warn  every  one  night  and  day  with  tears.  And  now, 
brethren,  I  commend  you  to  God,  and  to  the  word  of  his  grace,  which  is  able  to  build  you 

33  up,  and  to  give  you  an  inheritance  among  aU  them  which  are  sanctified.     I  have  coveted  no 

34  man's  silver,  or  gold,  or  apparel.    Yea,  ye  yourselves  know,  that  these  hands  have  minis- 

35  tered  unto  my  necessities,  and  to  them  that  were  with  me.  I  have  shewed  you  all  things, 
how  that  so  labouring  ye  ought  to  support  the  weak,  and  to  remember  the  words  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  how  he  said.  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive. 

36  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  kneeled  down,  and  prayed  with  them  all.    And  they 

37  all  wept  sore,  and  fell  on  Paul's  neck,  and  kissed  him,  sorrowing  most  of  all  for  the  words 

38  which  he  spake,  that  they  should  see  his  face  no  more.  And  they  accompanied  him  unto 
the  ship. 


"  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive  " ;  that  is,  it  is  more  Divine,  more  Godlike.  God  who 
receives  so  little  gives  all.  He  fills  his  eternal  year  with  an  incessant  bounty.  The  very  law  of  his  life 
is  eelf-impartation,  self-sacrifice.  Dwelling  in  the  perfect  ineffable  delights  of  his  smgle  yet  manifold 
being,  he  had  no  need  of  us  or  of  anything  that  we  can  do — no  need  escept  the  need  of  infinite  love.  To 
surround  himself  with  creatures  to  whom  he  could  give  of  his  own  life,  whom  he  could  train  through  sun 
and  shadow,  sorrow  and  joy,  to  enter  into  his  rest ;  by  labors  and  sacrifices  which  transcend  our  thought 
to  make  them  partakers  of  his  divine  nature  and  eternal  peace  ;  to  give,  and  give,  and  always  give  ;  to 
crowd  earth  and  time,  heaven  and  eternity,  with  his  good  gifts  ;  and,  all  gifts  in  one,  to  bestow  himself 
10 


146 


SECTION  223.— ACTS  20:17-38. 


upon  us — this  has  been  the  work  of  God,  this  his  commentary  on  the  words,  "  It  is  more  blessed  to  give 
than  to  receive."     Cox. 

This  "  word  of  the  Lord  Jesus "  found  no  place  in  the  evangelic  histories :  it  lay  silent  in  loving 
hearts  or  flowed  in  whispers  from  loving  lips  when  the  disciples  met  after  their  Master  had  departed, 
until,  spoken  by  Paul  on  the  seashore  to  the  weeping  elders  of  Ephesus,  it  was  recorded  by  Luke,  his 
companion,  for  the  use  of  the  Church  in  all  coming  time.  When  the  Lord  intimated  that  the  blessedness 
of  giving  is  the  greater,  he  did  not  intimate  that  the  blessedness  of  receiving  was  small.  He  proclaims 
in  one  sentence  the  twofold  truth,  that  the  joy  of  his  people  in  obtaining  salvation  is  great,  and  his  own 
in  bestowing  it  is  greater.    Arnot.  


17.  Finding  that  the  vessel  might  tarry  long 
enough,  Paul  sends  to  Ephesus  (thirty-seven  miles 
distant)  a  request  that  the  elders  of  the  Church 
would  meet  with  him  at  Miletus.  (See  map,  p.  94.) 
As  he  was  hastening,  with  limited  time,  to  Jerusa- 
lem, and  must  abide  by  his  present  opportunity, 
this  was  the  only  safe  course  to  secure  the  interview 
he  sought.  At  once  responding  to  his  call,  the 
elders  from  the  one  or  more  congregations  of  the 
Church  at  Ephesus  received  from  the  apostle  the 
touching  and  instructive  farewell  address  recorded 
in  verses  18-35.  As  a  representative  discourse,  it 
ranks  with  the  Epistles.  Especially  in  the  memories 
of  Christian  work  to  which  it  appeals,  and  in  the 


truth  it  imparts  respecting  the  personal  relations 
and  duties  of  the  eldership,  it  resembles  many  of 

Paul's  Epistles.    B. What  Paul  said  to  the  elders 

of  Ephesus  on  this  occasion,  he  said  through  them 
to  the  other  presbyters,  not  only  of  that  province, 
but  of  the  whole  Church,  not  only  then,  but  ever 
since  and  through  all  ages ;  for  which  end  it  has 
been  left  on  record.     J.  A.  A. 

18-21.  What  his  Spirit  and  Miidstry  among 
them  had  been. — They  had  been  daily  witnesses  (he 
said)  of  his  manner  of  life;  of  his  humility  and 
helpfulness  in  Christ's  service;  of  his  true,  deep 
sympathy  with  human  sorrows ;  of  his  tearful  ur- 
gency with  perishing  men  (2  Cor.  2:4;  Phil.  3:18); 


Kuins  of  Miletus. 


and  of  his  own  trials  through  Jewish  malevolent 
plotting.  They  knew  that  in  his  preaching  he  had 
been  utterly  unaffected  by  thought  of  personal  dan- 
ger or  popularity ;  that  he  had  withheld  nothing  of 
needed  truth ;  that  he  had  not,  with  one-sided  par- 
tiality, dwelt  upon  peculiar  or  novel  aspects  of  truth, 
but  had  urged  only  and  all  that  which  was  pi-ofitahle 
"  to  the  use  of  edifying,"  or  building  up :  the  whole 
counsel  of  God  in  its  purity  and  fullness!  And 
this  faithful  "  showing,"  this  fervid  "  teaching  "  of 
the  Christian  truth  had  been  his  practice,  not  only 
in  the  school  of  Tyrannus  and  in  other  gathering 
places  of  disciples,  but  in  every  accessible  house- 
hold. From  house  to  house,  and  from  soul  to  soul, 
day  by  day  had  he  borne  the  glad  tidings  with 
Christlike  desire  and  yearning.  To  all  classes  and 
races,  to  the  hostile  Jew  and  the  sneering  Greek, 


his  one  theme — that  which,  fully  expounded,  in- 
cludes all  other  essential  saving  truths — was  repen- 
tance toward  God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

Repentance  is  the  inward  change  of  the  spirit 
and  the  life ;  a  reversal  of  the  current  of  the  con- 
trolling thoughts,  desires,  aims,  and  affections;  a 
turning  and  a  supreme  setting  of  these  upon  God, 
in  place  of  self.  It  is  wrought  by  "  godly  sorrow," 
or  sorrow  toward  God  for  the  penitent's  sin  (2  Cor. 
7  :  10).  B. Faith  is  personal  trust  in  this  per- 
sonal Redeemer,  as  the  Saviour  from  the  guilt  and 
pollution  of  the  sin  we  repent  of,  and  as  the  atoning 
Mediator  through  whom  alone  we  can  approach 
God  when  we  have  repentance  toward  God,  The 
two  increase  together  in  the  life  of  a  Christian. 
Riddle. He  who  preaches  the  repentance  and  the 


SECTION  223.— ACTS  20  :  17-38. 


147 


faith  here  spoken  of,  in  all  their  fullness  and  variety, 
will  need  to  seek  no  other  topics,  and  may  humbly 
boast  of  having  kept  back  nothing  that  was  profit- 
able to  his  hearers.     J.  A.  A. 

32-24.  PauVs  Feeling  in  View  of  the  Un- 
knoicn  Future. — He  refers  to  a  constraint  of  spirit 
inwrought  by  a  sense  of  duty,  impelling  him  into 
the  midst  of  peril.  What  else  is  to  transpire  besides 
already  familiar  bonds  and  trials  he  knows  and  cares 
not.  For  the  same  Holy  Ghost  who  is  to  him  "  a 
prophet  of  afflictions  is  also  a  comforter  in  afflic- 
tions." So  that  he  can  bravely  declare  himself 
fearless  and  unshaken  in  prospect  of  any  evil.  Nay 
more  (using  his  favorite  figure  of  the  race),  he  holds 
life  itself  of  less  account  and  worth  than  the  suc- 
cessful completion  of  his  ministry  for  Christ  and 
for  souls.  Live  he  gladly  would,  and  triumph  he 
will  if  only  he  can  finish  his  supreme  work  of  testi- 
fying  the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God!  (Compare  2 
Tim.  4  :  7  and  1  Cor.  9  :  24.)     B. 

Finish  my  coarse  with  joy.  Of  such  joy,  it 
would  be  difficult  to  find  a  more  striking  example  than 
that  afforded  by  the  late  Dr.  Payson.  "  To  adopt 
the  figurative  language  of  Bunyan,  I  might  date  this 
letter  from  the  land  of  Beulah,  of  which  I  have 
been  for  some  weeks  a  happy  inhabitant.  The  ce- 
lestial city  is  full  in  my  view.  Its  glories  beam  upon 
me,  its  breezes  fan  me,  its  odors  are  wafted  to  me, 
its  sounds  strike  upon  my  ears,  and  its  spirit  is 
breathed  into  my  heart.  The  sun  of  righteousness 
has  been  gradually  drawing  nearer  and  nearer,  ap- 
pearing larger  and  brighter  as  he  approached,  and 
now  he  fills  the  whole  hemisphere,  pouring  forth  a 
flood  of  glory,  in  which  I  seem  to  float  like  an  in- 
sect in  the  beams  of  the  sun ;  exulting,  yet  almost 
trembling,  while  I  gaze  on  this  excessive  brightness, 
and  wondering,  with  unutterable  wonder,  why  God 
should  deign  thus  to  shine  upon  a  sinful  worm.  A 
single  heart,  and  a  single  tongue,  seem  altogether 
inadequate  to  my  wants.  I  want  a  whole  heart  for 
every  separate  emotion,  and  a  whole  tongue  to  ex- 
press that  emotion."     J.  W.  A. 

25-27.  PauVs  Solemn  Final  Appeal  and  Assev- 
eration touching  his  Fidelity  as  a  Preacher  of  the 
Gospel. — With  full  consciousness  of  the  dignity  of 
this  high  office,  alluding  to  himself  as  the  herald  of 
a  Divine  King  and  Kingdom,  he  solemnly  invokes 
their  testimony  to  his  faithfulness  in  "  teaching 
every  man  and  warning  every  man,"  so  that  his  soul 
is  freed  from  all  blood-guiltiness  in  the  destruction  of 

any.    B. The  form  of  expression  is  striking  and 

memorable.  It  is  borrowed  from  the  crime  of  mur- 
der, and  the  method  by  which  guilt  is  ordinarily 
brought  home  to  the  criminal.  In  many  cases  con- 
viction depends  on  blood  being  found  on  the  clothes 
of  the  murderer.  Hence  in  almost  all  cases  of  vio- 
lence we  hear  of  desperate  efforts  being  made  by 


the  terrified  evil-doer  to  efface  the  stain.  This  is 
the  conception  that  leaps  into  the  apostle's  mind. 
He  can  not  hope  that  all  who  have  heard  the  gospel 
from  his  lips  in  the  city  are  now  in  Christ.  If  they 
die  in  their  sins,  how  unspeakable  the  loss — the  loss 
of  a  soul !  He  shudders  at  the  thought :  and  in 
order  to  quicken  their  diligence  when  they  should 
return  to  their  labor,  he  endeavors  to  impart  some 
of  his  own  anxiety  to  the  elders.  He  in  effect  in- 
vites them  to  look  to  their  hands  and  garments  to 
make  sure  that  there  is  no  blood  on  them.     Arnot. 

28-32.  His  Impressive  Injunction  to  Fidelity, 
and  his  Loving  Commendation  to  God  and  his  Grace. 
— ^The  English  version  has  hardly  dealt  fairly  in  this 
case  with  the  sacred  text  in  rendering  the  original 
word  (v.  28)  overseeis  ;  whereas  it  ought  here,  as  in 
all  other  places,  to  have  been  "  bishops,"  that  the 
fact  of  elders  having  been  originally  and  apostoli- 
cally  synonymous  might  be  apparent  to  the  ordinary 

English  reader,  which  now  it  is  not.     A. It  is 

scarcely  necessary  to  remark  that  in  the  Xew  Tes- 
tament the  words  episcopos  (bishop)  and  presbute- 

ros  (elder)  are  convertible.     H. In  the  sending 

forth  of  Saul  and  Barnabas  we  learned  the  truth 
which  Paul  here  declares:  that  in  every  genuine 
appointment  of  bishops  (or  elders)  it  is  the  Holy 
Ghost  who  selects,  calls,  and  appoints  to  the  office 
and  the  work.  No  valid  ministry  is  exclusively 
man-made.  In  Paul's  case  we  further  learned  that 
God  puts  upon  some  body  of  spiritual  men  the  out- 
ward countersigning  and  sealing  of  his  calls  and 
appointments  to  spiritual  office. 

The  work  of  these  divinely  called  bishops  or 
elders  is  "  to  shephei-d  the  Church  of  God " ;  to 
nourish  with  truth,  to  lead  into  the  way  of  Christ, 
to  watch  over  and  guard  against  the  entrance  of 
evil,  and  to  administer  such  rule  and  discipline  as  is 
divinely  delegated.  The  term  "  flock  "  is  applied  by 
the  prophets  to  the  Old  Testament  Church  ;  and  it 
is  Christ's  favorite  figure.  The  supreme  motive  to 
fidelity,  Paul  here  indirectly  states:  Chrisfs  pur- 
chase of  his  Church  with  his  own  blood  !    B. 

"  Ye  were  redeemed  with  the  precious  blood  of 
Christ."  But  Paul  says  more.  By  one  of  those 
bold  figures  which  man  could  never  have  dared  to 
think  of,  had  not  God  first  taught  him  to  use  them, 
he  raises  yet  higher  the  amount  of  this  ransom.  As 
though  determined  that  none  should  be  ignorant  of 
its  amazing  worth,  he  says,  when  speaking  of  the 
Church,  "  God  hath  purchased  it  with  his  own  blood." 
C.  B. This  is  here  called  the  blood  of  God  as  be- 
ing the  blood  of  that  man  who  is  also  God  with  us 

— God  manifest  in  the  flesh.     D. His  possession, 

purchased  with  his  blood— a.  double  argument,  the 
mightiest  and  most  sublime !     B. 

Preceding  the  charge  to  take  heed  to  the  flock,  to 
do  intelligently  and  faithfully  this  shepherd-work,  is 


148 


SECTION  22k,— ACTS  21:1-17. 


an  intensely  momentous  personal  charge.  Take  heed 
to  yourselves  !  Applied  here  to  office-bearers  in  the 
Church,  equally  just,  appropriate,  and  relatively  im- 
portant is  its  application  to  Christian  parents, 
teachers,  and  lay  workers  in  every  sphere.  The 
measure  of  each  one's  ability  and  responsibility  for 
good  is  that  of  each  one's  accessible  and  attainable 
grace.  What  grace  is  promised  is  to  be  realized  by 
one's  own  seeking,  receiving,  appropriating,  and 
using.  The  taking  heed  to  one's  self  is  this  seeking 
and  using.  A  really  helpful,  comforting,  quicken- 
ing influence  in  a  man  comes  alone  from  a  heart  first 
divinely  helped,  comforted,  and  quickened.  The 
stream  can  not  rise  higher  than  the  fountain,  nor 
distribute  a  larger  volume  than  it  receives.  Close 
and  unbroken  communion  with  God  is  the  sole  con- 
dition and  means  of  receiving  the  knowledge,  the 
guidance,  and  the  help  which  it  is  the  Christian 
worker's  privilege  and  duty  to  impart.  There  is  an 
imitative  way  and  a  mechanical  spirit  in  doing  what 
may  be  counted  Christian  labor.  A  thoughtful 
writer  justly  hints  that  a  great  deal  of  work  for  and 
in  the  Church  may  be  the  same  in  kind  and  in  its 
actuating  spirit  as  that  done  in  a  bank,  a  manufac- 
tory, or  in  the  conduct  of  a  government.  Therefore, 
that  his  soul  may  be  actuated  by  the  higher,  posi- 
tively divine,  and  spiritual  constraint  of  the  love  of 
Christ,  and  so  that  he  may  press  that  love  effectu- 
ally upon  others,  every  Christian  worker  needs  this 
warning  to  take  heed  to  himself.  From  the  point  of 
human  frailty  too,  the  warning  presses  urgently. 
No  one,  however  strong  or  pure,  unselfish,  humble, 
or  faithful,  in  past  life  and  service,  but  needs  this 
counsel.  Not  only  take  heed  lest  ye  fall,  but  that 
ye  may  be  "stcdfast,  immovable,  always  abounding 
in  the  work  of  the  Lord." 

And  he  closes  these  inimitably  beautiful,  in- 
structive, and  affecting  words  of  direct  address  with 
a  simple  loving  commendation  to  God  and  to  the 
word  of  his  grace.  By  that  gracious  word  of  truth 
and  promise,  inwrought  into  the  thoughts,  the  desires, 
the  aims,  and  the  life  (he  declares),  God  is  able  to 
build  them  up,  and  to  give  them  the  inheritance  of 
those  made  holy.  Favorite  figures  both,  and  richly 
expressive !    Progress  in  the  Christian  life  is  grad- 


ual, by  adding  grace  to  grace ;  and  so  the  holy  char- 
acter is  divinely  builded  up.  An  inheritance  is  given 
only  to  children,  and  in  its  nature  is  a  possession 
whose  tenure  is  firm  and  lasting  as  the  being  of  the 
possessor. 

These  farewell  words  are  full  of  application  to 
preacher  and  teacher,  and  to  hearers.  They  show 
what  to  preach  or  teach :  not  merely  that  which  is 
novel  or  learned,  beautiful  or  stirring,  but,  with  all 
that  is  attainable  of  these,  that  matter,  style,  and 
manner  always  and  only  contribute  to  the  one  su- 
preme end  of  profitable  teaching.  And  they  inti- 
mate a  fact  that  can  not  be  too  frequently  or  deeply 
pondered :  that  with  every  utterance  and  reception 
of  God's  truth  there  comes  to  speaker  and  hearer 
either  positive  blessing  or  positive  guilt !    B. 

Baxter's  Summary  of  this  Address. 
Here  we  are  taught :  Our  general  business :  serv- 
ing the  Lord ;  our  special  work:  taking  heed  to  our- 
selves and  all  the  flock ;  the  substance  of  our  doc- 
trine :  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith  in  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ;  the  places  and  manner  of  our  teach- 
ing :  publicly,  and  from  house  to  house  ;  the  object 
and  internal  manner :  warning  every  one,  night  and 
day,  with  all  humility  of  mind  and  with  tears  ;  the 
faithfulness  and  integrity  that  are  requisite  :  /  have 
kept  back  nothing  that  was  profitable  unto  you  ;  I  am 
pure  from  the  blood  of  all  men,  for  I  have  not 
shunned  to  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God ;  the  in- 
nocence and  self-denial  to  be  used:  I  have  coveted  no 
man''s  silver  or  gold;  the  patience  and  resolution  to 
be  exercised :  none  of  these  things  move  me,  neither 
count  I  my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so  that  I  might  fin- 
ish my  course  viith  joy,  and  the  ministry  which  I  have 
received  of  the  Lord  Jesus ;  and  once  more,  the 
motives  to  engage  us  to  all  this :  the  Holy  Ghost  has 
made  us  overseers  ;  the  church  we  feed  is  the  Church 
of  God,  which  he  hath  purchased  with  his  oivn  blood. 
Wiite  this  upon  your  hearts,  and  it  will  do  your- 
selves and  the  Church  more  good  than  twenty  years' 
study  of  those  lower  things  which  often  employ  your 
thoughts ;  which,  though  they  get  you  greater  ap- 
plause in  the  world,  yet,  if  separated  from  these,  will 
make  you  but "  sounding  brass  and  tinkling  cymbals." 


Section  224. 

Acts  xxi.  1-17. 

1  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  after  we  were  gotten  from  them,  and  had  launched,  we  came 
with  a  straight  course  unto  Coos,  and  the  day  following  unto  Rhodes,  and  from  thence  unto 

2  Patara:   and  finding  a  ship  sailing  over  unto  Phenicia,  we  went  aboard,  and  set  forth. 

3  Now  when  we  had  discovered  Cyprus,  we  left  it  on  the  left  hand,  and  sailed  into  Syria,  and 

4  landed  at  Tyre :  for  there  the  ship  was  to  unlade  her  burden.     And  finding  disciples,  we 


SECTION  22J^.—ACTS  21 : 1-17. 


149 


tarried  there  seven  days  :  who  said  to  Paul  through  the  Spirit,  that  he  should  not  go  up  to 

5  Jerusalem.  And  when  we  had  accomplished  those  days,  we  departed  and  went  our  way; 
and  they  all  brought  us  on  our  way,  with  wives  and  children,  till  we  were  out  of  the  city : 

6  and  we  kneeled  down  on  the  shore,  and  prayed.    And  when  we  had  taken  our  leave  one 

7  of  another,  we  took  ship ;  and  they  returned  home  again.  And  when  we  had  finished  our 
course  from  Tyre,  we  came  to  Ptolemais,  and  saluted  the  brethren,  and  abode  with  them 
one  day. 

8  And  the  next  day  we  that  were  of  Paul's  company  departed,  and  came  unto  Caesarea : 
and  we  entered  into  the  house  of  Philip  the  evangelist,  which  was  one  of  the  seven ;  and 

9  abode  with  him.     And  the  same  man  had  four  daughters,  virgins,  which  did  prophecy. 

10  And  as  we  tarried  there  many  days,  there  came  down  from  Judaea  a  certain  prophet,  named 

11  Agabus.     And  when  he  was  come  unto  us,  he  took  Paul's  girdle,  and  bound  his  own  hands 
and  feet,  and  said.  Thus  saith  the  Holy  Ghost,  So  shall  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem  bind  the  man 

12  that  owneth  this  girdle,  and  shall  deliver  Mm  into  the  hands  of  the  Gentiles.     And  when 
we  heard  these  things,  both  we,  and  they  of  that  place,  besought  him  not  to  go  up  to 

13  Jerusalem.    Then  Paul  answered,  "What  mean  ye  to  weep  and  to  break  mine  heart?  for  I 
am  ready  not  to  be  bound  only,  but  also  to  die  at  Jerusalem  for  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

14  And  when  he  would  not  be  persuaded,  we  ceased,  saying,  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done. 

15  And  after  those  days  we  took  up  our  carriages,  and  went  up  to  Jerusalem.     There  went 

16  with  us  also  certain  of  the  disciples  of  Caesarea,  and  brought  with  them  one  Mnason  of 

17  Cyprus,  an  old  disciple,  with  whom  we  should  lodge.     And  when  we  were  come  to  Jeru- 
salem, the  brethren  received  us  gladly. 


The  noble  answer  of  the  Apostle  is  as  simple  as  it  is  sublime.  To  understand  what  it  means  is  easy ; 
to  share  in  its  sentiment  is  to  make  high  attainment  in  grace.  We  need  not  ask  ourselves  if  we  could 
say  this.  Living  a  life  of  love  to  Christ,  we  may  be  sure  that  when  he  places  us  in  such  circumstances 
as  those  of  Paul,  his  "  grace  will  be  sufficient  for  us."  For  most  of  us,  it  may  require  more  grace  to 
take  up  the  trivial  duties  and  to  endure  the  petty  trials  of  our  lives,  than  to  utter  some  kindred  senti- 
ment in  times  of  great  trial.     Riddle. The  time  will  come  when  we  shall  rejoice,  not  so  much  because 

we  had  been  comforted  in  sorrow  and  met  with  great  prosperity,  as  because  the  will  of  God  had  been 
fulfilled  alike  in  us  and  through  us.  How  pure  and  serene  is  our  life  when  that  will  alone  directs  us,  and 
when  not  a  trace  of  our  own  will  remains  behind !  With  such  a  frame  of  mind  we  become  like  unto 
God.    Bernard. 


1-7.  Journey  from  Miletus  to  Cesarea. — The  day 
of  the  painful  parting  on  the  shore  at  Miletus,  Paul 
and  his  company  ("  after  we  had  torn  ourselves 
away^''  Luke  says)  sailed  southward  before  the 
wind  to  the  island  of  Cos,  forty  miles.  Thence 
rounding  the  point  of  Cnidus,  they  continued  on  to 
the  larger  island  of  Rhodes,  opposite  the  southwest- 
em  comer  of  Asia  Minor.  This  island  has  always 
"  held  an  illustrious  place  among  the  islands  of  the 
Mediterranean  "  ;  and  its  capital  (of  the  same  name) 
was  famous  for  its  colossal  bronze  statue,  105  feet 

high,  the  chief  of  the  seven  world-wonders.     B. 

No  view  in  the  Levant  is  more  celebrated  than  that 
from  Rhodes  toward  the  opposite  shore  of  Asia 
Minor.  The  last  ranges  of  Mount  Taurus  come 
down  in  magnificent  forms  to  the  sea ;  and  a  long 
line  of  snowy  summits  is  seen  along  the  Lycian 
coast,  while  the  sea  between  is  often  an  unruffled 
expanse  of  water  under  a  blue  and  brilliant  sky. 
Across  this  expanse  and  toward  Patara,  a  harbor 


near  the  farther  edge  of  these  Lycian  mountains, 
the  apostle's  course  was  next  directed.     H. 

At  Patara  he  found,  in  a  vessel  bound  over  the 
open  sea  to  Phenicia,  a  favoring  providence  by 
which  his  progress  toward  Syria  was  hastened.  The 
340  miles  to  Tyre  was  run  in  about  two  days.  Here 
the  vessel  tarried  seven  days  for  change  of  cargo. 
And  here  Paul  sought  for  and  found  a  small  com- 
pany of  Christian  disciples,  with  whom  he  remained 
in  happy,  helpful  fellowship,  ministering  the  word 
and  ordinances.  Another  beautiful  and  impressive 
picture  of  the  harmony  of  Christian  communion  and 
the  strength  of  Christian  affection  was  witnessed  on 
the  Tyrian  shore  at  the  hour  of  parting.  "  They  all 
brought  us  on  our  way,  with  wives  and  children" 
(the  first  definite  mention  of  the  latter  in  the  Acts) : 
"  and  we  kneeled  down  on  the  shore,  and  prayed." 

By  the  same  vessel  they  sailed  southward  thirty 
miles  to  Ptolemais,  the  ancient  Accho  (Judges  1:3) 
and  modem  Acre.    Having  the  best  harbor  on  the 


150 


SECTION  224.— ACTS  ^^  •'  1-^"^- 


Syrian  coast,  and  an  easy  access  to  the  great  central 
plain  of  Esdraelon  (the  natural  passage-way  of  ar- 
mies and  caravans  to  and  from  the  East),  this  cele- 
brated locality  has  ever  been  the  landing-place  and 
starting-point  of  hostile  enterprises  and  commercial 
ventures ;  and  therefore  it  has  been  termed  "  the 


key  of  Syria."  At  Ptolemais  Paul  remained  one 
day  with  the  brethren,  and  the  next  day  traveled  by 
land  the  thirty-six  miles  to  Cesarea.  (See  maps, 
pp.  61,  94.) 

8,  9.  Philip  the  Evangelist  and  his  Four  Daugh- 
ters.— After  a  silence  of  twenty  years  following  upon 


Ruins  of  Tyre. 


Philip's  ministry  in  Samaria  and  to  the  Ethiopian 
treasurer,  we  meet  him  in  Cesarea,  which  had  ever 
since  been  his  home.  Cesarea — ^the  seaport  built 
by  Herod  the  Great,  and  named  in  honor  of  the 
Emperor  Augustus — was  sixty  miles  northwest  from 
Jerusalem,  and  was  the  residence  of  the  Roman 
governors  (or  procurators)  of  the  province  of  Judea. 
The  incidents  connected  with  Cornelius,  narrated  in 
chapter  10,  and  with  Herod  Agrippa,  chapter  12  : 
19-23,  occurred  here. 

Concerning  the  four  daughters  of  Philip,  Luke 
merely  relates  impressions  made  by  what  seemed 
peculiar  in  their  history :  that  they  had  all  remained 
unmarried,  and  that  all  had  received  the  gift  of 
prophecy  referred  to  by  Peter  (Acts  2  :  18).  He 
seems  to  use  the  term  prophecy  in  its  ordinary  mean- 
ing, as  a  divine  inspiration  to  interpret  and  unfold 
truth,  not  to  predict  future  events.  He  states  no 
connection  on  their  part  with  the  subsequent  pre- 
diction of  Agabus.  He  does  not  even  imply  that 
they,  like  the  disciples  at  Tyre  (v.  4),  had  foretold 
Paul's  coming  trouble. 

10,  11.  Agabus  predicts  PauVs  Bonds  and  Im- 
prisonment.— This  prophet  we  have  met  before 
(11  :  27-30)  as  the  foreteller  of  famine  in  the  reign 
of  Claudius.  He  comes  now  down  from  the  interior 
hill  country,  perhaps  from  Jerusalem,  to  forewarn 
Paul  of  assault  and  arrest  at  the  capital,  whither  he 
is  bound.  In  imitation  of  the  expressive  symbolic 
acting  sometimes  employed  by  the  ancient  Jewish 
prophets  (Isa.  20  :  2  ;  Jer.  13:1;  Ezek.  4  : 1,  etc.). 


this  Christian  prophet  took  Paul's  girdle,  and  with 
it  bound  his  o^vn  hands  and  feet.  Using  the  pro- 
phetic form  of  the  Old  Testament,  "  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,"  yet  changing  it  to  suit  the  new  dispensation 
of  the  Spirit,  he  cites  the  Holy  Ghost  as  explicitly 
announcing  Paul's  capture  and  imprisonment  in 
Jerusalem.  The  prediction  was  fulfilled  not  many 
days  after. 

12-14.  Entreaty  of  the  Christian  Disciples,  with 
Paul's  Reply,  and  their  Acquiescence  in  Chrisfs 
Recognized  MW.— The  correctness  of  the  previous 
prophecy  of  Agabus,  and  the  vivid  symbol  whereby 
he  now  impressed  this  prediction,  produced  in  their 
hearts  a  deep  conviction  of  the  certainty  of  future 
evil  to  Paul  at  Jerusalem.  Under  this  conviction 
they  unitedly  besought  him  not  to  go  to  the  place  of 
danger.  Tliey  interpreted  the  mission  and  intima- 
tion of  Agabus  as  a  learning  given  to  avoid  and  so 
avert  the  peril.  But  Paul  understood  it  better. 
Long  years  before,  at  the  very  outset  of  his  sublime 
career,  he  had  learned  from  his  Lord  what  "  great 
things  he  must  suffer  for  his  sake."  And  frequent 
experience  had  already  verified  this  word,  and  made 
its  meaning  familiar.  So  that  these  new,  more  spe- 
cific and  intense  premonitions  of  coming  trial, 
clearly  intimated  by  the  Holy  Ghost  (outwardly  by 
various  prophets,  and  inwardly  by  impressions  upon 
his  own  consciousness),  carried  their  full  weight  of 
meaning  to  his  spirit.  Yet  his  steadfastness  to 
duty,  though  confronted  here  with  a  prospect  of 
danger  unto  death,  yielded  not.    No  ordinary  mea- 


SECTION  S25.—ACT8  21 :  I8-4O. 


151 


sure  of  heroism  was  it  that  induced  such  fixed  resis. 
tance  to  the  counter-entreaties  of  such  and  so  many 
loving  friends.  But  the  terms  in  which  he  declares 
his  persistency  of  self-devotion  are  very  touching. 
As  expressing  the  purest,  sublimest  affection  to 
Christ  and  to  Christlike  human  friends,  this  answer 
has  no  human  parallel :  What  do  ye,  weeping  and 
breaking  my  heart?  For  I  am  ready  not  to  be 
bound  only,  but  to  die  for  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ! 
This  tender,  lofty  utterance  furnishes  a  fitting  coun- 
terpart to  the  many  strong  assertions  of  consecra- 
tion and  self-sacrifice  with  which  his  Epistles  so 
richly  abound.  And  the  instant  carrying  out  of 
this  loving  and  unselfish  protest  with  an  unflinching 
heroism,  fixes  in  our  minds  an  immovable  conviction 
of  the  apostle's  absolute  truthfulness  in  all  his  high 
professions  of  devotion  to  his  Lord. 

Responding  to  the  impression  produced  by  these 
intense  words  of  Paul,  recognizing  in  them  a  clear 
indication  of  that  divine  will  by  which  his  career 
had  been  so  marvelously  guided,  the  true-hearted 
disciples  ceased  all  further  opposition,  and  acqui- 
esced in  his  decision  as  expressing  the  will  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  And  the  fact  is  singularly  suggestive, 
that  the  very  disciples  who  would  have  hindered 
Paul's  arrest  at  Jerusalem,  by  that  arrest  were  privi- 
leged with  an  unrestrained  fellowship  with  him  for 
two  long  years. 

15.  From  Cesarea  to  Jerusalem.  Conclusion  of 
Paul's  Third  and  Last  Missionary  Journey. — The 
word  carriage,  used  here  in  the  sense  of  "things 
carried,"  as  in  Judges  18  :  21  and  1  Sam.  IV  :  22, 
would  be  better  rendered  baggage.  The  whole  phrase 
here  employed  is  expressed  by  one  Greek  participle, 
and  indicates  the  packing  of  their  effects  in  prepara- 


tion for  departure.     B. They  packed  their  bag 

gage  or  luggage.  Paul  and  his  companions  were  not 
privileged  on  their  sacred  errands  with  exemption 
from  the  common  inconveniences  of  travel.  So  he 
had  a  "cloak"  that  he  "left  at  Troas  with  Car- 
pus," and  requested  Timothy  to  bring.  An  an- 
cient military  historian  calls  the  luggage  of  his 
army  "  impedimenta."  And  human  life,  whether  in 
travel  or  at  home,  has  its  necessary  encumbrances. 
0.  E.  D. 

16,  17.  Still  under  the  care  of  the  disciples  at 
Cesarea,  Paul  then  completed  his  third  and  last  great 
missionary  tour  at  Jerusalem.  The  subsequent  re- 
turn to  Antioch,  as  in  the  two  previous  journeys,  was 

prevented  by  his  arrest  and  imprisonment.     B. 

This  fifth  visit  of  Paul  to  Jerusalem  since  his  con- 
version is  the  last  of  which  we  have  any  certain 
record.  The  state  of  the  city,  thronged  with  the 
excited  multitudes  who  had  come  up  to  the  Feast  of 
Pentecost,  might  well  recall  to  him  not  only  the 
warnings  that  had  encountered  him  at  every  step, 
but  the  deed  of  blood  in  which  he  himself,  twenty- 
five  years  before,  had  played  the  part  for  which  he 
never  ceased  to  feel  remorse.     S. 

Twelve  years  of  unhindered  travel  and  ministry, 
substantially  covering  the  Greek  portion  of  the 
Roman  Empire,  he  had  been  permitted  to  accom- 
plish. Five  years  of  ministry  in  bonds — mainly 
in  Cesarea  and  Rome — he  is  now  to  enter  upon. 
This  ministry  is  for  the  most  part  private,  exercised 
in  behalf  of  individuals  or  of  small  gatherings  of 
disciples.  Its  public  part,  which  is  that  chiefly  re- 
ported and  recorded,  consists  of  successive  defenses, 
which,  in  the  result,  prove  to  be  aggressive  triumphs, 
of  Christianity.    B. 


Section  225. 

Acts  xxi.  18-40. 

18  And  the  day  following  Paul  went  in  with  us  unto  James ;  and  all  the  elders  were  present. 

19  And  when  he  had  saluted  them,  he  declared  particularly  what  things  God  had  wrought 

20  among  the  Gentiles  by  his  ministry.  And  when  they  heard  it,  they  glorified  the  Lord,  and 
said  unto  him,  Thou  seest,  brother,  how  many  thousands  of  Jews  there  are  which  believe; 

21  and  they  are  all  zealous  of  the  law  :  and  they  are  informed  of  thee,  that  thou  teachest  all 
the  Jews  which  are  among  the  Gentiles  to  forsake  Moses,  saying  that  they  ought  not  to  cir- 

22  cumcise  their  children,  neither  to  walk  after  the  customs.     What  is  it  therefore?  the  mul- 

23  titude  must  needs  come  together :  for  they  will  hear  that  thou  art  come.    Do  therefore  this 

24  that  we  say  to  thee:  We  have  four  men  which  have  a  vow  on  them;  them  take  and 
purify  thyself  with  them,  and  be  at  charges  with  them,  that  they  may  shave  their  heads: 
and  all  may  know  that  those  things,  whereof  they  were  informed  concerning  thee,  are  no- 

25  thing;  but  that  thou  thyself  also  walkest  orderly,  and  keepest  the  law.  As  touching  the 
Gentiles  which  believe,  we  have  written  and  concluded  that  they  observe  no  such  thing, 
save  only  that  they  keep  themselves  from  things  offered  to  idols,  and  from  blood,  and  from 


152 


SECTION  225.— ACTS  21 :  I8-4O. 


26  strangled,  and  from  fornication.  Then  Paul  took  the  men,  and  the  next  day  purifying  him- 
self with  them  entered  into  the  temple,  to  signify  the  accomplishment  of  the  days  of  purifi- 
cation, until  that  an  offering  should  be  offered  for  every  one  of  them. 

27  And  when  the  seven  days  were  almost  ended,  the  Jews  which  were  of  Asia,  when  they 

28  saw  him  in  the  temple,  stirred  up  all  the  people,  and  laid  hands  on  him,  crying  out.  Men  of 
Israel  help :  This  is  the  man,  that  teacheth  all  men  every  where  against  the  people,  and  the 
law  and  this  place :  and  further  brought  Greeks  also  into  the  temple,  and  hath  polluted 

29  this  holy  place.     (For  they  had  seen  before  with  him  in  the  city  Trophimus  an  Ephesian, 

30  whom  they  supposed  that  Paul  had  brought  into  the  temple.)  And  all  the  city  was  moved, 
and  the  people  ran  together:  and  they  took  Paul,  and  drew  him  out  of  the  temple:  and 

31  forthwith  the  doors  were  shut.     And  as  they  went  about  to  kill  him,  tidings  came  unto  the 

32  chief  captain  of  the  band,  that  all  Jerusalem  was  in  an  uproar.  Who  immediately  took  sol- 
diers and  centurions,  and  ran  down  unto  them :  and  when  they  saw  the  chief  captain  and 

33  the  soldiers,  they  left  beating  of  Paul.  Then  the  chief  captain  came  near,  and  took  him,  and 
commanded  him  to  be  bound  with  two  chains ;  and  demanded  who  he  was,  and  what  he 

34  had  done.  And  some  cried  one  thing,  some  another,  among  the  multitude :  and  when  he 
could  not  know  the  certainty  for  the  tumult,  he  commanded  him  to  be  carried  into  the 

35  castle.     And  when  he  came  upon  the  stairs,  so  it  was,  that  he  was  borne  of  the  soldiers  for 

36  the  violence  of  the  people.  For  the  multitude  of  the  people  followed  after,  crying.  Away 
with  him. 

37  And  as  Paul  was  to  be  led  into  the  castle,  he  said  unto  the  chief  captain.  May  I  speak 

38  unto  thee?  Who  said.  Canst  thou  speak  Greek?  Art  not  thou  that  Egyptian,  which 
before  these  days  madeat  an  uproar,  and  leddest  out  into  the  wilderness  four  thousand  men 

39  that  were  murderers  ?  But  Paul  said,  I  am  a  man  which  am  a  Jew  of  Tarsus,  a  city  in 
Gilicia,  a  citizen  of  no  mean  city:  and,  I  beseech  thee,  suffer  me  to  speak  unto  the  people. 

40  And  when  he  had  given  him  licence,  Paul  stood  on  the  stairs,  and  beckoned  with  the  hand 
unto  the  people.  


18-36.  An  Endeavor  to  remove  the  Unfounded 
Suspiciom  of  Believing  Jews,  which  became  the  Occa- 
sion of  PauVs  Arrest  by  Unbelievers. — On  the  day 
succeeding  the  first  private  reception  and  welcome 
given  to  Paul  and  his  company,  a  more  public  con- 
ference was  held  with  James  and  the  elders  of  the 
Church.  To  them  Paul  made  full  report  of  his 
ministry  among  the  Gentiles ;  and  they  rendered  a 
united  thanksgiving  for  what  God  had  thus  wrought. 
Then,  knowing  well  the  temper  of  the  Jewish  Chris- 
tians and  their  misapprehensions  concerning  Paul 
and  his  teaching,  and  realizing  the  crisis  existing 
in  the  relations  between  believing  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles on  account  of  Paul's  position  and  teaching,  the 
elders  wisely  sought  to  bring  about  a  desirable  unity. 
This  they  did  by  suggesting  that  the  apostle  should 
take  a  simple  part  in  an  ancient  ceremonial  of  the 
Jewish  law. 

If  we  would  form  an  intelligent  and  fair  judg- 
ment respecting  this  counsel  and  Paul's  compliance 
with  it,  these  considerations  must  have  due  weight. 
With  convincing  power  and  world-wide  acceptance 
Paul  had  preached  salvation  by  grace,  through  a 
justifying  faith,  resting  and  centering  alone  upon 
Christ's  sacrifice  and  exaltation.  This  doctrine  in- 
directly yet  positively  antagonized  the  long-cherished 
reverence  and  reliance  of  the  Jew,  Christian  or  un- 


believer, in  behalf  of  his  legal  or  ceremonial  obe- 
dience and  worship.     B. Paul  had  opposed  the 

external  observance  of  Judaism  only  so  far  as  the 
justification  and  sanctification  of  men  were  made  to 
depend  upon  it.  It  was  his  principle  that  no  one 
should  abandon  the  national  and  civil  relations  in 
which  he  stood  at  the  time  of  his  conversion  except 
for  important  reasons ;  and  in  accordance  with  this 
principle  he  allowed  the  Jews  to  adhere  to  their 
peculiarities,  among  which  was  the  observance  of 
the  Mosaic  law  (1  Cor.  7:18).  N. Yet  the  apos- 
tle had  taught  that  the  ceremonials  instituted  by 
Moses  were  not  essential  to  salvation.  He  had  de- 
clared the  Gentiles  to  be  free  from  all  obligation  to 
the  Jewish  ceremonial  law.  And  this  freedom  of 
the  Gentiles  James  and  the  elders  were  careful  to 
recognize  afresh,  even  while  counseling  Paul  to 
conciliate  the  large  body  of  Jewish  Christians. 

But  Paul  was  falsely  charged  with  going  further 
and  saying  more  than  this.  The  charge  came  from 
the  false  brethren — a  few  in  every  church,  who  had 
professed  Christianity  and  entered  its  fold  only  to 
misuse  their  position  by  perverting  honest  disciples 
back  to  the  old,  formal,  and  lifeless  Judaism.  This 
insidious,  undermining  work  (we  remark  in  passing) 
was  the  great  obstacle  and  hindrance  in  the  intro- 
duction of  Christianity;   and  to  its  counteraction 


SECTION  225.— ACTS  21 :  18-JfO. 


153 


Paul's  greatest  intellectual  and  personal  efforts  were 
addressed.  That  these  false  teachers  should  have 
reported,  and  that  the  lai'ge  numbers  of  sincere 
Christian  Jews  should  have  believed,  that  Paul  had 
gone  a  step  further  and  forbidden  the  practice  of 
long  familiar  Jewish  rites,  is  not  strange.  Much 
less  was  it  strange  that  these  Jewish  Christians 
should  be  prejudiced  against  the  apostle,  and  alien- 
ated from  him  and  from  the  Gentile  disciples.  For, 
remember,  this  was  with  them  a  period  of  painfid 
transition,  in  which  all  the  old  fixed  religious  con- 
victions and  habits  were  to  be  exchanged  for,  sup- 
planted by,  the  new ;  the  old  involving,  too,  so  much 
outward  doing,  and  gratifying  a  natural  self-right- 
eousness, while  the  new  demanded  an  inward  spirit- 
ual faith,  and  gave  self  no  resting-place.  Consider, 
also,  that  the  training  of  these  "  many  thousands  of 
Jews  who  believed  "  had  instilled  in  them  a  peculiar 
reverence  for  the  Mosaic  institutions,  as  originating 
directly  with  Jehovah,  and  hallowed  by  centuries  of 
observance.  They  could  not  but  be  "  all  zealous  of 
the  law,"  and  regard  with  alarm  and  almost  aver- 
sion the  man  who  was  charged  with  causelessly 
desecrating  that  which  they  counted  divine  and  held 
so  dear. 

No  place  nor  time  was  so  opportune  to  correct 
this  false  charge,  to  make  the  correction  reach  as 
far  as  the  falsehood  had  been  disseminated,  even 
wherever  Paul  had  been  or  was  known.  The  Jeru- 
salem Church  was  the  center  and  source  of  Jewish- 
Christian  sentiment.  It  everywhere  led  and  con- 
trolled this  sentiment.  Christian  Jews,  too,  were 
here  from  every  part  of  the  world  that  Christianity 
had  reached.  The  false  report  corrected  and  the 
prejudice  based  upon  it  broken  here  and  among  this 
representative  multitude,  they  would  die  out  and  dis- 
appear elsewhere.  Proving  to  this  vast  throng  of 
believing  and  unbelieving  Jews,  he  would  prove  to 
all  everywhere  that  he  still  recognized  the  cere- 
monial law  as  from  God,  and  as  such  still  revered 
and  regarded  it.  He  had  shown  this,  indeed,  in 
coming  to  this  great  festival.  He  had  shown  it  by 
circumcising  Timothy,  and  by  his  own  vow  and  cere- 
monial at  Cenchrea.  But  now  he  will  prove  it  again 
in  the  sight  of  all  the  Jews — in  their  very  Temple. 
Thus  he  will  again  "  become  a  Jew  to  Jews,  that  he 
may  gain  the  Jews  "  (1  Cor.  9  :  19). 

Four  men  of  the  Jerusalem  Church,  who  had 
taken  a  temporary  Nazarite  vow  (Num.  6),  were 
about  entering  upon  the  ceremonial  purification  by 
which  the  vow  was  completed.  The  elders'  counsel 
was  that  Paul  should  associate  himself  with  these 
men  in  this  closing  ceremony,  and  himself  defray 
the  expense  of  the  oiferings  to  be  presented  in  the 

Temple.     B. Not  that  he  should  make  himself  a 

Nazarite,  but  merely  that  he  should  perform  such 
preparatory  rites  as  would  enable  him  to  take  part 


with  these  Nazarites  in  the  conclusion  of  their  sol- 
emn service.  J.  A.  A.* — This  counsel  Paul  will- 
ingly accepted,  and  proceeded  to  act  upon. 

From  the  fact  that  the  apostle  was  seized  by  un- 
believing  Jews  while  engaged  in  this  ceremonial  ser- 
vice with  the  avowed  design  of  conciliating  Jewish 
believers,  it  has  been  inferred,  even  by  so  wise  a 
man  as  John  Knox,  that  the  policy  here  advised  and 
carried  out  was  inconsistent  with  true  Christian 
principles.  But  it  certainly  harmonized  with  those 
principles  as  laid  down  in  the  Epistles  to  the  Co- 
rinthians and  the  Romans.  And  the  record  here 
gives  no  support  to  such  an  inference.  The  history 
that  follows  rather  intimates  that  the  e?id  sought  may 
have  been  fully  attained.  The  knowledge  that  Paul 
was  assaulted  while  showing  his  regard  for  their 
law  (he  having  been  some  days  visibly  engaged  in 
the  ceremonial)  may  have  drawn  out  the  deeper 
sympathy  of  Jewish  Christians  in  his  behalf ;  and 
so  more  firmly  united  the  great  body  of  Jewish  and 
Gentile  believers  in  the  subsequent  persecutions  and 
perils  of  their  common  Christian  faith. 

27-30.  Paul  assaidted  by  Jews  and  dragged 
from  the  Inner  Court  of  Israel  into  the  Outer  Court 
of  the  Gentiles.  (See  Vol.  I.,  Sec.  178.)— A  low  bal- 
ustrade of  stone,  with  pillars  at  regular  intervals 
inscribed  with  a  warning  to  Gentiles  against  entrance 
into  the  sacred  limits  beyond,  fenced  off  the  Inner 
Court  of  Israel  from  the  Outer  Court  of  the  Gentiles. 
One  of  the  stones  containing  this  inscription  was 
recently  discovered  in  the  Mohammedan  cemetery 
by  Mr.  Ganneau.     (See  Vol.  I.,  p.  621.) 

It  was  within  the  fenced  Inner  Court,  open  only 
to  icorshiping  Israelites,  that  some  Ephesian  Jews 
(of  the  province  of  Asia)  encountered  Paul — whose 
person  seems  to  have  been  well  known — with  his 
band  of  Nazarites.  Mistakenly  inferring  that  one 
of  these  men  was  an  Ephesian  Greek  (also  well 
known  to  them),  and  too  much  blinded  by  hate  to 
see  clearly,  they  rushed  upon  the  apostle,  and  loudly 
summoned  the  crowd  of  worshipers  to  aid  in  seiz- 
ing him.  With  the  same  breath  they  denounced 
him  as  a  renegade  Jew,  whose  false,  malevolent 
teaching  everywhere  among  the  Gentiles  had  spread 
suspicion  and  created  hostility  against  the  people, 
the  Law,  and  the  Temple  of  the  Jews ;  a  renegade, 
who  even  now  dared  to  pollute  the  sanctity  of  this 
holy  place  by  bringing  into  it  Greeks  (rather  Gen- 
tiles, in  accordance  with  the  prevalent  New  Testa- 
ment antithesis  of  Jeics  and  Greeks).  Such  a  charge 
instantly  stirred  to  fury  the  masses  always  congre- 
gating at  this  festival  period  in  and  near  the  Tem- 
ple, as  the  words  were  swiftly  circulated  among 
them.  Responding  to  the  wild  cry  of  Help,  as  if 
Faul  were  the  assailant  and  their  sanctuary  needed 
defense  against  his  sacrilegious  assault,  the  excited 
crowd  fell  upon  the  apostle,  and,  dragging  him  down 


154 


SECTION  225.— ACTS  21 :  18-JfO. 


into  the  Gentile  Court,  sought  to  beat  him  to  death. 
Then  the  great  doors  of  the  "  Beautiful "  gate  were 
closed  by  the  Levites,  to  exclude  the  rioters  from 
the  holy  court,  and  to  prevent  its  possible  profana- 
tion by  bloodshed. 

In  the  loords  of  this  false  charge  against  Paul 
(v.  28),  again  we  note  (as  often  before)  the  evidence 
furnislicd  by  enemies  of  the  vast  extent  and  effective- 
ness of  this  apostle's  work  for  Christ  and  men: 
This  is  the  man — that  hath  taught  all  men  every- 
where  !  Unbelievers  and  believers — all  bad  heard, 
or  heard  o/,  him.     B. 

The  extreme  corruption  and  wickedness,  not 
only  of  the  mass  of  the  Jewish  people,  but  even  of 
the  rulers  and  chief  men,  is  asserted  by  Josephus  in 
the  strongest  terms :  "  For  that  time  was  fruitful 
among  the  Jews  in  all  sorts  of  wickedness,  so  that 
they  left  no  evil  deed  undone ;  nor  was  there  any 
new  form  of  wickedness,  which  any  one  could  in- 
vent, if  he  wished  to  do  go.  Thus  they  were  all 
corrupt,  both  in  their  public  and  their  private  rela- 
tions ;  and  they  vied  with  each  other  who  should 
excel  in  impiety  toward  God  and  injustice  to  men." 
At  the  same  time  Josephus  testifies  to  the  existence 
among  them  of  a  species  of  zeal  for  religion — a 
readiness  to  attend  the  feasts,  a  regularity  in  the 
offering  of  sacrifice,  an  almost  superstitious  regard 
for  the  Temple,  and  a  fanatic  abhorrence  of  all  who 
sought  to  "  change  the  customs  which  Moses  had 
delivered."    G.  R. 

31-33.  Interposition  of  the  Roman  Tribune, 
and  Binding  of  Paul.  (See  Frontispiece,  Vol.  I.) 
— Ihe  fortress  Antonia  (the  castle  here  referred  to) 
stood  alone  on  a  precipitous  rock,  near  ninety  feet 
high,  at  the  northwest  corner  of  the  Temple.  It 
was  likewise  a  work  of  Herod  the  Great.  The  for- 
tress was  seventy  feet  in  height.  It  appeared  like 
a  vast  square  tower,  with  four  other  towers  at  each 
corner,  three  of  them  between  eighty  and  ninety 
feet  high — that  at  the  corner  next  to  the  Temple 
above  a  hundred  and  twenty.  From  this  the  whole 
Temple  might  be  seen,  and  broad  flights  of  steps 
led  down  into  the  northern  and  western  cloisters,  or 
porticoes,  of  the  Temple,  in  which,  during  the  Roman 
government,  their  guards  were  stationed.     Milman. 

Instantly  upon  receiving  tidings  of  the  uproar 
from  these  guards,  the  chief  captain — or  tribune, 
commanding  one  division  (one  sixth)  of  a  Roman 
legion  of  six  thousand  men — hastened  down  with  a 
body  of  soldiers  into  the  Temple  Court.  The  only 
thought  of  this  man,  Lysias  by  name,  in  inter- 
posing his  armed  force,  was  to  check  the  turbulence 
of  a  Jewish  mob,  or  to  suppress  a  riot.  He  cared 
not  about  saving  an  innocent  man  from  murderous 
violence.  With  a  theory  that  Paul  was  a  certain 
well-known  insurgent  leader,  he  was  rather  inclined 
to  second  the  purpose  of  the  infuriate  Jews.     His 


seizing  and  binding  Paul  seem  to  have  been  only 
the  preliminary  steps  to  this.  Yet,  with  the  Roman 
style  of  justice,  he  demands  of  Paul's  assailants  to 
know  who  their  victim  was,  and  of  what  they  accused 
him. 

34-36.  Paul  borne  up  the  Castle  Stairs  amid 
Malignant  Outcries  of  the  Jews. — No  accusation 
could  they  make.  Their  hate  furnished  the  only 
reason  for  their  violence.  To  rescue  Paul  from 
this  violence  was  the  tribune's  duty,  and  therefore 
he  commanded  the  soldiers  to  whom  the  apostle 
was  chained  to  bear  him  up  the  stairway  of  the 
fortress.  And  as  this  was  done,  the  same  passion- 
ate, murderous  cry  that  thirty  years  before  had  rung 
through  the  vast  area  of  the  Temple  Court  and  Cas- 
tle was  heard  again :  Aicay  ivith  him  !  Before,  it 
was  actuated  by  hatred  to  Divine  purity,  truth,  and 
love,  incarnated  in  the  person  of  Christ ;  noto,  com- 
ing from  another  generation  filled  with  like  malevo- 
lent spirit,  it  is  hatred  to  Christ's  most  faithful  wit- 
ness and  messenger. 

37-39.  Brief  Colloquy  between  Paul  and  Lysias, 
— As  the  absent  governor's  representative,  the  trib- 
une felt  the  grave  responsibility,  not  only  of  pre- 
serving the  public  peace,  but  of  dealing  (as  he  sup- 
posed),  in  the  person  of  this  prisoner,  with  a  fanatic 
insurgent,  an  Egyptian  Jew,  whose  efforts  at  insur- 
rection had  troubled  the  whole  administration  of 
Felix.  This  Egyptian  impostor  had  gone  into  the 
great  Desert  of  Judea  with  four  thousand  assassins, 

secretly  organized  into  bands.     B. He  returned 

with  thirty  thousand  men,  whom  he  had  deluded 
into  the  belief  that  he  was  the  Messiah,  and  that  he 
would  restore  the  kingdom  to  Judah ;  he  encamped 
on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  threatening  to  overpower 
the  Roman  garrison,  and  promising  that  the  walls 
of  Jerusalem  should  fall  down.  He  was  attacked 
by  Felix,  and  his  followers  dispersed  or  slain,  the 
Egyptian  himself  escaping.  S. We  find  in  Jo- 
sephus a  full  account  of  the  transaction,  which  hap- 
pened under  the  government  of  Felix,  and,  what  is 
remarkable,  Josephus  does  not  mention  his  name, 
but  everywhere  calls  him  "  the  Egyptian,"  and  "  the 
Egyptian  false  prophet."     M.  H. 

Surprised  at  the  ease  and  naturalness  with  which 
Paul  addressed  him  in  Greek,  "  as  these  insurgents 
probably  communicated  with  their  followers  only  in 
the  dialect  of  their  country,"  the  Roman  captain 
puts  a  plain  question  of  fact,  to  which  Paul  answers 
as  plainly.  He  said,  "  I  am  a  Jew ;  not  a  character- 
less vagabond  from  Egypt,  nor  even  a  native  of 
Judea  (where  insurgents  and  insurrections  were 
bred),  but  a  citizen  of  refined  and  wealthy  Tarsus  in 
Asiatic  Cilicia."  This  direct,  clear  answer  swept 
away  at  once  the  tribune's  suspicion.  More  than 
this,  too,  did  Paul's  intelligent  address  and  coura- 
geous bearing  accomplish.    Beholding  him  so  un- 


SECTION  226.— ACTS  21 :  40 ;  22  : 1-29.  155 

awed  by  the  imminent  peril,  so  unruffled  in  spirit  by  '  pioneer  preacher  of  the  Cross,  none  was  so  striking 
the  rude  handling  of  the  mob  and  the  soldiers,  the  |  as  this,  the  stairway  between  the  Roman  quarters 

and  the  venerated  area  of  Jewish  pride  and  wor- 
ship. And  the  vast  auditorium  became  strangely 
still.  For  even  the  mad,  murderous  mob  was  awed 
into  a  temporary  quiet,  as  this  unresisting  yet  un- 
daunted, strong-hearted  man,  standing  chained  to 
two  mailed  men,  stretched  forth  his  manacled  right 
hand  to  summon  their  attention. 

The  whole  scene  is  sublime  beyond  expression. 
Like  all  the  marked  events  and  crises  of  Paul's 
grandly  effective  career,  it  neither  requires  nor  ad- 
mits any  imaginative  gloss  or  coloring.  All  these 
signal  incidents  are  best  apprehended  and  most  im- 
pressively conveyed  in  the  simple  form  of  the 
Scriptural  record.     B. 


only  calm,  self-possessed  man  in  the  vast,  excited, 
surging  throng;  noting,  too,  the  self-respect  and 
native  dignity  in  his  reference  to  his  own  birth-city 
and  the  proper  respect  to  Roman  authority  evinced 
in  the  form  of  his  request,  the  Roman  commander 
yields  to  the  unconscious  mastery  of  so  brave  and 
courteous  a  spirit,  and  grants  Paul  the  only  liberty 
he  asks,  the  liberty  of  speech.  And  this  very  liberty 
he  seeks,  not  for  his  own  sake,  but  for  theirs.  He 
would  speak  to  the  people,  God's  people  and  his.  He 
woidd  use  this  his  grand  opportunity  as  Christ's 
herald  to  proclaim  his  Mcssiahship  to  this  vast  mul- 
titude of  his  "  fallen  "  Israel.  Though  many  strange 
places  were  occupied  as  a  pulpit  by  this  matchless 


Section  226. 

Acts  xxi.  40  ;  xxii.  1-29. 


40      And  when  there  was  made  a  great  silence,  he  spake  unto  them  in  the  Hebrew  tongne,  say- 

1  ing,  Men,  brethren,  and  fathers,  hear  ye  my  defence  which  I  male  now  unto  you.    (And  when 

2  they  heard  that  he  spake  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  to  them,  they  kept  the  more  silence :  and  he 

3  saith,)  I  am  verily  a  man  which  am  a  Jew,  born  in  Tarsus,  a  city  in  Cilicia,  yet  brought  up 
in  this  city  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  and  taught  according  to  the  perfect  manner  of  the  law 

4  of  the  fathers,  and  was  zealous  toward  God,  as  ye  all  are  this  day.     And  I  persecuted  this 

5  way  unto  the  death,  binding  and  delivering  into  prisons  both  men  and  women.  As  also  the 
high  priest  doth  bear  me  witness,  and  all  the  estate  of  the  elders :  from  whom  also  I  re- 
ceived letters  unto  the  brethren,  and  went  to  Damascus,  to  bring  them  which  were  there 

6  bound  unto  Jerusalem,  for  to  be  punished.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  as  I  made  my  jour- 
ney, and  was  come  nigh  unto  Damascus  about  noon,  suddenly  there  shone  from  heaven  a 

7  great  light  round  about  me.     And  I  fell  unto  the  ground,  and  heard  a  voice  saying  unto  me, 

8  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ?    And  I  answered,  Who  art  thou.  Lord?    And  he  said 

9  unto  me,  I  am  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom  thou  persecutest.  And  they  that  were  with  me 
saw  indeed  the  hght,  and  were  afraid  ;  but  they  heard  not  the  voice  of  him  that  spake  to 

10  me.    And  I  said.  What  shall  I  do,  Lord?     And  the  Lord  said  unto  me.  Arise,  and  go  into 
Damascus ;  and  there  it  shall  be  told  thee  of  all  things  which  are  appointed  for  thee  to  do, 

11  And  when  I  could  not  see  for  the  glory  of  that  light,  being  led  by  the  hand  of  them  that 

12  were  with  me,  I  came  into  Damascus.     And  one  Ananias,  a  devout  man  according  to  the 

13  law,  having  a  good  report  of  all  the  Jews  which  dwelt  there,  came  unto  me,  and  stood,  and 
said  unto  me.  Brother  Saul,  receive  thy  sight.     And  the  same  hour  I  looked  up  upon  him. 

14  And  he  said.  The  God  of  our  fathers  hath  chosen  thee,  that  thou  shouldest  know  his  will,  and 

15  see  that  Just  One,  and  shouldest  hear  the  voice  of  his  mouth.     For  thou  shalt  be  his  wit- 

16  ness  unto  all  men  of  what  thou  hast  seen  and  heard.    And  now  why  tarriest  thou?  arise, 
and  be  baptized,  and  wash  away  thy  sins,  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

17  And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  when  I  was  come  again  to  Jerusalem,  even  while  I  prayed  in 

18  the  temple,  I  was  in  a  trance ;  and  saw  him  saying  unto  me.  Make  haste,  and  get  thee 

19  quickly  out  of  Jerusalem :  for  they  will  not  receive  thy  testimony  concerning  me.    And  I 
said.  Lord,  they  know  that  I  imprisoned  and  beat  in  every  synagogue  them  that  believed  on 

20  thee :  and  when  the  blood  of  thy  martyr  Stephen  was  shed,  I  also  was  standing  by,  and 

21  consenting  unto  his  death,  and  kept  the  raiment  of  them  that  slew  him.     And  he  said  unto 

22  me.  Depart :  for  I  will  send  thee  far  hence  unto  the  Gentiles.     And  they  gave  him  audience 
nnto  this  word,  and  then  lifted  up  their  voices,  and  said,  Away  with  such  a  fellow  from  the 

23  earth :  for  it  is  not  fit  that  he  should  live.     And  as  they  cried  out,  and  cast  off  their  clothes, 

24  and  threw  dust  into  the  air,  the  chief  captain  commanded  him  to  be  brought  into  the 
castle,  and  bade  that  he  should  be  examined  by  scourging ;  that  he  might  know  wherefore 

25  they  cried  so  against  him.    And  as  they  bound  him  with  thongs,  Paul  said  unto  the  centu- 


156 


SECTION  226.— ACTS  21 :  Jfi ;  22  : 1-29. 


Hon  that  stood  by,  Is  it  lawful  for  you  to  scourge  a  man  that  is  a  Roman,  and  uncon- 

26  deraned?     When  the  centurion  heard  that,  he  went  and  told  the  chief  captain,  saying,  Take 

27  heed  what  thou  doest :  for  this  man  is  a  Roman.     Then  the  chief  captain  came,  and  said 

28  unto  him,  Tell  me,  art  thou  a  Roman?     He  said,  Yea.     And  the  chief  captain  answered, 

29  With  a  great  sum  obtained  I  this  freedom.  And  Paul  said.  But  I  was  free  born.  Then 
straightway  they  departed  from  him  which  should  have  examined  him :  and  the  chief  cap- 
tain also  was  afraid,  after  he  knew  that  he  was  a  Roman,  and  because  he  had  bound  him. 


1-16.  Paul's  voluntary  statement,  or  first  de- 
fense, was  made  to  the  maddened  Jews  massed  in 
the  vast  Outer  Court  of  the  Temple,  from  the  top  of 
the  stairway  to  the  adjoining  fortress  Antonia.  His 
quiet  poise  of  manner  and  his  respectful,  dignified 
courtesy  of  address  helped  to  calm  their  excitement. 
By  calling  this  mob  of  persecutors  Brethren,  he  both 
acknowledged  and  claimed  a  common  nationality 
with  them.  The  old  men  who  were  there,  priests, 
rulers,  and  rabbis,  of  eminence  as  leaders  and  teach- 
ers, some  of  whom  had  just  repeated  the  act  of 
thirty  years  before  by  stirring  up  the  people  to  per- 
secution, Paul  yet  addresses  with  the  venerable 
term  Fathers.  His  use,  too,  of  the  Hebrew  tongue 
(that  is,  the  then  current  Aramaic  or  Syro-Chaldaic 
dialect  of  Palestine,  which  had  gradually  supplanted 
the  older  Hebrew  of  Judea  since  the  captivity) 
helped  further  to  attract  their  attention  and  to  con- 
ciliate their  feeling  at  the  outset. 

With  great  wisdom  and  tact  he  shapes  his  whole 
address.  He  defers  to  their  manifestly  hostile  feel- 
ing by  calling  it  a  defense  (Greek,  apology).  He 
avows  himself  a  Jew,  refers  to  his  pure  Jewish 
blood,  his  place  of  birth,  and  his  early  and  thorough 
training  in  the  knowledge  and  practice  of  the  law, 
at  Jerusalem.  He  recalls  that  which  they  also  well 
knew  of  his  early  life.  He  repeats  the  story  of  his 
surpassing  zeal  and  frenzy  in  the  active  persecu- 
tion of  Christian  disciples ;  how  he  went  even  to 
Damascus  for  this  purpose,  under  commission  of 
the  high  priest  and  elders.  He  thus  dwelt  upon  his 
fiercely  fanatical  career  in  order  that  the  question 
might  arise  in  their  minds  by  anticipation,  what  had 
wrought  so  extreme  a  change.  Surely  they  must 
feel  and  know  that  nothing  less  than  an  irresistible 
motive,  a  conviction  of  truth  absolutely  conclusive, 
could  have  turned  a  man  of  such  indomitable,  fiery 
zeal  so  utterly  against  himself  and  his  kindred  and 
associates,  against  all  his  previous  beliefs,  practices, 
prejudices,  and  hates. 

Then  he  tells  the  marvelous  story  of  his  conver- 
sion. He  details  the  miracle  of  Christ's  appear- 
ance and  words  by  the  way;  and  the  subsequent 
visit  and  message  of  Ananias  in  Damascus.  He 
characterizes  Ananias  as  "  a  devout  man  according  to 
the  law,  having  a  good  report  of  all  the  Jews  which 
dwelt  there";  and  declares  that  he  spake  in  the 
name  of  Jehovah,  the  God  of  Israel.     By  the  God 


of  their  fathers,  therefore,  he  had  been  changed 
from  a  persecutor  into  an  advocate  of  Christ.  Pass- 
ing over  the  interval  of  three  years,  he  proceeds  to 
narrate  a  miraculous  occurrence  in  Jerusalem. 

17-21.  Chrisfs  Second  Appearance  in  the  Tem- 
ple, and  his  Command  that  Paul  should  go  forth  to 
Distant  Foreign  Nations. — It  was  while  in  the  Tem- 
ple, and  while  praying  there — thus  implying  his 
loyalty  to  the  Jewish  sanctuary  and  its  worship,  and 
disproving  the  charge  of  hostility  and  profanation — 
that  Christ  came  to  him  again.  Not  in  a  foreign 
country  and  an  alien  temple,  but  in  their  own  sacred, 
time-hallowed  precincts,  where  their  own  Jehovah 
had  manifested  his  presence  and  recorded  his  name, 
this  Christ  had  appeared  to  him.  So  appearing  in 
Jehovah's  Temple,  Paul  suggests  by  implication,  this 
Christ  must  be  from  God,  their  God.  As  it  was  the 
fervency  of  prayer  that  ushered  Paul's  spirit  into  a 
state  of  trance,  so  it  was  his  need  of  direction,  in- 
tensely felt  and  fervidly  expressed,  that  brought 
Christ  a  second  time  into  close  personal  communion 
with  him.  This  interview  is  not  referred  to  in 
Luke's  previous  account  (ch.  9).  Paul  introduces 
it  here  to  explain  and  justify  his  going  to  the  Gen- 
tiles. From  this  point  of  view,  the  colloquy  with  • 
Christ  is  specially  instructive. 

Christ's  reason  for  Paul's  instant  departure  from 
Jerusalem — "  for  they  will  not  receive  thy  testimony 
concerning  me" — implies  His  knowledge  that  Paul's 
great  desire  was  to  remain  and  preach  Christ  among 
the  Jews  of  Jerusalem.  This  desire  Paul  makes 
even  more  evident  to  his  present  hearers  by  show- 
ing how  he  demurred  to  Christ's  command.  They 
knew,  he  said,  what  a  persecutor  of  Christians  he 
had  been ;  and  this  fact  would  give  his  new  testi- 
mony for  Christ  the  more  weight  with  them.  Thus 
Paul  more  than  hints  to  the  listening  Jews  that  his 
strong  desire  was  to  remain  among  his  own  people. 
But  he  goes  on  faithfully  to  recite  Christ's  impera- 
tive direction  (His  only  reply)  to  depart,  and  to  min- 
ister among  far  nations. 

22,  23.  Why  and  how  PauVs  Address  was  hv- 
tcrrupted. — To  the  story  of  the  apostle's  life  and 
conversion,  even  to  the  statement  about  Christ's 
second  appearance,  the  vast  throng  crowding  the 
Temple  area  had  listened  silently  and  intently ;  and 
they  remembered  well  the  miraculous  part  of  it  the 
next  day.     They  seem  to  have  felt  the  man's  sin- 


SECTION  2-26.— ACTS  21 :  Jfi ;  22  : 1-29. 


157 


cerity.  They  uttered  no  doubt  respecting  his  main 
assertion,  that  a  direct  power  from  above  and  not 
any  influence  of  other  minds  had  transformed  the 
persecutor  into  the  disciple  of  Christ.  But  when 
he  spoke  "  this  word " — better,  this  saying,  refer- 
ring to  the  whole  direction  of  Christ — then  instantly 
was  aroused  the  old,  deep-seated,  and  incurable  envy 
and  jealousy  at  the  thought  that  the  Gentiles  could 
be  fellow-heirs  with  them  of  Jehovah's  promised 
mercy,  and  subjects  of  their  glorious  Messiah. 
Then,  on  the  instant,  reason  and  reverence  were 
forgotten ;  all  sense  of  right  and  justice  was  over- 
borne in  a  great  outburst  of  mad  rage.  Although 
their  Prophets  and  Psalmists  had  plainly  proclaimed 
the  ultimate  world-wide  ministry  of  the  Messiah  and 
the  extension  of  God's  saving  mercies  to  all  peoples, 
the  Jews  had  never  accepted  the  fact,  could  never 
abide  the  thought.  For  its  statement  by  Christ  they 
rose  upon  him  at  Nazareth  and  during  the  week 
of  his  passion.  For  this  statement  they  murdered 
Stephen  ;  and,  at  Antioch  and  Corinth,  had  sought 
to  murder  Paul.  And  now,  in  their  frantic  impo- 
tence of  wrath,  they  shout  out  their  murderous  execra- 
tions and  demands,  rending  off  and  tossing  up  their 
outer  garments,  with  handfuls  of  dust,  into  the  air. 

24-36.  PauVs  Announcement  of  Roman  Citizen- 
ship arrests  the  Examination  by  Scourging. — By  the 
violent  outcry  of  the  Jews  not  only  was  Paul  si- 
lenced but  the  Roman  commander  was  led  to  infer 
that  the  apostle's  defense  (which  the  captain  had 
not  understood)  had  only  strengthened  their  convic- 
tion of  his  guilt.  Partly  from  this  impression,  and 
partly  to  gratify  the  Jewish  populace  (always  a 
pohtic  custom  of  the  Roman  rulers),  the  tribune  di- 
rected that  he  should  be  tortured  to  confession  by 
the  scourge.  The  implements  of  such  extorted 
confession  (here  called  examination),  including  the 
posts,  the  binding  thongs,  and  the  knotted  whips, 
were  always  at  hand  in  a  Roman  fortress. 

"But  when  they  stretched  him  out  for  the 
whips,"  or  as  they  were  binding  him  to  the  inclined 
post  with  leather  thongs,  Paul  asserts,  as  at  Philippi, 
his  Roman  citizenship.  This  he  does  in  a  sharply 
pointed  question  to  the  centurion  charged  with  the 
scourging.  To  punish  an  untried  and  uncondemned 
Roman,  especially  to  torture  such  a  one  with  the 
scourge,  was  by  Roman  law  one  of  the  highest 
crimes.  At  once  the  centurion  hastens  to  his  com- 
manding officer  with  the  warning  intelligence  that 
Paul  was  a  Roman. 


27-29.  The  Tribune''s  Second  Colloquy  with 
Paul,  and  its  Effect. — Instantly  the  astonished  and 
alarmed  chief  captain  came  to  his  prisoner  (girded 
for  the  scourge)  to  know  if  it  were  really  so.  Not 
for  a  moment  did  he  doubt  Paul's  assertion ;  for 
death  was  the  penalty  of  a  false  claim  to  Roman 
citizenship.  Such  citizenship  involved  the  highest 
political  rights  and  civil  privileges.  It  was  acquired 
chiefly  by  parentage  or  purchase.  By  "  a  great 
sum"  Lysiashad  purchased  it.  To  Paul  it  had  de- 
scended by  inheritance. 

Paul's  appeal  had  instant  full  effect.  The  thongs 
were  untied  and  he  removed  from  the  dishonoring 
implements.  Lysias,  too  (like  the  magistrates  at 
Philippi),  was  greatly  alarmed,  because  the  mere 
binding  of  Paul  to  the  scourge-post  might  have 
been  punished  with  death.  But  now,  as  before,  the 
apostle  manifested  no  aggrieved  or  vindictive  feel- 
ing. In  part  it  had  been  a  just  self-honor,  but 
chiefly  regard  for  the  dignity  of  the  great  cause  he 
represented,  that  led  him  to  declare  his  citizenship. 
He  was  always  willing  to  suffer  shame  when  such 
suffering  was  demanded  by,  or  would  in  any  wise 
further,  his  ministry  of  Christ  and  of  truth  among 
men.  Otherwise,  in  the  interest  of  Christianity, 
he  claimed  all  the  honor  and  respect  due  to  a 
true  manhood,  and  all  the  rights  of  human  citizen- 
ship.    B. 

At  first  under  the  republic  all  Roman  soldiers 
were  Roman  citizens.  "But  in  proportion  as  the 
public  freedom  was  lost  in  extent  of  conquest,  war 
was  gradually  improved  into  an  art  and  degraded 
into  a  trade."  "With  the  distinction  between  the 
praetorian  and  legionary  soldiers  all  necessary  con- 
nection between  citizenship  and  military  service 
ceased  to  exist.  In  strict  conformity  with  this 
state  of  things  we  find  that  Claudius  Lysias  was  a 
citizen  by  purchase,  not  because  he  was  a  military 
ofiicer.     H. 

Wholly  at  a  loss  what  to  do  with  the  apostle, 
compelled  to  keep  him  in  custody  for  the  safety  of 
his  life,  having  received  vastly  higher  impressions 
of  Paul's  character  and  standing,  yet  still  ignorant 
who  he  was,  and  what  the  crime  alleged  against  him 
by  the  Jews,  Lysias  naturally  seeks  the  aid  of  the 
Sanhedrim,  or  great  Jewish  Council.  He  therefore 
summons  its  members  to  assemble  on  the  morrow 
for  a  hearing  of  the  case,  hoping  thereby  to  obtain 
sufiicient  understanding  to  guide  his  own  future 
course.    B. 


158  SECTION  227.— A  CTS  22  :  30  ;  23  : 1-35. 

Section  227. 

Acts  xxii.  30 ;   xxiii.  1-35. 

30  Ou  the  morrow,  because  he  would  have  known  the  certainty  wherefore  he  was  accused 
of  the  Jews,  he  loosed  him  from  his  bands,  and  commanded  the  chief  priests  and  all  their 

1  council  to  appear,  and  brought  Paul  down,  and  set  him  before  them.     And  Paul,  earnestly 
beholding  the  council,  said.  Men  and  brethren,  I  have  lived  in  all  good  conscience  before 

2  God  until  this  day.     And  the  high  priest  Ananias  commanded  them  that  stood  by  him  to 

3  smite  him  on  the  mouth.     Then  said  Paul  unto  him,  God  shall  smite  thee,  thou  whited  wall: 
for  sittest  thou  to  judge  me  after  the  law,  and  commandest  me  to  be  smitten  contrary  to  the 

4  law  ?    And  they  that  stood  by  said,  Revilest  thou  God's  high  priest  ?    Then  said  Paul,  I 

5  wist  not,  brethren,  that  he  was  the  high  priest :  for  it  is  written.  Thou  shalt  not  speak  evil 

6  of  the  ruler  of  thy  people.     But  when  Paul  perceived  that  the  one  part  were  Sadducees,  and 
the  other  Pharisees,  he  cried  out  in  the  council,  Men  and  brethren,  I  am  a  Pharisee,  the  son 

7  of  a  Pharisee :  of  the  hope  and  resurrection  of  the  dead  I  am  called  in  question.  And  when 
he  had  so  said,  there  arose  a  dissension  between  the  Pharisees  and  the  Sadducees :  and  the 

8  multitude  was  divided.     For  the  Sadducees  say  that  there  is  no  resurrection,  neither  angel, 

9  nor  spirit :  but  the  Pharisees  confess  both.  And  there  arose  a  great  cry :  and  the  scribes 
that  were  of  the  Pharisees'  part  arose,  and  strove,  saying,  "We  find  no  evil  in  this  man :  but 

10  if  a  spirit  or  an  angel  hath  spoken  to  him,  let  us  not  fight  against  God.  And  when  there 
arose  a  great  dissension,  the  chief  captain,  fearing  lest  Paul  should  have  been  pulled  in 
pieces  of  them,  commanded  the  soldiers  to  go  down,  and  to  take  him  by  force  from  among 

11  them,  and  to  bring  him  into  the  castle.  And  the  night  following  the  Lord  stood  by  him, 
and  said,  Be  of  good  cheer,  Paul :  for  as  thou  hast  testified  of  me  in  Jerusalem,  so  must  thou 
bear  witness  also  at  Eome. 

12  And  when  it  was  day,  certain  of  the  Jews  banded  together,  and  bound  themselves  under 

13  a  curse,  saying  that  they  would  neither  eat  nor  drink  till  they  had  killed  Paul.     And  they 

14  were  more  than  forty  which  had  made  this  conspiracy.  And  they  came  to  the  chief  priests 
and  elders,  and  said.  We  have  bound  ourselves  under  a  great  curse,  that  we  will  eat  nothing 

15  until  we  have  slain  Paul.  Now  therefore  ye  with  the  council  signify  to  the  chief  captain 
that  he  bring  him  down  unto  you  to  morrow,  as  though  ye  would  inquire  something  more 

16  perfectly  concerning  him :  and  we,  or  ever  he  come  near,  are  ready  to  kill  him.  And  when 
Paul's  sister's  son  heard  of  their  lying  in  wait,  he  went  and  entered  into  the  castle,  and  told 

17  Paul.     Then  Paul  called  one  of  the  centurions  unto  him,  and  said,  Bring  this  young  man 

18  unto  the  chief  captain :  for  he  hath  a  certain  thing  to  tell  him.  So  he  took  him,  and  brought 
him  to  the  chief  captain,  and  said,  Paul  the  prisoner  called  me  unto  him,  and  prayed  me  to 

19  bring  this  young  man  unto  thee,  who  hath  something  to  say  unto  thee.  Then  the  chief 
captain  took  him  by  the  hand,  and  went  icith  him  aside  privately,  and  asked  him,  What  is 

20  that  thou  hast  to  tell  me  ?  And  he  said,  The  Jews  have  agreed  to  desire  thee  that  thou 
wouldest  bring  down  Paul  to  morrow  into  the  council,  as  though  they  would  inquire  some- 

21  what  of  him  more  perfectly.  But  do  not  thou  yield  unto  them :  for  there  lie  in  wait  for 
him  of  them  more  than  forty  men,  which  have  bound  themselves  with  an  oath,  that  they 
will  neither  eat  nor  drink  till  they  have  killed  him  :  and  now  are  they  ready,  looking  for  a 

22  promise  from  thee.     So  the  chief  captain  then  let  the  young  man  depart,  and  charged  him, 

23  See  thou  tell  no  man  that  thou  hast  shewed  these  things  to  me.  And  he  called  unto  him 
two  centurions,  saying,  Make  ready  two  hundred  soldiers  to  go  to  O^sarea,  and  hoi-semen 

24  threescore  and  ten,  and  spearmen  two  hundred,  at  the  third  hour  of  the  night;  and  provide 

25  them  beasts,  that  they  may  set  Paul  on,  and  bring  him  safe  unto  Felix  the  governor.     And 

26  he  wrote  a  letter  after  this  manner:  Claudius  Lysias  unto  the  most  excellent  governor  Felix 

27  sendeth  greeting.     This  man  was  taken  of  the  Jews,  and  should  have  been  killed  of  them : 

28  then  came  I  with  an  army,  and  rescued  him,  having  understood  that  he  was  a  Roman.  And 
when  I  would  have  known  the  cause  wherefore  they  accused  him,  I  brought  him  forth  into 

29  their  council :  whom  I  perceived  to  be  accused  of  questions  of  their  law,  but  to  have  no- 

30  thing  laid  to  his  charge  worthy  of  death  or  of  bonds.  And  when  it  was  told  me  how  that 
the  Jews  laid  wait  for  the  man,  I  sent  straightway  to  tbee,  and  gave  commandment  to  his 
accusers  also  to  say  before  thee  what  they  had  against  him.    Farewell. 

31  Then  the  soldiers,  as  it  was  commanded  them,  took  Paul,  and  brought  him  by  night  to 

32  Antipatris.     On  the  morrow  they  left  the  horsemen  to  go  with  him,  and  returned  to  the 


SECTION'  227.— ACTS  22  :  30;  23  : 1-35. 


159 


33  castle :  who,  ■when  they  came  to  CaBsarea,  and  delivered  the  epistle  to  the  governor,  pre- 

34  sented  Paul  also  before  him.     And  when  the  governor  had  read  the  letter,  he  asked  of  what 

35  province  he  was.  And  when  he  understood  that  Tie  was  of  Cilicia ;  I  will  hear  thee,  said  he, 
when  thine  accusers  are  also  come.  And  he  commanded  him  to  be  kept  in  Herod's  judg- 
ment hall. 


1.  The  Assertion  tciih  which  Paul  Jirst  breaks 
the  Silence. — God  had  used  the  tribune  Lysias  (act- 
ing for  the  governor,  Felix)  to  rescue  Paul,  and 
then,  for  his  continued  safety,  to  hold  him  in  arrest. 
Now  he  makes  of  the  tribune's  desire  to  know  more 
of  Paul  a  new  opportunity  for  the  apostle.  This 
opportunity,  like  everi/  circumstance  and  position  in 
which  Paul  was  placed  during  his  period  of  liberty 
or  of  "  bonds  and  imprisonment,"  is  made  by  him 
an  occasion  "  for  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel." 

The  Council,  or  Sanhedrim,  was  assembled  in  a 
hall  connected  with  the  Temple  chambers.  (See 
diagram.  Vol.  I.,  p.  623.)  Into  this  hall  Paul  was 
"brought  down"  from  the  castle.  Here  Lysias  re- 
mained while  the  military  guard  retired  a  httle  dis- 
tance, yet  ready  to  interpose  (as  they  did)  for  his 
protection.  Almost  twenty-five  years  had  elapsed 
since  Paul  had  intensely  endorsed  the  Council's  mur- 
derous persecution  of  Stephen,  and  had  been  the 
chief  instrument  of  this  supreme  judicatory  in  its 
vindictive  pursuit  of  Christ's  disciples.  Now  he 
stands  before  them  as  the  chief  object  of  their  hate, 
with  no  responsive  hate ;  altogether  unmindful  of 
himself,  calmly  and  imdauntedly  ("looking  sted- 
fastly,"  Luke  says)  he  studies  their  faces  and  their 
spirit. 

Then  he  asserts  a  self-respecting  dignity  by  open- 
ing the  anomalous  proceedings.  He  claims  a  posi- 
tion of  perfect  equality,  by  addressing  them  as 
Brother  Men.  He  shows  that  he  understood  the 
tribune's  object  by  speaking  of  himself;  and  in 
Greek,  that  Lysias  too  might  comprehend.  As  best 
answering  a  question  touching  his  criminality,  he 
aflSrms  his  own  truthful  and  righteous  life.  In  the 
spirit  and  manner  of  the  Master's  question,  "  Who 
convinceth  me  of  sin  ?  "  he  challenges  them  to  gain- 
say the  assertion  that  he  had  been  true  to  God  and 
man ;  that  in  the  main  his  aims,  his  plans,  his  deeds, 
had  been  single  and  right.  Paul  asserts  no  doc- 
trine or  practice  of  perfection  here ;  but  a  fact 
based  upon  God's  gracious  inworking.  And  he 
does  it,  not  only  to  justify  himself  before  Lysias, 
but  to  sharpen  the  contrast  with  their  professed 
righteousness,  which  was  hypocrisy.     B. 

2y  3.  The  High  Priest's  Vhjitst  Command  and 
Paul's  Indignant  Rejoinder. — Ananias  had  been  ap- 
pointed high  priest  in  a.  d.  48.  In  a.  D.  52  he  was 
sent  to  Rome  to  answer  before  Claudius  on  a  charge 
of  oppression  brought  against  him  by  the  Samari- 
tans.   The  result  is  doubtful ;  but  the  best  solution 


seems  to  be  that  Ananias  was  not  formally  deposed, 
but,  upon  the  murder  of  Jonathan  (who  had  been 
appointed  in  his  place  during  his  suspension)  in  a.  d. 
57,  he  resumed  his  functions.  The  high  priest's 
character  for  violence  and  lawlessness  suggests  that 
a  guUtif  conscience  assumed  the  guise  of  zeal  against 
blasphemy,  when  he  ordered  the  bystanders  to  smite 
Paul  on  the  mouth.  S. It  was  not  to  be  toler- 
ated that  a  man  who  stood  arraigned  there  as  an 
apostate  from  the  religion  of  his  fathers  should  as- 
sert his  innocence.  The  mouth  must  be  shut  that 
uttered  such  a  declaration.     HacJcdt. 

It  was  not  the  proposed  indignity  to  himself 
(which,  from  the  question  of  the  bystanders,  we 
may  infer  was  not  actually  committed),  but  it  was 
the  glaring  injustice  and  hypocrisy  of  the  man  who 
commanded  it,  that  instantly  turned  the  prisoner 
into  a  judge  and  condemner.  But  Paul's  words  2vere 
not  an  imprecation,  nor  an  outburst  of  passion,  or 
even  of  righteous  indignation.  Severe  as  was  the 
figure  he  used — thou  whited  wall — and  sharply  as 
the  implied  charge  of  falsehood  was  hurled  back 
against  the  high  priest,  more  severe  was  the  ichitcd 
sepulchre  which  Christ  used,  and  more  directly  and 
sharply  were  His  terrible  denunciations  pointed 
against  hypocrites.  Paul  speaks,  too,  in  God's  name  ; 
and  he  assigns  the  unlawful  command  of  Ananias 
as  the  ground  of  this  announced  judgment   from 

God.     B. On  each  of  the  many  such  hypocrites 

who  sat  before  him,  the  apostle  might  well  denounce 
the  doom,  "  God  shall  smite  thee  "  ;  and  there  is  no 
difficulty  in  regarding  the  special  fitness  of  his  words 
to  Ananias — who  was  deposed  by  Felix  two  years 
later  and  afterward  murdered  by  the  Sicarii — as  one 
of  the  innumerable  examples  of  unconscious  proph- 
ecy.     S. Concerning  Ananias,  Josephus  states 

that  in  a  tumult  begun  by  his  own  son  he  was  be- 
sieged and  taken  in  the  royal  palace,  where  having 
in  vain  attempted  to  hide  himself  in  an  old  aque- 
duct, he  was  dragged  out  and  slain,  about  five  years 
after  this.    D. 

4,5.  The  Bystanders^  Question  and  Paul's  Pephj. 
— The  partisans  to  whom  the  high  priest's  imlawful 
command  had  been  directed,  seem  to  have  been  so 
far  affected  by  Paul's  boldness  as  to  substitute  a  re- 
buking question  for  the  smiting  on  the  mouth.  In 
their  question,  however,  they  defended,  not  the  un- 
lawful order,  but  the  sacred  office  of  the  high  priest. 
They  charge  Paul  with  reviling  God's  high  priest. 
In  the  apostle's  answering  avowal  of  ignorance 


160 


SECTION'  227.— ACTS  22  :  30;  23  : 1-35. 


respecting  Ananias  and  his  high-priestly  oflSce,  we 
find  one  of  those  Scriptural  difficulties  which  has 
had  many  proposed  solutions.  It  seems  obvious 
that  Paul  did  not  speak  ironically,  or  as  confessing 
and  apologizing  for  a  heedless  or  intemperate  ex- 
clamation. Nor  did  he  have  reference  to  the  aboli- 
tion of  the  priestly  office  by  Christ.  Still  less  did 
he  mean  to  deny  the  title  of  Ananias  on  account  of 
his  suspension  from  and  subsequent  usurpation  of 
the  high  priest's  functions.  His  supposed  defect  of 
vision  seems  also  to  be  ruled  out,  by  his  "  stedfast 
looking"  at  the  outset,  and  by  his  clear  discernment 
of  the  two  main  elements,  Sadducaic  and  Pharisaic, 
comprised  in  the  Council.  Besides  the  established 
character  of  Paul  for  sincerity  and  for  clearness  of 
perception,  there  are  natural  considerations  of  fact 
which  sustain  the  view  that  he  honestly  pleaded 
ignorance  of  the  person  of  the  high  priest.  Ana- 
nias had  not  succeeded  to  the  office  until  ten  or  more 
years  after  Paul's  conversion.  He  was  not  neces- 
sarily the  presiding  officer  of  the  Sanhedrim.  Nor, 
when  presiding,  was  it  customary  always  to  wear  the 
distinctive  robes  of  the  high-priesthood.  This  was 
only  demanded  when  performing  official  duties  in 
the  Temple. 

Respecting  this  reply  of  Paul  we  note  further : 
(1)  That  he  simply  justifies  himself  as  to  the  charge 
of  reviling  brought  against  him.  He  does  not  with- 
draw nor  apologize  for  the  condemnation  he  had 
uttered  against  Ananias.  That  remained  :  its  force 
and  justness  unshaken  by  the  attempted  diversion  of 
the  high  priest's  adherents.  (2)  That  Paul,  by  cit- 
ing from  the  law  (Ex.  22  :  28),  distinctly  implies 
that  he  still  holds  that  law,  which  he  is  here  charged 
with  rejecting,  as  the  guide  and  rule  of  his  life. 
The  quotation,  thus  regarded,  further  shows  that 
the  apostle  in  this  whole  colloquy  loas  now  speaking, 
as  he  declared  he  had  lived,  seriously  and  cotiscien- 
tiously. 

6-9.  Paul  ends  the  Useless  Conference  hy  divid- 
ing his  Adversaries.  Strife  between  the  Pharisees 
and  Sadducecs. — Knowing  well  that  he  can  have 
neither  fair  hearing  nor  just  judgment  from  a  body 
so  prejudiced  and  hostile,  with  no  hope  of  achiev- 
ing good  by  further  direct  exposition  of  Christian 
truth,  he  wisely  and  rightly  divides  his  adversaries, 
and  so  abruptly  breaks  up  an  unsought,  anomalous, 
and  useless  conference.  Not  as  some  mistakenly 
read  it,  by  a  trick  suddenly  conceived  and  carried 
out  for  his  own  advantage,  but  in  a  way  that  per- 
fectly accords  with  the  true  missionary  spirit  and 
work.  The  state  of  dissension  between  these  two 
great  parties  which  for  generations  divided  the  na- 
tion had  always  been  familiar  to  Paul.  Nay,  more, 
he  had  always  sided  with  the  Pharisees  as  respects 
their  points  of  difference  with  the  Sadducecs.  With 
them  he  had  shared  a  belief  and  hope  in  the  resur- 


rection from  the  dead.  Apprehending,  as  they  did 
not,  its  ultimate  relation  to  the  risen  Christ,  he  could 
truly  declare  that  his  preaching  of  this  doctrine  had 
subjected  him  to  this  inquisitorial  process  before  the 
Sanhedrim.  And  now  he  uses  this  very  examina- 
tion to  emphasize,  and  so  call  attention  to,  the  great 
doctrine  upon  which  the  two  rival  sects  were  chiefly 
divided  ;  knowing  and  designing,  indeed,  thereby  to 
raise  an  issue  that  would  break  up  the  Council.     B. 

He  had  not  come  to  Jerusalem  to  escape  out  of 

the  way  of  danger ;  but,  at  the  risk  of  bonds  and 
death,  to  reconcile  the  sincere  Jews,  if  possible,  to 
the  gospel  as  the  fulfillment  of  the  Law.  He  desired 
to  prove  himself  a  faithful  Israelite  by  his  very  tes- 
timony to  him  whom  God  had  raised  from  the  dead. 
Both  these  objects  might  naturally  be  promoted  by 
an  appeal  to  the  nobler  professions  of  the  Phari- 
sees, whose  creed,  as  distinguished  from  that  of  the 
Sadducecs,  was  still,  as  it  had  ever  been,  his  own. 
Of  that  creed,  faith  in  the  risen  Lord  was  the  true 
fulfillment.  He  wished  to  lead  his  brother  Pharisees 
into  a  deeper  and  more  living  apprehension  of  their 
own  faith ;  and,  seeing  now  the  hopelessness  of  gain- 
ing over  the  Sadducees,  he  made  a  last  appeal  to  the 
party  of  which  there  remained  any  hope.     S. 

He  needed  no  expedient,  for  he  was  then  in 
Roman  hands  and  under  Roman  protection.  It  was 
no  pretense  to  serve  a  turn;  it  was  the  genuine 
language  of  his  heart.  In  all  his  other  speeches  at 
this  crisis  the  same  idea  reigns  predominant.  "  I 
stand  and  am  judged  for  the  hope  of  the  promise 
made  of  God  unto  our  fathers :  unto  which  promise 
our  twelve  tribes,  instantly  serving  God  day  and 
night,  hope  to  come :  for  which  hope's  sake.  King 
Agrippa,  I  am  accused  of  the  Jews,  Why  is  it 
judged  by  you  a  thing  incredible  if  God  raises  the 
dead?''''  It  is  the  self-same  sound  which  we  heard 
in  the  first  discourse  given  us  from  his  lips,  when 
he  cried  to  the  Jews  of  the  Pisidian  Antioch,  "  Now 
we  declare  unto  you  glad  tidings,  how  that  the 
promise  which  was  made  unto  the  fathers,  God  hatli 
fulfilled  the  same  unto  us  their  children,  in  that  h( 
hath  raised  up  Jesus  again"  And  when  we  read  his 
mind  upon  this  subject  more  fully  in  1  Cor.  15,  and 
indeed  in  the  whole  of  his  writings,  we  see  how 
truly  the  resurrection  of  Christ  did,  in  his  view,  in- 
clude the  realization  of  all  the  hopes  with  which  the 
Old  Covenant  was  pregnant ;  how  entirely  it  was  tc 
him  the  cause  and  actual  commencement,  as  well  a? 
the  pledge  and  promise,  of  the  resurrection  and  the 
life  to  man.     T.  D.  B. 

8.  The  Sadducees  believed  in  neither  angel  noi 
spirit ;  they  rejected  the  doctrine  of  a  future  life 
and  denied  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  They  were 
the  rationalists  of  their  age.  They  accepted  the  law 
admitted  the  Divine  mission  of  Moses,  and  belongec 
to  the  Hebrew  Church ;   but  they  did  away  witl 


SECTION  227.— ACTS 


30;  23:1-35. 


161 


everything  in  the  constitution  of  humanity  and  its 
relation  to  God  which  could  sustain  the  edifice  of 
anything  like  a  high  religious  life.  Eternal  life,  in 
the  sense  of  a  future  immortality,  was  exploded  alto- 
gether.   T.  B. 

The  immediate  result  was  "  a  sudden  paroxysm 
of  their  usual  antipathy  and  party  zeal,"  an  array  of 
the  two  parties  against  each  other,  and  an  assump- 
tion, for  the  moment,  of  Paul's  defense  by  the  more 
numerous  party  of  the  Pharisees.  Seemingly  re- 
ferring to  the  apostle's  account  on  the  preceding 
day  of  Christ's  two  miraculous  appearances,  the 
Pharisaic  scribes  assert  their  belief  that  he  is  the 
true  man  he  claims  to  be,  and  that  a  spirit  (or  angel) 
may  have  spoken  to  him,  as  he  had  said.  True  to 
their  belief  in  spiritual  messengers  from  heaven, 
using  (if  the  sentence  be  genuine)  the  very  words  of 
Gamaliel  (5  :  39),  they  declare  that  they  will  not 
fight  against  the  God  who  sends  spirits  by  harming 
this  man  to  whom  he  may  have  sent  them. 

10.  Paul's  Second  Rescue  from  Actual  Violence 
ly  the  Tribune  Lysias. — The  controversy  between 
the  rival  sects  grew  so  sharp,  and  the  actual  strife 
around  the  person  of  Paul  became  so  fierce,  that  the 
Roman  commander  was  constrained  to  interpose  his 
soldiers  again,  and  almost  forcibly  to  withdraw  his 
prisoner.  Not  that  Paul,  an  obscure  prisoner,  was 
of  any  special  account.  But  for  the  life  of  Paul,  a 
Roman  citizen,  he  would  be  held  responsible.  Be- 
sides, he  has  learned  something,  if  not  all  he  desires 
to  know,  about  this  man.  What  he  has  learned  has 
satisfied  him  that  his  prisoner  is  no  criminal  and  de- 
serves no  punishment  from  Jew  or  Roman.  And  all 
that  he  has  heard  and  seen  has  greatly  raised  his 
estimate  of  Paul.  It  has  prepared  him  to  take  the 
decisive  and  costly  measures  for  Paul's  deliverance 
which  follow  in  the  history. 

11,  Another  Kight-vision  of  Christ. — Once  be- 
fore, at  Corinth,  and  once  after,  in  his  ocean  peril, 
came  such  a  divine  personal  visitation  for  the  needed 
cheer  and  stay  of  Paul's  spirit,  questioning  about 
the  present,  and  depressed  concerning  the  future. 
Not  for  his  own  Christian  comfort  or  peace  in  trust- 
ing ;  for  his  faith  was  adequate  to  his  mere  personal 
needs.  But  Christ  came,  partly  to  acquaint  him  that 
his  work  in  Jerusalem  loas  finished,  and  that  it  was 
approved ;  but  chiefly  to  assure  him  concerning  his 
longed-for  work  at  Rome — ^to  let  him  know  that  he 
thmld  finish  his  course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry  re- 
ceived of  the  Lord  Jesus  (20  :  24).     B. 

So,  then,  he  was  to  be  guided  by  that  unerring 
Hand,  though  by  a  path  he  had  not  proposed,  to  the 
goal  he  had  so  much  desired ;  and  we  can  under- 
stand the  calmness  which  this  assurance  gave  him 
amid  the  trials  of  the  following  years.  S. It  up- 
held and  comforted  him  in  the  uncertainty  of  his  life 
from  the  Jews,  in  the  uncertainty  of  his  liberation 
11 


from  prison  at  Cesarea,  in  the  uncertainty  of  his 
surviving  the  storm  in  the  Mediterranean,  in  the 
uncertainty  of  his  fate  on  arriving  at  Rome.  So 
may  one  crumb  of  divine  grace  and  help  be  multi- 
plied to  feed  five  thousand  wants  and  anxieties.    A. 

12-35«  Defeat  of  a  Conspiracy  to  assassinate 
Paul  by  his  Removal  to  Cesarea. — The  plot  was 
well  laid,  and  endorsed  at  least  by  the  Sadducean 
members  of  the  Sanhedrim.  Such  vows  were  not 
unusual  with  the  Jews ;  and  absolution  was  readily 
obtained  if  they  were  found  impossible  of  accom- 
plishment. The  ready  admission  of  Paul's  nephew, 
and  the  instant  compliance  with  Paul's  request  by 
the  centurion,  and  further,  the  immediate  audience 
and  heed  given  by  the  tribune  to  the  young  messen- 
ger, show  how  strong  an  impression  the  apostle  had 
made  upon  them.  Both  officers  recognized  and  at  once 

responded  to  his  prompt  judicious  action.     B. 

The  details  of  his  acting  exhibit  a  decisive  example 
of  the  actual  union  and  harmony  between  the  pre- 
scient purpose  of  God  and  the  responsibility  of  men 
for  duty  on  their  own  sphere.  It  was  determined 
that  Paul's  life  should  be  saved  from  these  dangers, 
and  that  determination  was  made  known  to  him. 
He  knew  for  certain  that  these  schemers  could  not 
take  his  life ;  he  knew  for  certain  that  the  power  of 
God  was  pledged  effectually  to  frustrate  their  de- 
signs ;  yet  with  this  knowledge  Paul  laid  his  plans 
skillfully,  and  executed  them  with  secrecy  and  en- 
ergy, for  the  preservation  of  his  own  life,  precisely 
as  if  he  had  thought  that  all  depended  on  his  own 
skill  and  promptitude.  This  shows  conclusively 
that  in  Paul's  mind  a  belief  in  the  decrees  of  God 
did  not  conflict  with  the  obligation  to  diligent  duty 
on  the  part  of  men.  He  framed  and  conducted  a 
counterplot  to  defeat  the  conspiracy  of  the  Jewish 
priesthood  with  as  much  zeal  and  care  as  if  he  had 
not  obtained  previous  assurance  of  his  safety.  This 
simple  history  is  most  precious  as  an  inspired  com- 
mentary on  some  difficult  doctrines.  It  does  not 
indeed  make  the  doctrines  easy  of  comprehension ;  it 
does  not  relieve  them  of  mystery  to  our  minds ;  but 
it  is  fitted  to  show  us  that  no  view  of  the  divine 
purposes  can  be  right  that  in  any  measure  tends  to 
slacken  human  zeal  and  energy.  To  be  assured 
that  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  them,  is  the  best  of 
all  motives  to  induce  intelligent  Christians  to  work 
out  their  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling 
(Phil.  2  :  12,  13).     Arnot. 

The  Roman  commander  was  fully  aware  that 
Paul's  life  was  not  secure  even  in  the  citadel.     B. 

The  crime  of  assassination  had  become  fearfully 

frequent  in  Jerusalem.  Neither  the  sanctity  of  the 
Temple  protected  the  unsuspicious  worshiper  from 
the  secret  dagger,  nor  did  the  majesty  of  the  high 
priest's  office  secure  the  first  religious  and  civil 
magistrate  of  the  nation  from  the  same  ignoble 


162 


SECTION  228.— ACTS  2Jt :  1-27. 


fate.     Milman. Hence  the  tribune  Claudius  Ly- 

sias,  upon  learning  of  the  vow  of  these  fanatic 
zealots  against  the  apostle's  life,  the  same  night 
sent  his  prisoner  under  a  strong  protecting  guard  to 
Felix,  the  procurator  or  governor  (of  the  Imperial 
Province  of  Judea),  who  resided  at  Cesarea.     B. 

We  may  be  surprised  that  so  large  a  force  was 
sent  to  secure  the  safety  of  one  man ;  but  we  must 
remember  that  this  man  was  a  Roman  citizen,  while 
the  garrison  in  Antonia,  consisting  of  more  than  a 
thousand  men,  could  easily  spare  such  a  number  for 
one  day  on  such  a  service.  The  utmost  secrecy,  as 
well  as  promptitude,  was  evidently  required;  and 
therefore  an  hour  was  chosen,  when  the  earliest 
part  of  the  night  would  be  already  past.     At  the 


time  appointed,  the  troops,  with  Paul  in  the  midst 
of  them,  marched  out  of  the  fortress,  and  at  a  rapid 
pace  took  the  road  to  Cesarea.  The  foot-soldiers 
proceeded  no  farther  than  Antipatris,  but  returned 
from  thence  to  Jerusalem.  They  were  no  longer 
necessary  to  secure  Paul's  safety.;  but  they  might 
very  probably  be  required  in  the  fortress  of  Antonia. 
It  would  be  in  the  course  of  the  afternoon  that  the 
remaining  soldiers  with  their  weary  horses  entered 
the  streets  of  Cesarea.  The  centurion  who  remained 
in  command  of  them  proceeded  at  once  to  the  gov- 
ernor, and  gave  up  his  prisoner;  and  at  the  same 
time  presented  the  dispatch  with  which  he  was 
charged  by  the  commandant  of  the  garrison  at  Jeru- 
salem.     H. 


Section  228. 

Acts  xxiv.  1-27. 

1  And  after  five  days  An.inias  the  high  priest  descended  with  the  elders,  and  with  a  certain 

2  orator  named  TertuUus,  who  informed  the  governor  against  Paul.  And  when  he  was  called 
forth,  Tertullus  began  to  accuse  him,  saying,  Seeing  that  by  thee  we  enjoy  great  quietness, 

3  and  that  very  worthy  deeds  are  done  unto  this  nation  by  thy  providence,  we  accept  it 

4  always,  and  in  all  places,  most  noble  Felix,  with  all  thankfulness.  Notwithstanding,  that 
I  be  not  further  tedious  unto  thee,  I  pray  thee  that  thou  wouldest  hear  us  of  thy  clemency 

5  a  few  words.  For  we  have  found  this  man  a  pestilent  fellow,  and  a  mover  of  sedition 
among  all  the  Jews  throughout  the  world,  and  a  ringleader  of  the  sect  of  the  Nazarenes : 

6  who  also  hath  gone  about  to  profane  the  temple :  whom  we  took,  and  would  have  judged 

7  according  to  our  law.     But  the  chief  captain  Lysias  came  rqjon  vs,  and  with  great  violence 

8  took  him  away  out  of  our  hands,  commanding  his  accusers  to  come  unto  thee  :  by  examin- 
ing of  whom  thyself  mayest  take  knowledge  of  all  these  things,  whereof  we  accuse  him. 

9  And  the  Jews  also  assented,  saying  that  these  things  were  so. 

10  Then  Paul,  after  that  the  governor  had  beckoned  unto  him  to  speak,  answered,  Foras- 
much as  I  know  that  thoa  hast  been  of  many  years  a  judge  unto  tliis  nation,  I  do  the  more 

11  cheerfully  answer  for  myself:  because  that  thou  mayest  understand,  that  there  are  yet  but 

12  twelve  days  since  I  went  up  to  Jerusalem  for  to  worship.  And  they  neither  found  me  in 
the  temple  disputing  with  any  man,  neither  raising  up  the  people,  neither  in  the  synagogues, 

13  nor  in  the  city  :  neither  can  they  prove  the  things  whereof  they  now  accuse  me.     But  this  I 

14  confess  unto  thee,  that  after  the  way  which  they  call  heresy,  so  worship  I  the  God  of  my 

15  fathers,  believing  all  things  which  are  written  in  the  law  and  in  the  prophets :  and  have 
hope  toward  God,  which  they  themselves  also  allow,  that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of 

16  the  dead,  both  of  the  just  and  unjust.     And  herein  do  I  exercise  myself,  to  have  always  a 

17  conscience  void  of  offence  toward  God,  and  toward  men.     Now  after  many  years  I  came 

18  to  bring  alms  to  my  nation,  and  offerings.     Whereupon  certain  Jews  from  Asia  found  me 

19  purified  in  the  temple,  neither  with  multitude,  nor  with  tumult.     Who  ought  to  have  been 

20  here  before  thee,  and  object,  if  they  had  ought  against  me.     Or  else  let  these  same  here 

21  say,  if  they  have  found  any  evil  doing  in  me,  while  I  stood  before  the  council,  except  it  be 
for  this  one  voice,  that  I  cried  standing  among  them,  Touching  the  resurrection  of  the  dead 

22  I  am  called  in  question  by  you  this  day.  And  when  Felix  heard  these  things,  having  more 
perfect  knowledge  of  that  way,  he  deferred  them,  and  said.  When  Lysias  the  chief  captain 

23  shall  come  down,  I  will  know  the  uttermost  of  your  matter.  And  lie  commanded  a  centu- 
rion to  keep  Paul,  and  to  let  him  have  liberty,  and  that  he  should  forbid  none  of  his  ac- 
quaintance to  minister  or  come  unto  him. 

24  And  after  certain  days,  when  Felix  came  with  his  wife  Drusilla,  which  was  a  Jewess,  he 


SECTION  228.— ACTS  U  :  1-27. 


163 


25  sent  for  Paul,  and  heard  him  concerning  the  faith  in  Christ.     And  as  he  reasoned  of  right- 
eousness, temperance,  and  judgment  to  come,  Felix  trembled,  and  answered,  Go  thy  way 

26  for  this  time  ;  when  I  have  a  convenient  season,  I  will  call  for  thee.     He  hoped  also  that 
money  should  have  been  given  him  of  Paul,  that  he  might  loose  him :  wherefore  he  sent 

27  for  him  the  oftener,  and  communed  with  him.     But  after  two  years  Porcius  Festus  came 
into  Felix'  room  :  and  Felix,  willing  to  shew  the  Jews  a  pleasure,  left  Paul  bound. 


Amid  the  superficial  cares  and  pleasures  of  a  worldly  existence  a  man's  deeper  nature  may  slumber  ; 
the  surface-ripple  of  the  stream  of  common  life  may  fill  the  sense  and  lull  the  soul  to  sleep,  but  to  almost 
every  one  there  come  occasions  when  the  smooth  current  of  the  life  of  sense  is  interrupted,  and  his  true 
self  is  roused  to  a  temporary  wakefulness.  In  the  stillness  of  the  lonely  sick-bed,  amid  worldly  reverses, 
in  declining  health,  or  under  bitter  bereavement — in  such  passages  of  man's  history,  the  soul,  eternity, 
God,  become  for  the  moment  real  things,  and  the  most  thoughtless  and  worldly-minded  is  forced  to  pause 
and  think.  Or,  again,  when  the  man  listens  to  some  very  earnest  exhibition  of  divine  truth,  or  is  brought 
into  contact  with  one  who  is  living  a  very  holy,  pure,  unselfish  hfe,  a  painful  impression  of  his  own  defi- 
ciencies— a  transient  ghmpse  of  a  nobler,  purer  ideal  of  life,  to  which  his  own  presents  a  miserable  con- 
trast— may  visit  his  mind.  Instead  of  seeking  true  comfort  by  the  steady,  however  painful,  contempla- 
tion, and  then,  through  God's  grace,  by  the  deliberate,  persevering  correction  of  its  evil  self,  the  mind 
too  often  seeks  a  speedier  but  most  unreal  satisfaction,  by  forgetting  its  convictions,  and  seeing  itself 
only  in  the  false  glass  of  the  world's  opinions.  Thus,  with  many,  life  is  but  a  continuous  endeavor  to 
forget  and  keep  out  of  sight  their  true  selves — a  vain  eluding  and  outstripping  of  a  reality  which  is  still 
ever  with  them,  and  to  the  consciousness  of  which  they  must  one  day  awake.     Caird. 


1-9.  Renewed  Accusation  against  Paul  by  the 
Jews,  before  tJie  Tribunal  of  Felix. — Very  promptly 
(within  five  days)  was  Paul  followed  to  Cesarea  by 
i  Ananias  and  some  of  the  Jewish  elders.  They 
brought  with  them  a  professional  Roman  advocate, 
Tertullus,  whom  they  had  hired  to  prosecute  Paul 
before  the  Roman  governor.  Among  themselves 
i  there  was  no  one  competent  to  encounter  Paul ;  and 
they  would  concihate  Felix  by  employing  a  Roman 
pleader.  Flattery  and  falsehood  characterized  this 
man's  address  to  Felix.  Abuse  and  falsehood  made 
up  his  charge  against  Paul. 

Artfully  as  his  encomium  is  framed,  it  is  false  in 
all  its  points.  Historical  facts  (mainly  from  the 
Jew  Josephus  and  the  Roman  Tacitus)  show  the  re- 
verse of  "  quietness"  in  the  nation,  and  of  "  worthy 
(deeds "  wrought  by  "  the  providence  "  of  Felix ;  and 
Ithat  instead  of  "  thankfulness,"  Felix  was  followed 
to  Rome  with  the  sharpest  accusations  by  the  Jews. 

B. Felix  was  appointed  (a.  d.  53)  partly  at  the 

instance  of  Jonathan,  the  then  high  priest.  He 
ruled  the  province  in  a  mean,  cruel,  and  profligate 
manner.  Tacitus  says,  "  By  every  form  of  cruelty 
lust,  he  wielded  the  power  of  a  king  in  the 
spirit  of  a  slave."     S. 

The  charge  against  Paul  is  threefold:  treason 
Jgainst  the  Roman  power — "  a  mover  of  sedition 
imong  all  the  Jews  throughout  the  world''''  ;  heresy 
igainst  the  law  of  Moses— a  ringleader  of  the 
hristians;  and  sam%e— a  profaner  of  the  Tem- 
)le.    And  Tertullus  closes   his   address  with  the 


further  falsehood,  that  the  Sanhedrim  would  have 
judged  Paul  lawfully,  if  Lysias  had  not  interfered. 
To  all  these  false  charges,  stated  vaguely  and  with- 
out a  single  specification,  the  high  priest  and  his 
colleagues  personally  assented ;  "  saying  that  these 
things  were  so." 

10,  11.  Introduction  of  PauVs  Defense. — Al- 
though twice  before  Paul  had  spoken  what  he  called 
a  defense — first  before  a  vast  crowd  of  Jews  in  the 
Temple  area,  and  again  before  the  assembled  Cotm- 
cil  or  Sanhedrim — yet  this  is  his  first  actual  defense, 
as  he  now  stands  before  an  imperial  tribunal,  the 
governor  representing  the  person  and  authority  of 
the  emperor. 

Receiving  the  usual  signal  according  him  a  hear- 
ing in  reply,  Paul  frankly  expresses  his  readiness  to 
answer  before  Felix,  because  of  his  long  residence 
among  the  Jews  and  of  his  consequent  familiarity 
with  the  matters  now  in  issue  before  him.  Not  a 
word  of  flattery  here,  but  a  proper  recognition  of 
the  intelligent  and  unprejudiced  character  of  the 
tribunal  before  which  the  apostle  is  now  really  on 
trial.  For  the  comparatively  long  period  of  six  or 
seven  years  Felix  had  been  in  Jerusalem  and  Cesa- 
rea.  In  both  places  were  many  Christian  disciples. 
In  Cesarea  many  Roman  soldiers,  after  Cornelius, 
had  received  Christianity.  He  knew  enough  of 
these  matters  to  appreciate  the  particulars  of  Paul's 
answer,  and  to  determine  the  case  on  its  merits,  as 
he  did  by  not  condemning  Paul.  Ilis  failure  to 
acquit  and  release  grew  out  of  other  selfish  causes, 


164 


SECTION  228.— ACTS  21^ :  1-27. 


as  we  know.  And  it  may  be  added  that  with  his 
opportunities  of  knowing  the  current  events  "  among 
the  Jews  throughout  the  world,"  Felix  must  have 
heard  of  such  "  a  pest  and  mover  of  sedition "  as 
Paul's  accuser  alleged  him  to  have  been,  if  the 
charge  had  been  true. 

Paul  notes  another  fact  at  the  outset.  He  de- 
clares that  Felix  can  readily  ascertain  that  little 
more  than  a  week  had  elapsed  since  the  things  di- 
rectly complained  of  occurred.  Including  his  jour- 
ney  to  Cesarea  and  the  five  days'  imprisonment 
there,  it  had  been  only  twelve  days  since  Paul  had 
gone  to  Jerusalem  to  worship ;  and  only  eight  or 
nine  days  since  his  arrest  in  the  Temple. 

12)  13.  His  Denial  of  Treason,  and  Challenge 
of  his  Accusers  to  the  Proof. — ^In  terms  of  unquali- 
fied denial  he  meets  the  first  charge — of  sedition. 
Worship,  not  the  plotting  of  insurrection,  was  the 
object  of  his  so  recent  visit  to  Jerusalem ;  and  while 
worshiping  he  was  found  and  arrested.  He  had  not 
even  spoken  in  public,  much  less  by  artful  harangue 
sought  to  gather  disaffected  persons  either  in  the 
Temple,  the  synagogues,  or  the  city.  This  particular 
and  emphatic  denial  he  enforces  by  a  challenge  to 
his  accusers,  there  present,  to  produce  proof  of  this, 
their  only  criminal  charge  against  him. 

14-16e  His  Confession  of  the  Second  Charge, 
the  So-called  Heresy  of  Christianity  ;  and  Justifica- 
tion, by  the  Jewish  Law  and  Prophets,  of  his  Avoioed 
Christian  Faith,  Hope,  and  Life. — He  avows  himself 
to  be  a  conscientious  adherent  of  the  new,  or  Chris- 
tian, icay  of  believing  and  living.  In  denial  of  their 
accusation  of  heresy  (or  the  introduction  with  schis- 
matic spirit  of  a  false  religion — which  was  their 
meaning  in  using  the  term  heresy  or  sect)  he  affirms 
that  this  was  the  way  of  their  fathers.  Boldly  con- 
fessing his  faith  in  Christ,  he  asserts  the  unity  of 
the  Christian  belief  with  the  old  covenant  and  prom- 
ises "written  in  the  law  and  the  prophets."  No 
apostate  was  he  from  his  fathers'  God  or  faith,  he 
assures  Felix,  who  shared  the  Roman  dislike  to  any 
one's  abandonment  of  his  own  national  modes  of 
worship.  To  Jew  and  Roman  he  uses  his  oppor- 
tunity thus  implicitly  to  declare  that  Christ  was  the 
center,  soul,  and  substance  of  all  the  truths  and 
promises  given  to  Israel ;  that  Christianity  was  the 
true  outcome  and  ultimate  fulfillment  of  spiritual 
and  vital  Judaism.  As  Christ  its  founder  had  said, 
it  did  not  destroy  but  it  fulfilled  all  the  law  and  the 
prophets. 

And  in  confirmation  of  his  general  assertion,  he 
adds  the  specific  declaration  that  in  common  with 
many  of  his  accusers,  and  with  the  mass  of  his  na- 
tion, he  holds  steadfastly  to  the  fathers'  hope  of  a 
resurrection  from  death,  through  the  promise  and 
power  of  the  fathers'  God.  To  this  hope  he  had  dis- 
tinctly appealed  a  few  days  before,  when  standing 


before  the  Council  in  the  Temple.  In  accordance 
with  this  belief  and  hope  in  the  resurrection  (com- 
mon to  Jews  and  Christians),  he  further  affirms  his 
conscientious  endeavor  to  meet  every  obligation  to 
God  and  man.  He  strives  as  the  athlete  or  warrior, 
only  his  struggle  and  warfare  is  within  the  soul. 
His  supreme  aim  and  constant  effort  was  to  keep  his 
conscience  from  striking  against  stumbling-stones  of 
accusing  purpose,  wrong  thought,  or  evil  deed.  Not 
that  he  always  or  ever  perfectly  attained,  or  succeed- 
ed in  this  high  endeavor,  but  he  always  exercises 
himself — habitually   practices — toward    attainment, 

ever  "pressing  toward  the  mark."     B. And  if 

the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  a  man  great  in  the 
faith,  found  it  necessary  to  maintain  constantly  a 
military  watchfulness  and  practice,  how  presumptu- 
ous  in  any  of  us  to  count  on  keeping  the  course,  and   I 
acquiring  the  crown,  by  an  indolent  wish  to  be  safe,    ; 
without  a  constant  watchfulness,  an  energetic  effort, 
and  a  more  than  military  sternness  in  laying  aside 
every  weight,  and  the  sin  that  doth  most  easily  beset   I 
us !     Arnot. 

17-31.  His  Refutation  of  the  Third  Charge,  of 
Profaning  the  Temple. — One  chief  purpose  of  his 
\'isit  to  Jerusalem  he  states  with  great  simplicity, 
as  properly  introducing  his  denial  of  this  charge.   | 
He  came  as  the  almoner  of  help,  not  as  the  fomen- 
ter  of  disturbance  and  source  of  injury  to  his  nation. 
And  it  is  to  be  noted  that  this  incidental  statement,   - 
so  drawn  from  him,  is  the  only  allusion  in  the  Acts  j 
to  the  fact  that  Paul  had  been  engaged  for  four 
years  in  gathering  collections  from  all  the  Gentile 
churches  in  aid  of  the  poor  Christian  Jews  of  Judca. 
In  the  Epistles,  especially  those  to  the  Corinthians 
and  Romans,  Paul  frequently  refers  to  this  matter 
(Rom.  15  :  25,  26 ;  1  Cor.  16  :  1-4 ;  2  Cor.  8  :  1-4). 

Repeating  part  of  his  previous  assertion  (in 
denial  now  of  their  third  charge),  that  he  had  nei- 
ther gathered  a  crowd  nor  stirred  up  tumult  in  the 
Temple,  he  impliedly  and  truthfully  charges  "cer- 
tain Jews  from  Asia  "  with  doing  this  very  thing, 
and  so  profaning  the  sanctuary.  These  Jews,  he 
yet  further  declares,  found  him  engaged  in  appro- 
priate temple  worship,  actually  making  offerings 
after  undergoing  ceremonial  purification.  And  he 
makes  a  sharp  point  upon  his  present  accusers,  and 
a  just  argument  in  his  own  defense,  in  demanding 
that  tJwse  Asiatic  Jeics,  his  real  accusers,  should  meet 
him  face  to  face,  and  sustain  their  accusation  and 
assault  upon  him  in  the  Temple.  Since  these,  how-i 
ever,  were  absent,  did  not  care  or  dare  to  appear,' 
against  him,  he  turns  with  a  bold  challenge  to  thel 
Jews  present,  the  Sadducean  members  of  the  Coun-i 
cil.  He  demands  their  own  personal  testimony  uponi 
the  facts  that  occurred  when  he  stood  before  the( 
Sanhedrim.  With  a  keen  thrust  that  they  could  not! 
parry,  he  asks  if  the  utterance  of  the  hated  ti'uth  of 


SECTION  228.— ACTS  24  : 1-27. 


165 


tlu  resurrection  was  not  the  only  charge  of  evil-doing 
that  they  could  bring  against  him. 

There  was  no  rejoinder  to  Paul's  fearless,  sim- 
ple, conclusive  reply.  As  the  accusation  of  Tertul- 
lus  was  artificial  and  vague,  flattering  and  false,  so 
the  defense  is  natural  and  plain,  specific,  complete, 
and  manifestly  sincere.  And,  as  always,  he  finds 
his  opportunity  to  preach  Jesus  and  the  resurrection, 
and  to  testify  his  own  Christian  faith  and  hope,  and 
his  Christlike  love  to  God  and  man. 

22,  23.  By  the  Decision  of  Felix,  Paul  is  held 
in  Easy  Confinement. — The  after-statements  show 
conclusively  that  Felix  virtually  decided  the  case  in 
favor  of  Paul.  But  he  wished  to  retain,  as  far  as 
possible,  the  favor  of  the  Jews.  He  therefore  pro- 
nounced no  actual  decision,  simply  putting  off  the 
two  parties  upon  a  pretext  of  seeking  further  infor- 
mation from  Lysias.  Verses  26  and  27  disclose  his 
real  motive  in  declining  to  release  Paul. 

The  apostle's  condition,  however,  was  not  a  hard 
one.  He  was  simply  kept  in  a  custody  that  protect- 
ed his  threatened  life,  and  provided  for  his  needs ; 
while  his  friends  in  Ccsarea  (including  Philip  and 
Luke),  and  those  from  abroad,  had  free  access  to 
him.  So  the  word  of  God  was  not  bound.  Freely 
and  abundantly  did  Paul  preach  the  faith  in  Christ. 
That  this  was  with  the  full  knowledge  and  consent 
of  Felix,  we  clearly  infer  from  his  sending  for  the 
apostle  to  "  hear  him  concerning  that  faith."  And 
this  state  of  things  conthiued  for  two  years.  So  that 
we  may  regard  Cesarea  as  another  groat  working- 
center  of  Paul,  to  be  classed  with  Anfioch,  Corinth, 
Ephtsus,  and  afterward  Rome. 

24-26.  Paul's  Faithful  Reasoning  with  Felix 
and  Drvsilla,  and  its  Effect. — Drusilla  was  a  daugh- 
ter of  Herod  Agrippa  I.  (Acts  12  :  1,  21),  and  sister 
of  Agrippa  II.  and  Bernice  (25  :  13).     She  left  her 
husband,  the  King  of  Emesa,  to  live  with  Felix. 
The  suggestion  of  sending  for  Paul,  doubtless,  came 
i  from  her.     "A  Jewish   princess  must   necessarily 
i  have  been  curious  to  hear  some  account  of  what 
professed  to  be  the  fulfillment  of  Jewish  prophecy." 
j  As  curious,  too,  she  may  have  been  to  hear  about 
this  widely  bruited  religion  of  the  Nazarenes. 

Never  did  this  master  of  skill  and  fitness  in  dis- 
course more  conclusively  prove  this  mastery  than  in 
the  bold,  faithful  reasoning  whose  main  drift  and  con- 
clusion is  here  recorded  in  three  words.  In  these 
words,  after  expounding  the  faith  in  Christ  (which 
they  asked  to  hear  about),  or  the  scheme  of  redemp- 
tion foreshown  in  the  Jewish  Scriptures,  he  sums  up 
a  suitable  application  to  these  hearers.  Before  him 
sat  an  unjust  judge — a  cruel,  rapacious  governor. 
To  him  he  discourses  about  righteousness,  i.  e., 
"Tightness,  justness,  in  thought,  word,  and  deed 
toward  all— toward  God  and  toward  man."  To  a 
Roman  libertine  noble  and  a  profligate  Jewish  prin- 


cess he  expounds  the  Christian  gospel  of  purity. 
And  upon  both,  self-condemned  by  conscience,  he 
presses  the  fearful  fact  of  a  Judgment  to  come,  which 
each  must  meet.  Yet  this  Christian  apostle  makes 
no  personal  charge,  utters  no  personal  denunciation. 
He  only  leaves  the  truth  to  work  in  the  soul.  Hence 
no  anger  against  Paul  was  stirred  in  the  breast  of 
Felix.  The  fear  awakened  in  him  was  wrought,  not 
by  Paul,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost  through  the  truth. 
The  object,  as  well  as  the  cause,  of  his  dread  was 
the  Divine  Law  and  the  Divine  Judge  now  so  vivid- 
ly disclosed  by  the  apostle.  That  Felix  was  alarmed 
showed  that  he  was  not  past  feeling,  not  dead  to  the 
appeal  of  saving  truth.  In  his  alarm  we  read  sure 
evidence  of  the  convincing  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  rep-ovhig  of  sin,  of  righteousness,  and  of* 
judgment. 

And  in  the  feeble,  palliative  half-purpose  of 
future  response  with  which  he  appeases  the  sharp 
demands  of  a  troubled  conscience,  in  the  postponing 
reply  with  which  he  turns  aside  the  faithful  appeal 
and  dismisses  the  friendly  appellant  and  preacher, 
we  find  the  precise  point  and  form  of  his  resistance 
to  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  terrified  prison-keeper  at 
Philippi  was  ready  and  willing  for  the  instant  sav- 
ing response,  "  What  must  I  do  ?  "  The  alarmed 
governor  was  neither  ready  nor  willing  now.  And 
though  the  convenient  season  came,  though  he  often 
called  for  Paul  and  "  communed  with  him,"  yet  the 
same  state  of  feeling  never  returned.  His  avarice 
and  other  lusts  regained  their  mastery.  Every  salu- 
tary fear  and  impulse  was  forgotten,  and  all  spirit- 
ual sensibility  for  ever  crushed  out.  He  only  sought, 
with  Paul's  connivance,  to  gain  selfish  advantage  by 
the  apostle's  release.    B. 

How  has  the  intimidated  and  yet  unrepentant 
Felix  become  the  living  and  most  striking  type  of 
millions!  Again  and  again  is  repeated  the  same 
pretext,  and  with  the  same  self-deception.  There  is 
no  set  purpose  to  harden  the  heart  against  receiving 
the  truth  ;  there  is  merely  absence  of  determination 
immediately  to  surrender.  The  word  of  truth  is  not 
rejected,  but  obedience  to  its  dictates  is  put  ofE  to  a 
more  convenient  season :  the  child  puts  off  till  he 
shall  be  a  youth,  the  youth  till  he  shall  be  a  man, 
the  man  till  hoary-headed  age ;  the  gray-beard  till 
he  shall  be  stretched  upon  his  deathbed.  So  inno- 
cent and  natural  appear  many  of  the  pleas  on  which 
men  excuse  themselves  from  compliance  with  the 
highest  demands,  that  many  a  sinner  shall  himself 
stand  utterly  dismayed  when  before  the  judgment- 
bar  of  God  the  last  covering  of  shame  shall  be  flung 
aside  for  ever.      Van.  0. 

27.  Though  convinced  of  Paul's  innocence, 
Felix  left  him  in  custody,  that  he  might  induce  the 
Jews  to  withhold  complaints  at  Rome  against  his 
administration.     But  this  unprincipled  procedure 


166 


SECTION  S29.—ACTS  25  : 1-27. 


Ruins  of  Cesarea. 


also  failed ;  for  the  men  he  thus  sought  to  please 
followed  him  with  accusations  to  Cesar's  judgment 

seat.     B. In  the   following  year,   the   city  of 

Cesarea,  where  Paul  was  thus  kept  a  prisoner,  was 
the  scene  of  one  of  the  frequent  and  frightful  tu- 
mults between  the  Jews  and  the  Syrian  Greeks, 
A.  D.  59.  Felix  was  denounced  to  the  emperor  for 
either  ordering  or  conniving  at  a  massacre  of  the 
Jews,  and  he  was  recalled  to  answer  for  his  con- 
duct at  the  same  time  that  Domitius  Corbulo  suc- 
ceeded Ummidius  Quadratus  as  prefect  of  Syria. 
This  was  two  full  years  after  the  beginning  of 
Paul's  unprisonment  in  May,  a.  d.  58,  and  Porcius 
Festus,  who  accompanied  Corbulo  as  procurator  of 


Judea,   would    reach  his   destination  about    July, 
A.  D.  60.      S. 

The  apostle's  captivity  of  five  years  was  mainly 
spent  in  Cesarea  and  Rome.  His  whole  career  strik- 
ingly illustrates  the  method  of  God's  Spirit  in  plant- 
ing Christianity  chiefly  in  the  great  cities.  Paul's 
first  center  of  Christian  labor  was  in  Antioch.  For 
more  than  three  years  he  toiled  in  this  capital  and 
chief  city  of  Syria.  A  similar  period  was  spent  in 
Ephesus,  the  most  influential  center  of  Asia  Minor. 
Two  years  he  abode  in  Corinth,  the  leading  city  of 
Greece.  And  in  the  period  of  his  captivity  he  labored 
two  years  in  Cesarea,  the  political  capital  of  Judea, 
and  two  years  in  Rome,  the  world's  center.    B. 


Section  229. 


Acts  xxv.  1-27. 

1  Now  when  Festns  was  come  into  the  province,  after  three  days  he  ascended  from  Caesa- 

2  rea  to  Jerusalem.    Then  the  high  priest  and  the  chief  of  the  Jews  informed  him  against 

3  Paul,  and  besought  him,  and  desired  favour  against  him,  that  he  would  send  for  him  to 

4  Jerusalem,  laying  wait  in  the  way  to  kill  him.     But  Festus  answered,  that  Paul  should  be 

5  kept  at  Osesarea,  and  that  he  himself  would  depart  shortly  thither.    Let  them  therefore,  i 
said  he,  which  among  you  are  able,  go  down  with  wze,  and  accuse  this  man,  if  there  he  any 

6  wickedness  in  him.    And  when  he  had  tarried  among  them  more  than  ten  days,  he  went  ! 
down  imto  Osasarea ;  and  the  next  day  sitting  on  the  judgment  seat  commanded  Paul  to  be  i 

7  brought.     And  when  he  was  come,  the  Jews  which  came  down  from  Jerusalem  stood  round 
about,  and  laid  many  and  grievous  complaints  against  Paul,  which  they  could  not  prove. 

8  While  he  answered  for  himself,  Neither  against  the  law  of  the  Jews,  neither  against  the  i 

9  temple,  nor  yet  against  Cassar,  have  I  offended  anything  at  all.     But  Festus,  willing  to  do  I 


SECTION  229.— ACTS  25  : 1-27. 


167 


the  Jews  a  pleasure,  answered  Paul,  and  said,  "Wilt  thou  go  up  to  Jerusalem,  and  there  be 

10  judged  of  these  things  before  me  ?     Then  said  Paul,  I  stand  at  Csesar's  judgment  seat,  where 

11  I  ought  to  be  judged  :  to  the  Jews  have  I  done  no  wrong,  as  thou  very  well  knowest.  For 
if  I  be  an  otfender,  or  have  committed  any  thing  worthy  of  death,  I  refuse  not  to  die :  but 
if  there  be  none  of  these  things  whereof  these  accuse  me,  no  man  may  deliver  me  unto 

12  them.  I  appeal  unto  Ctesar.  Then  Festus,  when  he  had  conferred  with  the  council,  an- 
swered, Hast  thou  appealed  unto  Ceesar  ?  unto  C^sar  shalt  thou  go, 

13  And  after  certain  days  king  Agrippa  and  Bernice  came  unto  Cffisarea  to  salute  Festus. 

14  And  when  they  had  been  there  many  days,  Festus  declared  Paul's  cause  unto  the  king,  say- 

15  ing.  There  is  a  certain  man  left  in  bonds  by  Felix  :  about  whom,  when  I  was  at  Jerusalem, 
the  chief  priests  and  the  elders  of  the  Jews  informed  me,  desiring  to  have  judgment  against 

16  him.  To  whom  I  answered,  It  is  not  the  manner  of  the  Romans  to  deliver  any  man  to  die, 
before  that  he  which  is  accused  have  the  accusers  face  to  face,  and  have  licence  to  answer 

17  for  himself  concerning  the  crime  laid  against  him.  Therefore,  when  they  were  come  hither, 
without  any  delay  on  the  morrow  I  sat  on  the  judgment  seat,  and  commanded  the  man  to 

18  be  brought  forth.     Against  whom  when  the  accusers  stood  up,  they  brought  none  accusa- 

19  tion  of  such  things  as  I  supposed  :  but  had  certain  questions  against  him  of  their  own  super- 

20  stition,  and  of  one  Jesus,  which  was  dead,  whom  Paul  affirmed  to  be  alive.  And  because  I 
doubted  of  such  manner  of  questions,  I  asked  him  whether  he  would  go  to  Jerusalem,  and 

21  there  be  judged  of  these  matters.     But  when  Paul  had  appealed  to  be  reserved  unto  the 

22  hearing  of  Augustus,  I  commanded  him  to  be  kept  till  I  might  send  him  to  Csesar.  Then 
Agrippa  said  unto  Festus,  I  would  also  hear  the  man  myself.  To  morrow,  said  he,  thou 
shalt  hear  him. 

23  And  on  the  morrow,  when  Agrippa  was  come,  and  Bernice,  with  great  pomp,  and  was 
entered  into  the  place  of  hearing,  with  the  chief  captains,  and  principal  men  of  the  city,  at 

24  Festus'  commandment  Paul  was  brought  forth.  And  Festus  said.  King  Agrippa,  and  all 
men  which  are  here  present  with  us,  ye  see  this  man,  about  whom  all  the  multitude  of  the 
Jews  have  dealt  with  me,  both  at  Jerusalem,  and  also  here,  crying  that  he  ought  not  to  live 

25  any  longer.     But  when  I  found  that  he  had  committed  nothing  worthy  of  death,  and  that 

26  he  himself  hath  appealed  to  Augustus,  I  have  determined  to  send  him.  Of  whom  I  have 
no  certain  thing  to  write  unto  my  lord.  Wherefore  I  have  brought  him  forth  before  you, 
and  especially  before  thee,  O  king  Agrippa,  that,  after  examination  had,  I  might  have  some- 

27  what  to  write.  For  it  seemeth  to  me  unreasonable  to  send  a  prisoner,  and  not  withal  to 
signify  the  crimes  laid  against  him. 


1-12.  PauVs  Arraignment  before  Festus,  and 
his  Ajypeal  to  the  Emperor. — About  midsummer  of 
A.  D.  60  Porcius  Festus  arrived  in  Cesarea,  the 
Roman  capital  of  the  province  of  Judea,  and  as- 
sumed the  procuratorship.  At  once  he  goes  up  to 
Jerusalem,  the  Jewish  metropolis.  Instantly  he  is 
besought  by  the  high  priest  (Ismael,  who  had  suc- 
ceeded Ananias)  and  leading  Jews  to  bring  Paul  to 
Jerusalem  for  a  new  trial.  Two  years  had  passed, 
yet  the  hatred  of  the  Sadducaic  members  of  the 
Sanhedrim  remained  as  bitter  and  their  purpose  of 
assassination  as  determined  as  ever.  Their  malevo- 
lent feeling  had  originated  in  the  vast  Christian 
work  Paul  had  wrought.  It  had  been  fostered  and 
intensified  by  the  effective  use  he  had  made  of  his 
prison  liberty  at  Cesarea,  in  still  further  spreading 
the  Christian  truth  almost  before  their  very  eyes. 
In  all  his  labor,  perhaps  most  of  all  in  this  Cesa- 
rean ministry,  he  had  been  undermining  their  pres- 
tige and  destroying  their  power  as  leaders  of  the 
Jewish  people.    B. The  whole  history  of  Paul's 


imprisonment,  the  conspiracy  of  the  fifty  Jews,  with 
the  consent  of  the  Sanhedrim,  their  petition  to  Fes- 
tus to  send  him  from  Cesarea,  with  an  intent  to 
murder  him  on  the  road,  are  facts  which  correspond 
to  the  character  of  the  times,  as  described  by  Jo- 
sephus,  who  mentions  the  principal  persons  recorded 
in  the  Acts,  and  paints  their  profligacy  in  colors 
even  stronger  than  those  of  Luke.     G.  T. 

Festus  declines  to  send  Paul  up  to  Jerusalem, 
and  so  the  murderous  project  is  foiled  and  the  apos- 
tle's hfe  is  saved.  But  he  invites  the  Jews,  by  those 
in  authority  as  responsible  accusers,  to  renew  their 
charges  against  the  apostle  before  him  at  Cesarea. 
The  day  after  his  return,  the  parties  met  again  be- 
fore the  same  tribunal.  The  character  of  the  "  many 
and  grievous  complaints  against  Paul "  is  intimated 
in  his  answer.  He  had  not  violated  Jewish  law,  nor 
profaned  the  Temple,  nor  incited  sedition  against 
the  emperor.  It  was  the  trial  before  Felix  re- 
peated ;  vague  and  false  assertion  on  the  accusers' 
side,  and  explicit,  truthful  denial  on  Paul's  part. 


168 


SECTION  229.— ACTS  25  : 1-27. 


And  the  issue  was  the  same,  in  that  Festus  was  sat- 
isfied of  the  apostle's  innocence  as  respected  Roman 
law,  and  refused  to  condemn  him. 

But  Festus,  too,  like  Felix,  "wished  to  do  the 
Jews  a  pleasure."  He  therefore  makes  to  Paul  the 
very  proposal  which  he  himself  had  rejected  when 
made  to  him  by  the  Jews  at  Jerusalem.  He  asks  if 
the  apostle  is  willing  to  be  tried  in  the  Sanhedrim's 
presence  at  Jerusalem.  But  Paul  declines,  in  words 
that  sharply  imply  the  injustice  and  wrong  of  the 
governor's  request.  He  understood  the  situation 
perfectly.  He  knew  the  peril  of  assassination  on 
the  journey.  He  knew  that  to  the  cause  of  right- 
eousness nothing  would  be  gained  and  much  would 
be  lost  by  a  trial  in  Jerusalem.  He  stood  now  at 
the  chief  seat  of  the  Imperial  power,  in  the  capital 
of  the  Province,  before  the  tribunal  of  Cesar. 
Here  he  had  a  right  to  be  judged ;  and  only  the 
governor  (as  he  fearlessly  tells  him)  had  a  right  to 
sit  in  judgment  upon  him.  He  further  boldly  de- 
clares that  Festus  well  knew  that  he  had  done  no 
wrong  to  the  Jews.  Therefore  he  will  not  even 
submit  to  trial  in  their  presence. 

Influenced  by  these  just  and  self-respecting  con- 
siderations, when  Paul  found  that  Festus  was  hin- 
dered from  releasing  him  by  the  clamorous  opposi- 
tion of  the  Jews,  he  ivas  constrained  (as  he  tells  the 
Jews  of  Rome,  27  :  18,  19)  to  appeal  unto  Cesar. 
By  those  few  potent  words  he  transferred  the  issue 
and  its  decision  from  the  Provincial  to  the  Imperial 
tribunal,  from  the  Procurator  to  the  Emperor.  Thus 
also  he  relieved  Festus,  protected  his  own  life,  and 
insured  his  long-desired  visit  to  Rome.  We  can 
not  but  note,  in  passing,  the  simple  dignity  and 
steadfast  courage  of  the  apostle,  his  conscious  rec- 
titude and  dependence  upon  God  so  finely  expressed 
in  his  whole  spirit  and  answer.  He  is  willing  to  die 
if  he  has  done  aught  worthy  of  death.  But  he  will 
not  be  wrongfully  adjudged  to  death,  through  the 
hate  and  malice  of  his  unchristian  foes.  To  avert 
this,  he  promptly  uses  his  power  of  peremptory  ap- 
peal as  a  Roman  citizen. 

13-37.  Festus,  constrained  to  accept  Paul's  ap- 
peal to  the  emperor,  was  yet  embarrassed  by  the 
case.  He  was  about  to  send  a  prisoner  against 
whom  he  could  specify  no  charge.  At  this  juncture, 
the  king,  Herod  Agrippa,  came  with  his  sister  Ber- 
nice  to  greet  and  congratulate  the  new  governor.  B.  i 


Herod  Agrippa  U.,  the  son  of  Herod  Agrippa 
I.,  was  at  Rome  when  his  father  died.  He  was  only 
seventeen  years  old,  and  Claudius  made  his  youth  a 
reason  for  not  giving  him  his  father's  kingdom,  as 
he  had  intended.  The  emperor  afterward  gave 
him  the  kingdom  of  Chalcis  (a.  d.  50),  which  was 
vacant  by  the  death  of  his  uncle  Herod  (a.  d.  48) ; 
and  this  was  soon  exchanged  for  the  tetrarchies  of 
Iturea  and  Abilene,  to  which  Nero  added  certain 
cities  of  the  Decapolis  about  the  Lake  of  Galilee 
(a.  d.  52).  But  beyond  the  limits  of  his  own  do- 
minions Agrippa  was  permitted  to  exercise  through- 
out Judea  that  influence  which  even  Paul  recognized 
as  welcome  to  a  Jew  who  saw  in  him  the  last  scion 
of  the  Asmonean  house.  He  gratified  his  hereditary 
taste  for  magnificence  by  adorning  Jerusalem  and 
Berytus  with  costly  buildings,  but  in  such  a  manner 
as  mortally  to  offend  the  Jews ;  and  his  relations  to 
his  sister  Berenice  (or  Bernice),  the  widow  of  his 
uncle  Herod,  were  of  a  very  doubtful  character. 
But  his  one  leading  principle  was  to  preserve  fidelity 
to  Rome.    S. 

Naturally  Festus  spoke  with  his  princely  Jewish 
guests  concerning  the  perplexing  case  of  Paul ;  and 
as  naturally  Agrippa  expressed  a  desire  to  hear  the 
apostle.  Such  a  hearing  was  gladly  ordered  by  Fes- 
tus, in  hope  of  finding  relief  from  his  perplexity. 
Into  the  midst  of  a  great  assembly  of  the  noblest 
Jews  and  Romans,  with  Agrippa  and  Bernice  and 
Festus,  Paul  was  led.  After  a  brief  statement  of 
the  facts  by  the  governor,  Agrippa  gave  Paul  per- 
mission to  speak  for  himself. 

Paul,  we  remember,  had  volunteered  his  defense 
or  story  before  the  Jewish  mob  in  the  Temple  area. 
He  had  asserted  his  pure  and  truthful  life,  and 
affirmed  his  hope  of  resurrection,  before  the  whole 
Sanhedrim.  He  had  made  a  formal  defense  against 
formal  charges  before  Felix;  and  he  had  summa- 
rily repeated  this  defense  against  summary  charges 
before  Festus.  Still  another,  the  fifth  and  last, 
statement  he  makes  now  before  the  Jewish  king 
and  high  Roman  officials.  All  these  addresses, 
and  the  history  out  of  which  they  grew,  have 
come  to  successive  generations  of  Christian  be- 
lievers in  every  age  and  nation.  They  have  helped 
to  enlarge  our  estimate  of  the  man,  and  to  expound 
more  fully  the  recorded  truths  of  his  grand  Epis- 
tles.    B. 


§L. 


SECTION  230.— ACTS  26  : 1-32.  169 

Section  230. 

Acts  xxvi.  1-32. 

1  Theit  Agrippa  said  unto  Paul,  Thou  art  permitted  to  speak  for  thyself.  ^  Then  Paul 

2  stretched  forth  the  hand,  and  answered  for  himself:  I  think  myself  happy,  king  Agrippa, 
because  I  shall  answer  for  myself  this  day  before  thee  touching  all  the  things  whereof  I  am 

3  accused  of  the  Jews :  especially  because  I  know  thee  to  be  expert  in  all  customs  and  ques- 

4  tions  which  are  among  the  Jews :  wherefore  I  beseech  thee  to  hear  me  patiently.  My  man- 
ner of  life  from  my  youth,  which  was  at  the  first  among  mine  own  nation  at  Jerusalem, 

5  know  all  the  Jews ;  which  knew  me  from  the  beginning,  if  they  would  testify,  that  after 

6  the  most  straitest  sect  of  our  religion  I  lived  a  Pharisee.     And  now  I  stand  and  am  judged 

7  for  the  hope  of  the  promise  made  of  God  unto  our  fathers:  unto  which  promise  our 
twelve  tribes,  instantly  serving  God  day  and  night,  hope  to  come.    For  which  hope's  sake, 

8  king  Agrippa,  I  am  accused  of  the  Jews.  Why  should  it  be  thought  a  thing  incredible 
with  you,  that  God  should  raise  the  dead  ? 

9  I  verily  thought  with  myself,  that  I  ought  to  do  many  things  contrary  to  the  name  of 

10  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Which  thing  I  also  did  in  Jerusalem :  and  many  of  the  saints  did  I  shut 
up  in  prison,  having  received  authority  from  the  chief  priests ;  and  when  they  were  put 

11  to  death,  I  gave  my  voice  against  them.  And  I  punished  them  oft  in  every  synagogue, 
and  compelled  them  to  blaspheme;  and  being  exceedingly  mad  against  them,  I  persecuted 

12  them  even  unto  strange  cities.     Whereupon  as  I  went  to  Damascus  with  authority  and  com- 

13  mission  from  the  chief  priests,  at  midday,  O  king,  I  saw  in  the  way  a  hght  from  heaven, 
above  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  shining  round  about  me  and  them  which  journeyed  with 

14  me.  And  when  we  were  all  fallen  to  the  earth,  I  heard  a  voice  speaking  unto  me,  and  say- 
ing in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutes!  thou  n-we?  it  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick 

15  against  the  pricks.     And  I  said,  Who  art  thou,  Lord  ?    And  he  said,  I  am  Jesus  wliom  thou 

16  persecutest.  But  rise,  and  stand  upon  thy  feet :  for  I  have  appeared  unto  thee  for  this  pur- 
pose, to  make  thee  a  minister  and  a  witness  both  of  these  things  which  thou  hast  seen,  and 

17  of  those  things  in  the  which  I  will  appear  unto  thee ;  delivering  thee  from  the  people,  and 

18  from  the  Gentiles,  unto  whom  now  I  send  thee,  to  open  their  eyes,  and  to  turn  them  from 
darkness  to  light,  and/rom  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God,  that  they  may  receive  forgiveness 

19  of  sins,  and  inheritance  among  them  which  are  sanctified  by  faith  that  is  in  me.     Where- 

20  upon,  O  king  Agrippa,  I  was  not  disobedient  unto  the  heavenly  vision :  but  shewed  first 
unto  them  of  Damascus,  and  at  Jerusalem,  and  throughout  all  the  coasts  of  Judaea,  and  then 
to  the  Gentiles,  that  they  should  repent  and  turn  to  God,  and  do  works  meet  for  repentance. 

21  For  these  causes  the  Jews  caught  me  in  the  temple,  and  went  about  to  kill  me. 

22  Having  therefore  obtained  help  of  God,  I  continue  unto  this  day,  witnessing  both  to  small 
and  great,  saying  none  other  things  than  those  which  the  prophets  and  Moses  did  say  should 

23  come :  that  Christ  should  suffer,  and  that  he  should  be  the  first  that  should  rise  from  the 

24  dead,  and  should  shew  light  unto  the  people,  and  to  the  Gentiles.  And  as  he  thus  spake 
for  himself,  Festus  said  with  a  loud  voice,  Paul,  thou  art  beside  thyself;  much  learning  doth 

2.5  make  thee  mad.    But  he  said,  I  am  not  mad,  most  noble  Festus ;  but  speak  forth  the  words 

26  of  truth  and  soberness.  For  the  king  knoweth  of  these  things,  before  whom  also  I  speak 
freely :  for  I  am  persuaded  that  none  of  these  things  are  hidden  from  him ;  for  this  thing 

27  was  not  done  in  a  corner.    King  Agrippa,  believest  thou  the  prophets?    I  know  that  thou 

28  believest.     Then  Agrippa  said  unto  Paul,  Almost  thou  persuadest  me  to  be  a  Christian. 

29  And  Paul  said,  I  would  to  God,  that  not  only  thou,  but  also  all  that  hear  me  this  day,  were 
both  almost,  and  altogether  such  as  I  am,  except  these  bonds. 

30  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  the  king  rose  up,  and  the  governor,  and  Bernice,  and 

31  they  that  sat  with  them :  and  when  they  were  gone  aside,  they  talked  between  themselves, 

32  saying.  This  man  doeth  nothing  worthy  of  death  or  of  bonds.  Then  said  Agrippa  unto  Fes- 
tus, This  man  might  have  been  set  at  liberty,  if  he  had  not  appealed  unto  Caesar. 


Both  almost,  and  altogether. — What  matters  it  to  the  skillful  seaman,  that  with  helm  in  hand,  and  eye 
continually  upon  sea  and  sky,  he  has  carried  his  well-trimmed  bark  over  many  a  league  of  ocean,  and 
filled  her  with  the  treasures  of  other  lands,  and  steered  her  through  many  a  rocky  channel,  and  carried 


170 


SECTION  230.— ACTS  26  : 1-32. 


her  through  many  a  furious  gale,  if,  just  as  the  haven  is  in  sight,  the  tempest  takes  her  and  whelms  her 

in  the  deep  ?     And  what  matters  it  if  we  be  almost,  if  we  be  not  altogether.  Christians  ?     Hanna. It  is 

he  that  holdeth  out  to  the  end  that  must  be  saved ;  it  is  he  that  overcometh  that  shall  inherit  all  things ; 
it  is  not  every  one  that  begins.  Agrippa  took  a  fair  step  for  a  sudden.  "Almost,"  saith  he  to  Paul, 
"  thou  persuadest  me  to  be  a  Christian."  Ah,  it  was  but  almost ;  and  so  he  had  as  good  have  never  been 
a  ichiV;  he  stepped  fair  indeed,  but  yet  he  stepped  short.  0  this  almost !  I  tell  you,  this  lost  his  soul. 
Bunyan. 


1-5.  After  expressing  his  satisfaction  in  stating 
to  the  king  Agrippa  the  matters  in  issue  between 
the  accusing  Jews  and  himself,  Paul  proceeds  to 
vindicate  his  consistency  as  a  true  spiritual  Israelite, 
while  he  explains  and  justifies  his  mission  as  the 
apostle  to  the  Gentiles.  What  he  was  known  to  be 
as  a  Pharisee,  when  and  how  he  was  converted  and 
commissioned  by  Christ,  and  how  he  had  fulfilled 
his  commission  in  accordance  with  the  teachings  of 
Moses  and  the  prophets :  these  comprise  the  lead- 
ing points  in  this  instructive  address. 

6-8.  Paul  asserts  the  Chief  Ground  of  the  Jews' 
Accusation  to  be  his  Preaching  of  the  Messialiship 
and  the  Resurrection  of  Christ.  His  Appeal  to 
Agrippa. — This  hope  of  a  Messiah  he  declares  to 
be  based  upon  the  promise  of  God  to  the  Patriarchs 
and  Leaders  of  Israel.  Thcg  had  not  received  the 
fulfilment;  hence  a  future  life  was  essential  if  God's 
word  to  them  was  true.  And  the  true  Israel,  even 
all  that  remained  of  the  twelve  tribes,  following  the 
faith  and  hope  of  the  earlier  generations,  were  still 
looking  for  the  fulfillment  of  the  promise.  He  had 
found  the  Messiah  in  Jesus  of  Nazareth ;  and  the 
proof  of  his  Messiahship  he  saw  in  the  resurrection 
of  Christ  from  the  dead.  And,  knowing  the  Sad- 
ducean  tendencies  of  Agrippa,  he  turns  upon  him 
with  the  pointed  argumentative  question,  Do  you 
think  a  resurrection  incredible,  knowing  all  that 
God  has  done  in  Israel,  knowing,  too,  God's  promise 
of  a  deliverer,  who  should  be  a  conqueror  of  death  ? 

9-11.  His  Prejudices  had  been  Bitter  and  his 
Hostility  Virulent  toward  Christ  and  his  Disciples. — 
Taking  up  the  account  of  himself  from  verse  5,  he 
narrates  how  with  a  conscientious  enmity  he  had 
persecuted  and  imprisoned  those  he  now  knew  to  be 
saints,  as  he  himself  was  now  persecuted  and  im- 
prisoned. "  I  gave  my  voice,  or  vote,  against  them." 
"Whether  this  word  is  to  be  taken  literally,  implying 
his  act  as  a  member  of  the  Sanhedrim,  or  figuratively 
(as  it  may  be),  signifying  only  a  moral  assent  to  pro- 
ceedings in  the  synagogues,  can  not  be  decisively  de- 
termined. A  strong  objection  to  the  former  and 
favorite  view  is  that  it  is  wholly  unsupported  by 
other  evidence,  especially  by  other  words  of  his  own. 
And  the  fact,  if  it  was  a  fact,  of  his  membership  of 
the  great  Jewish  Council  would  have  sharpened 
many  an  argument,  and  strongly  enforced  all  that  he 
says  of  himself  in  Phil.  3  and  elsewhere. 

13-18.  Paulas  Second  Statement  of  his  Conver- 


sion and  Commission  by  Christ. — The  first  had  been 
given  to  the  Jews  from  the  Temple  stairs  (ch.  22). 
(Compare  both  statements  with  Luke's  account,  ch. 
9.)  Paul  has  spoken  of  his  own  mad  hostility  to 
the  name  and  to  the  saints  of  Christ.  How  this  hate 
was  changed  to  love,  and  this  hostility  to  supreme 
devotion,  he  proceeds  to  tell.     B. 

The  apostle  knew  so  well  the  fruit  which  the 
world  would  gather  from  his  conversion,  that  he 
employs  it  as  a  favorite  argument  in  his  preaching. 
Of  the  five  discourses  by  him,  which  have  been  pre- 
served to  us  in  the  Acts,  two  derive  their  subject 
from  this  event,  not  to  speak  of  the  repeated  allu- 
sions which  he  makes  to  it  in  his  Epistles.  After 
the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  descent  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  the  gospel  history  has  no  evidence 
equaling  the  conversion  of  Saul  of  Tarsus.    Monod. 

Nowhere  throughout  the  Sacred  Annals  is  the 

power  of  divine  grace  over  the  sinful  heart  so  fully 
shown  as  in  his  sudden  change  from  a  self-righteous, 
fanatical  persecutor  of  Jesus  and  Christians,  to  a 
humble,  self-sacrificing  servant  of  Christ  and  his 
Church ;  nor  is  it  easy  to  see  how  an  honest  inquirer 
can  resist  a  fact  so  confirmatory  of  the  gospel  as 
the  open  advocacy  of  its  faith  by  the  most  logical, 
accomplished,  and  determined  spirit  that  ever  bat- 
tled on  the  side  of  its  enemies.    Bcthune. 

His  appointment  to  preach  and  what  he  was  in- 
structed to  preach  to  the  Gentiles,  are  the  main 
points  in  this  address,  the  last  and  most  complete 
made  by  the  apostle.  The  sublime  themes  of  his 
testimony  and  the  grand  results  of  his  ministry  he 
sums  up  in  these  four  realities  of  spiritual  experi- 
ence: 1.  Divine  enlightenment — a  vision  of  God 
and  knowledge  of  the  truth  he  has  disclosed.  2.  A 
turning  or  conversion,  and  so  a  deliverance,  from 
the  kingdom  of  darkness  and  the  enslaving  power 
of  its  Prince  into  the  kingdom  of  light  and  of  God. 
"  Darkness  and  light  are  common  figures  of  the  New 
Testament,  not  only  for  ignorance  and  knowledge 
of  spiritual  things,  but  for  the  states  of  which  these 
arc  necessary  incidents,  a  state  of  sin  and  one  of 
holiness."  (J.  A.  A.)  3.  Forgiveness  of  sins.  4. 
An  abiding  inheritance  with  the  saints  in  glory.  Of 
this  pardon  and  inheritance  Dr.  Arnot  says :  "  The 
gift,  like  the  work,  is  twofold :  it  removes  from  a 
believer  what  he  deserves,  and  bestows  upon  him 
the  deserts  of  his  Redeemer.  The  birthright  of 
condemnation  is  taken  away,  and  the  birthright  of 


SECTIOir  S30.—ACTS  26  : 1-32. 


in 


sons  is  conferred.  Christ  has  taken  your  portion, 
and  you  obtain  his.  The  pardon  and  the  inheritance 
go  together."  Of  all  these  spiritual  effects  and  ex- 
periences, Christ  declares  to  Paul,  there  is  one  con- 
dition essential  for  every  soul's  reception.  It  is 
Faith  in  Me — trust,  not  in  human  works  or  offer- 
ings, not  in  creeds,  in  ceremonials,  or  in  descent,  but 
in  Christ  alone  !    B. 

The  germ  of  all  Paul's  epistles,  the  key-note  to 
which  all  his  writings  are  but  the  melody  that  fol- 
lows, the  mighty  voice  of  which  all  his  teaching  is 
but  the  prolonged  echo,  we  find  in  these  words : 
"  To  open  their  eyes,  to  turn  them  from  darkness  to 
light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  imto  God ;  that 
they  may  receive  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  inheritance 
among  them  that  are  sanctified  by  faith  that  is  in 
Me."  What  of  Paul's  gospel  is  not  here  ?  Man's 
ruin,  man's  depravity,  the  state  of  darkness,  the 
power  of  Satan,  the  sole  redemptive  work  of  Christ, 
justification  by  belief  in  that,  sanctification  coming 
with  justification,  and  glory,  rest,  and  heaven  at 
last — there  they  all  are  in  the  vei-y  first  words  that 
sounded  upon  the  quickened  ear  of  the  blinded 
man  when  he  turned  from  darkness  to  hght.    A.  M. 

19,  20.  He  affirms  his  Instant  Obedience  and  his 
Steadfast  Fidelity  to  the  Heavenly  Call  of  Ch'ist. — 
This  is  one  of  the  grand  points  of  instruction  and 
personal  application  in  Paul's  whole  career.  He  be- 
gan on  the  instant,  where  he  was,  to  obey.  He 
sought  on  the  instant  and  ever  afterward  (for  n^w 
twenty-four  years)  to  know  and  to  do  the  Lord's 
will.  Day  by  day  had  he  gone  on  as  directed.  He 
had  sought  to  win  men  back  to  God,  to  reveal  Christ 
and  His  complete  work  for  man's  redemption,  that 
they  might  trust,  repent,  and  return  to  God  ;  that, 
with  a  divinely  renewed  heart  and  reversed  life, 
they  might  do  works  meet  for  repentance.  21-23. 
He  goes  on  to  say  that,  for  this  work  of  seeking  to 
obey  God  and  save  men,  the  Jews  had  sought  to 
kill  him  in  the  Temple.  But  God  had  been  his  de- 
liverer, so  that  his  ministry  had  been  continued  un- 
til now.  And  he  adds  the  supreme  fact  that  all  he 
taught  was  in  exact  agreement  ivith  Moses  and  the 
prophets.  This  fact  utterly  overthrew  all  the  charges 
of  his  accusers,  and  convicted  them  of  rejecting  the 
law  and  the  prophets,  which  was  the  crime  alleged 
against  himself.  For  the  Jewish  Scriptures  disclosed 
a  suffering  Messiah,  who  should  rise  from  the  dead, 
and  who  should  bring  a  bright  and  glad  redemption 

to  the  Gentiles.     B. That  Christ  should  suffer, 

should  rise  from  the  dead,  and  should  show  light  unto 
the  Gentiles:  these  are  the  three  chief  points  in 
the  writings  of  the  prophets ;  and  precisely  these 
three  were  most  of  all  unwelcome  to  the  Jews.  The 
first  gave  them  offense,  the  second  was  denied  by 
them,  and  the  third  awakened  their  envy.  Starke. 
There  was  never  any  that  understood  the  Old 


Testament  so  well  as  Paul,  except  John  the  Baptist 
and  John  the  Divine.  He  dearly  loved  Moses  and 
Isaiah,  for  they,  together  with  King  David,  were  the 
chief  prophets.     The  words  and  things  of  Paul  are 

taken  out  of  Moses  and  the  prophets.     Luther. 

These  truths  which  Paul  had  preached,  his  accusers 
had  disallowed  and  willfully  rejected  ;  and  in  justi- 
fying himself  so  fervently  and  conclusively,  he 
preaches  a  living,  burning  gospel  of  Christ  to  Fes- 
tus  and  Agrippa,  and  to  the  brilliant  court  in  which 
they  were  central  and  sovereign. 

24-26.  The  Excited  Exclamation  of  Festus,  and 
Paufs  Calm  Rejjhj. — To  the  Roman  governor,  deeply 
stirred  by  Paul's  impassioned  utterance,  the  apostle's 

words  yet  conveyed  no  meaning.    B. What  Paul 

had  said  of  a  resurrection  from  the  dead  accom- 
plished in  Jesus  as  the  first  fruits,  of  a  person  com- 
ing from  the  Jews  who  should  enlighten  not  only 
his  own  people  but  even  the  Gentiles,  among  the 
rest  the  poUte  and  learned  Greeks  and  Romans,  and. 
of  the  manner  in  which  this  was  revealed  to  him — 
all  this  would  lead  such  a  half-thinker  and  pagan 
as   Festus   to   conclude  roundly  that   Paul   was  a 

visionary  enthusiast.     D. "  Much  learning,"  or 

"  many  writings,"  had  turned  his  brain,  the  idea  be- 
ing suggested  by  Paul's  many  allusions  to  Moses 
and  the  prophets. 

But  Paul,  "  taught  from  the  fullness  of  a  heart 
which  divine  grace  had  convinced  and  blessed  that 
Christianity  is  no  fable  and  that  faith  is  not  mad- 
ness," replies  with  quiet  Christian  courtesy :  "  Not 
frenzied  or  mad,  most  noble  Festus,  but  I  speak  of 
things  that  are  real,  and  with  perfect  soundness  of 
reason  !  "  And  instantly  he  refers  for  confirmation 
of  his  words  to  Agrippa,  as  one  to  whom  the  main 
facts  of  Christianity  (of  which  he  had  spoken)  were 
well  known.     B. 

This  thing  was  not  done  in  a  corner. 
The  existence  at  this  time  of  one  called  by  his  fol- 
lowers Christ,  the  place  of  his  teaching,  his  execu- 
tion by  Pontius  Pilate,  Procurator  of  Judea  under 
Tiberius,  the  rapid  spread  of  his  doctrine  through 
the  Roman  world,  the  vast  number  of  converts  made 
in  a  short  time,  the  persecutions  which  they  under- 
went, the  innocency  of  their  lives,  their  worship  of 
Christ  as  God — are  witnessed  to  by  heathen  writers 
of  eminence,  and  would  be  certain  and  indisputable 
facts  had  the  New  Testament  never  been  written. 
Tacitus,  Suetonius,  Juvenal,  Pliny,  Trajan,  Adrian, 
writing  in  the  century  immediately  following  upon 
the  death  of  Christ,  declare  these  things  to  us,  and 
establish,  so  firmly  that  no  skeptic  can  even  profess 
to  doubt  it,  the  historical  character  of  at  least  that 
primary  groundwork  whereon  the  Christian  story,  as 
related  by  the  evangelists,  rests  as  on  an  immovable 
basis.  These  classic  notices  compel  even  those  who 
set  no  value  or;  the  historical  Christ  to  admit  his  ex- 


172 


SECTION  330.— ACTS  26  : 1-32. 


istence ;  they  give  a  definite  standing-point  to  the  re- 
ligion, which  might  otherwise  have  been  declared  to 
have  no  historical  foundation  at  all,  but  to  be  pure- 
ly and  absolutely  mythic;  they  furnish,  taken  by 
themselves,  no  unimportant  argument  for  the  truth 
of  the  religion,  which  they  prove  to  have  been 
propagated  with  such  zeal,  by  persons  of  pure  and 
holy  lives,  in  spite  of  punishments  and  persecutions 
of  the  most  fearful  kind ;  and  they  form,  in  com- 
bination with  the  argument  from  the  historic  ac- 
curacy of  the  incidental  allusions,  an  evidence  in 
favor  of  the  substantial  truth  of  the  New  Testament 
narrative  which  is  amply  sufficient  to  satisfy  any 
fair  mind.     G.  R. 

"  Few  persons,  perhaps,"  says  Isaac  Taylor, 
"  give  due  attention  to  the  relative  position  of  the 
Christian  history,  which  stands  upon  the  very  point 
of  intersection  where  three  distinct  lines  of  history 
meet,  namely,  the  Jewish,  the  Grecian,  and  the 
Roman.  These  three  bodies  of  ancient  literature 
alone  have  descended  by  an  uninterrupted  channel 
of  transmission  to  modern  times  ;  and  these  three, 
by  a  most  extraordinary  combination  of  circum- 
stances, were  brought  together  to  elucidate  the 
origination  of  Christianity.  If  upon  the  broad  field 
of  history  there  rests  the  common  light  of  day,  upon 
that  spot  where  a  new  religion  was  given  to  man, 
there  shines  the  intensity  of  a  concentrated  bright- 
ness." The  Jews  had  their  own  literature ;  they 
had  been  formerly  conquered  by  the  Greeks,  and 
the  Greek  language  was  in  common  use  ;  they  were 
also  a  Roman  province,  and  "  during  more  than  a 
century,  in  the  center  of  which  stands  the  ministry 
of  Christ,  the  affairs  of  Syria  attracted  the  peculiar 
attention  of  the  Roman  Government.  No  other 
people  of  antiquity  can  be  named  upon  whose  his- 
tory and  sentiments  there  falls  this  triple  flood  of 
historic  light,  and  upon  no  period  in  the  history  of 
this  one  people  do  these  triple  rays  so  precisely 
meet  as  upon  the  moment  when  the  voice  of  one 
was  heard  in  the  wilderness  of  Jordan,  saying, 
'  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord.' "  Well,  then, 
might  an  apostle  say,  "  These  things  were  not  done 
in  a  corner,"  It  was  in  Jerusalem  that  Christ 
arose ;  in  Asia  Minor — the  theatre  of  history  from 
the  first.  It  was,  perhaps,  the  only  place  on  earth 
in  which  a  Roman  governor  would  have  called  the 
three  languages  which  contain  the  literature  of  an- 
cient civilization  into  requisition,  to  proclaim  at 
once  the  accusation  and  the  true  character  of 
Christ.     M.  H. 

27,  28.  PauVs  Appeal  to  Agvippa,  Agrippa's 
Reply,  and  PauVs  Rejoinder. — To  the  Roman  Fes- 
tus  Paul's  words  had  no  meaning.  But  to  the  Jew 
Agrippa,  familiar  with  the  writings  of  the  prophets, 
and  to  the  grandnephow  of  Herod  Antipas,  familiar 
with  the  facts  of  a  living,  crucified,  and  risen  Jesus 


of  Nazareth,  Paul  has  been  powerfully  preaching- 
Christianity  (while  defending  it)  by  exhibiting  its 
unity  with  the  Mosaic  covenant  and  Prophetic  prom- 
ises. In  here  giving  his  preaching  a  personal  turn 
(not  offensively,  for  he  compliments  Agrippa's  in- 
telligence and  judgment),  he  takes  high  ground  as 
becomes  the  ambassador  of  Jehovah,  and  uses  a 
lofty  tone  of  utterance.  We  must  infer  that  some- 
thing he  saw  in  Agrippa's  expression,  some  mani- 
festation of  feeling  {not  certainly  scorn  or  contempt), 
led  the  apostle  to  make  this  sudden  appeal  to  the 
Jewish  king,  and  so  instantly  and  impressively  him- 
self to  answer  his  own  appeal. 

King  and  Jew  as  he  was,  in  face  of  the  disparag- 
ing charge  of  madness  by  Festus,  Agrippa  had  so 
felt  in  his  inmost  soul  the  power  of  the  truth, 
and  of  Paul's  own  mighty  force  of  conviction,  that 
his  remarkable  confession  was  forced  almost  un- 
consciously from  his  lips.  His  reply  seems  to  be  a 
parry,  and  to  show  that  he  had  felt  a  thrust.  About 
the  meaning  of  this  reply,  as  well  as  the  spirit  that 
actuated  it,  there  is  a  difference  of  judgment  among 
scholarly  interpreters.  The  two  words  rendered  al- 
most are  literally  in  small.  The  words  rendered 
altogether  in  verse  29  are  literally  in  great.  The 
noun  to  be  supplied  may  be  either  time,  effort,  de- 
gree, or  measure.  That  Agrippa  refers  to  the  little 
time  or  effort  used  by  Paul  in  this  brief  address,  as 
insufficient  to  make  of  him  a  Christian,  and  that  he 
speaks  ironically  or  even  indifferently  (an  interpre- 
tation favored  by  many  modern  commentators),  seems 
to  be  out  of  keeping  with  all  that  precedes  and  fol- 
lows. It  accords  neither  with  the  subsequent  course 
of  Agrippa  nor  with  the  previous  words  of  Paul ;  and 
still  less  with  the  serious,  sympathetic,  and  fervent 
tone  of  Paul's  instant  rejoinder.  Agrippa's  sudden 
breaking  up  of  the  conference  after  Paul's  manly, 
touching  expression  of  good  will,  surely  intimates 
something  other  than  a  jesting  or  indifferent  state 
of  mind.  And  his  serious,  almost  regretful  words 
to  Festus  about  Paul's  liberty  that  immediately  fol- 
lowed, with  their  implied  tone  of  sympathy  with  the 
apostle,  can  scarcely  consist  with  an  ironical  or 
heedless  spirit ;  so  that  we  must  still  hold  to  the 
older  and  the  widely  accepted  interpretation,  which 
takes  the  words  of  Agrippa  as  spoken  in  earnest, 
and  under  some  slightly  aroused  feeling.  "  In  some 
small  degree  or  measure  ('  almost '  being  too  strong) 
thou  persuadest  me  !  " 

And  with  this  interpretation  admirably  agrees 
Paul's  large-hearted  response.  The  picture  is  one 
of  rare  beauty  and  sublimity,  as  the  words  finely 
illustrate  the  spirit  and  epitomize  the  substance  of 
his  gospel.  A  prisoner,  whose  Christlike  spirit  and 
whose  burning  words  had  fascinated  their  attention, 
stands  in  the  attitude  of  blessing  while  he  prays : 
Not  in  small  but  in  great  degree  would  I  have  you 


■SECTION  SSL— ACTS  S7  : 1-S6. 


173 


and  all  who  hear  me  to  know  and  rejoice  as  I  know 
and  rejoice  in  Christ  and  the  Christian  life.  And, 
holding  up  his  chained  hands,  he  adds  to  his  prayer 
for  them,  "  except  only  these  bonds." 

In  this  noble  close  to  his  crowning  defense,  the 
absoluteness  of  his  faith  and  the  strength  and 
breadth  of  his  unselfish,  yearning  benevolence  stand 
out  with  wonderful  distinctness.  "  King,"  he  says, 
"  or  high  noble  and  ruler,  as  you  are,  there  is  for 
you  a  higher  crown  and  a  more  enduring  kingdom 
that  I  would  to  God  you  might  share."  A  Christian 
Agrippa  knew  Paul  to  be.  What  a  Christian  was 
Paul  had  already  described  in  the  inward  and  spirit- 
ual experiences  referred  to  in  his  great  commission 
from  Christ.  These  experiences  were  not  the  result 
of  outward  relations,  of  ordinances,  ceremonials,  or 
of  church  connections.  They  consisted  in  an  under- 
standing opened  to  and  illumined  by  the  truth,  a 
heart  touched  and  broken,  and  a  will  made  submis- 
sive by  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  In  other  words,  a 
Christian  was  one  who  knew,  who  trusted  in, 
obeyed,  and  rested  on  Clirist ;  whose  ruling  thought 
and  affection  and  whose  constraining  principle  of 
life  was  Chrisfs  love  to  Mm, 

Such  a  one  was  not  Agrippa.     However  strongly 


moved,  as  Felix  had  been,  like  Felix  he  deliberately 
rose  up,  turned  away  his  thought,  and  went  back  to 
his  selfish,  dissolute  life.  He  might  have  heen  fully 
persuaded  had  he  yielded  to  the  divine  influences  so 
mightily  proceeding  from  Paul's  heart  and  lips. 
But  he  grieved  away  the  Spirit,  remained  "  joined 
to  his  idols,"  and  God  "  let  him  alone  "  !  Retaining 
his  nominal  and  idle  faith  in  the  prophets,  this  last 
Prince  of  the  Herods  lived  a  self-seeking,  useless 
life,  in  dependence  upon  Roman  favor,  long  after 
his  nation  had  been  destroyed  by  Roman  arms. 
Yet,  like  all  the  marked  personages  whose  careers 
are  referred  to  in  the  Sacred  Record,  this  man,  by 
this  single  utterance,  in  connection  with  what  pre- 
ceded and  followed,  remains  to  point  an  instructive 
and  warning  lesson.     B. 

Verily,  we  need  not  long  remain  in  uncertainty 
who  at  that  moment  was  the  greatest  in  the  palace  ! 
And  all  the  spiritual  greatness  of  Paul  is  the  work 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  has  entirely  renewed  him, 
and  has  exalted  him  above  the  moral  littleness 
around  him,  nay,  even  above  himself ;  so  that  here, 
in  the  fullest  sense  of  the  words,  even  when  he  re- 
turned to  his  lonely  dungeon,  he  left  the  field  as 
conqueror.     Van  0. 


Section  231. 

Acts  xxvii.  1-26. 

1  Atjd  when  it  was  determined  that  we  should  sail  into  Italy,  they  delivered  Paul  and 

2  certain  other  prisoners  unto  one  named  Julius,  a  centurion  of  Augustus'  band.     And  entering 
into  a  ship  of  Adramyttium,  we  launched,  meaning  to  sail  by  the  coasts  of  Asia ;  one  Aris- 

8  tarchus,  a  Macedonian  of  Thessalonica,  being  with  us.     And  the  next  day  we  touched  at 
Sidon.     And  Julius  courteously  entreated  Paul,  and  gave  him  liberty  to  go  unto  his  friends 

4  to  refresh  himself.     And  when  we  had  launched  from  thence,  we  sailed  under  Cyprus,  be- 

5  cause  the  winds  were  contrary.     And  when  we  had  sailed  over  the  sea  of  Cilicia  and 
Pamphylia,  we  came  to  Myra,  a  city  of  Lycia. 

6  And  there  the  centurion  found  a  ship  of  Alexandria  sailing  into  Italy ;  and  he  put  us 

7  therein.     And  when  we  had  sailed  slowly  many  days,  and  scarce  were  come  over  against 

8  Cnidus,  the  wind  not  suffering  us,  we  sailed  under  Crete,  over  against  Salmone ;  and, 
hardly  passing  it,  came  unto  a  place  which  is  called  The  fair  havens ;  nigh  whereunto  was 

9  the  city  o/Lasea.     Now  when  much  time  was  spent,  and  when  sailing  was  now  dangerous, 

10  because  the  fast  was  now  already  past,  Paul  admonished  them^  and  said  unto  them,  Sirs,  I 
perceive  that  this  voyage  will  be  with  hurt  and  much  damage,  not  only  of  the  lading  and 

11  ship,  but  also  of  our  lives.    Nevertheless  the  centurion  believed  the  master  and  the  owner 

12  of  the  ship,  more  than  those  things  which  were  spoken  by  Paul.  And  because  the  haven 
was  not  commodious  to  winter  in,  the  more  part  advised  to  depart  thence  also,  if  by  any 
means  they  might  attain  to  Phenice,  and  there  to  winter ;  which  is  an  haven  of  Crete,  and 

13  lieth  toward  the  south  west  and  north  west.  And  when  the  south  wind  blew  softly,  sup- 
posing that  they  had  obtained  their  purpose,  loosing  thence,  they  sailed  close  by  Crete. 

14  But  not  long  after  there  arose  against  it  a  tempestuous  wind,  called  Euroclydon.     And 

15  when  the  ship  was  caught,   and   could  not  bear  up  into  the  wind,  we  let  her  drive. 

16  And  running  under  a  certain  island  which  is  called  Clauda,  we  had  much  work  to  come 


174 


SECTION  231.— ACTS  27  : 1-26. 


17  by  the  boat:  wbicb  when  they  had  taken  up,  they  used  helps,  undergirding  the  ship;  and, 

18  fearing  lest  they  should  fall  into  the  quicksands,  strake  sail,  and  so  were  driven.     And  we 

19  bein«'  exceedino-ly  tossed  with  a  tempest,  the  next  day  they  lightened  the  ship;  and  the 

20  third  day  we  cast  out  with  our  own  hands  the  tackling  of  the  ship.  And  when  neither 
sun  nor  stars  in  many  days  appeared,  and  no  small  tempest  lay  on  ws,  all  hope  that  we 
should  be  saved  was  then  taken  away. 

21  But  after  long  abstinence  Paul  stood  forth  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  said.  Sirs,  ye  should 
have  hearkened  unto  me,  and  not  have  loosed  from  Crete,  and  to  have  gained  this  harm 

22  and  loss.     And  now  I  exhort  you  to  be  of  good  cheer :  for  there  shall  be  no  loss  of  any 

23  man's  life  among  ybu,  but  of  the  ship.     For  there  stood  by  me  this  night  the  angel  of  God, 

24  whose  I  am,  and  whom  I  serve,  saying.  Fear  not,  Paul;  thou  must  be  brought  before 

25  Cfflsar:  and,  lo,  God  hath  given  thee  all  them  that  sail  with  thee.     Wherefore,  sirs,  be  of 

26  good  cheer :  for  I  believe  God,  that  it  shall  be  even  as  it  was  told  me.  Howbeit  we  must 
be  cast  upon  a  certain  island. 


Paul  had  been  declared  by  Festus  innocent  of 
crime  under  Roman  law ;  and  by  Agrippa  alike  in- 
nocent of  offense  against  Jewish  law.  But  his  ap- 
peal had  been  made  and  could  not  be  recalled.  He 
must  be  sent  to  Rome,  as  God  had  purposed  and 
promised.  The  voyage  thither  (recounted  in  this 
chapter)  is  one  of  great  interest  in  itself,  as  well  as 
on  account  of  its  chief  result — the  carrying  of  the 
Christian  Gospel  to  the  world's  central  capital,  from 
whence  it  was  destined  to  go  forth  in  the  fullness  of 
time  with  its  fullness  of  blessing  to  humankind. 

The  details  of  this  entire  voyage,  especially  its 
nautical  and  topographical  points,  have  been  thor- 
oughly elucidated  in  a  volume  by  an  educated  Eng- 
lish gentleman — James  Smith,  of  Jordanhill  (London, 
1848  and  1856).  With  the  single  purpose  of  ex- 
haustively investigating  and  interpreting  Luke's  nar- 
rative, he  mastered  all  accessible  information  bear- 
ing upon  the  ship-building  and  navigation  of  the 
ancients ;  consulted  experienced  seamen  and  modern 
log-books,  as  well  as  ancient  statements  and  accounts 
of  voyages,  respecting  the  actual  navigation  of  the 
sea-route  taken  by  Paul's  vessel ;  and,  during  a  win- 
ter's residence  in  Malta,  carefully  examined  the 
various  localities  of  that  island.  In  the  judgment 
of  Biblical  scholars,  he  has  shown  that  while  the 
writer  of  this  chapter  could  not  have  been  a  seaman, 
since  his  language  is  not  technical  or  professional, 
yet  he  must  have  been  an  eye-witness  of  the  facts 
he  has  recorded,  because  of  his  accuracy  and  con- 
sistency in  all  the  parts  of  his  description.  Accord- 
ing to  the  same  judgment,  Mr.  Smith  has  explained 
many  previously  obscure  points,  and  contributed 
new  and  invaluable  evidence  in  support  of  the  his- 
toric truth  and  the  credibility  of  this  Book  of  the 
Acts. 

The  arts  and  instruments  of  modern  navigation 
were  unknown  to  the^  ancients.  They  had  neither 
chronometer  nor  compass,  sextant  nor  chart.  The 
place  of  the  sun  by  day,  and  of  the  known  stars  by 
night,  gave  them  general  lines  of  direction  when  out 


of  sight  of  coast  lines.  As  compared  also  with  mod- 
ern construction,  the  ships  were  rude  and  frailly 
fastened.  They  were  built  with  high,  sharp  stern  as 
well  as  prow ;  generally  with  one  great  mast  near 
the  stern.  Their  square  sails  enabled  them  to  sail 
rapidly  before  the  wind ;  while  against  it  they  could 
make  but  feeble  headway.  For  rudders  they  used 
two  broad-bladed  oars,  projecting  from  either  side  at 
a  little  distance  from  the  sharp  stern.  The  "  rud- 
der bands  "  were  ropes  attached  to  these  oar  rudders, 
by  which  they  could  be  lifted  from  the  water  and 
fastened  to  the  vessel's  side. 


Stern  Portion  of  Ancient  Vessel,  showinf^  the  Two  Oar 
Rudders  and  Anclior  Cable. 

1.  Festus  can  be  proved,  almost  with  certainty, 
to  have  succeeded  Felix  as  procurator  of  Judea  in 
A.  D.  60 — in  the  autumn  of  which  year,  therefore, 
Paul  was  sent  as  a  prisoner  from  Cesarea  to  Rome. 
From  the  latter  date  we  can  safely  reckon  back, 
through  his  two  years'  imprisonment  at  Cesarea,  to 
the  Pentecost  of  a.  d.  58,  as  the  date  of  his  last  ar- 
rival at  Jerusalem.     S. 


SECTION  231.— ACTS  27  : 1-26. 


175 


Luke  here  relates  that,  "  when  Paul  was  sent 
from  Cesarea  to  Rome,  he  was  with  the  other  pris- 
oners committed  to  the  care  of  Julius,  an  officer  of 
the  Augustan  cohort,"  that  is,  a  Koman  cohort, 
which  had  the  honor  of  bearing  the  name  of  the 
emperor.  Now  it  appears  from  Josephus  that  when 
Felix  was  procurator  of  Judea,  the  Roman  garrison 
at  Cesarea  was  chiefly  composed  of  soldiers  who 
were  natives  of  Syria.  But  it  also  appears  that  a 
small  body  of  Roman  soldiers  was  stationed  there  at 
the  same  time,  and  that  this  body  of  Roman  soldiers 
was  dignified  with  the  title  of  Augustan,  the  same 
Greek  word  being  employed  by  Josephus  as  by  the 
author  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  And  when 
Festus,  who  succeeded  Felix,  had  occasion  to  send 
prisoners  from  Cesarea  to  Rome,  he  would  of  course 
intrust  them  to  the  care  of  an  officer  belonging  to 
this  select  corps.  That  this  select  body  of  soldiers 
bore  the  title  of  Augustan,  was  known  of  course  to 
Luke.  But  that,  in  the  time  of  the  Emperor  Nero, 
the  garrison  of  Cesarea,  which  consisted  chiefly  of 
Syrian  soldiers,  contained  also  a  small  body  of 
Koman  soldiers,  and  that  they  were  dignified  by  the 
epithet  Augustan,  are  circumstances  so  minute,  that 
no  impostor  of  a  later  age  would  have  known  them. 
And  they  prove  incontestably  that  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  could  have  been  written  only  by  a  person 
in  the  situation  of  Luke.     G.  T. 

2*  (For  this  voyage,  see  small  maps  on  pp.  61, 
94,  and  the  large  map  opposite  title-page.)  The 
Roman  Empire  had  no  packet  service,  nor  were 
ships  of  war  usually  employed  for  the  transport  of 
prisoners  from  the  provinces  to  Rome.  But  for 
such  a  purpose,  as  well  as  for  ordinary  passengers, 
ample  opportunities  were  furnished  by  the  great 
lines  of  commercial  traffic  over  the  seas.  There 
were  the  main  lines,  of  which  the  most  important 
in  the  East  was  that  of  the  vessels  that  carried  the 
com  of  Egypt  from  Alexandria  to  Italy,  and  par- 
ticularly to  the  port  of  Puteoli ;  and  it  was  in  two 
such  ships  that  Paul  made  the  chief  portions  of  his 
voyage.  Then  there  was  the  coasting  trade,  which 
(in  the  Levant)  was  chiefly  conducted  by  the  Greeks 
of  Asia  Minor,  of  whose  vessels  we  have  already 
seen  Paul  making  use.  It  was  in  such  a  ship,  be- 
longing to  Adramyttium  (a  seaport  of  the  province 
of  Asia,  in  the  district  called  Mysia),  that  he  now 
set  sail,  with  other  prisoners,  under  the  care  of 
Julius,  a  centurion,  whose  conduct  in  the  sequel 
entitles  him  to  a  place  among  the  military  worthies 
of  the  New  Testament.  The  number  of  the  prison- 
ers appears  to  have  been  considerable.  But  Paul 
was  cheered  by  the  society  of  "  the  beloved  physi- 
cian," and  of  the  Thessalonian  Aristarchus,  his  con- 
stant fellow-traveler,  who  had  accompanied  him 
from  Macedonia,  and  now  became  his  fellow-prisoner 
at  Rome.    That  the  voyage  was  commenced  about 


the  end  of  summer,  in  order  to  reach  Italy  before 
winter,  is  evident  from  the  subsequent  mention  of 
the  Great  Fast.     S. 

3-5.  From  Cesarea  to  Myra  in  Lyc'ia. — The 
route  lay  northward  along  the  Phenician  coast  to 
Sidon,  thence  under  the  lee,  that  is  (the  wind  being 
south),  on  the  northward  side  of  Cyprus,  over  the 
sea  adjacent  to  Cilicia  and  Pamphylia.  At  Sidon, 
where  the  vessel  touched  for  purposes  of  trade, 
Paul  was  permitted  to  visit  Christian  friends.  This 
courteous  treatment,  followed  by  like  consideration 
and  respect  throughout  the  voyage,  shows  the 
strongly  favorable  impression  made  by  Paul  upon 
Julius,  as  previously  upon  Festus,  Agrippa,  Felix, 
Lysias,  and  the  Asiarchs  of  Ephesus. 

6.  "  At  the  port  of  Myra  in  Lycia,  they  fell 
into  the  great  line  of  the  Egyptian  corn-trade,  and 
found  a  corn-ship  of  Alexandria  bound  for  Italy ; 
to  this  vessel  Julius  transferred  his  prisoners." 
That  this  ship  was  large,  with  a  tonnage  of  five 
hundred  to  a  thousand  tons,  we  infer  from  the  num- 
ber of  persons  (276)  added  to  her  freight ;  and  also 
from  "  the  known  fact  that  the  Egyptian  merchant- 
men were  among  the  largest  in  the  Mediterranean." 
We  note  the  intimation  of  Luke's  presence  {we)  for 
the  first  time  since  Paul's  arrival  at  Jerusalem. 
With  himself  he  doubtless  includes  Aristarchus. 

7-13.  From  Myra  to  Crete. — Sailing  very  slow- 
ly westward,  after  many  days  they  reached  Cnjdus, 
a  city  at  the  southwest  extremity  of  Asia  Minor,  on 
the  point  of  the  long,  narrow  peninsula  (now  called 
Cape  Crio)  where  the  coast  line  turns  northward. 
Thence  standing  out  to  sea,  the  wind  compelled 
their  course  toward  the  eastern  end  of  the  island  of 
Crete.  Doubling  the  promontory  of  Salmone,  upon 
the  eastern  extremity,  they  moved  westward  under 
the  southern  side  of  the  isle,  as  far  as  a  place  of 
anchorage  (still)  called  the  Fair  Havens.  Here, 
compelled  to  await  fair  winds,  the  navigation  having 
now  become  "  dangerous,"  Paul  interposes  the  first 
of  his  warnings  in  terms  which  imply  that  he  spoke 
under  divine  guidance,  as  well  as  with  much  former 
experience  of  "  perils  in  the  sea."  His  counsel  was 
that  they  should  winter  in  the  comparatively  safe 
harbor  where  they  were.  But  the  master  and  others 
in  charge  of  the  ship,  in  concert  with  the  centurion, 
decided  to  set  sail,  and  endeavor  to  make  the  better 
harbor  of  Phenice,  farther  westward  and  northward 
upon  the  island.  They  were  fully  agreed  with  Paul 
that  the  favorable  season  for  sailing  had  passed, 
and  that  the  voyage  to  Italy  ought  not  to  be  con- 
tinued. But  they  would  not  let  well  alone,  and 
wished  to  make  both  safety  and  comfort  doubly  sure. 
They  thought  the  short  sail  of  forty  miles  might  be 
accomplished  without  peril.  But  the  event  proved 
their  mistake.  On  a  summer-like  day,  "  when  the 
south  wind  blew  softly,  supposing  that  they  had 


176 


SECTION  231.— ACTS  27  :  1-26. 


obtained  their  purpose,"  that  is,  thinking  that  they 
could  safely  and  swiftly  reach  the  harbor  of  Phenice, 
about  the  18th  of  October  they  sailed  out  from  the 
Fair  Havens  westward  along  the  southern  shore  of 
Crete. 

14-17.  Caught  suddenly  by  a  Typhonic  Wind 
from  the  Northeast,  they  are  driven'  under  the  Lee 
of  the  Island  Clauda.— Only  five  miles  west  of  the 
Fair  Havens  the  southern  coast  line  of  Crete  turns 
sharply  (in  a  right  angle),  receding  directly  north- 
ward at  a  point  now  called  Cape  ^Matala.  This 
point  had  scarcely  been  turned,  and  their  direction 
changed  for  Phenice  (distant  thirty-five  miles  north- 
northwest  through  an  open  sea),  when  the  soft 


south  wind  was  suddenly  succeeded  by  a  north- 
easter, "  sweeping  down  the  gullies  of  Mount  Ida 
with  all  the  fury  of  a  typhoon.  The  sailors,  accus- 
tomed to  those  seas,  recognized  their  dreaded  enemy 
by  its  well-known  name  Euroclydon." 

Unable  (according  to  Luke's  graphic  account) 
to  face  or  eye  the  wind  (possibly  a  reference  to  the 
painted  eye  upon  the  vessel's  prow,  for  adornment 
and  symbol),  they  were  compelled  to  scud  south- 
westward  before  the  gale.  So  they  were  driven 
twenty-three  miles  through  the  open  sea  to  the 
small  island  Clauda.  Running  under  the  lee  of 
this  island,  they  took  advantage  of  the  slight  shelter 
and  smooth  water,  first,  to  lift  their  boat  (towing  at 


Southwest  Coast  of  Crete,  and  the  Island  Clauda. 


the  stem)  out  of  the  sea ;  next,  to  undergird  the 
ship  ;  and  last,  to  lower  the  gear. 

The  undcrgirding  (now  called  f  rapping  in  the 
English  navy)  consisted  in  passing  rope  or  chain 
cables  under  the  keel  at  right  angles  with  and  over 
the  gunwales,  "  and  then  drawing  them  tight  by 
means  of  pulleys  and  levers."  These  "helps" 
were  always  part  of  the  ordinary  equipment  of  an- 
cient vessels.  They  served  to  brace  the  entire 
framework  of  hull  and  decks,  and  to  counteract  the 
strain  caused  by  the  single  mast  with  its  large 
square  sail.  "  This  precaution,"  says  Admiral  Pen- 
rose, "  was  taken,  not  only  because  the  ship  might 


strain  her  planks  and  timbers  and  become  leaky, 
but  from  the  fears  that,  if  the  gale  continued  from 
the  northeast,  they  might  be  driven  into  the  deep 
bight  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  where  were  the  greater 
and  lesser  Syrtis  so  much  dreaded  by  the  ancients, 
and  by  these  means  of  security  be  enabled  to  keep 
together  longer,  should  they  be  involved  in  the 
quicksands."     (See  large  map  opposite  title-page.) 

And  for  both  reasons,  too,  but  especially  the  lat- 
ter— "  lest  they  should  fall  into  the  quicksands  "— 
they  lotvered  the  gear.  Had  the  ship  continued  to 
run  before  the  wind,  she  would  have  been  driven 
directly  into  the  Syrtis  bay  of  quicksand.     To  avert 


SECTION  231.— ACTS  21 : 1-26. 


177 


this,  they  lowered  the  heavy  main  yard  and  sail  with 
all  the  weighty  masthead  gear,  and  set  in  its  place 
a  small  storm-sail.  This  was  so  adjusted  as  to  bring 
the  vessel's  head  as  near  to  the  wind  as  possible  and 
to  prevent  her  from  falling  off  into  the  trough  of 
the  sea.  The  nautical  term  which  describes  this  ar- 
rangement is  lying  to.  It  is  the  common  method  of 
weathering  out  a  gale.     B. 

18-30.  Tossed  in  the  Tempest,  they  lightest  the 
Ship,  and  for  Eleven  Bays  hopelessly  await  the  Is- 
sue.— Lying  to  under  a  storm-sail,  with  her  starboard 
(or  right)  side  to  the  wind,  would  keep  her  head  well 
off  the  African  coast,  and  cause  her  to  drift  a  little 
to  the  north  of  west  at  the  rate  of  about  a  mile  and 

a  half  an  hour,  or  thirty-six  miles  a  day.     S. 

"  It  can  be  shown  that  this  position  would  give  her 
i  a  drift  motion  precisely  in  the  direction  of  Malta, 
the  place  on  which  she  ultimately  struck."  As  in 
the  ship  of  Jonah  (1  :  5)  so  here,  they  first  lightened 
the  ship  in  part,  and  the  next  day  with  the  passen- 
gers' help  "  cast  out  the  gear  that  had  already  been 
sent  down  on  deck."     B. 

Then  followed  "  many  days  "  of  continued  hard- 
ship and  anxiety.  No  one  who  has  never  been  in  a 
leaking  ship  in  a  continued  gale  can  know  what  is 
suffered  under  such  circumstances.  The  strain  both 
of  mind  and  body — the  incessant  demand  for  the 
labor  of  all  the  crew — the  terror  of  all  the  passen- 
gers— the  hopeless  working  at  the  pumps — the  la- 
boring of  the  ship's  frame  and  cordage — the  driving 
of  the  storm — the  benumbing  effect  of  the  cold  and 
wet — make  up  a  scene  of  no  ordinary  confusion, 
anxiety,  and  fatigue.  To  this  despair  was  added  a 
further  suffering  from  want  of  food,  in  consequence 
of  the  injury  done  to  the  provisions,  and  the  impos- 
sibility of  preparing  any  regular  meal.  Hence  we 
see  the  force  of  the  phrase  which  alludes  to  what  a 
casual  reader  might  suppose  an  unimportant  part  of 
the  suffering,  that  there  was  much  abstinence.    H. 

21-26.  PauVs  Cheering  Assurance  of  Ultimate 
Deliverance. — "Under  that  dark  sky,  and  in  that 
hopelessly  drifting  ship,  there  appeared  the  light  of 
joy  and  life;  for  it  held  no  Jonah  fleeing  from 
duty,  but  a  Paul  bound  in  spirit  to  testify  for  God 
also  at  Rome."  Timed  indeed  to  the  need  of  these 
three  hundred  souls  were  his  hopeful,  encouraging 
words.  But  first  he  reminds  them  of  their  error  in 
disregarding  his  counsel  at  the  Fair  Havens.  This 
he  does,  not  to  reproach  them,  much  less  to  vaunt  his 
own  superior  wisdom,  but  to  give  them  a  basis  of 


confidence  in  his  present  comforting  assurances. 
"  Had  my  words  in  Crete  been  heeded,"  he  said,  "  ye 
would  have  been  spared  this  injury  and  loss.  But 
now,  even  in  this  crowning  hour  of  your  utter  ex- 
haustion and  hopelessness,  I  bid  you  be  of  good 
cheer ;  for  no  man  among  you  shall  perish  ! " 

And  then  he  announces  to  them  the  vision 
vouchsafed  to  him  in  the  night ;  how,  as  so  oft  be- 
fore in  his  own  crises  of  need,  the  angel  of  that  God 
whose  he  was  and  whom  he  served  had  stood  by 
him,  and  promised  him  a  gift  of  the  life  of  all  that 
sailed  with  him.  Under  these  circumstances  of 
helpless,  hopeless  peril,  how  strangely  solemn  the 
utterance  of  such  words  by  a  seemingly  obscure, 
frail  man!  With  what  intensity  of  marvel  must 
they  have  heard  his  simple  assertion  of  a  divine 
vision  and  of  a  pledge  so  adequate  for  hope  and 
cheer  even  in  this  awful  emergency !  His  God  had 
"ecognized  his  need  and  would  interpose  for  his  de- 
liverance. And  not  for  his  rescue  only,  but  for  his 
sake  in  a  strangeness  of  mercy  would  deliver  all  who 
sailed  with  him — would  bring  them  all  safely 
through  the  billows  now  gaping  wide  for  their  de- 
struction. And  their  faith  and  hope  in  these  strong, 
bright  words  of  promise  were  reenforced  by  Paul's 
own  grand  confession  of  trust  in  the  God  whose 
merciful  purpose  he  had  just  announced  to  them. 
How  must  the  souls  of  even  those  godless  men — 
Roman  soldiers,  Egyptian  sailors,  Jewish,  Greek,  and 
Oriental  passengers — then  have  been  moved  by  such 
steadfast,  invincible  assurance  so  calmly  expressed, 
in  tones  that  rang  clear  above  the  tempest  roar ! 

That  they  will  be  saved  by  his  God  is  not  Paul's 
mere  opinion.  There  is  a  mvst  be  here,  as  in  the 
24th  verse.  And  the  must,  in  both  cases,  expresses 
nothing  less  or  other  than  God's  purpose,  which  Paul 
knows  will  be  surely  fulfilled.  But  like  all  prophetic 
vision  and  announcement,  this  of  Paul  is  only  par- 
tial ;  it  reveals  no  detail  of  the  approaching  events. 
He  assures  them  of  all  that  he  knows.  Not  when, 
where,  or  how,  but  simply  that  all  shall  be  saved,  at 
some  unknown  time,  upon  a  certain  unknown  island. 
Only  the  ship  will  be  lost.  Therefore  be  cheerful 
and  trust  the  God  whom  I  serve — the  true  God !  So 
this  brave,  large-hearted  man  of  God,  who  by  fervent 
intercession  brought  blessing  upon  those  associated 
with  him,  impressed  their  hearts  with  the  sublime 
lesson  of  faith  in  God,  of  dependence  upon  his  pur- 
pose and  reliance  upon  his  promise,  even  in  respect 
of  that  which  was  most  improbable.     B. 


n 


178 


SECTION  232.— ACTS  27  :  27-U. 


Section    232. 

Acts  xxvii.  27-44. 

27  But  when  the  fourteenth  night  was  come,  as  we  were  driven  up  and  down  in  Adria, 

28  about  midnight  the  shipmen  deemed  that  they  drew  near  to  some  country ;  and  sounded, 
and  found  it  twenty  fathoms:  and  when  they  liad  gone  a  little  further,  they  sounded  again, 

29  and  found  it  fifteen  fathoms.    Then  fearing  lest  we  should  have  fallen  upon  rocks,  they  cast 

30  four  anchors  out  of  the  stern,  and  wished  for  the  day.  And  as  the  shipmen  were  about  to 
flee  out  of  the  ship,  when  they  had  let  down  the  boat  into  the  sea,  under  colour  as  though 

31  they  would  have  cast  anchors  out  of  the  foreship,  Paul  said  to  the  centurion  and  to  the 
82  soldiers.  Except  these  abide  in  the  ship,  ye  cannot  be  saved.     Then  the  soldiers  cut  off  the 

ropes  of  the  boat,  and  let  her  fall  off. 

33  And  while  the  day  was  coming  on,  Paul  besought  them  all  to  take  meat,  saying.  This  day 
is  the  fourteenth  day  that  ye  have  tarried  and  continued  fasting,  having  taken  nothing. 

34  Wherefore  I  pray  you  to  take  some  meat :  for  this  is  for  your  health  :  for  there  shall  not  an 

35  hair  fall  from  the  head  of  any  of  you.  And  when  he  had  thus  spoken,  he  took  bread,  and 
gave  thanks  to  God  in  presence  of  them  all :  and  when  he  had  broken  it,  he  began  to  eat. 

36  Then  were  they  all  of  good  cheer,  and  they  also  took  some  meat.     And  we  were  in  all  in 

37  the  ship  two  hundred  threescore  and  sixteen  souls.     And  when  they  had  eaten  enough, 

38  they  lightened  the  ship,  and  cast  out  the  wheat  into  the  sea. 

39  And  when  it  was  day,  they  knew  not  the  land :  but  they  discovered  a  certain  creek  with  a 

40  shore,  into  the  which  they  were  minded,  if  it  were  possible,  to  thrust  in  the  ship.  And 
when  they  had  taken  up  the  anchors,  they  committed  themselves  unto  the  sea,  and  loosed 

41  tlie  rudder  bands,  and  hoised  up  the  mainsail  to  the  wind,  and  made  toward  shore.  And 
falling  into  a  place  where  two  seas  met,  they  ran  the  ship  aground;  and  the  forepart  stuck 
fast,  and  remained  unmoveable,  but  the  hinder  part  was  broken  with  the  violence  of  the 

42  waves.     And  the  soldiers'  counsel  was  to  kill  the  prisoners,  lest  any  of  them  should  swim 

43  out,  and  escape.  But  the  centurion,  willing  to  save  Paul,  kept  them  from  iAaV  purpose; 
and  commanded  that  they  which  could  swim  should  cast  themselves  first  into  the  sea,  and 

44  get  to  land:  and  the  rest,  some  on  boards,  and  some  on  Irohen pieces  of  the  ship.  And  so 
it  came  to  pass,  that  they  escaped  all  safe  to  land. 


27-32.  How  the  Chief  Part  of  the  Fourteenth 
and  Last  Night  was  spent. — For  a  fortnight  the  ves- 
sel had  been  storm-stricken,  and  had  steadily  drifted 
westward  through  the  sea  of  Adria.  [Not  the  Adri- 
atic Qulf  but  that  part  of  the  Mediterranean  lying 
between  Greece  and  Sicily,  which  in  ancient  times 
was  called  the  Adriatic  Sea.]     B. 

A  gale  of  such  duration  is  by  no  means  unpre- 
cedented in  that  part  of  the  Mediterranean,  espe- 
cially toward  winter.  A  naval  officer  writes  thus : 
"In  October,  1839, 1  left  Malta  in  a  powerful  steam- 
frigate,  and  encountered  Exiroclydon  (or,  as  we  call 
it,  a  Levanter)  in  full  force.  We  were  four  days 
without  being  able  to  sit  down  at  table  to  a  meal, 
during  which  time  we  saw  '  neither  sun  nor  stars.' 
Being  charged  with  dispatches,  we  forced  the  vessel 
through,  though  with  much  injury.  Had  we  been  a 
mere  log  on  the  water,  like  Paul's  ship,  we  should 
have  drifted  '  many  days.'  "     H. 

At  midnight  the  sailors  inferred  that  some  land 
was  nearing  them.     (This  expression  accords  with 


their  notion  that  the  ship  was  the  chief  thing.) 
They  distinguished  the  peculiar  sound  made  by  the 
breaking  of  the  sea  against  and  over  hidden  rock- 
reefs.  The  upper  coast  line  of  the  eastern  portion 
of  Malta  (as  far  as  Koura  Point,  the  eastern  limit 
of  St.  Paul's  Bay)  runs  in  the  same  general  direction 
as  the  supposed  course  of  the  drifting  ship ;  so  that 
they  would  hear  the  hrealcers  for  a  considerable  dis- 
tance, yet  u'ould  not  strike  upon  them.  More  than 
this,  actual  measurements  taken  upon  the  supposed 
line  of  drift  correspond  precisely  with  the  sound- 
ings here  recorded  by  Luke. 

But  at  length  the  fear  of  striking  upon  hidden 
rocks  led  them  to  take  in  the  storm-sail  and  oar 
rudders,  and  to  cast  out  anchors  from  the  stern.    B. 

Ships  of  any  size  had  several  anchors ;   here 

we  have  four.  The  most  powerful  anclior,  the  "last 
hope,"  was  called  the  sacred  ;  and  we  may  well  sup- 
pose that  the  remembrance  of  the  night  when  his 
ship  rode  out  the  storm  in  the  Maltese  bay,  with  her 
straining  cables  passed  out  into  the  darkness,  sug- 


SECTION  232.— ACTS  27  :  27-U. 


179 


Nautical  (or  Geographical)  Milea 


Part  of  Island  of  Melita,  with  course  of  the  vessel,  point  of  anchorage,  and  place  of  beaching. 


gested  the  image  of  the  Christian's  sole  but  certain 
hope,  "  which  we  have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul, 
both  sure  and  stedfast,  and  which  entereth  into 
that  within  the  vail "  (Heb.  6  :  19).  The  ship  an- 
chored hy  the  stern,  not  only  as  the  best  means 
of  checking  her  course  and  preventing  her  swing- 
ing round  on  to  the  rocks,  but  to  be  in  readiness 
to  run  ashore  as  soon  as  daylight  enabled  them  to 
choose  a  proper  spot.  Nelson  anchored  his  fleet  by 
the  stern  both  at  the  Nile  and  Copenhagen ;  and, 
after  the  latter  battle,  he  stated  that  he  had  been 
thai  morning  reading  the  2lth  chapter  of  the  Ads. 
S.  &H. 

30-32.  Selfishness,  showing  itself  Cowardly,  De- 
ceitful, and  Inhuman,  frustrated  by  Paul. — The  sail- 
ors were  willing  to  leave  soldiers  and  passengers 
(utterly  helpless  without  them)  to  destruction ;  and 
they  used  a  natural  pretext  to  deceive  those  they 
would  desert.  But  Paul,  by  divine  suggestion,  dis- 
cerned their  purpose.  He  knew,  without  inspira- 
tion, that  the  soldiers  could  not  work  the  ship,  and 
that  without  miracle  all  could  not  be  saved.  Never 
in  any  contingency  depending  upon  a  miracle,  in  this 
exigency  he  speaks  the  right  word  to  the  right  per- 
sons. He  wastes  neither  time  nor  breath  by  appeal 
to  the  sailors.  He  simply  tells  the  soldiers  and 
their  commander  that  their  safety  is  impossible  if 


the  sailors  are  allowed  to  enter  the  small  boat  (now 
lowered  to  receive  them).  Very  promptly  the  sol- 
diers settle  the  matter  by  cutting  the  boat  adrift 
with  their  short,  sharp  swords.  Thus  compelled  to 
share  the  fate  of  all  on  board,  thenceforward  the 
self-interest  of  the  seamen  was  engaged  in  the  work 
of  saving  all. 

An  objector  to  the  doctrine  of  a  divine  purpose 
as  sovereignly  controlling  human  affairs  thinks  that 
he  finds  support  from  Paul's  two  positive  assertions, 
in  verses  22-24  and  31.  In  the  former,  the  apostle 
assures  all  of  safety,  and  affirms  this  to  be  God's 
purpose  and  promise.  In  the  latter,  he  declares  a 
certain  human  action  to  be  an  essential  condition  of 
such  safety.  As  one  important  point  in  answer  to 
such  objector,  mark  that  Paul  does  not,  in  the  for- 
mer case,  affirm  God's  purpose  to  be  unconditional, 
or  independent  of  human  acting ;  so  that  there  is 
no  contradiction  in  his  after-statement  concerning 
the  sailors  abiding  by  the  ship.  Mark  further,  that 
all  divine  purposes  respecting  human  experiences 
are  necessarily  connected  with,  and  so  far  dependent 
upon,  human  agencies  and  instrumentalities.  In 
the  case  before  us  the  connection  is  (supernaturally) 
disclosed,  and  we  sec  hoiu  God's  purpose  may  depend 
upon  men's  acting ;  and  we  also  may  see  that  such 
dependence  is  simply  part  of  (and  comprehended  in) 


180 


SECTION  232.— ACTS  27  :  27-U. 


His  broader,  all-inclusive  plan.  In  our  own  experi- 
ences, similar  in  principle  to  this,  we  can  not  always 
know  God's  purpose,  and  therefore  can  not  certain- 
ly discern  its  human  conditions  or  dependencies. 
Rightly  apprehended,  then,  these  two  utterances  of 
Paul  convey  needed  instruction,  while  enforcing 
trust  and  imparting  comfort.     B. 

33-38.  At  PauVs  Urgent  Request,  and  upon 
his  Renewed  Assurance  of  Safety,  they  all  take  Heat. 
The  Cargo  then  cast  out. — For  the  fourth  time  in 
this  memorable  voyage  and  tempest  (vs.  10,  21,  31) 
Paul  the  prisoner  comes  forward  as  the  counselor 
and   comforter  of  those  who   seemed  to  have  his 

life  and  liberty  at  their  disposal.     J.  A.  A. In 

the  first  faint  glimmer  of  the  dull  dawn,  he  goes 
among  the  exhausted  seamen  and  soldiers,  now  half 
famished  from  want  of  prepared  meals  for  a  fort- 
night, and  urges  them  to  take  a  full  supply  of  food. 
There  was  need  for  this  also  in  the  carrying  out  of 
God's  purpose  in  their  final  deliverance.  His  argu- 
ment is  their  health,  or  better,  their  safety.  The 
full  meal  would  strengthen  them  for  the  labor  of 
casting  out  the  cargo,  and  for  the  exposure  and 
fatigue  in  reaching  the  shore. 

Paul  sustains  his  appeal  by  his  renewed  assur- 
ance of  their  safety,  and  then  strengthens  it  by  the 
contagious  force  of  his  own  faith  and  example. 
Before  them  all,  first,  he  shows  his  own  trust  and 
loyalty  to  God  by  his  outspoken  thanks  to  Him. 
Then  he  eats  the  bread  for  which  he  has  given 
thanks.  And  this  grand  exhibition  of  unselfish 
humanity,  bf  undaunted  faith  and  courage,  with  his 
simple,  sublime  recognition  of  God's  mercy,  added 
to  all  his  previous  noble  acts  and  words,  constrained 
all  those  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  souls  to  cheer 
and  hopefulness ;  "  and  they  also  took  meat."  In 
this  humane  counsel  we  see  the  human  side  of  the 
Christian  gospel  finely  illustrated.  Christ's  apostle 
is  Christlike  in  his  thorough,  practical  sympathy 
with  bodily  needs.  He  shows  God  to  these  heathen 
souls  as  the  carer  for  their  bodies  and  the  giver  of 
their  daily  bread ;  and  by  exemplifying  a  grateful 
spirit,  helps  to  awaken  it  in  their  hearts. 

Thus  refreshed  in  spirit  and  invigorated  in  body, 
as  their  final  preparation  for  the  morning's  attempt 
to  beach  the  vessel,  with  the  first  dawn  they  all — 
sailors,  soldiers,  and  passengers — proceeded  to  cast 
out  the  cargo  of  wheat  into  the  sea.  This  freight 
was  untouched  so  long  as  there  was  a  possibility  of 
saving  the  vessel.  Now  that  vessel  and  freight 
must  be  lost,  the  casting  out  of  the  latter  may  "  en- 
able them  by  a  lighter  draught  of  water  either  to  run 
into  any  small  harbor,  or  at  least  closer  in  with  the 
dry  laud,  should  they  be  obliged  to  run  the  ship  on 
the  rocks  or  beach."  The  same  writer  (Admiral 
Penrose)  suggests  yet  another  probable  reason  for 
throwing  the  wheat  overboard.      "From  the  ship 


[  having  been  so  long  pressed  down  on  one  side,  the 
cargo  had  shifted,  so  that  the  ship  heeled  to  that 
side.  To  bring  her  upright,  and  enable  her  to  be 
more  accurately  steered  and  navigated  toward  the 
land  at  daybreak,  it  would  be  useful  to  throw  out  as 
much  of  the  wheat  as  time  allowed." 

39-41.  An  Inlet  discovered  into  lohieh  they  enters 
and  run  the  Ship  aground. — At  broad  daylight,  the 
sailors  saw  before  them  a  bay  with  a  smooth  beach. 
Into  this  bay  and  upon  this  beach  they  decide  "  to 
thrust  the  ship."  Three  things,  in  way  of  prepara- 
tion, were  simultaneously  done  by  the  skilled  Alex- 
andrian mariners:  1.  77iey  cut  the  anchor  cables 
and  left  the  aiichors  in  the  sea.  (Our  version  is  quite 
astray  here.)  There  was  no  object  in  saving  the 
anchors,  and  they  needed  to  economize  both  time 
and  labor.  So  "  they  committed  them  "  (the  anchors) 
"  unto  the  sea."  2.  TJiey  loosed  the  rudder  bands. 
They  did  not,  as  some  readers  understand  it,  cut  the 
ropes  that  managed  the  rudders,  but  the  lashings  by 
which  these  oar  rudders  were  fastened,  after  being 
drawn  up  out  of  the  water.  B. The  ships  of  the  an- 
cients were  not  steered,  like  ours,  by  a  single  rudder 
hinged  on  at  the  stern,  but  by  a  pair  of  broad-bladed 
oars  or  paddles,  each  acting  in  a  rowlock  or  through 
a  port-hole,  according  as  the  ship  was  small  or  large. 
Traces  of  the  two  rudders  are  found  in  the  time  of 
Louis  IX. ;  and  the  hinged  rudder  first  appears  on 
the  coins  of  King  Edward  IV.  Hence  the  steering 
apparatus  of  the  ancient  ships  was  named  in  the 
plural.  In  the  case  before  us,  when  four  anchors 
were  let  go  at  the  stern,  it  would  of  course  be  neces- 
sary to  lash  or  trice  up  both  paddles,  lest  they 
should  interfere  with  the  ground-tackle.  When  the 
ship  had  to  be  steered  again,  and  the  cables  were 
cut,  the  lashings  of  the  paddles  would  of  course  be 

unfastened.     S. 3.  They  hoisted  up  the  foresail 

to  the  wind.  Not  the  mainsail,  which  with  its  yard 
and  heavy  gear  had  already  been  thrown  overboard. 
"  This  artemon  was  the  foresail,  carried  on  a  small 
foremast,  which  may  be  seen  raking  over  the  bow  in  . 
representations  of  ships  on  Roman  coins."  The  fore- 
sail thus  set  would  enable  them  "  to  steer  freely,  to 
steady  the  vessel's  course,  and  to  press  her  farther 
on  upon  the  l.and.''^  In  this  connection  Dr.  Howson 
cites  the  following  from  a  letter  in  the  London 
"Times"  of  December  5,  1855  :  "The  Lord  Raglan 
(merchant-ship)  is  on  shore,  but  taken  there  in  a 
most  sailor-like  manner.  Directly  her  captain  found 
he  could  not  save  her,  he  cut  away  his  mainmast  and 
mizzen,  and,  setting  a  topsail  on  Iter  foremast,  ran  her 
ashore  stem  on."     B. 

Thus  they  drove  right  ashore,  stem  on,  and  the 
bow  stuck  fast  on  the  muddy  beach.     But  then  it 
proved  that  the  spot  they  had  mistaken  for  the  bot- 
tom of  a  creek  was  at  the  mouth  of  the  little  strait    ' 
separating  the  islet  of  Salmonetta  from  the  main 


SECTIOF  232.— ACTS  27  :  27-U' 


181 


land,  "  a  place  where  two  seas  met."  The  swell  of 
the  open  sea,  rolling  in  from  the  north  through  this 
channel,  dashed  the  hinder  part  of  the  ship  to  pieces ; 
but  the  fore  part,  fixed  "  upright  and  immovable," 
afforded  a  refuge  to  the  voyagers  while  preparing  to 
escape  to  shore.     S. 

The  rocks  of  Malta  disintegrate  into  extremely 
minute  particles  of  sand  and  clay,  which  form  a 
deposit  of  tenacious  clay  and  mud.  A  ship,  there- 
fore, impelled  by  the  force  of  the  gale  into  a 
creek  with  a  bottom  such  as  has  been  described, 
would  strike  a  bottom  of  mud,  into  which  the  fore 
part  woula  fix  itself  and  be  held  fast,  while  the 
stem  was  exposed  to  the  force  of  the  waves.  J. 
Smith. 

The  island  was  imquestionably  Malta  ;  and  it  is 
almost  equally  certain  that  the  scene  of  the  ship- 


wreck was  that  to  which  local  tradition  has  given 
the  name  of  St.  FauPs  Bay,  on  the  northeast  coast 
of  the  island.  The  direction  of  the  ship's  head 
when  she  lay  to  off  Clauda,  and  her  estimated  rate 
of  drift,  were  just  such  as  to  carry  her  to  Malta  in 
the  fourteen  days,  and  she  could  make  St.  Paul's 
Bay  without  first  touching  any  other  part  of  the 
island,  which  from  this  point  trends  to  the  south- 
east. A  glance  at  the  chart  is  of  itself  enough  to 
show  how  her  course  was  guided  by  that  special 
providence  which  so  plainly  announced  itself  to  Paul. 
The  ship  was  borne  in  the  darkness  so  near  to 
Koura  Point,  the  southeast  headland  of  the  bay, 
that  the  breakers  striking  its  rocks  gave  the  warn- 
ing to  anchor  just  in  time  to  avoid  striking  on  the 
opposite  shore ;  and  the  soundings  are  precisely  those 
mentioned  in  the  narrative.     She  anchored  off  the 


St.  Paul's  Bay,  Malta.    Salmonetta  in  the  distance. 


east  point  of  the  islet  of  Salmonetta,  which  would 
appear  from  that  point  of  view  to  join  the  mainland, 
with  its  beach  of  sand  or  mud.     S. 

42-44.  The  Prisoners  saved  by  the  Centurion, 
and  all  escape  to  the  Zand. — The  stem  strictness  of 
Roman  discipline  is  seen  in  the  soldiers'  counsel  to 

kill  the  prisoners.    B. Their  plan,  unlike  that  of 

the  sailors  (v.  30),  was  not  to  save  their  own  lives, 
but  to  fulfill  their  trust  as  guards  over  the  prisoners. 
It  was  more  in  accordance  with  their  notions  of  mili- 
tary honor  and  discipline  to  kill  the  prisoners  than 
to  suffer  them  to  escape  by  swimming  to  shore. 
This  would  imply  that  the  soldiers  themselves  scarce- 
ly expected  to  escape.     Such  stern  fideUty  had  made 

the  Romans  conquerors  of  the  world.    Piddle. 

Here  Paul  is  only  the  occasion  of  the  fulfillment  of 
God's  announced  purpose  of  saving  all.  Julius  is 
God's  instrument,  and  that  through  his  own  acting, 
under  the  natural  impulse  of  his  friendly  feeling  for 
Paul.  Another  equally  instmctive  illustration  of 
the  coworking  (without  sign  of  conflict  or  difficulty) 


of  God's  purpose  and  agency  with  man's.  For 
Paul's  sake  the  centurion  spared  all  the  prisoners, 
and  so  contributed  to  the  accomplishment  of  God's 
purpose,  and  for  the  same  Paul's  sake  God  had 
spared  centurion  and  soldiers.     B. 


It  is  better  for  all  in  the  ship  that  they  have  a 
Paul  on  board,  hastening  to  execute  God's  commis- 
sion on  the  earth,  than  to  have  a  Jonah  fleeing  from 
his  work,  and  hiding  from  his  Master.  It  was  God's 
will  that  this  messenger  should  publish  the  gospel  in 
Rome ;  and  his  purpose  shall  stand.  The  tumults  of 
the  people  had  already  been  stilled ;  and  now  the 
waves  of  the  sea  must  hear  and  obey  the  same  Di- 
vine command.  Neither  tumult  will  be  permitted 
to  swallow  up  the  "  chosen  vessel,"  until  it  has  dis- 
charged  its  precious  burden  on  the  appointed  spot. 
Arnot. 

When  Dr.  Chalmers  wished  to  preach  a  sermon 
on  a  topic  on  which  all  men  have  to  think,  on  which 
all  churches  have  opinions,  and  which  has  sadly  suf- 


182 


SECTION  233.— ACTS  28  : 1-15. 


fered  from  irreverent  and  injudicious  handling, 
namely,  Predestination,  he  selected  the  31st  verse  in 
connection  with  the  22d.  He  proceeds  to  show  that 
there  is  no  contradiction  between  the  two  statements, 
that  God's  decree  is  carried  out  by  means,  and  in- 
cludes the  means ;  that  when  he  settled  the  security 
of  the  two  hundred  and  seventy-six  lives,  he  settled 
also  that  the  sailors  should  be  at  their  posts ;  that 
their  duties  should  be  done ;  that  at  the  critical  time 
they  should  "  lighten  the  ship,"  "  take  up  the  an- 
chor," run  before  the  wind  and  "  loose  the  rudder 
bands,"  hoist  up  the  sail  to  the  wind,  and  so  run  hei 
"  aground  " ;  that  they  who  could  swim  should  swim, 
and  the  rest,  as  they  best  could,  "  escape  safe  to 
land."    And  even  so,  argues  the  great  preacher,  no 


certainty  of  assurance  as  to  the  result,  no  decree  of 
God,  even  if  we  certainly  knew  it,  is  to  diminish  one 
jot  of  that  zeal,  industry,  and  diligence,  in  the  use 
of  means  which  the  Lord  contemplates  in  the  decree, 
and  will  not  permit  us  to  disregard.  His  people  do 
come  to  eternal  life — "they  shall  never  perish" 
(John  10 :  28) ;  but  it  is  not  by  apathy,  and  neglect 
of  the  fitting,  appointed  means,  but  through  repen- 
tance toward  God,  and  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus.  And 
what  was  true  in  the  perils  of  the  sea  is  just  as 
true  in  that  more  momentous  voyage  on  which  we 
embarked  the  day  we  were  bom,  of  which  the  end  is 
to  be  safety  in  the  haven  of  eternal  rest,  or  a  ship- 
wreck of  the  soul,  terrible  beyond  description  or 
conception.    /.  Hall. 


Section  233. 


Acts  xxviii.  1-15. 


1  AxD  "when  they  were  escaped,  then  they  knew  that  the  island  was  called  Melita.    And 

2  the  barbarous  people  shewed  us  no  little  kindness :  for  they  kindled  a  fire,  and  received  us 

3  every  one,  because  of  the  present  rain,  and  because  of  the  cold.  And  when  Paul  had  gath- 
ered a  bundle  of  sticks,  and  laid  them  on  the  fire,  there  came  a  viper  out  of  the  heat,  and 

4  fastened  on  his  hand.  And  when  the  barbarians  saw  the  venomous  beast  hang  on  his  hand, 
they  said  among  themselves,  No  doubt  this  man  is  a  murderer,  whom,  though  he  hath 

5  escaped  the  sea,  yet  vengeance  suffereth  not  to  live.     And  he  shook  off  the  beast  into  the 

6  fire,  and  felt  no  harm.  Howbeit  they  looked  when  he  should  have  swollen,  or  fallen  down 
dead  suddenly :  but  after  they  had  looked  a  great  while,  and  saw  no  harm  come  to  him, 
they  changed  their  minds,  and  said  that  he  was  a  god. 

7  In  the  same  quarters  were  possessions  of  the  chief  man  of  the  island,  whose  name  was 

8  Publius ;  who  received  us,  and  lodged  us  three  days  courteously.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that 
the  father  of  Publius  lay  sick  of  a  fever  and  of  a  bloody  flux :  to  whom  Paul  entered  in,  and 

9  prayed,  and  laid  his  hands  on  him,  and  healed  him.     So  when  this  was  done,  others  also, 

10  which  had  diseases  in  the  island,  came,  and  were  healed:  who  also  honoured  us  with  many 
honours ;  and  when  we  departed,  they  laded  us  with  such  things  as  were  necessary. 

11  And  after  three  months  we  departed  in  a  ship  of  Alexandria,  which  had  wintered  in  the 

12  isle,  whose  sign  was  Castor  and  Pollux.     And  landing  at  Syracuse,  we  tarried  there  three 

13  days.     And  from  thence  we  fetched  a  compass,  and  came  to  Rhegium :  and  after  one  day 

14  the  south  wind  blew,  and  we  came  the  next  day  to  Puteoli :  where  we  found  brethren,  and 

15  were  desired  to  tarry  with  them  seven  days :  and  so  we  went  toward  Eome.  And  from 
thence,  when  the  brethren  heard  of  us,  they  came  to  meet  us  as  far  as  Appii  Forum,  and 
The  three  taverns :  whom  when  Paul  saw,  he  thanked  God,  and  took  courage. 


We  all  know  one  who  was  known  to  stand  very  high  in  Christ's  divine  regards,  and  who  for  eighteen 
hundred  years  has  stood  very  high  in  the  regard,  affection,  admiration  of  the  whole  Christian  world— and 
this  is  a  description  of  his  ordinary  hfe :  "  In  weariness  and  painf ulness,  in  watchings  often,  in  hunger 
and  thirst,  in  fastings  often,  in  cold  and  nakedness."  It  was  not  every  day  that  companies  of  friends 
came  to  meet  him,  so  that  he  could  "  thank  God  and  take  courage."  But  every  day  found  him  on  the 
road  ;  and  although  he  was  not  always  what  you  would  call  "happy,"  yet  keeping  his  uprightness,  keep- 
ing his  "  good  conscience  toward  God  and  man,"  and  his  life-purpose  unbroken,  in  the  habit  of  a  noble 
self-sacrifice,  giving  all  his  days  and  all  his  being  to  Christ,  he  certainly  went  along  a  path  of  light,  that 


SECTION  233.— ACTS  28  : 1-15. 


183 


shone  more  and  more  unto  his  perfect  day.  If  we  read  our  lives  in  the  light  of  his — to  say  nothing  at 
present  of  the  yet  grander  and  purer  life  after  which  his  was  fashioned,  and  from  which  all  its  inspiration 
came — we  shall  see  what  a  poor  thing  it  is  to  be  always  hankering  after  happiness :  and  what  a  noble 
thing  it  is  to  keep  the  line  of  duty !  And  what  a  safe  thing  it  is,  by  God's  grace,  to  settle  the  whole  being 
in  uprightness ;  for  "  unto  the  upright,"  be  they  of  high  or  low  degree,  "  light  ariseth  in  the  darkness."  A.  R 


1,  2.  The  island.  That  this  island,  here 
called  Mclita,  was  the  modem  Ilalta,  can  not  well 
be  doubted.  The  positive  reasons  for  the  common 
beUef  as  to  the  place  of  the  shipwreck  are,  that  the 
traditional  evidence  sustains  it ;  that  Malta  lies  in 
the  track  of  a  vessel  driven  by  a  northeast  wind ; 
that  the  reputed  locality  of  the  wreck  agrees  with 
Luke's  account ;  that  the  Alexandrian  ship  in  which 
they  reembarked  would  very  naturally  winter  there ; 
and  that  the  subsequent  course  of  the  voyage  to 
Puteoli  is  that  which  a  vessel  would  pursue  in  going 
from  Malta.     Hackett. 

Independent  calculations  made  by  several  ex- 
perienced naval  oflBcers  as  to  the  rate  at  which  a 
ship  would  drive  before  the  wind  in  such  a  storm  as 
that  described  above,  agree  almost  exactly  in  the 
singular  conclusion  that  the  vessel,  on  the  fifteenth 
morning  after  leaving  Crete,  must  have  been  pre- 
cisely where  tradition  has  assigned  the  place  of  the 
apostle's  shipwreck.     J.  A.  A. 

The  native  islanders  were  of  Phenician  descent. 
Using  neither  the  Greek  nor  Latin  languages  and 
customs,  then  dominant  over  the  civilized  world, 
they  would  be  classed  as  barbarians.  So  Luke  em- 
ploys the  term ;  and  Paul  also  comprehends  all 
mankind  under  the  distinction  of  Greeks  and  bar- 
barians. "  And  to  this  day  the  African  coast  over 
against  this  island  is  called  Barbary."  But  this 
"  barbarous  people  "  showed  the  higher  refinement 
of  a  genuine  courtesy  and  hospitality  in  their  cor- 
dial reception  and  care  of  the  shipwrecked  passen- 
gers and  crew. 

3-6.  The  Dmihle  Misjudffment  of  the  Islanders 
concerning  Paul  when  bitten  by  the  Viper. — Paul 
was  again  illustrating  the  practical  side  of  Chris- 
tianity by  taking  his  share  in  the  necessary  work  of 
gathering  materials  for  fire.  In  this  he  only  exem- 
plified Christ's  word  about  the  greatness  of  serving. 
Soon  after  laying  his  armful  of  sticks  upon  the 
flame  a  poisonous  viper  thrust  itself  up,  and,  fasten- 
ing its  fangs  upon  Paul's  hand,  swung  its  whole 
body  clear  of  the  heating  wood.  It  was  roused 
from  a  torpid  state  to  sudden  activity  by  the  in- 
tense heat.  The  sharp-eyed  natives  saw  the  reptile 
hanging  from  the  apostle's  hand.  They  knew  that 
the  poisoned  fangs,  by  which  only  it  could  hang, 
were  bedded  in  the  hand  ;  and  they  knew  the  viru- 
lence of  the  poison  now  in  contact  with  the  life- 
blood.  Inferring  nothing  else  but  Paul's  instant 
death,  with  an  instinctive  feeling  of  natural  retribu- 


tion for  crime,  they  count  the  viper  a  Nemesis,  a  re- 
venger of  blood.  "  This  man  is  doubtless  a  mur- 
derer," they  say  to  each  other,  "  whom  justice  still 
is  tracking  and  hath  found,  even  after  his  deliver- 
ance from  the  sea."     B. This  is  the  very  basis 

of  all  natural  religion ;  the  idea  of  the  connection 
between  guilt  and  retribution.  In  some  form  or 
other  it  underlies  all  mythologies.  The  sleepless, 
never-dying  avenger  of  wrong;  the  Nemesis  who 
presides  over  retribution ;  the  vengeance  which 
suffereth  not  the  murderer  to  live  ;  the  whips  and 
scorpions  of  the  Furies — it  seems  the  first  instinct 

of  religion.    F.  W.  R. But  they  erred,  as  the 

ignorant  and  superstitious  always  err,  in  limiting 
the  agency  and  sphere  of  retribution  to  this  life, 
and  in  taking  the  actual  experience  of  calamity  as 
proof  of  guilt. 

Luke's  narrative  seems  to  imply  that  Paul  had 
suffered  the  reptile  to  hang  for  a  moment.  Yet, 
while  they  were  speaking  about  him,  Paul  quietly 
shook  it  off  into  the  fire,  "  and  suffered  no  harm." 
Then  for  a  long  time  the  islanders  continued  to 
watch  him  closely,  expecting  to  see  the  natural 
effects  of  such  an  envenomed  bite,  in  sudden  in- 
flammation and  death.  But  when  the  result  dis- 
proved their  previous  notion,  they  went  to  another 
extreme  of  misjudgment.  Now  Paul  was  a  serpent- 
charmer,  and  to  these  people  of  Oriental  origin  an 
object  himself  of  worship  as  possessing  the  power 
of  miracle.  This  conclusion,  like  the  other,  was  not 
so  much  out  of  the  way  for  men  untaught  in  any 
principles  of  true  religion.  For  there  was  a  miracle 
enacted  here;  and  none  but  a  divine  power  could 
enact  it.  Paul  was  the  only  being  that  they  knew 
to  be  concerned  with  the  transaction.  The  poison 
had  been  injected  into  his  veins,  and  he  had  been 
unharmed  by  it.     He  must  possess  divine  power. 

We  remember  that  the  Lystrans  exactly  reversed 
this  process  of  judgment  about  Paul.  They  first 
counted  him  worthy  of  worship  and  then  of  death. 
The  Maltese  first  judge  him  deserving  of  death,  and 
afterward  of  worship.  Both  judgments  are  mis- 
taken. Instead  of  being  a  murderer  or  a  god,  he  is, 
as  Bengel  quaintly  suggests,  a  man  of  God.  As 
these  islanders  went  no  further  than  uitei-ing  their 
impression  of  Paul's  divinity,  the  apostle  took  no 
notice  of  their  mere  notion.  He  knew  that  their 
error  would  soon  be  corrected  by  the  events.  As 
always,  however,  he  utilized  the  influence  it  gave 
him,  by  exemplifying  still  more  the  Godlike  spirit 


184 


SECTION  233.— ACTS  28  : 1-15. 


of  his  Master  as  well  as  by  transferring  to  Christ 
all  claim  and  right  to  true  Deity. 

7-9.  The  Hospital  1(1/  of  Fublius,  and  PauVs 
Return  of  Kindness  to  all  in  a  Large  Ministry  of 
Healing. — Publius  is  here  called  the  first  man  or 
primate.  The  reference  is  neither  to  his  birth, 
rank,  nor  wealth,  since  his  father  would  be  his  supe- 
rior. By  inscriptions  (in  Greek  and  Latin)  upon  a 
stone  pillar  in  Malta,  discovered  1747,  it  seems  to 
refer  to  an  established  official  title.  He  was,  prob- 
ably, the  legate  of  the  praetor  of  Sicily,  to  which 
province  Malta  belonged. 

The  three  days'  hospitality  of  Publius  was  well 
repaid  by  Paul  in  the  miraculous  healing  of  the  fa- 
ther. Concerning  the  Greek  term  dysentery  here 
used  by  Luke,  Dr.  Hackett  has  this  note :  "  No 
other  writer  of  the  New  Testament  exhibits  this 
sort  of  technical  precision  in  speaking  of  diseases. 
The  disorder  with  which  the  father  of  Publius  was 
affected  was  dysentery  combined  with  fever.  It  was 
formerly  asserted  that  a  dry  climate,  like  that  of 
Malta,  would  not  produce  such  a  disorder,  but  we 
have  now  the  testimony  of  physicians  resident  in 
that  island,  that  it  is  by  no  means  uncommon  there 
at  the  present  day." 

Yet  more  effectually  was  Paul  introduced  and 
authenticated  as  God's  true  messenger  by  this  sig- 
nal marvel  of  cure.  In  this  and  the  previous  inci- 
dent of  the  viper,  we  find  a  remarkable  verification 
of  Christ's  promise  (Mk.  16  :  18).  And  it  would 
seem  that  the  three  months  which  followed  were 
filled  up  with  a  double  Christlike  ministry  of  heal- 
ing and  preaching  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom. 

10.  Grateful  Returns  from  the  Islanders  attest 
the  Success  of  his  Ministry. — "  They  honored  us, 
and  they  laded  us ! "  Luke  writes.  Neither  honors 
nor  gifts  were  bestowed  in  any  wise  as  remuneration 
for  the  healing  or  the  ministry  of  Paul.  Nor  were 
they  other  than  he  might  properly  receive.  The 
hearts  of  these  barbarians  had  been  intensely  moved 
by  the  kind  and  unselfish  ministries  of  these  Chris- 
tian missionaries.  They  naturally  desired  to  recip- 
rocate 80  great  favors.  The  honors  they  rendered 
could  be  no  more  than  simple  attentions  and  tokens 
of  respect  and  gratitude.  The  gifts  were  things  ne- 
cessary for  their  supply  and  comfort  in  the  further 
voyage;  some  of  which  they  had  lost  in  the  ship- 
wreck. And  the  statement  indicates  that  outward 
honors  and  benefits,  if  bestowed  with  a  right  spirit, 
may  be  accepted  and  enjoyed,  if  received  with  the 
same  spirit.     B. 

In  what  a  great  variety  of  places  and  circum- 
stances do  we  find  Paul !  Here  we  have  him  in  an 
island,  to  which  in  all  probability  ho  had  never  come 
if  he  had  not  been  thrown  upon  it  by  a  storm ;  and 
yet  it  seems  God  has  work  for  him  to  do  here. 
Even  stormy  winds  fulfill  God's  counsel ;  and  an  ill 


wind  indeed  it  is  that  blows  nobody  any  good.  His 
ill  wind  blew  good  to  the  island  of  Melita,  for  it 
gave  them  Paul's  company  for  three  months,  who 
was  a  blessing  to  every  place  he  came  to.    Henry. 

11-15.  The  Further  Voyage  and  Journey  to 
Rome. — ^After  three  months'  detention  at  Malta, 
early  in  February,  a.  d.  61,  Julius  and  his  prisoners 
sailed  in  another  Alexandrian  ship,  "  that  had  win- 
tered in  the  isle."  Castor  and  Pollux,  the  name  or 
sign  of  this  vessel,  were  twin  heroes,  sons  of  Jupi- 
ter and  favorite  gods  of  the  Greek  and  Roman 
sailors.  Their  images  were  either  set  as  a  figure- 
head, or  painted  or  carved  on  each  side  of  the  prow. 

Their  first  stopping-place  was  Syracuse,  the  chief 
city  of  the  province  of  Sicily,  eighty  miles  distant 
(east  of  north).  Here  they  tarried  three  days  for 
purposes  of  trade.  Thence  they  "  made  a  circuit," 
or  beat  up  (as  Mr.  J.  Smith  explains  the  term)  to 
Rhegium,  eighty  miles  farther.  This  seaport  of 
Italy,  now  called  Reggio,  lies  upon  the  promontory 
at  the  south  entrance  of  the  straits  of  Messina. 
After  one  day's  detention,  a  fair  south  wind  carried 
them  swiftly  northward  one  hundred  and  eighty 

miles  to  Puteoli.     B. At  the  rate  of  seven  knots 

an  hour,  the  passage  would  be  accomplished  in  about 
twenty-six  hours,  which  agrees  perfectly  with  the 
account  of  Luke,  who  says  that,  after  leaving  Rhe- 
gium, they  came  "iAe  next  day''''  to  Puteoli.  Before 
the  close  of  the  first  day  they  would  see  on  the  left 
the  volcanic  cone  and  smoke  of  Stromboli,  the  near- 
est of  the  Liparian  islands.  In  the  course  of  the 
night  they  would  have  neared  that  projecting  part 
of  the  mainland  which  forms  the  southern  limit  of 
the  bay  of  Salerno.  Sailing  across  the  wide  open- 
ing of  this  gulf,  they  would,  in  a  few  hours,  enter 
that  other  bay,  the  bay  of  Naples,  in  the  northern 
part  of  which  Puteoli  was  situated.  Its  south- 
eastern limit  is  the  promontory  of  Minerva,  with  the 
island  of  Caprea  opposite,  which  is  so  associated 
with  the  memory  of  Tiberius,  that  its  cliffs  still 
seem  to  rise  from  the  blue  waters  as  a  monument  of 
hideous  vice  tn  the  midst  of  the  fairest  scenes  of 
nature.  The  opposite  boundar)'  was  the  promontory 
of  Misenum,  where  one  of  the  imperial  fleets  lay  at 
anchor  under  the  shelter  of  the  islands  of  Ischia 
and  Procida.  In  the  intermediate  space  the  Cam- 
panian  coast  curves  round  in  the  loveliest  forms, 
with  Vesuvius  as  the  prominent  feature  of  the  view. 
But  here  one  difference  must  be  marked  between 
Paul's  day  and  our  own.  The  angry  neighbor  of 
Naples  was  not  then  an  unsleeping  volcano,  but  a 
green  and  sunny  background  to  the  bay,  with  its 
westward  slope  covered  with  vines.  And  little  did 
the  apostle  dream,  when  he  looked  from  the  ves- 
sel's deck  across  the  bay  to  the  right,  that  a  ruin, 
like  that  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  hung  over  the 
fair  cities  at  the  base  of  the  mountain,  and  that  the 


SECTION  233.— ACTS  S8  : 1-15. 


186 


Jewish  princess,  who  had  so  lately  conversed  with 
him  in  his  prison  at  Cesarca,  would  find  her  tomb 
in  that  ruin,  with  the  child  she  had  borne  to  Felix. 
In  this  wide  and  sunny  expanse  of  blue  waters,  no 
part  was  calmer  or  more  beautiful  than  the  recess 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  bay,  between  Baise  and 
Puteoli.  Baiee  was  a  place  of  resort  for  the  invalids 
and  fashionable  idlers  of  Rome.  Puteoli,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  this  inner  bay,  was  the  Liverpool 
of  Italy.  Between  them  was  that  inclosed  reach  of 
water,  called  the  Lucrine  Lake,  which  contained  the 


From  Melita  to  Rome. 

oyster  beds  for  the  luxurious  tables  of  Rome.  Still 
farther  inland  was  that  other  calm  basin,  the  Lacus 
Avernus,  which  an  artificial  passage  connected  with 
the  former,  and  thus  converted  into  a  harbor.  Not 
far  beyond  was  Cumse,  once  a  flourishing  Greek  city, 
but  when  the  apostle  visited  this  coast,  a  decayed 
country  town,  famous  only  for  the  recollections  of 
the  Sibyl.     H. 

At  PuteoU  the  voyage  was  completed,  and  here 
they  found  brethren,  unnamed  disciples,  with  whom 


(the  centurion  consenting)  they  seem  to  have  tarried 
seven  days  for  rest  and  Christian  converse.  By 
this  delay  the  news  of  Paul's  arrival  was  communi- 
cated to  the  Christians  of  Rome,  so  that  they  could 
send  a  double  deputation  to  meet  him  on  the  jour- 
ney thither.  That  journey  lay  for  the  most  part 
over  the  Appian  Way.  This  was  the  oldest  and 
most  noted  of  the  Roman  roads,  the  great  line  of 
communication  (from  the  south)  with  the  Eternal 
City.  It  was  constructed  three  centuries  before 
Christ  by  the  censor  Appius  Claudius.  Upon  a 
foundation  of  concrete,  large  blocks  of  basaltic  lava 
were  so  closely  fitted  and  cemented  as  to  resemble 
a  natural  rock  formation.  Besides  the  milestones 
marking  the  whole  distance,  post-stations  for  relays 
of  horses  and  for  the  comfort  of  travelers  were 
established  every  twenty  miles.  Five  hundred 
years  after  Christ,  "  notwithstanding  the  traffic  of 
so  many  ages,  the  stones  were  not  displaced,  nor 
had  they  lost  their  original  smoothness." 

At  two  well-known  stations  on  this  road — Appii 
Forum,  forty-three  miles  from  Rome,  and  the  Three 
Taverns,  ten  miles  nearer  the  city — Paul  and  his 
company  were  met  and  warmly  welcomed  by  depu- 
tations from  the  Roman  Church.  Of  the  origin  and 
founding  of  this  Church  we  have  no  information. 
Three  years  before  Paul  had  written  to  its  members 
his  grand  Epistle,  expressing  his  strong  desire  to 
come  among  them.  And  now  this  fervent  greeting, 
the  first  he  had  ever  received  in  advance  of  his 
coming,  deeply  moved  the  apostle's  heart.  Here 
was  the  proof  of  a  great  work  that  God  had 
wrought  in  the  world's  capital,  and  the  earnest  of 
a  yet  larger  work,  in  which  God  would  employ  his 
ministry,  and  concerning  which  Christ  had  already 
given  him  an  assurance  of  success.  Therefore, 
with  glad  and  hopeful  spirit,  this  trusting,  brave 
apostle,  as  he  grasped  these  welcoming  hands, 
thanked  God,  and  took  courage  !     B. 

From  the  point  of  the  present  he  looks  backward 
and  forward.  All  the  past  of  his  life  he  seems  to 
count  only  a  preparation  ;  his  work  lies  still  before 
him.  It  is  a  beautiful  character  that  is  displayed 
here  in  two  great  hemispheres :  for  the  past  it  is 
devout  gratitude;  for  the  future,  filial  confidence. 
For  the  future  this  true,  bold  man  took  not  comfort 

but  courage.     Arnot. How  can  we  help   being 

touched  by  such  incidents  as  this  ?  They  set  this 
great  hero  and  champion  of  the  faith  before  us  as  a 
man  of  like  passions  with  ourselves.  He  feels  as 
we  should  have  felt.  He  is  dejected  and  inspirited 
by  the  very  causes  which  tell  on  us.  Like  us  he 
sees  all  things  in  "  hues  borrowed  from  the  heart." 
God  is  not  nearer  to  him  nor  more  truly  with 
him  now  that  he  has  reached  Appii  Forum,  or 
the  Three  Taverns,  than  he  was  before  ;  his  chains 
are  not  removed;  the  soldiers   still  surround  and 


186 


SECTION  ^34.— ACTS  28  :  16-31. 


watch  him :  but  he  has  met  attached  and  pitying 
friends,  and  his  chains  grow  lighter,  and  their  love 
deepens  the  sense  of  God's  love  within  his  soul. 
Cox. 

And  through  all  the  brief  remaining  journey,  as 
he  passed  along  the  great  Appian  Way,  retinued  by 
this  humble  band  of  Christian  disciples,  and  as  at 
length  a  conqueror  for  Christ,  though  a  prisoner, 
he  passed  through  that  memorable  gateway  of  tri- 
umphal entrance  by  crowned  victors,  how  must  that 
word  of  Christ,  spoken  in  the  prison  of  Antonia, 
have  cheered   and   strengthened  his    heroic  soul : 

Thou  nuist  bear  loitness  of  me  at  Rome!    B. 

"  And  so  we  came  to  Rome."  In  such  a  manner  as 
this  Paul  had  not  thought  to  come  to  Rome ;  the 
goal  was  reached,  but  by  what  a  different  road  from 
that  which  he  proposed !  For  this  end  had  the 
Roman  chief  captain  torn  him  from  the  hands  of 
the  Jews  ;  for  this  had  an  unscrupulous  governor 
violated,  in  regard  to  him,  that  justice  which  he  now 
must  seek  before  a  higher  tribunal ;  for  this,  then, 
had  all  the  hatred  of  his  foes  been  constrained  to 
cooperate  for  the  fulfillment  of  his  ardent  desire. 


And  now  at  last  his  feet  stand  within  the  gates  of 
pagan  Rome ;  he  comes  accused  as  a  malefactor, 
but  yet  one  to  whom  the  opportunity  of  freely  de- 
daring  the  gospel  shall  not  at  first  be  wanting. 
Perhaps  he  would  himself  have  desired  this  crisis 
to  have  arrived  earlier,  but  the  Lord's  hour  only 
struck  now,  and  at  the  close  we  see  that  it  was  best 
thus.  The  Euroclydon  had  damaged  his  vessel,  but 
had  at  last  cast  him  ashore  on  the  island  of  Malta ; 
the  poisonous  serpent  had  twined  round  his  arm 
without  abating  his  courage ;  all  God's  waves  and 
billows  had  gone  over  his  bowed-down  head,  but 
the  end  of  it  all  is,  that  the  intuition  of  his  heart 
has  deceived  him  as  little  as  the  promise  of  his 
Lord,  and  that  he  now  with  his  own  eyes  beholds 
Rome  in  all  her  glory  and  in  all  her  degradation. 
What  a  moment  was  this  in  the  annals  of  the  king- 
dom of  God,  when  this  plain  inhabitant  of  Tarsus, 
unmarked  and  unencumbered,  made  his  entry  into 
the  world's  capital,  in  which  he  shall  at  once  win  so 
many  subjects  for  the  spiritual  kingdom  of  God, 
and  lay  the  first  foimdations  of  the  transformation 
of  pagan  into  Christian  Rome  !     Van  0. 


Section  234. 

Acts  xxviii.  16-31. 

16  And  when  we  came  to  Rome,  tlie  centurion  delivered  the  prisoners  to  the  captain  of  the 

17  guard:  but  Paul  was  suffered  to  dwell  by  himself  with  a  soldier  that  kept  him.  And  it 
came  to  pass,  that  after  three  days  Paul  called  the  chief  of  the  Jews  together:  and  when 
they  were  come  together,  he  said  unto  them,  Men  and  brethren,  though  I  have  committed 
nothing  against  the  people,  or  customs  of  our  fathers,  yet  was  I  delivered  prisoner  from 

18  Jerusalem  into  the  hands  of  the  Eomans.     Who,  when  they  had  examined  me,  would  have 

19  let  me  go,  because  there  was  no  cause  of  death  in  me.  But  when  the  Jews  spake  against 
it,  I  was  constrained  to  appeal  unto  Csesar ;  not  that  I  had  ought  to  accuse  my  nation  of. 

20  For  this  cause  therefore  have  I  called  for  you,  to  see  you,  and  to  speak  with  you:  because 

21  that  for  the  hope  of  Israel  I  am  bound  with  this  chain.  And  they  said  unto  him,  We  nei- 
ther received  letters  out  of  Judaea  concerning  thee,  neither  any  of  the  brethren  that  came 

22  shewed  or  spake  any  harm  of  thee.  But  we  desire  to  hear  of  thee  what  thou  thinkest :  for 
as  concerning  this  sect,  we  know  that  every  where  it  is  spoken  against. 

23  And  when  they  had  appointed  him  a  daj',  there  came  many  to  him  into  his  lodging;  to 
whom  he  expounded  and  testified  the  kingdom  of  God,  persuading  them  concerning  Jesus, 

24  both  out  of  the  law  of  Moses,  and  out  of  the  prophets,  from  morning  till  evening.    And 

25  some  believed  the  things  which  were  spoken,  and  some  believed  not.  And  when  they  agreed 
not  among  themselves,  they  departed,  after  that  Paul  had  spoken  one  word,  Well  spake  the 

26  Holy  Ghost  by  Esaias  the  prophet  unto  our  fathers,  saying,  Go  unto  this  people,  and  say, 
Hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  shall  not  understand ;  and  seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  not  perceive : 

27  for  the  heart  of  this  people  is  waxed  gi'oss,  and  their  ears  are  dull  of  hearing,  and  their 
eyes  have  they  closed ;  lest  they  should  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and 

28  understand  with  their  heart,  and  should  be  converted,  and  I  should  heal  them.  Be  it  known 
therefore  unto  you,  that  the  salvation  of  God  is  sent  unto  the  Gentiles,  and  that  they  will 

29  hear  it.  And  when  he  had  said  these  words,  the  Jews  departed,  and  had  great  reasoning 
among  themselves. 


SECTION'  23Jf.—ACTS  S8  :  16-31. 


187 


30      And  Paul  dwelt  two  whole  years  in  his  own  hired  house,  and  received  all  that  came  in 
81  unto  him,  preaching  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  teaching  those  things  which  concern  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  with  all  confidence,  no  man  forbidding  him. 


The  apostles  uniformly  appealed  to  those  audiences  who  were  most  capable  of  examining  the  evi- 
dences of  Christianity,  and  were  at  the  same  time  prejudiced  against  its  doctrines.  Jerusalem,  the  seat 
of  the  doctors,  the  judges  of  religion,  was  the  first  place  in  which,  by  the  command  of  their  Lord,  the 
disciples  preached  Christ  crucified.  They  were,  therefore,  not  afraid  to  have  their  cause  tried  by  the  most 
rigid  test  of  Scripture,  and  in  the  very  spot,  too,  where  that  Scripture  was  best  understood.  When  the 
same  apostles  carried  this  gospel  to  heathen  countries,  they  went  to  Cesarea,  to  Antioch,  to  Thessalonica 
to  Athens,  to  Corinth,  to  Ephesus,  to  Rome,  to  the  very  places  where  learning  flourished  most,  where 
sciences  were  best  cultivated,  where  imposture  was  most  likely  to  be  detected,  and  where  the  secular 
power  existed  in  the  most  despotic  manner,  and  could  at  once  have  crushed  them,  if  they  could  have  been 
proved  to  be  impostors,  or  if  they  had  not  been  under  the  immediate  protection  of  Heaven.  They 
preached  Christ  crucified,  where  it  was  the  most  solemn  interest  of  the  Jews  to  disprove  their  doctrine, 
that  they  might  exculpate  themselves  from  the  murder  of  Jesus  Christ.  They  preached  the  same  Christ, 
and  the  vanity  of  idolatry,  where  idolatry  existed  in  the  plenitude  of  its  power ;  and  where  all  its  in- 
terests required  it  to  make  the  most  desperate  and  formidable  stand  against  those  innovators.     G.  T. 


16.  Paul  surrendered  by  Julius  to  the  Custody 
of  the  Prefect  of  the  Prcetorian  Guard. — The  name 
of  Christ  borne  by  the  chosen  vessel  has  now  been 
brought  to  Rome.  It  had  passed  from  Jerusalem 
through  Judea  and  Samaria ;  and  now  it  had  reached 
those  seven  hills  which,  politically,  were  the  loftiest 
pinnacle  of  the  earth,  and  from  which  it  might  be 
carried  by  the  natural 
channels  to  the  whole  cir- 
cle of  subject  nations. 
Wonderful  were  the  ways 
of  God  in  reaching  this 
result.  The  imperial  le- 
gions must  furnish  an  es- 
cort, and  the  imperial  ex- 
chequer must  pay  the  pas- 
sage. Even  to  the  stormy 
waves  of  the  Mediterra- 
nean the  word  of  the  Lord 
had  come  in  power :  De- 
stroy not  this  frail  ves- 
sel, for  it  bears  a  bless- 
ing to  the  Western  world. 
Amot. 

Ancient  Rome  was  not, 
like  modern  Rome,  im- 
pressive from  its  solitude, 
standmg  alone,  with  its 
one  conspicuous  cupola, 
in  the  midst  of  a  desolate 

though  beautiful  waste.  Within  a  circuit  of  little 
more  than  twelve  miles  more  than  two  millions  of 
inhabitants  were  crowded.  It  was  a  vast  city,  cov- 
ering the  Campagna,  and  almost  continuously  con- 
nected by  its  suburbs  with  the  villas  on  the  adjacent 
hill,  and  with  the  britrht  towns  which  clustered  on 


the  sides  of  the  mountains.  Over  all  the  interme- 
diate space  were  the  houses  and  gardens,  through 
which  aqueducts  and  roads  might  be  traced  in  con- 
verging lines  toward  the  confused  mass  of  edifices 
which  formed  the  city  of  Rome.  Here  no  conspicu- 
ous building,  elevated  above  the  rest,  attracted  the 
eye  or  the  imagination.    Ancient  Rome  had  neither 


Eome — the  Forum. 
[Three  well-known  Corinthian  columns  of  the  best  period  of  art  under  the  emperors  re- 
main near  the  base  of  the  Palatine.    They  are  populariy  called  the  remains  of  the  Temple  of 
Jupiter  Stator ;  perhaps  thej  are  part  of  the  Temple  of  Castor  and  Pollux.    H.] 

cupola  nor  campanile.  Still  less  had  it  any  of  those 
spires  which  give  life  to  all  the  landscapes  of  North- 
em  Christendom.  The  Coliseum,  the  Basilica  of 
Constautine,  and  the  baths  of  other  emperors,  and 
many  other  buildings  which  are  now  regarded  as  the 
conspicuous  features  of  ancient  Rome,  did  not  then 


188 


SECTION  2S^.—ACTS  S8  :  16-31. 


exist.  The  Pantheon  still  remains,  as  a  monument 
of  the  reign  of  Augustus.  The  city  was  a  wide- 
spread aggregate  of  buildings,  which,  though  sepa- 
rated by  narrow  streets  and  open  squares,  appeared, 
when  seen  from  near  Aricia,  blended  into  one  indis- 
criminate mass :  for  distance  concealed  the  contrasts 
which  divided  the  crowded  habitations  of  the  poor 
and  the  dark  haunts  of  filth  and  misery  from  the 


theatres  and  colonnades,  the  baths,  the  temples  and 
palaces  with  gilded  roofs,  flashing  back  the  sun. 

Entering  the  city  by  the  Porta  Capena,  or  gate 
of  the  Appian  Way,  Julius  and  his  prisoners  moved 
on,  with  the  Aventine  on  their  left,  close  round  the 
base  of  the  Coelian,  and  through  the  hollow  ground 
which  lay  between  this  hill  and  the  Palatine ;  thence 
over  the  low  ridge  called  Velia,  where  afterward  was 


SECTION  23k.— ACTS  ^8  :  16-31. 


189 


built  the  arch  of  Titus,  to  commemorate  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem;  and  then  descending,  by  the 
Sacra  Via,  into  that  space  which  was  the  center  of 
imperial  power  and  imperial  magnificence,  and  asso- 
ciated also  with  the  most  glorious  recollections  of 
the  republic.  The  Forum  was  to  Rome  what  the 
Acropolis  was  to  Athens,  the  heart  of  all  the  char- 
acteristic interest  of  the  place.  Here  was  the  Mil- 
Uarium  Aureum  (the  Golden  Milestone),  to  which 
the  roads  of  all  the  provinces  converged.  All  around 
were  the  stately  buildings,  which  were  raised  in  the 
closing  years  of  the  republic,  and  by  the  earlier  em- 
perors. In  front  was  the  Capitoline  Hill,  illustrious 
long  before  the  invasion  of  the  Gauls.  Close  on  the 
left,  covering  that  hill,  whose  name  is  associated  in 
every  modern  European  language  with  the  notion  of 
imperial  splendor,  were  the  vast  ranges  of  the  palace 
—the  "  house  of  Cesar  "  (Phil.  4  :  22).  Here  were 
the  household  troops  quartered  in  a  prcetorium  at- 
tached to  the  palace.  And  here  Julius  gave  up  his 
prisoner  to  Burrus,  the  Prcetorian  Prefect,  who  was 
the  official  custodian  of  all  accused  persons  who 

were  to  be  tried  before  the  emperor.     H. It  was 

a  Providential  circumstance  that  prisoners,  who  were 
sent  on  appeal  to  Rome,  were  consigned  to  the  cus- 
tody of  the  Chief  of  the  Imperial  Guard.  Thus 
Paul's  words  became  manifest  in  Christ  (Phil.  1:12), 
and  the  gospel  was  brought  home  to  the  hearts  of 
those  of  Cesar's  household.    W. 

The  strongly  favorable  report  of  the  centurion 
Julius  concerning  Paul,  together  with  the  absence 
of  all  criminal  charge  in  the  official  statement  of 
Festus,  secured  for  the  apostle  at  the  outset  the 
singular  liberty  of  dwelling  outside  the  prison  pre- 
cincts. At  first  he  abode  in  a  lodging,  or  guest- 
chamber  of  some  devoted  Christian  friend  (perhaps 
Aquila),  and  afterward  in  apartments  permanently 
rented  {Ms  own  hired  house,  verse  30) ;  both  dwell- 
ings being  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Praetorium,  and  not 
far  from  the  Jewish  quarter.  But,  though  privi- 
leged in  living  thus  privately,  and  perhaps  having 
large  liberty  in  going  abroad  through  the  city,  a  prae- 
torian soldier  was  ever  his  guard.  At  home  and 
abroad,  by  day  and  night,  in  his  public  and  social 
conferences  and  his  private  worship,  his  arm  was 
always  linked  by  a  chain  to  that  of  a  sentinel  atten- 
dant. As  this  companion  guard  was  frequently 
relieved,  it  naturally  occurred  that  Paul  became 
intimately  known  to  a  great  number  of  praetorian 
soldiers;  and  this,  he  mtimates  (Phil.  1  :  12,  13), 
happened  "for  the  furtherance  of  the  gospel." 
Many  touching  allusions  he  elsewhere  makes  to  this 
always  binding  chain,  though  never  in  tone  of  com- 
plaint. He  counts  himself  the  prisoner  of  the  Lord, 
not  of  Nero. 

17-23.  Paul's  First  Interview  luith  the  Jewish 
Leaders  in  Rome. — To  the  Jew  first,  had  been  the 


invariable  rule  of  his  Christian  ministry ;  and  this 
rule  he  maintains  to  the  end.  Though,  like  his 
Lord,  so  often  rejected  in  his  fervent  endeavor  to 
bless  his  own  people,  still,  as  he  had  written  to  the 
Roman  disciples  three  years  before,  "his  heart's 
desire  and  prayer  was  that  Israel  might  be  saved." 
And  now  prompt,  as  always,  to  do  what  his  heart 
moved  him  to  do,  at  once  he  summons  the  elders 
and  rulers  of  the  synagogue  and  others  socially 
prominent  among  the  Jews  to  a  conference  in  his 
own  dwelling.  This  he  did  because  he  could  not 
go  to  them  or  properly  appear  in  their  synagogue. 

By  this  early  conference  he  would  anticipate  the 
coming  of  his  accusers  from  Jerusalem.  In  his  ad- 
dress, he  answers  to  the  prejudices  that  might  have 
arisen  against  him  from  information  previously 
transmitted  concerning  his  missionary  career.  And 
he  fairly  states  and  answers  the  accusations  that 
had  actually  been  made  against  him.  But  his  tone 
is  frankly  conciliating  and  generous  throughout. 
He  makes  no  accusation  even  against  his  accusers, 
save  that  involved  in  his  appeal.  No  anger  had  he, 
much  less  malice  against  them,  notwithstanding 
their  murderous  hate  against  him.  And  concerning 
the  whole  Jewish  people — his  nation,  he  touchingly 
calls  them — he  has  nothing  to  say  against  them.  At 
this  interview  he  simply  justifies  himself  with  regard 
to  the  circumstances  in  which  they  find  him,  appeal- 
ing to  Cesar.  Though  (he  said)  he  had  offended 
against  neither  Jewish  law  nor  custom,  yet  the  vio- 
lent opposition  of  the  Jews  had  constrained  him  to 
this  appeal.  How  mistaken  this  opposition  was, 
that  had  made  and  kept  him  a  prisoner,  he  intimates 
by  the  declaration  that  the  highest,  truest  hope  of 
the  Jews  found  its  fulfillment  in  the  grand  facts  of 
Christianity.  Upon  these  facts  he  afterward  rests 
the  justification  of  his  strange  career  and  seeming 
apostasy. 

In  reply,  the  leading  Jews  first  refer  to  what 
Paul  had  said  about  his  appeal.  Neither  by  letter 
nor  by  messenger  from  Jerusalem  had  they  heard  of 
any  accusation  against  him.  They  implied  that  they 
had  heard  of  him,  by  their  request  to  know  what  he 
thought  concerning  this  new  sect  (of  Christians). 
Not  only  had  they  heard  of  the  rapid  and  wide  ex- 
tension of  Christianity  by  report  of  Jews  that  op- 
posed it,  but  for  some  years  a  congregation  of 
Christian  disciples  had  maintained  a  hving  and 
effective  organization  beside  their  synagogue  in 
Rome.  That  they  spoke  so  cautiously,  and  subse- 
quently made  no  demonstration  of  hostility  against 
Paul,  is  readily  accounted  for.  The  apostle  was 
held  in  special  favor  by  the  chief  officer  of  Nero's 
household;  and  the  Jews  of  the  synagogue  were 
themselves  subject  to  persecution,  so  that  they  were 
powerless  to  persecute  the  disciples  of  Christ.  Of 
Paul's  old  accusers  of  the  Sanhedrim  we  hear  no 


190 


SECTION  234.— ACTS  28  :  16-^1. 


more.  They  did  not  follow  him  to  Rome  because, 
with  their  trivial  charges  against  the  apostle,  they 
could  hope  for  no  better  success  from  the  Emperor 
than  from  his  Judean  deputy. 

33,  24.  PauVs  All-day  Exposition  of  the  King- 
dom of  God,  and  Testimony  to  Christ  as  its  King  ; 
and  the  Effects  of  his  Preaching. —Many  others  ac- 
companied the  chief  Jews  on  the  day  appointed. 
At  an  early  hour  they  gathered  in  his  apartment. 
As  always,  so  now  for  the  last  time,  Paul  takes  as 
his  theme  that  doctrine  of  the  kingdom  of  God  which 
was  the  central  truth  of  the  Old  Testament  and  of 
the  New;  that  great  disclosure  of  the  prophets 
which  was  still,  as  it  had  been  for  centuries,  the  su- 
preme thought  and  hope  of  the  whole  Jewish  peo- 
ple. In  their  interpretations  of  the  prophet's  mean- 
ing, in  their  understanding  of  the  nature  of  the 
kingdom,  in  the  person  and  character,  the  expe- 
riences and  achievements  of  the  King,  lay  the  vital 
difference  between  the  natural  and  spiritual  Israel- 
ites, between  the  Jew  and  the  Christian.  Again 
Paul  follows  the  very  line  of  his  risen  Lord's  expo- 
sition to  the  two  disciples  on  the  road  to  Emmaus. 

B. Beginning  at  Moses  and  all  the  prophets,  he 

showed  these  hearers  that  the  predicted  kingdom  is 
not  limited  to  one  nation,  but  coextensive  with  the 
world  ;  that  if  it  be  limited  for  a  time,  it  is  limited 
like  a  seed,  only  until  the  set  time  come  for  its  in- 
definite multiplication  and  expansion.  He  showed 
them  that  the  King,  though  universal  Lord,  yet  suf- 
fers and  dies — gives  his  life  a  ransom ;  that  his 
kingdom  is  not  of  this  world ;  that  he  is  King  of 
thoughts,  not  of  armies  ;  that  he  wins  by  love — by 
enduring.  He  showed  them  that  in  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth all  the  conditions  of  the  expected  Messiah  were 
fulfilled  ;  he  employed  the  law  to  shut  them  up  unto 
the  gospel.     Arnot. 

From  his  first  reported  speech  at  the  Pisidian 
Antioch,  which  bases  all  upon  the  Scriptures,  still 
he  goes  on  with  the  Scriptures  in  his  hand,  till  he 
stands  and  is  judged,  "believing  all  things  which 
are  written  in  the  Law  and  in  the  Prophets  "  ;  and 
finally  parts  from  the  Roman  Jews  after  "persuad- 
ing them  concerning  Jesus,  both  out  of  the  Law  of 
Moses  and  out  of  the  Prophets,  from  morning  till 
evening."  This  then  is  the  position  taken  at  the 
beginning  and  fought  for  to  the  end ;  and  it  is  a 
striking  sight  to  see  how  resolutely  Paul  insists  that 
he  and  his  doctrine  are  the  true  representatives  of 
the  Law  and  the  Prophets,  while  he  is  being  perse- 
cuted and  cast  out,  as  having  betrayed  and  blas- 
phemed them.     T.  D.  B. And  as  his  theme  and 

method  were  the  same  which  had  characterized  his 
whole  ministry  among  the  Jews  of  Judea  and  Syria, 
of  Asia  Minor  and  Greece,  so  was  the  result.  A  few 
were  won  to  faith  in  the  Christ ;  but  the  many  dis- 
believed the  teachings  of  their  own  Scriptures,  and 


rejected  the  suffering  Messiah  whom  those  Scrip- 
tures  so  plainly  disclosed. 

25-29.  Paul's  Fearful  Farewell  Words  of 
Warning. — With  these  solemn  words  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  spoken  by  Isaiah,  Christ  had  opened  his 
teaching  by  parables  (Mat.  13  :  14,  15),  and  had 
finally  closed  his  ministry  among  the  Jews  (John 
12 :  40).  And  now  Paul,  as  if  himself  commissioned 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  as  a  prophet  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, sadly  redelivers  the  same  message,  enforced 
by  the  awful  emphasis  of  the  Master's  double  utter- 
ance.  Thus  the  apostle,  under  divine  direction,  for- 
mally and  finally  seals  up  the  gospel  offer  to  God's 

disobedient  and  rejecting  people.     B. This  part 

of  the  original  prediction  has  the  form  of  an  ironical 
commission  or  command,  in  which  the  prophet  is 
required  to  stupefy  and  blind  the  people,  which  is 
only  a  strong  and  paradoxical  mode  of  commanding 
him  to  do  his  duty  or  perform  his  oflBce,  with  an 
accompanying  intimation  of  its  actual  effect  upon 
the  people,  through  their  own  perversity  and  unbe- 
lief (compare  the  similar  command  of  Christ  in  Mat. 
23  :  32).  In  this  fearful  process  there  are  three 
distinguishable  agencies  expressly  or  implicitly  de- 
scribed— the  ministerial  agency  of  the  prophet,  the 
judicial  agency  of  God,  and  the  suicidal  agency  of 

the  people  themselves.    J.  A.  A. Spiritually  bhnd 

and  deaf  under  the  brightest  light  of  the  gospel 
and  its  plainest  proclamations,  hardening  the  heart 
against  the  most  gracious  offers  of  healing  and  life, 
and  arming  themselves  against  their  own  salvation 
with  weapons  of  eternal  death,  justly  were  they  at 
last  given  over  by  God,  and  sealed  up  under  incura- 
ble obstinacy !     D. 

And,  we  add,  the  warning  is  equally  applicable 
to  Gentiles  who  will  not  hear,  and  who  similarly  re- 
ject the  salvation  of  God,  sent  now  to  them.  They 
who  make  themselves  blind  and  insensate  by  will- 
fully closing  their  eyes  against  the  light  and  hard- 
ening their  hearts  against  the  grace  of  God,  shall 
assuredly  experience  the  same  exclusion  from  hope, 
and  be  for  ever  debarred  from  entrance  into  the  fel- 
lowship and  joy  of  God.     B. 

Close  of  the  History. — Here,  so  far  as  the  Scrip- 
ture narrative  is  concerned,  the  curtain  falls  upon 
the  contest  of  Jewish  unbelief  against  the  things 
that  concerned  their  salvation.  And  this  we  incline 
to  regard  as  the,  very  reason  why  the  history  of  the 
Acts  breaks  off.  As  the  narrative  which  illustrates 
the  command  of  Jesus  to  his  apostles,  to  "  preach 
the  gospel  to  the  whole  world,  beginning  at  Jerusa- 
lem," it  opens  with  the  opening  of  that  commission 
at  the  religious  center  of  the  world ;  it  traces  the 
successive  offers  to  the  Jews  of  Judea,  Samaria,  and 
the  dispersion ;  to  proselytes  and  Hellenists,  in  all 
the  provinces  that  they  frequented ;  and  it  shows 
how  their  general  disbelief  caused  the  Gentiles  to 


SECTION  234.— ACTS  2S  :  16-31. 


191 


be  received  step  by  step  into  their  place  of  privi- 
lege ;  till  the  apostle,  bringing  back  the  oiferings  of 
those  Gentile  converts  to  bless  his  countrymen  at 
Jerusalem,  was  finally  rejected  by  them,  and  sent  in 
chains  to  Rome.  There,  in  the  capital  of  the  world, 
the  unbelief  of  the  last  section  of  the  Jewish  family, 
to  whom  he  revealed  their  Messiah,  completed  the 
first  stage  in  the  history  of  the  diffusion  of  Chris- 
tianity, at  which  the  mass  of  the  Jewish  race  are, 
for  the  time,  cut  off  from  the  kingdom  of  God. 

They  are  not,  however,  finally  left  in  this  fallen 
state.  If  the  last  recorded  words  of  the  apostle's 
living  voice  proclaimed  at  Rome  their  present  sen- 
tence, the  enduring  records  of  his  pen,  gathering  up 
the  substance  of  the  ancient  promises,  had  already 
embodied,  in  writing  to  the  Church  of  Rome,  that 
prophetic  announcement  of  their  restoration,  the 
mystery  of  which  remains  to  be  fulfilled,  and  those 
three  wonderful  chapters  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Ro- 
mans (9-11)  may  be  regarded  as  a  supplement  to 
the  Acts.  The  spread  of  the  gospel  over  the  purely 
heathen  portion  of  the  world  belongs  to  the  new 
chain  of  history  which  comes  down  to  our  own  time ; 
the  end  of  which  will  be  found  linked  with  the  ful- 
fillment of  the  promises  concerning  the  Jews.     S. 

30,  31.  PauVs  l/nhindered  Ministry  of  Two 
Years  in  Rome. — Fully  and  boldly,  to  all  that  vis- 
ited his  humble  abode,  he  proclaimed  the  estab- 
lishment of  that  kingdom  of  God  (foreannounced 
through  the  prophets)  by  the  incarnation  and  the 
life,  the  death,  the  resurrection,  and  the  ascension 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  And  this  prolonged,  successful, 
and  xmfettered  ministry  of  the  '■'■  prisoner  of  the 
Lord''''  fitly  completes  this  succinct  and  well-de- 
fined account  of  the  great  process  by  which  Chris- 
tianity was  carried  from  its  cradle  at  Jerusalem, 
not  only  to  its  secondary  homes  in  Antioch,  Phi- 
lippi,  Corinth,  Ephesus,  and  other  cities  of  inferior 
rank,  but  also  to  its  throne  in  the  Eternal  City,  the 
locality  selected  for  its  highest  exaltation  and  its 
most  profound  abasement.     J.  A.  A. 


But  this  history  of  the  planting  of  the  Kingdom 
of  Christ  in  the  world  stops  short  of  the  mighty 
convulsion  which  was  shortly  to  pronounce  that 
Kingdom  established  as  the  divine  commonwealth 
for  all  men.  The  work  of  Paul  belongs  to  the  pre- 
paratory period.  He  was  not  to  live  through  the 
time  when  the  Son  of  man  came  in  the  destruction 
of  the  Holy  City  and  Temple,  and  in  the  throes  of 
the  new  age.  The  most  significant  part  of  his  work 
was  accomplished,  when  in  the  Imperial  City  he  had 
declared  his  Gospel  "  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to 
the  Gentile."  But  his  career  is  not  abruptly  closed. 
Before  he  himself  fades  out  of  our  sight  in  the  twi- 
light of  ecclesiastical  tradition,  we  have  letters  writ- 
ten by  himself  (the  four  Epistles  to  the  Colossians, 
to  Philemon,  to  the  Ephesians,  and  to  the  Philip- 
PiANs),  which  contribute  some  particulars  to  his  ex- 
ternal biography,  and  give  us  a  far  more  precious 
insight  into  his  convictions  and  sympathies.    S. 


From  these  Epistles  we  learn  that  the  apostk, 
though  subjected  to  the  restraining  and  ungenial 
presence  of  the  Roman  sentinel  to  whom  he  was 
chained,  was  also  privileged  with  the  congenial  fel- 
lowship of  long-attached  disciples.  Among  these 
were  Luke  and  Timothy  and  J/arXr ;  Aristarchus  of 
Thessalonica,  Epaphros  of  Colosse,  and  Tychicus  of 
Asia ;  and  that  Demas  who  for  some  time  "  did  run 
well,"  but  concerning  whom  at  the  very  last  Paul 
was  constrained  to  write  the  sad  words :  Demas 
hath  forsaken  me,  having  loved  this  present  world.    B. 

So  long  as  he  lived,  whether  free  to  travel  or 
shut  up  in  prison,  Paul  would  not  resign  the  daily 
"  care  of  all  the  churches."  One  means  he  had  of 
promoting  their  welfare  daily  and  hourly,  the  con- 
stant and  eai-nest  prayer,  which  his  Epistles  prove 
to  have  been  a  chief  occupation  of  his  solitude. 
But  he  was  not  shut  out  from  intercourse  with  the 
churches  themselves.  The  four  Epistles,  which  are 
perhaps  but  some  among  many  that  he  wrote  from 
Rome,  are  linked  together  by  a  striking  resemblance 
of  tone,  thought,  and  argument,  as  well  as  by  in- 
ternal marks  which  place  the  time  of  their  composi- 
tion beyond  reasonable  doubt.  They  were  all  writ- 
ten toward  the  latter  part  of  his  imprisonment  at 
Rome,  for  all  refer  to  the  expectation  of  his  release. 
There  is  the  best  reason  to  believe  the  prevailing 
tradition  that,  after  an  imprisonment  of  two  years, 
Paul's  case  was  heard  by  the  Emperor  and  decided 
in  his  favor.  The  precision  w  ith  which  Luke  speci- 
fies the  duration  of  Paul's  imprisonment  justifies 
the  inference  that  it  came  to  an  end  at  the  close  of 
the  "  two  years,"  that  is,  in  the  spring  of  a.  d.  63.    S. 

As  Luke  concludes  his  history  with  Paul's  abode 
at  Rome,  before  his  journey  into  Spain,  we  may  in- 
fer that  he  wrote  both  his  gospel  and  the  Acts 
while  the  apostle  was  still  living,  of  whose  actions 
he  was  himself  an  eye-witness,  and  by  whom  it  is 
very  probable  this  book  was  revised,  as  the  ancients 
also  say  his  gospel  was.     D. 

The  apostolic  period  we  regard  as  closing  about 
A.  n.  100;  as  the  life  of  John,  according  to  reliable 
tradition,  reached  over  into  the  reign  of  Trajan, 
A.  D.  98-11"/.  This  space  of  seventy  years  may  be 
again  divided  into  three  subordinate  periods:  1. 
The  founding  of  the  Christian  Church  among  the 
Jcivs,  or  the  labors  of  Peter.  2.  The  founding  of 
the  Christian  Church  among  the  Gentiles,  or  the  la- 
bors of  Paul,  who  took  the  lead  in  the  work  of  mis- 
sions during  the  years  50-64.  Through  his  instru- 
mentality Christianity  becomes  gradually  more  in- 
dependent of  Judaism  ;  until,  by  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  the  last  cord  that  bound  the  Christian 
Church  to  the  Mosaic  economy  is  broken.  3.  Then 
follows  the  final  summing  up  and  organic  union  of 
Jewkh  and  Gentile  Christianity  in  one  fixed,  inde- 
pendent whole.  This  is  the  work  mainly  of  John, 
who  outlived  all  his  colleagues,  and  accompanied 
the  Church  through  the  threatening  dangers  and  er- 
rors of  the  last  thirty  years  of  the  first  period  to  the 
threshold  of  the  second,  thus  forming  the  connect- 
ing link  between  the  two. 

These  three  stages  in  the  development  of  the 
apostolic  church  have  their  local  centers  in  the  cit- 
ies of  Jerusalem,  the  mother  church  of  Jewish 
Christianity,  Antioch,  the  starting-point  of  the  hea- 
then missions,  and  Ejjhcsxis,  the  later  residence  of 
John  and  the  principal  seat  of  the  process  of  amal- 
gamation, which  he  completed.  At  the  same  time 
Rome  witnesses  a  similar  amalgamation,  and  be- 
comes a  center  for  Christianity  in  the  West.    P.  S. 


192 


SECTION  23 J^.— ACTS  28  :  16-31. 


Probable  Interval  of  Five  Years  between  the  First 
and  Second  Imprisonment  of  Paid. — It  is  now  gen- 
erally admitted,  first,  that  the  historical  facts  men- 
tioned in  the  Epistles  to  Timothy  and  Titus  can  not 
be  placed  in  any  portion  of  Paul's  life  before  or 
during  hts  first  imprisonment  in  Rome ;  and,  sec- 
ondly, that  the  style  in  which  these  Epistles  are 
written,  and  the  condition  of  the  Church  described 
in  them,  forbid  the  supposition  of  such  a  date.     C. 

From  these  Epistles,  without  encroaching  upon 
the  domain  of  conjecture,  we  draw  the  following 
conclusions:  1.  Paul,  at  some  time  after  leaving 
Rome,  must  have  visited  Asia  Minor  and  Greece, 
for  he  says  to  Timothy,  "  I  besought  thee  to  abide 
still  at  Ephesus,  when  I  was  setting  out  for  Mace- 
donia." On  his  way  to  Macedonia,  it  is  reasonable 
to  suppose  that  he  made  a  circuit  like  those  of  for- 
mer days — by  Antioch  and  Asia  Minor,  staying  at 
Colosse,  where  he  had  asked  Philemon  (22)  to  pre- 
pare him  a  lodging.  After  being  once  at  Ephesus, 
he  was  purposing  to  go  there  again  (Tit.  3:12),  and 
he  spent  a  considerable  time  at  Ephesus.  The  First 
Epistle  to  Timothvproves  the  magnitude  of  his  work 
in  this  city  which  had  been  so  long  the  scene  of  his 
former  labors.  The  Gentile  churches,  of  which  that 
of  Ephesus  may  be  regarded  as  a  type,  had  begun 
to  feel  the  want  of  a  more  perfect  organization. 
Beginning  this  work  himself,  and  carrying  it  out 
through  the  ministry  of  Timothy  here,  as  of  Titus 
in  Crete,  he  had  occasion  to  place  on  permanent 
record,  in  the  Epistles  written  to  direct  their  action, 
the  great  principles  of  ecclesiastical  order.  2.  He 
paid  a  visit  to  Crete,  and  left  Titus  to  organize 
churches  there.  He  was  intending  to  spend  a  win- 
ter at  one  of  the  places  named  Nicopolis,  proba- 
bly the  celebrated  city  in  Epirus.  3.  He  traveled 
by  Miletus,  Troas  (where  he  left  a  cloak  or  case  and 
some  books),  and  Corinth.  4.  He  is  a  prisoner  at 
Rome,  "  suffering  unto  bonds  as  an  evil-doer,"  and 
expecting  to  be  soon  condemned  to  death.  At  this 
time  he  felt  deserted  and  solitary,  having  only  Luke, 
of  his  old  associates,  to  keep  him  company ;  and  he 
was  very  anxious  that  Timothy  should  come  to  him 
without  delay  from  Ephesus,  and  bring  Mark  with 
him. 

Accused  no  longer  merely  about  questions  of  the 
law,  but  as  a  common  malefactor  (for  so  the  Chris- 
tians were  regarded  in  the  Neronian  persecution), 
with  no  Julius  to  recommend  and  no  Burrus  to  pro- 
tect him,  Paul's  state  may  be  inferred  from  the 
words,  feebly  rendered  in  our  version,  "  wherein  I 
suffer  trouble.,  as  an  evil  doer  "  (or  felon),  "  even  unto 
bonds  "  (2  Tim.  2  :  9) — bonds  more  like  those  at 
Philippi  than  his  former  chain  at  Rome.  But  even 
now,  as  well  as  then,  he  could  add,  "  but  the  word 
of  God  is  not  bound " ;  and  the  converts,  whose 
names  appear  for  the  first  time  in  this  Epistle — 
Eubulus,  Pudens,  Linus,  and  Claudia — derive  a  spe- 
cial luster  from  their  profession  being  made  amid 
such  dangers,  and  from  its  contrast  to  the  falling 
away  of  older  friends. 

The  interval,  whether  longer  or  shorter,  exhibits 
the  apostle  to  us  in  one  of  the  most  interesting  as- 
pects of  his  life,  as  "  a  pattern  to  them  which  should 
hereafter  believe  on  Christ  to  life  everlasting."  An 
attentive  reader  of  the  Second  Epistle  to  Timothy 
will  observe  how  the  glorious  principles  which  sus- 
tained the  apostle  in  the  prospect  of  martyrdom  are 
stated  for  the  very  purpose  of  fortifying  the  dis- 


ciple. And  how  these  principles  sustained  the  apos- 
tle's own  mind,  and  put  the  climax  to  the  moral 
grandeur  and  spiritual  glory  of  his  career,  can  be 
told  in  no  words  except  his  own.     S. 

The  Alartyrdom  of  Paul. — The  privileges  of  Ro- 
man citizenship  exempted  Paul  from  the  ignomini- 
ous death  of  lingering  torture,  which  had  been  lately 
inflicted  on  so  many  of  his  brethren.  He  was  to 
die  by  decapitation ;  and  he  was  led  out  to  execution 
beyond  the  city  walls,  upon  the  road  to  Ostia,  the 
port  of  Rome.  Through  the  dust  and  tumult  of  a 
busy  throng,  the  small  troop  of  soldiers  threaded 
their  way  silently,  under  the  bright  sky  of  an  Ital- 
ian  midsummer.  They  were  marching,  though  they 
knew  it  not,  in  a  procession  more  truly  triumphal 
than  any  they  had  ever  followed,  in  the  train  of  gen- 
eral or  emperor,  along  the  Sacred  Way.  Their  pris- 
oner, now  at  last  and  for  ever  delivered  from  his 
captivity,  rejoiced  to  follow  his  Lord  "  without  the 
gate."  The  place  of  execution  was  not  far  distant, 
and  there  the  sword  of  the  headsman  ended  his  long 
course  of  sufferings,  and  released  that  heroic  soul 
from  that  feeble  body.  Weeping  friends  took  up 
his  corpse,  and  carried  it  for  burial  to  those  subter- 
ranean  labyrinths  where,  through  many  ages  of  op- 
pression, the  persecuted  Church  found  refuge  for 
the  living  and  sepulchres  for  the  dead. 

Thus  died  the  Apostle,  the  Prophet,  and  the 
Martyr,  bequeathing  to  the  Church,  in  her  govern- 
ment and  her  discipline,  the  legacy  of  his  apostolic 
labors,  leaving  his  prophetic  words  to  be  her  living 
oracles,  pouring  forth  his  blood  to  be  the  seed  of 
a  thousand  martyrdoms.  Thenceforth,  among  the 
glorious  company  of  the  Apostles,  among  the  goodly 
fellowship  of  the  Prophets,  among  the  noble  army 
of  Martyrs,  his  name  has  stood  preeminent  as  the 
great  teacher  of  a  universal  redemption — the  herald 
of  glad  tidings  to  all  mankind.     C. 

The  Acts  as  a  Doctrinal  Link  between  the 
Gospels  and  Epistles. 
Between  Gospels  and  Epistles  there  is  need  for 
a  connection  of  a  more  internal  kind.  During  the 
intervening  time  the  doctrine  was  not  only  spread- 
ing, it  was  clearing  and  forming  itself,  or  rather  was 
being  cleared  and  formed  by  the  hand  of  its  divine 
author.  This  was  effected  through  a  certain  line  of 
events  and  through  the  agency  of  particular  persons. 
With  these  events  and  persons  the  Book  of  Acts  is 
occupied.  It  begins  at  Jerusalem,  it  ends  at  Rome. 
Between  these  two  points  questions  have  been  set- 
tled, principles  carried  out,  and  divinely  implanted 
tendencies  disclosed.  Especially  have  the  relations 
of  the  gospel  to  Jew  and  Gentile  been  fixed  for  ever. 
But  the  rejection  of  Jews  and  admission  of  Gentiles 
were  not  the  only  result  of  this  long  history.  An- 
other result  has  been  involved  in  it :  Christianity  it- 
self has  been  finely  drawn  out  of  Judaism,  the  deli- 
cate and  intricate  relations  of  the  two  systems  being 
dealt  with  in  such  a  way,  that  (so  to  speak)  the  tex- 
ture of  living  fiber  has  been  lifted  unimpaired  out 
of  its  former  covering,  leaving  behind  only  a  resid- 
uum of  what  was  temporary,  preparatory,  and  car- 
nal. In  fact,  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  has  been 
cleared  and  formed ;  cleared  of  the  false  element 
which  the  existing  Judaism  would  have  infused  into 
it,  and  formed  of  the  true  elements  which  the  old 
covenant  had  been  intended  to  prepare  for  its  use. 
T.  D.  B. 


SECTION  m-—^  CIS—  GONGL  USIOK 


193 


CHRONOLOGICAL     TABLE, 
{Banis  of  Conybeare  and  Bowson.) 


Biography  of  Paul. 


Contemporary  Rukrs  In  Rome  and  Judea. 


86 

37 
38 
39 
40 
41 
42 
43 
44 


43 
46 
47 
48 

49 
50 
51 

52 

53 

54 


55 
56 
57 


58 


59 
60 

61 

62 

63 

64 

65 
08 
67 

68 
70 


(?)  Paul's  conversion  [supposing  the  three  years  of  Gal. 

1 :  18  Judaically  reckoned]. 
(?)  At  Damascus. 

(?)  Flight  from  Damascus  to  Jerusalem;  thence  to  Tarsus. 
(?)  "]  During  these  years  Paul  preaches  In  Syria  and  Cili- 
(?)  I  cia,  making  Taestts  his  headquarters,  and  prob- 
(?)  y  ably  undergoes  most  of  the  sufferings  mentioned 
(?)  at  2  Cor.  11  :  24-26,  viz.,  two  of  the  Roman  and 
(?)  )  the  five  Jewish  scourgings,  and  three  shipwrecks. 
He  is  brought  from  Tarsus  to  Antioch  (Acts  11  :  26),  and 

stays  there  a  year  before  the  famine. 

He  visits  Jerusalem  with  Barnabas  to  relieve  the  famine. 
[■  At  Antioch. 

His  "First  Missionary  Journey"  from  Antioch  to  Cy- 
prus, Antioch  in  Pisidia,  Iconium,  Lystra,  Derbe,  and 
back  through  the  same  places  to  Antioch  in  Syria. 

Paul  and  Barnabas  attend  the  "Council  of  Jerusalem." 

His  "  Second  Missionary  Journey  "  from  Antioch  to  Cili- 
cia,  Lycaonia,  Galatla, 

Troas,  Philippi,  Thessalonica,  Berea,  Athens,  and  Cor- 
inth—  Writesl  Thessaloninns. 

At  CoaiNTH  Writes  2  7%e8salo7iians. 

(Spring) — He  leaves  Corinth,  and  reaches 

(Summer) — Jerusalem  at  Pentecost,  and  thence  goes  to 

Antioch. 
(Autumn) — His  "  Third  Missionary  Journey."    He  goes 

to  Ephesus. 

>•  At  Ephesus. 

(Spring) — Se  writes  1  Corinthians. 

(Summer) — Leaves  Ephesus  for  Macedonia, 

(Autumn) — Where  he  writes  2  Corinthians,  and 

(Winter) — To  Corinth,  where  he  writes  Galatians. 

(Spring) — ffe  icriies  Romans,  and  leaves  Corinth,  going 
by  Philippi  and  Miletus 

(Summer) — To  Jerusalem  (Pentecost),  where  he  is  ar- 
rested, and  sent  to  Cesarea. 

At  Cesaeea. 

(Autumn)— Sent  to  Rome  by  Festus  (about  August). 

(Winter) — Shipwrecked  at  Malta. 

(Spring) — He  arrives  at  Rome. 

At  Rome. 

(Spi-ing) — Writes  Philemon,  Colossians,  Ephesians. 

(Autumn) —  Writes  Philippians. 

(Spring) — He  is  acquitted,  and  goes  to  Macedonia  (Phil. 

2  :  24)  and  Asia  Minor  (Philem.  22). 
(?)  He  goes  to  Spain. 

(?)  In  Spain. 

(Summer)— From  Spain  (?)  to  Asia  Minor  (1  Tim.  1  :  8). 

(Summer)—  Writes  1  Tim.  from  Macedonia. 

(Autumn)—  Writes  Titus  from  Ephesus. 

(Winter) — At  Nicopolis. 

(Spring) -In  prison  at  Rome.     Writesi  Tim. 

(Summer)— Executed  (May  or  June). 

Destruction  of  Jerusalem. 


13 


Death  of  Tiberius  and  accession  of  Caligttla  (Mar.  16). 


Death  of  Caligula  and  accession  of  CLATTDnrs  (Jan.  25), 
Judea  and  Samaria  given  to  Herod  Agrlppa  I. 


Death  of  Herod  Agrippa  I.  (Acts  12). 
Cuspius  Fadus  (as  procurator)  succeeds  to  the  govern- 
ment of  Judea. 

Tiberius  Alexander  made  procurator  of  Judea  (about 
this  time). 

Agrippa  II.  (Acts  25)  made  king  of  Chaleis. 
Cumanus  made  procurator  of  Judea  (about  this  time). 


Claudius  expels  the  Jews  from  Rome  (Acts  18  :  2). 


The  tetrarchy  of  Trachonitis  given  to  Agrippa  II. ;  Fe- 
lix made  procurator  of  Judea. 
Death  of  Claudius  and  accession  of  Nero  (Oct.  18). 


Nero  murders  Agrippina. 

Felix  is  recalled  and  succeeded  by  Festus. 

Embassy  from  Jerusalem  to  P.ome,  to  petition  about 
the  wall. 

Albtnna  succeeds  Festus  as  procurator. 


Great  fire  at  Rome  (July  19),  followed  by  persecution 

of  Roman  Christians. 
Gessius  Florus  made  procurator  of  Judea. 
The  Jewish  war  begins. 


Death  of  Nero  in  the  middle  of  June. 


THE    EPISTLES: 


THEIR   CHARACTER,  AND   THEIR  RELATION  TO 

THE  GOSPELS. 


Section  235. 


Obskrve  the  point  at  which  we  have  arrived,  by 
the  time  that  we  finish  the  book  of  Acts,  and  open 
the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  The  facts  of  the  mani- 
festation of  Christ  have  been  completed,  and  have 
been  testified  in  all  fullness  and  certainty  by  the 
witnesses  chosen  of  God.  They  have  not  only  tes- 
tified of  the  facts,  they  have  summed  them  up ;  have 
announced  their  scope  and  purpose  in  the  counsels  of 
God,  as  effecting  the  redemption  of  the  world,  and 
have  called  men  to  partake  in  the  fruits  of  that  re- 
demption by  believing  and  being  baptized.  They  have 
given  this  testimony,  not  as  of  themselves,  but  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven,  whose  witness 
is  united  with  their  own,  and  whose  indwelling  pres- 
ence is  given  also  to  those  who  receive  the  testi- 
mony, in  order  to  open  its  meaning  and  to  seal  its 
truth.  Thus  a  holy  Church  is  formed,  which  grad- 
ually proves  itself  catholic,  and  shows  at  once  its 
power  of  expansion  and  its  spirit  of  unity;  and 
within  its  protecting  framework  there  exists  a  com- 
munion of  saints,  a  common  participation  in  the 
same  spiritual  possessions  by  all  whom  a  union  with 
Christ  has  separated  and  sanctified  to  God ;  and 
thus  men  are  joined  to  the  Lord  and  united  with 
each  other,  and  rest  in  the  consciousness  that  they 
have  found  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  the  resurrection 
of  the  body,  and  the  life  everlasting.  In  its  funda- 
mental articles  the  creed  is  now  complete. 

To  this  point  the  book  of  Acts  conducts  us,  and 
at  this  point  it  leaves  us.  The  Father  revealed,  the 
Son  incarnate,  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from 
heaven — redemption  wrought,  salvation  given,  the 
resurrection  of  the  body,  the  eternal  judgment,  the 
second  death,  the  life  eternal — new  principles  of 
thought,  new  standards  of  character,  new  grounds  of 
duty,  new  motives,  new  powers,  new  bonds  between 
man  and  man,  new  forms  of  human  society,  new 
language  for  human  lips — all  coming  at  once  upon 
men's  minds,  placed  them,  as  it  were,  in  a  different 
world  from  that  in  which  they  had  lived  before.  At 
the  same  time  they  carried  into  that  world  of 
thought  all  the  tendencies,  infirmities,  and  perversi- 
ties of  our  nature,  and  revealed  truth  had  to  settle 
itself  into  lasting  forms,  to  find  its  adequate  expres- 
sion, and  to  have  its  moral  and  social  consequences 
deduced,  under  a  variety  of  influences  uncongenial 
to  itself.     So  critical  a  period,  on  which  the  whole 


future  of  the  gospel  hung,  would  seem  to  cry  aloud 
for  a  continued  action  of  the  living  Word  of  God ; 
such  as  might,  with  supreme  authority,  both  judge 
and  guide  the  thoughts  of  men,  and  translate  the 
principles  which  they  had  received  into  fife  and 
practice. 

The  Lord  recognized  this  necessity.  He  met  it 
by  the  living  voice  of  his  apostles ;  and  their  Epistles 
remain  as  the  permanent  record  of  this  part  of  their 
work.  They  are  the  voice  of  the  Spirit  speaking 
within  the  Church  to  those  who  are  themselves  with- 
in it,  certifying  to  them  the  true  interpretations  and 
applications  of  the  principles  of  thought  and  life 
which  as  believers  in  Jesus  they  have  received. 
Christ  has  been  received ;  Christian  life  has  com- 
menced ;  Christian  communities  have  been  formed ; 
and  men's  minds  have  been  at  work  on  the  great 
principles  which  they  have  embraced.  Some  of  these 
principles  in  one  place,  and  others  of  them  in  an- 
other, have  been  imperfectly  grasped,  or  positively 
perverted,  or  practically  misapplied,  so  as  to  call  for 
explanation  or  correction ;  or  else  they  have  been 
both  apprehended  and  applied  so  worthily,  that  the 
teacher,  filled  with  joy  and  praise,  feels  able  to  open 
out  the  mysteries  of  God,  as  one  speaking  wisdom 
among  them  that  are  perfect.  These  conditions  of 
mind  were  not  individual  accidents.  Rome,  Corinth, 
Galatia,  Ephesus,  supplied  examples  of  different  ten- 
dencies of  the  human  mind  in  connection  with  the 
principles  of  the  gospel — tendencies  which  would 
ever  recur,  and  on  which  it  was  requisite  for  the 
future  guidance  of  the  Church  that  the  Word  of  God 
should  pronounce.  It  did  pronounce  in  the  most 
effectual  way,  by  those  letters  which  are  addressed 
by  the  commissioners  of  Christ,  not  to  possible  but  to 
actual  cases,  with  that  largeness  of  view  which  be- 
longs to  spectators  at  a  certain  distance  from  the 
scene,  and  with  that  closeness  of  application  which 
personal  acquaintance  dictates  and  personal  affection 
inspires.  Thus  the  fuller  expositions  of  truth  con- 
tained in  the  Epistles  are  based  on  what  the  first 
principles  of  the  gospel  had  already  wrought  in 
human  hearts  ;  and  its  doctrines  are  cleared  and  set- 
tled, developed  and  combined,  in  correspondence 
with  the  ascertained  capacities  and  necessities  of  be- 
lievers.    T.  D.  B. 

There  is  a  most  observable  wisdom  in  that  ar- 


SECTION  235.— THE  EPISTLES. 


195 


rangement  of  the  revelation  of  God  to  man,  by 
which  so  large  and  important  a  portion  of  its  con- 
tents is  conveyed  in  the  peculiar  form  of  epistles ; 
of  epistles,  which,  being  the  exact  medium  between 
the  familiar  flow  of  ordinary  discourse  and  the  me- 
thodical precision  of  the  essay,  may  be  said  to  unite 
all  the  characteristic  advantages  and  avoid  the  pe- 
culiar deficiencies  of  both.  Christianity,  eminently 
a  practical  institute,  is  taught  by  practical  models ; 
its  blessed  Founder's  precepts  live  and  move  em- 
bodied in  his  life ;  his  apostles — like  Himself — are 
not  more  the  deliverers  of  doctrine  than  the  earnest 
leaders  of  action.  And  just  that  we  may  for  ever 
know  them  as  such,  we  have  them  with  us,  not  mere- 
ly in  the  historical  portrait  of  a  contemporary,  nor 
yet  in  elaborate  treatises  of  their  own,  where  the 
distinctive  personahty  of  the  writer  might  be  almost 
wholly  absorbed  in  his  subject — but  in  letters,  that 
spring  out  of  action  and  breathe  its  earnest  spirit ; 
in  letters,  where  the  soul  spontaneously  paints  its 
own  glowing  picture ;  in  letters,  the  vivid,  uncon- 
scious transcripts  of  the  inmost  heart.     W.  A.  B. 

The  Epistles  resemble  the  Gospels  in  their  com- 
bination of  intrinsic  unity  with  extrinsic  diversity. 
As  Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  and  John,  all  set  before 
us  the  same  Jesus  Christ,  so  do  Paul,  James,  Peter, 
John,  and  Jude,  all  teach  one  salvation,  one  calling, 
one  Comforter,  one  life,  one  Church,  one  hope  of 
the  Lord's  appearing,  one  fellowship  in  faith  and 
love.  But,  as  the  evangelists  diversify  their  narra- 
tives— each  one  writing  according  to  his  own  bent  of 
mind  and  his  own  special  information,  and  with 
adaptation  to  the  persons  for  or  to  whom  in  the  first 
instance  he  wrote — so  do  the  apostles  write  vari- 
ously, in  accordance  with  their  intellectual  individu- 
ality, and  with  due  reference  to  the  state  of  the 
churches,  or  the  circumstances  of  the  persons  whom 
they  address.  The  books  of  the  apostles  were  let- 
ters, not  decrees ;  and  their  directions  and  com- 
mands were  accompanied  by  affectionate  persuasions 
and  appeals.  They  wrote  not — "  I  command  you, 
my  people  " — but  "  I  beseech  you,  my  beloved  breth- 
ren." With  all  his  masculine  vigor  Paul  had  a  won- 
derful persuasive  tenderness.  Peter  wrote  with  a 
beautiful  humility.  John  often  used  the  address  of 
kindness  "  Beloved,"  and  wrote  as  a  father  to  his 
"  little  children."  It  is  this  combination  of  authori- 
ty with  gentleness,  after  the  manner  of  Christ  him- 
self, which  charms  us  in  the  Epistles,  and  makes 
them  so  effectual  for  the  inculcation  of  truth  at 
once  on  the  understanding  and  on  the  heart.     D.  F. 

The  doctrinal  portion  of  the  New  Testament  con- 
sists of  thirteen  Epistles  of  Paul,  two  of  Peter,  three 
of  John,  one  Epistle  of  James,  one  of  Jude,  and  the 
anonymous  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  written  accord- 
ing to  one  view  by  Paul  himself,  according  to  an- 
other conjecture,  by  one  of  his  pupils  and  fellow- 
laborers,  Luke,  Barnabas,  or  Apollos.  Most  of 
Paul's  Epistles — the  two  to  the  Thessalonians,  the 
one  to  the  Galatians,  the  first  to  Timothy,  the  one 
to  Titus,  the  two  to  the  Corinthians,  the  one  to  the 
Romans — and  the  Epistle  of  James,  were  composed 
before  the  Gospels  and  the  Acts,  between  the  years 
50  and  GO.  The  Epistles  to  the  Ephesiaus,  to  the 
Colossians,  to  Philemon,  to  the  Philippians,  the 
second  to  Timothy,  as  also  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews  and  the  two  Epistles  of  Peter,  and  prob- 
ably that  of  Jude,  belong  in  the  seventh  decade, 
most  of  them  between  the  years  62  and  64.  John's 
epistles  with  the  fourth  Gospel  bear  all  the  internal 
marks  of  having  been  written  after  the  destruction 


of  Jerusalem  and  toward  the  end  of  the  first  cen- 
tury. 

The  common  subject  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
apostles  is  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  promised 
Messiah,  the  true  God-man ;  and  the  divine  life  and 
salvation,  which  was  manifested  in  Him,  was  secured 
to  mankind  by  his  self-revelation,  death,  and  resur- 
rection :  shaped  itself  through  the  Holy  Ghost  into 
a  church  of  the  redeemed,  a  means  and  a  fellowshii) 
of  salvation ;  is  communicated  to  the  individual 
sinner  through  faith  and  the  means  of  grace,  the 
word,  and  sacraments ;  works  his  conversion,  justi- 
fication, sanctificatlon,  and  eternal  blessedness  ;  and 
will  fully  develop  itself  in  the  glories  of  Christ's 
second  coming.  These  are  the  essential  articles  of 
faith,  on  the  living  appropriation  of  which  salvation 
depends,  and  which  the  Apostles'  Creed  (justly 
called  apostolical  as  to  its  contents)  so  beautifully 
arranges  under  the  three  divisions  of  God  the 
Father  and  the  work  of  creation,  God  the  Son  and 
the  work  of  redemption,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  the  work  of  sanctificatlon,  ending  with  life  ever- 
lasting. And  in  all  these  points  James,  Peter,  Paul, 
and  John  perfectly  agree.  We  can  not  acknowl- 
edge  the  least  inconsistency  among  the  various  books 
of  the  New  Testament  either  in  respect  to  faith  or 
practice.  They  are  all  animated  by  the  same  spirit, 
aim  at  the  same  end,  and  form  a  truly  wonderful 
harmony.  All  the  apostles  and  evangeUsts  teach 
that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  the  highest  revelation  of 
the  only  true  God  ;  that  he  perfectly  fulfilled  the 
Law  and  the  Prophets  ;  by  his  death  and  resurrec- 
tion reconciled  humanity  with  God  and  redeemed  it 
from  the  curse  of  sin  and  death ;  by  the  outpour- 
ing of  his  Spirit  has  established  an  indestructible 
Church  and  furnished  it  with  all  the  means  for  the 
regeneration  and  sanctificatlon  of  the  world ;  that 
out  of  him  there  is  no  salvation  ;  that  a  man  must 
repent  and  believe  in  him,  and  express  this  faith  in 
his  entire  life,  in  order  to  enjoy  the  benefits  of 
Christ's  mission ;  and  that  this  life  of  faith  de- 
velops itself  in  individuals  and  in  the  Church, 
under  the  continual  direction  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
through  much  suffering  and  tribulation ;  triumphs 
at  last  over  all  its  foes ;  and  becomes  gloriously 
complete  at  the  second  advent  of  the  Lord.  In 
short,  there  is  in  the  apostolic  church  "  one  Lord,  one 
faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who 
is  above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in  you  all."     P.  S. 

The  surface  criticism  of  Scripture  may  vary 
from  age  to  age,  but  the  main  lines  of  interpreta- 
tion, like  the  main  verities  of  the  faith,  are  far  less 
likely  to  undergo  change  than  is  the  sun  to  fail  in 
the  heavens  or  the  everlasting  hills  to  melt.  The 
Gospel,  as  it  was  taught  by  the  Apostles,  was  a  final 
and  perfect  revelation.  Statements  of  doctrine  may 
vary  in  different  ages ;  new  statements  may  be 
necessary  to  meet  new  modes  of  thought,  or  fresh 
forms  of  evasion,  or  virtual  denials  of  the  original 
truth,  but  the  number  of  Christian  doctrines  can 
not  really  be  added  to,  nor  can  the  area  of  any  one 
Christian  doctrine  be  in  any  degree  enlarged. 
H.  P.  L. 

We  believe  these  writings  to  have  been  intended 
for  what  they  have  since  proved,  the  doctrinal  char- 
ter of  the  future  Christian  Church.  Isothing  could 
be  less  like  a  system  than  the  teaching  of  our  blessed 
Lord.  In  these  Epistles,  the  true  comments  on  that 
teaching,  we  may  expect  great  steps  to  be  taken 
toward  systematizing  it.  The  Lord's  moral  precepts, 
the  Lord's  mediatorial  acts,  are  the  seeds  out  of 


196 


SECTION  236.— ROMANS  1 : 1-15. 


which,  under  his  own  direction,  by  his  informing 
Spirit,  the  teaching  of  the  apostolic  Epistles  has 
grown.  The  earliest  of  the  Epistles  are  ever  moral 
and  practical,  the  advanced  ones  more  doctrinal  and 
spiritual.  It  was  not  till  it  appeared  that  the  bul- 
wark of  salvation  by  grace  must  be  strengthened, 
that  the  building  on  the  one  foundation  must  be 
raised  thus  impregnable  to  the  righteousness  of 
works  and  the  law,  that  the  Epistles  to  the  Gala- 
tians  and  the  Romans  were  given  through  the  great 
apostle,  reaching  to  the  full  breadth  and  height  of 
the  great  argument.  Then  followed  the  Epistles  of 
the  Imprisonment,  building  up  higher  and  higher 
the  edifice  there  consolidated ;  and  the  Pastoral 
Epistles,  suited  to  a  more  developed  ecclesiastical 
condition,  and  aimed  at  the  correction  of  abuses 
which  sprung  up  later,  or  were  the  ripened  fruit  of 
former  doctrinal  errors. 

The  Chronological  order,  adopted  in  the  common 
arrangement  of  the  canon,  has  been  chosen  without 
reference  to  chronology.  It  proceeds  apparently 
on  consideration  of  the  relative  length  and  impor- 
tance of  the  Epistles,  giving,  however,  to  Paul  the 
preference.  After  his  thirteen  was  placed  the  Epis- 
tle to  the  Hebrews,  as  being,  if  not  by  him,  an  ap- 
pendix by  some  hand  almost  guided  by  his.     Then 


followed  the  "  Catholic  "  Epistles — then  the  Revela- 
tion. This  plan  has  the  advantage  of  something 
like  system,  and  is,  perhaps,  for  convenience  of 
reference,  the  best.     A. 

According  to  the  probable  order  oC  time,  six 
were  written  before  Paul's  first  Eoman  imprison- 
ment, viz. : 

1  Thessalonians,  from  Corinth,  a.  d.  52. 

2  Thessalonians,  from  Corinth,  a.  d.  63. 

1  Corinthians,  from  Ephesus,  a.  d.  57. 

2  Corinthians,  from  Macedonia,  a.  d.  57. 
Galatians,  from  Corinth,  a.  d.  57. 
Romans,  from  Corinth,  a.  d.  58. 

Four  were  written  during  the  first  Roman  im- 
prisonment (Acts  28),  viz. : 
Philemon,      ^ 
colossians, 
Ephesians, 
Philippians, 

Three  were  written  after  the  imprisonment  re- 
corded in  Acts  28,  probably  as  follows  : 

1  Timothy,  from  Macedonia,  a.  d.  67. 
Titus,  from  Ephesus,  a.  d.  67. 

2  Timothy,  from  Rome,  a.  d.  68.    B. 


A.  D.  62. 


Section  236. 


Romans  i.  1-15. 


1  Paul,  a  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  called  to  le  an  apostle,  separated  unto  the  gospel  of  God, 

2  (which  he  had  promised  afore  by  his  prophets  in  the  holy  scriptures,)  concerning  his  Son 

3  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  which  was  made  of  the  seed  of  David  according  to  the  flesh  ;  and 

4  declared  to  le  the  Son  of  God  with  power,  according  to  the  spirit  of  holiness,  hy  the  resur- 

5  rection  from  the  dead  :  by  whom  we  have  received  grace  and  apostleship,  for  obedience  to 

6  the  faith  among  all  nations,  for  his  name :  among  whom  are  ye  also  the  called  of  Jesus 

7  Christ :  to  all  that  be  in  Eome,  beloved  of  God,  called  to  le  saints :  Grace  to  you  and  peace 

8  from  God  our  Father,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     First,  I  thank  my  God  through  Jesus 

9  Christ  for  you  all,  that  your  faith  is  spoken  of  throughout  the  whole  world.     For  God  is 
my  witness,  whom  I  serve  with  my  spirit  in  the  gospel  of  his  Son,  that  without  ceasing  I 

10  make  mention  of  you  always  in  my  prayers  ;  making  request,  if  by  any  means  now  at  length 
111  might  have  a  prosperous  journey  by  the  will  of  God  to  come  unto  you.     For  I  long  to  see 

12  you,  that  I  may  impart  unto  you  some  .spiritual  gift,  to  the  end  ye  may  he  established;  that 
is,  that  I  may  be  comforted  together  with  you  by  the  mutual  faith  both  of  you  and  me. 

13  Now  I  would  not  have  you  ignorant,  brethren,  that  oftentimes  I  purposed  to  come  unto  yea, 
(but  was  let  hitherto,)  that  I  might  have  some  fruit  among  you  also,  even  as  among  other 

14  Gentiles.     I  am  debtor  both  to  the  Greeks,  and  to  the  Barbarians;  both  to  the  wise,  and  to 

15  the  unwise.     So,  as  much  as  in  me  is,  I  am  ready  to  preach  the  gospel  to  you  that  are  at 
Eome  also. 


The  Gospel  is  as  old  as  the  first  promise.  For,  from  the  beginning,  man's  sinfulness,  atonement 
through  vicarious  suffering,  God's  free  and  righteous  mercy,  the  efficacy  of  prayer,  the  necessity  of  holi- 
ness— all  were  revealed.  But  now  these  truths  are  set  forth  with  new  proofs,  are  enforced  by  new  motives, 
amid  stronger  light  and  for  a  wider  audience.  The  Gospel  is  a  THREE-fold  message  —  of  forgiveness 
through  our  Lord,  of  personal  holiness  through  the  renewing  and  ever-gracious  help  of  the  Spirit,  of 
blessedness,  amid  all  earthly  changes,  for  those  who  love  and  serve  God.  Forgiveness,  holiness,  blessed- 
ness !  What  more  can  we  need  ?  The  Gospel  is  a  Two-fold' message — Christ's  work /or  us,  in  living,  and 
dying,  and  pleading,  and  reigning  ;  and  Christ's  work  in  us,  beginning  in  grace  and  ending  in  glory.     The 


SECTION  236.— ROMAN'S  1 : 1-15. 


197 


Gospel  is  a  single  message — of  Christ  as  crucified — the  concentrated  revelation  of  the  divine  holiness  and 
love,  the  Redeemer  and  Comforter,  the  pattern  and  the  sanctifier  of  us  all.  This  Gospel — threefold,  two- 
fold, single — Christ  came  to  found,  even  more  than  to  teach.  Yet  it  is  the  gospel  he  taught,  as  it  is  the 
"ospel  his  apostles  taught.  And  so  mighty  did  it  prove  that  the  most  successful  preacher  of  the  apostolic 
a^c  resolved,  from  experience  as  well  as  from  direct  inspiration,  to  know  nothing  among  men  save  Jesus 
Christ  and  Jesus  Christ  as  crucified.  The  Jews  deemed  it  no  "  sign,"  no  embodiment  of  power,  and  the 
Greeks  deemed  it  foolishness ;  but  he  found  it  to  be  power  and  wisdom ;  nay,  more,  the  power  of  God 
and  the  wisdom  of  God.     J.  A. 


Epistle  to  the  Romans. 

At  some  time  during  his  stay  at  Corinth  for  the 
winter  67-58,  he  probably  wrote  the  Epistle  to  the 
Galatians.  The  great  subject  which  the  fickleness 
of  the  Galatian  Church  had  brought  into  prominence 
had  been  much  before  his  mind.  "  Ye  are  all  chil- 
dren of  God  through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus  " ;  this 
wrought,  and  was  kept  fermenting  by  the  Divine 
Spirit  in  his  thoughts,  and,  as  centuries  after  in  him 
who  was  to  enforce  the  great  doctrine  in  ages  of 
corruption,  so  now  in  the  ear  of  the  Apostle  of  the 
Gentiles,  "The  just  shall  live  by  faith,"  was  ever 
sounding.  Coincident  with  this  engrossing  of  his 
thoughts  by  this  one  great  theme,  came  news  from 
the  now  growing  and  important  Church  in  the  me- 
tropolis of  the  world  ;  news  that  in  it,  as  so  often 
elsewhere,  the  Jew  and  Gentile  elements  were  not  in 
Christian  accord  ;  that  questions  of  precedence  and 
questions  of  observance  wanted  settling  amongthem. 
What  more  natural  than  that  the  apostle  should 
regard  the  tidings  thus  brought  as  furnishing  an 
opportunity  for  laving  forth  the  great  doctrine  of 
"  Life  by  Faith  "  for  the  Church  of  God  ?  He  had 
long  been  intending  to  visit  the  Roman  Church.  It 
was  of  necessity  the  most  important  Christian  com- 
munity in  the  world.  It  would  be  sure  to  receive 
the  greatest  future  accessions ;  it  had  the  advantage 
of  the  greatest  publicity,  and  the  widest  ventilation, 
for  any  truth  delivered  to  it.  An  occasion  then 
having  arisen  for  a  letter  to  explain  and  settle  the 
misconceptions  which  had  grown  up  among  the  Ro- 
mans, what  wonder  if  the  great  apostle  availed  him- 
self of  it  to  lay  forth  to  them  the  whole  dispensa- 
tion of  God's  grace  to  Jew  and  Gentile  ?  Phoebe, 
a  deaconess  of  the  Church  at  Cenchrea,  the  port  of 
Corinth,  was  traveling  to  Rome.  She  had  won,  by 
her  acts  of  beneficence  to  the  Church  and  to  him- 
self, the  apostle's  approval  and  esteem.  She  there- 
fore (for  we  can  hardly  otherwise  understand  chap- 
ter 16  :  1,  2)  becomes  the  bearer  of  the  Epistle. 
The  letter  was  most  probably  sent  from  Corinth  in 
the  spring  of  a.  d.  58.  Three  years  after,  in  the  be- 
ginning of  A.  D.  61,  the  apostle  arrived  a  prisoner  at 
Rome.    A.     (Read  page  143.) 

The  history  of  the  Roman  community  is  most 
remarkable.  It  grew  up  in  silence,  founded  by  some 
unlmown  teachers,  probably  of  those  who  were  pres- 
ent in  Jerusalem  at  the  first  publication  of  Chris- 
tianity by  the  apostles.  During  the  reign  of  Clau- 
dius, it  had  made  so  much  progress  as  to  excite 
open  tumults  and  dissensions  among  the  Jewish 
population  of  Rome  ;  these  animosities  rose  to  such 
a  height,  that  the  attention  of  the  government  was 
aroused,  and  both  parties  expelled  from  the  city. 
With  some  of  these  exiles,  Aquila  and  Priscilla, 
Paul  formed  an  intimate  connection  during  his  first 
visit  at  Corinth  ;  from  them  he  received  information 
of  the  extraordinary  progress  of  the  faith  in  Rome. 
The  Jews  seem  quietly  to  have  crept  back  to  their 


old  quarters  when  the  rigor  with  which  the  imperial 
edict  was  at  first  executed  had  insensibly  relaxed ; 
and  from  these  persons  on  their  return  to  the  capi- 
tal, and  most  likely  from  other  Roman  Christians 
who  may  have  taken  refuge  in  Corinth,  or  in  other 
cities  where  Paul  had  founded  Christian  communi- 
ties, the  more  perfect  knowledge  of  the  higher  Chris- 
tianity, taught  by  the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  would 
be  conveyed  to  Rome.  So  complete,  indeed,  does  he 
appear  to  consider  the  first  establishment  of  Chris- 
tianity in  Rome,  that  he  merely  proposes  to  take 
that  city  on  his  way  to  a  more  remote  region,  that  of 
Spain.  The  manner  in  which  he  recounts  in  the  last 
chapter  the  names  of  the  more  distinguished  Roman 
converts  implies  both  that  the  community  was  nu- 
merous and  that  the  name  of  Paul  was  held  in  high 
estimation  by  its  leading  members.  It  is  evident 
that  Christianity  had  advanced  already  beyond  the 
Jewish  population,  and  the  question  of  necessary 
conformity  to  the  Mosaic  law  was  strongly  agitated. 
It  is  therefore  the  main  scope  of  this  celebrated 
Epistle  to  annul  for  ever  this  claim  of  the  Mosaic 
law  to  a  perpetual  authority,  to  show  Christianity  as 
a  part  of  the  providential  design  in  the  moral  his- 
tpry  of  man,  while  Judaism  was  but  a  temporary 
institution,  unequal  to,  as  it  was  unintended  for,  the 
great  end  of  revealing  the  immortality  of  mankind, 
altogether  repealed  by  this  more  wide  and  universal 
system,  which  comprehends  in  its  beneficent  pur- 
poses the  whole  human  race.     Milman. 

It  seems  probable  that  the  Church  was  composed 
of  Jews  and  Gentiles  in  nearly  equal  proportions. 
This  fact  will  account  for  the  gaieral  character  of 
this  Epistle,  so  unlike  that  of  the  Epistles  to  the 
Corinthians  and  Galatians,  though  written  at  nearly 
the  same  time.  The  Gospel  had  to  contend  in  Rome, 
not  specially  with  Judaism,  nor  specially  with  hea- 
thenism, but  with  both  together.  The  letter,  evident- 
ly, was  not  written  to  answer  any  doubts,  or  to  set- 
tle any  existing  controversies  then  rife  at  Rome. 
It  has  no  special  character  or  application,  thus  dif- 
fering widely  from  the  other  Epistles  just  referred 
to.  There  is  only  one  instance  of  special  applica- 
tion to  the  Church  of  the  metropolis.  The  injunc- 
tion (13  :  1)  of  obedience  to  temporal  rulers  would 
most  fitly  be  laid  upon  a  Church  brought  face  to 
face  with  the  imperial  government,  and  the  more  so 
as  Rome  had  been  the  scene  of  frequent  distur- 
bances, on  the  part  of  either  Jews  or  Christians, 
arising  out  of  a  feverish  and  restless  anticipation  of 
Messiah's  coming.  In  the  Epistles  to  the  Corin- 
thians and  to  the  Galatians,  recently  written,  we  see 
the  attitude  of  the  gospel  toward  the  Gentile  and  the 
Jewish  world  respectively.  They  are  direct  and  spe- 
cial, evoked  by  present  emergencies,  and  are  full  of 
personal  applications.  The  Epistle  to  the  Romans  is 
the  summary  of  what  he  had  written  before,  the 
result  of  his  "dealing  with  the  two  antagonistic  forms 
of  error,  the  gathering  together  of  the  fragmentary 


198 


SECTION  236.— ROMANS  1 : 1-15. 


teaching  in  the  Corinthian  and  Galatian  letters,  in  a 
general  form.     J.  B.  L. 

Throughout  the  discussion,  constant  reference  is 
made  to  law  and  justice ;  and  this  is  characteristic 
of  the  Epistle.  When  Paul  wrote  to  the  Corinthians, 
he  gave  prominence  to  wisdom,  for  the  Greeks 
sought  after  wisdom.  But  Rome  was  the  city  of 
imperial  law,  and  the  great  seat  of  jurisprudence  and 
government.  It  was  therefore  fitting  that  to  Jews 
and  Gentiles  residing  there,  should  be  addressed  this 
demonstration  of  the  position  of  mankind,  as  trans- 
gressors condemned  by  divine  law  and  justice,  and 
unable  by  deeds  to  justify  themselves.  The  world 
centered  at  ancient  Rome ;  and  in  a  letter  sent  to 
Rome  was  the  whole  world  proved  and  pronounced 
to  have  "  been  guilty  before  God."     D.  F. 

1-7.  These  words  are  the  beginning  and  end  of 
the  long  superscription  which  opens  the  series  of 
Apostolic  Epistles.  That  superscription  forms  a 
close  and  living  union  with  the  preceding  book,  in 
which  we  have  known  Paul  the  servant  of  Jesus 
Christ,  his  calling  to  be  an  apostle,  his  separation 
to  the  gospel  of  God,  and  have  left  him  at  its  close 
testifying  to  that  gospel  in  Rome  itself.  Here  the 
apostle  seems  to  stand  before  us  as  he  did  in  the 
previous  history,  firmly  holding  his  ground  in  the 
prophetic  and  historic  line  of  the  old  covenant,  and 
from  that  standing-point  opening  the  dispensation 
of  the  Spirit,  which  has  its  source  and  its  pledge  in 
the  resurrection,  and  claiming  "  all  nations  "  for  the 

"  obedience  of  faith:''     T.  D.  B. It  would  seem 

as  if  the  apostle  had  before  his  mind  the  metropoli- 
tan majesty  of  the  imperial  city  of  Rome,  and  set 
against  it  the  majesty  of  the  great  revelation  of  the 
Son  of  God,  the  fulfillment  of  the  world-long  prom- 
ise, the  temple  of  the  indwelling  Spirit  poured  out 
upon  mankind,  the  first-born  from  the  dead.  He 
looked  upon  all  the  world  obedient  to  the  sway  of 
Rome,  and  he  thought  upon  that  wider  and  grander 
obedience  of  faith  which  should  bring  under  its 
sway  all  nations  of  the  earth.  There  is  not  a  grand- 
er thing  in  literature  than  this  opening  of  the  Epis- 
tle to  the  Romans.     A. 

2-4.  The  original  and  peculiar  glory  of  the 
Bible  is  its  revelation  of  the  Messiah.  Deity  must 
be  presented,  and  not  merely  in  some  of  his  attri- 
butes, nor  yet  as  a  shadowy  form  on  the  distant 
clouds  of  his  own  glory,  but  as  a  well-defined  per- 
sonality. God  in  man,  thinking,  feeling,  speaking, 
acting  in  human  relations,  proposing  the  recovery 
of  the  lost  to  an  immortality  of  holiness,  solving 
the  mighty  problem  of  remitting  Law's  penalty 
while  adding  sanction  to  its  claims,  gathering  from 
the  apparent  weakness  of  death  the  resurrection 
forces  of  eternal  life,  and  out  of  the  mists  of  the 
tomb  clothing  his  redeemed  ones  with  the  garments 
of  glory.  The  Bible  utters  thoughts  that  could 
originate  only  in  Jehovah's  breast,  pencils  the  ideal 
of  the  man  who  is  his  fellow,  and  reveals  the  clear 
impressions  of  the  mold  into  which  was  cast  the 


life  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who  at  its  close  was  "  de- 
clared to  be  the  Son  of  God,  with  power  according 
to  the  Spirit  of  Holiness  by  the  resurrection  from  the 

dead."    T.  D.  A. Nothing  speaks  more  decisively 

for  the  divinity  of  Christ  than  these  juxtapositions  of 
Christ  with  the  eternal  God,  which  run  through  the 
whole  language  of  Scripture,  and  the  derivation  of 
purely  divine  influences  from  him  also.     Ols. 

14.  We  might  say,  he  is  debtor  to  God,  to  Christ, 
to  the  Cross.  But  these  are  not  now  in  his  mind. 
It  is  to  Greek  and  Jew,  wise  and  unwise,  men 
of  all  nations,  the  whole  fallen  world,  that  he  feels 
himself  a  debtor.  It  was  when  Paul  became  pos- 
sessed of  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ  that  he 
felt  himself  a  debtor  to  the  world.  To  God  himself 
he  can  not  pay  this  debt  directly,  but  he  can  indi- 
rectly, by  pouring  out  the  God-given  treasure  upon 
others.  His  debt  directly  is  to  God  ;  but  then,  in- 
directly, it  is  to  the  world.  Thus  the  Christian 
man  feels  his  debt — his  obligation  to  the  world  be- 
cause of  his  obligation  to  God.     Bonar. When 

human  knowledge  and  life  are  spreading  out  into 
ever  wider  circuits,  the  Christian  ministry  must  seek 
to  show  itself  a  debtor  to  men  of  every  class  and 
character,  and  must  endeavor  to  prove  that  there  is 
no  department  of  thought  or  action  which  can  not 
be  touched  by  that  gospel  which  is  the  manifold 
wisdom  of  God.  The  more  we  study  the  way  of 
God's  commandments,  the  more  shall  we  find  it  as 
broad  as  his  other  works,  and  increasingly  rich  to 
meet  all  the  developments  of  human  nature.    Ker. 

If  Paul  felt  himself  "  a  debtor  both  to  the  Greeks 
and  to  the  barbarians,"  what  has  the  Church  now 
become  to  the  whole  unchristianized  world  ?  A 
debtor  indeed,  involved  in  a  debt  which  she  will 
never  have  done  paying  till  the  last  of  an  uncon- 
verted race  shall,  under  her  leading,  have  come 
home  to  God.  When  we  call  on  her  members  for 
their  silver  and  their  gold — ay,  for  their  whole  bod- 
ies and  souls — we  do  not  call  on  them  for  charity ; 
we  call  on  them  to  aid  in  the  payment  of  a  simpU 
debt — a  debt  which  we  most  righteously  owe.  The 
particular  church  which  will  not  engage  in  send- 
ing the  gospel  to  the  heathen,  which  perseveringly 
holds  back  from  this  work  of  debt-paying,  can  not 
live.  Its  very  spirit,  and  the  measures  which  that 
spirit  dictates,  will,  even  at  home,  shut  it  out  from 
quickening,  life-sustaining  influences.  It  will  die. 
J.  S.  S. 

Paul's  Doctrinal  Position. 

Paul's  doctrine,  like  his  life,  centers  in  the  great 
antithesis  of  the  imnt  of  salvation  before  Christ  and 
the  supply  of  salvation  in  Chrixt.  Before  Christ 
and  out  of  Christ  is,  with  him,  the  reign  of  sin  and 
death ;  after  Christ  and  in  Christ,  the  reign  of  right, 
eousness  and  life.  There  he  sees  the  killing  letter; 
here  the  life-giving  Spirit.  There,  bondage  and 
curse ;  here,  freedom  and  blessed  sonship.  There,  a 
powerless  struggle  between  flesh  and  spirit  and  a 
cry  for   redemption ;    here,  no   condemnation,  but 


SECTION  236.— ROMANS  1 : 1-15. 


199 


wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemp- 
tion, and  the  inseparable  communion  of  the  love  of 
God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  Hence  he  opposes 
no  error  so  decidedly  and  vehemently  as  the  Judaiz- 
ing,  which  would  degrade  Christianity  to  the  former 
level  of  bondage  and  death. 

Much  as  Paul  insists,  however,  on  the  absolute 
newness  of  Christianity  and  its  infinite  elevation, 
not  only  above  heathenism,  but  also  above  Judaism, 
he  still  forgets  not  its  historical  and  religious  con- 
nection with  the  Old  Testament.  He  represents  the 
way  as  positively  prepared  for  the  Christian  religion 
by  the  Old  Testament  revelation.  He  calls  the  law 
a  schoolmaster  to  lead  to  Christ,  and  describes  the 
gospel  as  promised  before  by  the  prophets.  There 
is,  therefore,  a  connecting  link  between  the  Jew  Saul 
and  the  Christian  Paul,  between  the  two  stages  of 
his  religious  experience  and  views.  This  link  is  the 
idea  of  righteousness,  which  forms  the  center  and 
fundamental  principle  of  his  system  of  faith  and 
morals.  While  a  Pharisee,  he  had  striven  with  all 
his  might  after  righteousness  in  the  way  of  obedi- 
ence to  the  law  of  Moses.  Even  his  persecution  of 
Christ,  whom  he  took  for  a  revolutionary  opponent 
of  the  Old  Testament  religion,  proceeded  from  this 
honest  eifort.  But  in  faith  in  the  very  One  he  per- 
secuted he  found  righteousness,  and  with  it  peace 
and  salvation.  After  his  conversion  he  saw  this  to 
be  absolutely  impossible  without  faith  in  Christ  and 
the  renewal  of  the  whole  man.  Now  he  learned 
that  all  men,  Jews  as  well  as  Gentiles,  are  by  nature 
without  righteousness,  and  can  be  made  righteous 
and  be  saved  only  through  the  merits  of  Jesus 
Christ.  If  he  had  previously  laid  the  chief  stress 
on  the  law  and  on  works,  he  now  laid  it  all  on  free 
grace,  and  on  living  faith,  which  appropriates  Christ 
and  his  atoning  death.  Hence  he  may  justly  be 
called  the  apostle  of  faith,  or  of  the  righteousness 
of  faith. 

Paul  accordingly  distinguishes  two  kinds  of 
righteousness:  1.  Man's  own  lighteousness,  or  the 
righteousness  of  the  law,  also  called  righteousness 
of  works,  which  man  strives  after,  but  in  reality  can 
never  attain,  by  his  natural  power,  and  which  is 
therefore  altogether  imaginary.  The  ground  of  this 
impossibility  of  a  self-righteousness,  which  would 
stand  before  God  and  establish  a  claim  to  salvation, 
is  not  in  the  law — for  this  is  good,  holy,  spiritual — 
but  in  the  corruption  of  man,  in  his  carnal  nature, 
which  must  be  regenerated  and  renewed  by  the  grace 
of  God,  before  it  can  perform  anything  truly  good. 
2.  The  righteousness  of  God  or  from  God,  i.  e,  the 
righteousness  which  comes  from  God  and  is  accept- 
able to  him ;  or  the  righteousness  of  faith,  i.  e.,  the 
righteousness  which  springs  from  faith  in  Christ  as 
the  only  and  all-sufficient  Saviour ;  is  vitally  appre- 
hended by  faith,  and  is  imputed  and  given  to  the 
believer  by  God,  without  merit,  without  the  deeds  of 
the  law,  in  free  grace.  The  righteousness  of  faith 
also,  being  of  this  character,  necessarily  excludes  all 
boasting,  and  yields  the  glory  to  God  alone. 

The  divine  act,  by  which  man  comes  into  posses- 
sion of  this  righteousness,  is  denoted  by  the  expres- 
sions :  justification,  to  justify,  to  count  for  righteous- 
ness. This  Pauline  doctrine  of  justification  is  evi- 
dently founded  on  the  notion  of  a  judicial  process. 
The  holy  and  just  God  is  the  judge ;  the  law  of  God, 
the  accuser ;  the  sinner  or  transgressor  of  the  law, 
the  accused ;  conscience,  the  witness ;  Christ  the 
advocate  and  substitute  for  the  accused ;  the  aton- 
ing death  and  the  merits  of  Christ,  the  price  of  re- 


demption ;  faith,  the  instrument,  the  spiritual  hand 
of  the  penitent  sinner,  by  which  these  merits  are 
appropriated.  The  justification  itself  is  (1)  nega- 
tive, the  judicial  sentence  of  God,  in  which  he  pro- 
nounces the  sinner,  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  free  from 
the  curse  of  the  law,  from  the  guilt  and  punishment 
of  transgression — in  other  words,  the  forgiveness  of 
sins,  pardon ;  (2)  positive,  the  imputation  and  act- 
ual communication  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ  to 
the  penitent,  believing  sinner.  The  communication 
on  the  part  of  God  and  appropriation  on  the  part  of 
man  take  place  by  means  of  faith,  which  is  wrought 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  Church  through  the  word 
and  the  sacraments,  and  is  not,  indeed,  the  objective 
ground,  the  efficient  cause,  yet  the  indispensable  sub- 
jective condition  and  instrumental  cause,  of  justifi- 
cation; since,  renouncing  all  merit  of  its  own,  it 
lays  vital  hold  on  the  grace  of  God  and  the  merits 
of  Christ,  and  receives  them  into  itself.  By  faith 
the  man  is  raised  out  of  his  sinful  state,  united  with 
Christ,  and  wrought  more  and  more  into  His  holy 
being,  so  that  the  old  man  no  longer  lives,  but  Christ 
lives  and  moves  in  him.  Of  course  such  a  faith  is 
absolutely  inseparable  from  love  and  good  works. 
An  antinomian  disjunction  of  faith  from  its  fruits, 
as  also  of  justification  from  sanctification,  is  a  radi- 
cal and  most  dangerous  abuse  of  Paul's  doctrine, 
which  he  himself  repelled  ^ith  horror. 

In  this  comprehensive  moral  contrast  between 
false  self-righteousness,  which  works  death,  and  the 
true  righteousness  of  God,  which  is  life  and  sal- 
vation, Paul's  whole  system  centers.  It  may,  there- 
fore, be  best  presented  in  two  sections.  The  first 
part  treats  of  the  want  of  righteousness,  or  the  con- 
dition of  man  before  and  out  of  Christ.  This  is  the 
reign  of  the  first,  natural,  earthly  Adam,  or  the 
reign  of  sin  and  death,  appearing  partly  in  unguided 
heathenism,  partly  in  the  disciplinary  institution  of 
legal  Judaism  ;  though  in  the  latter  case  connected 
with  divine  promises  and  significant  types  and  an- 
ticipations of  the  future.  The  larger,  positive  sec- 
tion has  to  do  with  the  gospel,  the  absolute  religion 
of  liberty  and  divine  sonship — setting  forth  the  true 
righteousness  as  offered  in  Christ  and  appropriated 
by  faith.  This  is  the  reign  of  the  second,  spiritual, 
heavenly  Adam,  or  of  grace  and  life. 

This  plan  is  not  one  arbitrarily  forced  upon  the 
doctrinal  system  of  the  Gentile  apostle,  but  lies 
clear  enough  on  its  surface  in  this,  his  most  method- 
ical and  systematic  epistle.  Here,  after  the  intro- 
duction, he  first  states  the  essence  of  Christianity  by 
saying  that  "  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation 
to  every  one  that  believeth ;  to  the  Jew  first,  and 
also  to  the  Greek.  For  therein  is  the  righteousness 
of  God  revealed  from  faith  to  faith :  as  it  is  written. 
The  just  shall  live  by  faith  "  (Rom.  1 :  16, 1 Y).  This 
is  the  theme,  the  leading  thought  of  the  Epistle.  In 
unfolding  this  the  apostle  first  proves  that  all  men, 
not  only  the  Gentiles  (1  :  19,  32),  but  also  the  Jews 
(2  :  1-3,  20),  are  by  nature  destitute  of  righteous- 
ness, and  therefore  of  salvation  and  life,  and  are 
sinners  worthy  of  condemnation.  Then  from  chapter 
3  :  21  onward  he  shows  that  Christ  has  fulfilled 
righteousness  and  procured  life  and  salvation ;  that 
th'ese  are  imparted  to  us  through  firm,  living  faith  ; 
that  this  faith  gives  the  most  troubled  conscience 
peace,  and  reveals  itself  in  a  holy  life  of  love  and 
gratitude.     P.  S. 

Every  proof  that  could  be  made  to  consist  with  the 
rules  of  evidence  establishes  the  truth  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion.     The  subject  of  the  Christian  religion 


200 


SECTION  337.— ROMANS  1 :  16-3i 


is  the  controversy  to  which  sin  has  given  birth  be- 
tween God  and  man ;  the  matter  of  the  Revelation 
it  contains  is  the  announcement  of  absolute  forgive- 
ness through  the  mediation  of  Christ.  And  what 
is  the  complexion  or  character  of  this  gospel  remis- 
sion ?  It  is  not  the  consequence  of  the  abrogation 
of  law ;  it  is  not  a  repeal  of  penalties  •,  it  is  not 
a  disparagement  of  supreme  Wisdom ;  it  is  not  a 
deduction  from  the  supposed  power  of  inflicting  pun- 
ishment ;  and  especially,  it  is  not  such  a  mere  act  of 
grace  as,  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  must  not  stretch 
very  far,  lest  the  punishment  of  any  should  seem  a 
captious  severity,  and  pardon  an  unavoidable  com- 
promise. The  pardon  of  the  gospel  is  pardon  for  a 
reason :  that  is  to  say,  it  is  pardon  granted  in  com- 
pliance with  a  rule,  higher,  or  more  comprehensive, 
than  the  law  which  was  broken.  The  pardon  of  the 
gospel,  therefore,  may  be  extended  without  reserve ; 
because  the  reason  whence  it  flows  is  greater  than 
all  other  reasons.    Even  if  it  were  to  appear  at  the 


last  that  the  myriad  has  received  pardon,  and  the 
thousand  has  been  left  to  endure  punishment,  the 
principles  of  administration  would  not  be  sullied; 
because,  while  the  demands  of  justice  are  definite, 
the  provision  of  gi-ace  is  miboundcd.  Grace  en- 
compasses justice.  And  yet,  if  in  any  manner  we 
surrender  the  Divine  dignity  of  the  Mediator,  the 
reason  of  pardon  at  once  disappears,  and  the  gov- 
ernment of  God  is  clouded ;  or  the  conscience  of 
man  receives  no  lasting  peace.  Conscience  may  in- 
deed remain  in  its  native  slumber,  or  it  may  embrace 
flatteries;  but  when  once  it  is  quickened,  when 
once  the  purity  of  law,  and  the  impartiality  and 
vigor  of  the  divine  government  have  been  admitted, 
and  the  thought  of  standing  at  the  tribunal  of 
God  has  firmly  lodged  itself  in  the  mind,  the  well- 
founded  fear  of  condemnation  is  in  no  way  to  be 
allayed,  until  the  substitute  of  the  sinner  is  known  to 
be  the  very  parly  whom  the  sinner  has  insulted! 
I.T. 


Section  237. 


Romans  i.  16-32. 


16  Fob  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ :  for  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to 

17  every  one  that  believeth ;  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  .Greek.  For  therein  is  the 
righteousness  of  God  revealed  from  faith  to  faith:  as  it  is  written,  The  just  shall  live  by 

18  faith.     For  the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungodliness  and  unright- 

19  eousness  of  men,  who  hold  the  truth  in  unrighteousness;  because  that  which  may  be  known 

20  of  God  is  manifest  in  them;  for  God  hath  shewed  it  unto  them.  For  the  invisible  things 
of  him  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that 

21  are  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead ;  so  that  they  are  without  excuse :  because 
that,  when  they  knew  God,  they  glorified  Mm  not  as  God,  neither  were  thankful ;   but 

22  became  vain  in  their  imaginations,  and  their  foolish  heart  was  darkened.    Professing  them- 

23  selves  to  be  wise,  they  became  fools,  and  changed  the  glory  of  the  uncorruptible  God  into  an 
image  made  like  to  corruptible  man,  and  to  birds,  and  fourfooted  beasts,  and  creeping  things. 

24  "Wherefore  God  also  gave  them  up  to  nncleanness  through  the  lusts  of  their  own  hearts,  to 

25  dishonor  their  own  bodies  between  themselves :  who  changed  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie, 
and  worshipped  and  served  the  creature  more  than  the  Creator,  who  is  blessed  for  ever. 
Amen. 

26  For  this  cause  God  gave  them  up  unto  vile  affections :  for  even  their  women  did  change 

27  the  natural  use  into  that  which  is  against  nature :  and  likewise  also  the  men,  leaving  the 
natural  use  of  the  woman,  burned  in  their  lust  one  toward  another;  men  with  men  working 
that  which  is  unseemly,  and  receiving  in  themselves  that  recompense  of  tlieir  error  which 

28  was  meet.    And  even  as  they  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge,  God  gave  them 

29  over  to  a  reprobate  mind,  to  do  those  things  which  are  not  convenient ;  being  filled  with 
all  unrighteousness,  fornication,  wickedness,  covetousness,   maliciousness:   full  of  envy, 

30  murder,  debate,  deceit,  malignity;  whisperers,  backbiters,  haters  of  God,  despiteful,  proud, 

31  boasters,  inventors  of  evil  things,  disobedient  to  parents,  without  understanding,  covenant- 

32  breakers,  without  natural  affection,  implacable,  unmerciful:  who  knowing  the  judgment 
of  God,  that  they  which  commit  such  things  are  woi'thy  of  death,  not  only  do  the  same,  but 
have  pleasure  in  them  that  do  them. 


Man  had  degraded  God,  says  the  apostle,  and  God  degraded  man.  Man  can  only  degrade  God  in  his 
conceptions  of  Him.  He  may  think  meanly  and  poorly  of  God,  instead  of  investing  Him  in  his  ideas  with 
every  perfection.  And  this  is  just  what  took  place.  Man  might  have  learned  from  Nature  (for  Nature 
is  a  revelation  of  God  to  a  rational  creature)  the  lesson  of  God's  eternal  power  and  Godhead,  had  he  been 
80  minded ;  His  magnificence,  wisdom,  benevolence,  are  written  in  no  obscure  characters  on  the  whole 


SECTION  237.— ROMANS  1 :  16-32. 


201 


frame  of  the  universe.  But  man  could  not,  rather  he  would  not,  rise  to  those  lofty  conceptions  of  God's 
character  which  Nature,  studied  with  a  simple  and  docile  heart,  furnishes.  Man  would  not  think  of  God 
as  a  Being  infinitely  raised  above  even  the  noblest  works  of  His  hands ;  he  confounded  Him  with  the 
creatures  that  were  derived  from  him,  and  allowed  the  religious  instinct — the  instinct  of  worship — to 
fasten  upon  them  instead  of  the  Creator.  In  a  word,  idolatry  (or  the  surrounding  the  creature  with  the 
attributes  of  the  Creator)  is  the  original,  fundamental  sin  of  man — the  point  of  departure  from  which 
man  started  on  his  downward  course  until  he  reached  the  lowest  depths  of  wickedness.  Man  debased 
God  in  his  conceptions  of  Him.  And  God,  as  the  meet  recompense  of  such  dishonor  done  Him,  really  and 
actually  debased  man  by  abandoning  him  to  the  dominion  of  vices,  the  very  mention  of  which  freezes  the 
blood  of  an  upright  man.    E.  M.  G. 


17.  The  words  "the  just,"  or  "the  righteous 
shall  live  by  faith,"  might  also  be  understood,  "the 
righteous  by  faith,"  "  those  that  are  righteous  by 

faith,"  "  shall  live."    A. 1  noticed  how  the  words 

are  connected  together,  "  the  righteousness  of  God 
is  revealed  in  the  gospel,  as  it  is  written.  The  just 
shall  live  by  faith."  I  saw  the  apostle's  meaning, 
that  by  the  gospel  is  made  known  that  righteous- 
ness which  avails  with  God,  in  which  God,  out  of 
mere  mercy,  makes  us  righteous  through  faith.  On 
this  I  felt  as  if  I  was  wholly  born  anew.  The  pre- 
cious Scripture  now  appeared  quite  another  thing  to 
me.  I  ran  quickly  through  the  whole  Bible,  and 
collected  all  that  it  says  on  the  subject.  And  thus, 
as  I  bad  hated  the  expression,  "  God's  righteous- 
ness," I  began  dearly  to  love  it  as  the  gladdest  word 
in  Scripture;  and  that  passage  became  to  me  the 

very  gate  of  heaven.     Luthei-. Like  a  nail  in  a 

sure  place  this  saying  sticks  in  Luther's  memory. 
He  wanders  through  the  convent,  he  trudges  it  to 
Rome,  he  crawls  up  Pilate's  staircase,  but  still  the 
sentence  is  sounding  in  his  ear.  Through  seas  of 
anguish  and  dismay  he  buffets  his  laboring  path,  no 
ray  to  guide  him  but  this  tiny  spark,  till  all  at  once 
at  that  little  spark  Luther's  soul  is  kindled,  and  the 
Reformation-beacon  flames.     Hamilton. 

18.  The  origin  of  the  atonement  is  to  be  sought 
in  the  righteous  wrath  of  God  against  sin.  Paul 
recognizes  the  wrath  of  God  as  the  fundamental 
fact  in  which  we  are  to  seek  for  an  explanation  of 
that  scheme.  "Herein,"  says  he  (that  is,  in  the 
gospel),  "  is  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed." 
And  then,  commencing  the  explanation  necessary  to 
elucidate  these  words,  he  adds:  "For  the  wrath  of 
God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all  ungodli- 
ness" (sin  against  the  first  table)  "and  unright- 
eousness" (sin  against  the  second  table) "of  men." 
The  idea  is  perfectly  simple.  God  has  given  us  a 
law,  involving  duty  to  himself  and  duty  to  our  fel- 
low-men— a  law  promulgated  explicitly  to  the  Jew, 
and  graven  in  characters,  not  obliterated,  yet  dim 
and  confused  through  the  fall,  on  the  hearts  of  all 
mankmd.  God  is  a  Spirit,  a  searcher  of  the  thoughts 
and  mtaits  of  the  heart;  and,  therefore,  a  mere 
outward  observance  of  this  law,  in  the  letter  of  it, 
can  never  meet  his   requirements.      All  mankind 


have  broken  the  law  either  literally  or  spiritually, 
or  both ;  and,  by  the  violation,  God's  displeasure  is 
incurred.    E.  M.  G. 

"  The  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven." 
This  saying  contains  a  deep  and  awful  truth.  God's 
punishment  is  God's  wrath  against  sin ;  and  is  not 
merely  the  consequence  of  lifeless  laws,  but  the 
expression  of  the  feeling  of  a  living  spirit.  It 
would  be  most  perilous  to  do  away  with  these 
words ;  for  if  the  wrath  of  God  be  only  a  figure, 

his  love  must  be  but  a  figure  too.     F.  W.  R. 

The  revelation  is  given  on  purpose  that  we  may 
avoid  that  wrath ;  for  the  wrath  is  future,  and  we 
are  commanded  to  flee  from  it ;  and  faith  in  it  is 
requisite,  before  the  experience  of  it,  that  we  may 
flee  from  it.  The  most  vivid  images  of  Scripture 
are  but  faint  and  inadequate  shadowings  forth  of 
the  reality ;  they  demonstrate  and  unveil  it  as  far 
as  possible,  but  they  require  belief.  Our  blessed 
Lord  makes  his  aj^eal  to  our  very  senses,  as  far  as 
it  can  be  made.  He  takes  the  torture  which  is  most 
terrible  to  us,  that  from  which  our  sensitive  nature 
shrinks  back  with  the  greatest  horror  and  repug- 
nance, and  constructs  a  world  out  of  it,  and  carries 
us  into  the  midst  of  that  world,  as  in  the  tremen- 
dous colloquy  between  Lazarus  in  heaven  and  the 
lost  man  in  hell ;  so  that  we  see  the  flames,  we  hear 
the  wail  of  souls  tormented,  we  observe  the  anguish 
of  despair.     G.  B.  C. 

30.  The  apostle  says  that  the  invisible  things 
of  God,  even  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead,  "  are 
clearly  seen  from  the  creation  of  the  world  "  (i.  e., 
God's  creation  of  the  world  is  the  source  from 
which  true  information  respecting  his  lofty  attri- 
butes may  be  gained),  "  so  that  they  "  (the  Gentiles) 
"are  without  excuse,"  because  the  lessons  which 
they  might  have  learned  of  God  from  Nature  are 
quite  sufficient  to  have  condemned  their  idolatries. 

E.  M.  G. Various  as  have  been  God's  dealings 

with  the  world,  there  is,  after  all,  a  terrible  imparti- 
ality in  his  dispensations  to  his  rational  creatures. 
Wherever  men  possess  reason  and  conscience,  they 
possess  in  some  measure  the  means  of  pleasing  or 
displeasing  him  ;  whenever  they  can,  in  the  lowest 
degree,  conceive  his  law,  they  are  bound  to  obey  it. 
He  can  estimate  every  district  and  age  of  the  world 


202 


SECTION  237.— ROMANS  1 :  16-32. 


by  the  standards  appropriate  to  each.  And  as  He 
contemplates  the  vast  prospect,  Christian  and  hea- 
then—as he  beholds  in  the  one  division  those  to  whom 
Christ  was  hidden,  but  who  would  perhaps  have  "  re- 
ceived him  gladly";  in  the  other  those  to  whom 
Christ  was  revealed,  but  who  despised  and  neglected 
the  revelation— he  doubtless  can  bring  men  to  a 
level,  balancing  their  opportunities  against  their  ac- 
tions to  a  degree  wholly  unattainable  by  our  weak 
and  perplexed  vision.     W.  A.  B. 

21.  A  man  may  lose  the  good  things  of  this  life 
against  his  will ;  but,  if  he  loses  eternal  blessings, 

he  docs  so  with  his  own  consent.     Av.;j. The 

more  carefully  we  observe  the  workings  of  our  own 
wills,  the  surer  will  be  our  conviction  that  they  can 
ruin  themselves.  We  shall  indeed  find  that  they 
can  not  be  forced  or  ruined  from  the  outside.  But 
if  we  watch  the  influence  upon  the  will  itself ,  of  its 
own  wrong  decisions  and  its  own  yielding  to  temp- 
tations, we  shall  discover  that  the  voluntary  faculty 
may  be  ruined  from  within  ;  may  be  made  impotent 
to  holiness  by  its  own  action ;  may  surrender  itself 
to  appetite  and  selfishness  with  such  an  intensity 
and  entireness  that  it  becomes  unable  to  convert  it- 
self and  overcome  its  own  wrong  inclination.  And 
yet  there  is  no  extraneous  compulsion,  from  first  to 
last,  in  the  process.  The  man  follows  himself.  He 
pursues  his  own  inclinations.  He  has  his  own  way, 
and  does  as  he  pleases.  He  loves  what  he  inclines 
to  love,  and  hates  what  he  inclines  to  hate.  Neither 
God,  nor  the  world,  nor  Satan  himself,  forces  him 
to  do  wrong.  It  is  the  most  spontaneous  of  self-mo- 
tion. But  self-motion  has  consequences  as  much  as 
any  other  motion.  Because  sin  is  a  free  act,  it  does 
not  follow  that  it  has  no  results,  and  leaves  the  will 
precisely  as  it  found  it.  It  is  strictly  true  that  man 
was  not  compelled  to  apostatize ;  but  it  is  equally 
true  that,  if  of  his  own  will  he  did  apostatize,  he 
could  not  then  and  afterward  be  as  he  was  before. 
He  would  lose  knowledge  ;  his  understanding  would 
become  darkened.  And  he  would  lose  spiritual 
power ;  his  will  would  become  impotent  to  holiness. 
Shedd. 

22.  The  term  spiritual  folly  includes  not  only 
those  who  are  in  the  common  sense  of  the  term 
foolish,  but  a  great  many  who  are  in  the  common 
sense  of  the  terms  prudent,  sensible,  thoughtful, 
and  wise.  It  is  but  too  evident  that  some  of  the 
ablest  men  who  have  ever  lived  upon  earth  have 
been  in  no  less  a  degree  spiritually  fools.  And  thus 
it  is  not  without  much  truth  that  Christian  writers 
have  dwelt  upon  the  insufficiency  of  worldly  wisdom, 
and  have  warned  their  readers  to  beware  lest,  while 
professing  themselves  to  be  wise,  they  should  be 
accounted  as  fools  in  the  sight  of  God.     T.  A. 

23-32.  Roman  society  was  a  living  commen- 
tary upon  the  words  of  John,  "  All  that  is  in  the 


world,  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  and  the  lust  of  the 
eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life,  is  not  of  the  Father." 
The  principle  known  to  formal  theology  as  "  con- 
cupiscence," and  to  popular  language  as  active  self- 
ishness, was  everywhere  dominant.  It  was  embod- 
ied in  the  whole  social  and  political  fabric  of  the 
empire.  It  was  displayed  in  its  triple  form  of  un- 
restricted sensuality,  unchecked  covetousness,  and 
unbounded  self-assertion.  As  sensuality,  it  was 
preying  upon  the  strength  and  manhood  of  the 
peoi)le.  As  covetousness,  it  was  drying  up  the 
wealth  of  provinces  and  the  sources  of  enterprise. 
As  pride,  it  was  everywhere  in  active  conflict  with 
personal  and  social  liberty.  But  these  effects,  out- 
ward and  political,  were  harmless  compared  with 
the  degradation  inflicted  by  unchecked  self-worship 
upon  the  human  soul  within.  When  man  is  his 
own  center,  his  own  ideal,  his  own  end,  his  own 
God ;  when  the  indulgence  of  passion,  and  the  ac- 
quisition of  income,  and  general  self-assertion  are 
leading  and  uncontrolled  principles  of  action,  the 
human  character  sinks  to  a  point  of  degradation 
which  language  can  shadow  out,  but  which  it  can 
not  describe.  The  Eoman  Christians  must  have 
recognized  the  society  around  them,  the  men  and 
women  with  whom  they  had  daily  dealings  as  fellow 
citizens,  in  the.  dark  and  terrible  touches  of  this 
first  chapter.     H.  P.  L. 

This  picture  of  the  moral  state  of  heathendom 
is  not  a  whit  overwrought.  Its  truth  is  confirmed 
by  the  astounding  representations  of  the  corruption 
of  those  times  of  the  empire,  which  we  find  in  the 
most  celebrated  and  earnest-minded  heathen  writers. 
Wherever  Tacitus,  the  greatest  of  Roman  histori- 
ans, looks,  whether  to  heaven  or  upon  earth,  he  sees 
nothing  but  black  night  and  deeds  of  cruelty.  He 
feels  that  the  destruction  of  the  world  is  near,  when 
she  must  drink  the  cup  of  divine  wrath  to  the  dregs. 
The  elder  Pliny,  too,  lost  in  wonder  at  the  works  of 
nature,  could  enjoy  no  rest  in  contemplating  them. 
He  could  find  nothing  certain,  but  that  there  was  no 
certainty;  and  nothing  more  miserable  than  man. 
He  could  wish  for  no  greater  blessing  than  a  speedy 
death ;  and  this  he  found  in  the  flames  of  Vesuvius 

(a.  d.  79j.     P.  S. Paul's  terrible  indictment  is 

not  more  severe  than  the  indignant  assertions  of 
Seneca.  He  compares  society,  where  every  one 
makes  his  profit  by  injuring  somebody  else,  to  the 
life  of  gladiators,  who  live  together  to  fight  each 
other.  "  All  things,"  he  says,  "  are  full  of  crunes 
and  vices.  More  is  perpetrated  than  can  be  removed 
by  force.  There  is  a  struggle  to  see  which  will  ex- 
cel in  iniquity.  Daily  the  appetite  for  sin  increases, 
the  sense  of  shame  diminishes.  Casting  away  all 
respect  for  right  and  justice,  lust  hurries  whitherso- 
ever it  will.  Crimes  are  no  longer  secret ;  they  stalk 
before  the  eyes  of  men.     Iniquity  has  so  free  a 


SECTION  238.— ROMANS  2  : 1-29. 


20B 


course  in  public,  it  so  dominates  in  all  hearts,  that 
innocence  is  not  only  rare — it  does  not  exist  at  all. 
It  is  not  a  case  of  violations  of  law  in  individual 
cases,  few  in  number.  From  all  sides,  as  at  a  given 
signal,  men  rush  together,  confounding  good  and 
evil."  He  then  proceeds  to  specify,  in  a  long  cata- 
logue, the  forms  of  iniquity,  some  of  them  revolting 
and  unnatural  crimes,  which  exhibited  themselves 

on  every  hand.     G.  P.  F. Such  was  the  state  of 

things  in  the  days  in  which  Christianity  appeared. 
Pleasure  mounted  the  throne,  shame  departed  from 
the  heart.  Religion,  long  the  fruitful  source  of  un- 
belief, superstition,  and  immorality,  could  not  offer 
a  remedy.  Even  philosophy  sat  down  perplexed. 
The  human  understanding  had  run  through  the  cir- 
cle in  which,  left  to  itself,  it  could  move.  A  Cato 
and  Cesar  dared  publicly  confess  that  the  belief  in 
an  eternal  existence  was  fabulous,  and  that  on  yon- 
der side  of  the  grave  neither  sorrow  nor  joy  was  to 
be  expected.  The  elder  Pliny  makes  the  undisguised 
declaration  "that  all  inquiry  after  a  higher  truth 
may  be  denominated  ridiculous,  and  that  it  is  to  be 
doubted  which  is  more  advantageous  to  mankind, 
the  skepticism  of  some  or  the  disgraceful  religion 
of  others,  yea,  that  this  alone  is  certain,  that  abso- 
lutely nothing  certain  exists,  and  that  a  more  wretch- 
ed as  well  as  prouder  creature  than  man  does  not 
exist."     Van  0. 

28,  29.  If  you  take  away  a  man's  knowledge, 
you  do  not  bring  him  to  the  state  of  an  infant,  but 


to  that  of  a  brute ;  and  of  one  of  the  most  mis- 
chievous  and  malignant  of  the  brute  creation.  For 
you  do  not  lessen  or  weaken  the  man's  body  by  low- 
ering his  mind ;  he  still  retains  his  strength  and  his 
passions,  the  passions  leading  to  self-indulgence,  the 
strength  which  enables  him  to  feed  them  by  con- 
tinued gi-atification.     T.  A. The  result  of  that 

old  idolatry  was  the  indulgence  of  fleshly  lust.  And 
the  language  of  the  apostle  precisely  describes  the 
connection  between  the  cause  and  the  effect.  They 
did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge.  They 
had  supplied  to  them  ever  by  their  conscience  a 
higher  ideal ;  not  perhaps  the  highest,  nor  even  in 
itself  very  high,  but  still  higher  than  could  be  repre- 
sented by  their  gross  worship.  They  felt  higher  in- 
stincts, higher  impulses.  But  they  put  the  lower 
above  the  higher,  and  the  end  was  the  downright 
dominion  of  the  lower  nature.  F.  T. The  teach- 
ing here  is  plain  and  indisputable.  God  gave  men 
the  means  of  knowing  his  perfections  and  his  will. 
From  these  they  turned  away,  because  they  did  not 
like  to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge,  and  chose  and 
worshiped  the  meanest  reptiles,  nay,  even  the  images 
of  beasts  instead  of  the  Creator.  Against  such  aw- 
ful impiety  he  displayed  his  displeasure,  or  made 
known  his  wrath,  by  allowing  them  without  restraint 
to  pursue  their  own  course.  He  gave  them  over. 
The  consequence  was,  a  condition  of  the  most  de- 
graded iniquity  and  more  than  brutish  sensuality 
and  lust.     F.  W. 


Section  238. 

EoMAUS  ii.  1-29. 

1  Theeefoee  thoTi  art  inexcusable,  O  man,  whosoever  thon  art  that  judgest ;  for  wherein 
thou  judgest  another,  thou  condemnest  thyself;  for  thou  that  judgest  doest  the  same  things. 

2  But  we  are  sure  that  the  judgment  of  God  is  according  to  truth  against  them  which  commit 

3  such  things.     And  thinkest  thou  this,  O  man,  that  judgest  them  which  do  such  things,  and 

4  doest  the  same,  that  thou  shalt  escape  the  judgment  of  God  ?     Or  despisest  thou  the  riches 
of  his  goodness  and  forbearance  and  longsuffering  ;  not  knowing  that  the  goodness  of  God 

5  leadeth  thee  to  repentance  ?    But  after  thy  hardness  and  impenitent  heart  treasurest  up 
unto  thyself  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of 

6  God ;  who  will  render  to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds :  to  them  who  by  patient  con- 
Y  tinuance  in  well  doing  seek  for  glory  and  honour  and  immortality,  eternal  life :  but  unto 

8  them  that  are  contentious,  and  do  not  obey  the  truth,  but  obey  unrighteousness,  indignation 

9  and  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish,  upon  every  soul  of  man  that  doeth  evil,  of  the  Jew 

10  first,  and  also  of  the  Gentile ;  but  glory,  honour,  and  peace,  to  every  man  that  worketh 

11  good,  to  the  Jew  first,  and  also  to  the  Gentile  :  for  there  is  no  respect  of  persons  with  God. 

12  For  as  many  as  have  sinned  without  law  shall  also  perish  without  law  :  and  as  many  as  have 

13  sinned  in  the  law  shall  be  Judged  by  the  law ;  (for  not  the  hearers  of  the  law  are  just  before 

14  God,  but  the  doers  of  the  law  shall  be  justified.     For  when  the  Gentiles,  which  have  not 
the  law,  do  by  nature  the  things  contained  in  the  law,  these,  having  not  the  law,  are  a  law 

15  unto  themselves:  which  shew  the  work  of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts,  their  conscience 


201 


SECTION'  238.— ROMANS  2  : 1-29. 


also  bearing  witness,  and  tlieir  thoughts  the  mean  while  accusing  or  else  excusing  one  an- 

16  other ;)  in  the  day  when  God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of  men  by  Jesus  Christ  according  to 
my  gospel. 

17  Behold  thou  art  called  a  Jew,  and  restest  in  the  law,  and  makest  thy  boast  of  God,  and 

18  knowest  Im  will,  and  approvest  the  things  that  are  more  excellent,  being  instructed  out  of 

19  the  law  •  and  art  confident  that  thou  thyself  art  a  guide  of  the  blind,  a  light  of  them  which 

20  are  in  darkness,  an  instructor  of  the  foolish,  a  teacher  of  babes,  which  hast  the  form  of 

21  knowlcdi'-e  and  of  the  truth  in  the  law.     Thou  therefore  which  teach  est  another,  teachest 

22  thou  not'^thyself  ?   thou  that  preachest  a  man  should  not  steal,  dost  thou  steal?     Thou  that 
sayest  a  man  sliould  not  commit  adultery,  dost  thou  commit  adultery?    thou  that  abhorrest 

23  idols,  dost  tliou  commit  sacrilege?     Thou  that  makest  thy  boast  of  the  law,  through  break- 

24  ing  the  law  dishonourest  thou  God?     For  the  name  of  God  is  blasphemed  among  the  Gen- 

25  tiles  through  you,  as  it  is  written.     For  circumcision  verily  profiteth,  if  thou  keep  the  law  : 

26  but  if  thou  be  a  breaker  of  the  law,  thy  circumcision  is  made  uncircumcision.      Therefore 
if  the  uncircumcision  keep  the  righteousness  of  the  lav/,  shall  not  his  uncircumcision  be 

27  counted  for  circumcision  ?     And  shall  not  uncircumcision  which  is  by  nature,  if  it  fulfil  the 

28  law,  judge  thee,  who  by  the  letter  and  circumcision  dost  transgress  the  law  ?     For  he  is  not 
a  Jew,  which  is  one  outwardly  ;  neither  is  that  circumcision,  which  is  outward  in  the  flesh  : 

29  but  he  is  a  Jew,  which  is  one  inwardly ;  and  circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  spirit, 
and  not  in  the  letter ;  whose  praise  is  not  of  men,  but  of  God. 


Behold  the  goodness  of  God  in  the  same  view  with  the  manifestation  of  liis  mind  against  sin — the 
expressions  of  denunciation  accompanying  his  holy  law,  and  mingled  with  all  his  communications  to  man 
— how  many  they  are,  how  decisive,  how  solemn,  and  at  the  same  time  just !  And  yet,  notwithstanding, 
the  world  around  us  is  not  made  an  unmingled  scene  of  vindictive  execution ;  sinful  men  are  not,  in  every 
path  and  dwelling,  crushed  under  the  falling  judgments  of  heaven.  There  is  an  immense  dispensation  of 
benefits.  The  series  of  the  divine  goodness,  too,  may  be  counted  by  the  succession  of  a  man's  sins.  Not 
one  sin,  small  or  great,  but  close  by  it  were  acts  and  proofs  of  this  goodness.  If  this  had  been  realized 
to  thought,  what  a  striking  and  awful  admonition  !  Each  and  every  sin  a  testimony,  a  representative  of 
goodness ;  and  what  a  wonder  that  the  train  of  goodness  should  still  persist  to  go  on  !  So,  "  tlie  goodness 
of  God  "  is  to  be  viewed  in  its  character  of  patience  and  long-suffering.  All  his  lengthened  indulgence, 
his  train  of  favors — what  should  we  in  conscience  deem  it  to  have  been  for  ?  What,  but  that  there  might 
be  increasing  gratitude,  devotedness,  wisdom,  and  service '? 

Conceive  the  state  of  a  soul  hardened  under  "  the  goodness  of  God  !  "  No  longer  even  a  perception  of 
his  mercies  as  such — a  fixed,  impenetrable  ingratitude ;  an  established,  habitual  repellency  to  all  his 
attractions ;  a  cessation,  nearly,  of  regret  for  not  being  at  peace  with  him  ;  the  man's  mind  made  up,  as  it 
were,  just  to  seize  and  enjoy  as  much  temporal  good  as  God  will  permit  him  (not  give  him)  during  the 
remainder  of  the  brief  space  of  life,  and  leave  all  that  is  to  follow  to  be  as  it  may.  Consider,  on  the 
other  hand,  how  happily  the  sentiment  of  ^'■repentance''''  from  a  sense  of  ^^  the  goodness  of  God"  mingles 
and  harmonizes  with  all  the  noblest  and  most  delightful  sentiments  of  religion — with  gratitude,  humility, 
holy  reverence,  and  zeal — and  with  the  aspiration  to  a  better  life,  where  there  shall  be  no  more  sin.     J.  F. 


Chapters  2, 3,  and  4. — The  apostle  goes  on  to  show 
that,  in  this  matter  of  sinfulness  before  God,  all  are 
alike ;  that  none  has  a  right  to  set  himself  up  above 
and  judge  another;  for  that  man's  unworthiness 
and  God's  long-suffering  are  universal.  And  so  he 
passes  gradually  to  the  case  of  the  Jews,  whom  by 
and  by  he  directly  addresses,  especially  with  refer- 
ence to  their  supposed  and  real  advantages  over 
others  in  the  knowledge  of  God;  contrasting  the 
pride  of  the  Jews  in  their  law  and  their  God  with 
their  actual  disobedience  to  both ;  showing  that  by 
the  works  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh  be  justified ;  and 
that  Abraham's  real  advantage  was  his  faith,  by 
which  he  was  justified  before  God  without  the  works 
of  the  law.     And  this  justification  by  faith  was  not 


his  alone,  but  shall  be  ours  also,  if  we  beheve  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus  from  the  dead.  This  is  the 
state  of  the  main  line  of  argument  as  far  as  the  end 
of  chapter  4.    A. 

2,  3.  To  what  in  yourself  will  you  ascribe  that 
which  in  others  you  ascribe  to  criminality?  Com- 
pare yourself  with  others  upon  whom  you  have  been 
sitting  in  judgment,  and  wherein  are  you  dissimilar  ? 
Be  not  deceived,  God  is  not  mocked.  What  are  you 
doing,  as  estranged  from  him  who  came  to  save  you, 
but  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the  flesh  and  the. mind, 
and  walking  in  your  own  chosen  way  ?     E.  M. 

4.  Where,  if  not  in  Christ,  is  the  power  that 
can  persuade  a  sinner  to  return,  that  can  bring  home 
a  heart  to  God?    Common  mercies  of  God,  though 


SECTION  238.— ROMANS  2  : 1-29. 


205 


tliey  have  a  leading  faculty  to  repentance,  yet  the 
rebellious  heart  will  not  be  led  by  them.  The  judg- 
ments of  God,  public  or  personal,  though  they  ought 
to  drive  us  to  God,  yet  the  heart,  unchanged,  runs 
the  further  from  God.  Do  we  not  sec  it  by  our- 
selves and  other  sinners  about  us  ?  They  look  not 
at  all  toward  Him  who  smites,  much  less  do  they  re- 
turn ;  or,  if  any  more  serijous  thoughts  of  returning 
arise  upon  the  surprise  of  an  affliction,  how  soon 
vanish  they,  cither  the  stroke  abating,  or  the  heart, 
by  time,  growing  hard  and  senseless  under  it !  Leave 
Christ  out,  and  all  other  means  work  not  this  way ; 
neither  the  works  nor  the  word  of  God  sounding 
daily  in  his  ear,  Return^  return.  Let  the  noise  of 
the  rod  speak  it  too,  and  both  join  together  to  make 
the  cry  the  louder,  yet  the  luicked  will  do  wickedly. 

L. Sin  hath  by  so  much  the  greater  evil  in  it  by 

how  much  it  is  committed  against  the  greater  good- 
ness. As  good  things  received  bind  us  stronger  unto 
duty,  so  good  things  abused  bind  us  stronger  under 

guilt.     Caryl. God  gives  us  all  the  mercies  of 

this  life  as  kelps  to  an  immortal  state  of  glory,  and 
as  earnests  of  it.  Sensualists  know  not  what  a  soul 
is,  nor  what  soul  mercies  are,  and  therefore  know 
not  the  just  value  of  all  bodily  mercies ;  but  take 
up  only  with  the  carcass,  shell,  or  shadoiv,  instead  of 
the  life  of  their  mercies.  No  wonder  they  are  so 
unthankful  for  God's  mercies,  when  they  know  not 
the  real  excellency  of  them.     £ajc. 

7,  Patient  continuance.  If  duty  be  not 
so  holy  a  power  as  love,  yet,  as  long  as  we  remain 
here,  we  need  the  strength  of  duty  as  much  as  we 
do  the  fire  of  love.  The  steady  discharge  of  the 
duties  of  the  day  saves  our  religious  life  from  being 
a  mere  weak  alternation  of  fits  of  joy  and  fits  of 
depression.  The  resolute  will  that  allows  no  mere 
mood  ever  to  interfere  with  the  appointed  work  of 
the  present  moment  is  the  backbone  of  the  truly 
religious  character.  The  instinct  of  love,  glorious 
as  it  is,  yet  may  degenerate  into  mere  dreamy  feel- 
ing, into  sentimental  sorrow  for  sin,  and  sentimental 
longing  for  a  holier  life.  That  which  saves  it  from 
this  degenerate  end  is  the  strong,  steady  sense  of 
duty.  And  there  is  no  one  quality  which  it  is  bet- 
ter for  us,  in  every  sense,  to  form,  to  retain,  to 
cherish  in  our  souls  than  this.     F.  T. 

Glory  and  honour.  Nothing  in  all  the  suc- 
cess of  Satan  in  his  management  of  the  world's 
affairs  is  so  saddening  to  contemplate  as  the  false 
direction  he  has  been  enabled  to  give  to  the  enthu- 
siasm of  men.  Enthusiasm  is  a  beautiful  and  sacred 
thing,  implanted  in  us  that  we  might  launch  forth 
on  sublime  enterprises  of  mercy  to  man  and  of  glory 
to  God.  Enthusiasm  would  make  of  a  holy  man  a 
seraph.  Men  hardly  know  what  to  do  with  this  di- 
vine faculty.  They  thirst  for  glory,  honor,  immor- 
tality, but  limit  their  conceptions  of  these  things  to 


what  the  world,  the  fallen,  doomed  world,  can  give, 
G.  B. 

Eternal  life.  Christ  and  his  apostles  seem 
to  have  given  less  space  than  we  might  have  ex- 
pected to  the  particulars  of  the  soul's  condition 
after  death.  A  few  great,  simple,  commanding, 
comprehensive  assurances  are  made  to  stand  out  be- 
fore us,  with  outlines  that  are  very  sharp  and  founda- 
tions that  are  very  broad  and  firm.  The  fact  of 
the  Christian's  immortality,  the  fact  of  the  judg- 
ment at  the  entrance,  the  fact  of  the  separation  of 
the  righteous  from  the  wicked,  the  fact  that  this 
judgment  proceeds  on  one  principle,  and  that  this 
separation  is  determined  by  one  afEection  or  the  ab- 
sence of  it,  the  fact  that  afterward  there  are  two 
parted  families,  each  of  them  a  social  state,  the 
perfect  blessedness  of  the  one  consisting  supremely 
in  the  fully  recognized  presence  and  love  of  the 
Lord,  and  the  complete  wretchedness  of  the  other 
in  absence  from  Him — these  are  all.  On  these  the 
Scriptures  lay  all  the  stress.  Around  and  under 
them  they  spread  out  all  that  immortal  land.  To 
the  faithful  who  seek  by  patient  well-doing  there 
shall  be  glory,  honor,  and  immortality,  but  tribula- 
tion and  anguish  to  every  soul  that  loveth  and  doeth 
evil.  F.  D.  H. When  it  is  told  us  that  tlie  con- 
sciousness wo  inherit  is  strictly  indestructible — that 
no  mutations  in  the  mode  of  existence,  no  accidents, 
no  alterations  in  the  laws  of  nature,  not  even  the 
upturning  of  the  material  universe,  not  the  extinc- 
tion of  all  things  visible,  can  bring  about  the  anni- 
hilation of  man — then,  indeed,  it  becomes  a  question 
of  unutterable  consequence,  "  What  is  God  ?  "  for 
we,  even  we,  are  to  be  the  companions  of  his  eter- 
nal duration !  The  creatures  of  a  day,  of  a  sum- 
mer, of  a  century,  might  be  imagined,  when  they 
stand  upon  the  threshold  of  their  term  of  existence, 
to  make  inquiry  concerning  the  attributes  and  dis- 
positions of  the  Creator  and  the  rules  of  his  gov- 
ernment :  for  these  are  to  give  law  to  their  season 
of  life,  and  to  be  the  measure  of  their  enjoyments. 
But  with  what  intenseness  of  anxiety  might  the 
Sons  of  Immortality  put  such  questions,  as  they 
come  severally  to  set  foot  upon  a  course  that  shall 
have  no  end,  and  that  must  always  be  gathering  to 
itself  importance  !  Apart  from  the  doctrine  of  im- 
mortality, the  doctrine  of  the  divine  attributes  might 
be  tranquilly  dealt  with,  as  we  deal  with  any  ab- 
struse matters,  or  with  mathematical  principles. 
They  are  of  some  moment ;  but  it  is  bounded  by 
the  brief  period  of  our  own  connection  with  the 
material  world.  How  much  otherwise  is  it  when 
every  attribute,  natural  and  moral,  of  the  Infinite 
Being  shall  for  ever  concentrate  its  rays,  as  in  a 
focus,  upon  the  immortal  created  spirit ;  so  that 
this  spirit  shall  draw  to  itself,  in  some  manner,  and 
without  end,  a  special  consequence  from  the  omnipo- 


206 


SECTION  238.— ROMANS  2  : 1-29. 


tcnce  and  the  omniscience,  from  the  rectitude  and 
the  "benignity  of  God  !  When  once  the  soul  awakes, 
as  from  a  dream,  to  the  rational  consciousness  of 
either  truth,  with  what  force  and  majesty  docs  the 
other  present  itself  to  the  mind !  The  behef  of 
immortality  brings  God  before  the  soul,  as  if  visibly 
manifested ;  the  knowledge  of  God  kindles  the  con- 
ception of  endless  life.     I.  T. 

Faith  acts  its  noble  energy  forth  into  righteous- 
ness, works  by  love,  bears  the  fruit  of  philanthropy, 
integrity,  patience,  temperance,  emancipation,  bro- 
therly kindness,  charity.  Everlasting  life  is  the  re- 
sult. The  soul  has  reached  its  period  of  victory. 
From  the  far  country  it  has  traveled  back  till  it  has 
come  home — home — 0  word  of  unspeakable  and 
unexhausted  meaning !  The  door  of  the  Father's 
house  was  open,  and  it  has  entered  in.  This  is  life 
eternal.  Henceforth  there  shall  be  labor,  indeed, 
because  labor  is  the  best  satisfaction  of  a  spiritual 
being.  But  it  shall  be  labor  in  the  Master's  society 
— labor  under  the  encouragements  of  his  friend- 
ship— labor  with  the  crown  on  the  head,  and  the 
seal  in  the  forehead,  and  the  reconciliation  in  the 
heart.  Faithful  continuance  in  well  -  doing  has 
brought  the  disciple  to  his  Lord  ;  and  when  he  looks 
up,  behold !  glory  and  honor  and  immortality  are  the 
spiritual  trophies  that  adorn  his  dwelling.    F.  D.  H. 

8.  In  the  end  of  this  verse  "  damnation  "  does 
not  mean  what  we  now  commonly  understand  by  it, 
and  would  be  better,  therefore,  expressed  by  "  con- 
demnation."   A. 

11.  God  has  no  respect  to  the  outward  appear- 
ance or  circumstances  of  a  man  in  dealing  with  him. 
God  takes  him  for  what  he  is,  not  for  what  he  seems. 
The  word  translated  "person"  means  mask  or  face- 
covering;  that  which  disguises  a  man,  and  makes 
him  look  different  from  what  he  is.  God  regardeth 
not  the  person  or  appearance  of  a  man.  To  God 
the  man  is  just  what  he  is,  exactly,  and  neither  more 
nor  less.    An. 

12-16.  The  whole  world  is  under  a  solemn 
economy  of  government  and  judgment.  A  mighty 
spirit  of  judgment  is  in  sovereign  exercise  over  all, 
discerning,  estimating,  approving,  or  condemning. 
Now,  it  was  requisite  there  should  be  something  in 
the  soul  to  recognize  this ;  that  it  should  not  be  as 
some  vague,  unperceivcd  element  around  us ;  and 
something  more  and  deeper  than  the  mere  simple 
understanding  that  such  is  the  fact ;  a  faculty  to  be 
impressed,  to  feel  obligation  and  awe  and  solemn 
apprehension ;  something  by  which  the  mind  shall 
be  compelled  to  admit  the  indwelling  of  what  repre- 
sents a  greater  power.  Conscience  is  to  communi- 
cate with  something  mysteriously  great,  which  is 
without  the  soul,  and  above  it,  and  everywhere.  It 
is  the  sense,  more  explicit  or  obscure,  of  standing 
in  judgment  before  the  Almighty.     And  that  which 


makes  a  man  feel  so  is  a  part  of  himself ;  so  that 
the  struggle  against  God  becomes  a  struggle  with 
man's  own   soul.     Therefore  conscience  has  been 

often  denominated  "  the  God  in  man."     J.  F. 

Conscience  is  a  very  busy  faculty  of  the  soul,  and  it 
hath  many  offices.  It  is  a  register,  to  take  notice 
of  and  record  what  we  do.  It  is  a  witness  against 
us  when  we  do  amiss.  It  is  a  judge,  and  gives  sen- 
tence; it  sits  upon  a  throne  as  God's  deputy  to 
award  life  or  death.  It  has  the  oiBce  of  a  torment- 
er ;  it  is  that  worm  which  dicth  not  and  a  fire  that 
never  goeth  out.  The  lost  shall  feel  the  sting  of 
conscience  for  ever,  though  here  they  have  bribed 
it  and  blinded  it  that  it  might  not  trouble  them. 
Caryl. 

Men  who  have  not  the  revealed  law  of  God  do 
have  in  their  consciences  the  sense  of  obligation  to 
the  self-same  duties  which  that  law  commands  ;  and 
even  when  they  disregard  truth,  justice,  honor,  pu- 
rity, fidelity,  in  their  own  actions,  they  exact  these 
virtues  from  others  toward  themselves.  But  he 
who  condemns  another  for  theft,  fraud,  lying,  mur- 
der, shows  that  he  has  in  his  own  heart  a  law,  a 
standard  of  right  and  wrong ;  and  by  that  law  he  him- 
self shall  be  judged.  God  deals  with  men  according 
to  their  light ;  but  all  men  have  light  enough  to  know 
the  difference  between  right  and  wrong.  God  is 
patient  toward  sinners  and  seeks  to  win  them  by  his 
love ;  but,  if  they  will  not  repent,  the  warnings  of 
conscience  shall  be  followed  by  the  judgment  of  the 

last  day.     J.  P.  T. These  acts  of  conscience,  in 

the  present  life,  have  a  final  respect  to  God's  tri- 
bunal ;  and,  though  the  accounts  are  so  vast,  there 
shall  be  an  exact  agreement  between  the  books  of 
God's  omniscience  and  of  conscience  in  the  day  of 
judgment.  It  will  be  one  of  the  miracles  of  that 
day,  to  enlarge  the  view  of  conscience  to  all  sins. 
Now  the  records  of  conscience  are  often  obliterated, 
and  the  sins  written  therein  are  forgotten ;  but  then 
they  shall  appear  in  so  clear  an  impression,  that  the 
wicked  shall  be  inexcusable  to  themselves,  and  con- 
science subscribes  their  condemnation.  And  oh  the 
formidable  spectacle,  when  conscience  shall  present 
to  a  sinner  in  one  view  the  sins  of  his  whole  life ! 

Bates. Conscience !   it   will   cry  amen   to   every 

word  that  the  great  God  doth  speak  against  thee. 
It  will  hold  pace  with  the  witness  of  God,  as  to  the 
truth  of  evidence,  to  a  hair's  breadth.  The  witness  of 
conscience  is  of  great  authority  ;  it  commands  guilt 
and  fastens  it  on  every  soul  which  it  accuses.    Bun. 

16.  The  thought  of  the  coming  of  Christ  to  judg- 
ment almost  inevitably  leads  the  mind  to  the  two 
great  revelations  which  will  then  be  made :  the  reve- 
lation of  the  secrets  of  the  hearts  of  men  and  the 
revelation  of  the  true  substance  and  nature  of  things. 
At  present  there  is  a  perpetual  contradiction  between 
faith  and  experience ;  justice  does  not  rule  the  world, 


SECTION  239.— ROMANS  3  : 1-31. 


207 


and  obedience  to  the  Law  of  God,  which  ought  to 
be  the  one  supreme  force  in  the  world,  is  thrust 
aside  by  what  is  plausible,  by  what  is  resolute,  by 
mere  accident  even  and  blind  chance.  But  on  that 
day  the  higher  harmony  which  rules  all  these  dis- 
cords shall  be  revealed ;  the  wrong  shall  either  be 
set  right  before  our  eyes,  or  shall  be  shown  never  to 
have  been  wrong,  but  only  to  have  been  misunder- 
stood. So,  again,  at  present  we  live  with  good  and 
with  evil,  which  none  knows  except  the  man  him- 
self, and  even  he  but  imperfectly  and  fitfully.  But 
then  we  shall  be  seen  and  known  of  all  men ;  for 


the  judgment  will  be  a  pubUc  judgment,  and  all  will 

acknowledge  its  justice.     F.  T. All  sins,  whether 

seci'et  or  open  and  visible,  shall  be  accounted  for. 
Those  sins  that  have  been  acted  in  the  most  secret 
retirement,  so  that  no  eye  of  man  could  take  cogni- 
zance of  them,  shall  then  be  made  manifest.  Nay, 
the  sins  of  the  thoughts  and  affections,  of  which 
Satan  could  not  accuse  men,  when  the  inward  fire  of 
lust  or  malice  is  not  discovered  by  the  least  smoke 
or  sparkles,  by  no  expressions — all  those  shall  be 
brought  to  judgment.  God  will  judge  the  secrets  of 
men  by  Jesus  Christ.     Bates. 


Secticn  239. 

Romans  iii.  1-31. 


1  What  advantage  then  hath  the  Jew  ?    or  what  profit  w  there  of  circnmcision  ?    Much 

2  every  way :  chiefly,  because  that  unto  them  were  committed  the  oracles  of   God.     For 

3  what  if  some  did  not  believe?  shall  their  unbelief  make  the  faith  of  God  without  effect? 

4  God  forbid :  yea,  let  God  be  true,  but  every  man  a  liar ;  as  it  is  written,  That  thou  mightest 

5  be  justified  m  thy  sayings,  and  mightest  overcome  when  thou  art  judged.     But  if  our  un- 
righteousness commend  the  righteousness  of  God,  what  shall  we  say?     Is  God  unrighteous 

6  who  taketh  vengeance  ?     (I  speak  as  a  man.)     God  forbid :  for  then  how  shall  God  judge 

7  the  world?     For  if  the  truth  of  God  hath  more  abounded  through  my  lie  unto  his  glory; 

8  why  yet  am  I  also  judged  as  a  sinner  ?     And  not  rather,  (as  we  be  slanderously  reported, 
•    and  as  some  affirm  that  we  say,)  Let  us  do  evil,  that  good  may  come  ?  whose  damnation  is 

9  just.     What  then?  are  we  better  than  they  ?     ISTo,  in  no  wise:  for  we  have  before  proved 

10  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  they  are  all  under  sin  ;  as  it  is  written.  There  is  none  righteous, 

11  no,  not  one:  there  is  none  that  understandeth,  there  is  none  that  seeketh  after  God.     They 

12  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way,  they  are  together  become  unprofitable ;  there  is  none  that  doeth 

13  good,  no,  not  one.     Their  throat  is  an  open  sepulchre  ;  with  their  tongues  they  have  used 

14  deceit ;  the  poison  of  asps  is  under  their  lips :  whose  mouth  is  full  of  cursing  and  bitter- 

15  ness:  their  feet  are  swift  to  shed  blood :  destruction  and  misery  are  in  their  ways :  and  the 

18  way  of  peace  have  they  not  known :  there  is  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes. 

19  Xow  we  know  that  what  things  soever  the  law  saith,  it  saith  to  them  who  are  under  the 
law  :  that  every  mouth  may  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world  may  become  guilty  before  God. 

20  Therefore  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justified  in  his  sight:  for  by  the 

21  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin.     But  now  the  righteousness  of  God  without  the  law  is  mani- 

22  fested,  being  witnessed  by  the  law  and  the  prophets;  even  the  righteousness  of  God  which  is 
by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  unto  all  and  upon  all  them  that  believe :  for  there  is  no  difference : 

23  for  all  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God ;  being  justified  freely  by  his  grace 

24  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus :   whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  he  a  propitia- 

25  tion  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins  that 

26  are  past,  through  the  forbearance  of  God  ;  to  declare,  I  say,  at  this  time  his  righteousness  : 
2Y  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus.     Where  is  boasting 

28  then?    It  is  excluded.     By  what  law?  of  works?     ISTay  :  but  by  the  law  of  faith.     There- 

29  fore  we  conclude  that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  the  law.    Is  he  the 

30  God  of  the  Jews  only?  is  he  not  also  of  the  Gentiles  ?     Yes,  of  the  Gentiles  also  :  seeing  it 
is  one  God,  which  shall  justify  the  circumcision  by  faith,  and  uncircuracision  through  faith. 

31  Do  we  then  make  void  the  law  through  faith  ?     God  forbid  :  yea,  we  establish  the  law. 


If  God  is  to  be  honored  and  loved  by  human  beings,  he  must  present  himself  in  the  light  of  those 
quaUties  which  we  may  call  by  the  name  of  justice,  and  of  those  to  which  we  give  the  names  of  goodness, 
kindness,  tenderness,  or  mercy.  Christ  united  these  two  sides  of  character  in  their  due  mixture  in  his  one 
person.    This  is  remarkable  in  regard  to  our  Lord,  that  one  who  should  have  become  acquainted  only 


208 


SECTION  239.— ROMANS  3  : 1-31. 


with  his  traits  of  love,  as  forbearance,  patience,  mildness,  pity,  and  forgiveness,  would  be  apt  to  suppose 
that  he  bad  seen  the  whole  framework  of  his  character ;  while  another  person  who  heard  his  awful  re- 
bukes of  the  Pharisees,  and  saw  with  what  zeal  he  defended  the  rights  of  God,  and  observed  what  he 
thought  of  sin  and  what  were  his  threatenings  against  it,  would  take  him  for  a  man  made  out  of  iron 
justice  alone.  But  he  united  in  unrivaled  harmony  both  these  aspects  of  character.  The  strength  of 
his  holiness  and  justice  proves  the  depth  of  his  love,  and  his  love  was  the  stronger,  because  it  rested  on 
the  fixed  rock  of  justice  and  holiness.  Christ  then,  with  such  a  nature,  would  be  the  loving  Saviour,  the 
friend  of  sinners  but  he  would  be  also  the  wise  law-giver  and  the  just  Judge.  He  is  thus  like  God  and  fit- 
ted to  represent  God ;  he  embodies  that  idea  of  God,  which,  with  the  help  of  the  noblest  passages  of  the  Old 
Testament,  our  minds,  in  their  best  frames  of  thought  and  feeling,  are  able  to  form.  And  if,  in  a  larger 
sphere,  the  Son  of  man  shall  judge  the  world  he  came  to  save,  it  will  not  be  in  a  new  character,  but  only 
in  a  new  office.     T.  D.  W. 


2.  Oracles  of  God.  Good  men  have  ever 
felt  that  the  words  must  be  living  oracles,  ever  flow- 
ing forth  freshly  from  the  seat  of  God's  majesty, 
yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever  the  same  ;  addressed 
to  them  as  to  their  fathers,  to  their  children  as  to 
them.    T.  A. 

3.  The  faith  of  God  without  effect.  By 
faith  of  God  is  meant  faithfulness  of  God.  The 
word  has  not  only  the  objective  sense  of  faith,  be- 
lief confidence  in  another,  but  also  the  subjective 
sense  of  faithfulness  to  an  agreement,  promise,  or 
pledge.  We  may  read,  "  Because  that  unto  them 
were  intrusted  the  oracles  of  God.  For  what  if 
some  were  unfaithful?  Shall  their  unfaithfulness 
make  the  faithfulness  of  God  without  effect  ? " 
Crosby. 

5.  Is  God  unrighteous  ?  This  objection  was 
leveled  against  that  grand  pillar  of  a  sinner's  hope, 
justification  by  faith  only ;  as  if  it  were  a  doctrine 
tending  to  licentiousness,  and  to  the  overthrow  of 
morality  and  good  works.  This,  the  apostle  says, 
some  did  not  scruple  to  affirm ;  but  he  adds  that 
the  report  was  slanderous.     Jdill. 

9.  The  Greek  word,  which  we  here  translate  sin, 
signifies  to  fail  of  an  end ;  to  lose  one's  wag.  The 
sinner  is  a  being  lost ;  he  is  a  traveler,  with  a  desti- 
nation before  him,  but  misled  to  a  route  which  does 
not  lead  to  it.  Or,  putting  in  place  of  the  figure 
what  it  signifies :  the  sinner  is  one  who  ought  to  fol- 
low a  certain  moral  direction,  and  who  takes  the 
opposite.     Monod. 

10-18.  The  world  over,  in  its  serious  hours  the 
heart  longs,  sighs,  groans,  and  travails  with  sorrows 
that  can  not  be  uttered,  to  be  delivered  from  the 
bondage  of  sin  and  death.  The  Scripture  has  no 
other  doctrine  of  the  matter  on  any  of  its  pages ; 
and  scarcely  one  page  where  this  is  not.  Read  the 
burning  confessions  of  the  fifty-first  Psalm,  and  of 
many  another  before  and  after  it,  where  the  fire  of 
remorse,  which  is  only  the  lurid  reflection  of  sin, 
almost  visibly  scorches  the  Psalmist's  heart ;  read 
the  terrible  descriptions  of  that  state  of  man  with 
out  his  Redeemer  written  by  Paul  to  the  Romans ; 
or  the  tragic  picture  of  Paul's  own  fearful  struggles 


with  the  law  of  his  members ;  or  the  awful  prophe- 
cies of  a  society  forgetting  its  Lord,  given  in  Jude. 
Recall  the  narratives  of  depravity  in  Scripture  his- 
tory, and  the  denunciations  upon  it  by  prophets,  and 
the  thrilling  exhortations  against  it  by  apostles. 
Remember  that  the  Bible  begins  with  the  first  in- 
road of  sin,  and  finishes  with  warnings  of  its  punish- 
ments. Above  all,  remember  that  the  first  word  of 
the  new  dispensation  was  "Repent,"  and  its  con- 
summation  was  the  Cross  built  on  Calvary  to  assure 
forgiveness  to  "repentance  toward  God  and  faith 
toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ " ;  and  you  will  hard- 
ly need  to  multiply  these  convincing  tokens  that  all 
the  ministrations  of  our  religion  to  the  human  soul 
presuppose  that  we  all  have  sinned,  are  sinners 
still.     R  D.  H. 

There  is  a  vast,  immortal  want  stirring  on  the 
world  and  forbidding  it  to  rest.  In  the  cursing  and 
bitterness,  in  the  deceit  of  tongues,  in  the  poison  of 
asps,  in  the  swiftness  to  blood,  in  all  the  destruction 
and  misery  of  the  world's  ruin,  there  is  yet  a  vast 
insatiate  hunger  for  the  good,  the  true,  the  hcly,  the 
divine,  and  a  great  part  of  the  misery  of  the  ruin 
is  that  it  is  so  great  a  ruiu ;  a  desolation  of  that 
which  can  not  utterly  perish,  and  still  lives,  assert- 
ing its  defrauded  rights  and  reclaiming  its  lost  glo- 
ries. And  therefore  it  is  that  life  becomes  an  ex- 
perience to  the  race  so  tragic  in  its  character,  so 
dark  and  wild,  so  bitter,  so  incapable  of  peace.  The 
way  of  peace  we  can  not  know,  till  we  find  our 
peace,  where  our  immortal  aspirations  place  it,  in 
the  fullness  and  the  friendly  eternity  of  God. 

18,  If  sin  is  weak,  if  it  is  mean,  little,  selfish, 
and  deformed,  and  we  are  ready  to  set  humanity 
dowm  as  a  low  and  paltry  thing  of  nothing  worth, 
how  terrible  and  tragic  in  its  evil  grandeur  does  it 
appear,  when  we  turn  to  look  upon  its  defiance  of 
God,  and  the  desperate  obstinacy  of  its  warfare! 
There  is  no  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes.  In  one 
view  there  is  fear  enough,  the  soul  is  all  its  life  long 
haunted  by  this  fear,  but  there  is  a  desperation  of 
will  that  tramples  fear  and  makes  it  as  though  it 
were  not.     H.  B. 

19.  This  is  the  genuine  voice  of  the  law,  "Z>o 


SECTION  239.— ROMANS  3  : 1-31. 


209 


and  live  " ;  "  but  the  soul  that  sinneth  shall  surely 
die."  It  knoweth  no  middle  sentence  between  these 
two ;  it  doth  not  whisper  one  word  of  mercy ;  but 
the  smallest  deviation  subjects  the  transgressor  to 
the  justice  of  God,  and  to  all  the  fatal  effects  of  his 
indignation.  This  being  the  case,  it  is  easy  to  dis- 
cern the  use  of  the  law  to  lead  men  to  the  Saviour. 
The  law  discovers  sin,  and  at  the  same  time  demands 
an  unsinning  obedience.  None  of  us  can  plead  in- 
nocence, and  the  law  admits  of  no  excuse  for  guilt. 
Nay,  it  is  not  only  silent  as  to  the  doctrine  of  for- 
giveness, but  in  plain  and  awful  words  pronounces 
the  sentence  of  death.  Thus  the  sinner's  mouth  is 
stopped,  and  nothing  remains  for  him  but  to  con- 
tinue in  misery,  and  bear  the  curse  of  God,  or  else 
to  appeal  from  the  law  to  the  gospel,  and  to  claim 
the  benefit  of  that  indemnity  which  Christ  hath  pur- 
chased with  his  blood.     R.  W. Alas !  he  who 

boasteth  himself  in  the  works  of  the  law,  he  doth 
not  hear  the  law.  When  that  speaks,  it  shakes 
Mount  Sinai,  and  writeth  death  upon  all  faces,  and 
makes  the  Church  itself  cry  out,  A  Mediator !  else 
we  die.  The  law  out  of  Christ  is  terrible  as  a  lion ; 
the  law  in  him  is  meek  as  a  lamb.    £un. 

20.  Justified.  We  seem  by  the  Scriptural 
language  to  be  introduced  to  a  court :  there  are  a 
law,  a  sanction,  a  tribunal,  a  judge,  an  accusation,  a 
condemnation,  an  advocate,  a  surety,  an  acquittal. 
But  there  is  not  a  syllable  about  changing  the  char- 
acter ;  it  is  only  a  change  of  standing,  or  relation  to 
law.  To  justify  is  not  to  make  just,  in  the  sense  of 
making  holy,  but  to  declare  just.  When  the  judge 
justifies  a  man,  he  does  not  by  that  act  render  him 
any  better  than  he  was  before :  he  simply  adjudges 
him  to  be  innocent.  Justification,  therefore,  is  an 
act  of  God,  whereby  he  remits  our  sins,  and  accepts 
us  as  righteous.     J.  W.  A. 

21-24.  All  that  merits  salvation  for  sinners  is 
in  Christ ;  and  faith  accepts  Christ  as  God  offers 
him,  and  so  makes  his  merit  the  believer's  own. 
If  there  be  any  worthiness,  then,  in  Christ,  any 
sufficiency  in  his  precious  blood-shedding  for  the 
removal  of  sins,  any  glory  in  his  righteousness  and 
obedience  to  the  law,  for  man — faith,  giving  the 
sinner  a  personal  interest  in  all  these,  brings  at  once 
a  full  and  finished  salvation  into  his  soul.  This 
blessing  belongs  not,  indeed,  to  the  thousands  who 
say  they  believe,  while  their  whole  walk  gives  the 
lie  to  their  assertion ;  but  to  all  who  do  believe,  and 
that  simply  because  they  do.  The  chief  of  sinners 
is  a  justified  person,  "justified"  eternally  "  from 
all  things,"  that  instant  that  he  brings  his  sins,  in 
humble  confession  of  them,  to  God,  and  believes 
God's  testimony  of  his  Son,  that  he  is  indeed  the 
Lamb,  the  sacrifice  provided  of  God,  which  "  taketh 
away  the  sins  of  the  world."  In  this  way,  the  vilest 
may  be  saved— freely  pardoned,  through  the  tender 
14 


mercy  of  our  God,  who  has  laid  our  trespasses  upon 
Jesus.  "  Being  justified  freely,  by  his  grace,  through 
the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  And  as 
this  is  the  frsf  hope  of  a  sinner,  so  it  is  the  only 
hope  to  the  last,  by  which  any  man,  though  holy  as 
Paul  himself,  can  draw  nigh  unto  God.  In  the  pil- 
grimage of  life,  in  the  hour  of  death,  in  the  day  of 
judgment,  his  only  acceptable  plea  is  summed  up  in 
this:  Christ  my  atonement,  Christ  my  righteous- 
ness.    Goode. 

25.  God  hath  set  forth.  If  there  is  a  ne- 
cessity of  justification  for  God's  pardoning  the 
guilty,  there  is  also  a  necessity  of  justification  for 
God's  offering  up  his  own  Son.  How  could  he  do 
it  without  an  infinite  and  eternal  reason  ?  How 
could  he  do  it  for  any  expediency  or  necessity  short 
of  infinitude  ?  IIow  could  he  do  it,  but  under  the 
sanction,  which  indeed  he  has  revealed  to  us,  of  the 
power  of  an  endless  life  for  guilty  creatures  on  the 
one  hand  if  redeemed,  and  the  power  of  an  endless 
death  inevitable  on  the  other  hand  if  not  re- 
deemed ?     G.  B.  C. To  be  a  propitiation 

through  faith  in  his  blood.  Here  behold  the 
significance  and  the  life  of  those  bloody  sacrifices 
instituted  when  man  fell  and  flaming  up  to  heaven 
for  four  thousand  years !  Here  see  the  grand  ful- 
fillment of  the  law  and  the  prophets,  .as  all  down 
the  ages  they  point  with  unerring  finger  to  this  di- 
vine man  who  is  to  bear  sin  by  the  shedding  of  his 
blood  for  the  world !  Where  now  are  the  bloody 
altars  ?  the  priestly  sacrifices  ?  the  hierarchy  of 
Aaron  ?  the  temple  service  ?  They  heard  the  cry 
from  the  Cross,  "  It  is  finished  !  "  The  real  sacrifice 
for  sin  is  offered  and  bled  for  ever.  Altar,  priest, 
temple,  all  crumbled  to  dust,  while  the  Lamb  of 
God,  who  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world,  pro- 
claims to  all  men  free  forgiveness  and  eternal  life 
for  every  one  who  in  humble  faith  will  receive  and 
obey  him  as  the  Redeemer.  Now  a  spiritual,  uni- 
versal kingdom  is  possible ;  for  humanity  is  re- 
deemed, and  faith,  repenting,  receiving,  loving  him, 
is  the  sole  condition  of  citi^nship.     S.  W.  F. 

If  the  apostolic  doctrine  of  justification  through 
faith  be  clearly  held  and  cordially  admitted,  it  will 
occupy  the  foremost  place  in  our  regards ;  for  it  is 
the  ground  of  all  our  hopes,  and  the  relief  of  every 
fear:  it  is  the  luminous  center  of  all  religious  truth. 
It  is  the  sun  in  our  heavens ;  it  is  the  source  of 
light  and  the  source  of  vital  warmth.  We  do  not, 
therefore,  hesitate  to  affirm  that  it  is  scripturally 
held  only  by  those  who  do  assign  to  it  this  promi- 
nent position  ;  who  recur  to  it  ever  and  again  with 
delight ;  who  never  feel  it  to  be  an  exhausted  theme  ; 
who  build  their  own  hopes  upon  it  firmly;  who 
invite  others  to  do  the  same  with  confidence ; 
who  neither  distrust  it  in  theory  nor  dishonor  it 
in  practice ;   who  enounce  it  freely  and   boldly ; 


2i0 


SECTION'  239.— ROMANS  3  : 1-31. 


and   of  whose  piety  it  is  the  spring  and  reason. 

I.  T. 

27.  It  was  "the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ"  which  separated  you  from  an  ungodly 
world  and  made  you  laborers  for  heaven.  It  is  the 
same  grace  that  keeps  you  from  forsaking  the  work 
which  you  have  begun.  You  are  working  out  your 
salvation,  solely  because  God  in  his  mercy  continues 
to  "  work  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good 
pleasure."  "Where  is  boasting  then?  It  is  ex- 
cluded." The  pride  of  your  hearts  can  find  nothing 
to  rest  in.  The  simple  question,  "  Who  made  thee 
to  differ  ?  "  lays  it  low.  And  what  a  crowd  of  feel- 
ings rise  up  one  after  another  in  its  place  !  Won- 
der, joy,  love,  praise,  and  perhaps,  stronger  than 
all,  self-abasement  and  shame  !     C.  B. 

29.  The  truth  that  God  is  not  a  national  God, 
not  the  God  of  any  one  tribe  or  people,  but  the  God 
and  Father  of  all  men,  and  that  the  gospel  is  de- 
signed and  adapted  to  all  mankind,  however  little  it 
may  affect  us,  filled  the  apostles  with  astonishment 
and  delight.  They  were  slow  in  arriving  at  the 
knowledge  of  this  truth  ;  they  had  no  clear  percep- 
tion of  it  until  after  the  day  of  Pentecost.  Before 
that  event,  they  were  Jews ;  afterward,  they  were 
Christians ;  before,  they  applied  all  the  promises  to 
their  own  nation ;  the  only  Jerusalem  of  which  they 
had  any  idea  was  the  city  where  David  dwelt ;  the 
only  temple  of  which  they  could  form  a  conception 
was  that  in  which  they  were  accustomed  to  worship. 
But  when  they  received  the  anointing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  the  scales  fell  from  their  eyes ;  their  nation 
sank  and  the  Church  rose  on  their  renovated  sight ; 
the  Jerusalem  that  now  is  disappeared  when  they 
beheld  the  New  Jerusalem  descending  out  of  heaven ; 
the  temple  on  Mount  Zion  was  no  longer  glorious, 
by  reason  of  the  excelling  glory  of  that  temple 
which  is  the  habitation  of  God  by  his  Spirit.     C.  II. 

31.  We  establish  law.  Grace,  in  its  turn, 
leads  back  to  the  law.  Grace,  as  it  is  manifested  in 
the  gospel,  is  the  most  splendid  homage,  the  most 
solemn  consecration,  which  the  law  can  receive. 
This  grace  is  of  a  peculiar  character.  It  is  not  the 
3oft  indulgence  and  the  easy  indifference  of  a  feeble 
father,  who,  tired  of  his  own  severity,  shuts  his  eyes 
to  the  faults  of  a  guilty  child.  It  is  not  the  weak- 
ness of  a  timid  government,  which,  unable  to  repress 
disorder,  lets  the  laws  sleep,  and  goes  to  sleep  along 
with  them.  It  is  a  holy  goodness  ;  it  is  a  love  with- 
out feebleness,  which  pardons  guilt,  and  executes 
justice  at  the  same  time.  It  is  not  possible  that 
God,  who  is  the  supreme  sanction  of  order,  should 
tolerate  the  shadow  of  disorder,  and  leave  unpun- 
ished the  least  infraction  of  the  holy  laws  he  has 
given.  Thus,  in  the  work  of  which  we  speak,  con- 
demnation appears  in  the  pardon,  and  pardon  in  the 
condemnation.     The  same  act  proclaims  the  compas- 


sion of  God,  and  the  inflexibility  of  his  justice. 
God  could  not  save  us  without  assuming  our  nature, 
nor  assume  our  nature  without  sharing  our  misery. 
The  Cross,  the  triumph  of  grace,  is  the  triumph  of 
law.     A.  V. 

Man  must  "  die,  or  justice  must."  Divine  Justice 
becomes  man,  and  dies  to  meet  the  obligation.  In 
the  stains  of  holy  blood  upon  the  ignominious  tree, 
upon  the  accursed  earth,  and  upon  the  fair,  cold  body 
of  the  lovely  Redeemer,  the  believing  sinner  reads, 
as  in  letters  of  crimson.  Obligation,  Obligation. 
This  is  a  matter  of  experience.  All  true  penitents 
find  it  so.  Who  shall  affront  my  deepest  sensibili- 
ties and  holiest  apprehensions  of  generous  love,  by 
charging  that  this  my  view  of  gratuitous  redemption 
by  the  blood  of  the  Cross  tends  to  diminish  my  con- 
scientious sense  of  duty  to  him  who  died !  What 
spectacle  in  heaven,  earth,  or  hell,  so  magnifies  the 
law  as  the  spectacle  of  Christ  expiring  in  the  tor- 
tures of  law,  and  of  vicarious  suffering  ?     J.  W.  A, 

The  gospel  is  called  the  law  of  faith  and  the  law 
of  the  spiritual  life.  This  law  of  grace  is  very  dif- 
ferent from  the  law  of  nature  that  required  entire 
innocence,  and  for  the  least  omission  or  accusing 
act  passed  an  irrevocable  doom  upon  the  offenders ; 
for  that  strictness  and  severity  is  mollified  by  the 
gospel,  which  accepts  of  sincere  persevering  obedi- 
ence though  imperfect ;  accordingly  it  is  called  the 
law  of  liberty.  But  the  law  of  faith  is  unalterable, 
and  admits  of  no  dispensation  from  the  duties  re- 
quired in  order  to  our  being  everlastingly  happy. 
Bates. 

28.  First  in  systematic  order  as  well  as  in 
magnitude  is  the  doctrine  of  the  propitiation,  effect- 
ed by  the  Son  of  God — so  held  clear  of  admixture 
and  evasions  as  to  sustain  in  its  bright  integrity 
the  consequent  doctrine  of  the  full  and  absolute  res- 
toration of  guilty  man  to  the  favor  of  God,  on  his 
acceptance  of  this  method  of  mercy;  or,  as  it  is 
technically  phrased,  "justification  through  faith." 
A  doctrine  this  which  in  a  peculiar  manner  refuses 
to  be  tampered  with  or  compromised,  and  which 
will  hold  its  own  place  or  none.  It  challenges  for 
itself  not  only  a  broad  basis  on  which  it  may  rest 
alone,  but  a  broad  border  upon  which  nothing  that 
is  human  may  trespass.  This  doctrine,  when  un- 
adulterate,  not  only  animates  orthodoxy,  but  shows 
us  why  it  was  necessary  to  lay  open  the  mystery 
of  the  divine  nature  so  far  as  it  is  laid  open  in 
scriptural  Trinitarian  doctrine ;  for  we  could  not 
have  learned  the  method  of  salvation  without  first 
learning  that  he  who  "  bore  our  sins  "  was  indeed 
able  to  bear  them,  and  was  in  himself  "  mighty  to 
save." 

Whatever  belongs 'to  the  divine  nature  must  be 
incomprehensible  by  the  human  mind,  and  there- 
fore   the    incarnation    is    incomprehensible;    and 


SECTION  2^0.— ROMANS  4  : 1-25. 


211 


therefore  the  atonement  involves  a  mystery  incom- 
prehensible ;  but  not  so  the  consequent  doctrine  of 
justification  through  faith.  This  doctrine  turns 
upon  the  well-understood  relations  of  a  forensic 
substitution ;  and  as  to  transactions  of  this  order, 
they  are  among  the  clearest  of  any  with  which  we 
have  to  do  as  the  subjects  of  law  and  govern- 
ment. A  forensic  act,  authoritatively  announced, 
and  in  consequence  of  which  the  condemned  stands 
exempt  from  the  demands  of  law,  must  be  in  its 
nature  absolute.  It  is  not  an  undefined  indul- 
gence; it  is  not  a  weak  connivance;  it  is  not  a 
timid  compromise ;  it  is  not  an  evasion  which 
must  be  held  to  condemn,  if  not  the  law,  its  ad- 
ministrators. 

In  the  justification  of  man  through  the  media- 
tion of  Christ,  man,  individually,  as  guilty,  and  his 
divine  sponsor,  personally  competent  to  take  upon 


himself  such  a  part,  stand  forward  in  the  court  of 
heaven,  there  to  be  severally  dealt  with  as  the  hon- 
or of  law  shall  demand ;  and,  if  the  representa- 
tive of  the  guilty  be  indeed  thus  qualified  in  the  eye 
of  the  law,  and  if  the  guilty,  on  his  part,  freely  ac- 
cept this  mode  of  satisfaction,  then,  when  the  one 
recedes  from  the  position  of  danger,  and  the  other 
steps  into  it,  justice,  having  already  admitted  both 
the  competency  of  the  substitute  and  the  sufficiency 
of  the  substitution,  is  itself  silent.  Now,  in  the 
method  of  justification  through  faith,  God  himself 
solemnly  proclaims  that  the  rectitude  of  his  govern- 
ment is  not  violated,  nor  the  sanctity  of  his  law 
compromised.  It  is  he  who  declares  that,  in  this 
method,  he  "  may  be  just  while  justifying  the  un- 
godly." After  such  a  proclamation  from  Heaven 
has  been  made,  "  who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  It 
is  God  that  justifieth  !  "    I.  T. 


Section  240. 

EoMAirs  iv.  1-25. 

1  What  shall  we  say  then  that  Abraham  onr  father,  as  pertainiBg  to  the  flesh,  hath  found  ? 

2  For  if  Abraham  were  justified  by  works,  he  laath.  whereof  to  glory;  but  not  before  God. 

3  For  what  saith  the  scripture  ?     Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  counted  unto  him  for 

4  righteousness.    Now  to  him  that  worketh  is  the  reward  not  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  debt. 

5  But  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is 

6  counted  for  righteousness.     Even  as  David  also  describeth  the  blessedness  of  the  man,  unto 

7  whom  God  imputeth  righteousness  without  works,  saying,  Blessed  are  they  whose  iniquities 

8  are  forgiven,  and  whose  sins  are  covered.     Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  will  not 

9  impute  sin.     Cometh  this  blessedness  then  upon  the  circumcision  only,  or  upon  the  uncir- 

10  cumcision  also  ?  for  we  say  that  faith  was  reckoned  to  Abraham  for  righteousness.  How 
was  it  then  reckoned  ?  when  he  was  in  circumcision,  or  in  uncircumcision?    Not  in  circum- 

11  cision,  but  in  uncircumcision.  And  he  received  the  sign  of  circumcision,  a  seal  of  the  right- 
eousness of  the  faith  which  he  had  yet  being  uncircumcised :  that  he  might  be  the  father  of 
all  them  that  believe,  though  they  be  not  circumcised  ;  that  righteousness  might  be  imputed 

12  unto  them  also :   and  the  father  of  circumcision  to  them  who  are  not  of  the  circumcision 
only,  but  who  also  walk  in  the  steps  of  that  faith  of  our  father  Abraham,  which  he  had  be 
ing  yet  uncircumcised. 

13  For  the  promise,  that  he  should  be  the  heir  of  the  world,  was  not  to  Abraham,  or  to  his 

14  seed,  through  the  law,  but  through  the  righteousness  of  faith.     For  if  they  which  are  of 

15  the  law  le  heirs,  faith  is  made  void,  and  the  promise  made  of  none  effect :  because  the  law 

16  worketh  wrath :  for  where  no  law  is,  there  is  no  transgression.  Therefore  it  is  of  faith, 
that  it  might  he  by  grace  ;  to  the  end  the  promise  might  be  sure  to  all  the  seed ;  not  to  that 
only  which  is  of  the  law,  but  to  that  also  which  is  of  the  faith  of  Abraham  ;  who  is  the 

17  father  of  us  all,  (as  it  is  written,  I  have  made  thee  a  fother  of  many  nations,)  before  him 
whom  he  believed,  even  God,  who  quickeneth  the  dead,  and  calleth  those  things  which  be 

18  not  as  though  they  were.    Wlio  against  hope  believed  in  hope,  that  he  might  become  the 

19  father  of  many  nations,  according  to  that  which  was  spoken.  So  shall  thy  seed  be.  And 
being  not  weak  in  faith,  he  considered  not  his  own  body  now  dead,  when  he  was  about  an 

20  hundred  years  old,  neither  yet  the  deadness  of  Sarah's  womb :  he  staggered  not  at  the 

21  promise  of  God  through  unbelief;  but  was  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God;  and  being 

22  fully  persuaded  that,  what  he  had  promised,  he  was  able  also  to  perform.  And  therefore 
it  was  imputed  to  him  for  righteousness. 

23  Now  it  was  not  written  for  his  sake  alone,  that  it  was  imputed  to  him ;  but  for  us  also, 


212 


SECTION  240.— ROMANS  k  :  1-25. 


24  to  whom  it  shall  be  imputed,  if  we  believe  on  bim  that  raised  up  Jesus  our  Lord  from  the 

25  dead  •  who  was  delivered  for  our  offences,  and  was  raised  again  for  our  justification. 


Expiation  is  provided  by  Christ,  in  his  vicarious  obedience,  suffering,  and  death  on  the  Cross.  In  the 
mystery  of  bis  divine  condescension,  of  his  unspeakable  love  for  sinners,  he  voluntarily  was  made  a  hu- 
man subject  of  tlie  law  which  he  had  given.  He  obeyed  it  as  a  man.  He  expressed  in  all  his  life  its 
purity.  He  even  met  that  death  of  a  strange  anguish,  unspeakable,  unsearchable,  with  the  hiding  of  the 
face  of  the  Father  himself  attending  and  crowning  it,  when  standing  in  the  sinner's  place.  And  so  he 
honored  and  magnified  the  law,  and  showed  most  clearly  God's  infinite  regard  for  it ;  and  made  it  possible 
for  the  penitent  to  be  pardoned.  He  made  the  law  as  clearly  supreme  in  God's  administration  as  it  would 
have  been  if  every  man  had  been  perfectly  holy,  or  every  sinner  had  been  for  ever  condemned.     R.  S.  S. 

Strikingly  in  the  instance  of  Abraham  are  the  nature  and  value  of  faith  made  evident ;  that  in  its 
foundation  and  essence  it  is  through  all  eternity  the  same,  whether  directed  toward  the  promises  of  sal- 
vation of  a  yet  hidden  or  of  an  already  revealed  and  accomplished  gospel.  Ti-ue  faith  is  an  immovable 
trust  in  the  promises  of  salvation.  Faith  dwells  specially  in  the  heart ;  it  does  not  rest  on  our  insight,  but 
on  the  foundation  of  God's  word  and  testimony  ;  and  even  "  hoping  against  hope  "  it  holds  fast  this  testi- 
mony, because  it  looks  away  from  seen  and  temporal  things  up  to  the  unseen,  concerning  whom  it  is  per- 
suaded that  he  is  faithful  and  almighty.  Let  it  be  often  with  us  as  though  we  heard  the  voice :  "  Look 
up  now  to  heaven."  The  stars  we  can  count  even  less  than  Abraham ;  but  beyond  them  lives  the  author 
and  finisher  of  the  faith,  which  even  Abraham  practiced  imperfectly.  His  light  disappears  not  from  your 
gaze ;  his  fidelity  guards  you  here,  his  love  awaits  you  yonder.     Van  0. 


1-12.  Jewish  objections  met  by  appeal  to  the 
Old  Testament  and  the  example  of  Abraham.  Abra- 
ham's belief  in  God's  promises  foreshadows  Chris- 
tian faith,  Christians  being  by  virtue  of  their  faith 
the  spiritual  children  of  Abraham,  and  heirs  of  the 
promises.     C. 

3.  Faith  is  not  that  which  constitutes  the  ground 
of  our  acceptance  with  God,  but  which  places  us 
upon  that  ground ;  it  is  not  our  justifying  righteous- 
ness, but  that  which  unites  us  to  Christ,  and  appro- 
priates his  righteousness  to  ourselves.  "  Abraham 
believed  God,  and  it  was  reckoned  to  him  '  to,'  *  in 
order  to,'  or  '  toward,'  his  justification."  It  is  not, 
then,  for  our  faith,  but  by  it,  that  we  are  justified  : 
faith,  as  an  act  of  ours,  is  no  more  the  meritorious 
ground  of  our  justification  than  any  other  of  our 
performances ;  for,  if  it  were,  we  should  still  be  jus- 
tified by  works,  as  faith  is  as  much  a  work  as  peni- 
tence.   J.  A.  J. 

5.  I  do  not  say  that  the  Spirit  of  Christ  gives 
the  least  liberty  to  sin ;  God  forbid ;  but  his  convic- 
tions are  of  a  more  saving  and  refreshing  nature 
than  the  convictions  of  the  law,  and  do  more  con- 
strain the  soul  to  holiness  than  that :  the  law  saying, 
Work  for  life ;  the  Spirit  saying,  Now  to  him  that 
worketh  not  (for  life),  but  bclicvcth  on  him  that 
justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  right- 
eousness. One  saying,  "  Pay  me  that  thou  owest "  ; 
the  other,  "Thou  art  freely  forgiven  all."     Bun. 

Believing  is  the  most  wonderful  thing  in  the 

world.  Put  anything  of  thine  own  to  it  and  thou 
spoilest  it;  Christ  will  not  esteem  it  believing. 
When  thou  believest  and  comest  to  Christ,  thou 


must  leave  behind  thee  thine  own  righteousness 
(that  is  hard),  all  thy  holiness,  sanctification,  duties, 
tears,  humblings,  and  bring  nothing  but  thy  sins,  thy 
wants,  and  miseries,  else  Christ  is  not  fit  for  thee, 
nor  thou  for  Christ,  Christ  will  be  a  perfect  Re- 
deemer and  Mediator,  and  thou  must  be  an  undone 
sinner,  or  Christ  and  thou  can  never  agree.  It  is 
the  hardest  thing  in  the  world  to  take  Christ  alone 
for  righteousness ;  that  is,  to  acknowledge  him 
Christ.     Wilcox. 

6-8.  The  New  Testament  idea  of  pardon  is  not 
merely  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  nor  even  its  virtual 
annihilation  so  that  the  sinner  may  be  deemed  inno- 
cent, but  it  is  justification — something  by  which  he 
may  be  deemed  "  righteous."     And  Paul  says  that 
this  was  the  Psalmist's  idea,  though  he  only  appears 
to  express  the  half  of  it.    "  Even  David,"  he  aiSrms, 
"  described  the  blessedness  of  the  man  unto  whom 
the  Lord  imputeth  righteousness,  without  works." 
So  that,  according  to  Paul,  the  non-imputation  of  sin  i 
is  either  to  be  regarded  as  the  same  thing  as  the  im-  1 
putation  of  righteousness,  or  that  with  God  the  one 
act  implies  and  is  always  accompanied  by  the  other.  1 
One  thing  is  certain,  that  the  whole  transaction  is  i 
based  upon,  and  springs  out  of,  the  redemptive  work 
of  Christ;  that  in  that  work,  whatever  may  have  | 
been  its  precise  nature,  there  is  a  reason  presented 
to  the  divine  eye,  on  the  ground  of  which  God  can 
look  upon  the  sinful  man  who  trusts  in  Christ  as  so 
identified  with  him  as  to  have  his  faith  counted  for 
righteousness,  and  thus,  in  Christ,  or  for  his  sake,  to 
be  accounted  justified  as  well  as  forgiven.    T.  B. 

8.  The  term,  "<o  impute,''' ov  "put  to  the  ac- 

i 


I 


SECTION  2JtO.— ROMANS  ^  ;  1-25. 


213 


count  of,"  is  a  term  borrowed  from  pecuniary  trans- 
actions among  men ;  and,  as  applied  to  sin,  contem- 
plates it  in  the  light  of  a  debt,  which  is  put  hy  consent 
of  all  parties  to  the  account  of  a  surety,  and  is  thus 
made  his  own  and  discharged  by  him  for  the  debtor. 
This  state  of  a  sinner  wherein  God  lays  no  sin  to  his 
charge  Is  called  a  state  of  justification  ;  which  as  a 
term  of  law  signifies  the  declaring  a  person  right- 
eous. It  supposes  the  arraignment  of  the  criminal 
before  God  at  the  bar  of  conscience.  The  case  is 
tried.  The  charge  of  sin  and  desert  of  wrath  is 
brought  home  to  the  soul  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  The 
convinced  man  admits  it  all ;  sets  up  no  defense  of 
works  done,  or  to  be  done ;  thou  art  "  just,"  saith 
he,  in  "  judging,  and  clear  in  condemning  " ;  but. 
Lord,  thou  hast  thyself  provided  me  with  an  all-suf- 
ficient plea — the  atonement  and  righteousness  of 
Christ :  thou  hast  assured  me  of  my  personal  inter- 
est in  them,  when  I  take  them  as  meant  for  me,  on 
the  faith  of  thy  own  word.  Lord,  I  believe.  I  plead 
with  thee  to  do  as  thou  hast  said ;  to  deal  with  me 
as  righteous,  seeing  I  present  to  thee  that  perfect 
righteousness  of  Christ,  which  is  mine  by  believing 
acceptance  of  him  as  thy  gift  to  men.  This  plea 
Grod  admits.  The  debt  (to  look  again  at  sin  in  this 
light)  is  hereupon  "blotted  out."  The  sinner  is 
declared  righteous.     Goode. 

9-11.  We  are  justified  by  believing.  In  accept- 
ing God's  testimony  to  the  righteousness — in  credit- 
ing his  word  concerning  this  justification — we  are 
justified  at  once.  The  righteousness  becomes  ours ; 
and  God  treats  us  henceforth  as  men  who  are  right- 
eous, as  men  who,  on  account  of  the  righteousness 
which  has  thus  become  theirs,  are  entitled  to  be 
dealt  with  as  righteous,  out  and  out.  Of  Abraham 
it  is  said,  "  His  faith  was  counted  for  righteous- 
ness " ;  that  is,  God  counted  this  believing  man  as 
one  who  had  done  all  righteousness,  just  because  he 
was  a  believing  man.  Not  that  his  act  or  acts  of 
faith  were  substituted  as  equivalent  to  work,  but  his 
believing  brought  him  into  the  possession  of  all  that 
XBorhing  could  have  done.  Thus,  in  believing,  we  get 
the  righteousness.     Bonar. 

16.  Of  faith  ....  by  grace.  Man,  the 
disinherited,  is  brought  back  and  reestablished  in 
that  for  which  he  was  made ;  or,  his  lost  and  forfeit- 
ed inheritance  is  restored.  All  is  done,  too,  as  origi- 
nally planned.  The  divine  purpose  is  accomplished, 
the  divine  promise  fulfilled.  It  is  "  of  faith,"  and 
"  by  grace."  It  is  the  one,  that  it  may  he  the  other. 
T.  B. 

17.  God  qnickeneth  the  dead.  First  in 
the  resurrection  this  great  declaration  of  Paul  comes 
to  its  full  accomplishment.  Death  still  reigns  here 
below,  although  for  the  Christian  his  terror  is  van- 
quished ;  we  expect,  however,  the  arrival  of  the  hour 
in  which  the  song  of  triumph,  "  Death  is  swallowed 


up  in  victory,"  shall  no  more  lack  one  note.  Sin's 
last  word  is  death,  but  the  last  word  of  God  Almighty 
is  life  ;  and  what  matters  it  though  the  eye  of  sense 
at  times  can  see  nought  else  but  dissolution  and 
decay  ?  This  earth  is  passing  away  with  all  that  is 
subject  to  death,  but  the  great  Resurrection  morn  is 
coming,  of  which  at  once  the  hallelujah  and  amen 
shall  be  this  word,  that  God,  and  God  alone,  is  he 
who  quickeneth  the  dead.     Van  0. 

20.  Strong  in  faith.  Wliat  did  Abraham 
believe  ?  What  God  was  pleased  to  reveal.  That 
Abraham  should  become  the  father  of  many  na- 
tions, was  but  a  small  part  of  what  was  revealed 
and  of  what  he  believed.  The  sum  of  what  God 
revealed  to  him  was,  that  one  of  his  descendants 
was  to  be  the  promised  Saviour  of  men ;  and  that 
both  he  and  his  spiritual  seed  were  to  be  saved  by 
faith  in  him.  Why  did  he  believe  this  ?  Just  be- 
cause God  had  said  it.  He  had  no  other  ground  for 
it.  Everything  else  would  have  led  him  to  doubt 
or  disbelieve  it.  His  faith  was  frm  and  hopeful, 
and  no  seeming  impossibilities  could  shake  it.     J.  B. 

A  gracious  soul  knows  that  if  he  is  rich  in  faith 
he  can  not  be  poor  in  other  graces ;  he  knows  the 
growth  of  faith  will  be  as  the  former  and  latter  rain 
to  all  other  graces ;  he  knows  that  there  is  no  way 
to  outgrow  his  fears  but  by  growing  in  faith ;  there- 
fore his  cry  is,  "  0  Lord,  whatever  I  am  weak  in,  let 
me  be  strong  in  faith  ;  whatever  dies,  let  faith  live ; 

whatever  decays,  let  faith  flourish."     Brooks. 

Faith  is  faith,  whether  it  be  as  a  grain  of  mustard- 
seed,  or  like  the  tree  in  whose  branches  "  the  birds 
of  the  air  lodge."  Faith  must  grow  in  strength. 
At  its  birth  it  is  only  as  a  little  child,  but,  by  the 
training  grace  of  God,  it  grows  up  to  the  strength 
of  youth  and  of  manhood.  As  faith  is,  so  also  is 
the  soul.  The  soul  is  strong  when  faith  is  strong. 
A.  C. 

34.  Imputed.  The  union  of  believers  with 
Christ  is  the  ground  of  their  receiving  his  righteous- 
ness. That  is  set  to  their  account  which  has  become 
theirs  by  this  gracious  connection.  This,  and  no 
more,  is  what  we  mean  by  the  imputation  of  Christ's 
righteousness.  Instead  of  an  arbitrary  ascription 
to  us  of  something  contrary  to  fact,  it  is  God's  be- 
holding us  as  intimately  connected  with  the  Great 
Surety.  The  obedience  which  he  rendered  was  ren- 
dered  by  him  in  our  nature,  in  our  name,  and  as  our 
covenant  head.  It  was  in  its  very  intention  that  it 
should  be  regarded  as  ours.  It  had  no  other  inten- 
tion. Faith  completes  the  union,  long  contemplated 
in  the  covenant,  and  thenceforth  God  regards  the 
believer  no  longer  in  himself,  but  in  Christ,  and  the 
Church  of  elect  saints  as  the  body  of  Christ,  in- 
vested with  his  righteousness.     J.  W,  A. 

25.  My  sin  is  gone ;  for  it  is  forgiven.  The 
righteousness  of  Jesus  is  mine;   for  he  has  given 


214 


SECTION  2J^1.—R0MAFS  5  : 1-11. 


me  faith  in  him.  The  separation  from  my  God  and 
Saviour  i3  ended  by  the  forgiveness  of  sins  in  the 
blood  of  Jesus ;  the  union  between  me  and  my  God 
is  restored  by  Christ,  the  Crucified  and  Risen  One. 
He  is  my  righteousness  ;  and,  since  I  have  him,  my 
sins  can  no  longer  terrify  me.  This  is  what  Paul 
Baith :  "  Christ  was  raised  again  for  our  justifica- 
tion."   A.  C. It  was  impossible  Christ  should 

be  holden  by  death.  It  was  naturally  impossible 
upon  the  account  of  the  divine  power  inherent  in 
his  person;  and  legally  impossible  because  divine 
justice  required  that  he  should  be  raised  to  life ; 
partly  to  vindicate  his  innocence,  for  he  was  reputed 
and  suffered  as  a  malefactor,  and  principally  because 
he  had  fully  satisfied  God.  Accordingly  the  apostle 
declares,  he  died  for  our  sins  and  rose  again  for  our 


justification.  Briefly,  our  Saviour's  victory  over 
death  was  obtained  by  dying,  his  triumph  by  rising 
again.  lie  foiled  our  common  enemy  in  his  own 
territory,  the  grave.     Bates. 

How  amazing  that  there  should  be  found  in  all 
the  wide  world  a  single  being  reluctant  to  avail  him- 
self of  the  expiation  thus  made  for  sin.  The  ut- 
most eloquence  of  men,  the  most  terrible  warnings 
in  providence,  the  profoundest  experience  of  the 
misery  springing  out  of  their  league  with  sin,  all 
fail  to  obtain  for  this  wondrous  gospel  of  the  grace 
of  God  entrance  into  the  hearts  of  men.  They  say 
unto  God,  day  by  day,  hour  by  hour,  "  Thou  holy 
God,  impute  unto  us  all  our  offenses.  Let  it  be  with 
us  as  though  Christ  had  not  died.  Let  there  be  no 
Gethsemane  or  Calvary  for  us."     G.  B. 


Section  241. 

Romans  v.  1-11. 


1  Theeefoke  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus 

2  Christ :  by  whom  also  we  have  access  by  faith  into  tliis  grace  wherein  we  stand,  and  rejoice 

3  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.     And  not  only  so,  but  we  glory  in  tribulations  also  :  knowing 

4  that  tribulation  worketh  patience ;  and  patience,  experience ;  and  experience,  hope :  and 

5  hope  maketh  not  ashamed ;  because  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the 

6  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  unto  us.    For  when  we  were  yet  without  strength,  in  due  time 

7  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly.     For  scarcely  for  a  righteous  man  will  one  die  :  yet  peradven- 

8  ture  for  a  good  man  some  would  even  dare  to  die.    But  God  commendeth  his  love  toward 

9  us,  in  that,  while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us.     Much  more  then,  being  now 

10  justified  by  his  blood,  we  shall  be  saved  from  wrath  through  him.     For  if,  when  we  were 
enemies,  we  were  reconciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  much  more,  being  reconciled, 

11  we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life.     And  not  only  so,  but  we  also  joy  in  God  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  we  have  now  received  the  atonement. 


The  one  thing  which  meets  man's  great  want,  which  alone  fits  him  to  live  and  prepares  .him  to  .die, 
without  which  he  is  orphaned  from  hope,  and  with  which  no  calamity  can  more  than  temporarily  depress 
him,  the  one  thing  which  leads  him  to  live  with  a  right  purpose,  which  consecrates  all  his  aims,  which 
gives  him  a  constant  refuge,  which  gilds  with  light  the  darkest  cloud,  which  brings  relief  to  fear  and  fore- 
boding, which  makes  the  weary  journey  of  life  a  pilgrimage  to  heaven,  and  which  alone  teaches  the  tri- 
umphant song,  "  0  death  !  where  is  thy  sting  ?  0  grave  !  where  is  thy  victory  ?  " — the  one  thing  that 
does  all  this  is  religious  faith,  the  faith  by  which  being  justified  we  have  peace  with  God  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.     E.  H.  G. 

Amid  all  the  accusations  of  the  past  the  believer  enjoys  permanent  calm.  He  has  peace  literally,  as 
regards  God  in  the  way  of  atonement,  by  which  all  that  lies  behind  him  is  wholly  covered,  and  the  filial 
relation  completely  restored.  If  the  conscience  is  yet  wounded  at  every  turning,  the  balsam  of  consola- 
tion pours  forth  in  streams.  God  beholds  us  in  Christ ;  and  he  who  is  really  one  with  Him,  however 
much  by  nature  a  child  of  wrath,  is  in  the  sight  of  the  Most  High  unspeakably  well-pleasing.  Thus  has 
also  the  redeemed  sinner  in  regard  to  the  future  a  well-founded  hope.  Can  it  be  more  forcibly  expressed 
than  in  the  heart-elevating  passage  :  "  We  stand  and  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God  ? "  Verily  it 
might  sound  too  high,  were  it  not  preceded  by  this  testimony  regarding  Jesus  Christ,  "  By  whom  also  we 
have  access  by  faith  into  this  grace."  Hitherto  the  entrance  had  remained  closed,  no  hope,  but  miserable 
fear  could  alone  be  ours ;  there  could  be  no  mention  of  standing,  but  rather  of  the  sinking  of  despair ; 


SECTION  m.— ROMANS  5  : 1-11. 


215 


of  no  vaunt  of  hope,  but  of  an  endless  lamentation  over  disappointed  expectation.  On  the  other  hand, 
where  peace  from  above  has  descended  into  the  heart,  it  can  not  be  otherwise  than  that  the  hope  of  salva- 
tion should  also  come  to  dwell  there ;  he  who  sees  his  sullied  past  obliterated,  knows  at  the  same  time 
his  eternal  future  to  be  safe.      Van  0. 


With  this  chapter  begins  the  general  statement, 
for  Jew  and  Gentile  alike,  of  the  blessed  conse- 
quences of  this  justification  by  faith ;  of  the  nature 
and  extent  of  the  blessings  bestowed  on  us  by  the 
death  and  resurrection  of  Christ ;  their  extent  being 
as  wide  in  their  saving  influence  as  Adam's  sin  was 
in  ruining ;  yea,  wider,  because  the  nature  of  a  free 
gift  is  of  itself  wider  and  more  spreading  than  that 
of  a  prescribed  and  limited  condemnation.  And  the 
very  use  of  the  law  was  this,  to  make  abundant  and 
multiply  the  grace  of  God,  by  creating  sin,  over  which 
grace  might  triumph. 

In  verse  2,  render,  "  we  glory  in  the  hope  of  the 
glory  of  God."  In  verses  3,  4,  for  '■'■patience,''''  "  en- 
durance," and  for  '■'■experience^''  "approval,"  both 
twice.    A. 

1-5.  Faith  is  the  door  of  the  heart  by  which 
peace  enters.  Love  is  the  tender  shelter  beneath 
which  peace  reposes.  The  essence  of  peace  consists 
in  the  inward  assurance  of  salvation.  This  assur- 
ance brings  us  the  confident  hope  that  we  have  the 
love  of  God,  and  that  we  enjoy  friendship  with  him. 

A.  C. li  cordial  7'eccption  of  the  two  great  truths 

of  spiritual  Christianitij,  justif  cation  through  faith, 
and  the  sovereign,  indwelling  influences  of  the  Hohj 
Spirit,  brings  -with  it  a  settled  and  affectionate  sense 
of  security,  or  peace  and  jog  in  believing,  which 
becomes  the  spring  of  holy  tempers  and  virtuous 
conduct.  Through  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel, 
and  the  hearty  reception  of  its  promises,  we  are 
"  made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature."  But  God 
is  "  blessed  for  evermore."  Shall  we  then  be  draw- 
ing near  to  this  nature  continually,  without  a  happy 
consciousness  of  the  felicity  we  are  approaching? 
Shall  we  come  up  to  the  fountain  of  light,  and  re- 
ceive thence  no  illumination  ?  Those  do  not  ap- 
pear to  know  much  of  human  nature  who  are 
jealous  of  happiness  as  an  energy  of  virtue; 
or  who  suppose  that  virtue  on  earth  will  not  show 
whence  she  has  descended  and  whither  she  is  going. 
I.  T. 

1 .  Justified  by  faith.  If  a  man  believes,  he  is 
saved.  Not  as  if  in  faith  itself  there  was  any  merit. 
We  often  hear  belief  in  the  gospel  of  Christ  spoken 
about  as  if  it,  the  work  of  the  man  believing,  was, 
in  a  certain  way  and  to  some  extent,  that  which 
God  rewarded  by  giving  him  salvation.  What  is 
that  but  the  whole  doctrine  of  works  come  up  again 
in  a  new  form  ?  It  is  Christ's  life,  Christ's  blood, 
Christ's  sacrifice,  Christ's  intercession,  that  saves. 
Faith  is  simply  the  channel  through  which  there 
flows  over  into  my  emptiness  the  divine  fullness ;  or, 


to  use  the  good  old  illustration,  it  is  the  hand  which 
is  held  up  to  receive  the  benefit  which  Christ  lays  in 
it.  A  living  trust  in  Jesus  has  power  unto  salva- 
tion, only  because  it  is  the  means  by  which  the  pow- 
er of  God  unto  salvation  may  come  into  my  heart. 
On  that  side  is  the  great  ocean,  Christ's  love,  Christ's 
abundance,  Christ's  merits,  Christ's  righteousness; 
or,  rather,  that  which  includes  them  all,  there  is  the 
great  ocean,  Christ  himself ;  and  on  this  is  the  empty 
vessel  of  my  soul — and  the  little  narrow  pipe  that 
has  nothing  to  do  but  to  bring  across  the  refreshing 
water — that  is  the  act  of  faith  in  him.  There  is 
no  merit  in  the  dead  lead,  no  virtue  in  the  mere 
emotion.  It  is  not  faith  that  saves  us ;  it  is  Christ 
that  saves  us,  and  saves  us  through  faith.     A.  M. 

Peace.  The  peace,  which  by  simple  faith  in 
Christ  the  conscience  obtains,  is  the  first  step  in 
sanctification.  And  still  through  our  whole  course 
Christ's  blood  of  atonement  and  his  life  of  perfect 
righteousness  are  the  great  fountains  of  peace  which 
travel  with  us,  just  as  the  stream,  which  flowed  from 
the  smitten  rock,  followed  Israel  in  the  pilgrim- 
age.    E.  M.  G. 

2.  Access  by  faith.  Thou  hast  done  away 
with  the  barrier  by  thy  fulfillment  of  the  law,  and 
we  have  now  free  access  to  God.  Thou  art  our  ac- 
cess, our  way ;  for  thy  fulfillment  of  the  law  is  ours ; 
thy  righteousness  is  ours.     The  divine  satisfaction 

which  rested  on  thee  now  rests  on  us.    A.  C. 

Rejoice  in  hope.  Faith,  upon  the  authority  and 
credit  of  the  divine  promise,  persuades  the  heart 
that  there  is  such  a  glorious  state  of  things  reserved 
for  the  saints,  and  so  serves  instead  of  eyes  in  the 
divine  light  to  view  those  glories ;  or  it  presents 
them  to  view,  whence  hope  reaches  forth  to  them 
and  possesses  them ;  gives  the  soul  an  early  antici- 
pated fruition  of  them  for  its  present  support  and 
relief — so  that  it  rejoices  in  the  hope  of  the  glory 
of  God.     Howe. 

Faith  looks  to  Christ  as  dead,  buried,  and  as- 
cended; and  hope  to  his  second  coming.  Faith 
looks  to  him  for  justification,  hope  for  glory.  Faith 
fights  for  doctrine,  hope  for  a  reward  ;  faith  for  what 
is  in  the  Bible,  hope  for  what  is  in  heaven.  Faith 
purifies  the  heart  from  bad  principles,  hope  from 
bad  manners.     Bim. 

3-5.  "  And  not  only  so,  but  we  exult  also  in  our 
[present]  sufferings ;  for  we  know  that  suffering 
gives  the  steadfastness  of  endurance,  and  steadfast 
endurance  gives  the  proof  of  soundness,  and  the 
proof  of  soundness  gives  strength  to  hope,  and  our 
hope  can  not  shame  us  in  the  day  of  trial ;  because 


216 


SECTION  2^1.— ROMANS  5  : 1-11. 


the  love  of  God  is  shed  forth  in  our  hearts  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  who  has  been  given  unto  us."     C. 

We  have  here  the  genealogy  of  hope.  The  ex- 
perience we  have  of  God's  power  and  mercy  in  sav- 
ing us  out  of  former  troubles  begets  and  nourishes 
hope  against  future  times  of  trouble.  Tribulation 
workcth  patience,  and  patience  experience,  and  ex- 
perience hope.  Caryl. Tribulation.  It  is  de- 
rived from  the  Latin  tribulum,  which  was  the  thresh- 
ing instrument,  or  roller,  whereby  the  Roman  hus- 
bandmen separated  the  corn  from  the  husks ;  and 
"  tribulation"  in  its  primary  significance,  was  the  act 
of  this  separation.  Sorrow  and  adversity  being  the 
appointed  means  for  the  separating  in  men  of  what- 
ever in  them  was  light,  trivial,  and  poor,  from  the 
solid  and  the  true,  their  chaff  from  their  wheat,  there- 
fore these  sorrows  and  trials  are  called  "  tribulations," 
threshings,  that  is,  of  the  inner  spiritual  man,  without 
which  there  could  be  no  fitting  him  for  the  heavenly 

garner.     T. It  is  one  of  the  mortifying  proofs 

what  stubborn  and  unteachable  pupils  of  the  Divine 
Master  we  are,  that  no  way  could  be  found  of  bring- 
ing us  to  our  immortality  but  through  such  a  system 
of  checks  and  penalties.  We  must  be  bafiled,  smit- 
ten, scourged  ;  we  must  ache,  and  weep,  and  die  ;  we 
must  suffer  the  stripes  of  misfortune,  of  disease,  of 
mortified  ambition,  of  bleeding  affections,  of  mor- 
tal separation.  The  very  word  "  tribulation  "  pre- 
dicts the  result,  as  well  as  describes  the  process; 
The  flail  {tribulum)  in  the  hand  of  the  thresher  is 
to  bruise  the  sheaves  and  break  out  the  wheat  from 
the  straw.  In  every  threshing-floor  there  is  tribula- 
tion; and  that  is  the  world  over.  Blows  of  pain 
have  to  divide  the  spirit  and  flesh.  The  pure  fruit 
of  goodness  does  not  come  from  us  but  by  breaking 
off  the  worldly  crust.     F.  D.  H, 

Patience.  Patience  is  the  endurance  of  any 
evil,  out  of  the  love  of  God,  as  the  will  of  God. 
There  is  nothing  too  little  in  which  to  approve  our- 
selves to  God  ;  nothing  too  little  in  which,  without 
God,  we  should  not  fail ;  nothing  too  great  which, 
with  the  help  of  God,  we  may  not  endure.  The 
offices  of  patience  are  as  varied  as  the  ills  of 
this  life.  We  have  need  of  it  with  ourselves  and 
with  others  ;  with  those  who  love  us  and  those  who 
love  us  not;  for  the  greatest  things  and  for  the 
least ;  against  sudden  inroads  of  trouble  and  under 
our  daily  burdens ;  disappointments  as  to  the  weather 
or  the  breaking  of  the  heart ;  in  the  weariness  of 
the  body,  or  the  wearing  of  the  soul ;  in  our  own 
failure  of  duty,  or  in  others'  failure  toward  us ;  in 
every-day  wants,  or  in  the  aching  of  .sickness  or  the 
decay  of  age;  in  disappointment,  bereavement, 
losses,  injuries,  reproaches;  in  heaviness  of  the 
heart  or  its  sickness  amid  delayed  hopes,  or  the 
weight  of  this  body  of  death,  from  which  we  would 
be  free,  that  we  may  have  no  more  struggle  with  sin 


within,  or  temptation  without,  but  attain  to  our 
blessed  and  everlasting  peace  in  our  rest  in  God. 
In  all  these  things,  from  childhood's  little  troubles 
to  the  martyr's  sufferings,  patience  is  the  grace  of 
God,  whereby  we  endure  evil  for  the  love  of  God, 
and  keep  ourselves  still  and  motionless,  that  we  of- 
fend  not  God.     Puscy. 

Experience.  Faith,  in  its  repi'oductive  power 
and  process  of  growth,  may  be  compared  to  the 
great  Oriental  banyan  tree.  It  springs  up  in  God, 
rooted  in  God's  Word,  and  soon  there  are  the  great 
waving  branches  of  experience.  Then  from  these 
very  branches  the  runners  go  down  again  into  God's 
Word,  and  thence  spring  up  again,  new  products  of 
faith  and  new  trees  of  experience,  till  one  and  the 
same  tree  becomes  in  itself  a  grove,  with  pillared 
shades  and  echoing  walks  between.  So  experience 
just  grows  out  of  faith,  and  then  a  greater  faith 
grows  out  of  experience,  the  Word  of  God  being  all 
the  while  the  region  of  its  roots,  and  again  a  still 
vaster,  richer  experience  grows  out  of  that  faith,  till 
every  branch  becomes  not  only  a  product,  but  a 
parent  stock,  set  in  the  same  wood.  Thus  it  is  that 
experience  is  founded  in  faith,  not  faith  on  experi- 
ence. Faith  is  from  God  and  in  God,  and  so  pro- 
duces the  work  of  God,  a  holy  experience  of  God  in 
the  soul.    G.  B.  C. 

5.  This  love  of  God  which  is  poured  out  in  our 
hearts,  and  is  here  declared  to  be  our  ground  of  con- 
fidence in  him,  is  his  love  to  us,  and  not  ours  to  him. 

T. Observe  how  constantly  the  Scripture  word 

looks  to  the  love  of  God,  for  the  ingeneration  of  love 
in  men,  and   so  for  their  salvation.     The  radical, 
everywhere  present  idea  is,  that  the  new  love  want- 
ing in  them  is  to  be  itself  only  a  revealment  of  the 
love  of  God  to  them,  or  upon  them.     Thus  the  new- 
born life  is  to  be  "  the  love  of  God,  shed  abroad  in 
the  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost."    The  gospel  plan  pro- 
poses the  unbosoming  of  God's  love  to  man,  that  it 
may  be  shed  abroad  in  him  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
become  a  salvation,  as  it  begets,  by  the  Spirit,  an 
answering  love.     H.  B. It  is  through  the  inti- 
mate personal  operation  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  his 
indwelling  light  and  grace  shed  abroad  in  the  souls 
of  them  that  believe,  that  the  heart  is  discharged  of 
selfishness  and  sin,  and  is  filled  with  the  holy  beauty 
and  triumph  of  a  supreme  virtue.     The  truth  is  his 
instrument,  but  only  the  instrument.     The  essential   I 
power  by  which  this  amazing  change  is  wrought,  iS    i 
that  same  energy  of  the  Holy  Ghost  by  which  proph-   • 
ets   and   apostles   before  were    inspired,  which  in   i 
the  Lord  was  ever  revealed.     It  reaches  the  inmost   I 
springs  of  life ;  turns  gloom  to  gladness,  passion  to 
peace ;  till  the  soul  becomes  a  temple  alight  with 
love,  ringing  with  praise,  the  breath  of   constant 
supplication  filling  it  as  with  incensed  air.     R.  S.  S. 

6.  Without    strength.     The   old   system  is 


SEGTION  UL— ROMANS  5  : 1-11. 


217 


right  in  laying  so  urgent  a  stress  on  conviction  of 
sin.  The  grand  significance  of  the  gospel  is  help. 
The  measure  of  man's  eagerness  to  receive  help,  is 
it  not  his  feeling  of  helplessness  ?  It  is  no  secret, 
probably,  that  in  most  of  the  persons  we  meet  in 
the  streets,  and  even  in  our  meeting-houses,  it  would 
be  difficult  to  find  any  such  thing  as  a  vital  con- 
sciousness of  sin  at  all.    F.  D.  H. 

Died  for  the  ungodly.  He  assumed  our  na- 
ture expressly  that  he  might  be  able  to  suifer  in  our 
stead ;  for  the  distinct  and  deliberate  object  of  pour- 
ing out  his  blood,  and  of  making  his  soul  an  offering 
for  sin.  He  planted  a  cross,  and  presented  to  the 
world  a  prodigy  of  mercy  of  which  this  is  the  only 
solution,  that  he  "  so  loved  us."  He  took  our  place 
in  the  universe,  espoused  our  interest,  opened  his 
bosom,  and  welcomed  to  his  heart  the  stroke  which 

we  had  deserved.     J.  H. Christ  is  not  a  critic 

on  the  soul's  frail  steps,  as  it  comes  tottering  home 
to  him,  a  prodigal  from  the  far  country,  or  a  peni- 
tent from  the  sinful  ways  of  the  city.  Every  prom- 
ise of  his  gospel  is  a  pledge  to  accept  sinners,  not 
after  they  have  ceased  to  be  sinners — for  when  would 
that  be  ? — but  while  yet  they  are  sinners.  This  is 
the  glory  of  the  Cross.  The  dying  is  for  the  un- 
godly. The  Physician  is  for  the  sick.  The  scarred 
shoulders  of  the  Shepherd  are  for  the  sheep  that 

was  lost.    F.  B.  H. He  died  for  the  unrighteous, 

the  enemies,  choosing  to  be  an  exile  from  heaven, 
that  he  might  carry  us  back  to  heaven;  a  tender 
Friend,  a  wise  Counselor,  a  strong  Helper.  "  What 
shall  I  render  to  the  Lord  for  all  that  he  has  ren- 
dered to  me  ?  "  I  have  but  two  little  things,  yea, 
very  little,  to  give — a  body  and  a  soul :  or  rather, 
one  little  thing,  my  will ;  and  shall  I  not  give  up 
that  to  his  will,  who,  being  so  great,  was  the  first  to 
visit  one  so  little  as  I  with  such  great  benefits,  and 
bought  all  that  I  am  with  all  that  he  is  ?     Bernard. 

7.  "  Ric/hteous "  here  is  a  man  who  righteously 
fulfills  the  duties  of  life,  and  "good"  is  the  good  and 
benevolent  man  with  whom  we  ourselves  have  been 

brought  into  contact.     C. The  whole  strength  of 

our  affections  can  be  elicited  only  when  goodness 
is  manifested  toward  us  individually.  That  which 
should  call  forth  our  strongest  affections  would 
evidently  be  a  being  of  perfect  moral  excellence, 
putting  forth  effort  and  sacrifice  on  our  behalf. 
M.  H. 

8.  Commendeth  his  love.  The  very  causes, 
and  the  only  causes,  which  could  check  that  love, 
have  not  checked  it,  have  only  served  to  draw  forth 
its  most  abundant  stream.  All  our  guilt,  instead 
of  drawing  forth  the  thunders  of  the  Almighty  and 
sinking  us  in  the  flames  of  his  wrath,  has  only  fur- 
nished the  occasion  for  the  triumph  of  his  mercy. 
It  was  in  view  of  this  that  angels  sang  with  raptures 
of  wonder  and  joy,  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest ! " 


Here  is  the  love  of  God  in  meridian  brightness  and 

glory.    N.  W.  T. There  has  never  yet  been  found 

an  intellectual  or  moral  or  social  condition  too  high 
or  too  low  for  this  doctrine.  No  debasement  has 
been  too  vile,  and  no  natural  purity  has  been  too 
refined,  for  it.  The  explorations  of  Christian  mis- 
sionaries have  found  no  nation  or  tribe  on  the  face 
of  the  earth — even  where  the  very  idea  of  any  deity 
was  most  nearly  extinct — in  which  this  simple  mes- 
sage, "  Christ  died  for  us,"  has  not  been  appre- 
hended, seized,  rejoiced  in,  and  lived  upon,  as  the 
opening  eye  welcomes  light.     F.  D.  H. 

10.  The  first  argument  is:  "If  God  did  so 
much  for  us  when  enemies,  what  will  he  do  for  us 
when  friends  ?  "  The  second  is  :  "  If  Christ's  death 
has  done  so  much  for  us,  what  will  his  life  do  ? " 
He  loved  and  blessed  us  when  enemies ;  will  he  not 
much  more  love  us  when  friends?  He  loved  us 
when  we  hated  him ;  will  he  not  love  us  more  when 
we  return  his  love?  When  subjected  to  the  do- 
minion of  liim  who  had  the  power  of  death,  he  yet 
conquered  for  us,  and  won  glorious  spoils ;  what 
will  he  not  do  now* when  he  has  led  captivity  cap- 
tive, and  completed  his  mighty  victory?  If  the 
Cross  and  the  tomb  have  done  so  much  for  us,  what 
will  not  the  throne  secure  ?  Here,  then,  are  two 
truths  which,  in  assuring  us  of  pardon,  assure  us  of 
everything.  "Jesus  died,  and  Jesus  liveth  " — these 
are  the  truths  which  contain  everything  for  us. 
"Jesus  died!" — that  contains  everything  that  we 
need  for  reconciliation  and  peace :  "  Jesus  liveth  ! " 
— that  contains  everything  pertaining  to  the  prom- 
ised inheritance.  "  Jesus  died — Jesus  liveth ! "  The 
simple  knowledge  of  these  simple  truths  is  salvation, 
forgiveness,  peace,  eternal  life.  All  that  can  come 
forth  from  his  grave,  or  down  from  his  throne — all 
that  a  dying  and  a  living  Saviour  can  do,  is  ours  ! 
Joy,  glory,  dominion,  royalty,  priesthood,  and  a 
boundless  inheritance — all  these  are  ours,  and  all  of 
them  made  irreversibly  sure  to  us  from  the  fact 
that  "Jesus  liveth."  He  was  dead  and  is  alive; 
yea,  and  he  liveth  for  evermore.  This  is  our  pledge 
for  the  perpetuity  of  our  possession.     Bonar. 

Saved  by  his  life.  The  powerful  influence  of 
the  life  of  Christ  upon  everything  that  belongs  to 
complete  salvation  is  manifest  in  the  justification  of 
beUevers,  which,  purchased  by  the  death  of  Christ, 
is  rendered  sure  and  p«rmanent  by  his  restored  life. 
The  life  of  Christ  is  no  less  available  to  insure 
the  sanctification  of  all  who  believe  on  him.  For 
this  end  did  he  enter  into  the  heavenly  sanctuary, 
that  from  thence  he  might  send  forth  his  conquering 
Spirit  to  cleanse  and  purify  the  hearts  of  those  whom 
he  had  washed  with  his  blood ;  that,  as  no  guilt 
might  be  left  to  provoke  the  justice  of  God,  so 
neither  should  there  be  any  defilement  to  offend  his 
holiness.     Further,  the  life  of  Christ  doth  effectual- 


218 


SECTION  S42.—BOMANS  5  :  12-21. 


ly  secure  an  honorable  issue  to  all  the  afflictions  and 
temptations  of  his  people.  He  carried  his  pitying 
nature  to  the  throne,  and  is  still  touched  with  the 
feeling  of  our  infirmities,  and  disposed  to  help  us 
in  every  time  of  need.  Lastly,  the  life  of  Christ 
secures  to  his  people  the  resurrection  of  their  bod- 
ies, and  the  happiness  of  the  whole  man,  in  the  full 
and  everlasting  enjoyment  of  God.  Therefore  praise 
and  magnify  that  compassionate  Saviour,  and  faith- 
ful high  priest  over  the  house  of  God,  who  ransomed 
us  with  his  blood ;  and  amid  all  the  splendors  of 
his  exalted  state  is  not  unmindful  of  his  charge 
upon  earth,  but  continually  appears  in  the  presence 
of  God  for  us ;  whose  ear  is  always  attentive  to  the 
voice  of  our  supplications ;  whose  mouth  is  ever 
open  to  plead  in  our  behalf ;  and,  as  if  it  had  not 
been  love  enough  to  die  for  us,  still  lives  and  reigns 
for  us.     R.  W. 

11.  By  whom  we  have  atonement.  If  an 
atonement  were  necessary,  and  for  that  we  must 
trust  the  express  warrant  of  Scripture,  we  know  not 
where  the  vicarious  victim  was  to  be  sought  without 
insuperable  objections  on  the  score  of  justice  and 
of  goodness,  except  in  the  offended  Judge  himself. 
Our  atonement  appears  to  demand,  from  the  very 
nature  of  the  case,  a  Person  not  less  than  divine. 
And  thus,  hidden  in  the  depths  of  justice  and  mer- 
cy, is  found  the  solution  of  this  astonishing  coalition 
of  glory  and  of  woe.  Essential  happiness  thus  em- 
braces essential  misery,  because  the  God  of  happi- 
ness is  also  the  God  at  once  of  infinite  purity  and 


infinite  love.  We  first  start  aside  at  the  impossi- 
bility ;  we  gaze  longer  and  deeper,  and  the  convic- 
tion slowly  rises  that  it  could  not  be  otherwise,  and 
God  be  what  he  is.  The  sacrifice,  strange  as  it  is, 
is  but  the  natural  growth  of  this  being ;  it  is  but 
the  child  of  eternal  mercy  wedded  to  eternal  truth ; 
and  their  spousal  home  is  in  the  heart  of  God. 
Hence  it  is  that  the  life  and  happiness  of  the  uni- 
verse, in  its  love  at  once  of  justice  and  of  us,  comes, 
through  the  medium  of  the  inferior  nature,  in  direct 
contact  with  misery  and  death.     W.  A.  B. 

Before  going  into  another  division  of  the  dis- 
course, instituting  his  immortal  parallel  between 
the  first  Adam  and  the  second  Adam,  between  the 
offense  and  the  grace,  between  condemnation  and 
salvation,  he  utters  a  burst  of  satisfaction,  as  he 
surveys  the  goodly  prospect,  and  thus  expresses  the 
joy  of  a  soul  which  a'ccepts  Christ :  "  And  not  only 
so,  but  we  also  joy  in  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  through  whom  we  have  now  received  the 
atonement."  The  same  Greek  word  is  elsewhere 
translated  reconciliation.  The  joy  here  spoken  of 
is  that  high  exulting  joy,  when  the  soul  is  lifted  up 
with  complacency  in  the  blessing  possessed.  This 
is  a  summing  up  of  all  the  bright  and  stupendous 
things  contained  in  the  foregoing  verses.  And  so 
all  the  gospel,  the  good  news,  the  glad  tidings,  is  in 
this  one  word.  Reconciliation.  This  is  the  message 
sent  by  the  word  of  preaching  to  be  believed,  that 
God  is  reconciled ;  and  he  that  believes  this  is 
saved.    J.  W.  A. 


Section  242. 

EOMANS   v.  12  21. 

12  Wherefoee,  as  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin  ;  and  so  death 

13  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned  :  (for  until  the  law  sin  was  in  the  world  :  but 

14  sin  is  not  imputed  when  there  is  no  law.     Nevertheless  death  reigned  from  Adam  to  Moses, 
even  over  them  that  had  not  sinned  after  the  similitude  of  Adam's  transgression,  who  is  the 

15  figure  of  him  that  was  to  come.     But  not  as  the  offence,  so  also  is  the  free  gift.     For  if 
through  the  offence  of  one  many  be  dead,  much  more  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  gift  by 

16  grace,  which  is  by  one  man,  Jesus  Christ,  hath  abounded  unto  many.     And  not  as  it  was  by 
one  that  sinned,  so  is  the  gift :  for  the  judgment  was  by  one  to  condemnation,  but  the  free 

17  gift  is  of  many  offences  unto  justification.     For  if  by  one  man's  offence  death  reigned  by 
one ;  much  more  they  which  receive  abundance  of  grace  and  of  the  gift  of  righteousness 

18  shall  reign  in  life  by  one,  Jesus  Christ.)    Therefore,  as  by  the  offence  oi  oti&  judgment  came 
upon  all  men  to  condemnation  ;  even  so  by  the  righteousness  of  one  the  free  gift  came  upon 

19  all  men  unto  justification  of  life.     For  as  by  one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sin- 

20  ners,  so  by  the  obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous.    Moreover  the  law  entered, 
that  the  offence  might  abound.     But  where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abound : 

21  that  as  sin  hath  reigned  unto  death,  even  so  might  grace  reign  through  righteousness  unto 
eternal  life  by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 


SECTION  21^.— ROMANS  5  :  12-21. 


219 


We  can  not  hesitate  to  perceive  that  the  powers  of  evil  consist  of  two  great  detachments,  which  spec 
ulative  men  have  called  physical  and  moral  evil,  which  plain  people  are  familiar  with  under  the  titles  of 
pain  and  guilt — pain,  which  seems  naturally  to  tend  to  weakness  and  death  ;  and  guilt,  which,  by  a  pro- 
cess as  natural,  descends  into  habitual  and  irremediable  sin.  Distinct  as  are  these  two  forms  of  evil,  even 
in  our  own  experience  we  detect  traces  of  a  connection  between  them  ;  but  it  is  to  Revelation  that  we  are 
indebted  for  the  clearest  intimation  of  their  secret  but  indissoluble  association ;  to  Revelation,  which 
announces  that  physical  infirmity  and  death  entered  our  human  creation  in  the  footsteps  of  willful  sin, 
that  willful  sin  is  the  forerunner  of  pains  eternal.  To  these  powers,  then,  the  two  great  engines  of  the 
adversary,  Christ  is  revealed  as  the  counteracting  agent.  He  came  to  triumph  over  both ;  his  work  is 
respectively  directed  to  each.  In  relation  to  sin,  he  is  a  mediator  of  justification  and  holiness  ;  in  rela- 
tion to  death  ami  pain,  he  is  the  author  of  endless  life  and  glory.    W.  A.  B. 


12-21.  Whatever  else  this  important  and  some- 
.  what  difficult  Scripture  may  contain,  it  contains  at 
least  these  things :  that  Adam  was  a  type  of  Christ, 
in  the  extraordinary  sense  of  the  latter's  being  set 
over  against  the  former  in  all  moral  relations  to  our 
race ;  that  as  Adam  brought  sin  and  death  upon 
all,  so  Christ  brings  righteousness  and  life  to  all ; 
that  as  Adam,  by  one  act  of  transgression,  brought 
condemnation,  so  Christ,  from  many  acts  of  trans- 
gression, brings  justification;  and  that,  while  the 
evils  of  Adam's  sin  are  unconditional,  absolute, 
the  benefits  of  Christ's  righteousness  are  condi- 
tional, contingent.  By  his  sin  Adam  actually,  posi- 
tively brought  death,  temporal  and  spiritual,  upon 
all  men.  By  his  righteousness  Christ  brings  life, 
spiritual  and  eternal,  conditionally,  under  terms,  to 
all  men.  By  his  first  disobedience,  Adam  opened 
and  spread  the  broad  roll  of  a  flying  curse  over  the 
whole  race  of  man.  His  act,  which  was  one  of  re- 
bellion, cut  the  race  off  from  God;  and,  thus  cut 
off,  the  whole  fell  into  a  state  of  moral  separation 
from  him :  a  state  which  rendered  it  certain  that 
every  individual  would,  on  reaching  years  of  moral 
action,  commit  actual  sin.  That  state  of  the  race, 
including  this  attendant  certainty,  constitutes  origi- 
nal sin.  It  is  a  state  over  which  "  God's  wrath 
and  damnation "  rest ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  one 
which  includes  every  individual  of  the  race,  from 
Adam  to  the  last  of  his  stock.  Thus  much  of  the 
fall.  In  the  recovery,  Christ,  the  second  Adam,  by 
his  obedience  unto  death,  brought  in  a  blessing, 
which,  in  the  possibilities  of  its  application,  is  co- 
extensive with  the  primal  curse.  He  threw  the 
reach  and  embrace  of  mercy  around  the  entire  race. 
He  "  tasted  death  for  every  man."  He  opened  the 
door  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  all  mankind.  He 
made  eternal  life  possible  to  the  whole  race,  from 
Adam  to  the  last  of  his  stock.  And  thus  much  of 
the  recovery.     J.  S.  S. 

The  doctrine  of  the  apostle  is  that  as  all  men 
are,  in  certain  points,  treated  as  if  they  were  sinners, 
entirely  on  account  of  the  first  sin  of  the  first  man, 
Adam,  so  all  men  who  are  justified  are  treated  as  if 
they  were  righteous  entirely  on  account  of  the  obe- 
dience to  death  of  him  of  whom  the  first  man  was 
an  image — the  Lord  from  heaven.  All  the  evil  that 
befalls  mankind,  either  in  the  present  or  the  future 
world,  may  be  considered  as  originating  in  the  first 
sin  of  the  first  man,  directly  or  indirectly.  Some  of 
these  evils  are  realized,  however,  only  through  the  in- 
dividual, in  his  own  person,  becoming  an  actual  vio- 
lator of  the  divine  law,  and  are  realized  by  him 
in  the  degree  in  which  he  does  so.  There  are  others 
that  come  directly  on  the  race,  as  the  manifestation 
of  the  displeasure  of  God  at  the  first  sin :  Death, 


including  a  life  longer  or  shorter,  it  might  be,  but 
liable  to  disease,  doomed  to  death ;  and  the  greater 
loss  of  that  divine  influence  which  is  the  soul  of  the 
human  soul,  the  principle  of  its  true  excellence  and 
highest  happiness.  These — mortality  and  destitution 
of  spiritual  goodness — come  equally  on  all  men, 
without  reference  to  personal  acts  of  guilt ;  and 
these  are  the  evils,  the  manner  of  incurring  which 
the  apostle  employs  as  an  illustration  of  the  manner 
in  which  the  great  blessing  of  justification  is  ob- 
tained for  man.  This  seems  plain  from  the  apos- 
tle's object,  for  evils  not  resulting  entirely  from 
Adam's  sin  would  not  have  corresponded  with  bless- 
ings resulting  entirely  from  our  Lord's  obedience; 
and  further,  it  appears  from  his  obviously  contrast- 
ing the  judgment  of  the  one  offense,  which  is  exe- 
cuted, with  the  judgment  of  the  many  offenses, 
which  is  graciously  removed  in  justification.     J.  B. 

The  meaning  of  the  latter  part  of  this  chapter, 
as  Augustine  loves  to  draw  it  out,  is  as  follows :  The 
apostle  had  spoken  in  what  went  before  of  Christ's 
death,  and  the  fruits  of  that  death ;  but  the  ques- 
tion might  well  present  itself :  How  should  the  death 
of  one  have  such  significance  for  all  ?  Paul  an- 
swers the  question.  This  one  is  not  merely  one ;  he 
stands  in  a  relation  to  all  men  which  can  only  find 
its  analogy  in  the  relation  in  which  Adam  stood  to 
all.  He  may  be  rightly  called  a  "  second  Adam." 
In  Adam  the  whole  natural  development  of  man  was 
included ;  the  entire  human  race  is  but  the  unfold- 
ing of  that  first,  that  one  man.  Exactly  so  Christ 
is  a  spiritual  head.  The  whole  race  of  regenerate 
men  was  shut  up  in  him,  is  unfolded  from  him.  As 
the  huge  oak  with  its  trunk  and  all  its  spreading 
branches  is  rudimentally  wrapped  up  in  the  single 
acorn ;  so  the  world,  or  mankind  natural,  in  Adam, 
and  the  Church,  or  mankind  spiritual,  m  Christ. 

Only  from  this  point  of  view,  of  the  race,  name- 
ly, as  included  in  Adam,  do  we  attain  any  right  ap- 
prehension of  the  significance  of  Adam's  sin.  The 
injury  which  by  that  sin  Adam,  inflicted  on  himself, 
he  did  noi  inflict  on  himself  alone.  It  was  a  fling- 
ing of  poison  into  the  fountain  head,  and  thus  an 
infecting  lower  down  of  every  drop  of  the  stream. 
And  only  so  do  we  attain  any  right  apprehension  of 
the  significance  of  Christ's  righteousness ;  for  that 
other  is  but  one  side,  the  sadder  and  the  darker  side, 
of  the  same  truth.  That  which  held  good  for  death 
held  good  also  for  life.  The  same  law  of  intimate 
imion  between  the  members  of  the  race  and  their 
head,  which  made  one  man's  sin  so  diffusive  of  death, 
has  made  one  man's  obedience  or  righteousness  so 
diffusive  of  life.  Christ  shall  diffuse  himself  no 
less  effectually  than  Adam,  as  the  one  by  generation, 
so  the  other  by  regeneration.     Nay,  there  shall  be,  as 


220 


SECTION  21,2.— ROMANS  5  :  12-21. 


there  ever  must  be,  a  mightier  power  in  the  good 
than  in  the  evil ;  for  while  the  one  sin  was  sufficient 
to  ruin  the  world,  the  righteousness  of  one  did  not 
merely  do  away  with  that  one  sin,  but  with  all  the 
innumerable  others  which  had  unfolded  themselves 
from  it.     T. 

The  dogma  of  original  sin  implies  and  affirms 
these  propositions:  1.  That  God,  in  creating  man 
has  created  him  an  agent,  moral,  free,  and  fallible, 

2.  That  the  will  of  God  is  the  moral  law  of  man 
and  obedience  to  the  will  of  God  is  the  duty  of  man 
inasmuch  as  he  is  a  moral  and  free  agent.  3.  That, 
by  an  act  of  his  own  free  will,  man  has  knowingly 
failed  in  his  duty  by  disobeying  the  law  of  God.  4. 
That  the  free  man  is  a  responsible  being,  and  that 
disobedience  to  the  law  of  God  has  justly  entailed 
on  him  punishment.  5.  That  that  responsibility 
and  that  punishment  are  hereditary,  and  that  the 
fault  of  the  first  man  has  weighed  and  does  weigh 
upon  the  human  race.  The  authority  of  God,  the 
duty  of  obedience  to  the  law  of  God,  the  liberty  and 
responsibility  of  man,  the  heritage  of  human  re- 
sponsibility are,  in  their  moral  chronology,  the  prin- 
ciples and  facts  comprised  in  the  dogma  of  original 
sin.     Chiizot. 

Most  evangelical  divines  are  divided  between  the 
Augustinian  or  realistic,  the  federal  or  forensic,  and 
the  Arminian  theories.  It  should  be  remembered 
that  the  main  difficulty  lies  in  the  fad  itself — the 
undeniable,  stubborn,  terrible  fact — of  the  universal 
dominion  of  sin  and  death  over  the  entire  race,  in- 
fants as  well  as  full-grown  sinners.  No  system  of 
philosophy  has  ever  given  a  more  satisfactory  ex- 
planation than  the  great  divines  of  the  Church.  Out- 
siile  of  the  Christian  redemption,  the  fall,  with  its 
moral  desolation  and  ruin,  remains  an  impenetrable 
mystery.  But  immediately  after  the  fall  appears,  in 
the  promise  of  the  serpent  -  bruiser,  the  second 
Adam,  and  throws  a  bright  ray  of  hope  into  the 
gloom  of  despair.  In  the  fullness  of  the  time,  ac- 
cording to  God's  own  counsel,  he  appeared  in  our 
nature  to  repair  the  loss,  and  to  replace  the  tempo- 
rary reign  of  sin  by  the  everlasting  reign  of  super- 
abounding  grace,  which  never  could  have  been  re- 
vealed in  all  its  power  without  the  fall.  The  person 
and  work  of  the  second  Adam  are  the  one  glorious 
solution  of  the  problem  of  the  first,  and  the  trium- 
phant vindication  of  divine  justice  and  mercy.  This 
is  the  main  point  for  all  practical  purposes,  and  in 
this,  at  least,  all  true  Christians  arc  agreed.     P.  S. 

We  offer  a  summation  of  the  whole  subject: 

1.  The  vast  majority,  not  only  of  Calvinists,  but 
of  Christians,  hold  that  the  race  so  had  its  proba- 
tion in  Adam's  first  trial,  that  it  fell  in  his  fall, 
and  the  consequences  of  his  sin  to  himself  passed 
over  to  his  posterity.  2.  The  majority  hold  that  his 
descendants  did  not'sin  in  him  really  and  literally. 

3.  A  great  majority  hold  that  death  is  the  penalty 
of  sin,  and  includes  every  kind  of  penal  evil.  4.  A 
great  majority  hold  that  death  thus  extending  to 
soul  and  body  was  visited  upon  Adam  and  his  pos- 
terity by  sin.  5.  A  great  majority  hold  that  Adam's 
sin  was  so  reckoned  to  the  account  of  (imputed  to) 
the  race,  that  its  loss  of  the  divine  favor  and  com- 
munion with  God,  and,  by  consequence,  its  lapse 
into  sin,  was  a  visitation  in  judgment  for  that  sin. 
6.  A  great  majority  believe  that  evil  inflicted  on 
moral  beings  for  sin,  in  support  of  law,  is  punish- 
ment, and  that  the  present  degradation  of  our  race 
came  in  this  way.  1.  A  great  majority  believe  that 
Christ  bore  our  sins,  only  as  he  bore  their  penalty, 


became  a  curse  for  us,  and  had  the  chastisement  of 
our  peace  laid  upon  him,  and  hence  that  sin  may  be 
so  imputed  to  or  reckoned  to  the  account  of  those 
who  did  not  personally  commit  it,  that  they  shall 
bear  its  penalty.  If  this  is  possible  in  one  extraor- 
dinary case,  it  may  be  in  another.  8.  A  great  major- 
ity believe  that  Christ  is  the  second  Adam,  of  whom 
the  first  was  a  type,  inasmuch  as,  being  condemned 
for  the  sin  of  the  first  Adam,  we  are  justified  by  the 
righteousness  of  the  second.  "As  by  the  disobe- 
dience of  one  many  were  made  sinners,  so  by  the 
obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  righteous." 
Herein  are  found  the  elements  of  the  true  doctrine 
of  original  sin.  These  pregnant  words  of  Pascal 
can  not  be  gainsaid.  "It  is  astonishing  that  the 
mystery  which  is  farthest  removed  from  our  knowl- 
edge (I  mean  the  transmission  of  original  sin)  should 
be  that  without  which  we  can  have  no  knowledge  of 
ourselves.  It  is  in  this  abyss  that  the  clew  to  our 
condition  takes  its  turns  and  windings,  insomuch 
that  man  is  more  incomprehensible  without  this 
mystery  than  this  mystery  is  incomprehensible  to 
man."     C.  H. 

13.  By  Jesus  we  have  received  the  reconciliation 
(v.  11) ;  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world.  In 
stating  this  similarity,  the  apostle  draws  the  atten- 
tion of  his  readers  from  Abraham,  the  father  of  the 
Jewish  nation,  of  whom  they  boasted,  and  through 
whom  they  inherited  many  blessings,  to  a  more  re- 
mote ancestor,  from  whom  both  Jews  and  Gentiles 
were  descended,  and  through  whom  they  both  in- 
herited the  same  dismal  legacy.  In  ascending  to 
Adam,  the  distinction  between  Jews  and  Gentiles 
is  lost,  and  the  necessity  of  a  Saviour  is  laid  in 
that  condition,  which  is  common  to  all  mankiiti. 
G.  Hill. 

13,  14.  The  12th  verse  states  that  all  mankind 
are  exposed  to  death  in  consequence  of  the  first  sin 
of  the  first  man.  The  proof  of  this  fact  is  con- 
tained in  the  13th  and  14th  verses,  which  refer  to 
infants.  These  die  entirely  on  account  of  the  sin  of 
the  first  man,  without  reference  to  their  own  per- 
sonal violation  of  the  divine  law.     J.  B. 

17,  18,  Sin  is  death's  parent.  Had  there  been 
no  sin,  no  one  would  have  died.  The  first  man  re- 
ceived God's  commandment  on  condition  that  if  he 
kept  it  he  should  live,  if  he  violated  it  he  should 
die.  By  not  believing  that  he  would  die,  he  did 
what  caused  him  to  die ;  and  found  that  to  have 
been  true  which  the  Giver  of  the  law  had  affirmed. 
Thence  came  death,  thence  man  became  mortal, 
thence  came  labor,  thence  misery,  thence  the  second 
death  after  the  first,  that  is,  after  temporal  death, 
death  everlasting.  This  tradition  of  death,  this  law 
of  destruction,  binds  every  man  who  is  born,  except 
that  one  Man  who  became  Man  that  man  should  not 
perish.  For  he  came  bound  by  no  law  of  death ; 
therefore  he  is  called  in  the  Psalm,  "Free  among 
the  dead  " ;  who  lived  without  sin,  who  did  not  die 
because  of  sin ;  sharing  in  our  penalty,  not  in  our 
offense.     Death  is  the  penalty  of  offense ;  our  Lord 


SECTION  SJ^.— ROMANS  5  :  12-21. 


221 


Jesus  Christ  came  to  die,  did  not  come  to  sin ;  by 
sharing  in  our  penalty  without  our  offense,  he  an- 
nulled both  our  offense  and  penalty.  What  pen- 
alty ?  That  which  was  due  to  us  after  this  life.  So 
he  was  crucified,  that  on  the  Cross  be  might  show 
the  dying  out  of  our  old  man ;  and  he  rose,  that  in 
his  own  life  he  might  show  our  new  life.     Aug. 

Verse  18  should  stand,  "Therefore  as  through 
one  trespass  the  issue  was  unto  all  men  to  condem- 
nation :  even  so  through  one  righteous  act  the  issue 
was  unto  all  men  to  justification  of  life."     A. 

19-21  •  When  our  unrighteousness  was  con- 
summated, and  full  proof  was  given  that  punish- 
ment and  death  were  to  be  looked  for  as  its  reward, 
and  the  time  was  come  which  God  had  preordained 
for  the  manifestation  of  his  own  loving-kindness 
and  power  (for  the  love  of  God,  which  proceeds  from 
his  transcendant  benignity,  is  peerless),  he  did  not 
hate  us,  nor  repel  us,  nor  did  he  remember  evil,  but 
showed  his  long-suffering,  bore  with  us,  himself 
took  upon  him  our  sins,  gave  up,  of  himself,  his 
own  Son  as  a  ransom  for  us,  the  Holy  for  the  law- 
less, the  Innocent  for  the  wicked,  the  Just  for  the 
unjust,  the  Incorruptible  for  the  corruptible,  the 
Immortal  for  the  mortal.  For  what  else  but  his 
Son's  righteousness  was  able  to  cover  our  sins  ? 
Wherein  was  it  possible  for  us,  the  lawless  and  im- 
pious, to  be  justified,  save  in  the  Son  of  God  alone  ? 
0  that  sweet  substitution !  0  that  unsearchable 
plan !  0  those  unexpected  benefits !  That  the  trans- 
gression of  many  should  be  covered  by  one  right- 
eous, and  the  righteousness  of  one  should  justify 
many  that  were  unrighteous.  Epistle  of  2d  Cen- 
tury. 

How  by  one  man's  obedience  could  many  be 
made  righteous?  The  answer  is  not  far  to  seek. 
The  transcendent  worth  of  that  obedience  which 
Christ  rendered,  of  that  oblation  which  he  offered, 
the  power  which  it  possessed  of  countervailing  and 
counterbalancing  a  world's  sin,  lay  in  this,  that  he 
who  offered  these,  while  he  bore  a  human  nature, 
and  wrought  human  acts,  was  a  divine  person ;  not 
indeed  God  alone,  for  as  such  he  would  never  have 
been  in  the  condition  to  offer ;  nor  man  alone,  for 
then  the  worth  of  his  offering  could  never  have 
reached  so  far ;  but  that  ho  was  God  and  man  in 
one  person  indissolubly  united,  and  in  this  person 
performing  all  those  acts  :  man,  that  he  might  obey 
and  suffer  and  die ;  God,  that  he  might  add  to  every 
act  of  his  obedience,  his  suffering,  his  death,  an 
immeasurable  worth,  steeping  in  the  glory  of  his 
divine  personality  all  of  human  that  he  wrought. 
T. The  obedience  of  Christ  is  expressly  de- 
clared to  be  the  ground  of  our  acceptance,  and  the 
sufferings  of  Christ  are  but  a  part  of  that  obedience. 
Taken  together,  the  active  and  the  passive  obedience 
constitute  that  one  righteousness  which  is  the  sole 


meritorious  ground  of  our  acceptance.  What  he 
did,  and  what  he  suffered,  are  but  one  object  in  the 
sight  of  the  law;  a  glorious  righteousness,  with 
which  we  are  graciously  invested ;  wrought  out  by 
our  head,  in  our  nature,  but  deriving  infinite  value 
from  the  hidden  fountain  of  the  Godhead.     J.  W.  A. 

Condition  of  the  Infant  Dead. 

What  the  Scriptures  teach  on  this  subject,  ac-" 
cording  to  the  common  doctrine  of  evangelical  Prot- 
estants, is,  all  who  die  in  infancy  are  saved.  The 
Scriptures  nowhere  exclude  any  class  of  infants, 
baptized  or  unbaptized,  born  in  Christian  or  in  hea- 
then lands,  of  believing  or  unbelieving  parents, 
from  the  benefits  of  the  redemption  of  Christ.     C. 

H. In  the  case  of  those  who  die  in  infancy,  with 

original  sin  only  affecting  their  natures,  Christ,  it 
would  seem,  stands  to  them  for  good,  over  against 
Adam  for  evil.  As  they  are  brought  under  the  con- 
demnation of  original  sin  through  Adam,  so  they 
receive  remission  of  it  through  Christ.  And  the 
condition  (involuntarily  enjoyed,  indeed,  on  their 
part,  but  voluntarily  secured  to  them  on  God's) — the 
condition  on  which  they  receive  this  remission  is, 
that  they  have  committed  no  actual  sin.  Being  taken 
away  from  the  ordinary  conditions  of  the  gospel, 
they  need  no  other.  For  if,  in  receiving  this  grant 
of  remission,  their  relation  to  Christ  be  involuntary, 
so,  in  becoming  subject  to  the  sin  forgiven,  was 
their  relation  to  Adam  involuntary.  Is  it  not  rea- 
sonable, therefore,  that,  on  the  condition  named, 
Christ,  the  greater,  should  remove  what  Adam,  the 
less,  entailed?  It  is  the  great  law  of  the  Church 
under  the  gospel  that — while,  in  the  case  of  those 
who  live  to  commit  actual  sin,  the  death  of  Christ 
can  be  rendered  effectual  only  by  being  applied  in 
the  exercises  of  faith  and  repentance,  or  of  that  in- 
ward renewing  which  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit  in 
the  use  of  truth — in  the  case  of  all  who  die  in  in- 
fancy and  without  actual  sin  the  death  of  Christ 
itself  is  effectual,  without  being  so  applied.  As  they 
have  not  become  voluntary  in  following  the  first 
Adam's  sin,  so  need  they  not  be  voluyitary  in  relying 
on  the  second  Adam's  righteousness.  Had  it  not 
been  for  Christ,  the  whole  race  had  perished.  But 
since  he  "  hath  tasted  death  for  every  man,"  they 
only  perish  who,  to  the  fact  of  original  sin,  as  an 
infection  from  our  common  head,  add  the  guilt  of 
actual  sin,  as  the  intelligent  and  voluntary  issue  of 
their  own  minds ;  and  who,  thus  guilty  and  defiled, 
never  become  renewed  and  sanctified  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  unto  repentance,  faith,  and  holiness ;  but,  on 
the  contrary,  either  by  an  actual  volition,  or  by  cher- 
ishing tempers  which  would  prompt  such  an  act,  re- 
ject the  offer  of  pardon  and  life  through  the  Saviour, 
and  thus  seal,  beyond  reversal,  the  sentence  of  their 
own  condemnation. 

This  view  of  the  effects  of  Christ's  death  and 
sacrifice  accounts  for  the  fact  that  so  little  is  said 
in  the  Bible  of  those  who  die  in  infancy.  Toward 
infancy  and  childhood  as  states  of  life,  the  Bible  is 
full  of  the  tenderest  regard.  The  language  of  Christ 
to  those  who  would  have  kept  the  little  children 
from  him  may  be  taken  as  the  best  expression  of 
that  regard  in  summary;  while  it  shows  that  be- 
tween original  sin  in  infancy  and  actual  sin  in  sub- 
sequent years  there  is  a  broad  and  important  differ- 
ence. But  the  case  of  those  who  die  in  infancy  the 
Bible  leaves  in  almost  unbroken  silence.  The  com- 
forted mourning  of  the  penitent  David  over  his  dead 


222 


SECTION  21,3.— ROMANS  6  : 1-2S. 


chil.I,  "  I  shall  go  to  him,  but  he  shall  not  return  to 
me"  (2  Sam.  12  :  23),  is  the  plainest  and  loudest 
if  not  the  only  word  ever  uttered  to  break  that  si- 
lence. But,  in  the  remarkable  silence  which  it  gener- 
ally observes,  it  plainly  intimates  that  this  is  a  case 
to  which  the  ordinary  conditions  of  the  gospel  do 
not  apply;  that,  as  "what  the  law  says,  it  says  to 
them  that  are  under  the  law,"  so  what  the  Bible  any- 
where says,  it  says  to  them  that  are  under  the  Bible, 
•and  can  understand  its  elementary  and  fundamental 
teachings ;  tliat  dying  infants  not  belonging  to  this 
class  are  in  God's  hands ;  and  that,  as  he  sees  good 
to  take  them  away  from  the  ordinary  lot  of  sinful 
men,  so  he  probably  takes  them  to  that  bosom  of 
mercy,  to  that  freeuess  of  pardon  for  Christ's  sake, 
to  which  the  actual  transgressor  can  be  admitted  in 
no  other  way  than  that  fully  prescribed  in  the  gos- 
pel. This  leads  to  bright  and  blessed  views  of  their 
future  lot;  views  full  of  the  sunlight  of  hope,  and 
rich  with  the  blessedness  of  anticipated  glory,  to  all 
whom  God,  in  his  chastening  goodness,  is  pleased  to 
beckon  away  ere  the  stain  of  actual  sin  has  rested 
on  their  spirits.     If  they  can  not  Juivc,  neither  do 


they  need,  that  specifically  renewing  and  sanctifying 
change  which  God  demands  of  all  others.  If  they 
do  not  live  to  receive  that  gift  of  a  renewed  mind 
which  Christ  came  to  bestow,  neither  do  they  live  to 
feel  that  voluntary  breaking  out  of  the  disease  of 
sin,  the  workings  of  which  Christ  came  to  destroy. 
Through  Christ's  sacrifice,  the  fact  of  oriffinal  sin  is, 
it  may  be  believed,  forgiven  them ;  through  God's 
intervention,  the  stain  of  actual  sin  is  not  contract- 
ed. The  pains  of  temporal  death  come  upon  them, 
not  in  punishment  of  voluntary  guilt,  but  as  that 
only  part  of  the  original  penalty  which  follows  in- 
voluntary infection.  In  them,  Adam  still  dies  for 
his  first  offense.  In  them,  Christ  now  lives,  through 
his  satisfying  obedience.  The  first  Adam  plunged 
them  into  the  peril  of  original  sin.  The  second 
Adam  travailed  for  them  in  bloody  pain,  and  de- 
livered them  out  of  their  peril.  The  former  left 
them  to  a  state  of  misery,  as  the  inevitable  conse- 
quence of  introducing  sin  into  the  world.  The 
latter  wins  them  to  a  life  of  blessedness,  as  part 
of  his  promised  reward  for  becoming  a  sacrifice  for 
sin.     J.  S.  S. 


Section  243. 

EoMANS  vi.  1-23. 

1  "VThat  shall  we  say  then  ?     Shall  we  continue  in  sin,  that  grace  may  abound  ?     God  for- 

2  bid.     How  shall  we,  that  are  dead  to  sin,  live  any  longer  therein  ?     Know  ye  not,  that  so 

3  many  of  us  as  were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ  were  baptized  into  his  death  ?     Therefore  we 

4  are  buried  with  him  by  baptism  into  death :  that  like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the 

5  dead  by  the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  walk  in  newness  of  life.     For  if  we 
have  been  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  we  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of 

6  his  resurrection :  knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  is  crucified  with  him,  that  the  body  of 

7  sin  might  be  destroyed,  that  henceforth  we  should  not  serve  sin.     For  he  that  is  dead  is 
freed  from  sin. 

8  Now  if  we  be  dead  with  Christ,  we  believe  that  we  shall  also  live  with  him  :  knowing 

9  that  Christ  being  raised  from  the  dead  dieth  no  more  ;  death  hath  no  more  dominion  over 

10  him.     For  in  that  he  died,  be  died  unto  sin  once :  but  in  that  he  liveth,  he  liveth  unto 

11  God.     Likewise  reckon  ye  also  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive  unto  God 

12  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Let  not  sin  therefore  reign  in  your  mortal  body,  that  ye 

13  should  obey  it  in  the  lusts  thereof.     Neither  yield  ye  your  members  as  instruments  of  un- 
righteousness \mto  sin :  but  yield  yourselves  unto  God,  as  those  that  are  alive  from  the 

14  dead,  and  your  members  as  instruments  of  righteousness  unto  God.    For  sin  shall  not  have 
dominion  over  you :  for  ye  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace. 

15  What  then  ?  shall  we  sin,  because  we  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace  ?     God  for- 

16  bid.     Know  ye  not,  that  to  whom  ye  yield  yourselves  servants  to  obey,  his  servants  ye  are 

17  to  whom  ye  obey;  whether  of  sin  unto  death,  or  of  obedience  unto  righteousness?     But 
God  be  thanked,  that  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin,  but  ye  have  obeyed  from  the  heart  that 

18  form  of  doctrine  which  was  delivered  you.     Being  then  made  free  from  sin,  ye  became  the 

19  servants  of  righteousness.     I  speak  after  the  manner  of  men  because  of  the  infirmity  of  your 
flesh :  for  as  ye  have  yielded  your  members  servants  to  uncleanness  and  to  iniquity  unto 

20  iniquity ;  even  so  now  yield  your  members  servants  to  righteousness  unto  holiness.    For 

21  when  ye  were  the  servants  of  sin,  ye  were  free  from  righteousness.     What  fruit  had  ye 
then  in  those  things  whereof  ye  are  now  ashamed  ?  for  the  end  of  those  things  is  death, 

22  But  now  being  made  free  from  sin,  and  become  servants  to  God,  ye  have  your  fruit  unto 

23  holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life.    For  the  wages  of  sin  ia  death  ;  but  the  gift  of  God  w 
eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord, 


SECTION  S4B.— SOMAN'S  6  : 1-23. 


223 


The  rich  contents  of  this  chapter  may  be  summed  up  in  this  single  proposition  :  the  believing  Chris- 
tian can  not  possibly  be  a  minister  of  sin.  The  true  Christian  can  not  live  in  sin,  because  the  love  of  sin 
is  destroyed  in  his  heart  since  he  really  entered  into  fellowship  with  Him  who  died  through  sin  and  for 
it,  that  we  might  live  through  Him.  The  courage  to  strive  against  sin  is  enkindled  by  the  union  of  faith 
with  Christ ;  this  faith  awakens  love  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  it  is  impossible  that  love  and  sin  should 
permanently  subsist  together.  Xay,  through  this  courage  is  procured  strength  to  obtain  the  victory,  since 
he  is  indissolubly  united,  not  merely  with  the  dead,  but  also  with  the  risen  Christ :  the  spirit  of  life  is  in 
the  Christian  ;  and  wherever  He  dwells  and  works,  he  must  necessarily  manifest  himself  as  a  purifying 
fire,  consuming  all  unrighteousness.  We  may  go  yet  a  step  further,  and  maintain  that  the  true  Christian 
will  not  serve  sin,  just  because  he  feels  himself  free  and  happy  under  the  dominion  of  grace.  Experience 
testifies  that  the  stumbling  of  true  believers  is  really  something  different  from  the  iniquity  of  the  wholly 
unregenerate  ;  the  last  live  in  sin,  the  first  feel  with  deep  pain  that  sin  yet  lives  in  them,  and  the  history 
of  centuries  shows  that  the  power  of  sin  is  most  thoroughly  broken  by  living  faith  and  free  grace  where 
these  have  subjugated  the  life.      Van  0. 

Our  bodies — our  natural  bodies — will  die  alike  in  all  of  us.  This  is  one  death  ;  but  besides  this  shall 
all  die  another,  the  death  of  our  sins  or  the  death  of  our  souls.  Remember  that  one  of  these  two  deaths, 
both  painful,  we  must  die,  every  one  of  us.  Which  shall  it  be  then  ?  Shall  it  be  the  death  of  our  sin  or 
the  death  of  our  soul  ?  The  death  whose  pain  comes  at  first  most,  yet  even  then,  by  Christ's  grace,  it  is 
endurable ;  but  afterward  the  suffering  and  the  struggle  lessen,  and  there  comes  the  rest  of  death,  and 
the  vigor  and  the  freshness  and  the  glory  of  that  divine  and  eternal  life  which  the  death  of  our  sins  has 
given  birth  to ;  or  shall  it  be  the  death  whose  first  strokes  are  silent  and  painless,  which  pours  in  its 
poison  and  we  feel  it  not — more  and  more  triumphant,  and  we  more  and  more  insensible  ;  till  behold,  its 
work  is  accomplished,  and  then  the  agony  is  neither  to  be  uttered  nor  conceived,  and  Christ  is  gone  from 
us  for  ever,  and  life  and  death  are  become  one  for  our  destruction ;  a  death  of  all  good,  a  life  of  all 
evil.    T.  A. 


1-33.  There  are  two  aspects  in  which  the  re- 
ligion of  Christ  may  be  viewed,  and  we  should  never 
magnify  the  one  at  the  expense  of  the  other — as  a 
Principle  of  Life  and  Happiness,  and  as  a  Principle 
of  Subjection  and  Obedience — life  that  quickens 
obedience,  obedience  that  manifests  life — life  that 
makes  obedience  delightful,  obedience  that  makes 
life  visible  and  practical.  In  the  sixth  chapter, 
you  will  find  this  representation  a  clew  to  the  invo- 
lutions of  its  rapid  eloquence.  This  chapter  is  com- 
posed of  the  answers  to  two  objections,  and  the 
objections  and  their  respective  answers  (so  often 
hastily  confounded)  are  specially  directed  to  special 
and  distinct  views  of  the  gospel.  The  former  ob- 
jection speaks  of  life,  and  it  is  answered  out  of  the 
nature  and  characteristics  of  spiritual  life  and  death  ; 
the  latter  objection  speaks  of  subjection,  and  it  is 
appropriately  answered  by  citing  the  characters  and 
contrast  of  the  sinful  and  the  righteous  service. 
The  one  asks  (v.  1),  Shall  we  abide — or  "live" 
(v.  2)  in  sin,  that  grace  may  abound  ?  and  the 
answer  is  that  we  are  dead  to  sin,  that  the  old  na- 
ture is  crucifed  (v.  6),  and  that  therefore  it  is 
unnatural,  in  the  nature  of  things  incompatible,  that 
we  should  live  to  it.  This  death  to  sin  is  declared 
to  be  publicly  solemnized  in  the  expressive  rite  of 
baptism;  and  in  it,  as  well  as  in  the  resurrection 
that  follows  it,  we  are  declared  to  be  copyists  and 
partakers  of  Christ— "  baptized  iiifo  him,"  into  his 
death,  his  resurrection,  and  his  eternal  life  (vs. 
3-11).  The  consequence  drawn  from  this  (vs. 
12-14)  is  that  sin  should  not  "Aaye  dominion  over 
us,"  that  it  should  not  be  suffered  any  longer  to  in- 
trude its  foreign  tyranny  upon  the  purchased  pos- 
session of  God :  and  this  forms  the  transition  to  the 
topic  of  the  second  objection,  which  turns  upon  the 
cardinal  idea  of  subjection,  and  asks,  "Shall  we  sin 
because  we  are  not  ^cnd€r  the  law  but  under  grace  ? " 
The  course  of  animated  appeal  that  replies  to  this 


interrogatory  (vs.  16-20)  is  fitted  to  it  with  exact 
and  exclusive  propriety.  We  are  declared  to  be  no 
longer  "  the  servants  of  sin,"  but  "  the  servants  of 
righteousness  "  ;  that,  whereas  in  the  bitter  bondage 
of  nature  and  the  law  men  were  "  free  from  right- 
eousiiess  "  (v.  20),  they  are  under  the  dispensation 
of  grace  "free"  (or  rather  freed) — emancipated — 
from  sin,  and  formally  articled  to  that  holy  servi- 
tude of  godliness  and  love,  whose  "  gift  is  eternal 
life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord "  (v.  23). 
Having  thus  concluded  his  double  course  of  illustra- 
tive exposition,  Paul  passes  (v.  21)  to  a  further 
consideration,  which  results  from  both,  and  mani- 
festly is  framed  to  allude  to  both.  He  speaks  of 
"  the  fruits,"  or  consequences,  of  the  ways  of  nature 
and  grace ;  and  to  each  he  applies  the  notions,  before 
so  copiously  treated,  of  service  and  of  life.  Now, 
the  "fruit"  of  bondage  is  properly  its  "wages,"  the 
fruit  of  God's  service  is  "a  gift."  And  therefore  it 
is  that,  binding  the  whole  argument  and  all  its 
topics — life  and  freedom — death  and  bondage,  and 
the  fruits  of  each — into  one  summary,  he  declares 
that,  "  6eiug /*•£«/ from  sin,  z.\iA  servants  to  God,  ye 
have  your  fruit  unto  holiness,,  and  the  end  everlast- 
ing life ;  for  the  wages  of  sin  is  death,  but  the  gift 
of  God  is  eternal  life:'     W.  A.  B. 

3.  His  argument  is  briefly  this  :  The  abounding 
of  grace  in  the  free  pardon  of  sin  by  Jesus  Christ 
neither  encourages  nor  tolerates  sin,  because,  in  ac- 
cepting by  faith  that  covenant  of  grace  which  is 
sealed  in  baptism,  we  come  under  the  most  solemn 
obligations  to  abstain  from  all  sin;  while  at  the 
same  time,  if  we  are  not  hypocrites,  we  have  that  in- 
ward principle  of  the  new  life  which  the  Spirit 
quickens  in  us  through  the  truth,  and  which  ulti- 
mately works   the   utter  death  of   all   sin  in  our 


224 


SECTION  21^.— ROMANS  6 : 1-23. 


natures.  So  far,  therefore,  as  his  language  in  the 
third  verse  is  concerned,  there  is  no  need  of  seeking 
for  anything  more,  or  for  anything  eke,  than  the  idea 
intimated  in  the  paraphrase,  that  "  as  many  as  are 
baptized  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  are  baptized 
with  a  profession  of  that  inward  renewing  which 
makes  us  dead  wUo  sin,  even  as  Christ  once  died  for 

sin."    J.  S.  S. Christians   are  here   said   to  be 

baptized,  as  in  another  Epistle  they  are  said  to  be 
circumcised,  by  their  union  to  Christ  (Col.  2  :  11). 
As  the  one  expression  describes  a  state  of  mind,  rep- 
resented by  an  outward  act,  but  never  produced  by 
it,  so  does  the  other.  Both  ceremonies  were  useful, 
as  other  means  of  religious  instruction,  and  other 
ways  of  religious  profession ;  but  that  they  had  any 
peculiar  power  to  change  the  spiritual  condition  of 
men,  is  nowhere  taught  in  the  Bible.  This  is  now 
universally  admitted  of  circumcision,  and  it  is  equal- 
ly true  of  water-baptism. 

4.  Buried.  The  resemblance  of  the  Christian 
to  his  Lord,  which  is  here  described,  must  be  moral 
and  spiritual,  and  not  corporeal.  As  the  death  re- 
ferred to  is  a  state  of  mind,  and  the  crucifixion 
which  precedes  death,  and  the  life  which  follows,  so 
must  the  burial  be.  It  is  nothing  outward  and  for- 
mal. The  mention  of  burial  connects  the  death 
with  the  resurrection  spoken  of;  and  it  shows  more 
fully  the  separation  of  the  Christian  from  the  world. 
He  is  crucified,  he  dies,  and  he  is  buried.  These  are 
figurative  representations  of  the  spiritual  state  of 
all  who  have  faith  in  Christ,  and  follow  him.  The 
same  figure  is  repeated  by  the  apostle  in  another 
Epistle,  where  they  who  have  the  circumcision  of 
Christ  are  said  to  be  buried  with  him  in  this  bap- 
tism (Col.  2  :  11).  The  interchange  of  these  terms 
shows  that  both  denote  simply  a  spiritual  purifica- 
tion and  consecration.      J.  II.  G. The  Spirit  is 

not  tied  to  baptism,  but  he  may  act  out  of  the 
sacraments  as  well  as  in  them.  Understand  this  of 
the  bare  want  of  baptism,  not  of  the  contempt  or 
willful  neglect  of  it.  How  did  the  thief  upon  the 
cross  enter  into  Paradise  which  Christ  promised 
him  ?  Without  baptism.  So  that  one  may  enter 
into  heaven  without  baptism  by  water,  though  not 
without  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit.     Charnock. 

Walk  in  newness  of  life.  Not  by  merely 
trying  not  to  sin,  but  by  entering  farther  and  farther 
into  the  new  life,  in  which,  when  it  is  completed, 
sin  becomes  impossible ;  not  by  merely  weeding  out 
wickedness,  but  by  a  new  and  supernatural  cultiva- 
tion of  holiness,  does  the  saint  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment walk  on  the  ever-ascending  pathway  of  grow- 
ing Christliness,  and  come  at  last  perfectly  to  Christ. 
This  is  the  true  difference  between  law  and  grace ; 
and  the  New  Testament  is  the  book  of  grace.  Oh, 
that  the  richest,  and  livest,  and  most  personal  word 
in  all  the  language  did  not  sound  so  meager,  dead, 


and  formal !  In  its  fundamental  character  the  New 
Testament  is  a  book  not  of  prohibitions  but  of 
eager  inspirations.     P.  B. 

5.  Literally,  have  become  partakers  by  a  vital 
union  [as  that  of  a  graft  with  the  tree  into  which  it 
is  grafted]  of  the  representation  of  his  death  [in  bap. 
tism].  The  meaning  appears  to  be,  if  we  have 
shared  the  reality  of  his  death,  whereof  we  have  wi- 
dergone  the  likeness.  C. 6.  In  our  inward  re- 
newal, professed  and  sealed  in  baptism,  our  old  man 
is  crucified  with  Christ  for  the  very  purpose  that 
henceforth  we  should  not  serve  sin.  7.  For  he  who 
has  thus  died  to  sin  is  Christ's  free  man,  and  no 
longer  a  slave  to  sin. 

8,  9.  The  sense  of  the  passage  is  as  follows : 
"  If,  as  we  profess  at  baptism,  we  be  really  '  dead 
tvith  Christ,^  really  penitent  for  sin,  thoroughly 
determined  to  renounce  it,  and  inwardly  deadened 
to  its  power,  'we  believe  we  shall  also  live  with 
him' ;  shall  continue  to  cherish  and  cultivate  and 
enjoy  the  spiritual  life  which  our  repentance  and 
faith  imply ;  and  not  only  so,  but  shall  ultimately 
rise,  like  Christ,  from  the  dead,  and  live  with  him 
for  evermore.  'As  death  hath  no  more  dominion 
over  him,''  so  shall  it  have  no  more  over  us,  either 
in  the  tyranny  of  sin  in  this  life,  or  in  the  abid- 
ing power  of  the  grave  over  us,  when  this  life  shall 
have  ended."  It  is  probable  that,  at  baptism, 
the  early  converts  to  Christ  professed  their  faith 
in  the  great  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead,  based  on  the  fact  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ. 
J.  S.  S. 

Faith  looks  so  steadfastly  on  its  suffering  Sa- 
viour, that  it  makes  the  soul  like  him,  assimilates  and 
conforms  it  to  his  death,  as  the  apostle  speaks. 
That  which  Papists  fabulously  say  of  some  of  their 
saints,  that  they  received  the  impression  of  the 
wounds  of  Christ  in  their  body,  is  true,  in  a  spiritual 
sense,  of  the  soul  of  every  one  that  is  indeed  a  saint 
and  a  believer.  It  takes  the  very  print  of  his  death, 
by  beholding  him,  and  dies  to  sin ;  and  then  takes 
that  of  his  rising  again,  and  lives  to  righteousness; 
as  it  applies  it  to  justify,  so  to  mortify,  drawing  vir- 
tue from  it.  Thus  said  one,  "  Christ  aimed  at  this 
in  all  those  sufferings  that,  with  so  much  love,  he 
went  through  ;  and  shall  I  disappoint  him,  and  not 
serve  his  end?" 

10.  He  that  is  one  with  Christ  by  believing  is 
one  throughout  in  death  and  life.  As  Christ  rose, 
so  he  that  is  dead  to  sin  with  him,  through  the  power 
of  his  death,  rises  to  that  new  life  with  him,  through 
the  power  of  his  resurrection.  And  these  two  are 
our  sanetification,  which  whosoever  do  partake  of 
Christ  and  are  found  in  him  do  certainly  draw  from 
him.  All  they  that  do  really  come  to  Jesus  Christ 
come  to  him  as  their  Saviour,  to  be  clothed  with 
him  and  made  righteous  by  him  ;  they  come  like- 


I 


SECTION  SJtS.— ROMANS  6  : 1-23. 


225 


wise  to  him  as  their  Sanctificr,  to  be  made  new  and 
holy  by  him,  to  die  and  live  with  him. 

11.  No  sinner  will  be  content  to  die  to  sin,  if 
that  were  all ;  but  if  it  be  jxcssinj  to  a  more  excel- 
lent life,  then  he  gaineth,  and  it  were  a  folly  not  to 
seek  this  death.  It  was  a  strange  power  of  Plato's 
"  Discourse  of  the  Soul's  Immortality,"  that  moved 
a  young  man,  upon  reading  it,  to  throw  himself  into 
the  sea,  that  he  might  leap  through  it  to  that  im- 
mortality. Were  this  life  of  God,  this  life  to  right- 
eousness,  and  the  excellency  and  delight  of  it,  known, 
it  would  gain  many  minds  to  this  death,  whereby  we 
step  into  it.     L. 

13,  13.  The  real  seat  of  sin  is  in  the  will, 
alienated  from  God,  and  set  upon  the  gratification 
of  self.    The  motives  to  sin,  and  its  agents  also,  are 

I  the  passions  and  desires  of  our  lower  nature — the 
flesh  as  acted  upon  by  the  enticements  of  the  world. 
The  senses  and  members  of  the  body  become  the 
occasions  and  the  instruments  of  unrighteousness. 
But,  through  yielding  to  these,  the  will  itseK  becomes 
their  slave ;  and  the  man  who  should  rule  the  body 
and  have  dominion  over  the  world  by  his  spiritual 
nature,  which  is  the  image  of  God,  subjects  that 
nature  to  the  body,  and  is  ruled  by  the  world,  the 

flesh,  and  the  devil.     J.  P.  T. The  divine  laws 

are  the  rule  of  duty  to  the  entire  man,  and  not  to 
the  soul  only.  And  they  are  obeyed  or  violated  by 
the  soul  and  body  in  conjunction.  The  soul  designs, 
the  body  executes  ;  the  senses  are  the  open  ports  to 
admit  temptations.  Carnal  affections  deprave  the 
soul,  corrupt  the  mind  and  mislead  it.  The  love  of 
sin  is  founded  in  sensible  pleasures :  "  And  the  mem- 
bers are  the  servants  of  iniquity."  The  heart  is  the 
fountain  of  profaneness,  and  the  tongue  expresses 
it.  And  the  body  is  obsequious  to  the  holy  soul  in 
doing  or  suffering  for  God,  and  denies  its  sensual 
appetites  and  satisfactions  in  compliance  with  reason 
and  grace.  The  "  members  are  the  instruments  of 
righteousness."    Bates. 

Yield  yourselves.  The  gospel  binds  us  to 
the  service  of  a  God  of  truth  and  purity,  and  only 
in  this  way  can  its  blessings  be  enjoyed.  When  we 
accept  the  gospel,  we  not  only  receive  something 
from  God,  we  give  something  to  him.  In  the  lan- 
guage of  the  apostle,  "  we  yield  ourselves  unto  God." 
Where  this  is  forgotten  altogether,  where  service  is 
passed  by,  it  is  what  the  apostle  terms  "  receiving 
the  grace  of  God  in  vain,"  and  where  it  is  put  into 
the  background,  it  produces  a  weak,  sinewless  Chris- 
tianity, which  seeks  a  comfortable  home  for  itself, 
and  does  small  work  for  the  cause  of  either  God  or 
man.    Ker. 

14.  The  believer  is  not  still  struggling,  trying 
sorrowfully  to  get  faith  enough,  any  more  than 
works  enough,  to  be  saved  by.  He  is  up  on  the 
heights  of  spiritual  liberty,  no  longer  under  law, 

15 


but  in  grace.  He  knows  whom  he  has  believed,  and 
is  assured  that  he  is  "  saved  already "  in  that  he 
does  believe — "  passed  from  death  unto  life."  And 
thus,  being  emancipated  from  the  hindrance  of 
self-interest,  he  obeys  from  love,  brings  his  body 
more  and  more  under,  for  the  pure  Master's  sake, 
goes  from  grace  to  grace,  and  has  "  peace  with  God 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."     F.  D.  H. 

15.  Where,  in  the  New  Testament,  can  we  find 
a  single  word  that  should  lead  us  to  suppose  our- 
selves less  debtors  to  the  law,  because  Christ  became 
our  ransom  ?  He  pardons  the  criminal,  he  has  paid 
the  debt,  but  he  does  not  abrogate  the  law.  Nay, 
how  he  "  magnified  "  it,  by  himself  becoming  a  per- 
fect example  of  obedience !    B.  Hill. 

16.  The  living  belief  which  has  really  been  im- 
planted in  the  soil  of  thought  and  feeling  can  not 
but  bear  its  proper  flower  and  fruit  in  the  moral  and 
intellectual  life  of  a  thoughtful  and  earnest  man. 

H.  P.  L. In  all  the  articles  comprised  in  the 

Creed,  my  belief  is  unclouded  by  doubt.  Would  to 
God  that  my  faith,  which  works  on  the  whole  man, 
confirming  and  conforming,  were  but  in  just  propor- 
tion to  my  belief — to  the  full  acquiescence  of  my 
intellect,  and  the  deep  consent  of  my  conscience ! 

S.  T.  C. Remember  that  so  many  waking  hours 

as  we  have  in  every  day,  so  many  hours  have  we  of 
sin  or  of  holiness :  every  hour  delivers  in  and  must 
deliver  its  record ;  and  everything  so  recorded  is 
placed  either  on  one  side  of  the  fatal  line  or  on  the 
other  ;  it  is  charged  to  our  great  account  of  good  or 
of  evil.  Yes,  all  that  countless  multitude  of  unre- 
membered  thoughts  and  words  and  deeds  take 
their  places  distinctly,  and  swell  the  sum  for  con- 
demnation or  for  glory.  In  themselves,  like  ciphers, 
there  is  a  little  figure  to  be  placed  before  them 
which  gives  to  them  an  infinite  value ;  there  is  faith 
jon  the  one  band  to  give  them  all  a  virtue  for  good, 
there  is  carelessness  on  the  other  hand  to  make  them 
all  count  for  evil.  For  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith 
is  sin ;  but  whatever  is  sanctified  by  a  holy  and 
careful  general  intention,  is  done,  even  though  it  be 
so  common  a  thing  as  eating  and  drinking— is  done 
to  the  glory  of  God,  and  therefore  to  our  own  sal- 
vation through  Christ  Jesus.     T.  A. 

17-19.  "But  God  be  thanked  that  you,  who 
were  once  the  slaves  of  sin,  have  obeyed  from  your 
hearts  the  teaching  whereby  you  were  molded 
anew ;  and  when  you  were  freed  from  the  slavery 
of  sin  you  became  the  bondmen  of  righteousness. 
I  speak  the  language  of  common  life,  to  show  the 
weakness  of  your  fleshly  nature  (which  must  b^  in 
bondage  either  to  the  one  or  to  the  other)."     C. 

18.  Sin  itself  is  an  elem.ent  of  discipline;  and 
as  for  the  aifections  enthralled  by  its  despotism, 
they  are  sinful,  not  in  themselves  as  affections,  but 
in  their  depravation  ;  they  are  meant  to  be,  not  the 


226 


SEGTIOX  2It3— ROMANS  6  : 1-23. 


bond-slaves  of  evil,  but  the  liberated  "  servants  of 
righteousness  "  ;  they  are  born  for  eternity  and  for 
God!     W.  A.  B. 

19.  The  body  has  changed  its  master.  It  al- 
ways serves,  but  instead  of  serving  the  mind  it  serves 
the  flesh.  Yes,  the  body  serves  the  fleshy  for  the 
flesh  and  the  body  are  not  the  same  thing.  They 
are  often  distinguished  from  each  other  in  the  gos- 
pel ;  and  here  Paul  shows  us  the  partisans  of  a  ficti- 
tious holiness,  treating  the  body  with  harshness  for 
fear  of  flattering  the  flesh.  The  body  or  the  mem- 
bers, which  we  ought,  according  to  Paul's  expression, 
to  make  the  servants  of  righteousness  and  holiness, 
are,  under  the  orders  of  the  flesh  or  animal  princi- 
ple, the  servants  of  impurity  and  unrighteousness. 
The  body,  then,  is  a  servant  to  be  restored  to  its 
true  master,  who  is  the  Spirit ;  but  the  true  enemy 
of  the  Spirit  is  the  flesh ;  and,  accordingly,  in  the 
gospel  it  is  not  the  body  but  the  flesh  which  is  con- 
demned ;  for,  as  Paul  says,  it  is  with  the  flesh,  not 
with  the  body,  that  we  serve  the  law  of  sin  (Rom. 
7  :  25).  Jesus  Christ,  clothed  mysteriously  with 
this  thoroughly  and  universally  tainted  flesh,  has 
condemned  sin  in  the  flesh.     A.  V. 

20.  Much  discourse  and  much  ink  hath  been 
spilt  upon  the  debate  of  free  will,  but  truly  all  the 
liberty  it  hath,  till  the  Son  and  his  Spirit  free  it,  is 
that  miserable  freedom  the  apostle  speaks  of  here : 
WJiileyewere  servants  io  sin,  ye  were  free  from  riglit- 
ecmsness.  And  as  we  are  naturally  subject  to  the 
drudgery  of  sin,  so  we  are  condemned  to  the  proper 
wages  of  sin,  which  the  apostle  tells  us  is  death, 
according  to  the  just  sentence  of  the  law.  But  our 
Lord  Christ  was  anointed  for  this  purpose,  to  set  us 
free  himself,  both  to  work  and  to  publish  liberty, 
to  proclaim  liberty  to  captives,  and  the  opening  of  the 
prison-doors  to  them  that  are  bound.  Having  paid  our 
complete  ransom,  he  sends  his  word  as  the  messagej 
and  his  Spirit  to  perform  it,  effectually  to  set  us  free, 
to  let  us  know  it,  and  to  bring  us  out  of  prison.     L. 

21.  God  has  not  intrusted  these  sensitive  souls 
to  us  to  be  experimented  upon  by  a  vain  curiosity 
or  a  headstrong  self-confidence.  They  are  to  be 
guarded  at  every  point  from  all  that  blights  and 
all  that  defiles.  They  are  to  be  surrounded  with 
blameless  associations,  with  companions  that  act 
and  speak  no  guile.  Every  hour  while  contamina- 
tion is  postponed,  and  corruption  kept  away,  is  so 
much  saved  for  virtue.  The  powers  of  right  in  the 
soul  are  strengthening.  Good  habits  are  getting 
formed  and  confirmed.     The  currents  of  desire,  of 


thought,  and  of  emotion,  are  learning  to  run  in  fixed 
and  lawful  channels.     F.  D,  H, 

The  «nd  is  death.  Not  the  dissolution  of  the 
body,  not  extinction  of  being,  but  that  final  separa- 
tion  from  all  that  is  holy  and  blessed  ;  that  hopeless 
abandonment  to  all  that  is  evil  and  tormenting; 
that  unutterable  anguish  of  a  mind  in  perpetual  con- 
flict with  itself  and  with  God,  which  constitute  most 
truly  the  death  of  the  soul ;  a  death  to  be  endured, 
not  for  a  few  years,  not  for  a  single  century,  not  for 
thousands  of  ages,  but  for  eternity.  And  shall  not 
he,  who  beholds  the  sinner  slumbering  on  the  verge 
of  perdition,  warn  him  of  his  danger  ?  Shall  he  be 
censured  for  preaching  terror,  and  for  attempting 
unduly  to  move  the  passions  of  his  hearers,  who 
tells  them,  in  the  language  of  inspiration,  the  end 
of  these  things  is  death,  they  shall  be  tormented 

day  and  night  for  ever  and  ever  ?     Tappan. 

23.  The  wages  that  sin  bargains  with  the  sinner 
are  life,  pleasure,  and  profit ;  but  the  wages  it  pays 
him  are  death,  torment,  and  destruction.  He  that 
would  understand  the  falsehood  and  deceit  of  sin 
must  compare  the  promises  and  the  payment  to- 
gether.    R.  S. 

Eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ.  Oh 
that  we  might  feel  our  dear  obligations  to  him  who 
has  "  delivered  us  from  the  wrath  to  come,"  and 
purchased  for  us  a  felicity  perfect,  and  without  end ! 
How  engaging  is  the  love  of  Christ,  who  raised  us 
to  the  bosom  of  God,  the  seat  of  happiness  !    Bates. 

Undeterred  by  anticipated  sorrows,  undismayed 

by  evils  from  which  every  other  being  in  the  imi- 
verse  would  have  shrunk,  he  gave  himself  to  win 
the  prize  of  life  eternal  for  you — will  he,  think  you, 
withhold,  or  be  reluctant  to  bestow,  that  prize  upon 
you  now  that  his  pains  and  toils  are  ended,  now  that 
he  has  only  to  speak  the  word,  and  it  is  yours  ? 
The  salvation  of  your  soul  was  an  end  so  glorious, 
that  he  waS  willing  to  reach  it  though  the  way  to  it 
led  through  blood  and  darkness  and  death— can 
you  entertain  any  doubt  that  he  is  willing  to  secure 
it  now  when  nothing  intervenes,  when  every  diflB- 
culty  has  been  overcome,  when  he  has  but  to  stretch 
out  the  hand  of  mercy,  and  the  consummation  of  all 
his  sufferings  is  attained  ?  No,  it  can  not  be.  It  is 
impossible  to  exaggerate  the  certainty  and  freeness 
of  that  salvation  that  is  in  Christ  for  all  who  will 
but  lay  hold  of  it.  It  is  impossible  that  anything  in 
the  universe  can  lie  between  you  and  eternal  life,  if 
you  but  accept  it  as  "  the  gift  of  God  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord."     Caird. 


SECTION  2U.— ROMANS  7  : 1-25.  927 

Section  244. 

Romans  vii.  1-25. 

1  Know  ye  not,  brethren,  (for  I  speak  to  them  that  know  the  law,)  how  that  the  law  hath 

2  dominion  over  a  man  as  long  as  he  liveth?  For  the  woman  which  hath  an  husband  is 
bound  by  the  law  to  her  husband  so  long  as  he  liveth  ;  but  if  the  husband  be  dead,  she  is 

3  loosed  from  the  law  of  her  husband.  So  then  if,  while  her  husband  hveth,  she  be  married 
to  another  man,  she  shall  be  called  an  adulteress :  but  if  her  husband  be  dead,  she  is  free 

4  from  that  law ;  so  that  she  is  no  adulteress,  though  she  be  married  to  another  man.  Where- 
fore, my  brethren,  ye  also  are  become  dead  to  the  law  by  the  body  of  Christ ;  that  ye  should 
be  married  to  another,  even  to  him  who  is  raised  from  the  dead,  that  we  should  bring  forth 

5  fruit  unto  God.     For  when  we  were  in  the  flesh,  the  motions  of  sins,  which  were  by  the 

6  law,  did  work  in  our  members  to  bring  forth  fruit  unto  death.  But  now  we  are  delivered 
from  the  law,  that  being  dead  wherein  we  were  held ;  that  we  should  serve  in  newness  of 
spirit,  and  not  in  the  oldness  of  the  letter. 

7  What  shall  we  say  then  ?     Is  the  law  sin  ?     God  forbid.     Nay,  I  had  not  known  sin,  but  by 

8  the  law :  for  I  had  not  known  lust,  except  the  law  had  said.  Thou  shalt  not  covet.  But  sin, 
taking  occasion  by  the  commandment,  wrought  in  me  all  manner  of  concupiscence.     For 

9  without  the  law  sin  uas  dead.     For  I  was  alive  without  the  law  once  :  but  when  the  com- 

10  mandment  came,  sin  revived,  and  I  died.     And  the  commandment,  which  icas  ordained  to 

11  life,  I  found  to  ie  unto  death.    For  sin,  taking  occasion  by  the  commandment,  deceived  me, 

12  and  by  it  slew  me.     Wherefore  the  law  is  holy,  and  the  commandment  holy,  and  just,  and 

13  good.    Was  then  that  which  is  good  made  death  unto  me?     God  forbid.    But  sin,  that  it 
might  appear  sin,  working  death  in  me  by  that  which  is  good ;  that  sin  by  the  command- 

14  ment  might  become  exceeding  sinful.     For  we  know  that  the  law  is  spiritual :  but  I  am 

15  carnal,  sold  under  sin.     For  that  which  I  do  I  allow  not:  for  what  I  would,  that  do  I  not; 

16  but  what  I  hate,  that  do  I.     If  then  I  do  that  which  I  would  not,  I  consent  unto  the  law 

17  that  it  is  good.     Now  then  it  is  no  more  I  that  do  it,  but  sin  that  dwelleth  in  me.     For  I 

18  know  that  in  me  (that  is,  in  my  flesh,)  dwelleth  no  good  thing :  for  to  will  is  present  with 

19  me ;  but  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good  I  find  not.     For  the  good  that  I  would  I  do 

20  not:  but  the  evil  which  I  would  not,  that  I  do.     Now  if  I  do  that  I  would  not,  it  is  no 

21  more  I  that  do  it,  but  sin  that  dwelleth  in  me.     I  find  then  a  law,  that,  when  I  would  do 

22  good,  evil  is  present  with  me.     For  I  dehght  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man  :  but  I 

23  see  another  law  in  my  members,  warring  against  the  law  of  my  mind,  and  bringing  me  into 

24  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  which  is  in  my  members.     O  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  who  shall 

25  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?     I  thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     So 
then  with  the  mind  I  myself  serve  the  law  of  God ;  but  with  the  flesh  the  law  of  sin. 


When  the  divine  law,  as  interpreted  and  applied  by  Christ,  reaches  to  the  very  depths  of  man's  con- 
sciousness of  sin ;  when  it  sets  before  him  its  inviolable  sanctity  and  its  irreversible  obligations ;  when  it 
forces  him  against  his  will  to  test  himself  by  its  solemn  and  searching  light ;  when  it  reveals  the  depths 
of  his  sin  and  guilt,  far,  far  below  the  careless,  worldly  thoughts  and  feelings  that  usually  engross  and 
blind  the  soul ;  when  sin  by  the  commandment  becomes  exceedingly  sinful,  and  is  pictured  in  all  its 
blackness  upon  the  vivid,  stainless  background  of  the  imperial  rule  of  rectitude  ;  and  when  this  supernal 
light  is  flashed  into  all  the  recesses  of  the  quivering  and  guilty  soul  with  a  brightness  clearer  than  that  of 
the  noonday's  radiance — then,  then  it  is  that  man  comes  to  know  himself,  to  know  himself  as  a  sinner 
not  only  against  a  holy  law,  but  also  against  a  holy  God — to  know  the  terrible  power  of  his  depravity  and 
guilt  as  clinging  to  the  very  roots  of  his  being.     H.  B.  S. 

When  the  aspiration  after  a  purer,  nobler  life  begins  to  rise  within  the  breast,  and  the  long-passive 
spirit  rouses  its  energies  to  check  the  pride  of  evil,  to  force  back  and  stay  the  current  of  unholy  desire  and 
passion ;  when  the  softening  principle  of  divine  love  and  grace  begins  to  thaw  the  icy  coldness  of  a  god- 
less heart,  then  it  is  that  the  soul  becomes  aware  of  the  deadly  strength  of  sin.  Nor  is  it  only  in  the  first 
struggles  of  penitence  that  sin  is  revealed  in  its  true  character  to  the  soul.  With  every  increase  of  spirit- 
uality, whatever  of  evil  remains  in  it  becomes  more  repulsive  to  its  keener  sensibilities,  more  irksome  to 
its  aspiring  energies.    Faults  and  errors,  unapparent  or  venial  to  its  former  consciousness,  become  in  the 


228 


SECTION  2U'— ROMANS  7  : 1-25. 


higher  stages  of  the  spiritual  life  more  and  more  odious  ;  and  in  the  purest  and  best  actions  more  of  evil  is 
now  discerned  than  formerly  in  the  basest  and  worst.  The  quickened  conscience  feels  the  drag  of  sin  at 
each  successive  step  the  more  heavy ;  and  as  the  believing  spirit  yearns  with  an  intenser  longing  for  the 
life  of  God,  with  a  more  indignant  impatience  docs  the  cry  break  from  the  lip :  "  Who  shall  deliver  me 
from  the  body  of  this  death  ?  "     Caird. 


Paul's  view  of  the  Christian  life,  throughout  the 
sixth,  seventh,  and  eighth  chapters,  is  that  it  con- 
sists of  a  death  and  a  resurrection ;  the  new-made 
Christian  dies  to  sin,  to  the  world,  to  the  flesh,  and 
to  the  law ;  this  death  he  undergoes  at  his  first  en- 
trance into  communion  with  Christ.  But  no  sooner 
is  he  thus  dead  with  Christ,  than  he  rises  with  him ; 
he  is  made  partaker  of  Christ's  resurrection ;  he  is 
united  to  Christ's  body ;  he  lives  in  Christ,  and  to 
Christ ;  he  is  no  longer  "  in  the  flesh,"  but  "  in  the 
spirit."     C. 

1-6.  The  illustration  obviously  describes  a  great 
change — a  dissolution  of  old  connections  and  a  for- 
mation of  new  ones ;  the  government  of  the  law 
and  the  espousal  to  Christ  are  manifestly  contrast- 
ed, and  the  readers  are  pointedly  warned  of  the 
duties  that  belong  to  that  great  and  blessed  engage- 
ment. Paul  has  established  the  two  great  charac- 
teristics of  the  new  dispensation — the  death  to  sin 
which  heralds  the  life  to  righteousness,  and  the 
emancipation  from  sin  which  gives  the  Christian 
freedman  to  the  service  of  his  God.  With  both 
these  great  ideas — prominent  and  governing  ideas 
in  his  view — he  enters  upon  the  passage  under  con- 
sideration. In  reaching  it,  however,  his  mind  passes 
through,  and  takes  the  tincture  of,  an  important  con- 
necting notion,  the  notion  of  the  "  fruits,"  the  re- 
sults in  heart  and  habits,  of  the  dispensations  of 
law  and  grace.  In  the  fourth  and  fifth  verses  it  is 
said  that  we  are  "  to  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God  " 
instead  of  "  bringing  forth  fruit  unto  death  "  ;  and 
this  blessed  result  is  declared  to  follow  upon  the  es- 
pousal in  the  allegory,  upon  our  being  "  married  to 
another,  even  to  him  who  is  raised  from  the  dead." 
This  passage,  then,  confirms,  repeats,  all  that  has 
gone  before;  it  does  not  alter  its  bearings  or  dis- 
place its  relations.  Like  it,  it  speaks  of  a  soul  that 
once  lived  to  sin  and  lived  to  bondage ;  like  it,  of  a 
death  which  exalts  the  same  soul  to  righteousness 
and  to  freedom.  How  then  shall  we  dispose  the 
personages  of  the  allegory,  to  harmonize  perfectly 
with  itself  and  with  all  that  precedes  and  follows 
it  ?  Shall  we  not  say  that  the  Wife  indeed,  the  sub- 
ject of  the  mighty  change,  represents  the  Soul-;  that 
the  deceased  Husband,  whose  claim  or  power  expires, 
symbolizes,  not  the  Law,  but  the  Principle  of  Sin  to 
which  the  Law  ministered,  and  to  which  so  much  of 
the  preceding  chapter  describes  the  regenerate  soul 
as  "  dead  " — dead  to  sin  because  sin  is  dead  ?  And 
when  Paul  describes  the  woman  as  "  loosed  from 
the  law  of  the  husband,"  "  free  from  that  law," 
and  "  answerably  dead  to  the  laio,''^  shall  wo  not 
plainly  perceive  that  "  the  law  "  in  the  parable  is 
not  represented  by  the  dead  husband,  but  by  "  the 
law  of  the  husband,"  the  matrimonial  oblicfation, 
which  kept  the  soul  in  bondage  as  long  as  sin  was 
alive,  but  which  ceases  for  ever  when  sin,  the  soul's 
gloomy  consort  and  tyrant,  has  expired?  Under 
this  interpretation  all  is  complete  and  consistent. 
The  law,  by  the  universal  principle  of  law,  has  do- 
minion over  the  woman,  as  it  has  over  all,  as  long 
as  life  lasts.  But  with  death  the  obligation  termi- 
nates ;  over  her  that  is  mystically  dead  the  condemn- 


ing law  looses  its  stern  control.  How  then  is  this 
death  produced  ?  The  second  and  third  verses  pur- 
posely tell  us,  with  a  view  to  preparing  the  way  for 
the  new  connection  that  is  to  follow  that  mysterious 
death.  It  is  itself  a  result  or  necessary  accompani- 
ment of  the  death  of  the  husband.  Here  is  the  mo- 
mentous peculiarity  of  this  case:  the  husband  is 
the  principle  of  sin,  and  the  death  of  sin  in  the  soul 
is  the  death  of  the  soul  unto  sin.  In  this  way,  con- 
formably to  the  apostle's  assumption  in  the  first 
verse,  the  power  of  the  law — that  is,  in  the  allegory, 
the  old  matrimonial  bond — expires  ;  in  point  of  fact, 
by  the  simultaneous  death  of  both  the  parties,  but 
mainly  (for  this  is  the  chief  scope  of  the  whole)  by 
the  death  of  the  wife,  as  he  had  said  above  (so  ex- 
quisitely harmonious  is  the  management  of  the  fig- 
ure all  through),  "  the  one  that  is  dead  is  freed  from 
sin."  Thus  is  she  freed  from  the  obligation  of  her 
miserable  bondage ;  she  is  enfranchised  by  him  who 
has  slain  her  accursed  companion  ;  through  his  vic- 
torious sacrifice,  she  is  "  dead  to  the  law  by  the  body 
of  Christ."  The  death  of  sin  and  unto  sin  liberates 
from  the  law  and  opens  the  way  for  the  new  and 
celestial  union.  The  law  bound  the  wretched  soul 
in  servitude  to  sin,  for  "  the  strength  of  sin  is  the 
law" — it  gave  sin  its  sinfulness  and  gave  no  power 
to  escape  it ;  nor  could  this  terrible  espousal  to  evil 
be  broken  in  the  nature  of  things  and  God's  provi- 
dential dispensation,  except  by  that  decease  of  sin, 
which  left  the  soul  correspondingly  "  dead  to  sin," 
"dead,  then,  to  the  law  "  (which  can  only  govern 
the  living),  and  free  to  form  the  new  and  sacred 
union.  The  main  subject  of  the  allegory,  then,  is 
not  the  death  of  the  law,  but  the  death  of  the  soul 
to  sin  and  the  law  ;  it  is  this  which  assimilates  it  to 
the  reasoning  it  follows,  and  incorporates  it  in  the 
mass  and  current  of  the  apostle's  discourse.  The 
interpretation  which  considers  the  deceased  husband 
to  be  the  conquered  principle  of  sin  is  strongly  con- 
firmed by  the  form  of  expression  in  the  fifth  verse ; 
while  the  sixth  verse  furnishes  a  proof  that  the  two 
great  subjects  of  life  and  service  were  never  out  of 
tlie  apostle's  calculation  through  all  this  comparison, 
and  hence  as  a  proof  how  closely  it  is  connected 
with  the  entire.  Summing  up  the  past  discussion 
before  he  proceeds  to  a  new  one,  he  recalls  again 
the  two  main  characteristics  of  the  gift  of  God 
which  he  had  bound  together  in  the  illustration — the 
death  to  sin  and  the  new  service  to  Christ.  "  We 
are  delivered  from  the  law,  that — ^namely,  sin — be- 
ing dead  (or,  '  we  being  dead  to  that ')  wherein  we 
were  held  ;  that  we  should  serve  in  newness  of  spirit 
and  not  in  the  oldness  of  the  letter."  Surely  this, 
a  professed  inference  from  the  passage  we  have  dis- 
cussed, evidences  that  that  passage  itself  must  con- 
tain these  elements ;  must  embody  in  one  forcible 
example  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  spiritual 
death  to  sin  as  the  great  initial  step  in  the  Christian 
course,  and  the  fruits  of  obedience  to  God  as  the 
manifestation  of  the  spiritual  resurrection.    W.  A.  B. 

4.  You  are  dead  to  the  law  as  a  sole  covenant 
of  life,  for  it  is  "  the  ministration  of  death  " ;  you 


SECTI02T  2U.— ROMANS  7  : 1-25. 


229 


are  dead  to  it  as  a  principle  of  life,  for  "  the  letter 
killeth  "  and  "  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing."  To  this 
law  you  are  "  dead  "  in  being  dead  to  sin  ;  you  stand 
in  the  same  relationship  to  it  as  those  whom  men 
call  dead,  but  who  indeed  are  "alive  unto  God  " — 
who,  "through  the  grave  and  gate  of  death,"  have 
passed  into  another  world  and  a  higher  form  of  ex- 
istence. The  law — solitary  and  terrible — was  as 
such  an  element  in  the  old  world  of  sin  and  weak- 
ness ;  it  was  the  curse  suspended  over  the  head  that 
could  not  stir  to  escape  it.  All  perfect  indeed,  for 
it  was  a  copy  of  the  mind  of  God ;  but  dreadful  to 
behold,  for  it  wr,s  above  the  strength  of  man.  It 
was  the  presence  of  Jehovah  in  a  world  unworthy  of 
him;  and  it  consumed  where  it  shone.  To  this 
frowning  and  fearful  avenger  you  are  dead,  "  the 
body  of  Christ "  has  wrought  this  glorious  decease, 
the  lightnings  of  heaven  have  fallen  on  Calvary  and 
expired  there,  and  you  can  now  triumph  by  death  as 
He  has  done !     W.  A.  B. 

6.  "We  are  delivered  from  the  law,  that  we 
should  serve  in  newness  of  the  spirit,  not  in  oldness 
of  the  letter."  The  spiritual  man  acts,  not  from 
the  thought  of  external  command  or  of  external 
denunciation.  He  is  a  law  unto  himself.  The  im- 
pulses and  instincts  of  "the  divine  nature,"  of 
which  the  saved  are  "  partakers,"  make  duty  a  ne- 
cessity, labor  a  delight,  obedience  a  spontaneous  ser- 
vice, conformity  to  the  law  a  privilege  and  a  joy ! 
T.B. 

7-11.  He  gives  an  actual  experience  of  his  own ; 
he  states  what  none  can  deny,  and  what  finds  an 
echo  in  the  history  of  a  thousand  souls.  "  The  law 
is  NOT  SIN  "  ;  far  be  the  thought.  Yet  (not  "  «aj/," 
which  obscures  and  blunders  the  whole)  so  near  is 
the  law  to  being  sin,  that  the  law  first  introduced 
me  to  sin — first  made  me  acquainted  with  it.  But 
how  ?  I  was  in  the  habit  of  coveting.  I  did  it,  un- 
conscious of  any  fault.  But  the  law  came  in,  be- 
came heeded  by  me,  with  its  voice,  "  Thou  shalt  not 
covet " ;  and  my  coveting  started  up  into  sin,  became 
sinful  to  me,  and  in  my  esteem.  And,  as  we  are 
ever  prone  to  enjoy  that  which  is  forbidden,  sin  thus 
got  life  and  zest  for  me,  and  I  indulged  in  all  man- 
ner of  coveting,  just  because  stolen  waters  were 
sweet,  and  sin  wrought  upon  my  human  perverseness. 
Before  this  forbidding  voice  spoke  within  me,  before 
the  commandment  "  came,"  /  lived ;  was  alive  and 
well ;  enjoyed  a  kind  of  innocence  and  free  will  of 
my  own ;  but  after  this,  not  I,  but  sin  in  me,  lived 
nnd  wrought  its  will.  And  the  very  prohibition 
which  was  for  life,  by  waking  up  the  sense  of  sin 
and  the  desire  for  sin,  killed  mc,  set  me  lusting  for 
that  evil  which  is  death,  and  slew  my  free  will  and 
my  former  peace  and  joy.  Yet  notice  that  it  was 
not  the  commandment  itself,  but  sin,  the  sinful  prin- 
ciple in  me,  awakened  into  life  by  the  commandment, 


that  thus  killed  me:  and  the  commandment  only 
brought  out  that  which  was  there  before,  but  latent 
and  dormant :  brought  it  out  for  good,  and  for  the 
behalf  and  the  life  of  the  better  and  worthier  "  I," 
the  "  I "  in  conflict  with  sin,  the  complex  man,  the 
"  I  Paul "  of  the  time  present.     A. 

9-11.  Paul  himself  rested  contented  with  his 
Pharisaism  and  outward  righteousness,  until,  by  a 
serious  application  of  the  rule,  he  found  that  to  be  a 
me^-it  of  death  which  he  had  formerly  reckoned  upon 
as  a  plea  for  life.  Not  until  the  law  came  with  its 
spiritual  power  did  Paul  look  upon  himself  as  a 
doomed  and  devoted  malefactor,  thankful  for  the 
offered  pardon  of  the  gospel,  and  humbly  acquiescing 
in  its  proposals,  and  its  ways  for  his  acceptance 
with  God.     T.  M. 

Amiableness  of  natural  character,  correctness  of 
moral  deportment,  strict  integrity  in  our  dealings 
with  our  fellow-men,  are  not  the  holiness  which  the 
law  requires.  In  the  believer  these  acts  are  the 
fruit  of  supreme  love  to  God,  entire  submission  of 
spirit  to  his  sovereign  authority,  and  apprehension 
of  the  beauty  and  blessedness  of  holiness.  In  the 
natural  mind  the  very  same  acts  are  the  fruit  of 
self-love,  desire  of  esteem,  pride  of  character,  self- 
righteousness.  Hence  these  actions,  good  in  them- 
selves and  wisely  ordered  for  the  preservation  of 
the  frame  of  society,  are  so  far  from  being  holiness 
in  the  eye  of  the  heart-searching  God,  that  they  are 
often  direct  evidences  of  enmity  to  him,  in  those  who 
perform  them  ;  and  when  the  defects  of  all  such 
obedience  are  exposed  in  the  light  of  the  holy 
law  of  God,  the  enmity  will  instantly  discover  it- 
self.    Goode. 

Law  constantly  keeps  in  advance  of  our  perform- 
ance, and  yet  condemns  us  for  not  keeping  up  with 
it.  With  the  august  and  awful  splendor  of  its  pu- 
rity, it  frowns  upon  our  pollution,  shames  our  incon- 
sistencies, threatens  our  guilt.  The  farther  we  go 
in  complying  with  its  demands,  the  keener  our  sense 
of  its  perfection  grows ;  the  higher  the  standard 
rises,  the  clearer  the  command  sounds,  and  the  more 
hopeless  our  self-disgust  and  our  agony  become. 
There  is  no  satisfaction  there.  Just  in  proportion 
as  we  come  consciously  under  law,  and  law  alone,  we 
are  wretched.  It  is  warning,  and  nothing  but  warn- 
ing. Paul's  wondrous  spiritual  insight  saw  that; 
and  so  he  says,  in  his  energetic  phrase,  that  sin 
comes  by  the  law ;  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law ; 
when  the  commandment  came,  sin  revived.  That 
is,  by  the  law,  the  rule  of  right,  comes  a  knowledge 
of  transgression.  No  law,  no  violation  of  law — and 
so  no  accusing  conscience.  And  the  more  law,  that  is, 
the  more  clearly  you  see  the  command,  the  more  sin. 
This  is  logical ;  and  it  is  experimental.     F.  D.  H. 

13.  The  Christian  hath  now  nothing  to  do  with 
the  law  as  it  thundereth  and  bumeth  on  Sinai,  or  as 


230 


SECTION'  2U-— ROMANS  7  : 1-25. 


it  bindeth  the  conscience  to  wrath  and  the  displea- 
sure of  God  for  sin  ;  for  from  its  thus  appearing  he  is 
freed  by  faith  in  Clirist.  Yet  he  is  to  have  regard 
thereto,  and  is  to  count  it  holy,  just,  and  good ; 
which  that  he  may  do,  he  is  always  to  remember 
that  he  who  giveth  it  to  us  is  merciful,  gracious, 
long-mffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  a7id  truth. 
Bun. 

13.  In  what  we  call  the  moral  world  there  is  an 
element  which  is  absolutely,  intrinsically,  wholly, 
and  always  bad.  Its  very  name  is,  with  emphasis, 
EVIL ;  we  call  it  also  vice,  depravity,  wickedness,  and, 
in  Scriptural  language,  it  is  named  sin.  It  is  the 
Divine  Law,  amply  and  spiritually  apprehended,  that 
must  expose  the  malignity  of  sin — displaying  the 
essential  nature  and  principle  of  "  that  abominable 
thing  "  (to  make  the  true  devil  stand  confessed),  while 
it  names  or  defines,  generally  and  in  detail,  the 
things  that  are  sin — the  practical  forms  which  it 
takes  in  doing  its  mischief  among  the  creatures  of 
God.  It  is  this  law,  clearly  and  solemnly  manifest- 
ed and  apprehended,  that  exposes  the  true  quality 
of  sin — shows  it  to  be  exceedingly  sinful — its  own 
name  being  the  worst  word  that  could  be  found  to 
express  its  quality.     J.  F. 

Sin  is  not  something  which  has  penetrated  into 
our  nature  from  the  outside ;  it  is  not  learned  like  a 
lesson  of  evil,  nor  caught  like  an  infectious  disease. 
It  has  its  springs  in  the  very  sources  of  our  being. 
It  can  not  be  torn  up  by  the  roots.  It  can  not  be 
treated  by  any  medicine  which  discipline,  or  educa- 
tion, or  example  can  supply.  There  is  one  power, 
and  one  only,  which  can  lay  hands  on  the  enemy 
with  whom  we  are  contending ;  and  that  power  is 
the  power  that  first  made  the  soul  itself.  He  who 
stands  as  it  were  behind  the  secret  fountains  from 
which  our  being  issues,  he  and  he  alone  can  deal 
with  this  awful  disease  by  which  we  are  all  aflBicted ; 
he  and  he  alone  can  attack  sin  in  the  very  citadel  of 
its  dominion,  and  win  the  victory  which  we  could 
never  win.  Our  justification  must  come  from  him, 
and  therefore  must  begin  with  that  which  he  puts 
into  us,  that  movement  of  the  heart  and  conscience, 
which  we  call  faith ;  and  can  not  come  from  the 
regulation  and  discipline  of  our  habits  and  our 
deeds,  which  is  what  is  meant  by  works.  The  regu- 
lation of  the  deeds  is  excellent,  but  it  is  still  abso- 
lutely and  always  subordinate.     F.  T. 

15,  16.  Those  sins  shall  never  be  a  Christian's 
bane  that  are  now  his  greatest  burden.  It  is  not 
falling  into  the  water,  but  lying  in  the  water,  that 
drowns.  It  is  not  falling  into  sin,  but  lying  in  sin, 
that  destroys  the  soul.     If  sin  and  thy  heart  are 

two,  Christ  and  thy  heart  are  one.    Brooks. Every 

child  of  God  knows  that  he  is  justified  by  faith 
only :  and  that  true  faith  necessarily  begets  holiness 
and  good  works.     Yet   in  the  knowledge  of    this 


truth  many  a  gracious  soul  goes  to  work  quite  at  the 
wrong  end,  and  thereby  loses  both  the  privilege  and 
comfort  of  looking  as  a  sinner  directly  at  Christ. 
The  Scripture  exhortations  show  us  more  what  we 
ought  to  be  than  what  any  attain  to.  But  try  the 
secret  workings  of  thy  heart.  Dost  thou  consent 
unto  the  law  that  it  is  good  ?  Is  sin  thy  grief  and 
burden ;  and  though  it  prevail  again  and  again,  dost 
thou  strive  and  pray  against  it  ?  If  such  be  the 
workings  of  the  heart,  be  assured  that  it  proceeds 
from  the  blowings  of  the  sweet  Spirit  of  grace  upon 
thy  garden  ;  and  though  the  fruits  and  blossoms  may 
be  blown  off  by  the  nipping  blasts  of  sin  and  tempta- 
tion, yet  there  is  life  in  the  root,  which  will  surely 
sprout  out  again,  and  endure  unto  everlasting  Ufe. 

mil. 

19.  The  godly  man  hates  the  evil  he  possibly  by 
temptation  hath  been  drawn  to  do,  and  loves  the 
good  he  is  frustrated  of,  and,  having  intended,  hath 
not  attained  to  do.  The  sinner,  who  hath  his  de- 
nomination from  sin  as  his  course,  hates  the  good 
which  sometimes  he  is  forced  to  do,  and  loves  that 
sin  which  many  times  he  does  not,  either  wanting 
occasion  and  means  so  that  he  can  not  do  it,  or 
through  the  check  of  an  enlightened  conscience  pos- 
sibly dares  not  do ;  and  though  so  bound  up  from 
the  act,  yet  the  habit,  the  natural  inclination  and 
desire  in  him,  is  still  the  same,  the  strength  of  his 
affection  is  carried  to  sin.  So,  in  the  weakest  sin- 
cere Christian,  there  is  that  predominant  sincerity 
and  desire  of  holy  walking,  according  to  which  he 
is  called  a  righteous  person :  the  Lord  is  pleased 
to  give  him  that  name  and  account  him  so,  being 

upright  in  heart  though  often  failing.    L. The 

Christian  has  within  him  both  flesh  and  spirit, 
yet  he  is  not  a  double-minded  man  ;  he  is  often  led 
captive  by  the  law  of  sin,  yet  it  never  gets  dominion 
over  him ;  he  can  not  sin,  yet  he  can  do  nothing  with- 
out sin.  He  does  nothing  against  his  will,  yet  main- 
tains he  does  what  he  would  not.     Bacon. 

20.  It  is  one  great  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  to 
make  us  feel  this  distinctness  between  us  and  the 
evil  which  is  in  us.  The  good  and  the  evil  are  no 
longer  in  a  state  of  blind  contradiction,  but  of  dis- 
tinct, self-conscious  opposition.  The  renewed  man 
knows  that  he  has  an  adversary,  but,  for  his  com- 
fort, he  knows  also  that  this  adversary  is  not  his 
very  self,  but  another,  so  that,  if  he  resist  him,  he 
will  flee  from  him ;  he  knows  that  the  power  which 
that  other  exercises  over  hira  is  a  usurpation,  and 
that  it  will  be  a  righteous  thing  for  God  to  cast  out 
him  who  obtained  that  power  by  fraud  and  vio- 
lence.    T. 

21.  22.  Whoever  he  may  be  that  is  speaking, 
he  says  in  one  verse,  "  I  would  do  good  "  ;  in  another, 
"  I  delight  in  the  law  of  God  " ;  and  surely  these  are 
expressions  which  never  yet  came  with  truth  from 


SECTION  2U.—R0MAXS  7  : 1-25. 


231 


unhallowed  lips,  that  never  could  come  from  any  but 
a  renewed  heart.  Besides,  this  complaint  itself  marks 
the  character  of  him  who  uttered  it.  It  designates 
one  hating  sin  in  a  very  extraordinary  degree,  and 
striving  against  it  with  every  power  of  his  soul ;  and 
Paul  himself  was  a  man  of  this  class.  We  infer, 
therefore,  that  the  apostle  is  describing  his  own  feel- 
ings in  tbis  passage,  and  consequently  right  feelings, 
exactly  those  feelings  which  in  a  world  like  this 
we  should  expect  to  find  in  a  partially  renewed 
mind.  And  he  speaks  here  not  merely  as  a  Chris- 
tian, but  as  a  very  experienced  Christian ;  as  one 
arrived  at  a  state  of  rare  maturity  in  grace,  a  state 
in  which  sin  appears  to  the  mind,  as  it  appears  to 
the  divine  mind,  an  intolerable  evil,  a  thing  so  hate- 
ful that  the  very  remains  of  it  are  not  to  be  en- 
dured ;  they  must  be  got  rid  of,  at  all  events  they 
must  be  controlled  and  counteracted,  or  the  heart 
will  break.  And  the  holiest  will  be  the  most  willing 
to  take  this  view,  and  never  so  ready  to  look  at  it  in 

this  light  as  in  their  holiest  hours.     C.  B. Was 

not  this  Paul's  malady,  When  I  loould  do  good,  evil 
is  present  with  me  ?  But  know  once,  that  though 
thy  duty  is  to  eschew  evil  and  do  good,  yet  thy  salva- 
tion is  more  surely  founded  than  on  thine  own  good. 
That  perfection  which  answers  justice  and  the  law 
is  not  required  of  thee :  Thou  art  to  walk,  not  after 
the  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit ;  but  in  so  walking, 
whether  in  a  low  or  high  measure,  still  thy  comfort 
lieth  in  this,  that  there  is  no  condemnation  to  them 
that  are  hi  Christ  Jesus,  as  the  apostle  begins  the 
next  chapter  after  his  sad  complaints.  So  then 
mourn  with  him  and  yet  rejoice  with  him,  and  go 
on  with  courage  as  he  did ;  still  fghting  the  good 
fight  of  faith.     L. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  thai  Christians  ever  have 
any  experiences  in  this  world  that  are  wholly  pure, 
entirely  spiritual,  loithout  any  mixture  of  what  is  nat- 
ural and  carnal.  The  beam  of  light,  as  it  comes 
from  the  fountain  of  light  upon  our  hearts,  is  pure, 
but  as  it  is  reflected  thence  it  is  mixed ;  the  seed,  as 
sent  from  heaven  and  planted  in  the  heart,  is  pure, 
but  as  it  springs  up  out  of  the  heart,  is  impure ; 
there  is  commonly  a  much  greater  mixture  than  per- 
sons for  the  most  part  seem  to  have  any  imagina- 
tion of,     Edvmrds. 

Grace  and  nature  both  act  in  a  regeu'Crate  man, 
and  both  at  once.  Nature  only  acts  in  an  unregen- 
erate  man.  So  that,  though  sin  be  directly  contrary 
to  the  Christian's  walk,  and  as  regenerate  he  hates  it 
and  can  not  commit  it,  yet  the  old  nature  in  a  be- 
liever can  never  love  holiness.  Hence  that  continual, 
never-ceasing  war  in  a  child  of  God  between  flesh 
and  Spirit,  sin  and  grace,  the  law  in  the  members 
and  the  law  in  the  mind.  The  law  of  grace  must 
finally  triumph  over  the  law  of  sin.  During  this 
desperate  combat  all  the  believer's  confidence  is  in 


Christ,  in  whom  he  is  always  "complete,"  and  in 
whom  he  has  such  a  righteousness  as  neither  the 
law,  sin,  death,  hell,  nor  the  grave  can  sully  or 
find  fault  with.  Paul  did  not  talk  about  the  re- 
mainder of  indwelling  sin :  his  complaints  were  of 
"  a  body  of  sin,"  a  "  law  in  his  members  warring 
against  the  law  in  his  mind."  I  feel,  by  sad  experi- 
ence, that  my  own  nature,  which  I  carry  about  with 
me  here  below,  is  earthly  and  selfish ;  but  I  know, 
by  infallible  truth,  that  my  own  nature,  which  is  in 
Christ,  is  perfectly  pure  and  holy,  "  without  spot,  or 
wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing."  A  believer  is  imper- 
fectly a  new  creature  in  himself :  perfectly  a  new 
creature  in  Christ.     Hill. 

24,  25.  He  complains  of  himself  and  he  re- 
joices in  Christ  almost  at  the  same  instant.  He  is 
comforted  in  the  very  midst  of  his  wretchedness. 
Nay,  in  one  sense,  he  owes  his  comfort  to  his  wretch- 
edness. It  sends  him  to  his  God.  It  brings  him 
near  that  blessed  Comforter,  in  whom  is  treasured 
up  a  ready  and  full  relief  for  all  his  sorrows.  Look 
on  him  as  he  stands  alone,  he  is  "  of  all  men  the 
most  miserable "  ;  view  him  as  leaning  on  his  be- 
loved Lord,  and  there  is  not  a  being  out  of  heaven 
so  happy.  "  Sorrowful  yet  always  rejoicing,  having 
nothing  and  yet  possessing  all  things,"  his  whole  life 
is  a  glorious  paradox.  "  I  thank  God,"  he  says,  and 
says  it  often,  and  says  it  joyfully,  "  I  thank  God, 
through  Jesus  Christ  my  Lord.  He  has  given  me 
deliverance.  Sin  lives  in  me  still,  but  he  does  not 
suffer  it  to  reign."  Turn  then  to  the  blameless  Paul, 
to  him  of  whom,  after  his  conversion  to  God,  the 
Holy  Ghost  hast  not  left  on  record  one  sin  or  one 
folly.  What  says  his  experience  ?  It  tells  you  that 
there  may  be  conflict  in  a  pardoned  heart ;  and  it 
tells  you  more — that  there  may  be  in  that  very 
heart,  amidst  all  its  conflicts,  a  sense  of  forgiveness, 
a  triumphant  assurance  of  pardon.  It  tells  you  that 
a  man  may  groan  under  a  sense  of  sin,  and  yet  look 
on  himself  as  an  heir  of  glory.     C.  B. 


The  Progress  of  Grace. — The  awakened  soul 
sees  the  evil  of  sin,  the  spirituality  of  the  law,  and 
the  holiness  of  God.  In  these  views  he  can  behold 
nothing  but  wrath  and  condemnation  before  him. 
He  resolves  upon  better  obedience.  The  Spirit  dis- 
covers to  him  more  and  more  the  law's  spirituality. 
His  very  best  actions  fall  short  of  its  infinite  de- 
mands :  all  he  does,  all  he  is,  all  he  has,  is  tainted 
with  sin.  Then  the  Spirit  shows  him  that  the  gos- 
pel looks  for  no  goodness  in  the  creature,  and  that 
it  gives  a  free  welcome  to  all  sorts  and  degrees  of 
sinners,  without  exception ;  that,  as  no  holiness  fore- 
seen in  him  could  move  God  to  love  him  and  give 
him  his  grace,  so  no  sins  in  him  could  induce  God 
to  hate  him  and  to  deny  him  that  grace.  In  pro- 
portion as  these  discoveries  are  made  to  him,  all  the 


232 


SECTION  2Ji3.— ROMANS  8  : 1-13. 


objections  which  self-righteousness  and  unbelief  can 
bring  fall,  like  so  many  Dagons,  before  the  mighty 
truth,  that  "  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly."    From 


these  views  spring  a  sincere  desire  of  obedience, 
hatred  of  sin  as  such,  and  desire  and  purpose  to  for. 
sake  it.     Hill. 


Section  245. 

EoMANS  viii.  1-13. 

1  Thebe  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  walk 

2  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit.     For  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus 

3  hath  made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death.     For  what  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that 
it  was  weak  through  the  flesh,  God  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and 

4  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh :  that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be  fulfilled  m 

5  us,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit.     For  they  that  are  after  the  flesh  do 
mind  the  things  of  the  flesh ;  but  they  that  are  after  the  Spirit  the  things  of  the  Spirit. 

6  For  to  be  carnally  minded  is  death  ;  but  to  be  spiritually  minded  is  life  and  peace.     Because 

7  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God :  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither 

8  indeed  can  be.     So  then  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  God.     But  ye  are  not  in 

9  the  flesh,  but  in  the  Spirit,  if  so  be  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell  in  you.     Now  if  any  man 

10  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his.     And  if  Christ  le  in  you,  the  body  is  dead 

11  because  of  sin  ;  but  the  Spirit  is  life  because  of  righteousness.     But  if  the  Spirit  of  him 
that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead  dwell  in  you,  he  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead 

12  shall  also  quicken  your  mortal  bodies  by  his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  you.     Therefore,  breth- 

13  ren,  we  are  debtors,  not  to  the  flesh,  to  live  after  the  flesh.     For  if  ye  live  after  the  flesh, 
ye  shall  die  :  but  if  ye  through  the  Spirit  do  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live. 


Take  all  the  guilt  of  all  who  believe,  past  or  present,  the  laver  of  Jesus'  blood  avails  to  cleanse  it 
away.  God  is  satisfied  for  it.  "  There  is  no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus."  "  Thou 
wilt  cast  all  their  sins  into  the  depths  of  the  sea"  (Mic.  7  :  19).  The  justification  of  the  believer  is  not 
an  imperfect  work,  so  that  he  may  be  justified  to-day  and  condemned  again  to-morrow :  it  varies  not  with 
the  variations  of  his  feelings  :  the  work  on  the  faith  of  which  justification  rests  is  a  finished  work  ;  and, 
therefore,  if  once  recognized  as  mine,  it  must  eternally  clear  me  from  all  possible  charge.  The  fluctua- 
tions of  faith  will  cause  fluctuations  in  my  enjoymejit  of  Christ's  salvation ;  but  the  salvation  itself  is 
unchangeable.  Satan  may  bring  a  charge  of  sin,  and  succeed  in  fixing  it  upon  the  conscience,  through 
my  indistinct  apprehension  of  Christ's  sufficiency ;  but  God  brings  no  charge ;  and  therefore  the  apostle 
proclaims  that  triumphant  challenge,  "It  is  God  that  justifieth ;  who  is  he  that  condemneth?"  There- 
fore, with  the  impossibility  of  condemnation  of  the  believer,  he  declares  the  impossibility  of  separation 
from  "  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  Here,  then,  let  the  tempted  Christian  take 
his  stand,  and  hold  fast  this  vital  truth,  when  a  daily  sense  of  his  hated  evil,  yet  warring  in  his  members, 
oppresses  him,  and  arrays  God  in  terrors.  Jesus  has  made  an  end  of  sin.  When  it  is  brought  in  peni- 
tential acknowledgment  to  the  Cross  of  Christ,  that  blood,  sprinkled  upon  the  conscience,  takes  it  all 
away.     God  remembers  it  no  more.     Goode. 


1.  Omit  the  clause  "  who  ivalk  not  after  the  flesh, 
but  after  the  Spirit."  It  has  probably  been  inter- 
polated here  from  verse  4.  In  sense,  at  first  sight, 
it  fits  in  well;  here,  as  there,  being  a  distinctive 
and  correct  statement  of  those  in  Christ  to  whom 
there  is  no  condemnation ;  but  on  looking  further, 
it  clearly  appears  to  be  out  of  place  here,  since  at 
present  the  assertion  is  general,  respecting  all  those 
who  are  in  Christ,  and  afterward  the  distinction  is 
raised,  and  their  true  and  spiritual  character  de- 
fined.    A. 


No  condemnation.  At  the  blessed  moment 
of  justification,  the  sinner  is  at  once  admitted  to  the 
favor  of  God.  He  is  accepted  as  righteous.  The 
law  is  as  fully  satisfied  with  regard  to  him  as  if  he 
had  never  sinned.  The  righteousness  of  Christ  is 
now  his  righteousness.  He  can  no  more  come  into 
condemnation  than  Christ  can  come  into  condemna- 
tion, lie  is  delivered  from  the  guilt  and  penalty  of 
all  his  sins.  "With  regard  to  sins  which  he  may 
hereafter  commit,  he  is  not  indeed  pardoned ;  be- 
cause it  would  be  incongruous  to  say  that  sins  are  j 


SECTION  21t5.— ROMANS  8  : 1-13. 


233 


pardoned  before  they  are  committed ;  but  God  has 
graciously  accepted  the  righteousness  of  Christ  even 
in  respect  to  these,  and  in  process  of  time  pardon  is 
dispensed.  The  effect  of  this  grace  is  to  remove  all 
condemnation  and  all  punishment.  That  sin  which 
has  been  visited  on  the  Surety  will  not  be  visited 
on  us.  The  afflictions  of  this  life  are  not  legal 
pains,  but  fatherly  trials  and  corrections.  And 
death  itself,  being  deprived  of  sin  which  is  its 
sting,  and  the  law  which  is  its  strength,  is  despoiled 
of  all  its  punitive  force.     J.  W.  A. 

3.  There  are  three  great  forms  of  law,  to  which 
our  immortal  being  bears  an  inevitable  and  eternal 
relation.  These  are,  first,  the  Law  of  God  for  our 
government ;  second,  the  Law  of  Sin  and  Death  in 
our  depraved  nature ;  third,  the  Law  of  the  Spirit 
of  Life  in  Christ  Jesus.  Under  the  first  we  are,  as 
immortal  beings,  eternally  responsible ;  under  the 
second  we  are,  if  not  redeemed  by  grace,  eternally 
in  bondage ;  under  the  third  we  are  not  in  subjec- 
tion naturally,  but  may,  by  divine  grace,  if  we  will, 
be  brought  beneath  its  blessed  power,  redeemed  by 
it  from  sin  for  ever.  Hath  made  me  free. 
The  work  of  grace  shall  conquer  the  work  of  de- 
pravity ;  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  shall 
set  free  the  soul  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death. 
Nothing  else  could  do  it,  nothing  external  to  the 
soul,  nothing  that  did  not  work  within  the  soul  as 
a  principle  of  life.  By  this  new  principle  intro- 
duced, the  man  is  set  at  liberty  to  serve  God  out  of 
love,  no  longer  bound  in  slavery  to  the  law  of  sin 
and  death  in  an  evil  nature.  This  is  the  great  de- 
liverance ;  this  is  freedom  indeed.     G.  B.  C. 

The  spiritual  and  the  vitally  eternal  are  united 
in  Scripture  phraseology,  whenever  it  has  occasion 
to  speak  of  the  " law  of  the  Spirit  of  life"  of  that 
"Spirit "  which  "is  life  because  of  righteousness," 
of  that  "  spiritual-mindcdness  "  which  "  is  life  "  as 
well  as  "peace."  The  more  you  rest  upon  these 
profound  sayings,  the  more  you  will  feel  that  they 
speak  of  some  mystic  intimacy  of  inward  connec- 
tion, which  answers  to  all  that  we  can  conceive  of 
an  absolute  uniti/  of  nature  ;  and  that,  had  we  fac- 
ulties to  see  these  things,  we  might  perceive  that  a 
deathless  permanence  belongs  to  the  spiritual  thing 
inherent  in  the  regenerate  mind,  if  it  indeed  evidence 
its  genuineness  by  there  abiding  and  fructifying 
through  the  earthly  life.     W.  A.  B. 

3-5.  TJie  gospel  ?s  the  heir  of  the  laio  ;  it  in- 
herits what  the  law  had  prepared.  The  law,  on  its 
national  and  ceremonial  side,  had  created  a  vast  and 
closely  woven  system  of  ideas.  These  were  wrought 
out  and  exhibited  by  it  in  forms  according  to  the 
flesh — an  elect  nation,  a  miraculous  history,  a  spe- 
cial covenant,  a  worldly  sanctuary,  a  perpetual  ser- 
vice, an  anointed  priesthood,  a  ceremonial  sanctity, 
a  scheme  of  sacrifice  and  atonement,  a  purchased 


possession,  a  holy  city,  a  throne  of  David,  a  destiny 
of  dominion.  Were  these  ideas  to  be  lost,  and  the 
language  which  expressed  them  to  be  dropped,  when 
the  gospel  came  ?  No !  It  was  the  heir  of  the 
law.  The  law  had  prepared  these  riches,  and  now 
bequeathed  them  to  a  successor  able  to  unlock  and 
to  diffuse  them.  The  gospel  claimed  them  all,  and 
developed  in  them  a  value  unknown  before.  It  as- 
serted itself  as  the  proper  and  predestined  continu- 
ation of  the  covenant  made  of  God  with  the  fathers, 
the  real  and  only  fulfillment  of  all  which  was  typi- 
fied and  prophesied ;  presenting  the  same  ideas, 
which  had  been  before  embodied  in  the  narrow  but 
distinct  limits  of  carnal  forms,  in  their  spiritual, 
universal,  and  eternal  character.  The  body  of  types 
according  to  the  flesh  died  with  Christ,  and  with 
Christ  it  rose  again  a  body  of  antitypes  according 
to  the  Spirit.  Those  who  were  after  the  flesh  could 
not  recognize  its  identity  ;  those  who  were  after  the 
Spirit  felt  and  proclaimed  it.     T.  D.  B. 

There  never  was  a  better  law  than  the  moral 
law,  nor  was  legislation  ever  attended  with  circum- 
stances better  fitted  to  secure  the  perfect  love  and 
obedience  of  men.  But  in  that  beautifully  simple 
way  in  which  the  Bible  relates  the  thoughts  of  God 
as  of  a  man,  this  is  spoken  of  as  an  experiment 
that  failed,  leading  the  law-giver  to  devise  another 
expedient.  In  the  words,  For  what  the  law  could 
not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh,  we 
have  a  striking  confession  of  weakness  even  in  the 
law  of  God,  on  account  of  strength  superior  to  it  in 
the  stubbornness  of  the  human  heart.  But  the  law 
of  God  still  holds  its  place,  only  there  is  a  gospel 
added  to  make  the  law  efficacious ;  for  the  expedient 
resorted  to,  for  the  purpose  of  reaching  the  trans- 
gressor by  the  atonement,  aims  to  reestablish  the 
law  of  God  as  the  rule  of  duty.    N.  A. 

3.  Condemned  sin.  As  the  crucifixion  was 
not  the  whole  of  the  sacrifice  offered  up  by  Christ 
for  the  sins  of  the  world,  but  only  its  closing,  per- 
fecting act — as  the  whole  of  our  Saviour's  life  was 
one  continual  sacrifice  for  sin— so  was  it  one  con- 
tinual warfare  against  sin,  and  victory  over  sin,  and 

judgment  against  sin.     Hare. When  Jesus  came 

the  Sun  of  Righteousness  arose,  darkness  was  scat- 
tered, and  the  light  of  God's  glory,  reflected  from 
the  face  of  his  Son,  darted  its  rays  through  heaven, 
earth,  and  hell.  The  Cross  became  the  center  of 
universal  attraction,  displayed  the  perfections  of 
Deity  in  singular  and  rare  combination,  and  was  the 
source  at  once  of  rapture  to  angels,  of  terror  to  the 
lost,  and  of  hope  to  men.  The  death  of  Christ  is 
without  doubt  the  sublimest  event  in  the  annals  of 
time  or  the  records  of  eternity.  And  in  what  a  light 
does  it  present  the  malignity  of  sin !  What  a  com- 
mentary upon  its  intrinsic  demerit  and  turpitude  is 
furnished  in  the  groans,  agony,  and  anguish  of  the 


234 


SECTION  2J^.— ROMANS  8 : 1-13. 


Son  of  God !  In  the  Cross  it  is  proclaimed,  in  liv- 
ing  characters,  to  be  the  abominable  thing  which 
God  hates.    J.  H.  T. 

4.  The  law  of  the  Ten  Commandments  is  still 
the  i-ule  of  life  to  the  believer.  From  the  law,  as  a 
covenant,  we  are  eternally  delivered,  through  Christ. 
We  may  plead  our  title  to  heaven  on  the  ground  of 
our  perfect  fulfillment  of  its  righteousness,  inas- 
much as  Christ's  fulfillment  of  it  is  imputed  to  us 
who  believe.  We  may  plead  perfect  exemption  from 
its  curse ;  for  Christ  has  been  "  made  a  curse  for 
us."  As  a  means,  therefore,  of  meriting  life,  we 
have  nothinff  whatever  to  do  with  the  terms  of  it. 
Eternal  life  is  given  us  in  Christ.  But  we  are  there- 
fore "  delivered  from  the  law,"  "  that  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  law  may  be  fulfilled  in  us,  who  walk,  not 
after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit."  The  law  of 
Christ  is  indeed  a  law  of  love  ;  but  still,  this  "  new 
commandment "  is  the  "  old  commandment  which  ye 

had  from  the  beginning."     Goode. The  apostle 

represents  the  same  fact  and  the  same  truth  which 
provides  for  the  forgiveness  of  sin  as  the  source 
and  instrument  of  deliverance  from  its  dominion. 
It  reconciles  to  God,  and  it  makes  like  him.  It  ex- 
cites love  to  duty,  and  loyalty  to  law ;  it  renders 
obedience  possible  and  attractive ;  it  supplies  mo- 
tives, aids,  and  facilities,  grace  to  help  and  power  to 
pursue,  making  work  pleasant  and  service  song.  T.  B. 

5.  The  influence  of  education  may  develop  in  a 
beautiful  symmetry  the  constitutional  excellences. 
It  may  repress  constitutional  excesses  and  correct 
constitutional  vices.  It  may  cultivate  the  natural 
sentiments,  refine  the  tastes,  exalt  and  ennoble  the 
temper  and  tone  of  the  mind,  give  dignity  and  grace 
to  the  manners,  light  and  authority  to  conscience, 
force  and  principle  to  character.  It  may  inspire  re- 
spect and  reverence  for  the  rites  and  solemnities  of 
religion,  form  religious  habits,  and  fill  the  breast 
with  high  religious  veneration.  But  there  are  some 
things  it  can  not  do :  it  can  not  shed  abroad  the  love 
of  God  in  the  heart,  nor  displace  our  natural  enmity 
to  God,  nor  bring  the  soul  under  the  power  of  the 
Cross,  nor  diffuse  through  it  the  spirit  of  Jesus,  nor 
teach  it  to  live  by  faith,  nor  introduce  into  it  any 
one  of  those  fruits  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  without  which 
all  virtue  is  reprobate,  all  religion  a  name  or  a  delu- 
sion, and  all  check  upon  native  depravity  ineffectual 
and  temporary.     T.  H.  S. 

6.  For  the  spiritual  being,  man,  the  only  real  life 
is  in  goodness.  Only  so  far  as  we  share  in  the  Fa- 
ther's goodness,  are  wc  partakers  in  hii  life.  The 
measure  of  our  being,  as  living  souls,  is  precisely 
the  measure  of  our  excellence.  In  proportion  as 
our  actions  are  in  harmony  with  divine  laws,  and 
our  familiar  frame  of  feeling  with  God's  will,  w^e 
live.  Herein  is  the  apostolic  saying  true,  "  To  be 
spiritually  minded  is  life."    F.  D.  H. 


In  verse  V,  for  "is  not  subject  ....  neither 
indeed  can  be,"  substitute  "doth  not  submit  itself 

.  .  .  .  neither  indeed  can  it."     A. While  we 

are  saved  by  believing,  yet  believing  is  obeying. 
We  accept  Christ  by  renouncing  sin,  by  subjecting 
our  will  to  his  will,  by  walking  in  his  steps.  The 
carnal  mind,  or,  more  exactly,  ea,Tna,\-mindedness — a 
state  of  mind  in  which  the  affections  and  aims  are 
fixed  upon  the  things  of  this  world  as  the  chief 
good — such  love  of  the  world  is  in  opposition  to 
the  will  of  God,  and  can  never  be  reconciled  to  the 

law  of  God.     J.  P.  T. The  object  of  the  gospel 

is  both  to  pacify  the  sinner's  conscience  and  to 
purify  his  heart,  and  what  mars  the  one  of  these 
objects  mars  the  other  also.  The  best  way  of  cast- 
ing out  an  impure  affection  is  to  admit  a  pure  one, 
and  by  the  love  of  what  is  good  to  expel  the  love  of 
what  is  evil.  Thus,  the  freer  the  gospel,  the  more 
sanctifying  is  the  gospel ;  and  the  more  it  is  re- 
ceived as  a  doctrine  of  grace,  the  more  will  it  be 
felt  as  a  doctrine  according  to  godliness.  This  is 
one  of  the  secrets  of  the  Christian  life,  that  the 
more  a  man  holds  of  God  as  a  pensioner,  the  great- 
er is  the  payment  of  service  that  he  renders  back 
again.  On  the  tenure  of  "  Do  this  and  live,"  a  spirit 
of  fearf ulness  is  sure  to  enter ;  and  the  jealousies  of 
a  legal  bargain  chase  away  all  confidence  from  the 
intercourse  between  God  and  man ;  and  the  crea- 
ture, striving  to  be  square  and  even  with  his  Crea- 
tor, is,  in  fact,  pursuing  all  the  while  his  own  self- 
ishness, instead  of  God's  glory;  and,  with  all  the 
conformities  which  he  labors  to  accomplish,  the  soul 
of  obedience  is  not  there,  the  mind  is  not  subject  to 
the  law  of  God,  nor  indeed,  under  such  an  economy, 
ever  can  be.     T.  C. 

8.  Cannot  please  God.  The  impossibility 
arises  from  the  enmity.  This  is  the  real  secret  of 
man's  inability  for  that  which  is  good  :  it  arises  not 
from  original  constitution,  defect  of  created  capa- 
city thereto,  but  is  the  deadly  and  unconquerable 
aversion  of  a  corrupt  heart  from  all  that  is  spiritual 
and  godly.  So  that  this  inability  for  good,  real  as 
it  is,  instead  of  being  an  excuse  for  man's  wicked- 
ness, is  of  its  very  essence.     Goode. 

9.  The  Spirit  of  Christ.  By  his  sacred  sig- 
nature we  are  appropriated  to  Christ,  and  visibly 
distinguished  from  the  world.  For  though  the  se- 
cret and  pure  influences  of  the  Spirit  in  the  soul  are 
only  known  to  the  person  that  feels  them,  yet  his 
active  inspirations  are  declarative  of  his  presence 
and  power  in  the  outward  conversation.     Bates. 

The  Holy  Ghost  lives  in  the  soul  under  this  dis- 
pensation as  the  Spirit  of  Christ ;  we  are  not  to  re- 
gard him  in  the  mere  simplicity  of  liis  infinite  deity, 
but  as  sent  forth  by  the  God  and  man,  Christ  Jesus, 
as  his ;  nor  is  the  abiding  presence  of  this  holy  prin- 
ciple less  essentially  divine  because  bestowed  and 


SECTION  21t5.— ROMANS  8  :  1-13. 


235 


operative  under  special  conditions  and  a  special 
aspect.  On  this  account  he  is  perpetually  described 
by  titles  which  impress  how  truly  his  function  ia 
transmissory  of  perfections  that  dwell  in  Christ,  and 
are  ours  only  because  his.  The  Spirit  is  the  "  Spirit 
of  the  Son,"  the  "  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ."  W.  A.  B. 
Christ  is  eminently  present  with  us  by  the  pres- 
ence of  his  Spirit.  He  is  with  us  invisibly,  but  as 
truly  as  he  was  in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem  or  on  the 
shores  of  the  lake  of  Galilee  ;  and  the  children  of 
the  Spirit  see  him,  contemplate  him,  cling  to  him,  as 

did  the  disciples  of  old.     H.  P.  L. No  rich,  nor 

beautiful,  nor  accepted  life  can  be  lived  by  us,  ex- 
cept Christ  be  its  inspiration.  Hope  will  not  reach 
up  to  immortality,  except  it  climb  by  the  Cross.  Let 
not  your  lives  be  dead  shapes  of  outward  decency — 
the  carved  and  gilded  wood  of  an  ark  and  a  taber- 
nacle deserted  by  the  Spirit — but  vital  branches, 
filled  with  leaping  and  vigorous  currents  of  holy 
feeling,  on  the  hving  vine  !  "  For  if  any  man  have 
not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his."   F.  D.  H. 

10.  If  Christ  is  in  us,  a  great  part  of  our  origi- 
nal nature  with  which  we  were  born  must  be  dead. 
He  uses  the  expressions,  dead  unto  sin,  being  cruci- 
fied with  Christ,  the  body  must  be  dead  because  of 
sin,  and  the  like,  in  order  to  show  us  that  what  he 
means  is  very  great;  that  he  speaks  of  a  great 
change  in  us,  a  change  not  to  be  wrought  in  an  in- 
stant, nor  by  any  means  to  be  effected  without  our 
feeling  it,  like  the  various  processes  of  our  bod- 
ily growth  and  nourishment,  which  go  on  uncon- 
sciously within  us.    T.  A. The  Spirit  is  life. 

God  the  Holy  Ghost  calls  us,  regenerates  us,  and 
sanctifies  us  in  Christ.  Christ  is  his  call;  Christ 
is  his  light;  Christ  is  his  justifying  sentence.  It 
is  in  Christ  that  he  creates  us  as  new  creatures. 
He  glorifies  Christ  in  our  life,  and  brings  us,  for  the 
strengthening  of  our  faith,  ever  deeper  into  the  life 
with  Christ.     A.  C. 

11.  The  regeneration  of  the  soul  in  this  life, 
and  that  of  the  body  in  the  life  to  come,  are  both  ex- 
pressly said  to  make  us  "  the  sons  of  God,"  because 
the  one  only  completes  and  consummates  the  other. 
And  hence  it  is  that  Paul  in  the  one  supernatural 
gift  finds  the  source  of  both  the  blessings.  "  If  the 
Spirit  of  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  from  the  dead 
dwell  in  you,  he  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead 
shall  also  quicken  your  mortal  bodies  by  his  Spirit 
that  dwelleth  in  you."     The  Spirit  which  gives  the 


adoption  here  is  the  germ  of  the  Spirit  which  gives 
the  resurrection  hereafter ;  and  the  resurrection  itself 
is  but  the  adoption  made  visible  in  glory.    W.  A.  B. 

The  glorious,  corporeal  life  like  our  Lord's,  which 

is  promised  for  heaven,  is  great  and  wonderful,-but 
it  is  only  the  issue  and  last  result  of  the  far  greater 
change  in  the  spiritual  nature  which  by  faith  and 
love  begins  here.  It  is  good  to  be  clothed  with  the 
immortal  vesture  of  the  resurrection,  and  in  that  to 
be  like  Christ.  It  is  better  to  be  like  him  in  our 
hearts.  His  true  image  is  that  we  should  feel  as  he 
does,  should  think  as  he  docs,  should  will  as  he 
does  ;  that  we  should  have  the  same  sympathies,  the 
same  loves,  the  same  attitude  toward  God,  and  the 
same  attitude  toward  men.  It  is  that  his  heart  and 
ours  should  beat  in  full  accord,  as  with  one  pulse, 
and  possessing  one  life.  Wherever  there  is  the  be- 
ginning of  that  oneness  and  likeness  of  spirit,  all 
the  rest  will  come  in  due  time.  As  the  spirit,  so  the 
body.  The  whole  nature  must  be  transformed  and 
made  like  Christ's,  and  the  process  will  not  stop  till 
that  be  accomplished  in  all  who  love  him.     A.  M. 

13.  Get  thou  thy  soul  possessed  with  the  Spirit 
of  the  Son,  and  believe  thou  art  perfectly  set  free 
by  him  from  whatsoever  thou  by  sin  hast  deserved 
at  the  hand  of  revenging  justice.  This  doctrine  un- 
looseth  thy  hands,  takes  off  thy  yoke,  and  lets  thee 
go  upright ;  this  doctrine  puts  spiritual  and  heavenly 
inclinations  into  thy  soul,  and  the  faith  of  this  truth 
doth  show  thee  that  God  hath  so  surprised  thee  and 
gone  beyond  thee  with  his  blessed  and  everlasting 
love  that  thou  canst  not  but  reckon  thyself  his  debtor 
for  ever.  "  Therefore,  brethren,  we  are  debtors  not 
to  the  flesh,  to  live  after  the  flesh."    Bun. 

13.  Spiritual  q^det  is  promoted  hy  the  mortifi- 
cation of  sin.  Sin  is  the  sole  cause  of  all  the  dis- 
cord, perturbation,  and  misery  in  the  universe.  The 
Holy  Spirit  begins  at  regeneration  a  work  which  is 
to  end  in  extirpation  of  all  sin.  If  you  catalogue 
the  causes  of  your  discontent,  your  restlessness, 
your  excitement,  your  feverish  fretfulness,  you  will 
find  the  names  to  be  such  as  these :  Pride,  Hate, 
Envy,  Revenge,  Anger,  Lust,  Covetousness,  Fear,  In. 
ordinate  Affection.  Till  these  caged  wild  beasts  are 
driven  out  of  the  soul,  there  can  be  no  quietness  . 
sanctification  drives  them  out.  Therefore,  the  more 
a  man  advances  in  piety,  the  more  his  inward  tran- 
quillity ought  to  increase.  The  day  grows  calmer 
as  the  sun  draws  near  its  setting.     J.  W.  A. 


236^ 


SECTION  2Jf6.— ROMANS  8  :  U-27. 


Section  246. 

EoMANS  viii.  14-27. 

14  For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God.     For  ye  have 

15  not  received  the  spirit  of  bondage  again  to  fear ;  but  ye  have  received  the  Spirit  of  adop- 

16  tion  whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father.     The  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that 

17  we  are  the  children  of  God  :  and  if  children,  then  heirs  ;  heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with 

18  Christ;  if  so  be  that  we  suffer  with  Urn,  that  we  may  be  also  glorified  together.  Fori 
reckon  that  the  sufferings  of  this  present  time  are  not  worthy  to  le  compared  with  the  glory 

19  which  shall  be  revealed  in  us.     For  the  earnest  expectation  of  the  creature  waiteth  for  the 

20  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God.     For  the  creature  was  made  subject  to  vanity,  not  will- 

21  ino-ly,  but  by  reason  of  him  who  hath  subjected  the  same  in  hope,  because  the  creature 
itself  also  shall  be  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  corruption  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the 

22  children  of  God.    For  we  know  that  the  whole  creation  groaneth  and  travaileth  in  pain 

23  together  until  now.  And  not  only  they,  but  ourselves  also,  which  have  the  firstfruits  of 
the  Spirit,  even  we  ourselves  groan  within  ourselves,  waiting  for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the 

24  redemption  of  our  body.     For  we  are  saved  by  hope :  but  hope  that  is  seen  is  not  hope : 

25  for  what  a  man  seeth,  why  doth  he  yet  hope  for  ?     But  if  we  hope  for  that  we  see  not,  then 

26  do  we  with  patience  wait  for  it.  Likewise  the  Spirit  also  helpeth  our  infirmities  :  for  we 
know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought :  but  the  Spirit  itself  maketh  intercession 

27  for  us  with  groanings  which  cannot  be  uttered.  And  he  that  searcheth  the  hearts  knoweth 
what  is  the  mind  of  the  Spirit,  because  he  maketh  intercession  for  the  saints  according  to 
the  tcill  of  God. 


Unless  we  are  wedded  to  Jesus  Christ  by  the  simple  act  of  trust  in  his  mercy  and  his  power,  Christ  is 
ivothing  to  vs.  Ceremonies  are  nothing,  notions  are  nothing,  beliefs  are  nothing,  formal  participation  in 
worship  is  nothing.  Christ  is  everything  to  him  that  trusts  him.  You  can  begin  upon  the  low  step  on 
which  you  can  put  your  foot,  the  humble  act  of  faith,  and  can  chmb  up.  If  faith,  then  new  birth  ;  if  new 
birth,  then  sonship  ;  if  sonship,  then  "  an  heir  of  God  and  a  joint  heir  with  Christ."  But  if  you  have  not 
got  your  foot  upon  the  lowest  round  of  the  ladder,  you  will  never  come  within  sight  of  the  blessed  face  of 
Him  who  stands  at  the  top  of  it,  and  who  looks  down  to  you  at  this  moment,  saying  to  you,  "  My  child, 
wilt  thou  not  cry  unto  me,  '  Abba,  Father '  ?  "     A.  M. 

A  profound  Christian  truth  may  be  clothed  in  the  language  of  a  heathen  proverb :  "  A  divine  spirit  is 
within  us  who  treats  us  as  he  is  treated  by  us."  We  may  offer  our  supplications,  with  no  penetrat- 
ing sense  of  the  necessity  of  supernatural  aid.  There  may  be  no  childlike  consciousness  of  infirmity  which 
should  lead  us  to  cry  out  for  help.  The  inspired  words,  often  on  our  lips,  may  seldom  come  from  the 
depth  of  our  hearts:  "We  know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought."  .We  make  prayer  itself  one 
of  the  standard  subjects  of  prayer ;  yet  on  what  theme  do  our  devotions  more  frequently  degenerate  into 
routine  than  on  this  ?  Have  we  a  sense  of  indigence  when  we  ask  for  the  indwelling  of  God  in  our  souls? 
Have  we  such  a  sense  of  need  of  it,  as  we  have  of  the  need  of  air  when  we  are  gasping  with  faintness  ?  It 
is  the  law  of  diviHC  blessing  that  want  comes  before  wealth,  hunger  before  a  feast.  We  must  experience 
the  necessity  in  order  to  appreciate  the  reality.     A.  P. 


14.  Led  by  the  Spirit.  The  term  here  em- 
ployed refers  to  an  even,  constant,  unbroken  force, 
acting  not  less  powerfully  on  the  mind  because  it 
acts  gently  and  steadily  :  the  leading  of  a  Spirit  who 
abides  always  at  his  gracious  work  on  the  heart,  and 
does  not  come  and  go.  Those  who  are  so  led,  and 
are  willing,  in  the  yielding  up  and  surrender  of  their 
hearts,  to  be  so  led  by  this  faithful  Spirit  of  God, 
are  called  by  the  noblest  of  all  titles,  and  share  the 
most  exalted  of  all  honors.     "  Thev  are  the  sons  of 


God."  F.  D.  H. What  vaunt  of  faith  more  sub- 
lime and  beautiful  than  that  which  is  here  expressed  ? 
and  what  privilege  on  earth  can  be  named  at  the 
same  time  as  that  of  being  guided  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  and  of  being  in  truth  his  children  ?     Van  0. 

15.  Abba.  The  Syriac  term  for  father,  the  in- 
sertion of  which  here  beautifully  represents  the 
union  of  Jewish  and  Gentile  believers  in  their  devo- 
tions, which  were  dictated  by  a  filial  spirit.     D. 

Father.     The  sense  of  fatherhood,  which  is  in  the 


SECTION  2Jt6.— ROMANS  8  :  U-27. 


237 


Christian's  heart  and  becomes  his  cry,  comes  from 
God's  Spirit.  This  passage  and  that  in  the  Epistle 
to  the  Galatians,  which  is  almost  parallel,  put  this 
truth  very  forcibly  when  taken  in  connection.  "  Ye 
have  received,"  says  the  text  before  us,  "  the  Spirit 
of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father."  The 
variation  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians  is  this : 
"  Because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit 
of  his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying  (the  Spirit  cry- 
ing), Abba,  Father."  So,  in  the  one  text,  the  cry  is 
regarded  as  the  voice  of  the  believing  heart ;  and  in 
the  other  the  same  cry  is  regarded  as  the  voice  of 
God's  Spirit.  Every  Christian  may  be  sure  of  this, 
that,  howsoever  feeble  may  be  the  thought  and  con- 
viction in  his  heart  of  God's  fatherhood,  he  did  not 
work  it,  he  received  it  only,  cherished  it,  thought  of 
it,  watched  over  it,  was  careful  not  to  quench  it ; 
but  in  origin  it  was  God's,  and  it  is  now  and  ever 
the  voice  of  the  divine  Spirit  in  the  child's  heart. 

A.  M. To  call  God  Father  was  rare  among  the 

saints  in  Old  Testament  times ;  but  now,  in  New  Tes- 
tament times,  he  is  called  by  no  name  so  often  as 
this.  The  Lord  Jesus  first  made  this  name  common 
among  the  saints,  and  taught  them  in  their  dis- 
courses, their  prayers,  and  their  writings,  so  much 
to  use  it.  By  this  name  we  are  made  to  understand 
that  all  our  mercies  are  of  God,  and  that  we,  who 
are  his  children  by  adoption,  may  take  more  bold- 
ness to  pray  for  great  things.  I  have  often  found 
that,  when  I  can  say  but  this  word.  Father,  it  doth 
me  more  good  than  when  I  call  him  by  any  other 
Scripture  name.  Bun. A  father's  love,  not  con- 
tent in  securing  the  good  of  its  object,  looks  for  a 
warm  return  of  the  same  personal  fondness.  Is  a 
father  satisfied  in  providing  a  fortune  for  his  chil- 
dren, and  in  sending  them  well  abroad,  just  as  a 
legal  guardian  might  do  ?  A  father  must  have  a 
reciprocity  of  love  or  he  is  not  happy.  The  heart  of 
a  father  yearns  to  receive,  every  day,  the  undoubted 
expressions  of  filial  affection.  Is  then  God  our 
Father  ?  The  gospel  declares  it  as  a  fundamental 
truth ;  and  it  shows  that  this  language  of  sacred  af- 
fection is  to  be  understood,  not  in  a  sense  lowered 
and  vague  as  compared  with  that  which  it  bears  in 
its  ordinary  acceptation,  but  in  a  sense  of  incalcula- 
bly greater  intensity  and  depth.     I.  T. 

18.  When  the  child  of  God  is  led  to  prayer,  to 
the  Scriptures,  and  to  Christ — when  these  become  the 
necessaries  of  his  life  and  soul — then  the  Holy  Spirit 

bears  witness  to  his  adoption.    A.  C. The  witness 

of  the  Spirit  is  far  from  being  any  immediate  sugges- 
tion or  revelation ;  but  that  gracious  effect  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  in  the  hearts  of  saints:  the  disposi- 
tion and  temper  of  children  appearing  in  a  sweet, 
childUke  love  of  God  which  casts  out  fear  or  the 
spirit  of  the  slave.  The  Spirit  of  God  gives  the 
evidence  by  infusing  and  shedding  abroad  the  love 


of  God,  the  spirit  of  the  child  in  the  heart,  and  our 
spirit  receives  and  declares  this  evidence  for  our  re- 
joicing.    Fdwards. The  heart  with  its  love,  the 

head  with  its  understanding,  the  conscience  with  its 
quick  response  to  the  law  of  duty,  the  will  with  its 
resolutions— these  are  all,  as  sanctified  by  Him,  the 
witness  of  his  Spirit ;  and  the  life  with  its  strenu- 
ous obedience,  with  its  struggles  against  sin  and 
temptation,  with  its  patient  persistence  in  the  quiet 
path  of  ordinary  dutj',  as  well  as  with  the  times 
when  it  rises  into  heroic  stature  of  resignation  or 
allegiance,  the  martyrdom  of  death  and  the  martyr- 
dom of  life,  this  too  is  all  (in  so  far  as  it  is  pure 
and  right)  the  work  of  that  same  Spirit.  The  test 
of  the  inward  conviction  is  the  outward  life ;  and 
they  that  have  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  within  them 
have  the  light  of  their  life  lit  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
whereby  they  may  read  the  handwriting  on  the 
heart,  and  be  sure  that  it  is  God's  and  not  their 
own! 

17.  Given,  the  sonship — if  it  is  to  be  worked 
out  into  power  and  beauty,  there  must  be  suffering 
with  Christ.  But,  unless  there  be  sonship,  there  is 
no  possibility  of  inheriting  God ;  discipline  and  suf- 
fering will  be  of  no  use  at  all.     A.  M. Along 

with  the  dark  hours,  the  days  of  heavy  sorrow, 
comes  the  Holy  Spirit,  whom  the  Saviour  promised 
to  send,  and  lifts  up  man's  downcast  eyes  from  tem- 
poral things  to  eternal ;  he  raises  the  fearing  heart 
to  prayer,  and  intercedes  for  it  with  unutterable 
groanings ;  he  purifies,  comforts,  strengthens  it ;  and 
through  the  dark  clouds  of  affliction  which  surround 
us,  he  shows  the  bright  form  of  the  Saviour.  Thus 
in  our  afflictions  is  Christ  glorified  in  us  by  the 
Holy  Spirit.  The  word  of  life,  which  we  had  so 
often  disregarded  or  misunderstood,  comes  suddenly 
before  our  soul  with  wonderful  clearness ;  and  the 
sorrowing  heart  finds  therein,  what  the  glad  heart 
did  not  seek,  a  sacred,  inexhaustible  fountain  of  life, 
and  that  rich,  heavenly  consolation  which  this  world 
can  not  give.  Thus,  in  proportion  as  a  man's  tem- 
poral life  grows  dark,  his  eternal  life  brightens : 
through  painful  experience  and  bitter  grief  the 
Spirit  leads  him  to  Him  who  cries,  "  Come  to  me." 
And  he  who  in  his  hour  of  need  has  once  received 
grace  for  grace  from  the  Lord's  fullness,  can  not 
turn  away  from  Him  again :  he  can  not  but  cleave 
more  and  more  closely  to  him,  and  receive  his  divine 
life  into  himself.  For  he  has  lost  what  was  perish- 
able, and  has  gained  what  is  imperishable.  His  lot 
is  the  highest  that  can  befall  a  man :  Jesus  Christ 
is  glorified  in  him.     Hossbach. 

Together.  There  are  seven  tor/ethers  in  Scrip, 
ture  which  show  the  wondrous  identification  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  believers.  They  indicate  the 
everlasting  purpose  of  God  in  our  redemption,  and 
his  plan  in  effecting  that  purpose.     It  is  affirmed  of 


238 


SECTION  2^6.— ROMANS  8  :  U-27. 


us  by  the  Spirit,  in  the  word,  that  we  are  crucified 
together  with  Christ;  quickened  together  with  Christ; 
raised  together  with  Christ ;  seated  together  with  Christ 
in  heavenly  places;  sufferers  together  with  Christ; 
heirs  together  with  Christ ;  and  that  we  are  to  be 
glorified  together  with  Christ.  These  seven  togethers 
are  seven  links  of  a  chain  which  binds  us  indissolu- 
bly  to  Christ.    An. 

19-23.  The  expression  '■'■in  hope"  should  be 
taken  from  the  end  of  the  twentieth  verse  and 
placed  at  the  commencement  of  the  twenty-first; 
the  conjunction  should  be  translated  "  that "  instead 
of  "  because  "  ;  and  the  twenty-first  verse,  connect- 
ed with  the  nineteenth,  allowing  for  the  intervening 
parenthesis,  would  thus  read :  "  The  earnest  expecta- 
tion of  the  creature  looketh  for  the  revelation  of  the 
sons  of  God,  in  hope  that  the  creature  shall  be  de- 
livered from  the  bondage  of  corruption,''^  i.  e.,  death; 
to  which  the  apostle  afterward  opposes  "  the  redemp- 
tion of  the  body,"  or  the  resurrection  into  the  glori- 
ous liberty  of  the  children  of  God.  "  For  ive  know 
that  the  icholc  creation,''^  or  every  rational  creature, 
"  groancth  and  travaileth  in  pain  together  until  now. 
And  not  onlg  tlicy,"  i.  e.,  the  whole  heathen  world, 
"  but  ourselves,"  the  believers  in  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
"  who  have  received  the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit, 
groan  vnthin  ourselves,  waiting  for  the  adoption, 
namely,  the  redemption  of  our  body  " — the  resurrec- 
tion, and  consequent  full  revelation,  of  our  dignity 
and  immortal  glory  as  the  sons  of  God.  Such  is  the 
meaning  of  this  passage,  in  which  the  apostle,  to 
give  importance  to  the  subject  of  future  glory, 
represents  it  as  the  object  of  longing  desire  to  the 
whole  rational  creation,  the  various  tribes  of  which 
are  exhibited  as  lifting  up  their  heads  from  beneath 
the  bondage  of  misery  and  death,  and  directing  an 
exploring  eye  and  eager  hope  toward  immortality, 
as  that  alone  which  could  relieve  their  sorrows  and 
satisfy  their  desires.  They  knew  not  with  certainty 
that  there  was  such  a  state ;  their  notions  were  ob- 
scure and  fluctuating ;  it  was  rather  a  wish  than  a 
belief :  but  it  was  that  which  they  may  be  truly  said 
to  have  groaned  after,  as  what  alone  could  compen- 
sate for  the  sorrows  and  the  brevity  of  human  life. 
This  most  striking  and  beautiful  passage  has  no  ref- 
erence to  the  brute  creation,  as  groaning  under  the 
effects  of  man's  sin,  and  from  which  they  will  be 
delivered  by  a  resurrection ;  no  reference  to  any 
physical  change  to  be  produced  during  the  millen- 
nium in  the  material  world,  now  by  a  bold  figm-e  rep- 
resented as  burdened  and  pained  by  human  guilt ; 
for  what  has  this  to  do  with  the  context,  or  with  the 
design  of  the  apostle,  which  is  to  comfort  believers 
under  the  sufferings  of  this  mortal  state  ?  but  it  re- 
lates to  that  glory,  honor,  and  eternal  life,  which 
God  has  promised  to  them  that  love  him.     J.  A.  J. 

19.  By  the  "  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God  " 
is  meant  their  being  arrayed  in  the  glory  of  their 
Lord  and  Saviour,  in  the  presence  of  the  universe. 
It  is  not  merely  the  inherent  glory  of  their  perfect- 
ed humanity ;  nor  the  glory  of  their  final  triumph 
over  death  and  hell;  nor  the  glory  of  the  bright 
abode  and  the  blessed  fellowship  into  which  they 
will  have  been  introduced  ;  but  with,  and  above  all 
these  glories,  the  yet  more  effulgent  glory  reflected 
upon  them  from  their  glorified  Head  and  Trince, 


himself  "  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory." 
This  is  to  be  their  "  manifestation."     H.  A.  B. 

21.  The  glorious  liberty.  It  should  be 
"  the  liberty  of  the  glory  of  the  children  of  God  " : 
that  liberty  which  belongs  to  the  state  of  glorifica- 
tion of  God's  children.     A. This  is  the  hberty 

wherewith  the  Son  makes  free.  Liberty  indeed 
measured  and  regulated  by  the  royal  law  of  liberty 
and  which  is  perfected  only  in  a  perfect  conformity 
thereto.  There  is  a  most  servile  liberty,  a  bein" 
free  from  righteousness,  which  under  that  specious 
name  and  show  enslaves  a  man  to  corruption  ;  and 
there  is  a  free  service,  by  which  a  man  is  still  the 
more  free  by  how  much  the  more  he  serves  and  is 
subject  to  his  superior's  will,  and  by  how  much  the 
less  possible  it  is  he  should  swerve  therefrom.  The 
nearest  approaches  therefore  of  the  soul  to  God, 
its  most  intimate  union  with  him  and  entire  subjec- 
tion  to  him  in  its  glorified  state,  makes  its  liberty 
consummate.  Now  is  its  deliverance  complete;  it 
is  under  no  restraints,  oppressed  by  no  weights ;  it 
hath  the  free  exercise  of  all  its  powers  ;  hath  every 
faculty  and  affection  at  command.  How  unconceiva- 
ble a  pleasure  is  this !     Howe. 

33.  We  wait  for  the  adoption,  that  is,  the  re-, 
demption  of  the  body.  When  we  shall  see  Jesus  as 
he  is  and  be  like  him,  when,  delivered  from  the  body 
of  sin  and  death,  as  the  children  of  the  resurrection 
changed  into  the  likeness  of  the  transfigured  Sa- 
viour, we  shall  know  as  we  are  known ;  and  in  per- 
fect union  and  communion  with  the  head  and  all  the 
saints  shall  evermore  serve  him.     A.  S. 

34.  Saved  by  hope.  Returning  is  not  the  act 
of  a  despairing  but  hoping  soul.  It  is  God  apprehend- 
ed as  reconcilable  that  attracts  and  wins  it.  This 
presently  draws  the  hovering  soul  into  a  closure  and 
league  with  him.     And  thus  is  the  union  continued. 

Howe. Sincere  faith  is  in  reality  full  of  hope. 

The  individual  who  firmly  believes  that  the  blood  of 
the  new  covenant  has  been  shed  for  him  can  not 
deny  to  himself  the  faithfulness  of  God.  And  if 
sometimes  the  ineffaceable  conviction  of  his  own 
unworthiness,  the  consideration  of  that  law  of  the 
flesh  in  his  members  which  fights  against  the  law  of 
the  spirit,  may  for  a  moment  obscure  his  hope,  these 
very  things  make  him  recur  with  redoubled  fervor 
to  him  who,  finding  nothing  in  us  to  make  us  ac- 
ceptable in  his  sight,  has  been  willing  to  save  us 
through  the  faith  which  he  has  given.     A.  V. 

35.  There  are  several  infirmities  that  can  not  be 
mastered,  if  hope  be  not  in  exercise,  especially  if 
the  soul  be  in  great  and  sore  trials.  There  is  pee- 
vishness and  impatience,  there  is  fear  and  doubting 
and  misconstruing  of  God's  present  hand ;  and  all 
these  become  masters,  if  hope  be  not  stirring ;  nor 
can  any  grace  besides  put  a  stop  to  their  tumul- 
tuous raging  in  the  soul.     But  hope  in  God  makes 


SECTION  2Jt7.— ROMANS  8  :  28-39. 


239 


them  all  hush,  takes  away  the  occasion  of  their 
working,  and   lays  the  soul  at  the   foot   of  God. 

Bun. With  patience  wait.    Though  we  may 

not  be  responsible  for  moods,  we  are  for  the  way 
in  which  we  act  under  them.  When  all  our  en- 
deavor fails,  we  are  to  fall  back  on  hope,  and  when 
hope  begins  to  faint,  there  is  still  left  to  us  "  quiet 
waiting."  So  full  of  resources  is  the  grace  of  God, 
that,  as  each  lower  deep  of  trouble  opens,  a  new 
power  in  the  Christian  life  can  be  created  to  meet 
it.  "  Quiet  waiting  "  is  that  which,  in  other  parts 
of  the  Bible,  and  especially  in  the  New  Testament, 
is  ietxaeA  patience.  It  is  the  part  of  hope  to  seek 
the  future ;  it  is  the  duty  of  patience  to  rest  calmly 
in  the  present,  and  not  to  fret — to  be  satisfied  to  be 
where  God  appoints,  and  to  suffer  what  God  sends. 
It  is  fitly  placed  after  hope,  because  it  follows  it  in 
the  natural  course  of  an  educated  Christian  life. 
Hope  belongs  to  youth ;  patience  is  the  lesson  of 
maturity.     Ker. 

26.  For  "  infirmities,"  read  "  infirmity,"  or 
"weakness."  The  meaning  is  not  here,  that  the 
Spirit  helps  our  infirmitzVs,  generally ;  but  that  he 
helps  in  this  particular  point  our  weakness,  our  in- 
ability to  wait  with  patience  for  that  which  we  hope 
for.  A. The  promise  of  the  Father — the  culmi- 
nating gift  of  the  Lord  Jesus  glorified — the  highest 
of  all  divine  manifestations,  he  by  whom  the  Father 
and  the  Son  take  up  their  abode  in  us — is  the  Spirit 
of  grace  and  supplication.  In  our  most  languid  con- 
dition, when  the  soul  cleaves  to  the  dust,  he  maketh 
intercession  for  us,  and  God  knoweth  the  mind  of 
the  Spirit  in  our  sighs  and  groaning.  Conscious  of 
our  ignorance  and  of  our  utter  weakness,  we  change 
our  very  helplessness  into  a  source  of  comfort ;  for 
the  Spirit  of  all  knowledge,  power,  and  love  is 


within  us — our  Paraclete.     A.  S. We   scarcely 

utter  hyperbole  in  saying  that  prayer  is  the  divine 
mind  communing  with  itself,  through  finite  wants, 
through  the  woes  of  helplessness,  through  the  cling- 
ing instincts  of  weakness.  On  this  side  of  the 
judgment,  no  other  conception  of  the  presence  of 
God  is  so  profound  as  that  which  is  realized  in  our 
souls  every  time  we  offer  a  genuine  prayer.  God  is 
then  not  only  ivith  us,  but  within  us.     A.  P. 

If  we  are  perplexed  in  our  prayers,  not  knowing 
what  to  say,  ill  able  to  read  our  own  heart's  desire 
truly ;  yet  if  we  are  really  wishing  for  God's  help, 
then  that  vague  and  indistinct  desire  for  help  has 
one  who  purifies  it,  and  presents  it  before  God  ;  and 
if  we  feel  beset  with  the  perplexity  of  our  condition, 
and  find  no  word  of  utterance,  yet  the  Spirit  of  God 
speaks  for  us  in  our  very  silence,  and  intercedes  for 

us  acceptably.     T.  A. Let   prayer  rest   in  the 

intercession  of  Jesus  and  in  the  sighing  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  The  intercession  of  Jesus  rests  in  the  pow- 
er of  his  atoning  blood.     The  intercession  of  the 

Holy  Spirit  has  its  ground  in  Christ.     A.  C. As 

it  is  the  office  of  Christ  to  intercede  for  us  with 
God,  so  it  is  the  office  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  make 
those  intercessions  in  us  which  we  put  up  to  God. 
Caryl 

27.  The  work  of  the  Spirit  is  in  exciting  the 
heart  at  times  of  prayer  to  break  forth  in  ardent 
desires  to  God,  whatsoever  the  words  be,  whether 
new  or  old,  yea,  possibly  without  words ;  and  then 
most  powerful  when  it  words  it  least,  but  vents  in 
sighs  and  groans  that  can  not  be  expressed.  Our 
Lord  understands  the  language  of  these  perfectly, 
and  likes  it  best ;  he  knows  and  approves  the  mean- 
ing of  his  own  Spirit ;  he  looks  not  to  the  outward 
appearance,  the  shell  of  words,  as  men  do.     L. 


Section  247. 

EoMANS  viii.  28-39. 

28  And  we  know  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God,  to  them 

29  who  are  the  called  according  to  his  purpose.     For  whom  he  did  foreknow,  he  also  did  pre- 
destinate to  le  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son,  that  he  might  be  the  firstborn  among 

30  many  brethren.    Moreover  whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called :  and  whom  he 

31  called,  them  he  also  justified:  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified.     What  shall 

32  we  then  say  to  these  things  ?    If  God  le  for  us,  who  can  he  against  us  ?     He  that  spared  not 
his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely  give  us 

33  all  things?    Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?    It  is  God  that  justifieth. 

34  Who  is  he  that  condemneth?     It  is  Christ  that  died,  yea  rather,  that  is  risen  again,  who  is 

35  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us.     WTio  shall  separate 
us  from  the  love  of  Christ?     Shall  tribulation,  or  distress,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or 

36  nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword  ?     As  it  is  written,  For  thy  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day 

37  long ;  we  are  accounted  as  sheep  for  the  slaughter.     Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more 


240 


SECTION  21ft.—B0MANS  8  :  28-39. 


38  than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us.     For  I  am  persuaded,  that  neither  death,  nor 

39  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  no*r  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor 
heio-ht,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God, 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord. 

In  the  experience  of  the  apostle  Paul,  every  child  of  God  will  find  a  description  of  his  own,  and  also 
abundant  encouragement,  guidance,  and  consolation.  Here  is  a  man  in  Christ  Jesus.  There  is  now  no 
condemnation  to  him.  Sin  has  been  judged,  condemned,  and  put  away.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  dwells  in 
him.  He  is  not  in  the  flesh,  but  the  flesh  is  still  in  him.  He  has  to  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body ;  it  is 
a  painful  and  daily  struggle.  Besides,  he  is  in  manifold  afBictions.  He  is  living  in  a  world  of  suffering. 
The  very  creation  even  groans  by  reason  of  bondage.  He  also  groans  within  himself,  waiting  for  the 
redemption  of  the  body. 

This  justified  one,  inhabited  by  the  Spirit,  is  thus  saved  only  in  hope.  He  has  still  the  conflict  with 
sin  amid  the  afflictions  of  this  time,  and  he  has  to  possess  his  soul  in  patience.  Thus  he  draws  nigh  to 
God.  But  there  he  feels  his  weakness.  His  infirmities  overwhelm  him.  He  knows  not  what  to  pray  for 
as  he  ought.  Full  of  want,  he  is  silent.  But  the  Spirit  of  God  helps  him.  He  creates  within  him  deep 
and  believing  longings  after  the  eternal  blessings,  too  deep  for  utterance,  but  not  too  great  for  the  Fathei'd 
response.  And  now  he  has  reached  the  highest  point.  He  sees  God  for  us.  God  loved  us  from  all 
eternity,  and  called  us  according  to  his  promise.  All  things  must  work  together  for  good.  Beholding 
this  God  as  he  gave  up  his  own  Son,  he  triumphantly  asks,  "  Shall  he  not  with  him  freely  give  us  all 
things  ?  "  Afflictions  and  sufferings  abound ;  but  in  overcoming  them  we  are  more  than  conquerors :  not 
exhausted  but  invigorated  after  victory,  and  perfect  in  our  peace.  Nothing  shall  separate  us  from  the 
love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  !  Love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus !  It  continues  sounding  in  our  hearts  as 
when  silver  bells  have  ceased  ringing.     Love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  !     A.  S. 


28-31.  Whom  God  "  forechosc,"  them  he  pre- 
destinated to  be  conformed  to  Christ,  and  in  order 
to  the  accomplishment  of  that  purpose,  he  "  calls  " 
them.  We  have  the  full  account  of  "the  called  ac- 
cording to  his  purpose,"  in  the  twenty-eighth  verse. 
And  now  the  apostle  proceeds  to  show  how  that 
image  of  Christ  in  them  is  brought  about.  "Whom 
he  calls,  them  he  also  justifies."  These  sins  that  so 
burden  their  souls  are  taken  away  by  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb  having  atoned  for,  and  thereby  "blotted 
them  out."  And  the  obedience  of  the  "  Lord  our 
righteousness  "  becomes  the  sinner's  obedience,  so 
soon  as  hearing  the  call  he  accepts  it,  and  by  faith 
is  in  "  Christ  Jesus,"  represented  both  in  His  act  of 
obedience  and  of  atonement.  And  meantime  the 
Holy  Spirit,  who  has  made  the  call  effectual,  and 
imparted  the  new  life  to  the  dead  soul  whereby  it 
puts  forth  this  living  act  of  faith,  carries  on  his 
work  of  conforming  it  more  and  more  to  the  image 
of  Christ,  until  with  death  the  body  of  sin  drops 
off  and  the  spirit  becomes  like  Jesus  and  sees  him 
as  he  is — thus  "  Whom  he  justifies  he  also  glori- 
fies." Now  we  can  see  the  power  and  beauty  of  the 
apostle's  logic — sorrows  and  affliction  can  not  do 
other  than  good  to  them  that  are  called  under  such 
a  purpose  of  grace.  For  since  God  hath  such  an 
end  in  view  for  them,  all  things  that  occur,  however 
afflictive  now,  must  work  together  to  that  great  end 
— the  glory  which  shall  follow.  And  we  are  pre- 
pared to  accept  his  triumphant  conclusion,  "  If  God 
be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us  ?  "    Then  spend  not 


your  energies  in  trying  to  penetrate  the  dark  cloud 
that  hovers  around  the  lofty  summit  of  this  theol- 
ogy, and  shrouds  from  mental  view  the  secret  pur- 
poses of  God.  Behold  the  golden  link  of  the  pen- 
dent chain  that  gleams  here  along  the  level  of  time 
— this  call  of  the  gospel.  Seize  hold  of  that,  here 
and  now,  that  you  may  be  drawn  up — justified— to 
be  eternally  glorified  !     S.  R. 

28.  We  know.  It  is  not  merely  a  devout  wish 
and  hope,  but  a  certain  conviction.  God  comforts 
with  realities.  The  Spirit  reveals  things  freely  given 
to  us  of  God,  and  then  the  soul  responds,  I  believe ; 
or,  I  know ;  for  faith  substantiates  the  unseen. 
Faith  is  the  most  absolute  and  certain  knowledge. 
Join,  oh  sorrowful  and  doubting  believers  who  love 
God,  the  great  company  of  your  fellow-sufferers,  and 
say,  We  know !  Hear  the  apostle  Paul.  Who  ever 
suffered  more  ?  and  yet  there  is  no  hesitation  in  his 

voice.    A.  S. Work  together.    The  bosom  of 

Providence  is  the  great  moral  crucible  in  which 
things  work,  in  which  they  work  together.  Tbey  as- 
similate, repel,  interpenetrate,  change  each  other; 
and  then  leave,  a^  moral  result,  one  grand  influence 
in  the  main  for  each  character,  for  each  man.  The 
innumerable  things  that  mingle  in  that  crucible,  if 
taken  separately,  would  be  seen  working  to  separate 
and  diverse  results ;  as,  indeed,  they  still  do  in  a 
measure,  within  the  sphere  of  the  all-commanding 
influence.  But  the  one  master  influence  now  rules 
the  whole  process,  and  so  combines  the  specific  ele- 
ments as  to  perpetuate  and  increase  its  own  sway. 


SECTION'  U7.— ROMANS  8  :  28-39. 


241 


"  All  things  work  together,"  not  in  an  aimless  and 
capricioi^s  manner,  for  this  end  and  for  that,  now  in 
one  way  and  now  in  another,  as  though  a  stream 
should  one  day  flow  seaward,  and  the  next  back 
toward  its  fountain  among  the  hills,  but  in  one  vol- 
ume, along  one  channel,  in  one  direction,  toward  one 

end.     A.  K. Things  work  together  for  good,  it  is 

said ;  and  work  implies  time,  and  a  lengthened  pro- 
cess, trial  and  waiting,  till,  like  the  harvest  from  the 
ground,  or  the  cloth  from  the  loom,  the  long  opera- 
tion is  perfected.  To  judge  hastily  of  God's  deal- 
ings, ere  his  purposes  are  wrought  out,  would  be 
like  threshing  a  half-grown  wheat-field,  and  being 
disappointed  at  finding  no  grain.  Things  now  may 
seem  very  much  against  us ;  disaster  may  have  met 
all  our  plans,  and  they  may  lie  in  the  dust,  though 
we  made  them  with  prayer  for  divine  guidance.  But 
have  we  seen  the  end  ?  Wait  for  God,  and  satisfy- 
ing views  will  break  upon  our  eyes  in  the  better 
world,  when  they  are  opened  to  see  the  reason  of 
God's  dealings  with  us,  and  how  he  has  made  all 
work  together  for  our  good.     Lewis. 

If  we  love  God,  this  is  the  position — surely,  al- 
though we  are  not  accustomed  to  apply  grand  epi- 
thets to  such  things,  yet,  surely,  in  sober  earnest- 
ness, a  splendid  position — that  "  all  things  work 
together  for  our  good."  If  we  love  him,  not  in  any 
strained  or  passionate  manner,  but  with  simple 
childlike  love,  trusting  in  his  kindly  providence, 
looking  up  in  his  face,  keeping  his  commandments, 
talking  with  him  in  our  busy  thoughts  and  in  our 
daily  prayers,  filling  life  with  his  presence  as  is  the 
habit  of  love  with  its  objects,  then — all  will  be  well. 
Will  be  ?  All  is  well.  Those  working  "  things," 
the  strength  and  pressure  of  which  we  never  could 
resist  if  we  met  them  simply  in  our  own  strength, 
the  mystery  of  which  we  never  could  fathom,  the 
darkness  of  which  is  sometimes  terrible — let  them 
work  together  and  enter  into  all  possible  combina- 
tions, and  expend  their  last  energies,  they  can  pro- 
duce nothing  but  good  to  us.  A.  R. To  a  be- 
lieving soul  there  is  something  wonderfully  sweet  in 
viewing  all  his  trials,  troubles,  afflictions,  tempta- 
tions, desertions,  spiritual  conflicts,  ups  and  downs 
of  every  kind,  as  ordered  of  God  for  his  good ;  de- 
creed to  come  upon  him  just  at  such  a  time  and 
place  as  his  heavenly  Father's  wisdom  sees  fit  and 
meet !  to  remain  with  him  just  so  long,  and  not  a 
single  moment  longer  than  till  they  shall  have  an- 
swered some  salutary  purpose  for  his  soul's  good ; 
that,  however  sore  and  grievous  these  things  may  be 
to  flesh  and  blood,  however  thwarting  to  his  own 
will  and  wishes,  yea,  however  contrary  to  what  he 
would  judge  to  be  for  his  spiritual  welfare,  yet  he 
who  "ordereth  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his 
own  will "  causeth  them  to  work  together  for  his 
good ;  and  that  they  are  all  the  effects  and  emana- 
16 


tions  of  infinite  wisdom,  infinite  love,  and  infinite 
power,  united  to  accomplish  his  salvation  in  the  way 
that  shall  be  best  for  him,  and  most  for  his  heavenly 
Father's  glory.     Hill. 

The  called.  No  one  that  knows  anything 
aright  of  the  dreadfully  alienated  state  of  our  na- 
ture can  for  a  moment  believe  that  a  condition  of 
the  soul  in  which  the  love  of  God  should  prevail 
can  be  produced,  created,  by  any  less  cause  than 
the  sovereign  operation  of  the  divine  Spirit ;  in  oth- 
er words,  by  an  effectual  "  calling."  This,  then,  is 
the  sacred  train  and  process  ;  the  ancient,  unalter- 
able intention  or  '■'purpose,"  fulfilled  at  length  in 
"  the  calling  according  to  that  purpose"  and  this 
"  calling  "  being  an  inspiration  of  "  the  love  of  God" 
into  the  renewed  soul.  And  this  places  the  soul  in 
a  new  system  of  relations  with  the  world  and  its 
events,  and  that  the  most  advantageous  one  that  is 
possible.     J.  F. 

29,  30.  Majestic  affirmations  of  assurance, 
assurance  answering  to  assurance,  rising  and  gath- 
ering power  as  it  rolls  on,  each  clause  coming 
with  the  certainty  of  a  decree,  solemn  at  once  and 

jubilant.     F.  D.  H. The  great  perfected  mystery 

of  sanctification  in  Christ  itself  steps  back  into  the 
mystery  of  regeneration  and  of  justification  by 
faith,  and  that  again  into  the  mystery  of  redemp- 
tion, and  that  into  the  unfathomable  depths  of  the 
mystery  of  God's  love.  These  steps  are  traced  in 
the  forward  direct  order  by  Paul's  logic  thus :  fore- 
knowledge, predestination  unto  conformity  to  the 
image  of  God's  dear  Son,  calling,  justification,  glori- 
fication. John  in  the  Apocalypse  sets  us  down  at 
the  last  step,  glorification,  without  fault  before  the 
throne  of  God.     G.  B.  C. 

He  did  foreknow.  God's  foreknowledge  is  not 
for  me,  but  for  himself.  While  I  feel  that  grace 
which  bringeth  salvation  and  the  sanctification  of 
the  Spirit  in  me,  I  am  sealed  for  heaven ;  and  where 
is  the  man  who  is  forbidden  to  apply  for  the  same 
blessing  ?  They  are  quite  mistaken  who  imagine 
themselves  excluded  by  the  divine  prescience.  I 
can  only  know  whether  I  am  the  choice  of  God  by 
God's  being  my  choice,  and  by  having  the  mark  of 
my  election  in  my  regeneration,  and  the  proof  of 
my  regeneration  in  the  uprightness  of  my  conduct. 
I  do  not  desire  to  search  into  the  divine  decrees,  but 
I  want  to  see  that  the  Saviour's  image  is  engraven 
on  the  tablet  of  my  renewed  mind   in  characters 

indelible  as  eternity.     B.  Hill. Effectual  calling 

is  inseparably  tied  to  this  eternal  foreknowledge  or 
election  on  the  one  side,  and  salvation  on  the  other. 
These  two  links  of  the  chain  are  up  in  heaven  in 
God's  own  hand ;  but  this  middle  one  is  let  down 
to  earth  into  the  hearts  of  his  children,  and  they, 
laying  hold  on  it,  have  sure  hold  on  the  other  two, 
for  no  power  can  sever  them;  if,  therefore,  they 


242 


SECTION  SJ,7.— ROMANS  8  :  28-39. 


can  read  the  characters  of  God's  image  in  their  own 
souls,  those  are  the  counterpart  of  the  golden  char- 
acters of  his  love,  in  which  their  names  are  written 
in  the  booli  of  life.  Their  believing  writes  their 
names  under  the  promises  of  the  revealed  book  of 
life  the  Scriptures,  and  so  ascertains  them  that  the 
same  names  are  in  the  secret  book  of  life  that  God 
hath  by  himself  from  eternit}'.  So,  finding  the 
stream  of  grace  in  their  hearts,  though  they  see  not 
the  fountain  whence  it  flows,  nor  the  ocean  into 
which  it  returns,  yet  they  know  that  it  hath  its 
source,  and  shall  return  to  that  ocean  which  ariseth 
from  their  eternal  election,  and  shall  empty  itself 
into  that  eternity  of  happiness  and  salvation.  Hence 
much  joy  ariseth  to  the  believer ;  this  tie  is  indis- 
solvable,  as  the  agents  are,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and 
the  Spirit.  So  are  election,  and  vocation,  and  sancti- 
fication,  and  justification,  and  ghry.  Therefore  in 
all  conditions  believers  may,  from  the  sense  of  the 
working  of  the  Spirit  in  them,  look  back  to  that 
election  and  forward  to  that  salvation.     L. 

31.  The  first  eight  chapters  of  Eoraans  embrace 
Paul's  great  argument  of  the  epic  of  redemption. 
It  traces  human  ruin  and  human  salvation  until,  at 
8 :  30,  the  whole  scheme,  crowned  with  glorification, 
stands  like  a  grand  structure,  and  the  apostle  com- 
mences a  pa;an  with.  What  shall  we  say  to  these 

things  ?     Wlieedon. If  God  be  for  us.     Our 

divine  ally,  the  King  of  kings,  is  our  intercessor; 
the  omniscient  Spirit  is  our  teacher ;  and  we  are  in- 
vited to  counsel  with  Divine  wisdom,  and  to  stay 
ourselves  on  the  arm  of  Creative  power.  Yet  how 
do  we  narrow  down  the  magnificence  of  the  divine 
promises,  and  compress  the  hopes,  large  and  grand, 
offered  by  the  gospel,  into  some  petty  and  pitiful 
request,  that  as  we  imagine  bespeaks  Christian 
humility,  but  in  truth  displays  unbelief.  "What ! 
when  God  is  for  us,  is  it  not  most  guilty  to  hesitate 
and  linger  in  minor  and  facile  enterprises  ?  The 
greatness  of  the  God  we  serve  demands  on  our  part 
a  large  and  manly,  a  far-sighted  and  far-reaching 
faith.    W.  R.  W. 

32.  The  boundless  extent  of  his  understanding, 
which  comprehended  the  full  dimensions  of  sin  and 
of  wrath,  was  the  sole  cause  of  Christ's  deep  and 
unparalleled  distress.  It  was  not  the  shame  nor  the 
torment  of  the  Cross  that  afflicted  him  ;  but  his  soul, 
if  I  may  be  allowed  the  expression,  was  crucified 
more  than  his  body ;  his  heart  had  sharper  nails  to 
pierce  it  than  his  hands  or  his  feet ;  in  his  body  he 
felt  the  rage  and  cruelty  of  his  murderers,  but  in 
his  soul  he  felt  sufferings  of  a  more  exquisite  nature. 
Then  he  bore  the  griefs  and  carried  the  sorrows  of 
all  his  people ;  then  he  felt  not  the  sins  only,  but 
the  wounds  also,  of  every  broken  heart ;  the  tor- 
ments of  his  martyrs,  the  reproaches  of  his  saints, 
the  poverty,  distresses,  and  persecutions,  which  any, 


which  all  of  them,  have  felt,  or  shall  feel,  till  the 
last  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  he  shall  come  again  in 
his  glory.  Thus  God  spared  not  his  own  Son ;  to 
these  inconceivable  sufferings  was  the  Lord  of  life 

delivered.     R.  W. As  we  are  the  objects  of  that 

love  which  God  hath  commended  to  us  in  his  Son,  it 
follows  that  no  bounds  can  be  set  to  our  happiness 
— that  there  is  no  treasure  too  rich  in  the  mines  of 
the  blessed  God,  no  duration  too  long  in  eternity,  no 
communion  with  the  Creator  too  close,  too  intimate, 
too  tender,  which  we  have  not  a  right  to  expect ;  ac- 
cording to  that  comfortable,  that  ecstatic  maxim  of 
the  apostle  :  "  He  who  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but 
freely  delivered  him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not 
with  him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  ?  "     Saurin. 

33.  When  "  the  everlasting  covenant"  was 
planned  between  the  three  persons  in  the  glorious 
and  coequal  Trinity,  it  was  "  ordered  in  all  things, 
and  sure  " ;  all  the  spiritual  seed  were  then  chosen 
in  Christ,  their  head ;  and  grace  was  given  them  in 
him  as  members  of  bis  mystical  body.  All  the  sins 
that  ever  they  should  commit,  with  every  aggrava- 
tion with  which  they  should  be  swelled,  were  taken 
into  the  account :  payment  was  then  virtually  made ; 
and  it  was  actually  made  when  Jesus  hung  on  the 
accursed  tree ;  and  all  the  powers  of  earth  and  hell 
combined  can  never  charge  one  sin  upon  the  soul 
for  whom  it  was  so  paid  and  accepted.  For  "  who 
shall  lay  anything  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  ? " 

Hill. It  is  Paul's  challenge  to  the  universe.  Nay, 

rather,  it  is  the  Holy  Spirit's  challenge.  It  is  un- 
answerable even  now ;  for  from  the  first  moment 
that  we  believed,  we  were  entitled  to  take  it  up.  It 
is  a  challenge  which  God  himself  puts  into  our  lips, 
and  he  will  acknowledge  it.  In  our  believing  we 
set  our  amen  to  his  testimony ;  and  in  his  giving  us 
this  challenge,  he  is  setting  his  amen  to  our  faith. 
Nay,  not  only  will  he  own  it,  but  he  will  take  it  up 
out  of  our  lips,  and  himself  proclaim  it  through  the 
universe,  "Who  shall  lay  anything  to  the  charge  of 
my  elect  ?  "     Bonar. 

34.  It  is  Christ  that  died  for  us,  to  take  away 
our  sins,  and  is  risen  again  for  us,  to  clothe  us  in 
his  righteousness,  and  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of 
God  ever  making  intercession  for  us,  that  we  may 
be  supported  under  every  trial  and  danger,  strength- 
ened against  every  temptation,  delivered  from  the 
sin  of  unbelief  and  all  other  sins,  girt  with  the  right- 
eousness of  faith  and  crowned  with  all  the  graces 
which  spring  from  faith,  and  at  length  may  be  re- 
ceived into  the  presence  of  the  Father,  into  which 

our  elder  brother  has  entered  before  us.    Hare. 

It  is  a  point  which  should  move  us  to  great  joy  and 
holy  pride,  that  we  are  so  honored  above  all  creatures, 
yea,  above  the  angels,  that  we  can  now  truthfully 
say  with  exultation :  My  flesh  and  blood  sitteth  at 
the  right  hand  of  God,  reigrung  with  power  over  all, 


SECTION  21f[.— ROMANS  8  :  S8-39. 


243 


and  having  all  in  his  hand.  This  honor  hath  no 
creature,  nor  any  angel,  but  my  flesh  and  blood. 

j   Luther. Thou  shalt  find  life  in  his  death,  and 

(   that  life  further  ascertained  to  thee  in  his  rising 

!   again.     There  is  so  full  and  clear  a  title  to  life  in 

I    these  two,  that  thou  canst  challenge  all  adversaries 

I    upon   this    very   ground,   as   unconquerable   while 

i   thou  standcst  on  it.     In  point  of  justifying  before 

God,  there  can  be  no  answer  but  this :  What  have 

any  to  say  to  thee  ?  thy  debt  is  paid  by  Him  that 

undertook  it.      Answer  all   accusations  with  this, 

Christ  is  risen. 

35.  Is  this  he  that  so  lately  cried  out.  Oh, 
wretched  man  that  I  am!  who  shall  deliver  me?  that 
now  triumphs.  Oh,  happy  man !  tvho  shall  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  Chrint?  Yes,  it  is  the  same. 
Pained  then  with  the  thoughts  of  that  miserable 
conjunction  with  a  body  of  death,  and  so  crying  out, 
"Who  will  deliver  ?  Now  he  hath  found  a  deliverer 
to  do  that  for  him,  to  whom  he  is  for  ever  united. 
So  vast  a  difference  is   there  betwixt  a  Christian 

taken  in  himself  and  in  Christ.     L. The  question 

may  be  termed  the  strongest  possible  form  of  denial, 
and  by  it  must  be  understood,  not  our  love  to  Christ, 
but  his  to  us.  The  foundation  of  such  conviction 
can  not  rest  on  the  attachment  and  fidelity  of  his  fol- 
lowers. But  a  firm  basis  of  tranquillity  is  offered  in 
the  love  of  Christ  himself,  which  in  its  nature  is  a 
free,  unconstrained,  eternal  affection.  From  this 
love  nothing  can  separate  us,  because  it  is  all-power- 
ful, all-embracing,  finally  all  -  conquering.  That 
which  would  separate  from  him,  namely,  the  power 
of  the  world  and  of  sin,  can  not  permanently  keep 
its  ground  in  the  heart  and  life  of  the  Christian,  in 
whom,  indeed,  the  old  man  yet  lives,  but  as  a  dying 
creature.  Can  words  be  found  to  express  adequate- 
ly the  consolation  which  such  thoughts  impart  ? 
Van  0. 

36.  That  which  makes  a  man  die  with  true 
courage  and  step  with  holy  boldness  into  the  grave 
ia  believingly  to  remember  that  Jesus  Christ  died 
and  lay  in  the  grave,  not  only  before  us,  but  for  us, 
and  that  he  hath  worsted  and  conquered  that  king 
of  terrors  upon  his  own  ground,  the  grave.     Caryl. 

37.  Be  humble  and  depend  on  the  strength  of 
Christ ;  seek  to  be  furnished  with  much  distrust  of 
thyself  and  much  trust  in  him,  with  much  denial  of 
thyself  and  much  love  to  him ;  and  this  preparing 
and  training  of  the  heart  will  prove  useful  when 
brought  to  a  real  conflict.  In  all,  both  beforehand 
and  in  time  of  the  trial,  make  thy  Lord  Jesus  all 
thy  strength ;  that  is  our  only  way  in  all  to  be  con- 
querors, to  he  more  than  conquerors,  through  him 
that  loved  us. 

38.  39.  Remember  this  for  your  comfort,  that 
as  you  are  brought  unto  God  by  Jesus  Christ,  so 
you  are  kept  in  that  union  by  him.     It  is  a  firmer 


knot  than  the  first  was ;  there  is  no  power  of  hell  can 
dissolve  it.  He  suffered  once  to  bring  us  once  unto 
God,  never  to  depart  again  ;  as  he  suffered  once  for 
all,  so  we  are  brought  once  for  all.  We  may  be 
sensibly  nearer  at  one  time  than  another,  yet  we 
can  never  be  separate  nor  cut  off,  being  once  knit 
by  Christ  as  the  bond  of  our  union.  Neither  prin- 
cipalities nor  powers,  etc.,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  God,  because  it  holds  in  Christ  Jesus 

our  Lord.     L. It  is  plainly  the  design  of  the 

whole  section  to  show  that  the  afflictions  of  the 
present  time  are  not  inconsistent  with  the  justified 
state  of  Christians,  or  with  their  being  the  ob- 
jects of  the  peculiar  affection  of  God  and  of  Christ. 
And  there  is  no  trace  of  the  supposed  transition 
from  God's  love  to  us  to  our  love  to  God.  The  love 
of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  admits  fairly  no  other  mean- 
ing than  the  love  of  God  manifested  to  us  through 
the  mediation  of  Christ.     J.  B. 


And  thus  the  mighty  argument  is  brought  to  an 
end.  The  remainder  of  the  Epistle  is  spent  in  the 
determination  of  various  points  of  interest  as  related 
to  the  position  of  Jew  and  Gentile,  in  God's  deal- 
ings, and  in  the  Church  of  the  time.  Meanwhile, 
however,  the  great  argument  is  supplemented  by  the 
views  of  God's  wisdom  and  love,  and  does  not  reach 
its  final  conclusion  till  chapter  12,  where  the  apostle 
gathers  up  all  in  general  exhortations,  grounded  on 
this  review  of  God's  mercies  to  Jew  and  Gentile.  A. 

Paul  has  shown  (chs.  6,  7)  that  believers  are 
bound  up  with  Christ  in  his  death,  burial,  and  res- 
urrection ;  and  that  this  union,  delivering  them  alike 
from  legal  terror  and  from  legal  hope,  induces  new 
and  loving  obedience.  They  become  dead  to  the 
law  by  the  body  of  Christ,  that  in  union  or  marriage 
to  him  as  their  risen  Lord  and  life  they  may  live 
and  bear  fruit  unto  God.  So  the  apostle  establishes 
that  sanctification  as  well  as  justification  is  by  the 
grace  of  God  only,  not  through  bondage  to  the  law, 
but  through  union  to  Christ  in  liberty.  Then,  in 
the  sublime  and  animated  strain  of  the  eighth  chap- 
ter, he  expatiates  on  the  safety  of  those  who  are  in 
Christ,  the  indwelling  and  witness  of  the  Spirit  of 
adoption,  the  hope  of  glorious  resurrection,  the  se- 
curity of  salvation  in  the  purpose  and  calling  of 
God,  the  reality  of  his  act  of  justification,  and  the 
immutability  of  his  love  in  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 
So  ends  the  first  part  of  the  Epistle.  Its  key-words 
are  those  formed  from  dike — right,  righteousness, 
righteous  judgment,  just,  justify,  justification.  Ap- 
prehending these  terms,  we  grasp  the  cardinal  truth 
of  salvation  which  the  apostle  inculcates,  viz.,  that 
while  the  law  of  God  condemns,  God  freely  justi- 
fies us  through  faith  in  Christ  the  propitiation  for 
our  sins,  and  in  union  with  him  as  our  crucified 
and  buried  but  now  risen  Saviour.     D.  F. 


244  SECTION  2Jt8.— ROMAN'S  9  : 1-29. 


Section  248. 

Romans  ix.  1-29. 

1  I  SAT  the  truth  in  Christ,  I  lie  not,  my  conscience  also  bearing  me  witness  in  the  Holy 

2  Ghost,  that  I  have  great  heaviness  and  continual  sorrow  in  my  heart.     For  I  could  wish 

3  that  myself  were  accursed  from  Christ  for  my  brethren,  my  kinsmen  according  to  the  flesh : 

4  who  are  Israelites;  to  whom  pertaineth  the  adoption,  and  the  glory,  and  the  covenants,  and 

5  the  giving  of  the  law,  and  the  service  of  Ood,  and  the  promises;  whose  are  the  fathers,  and 
of  whom  as  concerning  the  flesh  Christ  came,  who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  for  ever.     Amen. 

6  Not  as  though  the  word  of  God  hath  taken  none  eff'ect.     For  they  are  not  all  Israel, 

7  which  are  of  Israel :  neither,  because  they  are  the  seed  of  Abraham,  are  they  all  children : 

8  but.  In  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called.     That  is.  They  which  are  the  children  of  the  flesh, 
these  are  not  the  children  of  God:  but  the  children  of  the  promise  are  counted  for  the 

9  seed.     For  this  is  the  word  of  promise.  At  this  time  will  I  come,  and  Sarah  shall  have  a  son. 

10  And  not  only  this ;  but  when  Rebecca  also  had  conceived  by  one.  even  by  our  father  Isaac; 

11  (for  the  children  being  not  yet  born,  neither  having  done  any  good  or  evil,  that  the  purpose 

12  of  God  according  to  election  miglit  stand,  not  of  works,  but  of  him  that  calleth  ;)  it  was 

13  said  unto  her.  The  elder  shall  serve  the  younger.     As  it  is  written,  Jacob  have  I  loved,  but 

14  Esau  have  I  hated.     What  shall  we  say  then?     Is  there  unrighteousness  with  God?     God 

15  forbid.    For  he  saith  to  Moses,  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have  mercy,  and  I  will 

16  have  compassion  on  whom  I  will  have  compassion.     So  then  it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth, 

17  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  sheweth  mercy.  For  the  Scripture  saith  unto 
Pharaoh,  Even  for  this  same  purpose  liave  I  raised  thee  up,  that  I  might  sliew  my  power  in 

18  thee,  and  that  my  name  might  be  declared  throughout  all  the  earth.     Therefore  hath  he 

19  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth.     Thou  wilt  say  then 

20  unto  me,  Why  doth  he  yet  find  fault  ?  For  who  hath  resisted  his  will  ?  Nay  but,  O  man, 
who  art  thou  that  repliest  against  God?     Shall  the  thing  formed  say  to  him  that  formed  it, 

21  Why  hast  thou  made  me  thus?  Hath  not  the  potter  power  over  the  clay,  of  the  same  lump 
to  make  one  vessel  unto  honour,  and  another  unto  dishonour? 

22  What  if  God,  willing  to  shew  Ms  wrath,  and  to  make  his  power  known,  endured  with  much 

23  longsuffering  the  vessels  of  wrath  fitted  to  destruction :  and  that  he  might  make  known  the 

24  riches  of  his  glory  on  the  vessels  of  mercy,  which  he  had  afore  prepared  unto  glory,  even 

25  us,  whom  he  hath  called,  not  of  the  Jews  only,  but  also  of  the  Gentiles?  As  he  saith  also 
in  Osee,  I  will  call  them  my  people,  which  were  not  my  people;  and  her  beloved,  which  was 

26  not  beloved.     And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  in  the  place  where  it  was  said  unto  them.  Ye  are 

27  not  my  people ;  there  shall  they  be  called  the  children  of  the  living  God.  Esaias  also  crieth 
concerning  Israel,  Though  the  number  of  the  children  of  Israel  be  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  a 

28  remnant  shall  be  saved :  for  he  will  finish  the  work,  and  cut  it  short  in  righteousness : 

29  because  a  short  work  will  the  Lord  make  upon  the  earth.  And  as  Esaias  said  before,  Ex- 
cept the  Lord  of  Sabaoth  had  left  us  a  seed,  we  had  been  as  Sodoma,  and  been  made  like 
unto  Gomorrha. 

When  once  we  understand  that  the  Jews  are  the  types  of  mankind  ;  when  each  one  of  us  shall  consider 
what  has  been  done  to  the  Jewish  people  as  if  it  had  been  done  to  himself;  when  we  shall  be  able  to  see 
ourselves  in  the  person  of  Israel,  delivered  from  Egypt  with  a  strong  hand,  crossing  the  Red  Sea,  miracu- 
lously fed  in  the  desert,  introduced  by  force  of  arm  into  Canaan,  alternately  rebellious  and  penitent,  hum- 
bled and  elevated,  at  war  with  the  inflexibility  of  a  perfect  law  and  at  the  same  time  the  object  of  ineffa- 
ble solicitude,  it  will  no  longer  be  possible  for  us  to  beUeve  that  this  people  has  existed  in  vain,  or  that 
we  owe  nothing  to  this  people,  or  that  we  could  have  dispensed  with  it.  And  then  collecting  in  our  mind 
all  these  truths  at  once,  each  saying  to  himself :  The  history  of  this  people  is  my  history,  the  history  of 
this  people  is  the  history  of  God ;  this  people  carried  in  its  bosom,  as  a  mother  does,  that  other  chosen  and 
blessed  people  whom  Jesus  Christ  on  coming  into  the  world  found  ready  to  receive  him ;  the  Jewish  peo- 
ple foretold  the  great  truths  which  prepare  for  receiving  gospel  truth  ;  the  Jewish  people  was  the  first  and 
necessary  propagation  of  the  gospel ;  the  Jewish  people  at  the  commencement  of  Christianity  could  alone 
bear  witness  to  Jesus  Christ ;  the  Jewish  people  choosing  or  rejecting  him,  is  the  immortal  witness  of  the 
Saviour ;  a  Christian  after  having  considered  all  these  things  will  have  no  repugnance  to  repeat,  Salvation, 
my  own  salvation,  is  of  the  Jews !     A.  V.  j 


SECTION  2Jt8.— ROMANS  9  :  l-i 


245 


1-3.  In  the  close  of  the  eighth  chapter  of 
Romans  theology  reaches  its  culmination.  That  is 
a  height  where  all  that  the  mind  can  know  of  God 
and  his  ways  is  seen  in  the  longest  perspective  and 
most  celestial  clearness.  But  there  is  flowing  in  the 
hfeart  of  the  apostle  a  current  of  sympathy  with 
I  men,  which  overbears  in  another  moment  all  the 
I  tide  of   rapturous  anticipation  which   the  view  of 

!  God's  purposes  had  kindled.  "  I  have  great  heavi- 
ness and  continual  sorrow  in  my  heart — for  my 
brethren."  Certainly  that  is  the  spirit  which  all 
who  have  the  responsibilities  of  public  service  for 
Christ  should  seek.  It  is  said  that  Augustine  had 
for  his  symbol  a  burning  heart.  If  to  a  burning 
there  could  be  appropriately  added  a  suggestion  of  a 
bleeding  heart,  we  should  have  the  comprehensive 
Christian  symbol.  A  measure  of  the  seraphic  glow 
of  the  eighth  chapter  of  Romans  is  permitted  to  us, 
if  our  minds  are  lifted  to  that ;  but  should  not  our 
cry  be,  that  we  may  never  be  without  the  concern, 
without  something  of  the  pang  of  love  for  our 
brother-men,  which  we  see  in  the  ninth  chapter? 
Karr. 

3.  "  I  could  have  wished."     J.  B.  L. 1  could 

wish,  if  such  a  thing  were  possible,  to  be  separated 
from  Christ  and  bear  the  curse,  in  order  thereby  to 
rescue  my  nation.  That  was  out  of  the  question,  for 
only  Christ  could  undertake  to  bear  penal  sufferings 
in  the  room  of  others.  It  displays,  however,  the  mag- 
nitude of  his  love.  (Ex.  32 :  32,  Moses  felt  the  same.) 
He  would  willingly  have  endured  anything,  however 

terrible,  in  order  to  save   them.      Barth. Paul 

saw  a  cloud  filled  with  wrath — a  black  cloud  of  vin- 
dicatory justice  affecting  the  eternal  interests  of  his 
countrymen — ready  to  burst  upon  their  heads ;  he 
saw  many  of  them  sealed  up  under  the  terrible 
judgment  of  judicial  blindness,  and  this  it  was  which 
racked  his  heart  with  agony,  and  drew  forth  his 
thrilling  expressions  of  sympathy  and  grief.  He 
envied  not  the  Gentiles ;  on  the  contrary,  he  makes 
their  calling  and  conversion  matters  of  solemn  dox- 
ology  and  thanksgiving  to  God ;  but  he  did  lament, 
deeply  and  sorely  lament,  that  so  many  of  his  coun- 
trymen were  cut  off  from  the  hopes  of  eternal  life. 
J.  H.  T. 

4,  5.  Judaism  is  the  parent  of  Christianity. 
The  new  system  sprang  up  on  the  soil  of  the  old, 
and  could  spring  up  nowhere  else.  There  were  "  the 
oracles  of  God  " ;  there  were  the  Messianic  promises, 
and  the  aspirations  kindled  by  them,  in  a  form  that 
made  it  possible  for  the  Messiah  to  arise,  with 
a  full  consciousness  of  his  calling,  and  to  be  rec- 
ognized by  others.  The  peculiarity  lies  in  the  or- 
ganic relation  of  the  parts  of  the  earlier  Revelation 
to  each  other,  and  the  collective  relation  of  the  whole 
of  them  to  the  gospel.  Hence,  the  earliest  adhe- 
rents of  the  Christian  faith  by  whom  it  was  first 


propagated  in  the  world,  its  authoritative  expound- 
ers for  all  time,  were  of  Jewish  extraction.  The 
privilege  conferred  on  the  Jews,  in  the  special  train- 
ing  to  which  they  were  subjected,  might,  if  abused, 
place  them  at  a  disadvantage  as  to  receiving  the 
good  news,  even  in  comparison  with  the  nations 
which  had  been  suffered  "to  walk  in  their  own 
ways."  "It  might  be,"  says  Dr.  Arnold,  "that 
they  were  tempted  by  their  very  distinctness  to  de- 
spise other  nations ;  still  they  did  God's  work — still 
they  preserved  unhurt  the  seed  of  eternal  life,  and 
were  the  ministers  of  blessing  to  all  other  nations, 
even  though  themselves  failed  to  enjoy  it."    G.  P.  F. 

This  people,  to  whom  were  intrusted  the  oracles 

of  God,  carries  in  its  mind,  solemnizes  in  its  rites, 
reflects  in  its  manners,  the  elementary  ideas  on 
which  the  gospel  is  founded ;  alone  among  the  na- 
tions it  believes,  seriously  and  effectually  believes, 
that  God  is,  and  that  he  is  the  rewarder  of  them 
that  seek  him.  These  truths,  which  are  the  patri- 
mony of  this  people,  it  has  in  its  different  disper- 
sions carried  with  it  over  the  world.  It  has  sown 
them  in  the  land  of  the  heathen.  Despised  as  it 
was,  it  has  succeeded  in  accustoming  the  nations  to 
the  idea,  the  unheard-of  idea,  of  one  living  and  holy 
God.  This  was  essentially  to  prepare  them  for  Jesus 
Christ.  And  when  Christianity,  after  having  col- 
lected in  Judea  all  that  belonged  to  it,  makes  ready 
to  conquer  Europe,  beginning  with  the  ancient  king- 
dom of  that  Alexander  who  conquered  Asia,  it  finds 
over  the  whole  Roman  world  advanced  posts,  cita- 
dels, intrenched  camps  in  those  portions  of  Israel, 
in  those  Jewish  colonies  which  Divine  Providence 
had  scattered  up  and  down  upon  the  earth,  and 
which  uniformly  became  the  first  Christian  Churches. 
A.  V. 

5.  Who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  for 
ever.  What  is  that  subtle  approach  of  doctrine 
injurious  to  Christ  which  these  words  of  Paul  do 
not  bar  out  ?  He  called  him  Christ,  to  show  that  he 
had  really  become  man ;  he  called  him  "  of  the  Jews 
after  the  flesh,"  to  show  that  his  existence  does  not 
merely  date  from  his  incarnation;  he  called  him 
"  who  is  "  that  he  might  proclaim  as  in  thunder  his 
existence  without  a  beginning ;  he  called  him  "  over 
all,"  to  proclaim  him  the  Master  of  creation ;  he 
called  him  God,  that  we  might  not  be  deceived  by 
looking  to  his  sufferings  and  his  outward  form, 
and  deny  his  imperishable  nature;  he  called  him 
"  blessed,"  that  we  might  adore  him  as  the  Almighty, 
and  not  injuriously  regard  him  as  a  fellow-servant ; 
he  called  him  "  unto  the  ages,"  that  he  might  show 
that  he  who  formed  them  by  a  word  is  in  them  end- 
lessly proclaimed  as  God.    Proclus. 

7,  8.  The  Old  Testament  is  the  first  chapter  of 
the  history  of  man  and  the  history  of  God.  The 
experience  of  the  Jews  is  our  experience.    It  is  for 


246 


SECTION  SJ^.— ROMANS  9  : 1-29. 


U3  that  we  see  this  people  alternately  gathered  to- 
gether and  forsaken,  scourged  and  blest.  Not  that 
they  are  not  loved  for  themselves,  and  for  the 
fathers'  sakes,  as  Paul  says ;  but  in  the  marvelous 
guidance  of  this  people  God  was  preparing  an  im- 
mortal lesson  for  the  whole  human  race.  Not  only 
the  doctrine  preached  to  the  Jewish  people,  but 
more  especially  their  history  constitutes  the  trea- 
sure of  all  ages  and  nations ;  because  as  history,  it 
not  only  teaches,  it  establishes  what  God  is  and  what 
man  is,  to  what  extent  God's  authority  is  absolute 
and  his  law  sacred  ;  and,  in  fine,  it  establishes  the 
active,  determinate,  and  paternal  manner  in  which 
God  constantly  interposes  in  human  affairs.     A.  V. 

13-17.  As  all  that  we  are  comes  from  Him,  so 
we  belong  to  hira  without  exception  or  reserve.  The 
senses  of  our  bodies,  the  powers  of  our  souls,  the 
successive  ages  of  life,  thought,  feeling,  resolve,  all 
are  His.  He  is  absolute  master  of  our  health,  of 
our  fortune,  of  our  very  life,  and  against  him  we 
have  neither  plea  nor  remedy.  Nay,  we  are  bound 
by  the  terms  of  existence  to  accept  with  submission 
all  of  his  appointments.  Paul's  illustration  of  the 
cases  of  Pharoah  and  Esau,  as  viewed  apart  from 
their  responsibility,  is  strictly  in  point.  God's  claims, 
which  begin  in  time,  continue  in  eternity ;  the  grave 
does  not  touch  them.  Escape  him  we  can  not.  We 
must  live  under  a  dispensation  of  his  love  or  a  dis- 
pensation of  his  justice.  We  can  nowhere  be  inde- 
pendent of  him.  We  may  now  and  here  choose  be- 
tween a  free  and  joyous  service  and  a  punishment 
which  is  as  certain  and  as  enduring  as  the  being 
which  he  has  given  us.     H.  P.  L. 

15.  The  Israelites,  immediately  after  the  giving 
of  the  law,  had  committed  idolatry  or  exposed  them- 
selves to  punishment.  Moses  besought  their  for- 
giveness. In  answer  to  his  prayer,  the  words  quoted 
here  were  used.  The  whole  nation  deserved  punish- 
ment. God  was  determined  to  inflict  it  on  some 
and  to  show  mercy  to  others ;  and  his  declaration 
is,  that  the  reason  why  any  are  pardoned,  and  why 
these  are  pardoned,  was  to  be  found  in  his  sovereign 
grace.  There  was  no  unrighteousness  here.  God 
gave  to  some  what  none  deserved,  and  he  inflicted 
on  none  anything  but  what  all  had  deserved,  and  he 
did  this  according  to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will. 
J.  B. If  God  is  a  sovereign,  he  is  not  an  arbi- 
trary despot ;  if  he  has  his  purposes  in  respect  to 
all  things — and  unquestionably  he  has — they  are 
formed  in  view  of  all-sufficient  reasons  every  way 
worthy  of  himself,  as  a  God  infinite  in  his  wisdom 
and  his  love.  He  may  bless  a  man  who  does  not 
deserve  his  blessing,  but  he  can  not  punish  a  man 
who  does  not  deserve  punishment.  The  sovereign 
grace  of  God !  What  being  in  the  universe  does  it 
injure,  or  what  obstacles  can  it  interpose  between 
any  man  and  eternal  life  ?     E.  M. 


16.  Many  ask  questions  about  election  and  other 
doctrines,  which  do  not  yet  come  within  their  hori- 
zon, and  therefore  can  not  be  explained  to  them  (to 
a  certain  extent,  true  of  us  all).  The  ninth  chapter 
of  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  as  Luther  said,  is 
the  ninth.     Learn  first  the  eight   chapters  which 

precede  it.     A.  S. The  Bible  teaches  that  man  is 

a  free  agent,  under  personal  responsibility;  that 
salvation  is  provided  for  all,  and  freely  offered  to 
all ;  that  God  desires  that  all  men  should  repent  and 
be  saved ;  that  he  uses  his  word,  his  providence,  and 
his  Spirit  to  bring  them  to  repentance ;  that  he  con- 
tinues his  calls  to  men  who  resist  his  grace,  though, 
as  in  the  case  of  Pharaoh,  his  very  long-suffering 
may  but  harden  the  sinner's  impenitence.  It  is  no 
positive  act  of  God  that  hardens  him,  no  divine  de- 
cree that  hinders  his  salvation,  but  the  sinner's  own 
refusal  to  submit  his  will  in  faith  to  the  righteous- 
ness of  God.  In  this  respect,  the  stubborn  impeni- 
tence of  Pharaoh,  alike  unto  divine  mercies  and 
judgments,  is  but  the  type  of  the  heart  of  man. 
Again  and  again  we  are  told  that  Pharaoh  hardened 
his  own  heart.  J.  P.  T. Conversion  and  salva- 
tion must,  in  the  very  nature  of  the  things,  be 
wrought  and  effected  either  by  ourselves  alone,  or 
by  ourselves  and  God  together,  or  solely  by  God 
himself.  The  last  hypothesis  is  built  on  the  strong- 
est evidence  of  reason,  Scripture,  and  experience. 
It  most  effectually  hides  pride  from  man,  and  sets 
the  crown  of  undivided  praise  upon  the  head — 
or,  rather,  casts  it  at  the  feet — of  that  glorious 
Triune  God  "  who  worketh  all  in  all."  But  this  is 
a  crown  which  no  sinners  ever  yet  cast  before  the 
throne  of  God  who  were  not  first  led  into  the  trans- 
porting views  of  his  gracious  decree  to  save  freely, 
and  of  his  own  will,  the  people  of  his  eternal  love. 
Zanchius. 

The  great  question  for  me,  as  one  for  whom 
Christ  died  and  to  whom  the  offer  of  eternal  life  is 
made,  a  being  responsible  to  God  and  to  my  own 
soul  for  every  decision  I  form  and  every  choice  I 
make  in  reference  to  my  everlasting  interests,  is. 
Am  I  willing  to  embrace  the  offer  of  eternal  life  which 
is  placed  before  me  ?  If  I  am  not,  it  is  not  God's 
purpose,  but  my  own  election  in  opposition  to  the 
will  and  commandment  of  God,  which  destroys  me 
body  and  soul  for  ever.  This  is  the  thought  to  be 
distinctly  apprehended,  and  which  should  be  thrown 
with  all  its  fearful  and  crushing  weight  upon  the 
conscience  of  every  man  who  has  not  accepted  of 

Jesus   Christ.     E.   M. In   the    16th   verse,   the 

showing  of  his  mercy  signifies  the  preventing  grace 
of  God  in  conversion;  for  in  the  18th  verse  it  is 
said,  God  shows  mercy  "  to  whom  he  will,  and  whom 
he  will  he  hardens."  Where  it  is  evident  that 
showing  mei-cy  is  opposed  not  to  condemning  but  to 
hardening;  and  consequently  the  intent  of  the  words 


SECTION  SJt9.— ROMANS  9  :  30-33  ;  10 : 1-13. 


247 


is  this,  that  divine  grace  overcomes  the  rebellious 
will,  softens  the  stiff  and  stubborn  heart,  and  makes 
it  pliant  to  obedience.  This  flows  from  his  pure 
good  will  and  pleasure,  without  the  least  motive 
from  the  inclinations  or  endeavors  of  sinful  men. 
But  the  other  effects  of  God's  mercy  require  con- 
ditions in  the  subjects  that  receive  them ;  for  he 
pardons  only  penitent  believers,  and  glorifies  none 
but  persevering  saints.     Bates. 

19-24.  The  force  of  the  objection  (v.  19) 
seems  to  be :  "  Since  God  can  refuse  mercy  and  in- 
flict punishment  on  whom  he  chooses  to  do  so,  why 
does  he  not  will  to  have  mercy  on  all,  so  as  to  make 
them  obedient,  and  thus  put  finding  of  fault  out  of 
the  case  ?  None  can  resist  his  will."  The  objec- 
tion is  answered  in  two  ways :  first,  by  showing  the 
absurdity  and  wickedness  of  man's  finding  fault 
with  what  God  does  or  says  (vs.  20,  21),  and  then 
by  showing  that  the  dispensations  objected  to  were 
perfectly  consistent  with  divine  justice  and  benig- 
nity (vs.  22-24).     J.  B. The  objection  is  founded 

on  ignorance  or  misapprehension  of  the  relation  be- 
tween God  and  his  sinful  creatures :  supposing  that 
he  is  under  obligation  to  extend  his  grace  to  all, 
whereas  he  is  under  obligation  to  none.  It  is  to  be 
borne  in  mind  that  Paul  does  not  here  speak  of 
God's  right  over  his  creatures  as  creatures,  but  as 
sinful  creatures ;  as  he  himself  clearly  intimates  in 
the  next  verses.  It  is  the  cavil  of  a  sinful  creature 
against  his  Creator  that  he  is  answering,  and  he 
does  so  by  showing  that  God  is  under  no  obligation 
to  give  his  grace  to  any,  but  is  as  sovereign  as  in 
fashioning  the  clay. 

22.  His  wrath  and  his  power.  The  two 
objects  which  Paul  here  specifies  as  designed  to  be 
answered  by  the  punishment  of  the  wicked  are  the 
manifestation  of  the  wrath  of  God  and  the  exhibi- 
tion of  his  power.  The  word  wrath  is  used  here,  as 
in  chapter  1  :  18,  for  the  divine  displeasure  against 
sin,  the  calm  and  holy  disapprobation  of  evil,  joined 
with  the  determination  to  punish  t'nose  who  commit 
it.    Though  the  inherent  ill  desert  of  sin  must  ever 


be  regarded  as  the  primary  ground  of  the  infliction  of 
punishment — a  ground  which  would  remain  in  full 
force  were  no  beneficial  results  anticipated  from  the 
misery  of  the  wicked — yet  God  has  so  ordered  his 
government  that  the  evils  which  sinners  incur  shall 
result  in  the  manifestation  of  his  character,  and 
the  consequent  promotion  of  the  holiness  and  hap- 
piness of  his  intelligent  creatures  throughout  eter- 
nity.    C.  H. 

All  the  godly  have  this  to  consider :  that  they 
were  strangers  and  enemies  to  God ;  and  let  each  of 
them  think.  Whence  was  it  that  I,  a  lump  cf  the  same 
polluted  clay  with  those  that  perish,  should  be  taken 
and  purified  and  molded  by  the  Lord's  own  hand  for 
a  vessel  of  glory  ?  Nothing  but  free  grace  makes 
the  difference ;  and  where  can  there  be  love  and 
praises  and  service  found  to  answer  this  ?  All  is 
to  be  ascribed  to  tlie  mercy,  gifts,  and  calling  of 
Christ.     L. 

25-29.  The  marked  difference  between  the  lan- 
guage used  in  reference  to  those  whom  God  treats 
kindly  and  those  whom  he  treats  severely  deserves 
notice.  With  regard  to  the  fitting  of  the  vessels  of 
wrath  for  destruction :  they  are  fitted — ^how  and  by 
whom  it  is  not  said,  but  God  did  not  fit  them  for 
the  destruction  to  which  he  doomed  them  as  fitted 
for  it.  In  the  other  case  it  is  divine  agency  alto- 
gether, in  fitting  them  for  glory,  and  bestowing  it  on 
them.  God  dealt  with  unbelieving  Jews  as  he  did 
with  Pharaoh,  whom  they  resembled  in  their  obsti- 
nacy. He  bore  with  them  long ;  he  offered  them 
mercy,  which  they  contemptuously  rejected.  When 
they  had  fitted  themselves  for  destruction,  they  were 
destroyed.  On  the  other  hand,  God  bestows  salva^ 
tion  on  a  portion  of  men  called  from  the  great  body 
of  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  fitted  by  his  grace  for  the 
enjoyment  of  it,  by  being  made  in  faith  thankfully 
to  accept  it.  In  withholding  saving  blessings  from 
certain  of  the  Jews,  he  does  them  no  wrong ;  and 
in  inflicting  on  them  severe  judgments,  he  only  at 
last  inflicts  punishment  which  had  long  been  in- 
curred.    J.  B. 


Section  249. 

Romans  ix.  30-33  ;  x.  1-13. 

30  What  shall  we  say  then  ?     That  the  Gentiles,  which  followed  not  after  righteousness, 

31  have  attained  to  righteousness,  even  the  righteousness  which  is  of  faith.  But  Israel,  which 
followed  after  the  law  of  righteousness,  hath  not  attained  to  the  law  of  righteousness. 

32  Wherefore?    Because  thexj  sought  it  not  by  faith,  but  as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the 

33  law.  For  they  stumbled  at  that  sturablingstone ;  as  it  is  written,  Behold,  I  lay  in  Sion 
a  stumblingstone  and  rock  of  offence:  and  whosoever  believeth  on  him  shall  not  be 
ashamed. 


248 


SECTION  2Jfi.— ROMANS  9  :  30-33;  10  : 1-13. 


1  Brethren,  my  heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  Israel  is,  that  they  might  be  saved. 

2  For  I  bear  them  record  that  they  have  a  zeal  of  God,  but  not  according  to  knowledge. 

3  For  they  being  ignorant  of  God's  righteousness,  and  going  about  to  establish  their  own 

4  ri"-hteousnes3,  have  not  submitted  themselves  unto  the  righteousness  of  God.     For  Christ 

5  is'ihQ  end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  belie veth.    For  Moses  describeth 
the  rio-hteousness  which  is  of  the  law.  That  the  man  which  doeth  those  things  shall  live  by 

6  them.     But  the  righteousness  which  is  of  faith  speaketh  on  this  wise,  Say  not  in  thine 
heart,   Who  shall  ascend   into  heaven  ?   (that  is,   to  bring  Christ  down  from  above :) 

7  or,  Av'ho  shall  descend  into  the  deep  ?  (that  is,  to  bring  up  Christ  again  from  the  dead.) 

8  But  what  saith  it?     The  word  is  nigh  thee,  even  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart:  that  is, 

9  the  word  of  faith,  which  we  preach ;  that  if  thou  shalt  confess  with  thy  moutli  tlie  Lord 
Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in  thine  heart  that  God  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be 

10  saved.    For  with  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness ;  and  with  the  mouth  confes- 

11  sion  is  made  unto  salvation.     For  the  scripture  saith,  Whosoever  believeth  on  him  shall 

12  not  be  ashamed.     For  there  is  no  difference  between  the  Jew  and  the  Greek :  for  the  same 

13  Lord  over  all  is  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon  him.    For  whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name 
of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved. 


Christ  is  something  and  docs  something  to  every  one  of  us.  He  is  cither  the  rock  on  which  I  build, 
poor,  weak,  sinful  creature  as  I  am,  getting  security  and  sanctity  and  strength  from  him,  I  being  a  living 
stone,  built  upon  "  the  living  stone,"  and  partaking  of  the  vitality  of  the  foundation ;  or  else  he  is  the 
other  thing,  "  a  stone  of  stumbling  and  a  rock  of  offense  to  them  which  stumble  at  the  word."  So  the 
gospel  of  Christ  exercises  a  permanent  effect  upon  us.  It  is  presented  to  each  of  us  here  individually, 
in  the  definite  form  of  an  actual  offer  of  salvation  for  each,  and  of  an  actual  demand  of  trust  from  each. 
The  words  pass  into  our  souls,  and  thenceforward  it  can  never  be  the  same  as  if  they  had  not  been  there. 
The  gospel  once  heard  is  henceforward  a  perpetual  element  in  the  whole  condition,  character,  and  destiny 
of  the  hearer.     A.  M. 

Christ  is  present  to  his  followers  as  he  is  not  and  can  not  be  to  the  world  ;  present  as  an  all-permeat- 
ing Spirit ;  present  as  the  all-quickening  Life  ;  consciously,  socially  present ;  so  that  no  explorations  of 
science  or  debates  of  reason  are  wanted  to  find  him,  no  going  over  the  sea  to  bring  him  back,  or  up  into 
heaven  to  bring  him  down ;  because  he  is  already  present,  always  present,  in  the  mouth  and  in  the  heart. 
In  this  manner  he  will  be  revealed  in  all  men,  waits  to  be  revealed  in  all,  if  only  they  will  suffer  it.  The 
word  for  every  loving,  trusting  heart  is,  "  I  will  be  manifest  in  you.     Lo,  I  will  be  with  you  always." 

H.  B. This  is  the  way  to  lessen  our  distance  from  God  and  heaven,  by  bringing  Christ  continually  to 

us  on  earth  :  the  sky  is  closed,  and  shows  no  sign ;  all  things  continue  as  they  were  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world ;  evil  abounds,  and,  therefore,  the  faith  of  many  waxes  cold ;  but  Christ  was  and  is  among 
us — Christ  crucified  and  Christ  risen — to  make  us  feel  that  we  may  live  with  God  daily  upon  earth,  and, 
doing  so,  shall  live  with  him  for  an  eternal  life  in  a  country  that  can  not  pass  away.     T.  A. 


33.  Christ  comes  offered  to  us  all  in  good  faith 
on  the  part  of  God  as  a  foundation  upon  which  we 
may  build.  And  then  comes  in  that  strange  mys- 
tery, that  a  man,  consciously  free,  turns  away  from 
the  offered  mercy,  and  makes  him  that  was  intended 
to  be  the  basis  of  his  life,  the  foundation  of  his 
hope,  the  rock  on  which,  steadfast  and  serene,  he 
should  build  up  a  temple-home  for  his  soal  to  dwell 
in — makes  him  a  stumbling-stone  against  which,  by 
rejection  and  unbelief,  he  breaks  himself !     A.  51. 

2.  Zeal  is  an  element  that  will  combine  with 
any  active  principle  in  man ;  will  give  its  strength 
and  inspiration  in  any  pursuit  or  interest  under  the 
sun ;  will  profane  itself  to  the  lowest,  will  be  the 
glory  of  the  highest,  like  fire  that  will  smolder  in 
garbage  and  will  lighten  in  the  heavens.    A  fatal 


ignorance  in  zeal  the  apostle  here  speaks  of,  name- 
ly, men's  zealously  maintaining  the  sufficiency  of  a 
righteousness  of  their  own  which  God  will  not  ac- 
cept. A  true  and  divinely  enforced  knowledge  would 
reveal  to  them  the  awful  holiness,  justice,  and  law 
of  God— would  reveal  themselves  to  them — and  then 

their  zeal  would  go  another  way.    J.  F. The  zeal 

which  is  acceptable  is  that  which  aims  at  the  glory 
of  God  and  which  is  founded  on  true  benevolence 
to  men,  and  which  does  not  aim  to  establish  a  sys- 
tem of  self-righteousness,  as  did  the  Jew,  or  to 
build  up  our  own  sect,  as  many  others  do.     A.  B. 

3-5.  The  cause  of  this  rejection  of  the  Jews 
was  that  they  persisted  in  a  false  idea  of  righteous- 
ness, as  consisting  in  outward  works  and  rites,  and 
refused  the  true  righteousness  manifested  to  them 


SECTION'  2J^.— ROMANS  9  :  30-33;   10  : 1-13. 


249 


in  Christ,  who  was  the  end  of  the  law.  The  Jew 
considers  righteousness  as  the  outward  obedience  to 
certain  enactments ;  the  Christian  considers  right- 
eousness as  proceeding  from  the  inward  faith  of  the 
heart.      Whoever  has  this  faith,  whether  Jew  or 

Gentile,  shall  be  admitted  into  God's  favor.     C. 

Establish  their  own  righteousness.  Thou  art 
industrious  from  motives  of  ambition;  thou  art 
faithful  in  thy  calling  from  motives  of  pride ;  thou 
art  patient  and  lowly  from  the  desire  of  fame ;  thou 
avoidest  great  sins  because  thou  fearest  shame  and 
disgrace,  and  in  order  that  thou  mayest  yield  thyself 
unhindered  to  hidden  sin ;  thou  concealest  from  the 
world  thy  anger  and  bad  temper,  in  order  to  be 
praised  by  the  world  as  gentle.  Thou  givest  to  the 
poor  that  they  may  praise  thee.  All  thy  patience 
and  humility,  all  thy  gentleness  and  benevolence, 
all  thy  faithfulness  and  industry,  give  cords  and 
bonds  to  thy  ambition  and  pride,  that  they  may 
bind  thee  more  tightly  than  they  could  do  other- 
wise. Thou  layest  aside  sins  and  boastest  of  the 
strength  of  thy  virtue.  Seest  thou  not  that  all  thy 
self-made  piety  condemns  thee  ?  Seest  thou  not 
that  it  is  only  with  sins  that  thou,  a  sinner,  re- 
leasest  thyself  from  sins  ?  A.  C. Is  it  no  un- 
righteousness that  thy  whole  life  should  be  nothing 
else  but  a  contradiction  to  the  very  design  of  Christ's 
dying,  a  perpetual  hostility,  a  very  tilting  at  his 
Cross  ?  Is  there  no  unrighteousness  in  thy  obsti- 
nate infidelity  that  denies  belief  to  his  glorious 
truths,  acceptance  of  his  gracious  offers,  subjection 
to  his  holy  laws  ?  Is  it  righteous  to  live  as  no  way 
under  law  to  Christ  ?  to  persist  in  actual  rebellion 
against  his  just  government,  which  he  died  and  re- 
vived and  rose  again  to  establish  over  the  living 
and  the  dead  ?  In  a  word,  is  it  righteous  to  tread 
under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  to  vilify  his  blood,  and 
despise  his  Spirit  ?  Is  this  the  righteousness  that 
thou  talkest  of  ?  Are  these  thy  qualifications  for 
the  everlasting  blessedness  ?     Howe. 

If  thou  go  to  Christ  with  thy  own  righteousness 
he  will  not  have  thee  ;  for  he  will  have  none  but  lost 
things,  for  he  came  to  seek  and  save  that  which  was 
lost.  As  long  as  thou  lookest  but  to  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  law,  the  spirit  of  Jesus  leaves  thee,  till 
thou  acknowledge  Christ  for  the  Saviour  of  the  lost, 
the  justifier  of  the  ungodly,  the  gracer  of  the  un- 
worthy, and  the  healer  of  the  sick.  Hence  it  is 
that  Christ  leaves  sin  in  his  own  to  humble  them ; 
for  if  they  had  righteousness  of  their  own  they 
would  misken  him  and  his  righteousness.  And  be- 
cause they  will  not  quit  their  own  righteousness,  he 
gives  them  an  assay  of  themselves  ;  and  when  after 
a  proof  of  their  own  naughtiness  they  will  not  yet 
submit  to  him,  then  he  sends  crosses,  sicknesses, 
troubles  of  all  sorts,  that  they  may  be  forced  to  de- 
spair in  themselves  and  come  in  to  Christ's  hospi- 


tal, there  to  lie  till  they  be  cured  of  all  their  sinful 
maladies. 

4.  Christ  the  end  of  the  law.  First  take 
us  to  Christ,  renouncing  our  own  righteousness ; 
then  draw  strength  from  him,  and  in  his  strength 
bring  forth  good  fruits,  and  so  be  renewed ;  come 
and  get  righteousness  from  Christ ;  then  crave  new 
strength  from  him  (for  thou  hast  none  of  thy  own) 
to  be  holy.  Upon  this  order  stands  the  matter  be- 
twixt God  and  his  children :  that,  not  finding  their 
own  righteousness,  they  take  Christ's,  and  take  new 
strength  from  his  resurrection,  sufferings,  and  death, 
and  so  get  power  to  slay  sin.  From  once  they  come 
to  Christ,  then  holiness  begins  at  the  heart's  roots, 
by  the  new  power  given  by  Christ.  That  self-right- 
eousness they  would  be  at  holds  aye  a  man  proud, 
but  this  righteousness  God  would  have  them  to  em- 
brace holds  them  humble.     D.  D. That  he- 

lieveth.  A  believer  is  to  do  nothing  for  justifica- 
tion, only  believe  and  be  saved ;  though  the  law  be 
a  rule  for  every  one  that  believes  to  tcalk  hy,  it  is 
not  for  justification.  Always  put  a  difference  be- 
tween justification  wrought  by  the  man  Christ  with- 
out, and  sanctification  wrought  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
within.     Bu7i. 

6,7.  The  Christian  religion  does  not  require  us 
to  perform  an  impossible  work,  like  going  up  to  the 
throne  of  God  and  bringing  the  Mediator  down.  It 
docs  not  require  us  to  go  into  the  abyss,  the  grave, 
the  regions  of  departed  souls,  and  perform  a  work 
like  raising  a  man  from  the  dead.  It  demands  a 
task  that  lies  within  the  proper  exercise  of  human 
power :  an  act  of  simple  confidence  in  Jesus  Christ, 
and  a  suitable  acknowledgment  of  him  before  the 
world  at  large.     A.  B. 

9.  Believe  in  thine  heart.  It  is  the  grand 
distinction  of  Christianity  that  it  makes  its  appeal 
to  faith,  and  upon  that,  as  a  fundamental  condition, 
rests  the  promise  of  salvation.  It  is  called  (here 
and  elsewhere)  the  icord  of  faith,  the  disciples  are 
distinguished  as  believers,  and  Christ  is  published 
as  the  Saviour  of  them  that  believe.  What  is  wanted 
is  a  faith  that  goes  beyond  the  mere  evidence  of 
propositions  about  Christ,  viz.,  the  faith  of  a  trans- 
action ;  and  this  faith  is  Christian  faith.  It  is  the 
act  of  trust  by  which  one  being,  a  sinner,  commits  him- 
self to  another  being,  a  Saviour.  It  is  not  mind  deal- 
ing with  notions  or  notional  truths.  But  it  is  being 
trusting  itself  to  being,  and  so  becoming  other  and 
different,  by  a  relation  wholly  transactional.  We 
commit  ourselves  to  the  Lord  Jesus  by  an  act  of 
total  and  eternal  trust,  which  is  our  faith.  The  mat- 
ters incJuded  in  this  act  are  the  surrender  of  our 
mere  self-care,  the  ceasing  to  live  from  our  own 
point  of  separated  will,  a  complete  admission  of  the 
mind  of  Christ,  a  consenting,  practically,  to  be  mod- 
ulated by  his  motives  and  aims,  and  to  live,  as  it 


250 


SECTION  250.— ROMANS  10  :  U-^1;  11 : 1-12. 


were,  infolded  in  his  spirit.  It  is  committing  one's 
character  wholly  to  the  living  character  of  Jesus,  so 
that  every  willing  and  working  and  sentiment  shall 
be  pliant  to  his  superior  mind  and  spirit.     H.  B. 

10.  With  the  heart  man  believeth.  Not 
with  the  brain  but  with  the  heart — with  that  kind 
of  faith  in  which  love  is  a  larger  element  than  in- 
tellect, and  trust  is  more  than  assent.  This  is  the 
faith  that  completes  the  whole  work  of  regeneration. 
It  carries  penitence  deeper  down  among  the  springs 
of  feeling.  It  heightens  the  blush  of  shame  at  liv- 
ing a  selfish  and  worldly  life,  because  it  is  so  alien 
to  the  disinterested  and  devout  temper  of  the  Mas- 
ter. It  makes  the  new  life  a  reality,  because  it 
founds  it  in  the  deepest  motives.  It  changes  the 
whole  inner  man.  It  works  by  love.  It  enters  the 
invisible,  and  dwells  in  the  secret  tabernacle  of  a 

most  holy  Joy.     F.  D.  U. It  is  the  heart  which 

fixes  itself  entirely  on  the  love  that  shines  forth  in 
the  work  of  redemption ;  cleaves  without  distraction 
to  the  sacrifice  of  the  adorable  victim ;  lets  the  nat- 
ural impression  of  that  unparalleled  love  penetrate 
freely,  and  develop  itself  gradually,  in  its  interior. 
Quickly  then  are  the  veils  torn  away,  and  the  shad- 
ows dissipated  for  ever  !  How  little  difficulty  docs 
he  that  loves  find  in  comprehending  love !  How 
natural  to  him  does  it  appear  that  God,  infinite  in 
all  things,  should  be  infinite  also  in  his  compassion ! 
How  inconceivable  to  him,  on  the  other  hand,  that 
human  hearts  should  not  be  capable  of  feeling  the 
beauty  of  a  work,  without  which  God  could  not  man- 
ifest himself  entire !  How  astonished  is  he  at  the 
blindness  of  those  who  read  and  reread  the  Scrip- 
tures without  comprehending  the  central  truth ;  who 
pass  and  repass  before  a  love  all  divine  without 
recognizing  or  even  perceiving  a  work  all  divine ! 

A.  V. Whatever  else  it  has  or  lacks,  the  soul,  to 

be  saved,  must  obey  an  honest  purpose.  Pretense 
and  falsehood  must  be  stripped  off  it.  It  must  be- 
lieve with  the  affections,  heartily.  With  the  heart 
man  believeth  unto  salvation,  before  confession  is 
made  with  the  mouth.  Get  the  conviction,  which  is 
the  fountain,  and  it  will  furrow  out  a  channel,  and 
fill  it  with  a  stream.  Get  the  new  life,  the  love  of 
God,  and  it  will  shape  a  body  as  the  juices  in  the 
germ  shape  the  tree.     F.  D.  H. 

With  the  mouth  confession  is  made.    The 


terms  of  Christian  communion  are  the  terms  of  salva- 
tion, and  no  church  has  a  right  to  require  more  for  its 
communion  than  Christ  does  for  entrance  into  heav- 
en.    C.  H. The  things  nece^^sary  to  be  beUeved 

are  reduced  in  Christ's  Church  to  the  smallest  possi- 
ble  number  and  the  simplest  possible  terms.  It 
can  not  be  God's  intention,  after  planting  his  king- 
dom on  earth  by  the  costly  sacrifices  of  redemption 
to  keep  men  out  of  it  by  intellectual  difficulties. 
He  asks  you  to  believe  in  him,  a  living,  divine  Sa- 
viour, and  in  the  personal  and  historical  facts  of  his 
mediation,  with  a  very  few  of  the  more  comprehen- 
sive truths  closely  related  to  his  person,  his  ministry, 
and  its  consequences.  Whatever  is  beyond  these  is 
doctrine  not  essential  to  membership,  or  to  beginning, 
but  may  be  learned  in  the  discipline,  and  by  doing 
the  will,  afterward.  Rehgion  belongs  in  the  heart- 
beat of  a  man's  affections  and  the  breath  of  his 
daily  desire.  But  when  the  heart  has  taken  it  in 
it  will  not  lock  it  there  and  make  it  a  prisoner.  It 
must  go  abroad  again,  for  the  blessing  of  man  and 
the  praise  of  God.  It  will  put  its  owner  into  the 
Church,  not  to  show  himself,  but  that  he  may  the 
better  become  one  with  his  bi'ethren,  and  with  their 
common  head.     F.  D.  H. 

13.  For  the  same  Lord  who  is  over  all  man- 
kind, the  Lord  Messiah,  is  rich,  full  of  benefits,  and 
ready  to  communicate  them  to  ail,  whether  Jews  or 
Gentiles,  ivho,  believing  on  him,  call  upon  him,  give 
him  divine  homage,  acknowledge  his  Lordship  by 
praying  to  him.     And  this  is  confirmed  by  another 

Messianic  prophesy  (Joel  2  :  32).     J.  B. There 

is  a  beautiful  conception  of  the  character  of  God  in- 
volved in  the  use  of  the  word  "  rich  "  in  this  con- 
nection. For  he  is  said  to  be  rich,  not  in  respect  of 
what  he  has,  but  of  what  he  bestows.  Used  of  men, 
the  word  indicates  one  to  whom  much  has  accrued ; 
but  it  is  used  here  of  God  to  designate  one  from 
whom  infinite  wealth  of  blessing  accrues  to  the  sons 
of  men.  It  is  for  us  he  is  rich ;  his  wealth  is  ours ; 
we  have  a  marvelous  and  inexhaustible  treasury  in 
him.  He  is  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon  him.  They 
call,  and  he  answers  by  communications  of  his 
wealth.  Let  us  entertain  no  contracted  view  of  the 
fullness  of  blessing  that  dwelleth  in  our  reconciled 
God !  Let  us  neither  exclude  ourselves  nor  others. 
G.  B. 


Section  250. 

EoMA*f8  X.  14-21 ;    xi.  1-12. 

14  IIow  then  shall  they  call  on  him  in  wliom  they  have  not  believed?  and  how  shall  they 
believe  in  him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard?  and  how  shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher? 

15  and  how  shall  they  preach,  except  they  be  sent?  as  it  is  written,  How  beautiful  are  the  feet 


SEGTIOI^  250.— ROMANS  10  :  U-21;  11 : 1-12. 


251 


16  of  them  that  preach  the  gospel  of  peace,  and  bring  glad  tidings  of  good  things!     But  they 

17  have  not  all  obeyed  the  gospel.  For  Esaias  saith,  Lord,  who  hath  believed  our  report  ?  So 
then  faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God. 

18  But  I  say,  Have  they  not  heard  ?     Yes,  verily,  their  sound  went  into  all  the  earth,  and 

19  their  words  unto  the  ends  of  the  world.  But  I  say,  Did  not  Israel  know  ?  First  Moses 
saith,  I  will  provoke  you  to  jealousy  by  them  that  are  no  people,  and  by  a  foolish  nation  I 

20  will  anger  you.     But  Esaias  is  very  bold,  and  saith,  I  was  found  of  them  that  sought  me 

21  not ;  I  was  made  manifest  unto  them  that  asked  not  after  me.     But  to  Israel  be  saith,  All 

1  day  long  I  have  stretched  forth  my  hands  unto  a  disobedient  and  gainsaying  people.  I 
say  then,  Hath  God  cast  away  his  people?  God  forbid.  For  I  also  am  an  Israelite,  of  the 
seed  of  Abraham,  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin. 

2  God  hath  not  cast  away  his  people  which  he  foreknew.     Wot  ye  not  what  the  scripture 

3  saith  of  Elias?  how  he  maketh  intercession  to  God  against  Israel,  saying,  Lord,  they  have 
killed  thy  prophets,  and  digged  down  thine  altars ;  and  I  am  left  alone,  and  they  seek  my 

4  life.     But  what  saith  the  answer  of  God  unto  him  ?     I  have  reserved  to  myself  seven  thou- 

5  sand  men,  who  have  not  bowed  the  knee  to  the  image  of  Baal.     Even  so  then  at  this  present 

6  time  also  there  is  a  remnant  according  to  the  election  of  grace.  And  if  by  grace,  then  is  it 
no  more  of  works:  otherwise  grace  is  no  more  grace.     But  if  it  be  of  works,  then  is  it  no 

7  more  grace :  otherwise  work  is  no  more  work.     What  then?     Israel  hath  not  olitained  that 

8  which  he  seeketh  for;  but  the  election  hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were  blinded  (ac- 
cording as  it  is  wi'itten,  God  hath  given  them  the  spirit  of  slumber,  eyes  that  they  should 

9  not  see,  and  ears  that  they  should  not  hear;)  unto  this  day.  And  David  saith,  Let  their 
table  be  made  a  snare,  and  a  trap,  and  a  stumbling-block,  and  a  recompense  imto  them: 

10  let  their  eyes  be  darkened,  that  they  may  not  see,  and  bow  down  their  back  alway. 

11  I  say  then,  Have  they  stumbled  that  they  should  fall  ?     God  forbid :  but  rather  through 

12  their  fall  salvation  is  come  unto  the  Gentiles,  for  to  provoke  them  to  jealousy.  Now  if  the 
fall  of  them  he  the  riches  of  the  world,  and  the  diminishing  of  them  the  riches  of  the  Gen- 
tUes ;  how  much  more  their  fulness  ? 


Christian  people  are  Christ's  instruments  for  effecting  the  realization  of  the  purposes  of  his  death. 
Not  without  them  shall  the  preaching  be  fully  known.  Not  without  the  people  willmg  in  the  day  of  his 
power,  and  clothed  in  priestly  beauty,  shall  the  Priest  King  set  his  feet  upon  his  enemies.  Neither  the 
divine  decree,  nor  the  expansive  power  of  the  truth,  nor  the  crowned  expectancy  of  the  waiting  Lord,  nor 
the  mighty  working  of  the  Comforter,  are  the  complete  means  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  divine  prom- 
ise, that  all  nations  shall  be  blessed  in  him.  lie  has  willed  that  we  should  make  known  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ.  God  reveals  his  truth,  that  men  who  believe  it  may  impart  it.  God  gives  the  word, 
that,  caught  up  by  those  who  receive  it  into  an  honest  and  good  heart,  it  may  be  poured  forth  in  mighty 
chorus  from  the  lips  of  the  "  great  company  of  them  that  pubUsh  it."  Christian  men !  learn  your  high 
vocation  and  your  solemn  responsibilities.  For  what  did  you  receive  the  word  of  God  ?  For  the  same 
reason  for  which  you  have  received  everything  else  which  you  possess — that  you  might  share  it  with  your 
brethren.  How  did  you  receive  it  ?  A  gift,  unmerited,  that  you  might  feel  bound  to  spread  the  free 
divine  gift  by  cheerful  human  work  of  distribution.  From  whom  did  you  receive  it  ?  From  Christ,  who 
in  the  very  act  of  giving  binds  you  to  live  for  him  and  not  for  yourselves,  and  to  mold  your  lives  after  the 
pattern  of  his.     A.  M. 


14,  15.  Seriously  reflect  how  bound  up  with 
the  very  vitals  of  the  true  faith  is  the  notion  of  its 
diffusion — how  therefore  they  have  totally  misread 
Christianity,  have  misapprehended  its  rudimentary 
principles,  have  probably  never  received  it  at  all 
except  in  speculation,  who  can  acquiesce  in  an  easy, 
self-indulgent  life,  without  effort  in  any  single  shape 
for  its  propagation.  Let  them  remember  that  the 
one  great  business  of  the  era  is  the  dissemination  of 
God's  truth — that,  in  one  form  or  other,  whether  by 
alms  and  prayers  only  or  by  personal  exertions,  this 
business  must  be  carried  on  by  all  professing  the 


name  of  Christ — and  that  all  other  works  in  which 
man  is  engaged  are  only  valuable  as  subordinate 
agencies,  helping  more  or  less  remotely  toward 
the  end,  carrying  on  that  system  of  things  which 
will  result  in  the  establishment  of  God's  king- 
dom.    E.  M.  G. 

What  we  need  for  the  renovation  of  the  human 
family  is  the  spread  of  that  hfe-giving  doctrine 
which  we  find  in  the  Scriptures,  and  which  challenges 
the  abject  and  the  wretched,  universally  and  unex- 
ceptively,  as  the  heirs  of  immortality,  and  as  in- 
dividually embraced  in  the  intention  of  the  gospsL 


252 


SECTION  250.— ROMAN'S  10  :  lIr-21;  11 : 1-12. 


It  follows  from  this  doctrine  that  men,  even  the 
vilest,  are  no  more  to  be  contemned,  for  the  Al- 
mighty does  not  contemn  them ;  they  are  no  longer 
to  be  forg'^tton,  or  despotically  abused,  or  selfishly 
despaired  of,  for  the  Son  of  God  has  redeemed 
them.  On  the  contrary,  they  must  now  singly,  and 
at  whatever  cost,  be  sought  out,  instructed,  cared 
for,  and  succored.     I.  T. 

Man  is  lost,  and  the  Son  of  God  is  seeking  him ; 
man  is  lost,  and  the  Son  of  God  is  come  to  save  him  ; 
man  is  lost,  and  the  Church  is  commissioned  to  go 
forth  in  the  might  of  faith  and  prayer  to  his  salva- 
tion. To  save  the  lost !  We  talk  of  it,  as  children 
talk  of  the  affairs  of  empires;  we  see  through  a 
glass  darkly ;  our  conceptions  are  low  and  limited. 
To  save  (he  lost .'  Tell  us,  ye  damned  spirits,  what 
it  means.  Tell  us,  Son  of  God,  what  it  means ;  what 
stirred  thy  soul  in  godlike  compassion  to  seek  the 
lost  ?  Tell  us,  ye  ransomed  and  ye  faithful  spirits 
who  never  sinned — tell  us,  eternity — what  is  this 
mighty  work  of  gospel  missions  ?  Tell  us,  0  Father, 
tell  thy  churches ;  tell  thy  ministers ;  until  every 
slumberer  awake,  every  energy  be  aroused,  and  the 
way  of  life  be  pointed  out  to  a  perishing  race !   Ki7-k. 

19.  The  passage  referred  to  (Deut,  32  :  21) 
stands  in  a  wonderful  chapter,  containing  an  epito- 
me of  the  anticipated  history  of  the  Israelites,  from 
the  times  of  Moses  down  to  "  the  latter  days  " — pre- 
dicting that  God  would,  for  the  punishment  of  their 
sins,  withdraw  from  them  the  special  favors  he  had 
bestowed  and  confer  them  upon  those  who  had  been 
destitute  of  them — "  the  foolish,"  the  idolatrous — 
thus  making  those  the  objects  of  their  jealousy  and 
envy  who  had  previously  been  contemned  and  hated. 
This  threatening  was  fulfilled  when  the  great  body 
of  the  Jews,  having  rejected  the  promised  Messiah, 
were  disowned  by  God,  and  when  he  "  visited  the 
Gentiles  to  take  out  of  them  a  people  for  his  name." 
Such  was  the  state  of  things  when  the  apostle 
wrote.     J.  B. 

1.  Paul,  though  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles, 
never  cast  off  his  care  for  his  brethren,  and  always 
expressed  himself  on  that  subject  with  the  warmest 
affection;  and  he  alone,  of  all  the  writers  in  the 
New  Testament,  hath  spoken  clearly  of  the  restora- 
tion of  the  Jews:  he  earnestly  wishes  for  that 
happy  day,  and  saw  it  afar  off,  and  was  glad.    G.  T. 

2-13.  This  illustrious  race,  to  which  pertained 
the  adoption,  and  the  glory,  and  the  covenants,  the 
ordinance  of  the  law,  divine  service,  and  the  prom- 
ises ;  this  race,  from  which  Christ  is  descended,  is 
not  destined  to  be  for  ever  among  the  nations  a 
deplorable  monument  of  the  divine  anger.  After 
having  seen  its  diminution,  the  world  will  see  its 
fullness.  If  their  diminishing,  says  the  apostle,  is 
our  riches,  what  will  their  fulbiess  be  ?    When  the 


f  fullness  of  Israel  shall  have  returned  to  the  fold 
will  not  Israel  again  be  a  prophetic  people  ?  Will 
not  the  accomplishment  of  this  promise  be  to  itself 
as  a  testimony  of  the  divine  faithfulness,  an  ad- 
monitor  to  all  nations,  and  a  powerful  call  upon  all 
to  faith  and  obedience  ;  and  will  not  this  people,  as 
marvelous  in  its  restoration  as  in  its  fall,  be  again, 
and  more  than  ever,  a  powerful  leaven  to  leaven 
the  mass  of  humanity?     In  every  case,  its  fullness 

will   be  our  joy  and  consolation.     A.  V. The 

fullness  of  the  Jews  is  the  fullness  of  blessing 
which  shall  belong  to  them  when  they  return  to 
God  and  embrace  his  Messiah.  The  conversion  of 
the  Jews  will,  directly  or  indirectly,  do  more  for  the 
advantage  of  the  Gentiles  than  their  unbelief  has 
done.     J.  B. 

It  was  to  the  Jew  the  Redeemer  came  as  the 
Saviour ;  it  was  to  him  those  words  of  life  and  love 
had  been  originally  spoken ;  it  was  in  his  villages 
and  cities  he  had  wrought  such  unparalleled  exhibi- 
tions of  superangclic  power  in  healing  thousands 
of  his  diseased  and  dying ;  it  was  for  him,  at  first, 
that  incarnate  Son  had  been  revealed  in  his  all-per- 
fect life ;  in  his  hands  were  those  Holy  Scriptures : 
they  described  the  suffering  and  the  all-glorious 
Messiah ;  and  it  was  his  rejection  of  this  Christ 
that  culminated  in  the  cry,  "  Crucify  him."  From 
that  hour  he  reaped  as  he  had  sown;  murder, 
assassination,  intestine  war,  open  revolt,  marched 
through  the  land,  and  flooded  his  cities  with  blood. 
Peace,  quiet,  he  knew  no  more.  He  ripened  in 
every  attribute  of  evil,  until  the  legions  of  Rome 
trod  him  down  beneath  their  iron  heel ;  the  tem- 
ple lay  in  ruins,  and  the  remnant  of  the  people, 
escaped  from  the  edge  of  the  sword,  were  sent 
forth  as  the  monuments  of  divine  wrath  to  fulfill 
his  prophetic  words  in  their  dispersion  over  the 
earth.  To-day  men  point  to  the  Jew  as  prophecy 
fulfilled ;  to-day  this  fated  and  trodden  people  exist 
— exist,  after  eighteen  centuries  of  plague  and  war, 
and  racks  and  fire,  and  disabilities — exist  still,  dis- 
tinct from  all  nations.  They  have  drunk  the  cup 
even  to  its  dregs,  but  there  is  to  dawn — is  dawning 
— a  brighter  day,  the  day  of  the  fuller  gathering 
in  of  the  Gentiles,  when  this  long-cursed  people 
shall  come  forth,  no  more  to  shout,  "  Crucify  him," 
but  with  a  penitent  heart  and  streaming  eyes,  to 
cry,  "  My  Lord  and  my  God."  The  past  is  seen  is 
known ;  the  Messiah  they  have  longed  and  hoped 
for  is  he,  the  crucified  one ;  and  when  this  fact 
dawns  upon  them,  then  to  him  shall  the  gathering 
of  the  people  be.  Hasten,  0  Lord,  that  hour  of 
gladness;  that  hour  when  Jew  and  Gentile,  no 
longer  Jew  and  Gentile,  shall  with  one  voice  crown 
Jesus  as  their  king.    S.  W.  F. 


SECTION  251.— ROMANS  11 :  13-36.  253 

Section  251. 

E0MAN8  xi.  13-36. 

13  Foe  I  speak  to  you  Gentiles,  inasmuch  as  I  am  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  I  magnify  mine 

14  office:  if  by  any  means  I  may  provoke  to  emulation  them  which  are  my  flesh,  and  might 

15  save  some  of  them.     For  if  the  casting  away  of  them  le  the  reconciling  of  tlie  world,  what 

16  shall  the  receiving  of  them  le,  but  life  from  the  dead?     For  if  the  firstfruit  le  holy,  the 

17  lump  is  also  holy :  and  if  the  root  le  holy,  so  are  the  branches.  And  if  some  of  the 
branches  be  broken  off,  and  tbou,  being  a  wild  olive  tree,  wert  graffed  in  among  them,  and 

18  with  them  partakest  of  the  root  and  fatness  of  the   olive  tree;    boast  not   against  the 

19  branches.     But  if  thou  boast,  thou  bearest  not  the  root,  but  the  root  thee.     Thou  wilt  say 

20  then.  The  branches  were  broken  off,  that  I  might  be  graffed  in.     Well ;  because  of  unbelief 

21  they  were  broken  oflf,  and  thou  standest  by  faith.  Be  not  highminded,  but  fear :  for  if 
God  spared  not  the  natural  branches,  talce  heed  lest  he  also  spare  not  thee. 

22  Behold  therefore  the  goodness  and  severity  of  God  :  on  them  which  fell,  severity ;  but 
toward  thee,  goodness,  if  thou  continue  in  hu  goodness:  otherwise  thou  also  shalt  be  cut 

23  off.     And  they  also,  if  they  abide  not  still  in  unbelief,  shall  be  graffed  in  :  for  God  is  able 

24  to  graff  them  in  again.  For  if  thou  wert  cut  oat  of  the  olive  tree  which  is  wild  by  nature, 
and  wert  graffed  contrary  to  nature  into  a  good  olive  tree :  how  much  more  shall  these, 

25  which  be  the  natural  Iranches,  be  graffed  into  their  own  olive  tree  ?  For  I  would  not, 
brethren,  that  ye  should  be  ignorant  of  this  mystery,  lest  ye  should  be  wise  in  your  own 
conceits;  that  blindness  in  part  is  happened  to  Israel,  until  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  be 

26  come  in.    And  so  all  Israel  shall  be  saved :  as  it  is  written,  There  shall  come  out  of  Sion 

27  the  Deliverer,  and  shall  turn  away  ungodliness  from  Jacob :   for  this  is  my  covenant  unto 

28  them,  when  I  shall  take  away  their  sins.     As  concerning  the  gospel,  they  are  enemies  for 

29  your  sakes :  but  as  touching  the  election,  they  are  beloved  for  the  fathers'  sakes.     For  the 

30  gifts  and  calhng  of  God  are  without  repentance.    For  as  ye  in  times  past  have  not  believed 

31  God,  yet  have  now  obtained  mercy  through  their  unbelief:  even  so  have  these  also  now 

32  not  believed,  that  through  your  mercy  they  also  may  obtain  mercy.  For  God  hath  con- 
cluded them  all  in  unbehef,  that  he  might  have  mei-cy  upon  all. 

33  0  the  depth  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God !  how  unsearchable 

34  are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out!     For  who  hath  known  the  mind  of  the 

35  Lord  ?  or  who  hath  been  his  counsellor  ?     Or  who  hath  first  given  to  him,  and  it  shall  be 

36  recompensed  unto  him  again?  For  of  him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him,  are  all  things: 
to  whom  le  glory  for  ever.     Amen. 

The  burst  of  exultation  uttered  by  the  apostle  in  the  closing  verses  is  the  conclusion  of  a  chain  of 
,  reasoning  which  is  carried  on  uninterruptedly  from  the  9th  to  the  11th  chapter.  The  exclusion  of  the 
Jews  from  the  blessings  of  God's  kingdom,  in  contrast  with  the  reception  of  the  Gentiles,  presents  an 
apparent  problem  in  God's  government.  By  the  light  of  Scripture  and  experience  he  gradually  comes  to 
the  conviction  that  this  mode  of  action  is  in  no  degree  at  variance  with  God's  faithfulness,  since  his 
ancient  promises  were  only  to  the  true,  the  believing  Israel :  even  less  with  his  holiness,  since  the  rejec- 
tion of  Israel  is  merely  the  righteous  punishment  of  their  unbelief ;  and  least  of  all  with  his  truth,  mercy, 
and  grace,  since  the  fall  of  Israel  was  the  receiving  of  the  Gentiles,  and  should  afterward  be  followed 
by  their  rising  again.  Thus  the  whole  divine  scheme  passes  in  broad  outline  before  his  eyes.  lie  dis- 
covers what  men  regard  as  evil  brought  through  a  higher  hand  to  good.  God  has — behold  the  result  of 
his  hallowed  meditation ! — concluded  the  whole  world,  both  Jew  and  Gentile,  under  sin,  in  order  that  he 
in  his  own  good  time  may  have  mercy  on  all.  But  now,  when  the  apostle's  eye  has  beheld  this  light,  he 
can  no  longer  restrain  his  exultation.  From  the  dazzling  summit  of  faith  he  gazes  into  a  depth  which 
causes  him  to  sink  down  in  adoration.  It  is  a  depth,  first  of  riches,  that  is  to  say,  of  grace,  which  thus 
has  mercy  on  sinners  without  distinction ;  then  of  wisdom,  which  chooses  the  best  means  for  this  highest 
aim ;  lastly,  of  Icnmcledge,  which  is  here  determinate  prescience,  which  in  the  repose  of  eternity  has  fore- 
seen and  foreordained  all,  in  order  that  in  the  fullness  of  time  it  may  come  to  pass.  The  conclusion  from 
this  can  only  be,  the  origin,  the  progress,  the  end  of  all  salvation  was  foreordained  by  God  in  Christ : 
"  For  of  him,  and  through  him,  and  to  him,  are  all  things,  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever.     Amen."     Men  in 


254 


SECTION  251.— ROMANS  11 :  13-36. 


all  ages  praised  this  exultant  expression  of  Paul's,  as  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  sublime  in  all  his 
epistles.  It  is  the  epitome  of  faith,  as  often  as  it  glances  on  God's  guidance  both  of  indiyiduals  and  of 
all  within  the  sphere  of  redemption. 


Van  0. 


Age  has  followed  age,  and  the  Jews  remain  to 
this  hour  spread  over  the  face  of  the  earth,  a  fear- 
ful and  affecting  testimony  to  the  truth  of  God's 
word.  They  are  without  their  sanctuary,  without 
their  Messiah,  without  the  hope  of  their  believing 
ancestors.  But  it  shall  not  be  always  thus.  They 
are  still  "  beloved  for  the  fathers'  sake."  When 
the  "  fullness  of  the  Gentiles  shall  come  in,"  they 
too  shall  be  gathered.  They  shall  discover  in  our 
Jesus  the  marks  of  the  promised  Messiah,  and 
with  tenderness  proportioned  to  their  former  insen- 
sibility shall  cling  to  his  Cross.  Grafted  again  into 
their  own  olive-tree,  all  Israel  shall  be  saved.  It 
was  through  their  fall  that  salvation  came  unto  us 
Gentiles.  And  "  if  the  casting  away  of  them  be 
the  reconciling  of  the  world,  what  shall  the  receiv- 
ing of  them  be  but  life  from  the  dead  ?  "  What 
ecstasy !  the  Gentile  and  the  Jew  taking  sweet 
counsel  together,  and  going  to  the  house  of  God  in 
company  ;  the  path  of  the  swift  messenger  of  grace 
marked  in  every  direction  by  the  fullness  of  the 
blessing  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.    J.  M.  M. 

17,  18.  The  Church  of  God  is  here  spoken  of 
under  the  figure  of  an  olive-tree,  a  tree  remarkable 
for  its  beauty,  fruitfulness,  and  usefulness.  This 
mystical  olive  is  represented  as  growing  out  of  the 
root  of  the  patriarchs  of  the  Israelitish  people,  with 
whom,  as  believers,  the  covenant  was  made  that 
God  would  be  their  God  and  the  God  of  their  seed. 
The  Jews  are  considered  as  the  natural  branches, 
being  descendants  of  these  patriarchs ;  and,  till 
Christ  came,  the  true  members  of  the  Church  of 
God  were  to  be  found  almost  exclusively  among 
them.  The  rejection  of  the  greater  part  of  that 
people  in  consequence  of  unbelief  is  represented 
as  the  breaking  off  of  a  portion  of  the  natural 
branches,  and  the  conversion  of  some  of  the  Gen- 
tiles as  the  grafting  into  the  mystical  olive  of  a 
number  of  branches  of  a  wild  olive  so  that  they 
become  partakers  of  its  root  and  fatness — so  that 
they  are  so  connected  with  Abraham  as  to  be 
blessed  with  him.  The  conclusion  drawn  is  (v.  18) 
that  the  converted  Gentiles  should  not  think  con- 
temptuously of  the  Jews,  whether  converted  or  un- 
converted, for  the  Gentiles  were  much  indebted  to 
the  Jews,  and  owed  everything  to  that  society  which 

had  the  Jewish  patriarch  for  its  root.     J.  B. 

The  Christian  Church  was  no  new  thing  in  the 
earth  ;  it  was  the  continuation  of  the  one  body 
which  began  to  be  formed  when  first  the  seed  of 
the  woman  was  announced,  and  was  afterward  more 
fully  developed  under  the  Abrahamic  promise  ;  and 


yet  more  fully  developed  when  the  ascended  Christ 
shed  down  his  Spirit,  first  on  Abraham's  sons,  and 
then  on  the  far-off  Gentiles.  When  Gentiles  come 
into  the  Church  they  are  accounted  as  Abraham's 
seed,  for  "  they  that  be  of  faith  are  blessed  with 
f aitlif ul  Abraham "  ;  they  are  the  wild  branches 
grafted  into  the  good  old  olive-tree,  which  has  never 
been  uprooted  nor  cast^away.  The  New  Testament 
Church  gets  its  sap,  its  vitality,  from  this  con- 
nection ;  and  New  Testament  saints  are  what  they 
are  by  reason  of  their  being  made  "  partakers  of 
the  root  and  fatness  of  the  olive-tree."     Bonar. 

21.  Lest  he  also  spare  not  thee.  They  !■ 
were  broken  off  because  of  unbelief,  and  thou 
standest  through  faith,  but  yet  only  because  and  in 
so  far  as  thou  behevest.  The  loving  care  of  God 
calls  loud  and  long,  but  not  for  ever ;  a  time  may 
come  when  he  must  give  up  nations  and  individuals 

to  their  own  blindness,  because,  however  powerfully 
he  urges,  he  constrains  no  one  to  be  saved  who 
stubbornly  refuses  to  profit  by  the  work  of  his  re- 
deeming love.      Van  0. 

22.  Behold  therefore  the  goodness  a'nd 
severity  of  God.  The  Jews  who  had  so  long 
been  a  barren  branch  on  the  olive-tree  of  his 
Church — putting  forth,  indeed,  the  leaves  of  reli- 
gious profession,  but  no  fruit  of  true  holiness — God 
had  cut  off  and  cast  away.  The  Gentiles — origi- 
nally "  aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and 
strangers  from  the  covenants  of  promise  " — he  had 
inserted,  as  a  new  wild  graft,  into  the  cultivated 
olive-tree.  These  two  contrary  dealings  are  traced 
up  to  their  source  in  different  attributes  of  the  Most 
High  ;  the  one  testifies  to  his  severity,  the  other  to 
his  goodness.  It  is  this  essential  character  of  the 
divine  being  which  forms  the  basis  of  the  great 
doctrine  of  the  atonement.  God  presents  us  in  the 
atonement  with  the  highest  illustration  of  both  his 
attributes.  He  may  be  conceived  as  standing  by 
the  Cross  of  the  Lord  Jesus  and  pointing  to  it  in 
exemplification  of  his  character,  as  set  forth  in  the 
text,  "  Behold  therefore  the  goodness  and  severity 

of  God."    E.  M.  G. In  most  cases  the  goodness  is 

illustrated  by  one  kind  of  events,  and  the  severity  by 
another,  but  in  Christ's  work  the  same  event  of  his 
death  displayed  the  two  sides  of  God's  character 
alike  and  at  once,  and  thus  pardon  was  never  offered 
to  the  guilty  without  a  loud  protest  against  sin. 
T.  D.  W. 

Christ's  gospel  gives  out  the  forgiveness  of  sins ; 
and  the  tone  of  encouragement,  of  mercy,  of  loving- 
kindness  to  sinners  is  ever  predominant.     But  yet 


SECTION  251.— ROMANS  11 :  13-36 


255 


there  is  another  language,  which  is  to  be  found  alike 
in  the  Old  Testament  and  in  the  New ;  a  language 
not  indeed  so  common  as  the  language  of  mercy, 
but  yet  repeated  many  times ;  a  language  which  we 
also  need  as  fully  as  it  was  ever  needed,  and  of 
whose  severity  we  can  no  more  spare  one  tittle  than 
we  can  spare  anything  of  the  comfort  of  the  other. 
T.A. 

25-32.  God's  object  has  been  not  to  reject  any, 
but  to  show  mercy  upon  all  mankind.  His  purpose 
has  been  to  make  use  of  the  Jewish  unbelief  to  call 
the  Gentiles  into  his  Church,  and  by  the  admission 
of  the  Gentiles  to  rouse  the  Jews  to  accept  his  mes- 
sage, that  all  might  at  length  receive  his  mercy.     C. 

25.  Gentiles  come  in.  Let  us  celebrate  the 
beginnings  of  our  blessed  hope  with  exulting  hearts ; 
for  from  this  time  forward  we  begin  to  enter  into 
an  eternal  inheritance,  and  the  secrets  of  Scripture, 
speaking  of  Christ,  have  been  laid  open  to  us,  and 
the  truth,  which  Jewish  blindness  does  not  receive, 
has  carried  its  light  into  all  nations.     Leo. 

26-28.  The  meaning  of  the  prophecy  still  re- 
mains veiled  to  the  unhappy  posterity  of  Jacob ;  but 
the  time  will  at  length  come  when,  the  veil  being 
taken  away,  they  as  well  as  we  will  clearly  compre- 
hend the  words.     A.  V. Take  up  a  volume  of  the 

history  of  any  country,  at  any  age  since  the  fall  of 
Jerusalem,  and  you  find  the  Jews  just  as  we  now 
find  them — dwelling  in  the  seclusion  of  their  own 
communities.  "  The  restless  feet "  of  this  ancient 
people  of  God  are  pressing  every  inhabitable  region 
of  the  world.  They  are  met  in  every  city,  in  every 
mart  of  business,  in  every  climate,  among  people  of 
every  language.  Amid  all  their  sufferings  and  wan- 
derings, in  harmony  with  prophecy,  they  have  re- 
mained a  distinct  and  peculiar  people.  With  neither 
a  country  nor  a  nation  that  could  be  called  their 
own,  they  have  uniformly  preserved  a  distinct  nation- 
ality. Though  they  have  looked  upon  the  mightiest 
revolutions  among  the  Gentiles ;  though  they  have 
been  moving  among  extensive  migrations,  from  east 
to  west,  and  from  north  to  south ;  though  they  have 
been  dwellers  in  different  empires  while  in  their  as- 
cendant, supremacy,  and  decline ;  though  we  have 
seen  them  passing  through  all  those  political  and 
civil  convulsions  which  have  destroyed  every  nation 
around  Judea,  except  the  Persians  alone,  who  re- 
stored them  from  their  Babylonish  captivity — yet 
for  eighteen  centuries  they  have  remained,  in  all 
essential  features,  the  same.  They  maintain  the 
same  laws,  and  have  continued  to  preserve  their  own 

and  their  old  identity.     L.  T.  T. The  Jews  exist 

not  only  as  a  monument  and  a  miracle  ;  Jewish  mind 
has  exerted  a  powerful  influence  on  the  world.  In 
money  power,  the  Jews  hold  in  their  hands  the  des- 
tiny of  kingdoms  and  empires,  whose  governments 
become  bankrupt  and  their  sovereigns  turn  beggars 


at  a  Hebrew's  nod.  Among  the  most  distinguished 
scholars  and  men  of  science,  we  find  the  Jews  prom- 
inent. The  most  renowned  in  astronomy  have  been 
Jews,  as  the  Herschels  in  England  and  Arago  in 
France.  Of  Christianized  Jews  are  Hengstenberg, 
Tholuck,  Sehleiermacher,  Gesenius,  Neander,  Nie- 
buhr,  and  others,  whose  learned  treatises.  Biblical 
criticisms,  didactic  theology,  and  general  sacred  lit- 
erature, are  found  in  the  library  of  every  theological 
student.     An. 

29.  Are  without  repentance.  Bead  "can 
not  be  repented  of."     A. 

32.  The  man  who  thoroughly  understands  this 
single  verse  has  the  key  to  the  whole  Bible.  The 
doctrine  of  the  Bible  has  these  two  fundamental 
articles :  The  Misery  of  Man — The  Mercy  of  God. 
The  text  mentions  them  both,  and  sets  them  over 
against  each  other.  "  God  hath  concluded  them  all 
in  unbelief  " — here  is  man's  misery ;  "  that  he  might 
have  compassion  upon  all " — here  is  God's  mercy. 

Monod. To  sinners  of  every  kind,  to  us  all,  to 

the  whole  world,  the  man  of  God  cries  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, "  God  hath  concluded  all  in  rebellion,  that  he 
may  have  mercy  upon  all."  With  him  there  is  no 
respect  of  persons,  no  respect  of  sins  ;  he  stops  not 
at  some  shades  of  difference ;  he  does  not  apply  to 
us  our  own  vain  measures ;  for  the  original  crime  is 
equal  in  all ;  and  since  he  has  included  all  in  rebel- 
lion, he  includes  all  in  mercy.  The  amnesty  is  for 
all  equally ;  but  it  must  be  accepted  just  as  it  is 
offered;  not  as  a  right,  but  as  a  gift;  not  as  an 
abandonment  of  the  principles  of  the  divine  govern- 
ment, but  as  the  price  of  the  sacrifice  of  Jesus 
Christ,  as  a  return  for  the  ransom  he  has  paid  and 
the  pledge  he  has  offered.    A.  V. 

33.  It  was  the  destiny  of  Israel,  after  a  brief 
period  of  prosperity,  to  separate  into  rival  dynasties, 
to  run  through  a  course  of  much  iniquity,  to  despise 
constant,  reiterated  warnings,  and  at  length  to  merge 
in  utter  ruin,  undestroyed  indeed,  but  preserved  only 
as  a  monument  of  God's  abiding  vengeance.  But 
mark  the  unsearchable  depths  of  the  purposes  of 
Providence !  These  national  misfortunes  brought 
in  universal  blessedness.  Israel  fell  to  prepare  the 
salvation  of  mankind ;  and  the  "  rest,"  which  the 
Lord  God  denied  his  people,  was  denied  only  that 
an  everlasting  rest  might  be  secured  to  his  spiritual 
people  for  ever !  Well  might  the  apostle,  who  was 
chosen  as  the  chief  laborer  in  this  extension  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,  exclaim  when  he  contemplated 
that  great  revolution,  "  Oh !  the  depth  of  the  riches, 
and  the  wisdom,  and  the  knowledge  of  God  !  How 
unsearchable  are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past 
finding  out ! "     W.  A.  B. 

34.  If  none  hath  been  his  counselor,  it  is  plain 
that  none  can  know  his  mind  till  he  shall  be  pleased 
to  reveal  it ;   nor  even  then  can  it  be  known  any 


256 


8EGTI0W  252.— ROMANS  12  : 1-10. 


further  than  it  is  revealed.  To  supply  what  is  con- 
cealed, with  conclusions  drawn  from  the  reasonings 
of  our  own  minds,  would  be  the  height  of  presump- 
tion :  We  must  talfe  his  counsel  as  it  lies  before  us 
in  the  record  he  hath  given  us,  without  adding  to  it 
or  subtracting  from  it.     R.  W. 

36.  The  Cross  is  the  center  of  the  world's  his- 
tory ;  the  incarnation  of  Christ  and  the  crucifixion  of 
our  Lord  are  tlie  pivot  round  which  all  the  events  of 
the  ages  revolve.  The  testimony  of  Jesus  was  the 
spirit  of  prophecy,  and  the  growing  power  of  Jesus 


is  the  spirit  of  history.  All  the  generations  that 
went  before  him,  though  they  knew  it  not,  were 
preparing  the  way  of  the  Lord,  and  heralding  the 
advent  of  him  who  was  the  desire  of  all  nations  and 
the  light  of  men ;  and  all  the  generations  that  come 
after,  though  they  know  it  not,  are  swelling  the 
pomp  of  his  triumph  and  hastening  the  time  of  his 
crowning  and  dominion.  The  tangled  web  of  hu- 
man  history  is  only  then  intelligible  when  that  is 
taken  as  its  clew,  "From  him  are  all  things,  and  to 
him  are  all  things."    A.  M. 


Section  252. 

EoiiANS  xii.  1-10. 

1  I  BESEEon  you  therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  Go4,  that  ye  present  your  bodies 

2  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  Go  J,  which  is  your  reasonable  service.  And  be  not 
conformed  to  this  world :  but  be  ye  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind,  that  ye 

8  may  prove  what  is  that  good,  and  acceptable,  and  perfect,  will  of  God,  For  I  say,  through 
the  grace  given  unto  me,  to  every  man  that  is  among  you,  not  to  think  of  himself  more 
highly  than  he  ought  to  think  ;  but  to  think  soberly,  according  as  God  hath  dealt  to  every 

4  man  the  measure  of  faith.     For  as  we  have  many  members  in  one  body,  and  all  members 

5  have  not  the  same  office :  so  we,  leing  many,  are  one  body  in  Christ,  and  every  one  mem- 

6  hers  one  of  another.     Having  then  gifts  differing  according  to  the  grace  that  is  given  to  us, 

7  whether  prophecy,  let  us  prophesy  according  to  the  proportion  of  faith ;  or  ministry,  let  us 

8  wait  on  our  ministering:  or  he  that  teacheth,  on  teaching;  or  he  that  exhortetb,  on  ex- 
hortation :  he  that  giveth,  let  him  do  it  with  simplicity;  he  that  ruleth,  with  diligence;  he 

9  that  sheweth  mercy,  with  cheerfulness.     Let  love  be  without  dissimulation.     Abhor  that 
10  which  is  evil;  cleave  to  that  which  is  good.     5e  kindly  affectioned  one  to  another  with 

brotherly  love  ;  in  honour  preferring  one  another. 


"  We  offer  and  present  unto  thee,  0  Lord,  ourselves,  our  souls  and  bodies  " — this  is  our  sacrifice,  daily 
and  continually  to  be  offered  ;  our  spiritual  sacrifice,  not  of  brute  creatures  which  know  not  God,  but  a 
reasonable  sacrifice  of  our  reasonable  minds,  of  our  fancy,  our  imagination,  our  judgment,  of  all  the  fac- 
ulties which  God  has  given  us  to  know  truth  and  to  know  him ;  and  a  holy  sacrifice  of  a  penitent  heart 
washed  in  Christ's  blood,  of  a  believing  heart,  a  self-denying,  an  obedient,  and  a  loving  heart ;  and  yet 
again  a  lively  sacrifice,  a  sacrifice  of  living  powers  and  feelings  and  hopes.  And  our  bodies,  too,  with  all 
their  various  senses  and  powers,  we  sacrifice  to  God ;  a  living  sacrifice,  not  to  be  destroyed  or  dishonored, 
but  to  do  God  active  service.  Our  bodies  so  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made ;  our  eyes,  our  ears,  our 
busy  tongues,  our  active  feet,  that  vigor  which  youth  feels  in  all  its  frame,  and  which  makes  the  very 
sense  of  life  a  pleasure — these  we  offer  and  present  to  God.     T.  A. 

The  true,  divine  idea  of  religion  is  a  life  begotten  of  grace  in  the  depths  of  the  human  soul,  subduing 
to  Christ  all  the  powers  of  the  soul,  and  incarnating  itself  in  a  patient,  steady,  sturdy  service.  It  is  the 
doing  of  the  will  of  the  Father  which  entitles  us  to  a  solid  assurance  of  our  redemption  by  the  Son.  Do- 
ing this  will,  not  preaching  it,  as  something  which  ought  to  be  done  ;  not  indolently  sighing  to  do  it,  and 
then  lamenting  that  we  do  it  not ;  but  the  thing  itself,  in  actual  achievement,  from  day  to  day,  from 
month  to  month,  from  year  to  year.  Thus  religion  rises  on  us  in  its  own  imperial  majesty.  It  is  no 
mere  delight  of  the  understanding  in  the  doctrines  of  our  faith  ;  no  mere  excitement  of  the  sensibilities, 
now  harrowed  by  fear  and  now  jubilant  in  hope  ;  but  a  warfare  and  a  work :  a  warfare  against  sin  and  a 
work  for  God.  And  so  our  thoughts,  our  cares,  our  aims  get  shifted  away  from  ourselves  to  a  worthier 
center.  We  look  not  within  ourselves,  but  above  us,  for  the  guiding  word ;  while  the  roots  of  our  Chris- 
tian hope  are  nourished  more  by  our  duties  than  our  joys.     It  is  character  that  is  required  of  us ;  laid, 


SECTION  S52.— ROMANS  12  : 1-10. 


257 


indeed,  in  grace,  and  imperfect  at  the  best,  needing  to  shelter  itself  behind  the  perfect  righteousness  of 
Christ,  and  yet  a  piece  of  solid  moral  masonry,  to  be  carried  on  and  carried  up  by  a  life-long  toil.  And 
this,  too,  not  for  our  own  sake,  but  for  Christ's  sake,  and  because  God  so  wills  it.  Our  own  spiritual 
comfort,  the  sure  fruit  of  a  careful  walk  with  God,  though  an  incident,  is  not  to  be  the  end  of  our  en- 
deavors ;  but  all  we  do  is  to  be  out  of  simple  loyalty  to  redeeming  love.  Mere  obedience  to  conscience 
is  but  a  pagan  virtue,  which,  in  the  highest  sphere,  is  not  a  virtue  at  all.  Virtue,  for  us,  is  obedience  to 
God  in  Christ.  Painstaking  it  will  be,  that  there  may  be  no  blot  upon  the  life ;  self-denying,  as  against 
our  indolence,  our  appetites,  and  our  passions ;  asking  only  for  duty,  though  we  knew  it  were  asking  for 
martyrdom — and  all  for  Christ.  Such  is  the  will  of  God  concerning  us ;  and  only  he  who  docs  it  should 
reckon  himself  a  child  of  God.     R.  D.  11. 


The  twelfth  of  Romans,  placed  at  the  beginning 
of  the  Epistle,  would  have  been  as  cold  and  unin- 
spiring as  the  ten  commandments  on  the  tables  of 
stone;  standing  where  it  does,  every  precept  is 
moistened  with  tears  of  divine  pity  and  the  blood  of 
redemption ;  and  to  the  soul  that  has  learned  with 
Paul  "the  depth  of  the  riches  of  the  wisdom  and 
knowledge  of  God,"  every  word  that  expresses  the 
will  of  the  Lord  Jesus  is  richer  than  gold  and  sweeter 
than  honey.  An. He  that  gives  rules  of  life  with- 
out first  fixing  principles  of  faith  offers  preposterous- 
ly at  building  a  house  without  laying  a  foundation, 
and  he  that  instructs  what  to  believe  and  directs 
not  a  believer  how  to  live  doth  in  vain  lay  a  foun- 
dation without  following  out  the  building.  But  in 
this  Epistle  we  find  our  apostle  excellently  acquit- 
ting himself  in  both  these.  He  first  largely  and 
firmly  lays  the  groundwork  in  the  foregoing  part 
of  the  Epistle ;  now  he  adds  exhortations  and  direc- 
tions touching  the  particular  duties  of  Christians. 

1.  The  first  thing  to  be  done  with  a  soul  is  to 
convince  it  of  sin  and  death,  then  to  address  and 
lead  it  in  to  Christ,  our  righteousness  and  life  ;  this 
done  it  should  be  taught  to  follow  him.  This  is 
Christianity,  to  live  in  Christ,  and  to  Jive  to  Christ ; 
to  live  in  him  by  faith,  and  to  live  to  him  in  holiness. 
The  exhortation  that  begins  this  chapter  hath  in  it 
the  whole  sum  of  Christian  obedience  fitly  expressed 
and  strongly  urged  ;  and  in  that  are  all  particular 
rules  comprised.  One  said  well,  "  The  best  way  to 
understand  the  mysterious  and  high  discourse  in 
the  beginning  of  Paul's  Epistles  is  to  begin  at  the 
practice  of  these  rules  and  precepts  that  are  in  the 
latter  end  of  them."  The  way  to  attain  to  know  more 
is  to  receive  the  truth  in  the  love  of  if,  and  to  obey 

that  you  know.    L. One  must  first  be  cleansed, 

and  then  cleanse  others;  first  be  instructed,  then 
instruct ;  become  light,  then  enlighten ;  draw  nigh 
to  God,  then  lead  others  up  to  him ;  be  sanctified, 
then  sanctify ;  have  hands,  then  lead  by  the  hand ; 
nave  prudence,  then  give  counsel.  Xo  one  is  worthy 
of  our  great  God,  both  sacrifice  and  high  priest,  who 
has  not  first  presented  himself  to  God  as  a  holy, 
living  sacrifice,  nor  exhibited  that  reasonable  ser- 
vice which  is  well-pleasing  to  him.     Creff.  Naz. 

The  whole  tone  of  our  Xew  Testament  religion 
17 


is  searching  and  high.  It  allows  no  laxities  and  no 
apologies.  It  is  satisfied  with  nothing  less  than 
entire  consecration.  The  piety  it  asks  is  both  active 
and  ardent,  warm  and  constant,  ever  burning  and 
ever  advancing.  It  summons  into  the  master's  ser- 
vice every  power,  every  energy,  every  affection,  every 

hour  of  life.    F.  D.  H. The  absolute  unselfish 

oblation  of  the  whole  man — mind,  heart,  and  will — 
as  a  sacrifice  to  Christ,  out  of  thankful  regard  to 
his  dying  love,  is  the  living  sacrifice,  the  reasonable 
service,  with  which  God  is  well  pleased.  To  keep 
back  anything  is  to  deny  our  Lord.  He  asks  only 
the  heart,  but  he  asks  it  all.  And  in  gracious  souls 
he  has  it.  It  is  his.  He  has  bought  it  with  his 
Cross  and  passion,  and  carries  it  away  in  triumph ; 
embracing  in  almighty  arms  the  ransomed  one,  who 
desires  no  other  master,  and  is  happy  to  be  borne 
away  captive  by  him,  whose  commandments  are  not 
grievous,  whose  yoke  is  light,  and  whose  service  is 
freedom.    J.  W.  A. 

2.  Conformity  to  the  world  does  not  consist  in 
joining  in  the  pleasures  with  which  God  who  made 
the  world  has  filled  it.  It  does  not  consist  in  pur- 
suing the  occupations  by  which  the  work  of  the 
world  is  done.  It  does  not  consist  in  allowing  prop- 
er play  to  the  natural  impulses.  All  these  things, 
though  they  can  be  made  worldly,  yet  are  not  world- 
ly in  themselves.  By  being  conformed  to  this  woi'ld, 
the  apostle  plainly  means  the  molding  of  the  life 
and  character  by  the  system  which  prevails  around 
you,  and  not  by  the  higher  teaching  which  reaches 
your  heart  and  conscience.  The  world  has  another 
voice  which  does  not  come  from  God  at  all,  and 
which  speaks  to  our  weakness,  to  our  folly,  to  our 
vanity,  to  our  love  of  popularity,  to  our  fear  of  of- 
fending. And  this  is  the  voice  which  we  are  tempt- 
ed to  make  our  guide,  and  even  to  enthrone  above 
our  own  consciences.  Those  who  begin  with  the  world 
almost  always  end  with  the  flesh,  or  sometimes  with 
what  is  worse  still.  They  begin  by  talking  lightly 
of  serious  faults  because  they  are  common,  because 
they  are  not  thought  much  of,  because  the  tempta- 
tions to  them  are  great.  And  such  invariably,  if 
they  do  not  repent,  go  straight  on  from  mere  laxity 
of  judgment  to  downright  indulgence  in  fleshly  sins. 
And  hence  conformity  to  the  world  does  the  same 


258 


SECTION  252.— ROMANS  12  : 1-10. 


kind  of  mischief  now  that  idolatry  did  long  ago.  It 
leads  by  a  direct  and  rapid  course  to  a  low  moral 
standard,  to  stifling  the  higher  nature,  to  a  weak 
and  perhaps  a  positively  corrupt  form  of  reli- 
f^ion,  and  to  a  degradation  of  the  life  and  charac- 
ter.   F.  T. 

We  must  avoid  as  much  as  in  us  lies  all  such 
society,  all  such  amusements,  all  such  tempers  which 
it  is  the  daily  business  of  a  Christian  to  subdue,  and 
all  those  feelings  which  it  is  his  constant  duty  to 
suppress.  Some  things,  which  are  apparently  inno- 
cent and  do  not  assume  an  alarming  aspect  or  bear 
a  dangerous  character — things  which  the  generality 
of  decorous  people  affirm  (how  truly  we  know  not) 
to  be  safe  for  them ;  yet  if  we  find  that  these  things 
stir  up  in  us  improper  propensities — if  they  awaken 
thoughts  which  ought  not  to  be  excited — if  they 
abate  our  love  for  religious  exercises,  or  infringe  on 
our  time  for  performing  them — if  they  make  spirit- 
ual concerns  appear  insipid — if  they  wind  our  heart 
a  little  more  about  the  world — in  short,  if  we  have 
formerly  found  them  injurious  to  our  own  souls, 
then  let  no  example  or  persuasion,  no  belief  of  their 
alleged  innocence,  no  plea  of  their  perfect  safety 
tempt  us  to  indulge  in  them.  It  matters  little  to 
our  security  what  they  are  to  others.  Our  business 
is  with  ourselves.  Our  responsibility  is  on  our  own 
heads.  Others  can  not  know  the  side  on  which  we 
are  assailable.  Let  our  own  unbiased  judgment 
determine    our    opinion ;    let   our   own   experience 

decide  for  our  own  conduct.     H.  More. 1  have 

found  nothing  yet  which  requires  more  courage 
and  independence  than  to  rise  even  a  little,  but 
decidedly,  above  the  par  of  the  religious  world 
around  us.  Surely,  the  way  in  which  we  com- 
monly go  on  is  not  that  way  of  self-denial  and  sac- 
rifice and  cross-bearing  which  the  New  Testament 
talks  of.  Then  is  the  offense  of  the  Cross  ceased. 
Our  slender  influence  on  the  circle  of  our  friends  is 
often  to  be  traced  to  our  leaving  so  little  difference 
between  us.     J.  W.  A. 

3.  To  every  man.  This  is  more  pressing 
than  if  he  had  said  simply,  to  you,  or  generally,  to 
you  all.  Thus  we  ought  to  speak,  and  thus  ye  ought 
to  hear.  We  to  speak,  not  as  telling  some  uncon- 
cerning  stories,  but  as  having  business  with  you ; 
and  you  to  hear,  not  each  for  another,  as  you  often 
do,  "  Oh !  such  a  passage  touched  such  a  one," 
but  each  for  ourselves.  Not  to  think  more 
highly.  The  first  particular  the  apostle  recom- 
mends is  that  gracing  grace  of  humility,  the  orna- 
ment and  the  safety  of  all  other  graces,  and  which 
is  so  peculiarly  Christian.  Somewhat  philosophers 
speak  of  temperance,  justice,  and  other  like  virtues, 
but  these  rather  to  swell  the  mind  with  conceit  and 
confidence  of  itself  than  to  dwell  together  with  self- 
abasement  and  humility.    But  in  the  school  of  Christ 


the  first  lesson  of  all  is  self-denial  and  humility.  It 
is  written  above  the  door  as  the  rule  of  entry  or 
admission.  Learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  of 
heart.  And,  out  of  all  question,  that  is  truly  the 
humblest  heart  that  hath  most  of  Christ  in  it.    L. 

A  false,  imaginary  perfection  makes  way  for 

too  many  real  imperfections.  Christ  has  been  dis- 
paraged  in  all  manners  by  this  infidel  fervor ;  dis- 
paraged in  his  nature,  his  dignity,  and  holiness. 
There  is  not  one  of  those  schools  which,  by  stretch- 
ing certain  cords  to  excess,  have  not  in  an  equal 
degree  slackened  others  which  ought  to  have  been 
kept  stretched.  There  is  not  one  of  those  schools 
whose  progress  has  not  been  marked  by  the  destruc- 
tion or  weakening  of  some  one  of  the  fundamental 
truths  of  religion  or  morality.     A.  V. 

To  think  soberly.  A  low  self-esteem  doth 
not  wholly  take  away  the  simple  knowledge  of  what 
gifts  and  graces  God  hath  bestowed  on  a  man,  for 
that  were  to  make  him  both  unthankful  and  unusef ul. 
He  that  doth  not  know  what  God  hath  freely  given 
him  can  not  return  praise  to  God  nor  make  use  of 
himself  for  God  in  his  station.  The  apostle's  caution 
intimates  a  sober,  humble  reflection  on  the  measure 
God  hath  given  a  man,  which  he  not  only  allows  but 
requires;  and  himself  gives  example  of  it  in  his 
own  present  expression,  declaring  that  he  speaks 
these  things  through  the  grace  that  is  given  to  him. 
In  this  dependent  notion  of  freely  given,  a  man  shall 
never  be  puffed  up  by  any  endowments,  though  he 
see  and  know  them  ;  yea,  the  more  he  knows  them 
thus,  will  be  the  more  humble  still,  as  being  the 
more  obliged.     L. 

4-8.  The  second  constituent  of  Christian  dutyis 
reciprocal  justice  and  kindness  between  man  and 
man,  like  the  harmony  and  helpfulness  which  the 
Creator  has  established  between  the  several  mem-  i 
bers  of  a  living  body.     Mark  how  the  hand  comes  i 
to  the  defense  of  the  eye  in  its  weakness  ;  and  how  ] 
the  eye  with  its  sight,  and  from  its  elevated  position,^ 
keeps  watch  for  the  welfare  of  the  lowly,  blind,  bu 
laborious  and  useful  foot.     The  mutual  helpfulne^ 
of    these    members    is   absolutely  perfect.     Sue 
should  be  the  charity  between  brother  and  brothe 
of  God's  family  on  earth ;  such  it  shall  be  when  al] 
the  sons  and  daughters  are  assembled  in  the  manj 
mansions  of  the  heavenly  home.     In  the  remainin 
portion   of  the   Epistle,  Paul   labors  with  all  hisjl 
might  to  stimulate  practical  charity,  in  one  places 
reducing   the  whole   law  to    one  precept,  to  onefl 
word — Love.      After  devoting   so   much    attcntionij 
to  the  roots,  he  will  not  neglect  to  gather  the  fruit.i 

A7'7iOt. 

6.  The  gospel,  as  taught  by  our  Lord  and  hisjl 
apostles,  is  pure,  transparently  clear,  radiant  alike! 
with  the  glory  of  God  and  the  happiness  of  man— i 
of  that  there  is  no  doubt  ,•  yet  what  twists  has  thcl 


SECTION  253.— ROMAN'S  12  :  11-21. 


259 


mind  of  man  contrived  to  give  it,  so  that  in  some 
forms  of  Christianity  you  can  hardly  at  all  recog- 
nize the  original  draught,  as  it  came  from  the  divine 
mind!  What  follies,  fancies,  superstitions,  licen- 
tious doctrines,  have  founded  themselves — not  justly 
of  course,  but  with  a  most  perverse  ingenuity — 
upon  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament ! 
It  would  be  interesting  to  consider  every  heresy 
which  has  hitherto  arisen,  and  see  how  in  each  case 
it  has  been  a  caricature  of  some  one  point  of  Chris- 
tian truth — an  exaggeration  by  which  the  fair  pro- 
portion of  the  faith,  of  which  Paul  here  speaks,  has 
been  distorted,  and  a  single  passage  of  Scripture  or  a 
single  class  of  passages  brought  into  undue  promi- 
nence.   E.  M.  G. 

8.  In  the  scheme  of  evangelical  charity  the  prin- 
ciple which  actuates  the  giver  is  of  paramount  im- 
portance. "  He  that  giveth,  let  him  do  it  with  sim- 
plicity." The  gospel  rejects  alike  the  tax  which  is 
reluctantly  paid  by  fear,  the  bribe  which  is  given  to 
silence  importunity,  the  sacrifice  which  is  offered  to 
a  vain  ostentation,  and  the  pi'ice  which  is  intended 
to  purchase  a  place  in  the  divine  favor,  or  as  a 
ground  of  justification  before  God.  The  only  offer- 
ing which  it  accepts  is  that  which  originates  in  a 
principle  of  love  and  obedience  to  Christ,  and  which 
hopes  and  asks  for  divine  acceptance  through  him 


alone.  And  having  made  its  appeal  at  the  Cross, 
having  provided  and  plied  him  with  the  grand  mo- 
tive of  redeeming  love,  it  will  accept  nothing  which 
overlooks  the  constraining  influence  of  that  prin- 
ciple.    J.  H. 

9.  The  duty  here  meant  and  commanded  is,  that 
we  love  one  another,  and  our  love  must  be  unhypocriti- 
cal  and  sincere  ;  such  as,  though  it  may  consist  with, 
yet  doth  not  wholly  consist  in  civilities  of  expres- 
sion and  behavior,  but  a  real  benevolence  of  soul 
and  good  will  to  all — a  love  disposing  readily  to  for- 
give evil  and  do  good  upon  all  occasions.  Cleave  to 
that  which  is  good.  This  expresses  a  vehement 
and  inseparable  affection;  loving  and  rejoicing  in 
all  the  good  thou  seest  in  others ;  desiring  and  seek- 
ing after  all  the  good  thou  canst  attain  unto  thyself ; 
such  as  will  put  thee  and  keep  thee  most  in  mind  of 
thy  home,  and  the  way  thither,  and  admonish  and 
reduce  thee  from  any  declining  steps. 

10.  In  honor  preferring  one  another. 
Putting  all  possible  respect  on  one  another ;  for 
though  a  man  may  see  the  weakness  of  those  he 
converses  with,  yet  he  ought  to  take  notice  of  what 
is  good.  All  have  something  commendable,  and 
none  hath  all ;  so  the  meanest  may  in  something  be 
preferable  to  the  highest;  and  Christian  humility 
and  charity  will  seek  out  for  that.     L. 


Section  253. 

KoMANS  xii.  11-21. 

11  FoT  slothful  in  business ;  fervent  in  spirit ;  serving  the  Lord  ;  rejoicing  in  hope  ;  patient 

12  in  tribulation  ;  continuing  instant  in  prayer  ;  distributing  to  the  necessity  of  saints  ;  given 

14  to  hospitality.     Bless  them  which  persecute  you  :  bless,  and  curse  not.     Rejoice  with  them 

15  that  do  rejoice,  and  weep  with  them  that  weep.     Be  of  the  same  mind  one  toward  another. 

16  Mind  not  high  things,  but  condescend  to  men  of  low  estate.     Be  not  wise  in  your  own  con- 

17  ceits.    Recompense  to  no  man  evil  for  evil.     Provide  things  honest  in  the  sight  of  all  men. 

18  If  it  be  possible,  as  much  as  lieth  in  you,  live  peaceably  with  all  men.     Dearly  beloved, 

19  avenge  not  yourselves,  but  rather  give  place  unto  wrath  :  for  it  is  written.  Vengeance  is 

20  mine  ;  I  will  repay,  saith  the  Lord.    Therefore  if  thine  enemy  hunger,  feed  him  ;  if  he  thirst, 

21  give  him  drink  :  for  in  so  doing  thou  shalt  heap  coals  of  fire  on  his  head.     Be  not  overcome 
of  evil,  but  overcome  evil  with  good. 

Carry  holy  principles  with  you  into  the  world,  and  the  world  will  become  hallowed  by  their  presence. 
A  Christlike  spirit  will  Christianize  everything  it  touches.  A  meek  heart,  in  which  the  altar-fire  of  love  to 
God  is  burning,  will  lay  hold  of  the  commonest,  rudest  things  in  life  and  transmute  them,  like  coarse  fuel 
at  the  touch  of  fire,  into  a  pure  and  holy  flame.  Religion  in  the  soul  will  make  all  the  work  and  toil  of 
life,  its  gains  and  losses,  friendships,  rivalries,  competitions,  its  manifold  incidents  and  events,  the  means 
of  religious  advancement.  Lofty  or  lowly,  rude  or  refined,  as  our  earthly  work  may  be,  it  will  become,  to 
a  holy  mind,  only  the  material  for  an  infinitely  nobler  than  all  the  creations  of  genius — a  pure  and  godlike 
life.  To  spiritualize  what  is  material,  to  Christianize  what  is  secular — this  is  the  noble  achievement  of 
Christian  principle.  If  you  are  a  sincere  Christian,  it  will  be  your  great  desire,  by  God's  grace,  to  bring 
every  gift,  talent,  occupation  of  life,  every  word  you  speak,  every  action  you  do,  under  the  control  of 
Christian  motive.     Caird. 


260 


SECTION'  253.— ROMAN'S  12  :  11-21. 


Where  trae  piety  exists,  fidelity  to  man  is  transmitted  into  worship  before  God.  This  is  the  great  truth 
which  sanctifies  all  human  life.  Broken  up  as  life  is  into  myriads  of  little,  insignificant  acts,  it  is  hard 
sometimes  to  redeem  it  from  contempt.  It  becomes  a  holy  thing,  when  we  realize  that,  with  the 
heart  unreservedly  given  to  God,  even  the  most  trivial  duty  becomes  an  act  of  worship.  Glowing  with 
the  warm  affection  by  which  it  is  inspired,  it  glides  into  the  frame  of  devotion  itself  ;  which,  as  grateful 
incense  goes  up  to  heaven  from  the  altar  of  God  within  the  heart.  Our  worship  consists  not  only  in 
formal  acts  of  praise  and  prayer,  when  we  bow  before  God  in  the  sanctuary,  or  kneel  at  his  feet  in  the 
closet  •  but  in  the  workshop,  in  the  counting-room,  in  the  office,  everywhere,  and  in  the  hourly  transac- 
tions of  common  business,  the  whole  life  becomes  a  sacred  chant.  The  ten  thousand  little  obediences  are 
the  sweet  notes  which  compose  it,  rising  above  the  din  of  this  poor  world,  and  mingling  in  the  universal 
psalm  of  praise  that  is  heard  before  the  throne.  Duty  is  felt  in  all  its  sacredness,  and  a  soft  radiance 
beams  upon  the  path  of  the  most  obscure  and  patient  of  the  Lord's  saints  upon  the  earth.     B.  M.  P. 


11.  The  words  seem  to  imply  that  religion  is 
not  so  much  a  duty  as  a  something  that  has  to  do 
with  all  duties ;  not  a  tax  to  be  paid  periodically, 
but  a  ceaseless,  all-pervading,  inexhaustible  tribute 
to  him  who  is  not  only  the  object  of  religious  wor- 
ship but  the  end  of  our  very  life  and  being.  It 
suggests  to  us  the  idea  that  piety  is  not  for  Sundays 
only,  but  for  all  days ;  that  spirituality  of  mind  is 
like  the  act  of  breathing,  like  the  circulation  of 
the  blood,  like  the  silent  growth  of  the  stature,  a 
process  that  may  be  going  on  simultaneously  with 
all  our  actions — when  wc  are  busiest,  as  when  we 
are  idlest ;  in  the  church,  in  the  world ;  in  solitude, 
in  society ;  in  our  grief,  and  in  our  gladness ;  in  our 
toil,  and  in  our  rest ;  sleeping,  waking ;  by  day,  by 
night — amid  all  the  engagements  and  exigencies  of 
life.  For  you  perceive  that  in  one  breath,  as  duties 
not  only  not  incompatible  but  necessarily  and  in- 
separably blended  with  each  other,  the  text  exhorts 
us  to  be  at  once  "not  slothful  in  business,"  and 
"  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord."     Caird. 

Suffer  the  mind  to  revert  to  the  thought  that 
what  we  are  about  to  do  is  the  task  assigned  to  us 
in  the  order  of  God's  providence,  that  it  is  a  task 
which  he  will  inspect,  and  that  it  must  be  executed 
as  well  as  we  are  able  in  order  that  it  may  meet 
his  approval.  Do  the  work  under  the  eye  of  your 
heavenly  master,  and  look  up  in  his  face  from  time 
to  time  for  his  help  and  blessing :  an  internal  col- 
loquy with  him  ever  and  anon,  so  far  from  being 
a  distraction,  will  be  a  furtherance.  For  no  work 
can  in  any  high  sense  prosper  which  is  not  done 
with  a  bright,  elastic  spirit ;  and  there  is  no  means 
of  keeping  the  spirit  bright  and  elastic  but  by 
keeping  it  near  to  God.  And  never  think  of  your 
work  as  a  distraction  or  a  hindrance  to  piety. 
Think  of  it  as  contributing  to  healthfulness  and 
cheerfulness  of  mind,  as  a  steadying  and  sobei'ing 
influence,  preventing  those  extravagances  into  which 

without  it  the  mind  might  run.     E.  M.  G. There 

is  many  a  secret  sin  that  is  best  contended  against, 
not  by  first  thinking  about  it  and  then  resisting  it — 
for,  while  you  think  about  it,  it  takes  the  form  of 


a  temptation — but  by  crowding  our  days  so  full  of 
duty  that  the  tempter  will  find  no  treacherous  door 
open.  Work  is  chaste.  Work  hallowed  by  prayer 
is  chaster  still.  Have  no  fears  that  God  will  not 
help.     F.  D.  H. 

Fervent  in  spirit.  The  fervor  whereof  the 
apostle  speaks  hath  religion,  or  the  service  of  God, 
for  its  object.  Love  to  God  is  the  principle,  the 
law  of  God  is  the  rule,  and  his  glory  the  end,  of  all 
its  operations.  The  fervent  Christian  is  habitually 
on  the  stretch  to  answer  the  great  purposes  for  which 
he  was  made  and  redeemed ;  his  understanding  is 
employed  in  searching  out  the  mind  of  God  so  far  as 
it  regards  the  conduct  of  his  creatures ;  his  will  is 
firmly  and  resolutely  determined  to  perform  what- 
ever shall  appear  to  be  his  duty  ;  his  affections  are 
inspired  with  holy  life  and  vigor;  in  consequence 
of  which  his  executive  powers  are  all  ready  to  per- 
form their  several  parts :  the  tongue  to  speak,  the 
hands  to  give  or  to  do  what  is  required,  and  the 
feet  to  run  in  the  way  of  God's  commandments.  In 
short,  the  whole  man  is  engaged  in  the  service  of 
God,  so  that  religion  becomes  his  constant  and  most 
delightful  occupation ;  he  counts  nothing  too  much 
to  be  done  or  too  hard  to  be  endured  for  the  enjoy- 
ment of  that  God  whom  he  most  ardently  loves  and 
to  whom  he  is  entirely  devoted.  This  is  to  be  fer- 
vent  in  spirit.     R.  W. 

True  manly  strength  in  religion  is  nurtured  at 
the  mercy-seat  and  at  the  foot  of  the  Cross.  The 
world  has  already  half  destroyed  us  when  wc  are 
too  busy  to  pray.  Better  forego  food  or  rest,  es- 
pecially better  forego  any  amount  of  profit,  than 
learn  to  live  without  communion  with  God.  The 
man  of  business,  who  from  morning  till  night  scarce- 
ly redeems  a  moment  for  stated  reflection,  must,  by 
stern  resolution  and  self-denial,  gain  some  hour  to 
hear  God  speak  and  to  speak  to  God,  or  he  will  in- : 
evitably  shrink  and  wither  down  into  the  every-day 
worldly  professor,  who  is  bold  at  a  bargain  and 
cowardly  in  faith,  earnest  on  week-days  and  half 
asleep  on  the  Sabbath,  indefatigable  in  trade-labors 
and  unheard  of  in  operations  for  Christ's  kingdom 


SECTION  253.— ROMANS  12  :  11-21. 


261 


or  his  poor.  J.  W.  A. Believer,  the  more  world- 
ly business  lies  upon  thy  hand  the  more  need  thou 
hast  to  keep  close  to  thy  closet.  Much  business  lays 
a  man  open  to  many  sins,  many  snares,  and  many 

temptations.    Brooks. Most  businesses  have  wide 

gaps ;  all  have  some  chinks  at  which  devotion  may 
slip  in.  Be  we  never  so  urgently  set  or  closely  in- 
tent on  any  work,  be  we  feeding,  be  we  traveling, 
be  we  trading,  be  we  studying,  nothing  can  forbid 
that  we  wedge  in  a  thought  concerning  God's  good- 
ness, and  a  word  of  praise  for  it ;  that  we  reflect  on 
our  sins,  and  spend  a  penitential  sigh  on  them ;  that 
we  descry  our  need  of  God's  help,  and  dispatch  a 

brief  petition  for  it.     Barrow. Often  a  man  in 

the  multitude  and  pressure  of  his  avocations  exer- 
cises a  more  God-pleasing  humility  and  real  waiting 
upon  God  than  in  highly  favored  moments  of  ele- 
vated devotion.     Beng. 

12.  "Wilt  thou  resolutely  strive  against  slothful- 
ness?  Then  rejoice  in  hope — in  the  hope  of  that 
glory  which  is  the  portion  of  the  true  Christian. 
Wilt  thou  be  and  remain  fervent  in  spirit  ?  Then 
be  patient — that  is,  at  once  enduring  and  resolute — 
in  tribulation.  Patience  strengthens  the  power  out 
of  which  true  zeal  is  born ;  and,  in  order  to  do 
much  for  the  kingdom  of  God,  we  must  have  learned 
to  suffer,  if  need  be,  for  his  sake.  Wilt  thou,  final- 
ly, serve  the  Lord  uprightly  in  thy  work  ?  Continue 
instant  in  prayer.  To  work  and  pray  are  not  to 
the  Christian  two  opposite  things ;  far  less  does  the 
one  exclude  the  other — they  flow  together  inces- 
santly in  higher  unity.  Persevering,  believing  prayer 
alone  will  give  thee  enjoyment,  courage,  and  strength 
for  the  daily  service  of  the  Lord,  even  in  a  post 
which  perhaps  thou  wouldst  not  have  chosen  for 
thyself.  The  hidden  power  of  the  prompt,  busy 
hand  lies  in  the  constantly  bowed  knee.     Van  0. 

If  afraid  of  fainting,  yea,  if  at  the  point  of 

fainting,  prayer  revives  the  soul,  draws  in  no  less 
than  the  strength  of  God  to  support  it.  And  what, 
then,  can  surcharge  it  ?  Oh !  acquaint  yourselves 
with  prayer,  and  by  it  with  God,  that,  if  days  of 
trouble  come,  you  ruay  know  whither  to  go  and 
what  way ;  and,  if  you  know  this  way,  whatever  be- 
falls you,  you  are  not  much  to  be  bemoaned.     L. 

15.  Rejoice,  weep.  This  indeed  is  a  char- 
acteristic trait  that  distinguishes  the  Christian  faith 
from  every  religious  pretension  that  was  ever  set  up. 
It  is  not  one-sided,  as  being  all  for  melancholy  or 
all  for  mirth — not  stoical  or  epicurean.  It  has  as 
many  sides  as  our  life  has,  goes  with  us  wherever 
we  can  go,  and  only  asks  that  it  may  consecrate 

everything  with  its  blessing.     F.  D.  H. 1  am 

obliged  to  great  thankfulness  to  God  for  the  mer- 
cies of  this  life  which  he  has  shown  to  my  friends. 
That  which  promotes  their  joy  should  increase  mine. 
Nature  and  grace  teach  us  to  be  glad,  when  our 


friends  are  well  and  prosper.  Do  good  to  men's 
bodies  if  thou  wouldst  do  good  to  their  souls.  Say 
not,  "Things  corporeal  arc  worthless  trifles  for 
which  the  receivers  will  be  never  the  better."  They 
are  things  that  nature  is  easily  sensible  of;  and 
sense  is  the  passage  to  the  mind  and  will.  Dost 
thou  not  find  what  a  help  it  is  to  thyself  to  have  at 
any  time  any  ease  and  alacrity  of  body ;  and  what  a 
burden  and  hindrance  pains  and  cares  are?  La- 
bor then  to  free  others  from  such  burdens  and 
temptations,  and  be  not  regardless  of  them.  If 
thou  must  "  rejoice  with  them  that  rejoice,  and  weep 
with  them  that  weep,"  promote  then  thy  own  joy  by 
helping  theirs,  and  avoid  thy  own  sorrows  in  pre- 
venting or  curing  theirs.     Bax. 

16.  Mind  not  high  things.  In  order  to  es. 
cape  the  perils  of  a  false  elevation,  to  avoid  falling 
either  into  the  snares  of  the  flesh  or  the  snares  of 
pride,  aspire  to  things  higher  than  all  those  to  which 
the  world  unjustly  gives  the  name  of  high  things. 
Neither  to  the  right  nor  to  the  left,  but  upward ! 
Upward !  in  the  practice  of  all  the  duties  which 
God  has  given  you  to  fulfill.  Upward !  in  simple 
love  to  him  who  has  loved  you,  diligently  seeking 
his  glory  while  despising  your  own.  Upward  !  in 
the  exactness,  not  the  scrupulous  and  legal,  but  the 
tender  and  zealous  exactness  of  Christian  obedience, 
in  humility  truly  humble,  and  that  childlike  sim- 
plicity which  so  admirably  accords  with  enlightened 
reason  in  the  intelligent  but  docile  acceptance  of  the 
gifts  M'hich  God  has  given,  and  the  truths  which  he 
has  taught  you.     A.  V. 

1 7.  All  that  is  required  of  us  is  that  we  should 
not  suffer  our  resentment  of  injuries  to  carry  us 
beyond  the  bounds  of  justice,  equity,  and  Christian 
charity ;  that  we  should  not  recompense  evil  for  evil, 
or  repay  one  injury  by  committing  another ;  that 
we  should  not  take  fire  at  every  slight  provocation 
or  trivial  offense,  nor  pursue  even  the  greatest  and 
most  flagrant  injuries  with  implacable  rancor ;  that 
we  should  make  all  reasonable  allowances  for  the 
infirmities  of  human  nature,  for  the  passions,  the 
prejudices,  the  failings,  the  misapprehensions  of 
those  we  have  to  deal  with ;  and,  without  submitting 
tamely  to  oppression  or  insult  or  giving  up  rights  of 
great  and  acknoidedged  importance,  should  always 
show  a  disposition  to  conciliate  and  forgive ;  and 
rather  to  recede  and  give  way  a  little  in  certain  in- 
stances, than  insist  on  the  utmost  satisfaction  and 
reparation  that  we  have  perhaps  a  strict  right  to 

demand.     P. It  is  not  manhood  but  childishness 

to  be  quieted  with  striking  the  thing  that  hurts  us. 
Though  enemies  be  not  worthy  to  be  loved  by  us, 
yet  malice  is  unworthy  to  be  lodged  in  us.  'Tis  true, 
the  precept  of  loving  enemies  is  contrary  to  unsanc- 
tified  nature.  But  God  alone  knows  how  to  punish 
our  enemies  without  passion  and  inequality.     It  is 


262 


SECTION  254.— ROMANS  13  : 1-I4. 


I 


our  duty  to  weary  persecutors  with  patience.  A 
Christian  must  not,  like  the  flint,  seem  to  be  cool 
but  be  fiery  when  struck.  He  that  takes  up  fire  to 
throw  (though  against  his  enemy)  hurts  himself 
most.  To  be  kind  to  the  kind  argues  civility ;  to  be 
unkind  to  the  unkind  argues  corruption ;  to  be  un- 
kind to  the  kind  argues  devilishness ;  to  be  kind  to 
the  unkind  argues  Christianity.     Jenkyn. 

18.  liieth  in  you.  The  emphasis  is  best  laid 
on  the  word  you.  Not  a  mere  repetition  of  the  first 
clause,  "  if  it  be  possible,"  but  further  insisting  on 
that  thought,  as  if  in  answer  to  the  suggestion,  "  I 
would  but  somebody  else  will  not."  A  proverb 
says,  "  It  takes  two  to  quarrel " :  keep  peace  on 

your  side.     0.  E.  D. Remember  that,  when  any 

man  reviles  you,  it  is  not  the  tongue  that  gives  you 
the  opprobrious  language  that  injures  or  affronts 
you ;  but  it  is  your  own  resentment  of  it  as  an  in- 
jury or  affront  that  makes  it  such  to  you.    Epidetus. 

19.  The  second  injury,  done  by  way  of  revenge, 
differs  from  the  first  that  provoked  it  little  or  no- 
thing but  in  point  of  time ;  and  certainly  no  one 
man's  sin  can  procure  privilege  to  another  to  sin  in 
that  or  the  like  kind.  If  another  hath  broken  the 
bonds  of  his  allegiance  and  obedience  to  God  and 
of  charity  to  thee,  yet  thou  art  not  the  less  tied  by 
the  same  bonds  still.  By  revenge  of  injuries  thou 
usurpest  upon  God's  prerogative,  who  is  the  avcngc'i\ 
as  the  apostle  teaches.  This  doth  not  forbid  either 
the  magistrate's  sword  for  just  punishment  of  of- 
fenders, or  the  soldier's  sword  in  a  just  war ;  but 


such  revenges  as,  without  authority  or  a  lawful  call, 
the  pride  and  perverseness  of  men  do  multiply  one 
against  another :  in  which  is  involved  a  presumptu- 
ous  contempt  of  God  and  his  supreme  authority,  or 

at  least  the  unbelief  and  neglect  of  it.     L. 20. 

Coals  of  fire.  That  fiery  coals  signify  benefits  is 
manifest  by  the  words  of  Solomon  which  the  apostle 
here  reciteth.  Benefits  may  properly  be  called  coals 
of  fire,  for  they  inflame  the  heart  with  love,  which 
was  before  cold  and  inactive.     Lather. 

21.  When  we  meet  with  an  opposition  which 
frets  and  irritates  us,  Christian  prudence  counsels 
us  to  pray  that  the  temptation  may  be  removed ; 
and  in  particular  that  our  self-love  and  injured  feel- 
ings may  not  weaken  our  love  for  our  neighbor. 
But  this  prudence,  if  it  counsels  nothing  further,  is 
not  prudent  enough.  If  the  same  feeling  which  dis- 
poses us  to  pray  does  not  dispose  us  to  pray  for  our 
enemies  or  opponents,  it  is  difiicult  to  believe  that  it 
is  a  movement  of  charity.  Charity  can  not  be  thus 
arrested.  Its  nature  is  to  overcome  evil  with  good, 
and  this  means  not  merely  that  it  does  not  render 
evil  for  evil,  but  that  in  return  for  evil  it  renders 
good.  It  would  not  be  charity  if  it  did  less.  To 
pardon  truly  it  is  necessary  to  do  more  than  pardon. 
Evil  must  be  overcome  by  good ;  and  after  the  ex- 
ample of  God  himself,  where  the  offense  has  abound- 
ed, grace  must  much  more  abound.  This  is  to  say 
that  pardoning,  sparing,  loving,  all  are  secured  in 
the  person  offended  only  when  he  prays  for  the  of- 
fender.    A.  V. 


Section  254. 

EoMANs  xiii.  1-14. 

1  Let  every  soul  be  subject  unto  the  higher  powers.     For  there  is  no  power  but  of  God: 

2  the  powers  that  be  are  ordained  of  God.    Whosoever  therefore  resisteth  the  power,  resist- 

3  eth  the  ordinance  of  God:  and  they  that  resist  shall  receive  to  themselves  damnation.  For 
rulers  are  not  a  terror  to  good  works,  but  to  the  evil.     Wilt  thou  then  not  be  afraid  of  the 

4  power  ?  do  that  which  is  good,  and  thou  shalt  have  praise  of  the  same :  for  he  is  the  min- 
ister of  God  to  thee  for  good.  But  if  thou  do  that  which  is  evil,  be  afraid  ;  for  he  beareth 
not  the  sword  in  vain :  for  he  is  the  minister  of  God,  a  revenger  to  execute  wrath  upon  him 

5  that  doeth  evil.     Wherefore  ye  must  needs  be  subject,  not  only  for  wrath,  but  also  for  con- 

6  science'  sake.     For  for  this  cause  pay  ye  tribute  also :  for  they  are  God's  ministers,  attending 

7  continually  upon  this  very  thing.  Eender  therefore  to  all  their  dues :  tribute  to  whom  trib- 
ute is  due  ;  custom  to  whom  custom  ;  fear  to  whom  fear  ;  honour  to  whom  honour. 

8  Owe  no  man  any  thing,  but  to  love  one  another :  for  he  that  loveth  another  hath  fulfilled 

9  the  law.  For  this.  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery,  Thou  shalt  not  kill,  Thou  shalt  not 
steal,  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness,  Thou  shalt  not  covet ;  and  if  there  ie  any  other 
commandment,  it  is  briefly  comprehended  in  this  saying,  namely,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 

10  hour  as  thyself.     Love  worketh  no  ill  to  his  neighbour :  therefore  love  is  the  fulfilhng  of 

11  the  law.     And  that,  knowing  the  time,  that  now  it  is  high  time  to  awake  out  of  sleep :  for 

12  now  is  our  salvation  nearer  than  when  we  believed.     The  night  is  far  spent,  the  day  is  at 


SECTION  254.— BO  MAN'S  13  : 1-I4. 


263 


hand:  let  us  therefore  cast  off  the  works  of  darkness,  and  let  us  put  on  the  armour  of  light. 

13  Let  us  walk  honestly,  as  in  the  day  ;  not  in  rioting  and  drunkenness,  not  in  chambering  and 

14  wantonness,  not  in  strife  and  envying.     But  put  ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  make  not 
provision  for  the  flesh,  to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof. 


If,  indeed,  God's  kingdom  were  shining  around  us  in  its  full  beauty ;  if  every  evil  thing  were  driven 
out  of  his  temple  ;  if  we  saw  nothing  but  holy  lives  and  happy,  the  fruits  of  his  Spirit,  truth,  and  love, 
aud  joy ;  then  we  might  be  less  anxious  for  ourselves ;  our  course  would  be  far  smoother.  What  evil 
thoughts  would  not  be  withered  and  die  long  ere  they  could  ripen  into  action,  if  the  very  air  which  we 
breathed  were  of  such  keen  and  heavenly  purity  !  It  is  because  all  this  is  not  so  that  we  have  need  of 
so  much  watchfulness ;  it  is  because  the  faults  of  every  one  of  us  make  our  brethren's  task  harder  ;  'be- 
cause there  is  not  one  bad  or  careless  person  among  us  who  is  not  a  hindrance  in  his  brother's  path,  and 
does  not  oblige  him  to  exert  himself  the  more.  Therefore,  because  the  day  is  not  bright,  but  overclouded 
because  it  is  but  too  like  the  night,  and  too  many  use  it  as  the  night  for  all  works  of  darkness,  let  us 
take  the  more  heed  that  we  do  not  ourselves  so  mistake  it ;  let  us  watch  each  of  us  the  light  within  us, 
lest,  indeed,  we  should  wholly  stumble  ;  let  us  put  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  To  put  on  Christ  is  a  truer 
and  fuller  expression,  by  far,  than  if  we  had  been  told  to  put  on  truth,  or  holiness,  or  goodness.  It  in- 
cludes all  these,  with  something  more,  that  nothing  but  itself  can  give — the  sense  of  safetv,  and  joy 
unspeakable,  in  feeling  ourselves  sheltered  in  our  Saviour's  arms,  aud  taken  even  into  himself.  Assur- 
edly, if  we  put  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  shall  not  make  provision  for  the  flesh  to  fulfill  the  lusts 
thereof.     T.  A. 


2.  For  "  damnation  "  read  "  condemnation  "  ; 
punishment  for  that  disobedience,  not  eternal  perdi- 
tion, being  meant.     A. 

1-7,  It  is  conscientious  subjection  that  is  spoken 
of ;  free,  willing,  hearty  ;  not  forced  or  constrained. 
It  is  to  proceed  from  respect  to  the  authority  enjoin- 
ing obedience,  and  not  from  a  mere  dread  of  the 

consequences  of  disobedience.     W.  S. Chi'istian- 

ity  sees  in  the  body  politic  not  an  arbitrary  human 
invention;  in  the  magistracy,  not  a  mere  slavish 
creature  of  the  sovereign  will  of  the  people,  but  a 
divine  ordinance  for  the  administration  of  eternal 
justice,  which  punishes  evil  and  rewards  good  ;  for 
upholding  the  majesty  of  law ;  for  maintaining  or- 
der and  security  both  of  person  and  of  property ; 
and  for  promoting  the  public  weal.  The  state  is 
moral  society  resting  on  law  ;  the  Church,  the  same 
resting  on  the  gospel.  The  one  is  necessarily  limited 
and  national ;  the  other,  catholic  and  universal.  The 
former  looks  to  temporal  welfare ;  the  latter,  to 
eternal.  But  each  promotes  and  protects  the  other. 
As  to  the  particular  form  of  government  for  a  state 
the  apostles  give  no  directions.  As  all  power  and 
authority  come  from  God,  so  also  does  the  power  of 
the  civil  government,  be  it  an  absolute  or  a  limited 
monarchy  or  a  republic,  be  it  an  aristocracy  or  a 
democracy.  In  virtue  of  its  elevation  above  the 
temporal  and  earthly,  Christianity  may  exist  under 
all  forms  of  civil  government,  and  will  always  favor 
that  which  most  corresponds  to  the  liistorical  rela- 
tions and  wants  of  a  nation,  and  which  is,  therefore, 
relatively  the  best.  Of  course,  however,  in  this 
point  also,  it  tends  steadily  to  improvement  and  to 
the  highest  possible  perfection ;  to  the  abolition  of 


hurtful  laws  and  institutions  and  the  introduction  of 
good ;  to  an  organization  under  which  the  power  is 
judiciously  distributed,  the  rights  of  the  individual 
as  well  as  of  the  commonwealth  best  preserved,  and 
the  moral  ends  of  the  race  most  efficiently  promoted 
and  most  surely  attained.     P.  S. 

Christianity  refused  to  be  mixed  up  with  any 
political  system,  or  to  bind  those  who  followed  it 
down  to  any  form  of  political  union,  as  it  had  re- 
fused to  bind  them  down  to  any  particular  form  of 
religious  union.  Leaving  itself  perfectly  free,  it 
could  therefore  enter  as  a  spirit  of  good  into  any 
form  of  government.  All  its  fundamental  ideas — 
the  fatherhood  of  God,  the  brotherhood  of  all  men 
in  Christ,  the  equality  of  all  men  before  God,  the 
individual  responsibility  of  every  human  soul,  the 
surrender  of  all  things  for  others,  the  one  necessity 
of  salvation  for  all  alike,  emperor  and  peasant — are 
spiritual  ideas  which  bear  an  easy  translation  into 
political  ideas,  and  which,  gathering  strength,  have 

proved  the  ruin  of  many  tyrannies.     S.  A.  B. 

Above  and  beneath  all  civil  constitutions — the  foun- 
dation of  their  stability,  the  dome  of  their  protec- 
tion, their  corner-stone,  their  wall  of  defense,  their 
genial  and  sheltering  sky — is  the  religion  and  gospel 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Virtue  is  loyalty.  Good- 
ness is  patriotism.  The  best  citizenship  is  the  best 
Christianship.  The  best  legislator  is  the  truest  and 
wisest  man.  Character  is  the  strength  of  the  state. 
They  are  the  friends,  the  ornaments,  the  defenders 
of  the  country  and  its  constitution,  who  will  not 
swerve  from  its  three  original,  immortal  ideas — 
Faith,  Freedom,  Fraternity.     F.  D.  H. 

5.  The  subjection  here  required  is  not  absolute 


264 


SECTION  254.— ROMAN'S  ^^  :  I-I4. 


and  unlimited.  In  obeying  the  constituted  authori- 
ties—thus runs  the  exhortation  —  a  man  should, 
properly  speaking,  obey  God  only,  whose  minister 
the  magistrate  is,  and  whose  sword  he  bears.  And 
hence  obedience  to  an  earthly  ruler  must  be  measured 
and  limited  by  the  obligation  to  the  heavenly.     P. 

S. The  limits  of  every  duty  must  be  determined 

by  its  reasons,  and  the  only  ones  assigned  here,  or 
that  call  be  assigned  for  submission  to  civil  author- 
ity, are  its  tendency  to  do  good  ;  wherever  therefore 
this  shall  cease  to  be  the  case,  submission  becomes 
absflrd,  having  no  longer  any  rational  view.  But  at 
what  time  this  evil  shall  be  judged  to  have  arrived, 
or  what  remedy  it  may  be  proper  to  apply,  Christian- 
ity does  not  decide,  but  leaves  to  be  determined  by 

an  appeal  to  natural  reason  and  right.    R.  Hall. 

No  command  to  do  anything  morally  wrong  can  bo 
binding ;  nor  can  any  which  transcends  the  rightful 
authority  of  the  power  whence  it  emanates.  What 
that  rightful  authority  is  must  be  determined  by  the 
institutions  and  laws  of  the  land,  or  from  prescrip- 
tion and  usage,  or  from  the  nature  and  design  of 
the  office  with  which  the  magistrate  is  invested. 
The  right  of  deciding  on  all  these  points,  and  deter- 
mining where  the  obligation  to  obedience  ceases, 
and  the  duty  of  resistance  begins,  must,  from  the 
nature  of  the  case,  rest  loith  the  subject,  and  not  with 
the  ruler.  The  apostles  and  early  Christians  decided 
this  for  themselves,  and  did  not  leave  the  decision 
with  the  Jewish  or  Roman  authorities.  Like  all 
other  questions  of  duty,  it  is  to  be  decided  on  our 
responsibility  to  God  and  our  fellow-men.     C.  H. 

8-10.  The  whole  sum  of  the  law  is  love :  love 
to  God  and  love  to  man ;  these  two  contain  all,  and 
the  former  of  the  two  contains  the  latter ;  love  to 
God  is  the  only  true  principle  and  spring  of  all  due 
love  to  man,  and  all  love  that  begins  there  returns 
thither  likewise  and  ends  there.  The  engaging  the 
whole  mind  and  soul  to  the  love  of  God  does  not 
engross  it  so  that  there  should  be  no  kind  of  love 
communicable  to  man ;  on  the  contrary,  it  is  to  re- 
fine it  that  it  may  flow  forth  the  purer  and  better. 
All  love  should  be  once  called  in  to  God,  to  be  sub- 
limated and  purified  there,  and  then  set  in  its  right 
channel  and  motion,  so  as  man  be  loved  in  him  and 
for  him ;  and  so  to  love  man  is  to  love  God,  that 
love  taking  its  rise  from  him  and  terminating  in 
him ;  and  in  this  circle  is  the  proper  motion  of  celes- 
tial divine  love.     L. 

This  love  is  exercised  in  obedience  to  the  authority 
of  God's  loord.  It  is  a  principle,  not  merely  a  feel- 
ing; it  is  cultivated  and  exercised  as  a  duty,  not 
yielded  to  merely  as  a  generous  instinct ;  it  is  a  sub- 
mission to  God's  command,  not  merely  an  indulgence 

of  constitutional  tenderness.    J.  A.  J. Remember 

that  love  fulfills  obedience,  and  does  not  abolish  it 
any  more  than  faith  abolishes  the  law  ;  that  he  who 


loves  obeys  joyfully,  but  still  obeys ;  that  he  obeys 
better  than  before,  but  still  obeys.  Nothing,  no  at- 
tainments of  the  spiritual  life,  however  sublime,  can 
abolish  obedience ;  and  the  spiritual  life  can  not  be 
advancing  when  obedience  is  on  the  decline.     The 

proof  of  progress  is  better  obedience.     A.  V. 

Love  as  obligatory  is  the  law  of  our  being.  In  sub- 
stance, and  as  expressing  his  inmost  nature.  Love  is 
the  one  imperative  word  uttered  by  God  in  the 
Bible.  It  is  also  the  one  imperative  word  uttered 
by  Him  through  the  constitution  and  conscience  of 
man,  and  in  the  coincidence  of  these  two  utterances 
we  find  a  perfect  proof  that  both  are  from  Him. 
Law  and  love  !  These  are  the  two  mightiest  forces 
in  the  universe.  Law  is  stem,  majestic,  and  the 
fountain  of  all  order.  Love  is  mild,  winning,  the 
fountain  of  all  rational  spontaneity,  that  is,  of  the 
spontaneity  that  follows  rational  choice.  Love  with- 
out law  is  capricious,  weak,  mischievous  ;  opposed 
to  law,  it  is  wicked.  Law  without  love  is  unlovely. 
The  highest  harmony  of  the  universe  is  in  the  love 
of  a  rational  being  that  is  coincident  with  the  law  of 
that  being  rationally  afiirmed ;  and  the  deepest  pos- 
sible jar  and  discord  is  from  the  love,  persistent 
and  utter,  of  such  a  being  in  opposition  to  his  law. 
It  is  because  there  is  in  the  Divine  Being  this  har- 
mony of  law  with  love  that  He  is  perfect.  It  is  be- 
cause this  harmony  is  required  in  the  divine  govern- 
ment that  that  is  perfect,  and  no  philosophy  for  the 
regulation  of  human  conduct  can  be  both  vital  and 
safe  in  which  that  same  union  is  not  consummated. 
M.  H. 

9.  The  term  neighbor  includes  every  creature  of 
God  that  needeth  a  blessing  and  can  be  blessed. 
Thus  doth  Christianity  set  the  heart  of  man  to  throb- 
bing along  with  the  heart  of  everlasting  love,  in  be- 
half of  all  that  wear  his  form,  and  circulate  life 
currents  filled  by  the  same  heavenly  Father.  Thus 
does  it  create  a  spirit  in  man  which  sends  him 
abroad  with  both  hands  full  of  all  that  can  bless 
and  endow  human  existence.  Under  the  gospel, 
man  is  not  all  inhumanity  to  man.  Heart  does 
meet  heart;  does  warm  and  grieve  at  the  call  of 
sorrow  and  need ;  if  another  be  burdened,  feels  it- 
self the  pressure ;  if  he  be  delivered,  exults  in  the 
emancipation.      White. 

11.  Our  salvation  nearer.  The  best 
thoughts  we  can  have  about  the  future  life  are 
thoughts  that  make  us  better  men  now — more  fit  to 
live  under  the  eye  of  God,  and  in  daily  intercourse 
with  our  neighbors,  just  where  we  are — kinder  and 
purer  at  home,  more  just  and  honorable  in  business, 
more  reverent  and  humble  in  prayer,  more  charitable 
in  our  judgments  of  each  other.  Unless  we  are 
very  thoughtless  indeed,  there  can  not  fail  to  be  a 
strong  and  salutary  influence  breathing  on  us  con- 
tinually by  remembering  this  :  that  we  are  so  near, 


SECTION  25li.— ROMANS  13  : 1-U. 


265 


one  day's  march  nearer  every  night,  to  a  world  that 
is  all  love  and  all  life,  without  selfishness  and  with- 
out death,  and  that  world  eternal.  The  prospect 
itself,  if  we  realized  it,  would  shed  some  new  sanctity 
over  the  life  we  are  living.     F.  D.  H. 

12.  The  night.  A  picture  of  the  Christian's 
present  state.  In  comparison  with  other  men  he  is 
in  broad  day ;  and  so  he  is  in  comparison  with  his 
own  former  condition.  But  here  the  apostle  is  not 
thinking  of  other  men,  nor  looking  back  to  our  own 
natural  state :  he  is  looking  forward ;  he  has  a 
"lorious  eternity  in  view ;  and  as  he  contemplates 
that,  he  feels  that  he  and  his  fellow-believers  are  all 
still  in  darkness,  that  night  with  its  shadows  is  still 
overspreading  them.  The  day.  Brightness  and 
beauty  and  happiness  are  all  connected  in  our  minds 
with  the  word,  and  all  the  pleasant  visions  the  word 
calls  up  in  our  minds  are  embodied  and  realized  in 
heaven.  Now  this  day,  the  apostle  says,  is  near : 
"  The  night  is  far  spent,  the  day  is  at  hand."  He 
speaks  like  a  man  who  has  long  felt  himself  be- 
nighted in  the  world,  and  who  sees  at  last  the  morn- 
ing breaking.  "Now,"  he  says  in  the  preceding 
verse,  "  is  our  salvation  nearer  than  when  we  be- 
lieved," than  when  we  first  believed;  time  has 
brought  it  nearer.  lie  looks  on  himself  and  his 
fellow-believers  as  standing  on  the  very  verge  of 
God's  kingdom.     C.  B. 

Holiness,  under  the  name  of  light,  is  by  the 
apostle  spoken  of  as  the  Christian's  armor.  Put 
on,  saith  he,  the  armor  of  light,  in  opposition  to 
the  works  of  darkness.  Strange  armor !  that  a  man 
may  see  through.  A  good  man's  armor  is,  that  he 
needs  none :  his  armor  is  an  open  breast.  Likeness 
to  God  is  armor  of  proof,  that  is,  an  imitation  of  him 
in  his  moral  goodness,  which  holiness  as  a  general 
name  comprehends.  A  person  truly  like  God  is 
secure  from  any  external  violence,  so  far  as  that  it 
shall  never  be  able  to  invade  his  spirit.  He  is  in 
spirit  far  raised  above  the  tempestuous,  stormy 
region,  and  converses  where  winds  and  clouds  have 
no  place.     Jloice. 

13.  It  is  a  common  saying  that  the  night  is 
without  shame,  and  this  is  in  a  measure  true  ;  for 
men  often  do  those  things  in  the  night  which  they 
fear  to  do  in  the  day,  lest  their  acts  should  be  dis- 
covered and  they  brought  to  shame  and  punish- 
ment. Therefore  the  apostle  says,  Let  us  icalk  hon- 
estly as  hi  the  day.     Luther. 

14.  What  is  the  wedding  garment  ?  Some  say 
it  is  the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ,  some 
that  it  is  the   imparted  righteousness   of  Christ, 


others  that  it  is  holiness  of  character.  I  consider  it 
to  consist  of  all  three  together.  "  Putting  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ "  is  possessing  his  righteousness 
imputed,  his  holiness  imparted,  and  his  example 
imitated.     He  first  makes  the  robe,  and  then  fits  us 

to  wear  it.     R.  Hill. Dress  relates  to  the  form 

or  figure  of  the  body,  character  to  the  form  or 
figure  of  the  soul — it  is,  in  fact,  the  dress  of  the 
soul.  On  the  ground  of  this  analogy  it  is  that  the 
Scriptures  so  frequently  make  use  of  dress  to  sig- 
nify what  lies  in  character,  and  represent  character, 
in  one  way  or  another,  as  being  the  dress  of  the 
soul.  As  character  is  the  soul's  dress,  and  dress 
analogical  to  character,  whatever  has  power  to  pro- 
duce a  character  when  received  is  represented  as  a 
dress  to  be  put  on.  Thus  Paul,  conceiving  Christ 
to  be  the  soul's  new  dress,  or  what  is  nowise  differ- 
ent, its  new  character,  says,  "  Put  ye  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  Christ  is  to  be  a  complete  wardrobe 
for  us  himself,  and  that  by  simply  receiving  his 
person  we  are  to  have  the  holy  texture  of  his  life 
upon  us,  and  live  in  the  infolding  of  his  character. 
We  must  put  on  Christ  himself,  and  none  hut  him. 
We  must  put  him  on  just  as  he  is,  wear  him  outside, 
walk  in  him,  bear  his  reproach,  glory  in  his  beauty, 
call  it  good  to  die  with  him,  so  to  be  found  in  him, 
not  having  our  own  righteousness,  but  the  righteous- 
ness that  is  of  God  by  faith.  Cover  us  in  it,  0  thou 
Christ  of  God,  and  let  our  shame  be  hid  eternally 
in  thee.     H.  B. 

Make  not  provision  for  the  flesh.  Once 
in  Christ,  your  necessary  care  for  this  natural  life 
will  be  regulated  and  moderated  by  the  Spirit.  And 
for  all  unlawful  desires  of  the  flesh  you  shall  be 
rid  of  providing  for  these.  Instead  of  all  provis- 
ion for  the  life  of  the  flesh  in  that  sense,  there  is 
another  guest  and  another  life  for  you  now  to  wait 

on  and  furnish  for.     L. When  Christ  is  really 

put  on,  the  world  falls  off,  and  the  lusts  of  prop- 
erty, and  fame,  and  power,  and  appetite,  subside  or 
fall  away.  The  effect  runs  both  ways  under  the 
great  law  of  action  and  reaction — as  the  old  man  is 
put  off  that  the  new  may  be  put  on,  so  the  new  put 
on  still  further  displaces  the  old.  And  so  if  there 
be  any  overmastering  temptation  which  baffles  you, 
and  keeps  turning  you  off  in  your  endeavors,  and 
boasting  itself  against  you,  here  is  your  deliverance 
— raise  no  fight  with  it  in  your  own  will,  as  you 
always  have  done  when  you  have  failed,  but  simply 
turn  yourself  to  Christ  alone:  let  your  soul  be 
covered  in  by  the  power  of  his  grace  upon  you. 
H.B. 


266 


SECTION  255.— ROMANS  Ik  :  1-23. 


Section  255, 

EoaiANS  xiv.  1-23. 

1  Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye,  lut  not  to  doubtful  disputations.     For  one  be- 

2  lieveth  that  he  may  eat  all  things:  another,  who  is  weak,  eateth  herbs.     Let  not  him  that 

3  eatetli  despise  him  that  eateth  not;  and  let  not  him  which  eateth  not  judge  him  that  eateth: 

4  for  God  hath  received  him.  Who  art  thou  that  judgest  another  man's  servant?  to  his  own 
master  he  standeth  or  falleth.     Yea,  he  shall  be  holden  up :  for  God  is  able  to  make  him 

5  stand.     One  man  esteemeth  one  day  above  another :  another  esteemeth  every  day  alike. 

6  Let  every  man  be  fully  persuaded  in  his  own  mind.  He  that  regardeth  the  day,  regardeth 
it  unto  the  Lord ;  and  he  that  regardeth  not  the  day,  to  the  Lord  he  doth  not  regard  it. 
He  that  eateth,  eateth  to  the  Lord,  for  he  giveth  God  thanks ;  and  he  that  eateth  not,  to  the 
Lord  he  eateth  not,  and  giveth  God  thanks. 

7  For  none  of  us  liveth  to  himself,  and  no  man  dieth  to  himself.     For  whether  we  live,  we 

8  live  unto  the  Lord  ;  and  whether  we  die,  we  die  unto  the  Lord:  whether  we  live  therefore, 

9  or  die,  we  are  the  Lord's.     For  to  this  end  Christ  both  died,  and  rose,  and  revived,  that  he 

10  might  be  Lord  both  of  the  dead  and  living.     But  why  dost  thou  judge  thy  brother?  or  why 
dost  thou  set  at  nought  thy  brother?  for  we  shall  all  stand  before  the  judgment  seat  of 

11  Christ.     For  it  is  written,  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  every  knee  shall  bow  to  me,  and  every 

12  tongue  shall  confess  to  God.     So  then  every  one  of  us  shall  give  account  of  himself  to  God. 

13  Let  us  not  therefore  judge  one  another  any  more :  but  judge  this  rather,  that  no  man  put  a 

14  stumblingblock  or  an  occasion  to  fall  in  his  brother's  way.     I  know,  and  am  persuaded  by 
the  Lord  Jesus,  that  there  is  nothing  unclean  of  itself ;  but  to  him  that  esteemeth  any  thing 

15  to  be  unclean,  to  him  it  is  unclean.     But  if  thy  brother  be  grieved  with  thy  meat,  now 

16  walkest  thou  not  charitably.     Destroy  not  him  with  thy  meat,  for  whom  Christ  died.    Let 

17  not  then  your  good  be  evil  spoken  of:  for  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink;  but 

18  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.     For  he  that  in  these  things  serveth 

19  Christ  is  acceptable  to  God,  and  approved  of  men.     Let  us  therefore  follow  after  the  things 

20  which  make  for  peace,  and  things  wherewith  one  may  edify  anotlier.     For  meat  destroy 
not  the  work  of  God.    All  things  indeed  a7'e  pure;  but  it  is  evil  for  that  man  who  eateth 

21  with  offence.     It  is  good  neither  to  eat  flesh,  nor  to  drink  wine,  nor  a7ii/  thing  whereby  thy 

22  brother  stumbleth,  or  is  offended,  or  is  made  weak.     Hast  thou  faith  ?  have  it  to  thyself 
before  God.     Happy  is  he  that  condemneth  not  himself  in  that  thing  which  he  alloweth. 

23  And  he  that  doubteth  is  damned  if  he  eat,  because  he  eateth  not  of  faith:  for  whatsoever  is 
not  of  faith  is  sin. 

We  want  this  bond  of  unity  between  tJie  dead  and  the  living  to  throw  a  purifying  and  ennobliqg  in- 
fluence into  our  present  daily  life,  to  save  it  from  sinking,  as  our  life  is  so  terribly  tempted  to,  into  a  be- 
sotted mammonism,  an  insane  frivolity,  or  a  miserable  selfishness ;  to  make  it  a  noble  and  ever  more 
perfect  preparation  for  what  is  to  come.  We  want  this  constant  "  power  "  of  a  practical  connection  be- 
tween the  two  worlds,  to  keep  the  present  from  being  a  mere  carnival  of  the  senses,  a  place  to  eat  and 
dress  and  sleep  in,  as  well  as  to  keep  the  future  from  being  a  sentimental  phantasy  or  a  dead  blank.  We 
are  tempted  hourly — nobody  denies  it — to  unclean  transactions,  to  covetousness  and  bad  temper,  to  envy- 
ing and  evil  speaking,  to  indolence,  impatience,  and  unbelief.  Now,  one  of  the  great  powers  by  which  we 
are  to  struggle  against  these  successfully,  and  finally  overcome,  is  the  certainty  of  a  day  when  Christ — who 
is  life  to  those  that  love  him,  and  whose  eyes  are  like  a  flame  of  fire  to  those  that  are  untrue  to  him  and 
unrighteous  to  each  other — shall  appear.  The  new  man  in  him  is  to  be  put  on  immediately.  Even  in 
these  self-seeking  earthly  streets  the  Christian  is  to  walk  unselfishly  and  unblamably,  his  pride  humbled, 
his  temper  controlled,  his  motives  godly.  Whatever  is  done  in  word  or  deed  is  to  be  done  in  the  name 
and  spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  risen  from  the  dead,  by  those  that  are  on  the  way  to  meet  him.     F.  D.  H. 


1-6.  Those  Christians  who  still  clung  to  super- 
stitious distinctions  between  meats  and  days  should 
be  treated  with  indulgence  by  the  more  enlightened, 
and  all  should  treat  each  other  with  charity,  and 


forbear  from  condemning  one  another,  whether 
Jews  or  Gentiles,  since  Christ  had  received  both  into 
his  favor  as  their  common  Lord.     C. 

3.  Let  not  him  that  eateth  despise  him    i| 


^ 


SFCTIOy  255.—R0MA^'^S  U  :  1-23. 


267 


that  eateth  not.  That  is  to  say,  beware  of  the 
fancied  superiority  to  the  weaknesses  and  narrow- 
ness of  your  more  scrupulous  brother  which  is  prone 
to  creep  into  the  hearts  of  tlic  more  liberal  and 
strong.  It  may  be  that  what  you  call  over-scrupu- 
lous timidity  is  the  fruit  of  a  more  earnest  Christian 
principle  than  yours,  and  that  what  you  call  in 
yourself  freedom  from  foolish  scruples  is  only  the 
result  of  a  less  sensitive  conscience,  not  of  a  more 
robust  Christianity.  Let  not  him  which  eat- 
eth not  judge  him  that  eateth.  Judge  not 
from  the  height  of  your  superior  self-denial  your 
brother  who  allows  himself  what  you  avoid.  Your 
besetting  sin  is  self-righteous  condemnation  of  those 
who  perhaps,  after  all,  are  wiser  as  well  as  wider 
than  you,  and  who  in  their  strength  may  be  able  to 
walk  as  near  to  God  on  a  road  which  to  you  would 
be  full  of  perils.  Let  us  all  remember,  besides, 
that  a  thing  which  to  ourselves  is  no  weight  may 
yet  be  right  for  us  to  forsake  out  of  true  and  tender 
brotherly  regard  to  others  who,  weaker  than  we,  or 
perhaps  more  conscientious  than  we,  could  not  do 
the  same  thing  without  damaging  their  spirits  and 
weakening  their  Christian  life.  "  Him  that  is  weak 
in  the  faith  receive."  Him  that  is  weak  in  the 
faith  help.  And  in  all  these  matters  indifferent, 
which  are  weights  to  one  and  not  weights  to  anoth- 
er, let  us  remember,  first,  for  ourselves,  that  a 
weight  retained  is  a  sin ;  and  let  us  remember,  next, 
for  others,  that  they  stand  not  by  our  experience, 
but  their  own ;  and  that  we  are  neither  to  judge 
their  strength  nor  to  offend  their  weakness.    A.  M. 

4.  It  was  well  and  wisely  said  by  Augustine 
that  they  were  most  likely  to  be  uncharitable  toward 
error  who  had  never  learned  by  their  own  experi- 
ence how  hard  it  was  to  arrive  at  truth.  They  who 
are  so  happy  as  to  have  arrived  at  truth,  whose 
hearts  and  minds  have  been  opened  to  receive  the 
wisdom  which  is  from  God,  they  know  how  many 
are  the  ways  to  error  on  either  side ;  how  truth  is 
for  ever  mixed  with  error,  and  error  with  truth  ; 
and  they  would  rather  dwell  thankfully  on  that 
truth  which  their  neighbor  holds  than  be  extreme 
to  note  his  errors.     T.  A. 

5.  Persuaded  in  his  own  mind.  Man  must 
deny  his  self-will,  but  only  in  order  to  regain  his 
will  in  a  sanctified  and  refined  state,  which  he  subor- 
dinates only  to  that  of  God,  that  he  may  be  the  or- 
gan of  the  divine  will,  which  is  the  only  true  free- 
dom of  a  created  spirit.  But  whoever  denies  his 
own  will,  in  order  to  become  the  will-less  organ 
of  another  man,  denies  the  image  of  God  in  the 
dignity  of  his  own  free  personality,  turns  himself 
from  being  a  free  servant  of  God  into  a  servant  of 
man,  and  gives  to  the  creature  the  honor  due  to  God 
alone.  Every  Christian  must  be  a  living  organ  of 
the  Deity,  a  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  one  taught 


of  God,  acknowledging  only  one  Lord  and  Master. 

N. Men  are  for  ever  acting  without  being  fully 

persuaded  in  their  own  mind ;  and  that  in  various 
ways.  The  mischief  of  this  is  great  and  manifold. 
It  makes  men  either,  as  so  many  are,  wholly  without 
depth  and  earnestness — living  and  acting,  as  it  were, 
quite  at  random,  and  without  an  interest  in  anything 
but  their  own  comfort  or  enjoyment — or  else  it 
makes  them  obstinate  and  unjust,  persisting  dog- 
gedly in  their  own  ways  and  their  own  notions, 
without  being  able  to  render  the  least  reason  for 
either ;  or,  lastly,  it  makes  them  insincere  and 
sophistical,  beguiling  themselves  and  others  with  a 
show  of  reason,  attacking  other  men's  opinions  and 
maintaining  their  own.  It  is  evident  that  there 
must  be  attained  a  state  of  mind  where  men  could 
be  fixed  and  earnest,  yet  not  obstinate  or  unreason- 
able, having  opinions  and  principles  dear  to  them  as 
their  very  life's  blood,  and  yet  being  all  the  while 
fair  and  teachable,  ready  to  hear  and  to  be  con- 
vinced, and  to  make  all  just  allowance  for  others. 
And  this  state  would  be  his  and  his  only,  who,  ac- 
cording to  the  apostle's  words,  was  to  be  fully  per- 
suaded in  his  own  mind.     T.  A. 

Another  external  hindrance  which  deterred  the 
heathen  from  Christianity  was  the  variety  of  opin- 
ions and  sects  into  which  Christians  were  divided. 
"  How  can  we  look  for  truth  among  you,"  they  said, 
"  since  you  are  not  of  one  mind  among  yourselves 
about  your  religion  ?  "  Chrysostom  thus  replies  to 
this  objection :  "  If  we  professed  to  follow  human 
reasonings,  thou  mightest  be  perplexed ;  but  if  we 
say  that  we  believe  the  Scripture,  and  this  is  simple 
and  true,  thou  mayest  easily  come  to  a  decision. 
Whoever  agrees  with  it,  he  is  a  Christian ;  whoever 
opposes  it,  he  is  very  far  from  being  one."  The 
heathen  rejoins :  "  But  if  some  one  comes  and  says^ 
This  stands  in  Scripture,  but  thou  sayest  something 
different ;  and  so  the  Scripture  is  interpreted  arbi- 
trarily, and  our  minds  are  distracted."  "  But  hast 
thou  not  reason  and  the  power  of  judgm^ent  given 
thee  by  God  ?  "  is  Chrysostom's  reply.     N. 

6.  The  Cliristianized  Jew,  though  he  admitted 
that  "  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  to  every  one  that 
believeth,"  that  in  Him  all  the  scattered  rays  of 
type  and  prophecy  converge  and  are  for  ever  lost — 
yea,  rather,  are  fixed  and  eternalized — ^yet  still  could 
not  resist  his  tendency  to  preserve  some  fragments 
of  the  old  preparatory  creed,  and  incorporate  them 
into  the  spiritual  religion  of  Christ.  The  abstinence 
from  peculiar  meats,  the  observance  of  peculiar  days, 
and  others  of  the  formal  traditions  of  the  synagogue, 
he  was  loth  altogether  to  resign,  though  he  could 
not  altogether  justify.     W.  A.  B. 

7.  None  liveth  to  himself.  God  never 
meant  religion  to  terminate  on  itself.  He  enlightens 
to  enable  us  to  shine,  and  we  very  much  doubt  if 


268 


SECTION  255.— ROMANS  U  :  1-23. 


there  be  any  force  in  all  nature,  or  any  gift  or  any 
work  of  God,  that  is  self-contained  or  non-communi- 
cative. Certainly  he  is  not,  for  he  is  always  giving 
to  all.  Not  so  his  Son,  who  said,  "  It  is  more  blessed 
to  give  than  to  receive " ;  not  so  the  Holy  Ghost, 
who  is  ever  giving  light  and  joy  and  peace ;  not  the 
angels,  who  are  all  ministering  spirits  sent  forth  to 
minister  to  the  heirs  of  salvation.  Nor  in  nature 
do  we  find  anything  great  shut  up  in  self.  Not  the 
sun,  or  moon,  or  stars,  whose  beams  fill  every  land ; 
not  the  sea,  whose  broad  expanse  gives  forth  the 
vapors  that  water  the  earth ;  not  the  rivers,  that 
give  back  their  gathered  wealth  to  the  sea ;  not  the 
land,  that  gives  its  harvests ;  not  the  air,  that  forms 
the  vital  breath  of  all  things.  And  when  God  shines 
into  man's  heart  to  give  the  light  of  his  glory,  shall 
man  hide  the  light  ?  This  were  to  convert  into  a 
possession  what  God  ties  up  as  a  trust,  and  bids  us 

use  for  the  creature's  good.    J.  Hall. That  which 

a  man  is — that  sum  total  made  up  of  the  items  of 
his  beliefs,  purposes,  affections,  tastes,  and  habits 
manifested  in  all  he  does  and  does  not — is  conta- 
gious in  its  tendency,  and  is  ever  photographing  it- 
self on  other  spirits.  He  himself  may  be  as  un- 
conscious of  this  emanation  of  good  or  evil  from 
his  character  as  he  is  of  the  contagion  of  disease 
from  his  body,  or,  if  that  were  equally  possible,  of 
the  contagion  of  good  health.  But  the  fact,  never- 
theless, is  certain.  If  the  light  is  in  him,  it  must 
shine;  if  darkness  reigns,  it  must  shade;  if  he 
glows  with  love,  it  will  radiate  its  warmth ;  if  he  is 
frozen  with  selfishness,  the  cold  will  chill  the  at- 
mosphere around  him ;  and  if  corrupt  and  vile,  he 
will  poison  it.  Nor  is  it  possible  for  any  one  to 
occupy  a  neutral  or  indifferent  position.  In  some 
form  or  other  he  must  affect  others.     N.  M. 

8.  They,  and  they  only,  live  unto  the  Lord  who 
realize  his  authority  and  do  everything  be  enjoins, 
as  an  act  of  willing  and  cheerful  obedience,  as  a 
part  of  that  homage  they  owe  to  their  Master,  who 
make  his  approbation  their  governing  aim,  and  his 
glory  their  supreme  end  in  all  that  they  do,  and  who 
are  wholly  resigned  to  his  wise,  righteous,  and  lov- 
ing disposal.     R.  W. We  are  no  more  to  die  to 

ourselves  than  to  live  to  ourselves.  Our  Lord  Jesus 
hath  purchased  to  himself  a  dominion  over  both 
states,  of  the  living  and  dead ;  and,  whether  we  live, 
we  must  live  to  him,  or  die,  we  must  die  to  him.  It 
is  the  glory  of  a  Christian  to  live  so  much  above 
the  world  that  nothing  in  it  may  make  him  either 

fond  of  life  or  weary  of  it.     Hoive. Unto  him, 

as  Christians,  we  arc  called  upon  to  live  ;  he  who  is 
the  principle  of  our  spiritual  life  is  also  made  the 
object  of  it.  Unto  him,  as  Christians,  we  are  called 
upon  to  die  ;  he  who  died  for  us  is  made  the  object 
of  our  death  likewise,  that,  as  "  our  life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God,"  so,  "  when  he  who  is  our  life  shall 


appear,  then  we  also  may  appear  with  him  in  glory." 
No  reserve  is  admitted  in  the  statement  of  our  pro- 
fession. We  live  and  die  to  Christ ;  our  whole  na- 
ture, in  all  its  aspects  and  positions,  is  offered  to 
him  as  one  solemn  and  perpetual  sacrifice.  "  Bought 
with  a  price,"  we  are  delivered  to  him  as  his  own 
spiritual  property  in  this  world ;  "  we  are  Christ's, 
and  Christ  is  God's  " — so  that,  as  it  were,  through 
him,  as  man,  we  pass  into  the  very  presence  of  the 
supreme  divinity,  enter  within  the  verge  of  that 
ineffable  nature  with  which  he  connects  us,  and 
catch  upon  our  weak  and  shivering  humanity  the 
beams  of  the  everlasting  light  of  God  !     W.  A.  B. 

9.  Lord  of  dead  aud  living.  How  strik- 
ingly, with  a  single  touch,  is  the  glory  of  Christ 
here  pictured  to  us !  No  dominion  can  be  imagined 
which  in  extent  surpasses  his.  Even  the  mightiest 
monarch,  although  he  had  at  last  conquered  the 
whole  world,  yet  only  sways  his  scepter  over  the 
living.  The  dominion  of  Christ  embraces  not  only 
the  visible  world  but  also  the  invisible;  it  is  one 
and  the  same  law  which  is  obeyed  on  this  side  of 
the  grave  and  on  yonder.  His  right  to  reign  over 
both  is  founded  on  this  double  and  irrevocable  fact 
of  his  death  and  resurrection.     Van  0. 

10.  While  each  should  enjoy  his  own  opinion, 
and  turn  neither  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left  in 
the  discharge  of  duty,  he  will  find  it  no  part  of  his 
duty  to  condemn  those  who  may  not  be  able  to  see 
as  he  does ;  no  part  of  his  duty,  for  things  not  es- 
sential, to  set  at  nought  and  judge  his  brethren,  be- 
cause both  he  and  they  are  equally  answerable  to 
the  Judge  of  all.     R.  T. 

We  shall  all  stand.  Earth  must  fade  away 
from  our  eyes,  and  we  must  anticipate  that  great 
and  solemn  truth  which  we  shall  not  fully  under- 
stand until  we  stand  before  God  in  judgment ;  that 
to  us  there  are  but  two  beings  in  the  whole  world — 
God  and  ourselves.  The  sympathy  of  others,  the 
pleasant  voice,  the  glad  eye,  the  smiling  countenance, 
the  thrilling  heart,  which  at  present  are  our  very 
life — all  will  be  away  from  us  when  Christ  comes  in 
judgment.  Every  one  will  have  to  think  of  himself. 
Every  eye  shall  see  him  ;  every  heart  will  be  full  of 
him,.  He  will  speak  to  every  one ;  and  every  one 
will  be  rendering  to  him  his  own  account.     Neva- 

man. God  governs  this  world,  governs  you  and 

me,  down  to  the  very  depths  of  our  being.  And  we 
possess  the  power  of  choosing  right  and  wrong : 
right  by  the  grace  of  God,  and  wrong  by  our  failing 
to  use  that  grace;  and  as  responsible  for  such  a 
power  we  shall  be  summoned  at  last  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ.     Ahp.  Thomson. 

12.  Woe  to  you  if  you  do  what  others  think 
right,  instead  of  obeying  the  dictates  of  your  own 
conscience !  woe  to  you  if  you  allow  authority,  or 
prescription,  or  fashion,  or  influence,  or  any  other 


SECTION'  255.—EOMAFS  U  :  1-23. 


269 


human  thing,  to  interfere  with  that  awful  and  sacred 
thing — TOur  own  responsibility  !  "  Every  man,"  said 
the  apostle,  "  must  give  an  account  of  himself  to 
God." 

14.  "  To  him  that  esteemcth  anything  to  be  un- 
clean, to  him  it  is  unclean."  In  other  words,  what- 
ever may  be  the  abstract  merits  of  the  question — 
however  in  God's  jurisprudence  any  particular  act 
may  stand — ^to  you,  thinking  it  to  be  wrong,  it  mani- 
festly is  wrong,  and  your  conscience  will  gather 
round  it  a  stain  of  guilt  if  you  do  it.     F.  W.  R. 

15.  Destroy  not.  How  destroy  him  ?  Evi- 
dently by  inducing  him,  through  force  of  example, 
to  do  what  his  conscience  condemned.  This  ab- 
stinence to  which  the  strong  Christian  should  sub- 
mit for  the  sake  of  the  weak,  however,  was  not  to  be 
perpetual.  When  there  was  no  danger  of  his  doing 
injury  to  his  weak  brother,  the  stronger  and  more 
enlightened  Christian  was  free  to  act  as  he  pleased. 

16.  Let  not  your  good  be  evil  spoken  of. 
In  one  sense  it  is  impossible  to  avoid  such  evil 
speaking.  The  best  deeds  of  the  best  Christians 
may  be  misrepresented,  and  their  kindest  actions 
may  be  attributed  to  Uje  meanest,  if  not  the  worst, 
motives.  Paul  and  his  fellow-laborers  in  the  gospel 
had  an  ample  experience  of  such  speaking  at  the 
hands  of  those  who  "  falsely  accused  their  good  con- 
versation in  Christ."  These  words,  therefore,  must 
refer  to  evil  speaking  of  a  different  sort.  They 
teach  that  a  Christian  must  not  use  what  is  good  in 
itself,  or  what  may  be  good  to  him,  in  such  a  man- 
ner, or  under  such  circumstances,  as  to  give  occa- 
sion of  evil  speaking  in  regard  to  it.  In  the  enjoy- 
ment of  those  good  things  which  God  has  placed 
within  his  reach,  he  must  take  heed  that  he  does  not 
bring  reproach  on  his  good  confession.  The  rule  is 
one  which  is  neither  hard  to  be  understood  nor  diffi- 
cult of  application,  if  he  has  a  simple  and  honest 
desire  above  all  things  to  please  the  Lord.  And  if 
Christian  people  would  keep  this  brief  precept  in 
mind,  they  would  be  saved  from  much  of  the  perplex- 
ity which  they  sometimes  profess  to  feel  in  regard  to 
various  popular  or  fashionable  amusements.  Forsyth. 

17.  Earnest  desire  of  holiness  is  holiness  in  the 
germ  thereof.  Soon  shalt  thou  know,  if  only  thou 
■<fii\i  follow  on  to  know,  the  Lord.  But  sanctity  is 
not  the  work  of  a  day,  but  of  a  life.  Growth  in 
graca  is  subject  to  the  same  law  of  gradual  and 
imperceptible  advance  as  growth  in  nature.  Be  but 
true  to  your  convictions.  Do  but  follow  the  insti- 
gations of  the  Spirit.  Follow  him  in  darkness  and 
light,  through  honor  and  dishonor,  through  evil 
report  and  good  report,  and  in  due  time  the  new 
creation  shall  dawn  within  thee,  and  the  fair  fabric 
of  God's  spiritual  kingdom  shall  be  built  up  step 
by  step — "  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the 
Holy  Ghost."     E.  M.  G. 


19.  It  is  the  ordinance  of  God  that  Christians 
should  be  often  asserting  the  things  of  God  to  each 
other,  and  that  by  their  so  doing  they  should  edify 
one  another.  Church-fellowship,  rightly  managed, 
is  the  glory  of  all  the  world.  No  place,  no  com- 
munity, no  fellowship  is  adorned  with  such  beauties 
as  is  a  church  rightly  knit  together  to  their  head, 
and  lovingly  serving  one  another.     Bun. 

20,  21.  There  are  some  things  which  are  right 
or  wrong  in  themselves.  They  depend  on  the  posi- 
tive enactments  of  God  and  on  the  eternal  distinc- 
tions of  things,  and  can  not  be  compromised,  modi- 
fied, or  disregarded.  There  are  other  things,  how- 
ever, which  may  be  regarded  as  matters  of  personal 
comfort,  convenience,  or  gratification.  They  are 
clearly  right  in  themselves,  but  they  may  be  so  con- 
nected, or  there  may  be  such  associations  in  regard 
to  them,  or  others  may  entertain  such  views  of 
them,  that  indulgence  in  them  by  us  will  be  an 
injury  to  others.  It  may  shock  or  pain  them  as  if 
we  were  doing  wrong ;  or,  acting  on  our  example, 
they  may  be  led  further  than  we  would  go,  and  fall 
into  sin ;  or  they  may  be  led  by  our  example  to  do 
that  which  they  now  regard  as  sin,  and  which  would 
be  sin  to  them.  In  such  a  case  the  course  which 
tee  are  to  pursue  becomes  clear,  and  it  is  good 
neither  to  eat  flesh,  nor  to  drink  wine,  nor  any- 
thing whereby  a  brother  is  offended,  or  is  made 
weak.    A.  B. 

There  is  no  self-denial  deserving  the  name  that 
is  not  willing  to  give  up  any  privilege  of  the  palate 
or  the  passions  rather  than  endanger  the  least  or 
lowest  of  God's  children.  And  then,  if  it  is  de- 
manded, "  Why  should  I  be  deprived  of  the  lawful 
use  of  some  agreeable  thing  merely  because  some 
less  guarded,  less  experienced,  or  less  coolly  consti- 
tuted neighbor  will  abuse  it  ?  "  we  will  leave  the 
ground  of  justice  altogether  and  come  upon  that  of 
magnanimity  and  of  privilege.  We  will  ask,  not 
what  we  have  a  right  to  do,  but  what  is  to  be  gladly 
chosen  because  it  is  right  to  he  done.  In  the  esti- 
mates of  God  and  eternity,  the  generosity  that 
shields  a  human  heai-t  from  shame  will  stand  above 
a  genial  style  of  hospitality.  Not  till  comfort  shall 
become  the  creed  of  Christendom,  can  free  living 
be  the  testimony  of  faith.  .  .  .  Too  little,  too  little, 
will  there  appear  in  that  day  of  any  positive  achieve- 
ments of  ours  for  God  and  his  truth,  proportioned 
to  our  opportunity.  But  at  least  let  it  not  be  found 
that,  when  some  frail  fellow-creature  was  inclining 
to  baseness  and  to  ruin,  any  frivolity  or  unconcern 
of  ours  made  his  downward  way  easier  and  swifter ; 
or,  if  any  other  soul  was  struggling  up  into  light 
and  victory,  that  our  faithlessness  discouraged  him, 
our  inconsistencies  confused  him,  our  self-love  drew 
him  back. 

22.  Hast  thon  faith  ?  have  it  to  thyself. 


270 


SECTION  ^56.— ROMANS  15  : 1-33. 


There  is  no  impersonal  character,  no  pardon  by 
proxy,  no  collective  salvation.  The  work  is  for 
each.  "  Repent "  is  for  eijch.  "  Take  up  the  cross 
and  come  after  me,"  is  for  each.  The  apostolic 
view  of  practical  Christianity  as  a  "  calling "  indi- 
vidualizes, first,  the  Christian  principle  as  having  a 
place  distinct  from  all  other  principles,  and,  second- 
ly, individualizes  the  Christian  life  as  having  all  its 
awful  obligations,  its  joys  and  sanctions,  centered 
upon  each  personal  conscience  and  heart.  F*  D.  H. 
23.  For  "  damned"  " condemned."  In  hardly 
any  place  where  this  terrible  word  is  used  is  its  use 
justified,  or  is  the  meaning  to  be  referred  to  a  future 

life.     A. ^The  very  duties  of  religion,  if  self  be 

the  soul  of  them,  are  nothing  but  guilt.  Where 
there  is  faith,  there  is  humility ;  but  where  there  is 
not  faith,  there  is  nothing  but  pride  and  self-deceit. 


Therefore,  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin.     G.  B.  C. 

He  that  donbteth.     In  every  undertaking 

our  first  care  should  be  to  have  a  clear  conscience. 
Rectitude  is  a  sacred  and  awful  thing ;  and,  as  its 
eternal  laws  should  never  be  despised  by  open  and 
deliberate  transgression,  so  the  very  possibility  of 
invading  them  by  rashness  and  imprudence  should 
fill  us  with  constant  vigilance  and  unceasing  caution. 

J.  H.  T. Misgivings   and   doubts   and  scruples 

are  intended  to  make  us  think,  but  not  to  make  us 
waste  all  our  energy  on  thinking ;  they  are  intended 
to  make  us  pause,  but  not  to  make  us  stop ;  they 
are  intended  to  make  us  repent,  but  not  to  make  us 
give  up  everything  else  to  fruitless  sorrow.  And 
if  we  can  not  attain  peace  or  light  all  at  once,  we 
must  not,  for  all  that,  complain,  lag,  or  despair ;  we 
must  simply  obei/  and  wait.     F.  T. 


Section  256. 

Romans  xv.  1-33. 

1  "We  then  that  are  strong  ought  to  bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and  not  to  please  onr- 

2  selves.     Let  every  one  of  us  please  his  neighbour  for  his  good  to  edification.     For  even 

3  Christ  pleased  not  himself;  but,  as  it  is  written,  The  reproaches  of  them  that  reproached 

4  thee  fell  on  me.     For  whatsoever  things  were  written  aforetime  were  written  for  our  learn- 

5  ing,  that  we  through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  scriptures  might  have  hope.     Now  the 
God  of  patience  and  consolation  grant  you  to  be  likeminded  one  toward  another  according 

6  to  Christ  Jesus :  that  ye  may  with  one  mind  and  one  mouth  glorify  God,  even  the  Father 

7  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Wherefore  receive  ye  one  another,  as  Christ  also  received  us  to 

8  the  glory  of  God.     Now  I  say  that  Jesus  Christ  was  a  minister  of  the  circumcision  for  the 

9  truth  of  God,  to  confirm  the  promises  made  unto  the  fathers:  and  that  the  Gentiles  might 
glorify  God  for  his  mercy;  as  it  is  written,  For  this  cause  I  will  confess  to  thee  among  the 

10  Gentiles,  and  sing  unto  thy  name.     And  again  he  saith.  Rejoice,  ye  Gentiles,  with  his  peo- 

11  pie.    And  again.  Praise  the  Lord,  all  ye  Gentiles ;  and  laud  him,  all  ye  people.    And  again, 

12  Esaias  saith,  There  shall  be  a  root  of  Jesse,  and  he  that  shall  rise  to  reign  over  the  Gentiles; 

13  in  him  shall  the  Gentiles  trust.     Now  the  God  of  hope  fill  you  with  all  joy  and  peace  in 
believing,  that  ye  may  abound  in  hope,  through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

14  And  I  myself  also  am  persuaded  of  you,  my  brethren,  that  ye  also  are  full  of  goodness, 

15  filled  with  all  knowledge,  able  also  to  admonish  one  another.     Nevertheless,  brethren,  I 
have  written  the  more  boldly  unto  you  in  some  sort,  as  putting  you  in  mind,  because  of  the 

16  grace  that  is  given  to  me  of  God,  that  I  should  be  the  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  to  the 
Gentiles,  ministering  the  gospel  of  God,  that  the  offering  up  of  the  Gentiles  might  be  ac- 

17  ceptable,  being  sanctified  by  tlie  Holy  Ghost.     I  have  therefore  whereof  I  may  glory  through 

18  Jesus  Christ  in  those  things  which  pertain  to  God.     For  I  will  not  dare  to  speak  of  any  of 
those  things  which  Christ  bath  not  wrouglit  by  me,  to  make  tlie  Gentiles  obedient,  by  word 

19  and  deed,  through  mighty  signs  and  wonders,  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  so  that 
from  Jerusalem,  and  round  about  unto  Hlyricum,  I  have  fuUy  preached  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

20  Yea,  so  have  I  strived  to  preach  the  gospel,  not  where  Christ  was  named,  lest  I  should  build 

21  upon  another  man's  foundation :  but  as  it  is  written.  To  whom  he  was  not  spoken  of,  they 

22  shall  see :  and  they  that  have  not  heard  shall  understand.     For  which  cause  also  I  have  been 

23  much  hindered  from  coming  to  you.     But  now  having  no  more  place  in  these  parts,  and 

24  having  a  great  desire  these  many  years  to  come  unto  you;  whensoever  I  take  my  journey 
into  Spain,  I  will  come  to  you :   for  I  trust  to  see  you  in  my  journey,  and  to  be  brouglit  on 

25  my  way  tliitherward  by  you,  if  first  I  be  somewhat  filled  with  yonr  company.     But  now  I 

26  go  unto  Jerusalem  to  minister  unto  the  saints.     For  it  hath  pleased  them  of  Macedonia  and 
Achaia  to  make  a  certain  contribution  for  the  poor  saints  which  are  at  Jerusalem.    It  hath 


SECTIOX  256.— ROMANS  15  : 1-33. 


271 


27  pleased  them  verily ;  and  their  debtors  they  are.     For  if  the  Gentiles  have  been  made  par- 
takers of  their  spiritual  things,  their  duty  is  also  to  minister  unto  them  in  carnal  things. 

28  "When  therefore  I  have  performed  this,  and  have  sealed  to  them  this  fruit,  I  will  come  by 

29  you  into  Spain.     And  I  am  sore  that,  when  I  come  unto  you,  I  shall  come  in  the  fulness 

30  of  the  blessing  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.     Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  for  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ's  sake,  and  for  the  love  of  the  Spirit,  that  ye  strive  together  with  me  in  your  prayers 

31  to  God  for  me  ;  that  I  may  be  delivered  from  them  that  do  not  believe  in  Judaea;  and  that 

32  my  service  which  I  have  for  Jerusalem  may  be  accepted  of  the  saints;  that  I  may  come  unto 

33  you  with  joy  by  the  will  of  God,  and  may  with  you  be  refreshed.     Now  the  God  of  peace  le 
with  you  all.     Amen. 

Self-pleasin'g  always  tends  to  meanness  of  character.  It  is  clean  against  all  that  we  understand  by 
nobleness,  magnanimity,  courage,  honor.  It  is  against  all  the  public  virtues,  such  as  patriotism,  benevo- 
lence, and  the  charities  of  life.  It  always  inflicts  injury  and  misery  upon  others.  Self-pleasing  is  enor- 
mously difficult  to  the  self  that  is  always  seeking  to  be  pleased,  so  difficult  as  to  be  ultimately  quite  im- 
possible of  realization.  More  and  yet  more  must  be  had,  until  more  is  not  to  be  had.  Better  and  yet 
better,  and,  alas !  better  will  not  come.  And  Christian  people  ought  to  be  constantly  and  watchfully  on 
their  guard  against  this  thing.  There  is,  absolutely,  no  one  whom  it  will  not  beset.  The  vivacious  will 
have  it  presented  to  them  in  forms  of  excitement  and  amusement,  which,  if  indulged  in,  will  draw  them 
away  from  the  important  duties  of  daily  life,  as  well  as  from  some  of  the  severer  duties  of  Christian  ser- 
vice. The  quiet  and  retiring  will  have  it  presented  to  them  in  forms  of  sloth  and  ease — they  will  think 
that  it  can  injure  no  one,  and  no  precious  interest,  that  they  should  take  their  rest.  The  busy  will  have 
it  presented  to  them  in  the  forms  of  avarice,  and  ambition,  and  fame,  and  honor ;  in  fact,  all  the  vices  and 
all  the  faults  are  but  different  dresses  which  that  protean  character,  the  old  self,  puts  on  as  it  goes  up  and 
down  the  world,  murmuring,  "  We  ought  to  please  ourselves  ! "  Beware !  brother ;  sister ;  young  disciple ; 
old  disciple — beware !  lest,  unwittingly,  ye  fall  into  that  soft  and  easy  habit  of  pleasing  self.  Please  the 
higher  self  and  welcome.  Please  your  conscience.  Please  the  love  that  lies  sleeping  in  you,  deep,  and 
vast,  and  far.  Please  the  powers,  and  the  sensibilities,  and  the  activities  of  the  Christian  life  ;  and  then, 
not  you  alone,  but  angels  and  God  himself,  will  be  pleased.  But  as  to  pleasing  that  other  self,  that  sec- 
ond you,  that  meaner  creature  you  sometimes  find  yourself  lapsing  into,  all  danger  and  all  soul-death  lie 
that  way.  It  is  surely  no  irreverence  to  follow  the  figure  that  has  been  given  us,  and  say,  "  Let  that  man 
be  crucified."  Put  fresh  nails  into  the  hands  and  the  feet.  Pierce  that  cold  black  heart  with  the  soldier's 
spear.  The  dear  Christ  died  in  his  love  and  purity,  and  rose  again,  and  revived,  that  thai  dark  man  of 
sin  mi^ht  die  for  ever.     A.  R. 


1.  The  world  abounds  in  wretchedness  which 
can  neither  help  itself  nor  make  compensation  for 
the  help  of  others,  and  which  appeals  for  relief  to 
those  who  are  able  to  render  it.  Here  we  have  the 
law  of  unrequited  or  gratuitous  service — the  strong 
must  serve  the  weak.  Human  need  creates  a  lien 
on  the  ability  to  relieve  it.  Every  man  is  debtor,  as 
much  as  in  him  is,  to  use  his  superior  power,  of 
whatever  kind,  in  uncompensated  service  to  those 
who  need.  And  the  greater  the  power  to  serve,  the 
greater  the  proportion  of  this  kind  of  service  that  is 
due — preeminent  ability,  preeminent  service ;  great- 
ness, great  service.  Here  we  reach  the  Christian 
principle  of  stewardship — that  men  hold  property 
and  all  means  of  influence,  not  for  selfish  ends,  but  in 
trust  for  the  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom  and 
the  promotion  of  the  best  interests  of  man.     J.  H. 

The  strong  virtue  that  can  go  on  its  own  way 
without  being  shaken  by  any  ordinary  temptation 
too  often  forgets  the  duty  due  to  the  weakness  close 
to  its  side.  By  stern  treatment  of  faults  which 
were  yet  much  struggled  agamst,  by  cold  refusal  to 
acknowledge  any  except  plainly  successful  efforts. 


by  rejecting  the  approaches  of  those  who  have  not 
yet  learned  the  right  way,  but  are  really  wishing  in 
their  secret  hearts  to  learn  it,  those  who  are  strong 
not  unfrequently  do  much  harm  to  those  who  are 
weak.     F.  T. 

The  ignorant  and  prejudiced,  the  contracted  and 
infirm,  generally  expect  that  iJieir  weakness,  igno- 
rance, and  infirmity  (under  other  and  of  course  finer 
names)  are  to  give  the  law  to  the  strong  and  to  the 
free ;  and  that  no  one  ought  to  do  either  what  they 
can  not  do  or  will  not.  Certainly  it  is  the  duty  of 
the  strong  "  to  bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak,  and 
not  to  please  themselves  " ;  but  also  it  is  the  duty 
of  the  weak  to  become  strong,  and  not  to  need  to 
be  pleased  by  being  allowed  the  selfish  luxury  of 
putting  restraints  on  the  liberty  of  others.     T.  B. 

Rather  trying  are  tlie  infirmities  of  the  weak. 

Very  tiresome  is  a  continual  touchiness  in  a  neigh- 
bor, or  the  perpetual  recurrence  of  the  same  faults 
in  a  pupil  or  a  child.  But  if  by  self-restraint  and 
right  treatment  God  should  enable  you  to  cure  those 
faults,  from  how  much  shame  and  sorrow  do  you 
rescue   them,  from   how  much  suffering  yourself/ 


272 


SEGTIOF  256.— ROMANS  15  : 1-33. 


In  this  form  of  effort  there  can  never  be  total  fail- 
ure ;  in  trying  to  cure  the  patient,  the  physician 
heals  himself.  In  combating  his  bad  temper,  you 
are  obliged  to  conquer  your  own ;  and,  in  order  to 
expel  from  that  other  sullenness,  self-indulgence, 
petulance,  you  are  compelled  to  go  to  God,  and  beg 
for  your  own  spirit  a  larger  supply  of  sweetness, 
generosity,  long-suffering,  and  all  those  noble  ra- 
diant attributes  which  in  the  contest  with  depravity 
make  the  sun-like  Christian  more  than  conqueror. 
Hamilton. 

2.  "Good  to  edification"  means  good  in  the 
spiritual  sense ;  the  building  up  of  the  character  in 
spiritual  life.  It  is  not  that  one  Christian  man  is  to 
yield  to  another  simply  because  he  wishes  it.  It  is 
this :  that  a  man  in  yielding  must  exercise  an  en- 
lightened benevolence,  and  have  a  view  to  the  real 
and  lasting  good  of  the  person  with  whose  desires, 
or  wishes,  or  tastes,  such  compliance  is  made. 
And  he,  my  neighbor,  will  see  that  I  am  yielding  for 
Christ's  sake.  He  will  see  that  it  is  the  yielding  of 
strength ;  that  it  is  the  yielding  of  love,  in  which 
all  strength  lies ;  and  that  will  be  to  him  like  a  very 
presence  of  Christ,  and  will  do  more  to  correct  his 
errors,  and  supply  his  deficiency,  and  corroborate 
his  feebleness,  than  the  clearest  statements  and  the 
firmest  reasonings  can  do.     A.  R. 

3.  Some  of  the  Roman  Christians  considered 
the  meat  that  had  been  offered  to  idols  unlit  for 
Christian  use,  while  others  of  them  could  partake 
of  it  without  scruple.  But,  not  contented  with  en- 
joying their  own  liberty,  they  set  themselves  to  in- 
dulge in  mutual  recrimination.  The  one  class  con- 
sidered the  other  unconscientious,  while  these  re- 
torted on  them  as  weak-minded.  It  is  a  quarrel 
that,  in  some  shape,  has  turned  up  ever  since.  The 
apostle  Paul  belongs  unmistakably  to  the  one  side, 
that  which  saw  no  conscience  in  the  matter,  but  he 
is  not  devoured  by  a  zeal  to  bring  all  to  his  own 
mind.  He  sees  that  there  arc  things  infinitely  more 
important  than  uniformity.  Charity  is  greater, 
and  liberty.  Those  who  can  not  eat  must  believe 
in  the  good  faith  of  those  who  can,  and  they  who 
have  no  scruples  must  refrain  from  taunting  those 
who  have.  Then  from  the  whole  controversy  he 
rises  to  this  great  principle,  which  lifts  the  thing 
out  of  the  local  and  temporary,  and  gives  it  a  world- 
wide and  permanent  interest.  In  our  intercourse 
with  our  fellow-Christians  or  fellow-men,  we  are  not 
to  make  our  own  pleasure,  but  the  pleasure  of  our 
neighbor,  our  chief  end.  This  is  the  example  set  by 
Christ,  our  great  Master:  "He  pleased  not  himself." 
The  violation  of  this  principle  has  produced  more 
unhappiness  and  sin  than  many  other  things  that 
seem  at  first  sight  more  deadly— has  broken  up  the 
communion  of  the  Church  and  the  comfort  of  the 
social  and  family  circle.     Kcr. 


Even  Christ.  As  the  brightness  of  the  Fa- 
ther's glory,  he  discloses  the  love  of  God  appearing 
under  human  limitations  in  service  and  sacrifice. 
As  the  ideal  man,  he  reveals  in  service  and  sacrifice 
the  image  of  God  perfected  in  human  character. 
The  character  expressed  and  developed  in  loving 
service  is  the  highest  and  noblest  type  of  character. 
Jesus  reveals  the  divine  in  the  human,  and  the 
human  in  its  ideal  perfection.  That  ideal  is  found 
in  his  life  of  service  ;  he  came  not  to  be  ministered 
unto,  but  to  minister.  The  conception  of  greatness 
by  ministering  is  the  conception  of  manly  strength 
and  power  to  serve,  of  resources  given  without  im- 
poverishment. So  we  assent  to  the  words  of  Jesus, 
seeing  therein  our  highest  dignity :  "  It  is  enough 
for  the  disciple  that  he  be  as  his  Master,  and  the 
servant  as  his  Lord."     J.  H. 

4.  The  words  should  stand,  "  that  through  the 
patience  and  the  comfort  of  the  Scriptures  we  might 
have  hope."  The  verse  is  sometimes  read  as  if  "  pa- 
tience "  were  one  thing  by  itself,  and  "  comfort  of 
the  Scriptures  "  another  by  itself.  But  the  two  go 
together  :  it  is  "  patience  of  the  Scriptures  and  com- 
fort of  the  Scriptures,"  i.  e.,  patience  and  comfort, 
both  arising  from  the  Scriptures,  produced  by  their 

study.     A. The  New  Testament  is  to  us  and  our 

successors  the  same  precious  inheritance  its  gospels 
and  epistles  and  prophecies  were  to  the  first  be- 
lievers ;  with  this  only  difference :  that  as  prophecy 
gathers  to  fulfillment,  as  the  shadowy  outlines  of 
prediction  begin  to  fill  and  flush  with  the  vivid 
colors  oifad,  the  story  of  Christ  the  Redeemer  and 
of  the  human  heart  as  acted  on  bi/  Christ — the  Bible 
history  of  man — becomes  still  more  authentic  and 
still  more  valuable.  Truly,  "  whatsoever  things 
were  written  aforetime  were  written  for  our  learn- 
ing, that  we,  through  patience  and  comfort  of  the 

Scriptures,  might  have  hope."     W.  A.  B. We 

need  no  voice  from  heaven  in  order  to  make  us 
happy.  There  is  enough  in  the  Bible  to  cause  every 
heart  in  this  wretched  world  to  burn  with  joy.  We 
are  told  of  pardon  for  the  guilty,  sanctification  for 
the  polluted,  rest  for  the  burdened  soul,  salvation 
for  the  lost,  Christ  for  a  Comforter,  heaven  for  a 
home.  And  we  are  told  of  these  things  for  this  ex- 
press purpose  :  to  give  us  consolation.     C.  B. 

6.  A  grand  end  to  live  for.  How  many  are  the 
strong  yet  most  tender,  the  common  yet  most  sacred 
ties  that  bind  us  to  it,  no  man  can  tell.  We  have 
more  reason  for  living  to  God's  glory  than  any  angel 
has.  He  made  us,  has  preserved  us  in  life  and  pro- 
vided for  our  wants ;  to  us  he  has  been  merciful  and 
gracious,  besides  being  abundant  in  goodness  and  in 
truth — having  borne  with  us,  pitied  us,  spared  us, 
loved  us,  and,  not  sparing  his  own  Son,  redeemed 
us,  as  well,  by  his  gracious  Spirit,  and  called  us  out 
of  darkness  into  his  marvelous  light.     And  so  the 


SECTION  256.— ROMANS  15  : 1-33. 


273 


warmest  love  to  God  should  burn  in  human  breasts, 
jand  in  the  heavenly  choir  the  highest  notes  should 
jbe  sung,  not  by  angels,  but  those  whom  Jesus  has 
redeemed  to  God  by  his  blood  out  of  every  kindred, 
and  nation,  and  people,  and  tongue.     T.  G. 

13.  We  rejoice  because  our  future  is  filled  with 
jliope — the  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  Joy  comes 
(then  from  hope ;  hope  from  the  God  of  love;  hope 
sure  and  steadfast ;  hope  that  maketh  not  ashamed  ; 
everlasting  hope.  Glory  is  ours  in  prospect — the 
"lory  of  the  new  heavens  and  earth,  the  glory  of 
resurrection,  the  glory  of  the  kingdom,  the  very 
glory  of  Christ.  And  it  is  all  ours,  simply  as  those 
who  have  known  and  believed  this  free  love  of  God. 
Hence  the  apostle's  prayer,  "  The  God  of  (the)  hope 
jfiU  you  with  all  joy  and  peace  in  believing."    Bonar. 

i There  is  "peace  in  believing."     To  the  man  of 

I  intelligent,  heartfelt,  yet  childlike  faith  in  the  testi- 
mony of  Jesus  Christ,  the  principles  and  promises 
I  of  that  testimony  are  what  the  facts  of  nature  are 
I  to  the  philosopher — absolute  certainties^  in  which  the 
1  mind  may  rest.    He  never  is  the  subject  of  doubt, 
!  while  his  views  of  things  are  conformed  to  the  dis- 
i  closures  of  this  testimony,  and  his  feeling  and  course 
I  are  in  harmony  with  its  requirements.     In  resting 
I  upon  this  word  as  the  ultimate  ground  of  certainty, 
i  in  taking  from  it  his  ends,  his  rules,  his  motives, 
jhis  encouragements — all   the  powers  and  elements 
j  of  his  nature  work  in  harmony  with  each  other ;  his 
I  conscience,  his  intellect,  and   his  heart   draw  to- 
gether.    What  the  mind  perceives  to  be  taught  here 
as  true,  conscience  approves  as  right,  and  the  heart 
loves  as  good.    The  man  has  never  yet  been  found 
who  felt  that  he  was  doing  wrong  in  submitting  him- 
self in  a  spirit  of  implicit  faith  to  the  truth  of  Je- 
sus Christ.     His  submission  has  always  been  the 
source  of  his  peace ;  a  peace  as  deep  and  refreshing 
and  satisfying  as  his  faith  has  been  strong  and  de- 
cided.    E.  M. 

16.  The  apostle  represents  himself  as  "  acting 
the  part  of  a  priest  in  reference  to  the  gospel  of 
Christ,"  and  in  the  exercise  of  this  office  laying  on 
the  altar  of  God  the  converted  Gentiles  as  a  sacri- 
fice acceptable  to  God.  In  plain  language,  the  de- 
sign of  his  apostleship  was,  that  the  Gentiles,  being 
converted  by  the  faith  of  the  gospel  through  his  in- 
strumentality, and  by  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
might  devote  themselves  to  God  as  his  peculiar 
property.    J.  B. The  doctrine  of  Christ  concern- 


ing  the  Holy  Ghost  (John  14-16)  can  be  no  other 
than  this  :  that,  after  the  body  of  Jesus  should  be 
removed  from  the  Church,  he  should  still  continue 
to  carry  on  the  spiritual  work  of  renewing,  sanctify- 
ing, and  saving  souls — which  is  his  eternal  ministry 
— the  Church  itself  thus  becoming  the  body  of  his 
Spirit,  that  visible,  but  he  indwelling,  yet  manifest 
still  in  the  fruits  of  holy  love  and  life ;  that,  in  thus 
acting  on  the  spirits  of  believers  in  answer  to  pray- 
er, the  Son  and  the  Father  who  sent  him  are  to- 
gether united  in  counsel  and  one  in  purpose ;  and 
that  the  agent  by  which  they  thus  move  and  draw 
and  change  the  heart  is  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  also 
known  as  the  Comforter,  the  Paraclete,  the  Spirit  of 
truth,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.     F.  D.  H. 

19.  "  So  that  from  Jerusalem,  and  round  about 
unto  Illyricum,  I  have  fully  preached  the  gospel  of 
Christ."  These  words  import  that  Paul  had  come 
to  the  confines  of  Illyricum,  and  that  these  confines 
were  the  external  boundary  of  his  travels.  Paul 
considers  Jerusalem  as  the  center,  and  is  here  view- 
ing the  circumference  to  which  his  travels  had  ex- 
tended. Illyricum  was  the  part  of  this  circle  which 
he  mentions  in  an  epistle  to  the  Romans,  because  it 
lay  in  a  direction  from  Jerusalem  toward  that  city, 
and  pointed  out  to  the  Roman  readers  the  nearest 
place  to  them  to  which  his  travels  from  Jerusalem 
had  brought  him.  Illyricum  adjoins  upon  Macedo- 
nia. If,  therefore,  Paul  traversed  the  whole  country 
of  Macedonia,  the  route  would  necessarily  bring  him 
to  the  confines  of  Illyricum,  and  these  confines 
would  be  described  as  the  extremity  of  his  journey. 
The  account  of  Paul's  second  visit  to  the  peninsula 
of  Greece  is  contained  in  Acts  20  :  2.     Paley. 

2-4.  Into  Spain.  Clement,  the  disciple  of 
Paul,  mentioned  Phil.  4  :  3,  writing  from  Rome  to 
Corinth,  expressly  asserts  that  Paul  had  preached 
the  gospel  "  in  the  east  and  in  the  west "  ;  that  "  he 
had  instructed  the  whole  world  [i.  e.,  the  Roman  Em- 
pire, which  was  commonly  so  called]  in  righteous- 
ness  "  ;  and  that  he  "  had  gone  to  the  extremity  of 
the  west "  before  his  martyrdom.  Now,  in  a  Roman 
author,  the  extremity  of  the  west  could  mean  nothing 
short  of  Spain,  and  the  expression  is  often  used  by 
Roman  writers  to  denote  Spain.  Here,  then,  we 
have  the  express  testimony  of  Paul's  own  disciple 
that  he  fulfilled  his  original  intention  of  visiting  the 
Spanish  peninsula,  and  consequently  that  he  was  lib- 
erated from  his  first  imprisonment  at  Rome.    C. 


18 


274 


SECTION'  257.— ROMAN'S  16  : 1-27. 


Section  257. 

KoMANS  xvi.  1-27. 

1  I  COMMEND  unto  you  Phebe  our  sister,  which  is  a  servant  of  the  church  which  is  at  Cen- 

2  chrea :  that  ye  receive  her  in  the  Lord,  as  becometh  saints,  and  that  ye  assist  her  in  what- 
soever business  she  hath  need  of  you :  for  she  hath  been  a  succourer  of  many,  and  of  myself 

3  also.     Greet  Priscilla  and  Aquila,  my  helpers  in  Christ  Jesus :  who  have  for  my  life  laid 

4  down  their  own  necks:  unto  whom  not  only  I  give  thanks,  but  also  all  the  churches  of  the 

5  Gentiles.    Likewise  greet  the  church  that  is  in  their  house.     Salute  my  wellbeloved  Epjene- 

6  tus,  who  is  the  firstfruits  of  Achaia  unto  Christ.     Greet  Mary,  who  bestowed  much  labour 

7  on  us.     Salute  Andronicus  and  Junia,  my  kinsmen,  and  my  fellowprisoners,  who  are  of 
note  among  the  apostles,  who  also  were  in  Christ  before  me. 

8  Greet  Amplias  my  beloved  in  the  Lord.     Salute  Urbane,  our  helper  in  Christ,  and  Stachys 

10  my  beloved.     Salute  Apelles  approved  in  Christ.     Salute  them  which  are  of  Aristobulus' 

11  household.     Salute  Herodion  my  kinsman.     Greet  them  that  be  of  the  household  of  Nar- 

12  cissus,  which  are  in  the  Lord.     Salute  Tryphena  and  Tryphosa,  who  labour  in  the  Lord. 

13  Salute  the  beloved  Persis,  which  laboured  much  in  the  Lord.     Salute  Rufus  chosen  in  the 

14  Lord,  and  his  mother  and  mine.     Salute  Asyncritus,  Phlegon,  Hermas,  Patrobas,  Hermes, 
1.5  and  the  brethren  which  are  with  them.     Salute  Philologus,  and  Julia,  Nereus,  and  his  sis- 

16  ter,  and  Olympas,  and  all  the  saints  which  are  with  them.     Salute  one  another  with  an  holy 

17  kiss.     The  churches  of  Christ  salute  you.     Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  mark  them  which 
cause  divisions  and  offences  contrary  to  the  doctrine  which  ye  have  learned ;  and  avoid 

18  them.     For  they  that  are  such  serve  not  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  their  own  belly ;  and  by 

19  good  words  and  fair  speeches  deceive  the  hearts  of  the  simple.     For  your  obedience  is  come 
abroad  unto  all  men.     I  am  glad  therefore  on  your  behalf:  but  yet  I  would  have  you  wise 

20  unto  that  which  is  good,  and  simple  concerning  evil.     And  the  God  of  peace  shall  bruise 
Satan  under  your  feet  shortly.     The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  te  with  you.     Amon. 

21  Timotheus  my  workfellow,  and  Lucius,  and  Jason,  and  Sosipater,  my  kinsmen,  salute  yon. 

22  I  Tertius,  who  wrote  this  epistle,  salute  you  in  the  Lord.     Gains  mine  host,  and  of  the 

23  whole  church,  saluteth  you.     Erastus  the  chamberlain  of  the  city  saluteth  you,  and  Quartus 
a  brother. 

24  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  le  with  you  all.     Amen.     Kow  to  him  that  is  of 

25  power  to  stablish  you  according  to  my  gospel,  and  the  preaching  of  Jesus  Christ,  according 

26  to  the  revelation  of  the  mystery,  which  was  kept  secret  since  the  world  began,  but  now  is 
made  manifest,  and  by  the  scriptures  of  the  prophets,  according  to  the  commandment  of 

27  the  everlasting  God,  made  known  to  all  nations  for  the  obedience  of  faith :  to  God  only 
wise,  he  glory  through  Jesus  Christ  for  ever.     Amen. 


In  this  Epistle  is  treated  in  the  most  masterly  manner  everything  that  belongeth  to  the  Christian  life. 
Whatever  it  most  concerns  a  Christian  to  know  :  law,  gospel,  sin,  grace,  justification,  Christ,  God,  good 
works,  faith,  hope,  charity ;  all  wherein  true  Christianity  consisteth ;  how  it  becometh  a  Christian  to 
conduct  himself  toward  his  neighbors,  whether  good  or  bad,  strong  or  weak,  friends  or  enemies,  and 
toward  himself — all  this  is  to  be  found  here  in  such  perfection,  that  it  is  impossible  to  wish  anything 
more  or  better.  So  rich  a  treasure  is  it  of  spiritual  wealth,  that  even  to  him  who  has  read  it  a  thousand 
times  something  new  will  be  ever  presenting  itself.  Its  study,  beyond  every  other,  is  found  useful ;  and 
the  longer  and  the  more  deeply  it  is  pondered,  its  excellences  grow  upon  you,  and  it  appears  to  be  con- 
stantly becoming  more  delightful,  more  valuable,  and  more  copious  than  itself.     Luther. 


1-15.  These  chapters  of  salutations,  which  you 
perhaps  have  been  wont  to  pass  over  at  a  bound  as 
possessing  no  general  interest,  present  a  study  as 
attractive  as  it  is  instructive,  by  enabling  you  to 
penetrate  into  the  private  life  of  the  apostle  and 

into  his  personal  relations.    Monad. At  the  time 

when  Taul  wrote,  there  were  many  Christian  labor- 


ers in  the  great  city — men  and  women  well  known 
to  the  apostle,  and  beloved  for  the  truth's  sake,  and 
for  their  work's  sake.  They  do  not  seem  to  have 
been  as  yet  organized  in  one  church-body.  So  we 
read  in  this  chapter  of  churches,  or  groups,  in  vari- 
ous private  houses.     D.  F. 

We  see  woman  in  the  early  church  already  in  a 


SBCTIOy  257.— ROMAN'S  16  : 1-27. 


275 


position  of  trust  and  high  usefulness:  a  position, 
let  me  observe,  which  she  retains  in  the  Roman 
Catholic  communion  to  this  day,  in  conjunction  with 
various  conditions  opposed  to  Christian  freedom  and 
our  Lord's  commands,  but  which,  owing  to  those 
conditions  having  been  justly  repudiated  by  the  Re- 
formed Churches,  she  has  very  generally  lost  among 
ourselves.  One  of  the  gravest  problems  of  our  own 
and  of  the  coming  age  will  be,  to  bring  in  female 
help  to  the  work  of  the  Church,  and  woman  into  an 
accredited  position  in  her  service,  without  any  ad- 
mixture of  the  "  votal  "  element ;  without  any  per- 
manent obligations  to  poverty,  to  what  is  called 
"obedience,"  to  what  is  mistaken  for  "chastity." 
Another  matter  of  interest  in  this  chapter  is  the  ex- 
amples which  it  gives  us  of  the  refined  delicacy  and 
courtesy  of  the  great  apostle.  "  To  whom  not  only 
I  give  thanks,  but  all  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles  " ; 
"  which  were  in  Christ  before  me  " ;  "  Salute  Rufus, 
the  elect  in  the  Lord,  and  his  mother — and  mhie"  ; 
i.  6.,  his  mother,  whom  I  also  love  as  a  son.  Yet 
another  point  of  interest  is  this.  On  the  southern 
side  of  Rome,  as  you  approach  the  gate  now  called 
the  Porta  San  Sebastiano — not  far  from  the  Arch  of 
Drusus,  under  which  Paul  passed  as  he  entered  the 
city  with  the  brethren — is  a  garden  containing  the 
"  columbarium  "  or  "  pigeon-house  "  of  the  "  family  " 
of  Nero.  These  "  columbaria  "  are  so  called  from 
their  containing  a  number  of  small  recesses  like 
pigeon-holes,  in  which  are  deposited  the  ashes  of  the 
dead,  and  that  the  "  family  "  of  a  Roman  prince  or 
noble  comprehended  all  who  lived  in  his  court,  his 
relatives,  freedmen,  and  slaves.  And  with  thus 
much  explanation,  we  may  repeat  the  result  of  our 
own  researches  in  the  columbarium  of  the  family  of 
Nero.  Among  the  names  inscribed  on  the  memorial 
tablets  there,  we  found  Tryphaena  (v.  12),  Tryphosa 
(v.  12),  Hermes  (v.  14),  Hermas  (v.  14),  and  Junias 
(v.  7).    A. 

20.  The  whole  history  of  the  world  is  inter- 
woven with  the  doings  of  him  whom  Scripture 
calls  "  the  serpent,"  "  the  God  of  this  world,"  "  the 
wicked  one,"  "the  devil,"  "the  prince  of  the  power 
of  the  air,"  "the  accuser  of  the  brethren,"  "the 
adversarj\"  He  is  a  living  person,  originally  con- 
nected with  heaven,  now  with  earth,  once  associated 
with  angels,  now  with  men,  full  of  malice,  a  mur- 
derer and  a  liar,  a  deceiver.  His  dealings  first  with 
Ike  and  then  with  Christ  are  the  two  great  speci- 
mens of  his  nature,  his  tactics,  and  his  aims.  The 
first  promise  announced  a  battle  between  him  and 
the  seed  of  the  woman.  This  battle  has  been  going 
on  without  intermission  between  him  and  Christ  and 
between  him  and  the  members  of  Christ's  body. 
With  them  it  is  warfare,  with  the  rest  of  mankind 
it  is  friendship.  The  warfare  has  been  fierce  as 
well  as  long,  open  as  well  as  secret,  outward  as  well 


as  inward.  In  all  his  assaults  and  stratagems  he 
has  to  a  certain  extent  succeeded,  but  always  in  the 
end  been  bafHed.     It  is  to  this  ultimate  baffling  or 

bruising  that  the  apostle  here  alludes.     Bonar. 

With  so  many  hints  given  us  in  the  Holy  Scriptures 
that  we  wrestle  not  with  flesh  and  blood  alone,  but 
with  angels  and  principalities  and  powers  of  dark- 
ness— that  there  are  devices  of  Satan  of  which  it 
becomes  us  not  to  remain  ignorant — that  the  great 
adversary  goeth  about  seeking  whom  he  may  de- 
vour; with  the  command  laid  upon  us.  Resist  the 
devil,  and  he  will  flee  from  you  ;  with  the  promise 
given.  The  Lord  shall  bruise  Satan  under  your  feet 
shortly ;  should  we  not  be  ever  acting  on  the  convic- 
tion that  our  souls  are  the  sphere  of  an  unseen  con- 
flict, in  which  rival  spirits  of  evil  are  struggling  for 
mastery  ?     W.  H. 

Tlie  Victory  of  the  God  of  Peace. — It  is  as  the  God 
of  peace  that  he  wins  the  victory  for  us,  and  bruises 
Satan  under  our  feet.  It  is  as  the  bruised  one  that 
he  bruises.  He  whom  Satan  smote  is  he  who  smites 
Satan.  The  God  of  peace  has  made  peace;  and, 
having  made  peace  by  the  blood  of  his  Cross,  he 
proceeds  to  destroy  all  that  had  once  marred  the 
peace,  all  his  enemies  and  ours,  giving  us  complete 
victory  and  triumph.  It  is  on  the  basis  of  the  rec- 
onciling blood,  the  peace-giving  work  on  the  Cross, 
that  the  operations  against  Satan  are  carried  on.  It  is 
under  the  banner  of  the  God  of  peace  that  we  fight. 
He  is  our  captain,  and  the  peace  which  he  has  made 
is  that  which  secures  the  victory  to  us.  We  over- 
come by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  the  blood  that  has 
made  our  peace.     Bonar. 

31.  These  Epistles  are  extraordinary  produc- 
tions, and  it  is  inconceivable  that  any  man  should 
introduce  them  into  the  world  by  the  fiction  of  ad- 
dressing them  to  a  church,  and  should  connect  such 
admirable  sentiments  with  the  details  of  their  pe- 
culiar difficulties,  and  with  salutations  addressed  to 
many  persons  by  name.  Let  any  man  read  the.  last 
chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans  (which  is  al- 
most entirely  made  up  of  greetings  and  salutations), 
and  ask  himself  if  it  is  possible  that  any  man, 
writing  a  letter  for  the  purpose  of  deception,  could 
have  written  it.  Observe  his  particularity.  Not 
only  does  Paul  himself  salute  many  persons,  but 
Timotheus,  his  work-fellow,  is  joined  with  him,  and 
Lucius,  and  Jason,  and  Sosipater,  his  kinsman,  and 
Tertius,  who  wrote  the  Epistle,  and  Gains,  his  host, 
and  Erastus,  the  chamberlain  of  the  city,  and  Quar- 
tus,  a  brother.     M.  H. 

26.  For  the  obedience  of  faith.  Faith 
and  reason  have  their  limits ;  where  reason  ends 
faith  begins;  and  if  reason  will  be  encroaching 
upon  the  bounds  of  faith,  she  is  straight  taken  cap- 
tive by  infidelity.  We  are  not  fit  to  follow  Christ, 
if  we  have  not  denied  ourselves ;  and  the  chief  piece 


276 


SECTION  258.— 1   COEINTEIANS  1 : 1-21. 


of  ourselves  is  our  reason.  We  must  yield  God 
able  to  do  that  which  we  can  not  comprehend  ;  and 
we  must  comprehend  that  by  our  faith  which  is  dis- 
claimed by  reason.     Bp.  H. 

27.  One  can  not  but  think  that,  as  Tertius  laid 
down  the  reed  which  he  had  used,  the  apostle  took 
it  into  his  own  hand  and  added  the  sublime  sentence 
of  doxology  with  which  the  Epistle  ends.  God  was 
able  to  establish  the  brethren  according  to  Paul's 
gospel,  which  was  something  more  than  "  the  gos- 
pel of  the  kingdom,"  for  it  was  a  proclamation  of 
the  unseen  Christ  as  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  And, 
as  in  the  gospel  which  Paul  preached,  and  this  won- 
derful Epistle  which  he  has  written,  the  divine  wis- 
dom is  brightly  displayed,  the  doxology  is  in  these 
words  :  "  To  God  only  wise  be  glory  through  Jesus 

Christ  for  ever.     Amen."     D.  F. This  peculiar 

doxology,  at  the  close  of  such  an  Epistle,  connect- 
ing such  a  song   of  praise  with  the  steadfastness 


of  the  saints  of  God,  is  very  striking,  and  fraught 
with  deep  lessons  to  us.  The  glory  of  the  God 
only  mighty,  and  eternal,  and  wise,  is  connect- 
ed with  our  being  stablished ;  and  the  process  of 
stablishing  us  depends  on  his  being  what  he  is 
here  represented  to  be.  We  have  to  do  with  him 
as  the  God  of  power  and  wisdom  and  eternity. 
Bonar. 

The  Epistle  to  the  Pvomans  begins  with  the 
power  of  God,  then  declares  his  righteousness,  and 
closes  with  adoration  of  his  wisdom.  It  is  so  with 
the  heart  that  receives  the  great  truths  with  which 
this  Epistle  deals.  It  begins  its  new  experience 
under  the  power  of  God  who  raised  up  Jesus  Christ. 
It  finds  peace  through  the  declaration  of  his  right- 
eousness. And  then  it  rests  in  admiration  and 
adoration  of  his  wisdom  in  planning,  providing,  and 
applying  the  salvation  of  the  world  through  Christ 
Jesus.     D.  F 


Section  258. 

1  Corinthians  i.  1-21. 

1  Paul,  called  to  le  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ  through  the  will  of  God,  and  Sosthenes  our 

2  brother,  unto  the  church  of  God  which  is  at  Corinth,  to  them  that  are  sanctified  in  Christ 
Jesus,  called  to  le  saints,  with  all  that  in  every  place  call  upon  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ 

3  our  Lord,  both  their's  and  cur's  :  grace  le  unto  you,  and  peace,  from  God  our  Father,  and 

4  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     I  thank  my  God  always  on  your  behalf,  for  the  grace  of  God 

5  which  is  given  you  by  Jesus  Christ ;  that  in  every  thing  ye  are  enriched  by  him,  in  all  utter- 

6  ance,  and  in  all  knowledge ;  even  as  the  testimony  of  Christ  was  confirmed  in  you : 

7  so  that  ye  come  behind  in  no  gift;  waiting  for  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ: 

8  who  shall  also  confirm  you  unto  the  end,  that  ye  may  le  blameless  in  the  day  of  our  Lord 

9  Jesus  Christ.  God  is  faithful,  by  whom  ye  were  called  unto  the  fellowship  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord. 

10      ITow  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  all  speak  the 
same  thing,  and  that  there  be  no  divisions  among  you  ;  but  that  ye  be  perfectly  joined  to- 
ll gether  in  the  same  mind  and  in  the  same  judgment.     For  it  hath  been  declared  unto  me  of 
you,  my  brethren,  by  them  which  are  of  the  house  of  Chloe,  that  there  are  contentions 

12  among  you.    Now  this  I  say,  that  every  one  of  you  saith,  I  am  of  Paul ;  and  I  of  Apollos ; 

13  and  I  of  Cephas;  and  I  of  Christ.     Is  Christ  divided?  was  Paul  crucified  for  you?  or  were 

14  ye  baptized  in  the  name  of  Paul  ?    I  thank  God  that  I  baptized  none  of  you,  but  Crispus 

15  and  Gains;  lest  any  should  say  that  I  had  baptized  in  mine  own  name.     And  I  baptized 

16  also   the  household  of  Stephanas:  besides,  I  know  not  whether  I  baptized  any  other. 

17  For  Christ  sent  me  not  to  baptize,  but  to  preach  the  gospel:  not  with  wisdom  of  words, 

18  lest  the  cross  of  Christ  should  be  made  of  none  effect.  For  the  preaching  of  the  cross  is 
to  them  that  perish  foolishness ;  but  unto  us  which  are  saved  it  is  the  power  of  God. 

19  For  it  is  written,  I  will  destroy  the  wisdom  of  the  wise,  and  will  bring  to  nothing  the 

20  understanding  of  the  prudent.     Where  is  the  wise?  where  i*  the  scribe?  where  is  the  dis- 

21  puter  of  this  world?  hath  not  God  made  foolish  the  wisdom  of  this  world  ?  For  after  that 
in  the  wisdom  of  God  the  world  by  wisdom  knew  not  God,  it  pleased  God  by  the  foolish- 
ness of  preaching  to  save  them  that  believe. 


SECTION  258.— 1  CORINTHIANS  1 : 1-21. 


277 


Men  had  lost  sight  of  God.  Three  kinds  of  selfishness  had  blinded  them :  self-admiration,  self-will, 
self-indulgence ;  three  forms  of  sin ;  three  usurpers  of  the  human  soul.  One — self-admiration — perverts 
and  makes  a  rebel  of  the  intellect ;  another — self-will — of  the  conscience ;  the  other — self-indulgence — 
of  the  passions.  In  this  threefold  treachery  and  corruption  the  world  had  grown  giddy,  rapacious,  and 
godless.  Curiosity  was  all  that  was  left  as  the  highest  aim  in  science  ;  war,  in  enterprise ;  and  a  sen- 
suous enthusiasm  for  the  beautiful  in  art.  Alexandria,  Home,  and  Athens  represented  these  three  ambi- 
tions. In  losing  his  God,  man  had  lost  himself,  as  always  happens.  Faith  in  God  and  the  dignity  of  man 
went  down  together.  With  divine  worship  fell  human  rights  and  liberties.  The  scholars  and  the  priests 
mystified  the  people,  the  Epicureans  tempted  them,  the  Stoics  flattered  and  despised  them.  There  were 
gods  enough :  one  for  every  propensity.  But  they  were  either  patrons  to  be  purchased,  or  abstractions  to 
be  apostrophized,  or  demons  to  be  propitiated.  Religion,  where  it  was  not  a  voluntary  deception,  had 
degenerated  into  an  incantation  and  a  ceremony.  The  priest,  if  he  was  a  pagan,  was  a  juggler  or  a  dupe ; 
if  he  was  a  Jew — read  the  twenty-third  chapter  of  Matthew,  and  its  eightfold  woes  on  the  hypocrites,  to 
know  what  he  was.  There  was  intellect  enough  ;  but  the  amount  of  all  that  was,  as  Paul  put  it,  that  the 
world  by  wisdom  knew  not  God,  and  never  would  till  that  "  Logos,"  or  Messiah,  came,  who  was  the  power 
of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God  unto  salvation  to  them  that  believe.     F.  D.  H. 


{^Read  carefully  pages  129-132.)  Paul's  first  mis- 
sionary labor  among  the  Corinthians  extends  over  a 
year  and  a  half,  during  which  period  he  lived  with 
Aquila  and  Priscilla,  and  wrought  with  his  own 
hands  to  earn  his  daily  bread.  Some  of  the  Jews, 
and  those  men  of  mark,  as  Justus  and  Crispus,  the 
ruler  of  the  synagogue,  were  converted  and  baptized ; 
but  the  Corinthian  Church  was  mainly  a  Gentile  one, 
and  the  questions  there  discussed  were  not  Jewish, 
did  not  turn  on  the  value  of  circumcision  or  the  ob- 
ligation of  the  law,  but  were  such  as  concerned  a 
people  just  converted  from  idolatry,  and  emerging 
from  the  corruption  of  heathen  life  in  a  city  of 
Greece.  This  is  the  most  varied  and  comprehensive  of 
all  the  weighty  letters  of  Paul, and  exhibits  through- 
out his  fine  tact  and  practical  wisdom.  It  is  less  the- 
ological than  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans ;  more  casu- 
istical in  the  good  sense  of  that  term.  It  says 
nothing  of  the  law  or  of  justification,  discusses  no 
doctrine  whatever  save  that  of  the  resurrection,  but 
treats  in  a  masterly  manner  of  love,  purity,  con- 
science, discernment,  and  reverence  in  the  Church  of 
God.  D.F. 

It  was  written  at  Ephesus  early  in  the  same  year 
in  which  he  left  Ephesus  for  Macedonia  (1  Cor. 
16  :  8).  Its  immediate  occasion  seems  to  have  been 
the  arrival  at  Ephesus  of  the  family,  or  some  of  the 
family,  of  a  Christian  matron  of  Corinth  named 
Chloe.  These  had  brought  unfavorable  intelligence 
from  the  Corinthian  Church.  The  apostle  names 
only  the  report  of  divisions  and  parties  ;  but  we  can 
hardly  be  wrong  in  believing  that  the  news  of  the  very 
serious  matter  treated  in  chapter  5  were  brought  by 
the  same  persons.  These  tidings,  together  with 
the  questions  on  which  apostolic  counsels  were  re- 
quested, induced  Paul  to  write  this,  one  of  the  long- 
est and  most  important  of  his  pastoral  letters,  and 
the  pattern,  above  all  others,  of  earnest  and  weighty 
admonition  and  declaration  springing  out  of  circum- 
stances. For  of  such  a  character,  above  all  others, 
13  this  Epistle — not  a  treatise  on  any  point  or  any 
system  of  Christian  doctrine,  as  some  others  by  this 
same  apostle,  but  a  series  of  fragments,  or  episodes, 
each  of  them  occasional^  arising  out  of  something 
referred  to  him,  or  heard  of  by  him,  but  not  one  of 
them  devoid  of  interest  for  those  who  come  after  in 
all  the  long  ages  of  the  Church.  No  Epistle  raises 
in  us  a  higher  estimate  of  the  varied  and  wonderful 
gifts  with  which  God  was  pleased  to  endow  the  man 


whom  he  selected  for  the  apostle  of  the  Gentile 
world,  or  shows  us  how  large  a  portion  of  the 
Spirit,  who  worketh  in  each  man  severally  as  he 
will,  was  given  to  him  for  our  edification.  The 
depths  of  the  spiritual,  the  moral,  the  intellectual, 
the  physical  world  are  open  to  him.  He  summons 
to  his  aid  the  analogies  of  nature.  He  enters  mi- 
nutely into  the  varieties  of  human  infirmity  and  pre- 
judice. He  draws  warning  from  the  history  of  the 
chosen  people ;  example  from  the  Isthmian  foot- 
race. He  refers  an  apparently  trifling  question  of 
costume  to  the  first  great  proprieties  and  relations 
of  Creation  and  Redemption.  He  praises,  reproves, 
exhorts,  and  teaches.  Where  he  strikes  he  heals. 
His  large  heart  holding  all,  where  he  has  grieved 
any,  he  grieves  likewise ;  where  it  is  in  his  power  to 
give  joy,  he  first  overflows  with  joy  himself.    A. 

1.  Paul  learned  that  his  authority  was  ques- 
tioned; and  so  he  opens  his  Epistle  with  these 
words,  written  partly  in  self-defense  ;  "  Called  to  be 
an  apostle  through  the  will  of  God."  In  the  firm 
conviction  of  that  truth  lay  all  his  power.  Xo  man 
felt  more  strongly  than  Paul  his  own  insignificance. 
He  told  his  converts  again  and  again  that  he  "  was 
not  meet  to  be  called  an  apostle,"  that  he  was 
"  the  least  of  all  saints,"  that  he  was  the  "  chief  of 
sinners."  And  yet,  intensely  as  he  felt  all  this, 
more  deeply  did  he  feel  something  above  and  be- 
yond all  this,  that  he  was  God's  messenger,  that  his 
was  a  true  apostleship,  that  he  had  been  truly  com- 
missioned by  the  King ;  and  hence  he  speaks  with 
courage  and  with  freedom.  His  words  were  not  his 
own,  but  His  who  had  sent  him. 

3.  The  church  of  God.  The  Church  is  that 
body  of  men  in  whom  the  Spirit  of  God  dwells  as 
the  source  of  their  excellence,  and  who  exist  on 
earth  for  the  purpose  of  exhibiting  the  divine  life 
and  the  hidden  order  of  humanity:  to  penetrate 
and  purify  the  world,  and,  as  salt,  preserve  it  from 
corruption.  It  has  an  existence  continuous  through- 
out the  ages  ;  continuous,  however,  not  on  the  prin- 
ciples of  hereditary  succession  or  of  human  election. 


278 


SECTION  258.— 1  CORINTHIANS  1 : 1-21. 


but  on  the  principle  of  spiritual  similarity  of  char- 
acter. Paul  asserted  this  spiritual  succession  when 
he  said  that  the  seed  of  Abraham  were  to  be  reck- 
oned, not  as  his  lineal  descendants,  but  as  inheritors 
of  his  faith.     F.  W.  R. 

The  Christian  Church  is  modeled  on  the  Jewish 
congregation,  and  the  word  ccclcsia  is  simply  the 
translation  of  the  Hebrew  word  signifying  "  congre- 
gation."    S. Inasmuch  as  the  synagogue  existed 

when  the  temple  was  unknown,  and  remained  when 
the  temple  fell,  it  followed  that  from  its  order  and 
worship,  and  not  from  that  of  the  temple,  were 
copied  in  their  general  features  the  government, 
the  institutions,  and  the  devotions  of  those  Chris- 
tian communities  which,  springing  directly  from 
the  Jewish,  were  first  known  as  "  synagogues "  or 
"meeting-houses,"  and  afterward  by  the  adoption 
of  an  almost  indentical  word,  "  ecclesia,"  "  assembly- 
house."     A.  P.  S. 

The  Church  is  at  once  a  divine  institution,  in 
that  it  is  the  perpetuated  body  of  Christ  and  witness 
of  his  redeeming  power,  and  it  is  also  a  practical 
manifestation  of  whatever  spiritual  life  resides 
among  us.  It  is  the  appointed  means  for  unfolding 
and  nourishing  our  capacities  for  piety.  It  is  the 
soul's  house,  collecting,  protecting,  cherishing,  mul- 
tiplying, spiritual  life.  This  is  what  the  Church  is 
by  intention,  the  Church  of  God's  design.  But 
come  into  the  Church  as  it  is.  What  do  we  see  ? 
Life  ?  interest  ?  energy  ?  reality  ?  Pass  in  there 
from  the  streets  of  travel  and  the  shops  of  mer- 
chandise. Is  there  life  before  you  like  the  eager, 
throbbing  intensity  of  life  you  leave  behind  you? 
Pass  in  there  from  the  halls  of  legislation  and  po- 
litical debate.  Is  there  interest  in  duty  and  wor- 
ship like  the  interest  in  the  problems  of  public 
economy  and  the  questiops  of  party  success  ?  Pass 
in  there  from  the  schoolhouse  and  the  university. 
Is  there  energy  spent  on  forming  righteous  charac- 
ters like  the  energy  that  beams  in  the  faces  and 
animates  the  ambition  of  students  and  their  teach- 
ers ?  Pass  in  there  from  the  joyous  groups  of  kin- 
dred in  their  homes.  Is  there  reality  like  the  reality 
of  the  love  and  the  sympathy,  the  fellowship  and 
fervor,  of  families  and  wedlock,  of  parental  devo- 
tion and  filial  gratitude  ?     F.  D.  II. 

Corinth.  The  city  was  the  hot-bed  of  the 
world's  evil,  in  which  every  noxious  plant,  indige- 
nous or  transplanted,  rapidly  grew  and  flourished ; 
where  luxury  and  sensuality  throve  rankly,  stimu- 
lated by  the  gambling  spirit  of  commercial  life,  till 
Corinth  now  in  the  Apostle's  time,  as  in  previous 
centuries,  became  a  proverbial  name  for  moral  cor- 
ruption. Amid  this  universal  degeneracy  there  were 
two  classes  among  the  Greek  population.  There 
were,  first,  the  uncultivated  and  the  poor,  to  whom 
the  ancient  glories  of  their  land  were  yet  dear,  to 


whom  the  old  religion  was  not  merely  hereditary 
but  true  and  living  still,  whose  imagination  still  saw 
the  solemn  conclave  of  their  ancient  deities  on  Mount 
Olympus,  and  still  heard  Pan,  and  the  Fauns,  and 
the  wood-gods  piping  in  the  groves.  "Very  different 
however,  was  the  state  of  the  cultivated  and  the  rich. 
They  had  lost  their  religion.  Their  civilization  and 
their  knowledge  of  the  world  had  destroyed  that; 
and,  that  being  lost,  they  retained  no  natural  vent 
for  the  energies  of  the  restless  Greek  character. 
Hence  out  of  their  high  state  of  intellectual  culture 
there  arose  a  craving  for  "  wisdom  "  ;  not  the  wis- 
dom which  Solomon  spoke  of,  but  wisdom  in  the 
sense  of  intellectual  speculation.  The  energy  which 
had  found  a  safe  outlet  in  war  now  wasted  itself  in 
the  amphitheatre.  The  enthusiasm  which  had  been 
stimulated  by  the  noble  eloquence  of  patriotism  now 
preyed  on  glittering  rhetoric.  Men  spent  their  days 
in  tournaments  of  speeches,  and  exulted  in  gladia- 
torial oratory.     F.  W.  R. 

Them  that  are  sanctified,  called  to  be 
saints.  Paul  chooses  to  regard  those  to  whom  he 
is  writing  as  being  in  all  respects  true  Christians,  as 
being  worthy  of  their  privileges,  as  answering  to 
what  God  had  done  to  them.  He  might  have  thought 
indeed  that,  if  he  wrote  to  them  as  redeemed,  justi- 
fied, sanctified,  as  having  all  things  new,  as  being 
the  children  of  God  and  the  heirs  of  God,  and  the 
temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  any  individual  who  felt 
that  he  was  none  of  these  things,  that  sin  was  still 
mighty  within  him,  and  that  he  was  sin's  slave, 
would  neither  deny  his  own  conscience  nor  yet  call 
Paul  a  deceiver,  but  would  read  in  the  difference 
between  Paul's  description  of  him  and  the  reality 
the  exact  measure  of  his  own  sin  and  need  of  re- 
pentance and  watchfulness.  But  he  docs  not  rely 
on  this  only:  he  notices  sins  as  actually  existing; 
he  mingles  the  language  of  reproof  and  of  anxiety, 
so  as  to  make  it  quite  clear  that  he  did  not  mean  his 
descriptions  of  their  holiness  and  blessedness  to  ap- 
ply to  them  all  necessarily ;  he  knew  full  well  that 
they  did  not ;  but  yet  he  knew  also  that,  consider- 
ing what  God  had  done  for  them,  it  was  monstrous 
that  they  should  not  be  truly  applicable.  Let  us 
ponder  all  the  magnificence  of  the  Scriptural  lan- 
guage, not  as  describing  what  we  are  when  we  are 
full  of  sin,  nor  yet  as  mere  exaggerated  language, 
which  must  be  brought  down  to  the  level  of  our 
present  reality.  Let  us  consider  it  as  containing  the 
words  of  truth  and  soberness  ;  not  one  jot  or  one 
tittle  needs  to  be  abated ;  it  must  not  be  lowered  to 
us,  but  we  rather  raised  to  it.  It  is  a  truth,  it  is 
the  word  of  God,  it  is  the  seal  of  our  assurance ;  it 
is  that  which  good  men  of  old  would  have  welcomed 
with  the  deepest  joy,  which  to  good  men  now  is  a 
source  of  comfort  unspeakable.  For  it  tells  us  that 
God  has  done  for  us,  is  doing,  will  do,  all  that  we 


SECTION  258.— 1  CORINTHIANS  1 : 1-21. 


279 


need ;  it  tells  us  that  the  price  of  our  redemption 
has  been  paid,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  has  been  set 
open,  the  power  to  walk  as  God's  children  has  been 
given ;  that  so  far  as  God  is  concerned  we  are  re- 
deemed, we  are  saved,  we  are  sanctified ;  it  is  but 
our  own  fault  merely  that  we  are  not  all  of  these 
actually  and  surely.     T.  A. 

5<  Utterance.  Knowing  a  truth  is  one  thing, 
being  able  to  express  it  is  quite  another  thing  ;  and 
then,  again,  to  be  able  to  express  a  truth  is  one 
thing,  but  to  dare  to  do  it  is  another  thing  alto- 
gether. "  Utterance  "  implies  both  power  and  cour- 
age. And  therefore  the  power  of  utterance  becomes, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  truly  a  faculty  divine.    F.  W.  R. 

7.  Of  this  future  coming,  of  this  true  advent- 
season  of  eternity,  thougli  much  is  known,  much  too 
is  hidden.  Between  the  Church  aud  the  Church's 
head  there  still  subsists,  even  in  this  intimate  union, 
a  mysterious  separation ;  and  on  the  period  of  that 
separation  a  holy  reserve.  It  has  already  lasted  for 
ages,  and  we  can  not  dare  to  predict  at  what  epoch 
it  is  to  close.  The  veil  that  hangs  before  the  celes- 
tial sanctuary  is  still  undrawn ;  and  it  is  vain  for  us 
to  "  marvel,"  as  of  old  the  expectants  of  Zacharias, 
that  the  High  Priest  of  our  profession  "  tarrieth  so 
long  in  the  temple."  He  has  willed  it  that,  certain 
of  his  eventual  arrival,  we  should  remain  in  uncer- 
tainty as  to  its  destined  moment.  "  The  times  and 
the  seasons  which  the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own 
power "  he  would  have  us  desire,  aud  expect,  and 
conjecture,  but  not  dare  to  define.     W.  A.  B. 

8,  9.  Paul's  congratulation  contains  a  ground 
of  hope  for  the  continuance  and  successful  issue  of 
those  blessings — "  God  shall  confirm  you  to  the 
end  " ;  and  again,  "  God  is  faithful."  He  relics  not 
on  any  stability  of  human  goodness ;  he  knows  that 
he  can  not  trust  to  their  inherent  firmness  or  fidel- 
ity :  his  ground  of  confidence  is  in  God.  He  does 
not  count  on  their  faithfulness  to  God,  but  on  God's 

faithfulness  to  them.     F.  W.  R. Yet    faith  in 

man  and  faithfulness  in  God  arc  the  two  members 
of  one  spiritual  harmony.  Neither  is  to  be  con- 
ceived without  the  other.  Man,  without  God,  would 
be  fatherless  ;  and  God  has  almost  permitted  us  to 
say  that  without  his  people  (the  "  little  children  " 
whom  he  wills  not  "  to  perish  ")  he  would  himself 
be,  as  it  were,  childless  in  his  own  celestial  family  ! 
W.  A.  B. 

There  is  complete  fellowship  with  Chi-ist.  It  is 
to  this  that  we  are  called  by  a  faithful  God ;  and  is 
it  not  a  high  and  glorious  calling  ?  Fellowship  in 
his  Cross,  his  grave,  his  resurrection,  his  throne,  his 
glory !  All  this  faith  secures  to  us ;  and  of  all  this 
the  Holy  Spirit  bears  witness  to  us.  Believing,  we 
are  reconciled,  saved,  accepted,  blessed  with  all 
spbitual  blessings  in  Christ  Jesus.  Let  us  walk 
worthy  of  it,  as  men  who  really  believe  it,  happy, 


holy,  unworldly,  zealous,  generous,  loving.  Let  us 
carry  the  consciousness  of  our  calling  into  every- 
thing, great  or  small ;  into  business,  daily  life,  rec- 
reations, reading,  education,  everything ;  maintaining 
our  true  position  before  men ;  manifesting  our  prop- 
er character  ;  letting  the  world  know  our  prospects, 
and  doing  nothing  inconsistent  with  what  we  profess 
to  be  now,  and  with  what  we  shall  be  when  the  Lord 
comes.     Bonar. 

11.  Contentions  among  you.  It  is  painful 
to  be  compelled  to  acknowledge  among  the  Christians 
of  the  apostolic  age  the  existence  of  so  many  forms 
of  error  and  sin.  It  was  a  pleasing  dream  which 
presented  the  primitive  church  as  a  society  of  an- 
gels,- and  it  is  not  without  a  struggle  that  we  bring 
ourselves  to  open  our  eyes  and  behold  the  reality. 
But  yet  it  is  a  higher  feeling  which  bids  us  thank- 
fully to  recognize  the  truth,  that  "  there  is  no  par- 
tiality with  God,"  that  he  has  not  rendered  schism 
and  heresy  impossible  in  any  age  of  the  Church.    C. 

Nothing  more  certainly  eats  out  the  heart  and 

life  of  religion  than  party  spirit.  Christianity  is 
love  ;  party  spirit  is  the  death  of  love.  Christianity 
is  union  amid  variety  of  views  ;  party  spirit  is  dis- 
union.    F.  W.  R. 

12.  Certain  persons  had  arisen  as  teachers  an- 
tagonistic to  Paul,  and  claiming  superiority  to  him 
on  various  accounts :  some  as  representing  the  teach- 
ing of  Peter,  an  elder  apostle ;  some  as  following 
the  Alexandrine  learning  of  Apollos ;  some  again 
as  having  had  the  advantage  of  nearer  personal  in- 
tercourse with  Christ  himself ;  while  the  followers 
of  Paul  were  degenerating  into  the  same  tvpe  of  a 
mere  personal  adhesion  to  him,  instead  of  following 
him  as  he  followed  Christ.  This  confused  embryo 
state  of  parties  appears  to  have  been  all  that  can 
be  safely  assumed.     A. 

Apollos  had  been  educated  at  Alexandria,  the 
university  of  the  world,  and  we  are  told  that  he  was 
mighty  in  the  Scriptures  and  remarkable  for  elo- 
quence. The  eloquence  of  Paul  was  rough  and 
burning ;  it  stirred  men's  hearts,  kindling  in  them 
the  living  fire  of  truth  ;  that  of  Apollos  was  more 
refined  and  polished.  Peter  was  as  gifted  in  his 
way  as  Paul ;  but  there  was  this  difference  between 
them :  that,  whereas  the  Spirit  of  God  had  detached 
Paul  from  Judaism  by  a  sudden  shock,  in  the  heart 
of  Peter  Christianity  had  been  regularly  and  slowly 
developed ;  he  had  known  Jesus  first  as  the  Son  of 
man,  and  afterward  as  the  Son  of  God.  It  was  long 
before  he  realized  God's  purpose  of  love  to  the  Gen- 
tiles. In  his  conception  the  Messiah  was  to  be 
chiefly  King  for  the  Jews ;  therefore  all  the  Jew- 
ish converts,  who  still  clung  to  very  much  that  was 
.Jewish,  preferred  to  follow  Peter.    F.  W.  R. 

Envy  and  strife  go  often  under  the  mask  of  zeal. 
These  whom  the  apostle   addresses   were   apt  to 


280 


SECTION  258.— 1  CORINTHIAN'S  1 : 1-21. 


glory  in  tbcir  camal  strifes.  It  is  easy  to  tacli  on  a 
pretense  of  religion,  and  to  baptize  envious  contests 
with  a  glorious  name.  There  are  so  many  things 
that  look  like  zeal  but  are  not ;  and  our  own  interest 
is  so  often  concerned  in  the  interests  of  religion, 
that  wc  have  need  to  suspect  ourselves,  lest  the  wild 
gourds  of  frowardness  and  passion  be  mistaken  for 
the  planting  of  the  Lord,  zeal  and  righteousness. 
There  are  two  shrewd  presumptions  upon  which,  if 
you  can  not  absolutely  condemn  such  motions,  you 
have  cause  to  suspect  them.  One  is,  when  they  boil 
up  into  irregular  and  strange  actions;  true  zeal, 
though  it  increase  the  stream,  does  not  usually  over- 
flow the  banks,  and  break  one  rule  to  vindicate  an- 
other. The  other  is,  when  we  are  apt  to  fflori/  and 
boast,  as  in  the  case  before  us.     T.  M. 

13.  What  was  Paul's  method  of  curing  schism, 
and  of  making  men  truly  one  who  had  been  "  divid- 
ed"? He  directed  every  eye,  and  every  heart,  and 
every  spirit,  to  one  object — Jesus  Christ,  the  per- 
sonal Saviour,  the  center  and  source  of  unity ;  in 
fellowship  with  whom  all  men  would  find  their  fel- 
lowship with  each  other.     N.  M. 

14-17.  It  may  be  expected  that  those  whom  the 
apostle  baptized  with  his  o\\ti  hands  were  converts 
distinguished  from  the  rest  by  some  circumstance, 
either  of  eminence  or  of  connection  with  him.  Ac- 
cordingly, of  the  three  names  here  mentioned,  Cris- 
pus  (Acts  18  :  8)  was  a  "  chief  ruler  of  the  Jew- 
ish synagogue  at  Corinth,  who  believed  in  the  Lord, 
with  all  his  house."  Gains  (Rom.  16  :  23)  was 
Paul's  host  at  Corinth,  and  the  host,  he  tells  us,  "  of 
the  whole  Church."  The  household  of  Stephanas, 
we  read  in  the  sixteenth  chapter  of  this  Epistle, 
"  were  the  first-fruits  of  Achaia."    Foley. 

17.  Paul  knew  that  "Christ  had  sent  him  to 
preach  the  gospel,  not  with  wisdom  of  words,  lest 
the  Cross  of  Christ  should  be  made  of  none  effect." 
All  the  arts  of  rhetoric  and  philosophic  argument,  the 
"  excellency  of  speech  and  wisdom,"  the  "  enticing 
words  of  man's  wisdom,"  were  abjured  by  the  very 
apostle  who  was  qualified  to  use  them  on  the  very 
field  that  invited  and  provoked  their  display,  in 
order  to  give  place  to  the  "  manifestation  of  spirit 
and  of  power,"  to  prove  that  the  simplicity  of 
preaching  was  God's  instrument  for  saving  them 
that  believe,  and  to  assure  the  converts  that  "  their 
faith  was  not  in  the  wisdom  of  man,  but  in  the 
power  of  God."    S. 

18-21.  In  this  passage  we  have  a  sublime  strain 
of  prophetic  utterance  from  Paul,  coming  with  such 
irresistible  power  of  inspiration,  and  with  such  self- 
attesting  credentials  of  the  Spirit  of  truth  in  its 
majestic  affirmations,  as  to  supersede  argument,  and 
leave  the  poor  conceits  of  irreligious  knowledge  and 
genius  to  contempt.  F.  D.  IT. The  sects  of  phi- 
losophers, though  numerous  and  exceedinfrlv  vari- 


ous, were  all  agreed  in  proudly  trusting  in  them- 
selves that  they  were  wise,  and  despising  others. 
Their  published  opinions,  their  private  speculations 
their  personal  immorality,  made  them  irreconcilable 
adversaries  of  Christianity.  It  went  up  into  their 
schools,  and  called  their  wisdom  foolishness,  and  re- 
buked their  self-conceit.  As  with  the  Epicureans 
and  Stoics  who  encountered  Paul,  mockery  was  the 
natural  expression  of  their  minds  when  they  heard 
of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  The  apostles,  there- 
fore, in  attempting  to  propagate  the  gospel  amon" 
the  Gentiles,  were  opposed  by  all  the  wit  and  learn- 
ing and  sophistry,  all  the  pride  and  jealousy  and 
malice,  of  every  sect  of  philosophers.     Mcllvainc. 

19.  Destroy  wisdom  of  the  wise.  Modern 
idolatry  has  raised  two  altars,  to  which  a  crowd  of 
idolaters  press  forward.  One  of  these  is  the  altar 
of  matter,  the  other  that  of  intellect.  Upon  both, 
human  victims  are  offered  ;  for  all  idolatrous  wor- 
ship is  murderous  worship.  The  adoration  of  intel- 
lect has  its  barbarity  as  well  as  the  adoration  of 
matter.  The  man  of  intellect  finds  his  account  in 
sparing  nothing.  He  who  despises  most  passes  for 
having  the  most  sagacity.  It  has  been  said  that 
the  heart  often  has  intellect,  but  that  the  intellect 
has  no  heart.  In  the  unresti-ained  pleasures  of  the 
intellect,  as  in  the  unrestrained  pleasure  of  the 
senses,  the  heart  dries  up.     A.  V. 

21.  Till  we  arrive  at  that  world  of  glory  we 
have  no  reason  to  expect  any  grace  but  in  the  dili- 
gent use  of  means  appointed  thereto.  If  the  Ethio- 
pian eunuch  is  to  be  instructed  in  the  gospel,  Philip 
must  be  miraculously  directed  to  him  to  open  to 
him  its  glad  tidings.  If  Cornelius  is  to  receive  the 
same  blessing,  an  angel  shall  instruct  him  lohere  to 
find  a  teacher ;  but  not  a  ray  of  light  does  he  re- 
ceive except  through  God's  appointed  ordinance — 
the  foolishness  of  human  preaching  saving  them 
that  believe.  Look  to  it,  then,  that  you  undervalue 
not  these  outward  ministrations ;  look  to  it,  also 
that  you  do  not  rest  in  them,  but  in  /h's  Spirit  ac- 
companying them.  Look  ihrouc/h  and  above  all  or- 
dinances to  the  God  of  ordinances.     Goode. To 

make  Christianity  depend  on  the  power  of  its 
preachers  or  the  skill  of  theologians  is  at  once  to 
measure  absolute  beauty,  truth,  and  good  by  mortal 
competency,  and  to  stimulate  the  pulpit  with  a  spur 
as  foreign  from  gospel  simplicity  as  it  is  insulting  to 
the  authority  of  God.  The  function  of  a  clergy  is 
not  the  audacious  one  of  representing  the  Majesty 
of  Heaven,  but  to  plead  generously  with  the  reluc- 
tance of  men  ;  not  to  dole  out  God's  compassion  by 
the  petty  dimensions  of  their  intelligence,  but  to  be 
unpretending  heralds  of  a  Christ  who  makes  their 
weakness  his  strength,  and  even  the  foolishness 
of  preaching  the  wisdom  of  God  unto  salvation. 
F.  D.  H. 


SECTION  S59.—1  CORINTHIANS  1:22-31. 


281 


Section  259. 

1  Corinthians  i.  23-31. 

22  Fob  the  Jews  require  a  sign,  and  the  Greeks  seek  after  wisdom  :  but  we  preach  Christ 

23  crucified,  unto  the  Jews  a  stumblingblock,  and  unto  the  Greeks  foolishness  \  but  unto  them 

24  which  are  called,  both  Jews  and  Greeks,  Christ  the  power  of  God,  and  the  wisdom  of  God. 

25  Because  the  foolishness  of  God  is  wiser  than  men  ;  and  the  weakness  of  God  is  stronger 

26  than  men.    For  ye  see  your  calling,  brethren,  bow  that  not  many  wise  men  after  the  flesh, 

27  not  many  mighty,  not  many  noble,  are  called :  but  God  hath  chosen  the  foolish  things  of 
the  world  to  confound  the  wise ;  and  God  hath  chosen  the  weak  things  of  the  world  to 

28  confound  the  things  which  are  mighty;  and  base  things  of  the  world,  and  things  which  are 
despised,  hath  God  chosen,  yea,  and  things  which  are  not,  to  bring  to  nouglit  things  that 

29  are :  that  no  flesh  should  gloi-y  in  his  presence.     But  of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  of 

30  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and  redemption :  that, 

31  according  as  it  is  written,  He  that  glorieth,  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord. 


What  Christianity  really  is  appears  most  evidently  in  its  filling  vessels  that  are  insignificant  and  con- 
temptible in  human  eyes  with  a  heavenly  glory  which  infinitely  outshines  all  earthly  glory,  since  it  pours 
into  them  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come,  compared  with  which  all  the  powers  of  earth  are  nothing. 
In  all  ages  the  glorious  declaration  of  the  apostle  in  verse  2*7  has  been  amply  verified  in  the  operations 
of  the  gospel.  Listen  while  Gregory  describes  the  life  of  a  man  who,  in  the  lowest  worldly  station,  in 
the  most  needy  and  helpless  lot,  manifested  the  glory  of  a  divine  life :  "  He  had  been  worn  out  by  long 
illness ;  he  could  neither  stand,  nor  sit  upright  in  his  bed,  nor  raise  bis  hand  to  his  mouth,  nor  turn  him- 
self from  one  side  to  the  other.  Whatever  he  received  in  alms  he  distributed  with  his  own  hands  to  the 
poor.  He  could  not  read,  but  he  had  puichased  a  Bible  ;  he  received  all  pious  men  as  his  guests,  who 
read  to  him  constantly  out  of  the  Bible.  And  thus,  without  being  able  to  read,  he  became  acquainted 
with  the  whole  Bible.  Amid  all  his  pains  he  endeavored  to  thank  God,  and  to  spend  day  and  night  in 
praising  him.  When  he  felt  himself  near  death  he  begged  his  visitors  to  stand  up  near  him,  and  to  sing 
psalms  with  him  in  expectation  of  his  approaching  dissolution.  And  as  he  was  singing  with  them  he 
made  a  sudden  pause,  and  exclaimed  aloud :  '  Hush !  do  you  not  hear  how  the  praise  of  God  sounds  in 
heaven  ? '  And,  as  he  applied  the  ear  of  his  heart  to  this  praise  of  God  which  he  perceived  mentally,  the 
holy  soul  departed  from  the  body."     N. 


22.  The  Jews.  In  their  way  they  were  reli- 
gious, but  it  was  a  blind  and  bigoted  adherence  to 
the  sensuous  side  of  religion.  They  had  almost 
ceased  to  behove  in  a  living  God,  but  they  were 
strenuous  believers  in  the  virtue  of  ordinances.  God 
only  existed  to  them  for  the  benefit  of  the  Jewish 
nation.  To  them  a  Messiah  must  be  a  World-prince. 
To  them  a  new  revelation  could  only  be  substantiated 
by  marvels  and  miracles.  To  them  it  could  have  no 
self-evident  spiritual  light ;  and  Paul  describes  the 
difficulty  which  this  tendency  put  in  the  way  of  the 
progress  of  the  gospel  among  them  in  the  words : 
"  The  Jews  require  a  sign."     F.  W.  R. 

The  Greeks  seek  after  wisdom.  Full  of 
system  and  of  science,  of  the  all-sufficiency  of  rea- 
son, the  dignity  of  human  nature,  and  the  absolute 
perfection  of  stoical  wisdom  and  virtue,  they  must 
needs  regard  with  supercilious  contempt  an  unsys- 
tematic and  unscientific  rehgion,  first  promulgated 
in  an  unpolished  and  unlettered  comer  of  the  world, 
by  the  son  of  a  carpenter,  who  never  studied  at 


Athens  or  at  Eome ;  preached  afterward  by  illiterate 
fishermen  and  mechanics,  and  received  with  eager- 
ness by  the  illiterate  populace.  They  would  never 
endure  a  religion  that  rejected  the  aid  of  eloquence 
and  learning,  in  the  pursuit  of  which  they  had  spent 
their  lives ;  a  religion  that  laid  open  the  weakness 
and  depravity  of  the  human  heart,  and  the  insuffi- 
ciency of  our  own  powers,  either  to  lead  us  to  a  just 
knowledge  of  our  duty  or  support  us  in  the  due  per- 
formance of  it,  without  supernatural  aid ;  which  in- 
culcated the  necessity  of  a  mediator,  a  redeemer,  a 
sanctifier,  and  required  the  very  unphilosopldcal  vir- 
tues of  meekness,  humility,  contrition,  self-abase, 
ment,  self-denial,  renovation  of  heart  and  reforma- 
tion of  life ;  which  taught  the  doctrines  of  a  resur- 
rection from  the  grave,  and  an  eternal  existence  in 
another  world.     P. 

23.  Unto  the  Jews  a  stnmblingblock. 
The  scribes  and  Pharisees  turned  away  from  the 
Cross,  and  their  hatred  darkened  into  derision,  not 
merely  because  of  a  pride  of  wisdom,  but  because  of 


282 


SECTION  S59.—1  CORINTHIAN'S  1 :  22-31. 


a  complacent  self-righteousness  that  knew  nothing  of 
the  faet  of  sin,  that  never  had  learned  to  beUeve  it- 
self to  be  full  of  evil,  that  had  got  so  wrapped  up 
in  ceremonies  as  to  have  lost  the  life ;  that  had  de- 
graded the  divine  law  of  God,  with  all  its  lightning 
splendors,  and  aij'f  ul  power,  into  a  matter  of  "  mint 
and  anise  and  cummin."  Not  transgression  shuts  a 
man  out  from  mercy.  Transgression,  which  belongs 
to  us  all,  makes  us  subjects  for  the  mercy ;  but  it  is 
pride,  self-righteousness,  trust  in  ourselves,  which 
"  bars  the  gates  of  mercy  on  mankind  " ;  and  the 
men  that  are  condemned  are  condemned  not  only 
because  they  have  transgressed  the  commandments 
of  God,  but  "  this  is  the  condemnation,  that  light 
came  into  the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness  ra- 
ther than  light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil." 
A.  M. 

Foolishness.  The  Greek  philosophers  ex- 
pected to  have  all  the  difficulties  relating  to  Jesus 
and  the  resurrection  cleared  up  to  them,  to  have  all 
the  reasons  on  which  God  acted  laid  open  before 
them,  and  all  his  proceedings  with  mankind  justified 
on  the  principles  of  human  wisdom.  Till  this  were 
done,  the  doctrine  of  Christ  crucified  would  always 
appear  "foolishness  to  the  Greeks."    P. 

Paul  did  not  become  less  a  philosopher  by  being 
a  Christian,  but  the  energies  of  his  mind  were  given 
neither  to  philosophy  nor  to  literature,  but  to  some- 
thing far  higher.  And  so,  now,  many  of  the  finest 
spirits  of  our  race  are  diverted  from  science  by  the 
practical  calls  and  self-denying  duties  arising  from 
the  spiritual  wants  of  the  world.  But  does  this 
dwarf  the  intellect  ?  Can  that  dwarf  the  intellect 
■which  shows  it  realities  more  grand  than  those  of 
science ;  which,  with  a  full  comprehension  of  the 
nature  and  processes  and  ends  of  science  and  of 
literature,  yet  gives  them  their  rightful  though  sub- 
ordinate place  ?  Never.  For  energy  and  balance, 
I  would  rather  have  the  intellect  formed  by  the 
Bible  alone — by  grappling  with  its  mighty  questions, 
by  communing  with  its  high  mysteries,  by  tracing 
its  narratives,  by  listening  to  its  matchless  eloquence 
and  poetry — than  to  have  that  formed  by  all  the 
popular  literature  and  the  scientific  tracts  in  exist- 
ence ;  and  if  these  should  practically  exclude  the 
Bible,  instead  of  being  a  blessing,  they  would  only 
bring  disaster.     M.  H. 

24.  Christ  himself  is,  in  his  sacrifice,  the  mighty 
power  of  God.  This  is  the  power  that  has  new-cre- 
ated and  sent  home,  as  trophies,  in  all  the  past  ages, 
its  vmcounted  myriads  of  believing,  new-created, 
glorified  souls.  It  can  do  for  you,  0  sinner  of 
mankind !  all  that  you  want  done.  Go  to  the  Cross, 
and  meet  there  God  in  sacrifice.  Behold  him,  as 
Jesus,  bearing  your  sin,  receiving  the  shafts  of  your 
enmity !  Embrace  Him,  believe  in  Him,  take  Him 
to  your  inmost  heart.     Do  this,  and  you  shall  feel 


sin  die  within  you,  and  a  glorious  quickening— 
Christ  the  power  of  God,  Christ  in  you  the  hope  of 
glory — shall  be  consciously  risen  upon  you  as  the 
morn  of  your  new  creation.     H.  B. 

35.  Whence  was  it  that  they  who,  while  Christ 
was  alive,  did  not  withstand  the  attack  of  the  Jews 
afterward,  when  Christ  had  died  and  been  buried 
set  themselves  against  the  whole  wide  world  ?  Hold 
fast  these  two  heads  of  the  argument :  How  did  the 
weak  overcome  the  strong  ?  And,  being  the  men 
they  were,  how  did  it  occur  to  them  to  form  such  a 
plan  unless  they  had  the  help  of  God  ?     Chrys. 

26,  This  should  read,  "  How  that  not  many  of 
you  are  wise  after  the  flesh,  not  many  mighty,  not 
many  noble."  A. That  which  remained  con- 
cealed from  philosophers  and  sages,  in  the  most 
brilliant  periods  of  the  human  intellect,  twelve  poor 
fishermen,  from  the  lakes  of  Judea,  quitted  their 
nets  to  announce  to  the  world.  Certainly  they  had 
not  more  of  imagination,  of  reason,  of  heart,  or  of 
conscience  than  the  rest  of  mankind  ;  yet  they  put 
to  silence  the  wisdom  of  sages,  emptied  the  schools 
of  philosophers,  closed  the  gates  of  every  temple, 
extinguished  the  fire  on  every  altar.  They  exhibited 
to  the  world  their  crucified  Master,  and  the  world 
recognized  in  him  that  which  their  anxious  craving 
had  sought  in  vain  for  three  thousand  years.  A  new 
morality,  new  social  relations,  and  a  new  universe 
sprung  into  being  at  the  voice  of  these  poor  men, 
ignorant  of  letters  and  of  all  philosophy. 

27-29.  Things  which  are  not.  He  has 
brought  into  competition  riches  and  poverty,  wis- 
dom and  ignorance,  philosophy  and  rusticity;  but 
poverty,  rusticity,  and  ignorance  have  conquered. 
Prom  time  to  time  he  has  called  to  his  aid  genius 
and  power,  and  permitted  them  to  cooperate  in  his 
work ;  but  when  he  has  so  willed  it,  the  sling  of  the 
young  son  of  Jesse  has  sufficed  to  overthrow  Go- 
liath. The  smallness  of  the  means  has  only  served 
to  enhance  the  power  of  him  who  employed  them. 
In  all  time  the  Church  has  been  sufficient  to  the 
Church,  truth  has  been  sufficient  to  truth.  Elo- 
quence and  enthusiasm  have  not  done  so  much  for 
this  sacred  cause  as  the  modest  virtues,  the  uniform 
activity,  and  the  patient  prayers  of  thousands  of  be- 
lievers whose  names  are  unknown.    A.  V. In 

that  day  of  simple  spiritual  revelation,  when  the 
secrets  of  all  hearts  shall  be  revealed,  all  earthly 
distinctions  leveled,  and  all  ranks  and  badges  for- 
gotten, the  question  shall  not  be.  Who  was  highest, 
who  lowest  ?  who  richest  or  who  most  beautiful  ? 
who  cultivated  alone,  or  refined  alone  ?  But,  Who 
loved  God  and  man,  who  honored  the  right,  who  was 
loyal  to  truth,  who  lived  and  walked  in  the  Spirit, 
who  had  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  out  of 
that  faith,  as  toward  Christ  himself,  did  minister  to 
tliose  hungry,   athirst,   naked,   strangers,   sick,  in 


SECTION  260.— 1  CORINTHIAKS  2  : 1-16. 


283 


prison  ?  So,  many  that  are  here  first  shall  be  last, 
and  the  last  first.     F.  D.  H. 

30.  "Fe  a>'e,"  says  the  apostle.     After  speak- 
ing of  "  things  that  are  not,"  and  of  "  things  that 
are,"  he   turns   to   his  fellow-believers  and    says, 
"  but  ye  a>-e."    And  whence  is  this  existence  found  ? 
From  Hun,  from  God  himself,  as  its  immediate  ori- 
gin and  still  continuous  author.     And  ivhere  is  it 
found  ?     "  In  Christ  Jesus."     In  Christ  Jesus !    As 
the  simple  voice  of  faith  this  word  is  ever  uttered 
with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.    But  preach- 
er or  commentator  who  may  attempt  to  sound  the 
depths  or  open  the  treasures  of  its  meaning,  must 
feel  his  tongue  falter  under  the  sense  of  the  inade- 
quacy of  every  explaining  word.     Let  us,  however, 
I    at  least  assert  the  reality  of  the  fact  which  it  ex- 
I    presses,  for  it  is  no  symbolical  form  of  speech,  but 
I    the  statement  of  a  fact,  as  real  in  regard  to  the 
I    spirit  as  the  fact  of  our  being  in  the  world  is  real 
;    in  regard  to  the  body.     T.  D.  B. 
;         As  there  is  no  other  channel  to  God  but  Christ 
I    Jesus,  so  there  is  no  other  beginning  or  termination 
to  the  work  of  Christ  Jesus  but  God.    The  language 
of  Scripture  on  this  point  is  wonderful,  unfathoma- 
ble.    It  would  appear  that,  as  regards  the  work  of 
grace,  God  sees  nothing  but  Christ  Jesus  alone  and 
altogether.     He  is  made  to  us  wisdom  by  enlighten- 
ing us,  nghteousness  by  justifying  us,  sandification  by 
purifying  us,  redemption  by  purchasing  us  into  im- 
mortality.   He  justifies  as  Christ  crucified  and  risen 
without  us ;  He  sanctifies  as  Christ  crucified  and 
risen  within  us ;  He  glorifies  in  virtue  of  both,  as 
Christ  enthroned  in  the   fullness  of  consummate 
power,  and  at  length  "  subduing  all  things  unto  him- 
self."   W.  A.  B. This  wisdom,  righteousness,  and 

sanctification,  indispensable  conditions  of  eternal 
life  and  sacred  earnests  of  our  inheritance,  are  in 
germ  and  principle  included  in  faith  in  the  work  of 
redemption ;  they  come  forth  from  it  spontaneously, 
just  as  the  blade  sends  forth  the  stalk,  and  the  stalk 
the  grain.  In  the  soul  whose  look  is  fixed  upon  the 
Cross  there  exists  a  beginning  of  wisdom,  a  begin- 
ning of  righteousness,  a  beginning  of  sanctification ; 


and  in  proportion  as  the  believer's  work  is  so  fixed, 
the  spiritual  life,  under  the  three  forms  which  the 
above  terms  imply,  grows  and  is  silently  developed 
in  his  breast.     A.  V. 

One  day  as  I  was  passing  into  the  field,  suddenly 
this  sentence  fell  upon  my  soul,  "  Thy  righteousness 
is  in  heaven " ;  and  methought  I  saw,  with  the  eyes 
of  my  soul,  Jesus  Christ  at  God's  right  hand.  There 
was  my  righteousness ;  so  that,  wherever  I  was  or 
whatever  I  was  doing,  God  could  not  say  of  me, 
"  He  wants  my  righteousness,"  for  that  was  just  be- 
fore him.  I  also  saw,  moreover,  that  it  was  not  my 
frame  of  heart  that  made  my  righteousness  better, 
nor  yet  my  bad  frame  that  made  my  righteousness 
worse  ;  for  my  righteousness  was  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self. By  this  Scripture  I  saw  that  the  man  Christ 
Jesus,  as  he  is  distinct  from  us  as  touching  his  bod- 
ily presence,  so  he  is  our  righteousness  and  sanctifi- 
cation before  God :  here  therefore  I  lived  for  some 
time  at  peace  with  God  through  Christ.  Oh !  me- 
thought, Christ,  Christ !  there  was  nothing  but 
Christ  that  was  before  my  eyes.  I  was  not  now  only 
for  looking  upon  this  and  the  other  benefits  of 
Christ  apart,  as  of  his  blood,  burial,  or  resurrection, 
but  considered  him  as  a  whole  Christ,  as  he  in 
whom  all  these  and  all  his  other  virtues,  relations, 
offices,  and  operations  met  together,  and  that  as  he 
sat  on  the  right  hand  of  God  in  heaven.  'Twas  glo- 
rious to  see  his  exaltation,  and  the  worth  and  preva- 
lency  of  all  his  benefits.  Now  Christ  ivas  all:  all 
my  ivisdom,  all  my  riffhteoiisness,  all  my  sanctification, 
and  all  my  redemption.     Bun. 

31.  He  that  glorieth  let  him  glory  in 
the  Lord.  On  the  one  hand,  Christ  is  "set  forth 
evidently  crucified  among  us";  on  the  other,  we 
see  "  the  heavens  opened,  and  the  Son  of  man  stand- 
ing on  the  ric/ht  hand  ofi  God."  On  the  one  hand, 
"  Behold  the  Man  ! "  and  the  crown  of  thorns ;  on 
the  other,  "  Behold  the  Man ! "  and  the  crown  of 
glory,  and  the  raptures  of  an  assembled  universe ! 
But  whether  on  the  cross  or  on  the  throne,  in 
Him  alike  and  in  Ilim  alone  will  we  glory.  W. 
A.  B. 


Section  260. 

1  Corinthians  ii.  1-16. 

1  And  I,  brethren,  when  I  came  to  you,  came  not  with  excellency  of  speech  or  of  wisdom, 

2  declaring  unto  you  the  testimony  of  God.     For  I  determined  not  to  know  any  thing  among 

3  you,  save  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified.     And  I  was  with  you  in  weakness,  and  in  fear, 

4  and  in  much  trembling.     And  my  speech  and  my  preaching  was  not  with  enticing  words  of 

5  man's  wisdom,  but  in  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  power :  that  your  faith  should  not 

6  stand  in  the  wisdom  of  men,  but  in  the  power  of  God.     Howbeit  we  speak  wisdom  among 
them  that  are  perfect :  yet  not  the  wisdom  of  this  world,  nor  of  the  princes  of  this  world, 


284 


SECTION  260.— 1  CORINTHIANS  2  : 1-16. 


7  that  come  to  nought :  but  we  speak  the  wisdom  of  God  in  a  mystery,  even  the  hidden  viis- 

8  doniy  wliich  God  ordained  before  the  world  unto  our  glory :  which  none  of  the  princes  of 
this  world  knew :  for  had  they  known  it,  they  would  not  have  crucified  the  Lord  of  glory. 

9  But  as  it  is  written,  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart 

10  of  man,  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him.     But  God  hath  re- 
vealed them  unto  us  by  his  Spirit ;  for  the  Spirit  searcheth  all  things,  yea,  the  deep  things 

11  of  God.    For  what  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a  man,  save  the  spirit  of  man  which  is  in 

12  him  ?  even  so  the  things  of  God  knoweth  no  man,  but  the  Spirit  of  God.     Now  we  have 
received,  not  the  spirit  of  the  world,  but  the  Spirit  which  is  of  God ;  that  we  might  know 

13  the  things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God.     Which  things  also  we  speak,  not  in  the  words 
which  man's  wisdom  teacheth,  but  which  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth  ;  comparing  spiritual 

14  things  with  spiritual.     But  the  natural  man  receivetli  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God: 
for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him :  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually 

15  discerned.     But  he  that  is  spiritual  Judgeth  all  things,  yet  he  himself  is  judged  of  no  man. 

16  For  who  hath  known  the  mind  of  the  Lord,  that  he  may  instruct  him  ?     But  we  have  the 
mind  of  Christ. 


Paul  knows  nothing  but  Christ  crucified.  "When  he  entreats  for  purity  among  them,  and  the  purging 
out  of  their  sensuality,  this  is  his  reason :  "  Christ  our  Passover  is  sacrificed  for  us."  Keep  your  bodies 
holy  as  temples,  for  they  are  "  bought  with  a  price,"  and  that  price  is  Jesus'  blood.  When  he  remonstrates 
against  misleading  or  tempting  an  unguarded  heart,  this  is  his  expostulation :  "  Shall  the  weak  brother 
perish,  for  whom  Christ  died?  "  When  he  urges  them  with  all  tenderness  to  cherish  a  forgiving  and  for- 
bearing temper,  this  is  his  motive :  "  If  I  forgave  anything,  to  whom  I  forgave  it,  for  your  sakes  forgave  I 
it  in  the  person  of  Christ."  When  his  own  sufferings  and  weakness  oppress  him,  this  is  his  consolation, 
that  in  that  infirm  and  aching  body  he  can  "  bear  about  the  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  And  when  he 
comes  to  offer  to  the  reverential  reception  of  the  Church  the  Supper  of  the  Lord,  this  is  the  inmost  mean- 
ing he  assigned  to  it :  it  shows  forth  the  Lord's  death  till  he  come ;  it  represents  the  dying  love  ;  its  pro- 
faners  are  they  who  do  not  discern  the  Lord's  broken  body  there.  It  is  plain  enough  where  the  apostle 
Paul  sets  the  doctrine  of  the  propitiatory  sacrifice  in  the  New  Testament  system  of  theology,  and  among 
the  practical  powers  and  consolations  of  the  Christian  life.  He  sets  it  where  the  church  evangelic  and 
catholic  finds  it,  and  has  kept  it,  in  the  supreme  and  central  place.     F.  D.  II. 


2.  Know  nothing  but  Christ.  Everything 
which  we  are  to  believe,  to  know,  to  practice ;  all 
which  pertains  to  God  and  to  man ;  all  of  the  least 
importance  concerning  other  worlds  and  other  or- 
ders of  beings ;  all  history  from  the  beginning  of 
time ;  all  prospect  and  expectation  of  the  future  till 
time  shall  be  no  more ;  all  that  by  any  possibility 
we  can  know  concerning  eternal  retributions  when 
this  world  has  disappeared  from  its  present  place 
and  uses ;  all  arts,  all  sciences,  all  discoveries,  in- 
ventions, and  achievements,  wars,  revolutions,  gov- 
ernments, if  they  be  any  thing,  are  related  to  him 
for  whom  all  things  were  made,  and  by  whom  all 
things  consist,  in  their  diversity,  their  totality,  and 
their  unity.  Be  sure  of  this.  When  the  converted 
scholar  of  Tarsus  determined  to  know  nothing  but 
Christ  and  him  crucified,  he  restricted  himself  to 
no  mean  and  narrow  bounds  ;  for  he  placed  himself 
at  that  focal  center  where  he  could  command  every 
radius  in  the  vast  infinity  of  knowledge.     W.  A. 

Him  crncified.  That  Christ  had  suffered  the 
most  degrading  form  of  death,  the  death  of  a  crim- 
inal slave,  the  death  which   every  freeman  would 


have  considered  a  taint  upon  his  blood  and  an  ig- 
nominy never  to  be  wiped  out  from  his  family — this 
was  the  one  great  trial  of  faith  to  the  wise  Greek  and 
the  proud  Jew.  It  is  perhaps  impossible  for  us,  by 
any  effort  of  mind,  to  appreciate  the  stigma  which, 
at  the  time  when  Paul  wrote  these  wonderful  words, 
attached  to  the  cross  of  Christ.  The  reproach  of 
crucifixion,  as  an  historical  punishment  actually  in- 
flicted upon  our  blessed  Lord,  is  entirely  rolled  away. 
His  cross  has,  in  fact,  become  to  our  apprehensions 
his  crown ;  the  hearing  that  he  underwent  this  death 
never  wakes  in  any  mind  a  feeling  even  of  surprise, 
much  less  of  disgust,  or  of  derogation  from  his 
dignity ;  gratitude  and  love  are  the  only  sentiments 
which  the  spectacle  of  Calvary,  looked  at  through 
the  veneration  of  ages — a  glorifying  perspective — 
stirs  in  the  mind  of  his  professing  followers.  E. 
M.  G. 

Christ  is  the  very  foimdation  and  subject-matter 
of  preaching,  and  all  preaching  without  Christ  is 
building  castles  in  the  air.  Christ  is  the  life  and 
soul  of  preaching,  and  all  preaching  without  him  is 
like  a  body  without  life  and  spirit.     Christ  is  the 


SECTION  260.— 1  CORINTHIANS  2  : 1-16. 


285 


great  end  of  preaching;  preaching  is  to  manifest 
his  glory;  and,  when  Christ  is  not  preached,  the 

great  end  is  lost.     E.  S. Let  the  great  end  be  to 

render  him  precious  in  the  eyes  of  his  people,  to 
lead  them  to  him  as  a  sanctuary  to  protect  them,  a 
propitiation  to  reconcile  them,  a  treasure  to  enrich 
them,  a  physician  to  heal  them,  an  advocate  to  pre- 
sent them  and  their  service  to  God ;  as  wisdom  to 
counsel,  as  righteousness  to  justify,  as  sanctification 
to  renew,  as  redemption  to  save,  as  an  inexhaustible 
fountain  of  pardon,  peace,  comfort,  victory,  glory  ! 
Bp.  Reynolds. 

The  New  Testament  says  nothing  of  "  Christian- 
ity." The  word  is  not  there.  But  when  God  would 
save  the  world,  he  sends  the  Saviour  with  a  throb- 
bing heart  and  a  living  voice.  The  first  teachers 
said  nothing  about  Christianity ;  but  "  Christ  cruci- 
fied "  and  "  the  resurrection  "  they  could  preach  in 
jails  and  synagogues,  turn  the  world  upside  down 
for  and  die  for,  counting  it  all  joy.  Dying  men 
speak  little  of  Christianity.  They  say  Christ.  Last 
breaths  are  too  short  for  abstractions,  and  can  only 
articulate  the  one  dear  and  all-prevailing  name.  The 
fading  sight  loses  all  images  but  the  cross.    F.  D.  II. 

4«  Paul  does  indeed  discard  the  "  enticing  words 
of  manh  ivisdom,''^  but  he  does  not  discard  eloquent, 
powerful,  and  well-ordered  discourse ;  or  what  mean 
his  own  matchless  discourses  before  Agrippa  and 
the  Athenian  Arcopagites,  and  his  farewell  to  the 
Ephesian  elders,  and  his  descant  upon  the  resurrec- 
tion?   T.  n.  s. 

It  is  well  known  that  not  a  few  of  the  Hebrew 
nation,  from  the  age  of  the  Macedonian  conquests, 
and  during  the  course  of  the  four  following  cen- 
turies, ambitiously  addicted  themselves  to  Grecian 
literature ;  and  in  this  ambiguous  course  advanced 
as  far  toward  a  treasonable  admiration  of  polythe- 
istic philosophy,  poetry,  and  art,  as  could  well  con- 
sist with  their  professed  attachment  to  the  national 
faith.  Some  went  further  than  this  limit.  Scattered 
indications  of  the  incongruous  mixtures  of  opinions 
which  thence  resulted  are  to  be  found  in  some 
allusions  of  the  New  Testament,  in  the  apocryphal 
books,  and  in  the  Rabbinical  commentaries.  But 
evidence  to  the  same  purport,  and  more  at  large,  is 
presented  in  the  writings  of  the  Jewish  philosopher 
of  Alexandria,  and  of  the  Jewish  courtier  of  Jerusa- 
lem. But  it  is  observable  in  all  these  instances  that 
the  superinduction  of  Grecian  modes  of  thinking 
upon  the  Hebrew  mind  was,  to  the  whole  extent  of 
it,  a  corruption  of  faith.  Philo  is  but  an  Alexan- 
drian rabbi  and  a  barbarian  philosopher ;  Josephus 
little  better  than  a  renegade.  Paul  of  Tarsus  affords 
an  instance  of  another  sort.  He  was  as  well  read 
as  Philo;  almost  as  much  conversant  with  active 
life  as  Josephus ;  he  was  a  reader  of  the  Greek 
drama,  and  a  great  master  of  that  modal  manarjc- 
ment  which  then  was  to  be  learned  only  within  the 
circle  of  Grecian  dialectics  and  rhetoric.  Neverthe- 
less, he  remains  most  completely  national  in  his 
mode  of  thinking  and  his  phraseology  :  it  was  at  the 
feet  of  Gamaliel  that  he  sat,  though  he  learned 
lessons  elsewhere.    There  is  no  alien   spirit,  no 


shrinking  from  Moses,  no  blending  of  things  incom- 
patible, no  affectation  of  doctrines  more  enlarged 
and  liberal  or  more  refined  than  were  taught  by 
the  prophets  in  the  writings  of  Paul.  He  is  not  now 
the  Jew,  now  the  Christian,  now  the  sophist ;  but 
always  both  Jew  and  Christian,  and  as  fully  so  as 
Peter  or  as  James.  Paul  grasped  in  a  much  firmer 
manner  than  they  the  vital  principles  which  were 
the  glory  of  the  Jewish  people.  Even  as  a  Jew,  and 
still  more  as  a  Christian,  he  was  better  qualified 
than  they  to  estimate  justly  the  intrinsic  value  of 
Grecian  philosophy  and  refinement.  He  knew  how 
to  strike  the  balance  of  merit  between  Plato,  or 
Pindar,  or  Menander,  and  David  or  Isaiah.  He 
neither  repudiated  the  Grecian  literature  with  a  rude 
fanatical  arrogance  because  it  was  at  fault  in  mat- 
ters of  religion,  nor  labored  to  deck  himself  in  its 
flowers  at  the  cost  of  consistency  ;  but  while  he  ad- 
hered in  spirit  and  letter,  in  form  and  substance,  to 
that  fashion  of  thought  and  language  which  the 
divine  oracles  had  set,  did  not  scruple  to  avail  him- 
self of  whatever  aid  might  fairly  be  drawn  from  a 
foreign  source.    I.  T. 

God  and  his  truth  are  one  and  inseparable :  truth 
manifesting  God,  and  God  manifest  through  the 
truth ;  truth  testifying  for  God,  and  God  convincing 
by  the  truth ;  truth  shining  round  all  divine  things, 
and  God  making  all  divine  things  savingly  perceptible. 
This  is  the  eternal  union  and  cooperation  of  the  In- 
finite with  the  light  in  which  he  dwelleth.  The  true 
idea  of  "  gospel  motives  "  is  this — God  moving  in  the 
gospel ;  and  this  is  "  the  love  of  Christ  truly  constrain- 
ing us  "  ;  Christ  constraining  us  by  the  love  which 
his  word  makes  known ;  while  the  true  "  demonstra- 
tion of  the  Spirit  and  of  power  "  lies  here,  the  Spirit 
demonstrating  the  power  of  that  "  preaching  which 
is  not  with  enticing  words  of  man's  wisdom."    J.  S.  S. 

5.  In  compassion  to  our  weakness  God  has 
placed  at  our  disposal  that  body  of  historical  proof 
which,  in  its  combination  and  details,  deserves  our 
admiration  as  much  as  the  most  exquisite  arrange- 
ments of  the  organic  world.  These  proofs  lead  as 
far  as  the  door  of  the  sanctuary,  leaving  it  to  us 
thereafter  to  remain  outside  or  to  enter.  We  may 
remain  upon  the  threshold,  holding  in  our  hand  the 
title-deeds  which  give  us  right  of  entrance ;  but  if  a 
last  step,  a  last  impulse  which  is  divine,  makes  us 
enter,  then  we  believe  with  a  new  faith  and  on  new 
evidence.  Our  faith  had  till  then  been  founded  in 
some  measure  on  the  wisdom  of  men ;  but  now  it  is 
founded  on  the  power  of  God,  because  it  is  not  by 
any  ordinary  means  of  which  we  can  give  account, 
but  by  the  power  of  God,  that  this  evidence  is  made 
complete.    A.  V. 

6.  Originally  intellect  is  the  ally  and  discoverer 
of  truth  ;  it  finds  its  highest  employment  as  the  in- 
strument of  religious  truth ;  and  Jesus  Christ,  who 
restores  the  harmony  of  our  nature,  speaks  "  a  wis- 
dom "  or  philosophy  "  among  them  that  are  per- 
fect " — a  wisdom  of  which  illuminated  intellect  is 
the  student  and  guardian,  and  which  amply  recog- 


286 


SECTION'  260.— 1  CORINTHIANS  2  : 1-16. 


nizes  the  high  and  abundant  honor  which  tlie  Crea- 
tor has  put  upon  his  creature's  thought.     IT.  P.  L. 

7.  The  gospel,  in  the .  language  of  Paul,  is  a 
mystery — the  mystery  of  God — the  mystery  hidden 
from  ages  everlasting  in  his  own  bosom,  but  now 
revealed  unto  men.  In  other  words,  it  is  the  reve- 
lation of  the  glorious  plan  of  his  wisdom  and  love 
in  our  redemption.  It  is,  therefore,  a  scheme  of 
doctrine — something  taught — and  that  which  as 
taught  is  "  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  eve- 
ry one  that  believeth  " — that  on  the  knowledge  of 
which  all  right  feeling  and  all  holy  obedience  de- 
pends. Stability  in  the  Christian  faith  is  therefore 
no  less  important  than  stability  of  Christian  char- 
acter, since  without  the  former  the  latter  can  not 
exist.     N.  P. 

Verses  9,  10  ought  to  stand,  "But  as  it  is  writ- 
ten, Things  which  eye  hath  not  seen,  ear  hath  not 
heard,  and  which  have  not  entered  into  the  heart  of 
man,  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
love  him,  hath  God  revealed  unto  us  through  his 

Spirit."     A. These  glorious  words  are  sometimes 

strangely  misinterpreted,  as  if  the  apostle  merely 
meant  rhetorically  to  exalt  the  conception  of  the 
heavenly  world,  as  of  something  beyond  all  power 
to  imagine  or  to  paint.  The  apostle  meant  some- 
thing infinitely  deeper ;  the  heaven  of  God  is  not  only 
that  which  "  eye  hath  not  seen,"  but  that  which  eye 
can  never  see ;  its  glories  are  not  of  that  kind  at  all 
which  can  ever  stream  in  forms  of  beauty  on  the 
eye,  or  pour  in  melody  upon  the  enraptured  ear — 
not  such  joys  as  "  the  heart  of  man"  can  invent  or 
imagine ;  it  is  something  which  these  sensuous  or- 
gans of  ours  never  can  appreciate — bliss  of  another 
kind  altogether,  revealed  to  the  spirit  of  man  by 
the  Spirit  of  God — ^joys  such  as  spirit  alone  can 
receive.  Do  you  ask  what  these  are  ?  "  The  fruits 
of  the  Spirit  are  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering, 
gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance." 
That  is  heaven.     F.  W.  R. 

10.  The  Spirit  searcheth.  The  reliance  of 
the  soul  on  Christ,  the  singleness  and  fixedness  of 
purpose  in  divine  things,  the  breathing  of  the  soul 
after  hira,  will  lead  to  persevering  intensity  in  prayer, 
the  Holy  Spirit  will  be  vouchsafed,  and  God  will 
shine  into  the  heart  so  that  it  will  be  full  of  light. 
The  degree  of  spiritual  discernment  possessed  by  a 
being  taught  of  the  Spirit  of  God  depends  much 
upon  the  habits  of  the  soul,  the  study  of  spiritual 
things,  the  degree  of  watchfulness  against  sin,  the 
faithfulness  of  the  soul  in  prayer,  the  time  one  has 
been  conversant  with  divine  realities,  and  the  habit 
of  living  with  reference  to  them.     G.  B.  C. 

11.  As  no  one  man  is  acquainted  with  the  con- 
sciousness of  another  man,  even  so  the  things  of 
God — his  counsels,  thoughts,  ways  of  viewing  men 
and  actions,  objects  of  complacency  and  aversion — 


"  even  so  the  things  of  God  knoweth  no  man  but 
the  Spirit  of  God."  We  may  hear  the  echoin" 
thunder  of  God's  judgments  when  they  are  abroad 
in  the  world ;  we  may  have  the  examples  of  his 
mercy  and  the  monuments  of  his  wrath  before  our 
eyes ;  the  still  small  voice  of  his  gracious  invita- 
tions may  be  addressed  to  us;  the  ietter  of  Holy 
Scripture  may  be  familiar  to  us  from  our  youth  up- 
ward  as  a  household  word  ;  and  from  these  aids  we 
may  form  some  general  conjectures  as  to  the  Divine 
character:  but  to  God's  own  thought  and  counsel 
we  must  remain  strangers,  until  the  Holy  Spirit  ini- 
tiates  us  into  it  intrinsically,  by  the  communication 
of  the  Divine  mind  into  the  mind  of  the  creature, 
E.  M.  G. He  who  has  found  in  his  Bible  the  ma- 
terial for  conversation,  the  topic  for  discussion,  or 
the  field  for  criticism  and  controversy,  but  who 
has  not  found  in  it  the  unfathomable  fountain  of 
peace  undisturbed,  the  solace  for  every  earthly  suf- 
fering, the  silent  but  faithful  friend — he  who  ha8 
not  found,  in  short,  "  righteousness,  and  peace,  and 
joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,"  ever  inviting  him  within 
that  volume — though  he  may  know  the  lore  and  the 
languages  of  antiquity,  has  yet  to  learn  in  the  school 
of  the  Spirit.     W.  A.  B. 

13.  Received  the  Spirit,  that  we  might 
know  the  things  given  of  God.  The  Spirit  is 
both  the  principle  of  the  external  revelation,  as 
having  inspired  the  Scriptures  which  foreshow  this 
glory,  and  of  the  internal  revelation  also,  to  enlight- 
en blind  minds  that  would  otherwise  never  be  able 
to  discover  things  afar  off :  therefore  called  the 
spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation,  by  which  the  eyes 
of  the  understanding  are  enlightened  to  know  the 
riches  of  his  inheritance  among  the  saints.     Howe. 

The  Spirit  takes  of  the  things  of  Christ  and 

shows  them  to  us ;  and  then  what  was  before  like 
a  book  in  a  strange  language  becomes,  on  a  sudden, 
instinct  with  the  language  of  God,  which  we  hear 
and  understand  as  readily  as  if  it  were  our  own 
tongue  wherein  we  were  born.     T.  A. 

13.  "  Comparing  spiritual  with  spiritual, ^^  ^G\!\^ 
be  "  interpreting  spiritual  things  to  the  spiritual." 

A. It  is  by  the  preaching  of  his  gospel,  in  all 

varying  ways,  that  Christ,  through  the  Spirit,  seeks 
to  illumine  the  darkened  mind  and  to  renew  the 
wicked  heart  of  "  the  natural  man "  ;  to  lay  the 
foundations  of  holy  character  deep  and  strong  and 
broad  in  the  understanding  and  in  the  affections; 
to  build  up  and  garnish  with  heavenly  graces  the 
structure  of  individual  holiness  for  which  those 
foundations  are  laid ;  to  "  chase  away  erroneous 
and  strange  doctrines"  from  the  church  of  God; 
to  keep  truth  victorious,  and  to  multiply  the  bright 
and  blessed  conquests  of  Christ's  spiritual  king- 
dom.    J.  S.  S. 

14.  The  persons  here  spoken  of  are  described 


SECTION  261.— 1  CORINTHIANS  3  : 1-23. 


287 


as  natural,  the  same  word  as  that  used  by  Jude 
(t.  19)  to  express  persons  "  not  having  the  Spirit." 
jSuch  men,  when  the  truths  of  the  gospel  are  pro- 
'posed  to  them,  though  it  be  "  in  the  words  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth,"  receive  them  not,  see  no 
slory  in  them,  no  correspondence  with  their  charac- 
ter and  condition ;  nay,  count  the  representations 
,  made  to  them  of  spiritual  joys  and  terrors,  of  cor- 
I  ruption  in  them  and  mercy  in  God,  of  man's  ruin 
and  recovery  through  the  gospel  to  holiness  and 
'  happiness,  of  the  vanity  of  the  world  and  the  bless- 
edness of  forsaking  it  for  another,  to  be  overstrained, 
I  false,  gloomy,  enthusiastic.     IVicy   are  foolishness 
unto  them.     Goodc. 

14.  They  are  spiritually  discerned.    That 
I  is,  they  are  discerned  only  by  a  faculty  which  he 

has  not ;  and,  therefore,  as  beings  devoid  of  reason 
can  not  understand  the  truths  of  science  or  of  man's 
wisdom,  for  they  are  without  the  faculty  which  can 
discern  them,  so  beings  devoid  of  God's  Spirit  can 

not  understand  the  truths  of  God.     T.  A. There 

is  absolutely  nothing  to  prevent  the  intellect  from 
exercising  itself  upon  the  Christian  revelation  more 
than  upon  the  contents  of  any  other  printed  book, 
or  the  reason  from  estimating  it,  or  the  imagination 
from  building  on  it,  or  even  the  gentler  affections 
from  softening  at  its  details.  But  all  this  external 
similarity  is  accompanied  with  a  total  internal  dif- 
ference ;  and  this  book  differs  from  every  other  in 
requiring,  so  to  speak,  an  organ  specially  prepared 
to  receive  its  real  purport.  These  things  are  "  spir- 
itually discerned."    W.  A.  B. 

15.  For  ^^judffcih,"  "judged,''^  substitute  "dis- 


cemeth,"  "discerned."     A. As  in  all  subjects, 

we  can  understand  language  only  as  far  as  we  have 
some  experience  of  the  things  it  imports,  so  in  re- 
ligion (by  the  very  same  principle)  the  spiritual  heart 
alone  can  understand  the  language  of  the  Spirit- 
Think  of  it  for  a  moment,  and  you  will  find  that,  in 
every  book  whatever,  it  is  the  mind  of  the  reader 
that  puts  meaning  in  the  words.  The  language  of 
the  new  covenant  is  a  celestial  language,  and  they 
who  will  give  their  fullness  to  its  blessed  words  must 
have  caught  their  secret  from  heaven  !    W.  A.  B. 

16.  The  mind  of  Christ.  A  higher  stan- 
dard of  judging  and  of  acting  has  been  set  up  in  the 
mind  of  the  world.  Our  Lord  has  not  only  purified 
man's  abstract  conceptions  of  virtue,  but  he  has 
taught  us  what  to  admire  and  approve  in  life  and 
action.  He  has  lived  a  life,  the  principles  of  which 
are  an  everlasting  protest  against  the  misjudgments 
of  men  arising  from  their  low  standards.  He  has 
shown  us  the  highest  human  excellence  misunder- 
stood, the  highest  reason  pronounced  a  derangement 
of  reason,  and  thus  has  put  us  on  our  guard  against 
similar  mistakes.  In  him  we  see  the  true  measure 
of  what  is  right  and  what  is  practical  in  conduct,  of 
what  in  the  end  must  commend  itself  to  the  recti- 
fied judgment  of  the  world.  77icct  is  p-actical  and 
that  is  practicable  which  commends  itself  to  a  sound 
soul,  to  a  calm,  trustful,  courageous  soul  in  imison 
with  Christ,  which  commends  itself  to  a  faith  that 
overcomes  the  world,  to  a  love  that  is  capable  of 
self-sacrifice.  Undertakings  will  not  suffer  ship- 
wreck, however  maligned  or  scorned,  into  which  mea - 

who  have  his  spirit  enter.     T.  D.  W.  '  ;    rr; 


Section  261. 

1  CoEiNTHiANS  iii.  1-23. 


1  Akd  I,  brethren,  could  not  speak  unto  you  as  unto  spiritual,  but  as  unto  carnal,  e\}en  as 

2  unto  babes  in  Christ.     I  have  fed  you  -with  milk,  and  not  with  meat :  for  hitherto  ye  were 

3  not  able  to  lear  it,  neither  yet  now  are  ye  able.     For  ye  are  yet  carnal :  for  whereas  tliere 

4  is  among  you  envying,  and  strife,  and  divisions,  are  ye  not  carnal,  and  walk  as  men?     For 

5  whUe  one  saith,  I  am  of  Paul;  and  another,  I  am  of  Apollos;  are  ye  not  carnal?     Who 
then  is  Paul,  and  who  is  Apollos,  but  ministers  by  whom  ye  believed,  even  as  the  Lord  gave 

6  to  every  man?     I  have  planted,  Apollos  watered ;  but  God  gave  the  increase.     So  then 

7  neither  is  he  that  planteth  any  thing,  neither  he  that  watereth  ;  but  God  that  giveth  the  in- 

8  crease.     IS'ow  he  that  planteth  and  he  that  watereth  are  one :  and  every  man  shall  receive 

9  his  own  reward  according  to  his  own  labour.     For  we  are  labourers  together  with  God :  ye 

10  are  God's  husbandry,  ye  are  God's  building.  According  to  the  grace  of  God  which  is  given 
unto  me,  as  a  wise  masterbuilder,  I  have  laid  the  foundation,  and  another  buildeth  thereon. 
But  let  every  man  take  heed  how  he  buildeth  thereupon. 

11  For  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesns  Christ.     Now  if  any 

12  man  build  upon  this  foundation  gold,  silver,  precious  stones,  wood,  hay,  stubble ;  every 

13  man's  work  shall  be  made  manifest :  for  the  day  shall  declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed 

14  by  fire ;  and  the  fire  shall  try  every  man's  work  of  what  sort  it  is.     If  any  man's  work  abide 

15  which  he  hath  built  thereupon,  he  shall  receive  a  reward.     If  any  man's  work  shall  be 

16  burned,  he  shall  suffer  loss  :  but  he  himself  shall  be  saved;  yet  so  as  by  fire.     Know  ye  not 


288 


SECTION  2G1.—1  CORINTHIANS  3 : 1-i 


17  that  ye  are  the  temple  of  God,  and  tTiat  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you  ?     If  any  man 
defile  the  temple  of  God,  him  shall  God  destroy ;  for  the  temple  of  God  is  holy,  which 

18  temple  ye  are.     Let  no  man  deceive  himself.     If  any  man  among  you  seemeth  to  be  wise  in 

19  this  world,  let  him  become  a  fool,  that  he  may  be  wise.     For  the  wisdom  of  this  world  is 

20  foolishness  with  God.    For  it  is  written,  He  taketh  the  wise  in  their  own  craftmess.    And 

21  again  The  Lord  knoweth  the  thoughts  of  the  wise,  that  they  are  vain.     Therefore  let  no 

22  man  glory  in  men.     For  all  things  are  your's ;  whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the 

23  world,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or  things  to  come ;  all  are  your's ;  and  ye  are 
Christ's  ;  and  Christ  is  God's.  

Evert  Christian  is  in  himself  a  temple,  "  a  temple  of  God,"  as  well  as  a  separate  or  single  stone  in  the 
general  edifice.  He  has  to  build  up,  on  the  foundation  of  faith,  all  that  is  holy  in  personal  character. 
"Other  foundation  can  no  man  lay,"  as  the  inward  basis  of  Christian  virtue,  " than  that  which  is  laid, 
which  is  Jesus  Christ."  Religious  faith — faith  which  accepts  a  personal  Redeemer  and  a  personal  re- 
demption  is  the  support  and  groundwork  of  Christian  excellence.     That  excellence,  however,  is  reared 

and  perfected  by  sore  labor  and  slow  degrees.  "  Let  every  man,"  therefore,  "  take  heed  how  he  buikleth  " ; 
after  what  model  and  with  what  materials.  The  aims  and  purposes,  the  motives  and  ends,  which  influence 
the  soul  the  walk  and  conversation,  the  practical  habitudes  that  appear  in  the  life,  all  that  properly  con- 
stitutes character,  the  character  of  the  inward  and  the  outward  man — this  is  the  building  which  individual 
Christians  have  to  labor  to  erect.  In  the  materials  that  constitute  personal  character,  as  in  those  that 
compose  the  visible  Church,  there  may  be  the  solid  and  the  durable,  the  chaffy  and  the  worthless. 
There  may  be  the  gold  and  silver,  the  precious  stones  and  resplendent  ornaments  of  a  divine  virtue ;  or 
there  may  be  the  wood  and  hay,  the  straw  and  the  stubble  of  an  earthly  life.  Just  as  it  is  incumbent  on 
the  official  builders  to  take  care,  in  their  relations  to  others,  that  they  teach  nothing  but  the  true,  and 
sanction  and  encourage  none  but  the  good,  so  is  it  incumbent  on  the  private  Christian  to  take  care,  in  re- 
lation to  himself,  that  he  do  the  same;  that  is,  that  he  have  just  views  of  what  it  is  that  is  to  be  "built 
up  "  on  the  foundation  of  his  faith  as  "  holy  living,"  and  that  he  strenuously  endeavor  to  embody  and 
realize  this  divine  "  idea  "  in  the  positive  habitudes  of  his  daily  life.  And  still  further :  just  as  in  the 
end  the  work  of  one  builder  will  "  abide  "  and  he  "  have  a  reward,"  and  that  of  another  will  be  "  burnt " 
and  he  "  suffer  loss,"  so  also  will  it  be  with  individual  Christians,  according  as  they  may  be  found,  at  the 
day  of  reckoning,  to  have  traded  with  their  talents  with  intelligence  and  skill,  or  to  have  misunderstood 
or  abused  or  buried  them  in  the  earth.  When  the  Lord  is  revealed  at  the  last  day,  the  event  will  be  pro- 
ductive of  various  feelings  even  in  the  circle  of  the  saved  themselves  !  Some  will  rejoice  with  instanta- 
neous exultation,  and  be  "  found  of  him  in  peace,  without  spot  and  blameless,"  while  others  ""  will  be 
ashamed  before  him  at  his  coming,"  awake  to  apprehension,  and  be  "  saved  as  by  fire."    T.  B. 


1,3.  Paul  taught  the  Corinthians  alLthe  doctrine 
he  had  to  teach,  but  not  all  the  conceptions  of  the 
blessed  life  which  he  knew  of.  He  showed  them 
that,  leaving  the  principles  of  doctrine,  they  were 
to  keep  themselves  in  the  love  of  Christ,  and  be 
strengthened  more  and  more  with  his  Spirit  in  the 
inner  man,  growing  up  unto  him  in  all  things.  But 
all  this  by  degrees.    F.  W.  R. 

5.  As  to  Apollos,  who  had  followed  Paul  in 
evangelical  labors  at  Corinth,  the  apostle  is  in  no 
wise  jealous  of  him,  and  does  not  for  a  moment 
suspect  him  of  fostering  the  spirit  of  faction.  This 
is  quite  evident  from  his  desiring  his  "  brother 
Apollos"  to  return  to  that  city  (12:  16).  But  he 
presses  on  the  Corinthians  to  remember  that  both 
Apollos  and  he  were  not  masters,  but  servants,  by 
whom  they  believed;  that  they  were  builders,  but 
the  building  was  not  their  house;  it  was  God's 
temple.     The  church  was  not  for  the  ministry,  but 


the  ministry  for  the  church,  and  the  church  for  the 
Lord.     D.  F. 

7.  You  may  rise  up  early  and  go  to  bed  late, 
and  study  hard,  and  read  much,  and  devour  the 
marrow  of  the  best  authors ;  and  when  you  have 
done  all,  unless  God  give  a  blessing  to  your  en- 
deavors, be  as  lean  and  meager,  in  regard  of  true 
and  useful  learning,  as  Pharaoh's  lean  kine  were 
after  they  had  eaten  the  fat  ones.  It  is  God  that 
both  ministereth  the  seed  to  the  sower  and  multi- 
plieth  the  seed  sown  :  the  principal  and  the  increase 
are  both  his.  Sanderson. What  a  powerful  in- 
centive to  thankfulness  and  prayer,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  watchfulness  and  activity !  He  who  must 
give  the  increase  will  do  so  where  the  planting  and 
watering  are  done  with  an  eye  upon  him.      Van  0. 

8.  This  is  the  true  inspired  remedy  for  all  party 
spirit :  "  He  that  planteth  and  he  that  watereth  are 
one."   Each  in  his  way  is  indispensable.     To  do  our 


SECTION  261.— 1   COEmiEIANS  3  : 1-23. 


289 


own  share  in  the  acting,  and  to  feel  that  each  is  an 
Integral,  essential  portion  of  the  whole,  not  inter- 
fering with  the  rest ;  to  know  that  each  church,  each 
isect,  each  man,  is  cooperating  best  in  the  work 
(when  he  expresses  his  own  individuality  (as  Paul 
'and  Cephas,  and  John  and  Barnabas  did)  in  truths 
l)f  word  and  action  which  others,  perhaps,  can  not 
gvSiS^—that  is  the  only  emancipation  from  partisan- 
Iship.    F.  W.  R. 

[  Not  according  to  his  talents  and  opportunities, 
Ibut  to  the  use  made  of  them ;  not  to  the  harvest 
Ithat  is  reaped,  but  to  the  seed  sown.  "  Every  man 
shall  receive  his  own  reward,  according  to  his  own 
labor."  Kot  according  to  his  gifts ;  not  according 
Ito  his  successes ;  not  according  to  the  worldly  ap- 
Iplause  he  may  have  won;  but  "according  to  his 
i  labor."  This  meets  the  case  of  every  disciple,  as 
iwell  the  poorest  as  the  richest,  as  well  the  obscurest 
I  as  the  greatest,  as  well  the  servant  with  one  talent 
ias  the  servant  with  five.  Only  be  faithful  to  your 
'  trust,  and  when  the  labor  of  the  day  is  over,  and  you 
I  go  up  to  the  great  harvest-home,  you  will  be  "  satis- 
jfied."    H.  A."b. 

9-15.  Paul's  favorite  images   are  drawn,  not 
from  the  operations  and  uniform  phenomena  of  the 
I  natural  world,  but  from  the  activities  and  outward 
i  exhibition  of  human  society,  from  the  life  of  sol- 
I  diers,  from  the  life  of  slaves,  from  the  market,  from 
I  athletic  exercises,  from  agriculture,  from  architec- 
I  ture.     Here  he  first  uses  an  agricultural  metaphor, 
and  then  he  passes  to  an  architectural.     Paul  has 
planted  the  precious  trees.     Apollos,  and  probably 
others  with  him,  are  watering  them.     Suddenly  the 
image  changes  to  one  more  capable  of  being  turned 
to  what  the  apostle  wishes  to  enforce.     A  building 
in  progress  rises  before  us.     Paul  has  laid  the  foun- 
dation— laid  it  once  for  all,  and  laid  it  well.     He 
has  no  objection  to  say  this,  for  it  has  been  done  by 
i  the  grace  of  God.     On  this  foundation  Apollos  and 
j  others  are  building.     As  to   building  on  another 
I  foundation,  this  is  set  aside  at  once.     The  work  is 
going  on,  and  will  go  on  indefinitely  in  the  future ; 
but  it  will  be  tested.     A  day  will  come  when  the  fire 
will  bum  up  those  wretched  edifices  of  wood  and 
straw,  and  leave  unharmed  in  their  glorious  beauty 
those  that  were  raised  of  marble  and  granite,  and 
decorated  with  silver  and  gold.     Those  who  raised 
such  structures  as  these  shall  not  only  be  safe  but 
rewarded ;  those  who  lost  their  time  on  the  others 
shall  just  escape  out  of  the  conflagration,  because 
they  built  on  the  right  foundation,  but  their  escape 
shall  be  barely  an  escape.     H. 

9.  God's  building.  The  Church  below  is  at 
best  but  a  small  part  of  the  entire  structure  which 
belongs  to  all  ages.  Much  that  we  behold  is,  after 
all,  only  scaffolding  that  shall  be  removed,  or  rubbish 
that  shall  be  cast  away.  But  meanwhile  the  work 
19 


is  going  forward,  and  the  walls,  however  slowly,  are 
rising.  Everything  in  God's  providence  respecting 
the  present  world  is  made  to  lead  to  this.  All 
preaching  of  the  word,  diffusion  of  truth,  conver- 
sion of  sinners,  and  edification  of  saints,  are  means 
in  God's  hands  for  carrying  up  his  structure.  Proph- 
ets and  apostles  are  humble  instruments  in  the 
work.     J.  W.  A. 

11.  "Ye  are  God's  building,"  he  tells  his  Corin- 
thian converts,  and  then  he  immediately  alludes  to 
Christ  as  the  foundation  of  this  building,  and  the 
only  one.  If  we  divest  this  language  of  metaphor, 
its  meaning  is  that  the  Lord  Jesus  stands  in  a  rela- 
tion to  his  Church  similar  to  that  which  a  founda- 
tion bears  to  a  building.  His  Church  rests  on  him. 
Its  pardon,  its  holiness,  its  hope,  its  blessedness,  its 
safety,  its  very  existence,  all  depend  on  him.  C.  B. 
That  foundation  on  which  the  Christian  archi- 
tect builds  is  Jesus  Christ — that  is,  his  experience 
of  Christ  as  his  Saviour.  There  may  be  moral  men, 
amiable  men,  benevolent  and  charitable  men,  who 
do  not  have  this ;  but  you  can  not  call  them  Chris- 
tian men.  Their  life,  admirable  in  some  respects,  is 
not  a  Christian  life.  The  structure  they  build  may 
be  a  splendid  pantheon  or  museum,  but  it  is  not  a 
Christian  temple.  They  may  use  labor  and  dili- 
gence, but  the  Christian  comer-stone  is  wanting,  and 
when  the  test-hour  comes  they  will  find  it  so.  E. 
H.  G. Some  are  all  their  days  laying  the  foun- 
dation, and  are  never  able  to  build  upon  it  to  any 
comfort  to  themselves  or  usefulness  to  others.  And 
the  reason  is,  because  they  will  be  mixing  with  the 
foundation  stones  that  are  only  fit  for  the  building. 
They  will  be  bringing  their  obedience,  duties,  mor- 
tification of  sin,  and  the  like,  unto  the  foundation. 
These  are  precious  stones  to  build  with,  but  unmeet 
to  be  first  laid  to  bear  upon  them  the  whole  weight 
of  the  building.  The  foundation  is  to  be  laid  in 
mere  grace,  mercy,  pardon  in  the  blood  of  Christ ; 
this  the  soul  is  to  accept  of  and  rest  in  merely  as  it  is 
grace,  without  the  consideration  of  anything  in  it- 
self, but  that  it  is  sinful  and  obnoxious  to  ruin. 
Owe7i. 

13.  It  takes  a  spiritual  vision  to  see  that  no- 
thing but  what  is  invisible  is  indestructible.  Only 
truth,  love,  purity,  spiritual  affections,  and  spiritual 
attainments  survive  that  fire  which  shall  try  every 
man's  work,  of  what  sort  it  is.  The  soul  is  holier 
than  the  scene  and  the  instruments  amid  which  it 
is  trained,  because  it  has  an  everlasting  conscious- 
ness, responsibility,  judgment.  It  is  not  written  of 
our  reputation,  our  trade,  or  our  estate,  but  of  our 
souls,  that  they  shall  "  all  stand  before  the  judg- 
ment-seat of  God."    F.  D.  H. 

15.  Saved  so  as  by  fire.  Many  get  to  the 
foundation,  "other  than  which  no  man  can  lay," 
which  is  "  Jesus  Christ."     The  faith  which  unites 


290 


SECTION  261.— 1  CORINTHIANS  3  : 1-2S. 


them  to  him  i3  a  foundation  in  themselves,  on  which 
is  to  be  built  the  beautiful  fabric  of  the  Christian 
virtues ;  but  they  build  nothing  upon  it  at  all,  or 
nothing  but  "  wood,  hay,  and  stubble  "  ;  or  the  ma- 
terials of  their  character  are  so  heterogeneous  that 
it  appears  to  consist  of  a  strange  mixture  of  the 
valuable  and  the  worthless.  Christian  professors 
with  enormous  means  do  nothing.  With  great  influ- 
ence, they  never  exert  it  for  great  ends ;  with  talents 
for  service,  they  let  them  lie  unimproved  ;  or,  hav- 
ing only  one  talent,  they  bury  and  conceal  it  because 
they  have  not  ten.  What  strange  practical  incon- 
sistencies are  to  be  seen  on  all  sides !  What  ques- 
tionable conformity  to  the  world  !  What  subjection 
to  fashion  !  What  luxury  and  display !  What  lib- 
erties of  speech  !  What  keenness  in  business — so 
very  nigh  to  taking  an  advantage,  imposing  upon 
ignorance,  or  overreaching  the  unwary !  What 
clutching  and  covetousness  and  hardness  of  heart ! 
What  terrible  justice  in  some  people;  in  others 
what  explosions  of  temper  !  In  most,  what  a  want 
of  harmony  and  entireness ;  and  in  many,  at  times, 
what  strange  apparitions  of  even  the  old  animal 
life  !  Yet,  along  with  all  these  diversities  of  defect, 
or  in  connection  with  most  of  them,  there  shall  be 
unquestionable  proofs  of  the  men  having  a  firm 
standing  on  "  the  foundation  "  ;  and  there  shall  be 
manifest  in  the  entire  structure  of  their  habits  sev- 
eral portions  of  solid  masonry,  and,  mixed  with  the 
mud  and  rubble  they  put  into  it,  a  good  many  valu- 
able and  precious  things.     T.  B. 

16.  The  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you. 
No  passing  visit  is  here,  no  sudden  but  transient  il- 
lumination, no  power  fitfully  given  and  suddenly 
withdrawn.  "  I  will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk  in 
them ;  and  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be 
my  people."  We  need  motives,  strong  motives,  one 
and  all  of  us.  We  need  them  for  purposes  of  ac- 
tion and  for  purposes  of  resistance.  And  among 
these  none  is  better  and  more  serviceable  than  the 
motive  which  appeals  to  the  sanctity,  the  responsi- 
bility, the  powers,  the  capabilities  implied  in  that 
inward  presence  of  the  eternal  Spirit,  which  is  the 
great  gift  of  the  new  covenant  between  God  and 
man.  In  moments  of  moral  surprise,  in  moments 
of  unusual  depression,  in  moments  of  a  felt  sense 
of  isolation  which  threatens  to  take  the  heart  out 
of  our  whole  life,  in  moments  of  spasmodic  daring, 
when  ordinary  sanctions  have  lost  their  hold  upon 
us,  it  is  well  to  fall  back  upon  the  reassuring,  tran- 
quilizing,  invigorating  resources  of  such  an  appeal 
as  that  of  the  apostle  :  "  Know  ye  not  that  ye  are 
the  temple  of  God,  and  that  the  Spirit  of  God  dwell- 
eth in  you  ?  "     H.  P.  L. 

A  sublime  truth  is  here!  The  body  of  every 
saint  is  a  temple  far  more  real  than  that  on  Mount 
Zion,  and  the  heart  of  every  saint  is  a  "holiest  of 


all"  far  more  glorious  than  that  of  old;  for  the 
Shechinah  was  but  a  symbol  of  the  divine  presence 
but  the  Spirit  is  infinitely  beyond  a  symbol.  He  is 
an  actual  Deity,  positively  dwelling  in  the  heart  and 

beatifying  it  with   his   own  heaven.     Bavies. 

Koofs  arched  with  gold  and  palaces  adorned  with 
marble  are  vile  in  comparison  with  that  house  which 
the  Lord  has  chosen  to  be  his  temple,  in  the  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  dwells.  Illuminate  this  house  with 
the  light  of  righteousness.  Its  ornaments  shall 
never  fade,  and  it  shall  dwell  hereafter  in  spotless 
beauty  and  eternal  majesty.     Cyprian. 

17.  The  Corinthian  Christians  were  guilty  of 
sins  both  against  purity  and  charity.  The  popular 
idolatries  of  Corinth,  aggravated  by  the  commercial 
and  maritime  importance  of  the  place,  would  prob- 
ably have  exposed  them  to  considerable  temptations 
to  unclean  living;  and  they  had  even  learned  to 
look  with  self-complacency  upon  evils  which  were 
not  tolerated  by  heathen  opinion.  And  so  Uttle  did 
they  understand  the  love  which  was  due  to  their 
brethren  in  Christ,  that  they  evidently  regarded  the 
Church  as  only  another  form  of  political  life,  with 
its  natural  divisions  of  opinion  and  its  heated  pas- 
sions and  its  pervading  earthly  taint.  For  both 
evils  the  remedial  truth  is  one  and  the  same :  Chris- 
tians are  members  of  a  society  which  the  Spirit  in- 
habits, because  he  dwells  in  them  individually,  and 
so  has  made  them  collectively  the  body  of  Christ. 
H.  P.  L. 

22,  Whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Ce- 
phas. No  doubt  there  were  some  differences  of 
views  even  between  Paul,  and  Peter,  and  Apollos ; 
for  while,  on  the  one  hand,  they  were  all  enlightened 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  yet,  on  the  other  hand,  they 
retained  still  their  human  differences  of  character 
and  disposition,  which  must  on  several  occasions 
have  been  manifest.  But  Paul  was  earnest  that 
schism  should  be  ended  by  all  parties  remembering 
that  whatever  became  of  the  truth  or  falsehood  of 
their  own  particular  views  of  Christianity,  yet  that 
Christianity  according  to  any  of  their  views  was  the 
one  great  thing  which  was  their  glory  and  their  sal- 
vation.    "  Paul,  and   Apollos,  and  Peter,   are  all 

yours  ;  but  you  are  Christ's."    T.  A. There  is  not 

a  wise  or  a  luminous  man  of  the  past,  or  of  the 
present  age,  who  does  not  shine  to  give  light  to  the 
children  of  light,  who  does  not  belong  to  all  the  i| 
good.     A.  R. 

The  world.  The  soul,  by  virtue  of  union  with 
God,  has  the  divine  life  in  it.  Rising  above  the  I 
fears  and  fascinations  of  sin,  growing  into  the  I 
image  of  him  whose  new  life  is  now  the  soul's  life,  I 
it  becomes  absorbed  in  the  pursuit  and  the  enjoy- 
ment of  something  higher  and  better  than  it  ever  ^ 
tasted  or  sought  before.  The  sources  of  pleasure  | 
from  which  the  soul  drank  before  are  not  cut  off ;  I 


SECTION  262.— 1   CORINTHIA^''S  4  : 1-21. 


291 


ibut  those  sources  are  themselves  purified,  and  living 
(Water  springs  up  even  in  a  desert.  Love,  friends, 
(letters,  music,  art,  are  not  less  to  the  soul  in  Christ 
!than  they  were  when  the  eye  and  ear  and  heart  had 
mot  been  anointed.  They  are  all  loved  more,  en- 
I  joyed  more,  because  "  All  things  are  yours,  and  ye 
are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's."     Prime. 

Life,  or  death.  Life  is  the  Christian's  in  a 
far  higher  and  fuller  sense  than  it  is  the  worldly 
man's,  since  he  enjoys  it  on  a  far  higher  level  of 
blessedness,  and  uses  it  in  a  much  nobler  cause. 
Even  death  is  his,  since,  though  for  a  moment  it 
triumphs  over  him,  in  the  end  he  triumphs  over  it, 
and,  while  he  seems  to  yield  to  it,  he  treads  it  under 
his  feet.  For  it  is  the  portal  to  life  ;  and  while  our 
friends  are  weeping  at  our  bedside  a  chorus  of 
angels  welcomes  us  into  Paradise.  What  the  world 
dreads,  the  believer  at  last  welcomes,  for  it  severs 
us  from  sin,  and  takes  us  to  the  vision  of  God. 
A.  W.  T. 

Things  present.     Wherever  the  Lord  Jesus 
takes  up  his  abode,  what  before  was  evil,  and  a  com 
plication  and  accumulation  of  evils,  becomes  now 
j  a  train  of  God's  ministers  for  good,  a  chariot  of  fiery 
I  and  glorious  discipline,  to  which  Satan  himself  is  har- 
nessed, if  God  pleases,  to  do  God's  bidding.  G.  B.  C. 
Things  to  come.     Thine  are  not  only  all  the 


former  and  present  but  also  all  the  future ;  thine 
the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth ;  thine  all  the 
promises  and  their  glorious  fulfillment ;  thine  all 
the  battles,  and,  therefore,  also  the  coming  final  one 
between  light  and  darkness,  and  the  mighty  victory 
of  light,  eternal  peace,  the  unending  rest  of  the 
people  of  God  !  Thine  are  the  angels  and  all  the 
blessed  in  the  New  Jerusalem ;  thine  all  the  glory 
of  God  and  Christ  in  the  world  of  light ;  for  thee 
shine  all  the  stars  in  this  life  and  the  next ;  for  thee 
are  rising  the  enduring  mansions  of  the  heavenly 
home.     Christleib. 

All  are  yours.  All  things  are  the  Christian's 
— this  marvelous  life,  so  full  of  meaning,  so  preg- 
nant with  infinite  opportunities.  Still  more  death, 
which  seems  to  come  like  a  tyrant — death  is  his  in 
Christ,  his  minister  to  lead  him  to  higher  life.  Paul 
is  his,  to  teach  him  freedom.  Apollos  his,  to  ani- 
mate him  with  his  eloquence.  Cephas  his,  to  fire 
him  with  his  courage.  Every  author  his,  to  impart 
to  him  his  treasures.  But  all  things  are  ours  on 
this  condition — that  we  are  Christ's.  When  the 
law  of  the  cross  is  the  law  of  our  being,  when  we 
have  learned  to  surrender  ourselves,  then,  and  then 
only,  they  are  ours,  not  we  theirs.  The  Christian  is 
"  creation's  heir."  He  may  say  triumphantly,  "  The 
world,  the  world  is  mine."    F.  W.  K. 


Section  262. 

1  Corinthians  iv.  1-21. 

1  Let  a  man  so  account  of  us,  as  of  the  ministers  of  Christ,  and  stewards  of  the  mysteries 

2  of  God.     Moreover  it  is  required  in  stewards,  that  a  man  be  found  faithful.     But  with  me 

3  it  is  a  very  small  thing  that  I  should  be  judged  of  you,  or  of  man's  judgment :  yea,  I  judge 

4  not  mine  own  self.     For  I  know  nothing  by  myself;  yet  am  I  not  hereby  justified:  but  he 

5  that  judgeth  me  is  the  Lord.  Therefore  judge  nothing  before  the  time,  until  the  Lord  come, 
who  both  will  bring  to  light  the  hidden  things  of  darkness,  and  will  make  manifest  the 

6  counsels  of  the  hearts :  and  then  shall  every  man  have  praise  of  God.  And  these  things, 
brethren,  1  have  in  a  figure  transferred  to  myself  and  to  Apollos  for  your  sakes ;  that  ye 
might  learn  in  us  not  to  think  of  men  above  that  which  is  written,  that  no  one  of  you  be 

7  puffed  up  for  one  against  another.  For  who  maketh  thee  to  differ  from  another  ?  and  what 
hast  thou  that  thou  didst  not  receive  ?  now  if  thou  didst  receive  it,  why  dost  thou  glory,  as 
if  thou  hadst  not  received  it  ? 

8  Now  ye  are  full,  now  ye  are  rich,  ye  have  reigned  as  kings  without  us  :  and  I  would  to 

9  God  ye  did  reign,  that  we  also  might  reign  with  you.  For  I  think  that  God  ha,th  set  forth 
us  tlie  apostles  last,  as  it  were  appointed  to  death  :  for  we  are  made  a  spectacle  unto  the 

10  world,  and  to  angels,  and  to  men.     We  are  fools  for  Christ's  sake,  but  ye  are  wise  in  Christ; 

11  we  are  weak,  but  ye  are  strong ;  ye  are  honourable,  but  we  are  despised.  Even  unto  this 
present  hour  we  both  hunger,  and  thirst,  and  are  naked,  and  are  buffeted,  and  have  no  cer- 

12  tain  dwellingplace ;  and  labour,  working  with  our  own  hands:  being  reviled,  we  bless; 

13  being  persecuted,  we  suffer  it :  being  defamed,  we  entreat :   we  are  made  as  the  filth  of  the 

14  world,  and  are  the  offscouring  of  all  things  unto  this  day.     I  write  not  these  things  to 

15  shame  you,  but  as  my  beloved  sons  I  warn  you.  For  though  ye  have  ten  thousand  instruc- 
tors in  Christ,  yet  have  ye  not  many  fathers  :'for  in  Christ  Jesus  I  have  begotten  you  through 

16  the  gospel.     Wherefore  I  beseech  you,  be  ye  followers  of  me.     For  this  cause  have  I  sent 


292 


SECTIOF  263.— 1  C0RI2^THIAN8  4  ••  l-^l- 


17  unto  vou  Timotheus,  who  is  ray  beloved  son,  and  faithful  in  the  Lord  who  shall  bring  you 
into  remembrance  of  my  ways  which  be  in  Christ   as  I  teach  every  where  in  every  church. 

18  Now  some  are  puffed  up,  as  though  I  would  not  come  to  you.     But  I  will  come  to  you 
1  q  ihortlv  if  the  Lord  will,  and  will  know,  not  the  speech  of  them  which  are  putted  up,  but 

20  the  povver     For  the  kingdom  of  God  'is  not  in  word,  but  in  power.     What  will  ye  ?  shall 

21  I  come  unto  you  with  a  rod,  or  in  love,  and  in  the  spirit  of  meekness? 


To  do  ri^ht  to  do  always  right,  and  to  do  it  without  concern  as  to  the  judgment  of  human  creatures, . 
belongs  to  the  'very  highest  degrees  of  moral  culture,  to  the  strong  man  in  Christ  Jesus.  Yet  wc  should 
8trive°after  it  as  indispensable  as  well  to  our  holiness  as  our  happiness.  Multitudes  are  daily  kept  from 
doing  or  attempting  what  they  know  to  be  right,  by  the  dread  of  what  fellow-creatures  will  say  or  think. 
In  this  there  is  such  a  weakness  that  we  are  prompt  to  despise  it,  when  presented  in  the  abstract,  or  in 
the  case  of  another,  while  we  are  perpetually  incurring  the  same  condemnation  by  our  indecision  and 
cowardice.  As  the  character  thus  formed  is  insusceptible  of  true  greatness,  so  it  is  liable  to  unspeakable 
misery.  No  man  can  lift  up  his  head  with  manly  calmness  and  peace,  who  is  the  slave  of  other  men's 
judgments.  It  is,  therefore,  a  matter  of  great  moment,  in  our  discipline  of  heart  and  life,  to  keep  before 
our  minds  those  considerations  which  shall  dispose  and  enable  us  to  say  with  Paul,  "With  me  it  is  a  very 
small  thing  that  I  should  be  judged  of  you  or  of  man's  judgment."     J.  W.  A. 


1,2.  These  verses  are  addressed  to  congrega- 
tions in  order  that  a  right  estimate  may  be  formed 
by  them  of  the  ministerial  office,  which  neither,  on 
the  one  hand,  ought  to  be  depreciated,  nor,  on  the 
other,  to  be  unduly  valued.  Paul's  view  was  in  op- 
position to  all  tendencies  to  worship  the  man,  or  to 
represent  the  office  as  magical  or  mysterious ;  and, 
on  the  other  hand,  his  view  was  in  direct  opposition 
to  all  opinions  which  value  it  only  as  a  sphere  for 
the  exhibition  of  gifts  and  talents.  And  in  reference 
to  that  right,  so  Uberally  assumed,  of  passing  judg- 
ment, of  criticising  individual  ministers,  the  apostle 
teaches  that  the  same  definition  excludes  this  right, 
because  of  the  impossibiUty  of  judgment ;  for  all  that 
a  steward  can  have  of  merit  is  fidelity,  and  fidelity  is 
exactly  that  which  men  can  not  judge — it  is  a  se- 
cret hidden  with  God.    F.  W.  Ft. As  a  faithful 

steward  does  not  curtail  to  his  master's  servants 
their  due,  but  gives  them  their  portion  of  meat  in 
due  season,  so  is  it  also  with  stewards  in  the  king- 
dom of  grace.  Thereby  they  prove  themselves  to 
be  honest,  blameless  laborers,  by  rightly  dividing 
the  word  of  truth,  by  not  corrupting  the  word  of 
God,  by  feeding  souls  unto  eternal  life  with  unadul- 
terated doctrine,  and  with  sound  words  which  can 
not  be  condemned.     Bcsscr. 

3.  A  small  thing  that  I  should  be  judged 
of  you.  Not  because  he  was  above  judgment,  not  be- 
cause he  was  infallible,  or  teaching  truths  too  grand 
for  them,  but  because  he  was  to  be  judged  before  a 
tribunal  far  more   awful   than  Corinthian  society. 

F.  W.  R. It  is  a  good  observation  of  Fuller  that 

"those  are  the  best  Christians  who  are  more  careful 
to  reform  themselves  than  to  censure  others."  The 
world,  it  must  be  expected,  will  be  void  of  charity 
toward  God's  people,  and  judge  them  as  hypocrites, 
enthusiasts,  and  what  not;  but  it  is  much  to  be 


lamented  that  the  children  of  grace  should  judge  one 
another  so  rashly  as  we  often  see  them  do.    Hill. 

4.  "  By  myself  "  should  be  "  against  myself." 
When  our  version  was  made,  "  by  myself"  had  this 
meaning,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  comments  and  ser- 
mons of  the  time.     A. He  that  judgeth  me 

is  the  Lord.  Suppose  men  condemn  me,  yea,  sup- 
pose all  men  unite  in  censure  and  reprobation,  what 
is  this,  if  He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  looks  down 
with  approval?  This  is  the  only  true  ground  to 
take  in  regard  to  the  regulation  of  our  conduct :  to 
do  all  as  in  the  immediate  presence  of  God  and  as 
subject  to  his  animadversion.  How  serenely,  how 
loftily  may  a  true  Christian  go  on  in  the  perform- 
ance of  some  distasteful  or  unpopular  duty,  if  he 
can  say  with  assurance,  "I  know  that  the  eye  of  my 
God  looks  down  with  approbation  on  what  I  am  do- 
ing." This  sustained  Paul,  and  has  sustained  God's 
most  faithful  servants  in  every  age;  the  thought 
and  assurance  of  God  as  ever  sitting  in  judgment 
upon  every  act.     J.  W.  A. 

We  need  such  an  order  of  men  still,  not  self- 
assuming  or  dominant,  as  "  lords  over  God's  heri- 
tage," but  gentle  among  them,  while  loyal  to  truth 
and  to  its  God — men  of  kingly  nature,  because  they 
serve  a  heavenly  Master,  and  who  are  bold  to  utter 
his  word  without  fear  and  without  favor.  Never 
since  the  world  began  were  such  men  needed  more. 
And  let  it  be  remembered  that,  while  this  duty  falls 
with  double  weight  on  those  who  have  been  called 
to  it  by  the  rule  of  God's  house,  it  does  not  belong 
to  them  alone.  Wherever  a  man  feels  the  force  of 
divine  truth  within  him,  he  should  be  fearless  in  his 
place  to  speak  it  out,  without  shrinking,  and  to 
show  that  he  is  a  witness  for  God.  It  was  the  noble 
wish  of  Moses,  "  Would  that  all  the  Lord's  people 
were  prophets,"  and  all  that  follow  him,  however 


SECTION  262.— 1  CORINTHIANS  4  : 1-21. 


293 


humbly,  to  testify  iu  word  or  deed  to  the  truth  of 
God  shall  have  a  share  in  his  reward.  "  This 
honor  have  all  his  saints."     Ker. 

5.  Before  the  assembled  myriads  of  all  the 
earth's  inhabitants,  before  listening  angels,  before 
the  great  Judge  himself,  the  secrets  of  our  hearts 
will  be  laid  bare,  and  our  inmost  thoughts  brought 
into  the  light.  The  veil  of  hypocrisy  will  drop  off ; 
and  many,  who  in  the  praise  of  men  have  had  their 
reward,  will  stand  exposed  in  the  shame  and  de- 
formity "of  their  own  imaginations.  The  self-de- 
ceiver and  the  careless  alike  will  be  dismayed  at  the 
array  of  sins  which  dwelt  unheeded,  if  not  en- 
couraged, in  the  secret  chambers  of  their  hearts. 
And  the  most  faithful,  watchful  Christian  may  find 
matter  for  serious  meditation  in  the  truth  that  his 
every  thought,  as  well  as  word  and  work,  must  be 
exposed  on  that  day  to  the  scrutiny  of  a  righteous 
Judge.    J.  J. 

8.  "  Ye  are,"  says  he,  "  already  become  full, 
ye  are  already  become  rich,  ye  reign  without  us." 
They  were  in  spirit  and  conduct  as  if  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  had  with  them  already  reached  its  con- 
summation, and  they  as  partakers  therein  had  at- 
tained to  all  riches,  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  their 
desires.  And  would  this  were  so,  says  he ;  would 
they  had  already  attained  to  tliis  participation  in 
the  perfected  kingdom  of  Christ ;  for  then,  assured- 
ly, the  apostles  would  not  have  been  excluded  there- 
from, nor  would  their  circumstances  be  such  as 
they  now  are.  Thus  he  holds  up  before  them  his 
own  life  of  conflict,  in  contrast  with  their  false 
security,  their  unauthorized  and  groundless  exulta- 
tion.   N. 

9.  Persons  appointed  to  death.  This  is 
an  allusion  to  the  Eoman  theatrical  spectacles.  In 
the  morning  those  criminals  to  whom  they  gave  a 
chance  of  escaping  with  their  life  fought  with  the 
wild  beasts  armed  ;  but  in  the  afternoon  the  gladia- 
tors fought  naked,  and  he  who  escaped  was  only 
reserved  for  slaughter  to  another  day ;  so  that  they 
might  well  be  called  "  persons  appointed  to  death." 
By  comparing  the  apostles  to  these  devoted  persons, 
Paul  hath  given  us  a  strong  picture  of  the  dangers 
which  the  apostles  encountered  in  the  course  of 
their  ministry :  dangers  which  at  length  proved 
fatal  to  the  most  of  them. 

10.  We  are  fools  on  acconnt  of  Christ. 
The  apostle  repeats  ironically  the  things  which  his 
enemies  in  Corinth  said  of  him.  And  in  the  same 
spirit  of  irony  he  attributes  to  them  the  contrary 
qualities.    M. 

13.  "We  are  expressly  told,  in  the  history,  that 
at  Corinth  Paul  labored  with  his  own  hands.  That 
manual  labor  he  continued  at  Ephesus  (Acts  20 :  34) ; 
and  not  only  so,  but  continued  it  during  that  partic- 
ular residence  at  Ephesus  near  the  conclusion  of 


which  this  Epistle  was  written ;  so  that  he  might 
with  the  strictest  truth  say,  at  the  time  of  writing 
the  Epistle,  "  even  unto  this  present  hour,  we  labor, 
working  with  our  own  hands."  M.  H. It  is  dur- 
ing his  sojourn  at  Ephesus  that  we  get  our  first 
glimpse  of  a  fact,  which  was  no  doubt  one  of  the 
constant  facts  of  his  life — that  he  supported  others 
as  well  as  himself  by  his  manual  toils.  When  he 
took  leave  of  the  Ephesian  elders,  he  says,  "  Ye  your- 
selves know  that  these  hands  have  ministered  unto 
my  necessities,  and  to  them  (hat  were  with  me."  It  is 
one  of  the  most  touching  and  impressive  scenes  in  a 
life  rich  above  most  in  tragic  adventures.  As  vre 
see  the  apostle  lift  those  thin  strong  hands,  worn  and 
scarred  with  constant  toil,  even  we  are  moved  by  the 
appeal.  Those  toil-worn  hands  speak  to  us  with  a 
still  more  pathetic  eloquence  when  we  know  how 
constant  and  unremitting  were  the  labors  in  which 
they  had  been  occupied.     Cox. 

15.  Here  the  whole  order,  work,  and  result  of 
the  ministry  are  given  in  brief  but  significant  sum- 
mary, "/w  Christ  Jesus,"  who  giveth  the  Spirit,  and 
whom  the  Spirit  glorifieth,  Paul,  the  living  preacher, 
"  7iad  begotten "  to  their  new  birth  the  Corinthian 
disciples,  "  through  the  gospel"  as  the  divinely  ap- 
pointed instrument  of  their  renewal  and  conversion. 
And  here,  too,  are  summarily  involved :  the  new 
man  ;  his  renewal,  or  new  birth  ;  the  implied  agency 
of  the  Spirit ;  and  the  instrumentality  of  knowledge, 
"  the  gospel."  This  unfolds  the  whole  work.  The 
gift  of  the  Spirit,  which  results  in  that  "new  man" 
wherein  dwelleth  God,  whether  as  the  Father,  or  as 
Christ,  or  as  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  communicated 
through,  or  by,  the  gospel,  by  means  of  knovjledge  or 
of  divine  truth.     3.  S.  S. 

16.  When  Paul  says,  once  and  again,  I  beseech 
you,  be  ye  followers  of  me,  it  has  a  sound,  taken  as 
it  may  be  taken,  of  conceit,  or  vanity ;  but,  when  we 
look  upon  him  as  a  man  who  goes  after  Christ  in 
the  ways  of  scorn  and  suffering  patience,  bearing  his 
Master's  dark  flag  of  patience  and  loss,  and  calling 
others  to  follow,  we  only  see  that  he  has  taken 
Christ's  own  spirit,  and  despises  even  to  send  the 
flock  before  him,  where  he  does  not  lead  himself. 

H.  B. It  is  not  good  for  a  man  to  be  living  any 

life  which  he  would  not  desire  to  see  made  perfect 
and  universal  through  the  world.  Paul  says,  "  Be 
what  I  am  " ;  but  Dives  cries  out  of  the  fire  where 
he  lies,  "  Oh,  send  and  warn  my  seven  brethren  lest 
they  come  where  I  am ! "  The  dying  Christian  tells 
those  beside  him  of  the  blessedness  of  serving 
Christ.  The  dying  murderer  with  his  last  breath 
warns  men  from  the'  scaffold  not  to  be  what  he  has 
been.  Oh  !  test  your  lives  thus !  Do  not  consent 
to  be  anything  which  you  would  not  ask  the  soul 
that  is  dearest  to  you  to  be  !  Be  nothing  which  you 
would  not  wish  all  the  world  to  be !    P.  B. 


294 


SECTIOF  263.— 1  CORINTHIANS  5  : 1-13. 


17.  We  have  the  history  of  the  apostle  Paul 
stated  fully  aud  circumstantially  in  the  Acts,  and 
then  we  have  thirteen  letters  of  the  same  apostle, 
purporting  to  have  been  written  during  the  period 
covered  by  the  history.  If,  therefore,  the  history 
and  the  letters  are  both  genuine,  we  should  expect 
to  find  the  same  general  character  ascribed  to  the 
apostle  in  the  history  that  is  indicated  by  his  let- 
ters ;  we  should  expect  to  find  in  the  letters  numer- 


ous minute  and  undesigned  references,  such  as  could 
not  be  counterfeited,  to  the  facts  stated  in  the  his- 
tory. And  all  this  we  do  find.  The  character  of  Paul 
was  strongly  luarked,  and  no  one  can  doubt  whether 
tlie  Epistles  ascribed  to  him  were  written  by  such  a 
man  as  he  is  described  in  the  history  to  have  been. 
IIow  different  are  the  characters  of  Paul,  of  Peter, 
and  of  John,  and  yet  how  perfectly  do  the  writings  as- 
cribed  to  each  correspond  with  his  character !  M.  H. 


Section  263. 

1    COEINTHIANS   V.  1-13. 

1  It  is  reported  commonly  that  there  is  fornication,  among  yon,  and  such  fornication  as  is 

2  not  so  much  as  named  among  the  Gentiles,  that  one  should  have  his  father's  wife.     And  ye 
are  puffed  up,  and  have  not  rather  mourned,  that  he  that  hath  done  this  deed  might  be 

3  taken  away  from  among  you.     For  I  verily,  as  absent  in  body,  but  present  in  spirit,  have 

4  judged  already,  as  though  I  were  present,  concerning  him  that  hath  so  done  this  deed,  in 
the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  ye  are  gathered  together,  and  my  spirit,  with  the 

5  power  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  deliver  such  an  one  unto  Satan  for  the  destruction  of  the 

6  tiesh,  that  the  spirit  may  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus.     Your  glorying  is  not  good. 

7  Know  ye  not  that  a  little  leaven  leaveneth  the  whole  lump?     Purge  out  therefore  the  old 
leaven,  that  ye  may  be  a  new  lump,  as  ye  are  unleavened.     For  even  Christ  our  passover  is 

8  sacrificed  for  us  :  therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast,  not  with  old  leaven,  neither  with  the  leaven 

9  of  malice  and  wickedness ;  but  witli  the  unleavened  hread  of  sincerity  and  truth.     I  wrote 

10  unto  you  in  an  epistle  not  to  company  with  fornicators :  yet  not  altogether  with  the  forni- 
cators of  this  world,  or  with  the  covetous,  or  extortioners,  or  with  idolaters;  for  then  must 

11  ye  needs  go  out  of  the  world.     But  now  I  have  written  unto  you  not  to  keep  company,  if 
any  man  tliat  is  called  a  brother  be  a  fornicator,  or  covetous,  or  an  idolator,  or  a  railer,  or 

12  a  drunkard,  or  an  extortioner ;  with  such  an  one  no  not  to  eat.     For  what  have  I  to  do  to 

13  judge  them  also  that  are  without?  do  not  ye  judge  them  that  are  within?  but  them  that  are 
without  God  judgeth.     Therefore  put  away  from  among  yourselves  that  wicked  person. 


1.  Ancient  vices  still  infected  the  Christian  con- 
verts. They  carried  into  the  Church  the  savor  of 
their  old  life,  for  the  wine-skin  will  long  retain  the 
flavor  with  which  it  has  been  once  imbued.  We 
find  from  these  Epistles  that  gross  immorality  still 
existed,  and  was  even  considered  a  thing  to  boast 
of.  We  find  their  old  philosophy  still  coloring  their 
Christianity,  for,  on  the  foundation  of  the  Oriental 
idea  that  the  body  was  the  source  of  all  sin,  they 
denied  a  future  resurrection.  AVe  find  the  inso- 
lence of  wealth  at  the  Lord's  Supper.  We  find 
spiritual  gifts  abused  by  being  exhibited  for  the 
sake  of  ostentation. 

3.  It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  punishment  is 
only  to  reform  and  warn.  It  is  an  expression  on 
earth  of  God's  indignation  in  heaven  against  sin. 
He  who  has  done  wrong  has  identified  himself  with 
wrong,  and  so  far  is  an  object  of  indignation.  In 
our  own  day  we  are  accustomed  to  use  strange,  weak 
words  concerning  sin  and  crime :  we  say,  when  a 
man  does  wrong,  that  he  has  mistaken  the  way  to 
happiness,  and  that  if  a  correct  notion  of  real  hap- 
piness could  be  given  to  men,  crime  would  cease. 
We  look  on  sin  as  residing,  not  in  a  guilty  will,  but 
in  a  mistaken  vmderstanding.  Thus  the  Corinthi- 
ans in  Paul's  days  looked  at  it,  and  felt  no  indig- 
nation. They  had  some  soft,  feeble  way  of  talking 
about  it.     They  called  it  "  mental  disease,"  "  error," 


"  mistake  of  judgment,"  "  irresistible  passion,"  or  I 
know  not  what. 

In  Scripture  we  read  of  two  principal  objects  of 
punishment,  viz.,  as  an  expression  of  righteous  in- 
dignation and  the  reformation  of  the  offender — his 
amelioration ;  and  here  the  merciful  character  of 
Christianity  comes  forth.  A  third  ground  is  the 
contagious  character  of  evil.  "A  little  leaven 
leaveneth  the  whole  lump."  Worldly  minds,  irrev- 
erent minds,  licentious  minds  leaven  society.  You 
can  not  be  long  with  persons  who  by  innuendo, 
double  meaning,  or  lax  language  show  an  acquain- 
tance with  evil,  without  feeling  in  some  degree 
assimilated  to  them,  nor  can  you  easily  retain  enthu- 
siasm for  right  among  those  who  detract  and  scofi' 
at  goodness.     F.  W.  R. 

5.  Church  discipline  is  primarily  a  process  of 
self-jmrification  in  tlie  Church,  designed  for  the  res- 
toration and  maintenance  of  her  essential  attribute 
of  holiness.  But  it  necessarily  has  reference  also 
to  the  good  of  the  offender  on  whom  it  is  exercised. 
And  here  appears  its  evangelical  element;  since 
even  in  its  strongest  form,  the  anathema,  it  has  in 
view  not  punishment  but  correction,  the  reclaiminp 
of  the  soul,  to  which  the  temporal  punishment  is  in- 
tended to  serve  only  as  a  means.  This  is  what  the 
apostle  intends  by  delivering  a  backslider  "  untc 
Satan  for  the  destruction  of  the  flesh,  that  the  spirit 


SECTION  264.— 1  CORINTHIANS  6  : 1-20. 


295 


may  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  In 
this  much-mistaken  passage,  as  in  the  booli  of  Job 
and  2  Cor.  12:7,  ISatan  is  conceived  as  a  servant  of 
God  in  the  wider  sense,  as  a  being  to  whom  power 
is  committed  to  send  upon  men  certain  bodily  chas- 
tisements and  afflictions,  but  under  the  oversight 
and  for  the  ends  of  Providence.  So  in  the  case 
before  us,  Paul  expected  that  God,  by  means  of  the 
prince  of  dai'lcness,  would  bring  upon  tlie  excommu- 
nicated fornicator  at  Corintli  some  heavy  trial,  or 
sudden  calamity,  but  that  this  punishment  might 
arrest  the  sinful  course  of  the  unfortunate  man, 
drive  him  to  repentance,  and  result  in  his  salvation 

in  the  day  of  the  second  coming  of  Christ.  P.  S. 

There  are  cases  occurring  in  almost  every  Church  of 
Christ  in  which  no  means  avail ;  applications,  advice, 
prayers,  have  no  permanent  favorable  effect.  The 
ditficulty  is  found  to  be  unimproved  by  delay  month 
after  month ;  the  Church  is  exposed  to  weakness 
and  reproach ;  and  the  only  hope  is  in  the  excision 
of  that  member  from  the  body.  Not  that  the  body 
hates  that  member ;  not  that  its  removal  is  not  a 
calamity ;  but  that  the  general  health  and  salvation 
require  it.     R.  T. 

7.  Christ  our  passover.  The  gospel  pass- 
over  commemorates  a  deliverance  from  spiritual 
thraldom,  of  which  the  release  of  the  Jews  from 
the  Egyptian  yoke  affords  but  a  faint  and  imperfect 
emblem.  In  those  complicated  sufferings  which 
were  the  price  of  our  redemption,  we  not  only  dis- 
cover the  unsearchable  riches  of  divine  love,  but  we 
likewise  behold  the  full  demerit  of  sin,  and  all  the 
horrors  of  that  misery  into  which  we  had  plunged 
ourselves  by  our  fatal  apostasy ;  so  that  our  triumph 
in  the  great  salvation,  by  recalling  to  our  minds  the 
helpless  state  in  which  mercy  found  us,  gives  check 
to  every  self -exalting  thought,  and  constrains  us  to 
ascribe  to  the  free,  unmerited  favor   of  God  the 


sole,  the  undivided  praise  of  all  that  we  have  or 
hope  to  enjoy.     R.  W. 

8.  The  words,  "  let  us  keep  the  feast  with  the  un- 
leavened bread  of  sincerity  and  truth,"  look  very  like 
words  suggested  by  the  Passover  season ;  at  least  they 
have,  upon  that  supposition,  a  force  and  significancy 
which  do  not  belong  to  them  upon  any  other ;  and 
it  is  not  a  little  remarkable  that  the  hints  casually 
dropped  in  the  Epistle,  concerning  particular  parts 
of  the  year,  should  coincide  with  this  supposition. 
Falcy. 

9-11.  Many  Corinthian  Christians  were  addicted 
to  those  sins  of  impurity  which  they  had  practiced 
in  the  days  of  their  heathenism,  and  which  dis- 
graced their  native  city  even  among  the  heathen. 
We  can  not  wonder  if  it  proved  most  difficult  to 
root  out  immorality  from  the  rising  Church.  The 
offenders  against  Christian  chastity  were  exceed- 
ingly numerous  at  this  period  ;  and  it  was  especially 
with  the  object  of  attempting  to  reform  them,  and 
to  check  the  growing  mischief,  that  Paul  now  deter- 
mined to  visit  Corinth.  He  has  himself  described 
this  visit  as  a  painful  one  ;  he  went  in  sorrow  at  the 
tidings  he  had  received,  and  when  he  arrived  he 
found  the  state  of  things  even  worse  than  he  had 
expected ;  he  tells  us  that  it  was  a  time  of  personal 
humiliation  to  himself,  occasioned  by  the  flagrant 
sins  of  so  many  of  his  own  converts ;  he  reminds 
the  Corinthians  afterward  how  he  had  "  mourned  " 
over  those  who  had  dishonored  the  name  of  Christ 
by  "  the  uncleanness  and  fornication  and  wanton- 
ness which  they  had  committed."     II. 

10.  The  Greeks  and  Romans,  before  the  time  of 
Christianity,  had  no  idea^  or  even  the  faintest  ves- 
tige of  an  idea,  of  what  in  the  Scriptural  system  is 
called  sin  ;  and  the  idea  was  utterly  and  exquisitely 
inappreciable  by  pagan  Greece  and  Rome.  De 
Quinccy. 


Section  264. 

1  COEINTHIAKS    vl.  1-20. 

1  Daee  any  of  you,  having  a  matter  against  another,  go  to  law  before  the  unjust,  and  not 

2  before  the  saints  ?     Do  ye  not  know  that  the  saints  shall  judge  the  world  ?  and  if  the 

3  world  shall  be  judged  by  you,  are  ye  unworthy  to  judge  the  smallest  matters  ?     Know  ye 

4  not  that  we  shall  judge  angels?    how  much   more  things  that  pertain  to  this  life?     If 
then  ye  have  judgments  of  things  pertaining  to  this  life,  set  them  to  judge  who  are  least 

5  esteemed  in  the  church.     I  speak  to  your  shame.     Is  it  so,  that  there  is  not  a  wise  man 

6  among  you?  no,  not  one  that  shall  be  able  to  judge  between  his  brethren?     But  brother 

7  goeth  to  law  Avith  brother,  and  that  before  the  unbelievers.     Now  therefore  there  is  utterly 
a  fault  among  you,  because  ye  go  to  law  one  with  another.     Why  do  ye  not  rather  take 

8  wrong  ?     Why  do  ye  not  rather  suffer  yourseltes  to  be  defrauded  ?     Nay,  ye  do  wrong,  and 
defraud,  and  that  your  brethren. 

9  Know  ye  not  that  the  unrighteous  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  ?    Be  not  deceived  : 
neither  fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  nor  adulterers,  nor  effeminate,  nor  abusers  of  themselves 

10  with  mankind,  nor  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall 

11  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God.     And  such  were  some  of  you :  but  ye  are  washed,  but  ye  are 
sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God. 

12  All  things  are  lawful  unto  me,  but  all  things  are  not  expedient :  all  things  are  lawful  for 

13  me,  but  I  will  not  be  brought  under  the  power  of  any.     Meats  for  the  belly,  and  the  belly 
for  meats  :  but  God  shall  destroy  both  it  and  them.     Now  the  body  is  not  for  fornication, 

14  but  for  the  Lord ;  and  the  Lord  for  the  body.     And  God  hath  both  raised  up  the  Lord,  and 

15  will  also  raise  up  us  by  his  own  power.     Know  ye  not  that  your  bodies  are  the  members  of 


29G 


SECTION  26Jf.—l  CORINTHIANS  6  : 1-20. 


Christ?  shall  I  then  take  the  members  of  Christ,  and  make  them  the  members  of  an  harlot? 

16  God  forbid.     What?  know  ye  not  that  he  which  is  joined  to  an  harlot  is  one  body?  for  two, 

17  saith  he  shall  be  one  flesh.     But  he  that  is  joined  unto  the  Lord  is  one  spirit.    Flee  forni- 

18  cation.    Every  sin  that  a  man  doeth  is  without  the  body ;  but  he  that  committeth  fornica- 

19  tion  sinueth  against  his  own  body.     What  ?  know  ye  not  that  your  body  is  the  temple  of 

20  the  Holy  Ghost  icMch  is  in  you,  which  ye  have  of  God,  and  ye  are  not  your  own  ?    For  ye  are 
bought  with  a  price :  therefore  glorify  God  iu  your  body,  and  in  your  spirit,  which  are  God's. 


Redeemed,  and  yet  oivinrf  service — this  describes  the  disciple  of  Christ ;  redeemed,  but  Just  on  that  ac- 
count bound  to  a  walk  hallowed  of  God.  And  who  docs  not  feci  on  reflection  how  much  is  here  expressed 
to  us  in  few  words  ?  "  Yc  are  bought  with  a  price  " ;  inexhaustible  declaration,  well  deserving  to  be  writ- 
ten in  indelible  characters  in  the  deepest  recesses  of  the  heart !  Bought,  ransomed,  from  what  else  than 
from  the  deadly  power  of  sin,  which,  without  Christ,  held  us  as  in  iron  fetters,  and  made  us  guilty  before 
the  face  of  spotless  holiness  !  For  how  much  ransomed  ?  For  a  price  not  to  be  fully  estimated  even  by 
ano'cls  a  price  only  within  the  reach  of  almighty  power ;  by  holiness  demanded,  by  mercy  paid,  and 
throurrh  orace  offered  even  to  the  chief  of  sinners  :  the  blood  of  God's  incarnate  son,  the  sacrifice  of  his 
divine  yet  human  life,  through  the  act  of  highest  love,  and  yet  of  absolute  obedience.  And  whcreunto 
redeemed  if  not  in  order  "  that  we,  being  delivered  out  of  the  hand  of  our  enemies,  might  serve  him 
without  fear,  iu  holiness  and  righteousness  before  him,  all  the  days  of  our  life"?  "Therefore  glorify 
God,"  writes  the  apostle,  and  thus  binds  together  in  the  most  beautiful  manner  grace  and  duty.  This  is 
the  great  principle  of  action  for  every  really  Christian  life.  "  Glorify  God,"  in  the  inner  chamber,  in  the 
home  circle,  in  society,  under  the  father's  roof,  and  far  from  the  mother's  eye ;  "  glorify  God,"  if  thou 
wilt  not  that  thy  life  should  be  useless,  unhappy — nay,  even  lost.  Glorify  him  "  in  your  body,"  as  in  the 
temple  in  which  you  are  the  appointed  priests,  and  this  through  all  your  members ;  and  in  his  power  keep 
yourselves  pure.  Glorify  him  "  in  your  spirit,"  by  directing  all  its  powers  and  energies  to  the  one  grand 
aim,  that  God  really  may  receive  full  honor  from  the  work  of  his  hands.  Yea,  verily,  here  is  a  task — an 
enjoyment  for  two  lives  ;  and  the  heart  in  which  the  work  of  sanctification  has  begun  may  thrill  as  with 
a  blessed  anticipation  of  what  it  shall  be  when  the  God  of  his  salvation  shall  be  perfectly  glorified.     Van  0. 


This  Epistle  deals  with  a  large  variety  of  isolated 
questions  which  the  Corinthian  Church  had  put  to 
him  on  some  previous  occasion.  Hence  the  Epistle 
is  one  of  Christian  casuistry — an  application  of 
Christian  principles  to  the  various  circumstances 
and  cases  of  conscience  which  arise  continually  in 
the  daily  life  of  a  highly  civilized  and  highly  artifi- 
cial community.  This  chapter  contains  the  apostle's 
judgment  on  two  such  questions :  1.  The  manner 
of  deciding  Christian  quarrels  (vs.  1-11).  2.  The 
character  of  Christian  liberty,  what  is  meant  by  it, 
and  how  it  is  limited  (vs.  12-20). 

If  2.  It  appears  from  this  account  that  ques- 
tions arose  among  the  Corinthian  Christians  which 
needed  litigation :  questions  of  wrongs  done  to  per- 
sons or  to  property.  These  wrongs  they  carried  to 
the  heathen  courts  of  judicature  for  redress.  For 
this  the  apostle  reproves  them  severely.    F.  W.  R. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  the  law  gave  its 

sanction  to  the  decision  pronounced  in  a  litigated 
case  by  arbitrators  privately  chosen,  so  that  the 
Christians  might  obtain  a  just  decision  of  their 
mutual  differences  without  resorting  to  the  heathen 
tribunals.     C. 

3.  We  shall  jadge  angels.  When  Chris- 
tians are  spoken  of  as  kings  and  priests,  it  is  not 


meant  that  they  wear  a  crown  or  minister  at  an 
altar,  but  rather  that  in  heaven  they  are  exalted 
and  honored  like  kings  and  priests  on  earth.  OflS- 
cial  relation  is  not  at  all  designated,  merely  official 
dignity.  In  this  way  the  office  of  a  judge  is  most 
appropriately  employed  to  image  forth  the  same 
elevation.  It  is  one  of  the  most  dignified  and  im- 
posing of  human  titles.  It  brings  before  the  mind 
the  picture  of  venerable  wisdom  upon  its  elevated 
scat,  dictating  the  noblest  of  sentiments  to  the 
noblest  of  pupils,  and  receiving  the  homage  of  the 
crowd.  What  more  natural  than  that  the  beings, 
who  are  figuratively  decked  with  the  scepter  of 
royal  dignity  and  the  miter  of  sacerdotal  rank, 
should  put  on  also  the  vestments  of  the  judicial 
station.  They  receive  the  admiring  tribute  of  the 
world,  and  they  may  be  styled  the  judges  of  the 
world.  They  are  in  some  respects  more  glorious 
than  the  angels  of  God,  and  they  may  be  said  to 
judge  those  angels.  The  sentiment  here  taught  is 
that  Christians  in  heaven  will  in  some  respects  be 
superior  to  angels.     Homer. 

7-11.  His  argument  runs  thus:  You  ask  me 
how  the  oppressed  are  to  be, freed  from  gross  op- 
pressors except  by  an  appeal  to  legal  justice  ?  how 
flagrant  crimes — such  as   that  condemned  in  the 


SECTION  S64'—l  CORmiHIAFS  6  :  ISO. 


291 


fifth  chapter — are  to  be  prevented  in  Christians  ? 
I  answer,  The  Church  of  Christ  does  not  include  snch 
persons  in  the  idea  of  its  existence  at  all.  It  only 
contemplates  men  "washed,  sanctified,  justified  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of 
our  God."  But  drunkards,  revilers,  extortioners, 
covetous  men,  gross  sensualists — I  can  not  tell  you 
how  to  legislate  for  such,  for  such  ought  not  to  be 
in  your  society  at  all.     F.  W.  R. 

He  gives  them  a  catalogue  of  the  basest  sinners 
that  their  profligate  city  or  the  whole  earth  could 
furnish,  and  then  he  says  to  these  very  men,  these 
men  destined  for  the  walls  of  God's  glorious  house, 
"  Such  were  some  of  you."  We  come  then  to  this 
conclusion — no  meanness,  no  guilt,  will  cause  God 
to  reject  any  one  of  us.  An  earthly  builder  is 
obliged  to  cast  away  bad  materials,  for  he  can  not 
alter  them.  God  has  promised  to  cast  away  none 
that  come  to  him,  for  he  can  alter  them.  He  is 
•willing  to  take  the  worst,  for  he  is  able  to  transform 
them  and  make  them  the  very  best.     C.  B. 

11.  First  of  all  we  are  clean  as  He  is  clean, 
then  we  are  set  apart  as  He  is  set  apart,  then  we 
are  righteous  as  He  is  righteous.  Cleansed,  sanc- 
tified, justified — these  are  the  three  conditions  or 
privileges  into  which  a  believing  man  is  brought 
from  the  moment  that,  by  faith,  he  identifies  himself 
with  Christ !  All  this  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God.  The  name 
washes,  sanctifies,  justifies.  It  is  a  name  of  power, 
containing  everything  in  it  that  a  sinner  needs. 
He  who  consents  to  use  it  gets  all  that  it  contains  ! 
The  Spirit  washes,  sanctifies,  justifies.  He  has  his 
part  to  do  in  all  these,  and  he  does  it  as  the  Spirit 
of  Omnipotence !     Bonar. 

12.  5Ien  in  the  Corinthian  Church,  having  heard 
the  apostle  teach  the  law  of  liberty,  pushed  that 
doctrine  so  far  as  to  make  it  mean  a  right  to  do 
whatsoever  a  man  wills  to  do.  Accordingly  he  found 
himself  called  on  to  oppose  a  system  of  self-indul- 
gence and  sensuality,  a  gratification  of  the  appetites 
and  the  passions  taught  systematically  as  Chris- 
tianity. By  these  teachers  self-gratification  was 
maintained  en  the  ground  of  the  rights  of  Christian 
liberty  and  of  the  rights  of  nature.  They  said,  "We 
may  eat  what  we  will.  We  are  free  from  the  ob- 
servance of  days.  All  things  are  lawful.  That 
which  is  done  by  a  child  of  God  ceases  to  be  sin. 
Paul  met  this  exaggeration  by  declaring  that  Chris- 
tian hberty  is  limited,  first,  by  Christian  expediency, 
"All  things  a)-e  lawful" — yes,  "but  all  things  are 
not  expedient " ;  and  secondly,  by  its  own  nature, 
"All  things  are  lawful  for  me,  but  I  will  not  be 
brought  under  the  power  of  any."     F.  W.  R. 

Take  the  various  forms  of  worldly  amusement. 
So  far  as  they  are  really  amusements  and  not  labor 
and  sorrow  (which  in  fact  many  of  them  are,  dread- 


fully jading  the  body  and  mind,  and  exhausting  the 
energies),  and  so  far  as  no  breach  of  God's  moral 
law  is  involved  in  them,  they  are  innocent  and 
lawful.  But  does  any  one  find  by  experience  that 
some  worldly  amusement,  though  innocent  in  itself, 
and  very  possibly  innocent  for  others,  yet  has  a 
tendency  to  influence  his  passions,  to  set  up  his 
vanity,  and  to  brush  rudely  from  his  mind  the 
thought  of  God's  presence  ?  Then  let  there  be  no 
compromise.  Or  should  he  experience  no  evil  spir- 
itual effect  from  the  indulgence,  or  at  least  none  of 
which  he  is  conscious,  may  he  abandon  himself 
without  restriction  to  the  amusement  in  question, 
live  in  it,  sacrifice  a  considerable  amount  of  money, 
leisure,  time  to  it?  Surely  not.  To  live  in  any 
amusement  is  to  be  the  slave  of  it.  And  the  Chris- 
tian should  spurn  any  such  dependence.  The  tone 
which  he  takes  up  toward  all  innocent  enjoyments 
and  recreations  should  be  just  that  of  the  apostle, 
"All  things  are  lawful  for  me,  but  I  will  not  be 
brought  under  the  power  of  any."  Besides,  the 
Christian  dares  not  give  himself  full  latitude  in  this 
respect.  With  an  insidious  heart,  with  crafty,  spir- 
itual foes  watching  for  his  halting,  with  that  awful 
warning  respecting  the  straitness  of  the  gate  and 
the  narrowness  of  the  way  ringing  in  his  ear,  it 
would  not  be  safe  to  do  so.  He  sports  not  within 
a  very  wide  margin  of  the  precipice's  edge.  E.  M.  G. 
13.  The  second  plea  of  the  teachers  Paul  is  here 
condemning,  is  the  rights  of  Nature.  There  is  some 
difficulty  in  the  exposition  of  this  chapter,  because 
the  apostle  mixes  together  the  pleas  of  his  oppo- 
nents with  his  own  answers  to  those  pleas — states 
them  himself,  in  order  that  he  may  reply  to  them. 
The  first  part  of  the  thirteenth  verse  contains  two 
of  these  pleas ;  the  second  part  of  this  verse,  with 
the  fourteenth,  contains  his  reply.  1.  "Meats  for 
the  belly,  and  the  belly  for  meats  " — a  natural  cor- 
respondency. Here  are  appetites,  and  things  made 
on  purpose  to  satisfy  appetites.  "  Therefore,"  said 
they,  "  Nature  herself  says, '  Enjoy  ! '  "  2.  The  transi- 
toriness  of  this  enjoyment  furnishes  an  argument 
for  the  enjoyment.  "God  shall  bring  to  an  end 
both  it  and  them."  That  is,  the  body  will  perish, 
so  will  the  food  and  the  enjoyments — they  do  not 
belong  to  eternity,  therefore  indulgence  is  a  matter 
of  indifference.  It  is  foolish  ignorance  to  think 
that  these  are  sins  any  more  than  the  appetites 
of  brutes  which  perish.  To  the  argument  about 
correspondency  of  appetites  with  the  gratifications 
provided  for  them,  he  replies  thus:  "The  body  is 
not  for  self-indulgence  but  for  the  Lord,  and  the 
Lord  for  the  body."  In  other  words,  he  tells  of  a 
more  exact  mutual  correspondency.     He  reveals  a 

true  and  higher  nature.     F.  W.  R. The  body  is 

for  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  be  consecrated  by  his  indwell- 
ing to  his  service ;  and  the  Lord  Jesus  is  for  the 


298 


SECTION  26Jt.—l  CORINTHIANS  6  : 1-20. 


body,  to  consecrate  it  by  dwelling  therein  in  the 
person  of  his  Spirit. 

15.  Paul's  argument  here  is,  that  sins  of  un- 
chastity,  though  bodily  acts,  yet  injure  a  part  of  our 
nature'which  will  not  be  destroyed  by  death,  and 
which  is  closely  connected  with  our  moral  well-being. 
And  it  is  a  fact  no  less  certain  than  mysterious  that 
moral  and  spiritual  ruin  is  caused  by  such  sins, 
which  human  wisdom  (when  untaught  by  revelation) 
held  to  be  as  blameless  as  eating  and  drinking.     C. 

Your  bodies  are  the  members  of  Christ. 
A  man  who  is  of  a  cleanly  disposition  loves  to  wear 
clean  garments.  The  body  is  the  garment  of  the 
soul,  and  a  clean  heart  will  preserve  a  pure  body. 
Remember,  Christians,  by  what  hand  your  bodies 
were  made,  by  what  guest  they  are  inhabited,  by 
what  price  they  are  purchased,  in  what  laver  they 
have  been  washed,  and  to  whose  eye  they  shall  here- 
after be  presented.     Jenkyn. 

19,  20.  We  hardly  know  which  to  admire  most 
in  this  exhortation,  the  strength  or  the  grandeur 
with  which  it  is  enforced.  It  makes  duty  appear  so 
reasonable  that  we  feel  at  once  condemned  if  we 
shrink  from  it ;  and  yet  where  in  the  whole  Bible 
can  be  found  a  loftier  description  of  the  Christian's 
blessedness  ?  And  this  is  Paul's  usual  manner.  He 
connects  with  the  duty  he  inculcates  some  exalted 
privilege,  and  thus  ennobles  the  service  to  which  he 
calls  us ;  causing  us  to  glory  in  our  work  while  we 
are  performing  it.  Here  he  tells  us  whose  the  Chris- 
tian is — he  is  God's  ;  how  he  became  God's — he  has 
been  "  bought  with  a  price " ;  what  God  makes 
him — "  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost "  ;  and  then, 
what  God  expects  from  him  — glory.     C.  B. 

The  second  great  truth  peculiar  to  Spiritual 
Christianity  is  that  of  the  sovereign  and  abiding  in- 
jluence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  renovating  the  soul  in 
each  instance  in  ivhich  it  is  renovated.  This  doctrine 
also,  like  the  propitiation  effected  by  the  Son  of 
God,  while  in  one  view  it  is  an  inscrutable  mystery, 
is  in  another  an  intelligible  truth,  which  accords  at 
once  with  our  consciousness  and  with  the  principles 
of  sound  philosophy.  The  contact  of  the  infinite 
mind  with  the  finite  is  indeed  a  depth  ;  but  not  so 
the  restoration  of  the  moral  faculties  as  a  matter  of 
consciousness.  Let  it  only  be  granted  that  true 
felicity  must  consist  in  the  predominance  of  holy 
affections  or  of  emotions  habitually  tending  toward 
God,  and  let  it  also  be  granted  that  no  such  affec- 
tions ordinarily  belong  to  us  nor  spontaneously 
spring  up  or  grow  with  our  growth,  then  must  we 
not  acknowledge  that  the  doctrine  so  clearly  affirmed 
in  Scripture  of  the  sovereign  renovating  influences 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  full  of  consolation  to  ourselves, 
as  well  as  strictly  accordant  with  the  best  concep- 
tions we  can  form  of  the  goodness  of  God  ?  Hap- 
py  indeed,  and  ennobling  as  well  as  efficacious,  is 


the  belief  that  the  body  of  the  Christian  is  "the 
temple  of  the  Holy  ^host " — a  doctrine  this  which 
precludes  at  once  despondency  and  presumption. 
For  how  should  we  despond,  if  He  who  "  creates  us 
anew  in  Christ  Jesus"  is  almighty?  or  how  pre- 
sume, if  we  be  convinced  that,  were  the  sacred 
energy  withdrawn,  there  "  would  remain  in  us  no 

good  thing  "  ?     I.  T. Happy  would  it  be  for  us 

if  we  could  always  maintain  an  unwavering  persua- 
sion as  to  the  reality  and  the  greatness  of  this  in- 
habitation of  God  through  the  Spirit.  It  would 
confer  a  dignity,  of  which  we  now  know  too  little, 
upon  the  whole  tenor  of  a  Christian  life.  Tempta- 
tion would  be  disarmed  by  the  sense  of  such  a 
presence,  and  we  should  tremble  at  the  thought  of 
grieving  one  so  great  and  yet  so  near.     J.  W.  A. 

19.  Not  your  own.  A  man  does  not  own 
himself  till  God  owns  him,  and  that  ownership  is 
solemnly  acknowledged.  He  is  a  slave  to  his  baser 
nature,  even  though  his  chains  are  inviting  as  dia- 
mond rings  and  bracelets  of  gold.  While  a  passion 
against  which  reason  revolts  domineers  over  him, 
while  a  lust  which  conscience  rebukes  scoffs  at  con- 
science, he  is  ruled  by  a  tyrant  as  vile  and  base  as 
his  own  deformity.     E.  H.  G. 

20.  Bought  with  a  price.  A  word  made 
us,  a  Calvary  bought  us ;  creation  was  painless,  re- 
demption was  a  torture.  The  price  paid  measures 
God's  estimate  of  us.  He  does  not  pay  a  life  so 
dear  to  him  for  souls  that  are  insignificant.  God 
paid  Christ  for  them — the  gold  of  his  heart.  Stand 
at  the  cross,  and  there  God  shows  you  and  the  angels 
his  estimate  of  souls.  That  he  might  win  them 
back,  that  he  might  have  them  again,  he  paid  that 

price.     J.  D. Therefore  glorify  God.    As 

creatures  who  derive  their  being  from  God,  we  are 
bound  to  serve  him  to  the  utmost  extent  of  the 
powers  he  hath  given  us.  But  his  redeeming  grace 
brings  us  under  a  new  and  still  more  endearing 
obligation  to  his  service.  Surely  nothing  can  ap- 
pear more  just  and  equitable  than  that  he  who 
bought  us  should  possess  us,  and  that  the  ransomed 
should  be  entirely  devoted  to  their  Redeemer.    R.  W. 

Which  are  God's.  The  being  that  lives  con- 
tinually in  God  may  well  be  called  God's.  The 
whole  man,  from  center  to  circumference,  the  man 
developed  and  the  man  undeveloped,  all  that  lies 
within  these  souls  in  germ,  waiting  other  scenes  and 
other  eyes  and  other  influences  to  bring  it  out — all, 
all  is  God's.  He  stamps  it  his.  We  are  only  free 
when  we  come  into  the  possession  of  God.  Till 
then  we  are  bond-servants — free  ever  after.  We 
lose  ourselves  in  God.  When  we  allow  God  to  call 
us  his,  then  he  allows  us  to  call  him  ours.  He 
gains  a  creature  and  wc  gain  a  Creator.  He  gains 
a  lost  sinner  and  we  gain  a  Redeeming  Saviour  and 
an  eternal  Father  and  Friend.    J.  D. 


SECTION  265.— 1  CORINTHIAN'S  7  : 1-40.  299 

Section   265. 

1    C0EIJfTHIA3S'3  vii.  1-40. 

1  Now  concerning  the  things  whereof  ye  wrote  unto  me :  It  is  good  for  a  man  not  to  touch 

2  a  woman.     Nevertheless,  to  avoid  fornication,  let  every  man  have  his  own  wife,  and  let 

3  every  woman  have  her  own  husband.     Let  the  husband  render  unto  the  wife  due  benevo- 

4  lence :  and  likewise  also  the  wife  unto  the  husband.     The  wife  hath  not  power  of  her  own 
body,  but  the  husband :  and  likewise  also  the  husband  hath  not  power  of  his  own  body, 

5  but  the  wife.     Defraud  ye  not  one  the  other,  except  it  ie  with  consent  for  a  time,  that  ye 
may  give  yourselves  to  fasting  and  prayer ;  and  come  together  again,  that  Satan  tempt  you 

6  not  for  your  incontinency.     But  I  speak  this  by  permission,  and  not  of  commandment.    For 

7  I  would  that  all  men  were  even  as  I  myself.     But  every  man  hath  his  proper  gift  of  God, 

8  one  after  this  manner,  and  another  after  tbat.    I  say  therefore  to  the  unmarried  and  widows, 

9  It  is  good  for  them  if  they  abide  even  as  I.     But  if  they  cannot  contain,  let  them  marry: 

10  for  it  is  better  to  marry  than  to  burn.     And  unto  the  married  I  command,  yet  not  I,  but  the 

11  Lord,  Let  not  the  wife  depart  from  her  husband :  but  and  if  she  depart,  let  her  remain  un- 

12  married,  or  be  reconciled  to  her  husband :  and  let  not  the  husband  put  away  his  wife.  But 
to  the  rest  speak  I,  not  the  Lord:  If  any  brother  hath  a  wife  that  believeth  not,  and  she  be 

13  pleased  to  dwell  with  him,  let  him  not  put  her  away.     And  the  woman  which  hath  an  hus- 

14  band  that  believeth  not,  and  if  he  be  pleased  to  dwell  with  her,  let  her  not  leave  him.  For 
the  unbelieving  husband  is  sanctified  by  the  wife,  and  the  unbelieving  wife  is  sanctified  by 

15  the  husband:  else  were  your  children  unclean;  but  now  are  they  holy.  But  if  the  unbe- 
lieving depart,  let  him  depart.     A  brother  or  a  sister  is  not  under  bondage  in  such  cases: 

16  but  God  hath  called  us  to  peace.  For  what  knowest  thou,  O  wife,  whether  thou  shalt  save 
thy  husband  ?  or  how  knowest  thou,  O  man,  whether  thou  shalt  save  thy  wife  ? 

17  But  as  God  hath  distributed  to  every  man,  as  the  Lord  hath  called  every  one,  so  let  him 

18  walk.     And  so  ordain  I  in  all  churches.     Is  any  man  called  being  circumcised?  let  him  not 

19  become  uncircumcised.  Is  any  called  in  uncircumcision  ?  let  him  not  be  circumcised.  Cir- 
cumcision is  nothing,  and  uncircumcision  is  nothing,  but  the  keeping  of  the  commandments 

20  of  God.    Let  every  man  abide  in  the  same  calling  wherein  he  was  called.     Art  thou  called 

21  leing  a  servant  ?  care  not  for  it :  but  If  thou  mayest  be  made  free,  use  it  rather.    For  he  that 

22  is  called  in  the  Lord,  being  a  servant,  is  the  Lord's  freeman :  likewise  also  he  that  is  called, 

23  being  free,  is  Christ's  servant.    Ye  are  bought  with  a  price  ;  be  not  ye  the  servants  of  men. 

24  Brethren,  let  every  man,  wherein  he  is  called,  therein  abide  with  God.    Now  concerning 

25  virgins  I  have  no  commandment  of  the  Lord :  yet  I  give  my  judgment,  as  one  that  hath  ob- 

26  tained  mercy  of  the  Lord  to  be  faithful.     I  suppose  therefore  that  this  is  good  for  the  pres- 

27  ent  distress,  I  say,  that  it  is  good  for  a  man  so  to  be.    Art  thou  bound  unto  a  wife?  seek 

28  not  to  be  loosed.  Art  thou  loosed  from  a  wife  ?  seek  not  a  wife.  But  and  if  thou  marry, 
thou  hast  not  sinned;  and  if  a  virgin  marry,  she  hath  not  sinned.     Nevertheless  such  shall 

29  have  trouble  in  the  flesh :  but  I  spare  you.     But  this  I  say,  brethren,  the  time  is  short :  it 

30  remaineth,  that  both  they  that  have  wives  be  as  though  they  had  none ;  and  they  that  weep, 
as  though  they  wept  not;  and  they  that  rejoice,  as  though  they  rejoiced  not;  and  they 

31  that  buy,  as  though  they  possessed  not ;  and  they  that  use  this  world,  as  not  abusing  it :  for 
the  fashion  of  this  world  passeth  away. 

32  But  I  would  have  you  without  carefulness.     He  that  is  unmarried  careth  for  the  things 

33  that  belong  to  the  Lord,  how  he  may  please  the  Lord :  but  he  that  is  married  careth  for  the 

34  things  that  are  of  the  world,  how  he  may  please  his  wife.  There  is  difference  also  between 
a  Avife  and  a  virgin.  The  unmarried  woman  careth  for  the  things  of  the  Lord,  that  she  may 
be  holy  both  in  body  and  in  spirit ;  but  she  that  is  married  careth  for  the  things  of  the 

35  world,  how  she  may  please  he7-  husband.  And  this  I  speak  for  your  own  profit;  not  that  I 
may  cast  a  snare  upon  you,  but  for  that  which  is  comely,  and  that  ye  may  attend  upon  the 

36  Lord  without  distraction.  But  if  any  man  think  that  he  behaveth  himself  uncomely  to- 
ward his  virgin,  if  she  pass  the  flower  of  her  age,  and  need  so  require,  let  him  do  what  he 

37  will,  he  sinneth  not :  let  them  marry.  Nevertheless  he  that  standeth  stedfast  in  his  heart, 
having  no  necessity,  but  hath  power  over  his  own  will,  and  hath  so  decreed  in  his  heart 

38  that  he  will  keep  his  virgin,  doeth  well.     So  then  he  that  giveth  her  in  marriage  doeth  well; 

39  but  he  that  giveth  her  not  in  marriage  doeth  better.  The  wife  is  bound  by  the  law  as  long 
as  her  husband  liveth ;  but  if  her  husband  be  dead,  she  is  at  liberty  to  be  married  to  whom 

40  she  will;  onlj-  in  the  Lord.  But  she  is  happier  if  she  so  abide,  after  my  judgment:  and  I 
think  also  that  I  have  the  Spirit  of  God. 


300 


SECTION  265.— 1  COEINTHIANS  7  : 1-lfi. 


Each  man's  wisdom  and  happiness  must  consist  in  doing,  as  well  as  his  faculties  will  admit,  the 
work  which  God  sets  him.  So  thought  and  so  wrote,  by  immediate  inspiration,  the  great  apostle  of  the 
Gentiles.  lie  did  not  counsel  his  converts  to  join  himself  and  Barnabas  in  their  missionary  tours ;  but 
while  rcmindin"  them  ever  and  anon  that  the  great  system  of  society  would  ere  long  run  down  and  come 

to  an  end rin'nn"-  ever  and  auon  the  great  funeral  knell  of  the  world,  "the  fashion  of  this  world  passeth 

a,vay  " he  told  them  distinctly  and  emphatically  that  so  long  as  the  system  still  worked  on,  each  one 

was  to  retain  his  position  in  it.  "  Brethren,  let  every  man,  wherein  he  is  called,  therein  abide  with  God." 
Ah !  "  with  God."  Those  words  wrap  up  the  secret  of  which  we  are  in  search,  the  secret  by  which  we 
may  do  God  service  in  our  daily  business,  and  convert  the  most  secular  occupation,  so  long  as  it  be  an  in- 
nocent one,  into  fine  gold  of  the  altar.     E.  M.  G. 

This  world  is  not  yours  ;  thank  God  it  is  not.  Things  are  passing ;  our  friends  are  dropping  off  from 
us  •  strength  is  giving  way ;  our  relish  for  earth  is  going ;  and  the  world  no  longer  wears  to  our  hearts  the 
radiance  that  once  it  wore.  We  have  the  same  sky  above  us  and  the  same  scenes  around  us,  but  the 
freshness  that  our  hearts  extracted  from  everything  in  boyhood,  and  the  glory  that  seemed  to  rest  once  on 
earth  and  life,  has  faded  away  for  ever.  Sad  and  gloomy  truths  to  the  man  who  is  going  down  to  the 
"•rave  with  his  work  undone.  Not  sad  to  the  Christian,  but  rousing,  exciting,  invigorating.  If  it  be  the 
eleventh  hour,  we  have  no  time  for  folding  of  the  hands ;  we  will  work  the  faster.  Through  the  change- 
fulness  of  life ;  through  the  solemn  tolling  of  the  bell  of  Time,  which  tells  us  that  another,  and  another, 
and  another  are  gone  before  us ;  through  the  noiseless  rush  of  a  world  which  is  going  down  with  gigantic 
footsteps  into  nothingness.  Let  not  the  Christian  slack  his  hand  from  work ;  for  he  that  doeth  the  will 
of  God  may  defy  hell  itself  to  quench  his  immortality.     F.  W.  R. 


In  the  application  of  the  principles  of  Christian- 
ity to  the  varying  circumstances  of  life,  innumerable 
difficulties  had  arisen,  and  the  Corinthians  upon 
these  difficulties  had  put  certain  questions  to  the 
apostle  Paul.  We  have  here  the  apostle's  answers 
to  many  of  these  questions.  It  is  manifestly  plain 
that  there  are  many  questions  in  which  right  and 
wrong  are  not  variable,  but  indissoluble  and  fixed  ; 
while  there  are  questions,  on  the  other  hand,  where 
these  terms  are  not  fixed,  but  variable,  fluctuating, 
altering,  dependent  upon  circumstances.  As,  for 
instance,  those  in  which  the  apostle  teaches  in  the 
present  chapter  the  several  duties  and  advantages 
of  marriage  and  celibacy.  There  may  be  circum- 
stances in  which  it  is  the  duty  of  a  Christian  man 
to  be  married  ;  there  are  others  in  which  it  may  be 
his  duty  to  remain  unmarried.  These  are  questions 
of  casuistry,  which  depend  on  the  particular  cane ; 
from  which  word  the  term  "  casuistry  "  is  derived. 

6.  The  real  distinction  is  not  between  inspired 
and  uninspired,  but  between  a  decision  in  matters  of 
Christian  duty  and  advice  in  matters  of  Christian 
prudence.  It  is  abundantly  evident  that  God  can 
not  give  advice;  he  can  only  issue  a  command. 
When  we  come  to  advice,  there  is  introduced  the 
human  element.  In  all  such  cases,  therefore,  as  are 
dependent  upon  circumstances  the  apostle  speaks  as 
one  whose  judgment  we  have  no  right  to  find  fault 
with  or  to  cavil  at,  who  lays  down  what  is  a  matter 
of  Christian  prudence,  and  not  a  bounden  and  uni- 
versal duty. 

10,  11.  The  apostle  here  gives  his  inspired  de- 
cision, first,  concerning  the  sanctity  of  the  marriage- 
bond  between  two  Christians.  His  verdict  is  given 
in  the  tenth  verse.  He  lays  down  the  principle  that 
the  union  is  an  indissoluble  one.  Marriage  is  of  all 
earthly  unions  almost  the  only  one  permitting  of  no 
change  but  that  of  death.  It  is  not  a  union  merely 
bet\yeen  two  creatures,  it  is  a  union  between  two 
spirits  ;  and  the  intention  of  that  bond  is  to  perfect 
the  nature  of  bntli,  by  supplementing  their  deficicn- 
cies  with  the  force  of  contrast,  giving  to  each  sex 


those  excellences  in  which  it  is  naturally  deficient ; 
to  the  one,  strength  of  character  and  firmness  of 
moral  will,  to  the  other,  sympathy,  meekness,  ten- 
derness. And  just  so  solemn,  and  just  so  glorious 
as  these  ends  are  for  which  the  union  was  contem- 
plated and  intended,  just  so  terrible  are  the  con- 
sequences if  it  be  perverted  and  abused.  For  there 
is  no  relationship  which  has  so  much  power  to  en- 
noble and  to  exalt.  Very  strong  language  does  the 
apostle  use  in  this  chapter  respecting  it :  "  What 
knowest  thou,  0  wife,  whether  thou  shalt  save  thy 
husband  ?  or  how  knowest  thou,  0  man,  whether 
thou  shalt  save  thy  wife  ?  "  The  very  power  of  sav- 
ing belongs  to  this  relationship.  And,  on  the  other 
hand,  there  is  no  earthly  relationship  which  has  so 
much  power  to  wreck  and  ruin  the  soul. 

12,  13.  The  second  decision  which  the  apostle 
makes  is  as  to  the  sanctity  of  the  marriage  bond 
between  a  Christian  and  one  who  is  a  heathen. 
With  his  usual  inspired  wisdom  he  decides  that  the 
marriage  bond  is  sacred  still.  Diversities  of  reli- 
gious opinion  can  not  sanction  separation. 

14.  They  are  holy.  It  follows,  if  the  chil- 
dren are  holy  in  this  sense  of  dedicated  to  God,  and 
are  capable  of  Christian  relationship,  then  the  mar- 
riage relation  was  not  unhallowed,  but  sacred  and 
indissoluble.  The  value  of  this  argument  in  the 
present  day  depends  on  its  relationship  to  baptism. 
The  baptismal  question  is  this :  whether  we  are 
baptized  because  we  are  the  children  of  God,  or 
whether  wc  are  the  children  of  God  because  we  are 
baptized.  The  apostle's  argument  is  full,  decisive, 
and  unanswerable.  He  does  not  say  that  these 
children  were  Christian,  or  clean,  because  they 
were  baptized,  but  they  were  the  children  of  God 
because  they  were  the  children  of  one  Christian 
parent. 


SECTION  265.— 1  CORINTHIAN'S  7 : 1-^0. 


301 


17-23.  The  third  decision  which  the  apostle 
gives,  the  third  principle  which  he  lays  down,  is  but 
the  development  of  the  last.  Christianity,  he  says, 
does  not  interfere  with  existing  relationships.  Chris- 
tian men  were  to  remain  in  those  relationships  in 
which  they  were  when  called,  and  in  them  to  de- 
velop the  inward  spirituality  of  the  Christian  life. 
Then  he  applies  this  principle  in  two  ways.  With 
respect  to  the  Church,  he  says :  "  Is  any  man  called 
being  circumcised  ?  let  him  not  become  uncircum- 
cised.  Is  any  called  in  uucircumeision  ?  let  him 
not  be  circumcised."  Cln-istianity  required  no 
change  in  these  outward  things,  for  it  was  not  in 
these  that  the  depth  and  reality  of  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  consisted.  Lastly,  the  apostle  applies  this 
principle  to  that  civil  relationship  which,  of  all  oth- 
ers, was  the  most  difficult  to  harmonize  with  Chris- 
tianity— slavery.  "  Art  thou  called,"  he  says,  "  be- 
ing a  servant '?  Care  not  for  it."  This  occurred  in 
an  age  in  which  slavery  had  reached  its  worst  and 
most  fearful  form,  an  age  in  which  the  emperors 
were  accustomed,  not  unfrequently,  to  feed  their 
fish  with  living  slaves ;  when  captives  were  led  to 
fight  in  the  amphitheatre  with  wild  beasts  or  with 
each  other,  to  glut  the  Roman  appetite  for  blood 
upon  a  Eoman  holiday.  And  yet,  fearful  as  it  was, 
the  apostle  says,  "  Care  not  for  it."     F.  W.  E. 

Verse  21  ought  to  stand,  "  Wast  thou  called  be- 
ing a  slave  ?  Care  not  for  it :  nay,  even  if  thou 
canst  be  made  free,  use  it  [slavery]  rather  "  ;  i.  e., 
"abide  in  the  calling  wherein  thou  wast  called." 
As  the  English  version  now  stands,  it  bears  a  sense 
directly  contrary  to  that  which  the  apostle  is  en- 
joining ;  viz.,  the  sense  that  the  slave  should  get  lib- 
erated if  he  could,  which  would  be  to  desert  the  call- 
ing wherein  he  was  called.  Throughout  this  pass- 
age "  servant "  should  be  "  slave  "  ;  otherwise  the 
strong  recommendation  of  the  apostle  is  weak- 
ened.   A. 

24.  Having  found  him,  the  business  of  life  is 
to  follow  Christ.  In  following  our  respective  call- 
ings we  are  to  follow  him.  We  may  not  perhaps 
be  called  awa>^  from  our  counters  like  Matthew,  or 
our  ships  and  nets  like  Peter  and  John,  or  our 
law-studies  like  Paul,  but  we  rmisf  give  up  ourselves, 
in  all  these  pursuits,  to  Christ,  and  must  pursue 
them  for  Christ,  and  pursue  him  in  them.  A  mer- 
chant who  truly  pursues  his  business  for  Christ, 
and  maintains  always  a  frame  of  heavenly-minded- 
ness,  may  be  so  far  forth  a  greater  Christian  than  a 
minister  of  the  gospel,  who  pursues  his  business 
for  Christ ;  there  being  more  to  be  overcome  in  the 
former  case,  greater  difficulties  in  the  way,  and  per- 
haps greater  temptations.  And  certainly  a  man's 
crown  of  glory  by  and  by  will  be  determined,  not  by 
the  position  he  filled,  but  the  manner  in  which  he 
filled  it,  whatever  it  might  be;   the  sacrifices  he 


made,  whatever  they  were.     G.  B.  C. To  Paul, 

the  work  to  which  Paul  was  called  of  God,  and  for 
which  Paul  was  prepared  of  God  ;  and  to  you,  your 
work,  to  which  you  have  been  equally  called,  and 
for  which,  doubt  it  not,  you  have  been  equally  pre- 
pared. Whoever  you  are,  and  whatever  you  may 
have  to  do,  be  content  with  the  task  which  is  fallen 
to  you  ;  and  while  magnifying  it,  if  God  shall  afford 
you  the  opportunity,  be  loss  solicitous  to  magnify 
than  to  fulfill  it,  that  is,  to  leave  no  part  of  its 
duties  which  shall  not  be  entered  and  penetrated  by 
your  action.     Monod. 

Abide  with  God.  Certainly  no  man's  call- 
ing is  a  calling  away  from  God  or  godliness.  Those 
are  very  ignorant  who  think  themselves  so  closely 
tied  up  to  their  particular  callings  six  days  in  the 
week  that  they  must  not  intermeddle  with  any  re- 
ligious duties  during  those  days.  God,  who  is  the 
Lord  of  time,  has  reserved  some  part  of  it  to  him- 
self every  day.  Though  the  Jews  were  commanded 
to  labor  six  days  of  the  week,  yet  they  were  in- 
structed also  to  offer  up  the  moriiing  and  evening 
sacrifice  daily.     Brooks. 

26-28.  In  the  Church  of  Corinth  there  were 
two  opposite  parties  holding  views  diametrically 
opposed  to  one  another — one  honoring  the  married 
and  depreciating  the  unmarried  life — the  other  at- 
tributing peculiar  dignity  and  sanctity  to  celibacy, 
and  looking  down  with  contempt  upon  the  married 
Christian  state.  Paul  does  not  decide,  as  we  might 
have  been  led  to  suppose  he  would,  from  his  own 
peculiarity  of  disposition,  upon  one  side  only ;  but 
raises  into  relief  the  advantages  and  excellences  of 
both.  He  attributes  no  intrinsic  merit  or  dignity 
to  either  celibacy  or  marriage.  The  comparative 
advantages  of  these  two  states  he  decides  with 
reference  to  two  considerations :  first  of  all,  with 
respect  to  their  comparative  power  in  raising  the 
character  of  the  individual,  and  afterward  with 
reference  to  the  opportunities  which  each  respec- 
tively gives  for  the  service  of  God. 

29-31.  Observe  the  deep  wisdom  of  this  apos- 
tolic decision.  In  point  of  fact,  it  comes  to  this : 
Christianity  consists  of  principles,  but  the  applica- 
tion of  those  principles  is  left  to  every  man's  indi- 
vidual conscience.  With  respect  to  all  the  questions 
which  had  been  brought  before  him,  the  apostle  ap- 
plies the  same  principle ;  the  cases  upon  which  he 
decided  were  many  and  various,  but  the  large,  broad 
principle  of  his  decision  remains  the  same  in  all. 
You  may  marry,  and  you  have  not  sinned  ;  you  may 
remain  unmarried,  and  you  do  not  sin ;  if  you  are 
invited  to  a  heathen  feast,  you  may  go,  or  you  may 
abstain  from  going ;  you  may  remain  a  slave,  or  you 
may  become  free ;  in  these  things  Christianity  does 
not  consist.  But  what  it  does  demand  is  this: 
that  whether  married  or  unmarried,  whether  a  slave 


302 


SECTION  265.^1   CORINTHIANS  7  : 1-J,0. 


or  free,  in  sorrow  or  in  joy,  you  are  to  live  in  a  spirit 
higher  and  loftier  than  that  of  the  world. 

The  apostle  gives  us  two  motives  for  this  Chris- 
tian unworldUncss.  The  first  is  this  :  "  The  time  is 
short."  He  turns,  as  it  were,  entirely  away  from 
the  subject,  as  if  worn  out  and  wearied  by  the  com- 
paratively trivial  character  of  the  questions,  as  if 
this  balancing  of  one  earthly  condition  or  advantage 
with  another  were  but  a  solemn  trifling  compared 
with  eternal  things,  and  speaks  of  the  shortness  of 
time.  The  thought  of  time  is  solemn  and  awful  to 
all  minds  in  proportion  to  their  depth.  Let  but  a 
man  possess  himself  of  this  thought,  that  time  is 
short,  that  eternity  is  long,  and  he  has  learned  the 
first  great  secret  of  unworldliness.  The  second  mo- 
tive which  the  apostle  gives  us  is  the  changing  char- 
acter of  the  external  world.  "  The  fashion  of  this 
world  passeth  away  "  ;  literally,  "  the  scenery  of  this 
world,"  a  dramatic  expression  drawn  from  the  Gre- 
cian stage.  The  principle  of  Christian  unworldli- 
ness is  to  "  use  this  world  as  not  abusing  it."  The 
spirit  of  the  world  says :  "  Time  is  short,  therefore  use 
it  while  you  have  it ;  take  your  fill  of  pleasure  while 
you  may."  Christianity  says :  "  Use  this  world  "  ; 
but  in  opposition  to  the  spirit  of  the  world  it  adds : 
"  Do  not  abuse  it."  Unworldliness  is  this  :  to  hold 
things  from  God  in  the  perpetual  conviction  that  they 
will  not  last ;  to  have  the  world,  and  not  to  let  the 
world  have  us ;  to  be  the  world's  masters,  and  not 
the  world's  slaves.     F.  W.  R. 

Paul  was  in  the  midst  of  work,  full  of  the  in- 
terest and  joy  of  living,  holding  the  reins  of  many 
complicated  labors  in  his  hands,  and  he  quietly  said : 
"  This  is  not  going  to  last  long.  Very  soon  it  will 
be  over."  There  is  simply  a  calm  and  satisfied  rec- 
ognition of  a  fact.  It  is  the  quiet  statement  of  a 
great  eternal  necessity,  at  which  the  wise  man  must 
feel  the  same  kind  of  serious  joy  as  that  with  which 
he  follows  the  movements  of  the  stars,  and  looks  to 
see  day  and  night  inevitably  give  place  to  one  an- 
other.    P.  B. 

30.  Paul  found  the  secret  of  the  wisdom  that  at 
once  allows  these  tender  alternations  of  human  feel- 
ing, and  yet  subjects  them  to  a  holier  faith :  "  They 
that  weep  should  be  as  though  they  wept  not ;  and 
they  that  rejoice,  as  though  they  rejoiced  not."  Be- 
cause there  is  a  life,  possible  to  the  soul  through 
the  Spirit,  in  which  fear  and  mourning  and  suffering 
and  death  itself  are  swallowed  up  and  lost,  like 
bubbles  on  some  calm,  deep  stream.     F.  D.  H. 

31.  Use  this  world.  Religion  bars  not  the 
lawful  delights  that  are  taken  in  natural  things,  but 
teaches  the  moderate  and  regular  use  of  them,  which 
is  far  the  sweeter ;  for  things  lawful  in  themselves 
are  in  their  excess  sinful,  and  so  prove  bitterness  in 
the  end ;  and  if  in  some  cases  it  requires  the  for- 
saking of  lawful  enjoyments  for  God  and  for  his 


glory,  it  is  generous  and  more  truly  delightful  to 
deny  them  for  this  reason  than  to  enjoy  them. 
Men  have  done  much  this  way  for  the  love  of  their 
country  and  by  a  principle  of  moral  virtue ;  but  to 
lose  any  delight  or  to  suffer  any  hardship  for  that 
highest  end,  the  glory  of  God,  and  by  the  strength 
of  love  to  him,  is  far  more  excellent  and  truly  plea- 
sant.    L. 

Religion  is  the  «?•<  of  being  and  of  doing  good; 
to  be  an  adept  in  it  is  to  become  just,  truthful,  sin- 
cere, self-denied,  gentle,  forbearing,  pure  in  word 
and  thought  and  deed.  And  the  school  for  learning 
this  art  is  not  the  closet  but  the  world ;  the  com- 
mon world,  with  its  cares  and  temptations,  its  rival- 
ries and  competitions,  its  hourly,  ever-recurring 
trials  of  temper  and  character.  Prayer,  praise,  and 
holy  ordinances  are  necessary  to  religion — no  man 
can  be  religious  without  them.  But  religion  is 
mainly  and  chiefly  the  glorifying  God  amid  the 
duties  and  trials  of  the  world ;  the  bearing  us  man- 
fully, wisely,  courageously,  for  the  honor  of  Christ, 
our  great  leader  in  the  conflict  of  life.     Caird. 

As  not  abusing  it.  All  immoderate  use  of 
the  world  and  its  delights  wrongs  the  soul  in  its 
spiritual  condition,  makes  it  sickly  and  feeble ;  be- 
numbs the  graces  of  the  spirit,  and  fills  the  soul 
with  sleepy  vapors ;  makes  it  grow  secure  and 
heavy  in  spiritual  exercises,  and  obstructs  the  way 
and  motion  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  soul ;  there- 
fore, if  you  would  be  spiritual,  healthful,  and  vigor- 
ous, and  enjoy  much  of  the  consolations  of  heaven, 
be  sparing  and  sober  in  those  of  the  earth,  and  what 
you  abate  of  the  one  shall  be  certainly  made  up  in 

the  other.     L. A  pleasure-seeking  soul  never 

can  be  unselfish,  magnanimous,  serene,  brave,  pure. 
Such  qualities  come  from  sources  far  higher  than 
the  love  of  personal  enjoyment.  They  come  from 
the  love  of  truth,  from  the  practice  of  duty,  from 
the  habit  of  self-sacrifice,  from  seriousness,  reflec- 
tion, prayer.  The  love  of  pleasure  can  not  give 
these  things,  but  the  love  and  pursuit  of  pleasure 
can  take  them  away ;  will  certainly  much  diminish 
their  strength,  and  put  them  all  in  peril.  It  is 
therefore  one  of  the  Christian's  daily  lessons  to 
teach  himself  effectually  how  to  "  use  this  world  as 
not  abusing  it " ;  i.  e.,  how  to  extract  from  pres- 
ent things  all  fair  and  honest  enjoyment,  with- 
out allowing  selfishness  and  mere  appetite  bo 
to  touch  and  transmute  them  in  the  process  that 
the  enjoyment  shall  have  some  admixture  of  baser 
elements,  and  be  no  longer  the  thing  which  the 
divine  beneficence  provides  for  man's  hunger  and 
thirst.     A.  R. 

In  verses  36  and  3*7,  "  his  virgin  "  should  be 
"  his  virgin  daughter."  The  case  supposed  is  that 
of  a  father,  doubtful  whether  he  shall  or  shall  not 
give  his  daughter  in  marriage.     A. 


SECTION  266.-1   CORINTHIANS  8  : 1-13. 


303 


Section  266. 

1   COEINTHIAJTS  viii.  1-13. 

1  N'ow  as  touching  things  offered  unto  idols,  we  know  that  we  all  have  knowledge.    Knowl- 

2  edge  puffeth  up,  but  charity  edifieth.     And  if  any  man  think  that  he  knoweth  any  thing, 

3  he  knoweth  nothing  yet  as  he  ought  to  know.     But  if  any  man  love  God,  the  same  is 

4  known  of  him.     As  concerning  therefore  the  eating  of  those  things  that  are  offered  in 
sacrifice  unto  idols,  we  know  that  an  idol  is  nothing  in  the  world,  and  that  there  is  none 

5  other  God  but  one.    For  though  there  be  that  are  called  gods,  whether  in  heaven  or  in 

6  earth,  (as  there  be  gods  many,  and  lords  many,)  but  to  us  there  is  hut  one  God,  the  Father, 
of  whom  are  all  things,  and  we  in  him  ;  and  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  are  all  things, 

7  and  we  by  him.     Howbeit  there  is  not  in  every  man  that  knowledge :  for  some  with  con- 
science of  the  idol  unto  this  hour  eat  it  as  a  thing  offered  unto  an  idol ;  and  their  conscience 

8  being  weak  is  defiled.     But  meat  commendeth  us  not  to  God :  for  neither,  if  we  eat,  are  we 

9  the  better ;  neither,  if  we  eat  not,  are  we  the  worse.     But  take  heed  lest  by  any  means  this 

10  liberty  of  your's  become  a  stumblingblock  to  them  that  are  weak.  For  if  any  man  see  thee 
which  hast  knowledge  sit  at  meat  in  the  idol's  temple,  shall  not  the  conscience  of  him 

11  which  is  Aveak  be  emboldened  to  eat  those  things  which  are  offered  to  idols ;  and  through 

12  thy  knowledge  shall  the  weak  brother  perish,  for  whom  Christ  died?    But  when  ye  sin  so 

13  against  the  brethren,  and  wound  their  weak  conscience,  ye  sin  against  Christ.  Wherefore, 
if  meat  make  my  brother  to  offend,  I  will  eat  no  flesh  while  the  world  standeth,  lest  I 
make  my  brother  to  offend. 

Religion  is  the  devotion  of  the  soul  to  God.  Then  everything  besides  is  not  religion,  but  at  most  a 
means  to  it.  That  is  titie  about  all  Christian  ordinances.  It  is  true  abt)ut  all  acts  and  forms  of  Cliristian 
worship.  These  are  not  religion,  but  means  to  it.  Their  only  value  and  their  only  test  is,  Do  they  help 
men  to  know  and  feel  Christ  and  his  truth  ?  It  is  true  about  laws  of  life  and  many  points  of  conven- 
tional morality.  Remember  the  grand  freedom  with  which  the  apostle  dealt  with  the  question  about 
meats  offered  to  idols.  The  same  principle  guided  him  when  he  said,  "  Meat  commendeth  us  not  to  God  ; 
for  neither  if  we  eat  are  we  the  better,  neither  if  we  eat  not  are  we  the  worse."  The  separation  is  broad 
and  deep.  On  one  side  are  all  externals,  rites,  ceremonies,  politics,  church  arrangements,  forms  of  wor. 
ship,  modes  of  life,  practices  of  morality,  doctrines,  and  creeds — all  which  are  externals  to  the  soul ;  on 
the  other  is  faith  working  through  love,  the  inmost  attitude  and  deepest  emotion  of  the  soul.  The  great 
heap  is  fuel ;  the  flame  is  loving  faith.  The  only  worth  of  the  fuel  is  to  feed  the  flame ;  otherwise  it  is 
of  no  avail.  We  are  joined  to  God  by  faith.  Whatever  strengthens  that  is  precious  as  a  help,  but  is 
worthless  as  a  substitute.    A.  M. 


1.  Knowledge  jni.ffdh  up.  It  does  not  say  mis- 
taken knowledge,  or  error,  but  knowledge  in  general, 
and,  consequently,  truth  as  well  as  error.  Love 
edifieth.  To  edify  is  to  construct,  to  build,  to  erect 
a  solid  monument  or  habitable  abode ;  in  two  words, 
to  produce  a  positive  result.  This  is  the  true  mean- 
ing of  the  word  edify.  Thus,  then,  in  truth  (if  it  is 
only  thought)  there  is  inflation,  wind,  nothing ;  in 
love  is  the  positive  and  the  real.  Such  is  the  doc- 
trine of  Paul.  It  is  also  evidently  that  of  John, 
when  he  says  that  he  who  loves  God  knows  him. 

A.  V. The  understanding  does  not  redeem  the 

heart,  for  then  were  the  learned  the  converted. 
Reason  can  not  give  man  regeneration,  though  it 
can  make  him  proud,  and  lead  him  into  wrong 
,  paths.  Reason  is  not  the  redeemer  of  men,  but 
Jesus  Christ  the  Crucified  One.     A.  C. 


4.  The  idol  is  nothing  as  a  god,  and  has  no  share 
in  the  government  of  the  world.  The  heathen  had 
three  classes  of  deities :  the  celestial  gods,  supposed 
to  reside  generally  in  the  heavens ;  the  terrestial, 
called  demons  (see  ch.  10  :  20),  and  the  infernal.    M. 

5,  6.  There  is  much  of  the  spirit  of  these  Corin- 
thians existing  now.  Men  throw  off  what  they  call 
the  trammels  of  education,  false  systems,  and  super- 
stitions, and  then  call  themselves  free :  they  think 
it  a  grand  thing  to  reverence  nothing.  The  true 
freedom  from  superstition  is  free  seiTice  to  religion ; 
the  real  emancipation  from  false  gods  is  reverence 
for  the  true  God.  For  high  knowledge  is  to  be  freed 
from  tlie  fear  of  the  many  in  order  to  adore  and 
love  the  one.  And  not  merely  is  this  the  only  real 
knowledge,  but  no  other  knowledge  "  buildeth  up  " 
the  soul.     Separate  from  love,  the  more  we  know 


304 


SECTION  266.— 1  COEINTHIANS  8  :  1-13. 


the  profounder  the  mystery  of  life  becomes;  the 
more  dreary  and  borril>lc  becomes  existence. 
F.  W.  R.  • 

6.  I  gratefully  adore  that  incomprehensible  ex- 
istence, the  Father  in  the  Son  and  the  Son  in  the 
Father.  It  is  the  life,  the  power,  the  spiritual 
grandeur,  the  one  distinguishing  fact  and  transcen- 
dent glory  of  the  Christian  faith.  A  God  without 
unfathomable  realities  in  the  contents  of  his  nature 
would  be  no  God,  just  as  a  religion  without  mystery 
would  be  no  religion.  In  the  one  case  we  should  be 
orphans,  as  in  the  other  we  should  be  skeptics,  faith- 
less and  forlorn.     F.  D.  11. 

But  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Some  want  a 
Christ  who  is  not  God ;  others  a  Christ  who  is  not 
a  sacrifice ;  a  Christ  without  a  cross,  and  without 
blood  ;  a  Christ  who  will  teach  but  not  expiate  sin ; 
a  Christ  whose  life  and  death  are  an  example  of 
self-surrender  to  the  utmost,  but  not  an  atonement ; 
a  Christ  who  is  not  a  judge,  nor  a  lawgiver,  nor  a 
priest,  and  only  a  prophet  in  the  sense  of  teacher. 
Thus  in  the  present  day  there  are  many  Christs. 
It  has  been  so  all  along ;  only  the  apostle  John  calls 
them  not  Christs  but  Antichrists — "  many  Anti- 
christs." To  us  there  is  but  one  Christ.  He  who 
was  announced  as  the  woman's  seed  ;  he  of  whom 
Abel's  sacrifice  spoke;  he  of  whom  Enoch  proph- 
esied as  the  Avenger;  he  who  "was  revealed  to 
Abraham  as  his  seed ;  he  of  whom  Job  spoke  as 
the  Redeemer ;  he  of  whom  Moses  spoke  as  the 
Prophet ;  of  whose  work  the  whole  book  of  Leviti- 
cus ia  full ;  he  of  whom  David  sang  as  the  sufferer 
yet  the  King ;  he  of  whom  Isaiah  and  all  the  proph- 
ets sang;  he  who  proclaimed  himself  as  come  to 
seek  the  lost ;  to  whom  John  the  Baptist  pointed  as 
the  Lamb  of  God ;  who  hung  on  the  cross,  and  died 
in  anguish,  yet  rose  again  and  ascended  on  high ;  he 
is  the  one  Christ  whom  we  recognize.     Bormr. 

7.  Their  conscience,  being  weak,  is  de- 
filed. There  could  be  no  harm  in  eating  the  flesh 
of  an  animal  that  had  been  offered  to  an  idol  or 
false  god,  for  a  false  god  is  nothing.  And  yet  if 
any  man  thought  it  wrong  to  eat  such  flesh,  to  him 
it  was  wrong ;  for  in  that  act  there  would  be  a  de- 
liberate act  of  transgression — a  deliberate  prefer- 
ence of  that  which  was  mere  enjoyment  to  that 
which  was  apparently,  though  it  may  be  only  appa- 
rently, sanctioned  by  the  law  of  God.  And  so  that 
act  would  carry  with  it  all  the  disobedience,  all  the 
guilt,  and  all  the  misery  which  belongs  to  the  doing 
of  an  act  altogether  wrong ;  or,  as  Paul  expresses 
it,  the  conscience  would  become  defiled. 

Do  what  seems  to  you  to  be  right :  it  is  only  so 
that  you  will  at  last  learn  by  the  grace  of  God  to  see 
clearly  what  is  right.  A  man  thinks  within  himself 
that  it  is  God's  law  and  God's  will  that  he  should 
act  thus  and  thus,     lie  is  responsible  for  the  opin- 


ions he  holds,  and  still  more  for  the  way  in  which 
he  arrived  at  them — whether  in  a  slothful  and  selfish 
or  in  an  honest  and  truth-seeking  manner  ;  but  bein'' 
now  his  soul's  convictions,  you  can  give  no  other 
law  than  this :  "  You  must  obey  your  conscience." 

12.  It  was  to  him  a  prerogative  far  more  precious 
to  assert  the  rights  of  Christian  conscience  than  to 
magnify  the  privileges  of  Christian  liberty.  The 
scruple  may  be  small  and  foolish,  but  it  may  be  im- 
possible to  uproot  the  scruple  without  tearing  up  the 
feeling  of  the  sanctity  of  conscience,  and  of  rever- 
ence to  the  law  of  God  associated  with  this  scruple. 
And  therefore  the  apostle  counsels  these  men  to 
abridge  their  Christian  liberty,  and  not  to  eat  of 
those  things  which  had  been  sacrificed  to  idols,  but 
to  have  compassion  upon  the  scruples  of  their  weaker 
brethren.  And  this  for  two  reasons.  It  might  cause 
exquisite  pain  to  sensitive  minds  to  see  those  things 
which  appeared  to  them  to  be  wrong  done  by  Chris- 
tian brethren ;  and  it  might  even  lead  their  breth- 
ren into  sin.     F.  W.  R. 

13.  The  word  offend  signifies  to  cause  any  one  io 
fall  from  his  faith^  to  renounce  his  belief  in  Christ 
by  any  means  whatever  ;  and  against  every  one  that 
makes  use  either  of  violence  or  artifice  to  terrify 
or  seduce  the  believer  in  Christ  from  his  faith  and 
obedience  to  his  divine  master,  the  severest  woes 
and  the  heaviest  punishments  are  denounced.  The 
several  modes  of  making  our  brother  to  offend  are  per- 
secution, sophistry,  ridicule,  immoral  examples,  and 
immoral  publications.  Immoral  publications  have 
the  same  tendency  with  bad  examples,  both  in  propa- 
gating vice  and  promoting  infidelity ;  but  they  are 
still  more  pernicious,  because  the  sphere  of  their  in- 
fluence is  more  extensive.  A  bad  example  operates 
comparatively  within  a  small  circumference.  But 
the  contagion  of  a  licentious  publication,  especially 
if  it  be(as  it  too  frequently  is)  in  a  popular  and  cap- 
tivating shape,  knows  no  bounds  ;  it  flies  to  the  re- 
motest corners  of  the  earth ;  it  penetrates  the  obscure 
and  retired  habitations  of  simplicity  and  innocence ; 
it  falls  into  the  hands  of  all  ages,  ranks,  and  condi- 
tions, but  it  is  peculiarly  fatal  to  the  unsuspecting 
and  unguarded  minds  of  the  youth  of  both  sexes, 
and  to  them  its  "  breath  is  poison,  and  its  touch  is 
death."     P. 

How  possible  it  is  to  mix  together  the  vigor  of  a 
masculine  and  manly  intellect  with  the  tenderness 
and  charity  which  is  taught  by  the  gospel  of  Christ! 
No  man  ever  breathed  so  freely  when  on  earth  the 
air  and  atmosphere  of  heaven  as  the  apostle  Paul ; 
no  man  ever  soared  so  high  above  all  prejudices, 
narrowness,  littlenesses,  scruples  as  he ;  and  yet 
no  man  ever  bound  himself  as  Paul  bound  himself 
to  the  ignorance,  the  scruples,  the  prejudices  of  his 
brethren.  So  that  what  in  other  cases  was  infirmi- 
ty, imbecility,  and  superstition,  gathered  round  it  in 


SECTION  267.— 1  CORINTHIANS  9  : 1-S7. 


305 


his  case  the  pure,  high  spirit  of  Christian  charity  and 
Christian  delicacy.  Match  us  if  you  can  with  one 
sentence  so  sublime,  so  noble,  as  this  single,  glorious 
sentence  of  his,  in  which  he  asserts  the  rights  of 


Christian  conscience  above  the  claims  of  Christian 
liberty :  "  Wherefore  if  meat  make  my  brother  to 
offend,  I  will  eat  no  flesh  while  the  world  standeth, 
lest  I  make  my  brother  to  offend."    F.  W.  K. 


Section  267. 

1  CoEINTniANS  ix.  1-27. 

1  Am  I  not  an  apostle  ?  am  I  not  free  ?  have  I  not  seen  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  ?  are  not  ye 

2  ray  work  in  the  Lord  ?     If  I  be  not  an  apostle  unto  others,  yet  doubtless  I  am  to  you :  for 

3  the  seal  of  mine  apostleship  are  ye  in  the  Lord.     Mine  answer  to  them  that  do  examine  me 

4  is  this,  Have  we  not  power  to  eat  and  to  drink?     Have  we  not  power  to  lead  about  a  sis- 
6  ter,  a  wife,  as  well  as  other  apostles,  and  as  the  brethren  of  the  Lord,  and  Cephas?     Or  I 

6  only  and  Barnabas,  have  not  we  power  to  forbear  working?     "Who  goeth  a  warfare  any 

7  time  at  his  own  charges?  who  planteth  a  vineyard,  and  eateth  not  of  the  fruit  thereof?  or 

8  who  feedeth  a  flock,  and  eateth  not  of  the  milk  of  the  flock  ?     Say  I  these  things  as  a  man  ? 

9  or  saith  not  the  law  the  same  also  ?     For  it  is  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  Thou  shalt  not 
muzzle  the  mouth  of  the  ox  that  treadeth  out  the  corn.     Doth  God  take  care  for  oxen  ? 

10  or  saith  he  it  altogether  for  our  sakes  ?  For  our  sakes,  no  doubt,  this  is  written  :  that  he 
that  plougheth  should  plough  in  hope  ;  and  that  he  that  thresheth  in  hope  should  be  par- 

11  taker  of  his  hope.     If  we  have  sown  unto  you  spiritual  things,  is  it  a  great  thing  if  we 

12  shall  reap  your  carnal  things  ?  If  others  be  partakers  of  t?ds  power  over  you,  are  not  we 
rather?  Nevertheless  we  have  not  used  this  power;  but  suflter  all  things,  lest  we  should 
hinder  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

13  Do  ye  not  know  that  they  which  minister  about  holy  things  live  of  the  things  of  the  tem- 

14  pie?  and  they  which  wait  at  the  altar  are  partakers  with  the  altar?    Even  so  hath  the  Lord 

15  ordained  that  they  which  preach  the  gospel  should  live  of  the  gospel.  But  I  have  used 
none  of  these  things :  neither  have  I  written  these  things,  that  it  should  be  so  done  unto 
me:  tor  it  W7er<?  better  forme  to  die,  than  that  any  man  should  make  my  glorying  void. 

16  For  though  I  preach  the  gospel,  I  have  nothing  to  glory  of:  for  necessity  is  laid  upon  me ; 

17  yea,  woe  is  unto  me,  if  I  preach  not  the  gospel!     For  if  I  do  this  thing  willingly,  I  have  a 

18  reward :  but  if  against  my  will,  a  dispensation  of  the  gospel  is  committed  unto  me.  What 
is  my  reward  then?     FenZy  that,  when  I  preach  the  gospel,  I  may  make  the  gospel  of 

19  Christ  without  charge,  that  I  abuse  not  my  power  in  the  gospel.    For  though  I  be  free 

20  from  all  men,  yet  have  I  made  myself  servant  unto  aU,  that  I  might  gain  the  more.  And 
unto  the  Jews  I  became  as  a  Jew,  that  I  might  gain  the  Jews;  to  them  that  are  under  the 

21  law,  as  under  the  law,  that  I  might  gain  them  that  are  under  the  law ;  to  them  that  are 
without  law,  as  without  law,  (being  not  without  law  to  God,  but  under  the  law  to  Christ,) 

22  that  I  might  gain  them  that  are  without  law.     To  the  weak  became  I  as  weak,  that  I  might 

23  gain  the  weak :  I  am  made  all  things  to  all  men,  that  I  might  by  all  means  save  some.     And 

24  this  I  do  for  the  gospel's  sake,  that  I  might  be  partaker  thereof  with  you.  Know  ye  not 
that  they  which  run  in  a  race  run  aU,  but  one  receiveth  the  prize  ?     So  run,  that  ye  may 

25  obtain.    And  every  man  that  striveth  for  the  mastery  is  temperate  in  all  things.     Now  they 

26  do  it  to  obtain  a  corruptible  crown ;  but  we  an  incorruptible.    I  therefore  so  run,  not  as 

27  uncertainly ;  so  fight  I,  not  as  one  that  beateth  the  air :  but  I  keep  under  my  body,  and 
bring  it  into  subjection :  lest  that  by  any  means,  when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I  myself 
should  be  a  castaway. 

A  GOOD  asceticism  belongs  to  Christianity;  the  same  which  the  apostle  describes  when  he  says,  "I 
exercise  myself  to  have  a  conscience  void  of  offense."  By  which  he  means  that  he  puts  himself  to  it  by 
the  direct  training  of  his  will.  In  this  good  asceticism  we  take  ourselves  away  purposely,  when  it  seems 
to  be  needed,  from  society,  from  gain,  and  from  animal  indulgence,  that  we  may  assert,  with  more  empha- 
sis, the  prmciple  of  self-subjection  to  God,  or  gird  ourselves  anew  to  the  divine  keeping.  Christianity 
takes  in  this  element.  Filling  us  with  great  inspirations,  it  puts  us  to  a  stout  self -discipline  also,  that  we 
may  get  position  for  still  greater  and  a  still  more  victorious  liberty.  Over  against  this  good  asceticism, 
20 


306 


SFGTI02^  S67.—1  CORINTHIANS  9  : 1-27. 


there  is  also  a  false  and  a  bad.  It  makes  a  virtue  of  self-torment,  contrives  artificial  distresses  to  move 
on  God's  pity  or  pacify  his  resentments,  or  purchase  his  favor.  It  macerates  the  body  to  make  the  soul 
weak  and  tender.  It  dispenses,  in  fact,  with  faith  itself,  and  even  thinks  to  square  its  account  with  God 
by  a  due  contribution  of  bodily  pains  and  privations.  This  bad  asceticism  we  exclude,  the  good  we  accept. 
\nd  in  this  we  shall  train  ourselves,  sometimes  even  naturally,  by  a  fast.  If  we  are  mortified  by  the 
discovery  that  the  body  is  getting  uppermost,  if  our  Sundays  are  choked,  our  great  sentiments  stifled,  by 
indul"-cnces  of  the  body  we  meant  not  to  allow,  we  shall  turn  upon  it  in  this  good  asceticism,  and  say  to 
it  with  a  meaning,  "  I  keep  under  my  body."     H.  B. 


Paul  had  laid  down  the  principle  that  it  was 
good  to  avoid  all  injury  to  the  scruples  and  consci- 
entious superstitions  of  weaker  brethren.  When 
Christian  liberty  permits  indulgence,  very  often 
Christian  love  says,  Abstain.  This  was  Paul's  prin- 
ciple. But  does  the  apostle  practice  what  he 
preaches?  The  whole  of  the  ninth  chapter  is  an 
assertion  of  his  own  consistency.  He  shows  that 
he  submitted  himself  for  love's  sake  to  restriction,  to 
which  he  was  not  in  absolute  duty  bound.  In  verses 
1-14  he  proves  his  right  to  certain  privileges,  and 
there  declares  his  salutary  abstinence  from  many  of 
them.  F.  W.  R. He  enforces  the  previous  coun- 
sels by  a  fearless  reference  to  the  self-abnegation 
which  he  had  practiced  during  his  own  residence  at 
Corinth.  Let  the  members  of  the  Church  follow 
him,  who  had  not  sought  his  own  profit,  but  followed 
Christ,  "who  pleased  not  himself."  The  whole  pas- 
sage beautifully  combines  the  Christian  exemption 
from  petty  scruples,  with  Christian  regard  and  ten- 
der consideration  for  all  brethren  in  the  Lord.   D.  F. 

1-6.  The  privileges  to  which  he  had  a  right 
were  domestic  solaces  and  ministerial  maintenance. 
Have  we  not  power  to  lead  about  a  sister-wife,  that 
is,  a  wife  who  was  one  of  the  Christian  sisterhood  ? 
Have  we  not,  Barnabas  and  I,  power  to  forbear 
working  ?  The  right  to  the  first  of  these  privileges 
he  proves  by  the  position  of  the  other  apostles: 
Cephas  and  others  were  married  men.  His  right  to 
the  second — that  of  maintenance — he  proves  by  his 
apostleship :  "  Am  I  not  an  apostle  ?  Am  I  not 
free  ?  "  that  is,  not  compelled  to  labor. 

7-15.  The  apostolic  or  ministerial  right  he 
bases  on  these  arguments:  1.  By  a  principle  uni- 
versally recognized  in  human  practice.  A  king 
warring  on  behalf  of  a  people  wars  at  their  charge 
— a  planter  of  a  vineyard  expects  to  eat  of  the 
fruit — a  shepherd  is  entitled  to  take  of  the  milk  of 
the  flock.  All  who  toil  for  the  good  of  others  derive 
an  equivalent  from  them.  Gratuitous  devotion  of 
life  is  nowhere  considered  ohligatory.  2.  By  a  prin- 
ciple implied  in  a  scriptural  particular  enactment, 
"  Thou  Shalt  not  muzzle  the  ox  that  treadeth  out  the 
com."  Did  God,  in  this,  take  special  care  for  oxen  ? 
or  was  it  a  great  general  principle — human,  not  con- 
fined to  a  single  isolated  case,  but  capable  of  exten- 
sion to  the  plower  and  the  sower  ?    The  ox  was  pro- 


vided for,  not  because  it  was  an  ox,  but  because  it 
was  a  laborer.  3.  By  the  law  of  the  Temple-service, 
the  priests  were  supported  by  a  special  provision ; 
animals  sacrificed  to  God  belonged  partly  to  them. 
The  whole  Jewish  ritual — the  institution  of  Levites 
and  priests — implied  the  principle  that  there  are  two 
kinds  of  labor — of  hand  and  of  brain ;  and  that  the 
toilers  with  the  brain,  though  not  producers,  have  a 
claim  on  the  community.  They  are  essential  to  its 
well-being,  and  are  not  mere  drones.  By  all  these 
arguments  he  proves  his  right.  The  apostle  waived 
the  right  for  himself ;  but  he  did  this  under  special 
circumstances.  He  felt  peculiarly  bound,  as  special- 
ly and  wonderfully  saved.  He  had  a  peculiar  gift 
qualifying  him  for  celibacy.  He  lived  in  peculiar 
times,  when  it  was  necessary  to  have  unmistakably 
clean  hands,  to  be  above  all  suspicion  of  mercenary 
motives.    F.  W.  R. 

10.  Paul  takes  the  plower  as  a  representative 
character.  He  would  teach  us  that  even  in  world- 
ly matters  God  had  so  linked  labor  with  its  re- 
ward, that  every  man  who  wisely  and  diligently 
pursues  his  work  may  reasonably  hope  for  an  aus- 
picious result.  The  spiritual  no  less  than  the  nat- 
ural husbandman  has  ample  reason  to  go  on  with 
his  work  in  hope.  In  doing  the  divine  will,  whether 
in  a  public  or  private  station,  whether  on  a  broad 
or  a  humble  scale,  whether  in  the  way  of  action,  of 
suffering,  or  of  silent  waiting,  we  have  ground  to 
hope  for  a  beneficial  result.  It  is,  under  God,  one 
of  the  great  secrets  of  success,  this  "  ploughing  in 
hope."  We  may  take  heart  from  the  triumphs  of 
others,  from  the  promises  of  Scripture,  and  from 
the  rewards  of  eternity.  Honestly  endeavoring  to 
make  the  most  of  life,  let  us  "  hope  on,  hope  ever," 
and  we  will  live  to  some  purpose.     II.  A.  B. 

16,  17.  Woe  is  anto  me,  if  I  preach  not 
the  gospel  !  He  was  bound  to  do  it.  But  he 
turned  his  necessity  to  glorious  gain.  That  was  his 
"  reward,"  that  is,  made  him  rewardablc — by  for- 
feiting pay  he  got  reward  ;  and  in  doing  freely  what 
he  must  do,  he  became  free.  When  "  I  must "  is 
changed  into  "  I  will,"  you  are  free.  And  so  in  a 
profession  you  dislike,  an  alliance  which  is  dis- 
tasteful, a  duty  that  must  be  done,  acquiescence 
is  Christian  liberty.  It  is  deliverance  from  the  law. 
F.  W.  E. 


SECTION  267.— 1  CORINTHIANS  9  : 1-27. 


307 


20-23.  Considering  how  uncompromising  was 
Paul's  maintenance  of  God's  truth,  what  an  infinite 
dislike  of  temporizing  and  dissimulation,  what  a 
strong  love  of  plain  speaking  and  plain  dealing  dis- 
covers itself  in  his  character  and  conduct,  it  is  sure- 
ly very  remarkable  how  he  accommodates  himself, 
not  only  to  the  general  habits  of  thought,  but  even 
to  the  innocent  prejudices  of  those  whom  he  de- 
sired to  win  to  Christ. 

22.  The  one  great  aim  which  the  Christian  min- 
ister must  ever  have  in  view  is  nothing  less  than  the 
ealvation  of  souls — "  That  I  might  by  all  means  save 
some."  His  object  in  pursuing  any  secular  branch 
of  knowledge  may  not  legitimately  be  other  than  that 
to  which  at  ordination  he  vows  to  devote  his  life. 
But  how  is  all  secular  knowledge  turned  into  the 
fine  gold  of  the  altar  when  the  pursuit  of  it  receives 
the  consecration  of  an  holy  intention !  In  the  day 
I  when  the  chief  shepherd  shall  appear,  what  an  honor 
shall  we  account  it,  an  honor  almost  overwhelming- 
ly great  for  flesh  and  blood,  to  have  said  a  single 
word,  or  to  have  written  a  single  line,  whereby  the 
Word  of  God  shall  have  been  vindicated  against 
skeptical  assaults,  and  the  mind,  which  was  totter- 
ing in  its  fundamental  religious  convictions,  planted 
securely  upon  the  rock  of  faith  !     E.  M.  G. 

34-26.  Among  the  localities  of  Corinth,  our 
special  attention  is  demanded  by  the  Foseidonium, 
or  sanctuary  of  Xeptxme,  the  scene  of  those  Isthmian 
games  from  which  Paul  borrows  some  of  the  most 
striking  imagery  of  his  Epistles,  and  especially  of 
those  to  the  Corinthians.  It  stood  at  a  short  distance 
northeast  of  Corinth,  on  a  platform  above  a  ravine, 
along  the  edge  of  which  ran  the  fortifications  of  the 
Isthmus,  here  at  its  narrowest  width.  To  the  south 
of  the  temple  may  still  be  seen  the  "  stadmm,"  in 
which,  says  the  apostle,  all  the  foot-racers  run,  but 
one  receives  the  prize  ;  and  to  the  east  those  of  the 
theatre,  the  probable  scene  of  the  pugilistic  contest, 
the  image  of  his  own  earnest  fight  with  evil ;  and 
the  coast  is  still  fringed  with  the  small  green  pine- 
trees  that  furnished  for  the  victors  that  "  corrupt- 
ible crown,"  the  symbol  of  the  "  incorruptible " 
promised  to  the  Christian  athlete  who  keeps  his 
body  under  and  brings  it  into  subjection.     S. 

24.  But  one  receiveth  the  prize.  It  is 
quite  otherwise  in  the  Christian  race.  There  may 
be  a  great  disparity  among  the  candidates,  but 
every  one  who  endureth  to  the  end  shall  be  saved. 
He  who  is  faithful  over  a  little  shall  be  as  certainly 
rewarded  as  he  who  is  faithful  over  much ;  each 
shall  receive  a  crown  as  large  as  he  can  wear.  They 
who  run  in  other  races  have  nothing  but  toil  and 
labor  till  they  obtain  the  prize  ;  but  in  the  Christian 
race  the  exercise  itself  carries  part  of  the  reward  in 
its  bosom :  "  Wisdom's  ways  are  ways  of  pleasant- 
ness, and  all  her  paths  are  peace."    R.  W. 


In  verse  25,  "  stj-iveih  for  the  mastery''''  should 
be  "  contendeth  in  the  games."  In  verse  27  the 
word  rendered  "  keep  under  "  signifies  to  bruise,  to 
beat  black  and  blue  ;  "  chastise  "  would  be  perhaps 
the  nearest  English.     A. 

The  design  of  this  passage  is  plainly  to  recom- 
mend the  great  Christian  duty  of  being  "  temperate 
in  all  things,"  that  is,  of  obtaining  an  entire  com- 
mand over  our  passions,  or,  as  it  is  expressed  a  few 
verses  after,  of  "  keeping  under  our  bodies,  and 
bringing  them  into  subjection."  Poor  as  the  re- 
ward was  in  those  games,  they  who  strove  for  the 
mastery  in  them  were  content  to  exercise  the  strict- 
est discipline  and  abstemiousness,  to  renounce  every 
pleasure  and  every  indulgence  that  tended  to 
weaken  the  body,  and  voluntarily  to  undergo  many 
hardships  in  order  to  prepare  themselves  for  the 
contest,  and  "  to  run  so  that  they  might  obtain." 
Will  not  the  Christian  contentedly  give  up  a  few  triv- 
ial indulgences  and  transient  gratifications  in  order 
to  secure  a  prize  infinitely  more  glorious ;  a  crown 
incorruptible,  felicity  commensurate  to  the  existence 
and  suited  to  the  capacity  of  an  immortal  soul  ?    P. 

26.  To  fight  wisely  is  not  to  fight  at  a  venture, 
but  with  a  definite  aim.  "  So  fight  I,"  says  the 
apostle,  "not  as  one  that  beateth  the  air."  In 
which  words  he  is  drawing  an  image  from  the  boxing- 
match,  and  declares  that  in  the  spiritual  combat  he 
does  not  wear  out  his  strength'  by  vain  flourishes  of 
his  hands  in  the  air,  but  plants  each  blow  certainly 

and  with  a  telling  aim.     E.  M.  G. The  Christian 

conflict  can  not  be  imitated.  The  soul  must  not 
merely  speculate  about  it,  nor  gaze  upon  others' 
record  of  it,  but  engage  in  it,  each  soul  for  itself. 
The  closest  watching  of  the  Christian  pilgrimage, 
the  most  accurate  acquaintance  with  its  theory,  will 
be  of  no  avail  without  this.     G.  B.  C. 

27.  The  fighting  here  alluded  to  is  that  pugilis- 
tic encounter  with  the  cestus,  or  boxing-glove,  which 
formed  one  of  the  Greek  games  held  in  honor  of 
the  god  Neptune  at  the  Isthmus  of  Corinth,  and 
which,  therefore,  the  apostle's  Corinthian  converts 
had  frequently  Avitnessed.  His  body  he  regards  as 
his  antagonist  in  a  pugilistic  encounter,  and  accord- 
ingly employs  a  peculiar  word,  which,  literally  trans- 
lated, signifies,  "But  I  cover  my  body  with  bruises." 

E.  M.  G. Paul  describes  himself  as  one  who  by 

unremitting  effort  makes  his  body,  the  organ  of 
sanctification  intrusted  to  him,  serviceable  to  him- 
self as  the  servant  of  Christ.  This  conflict  with  the 
body  of  sin,  inasmuch  as  the  whole  outward  life  of 
man  manifests  itself  in  the  body,  designates  in  gene- 
ral the  entire  conflict  still  to  be  waged  by  the  spirit- 
ual against  the  fleshly  man,  by  the  new  man  against 

the  old ;  and  this  in  the  case  even  of  a  Paul.   N. 

Perseverance  is  not  only  the  duty  but  the  privilege 
of  all  who  set  themselves  in  good  earnest  to  run  for 


308 


SECTION  £68.-1  CORINTHIANS  10  : 1- 


hcaven ;  and  though  the  law  of  God  obligeth  them, 
and  the  new  nature  habitually  inclines  them,  "to 
keep  under  the  body,  and  to  bring  it  mto  subjec- 
tion," yet  they  have  far  better  security  than  any 
efforts  of  their  own.  Omnipotence  is  their  guard- 
ian, and  they  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through 
faith  unto  salvation.     R.  W. 

A  castaway.  The  meaning  is,  Lest  after 
having  preached  to  others  the  doctrine  of  self- 
abridgment  of  indulgences  in  things  lawful,  I  my- 
self should   fail  when  put  to   the  test;   literally. 


should  be  that  which  will  not  stand  proof.  The  ad- 
vice to  abstain  from  things  lawful,  he  gave  them 
in  the  eighth  chapter ;  then,  in  the  ninth,  he  shows 
that  he  had  only  done  what  he  advised ;  he  had  a 
right  to  a  wife,  and  a  right  to  be  supported  by  pay, 
but  he  had  abridged  himself  of  both  these  rights 
(though  every  principle  of  the  Old  Testament  estab- 
lished his  right),  simply  in  order  to  be  beyond  sus- 
picion and  gain  the  more  to  Christ.  Read  the  two 
chapters  (8  and  9)  as  one  argument,  and  the  whole 
will  become  intelligible.     F.  W.  R. 


Section  268. 

1  COKINTHIANa    X.  1-22. 

1  MoBEOVEK,  brethren,  I  would  not  that  ye  slioxild  be  ignorant,  how  that  all  our  fathers 

2  were  under  the  cloud,  and  all  passed  through  the  sea ;  and  were  all  baptized  unto  Moses  in 

3  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea ;  and  did  all  eat  the  same  spiritual  meat ;  and  did  all  drink  the  same 

4  spiritual  drink  :  for  they  drank  of  that  spiritual  Rock  that  followed  them  :  and  that  Rock  was 

5  Christ.     But  with  many  of  them  God  was  not  weU  pleased  :  for  they  were  overthrown  in 

6  the  wilderness.     Now  these  things  were  our  examples,  to  the  intent  we  should  not  lust  after 

7  evil  things,  as  they  also  lusted.     Neither  be  ye  idolaters,  as  were  some  of  them ;  as  it  is 

8  written,  The  people  sat  down  to  eat  and  drink,  and  rose  up  to  play.     Neither  let  us  commit 
fornication,  as  some  of  them  committed,  and  fell  in  one  day  three  and  twenty  thousand, 

9  Neither  let  us  tempt  Christ,  as  some  of  them  also  tempted,  and  were  destroyed  of  serpents. 

10  Neither  murmur  ye,  as  some  of  them  also  murmured,  and  were  destroyed  of  the  destroyer, 

11  Now  all  these  things  happened  unto  them  for  ensamples :  and  they  are  written  for  our  admo- 

12  nition,  upon  whom  the  ends  of  the  world  are  come.     Wherefore  let  him  that  thinketh  he 

13  standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall.  There  hath  no  temptation  taken  you  but  such  as  is  common 
to  man  :  but  God  is  faithful,  who  will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able; 
but  will  with  the  temptation  also  make  a  way  to  escape,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  bear  it. 

14  "Wherefore,  ray  dearly  beloved,  flee  from  idolatry.     I  speak  as  to  wise  men ;  judge  ye 

15  what  I  say.     The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  blood  of 

16  Christ?     The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ?     For 

17  we  beinff  many  are  one  bread,  and  one  body:  for  we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one  bread. 

18  Behold  Israel  after  the  flesh:  are  not  they  which  eat  of  the  sacrifices  partakers  of  the 

19  altar?     What  say  I  then?  that  the  idol  is  any  thing,  or  that  which  is  offered  in  sacrifice  to 

20  idols  is  anything?     But  /say,  that  the  things  which  the  Gentiles  sacrifice,  they  sacrifice  to 

21  devils,  and  not  to  God :  and  I  would  not  that  ye  should  have  fellowship  with  devils.  Ye 
cannot  drink  the  cup  of  the  Lord,  and  the  cup  of  devils :  ye  cannot  be  partakers  of  the 

22  Lord's  table,  and  of  the  table  of  devils.  Do  we  provoke  the  Lord  to  jealousy  ?  are  we 
stronger  than  he  ? 

Most  Christians  have  to  learn  by  the  painful  experience  of  repeatedly  falling  into  sin  that  our  strength  is 
absolutely  nothing.  But  plainly  we  ought  to  learn  it  by  habitually  distrusting  ourselves,  by  habitually  guard- 
ing against  everything  like  boasting,  above  all,  by  a  habit  of  walking  through  the  world  with  a  consciousness 
that  God  is  looking  on  us  and  willing  to  lead  us.  And  if  we  would  ask  what  are  the  tokens  of  our  having 
learned  the  lesson,  the  answer  is,  that  besides  the  quiet  trust  in  God  the  chief  token  of  our  having  learned  to 
lean  on  God  and  not  on  ourselves  is  the  avoidance  of  all  unnecessary  temptation.  The  man  who  goes  into 
temptation  in  the  way  of  duty  may  well  feel  certain  that  God  will  help  him ;  for  he  may  well  feel  that  God  sent 
him,  and  that  he  who  sent  will  also  protect.  But  any  one  who  goes  into  temptation  without  any  need  can  not 
feel  this.  He  must  rely,  if  he  relies  on  anything,  on  his  own  strength.  And  so  he  proves  that  he  has  not 
yet  learned  the  truth— that  his  own  strength  is  a  prop  rotten  at  the  foot  and  incapable  of  upholding  him 
m  any  real  trial.  The  humble  Christian  will  so  distrust  himself  that  his  life  is  constantly  checked  by  the 
same  thought  which  he  expresses  in  the  prayer,  "  Lead  us  not  into  temptation."     He  will  avoid  what  he 


SECTION  268.— 1  CORINTHIANS  10  : 1-i 


309 


has  found  dangerous  or  hurtful.     For  he  knows  that  his  enemy  is  one  that  he  can  not  master,  and  he  will 

therefore  go  nowhere  unless  Christ  will  go  with  him.     F.  T. Thrice  blessed  the  faithful  love  of  Christ 

our  Saviour,  who  constantly  unveils  himself  to  us,  and,  as  with  outstretched  finger,  points  us  to  the  abyss 
into  which  we  are  in  danger  of  rushing  whenever  we  trust  more  in  our  own  hearts  than  on  his  unerring 
word.  Are  we  reckless  ?  He  casts  us  down  from  our  imagined  heights ;  but  when  Satan  would  sift  us 
and  fling  us  forth  as  chaff,  he  thrusts  aside  the  hand  of  the  destroyer,  and  grasps  compassionately  ours 
and  saves  us  ere  we  are  awake.  Assuredly,  not  our  fidelity  to  Christ,  but  his  own  loyalty,  inflexible  even 
toward  weak  and  faithless  disciples,  is  the  one  ground  of  our  hope.  Let  us  trust  henceforward  upon 
nothing  save  his  love  alone.     Van  0. 


1.  The  danger  of  the  Corinthian  Church  lay  in 
their  false  security.  They  were  tempted  to  think  that 
all  things  were  safe  to  do  because  all  things  were 
lawful.  They  were  ready  to  rest  satisfied  with  the 
knowledge  that  they  were  God's  people  and  God's 
Church.  Now  the  apostle  shakes  this  sense  of  their 
safety  by  reminding  them  that  the  ancient  Church 
of  Israel  fell  although  it  had  the  same  privileges 
therefore  he  infers  that  spiritual  privileges  are  not 
perfect  security. 

2.  The  passing  through  the  Red  Sea  was  the 
Israelites'  profession  of  discipleship  to  Moses.  Then 
the  die  was  cast,  and  thenceforward  there  was  no 
return  for  them.  One  solemn  step  had  severed  them 
for  ever  from  Egypt ;  and  the  cloud-guidance  which 
then  began  kept  the  memory  of  this  act  before  them 
by  a  constant  witness  in  all  their  journeyings.  So 
far,  then,  this  is  equivalent  to  baptism,  which  is 
discipleship  :  a  sacrament  or  oath  of  obedience,  the 
force  of  which  is  kept  up  and  recalled  by  an  outward 
sign.    F.  W.  R. 

3.  The  same  spiritaal  meat.  The  "fa- 
thers "  from  the  beginning  had  but  one  table,  one 
feast,  one  bread.  Sometimes  it  was  typified  by  the 
flesh  of  the  sacrifice ;  sometimes  by  the  shew-bread  ; 
sometimes  by  the  manna.  But  all  these  pointed  to 
the  one  heavenly  bread — Jesus,  the  Christ  of  God ; 
to  his  broken  body ;  to  his  flesh,  which  is  meat  in- 
deed; to  his  whole  person  as  the  very  and  true 
bread  of  God,  on  which  the  Church  has  been  feed- 
ing from  the  beginning,  and  will  feed  to  the  end. 
Bonar. 

4.  Spiritaal  Rock.  Paul  calls  this  mysteri- 
ous fountain  a  spiritual  rock,  and  the  water  which 
flowed  from  it  spiritual  water ;  and  he  calls  them 
so,  because  they  were  designed  to  have  a  spiritual 
meaning,  and  to  represent  spiritual  things — the  one 
standing  as  an  emblem  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and    the    other    shadowing    forth    those    precious 

blessings  of  which  he  is   the  author.     C.   B. 

That  followed  them.  The  rock  did  not  lit- 
erally follow  them,  as  the  rabbins  have  with  dullness 
dreamed ;  but,  go  where  they  would,  the  wondrous 
waters  from  the  rock  flowed  by  their  path  and  camp. 
Figuratively,  therefore,  it  followed ;  the  life  of  it 
streamed  after  them;  they  were  never  without  its 
life-giving  influence.    As  Christ  said  of  the  bread, 


"  This  is  my  body,"  so  Paul  declares,  "  That  Rock 
was  Christ " ;  not  that  the  bread  was  literally  trans- 
formed into  his  body,  or  that  the  rock  was  changed 
into  Christ;  nor,  again,  merely  that  bread  repre- 
sented the  body  of  Christ,  or  that  the  rock  repre- 
sented Christ,  but  this — that  which  is  wondrous  in 
the  bread  and  rock,  the  life-giving  power  in  both,  is 
Christ.  The  symbol  as  a  material  is  nothing  ;  th« 
spirit  in  it — Christ — is  everything. 

6-10.  Four  special  sins  of  the  Israelites  are 
mentioned  by  Paul  as  corresponding  to  the  circum- 
stances in  which  he  found  the  Corinthian  Church : 
idolatry,  impurity,  doubt,  and  discontent.  "  Is  God 
among  us,  or  not  ?  "  said  the  people  in  the  wilder- 
ness, tempting  Jehovah.  Think  you,  we  shall  be 
less  punished  than  they,  if  we  similarly  tempt  our 
God  ?  This  chapter  gives  the  answer.  Here,  then, 
we  meet  a  very  solemn  truth :  the  sacrifice  of  Christ 
does  not  alter  God's  will ;  it  docs  not  make  sin  a 
trifle ;  it  does  not  make  it  safer  to  commit  ofllenses. 
It  does  not  abrogate  but  declares  God's  law.  And 
these  Corinthians  were  boasting  of  their  privileges, 
vaunting  their  liberties,  talking  of  rights  instead  of 
doing  duties,  speaking  of  freedom,  brotherhood, 
and  reason,  and  all  the  time  the  same  God  who 
judged  the  people  in  the  wilderness  was  ruling  thoji 
by  the  same  unalterable  laws.     F.  W.  R. 

11.  For  our  admonition.  Christianity  is 
the  goal  and  end  of  all  earlier  revelations,  and  no 
other  revelation  follows  upon  it.  Herein  is  the  right 
given  to  the  Christian  to  consider  himself  as  the  goal 
to  which  revelation,  in  the  whole  previous  course  of 
its  development,  points  and  ministers.     N. 

12.  Wherefore,  taught  by  their  examples,  let  him 
that  thinks  himself  safe,  by  being  in  the  Church  and 
partaking  of  the  Christian  sacraments,  take  heed 
lest  he  fall  into  sin,  and  so  destruction  from  God 

overtake  him.     Locke. He  who  takes  no  heed  at 

any  time  to  strengthen  his  nature  has  no  right  to 
plead  its  weakness ;  he  who  is  the  slave  of  all  com- 
mon temptations  has  no  right  to  say  that  this  one 
temptation  overcame  him  because  of  its  exceeding 
greatness.  Christ  knows  that  we  are  weak,  and  he 
tells  us  what  we  are  to  do  to  become  strong.  If  we 
will  not  obey  him,  and  will  not  practice  his  appoint- 
ed remedies,  then,  if  we  remain  weak,  it  is  our  own 
fault ;  it  is  not  only  the  sin  that  dwelleth  in  us  which 


310 


SECTIO^r  2GS.—1   GORmTHIANS  10  : 1-22. 


doeth  the  evil  thing,  but  we  ourselves  are  habit- 
ually consenting,  and  make  sin's  work  altogether 
our  own.     T.  A. 

A  child  may  play  with  fire,  and  that  over  a  mag- 
azine of  powder ;  but  it  is  because  he  is  a  child.  A 
man  may  play  with  temptations,  do  what  be  likes, 
rush  with  his  powder-like  nature  into  the  flame;  but 

it  is  because  he  is  a  childish  man.     W.  I.  B. As 

long  as  there  is  fuel  in  the  heart  for  a  temptation, 
we  can  not  be  secure.  He  that  has  gunpowder 
about  him  had  need  keep  far  enough  off  from 
sparks ;  he  that  is  either  tender  of  his  credit 
abroad  or  comfort  at  home  had  need  shun  the  very 
shadow  of  sin;  and  he  that  would  neither  wound 
conscience  nor  credit,  God  nor  the  gospel,  had  need 
hate  the  garments  spotted  with  the  flesh.  Brooks. 
We  must  be  always  wakeful  and  on  the  look- 
out, and  never  deem  ourselves  secui-c ;  for  there  is 
no  set  time  for  the  onset  of  him  who  is  at  war  with 
us  and  is  ready  to  attack  us.  Let  us  therefore  be 
always  thoughtful,  always  vigilant  and  prayerful ; 
that  so  we  may  be  able  to  remain  unconqucred,  and, 
having  escaped  the  devices  framed  by  the  enemy, 
be  counted  worthy  of  the  loving-kindness  coming 
from  God,  through  the  grace  and  compassions  of 
his  only-begotten  Son.     Chrys. 

13.  When  Paul  is  endeavoring  to  strengthen 
the  Corinthians  against  the  trials  they  were  exposed 
to,  he  sets  out  with  assuring  them  "  that  no  temj^ta- 
tion  had  taken  them  but  such  as  loas  common  to 
man"  as  well  knowing  that,  till  he  had  convinced 
them  of  this,  all  other  arguments  would  be  ineffec- 
tual.    P. The  sufferings  and  temptations  of  the 

godly  are  lightened  by  the  consideration  of  this  as 
their  common  lot,  their  highway,  and  not  new  in  the 
person  of  any.  If  we  trace  the  lives  of  the  most 
eminent  saints,  shall  we  not  find  every  notable  step 
that  is  recorded  marked  with  a  new  cross ;  one 
trouble  following  on  another,  as  the  waves  do,  in  an 
incessant  succession  ?     L. 

God  will  make  a  way  to  escape.  This  at 
least  is  certain,  that  whatever  may  be  the  corrup- 
tion of  our  nature,  whatever  the  power  of  pain  to 
stagger  our  virtue  or  of  pleasure  to  seduce  it,  it  is 
impossible  we  can  be  so  formed  or  so  situated  by  a 
just  and  good  God  as  to  be  under  an  absolute  neces- 
sity of  transgressing  those  laws  which  he  has  laid 
down  for  the  regulation  of  our  conduct.  We  may 
rest  assured  that  he  will  give  us  powers,  either  natu- 
ral or  supernatural,  to  balance  our  defects.  In  the 
sommon  trials  of  our  virtue,  the  common  efforts  of 
human  nature  and  the  common  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  will  be  able  to  support  us;  "if  any 
temptation  take  us  more  than  is  common  to  man," 
God  will  send  us,  provided  we  desire  and  endeavor 
to  deserve  it,  more  than  common  assistance ;  for 
his  strength  is  made  perfect  in  our  weakness,  and 


we  may  in  that  sense  most  truly  say  with  the  apos- 
tle, "  that  when  we  are  weak,  then  in  reality  are 

we  strong."    P. God  will  either  keep  his  saints 

from  temptations  by  his  preventing  mercy,  or  in 
temptations  by  his  supporting  mercy,  or  find  a  way 
for  their  escape  by  his  delivering  mercy.      Mason. 

We  must  not  be  disappointed,  cast  down,  or  dis- 
heartened, because  we  find  our  self -improvement  very 
much  slower  than  we  expect  or  like.  We  must  not 
complain  if  a  temptation,  which  we  have  had  much 
trouble  with,  becomes  stronger  instead  of  weaker; 
if  we  fall  after  we  have  begun  to  think  ourselves 
tolerably  safe ;  if  we  try  all  manner  of  helps  and 
aids  and  find  them  not  enough.  We  must  not  com- 
plain if  we  find  that  earnest  and  warm  prayers  are 
followed  in  a  few  hours  by  feelings  so  cold  that  we 
can  hardly  keep  in  the  strait  path  for  want  of  im- 
pulse to  do  so ;  if  very  determined  resolutions  gradu- 
ally wear  out  until,  when  the  moment  comes  for 
acting  on  them,  we  even  forget  that  we  made  them. 
Such  results  we  shall  surely  find,  for  our  enemy  can 
take  many  shapes  and  still  retain  his  power,  and  all 
our  best  endeavors  will  never  repel  him.  God  only 
can  really  give  the  victory ;  and  God  assuredly  will. 
But  God  will  not  give  it  in  the  precise  way  that  we 
ask  for  it.  And  hence  it  is  that,  beyond  all  other 
graces,  the  grace  of  perseverance  is  the  one  to  which 
victory  is  promised ;  that  perseverance  which  en- 
ables us,  in  spite  of  disappointment  in  ourselves, 
and  of  seeing  no  fruit  of  all  our  endeavors,  and  of 
coldness  in  the  heart,  and  of  poorness  in  the  devo- 
tions, still  to  continue  in  the  path  which  he  has 
commanded ;  that  pei'severance  shall  one  day  be  ac- 
knowledged as  a  proof  of  our  being  his  children. 
F.  T. 

15.  Judge  ye.  Ecason  should  have  free 
course  through  the  whole  empire  of  religion — length, 
breadth,  depth,  height ;  it  should  not  be  hindered, 
but  expedited ;  we  should  wish  to  give  it  wings ; 
we  should  wish  it  to  be  as  swift  and  as  free  in  its 
movements  as  the  heart  ought  to  be  in  loving  God, 
and  the  feet  in  running  the  way  of  his  command- 
ments. It  is  not  the  exercise  of  reason  which  is  to 
be  guarded  against,  but  those  perversions  of  reason 
which  spring  from  pride,  the  spirit  of  sect,  precon- 
ceived opinions,  and  depraved  inclinations  and  habits. 
T.  H.  S. 

16.  Which  we  bless.  Literally,  for  which  we 
speak  good  words  of  praise  and  thanks,  as  is  plain 
from  chapter  11:  24,  where  this  blessing  is  interpreted 
by  the  giving  of  thanks.  The  phrase  here  denotes 
the  whole  communicants  joining  together  in  blessing 
God  over  the  cup,  for  his  mercy  in  redeeming  the 
world,  through  the  blood  of  Christ.  For  both  Luke 
and  Paul,  in  their  account  of  the  institution,  express 
this  part  of  the  action  by  having  givoi  thanks.    M. 

The  Communion  of  the  body  and  blood 


SECTION-  269.— 1   CORINTHIANS  10  :  23-33;   11 : 1-16. 


311 


of  Christ.  The  great  company  of  faithful  Chris- 
tians have  fellowship,  a  joint  and  common  interest, 
in  the  ahsent  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  as  actually 
offered  in  sacrifice  for  their  sins  upon  the  cross. 
With  the  divine  revenue  of  holy  comfort,  hope,  and 
strength,  which  infallibly  reaches  them  from  their 
unseen  treasury  of  blessings,  they  are  sweetly  satis- 
fied. The  covenant,  by  which  they  hold  and  enjoy 
their  common  interest  in  it,  is  in  their  actual  pos- 
session. The  great  seal  of  that  covenant,  in  the 
consecrated  symbols  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  is  often 
exhibited  to  their  eyes.  And  from  this  visible  evi- 
dence, this  sensible  assurance  that  their  title  is  good, 
that  "  he  is  faithful  who  hath  promised,"  their  faith 
gathers  its  richest  income  of  present  and  of  satis- 
fying benefits.  Thus  it  is  that  "  the  cup  of  blessing 
which  we  bless,  and  the  bread  which  we  break,  are  to 
them  the  communion  of  the  very  body  and  blood  of 
Christ " ;  of  the  very  sacrifice  which  was  offered  for 
their  sins  on  the  cross.  J.  S.  S. The  word  com- 
munion is  properly  "  partnership  " — "  partnership 
in  the  blood  of  Christ "  ;  all  that  the  blood  contains 
for  the  soul  becoming  ours — the  whole  blood  becom- 
ing the  property  of  each  believer.  All  its  blessings, 
the  paid  ransom,  the  canceled  penalty,  the  forgive- 
ness, the  cleansing,  the  life,  the  joy,  all  becoming 
ours ;  we  being  partakers  of  Christ,  partakers  of  his 
blood,  partakers  of  his  death  and  life.  He  then  that 
takes  that  cup  is  committed  to  all  that  it  symbolizes ; 
he  is  counted  as  one  with  it ;  the  possessor  of  its 
contents ;  the  partaker  of  its  fullness.  He  is  to  reckon 
himself  one  with  Jesus  in  his  death ;  and  God  reckons 
him  such.  Nothing  less.  He  has  the  whole,  or  he 
has  nothing ! 

17.  Oneness  with  Christ  and  oneness  with  each 
other  are  embodied  in  these  symbols.  We  are  many, 
yet  one ;  many  members,  yet  one  body  and  one  head. 
All  that  he  has  is  ours.  His  life,  our  life ;  his 
light,  our  light  ;  his  fullness,  our  fullness ;  his 
strength,  our  strength  ;  his  righteousness,  our 
righteousness ;  his  crown,  our  crown ;  his  glory, 
our  glory ;   his  inheritance,   our  inheritance ;    for 


we  are  heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Jesus 
Christ. 

18-20.  It  is  only  in  passing,  and  as  an  illus- 
tration of  his  argument  on  another  subject,  that 
the  apostle  introduces  the  Lord's  Supper  here. 
The  oneness  of  the  worshiper,  even  in  a  heathen 
temple,  with  the  whole  religion  or  system  of  wor- 
ship, and  with  the  false  god  into  whose  temple  he 
comes — this  is  his  theme.  Strange  that,  in  connec- 
tion with  a  pagan  altar  and  a  temple  of  devils,  he 
should  be  led  to  give  us  one  of  the  most  striking 
of  his  statements  regarding  the  supper.  He  takes 
the  cup  of  the  Lord  and  the  cup  of  devils,  places 
them  side  by  side,  and  shows  us  the  one  from 

the  other.     Bonar. He  had  already  counseled 

them  to  abstain  from  partaking  of  heathen  sacri- 
fices for  the  sake  of  love,  lest  their  example  might 
lead  their  weaker  brethren  to  sin  by  violating  their 
conscience ;  now  he  takes  higher  ground,  and  this 
is  his  argument.  Every  sacrificial  feast  in  all  re- 
ligions is  a  kind  of  worship,  in  the  same  way  as 
all  who  partook  of  Christian  sacrifices  were  Chris- 
tians, and  all  who  took  part  in  Jewish  were  Jews  ; 
so  all  who  sat  at  meat  in  idolatrous  feasts  formed 
one  society  with  idolatrous  worshipers.     F.  W.  R. 

21.  "Ye  can  not  be  partakers  of  the  Lord's 
table  and  of  the  table  of  devils."  That  is,  "fel- 
lowship with  Christ  and  fellowship  with  devils, 
in  the  sacred  rites  performed  to  each,  are  utterly 
incompatible  things ;  and  partaking,  not  literally 
of  the  tables  themselves,  but  of  what  is  present  on 
the  tables  of  both,  is  an  impious  profanation  of 
Christ's  ordinance."     J.  S.  S. 

22.  The  heathen  would  reckon  any  one  that  ate 
of  their  sacrifice  as  a  fellow-worshiper  with  them  of 
a  demon ;  hence  this  participation  by  Corinthian 
Christians  would  be  taken  as  a  sanction  of  heathen- 
ism. Thus  these  religious  banquets  being  not  only 
an  injury  to  the  Church,  but  also  to  the  heathen, 
the  apostle,  indignant  at  this  wrong,  breaks  out 
into  forcible  language,  "  Do  we  provoke  the  Lord 
to  jealousy  ?  are  we  stronger  than  He  ?  "    F.  W.  R. 


Section  269. 

1  CoEiNTHiAxs  X.  23-33 ;  xi.  1-16. 

23  All  things  are  lawful  for  me,  but  all  things  are  not  expedient:  all  things  are  lawful  for 

24  me,  but  all  things  edify  not.    Let  no  man  seek  his  own,  but  every  man  another's  wealth. 

25  Whatsoever  is  sold  in  the  shambles,  that  eat,  asking  no  question  for  conscience  sake :  for 

26  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fulness  thereof.     If  any  of  them  that  believe  not  bid  you  to 

27  a  feast,  and  ye  be  disposed  to  go ;  whatsoever  is  set  before  you,  eat,  asking  no  question  for 

28  conscience  sake.     But  if  any  man  say  unto  you.  This  is  offered  in  sacrifice  unto  idols,  eat 
not  for  his  sake  that  shewed  it,  and  for  conscience  sake:  for  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the 

29  fulness  thereof:  conscience,  I  say,  not  thine  own,  but  of  the  other:  for  why  is  my  liberty 


312 


SECTION  269.— 1  COEmTHIANS  10  :  23-33;  11 :  1-16. 


30  judged  of  another  man' a  conscience  ?    For  if  I  by  grace  be  a  partaker,  why  am  I  evil  spoken 

31  of  for  that  for  which  I  give  thanks?     Whether  therefore  ye  eat,  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye 

32  do  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God.     Give  none  oflPence,  neither  to  the  Jews,  nor  to  the  Gentiles, 

33  nor  to  the  church  of  God :  even  as  I  please  all  men  in  all  things^  not  seeking  mine  own  profit, 
but  the  profit  of  many,  that  they  may  be  saved. 

1  Be  ye  followers  of  me,  even  as  I  also  am  of  Christ.     Now  I  praise  you,  brethren,  that  ye 

2  remember  me  in  all  things,  and  keep  the  ordinances,  as  I  delivered  them  to  you.     But  I 

3  would  have  you  know,  that  the  head  of  every  man  is  Christ;  and  the  head  of  the  woman 

4  is  the  man  ;  and  the  head  of  Christ  is  God.     Every  man  praying  or  prophesying,  having  his 

5  head  covered,  dishonoureth  his  head.     But  every  woman  that  prayeth  or  prophesieth  with 
her  head  uncovered  dishonoureth  her  head :  for  that  is  even  all  one  as  if  she  were  shaven. 

6  For  if  the  woman  be  not  covered,  let  her  also  be  shorn :  but  if  it  be  a  shame  for  a  woman 

7  to  be  shorn  or  shaven,  let  her  be  covered.     For  a  man  indeed  ought  not  to  cover  his  head, 
forasmuch  as  he  is  the  image  and  glory  of  God :  but  the  woman  is  the  glory  of  the  man. 

8  For  the  man  is  not  of  the  woman;  but  the  woman  of  the  man.     Neither  was  the  man 

9  created  for  the  woman  ;  but  the  woman  for  the  man.     For  this  cause  ought  the  woman  to 

10  have  power  on  her  head  because  of  the  angels.     Nevertheless  neither  is  the  man  without 

11  the  woman,  neither  the  woman  without  the  man,  in  the  Lord.     For  as  the  woman  is  of  the 

12  man,  even  so  is  the  man  also  by  the  woman;  but  all  things  of  God.    Judge  in  yourselves: 

13  is  it  comely  that  a  woman  pray  unto  God  uncovered?    Doth  not  even  nature  itself  teach 

14  you,  that,  if  a  man  have  long  hair,  it  is  a  shame  unto  him  ?     But  if  a  woman  have  long 

15  hair,  it  is  a  glory  to  her  :  for  her  hair  is  given  her  for  a  covering.     But  if  any  man  seem  to 

16  be  contentious,  we  have  no  such  custom,  neither  the  churches  of  God. 


One  of  the  saddest  things  about  the  Christian  life  is,  that  it  seems  to  ourselves  to  be  split  up  into  two 
separate  parts,  which  we  find  it  very  hard,  if  not  altogether  impossible,  to  unite.  We  feel  as  if  we  lived 
in  two  different  worlds.  We  have  our  moments  of  devotion  and  our  hours  of  utter  worldliness.  We 
begin,  for  instance,  the  day  with  thankful  acknowledgment  to  God  for  his  mercies ;  and,  howsoever  sincere 
that  may  be,  we  know  too  well  that  it  is  going  to  be  followed  by  a  day  of  unthankful  reception  of  them. 
We  kneel  down  in  the  morning  and  ask  God  to  guide  us,  and  then  we  go  out  into  the  world  and  take 
guidance  of  vanity  and  selfishness.  In  a  word,  on  the  clear  mountain-top  we  stand  in  the  light  of  God's 
face,  and  then  we  come  down  into  the  plain,  and  the  earthly  vapors  shut  out  the  blue.  I  suppose  the  best 
of  us  feel  this  apparently  inevitable  severing  of  our  lives  into  two  unlike  portions.  Is  that  distinction 
between  sacred  and  profane  a  valid  one  ?  is  there  any  reason  why  a  man's  prayers  should  be  more  devout 
than  his  business  ?  is  there  any  need  why  the  sanctity  of  life  should  be  curdled  together,  as  it  were,  into* 
Sundays  and  acts  of  special  worship,  and  not  be  diffused  through  the  whole  of  life  ?  Are  we  living  on 
one  principle  from  Sunday  morning  to  Saturday  night ;  or  are  we  having  one  principle  for  Sunday  and 
another  principle  for  Monday,  one  principle  for  the  ordinary  tenor  of  our  uneventful  days  and  another 
principle  for  the  crises  and  the  solemn  times  ?  Do  you  and  I  keep  our  religion  as  princes  do  their  crown 
jewels,  only  wearing  them  on  festive  occasions,  and  have  we  another  dress  for  week-days  and  working 
days  ?  Do  we  keep  our  love  of  Christ  in  our  pews ;  or  do  we  take  it  out  into  the  street  and  the  market- 
place with  us,  and  work  it  out  day  by  day,  hour  by  hour,  in  patient  endurance,  in  loyal  love,  in  simple 
faith,  finding  that  there  is  nothing  little  if  Christ's  name  be  crossed  over  it,  and  nothing  too  great  if  it  be 
approached  in  his  strength  ?     A.  M. 


It  is  necessary  for  the  understanding  of  this 
Epistle  that  we  should  remember  that  it  is  an  answer 
to  a  letter  received  from  the  Corinthian  Church,  and 
therefore  constantly  alludes  to  topics  in  that  letter. 

23,  24.  "(But  some  one  will  say  again),  'All 
things  are  lawful  for  me.'  Nay,  but  not  all  things 
are  good ;  though  all  things  are  lawful,  not  all  things 
build  up  the  Church.  Let  no  man  seek  his  own,  but 
every  man  his  neighbor's  good."     C. 

25-28.  True  Christian  freedom  shows  itself  in 
self-restraint  and  tender  forbearance  toward  the 
weak.  So  Paul,  in  full  agreement  with  the  spirit  of 
the  synod  at  Jerusalem,  earnestly  dissuaded  the  Co- 


rinthian Gentile  Christians  from  eating  meat  offered 
to  idols,  lest  they  should  offend  the  conscience  of  a 
weak  brother,  for  whom  likewise  Christ  died ;  while 
yet  he  at  the  same  time  asserts,  on  the  other  hand, 
that  "  the  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fulness 
thereof,"  and  that  every  kind  of  food  is,  in  itself, 
good,  if  it  be  eaten  with  thanksgiving.     P.  S. 

25.  "  Whatsoever  is  sold  in  the  shambles,  eat, 
asking  no  questions  for  conscience  sake."  You  need 
not  be  troubled  by  the  fact  that  the  articles  sold  in 
the  market  have  come  from  a  temple,  since  their 
nature  as  food  is  unchanged ;  and,  therefore,  whether 
you  wish  to  buy  them  for  yourselves,  or  are  invited 


SECTION  269.— 1   CORINTEIANS  10  :  23-33;   11 :  1-16. 


313 


to  partake  of  them  in  the  house  of  a  heathen 
neighbor,  you  are  not  bound  to  inquire  from  whence 
they  came.  In  this  matter  they  were  free  to  act  as 
they  pleased,  and  yet  their  liberty  was  not  without 
limits,  since  in  its  exercise  they  must  ever  be  regu- 
lated by  Christian  love.  Accordingly  Paul  repeats 
to  them  what  he  had  said  to  the  Romans :  "  Let  no 
man  seek  his  own,  but  every  man  another's  wealth ; 
let  every  man  please  his  neighbor  for  his  good." 
"  Take  heed  that  this  liberty  of  yours  does  not  be- 
come a  stumbling-block  to  the  weak."  From  these 
authoritative  expositions  of  the  law  of  expediency, 
it  would  appear :  1.  That  it  applies  and  can  apply 
only  to  things  which  are  essentially  indiferent. 
They  must  be  lawful,  else  they  never  can  be  simply 
inexpedient,  because,  if  there  exists  in  them  neces- 
sarily an  element  of  evil,  they  belong  to  the  class  of 
things  which  are  unlawful  everywhere  and  always, 
to  all  persons  and  at  all  times.  2.  That  it  applies 
only  to  special  cases,  and  comes  into  operation  only 
under  special  circumstances.  Abstinence  from  the 
meats  in  question  was  not  a  rule  binding  all  Chris- 
tians at  all  times,  on  the  ground  that  their  use  tended 
•to  mislead  weak  consciences.  It  became  obligatory 
only  when  it  was  morally  certain  that  the  use  of 
them  would  cause  some  one  weak  brother  to 
stumble.  So  Paul  understood  it,  and  on  this  prin- 
ciple he  acted.  3.  That  it  limits  the  liberty  of 
Christians  in  lawful  things  to  this  extent  only,  viz. : 
that  they  do  not  put  a  stumbling-block  or  an  occa- 
sion to  fall  in  the  way  of  others  who  are  weaker  or 
less  enlightened  than  themselves.  When  our  ac- 
tions terminate  upon  ourselves,  the  law  which 
governs  them  is  of  a  higher  and  more  imperative 
nature  than  that  of  simple  expediency,  because,  in 
such  cases,  if  there  is  a  reason  for  our  abstaining 
from  certain  courses,  or  from  the  use  of  certain 
things,  we  shall  find,  if  we  examine  it  closely,  that 
this  reason  is  one  not  of  a  temporary  but  perma- 
nent kind.  The  things  themselves  may  be,  indeed, 
j>er  se  lawful,  but  they  are  not  to  us.    Forsyth. 

27.  When  he  says,  "  and  ye  be  disposed  to  go," 
he  well  understands  that  there  are  some  who  will 
not  be  disposed.  Kept  back  by  no  ascetic  scruples 
or  legal  restrictions  binding  their  consciences,  they 
will  be  kept  back  by  their  very  fullness  and  freedom 
and  the  uplifting  sense  of  Christ  which  ennobles 
their  life.  They  are  free  in  a  sense  to  do  it,  but 
they  are  also  more  free,  too  free  to  have  any  dispo- 
sition that  way.  They  are  able  to  come  down  now 
and  then  it  may  be,  and  touch  the  plane  of  nature 
in  ways  of  playfulness  ;  but  it  will  not  be  to  launch 
themselves  on  tides  of  high  excitement,  and  be 
floated  clean  away,  but  only  to  freshen  a  little  the 
natural  zest  of  things,  and  keep  off  the  moroseness 
of  a  too  rigid  and  total  separation  from  the  sociali- 
ties and  playtimes  of  the  world.     H.  B. 


29-31.  "Now  when  /  say  conscience  I  do  not 
mean  thine  own  conscience,  for  thou  knowest  that 
the  eating  of  such  a  dish  is  not  a  worshiping  of 
the  idol ;  but  the  conscience  of  the  other,  who  views 
it  in  that  light.  Perhaps  thou  wilt  reply,  But  why 
is  my  liberty  ruled  by  another''s  conscience  ?  If  by 
the  free  gift  of  God,  to  whom  the  earth  belongs,  /fie 
allowed  to  partake  of  all  kinds  of  food,  why  am  I 
spoken  of  as  an  evil-doer  for  eating  that  meat  for 
which  I  give  thanks  to  God  ?  In  answer  I  say.  For 
this  very  reason,  that  ye  are  allowed  to  partake  of 
all  kinds  of  food,  whether  ye  eat,  or  drink,  or  what- 
ever ye  do,  ye  are  bound  to  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God, 
by  doing  it  agreeably  to  his  will."     M. 

By  all  who  believe  that  there  is  any  such  thing 
as  a  moral  authority  for  human  life,  that  duty  is  a 
word  with  a  meaning,  and  that  responsibility  is  a 
fact,  it  will  be  granted  that  each  of  these  three 
propositions  is  applicable  to  our  intercourse  and 
connections  with  each  other:  1.  That  the  moral  sig- 
nificance of  life  is  nowhere  more  vitally  manifest 
than  in  what  we  do  or  fail  to  do  for  the  characters 
of  our  neighbors.  2.  That  a  large  part  of  what  is 
included  in  the  term  duty  is  what  we  owe  to  other 
men's  welfare,  or  their  goodness,  which  is  the  same 
thing.  3.  That  society  presents  a  scene  of  personal 
responsibility,  peculiar  to  itself,  where  the  materials 
of  judgment  are  always  accumulating.     F.  D.  H. 

31.  Whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the 
glory  of  God.  For  indeed  it  is  our  privilege  to 
be  with  him  ever,  and  to  have  him  ever  with  us ; 
whether  we  eat  or  drink,  or  whatever  thing,  grave 
or  light,  we  may  be  engaged  in.  There  is  nothing 
strange,  nothing  profane,  nothing  presumptuous  in 
praying  that  Christ  may  be  with  us  in  all  those 
common  works  which  our  daily  life  here  brings  with 

it.     T.  A. The  reception  of  food  is  a  common 

action — homely,  trivial,  having  nothing  dignified  or 
sublime  about  it.  The  implication  of  the  text,  then, 
is  that  in  our  common  and  trivial  actions  there  is 
room  and  scope  for  glorifying  Almighty  God.  In 
one  word,  we  may  either  go  through  common  life  in 
a  common  way,  tying  up  our  religion  to  public  wor- 
ship on  Sundays  and  private  prayer  on  week-days, 
or  we  may  go  through  common  life  with  an  uncom- 
mon motive— the  thought  of  God,  and  the  desire  of 
pleasing  and  serving  him  in  all  things.     E.  M.  G. 

As  in  their  work,  so  in  their  refreshments  and 

rest.  Christians  may  pursue  all  for  him,  whether  they 
eat  or  drink,  doing  all  for  this  reason,  because  it  is 
his  will ;  and  for  this  end,  that  he  may  have  glory  ; 
bending  the  use  of  all  their  strength  and  all  his 
mercies  that  way;  setting  this  mark  on  all  their 
designs  and  ways,  this  for  the  glory  of  my  God,  and 
this  further  for  his  glory.  This  is  the  art  of  keeping 
the  heart  spiritual  in  all  affairs,  yea,  of  spiritualizing 
the  affairs  themselves  in  their  use  that  in  them- 


314: 


SECTION  260.— 1  CORINTHIANS  10:23-33;  11:1-16. 


selves  are  earthly.  This  is  the  elizir  that  turns 
lower  metal  into  gold,  the  mean  actions  of  this  life, 
in  a  Christian's  hands,  into  obedience  and  holy  offer- 
ings unto  God.     L. The  work  of  our  sanctifica- 

tion  consists  simply  in  receiving,  from  one  moment 
to  another,  all  the  troubles  and  duties  of  our  state 
in  life  as  veils  under  which  God  hides  himself  and 
gives  himself  to  us.  Every  moment  brings  some 
duty  to  bo  faithfully  performed,  and  this  is  enough 
for  our  perfection.  The  moment  which  brings  a 
duty  to  be  performed,  or  a  trouble  to  be  borne, 
brings  also  a  message  declaring  to  us  the  will  of 
God.  The  secret  of  belonging  wholly  to  God  is 
simply  this  :  to  serve  him  in  all  that  comes  to  you, 
in  all  that  you  have  to  do.     An. 

33.  Give  offence  neither  to  the  Jews, 
nor,  etc.  To  the  unbelieving  Jews,  by  giving  them 
occasion  to  think  that  Christians  are  permitted  to 
worship  heathen  idols ;  to  the  unbelieving  Gentiles, 
by  giving  them  occasion  to  think  that  you  allow 
their  idolatry  by  partaking  of  their  sacrifices ;  to 
weak  members  of  the  Church  of  God,  by  drawing 
them  through  your  example  to  eat  of  things  offered 
to  other  idols,  of  the  lawfulness  whereof  they  are 
not  fully  satisfied.     Locke. 

33.  Good  pastors  ought  to  desire  in  such  sort 
to  please  men  as  that  they  may  make  the  affection 
felt  for  them  a  kind  of  path  along  which  they  may 
lead  their  hearers'  hearts  to  love  the  Creator.  This 
is  well  expressed  by  Paul,  "Even  as  I  please  all 
men  in  all  things " ;  yet  again  he  says,  "  If  I  yet 
pleased  men,  I  should  not  be  the  servant  of  Christ." 
So  Paul  pleases  men  and  does  not  please  them ; 
because  in  the  very  fact  of  his  pleasing  them  he 
desires,  not  that  he  himself  should  please  them,  but 
that  the  truth  should  please  them  by  his  means. 
Gregory  the  Great. 

In  this  chapter  (11)  we  meet  two  extravagant 
abuses  of  Christian  truth  :  first,  concerning  the  con- 
duct and  deportment  of  Christian  women  (1-16),  and 
next,  respecting  the  administration  of  the  Lord's 
Supper.    F.  W.  R. 

2.  It  is  customary  with  Paul  to  recognize  what- 
ever is  praiseworthy  in  the  church  to  which  he  is 
writing.  In  this  appears  his  wisdom  as  a  spiritual 
guide.  The  confidence  of  men  is  far  more  easily 
won  and  a  hearing  secured  for  whatever  one  has  to 
say  in  the  way  of  admonition  and  rebuke,  if  it  ap- 
pears that  he  nowise  overlooks  or  undervalues  what 
is  good  in  them,  that  he  does  not  willingly  find  fault, 
but  is  ready  to  acknowledge  every  real  excellence 
•with  cordial  approbation.  Good  and  bad,  more- 
over, stand  frequently  in  close  connection  with  each 
other.  The  good  lies  at  the  foundation,  but  the 
evil  mingles  its  disturbing  influence  with  the  good, 
and  hence  it  is  through  the  latter  that  we  can  best 
reach  and  remedy  the  former.     It  is  in  the  clear  per- 


ception of  this  relation,  and  in  the  skillful  use  of  it 
for  the  correction  of  error,  that  Paul  manifests  his 
wisdom.  Of  this  a  striking  example  is  furnished  in 
this  Epistle.     N. 

3.  The  doctrine  which  acts  as  pedestal  to  the 
column  is  that  of  Christ's  union  as  head  with  the 
believer.  "  The  head  of  every  man  is  Christ."  Never 
was  this  precious  doctrine  more  nobly  unfolded  or 
more  urgently  pressed  than  in  the  writings  of  Paul 
himself.  The  acts  of  the  Redeemer  are  for  the  re- 
deemed. He  took  their  nature,  assumed  their  liabili- 
ties, answered  for  their  delinquency,  procured  their 
pardon,  accomplished  their  justification,  and  abides 
in  connection  with  them  for  all  the  manifold  ends 
of  their  salvation.  For  them  he  was  born,  for  them 
he  lived,  for  them  he  died,  for  them  he  rose,  for 
them  he  ascended,  for  them  he  intercedes  and  reigns. 
He  is  made  to  each  of  them  Wisdom,  Righteous, 
ness,  Sanctification,  and  Redemption.  The  funded 
treasury  of  his  merits,  his  wisdom  and  his  might, 
are  theirs.     J.  W.  A.  ^ 

3-15.  Paul  had  taught  them  that  in  Christ 
Jesus  all  national,  social,  sexual  distinctions  disap- 
peared :  "  In  him  is  neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  neither 
bond  nor  free,  neither  male  nor  female."  Certain 
Christian  women  laid  eager  hands  on  this  principle, 
and  so  mishandled  it  as  to  occasion  a  public  scandal. 
Paul  had  taught  the  spiritual  equality  of  man  and 
woman ;  he  had  also  taught  the  social  subordination 
of  the  woman  to  the  man.  But  these  eager  converts 
had  not  minds  large  enough  to  hold  and  reconcile 
both  these  great  principles :  they  seized  impetuously 
on  that  which  fell  in  with  their  wishes  and  let  the 
other  go.  And  in  our  day  there  are  men  as  well  as 
women  who  find  it  difficult  to  reconcile  Paul's  two 
principles,  who  are  disposed  to  object,  "  If  in  spirit- 
ual nature,  relation,  responsibility,  women  are  on  an 
equality  with  men,  how  can  they  be  subordinate  to 
them?  "  To  any  such  objectors  it  might  be  enough 
to  reply :  "  Christ  is  the  coequal  Son  of  the  Father, 
the  '  fellow '  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts ;  yet,  in  the  com- 
plex, mysterious  relations  of  the  Blessed  Trinity, 
Christ  is  the  subordinate  and  dependent  Son  "  ;  for 
here  is  an  admitted  case  in  which  equality  of  nature 

and  subordinate  position  coexist.     Coz. It  is  the 

doctrine  of  Paul  that,  as  Christ  is  dependent  on 
God,  and  man  is  dependent  on  Christ,  so  is  woman 
dependent  on  man.  Paul  perceived  that  the  law  of 
Christian  equality  was  quite  consistent  with  the  vast 
system  of  subordination  running  through  the  uni- 
verse :  "  But  I  would  have  you  know  that  the  head 
of  every  man  is  Christ ;  and  the  head  of  the  woman 
is  the  man  ;  and  the  head  of  Christ  is  God  " ;  which 
two  things  we  see  he  distinctly  unites  in  verses  11 
and  12  when  he  says,  "Nevertheless,  neither  is  the 
man  without  the  woman,  neither  the  woman  without 
the  man,  in  the  Lord.  For  as  the  woman  is  of  the 
man,  even  so  is  the  man  also  by  the  woman ;  but  all 
things  of  God."  He  asserts  subordination  in  one 
sense,  and  denies  it  in  another ;  and  therefore  bids 
the  foolish  question  of  "  Which  is  the  greater  ?"  to 
cease  for  ever ;  for  he  distinguishes  between  infe- 
riority and  subordination,  that  each  sex  exists  in  a 
certain  order,  not  one  as  greater  than  the  other,  but 
both  great  and  right  in  being  what  God  intended 
them  to  be.    F.  W.  R. 


I 


SECTION  270.— 1  CORINTHIAFS  11 :  17-^4. 


315 


Woman  proves  her  equality  with  man,  not  by 
rebelling  against  her  subordinate  position  in  the 
social  order,  but  by  cheerfully  accepting  it  as  God's 
ordinance  for  her,  and  by  discharging  its  duties 
with  an  ability  equal  or  superior  to  that  shown  by 
her  husband  in  his  different  sphere.  The  Corinthian 
women,  or  some  of  them,  did  not  see  that.  They 
thought  to  assert  the  equality  of  the  sexes  by  thrust- 
ing themselves  into  the  habits  and  duties  of  the 
masculine  sex  to  the  neglect  of  their  own,  by  pray- 
ing and  prophesying  in  church  instead  of  ruling 
their  households.  As  a  sign  of  their  enfranchise- 
ment from  the  degrading  bonds  of  heathenism,  as  a 
proof  that  they  were  the  equals  of  men,  they  ap- 
peared in  public  unveiled,  and  so  violated  the  de- 
corum of  their  sex  as  then  understood ;  in  short, 
they  became  bad  as  women  that  they  might  prove 
themselves  as  good  as  men.  The  honor  of  the 
Christian  community  was  at  stake.  Only  women 
convicted  of  adultery  had  their  hair  shorn ;  only 
women  of  notoriously  abandoned  life  dispensed  with 
a  veil.  The  Greek  women,  the  honorable  women, 
invariably  put  on  a  veil,  or  drew  their  peplum  or 
shawl  over  head  and  face  when  they  left  their  homes. 
The  heathen  were  quick  to  misconceive  any  depar- 
ture from  custom,  any  innovation  on  rule  on  the  part 
of  the  Church.  And  had  the  Christian  women  gone 
unveiled,  when  the  absence  of  the  veil  was  the  open 
stamp  of  harlotry,  we  can  easily  conceive  what  their 
neighbors  would  have  thought  of  them,  what  a  fatal 
obstacle  would  have  been  thrown  in  the  path  of  the 
infant  Church.  It  was  no  mere  question  of  max- 
ims and  rules,  therefore,  with  which  Paul  had  to 
deal ;  it  was  a  question  of  principle — of  principles 
vital  and  profound.  And  hence  it  is  that  he  argues 
so  gravely  and  weightily  on  what  might  seem  a  matter 
of  small  moment.  Hence  he  appeals  to  nature,  to 
Scripture,  to  Christian  doctrine,  for  arguments  on 
points  which  seem  so  trivial  as  whether  a  man  should 
or  should  not  have  his  hair  cut,  whether  a  woman 
should  or  should  not  wear  a  veil.  Take  the  simplest 
of  his  arguments — his  appeal  to  nature.  Man  is  by 
nature  unveiled,  has  short  hair ;  woman  is  veiled 
with  her  long  hair.  The  divine  intention  is  thus 
revealed.  In  handling  and  attiring  the  body  we  are 
to  take  the  suggestions  of  nature  as  ordinances  of 
God ;  we  are  to  carry  out  the  divine  intentions  in- 
dicated by  our  physical  structure :  man  is  to  go  un- 
veiled ;  woman  is  to  use  or  to  imitate  the  natural  veil 
which  God  has  given  her.     The  Greeks  and  Romans 


did  thus  interpret  and  obey  the  voice  of  nature. 
And  therefore  the  apostle  might  well  appeal  to  what 
"nature  taught."  His  Scriptural  appeal  is  to  the 
verses  in  Genesis  which  describe  the  creation  of  man 
and  woman,  and  the  relation  in  which  they  were  ap- 
pointed to  stand  (vs.  7-9).  Man,  said  Moses,  was 
made  "  in  the  image  of  God  " ;  therefore,  adds  Paul, 
man  is  a  "  glory  "  of  God.  Hence  he  ought  not  to 
veil  the  head  which  bears  an  impress  so  divine,  the 
face  which  reflects  so  excellent  a  glory.  But  "  the 
woman  is  the  glory  of  the  man";  she  was  taken 
out  of  his  side — not  from  the  rude  clay,  but  from 
clay  already  attempered  by  human  life  and  heat; 
not  from  any  remote  or  uncomely  member  of  man's 
body,  but  from  his  very  heart,  from  the  very  seat 
of  life.  Therefore  she  is  his  "  glory  "  ;  she  repre- 
sents what  is  finest  in  him  and  most  exquisite,  what 
is  highest  and  best.  Nevertheless,  the  apostle  in- 
sists (v.  8)  she  was  taken  from  man,  not  man  from 
woman  ;  she  was  (v.  9)  created  for  man,  not  he  for 
her.  And  this  derived  origin  indicates  her  depen- 
dent condition.  Although  she  is  his  glory,  because 
she  is  his  glory  she  is  to  defer  and  minister  to  him 
from  whom  she  sprang,  just  as  the  highest  spirits 
are  those  who  serve  most  and  best.     Cox. 

5,  This  passage  does  not  necessarily  sanction 
women  speaking  in  public,  even  though  professing 
miraculous  gifts ;  he  simply  records  what  took  place 
at  Corinth,  without  expressing  an  opinion  upon  it, 
reserving  the  censure  of  it  till  chapter  14  :  34,  35. 
Favsset. 

10.  To  the  Hebrews,  unshorn  hair  was  the  sign 
of  strength  or  power.  And  the  unshorn  hair  of  the 
woman  is  "  the  power,"  or  the  symbol  of  the  power, 
which  her  service  requires.  This  I  take  to  be  the 
apostle's  thought.  And  does  not  nature  itself  con- 
firm his  thought  ?    Is  not  a  woman's  hair  a  strength 

to  her  as  well  as  a  glory  ?    Cox. "  Power"  would 

be  more  intelligently  expressed  "  the  token  of  pow- 
er," i.  e.,  the  covering,  implying  that  she  is  under  sub- 
jection, and  thus  preserving  comeliness  in  the  sight 
of  the  holy  angels  who  are  present  in  the  Christian 
assemblies.     A. 

16.  "  But  if  any  one  thinks  to  be  contentious 
in  defense  of  such  a  custom,  let  him  know  that  it  is 
disallowed  by  me,  and  by  all  the  churches  of  God." 

C. In  closing  his  argument,  besides  asserting  his 

own  decision,  he  appeals  to  the  universal  custom 
prevalent  among  the  churches;  confirming  all  by 
apostohc  authority  and  established  order.     B. 


Section  270. 


1  CoRINTHIAIs'S  xi.  17-34. 


17  Now  in  this  that  I  declare  tinto  you  I  praise  you  not,  that  ye  come  together  not  for  the 

18  better,  but  for  the  worse.     For  first  of  all,  when  ye  come  together  in  the  church,  I  hear 

19  that  there  be  divisions  among  you ;  and  I  partly  believe  it.     For  there  must  be  also  heresies 

20  among  you,  that  they  which  are  approved  may  be  made  manifest  among  you.     When  ye 

21  come  together  therefore  into  one  place,  this  is  not  to  eat  the  Lord's  supper.  For  in  eating 
every  one  taketh  before  other  his  own  supper:  and  one  is  hungry,  and  another  is  drunken. 

22  What?  have  ye  not  houses  to  eat  and  to  drink  in?  or  despise  ye  the  church  of  God,  and 
shame  them  that  have  not  ?  What  shall  I  say  to  you  ?  shall  I  praise  you  in  this  ?  I  praise 
you  not. 

23  For  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  that  which  also  I  delivered  unto  you.  That  the  Lord 

24  Jesus  the  same  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed  took  bread :    and  when  he  had  given 


316 


SFCTIO:^  270.— 1  CORINTHIANS  11 :  17-3^. 


thanks,  he  brake  it,  and  said,  Take,  eat :  this  is  my  body,  which  is  broken  for  you  :  this  do 

25  in  remembrance  of  me.     After  the  same  manner  also  Tie  tooTc  the  cup,  when  he  had  supped, 
sayin'^  This  cup  is  the  new  testament  in  my  blood :  this  do  ye,  as  oft  as  ye  drink  it,  in 

26  remembrance  of  me.    For  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  shew  the 

27  Lord's  death  till  he  come.     "Wherefore  whosoever  shall  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup 

28  of  the  Lord,  unworthily,  shall  be  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord.     But  let  a  man 

29  examine  liimself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink  of  that  cup.    For  he  that 
eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketh  damnation  to  himself,  not  discerning 

30  the  Lord's  body.     For  this  cause  many  are  weak  and  sickly  among  you,  and  many  sleep. 

31  For  if  we  would  judge  ourselves,  we  should  not  be  judged.    But  when  we  are  judged,  we  are 

32  chastened  of  the  Lord,  that  we  should  not  be  condemned  with  the  world.    Wherefore,  my 

33  brethren,  when  ye  come  together  to  eat,  tarry  one  for  another.     And  if  any  man  hunger, 

34  let  him  eat  at  home ;  that  ye  come  not  together  unto  condemnation.     And  the  rest  will  I 
set  in  order  when  I  come.  

The  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  when  the  Church  is  kept  pure  by  a  faithful  preaching  of  Christ 
crucified — the  full  and  uncorrupt  gospel — and  when  her  ministrations  are  blessed  with  the  influences  of 
the  overshadowing  and  life-giving  Spirit,  is  an  ordinance  in  which  the  Christian  comes  into  closest  com- 
munion with  his  Saviour,  and  feels  his  love  for  him  kindling  into  its  intensest  glow ;  in  which,  too,  he 
eomes  into  holiest  communion  with  his  /e/fow-Christians  of  all  ages  and  nations,  and  feels  himself  most 
inseparably  knit  to  them  in  "  the  communion  of  saints,"  in  the  union  of  the  great  mystical  body  of 
Christ ;  and  in  which  he  realizes  a  peculiar  strengthening  and  refreshing  of  his  soul  in  all  her  divine  and 
heavenly  graces  of  faith  and  courage,  humility  and  purity,  deadness  to  the  world,  and  desires  after 
heaven.  Through  the  divinely  ordained  symbol  of  the  sacrifice  on  the  cross,  faith  feeds  on  all  the  bene- 
fits of  Christ's  passion,  enters  into  the  depths  of  that  union  which  subsists  between  each  member  of  the 
body  and  its  head,  and  draws  a  happy  immortality  from  the  Fountain  of  Life.     J.  S.  S. 

The  Lord's  Supper  is  a  scene  of  solemn  and  affecting  remembrance,  and  a  source  of  most  impressive 
thought  and  feeling.  It  is  the  place  of  renewed  vows,  renewed  mercies,  renewed  and  renewing  grace, 
compassion  and  forgiving  love  on  Christ's  part,  and  renewed  penitence  and  faith  on  ours.  It  is  a  landing- 
place  of  rest,  refreshment,  survey,  and  setting  forth  again  upon  the  Christian  journey.  It  is  an  ordinance 
for  gratitude  and  love  enkindled  and  increased,  and  strength  administered,  as  well  as  sins  deplored.  It  is 
a  mount  of  vision,  where  the  glass  is  held  to  the  eye  of  faith,  and  we  may  take  a  view  of  our  fair  and 
bright  inheritance  in  heaven.     G.  B.  C. 


18.  Divisions.  Whatever  alienates  the  af- 
fections of  Christians  from  one  another  constitutes 
schism  in  the  sense  of  the  apostle ;  for  this  strikes 
directly  at  the  vitals  of  Christianity,  since  it  is  in 
the  union  of  affection  among  Christians  that  the 
spirit,  the  life,  and  the  power  of  religion  are  prin- 
cipally placed.  Schism,  then,  is  the  sin  of  doing 
anything  to  alienate  men's  hearts  from  each  other, 
whatever  be  the  occasion  or  the  means  of  the  es- 
trangement. And  a  sin  it  is  of  a  magnitude  and  enor- 
mity which  few  can  estimate.  It  is  the  very  opposite 
of  charity ;  and  in  saying  this  we  arraign  it  upon  the 
most  solemn  and   the   most  capital  charge  which 

any  indictment  can  prefer.     J.  A.  J. During  the 

present  disjointed  state  of  things  nothing  remains  but 
for  every  one  to  whom  the  care  of  any  part  of  the 
Church  of  Christ  is  intrusted  to  exert  himself  to  the 
utmost  in  the  promotion  of  vital  religion,  in  cement- 
ing the  friendship  of  the  good,  and  repressing,  with 
a  firm  and  steady  hand,  the  heats  and  eruptions  of 
party  spirit.  Were  our  efforts  uniformly  to  take 
this  direction,  there  would  be  an  identity  in  the  im- 


pression made  by  religious  instruction ;  the  distor- 
tion of  party  features  would  gradually  disappear, 
and  Christians  would  everywhere  approach  toward 
that  ideal  beauty  spoken  of  by  painters,  which  is 
combined  of  the  finest  lines  and  traits  conspicuous 
in  individual  forms.  Since  they  have  all  drunk  into 
the  same  spirit,  it  is  manifest  nothing  is  wanting 
but  a  larger  portion  of  that  spirit,  to  lay  the  foun- 
dation of  a  solid,  cordial  union.  It  is  to  the  immod- 
erate attachment  to  secular  interest,  the  love  of 
power,  and  the  want  of  reverence  for  truth,  not  to 
the  obscurities  of  revelation,  we  must  impute  the 
unhappy  contentions  among  Christians — maladies 
which  nothing  can  correct  but  deep  and  genuine 
piety.  The  true  schismatic  is  not  so  properly  the 
person  who  declines  a  compliance  with  what  he 
judges  to  be  wrong,  though  he  may  be  mistaken  in 
that  judgment,  as  the  man  who,  like  the  author  be- 
fore us,  sedulously  employs  every  artifice  to  alienate 
the  affections  of  good  men  from  each  other.   Ji.  Hall. 

19.  Heresies.     The  term  heresy  signifies  pri- 
marily choice,  then  party,  sect.     It  is  commonly 


SECTION  210.— 1  CORINTHIANS  11 :  17-^4. 


317 


used  in  the  bad  sense,  implying  willfulness  on  the 
side  of  the  individual,  a  spirit  of  arrogant  innova- 
tion and  party  zeal.  In  the  New  Testament  the 
term  frequently  occurs,  and  in  various  connections, 
but  almost  always  involving  some  bad  sense.  It  is 
used  of  the  religious  parties  among  the  Jews,  as  the 
Sadducees  (Acts  5  :  17),  the  Pharisees  (15  :  5 ; 
26  :  5) ;  of  the  Christians  in  general,  who  were  for 
a  long  time  called  by  the  Jews  in  contempt  "  the 
sect  of  the  Nazarenes  "  (Acts  24  :  5,  14  ;  28  :  22) ; 
and  of  parties  within  the  Christian  Church  (1  Cor. 
11 :  19 ;  Gal.  5  :  20).    P.  S. 

20*  The  Lord's  Supper  was  evidently  to  be  a 
solemn  commemoration  and  recognition  of  the  re- 
demption and  deliverance  of  mankind  by  the  death 
of  Christ,  as  the  Feast  of  the  Passover  was  of  the 
deliverance  of  the  Israelites  from  the  destroying 
angel.  Nor  is  this  all ;  for  as  the  Jews  were  accus- 
tomed in  their  peace-offerings  to  eat  a  part  of  the 
victim,  and  thus  partook  of  the  sacrifice,  so  they 
would  perceive  that  in  this  neiu  institution  the  eat- 
ing of  the  bread  and  drinking  of  the  wine  was  a 
mark  and  symbol  of  their  participating  in  the  effects 
of  this  new  peace-offering,  the  death  of  Christ, 
whose  body  was  broken  and  whose  blood  was  shed 
for  them  on  the  cross.  They  would  also  see  that 
this  supper  of  our  Lord  was  from  that  time  to  be 
substituted  in  the  room  of  the  Passover.    P. 

The  Lord's  Supper  is  called  a  sacrament,  that  is, 
a  sign  and  an  oath.  An  outward  and  visible  sign  of 
an  inward  and  spiritual  grace ;  an  oath  by  which  we 
bind  our  souls  with  a  bond  unto  the  Lord.  It  is 
called  the  Lord's  Supper,  because  it  was  first  insti- 
tuted in  the  evening,  and  at  the  close  of  the  Pass- 
over Supper,  and  because  we  therein  feed  upon 
Christ,  the  Bread  of  Life.  It  is  called  the  Commu- 
nion, as  herein  we  commune  with  Christ  and  with 
his  people.  It  is  called  the  Eucharist,  a  thanks- 
giving, because  Christ,  in  the  institution  of  it,  gave 
thanks,  and  because  we,  in  the  participation  of  it, 
must  give  thanks  likewise.  It  is  called  a  feast,  and 
by  some  a  feast  upon  sacrifice  (though  not  a  sacrifice 
itself),  in  allusion  to  the  custom  of  the  Jews  feast- 
ing upon  their  sacrifices.     Buck. 

21,  22.  The  Church  of  Corinth  had  introduced 
what  was  called  a  love-feast,  in  which  the  churches 
met  together,  previous  to  the  reception  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  to  partake  of  a  common  meal,  rich  and 
poor  bringing  their  own  provisions.  Beautiful  as 
the  idea  was,  it  was  liable  to  great  abuse.  In  order 
to  rectify  the  abuses  which  had  grown  out  of  these 
love-feasts,  the  apostle  recalls  to  their  remembrance 
the  reasons  for  the  original  institution  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  and  from  them  deduces  the  guilt  and  re- 
sponsibiUty  of  their  desecration  of  that  ordinance. 
He  says  that  it  was  meant  as  a  memorial  of  the 
Redeemer's  sacrifice.     F.  W.  R. 

23-26.  Three  of  the  writers  of  the  Gospels  re- 
cord the  facts  of  its  first  institution,  and  of  its  being 


enjoined  on  the  disciples  as  a  memorial  of  Christ, 
and  as  a  sacred  symbol  of  his  atoning  sacrifice. 
Paul  here  records  the  special  revelation  to  him  of 
the  same  facts.  These  records  show  that  its  Insti- 
tutor,  and  his  first  ministers,  considered  it  an  or- 
dinance in  which  true  Christians  only  are  to  com- 
mune happily  together  in  love,  and  profitably  to- 
gether by  faith,  upon  the  consecrated  symbols  of 
their  Saviour's  body  and  blood ;  that,  having  pre- 
viously, by  "  repentance  toward  God  and  faith  to- 
ward our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  become  participants 
in  the  pardon  of  sin,  and  in  the  hope  of  eternal  life, 
as  revealed  in  the  gospel,  such  Christians  come  to- 
gether at  the  Lord's  Supper  to  express  their  love 
for  Christ  and  their  faith  in  him ;  and,  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  these  graces,  to  be  refreshed  and  strength- 
ened in  the  new  life  mightily,  feeding  in  spirit  on 
"  the  true  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven." 
J.  S.  S. 

Looking  at  this  ordinance  we  may  distinguish 
four  leading  ideas  :  The  memorial  idea.  "  Do  this 
in  remembrance  of  me."  The  love  which  brought 
salvation,  and  the  way  by  which  salvation  came,  are 
to  be  kept  fresh  in  our  minds  by  the  periodic  ob- 
servance of  the  ordinance  which  commemorates 
Christ's  death.  The  symbolical  idea.  As  baptism 
teaches  by  symbol  the  doctrine  of  depravity  and  the 
necessity  of  regeneration,  so  the  impressive  ordi- 
nance of  the  supper  speaks  to  us  of  guilt  and  of 
the  atonement.  The  social  idea.  It  is  the  "  Lord's 
table "  which  is  spread,  the  "  Lord's  Supper  "  of 
which  we  partake.  It  is  a  communion  of  Christians 
with  their  Lord  and  with  one  another.  The  sacra- 
mental idea.  This  ordinance,  besides  being  a  me- 
morial service  and  symbolical  of  precious  truth,  is 
really  a  means  of  grace  to  those  who  receive  it  in 
faith ;  in  a  real  though  not  in  a  bodily  sense  Christ 
is  present,  and  in  a  spiritual  though  not  in  a  cor- 
poreal manner  believers  do  feed  upon  him  to  their 
spiritual  nourishment  and  growth  in  grace.    F.  L.  P. 

Christ  is  really  present  to  his  people  in  this 
sacrament,  not  bodily,  but  in  spirit ;  not  in  the 
sense  of  local  nearness,  but  of  efficacious  operation. 
They  receive  him  not  with  the  mouth,  but  by  faith ; 
they  receive  his  flesh  and  blood,  not  as  flesh,  not  as 
material  particles,  not  as  human  life,  not  the  super- 
natural influence  of  his  glorified  body  in  heaven, 
but  his  body  as  broken  and  his  blood  as  shed.  The 
union  thus  signified  and  effected  is  not  a  corporeal 
union,  not  a  mixture  of  substances,  but  a  spiritual 
and  mystical  union  due  to  the  indwelling  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  The  efficacy  of  this  sacrament  as  a 
means  of  grace  is  not  in  the  sign,  nor  in  the  service, 
nor  in  the  minister,  nor  in  the  word,  but  in  the  at- 
tending influence  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     C.  H. The 

holy  Communion  was  meant  to  be  an  abiding  sign  of 
Christ's  love  to  us,  that  as  we  received  into  our 


318 


SECTION  270.— 1  CORIFTHIAN'S  11 :  HS^. 


bodies  the  bread  and  wine,  which  are  the  signs  of 
his  body  and  blood,  so  he  would  enter  into  our  spirits 
by  his  Spirit,  and  so  become  partaker  in  us,  that  we 

might  become  partakers  in  him.    T.  A. We  come 

to  Christ  for  life,  and  to  the  holy  Communion  with 
life.  We  come  to  Christ  for  forgiveness,  and  to  the 
holy  Communion  with  forgiveness,  if  we  come  to  it 
aright,  for  the  strengthening  and  refreshing  of  our 
souls  by  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  as  our  bodies 
are  by  the  bread  and  wine.  Food  and  strength  are 
for  the  living  and  not  for  the  dead.  A  dead  thing 
can  not  get  strength  and  refreshment.  It  must  first 
have  life.  The  sinner,  by  grace,  gets  life  in  Christ 
and  from  Christ,  and  has  Christ  for  his  life  ;  and  in 
the  blessed  sacrament  obtains  by  the  same  grace, 
from  Christ,  and  not  from  the  sacrament,  strength 
and  refreshment  for  the  soul.  The  God  of  all  grace 
Morks  in  the  hearts  of  his  believing  people,  in  this 
and  all  his  other  ordinances,  richly,  to  their  souls' 
good.     Gregg. 

We  feel  what  a  tie  there  is  to  bind  each  of  us 
to  his  brother  when  we  come  to  the  table  of  our 
common  Lord.  So  far,  the  Lord's  Supper  is  but  a 
type  of  what  every  Christian  meeting  should  be. 
Never  should  any  of  us  be  gathered  together  on  any 
occasion  of  common  life,  in  our  families  or  with  our 
neighbors,  we  should  sit  down  to  no  meal,  we  should 
meet  in  no  company,  without  having  Christ  also  in 
the  midst  of  us,  ^thout  remembering  what  we  all 
are  to  him,  and  what  we  each  therefore  are  to  our 
brethren.     T.  A. 

These  hands  which  take  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ,  how  holy  they  ought  to  be.  They  shall  not 
■withhold  anything  from  Christ  which  he  requires  of 
us,  nor  be  shut  against  the  needy ;  they  shall  work 
no  ill  to  a  neighbor,  keep  back  no  just  due  ;  they 
shall  be  diligent  in  business,  as  the  hands  of  Christ 
must  have  been  when  he  worked  at  his  trade  and 
dignified  our  labor ;  they  shall  strike  no  passionate 
blow ;  they  shall  use  severity  at  proper  times,  sus- 
tained by  divine  authority ;  they  shall  shed  kindness 
and  blessings  on  others ;  they  shall  write  no  letters 
wliich  the  eye  of  Christ  might  not  be  permitted  to 
read ;  they  shall  receive  no  gains  on  which  we  can 
not  ask  his  blessing.     N.  A. 

36.  Till  he  come.  The  rite  was  not  a  me- 
morial of  death  simply,  but  of  death  conquered  by 
life.  The  seal  of  the  efficacy  of  the  death  of  Christ 
was  given  in  the  resurrection,  and  the  limit  of  the 
commemoration  of  his  passion  was  looked  for  in  his 

return.     B.  F.  W. The  memorial  of  the  cross  is 

also  the  promise  of  the  glory ;  and  they  who  at  the 
Lord's  table  on  earth  love  to  show  forth  their  Lord's 
death  till  he  come,  are  surely  more  likely  tlian  others 
to  be  looking  forward  to  the  glorious  moment  when 
they  will  be  called  to  sit  down  to  the  marriage  sup- 
per of  the  Lamb.    A.  W.  T. 


Notice  here  the  many  words  which  are  connected 
with  "  the  Lord  "  by  the  apostle  :  The  Lord's  bodi/ 
verse  29 ;  the  Lord's  hlood,  verse  27 ;  the  Lord's 
b7-ead,  verse  27 ;  the  Lord's  cup,  verse  27  ;  the  Lord's 
death,  verse  26  ;  the  Lord's  supper,  verse  20.  For  in 
this  ordinance  Christ  is  all  and  in  all ;  everything 
here  speaks  of  Jesus,  and  he  speaks  in  cverjthing ; 
he  is  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the 
end,  the  first  and  the  last.     Bonar. 

Christ  instituted  two  outward  rites.  There  could 
not  have  been  fewer,  and  they  could  not  have  been 
simpler ;  and  look  at  the  portentous  outgrowth  of  su- 
perstition,  and  the  unnumbered  evils,  religious,  moral, 
social,  and  even  political,  which  have  come  from 
the  invincible  tendency  of  human  nature  to  corrupt 
forms,  even  when  the  forms  are  the  sweet  and  sim- 
ple ones  of  Christ's  own  appointment.  What  a  lea- 
son  the  history  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  its  grad. 
ual  change  from  the  domestic  memorial  of  the  dying 
love  of  our  Lord  to  the  "tremendous  sacrifice," 
reads  us  as  to  the  dangerous  ally  which  spiritual 
religion — and  there  is  no  other  religion  than  spirit- 
ual— enlists  when  it  seeks  the  help  of  external 
rites !     A.  M. 

37-30.  The  occasion  on  which  he  spake  is  well 
known.  The  grossly  "  carnal "  Corinthians  had  fall- 
en into  the  practice  of  making  the  Lord's  Supper  a 
common  meal,  or,  something  worse,  an  occasion  of 
excessive  sensual  indulgence.  They  paid  no  atten- 
tion to  it  as  a  divinely  ordained  commemoration  of 
the  death  and  passion  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
They  "  distinguished  "  not  between  this  and  an  or- 
dinary feast :  they  ate,  drank,  and  were  drunken. 
They  "  discerned  not  the  Lord's  body,"  in  that  they 
treated  the  consecrated  bread  and  wine,  which  were  its 
S)Tnbols,  as  though  they  were  a  profane  feast.  They 
had  lost  sight  of  the  true  character  and  design  of 
the  sacrament,  and  had  gone  to  such  "  excess  of  riot- 
ing," that,  as  a  special  judgment,  some  of  them  were 
seized  with  "  weakness  and  sickness,"  and  many  of 
them  were  fallen  "  asleep,"  either  in  literal  death  or 
in  awful  spiritual  insensibility.  They  were  ^''guilty 
of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord,''''  by  heaping  con- 
tempt on  that  sacred  ordinance  in  which  they  were 
represented.  Contempt  of  the  symbol  is  contempt  of 
the  thing  symbolized.  Contempt  of  the  representative 
is  contempt  of  the  being  represented.  Thus  the  body 
of  Christ  was  dishonored  by  the  abuse  heaped  on  its 
memorial.  Thus  "  the  King  of  Saints  "  himself  was 
insulted  by  the  slight  cast  on  his  divinely  appointed 
representative.  This,  plainly,  is  the  whole  of  the 
apostle's  meaning.    J.  S.  S. 

In  verse  29,  '■^damnation''''  should  be  "judg- 
ment " ;  and  in  verse  34,  "  condemnation  "  should  be 
written  "  judgment."  In  verse  31,  "  if  we  woidd 
judge  ourselves  "  should  be  "  if  we  duly  discerned 
ourselves."    The  verb  is  the  same  as  in  "discern 


SECTION'  271.— 1  CORINTHIANS  12  : 1-^1.  319 


not "  in  verse  29,  and  should  have  been  carefully 
kept  identical.    A. 

32«  It  is  not  an  easy  matter  to  be  drawn  from 
the  love  of  this  world,  and  this  is  that  which  God 
mainly  requires  of  his  children.  And  if  in  the  midst 
of  afflictions  they  are  sometimes  subject  to  this  dis- 
ease, how  would  it  grow  upon  them  with  ease  and 


prosperity  ?  When  they  are  beaten  from  one  world- 
ly folly  or  delight,  they  are  ready  to  lay  hold  upon 
some  other,  being  thrust  out  from  it  at  one  door  to 
enter  at  some  other.  Thus,  it  is  clear,  there  is  great 
need  of  afflictions,  yea,  of  many  afflictions,  that  the 
saints  be  chastened  by  the  Lord,  that  they  may  not  he 
condemned  with  the  world.    L. 


Section  271. 

1   COEUTTHIANS   xii.  1-31. 


1  Now  concerning  spiritual  gifts,  brethren,  I  would  not  have  you  ignorant.     Ye  know 

2  that  ye  were  Gentiles,  carried  away  unto  these  dumb  idols,  even  as  ye  were  led.     "Where- 

3  fore  I  give  you  to  understand,  that  no  man  speaking  by  the  Spirit  of  God  calleth  Jesus 

4  accursed :  and  that  no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost.     Now 

5  there  are  diversities  of  gifts,  but  the  same  Spirit.     And  there  are  differences  of  administra- 

6  tions,  but  the  same  Lord.     And  there  are  diversities  of  operations,  but  it  is  the  same  God 

7  which  worketh  all  in  all.     But  the  manifestation  of  the  Spirit  is  given  to  every  man  to  profit 

8  withal.    For  to  one  is  given  by  the  Spirit  the  word  of  wisdom ;  to  another  the  word  of 

9  knowledge  by  the  same  Spirit ;  to  another  faith  by  the  same  Spirit ;  to  another  the  gifts  of 

10  healing  by  the  same  Spirit ;  to  another  the  working  of  miracles ;  to  another  prophecy ;  to 
another  discerning  of  spirits;  to  another  divers  kinds  of  tongues;  to  another  the  interpre- 

11  tation  of  tongues :  but  all  these  worketh  that  one  and  the  selfsame  Spirit,  dividing  to  every 

12  man  severally  as  he  will.    For  as  the  body  is  one,  and  hath  many  members,  and  all  the 

13  members  of  that  one  body,  being  many,  are  one  body :  so  also  is  Christ.  For  by  one  Spirit 
are  we  all  baptized  into  one  body,  whether  ice  ie  Jews  or  Gentiles,  whether  we  le  bond  or 
free ;  and  have  been  all  made  to  drink  into  one  Spirit. 

14  For  the  body  is  not  one  member,  but  many.     If  the  foot  shall  say,  Because  I  am  not  the 

15  hand,  I  am  not  of  the  body;  is  it  therefore  not  of  the  body?    And  if  the  ear  shall  say, 

16  Because  I  am  not  the  eye,  I  am  not  of  the  body  ;  is  it  therefore  not  of  the  body  ?     If  the 

17  whole  body  were  an  eye,  where  rcere  the  hearing?     If  the  whole  were  hearing,  where  were 

18  the  smelling?     But  now  hath  God  set  the  members  every  one  of  them  in  the  body,  as  it 

19  hath  pleased  him.     And  if  they  were  all  one  member,  where  icere  the  body?    But  now  are 

20  they  many  members,  yet  but  one  body.     And  the  eye  cannot  say  unto  the  hand,  I  have  no 

21  need  of  thee:  nor  again  the  head  to  the  feet,  I  have  no  need  of  you.     Nay,  much  more 

22  those  members  of  the  body,  which  seem  to  be  more  feeble,  are  necessary :  and  those  mem- 

23  lers  of  the  body,  which  we  think  to  be  less  honourable,  upon  these  we  bestow  more  abun- 

24  dant  honour;  and  our  uncomely  j9«r^s  have  more  abundant  comeliness.  For  our  comely 
parts  have  no  need  :  but  God  hath  tempered  the  body  together,  having  given  more  abundant 

25  honour  to  that  part  which  lacked :  that  there  should  be  no  schism  in  the  body ;  but  that 

26  the  members  should  have  the  same  care  one  for  another.  And  whether  one  member  suffer, 
all  the  members  suffer  with  it ;  or  one  member  be  honoured,  all  the  members  rejoice  with 

27  it.    Now  ye  are  the  body  of  Christ,  and  members  in  particular. 

28  And  God  hath  set  some  in  the  church,  first  apostles,  secondarily  prophets,  thirdly 
teachers,  after  that  miracles,  then  gifts  of   healings,  helps,  governments,  diversities  of 

29  tongues.    Are  all  apostles  ?  are  all  prophets?  are  all  teachers  ?  are  all  workers  of  miracles  ? 

30  Have  all  the  gifts  of  heahng?  do  all  speak  with  tongues?  do  all  interpret?     But  covet 

31  earnestly  the  best  gifts :  and  yet  shew  \  unto  you  a  more  excellent  way. 


As  warmth  is  inseparable  from  fire  and  brightness  from  light,  so  are  the  qualities  of  hallowing  and 
giving  life,  of  goodness  and  rectitude,  inseparable  from  the  Spirit.  It  is  He  that  fills  angels  and  archangels, 
hallows  powers,  gives  life  to  all.  Distributed  to  creatures,  and  variously  shared  by  each,  he  is  nowise 
diminished  by  those  that  share  him.  To  all  he  gives  the  grace  which  proceeds  from  him,  but  he  is  not 
spent  on  his  receivers  ;  on  the  contrary,  while  they  that  take  him  are  filled,  he  himself  lacks  nothmg.     He 


320 


SECTION  S71.—1  CORINTHIANS  12  : 1-31. 


illuminates  all  men  for  the  knowledge  of  God  ;  he  inspires  prophets ;  he  gives  wisdom  to  lawgivers,  per- 
fects just  men,  gives  dignity  to  the  self-controlled,  works  gifts  of  healing,  gives  life  to  the  dead,  releases 
the  fettered,  adopts  the  aliens  into  sonship.  This  he  works  through  the  birth  from  above.  Through  him 
the  weak  become  strong,  and  the  poor  rich,  and  the  unskilled  in  argument  are  wiser  than  the  wise.  He 
abides  in  heaven,  and  fills  the  earth,  and  is  everywhere  present,  and  nowhere  circumscribed.  He  dwells 
entire  in  each  one,  and  is  entire  with  God.  He  does  not  administer  his  gifts  ministerially,  but  distributes 
his  "races  with  sovereign  power.     For  he  divides  to  each  severally  as  he  wills.     Basil. 

The  Church  may  well  be  compared  to  a  garden  variegated  with  flowers  of  every  species  and  clime ;  to 
an  anthem,  in  which  the  highest  and  deepest  tones  blend  in  wonderful  harmony ;  to  a  body,  whose  mem- 
bers have  each  its  particular  form  and  function,  yet  are  ruled  by  the  same  head,  permeated  by  the  same 
blood,  and  subservient  to  the  same  end.  In  this  very  diversity  of  divine  endowments  must  we  adore  the 
inexhaustible  wisdom  and  grace  of  the  Lord.  The  unbiased  contemplation  of  this  unity  in  diversity  and 
diversity  in  unity  should  free  us  from  all  exclusiveness  and  bigotry,  and  raise  us  to  a  genuine  liberality  and 
catholicity  of  thought  and  feeling.     P.  S. 


3-6.  In  this  chapter  Paul  sets  himself  to  dis- 
cuss spiritual  gifts  and  inspiration.  First,  he  lays 
down  a  broad  general  principle  respecting  spiritual 
inspiration ;  secondly,  he  determines  the  place  and 
value  of  different  degrees  of  spiritual  inspiration. 
lie  lays  down  the  general  principle  respecting  in- 
spiration in  the  third  verse :  "  No  man  can  say 
that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost." 
This  made  the  broad  separation  between  the  Chris- 
tian Church  and  the  Gentile  world.     F.  W.  R. 

4.  Diversities  of  gifts.  Gregory  the  Great 
says :  "  The  Almighty  has  acted  with  the  souls  of 
men  as  he  has  with  the  different  countries  of  the 
earth.  He  might  have  given  fruits  of  all  kinds  to 
every  land  ;  but,  if  every  land  did  not  require  the 
fruits  of  another,  there  would  be  no  fellowship 
maintained  with  the  others.  Hence  it  comes  to  pass 
that  to  one  he  gives  what  the  other  has  not,  and  the 
latter  supplies  what  the  former  wants,  and  so  the 
separated  lands  are  united  by  a  communication  of 
gifts.  And,  like  different  countries,  the  souls  of 
saints  arc  related  to  productions — they  are  all  united 
together  in  one  love."  Thus  Gregory  points  out 
how  the  inequality  and  diversity  among  men  is 
necessary  and  ordained  by  God ;  that  to  wish  to 
make  all  things  externally  equal  would  be  a  mutila- 
tion of  nature  and  a  destruction  of  divine  arrange- 
ment ;  but  that  the  love  that  proceeds  from  the 
gospel  equalizes  all  from  within,  as  all  the  inequali- 
ties founded  in  nature,  or  springing  out  of  the  rela- 
tions of  life,  ought  to  be  materials  for  the  expres- 
sion and  preservation  of  love.     N. 

But  the  same  Spirit.  There  is  an  essential 
difference  in  all  lives,  and  there  is  in  them  also,  by 
the  gift  of  God,  an  essential  unity.  There  is  a 
difference  in  them  because  there  is  a  unity ;  be- 
cause, that  is,  they  are  not  bounded  by  that  which 
falls  under  our  present  notice,  which  is  fragmentary, 
imperfect,  half  suppressed,  but  pass  on  to  the  more 
immediate  presence  of  God,  where  all  that  has  been 
blessed  by  his  Spirit  coexists  in  absolute  harmony 
and  power.    B.  F.  W. 


7.  While  the  Spirit  is  of  one  nature,  yet  many 
are  the  excellences  which  in  the  name  of  Christ  he 
works  out.  For  he  uses  one  man's  tongue  to  utter 
wisdom,  illuminates  another's  soul  with  prophecy, 
to  another  gives  ability  to  interpret  the  divine  Scrip- 
tures. One  man's  self-control  he  strengthens,  an- 
other he  teaches  how  to  give  alms,  another  to  dis- 
cipline himself,  another  to  despise  the  interests  of 
the  body ;  another  he  prepares  for  martyrdom ; 
differently  in  each  case,  but  not  diverse  from  him- 
self, as  it  is  written,  "  But  the  manifestation  of  the 
Spirit  is  given  to    every  man  to  profit  withal." 

Cyril  of  Jerusalem. The  loftiest  gifts,  the  most 

conspicuous  position,  have  no  other  purpose  than 
that  which  the  lowliest  powers  in  the  obscurest  cor- 
ner are  meant  to  subserve.  The  one  distributing , 
Spirit  divides  to  each  man  severally  as  he  will ;  and 
whether  he  endows  him  with  starlike  gifts,  which 
soar  above  and  blaze  over  half  the  world  with  luster 
that  lives  through  the  centuries,  or  whether  he  set 
him  in  some  cottage  window  to  send  out  a  tiny  cone 
of  light  that  pierces  a  little  way  into  the  night  for 
an  hour  or  two  and  then  is  quenched — it  is  all  one. 
The  manifestation  of  the  Spirit  is  given  to  every 
man  for  the  same  purpose — to  do  good  with.  And 
we  have  all  one  office  and  function  to  be  discharged 
by  each  in  his  own  fashion,  namely,  to  give  the 
light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
face  of  Christ  Jesus.     A.  M. 

13.  The  whole  human  body  is  admirably  ar- 
ranged for  growth  and  vigor.  Every  member  and 
joint  contributes  to  its  healthful  and  harmonious 
action.  All  depend  on  the  head  with  reference  to 
the  most  important  functions  of  life,  and  all  derive 
their  vigor  from  that.  So  it  is  in  the  Church.  It 
is  well  arranged  for  growth  and  vigor,  and  it  is 
beautifully  organized  in  its  various  members  and 
officers.  It  depends,  moreover,  on  Christ  as  the 
head,  to  sustain,  invigorate,  and  guide  it.    A.  B. 

13.  Baptized.  There  is  an  inward  work  on 
the  soul — a  work  of  power  and  love,  of  quickening 
and  life-warm  energy,  of  transforming,  yet  of  ordi- 


SECTION  271.— 1  CORIKTEIANS  12  : 1-31. 


321 


nary  grace — which  is  called  a  baptism,  doubtless  be- 
cause the  baptism  bj  ivaier  is  its  appointed  symbol. 
This  inward  worli  of  the  Spirit,  whenever  effected 
through  the  word  of  God,  and  the  holy  light  which 
this  word  sheds  around  the  mind,  may,  with  truth 
and  force,  be  called  a  baptism.  Now,  the  whole  of 
this  connection  is  figurative  speech ;  that  is,  the 
literal  human  body — animated,  of  course,  by  the 
living  human  soul — is  used  as  a  strong  figure  of  the 
mystical  body  of  Christ,  filled  with  that  Holy  Spirit 
by  whom  its  members  are  cemented  into  indissol- 
uble union.  Hence,  doubtless,  the  baptism  spoken 
of  is  that  inward  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
has  its  appointed  symbol  indeed  in  the  baptism  by 
wate);  but  which,  as  we  have  so  often  seen,  has  no 
connection  with  it  as  its  operated  result.  The  true 
force  of  the  passage  may  be  thus  expressed  in  para- 
phrase :  "  By  one  divine  Spirit,  all  real  Christians, 
of  whatever  nation  or  name,  are  closely  united  as 
members  in  that  one  spiritual  body,  of  which  Christ 
ia  the  head ;  and  this  work  of  the  Spirit  may  be 
called  a  baptism,  because  it  has  its  appointed  symbol 
in  that  primary  Christian  ordinance."    J.  S.  S. 

13.  By  one  Spirit  into  one  body.  Union 
in  Christ  they  have  that  are  indeed  Christians ;  this 
they  pretend  to  have  who  profess  themselves  Chris- 
tians. If  natural  friendship  be  capable  of  that  ex- 
pression, 07ie  spirit  in  tico  bodies,  Christian  union 
hath  it  much  more  really  and  properly.  For  there 
is,  indeed,  one  Spirit  more  extensive  in  all  the  faith- 
ful ;  yea,  so  one  spirit,  that  it  makes  them  up  into 
one  body  more  extensive.  They  are  not  so  much  as 
divers  bodies,  only  divers  members  of  one  body.    L. 

14.  There  are  different  members,  and  all  have 
not  the  same  oflSce.  Some  are  there  to  teach — some 
to  counsel  and  administer — some  to  tend  the  young 
— some  to  visit  the  sick-bed — some  to  conduct  the 
temporal  affairs  of  the  Church — some  to  be  liberal 
givers  as  God  has  prospered  them — and  some,  with- 
out any  formal  mode  of  action,  come  under  this  de- 
scription, which  applies  to  them  all,  "  Sons  of  God, 
without  rebuke,  shining  as  lights  in  the  world,  hold- 
ing forth  the  word  of  life."  It  is  very  beautiful  to 
see  how  the  God,  who  has  bound  his  world  into  a 
grand  harmony  by  its  very  diversity,  has  arranged  for 
this  same  end  in  his  Church,  by  giving  the  members 
their  different  faculties  of  work — how  the  pure  light 
that  comes  from  the  sun  breaks  into  its  separate 
hues  when  it  touches  the  palace-house  of  Christ  with 
its  varied  cornices  and  turrets  till  every  color  lies  in 
tranquil  beauty  beside  its  fellow.  If  it  is  not  so  it 
should  be  so,  and  as  the  Church  grows  it  will  be  so. 
Use  and  ornament,  the  corner-stone  and  the  cope- 
stone,  shall  both  be  felt  to  have  their  due  place. 
Kcr. 

17.  Not  only  is  the  life  of  the  body  one  thing, 
in  whichever  of  the  members  it  operates,  but  also 
21 


the  members  conspire  together  to  one  end.  In 
fetching  and  reaching  anything,  the  design  is 
formed  by  the  brain ;  the  object  is  seen  by  the  eye  ; 
the  feet  are  made  to  walk  in  that  direction;  the 
hands  subsequently  are  raised  to  grasp  the  object. 
Combination  for  one  purpose  is  quite  as  obvious  in 
the  whole  procedure  as  the  interpenetration  of  the 
entire  body  by  one  life.     E.  M.  G. 

20,  21.  The  impression  which  the  apostolic 
Epistles  give  us  of  a  Christian  congregation  is  that 
of  a  body  so  organized  as  that  each  and  every  mem- 
ber is  made  useful  to  the  whole  body,  and  the  par- 
ticular gift  which  God  bestows  upon  the  weakest 
and  most  insignificant  is  so  appreciated  and  applied, 
that  "  the  head  "  or  "  the  eye  " — the  most  intelligent 
or  most  discerning — can  not  say  to  that  weak  mem- 
ber, "  I  have  no  need  of  thee."    N.  M. 

22.  As  the  apostle  has  spoken  in  the  whole 
chapter  of  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  since  it  is 
with  reference  to  these  that  he  distinguishes  the 
members  of  the  Church  as  strong  and  feeble,  we 
may  present  the  idea  of  the  apostle  in  this  form. 
The  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  which  are  the  most 
feeble  are  also  the  most  necessary.  The  gifts  that 
are  more  feeble  are  humility,  by  which  a  believer 
abases  himself  before  God  and  regards  others  as 
more  excellent  than  himself ;  fidelity,  which  will  not 
be  unjust  in  the  smallest  any  more  than  in  the 
greatest  things ;  purity  of  manners  and  of  thought, 
which  keeps  undefiled  the  temple  where  the  Holy 
Spirit  deigns  to  dwell ;  truth,  which  would  not  for 
the  greatest  bribe  open  its  lips  to  the  slightest  false- 
hood ;  contentment,  which  bears  all  losses  without  a 
murmur,  because  its  real  treasure  can  not  be  taken 
from  it ;  activity,  which  remembers  that  the  kingdom 
of  God  consists  not  in  words  but  in  deeds  ;  charity, 
not  charity  factitious,  borrowed,  learned  by  heart,  but 
a  true  love,  a  tenderness  of  soul,  which  alternately 
pities  and  consoles,  soothes  and  beseeches,  which 
can  not  revile  or  despise,  which  bears  all  things, 
excuses  all  things,  which  rejoices  not  in  iniquity 
but  rejoices  in  the  truth.    A.  V. 

24.  To  regard  the  business  attaching  to  any 
station  of  life  as  insignificant  is  as  unreasonable  as 
it  is  unscriptural.  Paul  says  of  the  human  body, 
that  God  has  "  given  honor  to  those  members  which 
lacked."  The  same  may  be  said  of  society.  Its 
whole  fabric  and  framework  is  built  up  of  humble 
duties  accurately  fulfilled  by  persons  in  humble  sta- 
tions. The  Scripture,  with  that  wonderful  penetra- 
tion into  the  thoughts  of  man  which  characterizes 
its  every  page,  has  taken  care  to  set  the  seal  of  dig- 
nity and  sacredness  upon  those  callings  and  employ- 
ments which  are  lowest  in  the  social  scale.     E.  M. 

G. If  I   am   faithfully  serving  Christ,  does   it 

really  so  much  matter  whether  my  hand  holds  a 
scepter,  a  pen,  or  a  spade — whether  I  touch  thou- 


322 


SECTION  271.— 1  CORmTHIANS  12  : 1-31. 


sands  every  day  or  only  shillings  and  pence — 
whether  I  meet  many  people  or  only  few — whether 
my  house  is  large  or  small — whether  my  name  is 
famous  or  utterly  unknown?  It  is  but  "a  little 
while,"  and  the  stir  and  tumult  of  life,  be  it  in  high 
or  low  degree,  will  be  over,  the  drudgery  all  gone 
through,  the  commonness  ended  in  the  shining  of 
eternal  sublimity.  Not  where  I  am,  but  what  I  am, 
and,  still  more,  what  I  am  becoming,  is  the  thing ! 
Not  what  I  do,  but  how  I  am  doing  it !  Not  high 
or  low  in  earthly  place  and  estimate,  but  high  or 
low  in  purpose,  tone,  temper !  If  anything  of  no- 
bler outward  aspect  can  be  inserted  into  your  life, 
well.  If  you  can  have  the  seeming  commonness  as- 
sociated and  relieved  with  something  visibly  greater 
and  better — some  new  task,  endeavor,  friendship, 
possibility — well.  But  if  not,  we  say  again,  call  not 
that  life  which  God  in  his  infinite  wisdom  has  ap- 
pointed for  you,  which  by  his  great  redeeming  act 
he  has  purified,  which  from  the  roll  of  his  provi- 
dence is  unfolding  itself  under  his  very  eye,  which 
is  quick  with  the  stirrings  of  his  Spirit,  which  has 
the  seeds  of  immortal  glory  in  its  bosom — call  it 
not  common.  It  is  great,  unless  you  make  it  little ; 
it  is  good,  unless  you  make  it  evil.     A.  R. 

36.  The  spirit  and  the  law  of  the  Hfe  of  Christ 
is  to  be  that  of  every  member  of  the  Church,  and 
the  law  of  the  life  of  Christ  is  that  of  sympathy. 

F.  W.  R. And  this  living  sympathy  is  in  every 

living  member  of  the  body  of  Christ  toward  the 
whole  and  toward  each  particular  part.  This  makes 
a  Christian  rejoice  in  the  welfare  and  good  of  an- 
other as  if  it  were  his  own,  and  feel  their  griefs  and 
distresses  as  if  himself  were  really  sharer  in  them  ; 
for  the  word  comprehends  all  feeling  together,  feel- 
ing of  joy  as  well  as  of  grief.  And  always  where 
there  is  most  of  grace  and  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus 
Christ  there  is  most  of  this  sympathy.  When  the 
heart  can  unfeignedly  rejoice  in  the  Lord's  bounty 
to  others,  and  the  luster  of  grace  in  others  far  out- 
shining their  own,  truly  it  is  an  evidence  that  what 
grace  such  a  one  hath  is  upright  and  good,  and  that 
the  law  of  love  is  engraven  in  his  heart.  And 
where  that  is  there  will  be  likewise  a  compassionate, 
tender  sense  of  the  infirmities  and  frailties  of  their 
brethren.     L. 

27.  Under  this  striking  and  beautiful  symbol  of 
the  body  is  set  forth  the  unity,  the  harmony,  the 
proportionate  and  cooperative  efficiency  of  the 
Church  of  Chri.-^t.  That  equality  of  the  brother- 
hood which  our  Lord  laid  down  as  a  fundamental 
principle  in  the  constitution  of  his  Church  does  not 
imply  eciuality  of  function  or  of  official  place  and 
work.  In  primitive  times,  when  miraculous  gifts 
were  widely  shared  by  the  Church,  there  were  marked 
diversities  in  those  gifts,  and  in  the  official  position 
of  persons  thus  endowed.     And  now  the  equality 


of  the  brotherhood  does  not  displace  the  divine  law 
of  arrangement,  distribution,  adaptation  in  the  body. 
For  the  Church  is  not  a  society,  it  is  a  body ;  and 
the  equality  of  its  members  consists  first  in  the  fact 
of  membership  in  Christ,  their  common  head ;  next 
in  community  of  privileges ;  next  in  dependence  i 
upon  one  another  for  sympathy  and  support ;  next 
in  cooperation  toward  the  same  end,  under  the  au- 
thority and  direction  of  the  one  head.  And  the 
humblest  may  now  obtain  the  greatest  gifts,  which 
in  the  next  chapter  the  apostle  defines  to  be  faith, 
hope,  charity.     J.  P.  T. 

28.  The  miraculous  gifts  imparted  to  many  in 
the  early  Church  are  carefully  ranked  and  marked 
by  the  hand  of  the  apostle  as  inferior  to  those  gifts 
which  were  "for  edification  and  exhortation  and 
comfort."  "  And  God  hath  set  some  in  the  Church, 
first  apostles,  secondarily  prophets,  thirdly  teachers, 
after  that  miracles,  then  gifts  of  healing,  helps,  gov. 
ernments,  diversities  of  tongues."  Here  miracle- 
working,  healing,  and  speaking  with  divers  tongues 
are  set  as  inferior  gifts  to  those  whereby  men  were 

constituted  teachers  or  prophets.     Arthur. All 

these  are  engaged  in  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
though  in  different  departments.  Together  they 
constituted  the  ministry  by  which  Christ  meant  to 
establish  and  edify  the  Church ;  but  the  offices  of 
prophets  and  apostles  were  not  designed  to  be  per- 
manent.    A.  B. 

Prophets,  teachers.  All  offices,  whether  for 
the  government  or  edification  of  the  body,  were  con- 
sidered as  charisms — gifts  of  the  Spirit.  Persons 
who  were  designated  by  their  peculiar  natural  pow- 
ers, as  quickened  and  directed  by  the  Spirit,  for  the 
discharge  of  their  functions,  were  appointed  to  ful-, 
fill  them.  Among  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  was  that 
of  teaching.  There  was  a  class  of  persons  who 
showed  themselves  specially  adapted  to  speak  in  a 
moving  and  instructive  way,  and  these  were  recog- 
nized as  having  a  divine  call  to  this  service.  They 
were  not  elders,  though  elders  might  teach,  and  late 
in  the  apostolic  age  teaching  came  to  be  considered 
a  necessary  part  of  an  elder's  work.  But  teaching 
was  free  in  the  apostolic  churches,  in  the  sense  that 
whoever  felt  himself  impelled  by  an  inward  impulse 
to  address  his  brethren  might  do  so  at  the  proper 
time  in  the  service.  The  gift  of  prophecy  was  not 
a  foretelling  of  future  events,  but  rather  a  fervid 
outpouring  of  Christian  truth,  it  might  be  in  the 
form  of  exhortation.  The  "  teacher "  expounded 
doctrine  in  the  exercise  of  reflection,  and  as  a  fruit 
of  the  study  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures, 
though  under  an  illumination  from  above.  The 
utterances  of  the  "  prophets "  were  more  impro- 
vised, and  thus  adapted  to  seize  on  the  attention 
and  thrill  the  mind  even  of  a  pagan  auditor  who 
chanced  to  enter  the  Christian  assemblies.  The  ad- 
dresses of  the  "  teacher  "  were  in  the  form  of  di- 
dactic instruction;  those  of  the  "prophet"  were 
hortatory,  or  at  least  predominantly  emotional. 
These  last  might  spring  from  an  extravagant  zeal 
or  enthusiasm,  and  contain  an  admixture  of  hurtful 
error.  Hence  there  were  persons  competent  to  dis- 
cern spirits,  or  to  discriminate  between  what  should 
be  considered  divine  truth  and  what  should  be  re- 
jected. 

Miracles.  Including  the  power  to  heal  dis- 
eases  without    the   intervention  of    the    ordinary 


SECTION  272.— 1  CORINTHIANS  13  : 1-13. 


323 


means  of  cure.  Illustrations  of  the  exercise  of 
these  powers  are  presented  in  the  book  of  Acts; 
but  they  were  not  specially  called  into  activity  in 
the  assemblies  for  worship. — Thus,  in  the  apostolic 
church,  all  the  functions  of  government,  as  well  as 
;  of  teaching,  were  in  the  hands  of  those  who  were 
'  conscious  of  acting  as  the  organs  of  a  Power  above 
themselves,  by  whom  they  were  singled  out,  each  of 
them  for  his  particular  work.  It  was  a  community 
lifted  up  to  this  high  pitch  of  earnestness.  It  was, 
to  use  the  apostle's  simile,  a  body,  every  member  of 
which  served  every  other,  and  was  served  in  turn  by 
all.    G.  P.  F. 

Other  gifts  specially  mentioned  as  charisms  are 
the  gift  of  government  and  the  gift  of  ministration. 
By  the  former,  certain  persons  were  specially  fitted 
to  preside  over  the  Church  and  regulate  its  internal 
order ;  by  the  latter,  its  possessors  were  enabled  to 
jninister  to  the  wants  of  their  brethren,  to  manage 
the  distribution  of  relief  among  the  poorer  members 
of  the  Church,  to  tend  the  sick,  and  carry  out  other 
practical  works  of  piety.     C. 

31.  Covet  the  best  gifts.  The  same  apostle 
who  80  earnestly  urged  contentment  with  the  gifts 
we  have,  and  forbade  contemptuous  scorn  of  others 


with  feeble  gifts,  bids  us  yet  to  aspire.  Be  content- 
ed, yet  aspire ;  that  should  be  the  faith  of  all,  and 
the  two  are  quite  compatible.  And  there  arises 
from  such  a  belief  the  possibility  of  generous  ad- 
miration ;  all  the  miserable  shutting-up  of  ourselves 
in  superciliousness  is  done  away.  Desirous  of  reach- 
ing something  higher,  we  recognize  love  and  what 
is  above  ourselves  ;  and  this  is  the  condition  of  ex- 
cellence, for  we  become  that  which  we  admire.  All 
gifts  are  to  be  cultivated ;  let  no  Christian  despise 
them.  Every  accomplishment,  every  intellectual 
faculty  that  can  adorn  and  grace  human  nature, 
should  be  cultivated  and  polished  to  its  highest  ca- 
pability. Yet  these  are  not  the  things  that  bring  us 
nearer  God.  "  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart,  for 
they  shall  see  God."  "  If  we  love  one  another,  God 
dwelleth  in  us,  and  his  love  is  perfected  in  us." 
You  may  have  strong,  eagle-eyed  faith ;  well,  you 
will  probably  be  enabled  to  do  great  things  in  fife, 
to  work  wonders,  to  trample  on  impossibilities.  You 
may  have  sanguine  hope ;  well,  your  life  will  pass 
brightly,  not  gloomily.  But  the  vision  of  God  as 
he  is,  to  see  the  King  in  his  beauty,  is  vouchsafed 
not  to  science  nor  to  talent,  but  only  to  purity  and 
love.     F.  W.  R. 


Section  272. 

1  CoErnTHiANS  xiii.  1-13. 


1  Though  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  and  of  angels,  and  have  not  charity,  I  am  be- 

2  come  as  sounding  brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal.     And  though  I  have  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and 
understand  all  mysteries,  and  all  knowledge;  and  though  I  have  all  faith,  so  that  I  could 

3  remove  mountains,  and  have  not  charity,  I  am  nothing.     And  though  I  bestow  all  my  goods 
to  feed  the  poor,  and  though  I  give  my  body  to  he  burned,  and  have  not  charity,  it  profiteth 

4  me  nothing.     Charity  suffereth  long,  and  is  kind ;  charity  envieth  not ;  charity  vaunteth 

5  not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up,  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not  her  own,  is  not 

6  easily  provoked,  thinketh  no  evil ;  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  hut  rejoiceth  in  the  truth ; 

7  beareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things,  endureth  all  things.     Charity 

8  never  faileth :  biit  whether  there  he  prophecies,  they  shall  fail ;  whether  the7'e  ie  tongues, 

9  they  shall  cease ;  w^hether  there  be  knowledge,  it  shall  vanish  away.     For  we  know  in  part, 

10  and  we  prophesy  in  part.    But  when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  then  that  which  is  in 

11  part  shall  be  done  away.     When  I  was  a  child,  I  spake  as  a  child,  I  understood  as  a  child, 

12  I  thought  as  a  child :  but  when  I  became  a  man,  I  put  away  childish  things.    For  now  we 
see  through  a  glass,  darkly  ;  but  then  face  to  face :  now  I  know  in  part ;  but  then  shall  I 

13  know  even  as  also  I  am  known.     And  now  abideth  faith,  hope,  charity,  these  three;  but 
the  greatest  of  these  is  charity. 


Charity  involves  the  highest  affection  of  the  soul,  and  directs  that  affection  with  a  proportionate 
ardor,  and  an  absolute  continuance  toward  all  moral  beings.  It  is  piety  toward  God.  It  is  a  constraining 
philanthropy  toward  man.  It  reaches  to  all  that  lives  around  us.  It  loves  ourselves,  and  we  ought  to  be 
loved.  And  this  is  the  ultimate  glory  of  character.  It  is  the  parent  of  all  other  virtues,  containing  them 
within  it.  It  is  the  sum  of  all  other  virtues,  for  "the  greatest  is  charity."  Humility,  truthfulness, 
patience,  magnanimity,  the  chasteness  of  temper  that  makes  the  soul  white,  the  spirit  of  forgiveness  that 
makes  the  soul  Godlike,  every  excellence  that  exalts,  every  trait  that  adorns,  is  the  child  of  benevolence. 
And  yet  this  is  simple  as  light,  as  air !     R.  S.  S. 

Hold  fast  charity,  on  which  all  the  secrets  of  Scripture  depend  ;  so  will  you  hold  fast  what  you  have 
learned,  and  also  what  you  have  not  yet  learned.  For  if  you  know  charity,  you  know  something  on  which 
that  also  depends  which  perhaps  you  know  not ;  and  in  what  you  understand  in  Scripture  charity  is  patent, 


32i 


SECTION  272.— 1  CORINTHIANS  13  : 1-13. 


in  what  you  do  not  understand  charity  is  latent.  Accordingly  he  who  holds  fast  charity  iu  his  con- 
duct holds  both  what  is  patent  and  what  is  latent  in  the  divine  discourses.  Wherefore  follow  after 
charity,  the  sweet  and  salutaiy  bond  of  souls,  without  which  the  rich  man  is  poor,  with  which  the  poor 
man  is  rich.  Charity  is  patient  in  adversities,  temperate  in  prosperity,  strong  in  grievous  sufferings, 
cheerful  iu  good  works ;  most  secure  in  temptation,  most  expansive  in  hospitality ;  most  joyous  among 
true  brethren,  most  patient  among  false  ones.  In  Abel  it  is  acceptable  through  sacrifice,  in  Noah  fearless 
amid  the  deluge,  iu  Abraham's  wanderings  most  faithful,  in  Moses  most  forbearing  amid  injuries,  in 
David's  tribulations  most  gentle.  It  is  free-spoken  in  Paul  for  rebuke,  humble  in  Peter  for  submission ; 
human  in  Christians  for  confessing,  divine  in  Christ  for  pardoning.  But  what  can  I  say  of  charity  that 
is  greater  or  richer  than  those  praises  of  it  which  the  Lord  utters  by  the  mouth  of  the  apostle  when  he 
points  to  the  "far-surpassing  way"  ?  How  great  is  charity  !  The  power  of  prophecy,  the  basis  of  knowl- 
edge,  the  fruit  of  faith,  the  riches  of  the  poor,  the  life  of  the  dying.     Aug. 


The  previous  chapter  discusses  the  gifts  of  the 
Spirit,  this  contrasts  them  with  the  grace  of  charity 
or  love ;  but  the  last  verse  of  the  former  is  the  link 
between  both  chapters :  "  Covet  earnestly  the  best 
gifts;  and  yet  show  I  unto  you  a  more  excellent 
way."  Now  the  more  excellent  way  is  charity.  He 
who  treads  the  brilliant  road  of  the  highest  accom- 
plishments is,  as  a  man,  inferior  to  him  who  treads 
the  path  of  love.  To  the  apostle's  mind  there  was 
emptiness  in  eloquence,  nothingness  in  knowledge 
and  even  in  faith,  uselessness  in  liberality  and  sacri- 
fice where  love  was  not.  And  none  could  be  better 
qualified  than  he  to  speak.  None  taught  like  him 
the  philosophy  of  Christianity.  None  had  so  strong 
a  faith  or  so  deep  a  spirit  of  self-sacrifice.  In  no 
other  writings  are  we  so  refined  and  exalted  by  "  the 
thoughts  which  breathe  and  words  that  burn."  And 
yet,  in  solitary  preeminence  above  all  these  gifts,  he 
puts  the  grace  of  love.     F.  W.  R. 

The  beautiful  superstructure  of  philanthropy, 
which  the  apostle  has  raised  in  this  chapter,  has  for 
its  foundation  a  supreme  regard  for  the  great  and 
blessed  God.  The  utmost  kindness  and  sympathy, 
the  most  tender  compassion  united  with  the  most 
munificent  liberality,  if  it  do  not  rest  on  the  love  of 
God,  is  not  the  temper  here  set  forth — is  not  the 
grace  which  has  the  principle  of  immortality  iu  its 
nature,  and  which  will  live  and  flourish  in  eternity 
when  faith  and  hope  shall  cease.  For  want  of  this 
vital  and  essential  principle  of  all  true  religion,  how 
much  of  kindly  feeling  and  active  benevolence  is 
daily  expended,  which,  while  it  yields  its  amiable 
though  unrenewed  professor  much  honor  and  de- 
light, has  not  the  weight  of  a  feather  in  the  scales 
of  his  eternal  destiny. 

1.  SoDDding  brass.  Should  a  man  be  in- 
vested with  these  stupendous  endowments,  and  em- 
ploy them  in  the  service  of  the  gospel ;  still,  if  his 
heart  were  not  a  partaker  of  love,  he  would  be  no 
move  acceptable  to  God  than  was  the  clangor  of  the 
brazen  instruments  employed  in  the  idolatrous  wor- 
ship of  the  Egyptian  Isis,  or  the  noise  of  the  tink- 
ling cymbals  which  accompanied  the  orgies  of  the 
Grecian  Cybele. 


2,  3.  Though  one  were  gifted  with  prophecy  so 
as  to  explain  the  deepest  mysteries  of  the  Jewish 
or  the  Christian  systems,  and,  in  addition,  possessed 
tnat  miraculous  faith  by  which  the  most  difiicult  and 
astonishing  changes  would  have  been  effected,  he 
was  nothing,  and  less  than  nothing,  without  love. 
"  And  though  I  give  my  body  to  be  burned,"  i.  e.,  as 
a  martyr  for  religion.  Whether  such  a  case  as  this 
ever  existed  we  know  not;  it  is  not  impossible; 
but  if  it  did,  not  the  tortures  of  an  agonizing  death, 
nor  the  courage  that  endured  them,  nor  the  seeming 
zeal  for  religion  which  led  to  them,  would  be  ac- 
cepted in  lieu  of   love.     J.  A.  J. 1  relieve  no 

man  upon  the  rhetoric  of  his  miseries,  nor  to  con- 
tent mine  own  commiserating  disposition  ;  for  this 
is  still  but  moral  charity,  and  an  act  that  oweth 
rnore  to  passion  than  reason.  He  that  relieves 
another  upon  the  bare  suggestion  and  bowels  of 
pity  doth  not  this  so  much  for  his  sake  as  for  his 
own;  for  by  compassion  we  make  others'  miseiy 
our  own,  and  so  by  relieving  them  we  relieve  our- 
selves also.     Browne. 

4.  Suffereth  long.  The  word  signifies  "to 
have  a  long  mind,"  to  the  end  of  whose  patience 
provocations  can  not  easily  reach.  It  does  not 
mean  patience  in  reference  to  the  afflictions  which 
come  from  God,  but  to  the  injuries  and  provoca- 
tions which  come  from  man,  a  disposition  which 
under  long-continued  offenses  holds  back  anger,  and 
is  not  hasty  to  punish  or  to  revenge.  Its  kindred 
property  is  nearly  aUied  to  it,  "  is  not  easily  pro- 
voked," or  "  is  not  exasperated."  Kind.  Kindness 
is  anxious  not  to  give  offense ;  it  is  delicately  tender 
in  reference  to  the  feelings  of  its  object,  and  would 
not  unnecessarily  crush  the  wing  of  an  insect,  much 
less  inflict  a  wound  upon  a  rational  mind.  It  is 
active  in  conferring  benefits — watches  for  an  oppor- 
tunity to  afford  assistance,  and  is  not  satisfied  un- 
less it  can  do  something  to  increase  the  general  stock 
of  comfort.  Envieth  not.  Envy  causes  us  to  feel 
uneasiness  at  the  sight  of  another's  possessions  or 
happiness,  and  makes  us  dislike  him  on  that  ac- 
count. Of  all  base  passions,  this  is  the  basest.  It 
is  unmingled  malignity  ;  the  most  direct  contrariety 


SECTION  27S.—1  CORINTHIAKS  18:1-13. 


325 


of  love.  Envy  can  not  even  offer  the  excuses  which 
many  vices  sometimes  bring  forward :  anger  pleads 
the  provocation  it  has  received,  but  envy  has  re- 
ceived no  offense ;  hist  and  intemperance  plead  the 
gratification  which  their  objects  yield,  and  robbery 
holds  up  its  gain,  but  envy  gains  nothing  but 
misery,  and  converts  the  happiness  of  which  it  is 
the  witness  into  wormwood  and  gall  for  its  own 
cup,  and  transvenoms  the  honey  of  another  man's 
comfort  into  the  poison  of  asps  for  its  own  bosom. 
It  is  a  source  of  eternal  vexation — an  instrument  of 
self-torment — a  rottenness  in  the  bones — a  burning 
ulceration  of  the  soul — a  crime  which,  partaking  of 
the  guilt,  partakes  as  largely  of  the  misery  of  hell. 
J.  A.  J. 

4;  5.  "  Charity  is  not  puffed  up."  This  seems 
rather  an  attribute  of  humility  than  of  charit}'. 
Again :  "  Charity  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly  "  ; 
i.  e ,  shows  taste  and  tact  in  finer  points  of  conduct. 
This  sounds  rather  like  courtesy  than  like  charity. 
But  the  inspired  apostle  is  not  wandering  from  his 
point.  Love  has  the  closest  connection  with  humil- 
ity and  courtesy,  so  that  perfect  love  can  never  ex- 
ist without  either.  Every  breach  of  love  in  the 
world  is  due  more  or  less  to  pride.  Whence  come 
all  wranglings,  jars,  and  discords,  but  from  a  secret 
feeling  that  a  certain  precedence  and  certain  rights 
are  our  due,  and  a  determination  always  to  stand 
upon  those  rights,  and  never  to  waive  that  pre- 
cedence ?  Strike  at  the  root  of  this  feeling  in  the 
heart,  and  you  strike  at  the  root  of  every  quarrel ; 
or,  in  other  words,  secure  humility  in  any  mind  of 
man,  and  you  secure  love,  at  least  on  its  negative 
side.  The  case  is  the  same  with  courtesy.  Perfect 
love  would  involve  perfect  courtesy,  that  is  to  say,  a 
nice  sense  of  propriety  in  our  intercourse  with  others, 
and  a  delicacy  of  feeling  toward  them.  So  far  as 
any  one  is  defective  in  this  perfect  courtesy,  he  wants 
one  of  the  finer  features  of  love.     E.  M.  G. 

5.  Seeketh  not  her  own.  The  essence  of 
man's  sin,  the  sum  of  his  moral  depravity,  is  to 
love  himself  supremely,  to  seek  himself  finally  and 
exclusively,  to  make  self,  in  one  shape  or  another,  the 
center  to  which  all  his  busy  thoughts,  anxious  cares, 
and  diligent  pursuits  constantly  tend.  Self  is  the 
great  idol  which  mankind  are  naturally  disposed  to 
worship,  and  selfishness  the  grand  interest  to  which 
they  are  devotedly  attached.  But  the  grace  of  God 
so  subdues  this  disposition  that  it  is  no  longer  the 
ascendant  of  the  mind,  and  plants  in  the  heart  the 
principle  of  benevolence — a  principle  which,  as  it 
leads  us  to  love  God  supremely,  and  our  neighbor  as 
ourselves,  is  the  direct  contrary  of  selfishness. 

Thinketh  no  evil.  Like  a  good  spirit,  it  is 
ever  opposing  the  advice  and  counteracting  the  in- 
fluence of  envy,  revenge,  or  avarice.  It  would 
make  the  miserable  happy  and  the  happy  still  hap- 


pier. It  retires  into  the  closet  to  project  schemes 
for  blessing  mankind,  and  then  goes  out  into  the 
crowded  regions  of  want  and  wretchedness  to  exe- 
cute them ;  it  deviseth  good  on  its  bed,  and  riseth 
in  the  morning  to  fulfill  the  plans  of  mercy  with 
which  it  had  sunk  to  rest. 

7.  Charity  is  not  fickle,  unsteady,  and  easily 
discouraged  ;  not  soon  disheartened,  or  induced  to 
relinquish  its  object ;  but  is  persevering,  patient, 
and  self-denying  in  the  pursuance  of  its  design  to 
relieve  the  wants,  assuage  the  sorrows,  reform  the 
vices,  and    allay  the   animosities  of  those  whose 

good  it  seeks.     J.  A.  J. We  ought  not  to  drive 

when  we  find  we  can  not  lead,  nor  wax  fretful  and 
impatient  of  delays  which  are  inevitable,  nor  lose 
temper  over  great  things  or  over  trifles,  for  that 
will  show  that  we  ourselves  are  growing  weaker, 
nor  impute  malign  motives  to  others,  nor  even  to 
think  ungenerous  or  uncharitable  thoughts  concern- 
ing them  or  their  action,  but  rather  seek  to  settle 
our  strength  in  this — in  the  universal  charity  which 
"  beareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all 
things,  endureth  all  things,"  and  then,  as  the 
result,  achieveth  all  things.     A.  R. 

8.  Charity  never  faileth.  Yes,  see  its 
eternity,  its  immortal  vigor  and  freshness.  For  the 
door  of  heaven  itself  is  thrown  open,  and  lo  !  charity 
is  there,  as  she  was  for  ever,  in  the  bosom  of  God 
— now  in  the  hearts  of  his  redeemed  people.  All 
personal  accomplishments,  intellectual  masteries, 
miraculous  exploits,  prophecies,  tongues,  earthly 
knowledge,  are  passing  away ;  the  brightest  lights 
go  out,  the  finest  brain  is  broken,  the  most  eloquent 
voice  is  still.  They  "  fail,"  they  "  cease,"  they 
"  vanish  away."  They  are  all  "  in  part,"  and  are 
"  done  away,"  "  when  that  which  is  perfect  is 
come."  Half  blind,  and  groping,  we  see  "as 
through  a  glass  darkly."  How  true  that  is  !  The 
skies  are  clouded.  Our  very  eyes  are  weak,  and 
ache  with  straining  to  see.  But  all  that  lovely  air 
is  clear ;  and  when  the  purer  eyes  of  the  spiritual 
body  are  opened,  without  dimness,  doubt,  or  uncer- 
tainty, in  the  wondering  fullness  of  open  vision,  the 
children  of  Christian  charity  shall  see  face  to  face, 
and  in  the  "  love  that  passeth  knowledge  "  know  as 
they  are  known.     F.  D.  H. 

9.  Prophecy  gives  us  light,  that  the  Church 
may  not  lose  its  hope  in  the  dark  hours  of  its  dis- 
cipline. But  the  light  reveals  neither  the  length  orf 
the  way  nor  the  severity  of  the  trials  nor  the  exact 
nature  or  extent  of  the  final  triumph,  for  such  full 
knowledge  would  prevent  those  influences  with 
which  the  present  state  of  things  acts  on  character, 
and  which  are  better  than  knowledge.  He  who 
gains  character  out  of  the  uncertainties  of  life  gains 
everything.  He  has  learned  in  the  dark  not  only 
those  qualities  of  character  which  make  him  a  good 


326 


SECTION  272.— 1  CORIN'TEIAN'S  13  : 1-13 


actor  in  these  earthly  scenes  and  which  generally 
insure  success,  but  he  has  learned  also  how  to  de- 
pend on  God,  to  trust  in  his  providence,  to  act  with 
him  in  his  plans,  and  to  secure  his  cooperation. 
He  is  thus  fitted  for  eternal  life,  for  its  employment, 
for  its  revelations.  Ue  has  gained  from  his  condi- 
tion here  what  God  meant  he  should.  Soon  this 
earthly  darkness  shall  pass  away ;  soon  a  bound- 
less field  of  knowledge  be  open  to  him  ;  soon  per- 
fect certainty  be  within  his  reach.  He  now  knows 
as  he  is  known.     Is  not  this  gain  ?     T.  D.  W. 

10.  Perfect  is  come>  Looking  at  man  we 
seem  to  see  a  vast  collection  of  little  beginnings, 
attempts,  failures  ;  like  a  plantation  on  a  bleak  and 
blasted  heath.  And  the  progress  in  whatever  is 
valuable  and  noble,  whether  in  individuals  or  com- 
munities, is  so  miserably  difficult  and  slow.  So 
that  " the  perfectibility  of  man"  in  the  sense  in 
which  that  phrase  has  been  employed,  stands  justly 
ridiculed  as  one  of  the  follies  of  philosophic  ro- 
mance. Then  how  delightful  it  is  to  see  revelation 
itself  pronouncing  as  possible,  and  predicting  as  to 
come,  something  "  perfect "  in  the  condition  of  man ! 
That  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done  away. 
Imagine  the  emerging  from  this  dark  world  into 
light !  what  a  dismissal  from  our  spirits,  what  a 
vanishing  away  of  the  whole  systems  of  our  little 
notions,  our  childish  conceptions !  And  yet  there 
will  not  be  an  entire  contempt  thrown  upon  the 
retrospect,  for  it  will  be  understood  how  those  little 
notions,  that  feeble  light,  that  partial  revelation, 
were  the  right  training  for  the  infancy  and  child- 
hood of  the  human  soul.  Let  us,  then,  be  thankful 
that  we  do  know,  though  but  in  part,  and  earnestly 
apply  and  improve  what  we  are  permitted  to  know. 
Let  us  be  thankful,  too,  that  one  point  of  that  very 
knowledge  is,  that  its  imperfection  will  at  length  be 
left  behind.     J.  F. 

11.  It  is  easier  to  be  always  childish  than  to  be 
always  childlike.  The  immaturity  and  heedlessness 
of  youth  bear  carriage  better  than  the  more  precious 
vintages  of  that  sunny  land — its  freshness  of  eye 
and  heart,  its  openness  of  mind,  its  energy  of  hand. 
Even  when  these  are  in  any  measure  retained — 
beautiful  as  they  are  in  old  age — they  are  but  too 
apt  to  be  associated  with  an  absence  of  the  excel- 
lences more  proper  to  the  later  stages  of  life,  and 
to  involve  a  want  of  patient  judgment,  of  sagacious 
discrimination,  of  rooted  affections,  of  prudent  per- 
sistent action.  Beautiful  indeed  it  is  when  the 
grace  of  the  children  and  the  strength  of  the  young 
men  live  on  in  the  fathers,  and  the  last  of  life  in- 
closes all  that  was  good  in  all  that  went  before. 
But  miserable  it  is,  and  quite  as  frequent  a  case, 
when  gray  hairs  cover  a  childish  brain,  and  an  aged 
heart  throbs  with  the  feverish  passion  of  youthful 
blood.    A.  M. 


12.  Paul  was  fully  conscious  that,  when  he 
should  be  raised  to  the  full  vision  of  the  life  above 
that  which  he  knew  of  divine  things  in  this  life 
must  be  cast  aside  by  him,  as  the  mature  man  casts 
aside  the  conceptions  of  childhood.  The  twilight  of 
the  earthly  life  of  faith  did  not  satisfy  the  aspira- 
tions of  his  soul,  which  thirsted  after  knowledo-e  • 
and  he  longed  to  pass  into  that  pure  day  of  heaven- 
ly clearness,  where  our  knowledge  of  God  and  divine 
things  will  be  inward,  immediate,  a  direct  percep- 
tion of  that  which  is  present,  a  knowing  as  we  are 
known.     N. 

What  an  idea  does  it  give  us  of  the  infinitude  of 
knowledge  yet  to  be  obtained,  when  we  are  informed 
that  the  Bible  itself,  even  the  New  Testament — that 
book  of  books,  of  which  it  is  said  it  has  God  for  its 
author,  truth  without  any  mixture  of  error  for  its 
contents,  and  salvation  for  its ,  end — is  but  a  book 
for  children,  a  work  for  saints  in  their  infancy,  a 
mere  elementary  treatise  on  the  subject  of  eternal 
truth,  written  by  the  finger  of  God  for  his  family 
during  their  education  and  novitiate  on  earth.  Our 
minds  could  no  more  bear  to  look  upon  the  unmiti- 
gated glory  of  divine  truth  than  the  eye  of  an  infant 
could  sustain  the  unsoftened  effulgence  of  the  mid- 
day sun.  The  study,  the  discovery,  the  enjoyment 
of  truth  will  form  one  of  the  chief  felicities  of  the 
heavenly  state ;  but  what  must  that  knowledge  bfe 
which  is  to  afford  something  new  and  interesting 
through  eternity  ?  how  can  this  be  obtained  by  man 
in  the  infancy  of  his  existence  upon  earth  ?  No 
wonder,  then,  that  we  walk  at  present  amid  shades 
and  glimmerings  !    J.  A.  J. 

Face  to  face  we  shall  know.  Adoration  is 
the  gate  of  knowledge.  And  when  this  gate  of  the 
soul  is  fully  opened,  as  it  will  be  when  the  adoring 
grace  is  complete  in  our  deliverance  from  all  im- 
purity, what  a  revelation  of  knowledge  must  follow. 
Having  now  a  desire  of  knowledge  perfected  in  us 
that  is  clear  of  all  conceit,  ambition,  haste,  impa- 
tience, the  clouds  under  which  we  lived  in  our  sin 
are  for  ever  rolled  away,  and  our  adoring  nature, 
transparent  to  God  as  a  window  to  the  sun,  is  filled 
with  his  eternal  light.  No  mysteries  remain  but 
such  as  comfort  us  in  the  promise  of  a  glorious  em- 
ployment. Every  object  of  knowledge,  irradiated 
by  the  brightness  of  God,  shines  with  a  new  celes- 
tial clearness  and  an  inconceivable  beauty.  The 
resurrection  morning  is  a  true  sun-rising,  the  in- 
bursting  of  a  cloudless  day  on  all  the  righteous 
dead.  They  wake  transfigured  at  their  Master's 
call,  with  the  fashion  of  their  countenance  altered 

and  shining  like  his  own.     H.  B. The  veil  that 

hides  from  us  the  all-glorious  Father  of  spirits  shall 
one  day  be  withdrawn.  The  spiritual  eye  shall  be 
quickened  to  look  into  the  heart  and  life  of  the  uni- 
verse.    The  intercepting  medium  of  sense  shall  be 


SECTION-  273.— 1  CORmTHIAN'S  H  :  l-Jfi. 


327 


swept  away,  and  the  soul  of  the  redeemed  laid  bare 
to  the  ineffable  brightness  and  beauty  of  God 
streaming  full-orbed  around  it,     Caird. 

As  we  are  known  is  a  note  of  similitude,  not  of 
equahty.  The  light  of  a  candle  as  truly  shines  as 
the  light  of  the  sun,  but  not  with  that  extent  and 
splendor.  We  shall  have  such  a  perfect  knowledge 
of  God  as  our  minds  can  receive  and  our  hearts  de- 
sire. We  shall  then  see  what  we  now  believe  con- 
cerning the  glorious  nature  of  God,  his  decrees  and 
counsels,  his  providence  and  dispensations.  The 
sublimest  doctrine  of  the  Christian  religion,  above 
the  disquisition  and  reach  of  reason,  is  that  of  the 
sacred  Trinity,  upon  which  the  whole  economy  of 
the  gospel  depends.  In  assenting  to  this,  faith 
bows  the  head  and  adores.  In  the  state  above, 
where  reason  is  rectified  and  enlarged,  we  shall  un- 
derstand that  from  eternity  God  was  sole  existing, 
but  not  solitary ;  that  the  Godhead  is  not  confused 
in  unity  nor  divided  in  number ;  that  there  is  a  pri- 
ority of  order,  yet  no  superiority,  among  the  sacred 
persons,  but  they  are  all  equally  possessed  of  the 
same  divine  excellences  and  the  same  divine  empire, 
and  are  the  object  of  the  same  adoration.  Bates. 

13.  Abideth  faith,  hope,  charity.  Could 
there  in  the  region  of  spirit  be  found  a  brighter 
triad  than  those  with  which  the  apostle  closes  and 
crowns  his  noble  eulogy  on  charity  ?  Exquisite  pic- 
ture !  On  the  right  hand,  Faith  clinging  to  the  cross 
of  salvation ;  on  the  left,  Hope  leaning  on  the  infal- 
lible anchor ;  and  in  the  center,  Charity,  bearing  in 
hand  the  burning  heart,  devoted  as  a  daily  sacrifice 
to  the  God  of  love !  And  now  these  three  are  here 
below  the  abiding  companions  of  the  Christian, 
amid  all  that  changes  and  withers  around  him. 
They  can  abide,  since  they  form  the   unchanging 


characteristic  of  every  believer.  They  must  abide, 
or  all  our  Christianity  would  become  form  without 
life.  They  shall  abide,  because  they  are  at  once  so 
sublimely  Godlike  and  so  truly  human.  Faith  may 
have  to  wrestle  with  darkness ;  hope,  with  doubt ; 
charity,  with  resistance ;  but,  where  Christ  really 
lives  in  the  heart,  they  can  never  disappear.  Van  0, 
The  greatest*  Faith  has  its  excellency  in 
this,  hope  in  that,  and  love  in  another  thing.  Faith 
will  do  that  which  hope  can  not  do,  hope  can  do 
that  which  faith  can  not  do,  and  love  can  do  things 
distinct  from  both  their  doings.  Faith  goes  in  the 
van,  hope  in  the  body,  and  love  brings  up  the  rear ; 
and  thus  now  abideth  faith,  hope,  and  charity. 
Faith  is  the  mother-grace,  for  hope  is  born  of  her, 

but   charity  floweth   from   them   both.     Bun. 

Love  shall  remain.  Yea,  not  only  shall  it  remain, 
but  the  narrow  brook  which  in  this  life  flowed  from 
deeply  hidden  fountains  will  in  that  life  become  a 
wide  stream.  Here  love  could  be  preserved  only 
while  the  eye  of  faith  held  the  invisible  world  di- 
rectly before  itself.  Shut  for  an  instant  this  inter- 
nal eye,  look  at  nothing  but  the  visible  world,  and 
thou  wilt  love  only  what  thou  seest.  Ah!  why 
dost  thou  hang  solely  upon  creatures  of  the  earth, 
and  long  after  them ;  why  but  because  thine  eye  of 
faith  is  not  open,  and  thou  seest  not  the  invisible 
glory  of  the  Father's  image "?  Couldst  thou  see  this, 
thou  must  love  it  also ;  to  see  the  invisible  and  to 
love  him  is  the  same  thing.  But  when  there  shall 
be  no  more  need  of  this  intellectual  exertion,  when 
the  thick  cloud  of  the  earthly  vale  shall  no  longer 
press  upon  the  eye  of  faith,  when  the  very  ob- 
ject in  which  we  here  faintly  believe  shall  stand 
constantly  before  our  vision,  oh,  how  easy  will  it 
then  be  to  love !    A.  T. 


Section  273. 


1    COEINTHIANS   xiv.  1-40. 


1  Follow  after  charity,  and  desire  spiritual  gifts,  but  rather  that  ye  may  prophesy.     For 

2  he  that  speaketh  in  an  unhnown  tongue  speaketh  not  unto  men,  but  unto  God :  for  no  man 

3  understandeth  Mm  ;  howbeit  in  the  spirit  he  speaketh  mysteries.     But  he  that  prophesieth 
■  4  speaketh  unto  men  to  edification,  and  exhortation,  and  comfort.     He  that  speaketh  in  an 

5  unknown  tongue  edifieth  himself;  but  he  that  prophesieth  edifieth  the  church.  I  would 
that  ye  all  spake  with  tongues,  hut  rather  that  ye  prophesied  :  for  greater  is  he  that  prophe- 
sieth than  he  that  speaketh  with  tongues,  except  he  interpret,  that  the  church  may  receive 

6  edifying.  Now,  brethren,  if  I  come  unto  you  speaking  with  tongues,  what  shall  I  profit 
yon,  except  I  shall  speak  to  you  either  by  revelation,  or  by  knowledge,  or  by  prophesying, 

7  or  by  doctrine  ?     And  even  things  without  life  giving  sound,  whether  pipe  or  harp,  except 

8  they" give  a  distinction  in  the  sounds,  how  shall  it  be  known  what  is  piped  or  harped?     For 

9  if  the  trumpet  give  an  uncertain  sound,  who  shall  prepare  himself  to  the  battle?  So  like- 
wise ye,  except  ye  utter  by  the  tongue  words  easy  to  be  understood,  how  shall  it  he  known 

10  what  is  spoken  ?  for  ye  shall  speak  into  the  air.     There  are,  it  may  be,  so  niany  kinds  of 

11  voices  in  the  world,  and  none  of  them  is  without  signification.     Therefore  if  I  know  not 
the  meaning  of  the  voice,  I  shall  be  unto  him  that  speaketh  a  barbarian,  and  he  that  speak- 


328  SECTION  273.— 1  CORINTHIANS  U  :  1-40. 

12  eth  thall  be  a  barbarian  unto  me.     Even  so  ye,  forasmuch  as  ye  are  zealous  of  spiritual  gifts, 

13  seek  that  ye  may  excel  to  the  edifying  of  the  church.     Wherefore  let  him  that  speaketh  in 

14  an  uiihnown  tongue  pray  that  he  may  interpret.     For  if  I  pray  in  an  unhiow7i  tongue,  my 

15  spirit  pray  eth,  but  my  understanding  is  unfruitful.  What  is  it  then  ?  I  will  pray  with  the 
spirit  and  I  will  pray  with  the  understanding  also :  I  will  sing  with  the  spirit,  and  I  will 

16  sing  with  the  understanding  also.  Else,  when  thou  shalt  bless  with  the  spirit,  how  shall  he 
that  occupieth  the  room  of  the  unlearned  say  Amen  at  thy  giving  of  thanks,  seeing  he  uu- 

17  derstandeth  not  what  thou  sayest?  For  thou  verily  givest  thanks  well,  but  the  other  is  not 
edified. 

18  I  thank  my  God,  I  speak  with  tongues  more  than  ye  all :  yet  in  the  church  I  had  rather 

19  speak  five  words  with  my  understanding,  that  hy  my  voice  I  might  teach  others  also,  than 

20  ten  thousand  words  in  an  unTcnoicn  tongue.     Brethren,  be  not  children  in  understanding : 

21  howbeit  in  malice  be  ye  children,  but  in  understanding  be  men.  In  the  law  it  is  written, 
With  men  of  other  tongues  and  other  lips  will  I  speak  unto  this  people ;  and  yet  for  all  that 

22  will  they  not  hear  me,  saith  the  Lord.  Wherefore  tongues  are  for  a  sign,  not  to  them  that 
believe,  but  to  them  that  believe  not :  but  prophesying  serceth  not  for  them  that  beheve 

23  not,  but  for  them  which  believe.  If  therefore  the  whole  church  be  come  together  into  one 
place,  and  all  speak  with  tongues,  and  there  come  in  those  that  are  unlearned,  or  unbe- 

24  lievers,  will  they  not  say  that  ye  are  mad  ?     But  if  all  prophesy,  and  there  come  in  one 

25  that  believeth  not,  or  one  unlearned,  he  is  convinced  of  all,  he  is  judged  of  all :  and  thus  are 
the  secrets  of  his  heart  made  manifest ;  and  so  falling  down  on  his  face  he  will  worship 

26  God,  and  report  that  God  is  in  you  of  a  truth.  How  is  it  then,  brethren  ?  when  ye  come 
together,  every  one  of  you  hath  a  psalm,  hath  a  doctrine,  hath  a  tongue,  hath  a  revelation, 
hath  an  interpretation.     Let  all  things  be  done  unto  edifying. 

27  If  any  man  speak  in  an  unknoion  tongue,  Ut  it  le  by  two,  or  at  the  most  ly  three,  and 

28  that  by  course  ;  and  let  one  interpret.     But  if  there  be  no  interpreter,  let  him  keep  silence 

29  in  the  church ;  and  let  him  speak  to  himself,  and  to  God.     Let  the  prophets  speak  two  or 

30  tlu-ee,  and  let  the  other  judge.     If  any  thing  be  revealed  to  another  that  sitteth  by,  let  the 

31  first  hold  his  peace.     For  ye  may  all  prophesy  one  by  one,  that  all  may  learn,  and  all  may 

32  be  comforted.     And  the  spirits  of  the  prophets  are  subject  to  the  prophets.     For  God  is 

33  not  the  author  of  confusion,  but  of  peace,  as  in  all  churches  of  the  saints.     Let  your  women 

34  keep  silence  in  the  churches  :  for  it  is  not  permitted  unto  them  to  speak  ;  but  they  are  com- 

35  manded  to  be  under  obedience,  as  also  saith  the  law.  And  if  they  will  learn  any  thing,  let 
them  ask  their  husbands  at  home :  for  it  is  a  shame  for  women,  to  speak  in  the  church. 

36  What?  came  the  word  of  God  out  from  you  ?  or  came  it  unto  you  only  ?     If  any  man  think 

37  himself  to  be  a  prophet,  or  spiritual,  let  him  acknowledge  that  the  things  that  I  write  unto 

38  you  are  the  commandments  of  the  Lord.     Bat  if  any  man  be  ignorant,  let  him  be  ignorant. 

39  Wherefore,  brethren,  covet  to  prophesy,  and  forbid  not  to  speak  with  tongues.     Let  all 

40  things  be  done  decently  and  in  order. 


The  Corinthians  had  no  just  ideas  of  the  dignity  and  greatness  of  the  divine  life ;  they  did  not  under- 
stand how  those  singular  gifts  in  which  they  exulted  were  bestowed  upon  them  for  the  benefit  of  others, 
not  for  their  own  personal  glorification,  and  how  they  were  to  be  exercised,  therefore,  with  solemnity,  wis- 
dom, and  great  conscientiousness.  The  Christian  Church  became  a  theatre  of  display ;  and  the  Christian 
life,  instead  of  being  something  serious  and  earnest,  a  work  and  a  warfare,  a  building  to  be  erected  bj 
strenuous  exertion,  an  agony  and  struggle  for  life  and  death — instead  of  this,  it  put  on  the  appearance  of 
a  boisterous  holiday,  and  was  as  little  dignified  as  a  plaything  or  a  song.  But,  worse  than  this,  with  the 
immaturity,  vanity,  and  folly  of  boys,  there  mingled  at  Corinth  the  passions  of  men.  They  could  not  all 
be  first ;  some  must  listen  if  others  speak ;  where  some  lead,  others  must  follow.  But  this  is  difficult 
where  all  arc  ambitious ;  and  hence  there  were  "  cnvyings  "  and  "  strifes,"  "  jealousies  "  and  "  divisions." 
The  apostle  reasons  with  the  Corinthians.  He  tells  them  that  "  gifts  "  are  a  solemn  trust,  and  bring  with 
them  a  solemn  responsibility ;  for  that  "  the  ministrations  of  the  Spirit  are  given  to  every  man  for  the 
profit  of  others."  He  insists,  therefore,  that  "  everything  should  be  done  unto  edifying,"  that  the 
Church  may  be  benefited,  and  not  that  the  actor  or  speaker  may  be  glorified.  He  ridicules  their  am- 
bition in  all  wishing  for  the  best  gifts,  as  if  all  the  members  of  the  body  wished  to  be  the  eye,  which,  of 
course,  would  be  the  destruction  of  the  body  itself.  He  mourns  over  their  strifes,  their  conceit,  their 
jealousies  and  cnvyings  of  each  other ;  and,  looking  upon  these  things  as  sure  signs  of  ignorance  and 
immaturity,  of  the  want  of  an  enlarged,  well-informed  mind,  and  of  a  properly  disciplined  and  purified 


SECTION  273.— 1  CORINTHIANS  U  :  1  Ifi. 


329 


heart  he  embodies  his  feelings  in  the  words,  "  Be  not  children  in  understanding  " — mere  boys,  without 
deep  and  comprehensive  views  of  duty.  "  In  malice,"  indeed,  and  all  foolish  and  angry  passions,  I  wish 
you  were  even  like  "  babes  "  who  have  not  ye*;  manifested  these  dispositions  at  all ;  but  "  in  understand- 
in","  in  wisdom  and  knowledge,  in  mastery  of  yourselves,  and  in  calm  devotedness  to  the  great  business 
of  the  Christian  life,  I  wish  you  to  be  men — men  not  only  in  the  sense  of  having  arrived  at  full  age,  but 
of  having  attained  maturity  of  character.     T.  B. 


1,  This  verse  contains  a  resume  of  all  that  has 
been  said  in  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  chapters. 
And  we  observe  that  charity  holds  the  first  place, 
and  then  spiritual  gifts  follow  in  the  second.  And 
of  spiritual  gifts,  some  for  certain  reasons — as,  for 
instance,  prophecy — are  preferable  to  others.  Char- 
ity implies  a  certain  character  ;  but  a  gift,  as  that  of 
tongues,  does  not.  This  distinction  explains  at  once 
why  graces  are  preferable  to  gifts.  Graces  are 
what  the  man  is ;  but  enumerate  his  gifts,  and  you 
will  only  know  what  he  has.  You  can  not  contem- 
plate the  grace  separate  from  the  man ;  he  is  lovable 
or  admirable,  according  as  he  has  charity,  faith,  or 
self-control.  And  hence  the  apostle  bids  the  Corin- 
thians undervalue  gifts  in  comparison  with  graces : 
"Follow  after  charity."  Rather  that  ye  may 
prophesy.  Prophecy  was  a  gift  eminently  useful ; 
it  was  the  power  of  expounding  the  will  and  the  word 
of  God.  The  deep  insight  into  truth,  the  happy 
faculty  of  imparting  truth  :  these  two  endowments 
together  made  up  that  which  was  essential  to  the 
prophet  of  the  early  Church.     F.  W.  R. 

2.  In  the  gift  of  tongues,  the  high  and  ecstatic 
consciousness  in  respect  to  God  alone  predominated, 
while  the  consciousness  of  the  world  was  wholly 
withdrawn.  In  this  condition,  the  medium  of  com- 
mimication  between  the  deeply  moved  inward  man 
and  the  external  world  was  wholly  wanting.  What 
he  spoke  in  this  condition,  from  the  strong  impulse 
of  his  emotions  and  inward  views,  was  not  a  con- 
nected discourse,  nor  an  address  adapted  to  the  wants 
and  circumstances  of  others.  He  was  wholly  occu- 
pied with  the  relation  of  his  own  soul  to  God.  The 
soul  was  absorbed  in  adoration  and  devotion.  Hence 
to  this  condition  are  ascribed  prayer,  songs  of  praise 
to  God,  and  the  attestation  of  his  mighty  deeds. 
Such  a  one  prayed  in  spirit ;  the  higher  life  of  the 
soul  and  spirit  predominated  in  him.  When,  thei'e- 
fore,  in  the  midst  of  his  peculiar  emotions  and  spirit- 
ual contemplations  he  formed  for  himself  a  peculiar 
language,  he  was  wanting  in  the  power  so  to  express 
himself  as  to  be  understood  by  the  greater  num- 
ber.   N. 

5.  Paul  gives  the  preference  to  the  gift  of  proph- 
ecy, which  addressed  itself  directly  and  intelligibly 
to  the  congregation  ;  whereas  the  Corinthia»s  were 
disposed  to  overrate  the  gift  of  tongues,  as  it  led  to 
a  refined  egoism  and  indulgence  in  a  spiritual  intoxi- 
cation of  feeling.     P.  S. 

19.  The  apostle  considered  that  gift  most  de- 
sirable by  which  men  might  most  edify  one  another. 
And  hence  that  noble  declaration  of  one  of  the  most 
gifted  of  mankind,  "  I  had  rather  speak  five  words 
with  my  understanding,  that  I  might  teach  others 
also,  than  ten  thousand  words  in  an  unknown 
tongue."  Our  estimate  is  almost  the  reverse  of  this. 
We  value  a  gift  in  proportion  to  its  rarity,  its  dis- 
tinctive character,  separating  its  possessor  from  the 
rest  of  his  fellow-men.  Your  lofty,  incommunicable 
thoughts  and  aspirations,  and  contemplative  rap- 
tures— in  virtue  of  which  you  have  estimated  your- 


self  as  the  porcelain  of  the  earth,  of  another  na- 
ture altogether  than  the  clay  of  common  spirits — 
tried  by  the  test  of  charity,  what  is  there  grand  in 
these  if  they  can  not  be  applied  as  blessings  to  those 
that  are  beneath  you '?  The  most  trifling  act  which 
is  marked  by  usefulness  to  others  is  nobler  in  God's 
sight  than  the  most  brilliant  accomplishment  of  ge- 
nius. To  teach  a  few  Sunday-school  children,  week 
after  week,  commonplace,  simple  truths,  persevering 
in  spite  of  dullness  and  mean  capacities,  is  a  more 
glorious  occupation  than  the  highest  meditations  or 
creations  of  genius  which  edify  or  instruct  only  our 
own  solitary  soul.  Gifts  that  are  showy  and  gifts 
that  please — before  these  the  world  yields  her  hom- 
age, while  the  lowly  teachers  of  the  poor  and  the 
ignorant  are  forgotten  and  unnoticed.  Only  remem- 
ber  that,  in  the  sight  of  the  everlasting  Eye,  the  one 
is  creating  sounds  which  perish  with  the  hour  that 
gave  them  birth,  the  other  is  doing  a  work  that  is 
for  ever — building.and  forming  for  the  eternal  world 
an  immortal  human  spirit.     F.  W.  R. 

20.  They  who  are  children  in  understanding  are 
proportionably  apt  to  be  men  in  malice ;  that  is,  in 
proportion  as  men  neglect  that  which  should  be  the 
guide  of  their  lives,  so  arc  they  left  to  the  mastery 
of  their  passions ;  and  as  nature  and  outward  cir- 
cumstances do  not  allow  these  passions  to  remain  as 
quiet  and  as  little  grown  as  they  are  in  childhood — 
for  they  are  sure  to  ripen  without  any  trouble  of 
ours — so  men  are  left  with  nothing  but  the  evils  of 
both  ages,  the  vices  of  the  man  and  the  unripeness 
and  ignorance  of  the  child.  T.  A. The  under- 
standing needs  to  be  opened  and  cultivated,  the  pas- 
sions grow  of  themselves.  The  one  requires  to  be 
encouraged  and  stimulated,  the  others  to  be  re- 
pressed and  resti-ained.  The  consequence  is,  that 
in  early  life,  before  the  higher  parts  of  humanity 
can  have  been  ripened  by  knowledge  and  experience, 
the  inferior  parts  are  strong  and  active,  as  by  the 
force  of  an  internal  impulse.  Hence  we  have  the 
phenomena  that  so  often  distinguish  immaturity  of 
character — folly,  vanity,  conceit,  selfishness,  igno- 
rance, indiscretion,  the  want  of  common  sense,  the 
absence  of  large  knowledge,  of  just  views,  of  intel- 
ligent apprehension  of  the  ends  and  duties  of  life, 
of  all  those  things,  in  fact,  which  make  up  that 
moral  "understanding"  in  which  the  apostle  wished 
the  Corinthians  to  be  men^  but  which  is  seldom  found 
to  be  the  characteristic  of  youths  or  boys.  T.  B. 
But  too  many  are  children  in  inconstancy,  affec- 
tion to  sensible  things,  and  love  of  toys  ;  but  how 
few  are  such  in  innocency,  simplicity,  ignorance  of 
evil,  and  docility '     Q. 

23.  There  is  great  danger  in  ungovemed  feel- 
ing ;  and  hence  religious  life  may  degenerate  into 
mere  indulgence  of  feeling,  the  excitement  of  re- 
ligious meetings,  or  the  utterance  of  strong  emotion. 
In  this  sickly  strife  life  wastes  away,  and  the  man 
or  woman  becomes  weak  instead  of  strong.  What 
a  lesson  !  These  divine,  high  feelings  in  the  Church 
of  Corinth,  to  what  had  they  degenerated  !    Loud, 


330 


SECTION  27^.-1  CORINTHIAN'S  15  : 1-34. 


tumultuous,  disorderly  cries,  such  that  a  stranger 
coming  in  would  pronounce  of  the  speakers  that 
they  were  mad  !     F.  W.  R. 

27.  To  the  gift  of  tongues  is  immediately  attached 
that  of  interpretation.  It  is  the  gift  of  translating 
the  language  of  ecstasy  or  of  the  Spirit  into  the  lan- 
guage of  the  ordinary  consciousness,  and  bringing  it 
down  to  the  comprehension  of  the  whole  congrega- 
tion. For  this  reason  Paul  requires  this  gift  as  the 
complement  to  that  of  tongues;  as  by  it  alone  the 
latter  is  made  edifying  to  the  hearers  and  conducive 
to  the  general  good.  31.  To  prevent  disorder  and 
abuse  the  apostle  directs,  as  in  the  case  of  speaking 
with  tongues,  that  the  prophets  should  prophesy 
not  all  at  once,  but  one  after  another,  that  all  may 
receive  instruction  and  exhortation.  34.  Every 
public  act  of  this  kind  implies  for  the  time  being 
a  superiority  of  the  speaker  over  the  hearers,  and 
is  also  contrary  to  true  feminine  delicacy.  Chris- 
tianity has,  indeed,  vastly  improved  the  condition  of 
woman.  It  has  brought  the  highest  blessings  of 
heaven  within  her  reach.  But  it  has  not,  in  so 
doing,  abolished  the  divine  order  of  nature  which 
restricts  her  to  the  sphere  of  private  life.  Here,  in 
the  quiet  circle  of  the  family,  woman  has  the  freest 
scope  for  the  display  of  the  fairest  virtues.     P.  S. 

37.  Now,  as  in  those  apostolic  days,  he  which  is 
spiritual  can  show  that  he  is  so  only  "  by  acknowl- 
edging that  the  things  which"  those  appointed 
teachers  "wrote  to  us  are  the  commandments  of 
the  Lord  "  ;  for  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  others 
is  not  a  gift  whereby  they  originate  the  knowledge 


of  new  truths,  but  a  gift  whereby  they  recognize  and 
apprehend  the  old  unchanging  mystery,  still  receiv- 
ing afresh  the  one  revelation  of  Christ,  ever  ap- 
proaching, never  surpassing  the  comprehensive  but 
immovable  boundaries  of  the  faith  once  delivered 
to  the  saints.  This  is  the  gift,  the  only  gift,  which 
we  desire  for  our  Church  and  for  ourselves  ;  for  it  is 
one  which  makes  the  written  word  a  living  word, 
which  fills  a  church  with  joy,  and  seals  a  soul  for 
glory.     T.  D.  B. 

40.  Under  this  dispensation,  worship  is  to  be 
presented  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  not  with  many  out- 
ward visible  signs  as  under  the  law,  but  with  two 
simple  ordinances  ;  the  whole  subject  to  the  law  of 
Christ,  with  the  general  rules  given  afterward  by  • 
his  apostles,  ordaining  that  all  things  should  "be 
done  decently  and  in  order,"  and  "  for  the  edifying 

of  the  church."     J.  A. Some  power  the  Church 

has  in  rites  of  decency  and  expediency  and  order,  by 
virtue  of  this  general  canon  (though  it  carries  the 
face  of  a  restraint  rather  than  an  allowance,  and 
does  not  so  much  enlarge  as  moderate  church-pow- 
er), but,  in  the  main  matters,  the  Church  can  only 
declare  laws,  not  make  them  ;  and,  though  in  matters 
indifferent  she  can  direct  to  what  is  suitable  to 
order  and  decency,  yet  these  directions  should  be  so 
managed  that  they  do  not  take  away  the  nature  of 
the  thing,  for  though  Christian  liberty  be  restrained 
it  must  not  be  infringed.  It  is  the  sin  of  antichrist 
to  usurp  an  authority  over  the  Church  of  God ;  and 
it  is  the  very  spirit  of  antichristianism  to  give  laws 
to  the  conscience.    T.  M. 


Section  274. 

1    COKINTHIANS   XV.  1-34. 

1  MoEEOVEE,  brethren,  I  declare  unto  you  the  gospel  which  I  preached  unto  you,  ■which  also 

2  ye  have  received,  and  wherein  ye  stand  ;  by  which  also  ye  are  saved,  if  ye  keep  in  memory 

3  what  I  preached  imto  you,  unless  ye  have  believed  in  vain.     For  I  delivered  unto  you  first 
of  all  that  which  I  also  received,  how  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins  according  to  the  Scrip- 

4  tures;  and  that  he  was  buried,  and  that  he  rose  again  the  third  day  according  to  the  Scrip- 

5  tures :  and  that  he  was  seen  of  Cephas,  then  of  the  twelve  :  after  that,  he  was  seen  of  above 

6  five  hundred  brethren  at  once ;  of  whom  the  greater  part  remain  unto  this  present,  but  some 

7  are  fallen  asleep.     After  that,  he  was  seen  of  James ;  then  of  all  the  apostles.     And  last  of 

8  all  he  was  seen  of  me  also,  as  of  one  born  out  of  due  time.     For  I  am  the  least  of  the 

9  apostles,  that  am  not  meet  to  be  called  an  apostle,  because  I  persecuted  the  church  of  God. 

10  But  by  the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am  :  and  his  grace  which  was  'bestowed  upon  me  was 
not  in  vain ;  but  I  laboured  more  abundantly  than  they  all :  yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God 

11  which  was  with  me.     Therefore  whether  it  were  I  or  they,  so  we  preach,  and  so  ye  be- 
lieved. 

12  Now  if  Christ  be  preached  that  he  rose  from  the  dead,  how  say  some  among  you  that 

13  there  is  no  resurrection  of  the  dead  ?    But  if  there  be  no  resurrection  of  the  dead,  then 

14  is  Christ  not  risen :  and  if  Christ  be  not  risen,  then  is  our  preaching  vain,  and  your  faith  is 

15  also  vain.     Yea,  and  we  are  found  false  witnesses  of  God ;  because  we  have  testified  of  God 

16  that  he  raised  up  Christ :  whom  he  raised  not  up,  if  so  be  that  the  dead  rise  not.    For  if 

17  the  dead  rise  not,  then  is  not  Christ  raised :  and  if  Christ  be  not  raised,  your  faith  is  vain; 

18  ye  are  yet  in  your  sins.     Then  they  also  which  are  fallen  asleep  in  Christ  are  perished.    If 

19  in  this  life  only  we  have  hope  in  Christ,  we  are  of  all  men  most  miserable. 

20  But  now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and  become  the  firstfruits  of  them  that  slept. 

21  For  since  by  man  came  death,  by  man  came  also  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.     For  as  in 

22  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.     But  every  man  in  his  own  order : 

23  Christ  the  firstfruits ;  afterward  they  that  are  Christ's  at  his  coming.     Then  cometh  the 


SECTION  ^7Jt.—l  CORINTEIANS  15  : 1-34. 


331 


24  end,  when  he  shall  have  delivered  up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father  ;  when  he  shall 

25  have  put  down  all  rule  and  all  authority  and  po^ver.     For  he  must  reign,  till  he  hath  put 

26  all  enemies  under  his  feet.     The  last  enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed  is  death.     For  he  hath 

27  put  all  things  under  his  feet.     But  when  he  saith  all  things  are  put  under  ?dm,  it  is  mani- 

28  fest  that  he  is  excepted,  which  did  put  all  things  under  him.  And  w-heu  all  things  shall 
he  subdued  unto  him,  then  shall  the  Son  also  himself  be  subject  unto  him  that  put  all 
things  under  him,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all. 

29  Else  what  shall  they  do  which  are  baptized  for  the  dead,  if  the  dead  rise  not  at  all?  why 

30  are  they  then  baptized  for  the  dead?  and  why  stand  we  in  jeopardy  every  hour?    I  protest 

31  by  your  rejoicing  which  I  have  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  I  die  daily.     If  after  the  manner 

32  of  men  I  have  fought  with  beasts  at  Ephesus,  what  advantageth  it  me,  if  the  dead  rise  not  ? 

33  let  us  eat  and  drink ;  for  to  morrow  we  die.     Be  not  deceived:  evil  communications  cor- 

34  rupt  good  manners.  Awake  to  righteousness,  and  sin  not;  for  some  have  not  the  knowl- 
edge of  God :  I  speak  this  to  your  shame. 


Death  separates  us.  The  saints  cease  from  their  beneficent  service.  The  prophets  do  not  live  for  ever. 
Can  we  bear  it  ?  In  imagination — thank  God,  not  otherwise — we  can  put  ourselves  out  into  that  bleak 
desert,  a  Christless  world.  We  ask  there,  and  then  ask  here.  Will  these  graves  ever  open  ?  Shall  I  see 
the  face  of  my  mother,  my  child,  my  friend,  whose  spirit  was  rich  in  the  gifts  and  graces  of  God  ?  See  it 
in  an  eternity  of  blessed,  unbroken,  undivided  life  ?  I  know  I  shall.  Jesus  Christ  has  come,  has  died, 
has  risen  from  the  dead.  Because  he  lives,  his  followers,  one  with  him,  shall  live  also.  The  resurrection 
is  not  only  his.  It  is  the  resurrection  of  every  believer  on  earth.  The  life-power  is  common  to  both.  It 
is  within  the  Christian  heart.  When  the  undying  Christ  liveth  in  us,  we  can  never  die.  Be  his,  and  you 
are  already  immortal,  mortality  being  swallowed  up  of  life.  The  glorious  expectation  enlarges  itself.  In 
the  day  of  his  appearing  you  shall  appear,  and  with  him.  We  know  not  what  we  shall  be,  but  we  know- 
that  we  shall  be  like  him.     F.  D.  H. 


Chapter  15  is  reserved  for  the  treatment  of  a 
great  foundation  doctrine  of  Christianity,  the  Resur- 
rection of  the  Body.  Seeing  that  this  doctrine  was  re- 
pudiated by  some  at  Corinth,  it  became  necessary  that 
it  should  be  thoroughly  expounded,  as  to  its  grounds, 
its  analogies,  its  necessity.  And  thus  we  obtain  one 
of  the  grandest  and  most  precious  portions  of  the 
apostolic  writings.  For  record  of  the  appearances  of 
the  Lord  after  his  resurrection,  for  cogent  argu- 
ment binding  his  resurrection  to  ours,  for  assertion 
and  implication  of  the  great  doctrine  of  his  inclusive 
humanity,  for  revelation  of  holy  mysteries  imparted 
by  special  inspiration,  for  triumphant  application  of 
the  phenomena  and  analogies  of  nature,  no  extant 
writing  can  compare  with  this  chapter  in  its  value 
to  the  Church,  its  power  of  convincing  the  mind 
and  awakening  Christian  hope,  its  far-seeing  confu- 
tation of  the  cavils  and  scoffs  of  all  after-ages 
against  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection.     A. 

The  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians — written  be- 
fore the  earliest  gospel — exhibits  the  resurrection  as 
already  part  of  an  apostolical  creed.  According  to 
Paul,  the  resurrection  then  rested  upon  the  testi- 
mony of  more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  still  liv- 
ing eye-witnesses.  According  to  Paul,  the  resurrec- 
tion is  the  very  comer-stone  of  the  whole  fabric  of 
Christian  teaching.  According  to  Paul,  if  the  res- 
urrection could  be  disproved,  the  apostles  had  prop- 
agated a  lie  in  the  name  of  God,  and  the  idea  that 
God  had  pardoned  sin  was  an  empty  delusion.  This 
unchallenffed  Epistle,  you  will  observe,  as  no  other 
book  in  the  New  Testament,  rests  the  doctrine  of 
the  resurrection  upon  its  historical  base,  and  pur- 
sues it  to  its  extreme  theological  consequences.  In 
the  light  of  this  great  truth  we  behold  the  whole 
multitude  of  the  glorified  and  risen  dead  gathered 
at  length  beneath  the  throne  of  their  risen  Redeemer ; 


and  in  them,  according  to  no  merely  idealistic  repre- 
sentation, but  as  an  olijective  and  literal  fact  fore- 
told by  the  apostle,  death  is  swallowed  up  by  the 
victory  of  Triumphant  Life.     H.  P.  L. 

1.  The  gospel  which  I  preached.  All 
along,  the  apostle  refers  to  what  the  Corinthians 
knew  ;  to  what  he  had  '■^  preachccV  among  them; 
what  they  had  "  received  "  and  "  believed^'"  and  "  in 
u'hich  they  stood.'"  This  personal,  oral  teaching  of 
his,  of  which  he  reminds  them,  had  commenced 
about  five  or  six  years  before,  and  had  continued  for 
about  two  years ;  for  three  or  four  years  he  had 
been  absent  from  Corinth.  During  the  whole  of 
that  time  the  Corinthians,  so  far  as  we  know,  had 
not  in  their  possession  a  single  apostolic  writing, 
except,  it  might  be,  copies  of  the  Epistles  to  the 
Thessalonians,  which  Paul  wrote  from  Corinth  soon 
after  his  settlement  there,  and  with  which  his  course 
of  sacred  authorship  began.  Though  the  Corinthi- 
ans, however,  had  no  Christian  booh,  they  had  the 
Christian  truth.  They  had  no  New  Testament,  but 
they  had  the  ideas  it  was  one  day  to  contain.  They 
had  no  vmttcn  evangel,  but  they  had  the  gospel 
itself  ;  they  "  knew  "  it  and  "  believed  "  it.  Paul 
appeals  to  that  knowledge  and  belief.  He  re- 
fers to  the  fact  of  his  vocal  instructions  and  living 
ministry. 

3,  4.  The  substance  of  Paul's  testimony  was 
that  the  Christ  died  for  our  sins — was  buried  and 
revived.  To  these  two  things,  which  the  apostle 
asserted  and  testified  of  Christ,  everything  in  the- 
ology, religion,  and  morals — everything  belonging  to 
spiritual  truth,  human  duty,  hopes  and  prospects — 
may  be  referred.  God,  law,  sin,  penalty,  divine 
government,  future  retribution,  merciful  arrange- 
ment, with  all  kindred  and  correlative  truths,  gather 
round  the  first ;  spiritual  life,  sonship,  salvation, 


SECT102^  27Jf.-l  CORINTHIANS  15:1-34. 


access  to  God,  worship,  song,  favorable  help,  reli- 
gious virtue,  light  in  darkness,  hope  in  death,  faith 
apprehending  and  laying  hold  of  "  the  things  not 
seen"— these  and  all  similar  beliefs,  experiences, 
and  affections  grow  out  of  the  second.  Well  con- 
sidered, it  ceases  to  be  wonderful  that  Paul  should 
compress  into  these  two  things  the  sum  and  sub- 
stance of  all  he  taught ;  that  through  them  he  ex- 
pected  to  meet  and  to  help  humanity,  to  infuse 
into  it  a  spiritual  and  divine  life — "  the  life  of  God 
in  the  soul  of  man."     T.  B. 

5.  He  was  seen  of  Cephas.  What  passed 
then  is  hidden  from  all  eyes.  The  secrets  of  that 
hour  of  deep  contrition  and  healing  love  Peter  kept 
secretly  curtained  from  sight  in  the  innermost  cham- 
ber of  his  memory.  But  we  may  be  sure  that  then 
forgiveness  was  sought  and  granted,  and  the  bond 
that  fastened  him  to  his  Lord  was  welded  together 
again  where  it  had  snapped,  and  was  the  stronger 
because  it  had  been  broken,  and  at  the  point  of 

fracture.    A-  M. The  Lord  appears  to  the  fallen 

Simon,  and  shows  himself  thus  also  in  his  second  life 
the  Saviour  of  sinners.  He  appears  to  Simon,  Jirst 
of  all  the  apostles.  Thus  he  is  then  really  the  Chief 
Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  who  hath  brought  back 
with  him  from  the  dead  the  faithful  shepherd  heart. 

7.  Most  probably  the  James  here  meant  is  the 
same  who  wrote  the  general  Epistle,  the  brother  of 
the  Lord,  held  in  high  honor  in  the  apostolic  Church. 
He  was  thus  one  of  those  brethren  who  at  one  time 
did  not  believe  on  Jesus.  The  Saviour  repays  the 
life-long  misjudgment  of  his  brethren  after  the  flesh 
by  a  special  revelation  to  the  eldest  of  them !  What 
then  took  place  between  Him  and  James  is  sur- 
rounded with  the  veil  of  secrecy ;  enough :  he  casts 
the  honest  doubter  down  at  his  feet,  and  forthwith 
causes  him  to  arise  as  witness  of  his  resurrection. 
Not  only  Peter  the  penitent  sinner,  but  also  James 
the  honest  doubter,  he  sought  out  in  their  solitude. 
He  iciyis  those  who  thus  grope  about  in  twilight,  if 
only  they  have  a  sincere  desire  after  higher  light  in 
the  soul.  He  who  deliberately  will  not  believe,  ends, 
alas,  by  not  being  able  to  believe ;  yet — as  we  see 
in  the  case  of  James — to  the  upright  ariseth  light 
in  the  darkness.     Van  0. 

10.  More  abundantly  than  they  all. 
We  are  astonished  at  the  amount  accomplished  by  a 
man,  a  single  man.  The  wonderful  activity  of  our 
apostle  imparts  to  him  a  kind  of  omnipresence  in 
all  the  Roman  Empire,  over  the  vast  extent  of  which 
the  name  of  Paul  projects  everywhere  its  immense 
shadow.  What  would  have  been  the  changes  in  the 
liistory  of  the  world  if  this  single  man  had  not  been 
born  ?  Without  Paul,  who  can  estimate  the  immense 
results  of  this  change  in  the  maxims,  the  morals, 
the  literature,  the  history,  the  entire  development  of 
the  race  ?  Monod. Work  you,  and  God  is  work- 
ing in  you  mightily.  Labor  more  abundantly  than 
they  all,  and  God's  grace  is  laboring  in  you.     You 


are  not  to  wait  for  God,  but  to  work ;  for  God  is 
beforehand  with  you  all  the  while.  You  are  to  wait 
tfpon  God,  but  you  are  not  to  wait /or  God  before 
you  obey  his  command  to  work,  for  God  is  already 
waiting  for  you,  and  always  working.  Work  while 
the  day  lasts,  work  in  reliance  upon  God,  work  in 
expectation  of  a  glorious  harvest,  and  the  more  you 
work,  and  the  more  earnestly  you  work,  the  easier  it 
will  be,  and  by  and  by  your  reward  and  your  rejoic- 
ing shall  be  great  in  the  Lord.     G.  B.  C. With 

what  grand  confidence,  then,  may  the  weakest  of  us 
go  to  his  task.  We  have  a  right  to  feel  that  in  all 
our  labor  God  works  with  us  ;  that  in  all  our  words 
for  him  it  is  not  we  that  speak  but  the  Spirit  of  our 
Father  that  speaks  in  us ;  that  if  humbly  and  prayer- 
fully, with  self -distrust  and  resolute  effort  to  crucify 
our  own  intrusive  individuality,  we  wait  for  him  to 
enshrine  himself  within  us,  strength  will  come  to  us, 
drawn  from  the  deep  fountains  of  God,  and  we,  too, 
shall  be  able  to  say,  "  Not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God 
in  me."  How  this  sublime  confidence  should  tell  on 
our  characters,  destroying  all  self-confidence,  re- 
pressing all  pride,  calming  all  impatience,  brighten- 
ing all  despondency,  and  ever  stirring  us  anew  to 
deeds  worthy  of  the  exceeding  greatness  of  the 
power  which  worketh  in  us  !     A.  M. 

Verse  1 1  concludes  what  is  preliminary  to  the 
main  discussion,  namely,  that  the  message  respect- 
ing the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ  was  taught 
unanimously  by  all  the  apostles,  and  was  by  them 
received  as  the  foundation  of  their  faith.  "So  ye 
believed."     Thus  ye  put  confidence  in  it ;  that  is,  in 

this  message  ye  received  Christianity.    Ruckert. 

In  verses  12-19,  Paul's  object  is  to  overset  that  un- 
belief in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  by  heaping 
one  upon  another  the  conclusions  to  which,  if  fully 
and  legitimately  carried  out,  that  unbelief  would 
lead.     W.  H. 

12.  How  say  some  no  resurrection.  It 
is  an  appeal  to  men  on  their  own  principles.  They 
believed  one  thing,  that  Christ  rose,  they  denied  an- 
other thing,  the  resurrection  of  man  from  death  ;  but 
the  belief  of  the  first  carried  with  it  the  second,  the 
denial  of  the  second  destroyed  the  first.  An  argu- 
ment this  which  would  not  be  felt  by  philosophers 
who  denied  both  things,  but  which,  in  respect  to  the 
men  in  question,  admitted  of  no  reply,  and  was 
adapted  to  excite  the  most  serious  apprehensions. 
As  an  appeal  to  their  understanding,  it  convicted 
them  of  inconsistency  and  absurdity ;  as  an  appeal 
to  their  faith,  it  revealed  to  them  issues  which  they 
had  not  considered  and  did  not  foresee.  Putting 
together  the  different  topics  which  the  apostle 
rapidly  touches — looking  at  their  combined  force  as 
linked  together  in  his  cumulative  argument — the 
result  would  seem  to  be  this :  That  the  error  com- 
bated, if  logically  carried  out,  would  just  destroy 


SECTION  27Jt.—l  CORINTHIANS  15  : 1-34. 


333 


Christianity  altogether — destroy  it  in  its  facts,  its 
doctrines,  its  hopes,  and  its  evidence.     T.  B. 

14.  Our  preaching.  This  preaching  related 
to  Christ,  the  reconciler  of  man  with  God,  the  libera- 
tor from  the  guilt  of  sin,  the  author  of  the  right  to 
eternal  life  for  those  united  to  him,  and  the  founder 
of  the  Church  of  God,  which  embraces  all  nations 
withcut  distinction.  Paul  avers  that  this  preaching 
would  be  useless  if  Christ  were  not  risen.  If  the 
work  of  redemption  had  not  been  accomplished, 
then  the  merits  of  Christ  would  have  been  of  no 
service  whatever,  and  the  proclamation  of  his  grace, 
failing  in  objective  truth,  would  have  been  a  declara- 
tion of  falsehood. 

15.  False  witnesses.  False  testimony  is  the 
crime  which  is  forbidden  in  the  decalogue ;  how 
much  more  if  this  testimony  relate  to  what  God 
has  done  ?  The  expressions  are  finely  chosen  so  as 
to  place  the  crime  in  as  clear  a  light  as  possible. 
"  We  are  found  false  witnesses."  We  are  not  only 
such,  but  we  are  discovered  to  be  such ;  we  stand  in 
that  position.  "  False  witnesses,"  not  deluded  but 
deceivers — those  who  testify  that  they  have  seen 
what  they  have  not   seen.     "False  witnesses  of 

God."    Ruckert. They  affirm    an  impossibility. 

And  they  affirm  that  God  did  it !  that  he  did  what 
he  did  not  do ;  "  that  he  raised  up  Christ,  whom  he 
raised  not  up."  This  pretended  "  testimony  "  could 
not,  under  the  circumstances,  be  a  mistaken  opinion, 
an  innocent  mental  error.  It  was  a  falsehood.  We 
told  a  lie.  We  were  "  false  witnesses  " — false  wit- 
nesses for  God !  the  God  of  our  fathers,  whom  we 
had  been  taught  to  reverence  as  "  the  God  of  truth  " ; 
by  whom  "  words  "  and  "  actions  "  are  "  weighed  "  ; 
whose  "  eyes  behold  "  and  approve  the  "  upright "  ; 

and  who  "  hates  every  false  way  !  "     T.  B. Yea, 

and  among  these  men  branded  thus  as  false  wit- 
nesses, if  Christ  did  not  really  rise,  Paul  himself 
must  be  reckoned.  That  he  should  ever  have  such 
a  brand  affixed  to  him,  that  he  should  ever  once  be 
thought  of  as  an  impostor  or  deceiver,  is  there  not 
something  in  the  very  manner  of  Paul's  speech 
here  that  tells  us  how  monstrous  to  himself,  and 
surely  as  incredible  to  others,  the  very  supposition 
seemed  ?    W,  H. 

16.  This  argument  is  founded  on  the  union  be- 
tween Christ  and  his  members :  they  so  share  his 
life  that  because  he  lives  for  ever  they  must  live 
also ;  and  conversely,  if  we  deny  their  immortality, 
we  deny  his.     C. 

Is  not  Christ  raised.  But  who  is  Jesus, 
if  his  sepulchre  remains  closed  and  he  lives  in  no 
other  manner  than  all  the  God-fearing  dead  ?  In 
no  case  the  only  Son  of  God,  in  the  scriptural 
sense  of  the  word,  but  a  man  of  like  passions  as 
we,  incapable  even  as  the  least  of  his  brethren  to 
subdue  the  united  power  of  sin  and  death.     Even 


less  the  faithful  and  true  witness ;  because,  if  his 
unequivocal  predictions  concerning  his  resurrection 
have  remained  absolutely  unfulfilled,  there  is  no 
reason  why  men  should  thenceforth  give  uncon- 
ditional credence  to  his  word.  Least  of  all,  the 
absolutely  sinless  one ;  because,  having  died  and 
remained  in  death,  he  may  indeed  on  the  cross  have 
borne  the  penalty  of  our  sins,  but  can  not  possibly 
have  atoned  for  them.  But  thus  neither  is  he  the 
Redeemer,  the  Saviour  of  those  lost  but  for  him ; 
and  those  who,  with  the  hymn  upon  their  lips, 
"  Jesus  lives,  and  we  with  him,"  bravely  face  eter- 
nity, are  indeed  the  simplest  of  the  simple.     Van  0. 

17.  Christianity  is  nothing  else  than  the  fact 
and  the  message  that  in  the  death  of  Christ  the  sin 
of  the  world  is  expiated  and  taken  away,  and  in  his 
resurrection  a  new  life  of  the  spirit  and  of  glory  is 
restored.  Christ,  the  crucified  and  risen,  is  the 
foundation  of  the  Christian  Church.  If  Christ  is 
not  risen,  it  is  not  this  or  that  point  in  Christianity, 
but  Christianity  itself,  that  goes.     An. 

18.  The  dying  believer  sleeps  in  Jesus.  How  in- 
comparably refreshing  this  language  of  Paul,  "  they 
which  are  fallen  asleep  in  Christ "  !  What  a  fra- 
grance exhales  from  the  sacred  urn !  How  does  it 
embalm  the  very  bodies  of  those  whom  we  have 
given  in  charge  to  Christ !  They  sleep  in  Jesus.  It 
is  in  his  arms  they  have  fainted  away,  and  he  holds, 
sustains,  and  embraces  them.  This,  which  seemed 
a  calamity,  is  foreseen  and  contemplated  in  the 
covenant.  Their  very  dying  has  a  connection  with 
the  blessed  Saviour,  for  it  is  joined  to  his  dying. 
J.  W.  A. 

If  there  be  no  resurrection  of  the  dead,  then 
they  "  who  have  fallen  asleep  in  Christ "  have  per- 
ished. In  other  words,  the  best,  the  purest,  the 
noblest  of  the  human  race  have  lived  only  to  die 
for  ever.  For  even  our  adversaries  will  grant  us 
this,  that  since  the  days  of  Christ  there  have  been 
exhibited  to  the  world  a  purity,  a  self-sacrifice,  a 
humility  such  as  the  world  never  saw  before.  Earth 
in  all  its  ages  has  nothing  which  can  be  compared 
with  "the  noble  army  of  martyrs."  Now  you  are 
called  upon  to  believe  that  all  these  have  perished 
everlastingly ;  that  they  served  God,  loved  him,  did 
his  will,  and  that  he  sent  them  down  like  the  Son 
of  God  into  annihilation !  You  are  required  to  be- 
lieve that  the  pure  and  wise  of  this  world  have  all 
been  wrong,  and  the  selfish  and  sensual  all  right. 
F.  W.  R. 

19.  20.  We  not  only  sacrifice  everything  for 
nothing,  but  the  sublime  virtue  which  we  suppose  is 
promoted  within  us,  why  even  that  is  a  dream  and 
a  delusion !  We  are  not  made  for  it ;  we  are  not 
God-bom,  and  can  not  be  God-like,  if  we  were  only 
created  to  perish.  And  that  is  all,  "  if  there  be  no 
resurrection  of  the  dead."     In  this  way,  in  effect, 


334 


SECTIOX  21  If— I  CORINTHIANS  15  : 1-34. 


Paul  appeals  to  his  own  conduct,  and  to  that  of 
others  like  him,  as  a  proof  of  the  depth  and  in- 
tensity of  their  convictions  in  respect  to  the  cer- 
tainty of  a  future  life.  His  asserted  experience 
gave  a  character  and  weight  to  his  words  that  made 
them  a  "  testimony  " ;  his  consciousness  of  his  ve- 
racity as  a  witness,  and  his  confidence  in  the  hopes 
that  animated  and  upheld  him,  justified  to  himself 
the  grand  burst  of  feeling  with  which — waving  off 
the  sophistries  of  science,  and  presenting  the  truth 
as  the  exi)lanation  of  his  conduct — he  uttered  what 
embodied,  in  one  pregnant  sentence,  the  two  ideas 
which  had  all  along  been  interwoven  into  the  texture 
of  his  argument :  "  But  now  is  Christ  risen  from 
the  dead,  and  become  the  firstfruits  of  them  that 
SLEEP."     T.  B. 

20.  If  those  portions  of  the  evangelic  history 
which  reach  to  the  moment  of  the  death  of  Christ 
are,  in  a  critical  sense,  of  the  same  historic  quality  as 
those  which  run  on  to  the  moment  of  his  ascension, 
and  if  the  former  absolutely  command  our  assent, 
if  they  carry  it  as  by  force,  then,  by  a  most  direct 
inference,  "  is  Christ  risen  indeed,"  and  become  the 
first-fruits  of  immortality  to  the  human  race.  Then 
is  it  true  that,  "as  in  Adam  all  die,  so  in  Christ 
shall  all  be  made  alive."  No  narrative  is  anywhere 
extant  comparable  to  that  of  the  days  and  hours 
immediately  preceding  the  crucifixion ;  and  the  sev- 
eral accounts  of  the  hurried  events  of  those  days 
present  the  minute  discordances  which  are  always 
found  to  belong  to  genuine  memoirs  compiled  by 
eye-witnesses.  The  Last  Supper  and  its  sublime 
discourses,  the  agony  in  the  garden,  the  behavior 
of  the  traitor,  the  scenes  in  the  hall  of  the  chief 
priest,  and  before  the  judgment-seat  of  the  Roman 
procurator,  and  in  the  palace  of  Herod,  and  in  the 
place  called  the  Pavement,  and  on  the  way  from 
the  city,  and  the  scene  on  Calvaiy,  are  true,  if  any- 
thing in  the  compass  of  history  be  true.     I.  T. 

The  Lord  is  risen  indeed !  Such,  we  are  told, 
were  the  joy-inspiring  words  with  which  each  Lord's- 
day  morning,  as  they  met  for  worship,  the  early 
Christians  were  wont  to  salute  one  another.  And 
when  we  count  over,  as  brought  out  in  this  won- 
derful chapter,  all  the  benefits  and  blessings  which 
that  rising  of  the  Lord  secured,  could  they,  we 
ask  ourselves,  have  fixed  upon  a  fitter  phrase  to 
express  at  once  how  rich  their  heritage,  how  full 
their  joy,  how  bright  their  hope,  how  firm  the  foun- 
dation of  their  trust?     W.  H. If  Jesus  Christ 

risen  is  indeed  the  object  of  our  faith,  then  our 
religion  is  not  merely  the  critical  study  of  an  an- 
cient sacred  literature.  It  is  a  vitally  distinct  thing 
from  that.  It  is  the  communion  of  our  spirits  with 
a  divine  and  everlasting  being.  Jesus  Christ  risen 
from  his  grave,  arrayed  in  his  glorious  manhood, 
is  seated  on  the  throne  of  heaven.     He  is  the  mid- 


point, the  center  of  the  great  empire  of  living  souls. 
He  is  in  communication,  constant  and  intimate,  with 
myriads  of  beings  to  whom,  by  his  death,  and  by 
his  triumph  over  death,  and  by  his  enduring  and 
exhaustless  life,  he  is  made  wisdom  and  righteous- 
ness and  sanctification  and  redemption.  Yes,  to 
believe  in  the  risen  Jesus  is  to  live  beneath  a  sky 
which  is  indeed  bright.  This  is  to  believe  that  he  is 
alive  for  evermore,  and  that  he  has  the  keys  of  hell 

and  of  death.     H.  P.  L. Now  Jesus  lives,  and 

the  resurrection  is  at  the  same  time  the  amen  of 
God  and  the  subject  of  hallelujah  to  redeemed  hu- 
manity. And  this  hallelujah  shall  never  cease; 
for  here  triumphs,  last  and  most  glorious  of  all,  the 
victory  of  life  oner  death.  Sing  then  now,  0  my 
soul,  the  psalm  of  life  in  this  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death !  Arise  with  the  Prince  of  Life  to  a  new 
life,  in  which  the  old  power  of  sin  and  death  is 
overcome  ;  and  journey  onward  dauntless  toward 
thine  own  grave,  lighted  on  the  way  by  the  glory  of 
Christ's  resurrection  !      Van  0. 

22.  The  cause  of  death  is  Adam,  and  we  die  in 
him ;  therefore  Christ,  whose  office  is  to  restore 
what  we  lost  in  Adam,  is  to  us  the  cause  of  life,  and 
his  resurrection  is  the  foundation  and  pledge  of 
ours.  As  the  one  was  the  original  of  death,  so  the 
other  is  of  life.  The  apostle  pursues  the  same  com- 
parison in  the  fifth  chapter  to  the  Romans,  with  this 
difference,  that  there  he  treats  of  spiritual  life  and 
death,  but  here  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body, 

which  is  the  fruit  of  spiritual  life.     Calv. As  in 

Adam  all  die  (his  natural  descendants  are  involved 
in  his  condemnation)  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be 
made  alive ;  that  is,  all  that  are  spiritually  united 
to  him  shall  partake  of  his  glorious  resurrection. 
This  glorious  life  is  not  given  to  all,  but  only  to 
those  who  are  imited  to  him.  As  Adam,  the  prin- 
ciple of  the  carnal,  corrupt  nature,  derives  guilt  and 
death  to  all  his  progeny,  so  Jesus  Christ  (who  is  op- 
posed to  him),  the  head  and  prince  of  the  renewed 
state,  communicates  life  and  glory  to  his  people. 

Bales. The  substitution  of  the  suffering  Christ 

for  the  perishing  sinner  arose  directly  out  of  the 
terms  of  the  incarnation.  The  human  nature  which 
our  Lord  assumed  was  none  other  than  the  very  na- 
ture of  the  sinner,  only  without  its  sin.  The  Son 
of  God  took  on  him  human  nature,  not  a  human 
personality.  As  human  nature  was  present  in  Adam 
when  by  his  representative  sin  he  ruined  his  pos- 
terity, so  was  human  nature  present  in  Christ  our 
Lord,  when,  by  his  voluntary  offering  of  his  sinless 
self.  He  "  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the 
tree."  Christ  is  thus  the  second  Head  of  our  race. 
Our  nature  is  his  own.  He  carried  it  with  him 
through  life  to  death,     H.  P.  L, 

As  certainly  as  all  men  died  in  Adam,  so  cer- 
tainly shall  all  saints  be  made  alive  in  Christ.    We 


SECTION  27Jf.—l  CORINTHIANS  15  : 1-34. 


335 


are  to  believe  the  one  as  steadfastly  as  we  believe 
the  other.  We  have  perfect  evidence  that  all  men 
die  a  natural  death.  On  an  equally  solid  founda- 
tion rests  the  proof  of  the  restoration  to  life  of  all 
who  believe  in  Jesus.  The  nature  of  the  argument 
is  such  as  not  to  admit  the  allusion  to  the  wicked. 
The  apostle  is  comparing  Adam  and  Christ  as  the 
heads  or  representatives  of  two  races  or  series.  In 
consequence  of  the  sin  of  Adam  all  men  die  a  nat- 
ural death.  Through  Christ  the  bodies  of  all,  that 
is  of  all  believers,  shall  be  made  alive.  Adam  is 
placed  at  the  head  of  one  series  or  race.  All  his 
descendants  suffer  by  virtue  of  their  connection  with 
him.  Christ  is  the  leader  of  another  series,  not 
identical  in  number  with  the  other,  for  it  is  express- 
ly limited.  In  the  very  next  verse  we  read,  "  Each 
in  his  own  order,  Christ  the  first-fruits,  afterward 
they  who  are  Christ's  at  his  coming."  The  wicked 
are  not  Christ's ;  they  do  not  belong  to  him.  Christ  is 
the  first-fruits  of  all  who  sleep  in  him.  The  wicked 
are  never  said  to  fall  asleep  in  Jesus.     B.  B.  E. 

24.  What  strictly  belongs  to  the  discussion  is 
ended,  for  there  is  nothing  more  said  of  the  resur- 
rection. But  the  spirit  of  the  apostle  having  once 
mounted  up  to  that  time  when  the  resurrection  has 
passed,  or  is  about  to  take  place,  and  the  great 
spectacle  has  presented  itself  to  his  vision,  then  he 
feels  constrained  to  finish  the  picture  fully  to  that 
point,  where  all  thought  ceases,  where  all  our  imagi- 
nations fade  away  in  the  shoreless  sea  of  eternity. 
Then  the  end !  Not  the  end  of  all  existence,  but 
the  end  of  this  world  as  at  present  organized,  the 
moment  of  the  completion  of  all  those  things  which 
belong  to  the  divine  plan  of  redemption,  the  end  of 
tune  and  the  beginning  of  eternity,  of  which  the 
apostle  can  say  nothing  further  than  "  thus  we  shall 

be  ever  with  the  Lord."     Ruckert. At  the  end 

the  work  given  him  to  do  shall  have  been  finished. 
Those  given  him  by  the  Father  shall  have  been 
found  out,  redeemed,  sanctified,  saved,  and  gathered 
all  together  into  one  ;  their  enemies,  even  death  ;7- 
self,  shall  have  been  subdued ;  and  the  whole  scheme 
of  providence  shall  have  been  developed  and  w^ound 
up.  The  mediator  shall  then  appear  and  give  in  to 
the  Father  a  full  account  of  his  mediatorial  under- 
taking, presenting  to  bim  the  kingdom  in  that  state 
of  consummation  to  which  he  shall  then  have  brought 
it,  and  receiving  from  him  a  clear  testimony  of  his 
approbation.  This  is  perfectly  consonant  with  the 
idea  that  the  Son  shall  retain  and  exercise  his  media- 
torial authority  over  his  own  proper  kingdom  for 
ever.  "  This  kingdom,"  says  Theophylact,  "  he  de- 
livers to  his  Father  by  achieving  and  accomplishing 
the  purposes  of  it."  We  may  add  the  language  of 
Calvin,  who  says,  "  He  only  intends  that  in  that  per- 
fect glory  the  adrainistration  of  the  kingdom  will  not 
be  the  same  as  it  is  at  presents     W.  P. 


26*  Christ  is  the  Master  and  Lord  of  Death  •,  he 
commits  to  his  custody  the  bodies  of  his  saints.  As 
a  shepherd  keepeth  watch  over  his  flock  by  night,  so 
is  the  "  last  enemy "  compelled  to  watch  over  the 
dust  of  the  holy  dead ;  so  is  he  stationed  and  com- 
manded to  serve,  that  they  may  be  safe  and  undis- 
turbed during  their  season  of  rest,  and  be  raised 
again  when  the  morning  dawns  !  When  that  morn- 
ing cometh.  Death,  having  delivered  up  his  trust, 
shall  himself  die ;  or,  rather,  he  shall  be  destroyed 
and  perish.  Life  will  be  conferred  in  every  sense 
in  which  it  will  be  possible.  The  gospel  reveals  not 
merely  the  immortality  of  the  spirit,  but  the  immor- 
tality of  humanity  ;  our  whole  nature,  "  body,  soul, 
and  spirit,"  shall  be  purified  and  perfected,  and  en- 
dowed with  endless  and  incorruptible  life !     T.  B. 

27.  The  words,  "he  hath  subjected  all  things 
under  his  feet,"  are  borrowed  from  Ps.  8  :  V,  and  thus 
God  is  to  be  understood  in  the  otherwise  very  re- 
markable omission  of  the  subject.  The  "  subjec- 
tion" is  nothing  else  than  the  act  of  the  divine  will, 
by  which  the  Son  is  clothed  with  the  power  and  the 
right  to  rule  over  all,  and  to  subdue  all  enemies,  as 
Jesus  says  of  himself,  "  All  power  is  given  unto  me 
in  heaven  and  on  earth."     Ruckcrt. 

29.  The  punctuation  should  stand  thus :  "  Else 
what  shall  they  do  which  are  baptized  for  the  dead  ? 
If  the  dead  rise  not  at  all,  why  are  they  then  bap- 
tized   for    them?"     A. The  following    is   the 

commentary  of  Ambrose :  "  Paul,  in  order  to  show 
that  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  was  perfectly 
established,  quoted  the  example  of  those  persons 
who  were  so  secure  of  a  future  resurrection  that 
they  were  even  baptized  for  the  dead  if  one  died 
before  having  received  that  rite,  fearing  either  that 
the  deceased  would  not  rise  at  all  or  only  to  con- 
demnation. Thus  a  living  man  was  baptized  in  the 
name  of  the  dead.  Whence  Paul  subjoins,  '  Why 
are  they  baptized  for  them  ? '  By  this  example,  he 
did  not  approve  their  custom,  but  by  it  he  wished 
to  show  how  firm  was  the  faith  in  a  resurrection." 
Paul  speaks  of  a  usage  which  was  perfectly  well 
known  to  the  Corinthians,  while  contemporary  no- 
tices of  it  are  wanting  to  us.  In  favor  of  the  in- 
terpretation above  maintained,  w^e  have  the  very 
important  consideration  that  every  word  is  taken  in 
its  natural  sense,  and  thus  the  exposition  originates 
from  the  words  themselves.  Most,  if  not  all,  the 
other  modes  of  solution  do  violence,  in  a  greater  or 
less  degree,  to  some  one  if  not  to  all  the  words  in 
the  clause.     B.  B.  E. 

30)  31.  A  second  argument,  which  has  no  con- 
nection with  verse  29,  except  what  exists  in  the 
kindred  nature  of  the  object.  The  exertions  of 
the  Corinthians  in  their  baptism  for  the  benefit 
of  others  were  futile  if  there  were  no  resurrection  ; 
so  likewise  would  the  labors  and  sacrifices  of  the 


336 


SECTION  275.— 1  CORINTEIANS  15  :  35-58. 


apostle  and  his  associates  be  folly  if  there  were  no 
resurrection.     Euckci-t. 

31.  By  your  rejoicing.     This  should  read, 

"  by  the  glorying  which  I  have  of  you."    A. 

I  die  daily.  Jesus  Christ  has  not  abolished  our 
sufferings  and  our  mortality,  but  he  has  made  them 
what  they  never  could  have  been  without  him,  a 
bitter  dew  which  develops  and  matures  in  our  souls 

the   blessed  germ  of  faith.     A.  V. Were  this 

crucial  test  of  discipleship  the  willing  surrender  of 
self  in  all  its  forms,  its  will,  its  pleasure,  its  right- 
eousness, insisted  on  in  the  Church  as  it  is  in  the 
gospel,  we  fear  it  would  be  found  that  the  offense 
of  the  cross  had  not  ceased.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  were  all  who  are  Christ's  to  show  the  holy 
triumph  there  is  in  giving  up  all  for  him,  the  deep 
joy  in  being  partakers  of  his  sufferings,  the  blessed 
life  that  comes  through  daily  death  in  him,  how 
powerfully  would  the  ancient  glory  of  the  cross  be 
vindicated.     A.  J.  G. 

33.  The  punctuation  should  stand,  "  "What  doth 
it  profit  me  ?  If  the  dead  rise  not,  let  us  eat  and 
drink."  A. We  must  take  the  expression  figura- 
tively, as  referring  to  some  collision  with  hostile  and 
infuriated  men,  not  less  painful  to  him — in  some  in. 
stances  scarce  less  perilous — than  if  he  had  been 
cast  among  those  hungry  monsters  from  the  desert, 
beneath  whose  bloody  fangs  so  many  of  the  earliest 

martyrs  died.     W.  H. If  the  future  life  were  no 

Christian  doctrine,  then  the  whole  apostolic  life, 
nay,  the  whole  Christian  life,  were  a  monstrous  and 
senseless  folly.  For  Paul's  life  was  one  great  living 
death;  he  was  ever  on  the  brink  of  martyrdom. 
Figuratively,  speaking  popularly,  "  after  the  manner 
•  of  men,"  he  had  fought  as  with  wild  beasts  at  Ephe- 
sus.  Grant  an  immortality,  and  all  this  has  a  mean- 
ing ;  deny  it,  and  it  was  in  him  a  gratuitous  folly. 
And  again,  if  the  soul  be  not  immortal.  Christian 
life,  not  merely  apostolic  devotedness,  is  "  a  grand 
impert'.nence."  "  Let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  to-mor- 
row we  die,"  was  the  motto  and  epitaph  of  Sarda- 
napalus ;  and  if  this  life  be  all  we  defy  you  to  dis- 


prove the  wisdom  of  such  reasoning.  How  many 
of  the  myriads  of  the  human  race  would  do  ri^ht 
for  the  sake  of  right,  if  they  were  only  to  live  fifty 
years  and  then  die  for  evermore  ?  Besides,  with 
our  hopes  of  immortality  gone,  the  value  of  hu- 
manity  ceases,  and  people  become  not  worth  living 
for.  We  have  not  got  a  motive  strong  enough  to 
keep  us  from  sin.  Christianity  is  to  redeem  from 
evil ;  it  loses  its  power  if  the  idea  of  immortal  life 
be  taken  away.  No  !  If  there  be  in  us  only  that 
which  is  born  of  the  flesh,  only  the  mortal  Adam, 
and  not  the  immortal  Christ,  if  to-morrow  we  die, 
then  the  conclusion  can  not  be  put  aside,  "  Let  us 
eat  and  drink,  for  the  present  is  our  all."    F.  W.  R. 

Let  but  the  day  come  when  it  shall  be  fearlessly 
and  commonly  professed  that  "Death  is  annihila- 
tion," and  that  therefore  the  pleasures  of  appetite, 
graced  by  intelligence,  are  the  whole  portion  of 
man,  and  this  horrible  opinion  shall  quickly  become 
parent  to  a  giant  cruelty,  loftier  in  stature,  and  more 
malign  than  any  the  earth  has  hitherto  beheld. 
Even  the  most  sanguinary  superstitions  have  had 
some  profession  of  sanctity  to  maintain ;  a  reserve, 
a  saving  hypocrisy,  a  balance  of  sentiments,  which 
has  set  bounds  to  their  demand  of  blood.  But  athe- 
ism is  a  simple  element ;  it  has  no  restraining  mo- 
tive, and  must  act  like  itself,  with  a  dreadful  ingen- 
uousness. And  with  what  vehemence  of  spite  shall 
this  monster,  should  he  ever  win  the  scepter  of  the 
world,  turn  and  search  on  all  sides  for  the  residue 
of  those  who,  by  their  testimony  in  favor  of  the 
future  life,  sicken  his  gust  of  pleasure,  and  make 
pallid  his  joyous  and  florid  health.     I.  T. 

33,  34.  Here  we  have  the  conclusion  of  the 
discussion  whether  the  dead  are  raised,  together 
with  a  delineation  of  the  moral  corruption  to  which 
skepticism,  on  this  subject,  would  lead,  coupled  with 
a  solemn  warning.  The  discussion  is  conducted  be- 
fore the  whole,  in  order  to  confirm  the  believers,  to 
restore  the  wavering  to  confidence,  to  confute  the 
opponents,  and,  if  not  to  convert  them,  at  least  to 
render  them  harmless.     Ruckert. 


Section  275, 

1  Corinthians  xv.  35-58. 

35      But  some  man  will  say,  How  are  the  dead  raised  up  ?  and  with  wliat  body  do  they  come? 
3i5  Thou  fool,  that  which  thou  sowest  is  not  quickened,  except  it  die :  and  that  which  then 

37  sowest,  thou  sowest  not  that  body  that  shall  be,  but  bare  grain,  it  may  chance  of  wheat,  or 

38  of  some  other  grain :  but  God  giveth  it  a  body  as  it  hath  pleased  him,  and  to  every  seed  his 
own  body. 

39  All  flesh  is  not  the  same  flesh:  but  tJiere  is  one  l:lnd  of  flesh  of  men,  another  flesh  of 

40  beasts,  another  of  fishes,  and  another  of  birds.     T/xre  are  also  celestial  bodies,  and  bodies 
terrestrial :  but  the  glory  of  the  celestial  is  one,  and  the  glory  of  the  terrestrial  is  another. 

41  There  is  one  glory  of  the  sun,  and  another  glory  of  the  moon,  and  another  glory  of  the 
stars :  for  one  star  differeth  from  another  star  in  glory. 


SECTION  275.— 1  COBINTHIANS  15  :  35-58. 


337 


42  So  also  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.     It  is  sown  in  corruption;  it  is  raised  inincorrup- 

43  tion:  it  is  sown  in  dishonour;  it  is  raised  in  glory  :  it  is  sown  in  weakness;  it  is  raised  in 

44  power:  it  is  sown  a  natural  body;  it  is  raised  a  spiritual  body.     There  is  a  natural  body, 

45  and  there  is  a  spiritual  body.     And  so  it  is  written,  The  first  man  Adam  was  made  a  living 

46  soul ;  the  last  Adam  wai  made  a  quickening  spirit.     Howbeit  that  was  not  first  which  is 

47  spiritual,  but  that  which  is  natural ;  and  afterward  that  which  is  spiritual.     The  first  man 

48  is  of  the  earth,  earthy :  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven.     As  is  the  earthy,  such 
are  they  also  that  are  earthy:  and  as  is  the  heavenly,  such  are  they  also  that  are  heavenly. 

49  And  as  we  have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also  bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly. 

50  Now  this  I  say,  brethren,  that  flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God ;  nei- 

51  ther  doth  corruption  inherit  incorruption.     Behold,  I  shew  you  a  mystery;  "We  shall  not 

52  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be  changed,  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last 
trump  :  for  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall 

53  be  changed.     For  this  corruptible  must  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  must  put  on 

54  immortality.     So  when  this  corruptible  shall  have  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  shall 
have  put  on  immortality,  then  shall  be  brought  to  pass  the  saying  that  is  written,  Death  is 

55  swallowed  up  in  victory.     O  death,  where  is  thy  sting?     O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory? 

56  The  sting  of  death  is  sin ;  and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law.     But  thanks  he  to  God,  which 

57  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Therefore,  my  beloved  brethren,  be 

58  ye  stedfast,  unmoveable,  always  abounding  ia  the  work  of  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  ye  know 
that  your  labour  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 


Here,  on  a  lowly  bed,  in  an  English  village  by  the  sea,  fades  out  the  earthly  life  of  one  of  God's  hum- 
blest but  noblest  servants.  Worn  with  the  patient  care  of  deserted  prisoners  and  malefactors  in  the  town 
jail  for  twenty-four  years  of  unthanked  service,  earning  her  bread  with  her  hands,  and  putting  songs  of 
worship  on  the  lips  of  these  penitent  criminals— she  is  dying ;  and  as  the  night  falls  some  friend  asks, 
"  What  shall  I  read  ?  "  The  answer  of  the  short  breath  is  one  firm  syllable,  "  Praise  !  "  To  the  ques- 
tion, "Are  there  no  clouds?  "  "  Xone  ;  he  never  hides  his  face.  It  is  our  sins  which  form  the  cloud 
between  us  and  him.  He  is  all  love,  all  light."  And  when  the  hour  of  her  departure  was  fully  come, 
"Thank  God,  thank  God !  "  And  there,  in  his  princely  residence,  surrounded  with  the  insignia  of  power, 
but  in  equal  weakness  before  God,  expired  a  guileless  statesman,  nobleman  by  rank  and  character,  calmly 
resigning  back  all  his  power  into  the  Giver's  hands,  saying,  at  the  end,  "  I  have  been  the  happiest  of  men, 
yet  I  feel  that  death  will  be  gain  to  me,  through  Christ  who  died  for  me."  Blessed  be  God  for  the  mani- 
fold features  of  triumphant  faith !  that  he  suffers  his  children  to  walk  toward  him  through  ways  so  vari- 
ous in  their  outward  look :  Sarah  Martin  from  her  cottage  bed,  Earl  Spencer  from  his  gorgeous  couch, 
little  children  in  their  iimocence,  unpretending  women  in  the  quiet  ministrations  of  faithful  love,  strong 
and  useful  and  honored  men  whom  suffering  households  and  institutions  and  churches  mourn — all  bend- 
ing their  faces  toward  the  Everlasting  Light,  in  one  faith,  one  cheering  hope,  called  by  one  Lord,  who  has 
overcome  the  world,  and  dieth  no  more !  The  sun  sets  ;  the  autumn  fades ;  life  hastens  with  us  all.  But 
we  stand  yet  in  our  Master's  vineyard.  All  the  days  of  our  appointed  time  let  us  labor  righteously,  and 
pray  and  wait,  till  our  change  come,  that  we  may  change  only  from  virtue  to  virtue,  from  faith  to  faith, 
and  thus  from  glory  to  glory !     F.  D.  H. 


In  following  the  train  of  argument  contained  in 
this  chapter  it  must  be  clearly  kept  in  remembrance 
that  the  error  combated  by  Paul  was  not  the  denial 
of  immortality  but  the  denial  of  a  resurrection. 
The  ultra-spiritualizers  in  Corinth  did  not  say, 
"  Man  perishes  for  ever  in  the  grave,"  but,  "  The 
form  in  which  the  spirit  lives  shall  never  be  re- 
stored."   F.  W.  R. 

35.  Having  now  sufficiently  considered  the  ques- 
tion respecting  the  fact  of  a  resurrection,  the  apostle 
proceeds  to  the  second  inquiry  respecting  the  man- 
ner of  it,  and  the  condition  of  the  bodies  which 
shall  be  raised.  The  transition  to  this  point  he 
22 


effects  by  raising  an  objection,  "  but  here  some  one 
may  say."  We  may  conclude  that  the  mode,  the 
how,  occasioned  the  principal  difiiculty  to  the  spec- 
ulating Corinthians  ;  that  the  inconceivableness,  the 
impossibility  of  the  resuscitation  of  a  dead  and 
wasted  corpse  was  perhaps  the  great  stone  of 
stumbling.  Two  questions  are  suggested.  In  the 
first  place,  how  are  the  dead  raised,  and  secondly, 
with  what  bodies  do  they  come  forth  from  the 
tomb?  In  the  following  verses  the  apostle  gives 
the  answer.     Ruckei-t. 

36.  The  emphasis  should  be  laid  on  "thou" 
before   "  sowest."    This  would  be  effectually  pro- 


338 


SECTION  275.— 1  CORINTHIANS  15  :  35-58. 


vided  for  if  we  rendered  "  that  which  thou  thyself 
sowest."    A. 

37-44.  The  apostle  distinctly  states — it  is  in- 
deed the  only  piece  of  positive  information  that  he 
conveys — that  the  body  which  is  to  be  raised  is  not 
to  be  the  same  body  as  was  buried.  It  is  to  be  as 
different  from  it  as  the  seed  which  corrupts  beneath 
the  sod  is  from  the  blade  and  stem  and  leaf  and 
flower  and  fruit  which  spring  out  of  it.  And  why 
should  it  be  thought  wonderful  that  out  of  death  a 
new  life  should  spring,  when  we  have  in  nature  be- 
fore our  eyes  such  wonderful  transformations  in  the 
vegetable  and  the  insect  worlds  ?  Why  should  it 
be  thought  a  wonderful  thing  that  the  new  body, 
with  which  the  soul  in  its  new  estate  is  to  be 
clothed,  should  be  a  very  different  kind  of  body 
from  what  it  wore  before,  when  we  have  before  us 
thus  in  nature  such  an  endless  variety  of  bodies  of 
all  kinds,  as  if  in  the  exuberance  of  his  creative 
power  the  Almighty  delighted  to  spread  out  innu- 
merable specimens  of  diversity,  in  form  and  qualities 
and  functions,  in  the  bodies  celestial  and  terrestrial 
which  his  hand  hath  formed.  Has  that  abounding, 
overflowing  energy  of  the  Great  Creator  expended, 
exhausted  itself  in  things  as  they  now  are  ?  Are 
no  further,  no  higher  illustrations  and  exhibitions 
of  itself  to  be  made  in  that  new  stage  and  state  of 
things  toward  which  our  present  mundane  economy 
is  progressing  ?  If  so  great  a  change  is  coming  as 
that  these  heavens  and  this  earth  are  to  undergo 
some  mighty  revolution,  and  to  be  transformed  into 
the  new  heavens  and  new  earth,  wherein  righteous- 
ness is  to  reign  with  undivided  empire,  might  we 
not  expect  that  the  redeemed,  ennobled,  purified 
spirits  that  are  to  dwell  upon  that  new  earth  and 
beneath  those  new  heavens  shall  be  wedded  to  cor- 
poreal frames  of  a  constitution  very  different  from 
that  of  our  earthly  bodies  ?  And  so  the  apostle 
teaches  us  it  is  to  be :  the  weakness,  the  dishonor, 
the  corruptibility  of  the  present  body  to  be  ex- 
changed for  the  power,  the  glory,  the  incorrupti- 
bility of  a  body  so  very  different  from  the  present, 
that  to  express  that  difference  the  apostle  has  to 
make  use  of  language  bordering  upon  the  self-con- 
tradictory, and  to  call  it,  as  distinguished  from  the 
existing  one,  a  spiritual  body.     W.  U. 

38.  Though  the  kernel  die,  be  buried,  and  meet 
with  all  this  change  in  these  things,  yet  none  of 
them  can  cause  the  nature  of  the  kernel  to  cease  ;  it 
is  wheat  still.  Wheat  was  sown,  and  wheat  arises ; 
only  it  was  sown  dead,  dry,  and  barren  wheat,  and 
riseth  living,  beautiful,  and  fruitful  wheat.  "  God 
giveth  it  a  body  as  it  pleaseth  him ;  but  to  every 
seed  his  own  body."  Bun. The  bodies  of  be- 
lievers are  lost  only  in  the  sense  in  which  seed  is 
lost  which  we  cast  into  the  ground.  It  returns  to 
dust ;  but  the  day  is  coming  when  it  shall  be  raised 


and  glorified.  It  is  the  day  when  our  Lord  shall 
bring  with  him  all  those  who  sleep  in  Jesus.  They 
are  as  safe  as  the  very  angels.  Their  bodies  in  the 
tomb,  their  souls  in  paradise.     J.  W.  A. 

43.  The  body  is  sown  in  dishonor.  When  laid 
in  the  grave  it  is  disfigured.  With  the  principle  of 
life  its  comeliness  has  also  depaned.  But  it  shall 
be  raised  in  glory.  It  shall  shine  forth  like  the  sun 
in  the  kingdom  of  its  Father.  The  most  lofty  and 
unattainable  ideal  of  beauty  which  ever  floated 
before  the  vision  of  the  great  masters  of  poetry  and 
painting  will  doubtless  fall  far  short  of  that  which 
shall  be  realized  when  this  mortal  shall  put  on  im- 

mortality.      B.  B.  E. Glory  is   the    sweetness? 

comeliness,  purity,  and  perfection  of  a  thing.  The 
light  is  the  glory  of  the  sun,  strength  is  the  glory  of 
youth,  and  gray  hairs  are  the  glory  of  old  age.  That 
is,  it  is  the  excellency  of  these  things  and  that  which 
makes  them  shine.  Therefore,  to  arise  in  glory,  it 
is  to  arise  in  all  the  beauty  and  utmost  completeness 
that  is  possible  for  a  human  creature  to  possess,  in 
all  its  features  and  members  inconceivably  beauti- 
ful. JBun. To  the  Christian,  death  is  the  libera- 
tion of  the  life-principle  for  an  untold  career  of 
power  and  glory.  The  utmost  grandeur  of  existence 
is  opened  to  him  whose  *'  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in 
God."  Where  science  speaks  of  improvement, 
Christianity  speaks  of  renovation;  where  science 
speaks  of  development,  Christianity  speaks  of  sanc- 
tification ;  where  science  speaks  of  progress,  Chris- 
tianity speaks  of  perfection.  And  where,  in  the 
whole  vocabulary  of  science,  are  terms  to  match 
these  three — incorruption,  glory,  power '?     J.  P.  T. 

44.  The  natural  body  is  such  as  is  appropri- 
ate to  the  psyche,  the  animal  soul,  the  life,  anima,  as 
it  occurs  in  the  three  terms,  1  Thes.  5 :  23.  The 
natural  body  is  fitted  to  be  an  abode  and  an  instru- 
ment for  this  animal  life,  being  earthly  and  sensual 
like  this  life.  Thus,  also,  the  spiritual  body  is  such 
as  is  fitted  to  the  pncuma,  the  higher,  the  spiritual 
nature  of  man,  being  such  in  its  material  and  its 
form  as  qualifies  it  to  serve  the  spirit  in  its  destined 
higher  and  nobler  existence,  which  first  begins  in 
perfection  when  the  spirit  is  released  from  the  body 
of  death  (Rom.  1 :  24),  and  at  the  same  time  from 
the  psyche,  the  animal  life,  which  is  probably  re- 
garded by  the  apostle  as  not  destined  to  a  continued 
existence.  A  clear  description  of  such  a  body  Paul 
was  as  little  able  to  give  as  we  ourselves.  He  nat- 
urally contemplated  it  as  made  of  finer  and  more 
delicate  materials  than  this  earthly  body.  Besides 
this  mere  comparative  indication  of  resemblance, 
he  has  asserted  nothing  in  respect  to  its  nature. 
Paul  contents  himself  with  a  single  thing,  which  he 
makes  it  necessary  for  man  to  believe,  namely,  that 
the  new  life  is  a  purer,  better  life  than  this  present 
one  ;  it  is  a  life  of  the  spirit.     RucJceri. As  the 


SECTION  215.— 1  CORINTHIANS  15  :  85-58. 


339 


soiil  with  all  those  instincts,  appetites,  capacities, 
desires  which  fit  it  for  the  present  scene  of  things, 
has  "ot  in  this  body  of  flesh  and  blood  an  instru- 
ment admirably  adapted  to  its  uses  and  ends,  so  he 
affirms  shall  the  regenerated  spirit  be  yet  supplied 
with  an  instrument  of  its  own,  still  more  fully  and 
exquisitely  adapted  to  its  higher,  future,  eternal  life. 
There  is  the  soul-body  now ;  there  shall  be  that  spirit- 
body  hereafter. 

45.  Our  soul-being,  or  our  natural  being,  he 
traces  up  to  our  first  parent,  derived  from  him  by 
inheritance ;  our  spiritual  being  he  traces  up  to 
Jesus  Christ,  derived  from  him  in  an  altogether  dif- 
ferent way.  The  first  man  Adam  was  made  a  living 
soul,  and  such  a  livmg  soul  as  he  got  from  his  Cre- 
ator, and  turned  it  into  by  transgression,  he  has 
transmitted  to  all  our  race.  The  last  Adam — the 
second  great  head '  or  center  of  our  humanity — is  a 
quickening  Spirit.     W.  H. 

45-47.  All  that  the  first  Adam  had  brought 
upon  us  of  ignominy,  degradation,  and  death,  the 
second  Adam  took  upon  himself,  and  by  taking  it 
he  put  it  for  ever  away.  Sin  had  made  human  na- 
ture corrupt  and  foul,  and  the  sinless  Man  cleansed 
it  from  the  awful  taint.  Death  had  made  man  his 
prey,  and  set  up,  as  it  seemed,  a  universal  empire, 
and  the  human  Lord  of  Life  broke  in  pieces  that 
dread  dominion.  He  did  not  merely  reverse  the 
sentence  of  death  by  an  arbitrary  annulling  of  it, 
but  he  did  so  by  the  actual  victory  of  life  over 
death,  in  the  same  nature  which  had  become  subject 
to  death.  The  Life  of  God  in  man  vanquished 
death ;  it  was  impossible  that  that  life  could  be 
holden  of  death.  The  first  Adam  was  made  "a 
living  soul,"  and  therefore  could  only  transmit  to  his 
posterity  the  natural  life,  tainted  with  sin,  and  con- 
taining in  it  the  seed  of  death.  The  second  Adam 
was  "  a  quickening  spirit,"  having  life  in  Himself, 
and  of  power  to  impart  that  life  to  others  ;  because 
the  first  Adam  was  "  of  the  earth,  earthy  "  ;  the  sec- 
ond Adam  was  "  the  Lord  from  heaven."    Peroivne. 

49.  We  shall  bear  the  image  of  the 
heavenly.  It  is  a  part  of  the  plan  of  redemption 
that  the  bodies  of  believers  shall  rise.  The  mission 
of  the  Son  of  God  will  not  be  complete  till  every 
one  of  his  followers  shall  have  a  glorified  body  like 
that  of  the  risen  Redeemer.  He  can  not  witness 
the  full  travail  of  his  soul  till  the  sea  has  given  up 
her  dead,  till  every  tomb,  where  were  deposited  the 
remains  of  the  feeblest  of  his  disciples,  has  restored 
its  trust,  till  those  little  ones,  millions  of  whom  fell 
asleep  in  his  dear  arms,  shall  spring  to  new  life  in 
their  Father's  house.  There  is  no  land  of  forget- 
fulness.  The  grave  is  vital  now.  It  is  a  region  of 
Boft  and  pleasant  slumbers.  There  is  an  almighty 
and  an  omniscient  Watcher  over  all  these  sleepers. 
B.  B.  E. 


If,  even  upon  the  rude  materials  which  such 
hearts  as  ours  present,  that  holy  image  of  Jesus  has 
begun  to  be  formed,  then  let  us  be  assured  that,  as 
fully  and  as  perfectly  as  we  ever  bore  the  image  of 
the  earthy,  the  image  of  the  heavenly  shall  yet  be 
borne  by  us ;  for,  though  we  know  not  what  we 
shall  be  hereafter,  we  do  know  this,  that  when  he 
shall  appear  we  shall  then  be  like  him,  for  we  shall 
see  him  as  he  is,  body,  soul,  and  spirit,  all  then 
transformed,  transfigured,  this  very  dull,  opaque, 
corporeal  frame  wrought  into  the  same  image,  radi- 
ant with  the  same  glory,  the  whole  man  raised  up 
to  meet  the  Lord  at  his  coming,  and,  by  that  seeing 
of  him  as  he  is,  to  be  translated  into  his  likeness. 
W.  H. 

50.  It  is  nowhere  asserted  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment that  we  shall  rise  again  ivith  our  bodies.  Un- 
less a  man  will  say  that  the  stalk,  the  blade,  and  the 
ear  of  corn  are  actually  the  same  thing  with  the 
single  grain  which  is  put  into  the  ground,  he  can  not 
quote  Paul  as  saying  that  we  shall  rise  again  with 
the  same  bodies.  Nothing  can  be  plainer  than  the 
expression  which  he  uses.  Thou  soioest  not  that  body 
that  shall  be.  He  says  also,  with  equal  plainness, 
of  the  body.  It  is  sown  a  natural  body,  it  is  raised 
a  spiritual  body  ;  there  is  a  Jiatural  body,  and  there  is 
a  spiritual  body.  These  words  require  to  be  ex- 
amined closely,  and  involve  remotely  a  deep  meta- 
physical question.  In  common  language,  the  terms 
body  and  spirit  are  accustomed  to  be  opposed,  and 
are  used  to  represent  two  things  which  are  totally 
distinct.  But  Paul  here  brings  the  two  expressions 
together,  and  speaks  of  a  spiritual  body.  Paul 
therefore  did  not  oppose  body  to  spi7-it ;  and  though 
the  looseness  of  modern  language  may  allow  us  to 
do  so,  and  yet  to  be  correct  in  our  ideas,  it  may  save 
some  confusion  if  we  consider  spirit  as  opposed  to 
matter,  and  if  we  take  body  to  be  a  generic  term, 
which  comprises  both.  A  body,  therefore,  in  the 
language  of  Paul,  is  something  which  has  a  distinct 
individual  existence.  Paul  tells  us  that  every  in- 
dividual, when  he  rises  again,  will  have  a  spiritual 
body ;  but  the  remarks  which  I  have  made  may 
show  how  different  is  the  idea  conveyed  by  these 
words  from  the  notions  which  some  persons  enter- 
tain, that  we  shall  rise  again  with  the  same  identical 
body.  Paul  appears  effectually  to  preclude  this 
notion,  when  he  says,  Flesh  and  blood  can  not  in- 
herit the  Jiingdom  of  God.  Biirton. In  opposi- 
tion to  a  gross  identification  of  the  present  body 
with  the  resurrection  body,  which  lies  at  the  ground 
of  the  objection  urged,  Paul  asserts  a  distinction 
between  the  two — a  distinction,  however,  which  does 
not  exclude  the  identity  of  the  fundamental  sub- 
stance or  germ.  Amid  the  constant  change  in  our 
bodies,  there  is  something  fixed,  which  makes  us 
recognizable  as  the  same  from  the  cradle  to  the 
grave — something  which  gives  form,  feature,  and 
organization  to  this  ever-moving  current  of  matter 
which  is  momentarily  condensed  into  what  we  call 
our  bodies.  And  what  is  this  but  the  plastic  prin- 
ciple of  life  which  is  ever  shaping  the  materials 
which  nature  gives  it  for  its  own  uses,  and  in  ac- 
cordance with  an  inward  law  which  molds  us  after 
our  kind.     Lange. 

51.  All  be  changed.  The  better  life,  which 
the  dead  in  Christ  are  living  noiv,  leads  on  to  a  still 


340 


SECTION  275.— 1  CORINTHIANS  15  :  35-58. 


fuller  life  when  they  get  back  their  glorified  bodies. 
The  perfection  of  man  is  body,  soul,  and  spirit. 
That  is  man,  as  God  made  him.  The  spirit  per- 
fected, the  soul  perfected,  without  the  bodily  life,  is 
but  part  of  the  whole.  For  the  future  world,  in  all 
its  glory,  we  have  the  firm  basis  laid  that  it,  too,  is 
to  be  in  a  real  sense  a  material  world,  where  men 
once  more  are  to  possess  bodies  as  they  did  before, 
only  bodies  through  which  the  spirit  shall  work  con- 
scious of  no  disproportion,  bodies  which  shall  be  fit 
servants  and  adequate  organs  of  the  immortal  souls 
within,  bodies  which  shall  never  break  down,  bodies 
which  shall  never  hem  in  nor  refuse  to  obey  the 
spirits  that  dwell  in  them,  but  which  shall  add  to 
their  power,  and  deepen  their  blessedness,  and  draw 
them  closer  to  the  God  whom  they  serve  and  the 
Christ  after  the  likeness  of  whose  glorious  body  they 
are  fashioned  and  conformed.  "Body,  soul,  and 
spirit " — the  old  combination  which  was  on  earth  is 
to  be  the  perfect  humanity  of  heaven.     A.  M. 

We  learn  that  the  intermediate  state  of  the  be- 
liever between  death  and  the  resurrection  is  not  in 
all  respects  absolutely  perfect.  Doubtless  it  is  a 
state  of  unmingled  enjoyment.  The  separated  spirit 
is  in  that  condition  which  Paul  denominates  "  far 
better."  In  one  sense  it  may  be  perfectly  happy.  Its 
existing  capacities  for  enjoyment  may  all  be  filled. 
But  still,  in  another  sense,  it  has  not  reached  its 
woal.  It  is  not  clothed  upon  with  its  spiritual  body. 
It  has  not  received  its  last  accession  of  delight.  It 
must  be  reunited  to  its  transfigured  companion  be- 
fore the  measure  of  its  joys  shall  be  perfectly  full. 
It  can  not,  indeed,  be  imagined,  that  the  soul  is 
unhappy,  that  through  anxiety  it  suffers  any  degree 
of  disquiet  or  pain.  We  may  rather  suppose  that 
it  is  in  a  state  of  calm  expectation  and  hope ;  that 
it  looks  forward  with  pleasing  anticipations  to  the 
period  when  it  shall  enter  its  new  home,  fitted  up 
with  divine  skill  for  its  reception.  Thus  this  antici- 
pation itself,  or  as  it  might  be  called,  in  one  sense, 
imperfection,  becomes  a  source  of  delight,  while 
still  a  richer  experience  awaits  it  when  the  corrupt- 
ible body  shall  put  on  incorruption.     B.  B.  E. 

53.  The  last  trnmp.  The  word  "  last,"  as 
Billroth  has  correctly  remarked,  does  not  mean  that 
there  are  to  be  several  blasts  of  a  trumpet  on  the 
final  day,  and  that  this  was  the  last  which  should 
be  blown,  but  simply  that  it  would  be  (he  trumpet 
of  the  last  day,  after  which  no  more  would  be  heard. 
Then  follow  the  resurrection  and  the  transforma- 
tion of  the  living,  the  certainty  of  which  is  again 
declared  by  the  remark,  that  it  was  necessary  that 
the  corruptible  should  put  on  incorruption,  and  the 
mortal,  immortality.     Ruckert. 

53.  It  is  HDMAN  NATURE,  in  its  essential  ele- 
ments, that  is  to  inherit  eternity ;  not  an  ethereal 
rudiment,  just  saved  from  the  wreck  of  the  former 


fabric,  and  just  serving  to  connect,  as  by  a  film  of 
identity,  the  earthly  with  the  heavenly  state.  It  is 
This  Mortal  that  must  put  on  Immortality;  the 
very  nature  now  subject  to  dissolution  is  to  escape 
from  the  power  of  death  and  to  clothe  itself  in  im- 
perishable vigor.  Do  we  want  at  once  confirmation 
and  exemplification  of   this  doctrine?     We  have 

both  in  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord.     I.  T. Let 

us  therefore  look  upon  this  flesh,  not  so  much  with 
contempt  of  what  it  was  and  is,  as  with  a  joyful 
hope  of  what  it  shall  be.  And  when  our  courage  is 
assaulted,  with  the  change  of  these  bodies  from 
healthful  to  weak,  from  living  to  dead,  let  us  com- 
fort ourselves  with  the  assurance  of  this  change 
from  dust  to  incorruption.  We  are  not  so  sure 
of  death  as  of  transfiguration.  "  All  the  days  of 
our  appointed  time  we  will  therefore  wait,  till  our 
changing  shall  come."     Bp.  H. 

54.  The  man,  in  dying,  begins  to  be  what  he 
fully  is  when  he  is  dead,  "  dead  unto  sin,"  dead  unto 
the  world,  that  he  may  "  live  unto  God,"  that  he 
may  live  with  God,  that  he  may  live  really.  And 
so  we  can  look  upon  that  ending  of  life  and  say : 
"  It  is  a  very  small  thing ;  it  only  cuts  off  the  fringes 
of  my  life ;  it  does  not  touch  me  at  all."  It  only 
strips  off  the  circumferential  mortality,  but  the  soul 
rises  up  untouched  by  it,  and  shakes  the  bands  of 
death  from  off  its  immortal  arms,  and  flutters  the 
stain  of  death  from  off  its  budding  wings,  and  rises 
fuller  of  life  because  of  death,  and  mightier  in  its 
vitality  in  the  very  act  of  submitting  the  body  to 
the  law,  "  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou 
return."  Men  speak  about  life  as  "  a  narrow  neck 
of  land  betwixt  two  unbounded  seas  "  :  they  had 
better  speak  about  death  as  that.  It  is  an  isthmus, 
narrow  and  almost  impalpable,  on  which,  for  one 
brief  instant,  the  soul  poises  itself ;  while  behind 
it  there  lies  the  inland  lake  of  past  being,  and  be- 
fore it  the  shoreless  ocean  of  future  life,  all  lighted 
with  the  glory  of  God,  and  making  music  as  it 
breaks  even  upon  these  dark,  rough  rocks.  Death 
is  but  a  passage.  It  is  not  a  house,  it  is  only  a  ves- 
tibule. The  grave  has  a  door  on  its  inner  side.  We 
roll  the  stone  to  its  mouth  and  come  away,  thinking 
that  we  have  left  them  there  till  the  resurrection. 
But,  when  the  outer  access  to  earth  is  fast  closed, 
the  inner  portal  that  opens  on  heaven  is  set  wide. 
Death  is  a  superficial  thing,  and  a  transitory  thing 
— a  darkness  that  is  caused  by  the  light,  and  a  dark- 
ness that  ends  in  the  light — a  trifle,  if  you  measure 
it  by  duration ;  a  trifle,  if  you  measure  it  by  depth. 
The  death  of  the  mortal  is  the  emancipation  and 
the  life  of  the  immortal !     A.  M. 

55-57.  The  discussion  is  concluded.  The 
apostle  has  arrived  at  the  point  when  his  spirit, 
standing  at  the  portals  of  eternity,  can  think  of 
nothing  more  than  that  for  it  finitencss  and  mor- 


SECTI02T  275.— 1  CORINTHIANS  15  :  35-58. 


341 


tality  have  ceased.  His  own  soul  is  now  full  of  the 
elevation  and  glory  of  the  object,  and  as  a  fine  con- 
clusion there  flows  from  his  pen  a  brief  but  striking 

triumphal  song.     Ruckert. The  sight  of  these 

millions  of  the  changed  and  the  raised  of  that  res- 
urrection-day standing  up  clothed  with  incorrup- 
tion  and  immortality,  rescued  fully  and  rescued  for 
ever  from  the  dominion  of  sin  and  death,  the 
thought  that  he  too  and  all  those  who  already  were 
one  with  him  in  Christ  should  be  sharers  in  the 
triumph  of  that  day,  swell  the  apostle's  breast  with 
the  present  sense  of  victory.  With  brightening 
eye,  elastic  tread,  and  tones  that  tell  of  triumph,  he 
turns  upon  the  tyrant  death  and  exclaims,  "  0 
death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  0  grave,  where  is  thy 
victory  ?  "  No  idle  challenge  this ;  no  empty  vaunt ; 
no  making  light  of  death  by  one  who  knows  not 
what  death  truly  is,  what  makes  it  not  only  a  sad 
thing  but  a  terrible  thing  to  die.  In  the  very 
height  and  rapture  of  his  triumph  over  the  last 
enemy,  he  is  calm  enough  between  the  challenge 
and  the  thanksgiving  to  interject  the  statement, 
"  The  sting  of  death  is  sin,  and  the  strength  of  sin 
is  the  law."  The  deep  consciousness  of  transgres- 
sion, not  simply  the  remembrance  of  individual,  dis- 
tinct acts  of  guilt,  but  the  agonizing,  overwhelming 
consciousness  of  an  unclean  heart,  an  ungodly  life, 
the  going  into  the  divine  presence  with  all  that  ac- 
cumulated weight  of  a  lifetime's  iniquity  upon  the 
soul — this  it  was  that  in  Paul's  judgment  gave  its 
true  sting  to  death,  made  it  an  appalling  thing  to 
die — not  the  pains  of  dissolution,  not  the  tearing 
away  from  all  the  well-known  and  familiar  things 
of  life,  not  the  darkness  and  the  loneliness  of  dy- 
ing. The  barbed  and  venomed  dart  which  death 
holds  in  his  hand,  and  which  he  is  ready,  if  the 
poison  be  not  beforehand  taken  out  of  it,  to  thrust 
stingingly,  witheringly,  consumingly  into  the  soul, 
is  sin.     W.  H. 

57.  The  penitent  at  first  may  mournfully  say, 
" '  The  sting  of  death  is  sin — the  strength  of  sin  is 
the  law' ;  '  Oh,  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall 
deliver  me '  from  this  double  destruction  ?  " — but, 
becoming  a  believer  as  well  as  a  penitent,  and 
awaking  up  to  the  apprehension  of  the  gospel  and 
the  hope  it  inspires,  his  tone  changes  from  mourn- 
ing to  music,  from  despair  to  exultation,  as  he 
bursts  forth  :  "  '  0  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?  0 
grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ?  Thanks  be  unto  God 
that  giveth  me  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ:  True,  '  the  sting  of  death  is  sin,  and  the 
strength  of  sin  is  the  law,'  but  Christ  by  his  atone- 
ment takes  away,  for  every  penitent  that  believeth 
on  him,  the  sting  from  death  and  the  strength  from 
sin,  by  procuring  for  him  pardon,  in  harmony  with 


the  principles  of  that  law  which  is  itself  the  strength 
of  the  one,  and  which  causes  it  to  become  the  sting 

of  the  other."     T.  B. Therefore  it  is  a  victory 

not  won  by  the  believer  himself,  not  achieved  by 
the  strength  of  his  own  will  or  the  power  of  his 
own  faith,  for  which  Paul  here  gives  thanks — it  is 
a  victory  given,  won  by  another,  won  by  our  great 
Lord  and  Master  for  us  over  death  and  the  grave ; 
when  by  becoming  sin  for  us  he  drew  its  poison 
out  of  that  sting  of  death,  and  stripped  it  of  its 
power  to  inflict  the  second  death  upon  the  soul : 
when  by  putting  himself  under  the  law,  magnifying 
it  both  in  its  precept  and  in  its  penalty,  he  made  it 
to  be  a  just  thing  in  God  to  justify  all  who  believe 
in  him,  and  turned  the  very  law  that  gave  its 
strength  to  sin  into  a  bulwark  of  defense  securing 
the  safety  of  the  redeemed — won  by  him  when  he 
burst  the  barriers  of  the  tomb,  writing  deliverance 
for  our  race  upon  his  empty  sepulchre,  and  in  his 
own  resurrection  securing  that  of  all  his  followers. 
And  it  is  both  a  present  and  a  future  victory  thus 
won  for  us  by  Christ ;  a  present  victory — Paul 
speaks  of  it  as  such  when  he  thanks  God  for  the 
gift  of  it  even  here  and  now — yet  a  victory  to  be 
only  consummated  when  this  mortal  shall  have  put 
on  immortality.  W.  H. Such  are  the  preroga- 
tives and  splendors  in  store  for  us  :  immediately  be- 
yond the  grave  a  disembodied  life  of  holiness  and 
bliss  in  the  presence  of  our  Lord,  and  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  resurrection  a  reembodied  life  in  the  new 
Jerusalem.  And  may  this  crowning  vision  of  glory 
never  fail  us  under  any  burden  of  sorrow,  in  any 
weariness  of  labor,  in  any  sharpness  of  conflict. 
Let  us  keep  clean  the  feet  which  aspire  to  the 
golden  streets,  and  keep  clean  the  hands  which 
would  grasp  the  palm-branches  of  that  final  tri- 
umph.    R.  D.  H. 

58.  An  exhortation  to  steadfast  confidence  on 
the  one  side ;  on  the  other,  to  inflexible  loyalty. 
"  Therefore,  my  beloved  brethren,"  thus  he  ex- 
cludes, "  be  ye  steadfast,  unmovable,"  that  is  to  say, 
in  your  most  holy  faith,  in  which  ye  are  strength- 
ened anew.  Steadfast  against  yourselves,  immov- 
able  against  influence  from  without  which  might 
undermine  and  shake  you.  And  not  merely  stead- 
fast in  the  fiercely  contested  confidence  of  faith, 
but  inflexibly  loyal  to  our  earthly  and  heavenly 
calling:  "Always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the 
Lord."  The  task  may  be  difficult,  the  strength 
small,  the  resistatice  great,  the  temptation  to  stop 
in  the  middle  of  our  course  almost  irresistible,  yet 
it  is  only  to  him  that  endureth  to  the  end  that  the 
crown  of  life  is  promised,  and  no  fidelity  shall  fail 
wherever  it  is  known,  by  well-assured  belief,  that 
labor  in  the  Lord  can  not  possibly  be  vain.    Van  0. 


342 


SECTION  276.— 1  CORINTHIANS  16  : 1-24. 


Section  276. 

1  Corinthians  xvi.  1-24. 

1  Now  concerning  the  collection  for  the  saints,  as  I  have  given  order  to  the  churches  of 

2  Galatia  even  so  do  ye.     Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  let  every  one  of  you  lay  by  him  in 
store  as  God  hath  prospered  him,  that  there  be  no  gatherings  when  I  come. 

3  And  when  I  come,  whomsoever  ye  shall  approve  by  your  letters,  them  will  I  send  to 

4  bring  your  liberality  unto  Jerusalem.     And  if  it  be  meet  that  I  go  also,  they  shall  go  with 

5  me.     Now  I  will  come  unto  you,  when  I  shall  pass  through  Macedonia :  for  I  do  pass 

6  through  Macedonia.     And  it  may  be  that  I  will  abide,  yea,  and  winter  with  you,  that  ye 

7  may  bring  me  on  my  journey  whithersoever  I  go.    For  I  will  not  see  you  now  by  the  way; 

8  but  I  trust  to  tarry  a  while  with  you,  if  the  Lord  permit.    But  I  will  tarry  at  Ephesus  until 

9  Pentecost.     For  a  great  door  and  effectual  is  opened  unto  me,  and  there  are  many  adver- 

10  saries.     Now  if  Timotheus  come,  see  that  he  may  be  with  you  without  fear:  for  he  work- 

11  eth  the  work  of  the  Lord,  as  I  also  do.    Let  no  man  therefore  despise  him  :  but  conduct  him 

12  forth  in  peace,  that  he  may  come  unto  me :  for  I  look  for  him  with  the  brethren.  As  touch- 
ing our  brother  Apollos,  I  greatly  desired  him  to  come  unto  you  with  the  brethren  :  but  his 
will  was  not  at  all  to  come  at  this  time ;  but  he  will  come  when  he  shall  have  convenient 
time. 

13  Watch  ye,  stand  fast  in  the  faith,  quit  you  like  men,  be  strong.     Let  all  your  things  be 

14  done  with  charity.     I  beseech  you,  brethren,  (ye  know  the  house  of  Stephanas,  that  it  is 

15  the  firstfruits  of  Achaia,  and  that  they  have  addicted  themselves  to  the  ministry  of  the 

16  saints,)  that  ye  submit  yourselves  unto  such,  and  to  every  one  that  helpeth  with  ^is,  and 

17  laboreth.     I  am  glad  of  the  coming  of  Stephanas  and  Fortunatus  andAchaicus:  for  that 

18  which  was  lacking  on  your  part  they  have  supplied.     For  they  have  refreshed  my  spirit 

19  and  your's :  therefore  acknowledge  ye  them  that  are  such.  The  churches  of  Asia  salute 
you.     Aquila  and  Priscilla  salute  you  much  in  the  Lord,  with  the  church  that  is  in  their 

20  house.     All  the  brethren  greet  you.     Greet  ye  one  another  with  an  holy  kiss.    The  saluta- 

22  tion  of  me  Paul  with  mine  own  hand.    If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be 

23  Anathema  Maran-atha.     The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  he  with  you.    My  love  ie  with 

24  you  all  in  Christ  Jesus.     Amen.  


SpiRixnAL  indolence  is,  in  these  times,  the  worst  enemy  the  Church  has  to  encountei'.  It  is  not  that 
men  openly  reject  and  make  war  upon  her,  but  that  they  drowsily  sleep  around  her  altar.  It  is  that  men 
are  content  with  such  paltry  satisfactions  and  tinsel  comforts  as  the  senses  can  bribe  them  with,  heedless 
of  the  inward  instincts  that  claim  communion  with  the  skies.  It  is  that  eternity  has  no  awfulness  to 
them,  life  no  depth  of  meaning,  enjoyment  no  obligations,  bereavement  no  solemnity,  suffering  and  sor- 
row no  prophetic  suggestions  of  an  hereafter,  the  soul  no  aspirations,  conscience  no  echo  of  God,  Christ 
no  enrapturing  beauty  in  his  holiness,  the  resurrection  no  pledge  of  heaven.  It  is  that  men  can  stretch 
themselves  on  their  couches  of  ease,  and  slumber  amid  the  sublimest  mysteries  and  most  stirring  revela- 
tions of  Providence.  What  we  need,  then,  to  bring  back  the  Church  to  her  life  is  to  awake  and  arise,  to 
hearken  and  watch,  to  wait  on  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  snatch  the  film  from  our  eyeballs,  to  lift  our  waiting 
souls  to  God  like  flowers  parched  with  drought  to  the  rain,  to  breathe  in  his  blessed  life,  to  be  regener- 
ated and  consecrated  by  his  inspiration  of  love  communicated  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Where 
the  Church  lives — where  it  holds  its  Master's  spirit  and  truth,  not  as  the  mortuary  of  a  deceased  and 
buried  benefactor,  but  as  the  inbreathing  of  a  present  inspiration — it  will  never  suffer  its  members  to  sit 
idly  with  folded  hands,  looking  lazily  out  on  the  white  fields  of  harvest,  where  no  reaper's  sickle  rings 
against  the  wheat,  but  it  will  send  them  forth  to  work,  nerved  with  an  impulse  that  no  disappointment 
can  palsy,  no  misgivings  keep  back.     F.  D.  H. 


The  way  in  which  Paul  in  this  chapter  enters 
on  new  ground  is  very  characteristic  of  the  abrupt 
style  of  the  Epistle.  The  solemn  topic  of  the  resur- 
rection is  closed,  and  now  the  apostle  gives  direc- 
tions respecting  a  certain  charitable  collection  to  be 


made  by  the  Corinthians,  in  conjunction  with  other 
Gentile  churches,  for  the  poor  at  Jerusalem  and  in 
Judea.  We  have  here  an  illustration  of  one  pecu- 
liar use  of  Scripture.  The  event  recorded  here  has 
long  since  passed ;  the  temporary  distress  spoken  of 


SECTION  216.— 1  CORINTHIANS  16  : 1-S4. 


343 


here  was  long  since  relieved ;  even  the  apostle  him- 
self has  written  simply  and  entirely  for  his  own 
time.  And  yet  the  whole  account  is  living,  and 
fresh,  and  pregnant  with  instruction  to  us  to-day. 
We  find  that  which  was  written  for  a  church  at  Cor- 
inth contains  lessons  for  the  Church  of  all  ages. 

1.  The  collection  for  the  saints.  The 
Jewisa  converts  in  Jerusalem,  being  excommuni- 
cated and  persecuted,  were  in  great  distress,  and 
Paul  summoned  the  Gentile  converts  in  Achaia, 
Galatia,  and  at  Rome  to  alleviate  their  difficulties. 
Observe  how  all  distinctions  of  race  had  melted 
away  before  Christianity.  Christianity  unites  first 
to  Christ,  and  then,  through  Christ,  each  to  the 
other.  So  it  was  that  Galatia  and  Corinth  worked 
together  for  Jerusalem,  inspired  with  a  common 
sympathy,  a  common  affection,  and  therefore  the 
Galatians  loved  the  Corinthians  and  the  Corinthians 
the  Galatians.  F.  W.  R. The  churches  of  Ga- 
latia and  Phrygia  were  the  last  churches  which  Paul 
had  visited  before  the  writing  of  this  Epistle.  He 
was  now  at  Ephesus,  and  he  came  thither  imme- 
diately from  visiting  these  churches  (Acts  18:23; 
19 : 1).  These,  therefore,  probably  Were  the  last 
churches  at  which  he  left  directions  for  their  public 
conduct  during  his  absence.     Paley. 

2.  "  Gatherings "  would  better  be  expressed 
"  collections,"  a  word  universally  understood.  The 
apostle  sets  his  face  peremptorily  against  the  great 
sham  of  charity  sermons,  and  will  have  no  part  in 
stimulating  Christians  up  to  their  ordinary  duty  of 
almsgiving.     A. 

The  first  day  of  the  week.  Christ,  in  the 
interval  between  the  resurrection  and  ascension, 
keeps  day  with  his  disciples,  meeting  them  by  a 
weekly  manifestation  of  his  presence,  as  if  pur- 
posely to  give  them  stated  times.  All  the  teachers 
after  him  made  it  a  point,  in  the  same  manner,  to 
institute  a  piety  whose  rule  is  order,  and  whose  lib- 
erty itself  is  regularity.  Thus  John  is  in  the  Spirit, 
and  meets  the  vision  even  of  his  prophecy  on  the 
Lord's  day.  Paul  observes  that  day,  and  gives  it  as 
a  good  rule  to  lay  by  what  may  go  for  charity  on  that 
day,  that  so  there  may  be  order  in  charity.     II.  B. 

This  simple  rule  decides  who  shall  give:  "Every 
one  of  you,"  rich  and  poor.  It  tells  ichen  mid  how 
the  consea-alion  shall  be  made :  "  Upon  the  first  day 
of  the  week."  Upon  the  Christian  Sabbath  the  lay- 
ing aside  was  to  be  done,  that  out  of  it  the  Sabbath 
offering,  which  was  an  essential  part  of  the  Christian 
worship,  might  be  made.  It  directs  how  much  to 
give.  "  As  God  hath  prospered  him,"  or  as  God  has 
made  him  able  to  give.  The  rule  is  altogether  a 
plain  one  to  the  man  in  whose  heart  the  love  of 
Christ  reigns  supreme.  There  is  need  of  no  more 
specific  legislation  even  touching  the  amount  to  be 
given.    An. 


The  principle  is  to  be  systematic,  regular,  and 
methodical  in  our  alms,  instead  of  casual  and  im- 
pulsive. All  that  is  necessary  in  order  to  this  is  a 
little  time,  a  little  trouble  (very  little  of  either),  and 
perhaps  a  little  moral  courage.  Let  us  first  settle 
with  our  own  minds,  as  in  the  sight  of  God,  what 
proportion  of  our  income  is  due  to  works  of  piety 
and  charity.  The  proportion  will  vary  much ;  for  it 
is  clear  that  the  same  proportion  will  be  much  more 
severely  felt  when  subtracted  from  a  very  narrow 
income  than  when  it  is  the  mere  exuberant  over- 
flow of  a  very  large  one.  No  one  man  can  lay  down 
a  rule  for  another  in  this  respect ;  the  only  point  of 
importance  is,  that  we  would  satisfy,  not  the  expecta- 
tions of  others,  but  the  requirements  of  an  enlight- 
ened and  a  pure  conscience  in  ourselves,  or,  in  other 
words,  the  claims  of  God.  The  proportion  having 
been  settled,  all  that  follows  is  more  or  less  me- 
chanical, and  may  be  done  with  a  very  slight  ex- 
penditure of  time.     E.  M.  G. 

Instead  of  waiting  for  one  stirring  apostolic 
appeal,  they  were  to  make  charity  the  business  of 
their  lives.  Week  by  week  they  were  to  build  up 
a  sum  for  Paul  to  send  to  Jerusalem.  This  contri- 
bution, slowly,  systematically  gathered,  was  to  be  a 
matter  of  principle  and  not  of  impulse.  It  is  pos- 
sible that  one  burning  speech  of  Paul's  might  have 
elicited  a  larger  sum.  But  Paul  preferred  the  effects 
of  steady  perseverance  to  those  of  vehement  emo- 
tion.   F.  W.  R. Such  a  rule  insured  to  the  givers 

a  gradual  discipline  in  Christian  benevolence  which 
would  be  far  more  beneficial  to  them  and  a  far 
greater  test  of  character  than  one  great  effort  of  it. 
A  great  effort  may  be  made  in  a  moment  of  excite- 
ment, but  continual  little  efforts  can  only  be  made 
on  principle.     E.  M.  G. 

This  systematic  plan  of  Paul's  costs  something 
and  teaches  something.  It  teaches,  first,  the  habit 
of  a  thoughtful  life ;  it  reminds  us  continually  that 
there  is  something  which  is  owed  to  God,  and  there- 
fore is  not  our  own.  In  this  world  we  are  recipients, 
the  pensioners  of  our  Father  ;  and  it  is  well  that,  by 
an  outward  system,  we  should  train  our  inward  spirit 
to  the  unforgetful  thought  of  our  debt  to  him.  It 
is  well  that. we  should  remember  this,  not  to  wake 
our  fear  of  his  austerity,  but  to  kindle  our  gratitude 
in  answer  to  his  love.  It  teaches,  secondly,  self- 
denial.  It  gradually  lays  the  foundation  of  a  life 
of  Christian  economy,  not  that  which  sacrifices  one 
pleasure  for  another,  for  this  is  but  mere  prudence, 
but  that  which  abridges  pleasure  in  order  that  we 
may  be  able  to  give  to  God. 

The  measure  of  liberality  was  "as  God  hath 
prospered  him."  Observe,  Paul  establishes  a.  prin- 
ciple here,  and  not  a  rule.  He  lays  down  no  rabbin- 
ical maxim  of  one  tenth  or  one  fourth.  He  leaves 
the  measure  of  each  man's  charity  to  his  own  con- 


344 


SECTION  276.— 1  CORINTHIANS  16  : 1-2^. 


science.  "Ask  thyself,"  he  says  to  each,  "how 
much  owest  thou  unto  the  Lord  ?  "  Men  do  not 
give  as  God  hath  prospered  them,  because  they  do 
not  give  systematically ;  that  is,  they  who  have  the 
most  are  not  they  who  give  most,  but  the  reverse. 
The  reason  of  this  strange  difference  is,  that  system 
is  easier  with  little  than  with  much.  The  man  of 
thousands  squanders.  His  luxury  and  his  extra  ex- 
penditure grow  into  necessities,  and  he  then  com- 
plains of  his  larger  liabilities  and  establishment. 
Yet,  withal,  it  would  be  a  startling  thing  if  well- 
meaning  persons,  who  say  they  can  not  give,  were 
only  to  compute  how  much  annually  is  spent  in  that 
mere  waste  which  the  slightest  self-denial  would 
have  spared. 

5-10.  He  hoped  to  visit  them,  and  to  winter 
with  them,  but  not  yet,  for  he  was  to  stay  at  Ephe- 
sus  until  Pentecost.  He  remained  there,  he  says, 
"  For  a  great  door  and  effectual  is  opened  unto  me, 
and  there  are  many  adversaries."  So  it  was  not 
pleasure  but  duty  which  kept  him  there.  Ephesus 
was  his  post,  and  at  Ephesus  he  would  stay. 
F.  W.  R. 

10,  11.  "If  Timotheus  come,  let  no  man  de- 
spise him."  Why  despise  him  ?  This  charge  is  not 
given  concerning  any  other  messenger  whom  Paul 
6ent:  and,  in  the  different  Epistles,  many  such 
messengers  are  mentioned.  Turn  to  1  Tim.  4  :  12, 
and  you  will  find  that  Timotheus  was  a  young  man, 
younger  probably  than  those  who  were  usually  em- 
ployed in  the  Christian  mission ;  and  that  Paul,  ap- 
prehending lest  he  should  on  that  account  be  ex- 
posed to  contempt,  urges  upon  him  the  caution, 
which  is  there  inserted,  "  Let  no  man  despise  thy 
youth."     Paleif. 

12.  Compare  this  passage  with  his  earnest  re- 
buke of  the  party  of  ApoUos  in  the  first  chapter. 
On  reading  that,  it  might  appear  natural  to  say, 
"  Oh,  he  can  not  bear  a  rival !  "  But  behold,  it  was 
zeal  for  Christ,  and  not  jealousy  of  Apollos.  With 
Apollos  he  felt  only  hearty  fellowship,  for  he  greatly 
"  desired  him  to  come  to  them  with  the  brethren." 
These  are  some  of  the  fine  touches  by  which  we 
learn  what  that  sublime  apostle  was,  and  what  the 
grace  of  God  had  made  him.  We  can  but  admire, 
too,  the  apostle's  earnest  desire  to  make  Apollos 
stand  well  with  the  Corinthians.  A  meaner  spirit, 
feeling  that  Apollos  was  a  dangerous  rival,  would 
either  have  left  his  conduct  unexplained,  or  would 
have  caught  at,  and  been  even  glad  of,  the  suspicion 
resting  on  him :  why  did  he  stay  away  ?  But  Paul 
would  leave  no  misunderstanding  to  smolder.  He 
6imply  stated  that  Apollos  had  reasons  for  not 
coming :  "  But  he  will  come."  This  is  magnanimity 
and  true  delicacy  of  heart.     F.  W.  R. 

13.  Watch  ye.  Watch  and  pray  against  fail- 
ures ;  but  take  heed  of  desponding  under  them.    Be 


content  to  travel  as  you  are  able.  The  oak  springs 
from  the  acorn ;  but  does  it  become  a  tree  at  once  ? 
The  mushroom  springs  up  in  a  night ;  but  what  is  a 

mushroom  ?     Cecil. Stand   fast.     There  is  a 

courage  that  springs  from  an  unspotted  conscience 
and  wins  the  triumphs  of  generous  good-will;  the 
courage  that  goes  into  and  out  of  all  companies 
counting-houses,  caucuses,  and  churches,  with  an  up- 
rightness  not  to  be  bent,  whether  you  bring  threats, 
or  sneers,  or  golden  baits  to  tempt  it ;  a  courage 
that  lifts  up  an  unblenched  face  in  the  most  formid- 
able array  of  difficulties,  satisfied  to  stand  on  the 
platform  of  the  New  Testament,  and  on  God's  side, 
to  listen  to  the  encouragement  of  the  beatitudes  and 
to  hold  to  the  breastplate  of  I'ighteousness.  In 
the  faith.  Manliness  without  faith,  at  its  best 
estate,  is  all  frailty ;  at  its  surest  strength,  it  is  un- 
steadfast;  at  its  fairest  promise,  it  is  treacherous; 
at  its  fullest  joy,  it  is  empty.  No  doubt,  on  the 
other  hand,  there  is  such  a  thing  as  religion  without 
manliness,  pietism  and  not  piety.  Religion  with- 
out manliness  acts  as  if  Providence  were  a  tyrant, 
the  world  a  prison,  and  man  a  slave.  Instead  of 
holding  its  dear  look  up  with  conscious  and  grateful 
dignity  to  the  light,  and  standing  face  to  face  with 
all  the  cheerful  and  solemn  facts  of  life,  and  look- 
ing straight  into  the  eyes  of  every  creature,  as  faith 
gives  it  a  supreme  right  to  do,  it  creeps  to  the  pray- 
er-meeting abjectly,  is  half  afraid  to  own  its  cause, 
and  shows  its  meager  mind  by  abusive  and  unillu- 
mined  criticisms.  Why  can  not  the  disciples  of 
Christ  show  the  world  specimens  of  human  charac- 
ter, as  broad  in  proportions,  as  free  in  outline,  as 
magnanimous  in  temper,  as  sensible  in  practice,  as 
appreciative  in  taste,  as  liberal  in  accomplishments, 
as  they  are  superior  by  their  celestial  calling? 
F.  D.  H. 

Quit  you  like  men,  be  strong.  Be  men 
in  knowledge,  in  faith,  in  self-denial,  in  endurance, 
in  effort,  in  diligence,  in  perseverance,  in  love. 
That  which  contributes  to  your  inward  piety  will 
secure  your  strength.  No  increase  of  outward  la- 
bor, no  pragmatical  hurrying  from  toil  to  toil,  no 
forwardness  of  mere  act,  no  almsgiving  or  other 
beneficence,  will  certainly  make  you  mighty  men  of* 
God.  All  these  may  exist  where  grace  is  low  or 
even  absent.  But  devoted  attention  to  the  Word 
and  prayer  will  do  it ;  faith  and  vigilance  and  love 
will  do  it ;  communion  with  a  dying  Saviour  will  do 
it ;  the  "  unction  from  the  Holy  One  "  will  do  it. 

J.  W.  A. Let  not  your  biography  be  summed  up : 

"  He  turned  to  God  in  his  youth,  he  then  became 
lukewarm,  being  engrossed  in  the  cares  and  the 
business  and  the  social  demands  of  the  world,  and 
a  short  time  before  his  death  he  saw  his  mistake, 
and  felt  that  one  thing  was  needful.  For  years  bis 
spiritual  life  was  barely  sustained  by  the  prayers  of 


SECTION  277.-2  CORINTHIANS  1 : 1-U. 


345 


friends  and  the  weekly  services  of  the  sanctuary. 
He  might  have  been  a  pillar  in  the  Church,  but  he 
was  only  a  weight."  This  be  far  from  you.  Oh, 
serve  the  Lord  with  gladness,  be  strong,  quit  your- 
selves like  men,  and  abound  in  the  work  of  the 
Lord !    A.  S. 

19.  Aqnila  and  Priscilla.  "With  Paul  per- 
sonal considerations  were  not  lost  in  general  philan- 
thropy. It  is  common  enough  to  be  zealous  about 
a  cause,  about  some  scheme  of  social  good,  and  yet 
to  be  careless  respecting  individual  welfare.  But 
Paul's  love  was  from  Christ's  own  Spirit.  It  was 
love  to  the  Church  generally,  and  besides,  it  was 
love  to  Aquila  and  Priscilla.     F.  W.  R. 

22.  There  should  probably  be  a  full  stop  at 
"  Anathema."  Maranatha,  "  The  Lord  cometh," 
appears  to  have  been  a  sort  of  Christian  watch- 
word, having  no  connection  with  the  word  before. 
Anathema,  a  curse,  is  Greek ;  Maranatha  is  Hebrew 
(Aramaic).  It  would  be  best  to  keep  the  former 
word  in  its  Greek  form,  as  being  more  generally  un- 


derstood by  ua,  and  to  render  the  latter  by,  "  The 

Lord  cometh."    A. Anathema.    Undoubtedly 

a  curse,  and  may  well  awaken  deep  anxiety.  It 
predicts  the  deepest  misery ;  it  includes  absolutely 
every  one  who  bears  no  love  to  Christ,  although  in 
the  estimation  of  all  he  may  be  blameless.  Mara- 
natha. Jesus  comes !  Thus  has  the  faithful  Church 
exclaimed  in  joy  through  centuries,  both  to  the 
believing  and  the  unbelieving  world.  The  prom- 
ise of  his  coming  is  certain.  It  is  guaranteed  by 
the  power,  the  majesty,  the  faithfulness  of  God,  who 
never  leaves  his  promise  unfulfilled.  His  coming  is 
inevitable  for  individuals  and  for  all,  for  friends  and 
foes,  for  time  and  for  eternity.  Oh,  day  of  glory, 
when  at  last  the  veil  shall  be  removed,  and  when 
the  king  shall  be  beheld  in  his  full  beauty  by  all 
such  as  love  him  with  a  pure  heart  fervently.  But 
yet,  oh,  day  of  consternation  and  remorse,  when  all 
hidden  things  shall  be  revealed,  all  different  fates 
decided,  all  doing  and  all  leaving  undone  closed  for 
eternity !      Van  0. 


Section  277. 

2  Corinthians  i.  1-14. 

1  Paul,  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ  by  the  will  of  God,  and  Timothy  our  brother,  unto  the 

2  church  of  God  which  is  at  Corinth,  with  all  the  saints  which  are  in  all  Achaia :  grace  he  to 

3  you  and  peace  from  God  our  Father,  and  frojn  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Blessed  ie  God, 
even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  mercies,  and  the  God  of  all  com- 

4  fort;  who  comforteth  us  in  all  our  tribulation,  that  we  may  be  able  to  comfort  them  which 

5  are  in  any  trouble,  by  the  comfort  wherewith  we  ourselves  are  comforted  of  God.    For  as 

6  the  sufferiDgs  of  Christ  abound  in  us,  so  our  consolation  also  aboundeth  by  Christ.  And 
whether  we  be  aflBicted,  it  is  for  your  consolation  and  salvation,  which  is  effectual  in  the 
enduring  of  the  same  sufferings  which  we  also  suffer :  or  whether  we  be  comforted,  it  is 

7  for  your  consolation  and  salvation.     And  our  hope  of  you  is  stedfast,  knowing,  that  as  ye  are 

8  partakers  of  the  sufferings,  so  shall  ye  be  also  of  the  consolation.  For  we  would  not,  breth- 
ren, have  you  ignorant  of  our  trouble  which  came  to  us  in  Asia,  that  we  were  pressed  out 

9  of  measure,  above  strength,  insomuch  that  we  despaired  even  of  life :  but  we  had  the  sen- 
tence of  death  in  ourselves,  that  we  should  not  trust  in  ourselves,  but  in  God  which  raiseth 

10  the  dead  :  who  delivered  us  from  so  great  a  death,  and  doth  deliver :  in  whom  we  trust  that 

11  he  will  yet  deliver  us ;  ye  also  helping  together  by  prayer  for  us,  that  for  the  gift  hestowed 

12  upon  us  by  the  means  of  many  persons  thanks  may  be  given  by  many  on  our  behalf.  For 
our  rejoicing  is  this,  the  testimony  of  our  conscience,  that  in  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity, 
not  with  fleshly  wisdom,  but  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  have  had  our  conversation  in  the 

13  world,  and  more  abundantly  to  you- ward.     For  we  write  none  other  things  unto  you,  than 

14  what  ye  read  or  acknowledge ;  and  I  trust  ye  shall  acknowledge  even  to  the  end ;  as  also  ye 
have  acknowledged  us  in  part,  that  we  are  your  rejoicing,  even  as  ye  also  are  our's  in  the 
day  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

The  style  of  life  that  is  wanted  now,  to  gain  for  the  ideas  and  the  spirit  of  our  common  faith  a  fair 
and  cordial  reception,  is  a  life  that  flows  evermore  from  the  divine  spring  of  a  living  and  personal  com- 
munion with  the  Father,  and  goes  to  help  every  brother,  and  to  bless  every  neighbor ;  that,  while  it  is  hid 
with  Christ  in  God,  walks  among  men  with  the  tenderness  and  dignity  of  the  Son  of  man ;  that  asks  no 


346 


SECTION  277.-2  CORINTHIANS  1 : 1-U. 


deference  for  its  profession,  but  professes  simply  because  it  can  not  help  telling  its  trust,  owning  its  grati- 
tude honorin"  the  Master  ;  that  by  open  and  solemn  reverence  for  the  times  and  places  of  God's  worship 
obeys  the  manliest  of  instincts  ;  that  finds  an  exercise  for  its  Christian  principle  in  all  the  companies,  asso- 
ciations resorts  employments  of  the  world,  and  a  temple  for  its  praise  in  every  scene  of  joy ;  that  brings 
an  added  "race  to  all  the  innocent  amenities  and  hopes  of  youth,  and  sets  a  more  splendid  crown  on  the 
saintly  head  of  age ;  that  sanctifies  society  and  kneels  in  the  closet ;  and  that  everywhere  bears  with  it 
this  meek  brave  testimony,  that  "  by  the  grace  of  God  "  it  has  had  its  conversation  in  the  world.    F.  D.  H. 


The  Character  and  Occasion  of  this  Epistle. 
If  the  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  is  the 
most  varied  and  comprehensive  of  Paul's  letters,  the 
Second  is  the  most  personal  and  impassioned.  It  is 
not  systematic,  argumentative,  or  expository,  though 
full  of  matter  and  of  force.  Its  distinctive  merit  is 
that,  while  everywhere  exalting  Christ,  it  shows  us 
the  man  Paul  of  Tarsus,  the  follower  of  Christ,  as 
he  actually  was  in  labors,  anxieties,  suspense,  and 
suffering,  how  sensitive  and  emotional  how  tender 
and  generous,  and  yet  against  false  teachers  how 
stern  and  resolute !  It  is  not  at  all  a  treatise  or 
essay  constructed  on  a  plan,  but  a  warm  outpour- 
ing of  the  apostle's  heart.  The  letter  was  written 
in  Macedonia,  and  very  likely  in  the  city  of  Phi- 
lippi.     D.  F. 

Paul  had  left  Ephesus,  where  his  First  Epistle  to 
the  Corinthians  had  been  written,  and  crossed  over 
into  Europe.  The  news  of  the  effect  of  his  former 
Epistle  had  been  anxiously  looked  for  by  him,  and 
he  had  sent  Titus  probably  for  the  purpose  of  as- 
certaining it.  At  Troas,  on  his  way  from  Ephesus, 
he  had  expected  to  meet  Titus  (2  :  13);  and,  not 
finding  him  there,  he  crossed  into  Macedonia,  where 
the  meeting  took  place,  and  the  expected  tidings 
were  announced  to  him.  The  general  reception  given 
to  his  letter  had  been  favorable,  but  all  had  not 
submitted  themselves  quietly  to  it.  A. The  ma- 
jority of  the  Corinthian  Church  had  submitted  to 
the  injunctions  of  Paul,  and  testified  the  deepest 
repentance  for  the  sins  into  which  they  had  fallen. 
They  had  passed  sentence  of  excommunication  upon 
the  incestuous  person,  and  they  had  already  con- 
tributed toward  the  collection  for  the  poor  Christians 
of  Palestine.  But  there  was  still  a  minority  whose 
opposition  seems  to  have  been  rather  embittered 
than  humbled  by  the  submission  which  the  great 
body  of  the  Church  had  thus  yielded.  They  pro- 
claimed in  a  louder  and  more  contemptuous  tone 
than  ever  their  accusations  against  the  apostle.  They 
charged  him  with  craft  in  his  designs,  and  with  self- 
ish and  mercenary  motives  ;  accused  him  of  vanity 
and  weakness;  declared  that  he  was  continually 
threatening  without  striking,  and  promising  without 
performing. 

Titus,  having  delivered  to  Paul  this  mixed  intel- 
ligence of  the  state  of  Corinth,  was  immediately 
directed  to  return  thither — in  company  with  two 
deputies  specially  elected,  to  take  charge  of  their 
contribution,  by  the  Macedonian  churches  (8  :  18, 
22) — in  order  to  continue  the  business  of  the  collec- 
tion. Paul  made  him  the  bearer  of  this  second  let- 
ter, which  is  addressed  (still  more  distinctly  than  the 
First  Epistle),  not  to  Corinth  only,  but  to  all  the 
churches  in  the  whole  province  of  Achaia,  including 
Athens  and  Ccnehrea  and  other  neighboring  towns, 
all  of  which  probably  shared  more  or  less  in  the 
agitation  which  so  powerfully  affected  the  Christian 
community  at  Corinth.  The  twofold  character  of 
thia  Epiatle  is  easily  explained  by  the  existence  of 


the  majority  and  minority  which  we  have  described 
in  the  Corinthian  Church.  Toward  the  former  the 
Epistle  overflows  with  love ;  toward  the  latter  it 
abounds  with  warning  and  menace.  The  purpose  of 
the  apostle  was  to  encourage  and  tranquilize  the 
great  body  of  the  Church ;  but,  at  the  same  time, 
he  was  constrained  to  maintain  his  authority  against 
those  who  persisted  in  despising  the  commands  of 
Christ  delivered  by  his  mouth.  It  was  needful  also 
that  he  should  notice  their  false  accusations,  and 
that  he  should  vindicate  his  apostolic  character  by 
a  statement  of  facts  and  a  threat  of  punishment  to 
be  inflicted  on  the  contumacious.     C. 

It  was  under  these  circumstances,  and  with  these 
objects,  that  he  wrote  this  Ei)istle,  and  with  a  view 
of  breaking  the  severity  which  he  was  apprehensive 
of  being  compelled  to  employ  against  the  rebellious 
(see  13  :  10)  by,  if  possible,  winning  them  over  before 
his  arrival.  Hardly  any  of  the  Epistles  is  so  various 
in  character  and  style  and  so  difficult  to  enter  into 
and  appreciate  as  this.  "  Consolation  and  rebuke, 
gentleness  and  severity,  earnestness  and  irony,  suc- 
ceed one  another  at  very  short  intervals  and  without 
notice."  Of  all  the  considerable  Epistles  in  the  New 
Testament,  this,  at  first  sight,  and  on  our  ordinary 
impression,  contains  the  least  matter  of  great  and 
universal  interest  to  the  Christian  Church.  But  first 
sight  and  our  ordinary  impression  give  way  upon 
more  mature  examination.  We  shall  find  that — even 
exclusive  of  the  very  important  passages  which  here 
and  there  meet  us,  full  of  weighty  revelations  and 
of  comfort  for  all  ages  of  the  Church — in  the  midst 
of  the  personal  portions  we  have  continually  precious 
texts  of  world-wide  import  occurring. 

1.  The  Epistle  opens  with  the  customary  greet- 
ing, the  Apostle  associating  with  himself  Timothy, 
as  he  had  done  Sosthenes  in  the  former  letter. 
This  mention  of  Timothy  was  opportune  here,  as 
we  learn  from  1  Cor.  4:17  that  he  had  been  sent 
to  Corinth  to  "  bring  them  to  remembrance  of  the 
apostle's  ways  in  Christ."  These  associations  of 
others  with  himself  are  never  allowed  to  interfere 
in  the  least  degree  with  the  individuality  of  the 
Epistles  in  which  they  occur.     A. 

3.  Blessed  be  God.  There  is  no  mistaking 
what  is  the  inner  spirit  of  Paul,  by  watching  the 
ready  gushings  of  his  soul,  the  sentiments  that  first 
spring  to  his  tongue  when  it  is  set  free.  On  his 
heart  was  the  image  of  his  King,  the  King  of 
kings  ;  penetrating  all  his  powers  was  the  spirit  of 
that  King,  his  heart  glowed  with  love,  his  life  was 
filled  with  service,  and  when  he  spoke  his  lips  were 
filled  with  blessing.  Father  of  mercies.  The 
begetter  of  them,  the  fountain  from  which  they  all 
spring,  Christ  the  channel  in  which  they  all  run. 


SECTION  217.— 2  CORINTHIANS  1 : 1-U. 


347 


flowing  here,  flowing  there,  irrigating  a  parched 
world  like  the  streams  of  the  East  watering  its  arid 
plains.  Father  of  mercies  ;  no  mercy  in  the  earth 
of  which  he  is  not  the  Father.  It  is  to  be  empha- 
sized that  it  is  as  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
that  He  is  presented  to  us  as  the  Father  of  mercies, 
and  also  as  the  God  of  all  comfort.     J.  D. 

4.  God  had  not  failed  him,  but  had  matched  his 
consolation  to  his  servant's  need  with  a  redundancy 
which  testified  its  source.  Paul  offers  himself  to 
their  confidence,  not  as  a  self-cured  physician,  but 
as  one  whom  God  had  first  emptied  and  then  filled 
with  the  fullness  of  his  own  eifectual  grace.  The 
strength  of  his  language  is  according  to  the  depth 
from  whence  it  comes,  for  he  is  speaking  in  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  in  the  name  of  his  Almighty  Comforter 
he  undertakes  what  God  alone  can  truly  do.  Such 
is  the  rich  fruit  of  an  experimental  faith,  which 
out  of  weakness  is  made  strong,  not  for  himself 
only,  but  to  bear  in  willing  love  the  burdens  of  the 

weak.    Bonar. Christianity  says.  Your  suffering 

blesses  others ;  it  teaches  you  sympathy,  it  gives 
ihani  firmness  and  example,  and  reminds  them  of 
their  frailty.  How  high  a  truth !  for  here  is  the 
law  of  the  cross  :  "  No  man  dieth  to  himself,"  for 
his  pain  and  loss  is /or  others,  and,  unconsciously 
to  himself,  brings  with  it  to  others  joy  and  gain. 
F.  W.  R. 

5.  Suffering  Christians  are  happy  in  the  rich 
supphes  of  spiritual  comfort  and  joy  that  in  times 
of  suffering  are  usual ;  so  that,  as  their  sufferings  for 
Christ  do  abound,  their  coyisolations  in  him  abound 
much  more,  as  the  apostle  testifies.  God  is  speak- 
ing most  peace  to  the  soul  when  the  world  speaks 
most  war  and  enmity  against  it ;  and  this  compenses 
abundantly.  The  world  can  not  but  misjudge  the 
state  of  suffering  Christians ;  it  sees,  as  Bernard 
speaks,  their  crosses  but  not  their  anointings.     L. 

As  frankincense,  when  put  into  the  fire,  giveth 

the  greater  perfume ;  as  spice,  if  it  be  beaten, 
smelleth  the  sweeter ;  as  the  earth,  when  it  is  torn 
up  by  the  plough,  becometh  more  fruitful ;  the  seed 
in  the  ground,  after  frost  and  snow  and  winter 
storms,  springeth  the  ranker ;  the  nigher  the  vine 
is  pruned  to  the  stock,  the  greater  grape  it  yieldeth  ; 
the  grape,  when  it  is  most  pressed  and  beaten, 
maketh  the  sweetest  wine  ;  linen,  when  it  is  washed, 
wrung,  and  beaten,  is  so  made  fairer  and  whiter ; 
even  so  the  children  of  God  receive  great  benefit  by 
tribulation  ;  for  by  it  God  washeth  and  cleanseth, 
schooleth  and  nurtureth  them,  that  so  they  may  en- 
ter into  their  rest.     Cawdray. 

6.  This  is  a  very  profound  text.  The  thought, 
stripped  of  the  warm  and  genial  language  in  which 
the  apostle  clothes  it,  and  put  into  modern  phrase- 
ology, is  this :  God  teaches  Christian  people  through 
the  experience  of  Christian  ministers.     If  God  af- 


flicts one  of  his  ministers,  it  is  that  be  may  instruct 
many  through  that  single  stroke  of  discipline,  and 
bring  lessons  for  the  flock  out  of  the  trials  of  the 
pastor.  If  he  comforts  one  of  his  ministers,  it  is 
that  the  man  so  comforted  "  may  be  able  to  comfort 
them  which  are  in  any  trouble,  by  the  comfort 
wherewith  he  himself  is  comforted  of  God."  Ac- 
cording to  this  view,  the  doctrine  of  Christ  would 
come  to  the  people  through  the  experience  of  one, 
whose  difficulties  and  trials  were  their  own.  And 
coming  to  them  thus,  it  would  surely  come  to  them 
with  a  living  power.  "  For  as  in  water  face  answer- 
eth  to  face,  so  the  heart  of  man  to  man."  E.  M,  G. 
7.  Of  the  consolation.  God  puts  us  to  the 
school  of  sorrow  here,  and  gives  us  the  opportunity 
of  "  suffering  with  Christ,"  that  by  the  daily  cruci- 
fixion of  our  old  nature,  by  the  lessons  and  bless- 
ings of  outward  calamities  and  change,  there  may 
grow  up  in  us  a  still  nobler  and  purer  Divine  life  ; 
and  that  we  may  so  be  made  capable — more  capa- 
ble, and  capable  of  more — of  that  inheritance  for 
which  the  only  necessary  thing  is  the  death  of  Christ, 
and  the  only  fitness  is  faith  in  his  name.     A.  M. 

9.  Sentence  of  death.  The  shadow  of  this 
great  death  was  permitted  to  come  over  him,  not 
only  to  demonstrate  the  power  and  faithfulness  of 
God  as  his  deliverer,  but  for  the  more  effectual  de- 
struction of  all  self-reliant  confidence,  and  a  corre- 
sponding increase  of    positive  and  simple  trust  in 

God.     Bo)iar. There  is  nothing  so  hard  to  force 

upon  the  soul  as  the  conviction  that  life  is  a  real, 
earnest,  awful  thing.  Only  see  the  butterfly  life  of 
pleasure  men  and  women  are  living  day  by  day,  hour 
by  hour,  flitting  from  one  enjoyment  to  another ; 
living,  working,  spending,  and  exhausting  themselves 
for  nothing  else  but  the  seen  and  temporal  and  un- 
real. And  yet  these  are  undying  souls,  with  feel- 
ings and  faculties  which  death  can  not  rob  them  of ; 
their  chance  swiftly  passing,  and  no  second  chance 
for  ever  !    F.  W.  E. 

10.  Delivered  and  doth  deliver.  Salva- 
tion, though  a  work  wrought  already  for  eternity,  is 
the  daily  lesson  of  a  growing  faith.  He  that  is  our 
God  is  a  God  of  salvation,  and  our  changes  are  or- 
dered for  the  proving  of  his  many  names.  Sickness, 
privation,  and  trouble  of  any  kind  are  permitted  as 
occasions  of  sustaining  and  delivering  love.  Grace 
knows  how  to  deliver  even  from  those  snares  in 
which  our  own  folly  or  carelessness  may  have  en- 
tangled our  feet. 

11.  Ye  helping  us.  He  disarms  their  un- 
friendliness by  calling  for  their  help ;  by  making 
them  his  intercessors  he  tries  the  surest  method  of 
rekindling  their  waning  love.  And  thus  the  partial 
estrangement  of  which  he  had  complained  in  his 
former  letter,  and  which  lingered  still,  though  in  a 
less  degree,  would  be  replaced  by  a  deeper  and 


348 


SECTION  278.-2  CORINTHIANS  1 :  15-24;  ^  :  1-17. 


kindlier  sympathy  when  God  had  shown  himself  at- 
tentive to  their  prayers  on  Paul's  behalf.     Booiar. 

12.  These  words  have  the  charm  of  life  in  them. 
They  tell  us  how  a  man  lived,  not  in  smooth  cir- 
cumstances, in  sunny  weather,  but  how  he  lived 
when  he  was  beset  by  many  enemies,  and  girded 
round  about  by  difficulties  and  sorrows;  how  he 
lived,  not  in  conspicuous  places  merely,  but  every- 
where, and  through  and  through;  how  he  lived, 
not  for  a  short  time,  but  always  ;  for,  manifestly, 
he  is  here  giving  information  as  to  the  settled  prin- 
ciples and  continuous  moral  character  of  his  whole 
life.  Here  is  the  kind  of  life  which  each  one  of  us 
should  live  or  endeavor  after  as  his  own.     A.  R. 

Our  rejoicing.  Not  that  we  are  to  seek  in 
ourselves  for  joy  and  peace  when  suffering  under  a 
consciousness  of  sin ;  not  that  we  are  to  seek  relief 
from  the  burden  of  guilt  in  our  own  virtues  or 
graces ;  not  that  we  are  to  look  to  our  own  works 
for  justifying  righteousness :  in  all  these  views  of 
our  case,  we  must  rejoice  only  in  the  Lord  ;  but,  as 
those  who  are  justified  and  at  peace  with  God 
through  Christ,  we  are  to  do  the  work  of  righteous- 
ness, which  is  peace,  and  enjoy  the  effect  of  right- 
eousness, which  is  quietness  and  assurance  for  ever ; 
we  are  to  covet  the  rejoicing  which  Paul  speaks  of 
as  arising  from  "  the  testimony  of  our  conscience, 
that  in  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,  not  with  flesh- 
ly wisdom,  but  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  have  had  our 
conversation  in  the  world."  There  is  the  joy  of 
justification  and  the  joy  of  sanctification :  one,  the 
delight  of  being  restored  to  God's  favor  by  the  work 
of  Christ,  and  the  other  the  joy  of  being  restored  to 
God's  image  by  the  work  of  the  Spirit.     J.  A.  J. 

Testimony  of  conscience.  It  was  not  fault- 
lessness  Paul  meant  by  the  testimony  of  conscience, 
but  integrity,  moral  earnestness  in  his  work ;  he  had 
been  straightforward  in  his  ministry,  and  his  worst 
enemies  could  be  refuted  if  they  said  that  he  was 


insincere.    F.  W.  R. "  In  simplicity "  this  man 

had  lived  and  was  living.  The  word  means  single- 
ness— singleness  of  mind,  purpose,  character,  life. 
The  opposite  of  this  is  fZ<<plicity,  doubleness  in 
speech,  behavior,  heart.  Linked  with  "  simplicity  " 
is  "godly  sincerity,"  which  perhaps  brings  in  no 
characteristically  different  element.  For  the  two 
are  much  akin.  The  word  sincerity  means,  literally, 
translucence,  clearness  of  mind.  Such  is  the  sin- 
cerity of  a  devout  soul.  It  is  called  "godly  sin- 
cerity" (literally,  "the  sincerity  of  God"),  either 
because  it  is  like  his  own  or  because  it  comes  di- 
rectly yVom  him  into  the  heart  and  life  of  its  pos- 
sessor. It  is  sincerity  which  comes  from  God,  who 
thus  gives  us  of  his  own  and  makes  us  partakers  of 
the  Divine  nature.  In  making  us  good,  he  makes  us 
like  himself.     By  his  own  holy  and  sincere  spirit  he 

fills  us  with  "  godly  sincerity."     A.  R. The  kind 

of  Christian  action  and  Christian  speech  wanted  for 
the  best  exhibition  of  Christian  truth  is  that  where 
the  word  and  the  deed  just  follow  and  obey  the 
meaning  of  the  soul ;  where  the  feeling  or  convic- 
tion of  the  truth  exactly  measures,  spaces,  and 
shapes  the  outward  profession ;  where  the  disciple 
holds  it  an  equal  infidelity  to  pretend  to  more  or 
to  less  faith  than  he  possesses ;  where,  in  fact,  the 
expression  is  not  nicely  regulated  by  a  conscious 
reference  to  its  external  effect,  as  being  exemplary, 
but  by  a  spontaneous  and  irresistible  impulse  of  a 
holy  purpose  in  the  breast.     F.  D.  H. 

But  by  the  grace  of  God.  By  its  cleansings, 
its  kindlings,  its  renewings,  its  growths ;  by  its 
whole  drift  and  discipline  ;  by  its  gentle  commisera- 
tions and  unrelenting  severities ;  by  its  inward 
strengths  drawn  immediately  from  the  immortal 
strength  of  God,  and  by  its  outward  leadings  and 
guidings  through  duties  and  difficulties  and  chang- 
ing days — by  this  grace  of  God  we  live,  we  have 
"  our  conversation  in  the  world."     A.  R. 


Section  278. 

2  Corinthians  i.  15-24 ;   ii.  1-17. 

15  And  in  this  confidence  I  was  minded  to  come  unto  you  before,  that  ye  might  have  a  sec- 

16  end  benefit ;  and  to  pass  by  you  into  Macedonia,  and  to  come  again  out  of  Macedonia  unto 

17  you,  and  of  you  to  be  brought  on  my  way  toward  Judsea.  When  I  therefore  was  thus 
minded,  did  I  use  lightness  ?  or  tlie  things  that  I  purpose,  do  I  purpose  according  to  the 

18  flesh,  that  with  me  there  should  be  yea  yea,  and  nay  nay?     But  a%  God  is  true,  our  word 

19  toward  you  was  not  yea  and  nay.  For  the  Son  of  God,  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  preached 
among  you  by  us,  c-ien  by  me  and  Silvanus  and  Timofcheus,  was  not  yea  and  nay,  but  in  him 
was  yea. 

20  For  all  the  promises  of  God  in  him  are  yea,  and  in  him  Amen,  unto  the  glory  of  God  by 

21  U3.     Now  he  which  stablisheth  us  with  you  in  Christ,  and  hath  anointed  us,  is  God  ;  who 

22  hath  also  sealed  us,  and  given  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit  in  our  hearts.     Moreover  I  call  God 

23  for  a  record  upon  my  soul,  that  to  spare  you  I  came  not  as  yet  unto  Corinth.     Not  for  that 

24  we  have  dominion  over  your  faith,  but  are  helpers  of  your  joy :  for  by  faith  ye  stand. 


SECTION  278.-2  CORINTHIANS  1 :  15-24;  ^  •  1-17.  349 

1  But  I  determined  this  with  myself,  that  I  would  not  come  again  to  you  in  heaviness. 

2  For  if  I  make  you  sorry,  who  is  he  then  that  maketh  me  glad,  but  the  same  which  is  made 

3  sorry  by  me?     And  I  wrote  this  same  unto  you,  lest,  when  I  came,  I  should  have  sorrow 
from  them  of  whom  I  ought  to  rejoice ;  having  confidence  in  you  all,  that  my  joy  is  the  joy 

4  of  you  all.     For  out  of  much  atHiction  and  auguish  of  heart  I  wrote  unto  you  with  many 
tears  ;  not  that  ye  should  be  grieved,  but  that  ye  might  know  the  love  wliich  I  have  more 

5  abundantly  unto   you.     But   if  any  have  caused  grief,  he  hath  not  grieved  me,   but  in 

6  part :  that  I  may  not  overcharge  you  all.     Sufficient  to  such  a  man  is  this  punishment, 

7  which  teas  inflicted  of  many,     bo  that  contrariwise  ye  ought  rather  to  forgive  him,  and 
comfort  him,  lest  perhaps  such  a  one  should  be  swallowed  up  with  overmuch  sorrow. 

8  Wherefore  I  beseech  you  that  ye  would  confirm  your  love  toward  him.     For  to  this  end 

9  also  did  I  write,  that  I  miglit  know  the  proof  of  you,  whether  ye.be  obedient  in  all  things. 

10  To  whom  ye  forgive  any  thing,  V forgive  also :  for  if  I  forgave  any  tiling,  to  whom  I  forgave 

11  it,  for  your  sokQS  forgave  I  it  in  the  person  of  Christ ;  lest  Satan  should  get  an  advantage 

12  of  us:  for  we  are  not  ignorant  of  his  devices.     Furthermore,  when  I  came  to  Troas  to 

13  preach  Christ's  gospel,  and  a  door  was  opened  unto  me  of  the  Lord,  I  had  no  rest  in  my 
spirit,  because  I  found  not  Titus  my  brother:  but  taking  my  leave  of  them,  I  went  from 
thence  into  Macedonia. 

14  Now  thanks  le  unto  God,  which  always  causeth  us  to  triumph  in  Christ,  and  maketh 

15  manifest  the  savour  of  his  knowledge  by  us  in  every  place.    For  we  are  unto  God  a  sweet 

16  savour  of  Christ,  in  them  that  are  saved,  and  in  them  that  perish :  to  the  one  we  are  the 
savour  of  death  unto  death  ;  and  to  the  other  the  savour  of  life  unto  life.     And  who  is  suf- 

17  ficie'nt  for  these  things?  For  we  are  not  as  many,  which  corrupt  the  word  of  God  :  but  as 
of  sincerity,  but  as  of  God,  in  the  sight  of  God  speak  we  in  Christ. 


The  same  message  comes  to  us  all,  offering  us  the  same  terms.  Christ  stands  before  each  of  us  in  the 
same  attitude.  And  what  is  the  consequence  ?  A  parting  of  the  whole  mass  of  us,  some  on  one  side  and 
some  on  tlie  other.  "  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up,"  said  He,  "  will  draw  all  men  unto  me."  The  attractive  power 
will  go  out  over  the  whole  race  of  his  brethren ;  but  in  some  hearts  there  will  be  no  yielding  to  the  attrac- 
tion. Some  will  remain  rooted,  obstinate,  steadfast  in  their  place ;  and  to  some  the  lightest  word  will  be 
mighty  enough  to  stir  all  the  slumbering  pulses  of  their  sin-ridden  hearts,  and  to  bring  them,  broken  and 
penitent,  for  mercy  to  his  feet.  To  the  one  He  is  "  a  savor  of  life  unto  life,  and  to  the  other  a  savor 
of  death  unto  death."  The  broadest  doctrine  of  the  universal  adaptation,  and  the  imiversal  intention 
too  of  the  gospel  as  the  "  power  of  God  unto  salvation,"  contains  hidden  in  its  depths  this  undeniable 
fact,  that,  be  the  cause  what  it  may  (and  I  beheve  the  cause  lies  with  us),  this  separating,  judgiug  effect 
follows  from  all  faithful  preaching  of  Christ's  words.  He  came  to  judge  the  world,  "  that  they  which 
see  not  (as  he  himself  said)  might  see,  and  they  which  see  might  be  made  bUnd."  And  on  the  cross  that 
process  went  on  in  two  men,  alike  in  necessity,  alike  in  criminality,  alike  in  this,  that  death's  icy  finger 
was  just  being  laid  upon  their  heart,  to  stop  all  the  flow  of  its  wild  blood  and  passion,  but  different  in 
this,  that  the  one  of  them  turned  himself,  by  God's  grace,  and  laid  hold  on  the  gospel  that  was  offered  to 
him,  and  the  other  turned  himself  away,  and  derided,  and  died.     A.  M. 


15-19.  Paul  had  intended  to  come  to  Corinth  |  not  be  capricious  because  his  Lord  and  Master  could 
somewhat  before  the  time  when  he  was  writing,  and    not,  and  because  that  Lord  and  Master  had  sent  his 


he  had  let  the  Corinthians  know  of  his  intention ;  but 
for  reasons  of  suflBcient  weight  he  changed  his  inten- 
tion, and  so  his  opponents  accused  him  of  lightness, 
and  with  saying  yea  one  day  and  nay  another.  He 
replies  that  the  Son  of  God,  the  object  of  all  his 
preaching,  and,  therefore,  at  once  the  orderer  and 
the  pattern  of  all  his  steps,  was  incapable  of  any- 
thing like  vacillation.  An  unchangeable  purpose 
could  be  read  in  the  life  and  character  of  the  Lord, 
and  that  purpose  was  the  fulfillment  of  the  promises 
of  God — a  fulfillment  which  God  himself  was  ever 
working  out  in  all  Christians  by  the  power  of  the 


Spirit  into  the  hearts  of  his  disciples  to  be  their 
guide  and  strength. 

20.  The  promises  are  yea.  We  doubt 
whether  these  promises  have  strength  as  well  as 
truth,  and  whether  they  are  not  mocking  voices  call- 
ing us  over  mountains  which  we  can  never  climb. 
And  still  to  us  there  is  the  same  answer,  and  that 
answer  is  the  life  of  Christ.  To  every  doubt  about 
our  duty,  and  about  our  Father's  love,  and  about  our 
own  hope  of  reaching  him,  the  life  of  Christ  for 
ever  answers  "  Yea,"  and  for  ever,  "  Amen."  Yea, 
they  are  the  promises  of  God ;  yea,  they  are  certain 


Spirit,  whereby  we  are  all  sealed  as  his.     Paul  could     to  be  fulfilled ;  yea,  you  shall  have  strength  to  share 


350 


SFCTIOy  218.— 2  CORINTHIANS  1 :  15-24;  ^  •  ^-l'^- 


in  their  fulfillment.  You  may  trust  them  when  they 
call;  you  may  follow  them  where  they  lead;  you 
may  hold  by  them  in  the  darkness ;  you  may  call 
upon  their  aid  when  you  are  defeated :  for  to  all  of 
them  the  life  of  Christ,  the  love  and  holiness  that 
speak  in  his  life  and  death,  for  ever  say  "  Yea," 
and  for  ever,  "  Amen."  This  is  the  fixed  purpose  of 
Christ,  to  fulfill  the  promises  of  God ;  and  so  the 
servants  of  Christ  will  reflect  in  their  lives  the  same 
fixed  purpose,  which  shall  grow  with  their  growth, 
and  increase  with  their  strength,  and  give  steadi- 
ness to  their  youth,  and  energy  to  their  manhood, 
and  fire  to  their  old  age.  For  how  can  he  vacillate 
or  change  who  has  the  deep  purpose  of  his  life  at 
once  called  into  activity,  and  upheld  with  unchang- 
ing firmness,  by  the  knowledge  of  the  power  of 
Christ?    F.  T. 

21.  Christ,  says  Paul,  was  true;  and  God  has 
established  us  in  Christ.  Therefore,  fickleness,  du- 
plicity, or  deceit  is  impossible  to  us.  Observe,  too, 
that  he  does  not  assert  his  truth  because  of  his  apos- 
tleship,  but  because  of  his  Christianity ;  for  he  asso- 
ciates the  Corinthians  with  himself — "  us  with  you." 

23.  To  spare  yon.  Had  Paul  gone  to  Cor- 
inth while  they  were  unrepentant,  his  apostolic  duty 
would  have  required  from  him  severe  animadversion. 
Now,  it  was  to  spare  them  this  that  he  changed  his 
intention.  It  was  no  caprice,  no  fickleness,  it  was 
simply  tenderness  to  them. 

24.  The  mere  priest  wishes  to  save  men  by  his 
own  official  powers  and  prerogatives,  while  the  min- 
ister wishes  to  help  them  to  save  themselves.  See 
how  exactly  this  verse  expresses  the  distinction  be- 
tween these  two  spirits:  "Dominion  over  your 
faith " ;  there  is  the  very  spirit  of  the  priest. 
*'  Helpers  of  your  joy "  ;  there  is  the  spirit  of  the 
minister— a  desire,  not  to  be  a  ruler,  but  a  helper; 
not  that  he  shall  hold  men  up,  but  that  they  shall 
^^stajid."  Whenever  you  find  a  man  anxious  and 
striving  to  make  men  independent  of  himself,  yea, 
independent  of  all  men  ;  desiring  to  help  them,  not 
to  rest  on  his  authority,  but  to  stand  on  their  own 
faith,  that  they  may  be  elevated,  instructed,  and 
educated ;  there  you  have  the  Christian  minister,  the 
servant,  the  "  helper  of  your  joy." 

3.  pe  distinctly  says,  he  had  written  to  pain 
them,  in  order  that  he  might  have  joy.  Very  selfish, 
as  at  first  it  sounds ;  but  if  we  look  closely  into 
it,  it  only  sheds  a  brighter  and  fresher  light  upon 
the  exquisite  unselfishness  and  delicacy  of  Paul's 
character.  He  desired  to  save  himself  pain,  be- 
cause it  gave  them  pain.  He  desired  joy  for  him- 
self, because  his  joy  was  theirs.  He  will  not  sepa- 
rate himself  from  them  for  a  moment :  it  is  not  1 
and  yow,  but  we  ;  "  my  joy  is  your  joy,  as  your  grief 
was  my  grief."  And  so  knit  together  are  we  be- 
loved— minister  and  congregation !    F.  W.  R. 


4.  Paul  spake  with  tears;  nor  is  it  easy  to 
withhold  such  expressions  of  grief  when  a  man  re- 
poses in  the  bosom  of  a  church,  bearing  simply  the 
name  of  Christian ;  a  stranger  to  its  feelings,  to 
its  plans,  and  to  its  spiritual  peace ;  a  man  whose 
power  is  felt  in  the  political  and  commercial  world 
always  ;  in  the  religious  world — never.     A.  B. 

5.  One  of  those  cases  where  the  delicacy  of  the 
apostle's  blame  has  been  obliterated  by  the  trans- 
lators. What  he  says  is  this,  that  the  offender  has 
not  wronged  Aim,  but  in  a  measure  (he  will  not  say 
this  without  qualification,  lest  he  bear  too  hardly 
on  him)  all  of  them — the  whole  Corinthian  Church. 
This  meaning  would  be  expressed  thus :  "  But,  if 
any  hath  caused  sorrow,  he  hath  not  caused  sorrow 
to  me,  but  in  part  (that  I  press  not  too  heavily) 
to  you  all."     A. 

6-11.  The  main  defense  of  the  apostle  against 
the  charge  of  fickleness  in  the  non-fulfillment  of  his 
promise  was,  that  he  had  abstained  f  roni  going  to 
Corinth  in  order  to  spare  them  the  sharp  rebuke 
he  must  have  administered  had  he  gone  thither. 
A  great  crime  had  been  committed ;  the  Church 
had  been  compromised,  more  especially  as  some  of 
the  Corinthians  had  defended  the  iniquity  on  the 
ground  of  liberty,  and  Paul  had  staid  away  after 
giving  his  advice,  that  not  he,  but  they  themselves, 
might  do  the  work  of  punishment.  He  gave  sen- 
tence— that  the  wicked  person  should  be  put  away, 
but  he  wished  them  to  execute  the  sentence.  For 
it  was  a  matter  of  greater  importance  to  Paul  that 
the  Corinthians  should  feel  rightly  the  necessity  of 
punishment  than  merely  that  the  offender  should 
be  punished.  It  was  not  to  vindicate  hu  authority 
that  he  wrote,  but  that  they  should  feel  the  author- 
ity of  right ;  and  the  Corinthians  obeyed.  They 
excommunicated  the  incestuous  person ;  for  the 
Epistle  of  the  apostle  stirred  up  their  languid  con- 
sciences into  active  exercise.  Accordingly  he  ap- 
plauds their  conduct,  and  recommends  them  now  to 
forgive  the  offender  whom  they  had  punished.  The 
forgiveness  of  man  is  an  echo  and  an  earnest  of 
God's  forgiveness.  Even  the  mercifulness  of  one 
good  man  sounds  like  a  voice  of  pardon  from 
heaven.  The  man  whom  society  will  not  forgive 
nor  restore  is  driven  into  recklessness.  This  is  the 
true  Christian  doctrine  of  absolution,  as  here  ex- 
pounded by  the  apostle.  The  degrading  power  of 
severity,  the  restoring  power  of  pardon  is  vested  in 
the  Christian  community. 

12,  13.  Paul  gives  an  additional  proof  that  it 
was  not  forgetfulness  of  them  which  had  made  him 
change  his  mind :  this  proof  was  his  unrest  at 
Troas.  While  there  one  subject  engrossed  all  his 
thoughts,  the  state  of  Corinth ;  and  the  question, 
What  would  be  the  result  of  the  letter  he  had  sent  ? 
At  Troas  he  expected  to  meet  Titus,  who  was  bear- 


SECTION  278.-2  CORINTHIANS  1 :  15-2^;  2  : 1-17. 


351 


ing  the  reply ;  but,  not  finding  him  there,  he  could 
not  rest,  he  could  not  take  full  comfort  even  from 
"  the  door  which  had  been  opened "  for  success. 
He  left  his  work  half  finished,  and  he  hastened  into 
Macedonia  to  meet  Titus.  His  argument  therefore 
is,  Did  this  look  like  forgetfulness  ?  Did  this 
make  it  probable  that  he  "  had  used  lightness  or 
purposed  according  to  the  flesh  "  ?  Or  did  it  show 
that  he  was  absent  unwillingly,  putting  force  on 
himself,  hke  a  wise  parent  who  refuses  to  see  his 
child,  though  his  heart  is  all  the  while  bleeding  at 
what  he  inflicts  ?  This  is  the  connection  between 
the  12th  and  13th  verses.     F.  W.  R. 

14.  Triumph  in  Christ.  The  words  mean 
to  lead  captive  in  a  triumph  over  the  enemies  of 
Christ.  The  metaphor  is  taken  from  the  triumphal 
procession  of  a  victorious  general.  God  is  celebrat- 
ing his  triumph  over  his  enemies ;  Paul  (who  had 
been  so  great  an  opponent  of  the  gospel)  is  a  cap- 
tive following  in  the  train  of  the  triumphal  proces- 
sion, yet  (at  the  same  time,  by  a  characteristic  change 
of  metaphor)  an  incense-bearer,  scattering  incense 
(which  was  always  done  on  these  occasions)  as  the 
procession  moves  on.  Some  of  the  conquered  ene- 
mies were  put  to  death  when  the  procession  reached 
the  Capitol.  To  them  the  smell  of  the  incense  was  a 
savor  of  death  unto  death ;  to  the  rest  who  were 
spared,  a  savor  of  life  unto  life.  The  metaphor  ap- 
pears to  have  been  a  favorite  one  with  Paul ;  it  oc- 
curs again  Col.  2  :  15.     C. 

14-16.  How  finely  characteristic  of  this  apos- 
tle is  the  sudden  rising  out  of  his  own  distress  into 
exultation  over  the  gospel  and  the  preciousness  of 
Christ !  Even  that  journey  which  Paul  took  in  such 
depression  of  spirit  was  a  triumphal  march  for  the 
gospel,  and  spread  a  fragrant  "savor  of  Christ," 
like  the  incense  in  the  public  procession  of  ancient 
conquerors.  Sweet  and  life-giving  was  that  savor 
to  believers  ;  unwelcome  and  so  deadly  to  unbeliev- 
ers. Thus  the  apostolic  preacher  felt  himself  to  be 
lifted  above  the  common  range  of  things.  He  was 
on  a  mission  of  life  or  death  in  every  place  ;  and, 
far  from  viewing  this  as  a  function  easily  fulfilled, 
wondered  and  trembled  at  the  charge — "  And  who 
is  sufficient  for  these  things  ?  "    D.  F. 

16.  God's  word  has  two  edges  ;  it  can  cut  back- 
stroke and  fore-stroke.  If  it  do  thee  no  good,  it 
will  do  thee  hurt ;  it  is  the  savor  of  life  unto  life 
to  those  that  receive  it,  but  of  death  unto  death  to 

them  that  refuse  it.    Bun. There  is  no  more 

waste  in  preaching  than  there  has  been  in  making 
an  atonement  which  is  not  received.  The  precious 
seed  which.  Sabbath  after  Sabbath,  is  thrown  out 
upon  the  moral  desert,  which  resists  and  sets  at 
naught  all  the  diligence  of  the  husbandman,  is 
not  lost.  It  will  bring  forth  fruit— the  broad 
field,  upon  which  at  last  shall  be  gathered  the  sub- 


lime, and  awful,  and  mysterious,  and  stirring  mag- 
nificence of  the  end,  is  white  unto  the  harvest. 
Every  grain  is  there  giving  produce  ;  every  particle 
of  gospel  truth  springs  up  and  waves  on  that  awful 

field.     E.  M. To  all,  God's   universal   love   is 

ready  to  impart  life,  and  earnestly  that  love  desires 
that  all  should  be  helped  through  the  preached 
word ;  but,  nevertheless,  those  who  refuse  the  love 
which  speaks  to  them  may  not  escape  the  power  of 
God.  Those  who  refuse  to  believe  the  word  must 
stumble  at  it.  They  hinder,  indeed,  through  their 
resisting  obstinacy,  the  sanctifying  of  God  witJiin 
them,  for  He  will  chive  no  man  to  conversion ;  but 
the  sanctifying  of  God  on  them  they  can  not  hinder. 
Because  they  do  not  choose  to  be  softened  and  en- 
lightened unto  eternal  life  through  his  word,  it  has 
upon  them  a  hardening  operation  unto  death.  Besser. 
Who  is  safficient  ?  Our  mission  is  to  unfold 
the  mysteries  of  God's  word,  to  preach  Christ,  and 
to  save  souls  from  death.  Waving  the  smoking 
censer,  we  stand  between  the  living  and  the  dead, 
between  hell  and  heaven,  seeking  to  intercept  the 
downward  progress  of  sinners  to  the  one,  and  allure 
them  up  to  the  other.  Every  sermon  we  deliver 
tells  upon  the  changeless  destiny  of  those  who  listen 
to  us.  Eyes  that  gaze  up  into  ours  while  we  pro- 
claim to  them  the  salvation  of  Christ  will  soon  see 
the  Judge  of  all  the  earth.  Who,  then,  is  sufiicient 
for  a  work  so  great,  for  responsibilities  so  over- 
whelming, save  he  who  is  filled  with  the  Spirit? 
In  vain  our  talents,  our  learning,  our  eloquence, 
our  carefully  prepared  and  gracefully  delivered  dis- 
courses— all,  all  will  be  fruitless  without  the  unc- 
tion and  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.      Winslow. 

Carry  your  poor  inadequate  resources  to  Christ !  In 
his  hands  they  become  sufficient.  He  multiplies 
them.  He  gives  wisdom,  strength,  all  that  fits  for 
the  task  to  which  he  calls  us.  Bring  your  little  faith 
to  him ;  he  will  increase  it.  Bring  your  feeble  love 
to  him  and  ask  him  to  kindle  it  from  the  pure  flame 
of  his  own,  and  he  will  make  your  heart  bum  with- 
in you.  Bring  your  partial  understanding  of  his 
will  and  way  to  him,  and  he  will  be  to  you  wisdom. 
Bring  all  the  poverty  of  ydur  natures,  all  the  insuf- 
ficiency of  your  religious  character,  all  the  inade- 
quacy of  your  poor  work  to  your  Lord.  Feel  it  all. 
Let  the  conviction  of  your  nothingness  sink  into 
your  soul.  Then  wait  before  him  in  simple  faith,  in 
lowly  obedience,  and  power  will  come  to  you  equal 
to  your  desire  and  to  your  duties,  and  he  will  put 
his  Spirit  upon  you,  and  will  anoint  you  to  proclaim 
liberty  to  the  captives  and  to  give  bread  to  all  the 
hungry.  "  Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  "  must 
ever  precede,  and  will  ever  be  followed  by,  "our 
sufficiency  is  of  God."    A.  M. 

17.  Truth  would  be  to  some  "  the  savor  of  death 
unto  death " ;  for  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the 


352 


SECTION  279.-2  CORINTHIANS  3  : 1-18. 


faithful  preaching  of  the  gospel  sometimes  kills. 
And  yet  is  this  gospel  which  destroys  a  sweet  and 
acceptable  savor  to  God  even  in  them  that  perish. 
An  awful  truth !  The  gospel  preached  in  fidelity 
ruins  human  souls.     A  "  banquet "  I— oh  !  know  ye 


what  ye  say  ?  It  is  sometimes  death  to  hear  it ! 
And  yet  we  must  not  dilute  it.  How  the  apostle  re- 
joiced in  that  day  that  he  had  been  uncompromising, 
and  firm,  and  true !  "  not  dealing  deceitfully  with 
the  Word  of  God."    F.  W.  R. 


Section  279. 


2  Corinthians  iii.  1-18. 


1  Do  we  begin  again  to  commend  ourselves  ?  or  need  we,  as  some  others,  epistles  of  com- 

2  mendation  to  you,  or  letters  of  commendation  from  you?     Ye  are  our  epistle  written  in  our 

3  hearts  known  and  read  of  all  men :  forasmuch  as  ye  are  manifestly  declared  to  be  the  epis- 
tle of  Christ  ministered  by  us,  written  not  with  ink,  but  with  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God; 

4  not  in  tables  of  stone,  but  in  fleshy  tables  of  the  heart.     And  such  trust  have  we  through 

5  Christ  to  God-ward :  not  that  we  are  sufficient  of  ourselves  to  think  any  thing  as  of  our- 

6  selves ;  but  our  sufficiency  is  of  God ;  who  also  hath  made  us  able  ministers  of  the  new 
testament ;  not  of  the  letter,  but  of  the  spirit :  for  the  letter  killeth,  but  the  spirit  giveth 

Y  life.     But  if  the  ministration  of  death,  written  and  engraven  in  stones,  was  glorious,  so 
that  the  children  of  Israel  could  not  stedfastly  behold  the  face  of  Moses  for  the  glory  of  his 

8  countenance;  which  glory  was  to  be  done  away:  how  shall  not  the  ministration  of  the 

9  spirit  be  rather  glorious  ?     For  if  the  ministration  of  condemnation  he  glory,  much  more 

10  doth  the  ministration  of  righteousness  exceed  in  glory.     For  even  that  which  was  made 

11  glorious  had  no  glory  in  this  respect,  by  reason  of  the  glory  that  excelleth.     For  if  that 

12  which  is  done  away  was  glorious,  much  more  that  which  remaineth  is  glorious.     Seeing  then 

13  that  we  have  such  hope,  we  use  great  plainness  of  speech:  and  not  as  Moses,  which  put  a 
vail  over  his  face,  that  the  children  of  Israel  could  not  stedfastly  look  to  the  end  of  that 

14  which  is  abohshed:  but  their  minds  were  blinded:  for  until  this  day  remaineth  the  same 
vail  untaken  away  in  the  reading  of  the  old  testament ;  which  vail  is  done  away  in  Christ. 

15  But  even  unto  this  day,  when  Moses  is  read,  the  vail  is  upon  their  heart.     Nevertheless 

16  when  it  shall  turn  to  the  Lord,  the  vail  shall  be  taken  away.     Now  the  Lord  is  that  Spirit: 

17  and  where  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is,  there  is  liberty.     But  we  all,  with  open  face  beholding 

18  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory, 
eve)i  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord. 

The  Christian  is  the  world's  Bible,  and  the  only  one  it  reads.  If  we  take  care  that  in  this  book  be 
plainly  shown  the  loving  spirit,  the  grandeur,  and  the  winning  friendliness  of  Christ,  then  we  shall  see 
many  hearts  open  to  receive  this  actual  testimony  of  Christian  life.  The  strongest  argument  for  the  truth 
of  Christianity  is  the  man  filled  with  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  The  best  means  of  bringing  back  the  world 
to  a  belief  in  miracles  is  to  exhibit  the  miracle  of  regeneration  and  its  power  in  our  own  life.  The  best 
proof  of  Christ's  resurrection  is  a  living  Church,  which  itself  is  walking  in  new  life,  and  drawing  life 
from  him  who  has  overcome  death.  Christlieb. The  liimig  epistle  needs  no  translation  to  be  under- 
stood in  every  country  and  clime ;  a  humble,  gentle,  holy,  Christlike  life  preaches  to  the  common  ear  all 
the  world  over.  Let  a  man  reveal  his  soul  in  the  inarticulate  speech  of  an  earnest,  pure,  and  truthful 
life,  and  this  will  be  a  language  which  the  profoundest  must  admire,  while  the  simplest  can  appreciate. 
The  most  elaborate  discourse  on  sanctification  will  prove  tame  and  ineffective  in  comparison  with  the  elo- 
quence of  a  humble,  holy  walk  with  God.  Instruct  your  children  in  the  knowledge  of  God's  great  love 
and  mercy,  but  let  them  see  that  love  cheering,  animating,  hallowing  your  daily  life ;  describe  to  them  the 
divinity  and  glory  of  the  Saviour's  person  and  work,  but  let  them  note  how  daily  you  think  of  Ilim,  hear 
with  what  profoundest  reverence  you  name  His  name,  see  how  the  sense  of  a  divine  presence  sheds  a 
reflected  moral  beauty  around  your  own — and  this  will  be  a  living  and  breathing  theology  to  them,  without 
which  formal  teaching  will  avail  but  little.     Caird. 


SECTION  279.-2  CORINTHIANS  3  : 1-18. 


353 


1-6.  The  close  of  the  second  chapter  looked 
like  boasting — it  seemed  like  a  recommendation  of 
himself.  In  these  verses  he  is  replying  to  the  pos- 
sible charge.  He  declares  that  he  wanted  no  com- 
mendation to  them,  no  praise,  no  recommendatory 
letters  (v.  1).  Hence  he  infers  that  there  was  no 
vanity  in  his  assertion,  though  it  looked  like  a  boast. 
For  (vs.  5,  6)  the  trust  he  had  was  not  in  himself — 
the  writer — but  in  Christ,  the  Spirit,  the  Author  of 
the  work.  "  Not  that  we  are  sufficient  of  ourselves 
to  think  anything  as  of  ourselves ;  but  our  suffi- 
ciency is  of  God  ;  who  also  hath  made  us  able  min- 
isters of  the  New  Testament."  Then  it  is  that  from 
these  words,  "  able  ministers,"  he  breaks  off  into  a 
di'H'ession  which  occupies  all  the  chapter,  and  is 
descriptive  of  the  Christian  ministry  in  contradis- 
tinction to  the  Jewish.     F.  W.  R. 

1.  As  some  others.  Turn  to  Acts  18  :  27, 
and  you  will  find  that,  a  short  time  before  the  writ- 
ing of  this  Epistle,  Apollos  had  gone  to  Corinth 
with  letters  of  commendation  from  the  Ephesian 
Christians ;  "  and  when  Apollos  was  disposed  to 
pass  into  Achaia,  the  brethren  wrote  exhorting  the 
disciples  to  receive  him."  Here  the  words  of  the 
Epistle  bear  the  appearance  of  alluding  to  some 
specific  instance,  and  the  history  supplies  that  in- 
stance.   Paley. 

3.  Epistle  of  Christ.  In  this  dark  world 
Christ's  countenance  shines  through  the  spirit  and 
life  of  his  people.  Here  he  has  need  of  such  wit- 
nesses. He  needs  vessels  to  bear  his  name  about 
among  men ;  and  for  this  purpose  he  chooses 
earthen  vessels,  that  the  power  may  be  known  to  be 
his  own.  The  life  of  his  own  disciples  is  the  epistle 
in  which  he  desires  to  be  read.  The  evidence  with 
which  he  will  convince  the  world  is  the  walk  of  the 
people  whom  he  has  bought  with  his  blood  and  re- 
newed by  his  Spirit.  Arnot. What  is  any  de- 
scription of  Christianity  upon  paper  as  compared  to 
the  living  epistle  which  all  men  can  read  ?  We 
want  Christian  men  and  women,  not  their  books  or 
their  money  only,  but  themselves.  The  poor  and 
needy  ones  who,  in  this  great  turmoil  of  life,  have 
found  no  helper  among  their  fellows ;  the  wicked 
and  outcast,  whose  hand  is  against  every  man's,  be- 
cause they  have  found,  by  dire  experience  of  the 
world's  selfishness,  how  every  man's  hand  is  against 
them  ;  the  prodigal  and  broken-hearted  children  of 
the  human  family,  who  have  the  bitterest  thoughts 
of  God  and  man,  if  they  have  any  thoughts  at  all 
beyond  their  own  busy  contrivances  how  to  live  and 
how  to  indulge  their  craving  passions — all  these,  by 
the  mesmerism  of  the  heart,  and  by  means  of  that 
great  witness,  conscience,  which  God  in  mercy  leaves 
as  a  light  from  heaven  in  the  most  abject  dwelling 
on  earth,  can  to  some  extent  read  the  living  epistle 
of  a  renewed  soul,  written  in  the  divine  characters 
23 


of  the  Holy  Spirit.  They  can  see  and  feel,  as  they 
never  did  anything  else  in  this  world,  the  love  which 
calmly  shines  in  that  eye,  telling  of  inward  light 
and  peace  possessed,  and  of  a  place  of  rest  found 
and  enjoyed  by  the  weary  heart !  They  can  per- 
ceive the  reality  of  the  piety,  which  also  reads  to 
them  in  touching  tones  the  glory  of  him  who  came 
to  seek  and  save  the  lost ;  and  their  souls  can  not 
refuse  some  amen,  however  faint,  echoed  by  their 
very  misery,  and  from  their  yearnings  for  a  good 
they  have  never  known,  to  that  earnest  prayer  of 
faith  uttered,  in  the  bonds  of  a  common  brother- 
hood, to  one  who  is  addressed  as  a  common  Father 
through  a  common  Lord.     N.  M. 

This  third  verse  is  one  of  those  many  passages 
of  Scripture  in  which  each  of  the  persons  of  the 
blessed  Trinity  is  represented  as  concurring  and 
sharing  in  the  work  of  grace  upon  the  heart.  The 
act  of  one  is  the  act  of  all  who  are  united  in  nature 
and  purpose.  But  this  work  of  sanctification  is 
commonly  ascribed  in  a  peculiar  manner  to  God  the 
Spirit.  It  is  his  special  office,  to  which  he  has  vol- 
untarily condescended  in  the  economy  of  redemp- 
tion, to  create  this  abiding,  soul-transforming  prin- 
ciple of  holiness  in  the  soul.     Goode. 

5.  Not  sufficient  of  ourselves.  When  we 
fall  back  from  the  earnest  longing  for  a  consecrated 
life  to  the  littlenesses  and  distractions  and  failures 
of  each  passing  day,  when  we  contrast  the  power 
of  our  creed,  as  an  ideal,  with  the  actual  effect 
which  it  produces  upon  our  habitual  manner  of  act- 
ing and  judging,  it  is  impossible  that  we  should  not 
be  filled  with  a  profound  distrust  of  ourselves.  And 
indeed  so  it  must  be,  so  long  as  we  look  at  our- 
selves. In  that  contemplation  of  self  lies  weakness 
without  the  prospect  of  support;  failure  without 
the  promise  of  redemption.  But,  if  it  be  well  that 
we  should  learn  by  sad  experience  what  we  can  not 
do  by  our  own  powei',  still  to  rest  in  this  knowledge 
of  despair  is  to  renounce  our  birthright.  Discom- 
fiture and  defeat  are  means  by  which  God  draws  us 
closer  to  himself.  Each  fresh  discovery  of  our  help- 
lessness, if  we  use  the  opportunity,  reveals  to  us  at 
the  same  time  a  present  source  of  succor.  We  are 
alone,  as  it  may  seem,  in  the  midst  of  the  world, 
which  moves  on  its  way  with  irresistible  force  ;  we 
are  beset  and  baffled  by  circumstances  which  lie 
wholly  without  our  control ;  we  dishonor  and  dis. 
credit  by  our  faintheartedness  the  name  which  it  is 
our  privilege  to  bear ;  yet,  even  so,  in  isolation,  in 
failure,  in  dejection,  only  let  the  thought  of  self 
perish,  and  we  shall  know  that  we  are  not  desolate : 

our  sufficiency  is  of  God.     B.  F.  W. The  belief 

of  our  dependence  on  God  as  the  source  of  all  spir- 
itual strength  grows  with  our  Christian  growth. 
The  believer  does  not  receive  at  his  ingrafting  into 
Christ  a  supply  of  vital  energy  sufficient  to  influ- 


554 


SECTION  279.-2  CORINTEIANS  3  : 1-18. 


ence  him  in  a  holy  manner  all  his  life  long.  The 
branch  must  abide  in  the  vine.  New  streams 
of  grace  must  flow  hour  by  hour;  and,  if  this  com- 
munication is  interrupted,  he  begins  to  languish. 
This  is   the    lesson  we    are    constantly   learning. 

J.  W.  A. 

6.  "  Who  hath  made  us  able  ministers "  gives  a 
wrong  idea ;  it  should  be,  "  who  hath  enabled  us  as 
ministers,"  "  given  us  power  to  become  ministers,"  or 
"  made  us  sufficient  as  ministers,"  keeping  the  same 

expression  as  has  been  used  before.    A. In  these 

words  the  great  apostle  affirms  two  most  important 
truths.  Vindicating  his  own  position,  but  including, 
doubtless,  with  himself,  all  who  share  his  ministry, 
he  asserts  at  once  its  authority  and  its  object ;  the 
commission  by  which  it  is  empowered  to  act,  and 
the  essential  quality  of  the  religion  it  is  constituted 
to  diffuse.  "  God  hath  made  us  ministers  " — such  is 
the  source  of  our  qualification ;  "  ministers  not  of 
the  letter,  but  of  the  spirit " — such  is  the  nature  of 
the  doctrine  we  have  to  declare.     W.  A.  B. 

"  The  letter "  here,  according  to  all  the  necessi- 
ties of  the  context,  is  the  law,  called  "  the  letter " 
because  written  on  tables  of  stone;  the  whole 
dispensation,  commanding  and  threatening  yet  not 
quickening,  of  the  Old  Testament.  This,  as  the 
apostle,  in  harmony  with  all  his  other  teaching,  de- 
clares, "  killeth  " ;  not  merely  negatively,  in  which  it 
does  not  make  alive,  but  positively  ;  for,  as  Augus- 
tine admirably  brings  out,  the  true  parallel  and  in- 
terpretation of  the  words  are  to  be  found  in  those 
other  words  of  Paul,  "  I  was  alive  without  the  law 
once,"  etc. ;  while  "the  Spirit"  here  is  that  dis- 
pensation of  the  Spirit  of  which  he  speaks  (Rom. 
8:1-11)  as  that  in  which,  and  in  which  only,  re- 
sides the  power  of  making  men  alive  unto  God.     T. 

8.  The  gospel  is  the  word  of  the  Spirit ;  his 
great  instrument  in  the  conversion  of  sinners  to 
God.  Hence  this  gospel,  in  opposition  to  the  old 
dispensation  (which  only  made  known  the  terms  of 
the  law,  and  was  therefore  one  of  condemnation),  is 
called  "  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit."  This  is  its 
peculiar  glory.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  accompanies 
it  to  the  hearts  of  his  people,  effectually  renewing 
them  thereby  in  the  spirit  of  their  minds,  and 
working  in  them  what  it  requires  of  them.  And  as 
this  is  the  chief  instrument  employed  by  the  Spirit 
in  first  regenerating  believers,  so  also  in  carrying 
on  the  work  of  their  sanctification  throughout  their 
earthly  pilgrimage.     Goode. 

9.  Ministration  of  condemnation.  As  a 
rule  of  life,  without  the  atoning  blood  to  pardon  sin 
and  without  the  grace  of  the  Spirit  to  make  obedi- 
ence possible,  the  law  had  been  but  a  ministration 
of  condemnation.  As  a  typical  system,  it  had  been 
destined  to  pass  away  on  the  appearance  of  the  an- 
titype which  fulfilled  it.     In  either  respect  it  con- 


trasted disadvantageously  with  the  Gospel,  which 
was  at  once  endowed  with  perpetuity  and  a  minis- 
tration of  spiritual  righteousness.     H.  P.  L. 

10.  The  law  condemns  and  can  not  justify  a 
sinner ;  the  Gospel  justifies  and  can  not  condemn 
the  sinner  that  believes  in  Jesus.  In  the  law  God 
appears  in  terrible  threatenings  of  eternal  death  • 
in  the  Gospel  he  manifests  himself  in  gracious 
promises  of  life  eternal.  That  presents  to  the 
view  of  the  sinner  a  throne  of  judgment ;  this  pre- 
sents "  a  throne  of  grace."  Every  sentence  of  con- 
demnation in  Scripture  belongs  to  the  law ;  every 
sentence  of  justification  forms  a  part  of  the  Gos- 
pel. The  law  condemns  a  sinner  for  his  first  of- 
fense, but  the  Gospel  offers  him  the  forgiveness 
of  all  his  offenses.  Thus,  in  every  point  of  differ- 
ence, "  that  which  was  made  glorious  had  no  glory 
in  this  respect,  by  reason  of  the  glory  that  excel- 
leth."      Colquhoun. 

11.  That  which  remaineth.  The  present 
reign  of  the  Spirit  is  to  close  the  period  of  our 
world's  annals.  Nothing  of  more  palpable,  impos- 
ing form  is  to  come  after  it ;  nothing  is  to  take  its 
place  ;  nothing  is  to  intervene  between  it  and  the 
final  judgment.  We  need  not  be  told  at  this  late 
day,  and  after  all  we  have  seen  of  the  quiet,  noise- 
less progress  of  truth  and  righteousness,  that  ChrisCs 
kingdom  is  not  of  this  world.  The  only  throne 
which  the  Redeemer  is  ever  to  set  up  on  earth  is  a 
throne  in  the  heart;  and  this  is  to  be  done  so 
completely  and  universally  under  the  present  miti- 
istration  of  the  Spirit  that  all  shall  know  the  Lord, 
from  the  least  to  the  greatest.     Magee. 

13.  Plainness  of  speech.  Ours  should  be 
a  ministry  whose  words  are  not  compacted  of  bald- 
ness but  boldness  ;  whose  very  life  is  outspoken- 
ness and  free  fearlessness ;  a  ministry  which  has 
no  concealment,  no  reserve ;  which  shrinks  from 
the  weakness  of  a  mere  cautiousness,  but  which 
exults  even  in  failure,  if  the  truth  has  been  spoken, 
with  a  joyful  confidence.  For  a  man  who  sees  into 
the  heart  of  things  speaks  out  not  timidly,  nor  su- 
perstitiously,  but  with  a  brow  unveiled,  and  with  a 
speech  as  free  as  his  spirit :  "  The  truth  has  made 
him  free."     F.  W.  R. 

13-16.  Paul's  immediate  purpose  seems  to  be 
to  illustrate  the  frank  openness  which  ought  to 
mark  the  ministry  of  Christianity.  He  does  this 
by  reference  to  the  veil  which  Moses  wore  when  he 
came  forth  from  talking  with  God.  There,  he  says 
in  effect,  we  have  a  picture  of  the  old  dispensation 
— a  partial  revelation,  gleaming  through  a  veil, 
flashing  through  symbols,  expressed  here  in  a  rite, 
there  in  a  type,  there  again  in  an  obscure  prophecy. 
Christianity  is,  and  Christian  teachers  ought  to  be, 
the  opposite  of  all  this.  It  has,  and  they  are  to 
have,  no  reserve,  no  use  of  symbols  and  ceremonies 
to  overlay  truth,  but  an  intelligible  revelation  in 
words  and  deeds,  to  men's  understandings.  But 
he  gets  far  beyond  this  point  in  his  uses  of  his 
illustration.  It  opens  out  into  a  series  of  contrasts 
between   the  two  revelations.      The  veiled  Moses 


SECTION'  279.-2  CORINTHIAFS  S  :  1-18. 


355 


represents  the  clouded  revelation  of  old.  The  van- 
ishin'^  gleam  on  his  face  recalls  the  fading  glories 
of  that  which  was  abolished ;  and  then,  by  a  quick 
turn  of  association,  he  thinks  of  the  veiled  readers 

I  in  the  synagogues,  copies,  as  it  were,  of  the  law- 
'    fflver  with  the  shrouded  countenance  ;  only  too  sig- 

I I  nificant  images  of  the  souls  obscured  by  prejudice 
I  and  obstinate  unbelief,  with  which  Israel  trifles  over 
I    the  uncomprehended  letter  of  the  old  law.     A.  M. 

I  14.  Vail  nntaken  away.    More  than  fifteen 

'  centuries  had  passed  since  the  revelation  of  Sinai, 
'  but  in  the  days  of  Paul  the  face  of  Moses  was  still 
Tciled  from  the  eyes  of  Israel.  The  tallith,  used 
during  prayer  and  the  reading  of  the  law,  still 
perpetuated  the  symbol  in  every  synagogue.  And 
that  which  met  the  eye  too  truly  pictured  the  spir- 
itual fact  which  the  eye  could  not  reach.     U.  P.  L. 

"  He  came  unto  his  own,  and  his  own  received 

him  not ! "  They,  who  through  a  long  course  of 
centuries  had  been  educated  into  expectation  of  the 
ever-blessed  Visitant,  perverted  the  expectation, 
reading  it  by  the  corrupted  glare  of  their  own  am- 
bition ;  and,  though  miracles  more  wondrous  than 
those  of  their  greatest  leaders  were  performed  be- 
fore their  eyes — miracles  that  identified  the  Saviour 
with  the  Angel  and  Guide  of  their  whole  past  his- 
tory— ^yet  the  infidelity  of  the  heart  prevailed  to 
poison  the  reason,  and  they  rejected  him !  W. 
A.B. 

16,  17.  The  darkness,  however,  was  not  to  last. 
"When  it  [the  heart  of  the  people]  shall  turn  to 
the  Lord,  the  vail  shall  be  taken  away."  This  was 
the  promise.  It  is  explained  by  the  assertion  that, 
*'  where  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is,  there  is  liberty." 
For  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  dwells  with  all  who  are 
really  converted  to  Christ,  since  "  the  Lord  is  that 
Spirit."  In  other  words,  to  possess  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  to  possess  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  is  the 
minister  and  guardian  of  Christ's  presence  in  the 
soul.  The  immediate  and  practical  conclusion  is, 
that  to  be  converted  to  Jesus  Christ  is  to  have  es- 
caped from  the  veil  which  darkened  the  spiritual 
intelligence  of  Israel.  The  converting  Spirit  is  the 
source  of  positive  illumination;  much  more  there- 
fore does  he  give  freedom  from  the  veil  of  prejudice 
which  denies  to  Jewish  thought  the  exercise  of  any 
real  insight  into  the  deeper  sense  of  Scripture. 
That  sense  is  seized  by  the  Christian  student  of  the 
ancient  law,  because  in  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
he  possesses  the  Spirit,  and  "  where  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  is,  there  is  liberty."  Freedom  is  not  an 
occasional  largess  of  the  divine  Spirit.  It  is  the 
invariable  accompaniment  of  the  Spirit's  true  action. 
It  is  the  very  atmosphere  of  his  presence.  Wher- 
ever he  really  is,  there  is  also  freedom.  This  lib- 
erty comes  with  the  gift  of  truth ;  it  comes  along 
with  that  gift  of  which  in  its  fullness  the  Eternal 
Spirit  is  the  only  giver.  He  gives  freedom  from 
error  for  the  reason ;  freedom  from  constraint  for 
the  affections ;  freedom  for  the  will  from  the  tyr- 
anny of  sinful  and  human  wills.  Such  freedom  is,  in 
fact,  a  creation  of  grace:  the  sons  of  God  alone 
enjoy  it.     H.  P.  L. 


18.  The  original  word  in  this  passage,  in  the 
opinion  of  Locke,  Macknight,  and  others,  should  be 
rather  translated  "  reflecting  as  a  mirror,"  instead 
of  "  beholding  as  in  a  mirror."  Both  meanings  may 
be  united.  The  mirrors  of  the  ancients  were  made 
of  polished  steel,  and  reflected  therefore  upon  the 
countenances  of  those  who  looked  upon  them  a 
luminous  effulgence,  or  glory.  The  apostle  beheld 
as  in  the  mirror  of  the  Scriptures  the  glory  of  Christ, 
and  this  glory  shone  upon  the  face  of  the  apostle. 
Moses  veiled  the  glory  which  had  shone  upon  his 
face.  The  apostle,  on  the  contrary,  would  not  veil 
his  face ;  but  by  contemplating  more  and  more  the 
glory  of  Christ,  endeavored  to  diffuse  the  knowledge 
of  that  glory  to  the  world.     G.  T. 

The  brightness  on  the  face  of  Moses  faded  away 
and  left  no  trace.  It  effaced  none  of  the  marks  of 
sorrow  and  care,  and  changed  none  of  the  lines  of 
that  strong,  stern  face.  But,  says  Paul,  the  glory 
which  we  behold  sinks  inward,  and  changes  us,  as 
we  look,  into  its  own  image.  The  power  to  which 
is  committed  the  perfecting  of  our  characters  lies  in 
looking  upon  Jesus.  It  is  not  the  mere  beholding, 
but  the  gaze  of  love  and  trust  that  molds  us  bv 
silent  sympathy  into  the  likeness  of  his  wondrous 
beauty.  Love  makes  us  like.  We  learn  that  even 
in  our  earthly  relationships,  where  habitual  famil- 
iarity with  parents  and  dear  ones  stamps  some  tone 
of  voice  or  look,  or  little  peculiarity  of  gesture,  on  a 
whole  house.  And,  when  the  infinite  reverence  and 
aspiration  which  the  Christian  soul  cherishes  to  its 
Lord  are  superadded,  the  transforming  power  of 
loving  contemplation  of  Ilim  becomes  mighty  beyond 

all  analogies  in  human  friendship.     A.  M. There 

is  a  subtle  law  of  assimilation  whereby  man,  in  his 
deepest  life,  receives  an  impress  from  the  object  on 
which  his  gaze  is  habitually  fixed.  Those  who  gaze 
heavenward  are,  as  the  apostle  tells  us,  changed  by 
the  image  of  perfect  beauty  from  one  to  another 
degree  of  glory.  Those  who  look  downward  and 
earthward  receive  as  certainly  the  stamp  and  like- 
ness of  the  things  beneath  them ;  they  lose  their 
hold  by  a  progressive  declension  on  all  that  sub- 
limates and  ennobles  human  life.  They  sink  down- 
ward and  deeper,  till  at  length  they  positively  can 
see  before  them  nothing  but  the  animal,  gifted 
doubtless  with  strange  accomplishments,  yet,  after 
all  and  at  bottom,  only  the  self-seeking,  perishing 
animal.     H.  P.  L. 

Judaism  had  the  one  lawgiver  who  beheld  God, 
while  the  people  tarried  below.  Christianity  leads 
MS  all  to  the  mount  of  vision,  and  lets  the  lowliest 
pass  through  the  fences,  and  go  up  where  the  blaz- 
ing glory  is  seen.  Moses  veiled  the  face  that  shone 
with  the  irradiation  of  Deity.  We  with  unveiled 
face  are  to  shine  among  men.  He  had  a  momentary 
gleam,  a  transient  brightness  ;  we  have  a  perpetual 
light.  Moses's  face  shone,  but  the  luster  was  but 
skin  deep.  But  the  light  that  we  have  is  inward, 
and  works  transformation  into  its  own  likeness.  So 
there  is  here  set  forth  the  very  loftiest  conception 
of  the  Christian  life  as  direct  vision,  universal,  mani- 
fest to  men,  permanent,  transforming.    A.  M. 


356 


SECTION  280.— 2  GOEINTHIANS  4  : 1~U. 


Section  280. 

2    COEINTHIANS   iv.    1-14. 

1  Thekefoee  seeing  we  have  this  ministry,  as  we  have  received  mercy,  we  faint  not;  bat 

2  have  renounced  the  hidden  things  of  dishonesty,  not  walking  in  craftiness,  nor  handling  the 
word  of  God  deceitfully;   but  by  manifestation  of  the  truth  commending  ourselves  to 

3  every  man's  conscience  in  the  sight  of  God.     But  if  our  gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that 

4  are  lost :  in  whom  the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  which  believe 
not  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  should  shine 

5  unto  them.     For  we  preach  not  ourselves,  but  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord  ;  and  ourselves  your 

6  servants  for  Jesus'  sake.     For  God,  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness, 
hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the 

7  face  of  Jesus  Christ.    But  wo  have  this  treasure  in  earthen  vessels,  that  the  excellency  of 

8  the  power  may  be  of  God,  and  not  of  us.     We  are  troubled  on  every  side,  yet  not  distressed ; 

9  we  are  perplexed,  but  not  in  despair;  persecuted,  but  not  forsaken;  cast  down,  but  not 

10  destroyed;  always  bearing  about  in  the  body  the  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  the  life  also 

11  of  Jesus  might  be  made  manifest  in  our  body.     For  we  which  live  are  alway  delivered 
unto  death  for  Jesus'  sake,  that  the  life  also  of  Jesus  might  be  made  manifest  in  our  mortal 

12  flesh.     So  then  death  worketh  in  us,  but  life  in  you.     We  having  the  same  spirit  of  faith, 

13  according  as  it  is  written,  I  believed,  and  therefore  have  I  spoken;  we  also  believe,  and 

14  therefore  speak ;  knowing  that  he  which  raised  up  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  raise  up  us  also  by 
Jesus,  and  shall  present  iis  with  you. 

Not  only  will  our  fellowship  with  Christ  show  itself  in  our  characters,  and  beauty  born  of  that  com- 
rauuion  "  shall  pass  into  our  face,"  but  we  are  also  called  on,  as  Paul  puts  it  here,  to  make  direct  con- 
scious efforts  for  the  communication  of  the  light  which  we  behold.  God  hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  that 
we  might  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Christ  Jesus.  Away  with 
all  veils  !  No  reserve,  no  fear  of  the  consequences  of  plain  speaking  !  Our  power  and  our  duty  lie  in 
the  full  exhibition  of  the  truth.  We  are  only  clear  from  the  blood  of  men  when  we  make  sure  that  if 
any  of  it  be  hid  it  is  hid,  not  by  reason  of  obscurity  or  silence  on  our  parts,  but  only  by  reason  of  the 
blind  eyes,  before  which  the  full-orbed  radiance  gleams  in  vain.  All  this  is  as  true  for  every  one  possess- 
in"  that  universal  prerogative  of  seeing  the  glory  of  Christ  as  it  is  for  an  apostle.  The  business  of  all 
such  is  to  make  known  the  name  of  Jesus ;  and,  if  from  idleness,  or  carelessness,  or  selfishness,  they 
shirk  that  plain  duty,  they  are  counteracting  God's  very  purpose  in  shining  on  their  hearts,  and  going  far 
to  quench  the  light  which  they  darken.  Then,  Christian  men  and  women,  you  are  bound  to  manifest 
what  you  believe,  and  to  make  the  secret  of  your  lives,  in  so  far  as  possible,  an  open  secret.  Show  Him 
forth,  not  your  own  emotions  about  him.  Self-respect  and  reverence  for  the  sanctities  of  our  deepest 
emotions  forbid  our  proclaiming  these  from  the  house-tops.  Let  these  be  curtained  from  all  eyes  but 
God's,  but  let  no  folds  hang  before  the  picture  of  your  Saviour  that  is  drawn  on  your  heart.  See  to  it 
that  you  have  the  unveiled  face  turned  toward  Christ  to  be  irradiated  by  His  brightness,  and  the  unveiled 
face  turned  toward  men,  from  which  shall  shine  every  beam  of  the  light  which  you  have  caught  from 
your  Lord.    A.  M. 


1-4.  The  first  two  verses  of  this  chapter  con- 
tain the  principles  of  the  Christian  ministry ;  they 
embrace  its  motives — a  sense  of  mercy  and  a  sense 
of  hope;  they  declare  its  straightforwardness,  its 
scorn  of  craft  and  secrecy,  its  rejection  of  pious 
frauds  and  adroit  casuistry.  The  connection  of 
these  two  verses  with  the  third  is  through  the  word 
"  every."  For  a  reply  suggested  itself  to  Paul's 
mind  from  some  objector :  "  Every  man's  conscience 
has  not  acknowledged  the  truth  of  the  message, 
nor  the  heavenly  sincerity  of  the  messengers."     To 


which  the  apostle  answers.  The  exceptions  do  not 
weaken  the  truth  of  the  general  assertion ;  to  every 
man  whose  heart  is  in  a  healthy  state,  to  all  but  the 
blinded,  the  gospel  is  God's  light ;  and  those  to 
whom  it  is  not  light  are  themselves  dark,  for  the 
obscurity  is  in  themselves  and  not  in  the  truth. 
And  then,  having  replied  to  this  objection,  Paul 
proceeds  with  the  same  subject,  the  apostolic  min- 
istry.   F.  W.  R. 

2.  To  every  man's  conscience.     In  the 
original  structure  of  the  soul  there  is  an  unwritten 


SECTION  SSO.—S  COEmTHIANS  k  •  l-U- 


^57 


I  revelation  which  accords  with  the  external  revela- 
I  tion  of  Scripture.  Within  the  depths  of  the  heart 
there  is  a  silent  oracle  which  needs  only  to  be  rightly 
questioned  to  elicit  from  it  a  response  in  accordance 
with  that  voice  which  issues  from  the  lively  oracles 
of  God.  In  one  word,  the  appeal  of  Scripture  to  the 
unbiased  conscience  or  consciousness  of  man  is,  in 

great  part,  direct,  immediate,  irresistible.   Caird. 

It  can  not  be  that  the  ministrations  of  the  truth  are 
powerless  upon  the  conscience,  or  the  appeals  of  the 
"ospel  without  effect  upon  the  mind.  It  can  not  be 
that  the  providence  of  God  in  vain  seconds  these 
ministrations,  or  to  no  purpose  adds  its  enforce- 
ments to  the  truth.  Experience  has  proved  that 
uniformly  in  these  circumstances  thought  is  awak- 
ened, and  feeling  more  or  less  deep  is  kindled, 
and  that  men  have  evidence  within  them  of  the 
reality  of  that  mighty  agency  which  works  upon 
the  mind  and  heart  in  connection  with  a  preached 
gospel    E.  M. 

3>  Here  the  same  image  of  the  veil  is  again 
recurred  to.  It  ought  to  stand,  "  And  even  if  our 
gospel  is  veiled,  it  is  veiled  to  them  that  are  perish- 
ing."  A. Instead  of  reading,  "  But  if  our  gospel 

be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost,"  we  may  read, 
without  violating  any  of  the  rules  of  the  language, 
"  But  if  our  gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  by  these  perish- 
able objects,  by  which,"  etc.  The  same  word  is  used 
by  Christ  when  he  urges  that  we  labor  not  for  meat 
which  perisheth.  There  is  no  veil  on  the  gospel  as 
in  the  days  of  Moses.  If  there  is  any  veiling,  it  is 
done  by  the  god  of  this  world  interposing  those 
"  perishable  objects  "  that  he  may  secure  the  de- 
struction of  the  soul.     W.  A. 

4.  These  are  strong  words,  but  they  are  those 
of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  no  words  are  too  strong  to 
represent  the  absence  of  all  spiritual  light  in  most 
of  those  who  live  amid  the  clear  shining  of  Chris- 
tian day.  It  is  an  incantation,  and  the  illusory  pro- 
cess is  ascribed  to  the  evil  one.  Part  of  the  malady, 
and  its  most  fearful  symptom,  is  that  the  blind  man 

does  not  know  that  he  is  blind.     J.  W.  A. ^An 

awful  thought !  "  The  light  of  the  glorious  gospel " 
is  shut  out  by  ourselves  from  our  lives,  apart  even 
from  immortality.  For  worldliness  does  not  consist 
merely  in  distinct  acts,  nor  in  thoughts  of  trans- 
gression, but  it  is  the  spirit  of  a  whole  life,  which 
hides  all  that  is  invisible,  real,  and  eternal,  because 
it  is  devoted  to  the  visible,  the  transient,  and  the 
unreal.  Christ  and  the  world  can  not  exist  in  the 
same  heart.  Men  who  find  their  all  in  the  world — 
how  can  they,  fevered  by  its  business,  excited  by  its 
pleasures,  petrified  by  its  maxims,  see  God  in  his 
purity,  or  comprehend  the  calm  radiance  of  eter- 
nity  ?    F.  W.  R. 

5.  A  rush  for  your  praise  or  dispraise  of  us  ! 
only  receive  Jesus  Christ,  and  esteem  highly  of 


him,  and  it  is  enough.  We  preach  not  ourselves,  says 
the  apostle,  but  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord.  That  is  our 
errand,  not  to  catch  either  at  base  gain  or  vain  ap- 
plause for  ourselves,  but  to  exalt  our  Lord  Jesus  in 

the  hearts  of  men.     L. What  Paul  taught  was 

not  simply  "  God,  man,  nature,  law,  Supreme  will, 
benevolent  purpose,  all  right,  right  for  everybody." 
Nor  was  it  a  sentimental  Theism :  "  God,  man,  na- 
ture ;  love,  beauty,  trust,  song  ;  all  safe,  or  very  few 
having  anything  to  fear."  Nor  was  it  a  pure,  sim- 
ple. Christian  Theism :  "  God,  man,  law,  sin  ;  a  great 
prophet ;  a  loving  message ;  a  verbal  assurance  ; 
something  said,  taught ;  uttered  in  words,  confirmed 
and  ratified  by  miracle  and  martyrdom ;  a  declara- 
tion and  promise  ;  repentance  on  one  side,  securing 
of  itself  forgiveness  on  the  other."  It  was  not 
these,  or  anything  like  these  things.  It  might  in- 
clude something  belonging  to  them  all,  but  in  itself 
it  was  something  more.  It  was  the  assertion  of  a 
Divine  act,  not  merely  the  assurance  of  the  Divine 
disposition ;  a  work  done,  not  a  thing  said ;  some- 
thing transacted,  not  uttered  ;  something  embodied 
in  a  person  and  a  fact,  not  merely  breathed  forth 
and  clothed  in  speech.  It  was  a  supernatural  some- 
thing, something  done  by  God  in  raising  up  and 
sending  forth  a  Christ ;  something  done  by  the 
Christ  as  the  sent  of  God.  It  was  the  manifested 
might  of  a  Messiah,  not  merely  the  word  or  wisdom 
of  a  prophet,  however  inspired,  and  whatever  he 
might  reveal !     T.  B. 

6.  A  more  powerful  figure  of  illustration  could 
not  be  employed.  The  mind  goes  back  to  the  sub- 
lime days  of  creation ;  to  periods  when  no  sun, 
moon,  or  stars  beamed  upon  our  chaotic  globe,  and 
then  to  the  moment  when  light  was  born  out  of 
dread  obscurity.  Such  was  the  utter  darkness  of  the 
unrenewed  soul ;  such  is  the  work  of  grace.     J.  W. 

A. The  Gospel  did  not  make  God  our  Father  ;  it 

revealed  what  He  had  ever  been,  is,  and  ever  shall 
be ;  it  disclosed  him  as  a  Father ;  and  in  the  life  of 
Christ  the  love  of  God  has  become  intelligible  to 
us.  The  Gospel  threw  light  on  God :  light  unknown 
before,  even  to  the  holiest  hearts  among  the  Jews. 
"  Clouds  and  darkness  are  the  habitation  of  his 
seat,"  spoke  the  Old  Testament ;  "  God  is  light,  and 
in  him  is  no  darkness  at  all,"  declared  the  New. 
For  out  of  Christ  our  God  is  only  a  dark,  dim,  and 
dreadful  mystery.  There  is  only  an  awful  silence, 
which  is  never  broken  by  an  articulate  voice.  But 
all  is  brightness  in  the  Picdeemer's  life  and  death. 
The  Gospel  threw  light,  too,  upon  man's  own  na- 
ture. Man — a  dark  enigma,  a  contradiction  to  him- 
self, with  Godlike  aspirations  and  animal  cravings — 
asks  his  own  heart  in  terror,  "Am  I  a  god  or 
beast  ?  "  And  the  Gospel  answers :  "  You  are  a 
glorious  temple  in  ruins,  to  be  rebuilt  into  a  habita- 
tion of  God  and  the  Spirit,  your  soul  to  be  the  home 


358 


SECTIO^r  S80.—2  CORINTHIANS  4  : 1-U. 


of  the  Iligh  and  Holy  One,  your  body  to  be  the  tem- 
ple of  the  Holy  Ghost."  It  threw  light  upon  the 
grave;  for  "life  and  immortality"  were  "  brought 
to  light  through  the  gospel."  The  darkness  of  the 
tomb  was  irradiated,  and  the  things  of  that  undis- 
covered land  shone  clear  and  tranquil  then  to  the 
eye  of  faith ;  but  not  until  then,  for  immortality  be- 
fore was  but  a  mournful  perhaps.     F.  W.  R. 

Shined  in  our  hearts.  The  first  touch-  is 
that  of  God.  While  he  does  no  violence  to  free- 
dom ;  while  he  conducts  his  greatest  marvel  in  new 
creation  according  to  the  laws  he  has  ilnpressed  on 
the  human  mind ;  while  he  draws  by  the  bands  of 
a  man ;  while  he  allows  the  soul  to  move  agreeably 
to  vision  of  truth — it  is  God  who  begins.  It  is  the 
same  God  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness  that  hath  shined  in  our  hearts.  In  the 
first  motion  our  hearts  have  no  activity.  The  irra- 
diation is  of  God.  The  glory  of  God.  A  phrase 
which  in  Hebrew  idiom  brings  along  with  it  ideas  of 
surpassing  light,  such  as  transfigured  the  high  priest 
within  the  veil  when  it  radiated  from  the  cherubic 
propitiatory  throne.  Such  splendor  demands  a  cur- 
tain or  a  mirror  to  dim  and  modify  the  blaze  of 
godhead,  and  this  has  been  afforded  in  the  humanity 
of  the  Son  of  God.  From  amidst  the  central  and 
consuming  disk  of  insufferable  deity  there  smiles 
and  weeps  on  us  a  brother's  countenance.  It  is 
"  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ." 
Our  eye  confronts,  not  the  absolute  godhead,  but  the 
mirrored  and  subdued  glory  of  incarnation.  Let 
that  face,  in  that  glory,  by  that  light,  be  once  beheld, 
and  sight  melts  into  believing,  faith  expands  into 

salvation.     J.  W.  A. If    Christ  and  heaven  do 

not  fill  the  heart,  the  world  and  self  will ;  no  man 
can  get  self  out  but  by  letting  Christ  in ;  you  can 
not  possibly  remove  the  darkness  but  by  letting  in 
the  light ;  and  where  this  heavenly  light  is  not  ad- 
mitted to  reign  spiritual  depravity  and  darkness 
will  reign.     G.  B.  C. 

7.  The  great  Head  of  the  Church  has  ordained 
three  grand  repositories  of  his  truth.  In  the  Scrip- 
tures he  has  preserved  it  by  his  providence  against 
all  hostile  attacks.  In  the  hearts  of  Christians  he 
has  maintained  it  by  the  almighty  energy  of  his 
Spirit,  even  under  every  outward  token  of  general 
apostasy.  And  in  the  Christian  ministry  has  he  de- 
posited "the  treasure  in  earthen  vessels"  for  the 
edification  and  enriching  of  the  Church  in  successive 

ages.     Bridges. Christ's  ministers  are  no  more 

than  earthen  vessels,  which  derive  their  whole  im- 
portance from  the  preciousness  of  the  treasure  which 
they  contain ;  and  this  treasure  has  been  put  in  such 
frail  receivers  for  the  very  purpose  of  making  it 
thereby  the  more  manifest  that  the  whole  excellency 
of  the  power  felt  in  preaching  the  gospel  is  of  God 
and  not  of  m.    J.  S.  S. 


8-10.  On  the  one  side  we  see  feebleness,  trem- 
bling, ignorance,  perplexity,  a  dying  body,  earthen 
vessels ;  on  the  other  side,  strength,  courage,  the 
demonstration  of  the  Spirit,  the  excellency  of  the 
power,  the  immortal  life  of  Christ.  In  that  con- 
trast, made  a  personal  experience  in  our  Christian 
discipline,  lie  the  trial  of  character,  the  ministry  of 
temptation,  the  shame  and  splendor  of  the  cross 
and  the  victory  of  faith  which  overcometh  the  world. 
Something  like  this  we  are  continually  seeing,  as  the 
common  working  of  God's  Spirit,  in  the  characters 
of  men.  Not  one  in  fifty  of  those  who  have  their 
hearts  made  alive  and  earnest  for  Christian  service 
are  led  that  way  by  increased  prosperity,  by  high 
health,  by  having  their  own  way,  by  any  personal 
advantages  whatever.  How  many  there  are  who 
first  take  firmly  hold  of  the  everlasting  Hand,  when 
they  have  felt  all  around  them  in  the  dark  and  could 
find  no  other  hand !    F.  D.  H. 

10.  It  is  in  vain  for  us  to  say  that  we  are  rely- 
ing on  Christ,  unless  Christ  be  in  us,  slaying  the 
old  man  and  quickening  the  new.  The  one  test  of 
true  faith  is  the  inward  possession  of  the  Lord's 
Spirit ;  and  between  the  sacrifice  on  the  cross  and 
me  the  sinful  man  there  is  no  real  union  effected, 
nor  any  imputation  and  transference  of  merits,  un- 
less with  it,  proof  of  it,  and  consequence  of  it — and 
proof  of  it  because  consequence  of  it — there  be  hke- 
wise  the  flowing  over  from  the  cross  to  me  of  the 
life  that  was  in  him  and  of  the  death  that  he  died. 
A.  M. 

11.  Paul  could  bear  to  look  on  his  own  decay  ; 
it  was  but  the  passing  of  the  human ;  and,  mean- 
time, there  was  ever  going  on  within  him  the 
strengthening  of  the  Divine.  Thus  his  own  con- 
tracted, isolated  existence  was  gone ;  it  had  been 
absorbed  into  communion  with  a  higher  life  ;  it  had 
been  dignified  by  its  union  with  the  life  of  lives. 
Pain  was  sacred,  since  Christ  had  also  suffered. 
Life  became  grand  when  viewed  as  a  repetition  of 
the  life  of  Christ.  The  apostle  lived,  "  always  bear- 
ing about  in  the  body  the  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
that  the  life  also  of  Jesus  might  be  made  manifest 
in  "  his  "  mortal  flesh."     F.  W.  R. 

13.  Spirituality  is  always  fresh,  always  vital, 
always  real.  No  soul  that  has  been  touched  with 
the  simple  majesty  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount, 
that  has  sat  at  the  feet  of  the  truthful  Jesus,  that 
takes  its  spiritual  draughts  from  that  fountain  of 
which  if  a  man  drink  he  shall  never  thirst  again, 
can  consent  to  affront  the  eternal  veracity  by  offer- 
ing as  a  plea  for  piety,  or  a  prayer  to  the  Father,  a 
hollow  phrase,  a  sanctimonious  manner,  a  technical 
expostulation,  a  language  caught  from  the  ancient 
lips  of  faith,  but  emptied  of  all  its  living  significance 
and  dwindled  now  into  the  drivel  of  make-believe. 
Paul's  Justification  of  his  apostlcship,  "  I  believed, 


SECTION  281.— 2  CORINTHIAN'S  k  :  13-18;  5  : 1-10. 


359 


and  therefore  have  I  spoken,"  is  the  only  de- 
cent pretext  for  any  preaching  or  any  prayer.  F. 
D.H. 

Strong  belief  makes  strong  characters.  We  see 
this  in  common  life.  The  man  who  clings  to  some 
great  conviction,  even  though  it  be  of  error,  becomes 
a  man  of  energy.  lie  has  a  hidden  fire  perpetually 
urging  him  to  act.  His  motive  power  is  sometimes 
wonderful  to  all  beholders.  Genuine  belief  propels 
its  subject  to  a  degree  far  beyond  all  that  can  be 
imitated  by  simulation  and  hypocrisy.  The  fixed 
idea  is  always  driving  on  the  wheels  of  fervid  action. 
Men  are  strong  and  influential  just  so  far  as  they 
have  some  immovable  conviction,  s  ome  urgent  be- 
lief.   And  their  strength  lies  in  the  precise  direction 


of  this  their  inward  judgment.  It  ought  to  encour- 
age every  believer  who  has  a  strong  conviction. 
Let  the  truth  which  lies  within  his  breast  be  raised 
to  a  red  heat,  and  its  influence  becomes  decisive. 
Where  the  truths  which  animate  him  are  grand 
truths — where  he  holds  them  with  a  grasp  that 
nothing  can  disengage  or  relax — where  his  soul  is 
steeped  in  them  day  and  night — where  he  delights 
in  them — communication  follows  spontaneously. 
Out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth  speak- 
eth,  the  manner  speaketh,  the  behavior  speaketh, 
the  very  visage  speaketh.  A  man  full  of  faith  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  sends  forth  influence  at  every 
pore.  His  whole  body  is  full  of  light,  which  he 
radiates  on  every  side.     J.  W.  A. 


Section   281. 

2  CoEmTHiAxs  iv.  15-18 ;  v.  1-10. 

15  For  all  things  are  for  your  sakes,  that  the  abundant  grace  might  through  the  thanksgiv- 

16  ing  of  many  redound  to  the  glory  of  God.     For  which  cause  we  faint  not;  hut  though  our 

17  outward  man  perish,  yet  the  inward  man  is  renewed  day  by  day.     For  our  light  alBiction, 
which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 

18  glory;  while  we  look  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the  things  which  are  not 
seen :  for  the  things  which  are  seen  are  temporal ;  but  the  things  which  are  not  seen  are 

1  eternal.    For  we  know  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have 

2  a  building  of  God,  an  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens.     For  in  this  we 

3  groan,  earnestly  desiring  to  be  clothed  upon  with  our  house  which  is  from  heaven :  if  so  be 

4  that  being  clothed  we  shall  not  be  found  naked.     For  we  that  are  in  this  tabernacle  do 
gi'oan,  being  burdened ;  not  for  that  we  would  be  unclothed,  but  clothed  upon,  that  mor- 

5  tality  might  be  swallowed  up  of  life.     Now  he  that  hath  wrought  us  for  the  selfsame  thing 

6  is  God,  who  also  hath  given  unto  us  the  earnest  of  the  spirit.     Therefore  we  are  always  con- 

7  fident,  knowing  that,  whilst  we  are  at  home  in  the  body,  we  are  absent  from  the  Lord  :  (for 

8  we  walk  by  faith,  not  by  sight:)  we  are  confident,  I  say,  and  willing  rather  to  be  absent 

9  from  the  body,  and  to  be  present  with  the  Lord.    Wherefore  we  labour,  that,  whether  present 
10  or  absent,  we  may  be  accepted  of  him.     For  we  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment  seat 

of  Christ ;  that  every  one  may  receive  the  things  done  in  his  body,  according  to  that  he 
hath  done,  whether  it  te  good  or  bad. 


Before  every  man,  on  his  right  hand  and  on  his  left,  thronging,  clamorous,  and  importunate,  are  the 
things  "  seen  and  temporal "  ;  those  single  fads,  those  special  occasions  which  urge  themselves  upon  his 
regard,  but  always  with  a  false  argument,  because  it  is  a  partial  argument.  But  there  are  also  within 
the  knowledge  of  every  man  more  or  less  distinctly  the  things  "  unseen  and  eternal,"  or  those  universal 
and  unalterable  truths  which  must  in  the  end  rule  his  destiny  for  the  better  or  the  worse.  To  follow  and 
to  comply  with  the  solicitations  of  the  things  "  seen  and  temporal  "  is,  in  all  cases,  and  with  an  infallible 
certainty,  to  go  on  toward  damage,  overthrow,  misery.  Nothing  can  avert  the  ruin,  nothing  dissolve  the 
connection  between  the  course  and  its  issue,  if  that  course  be  persisted  in.  But,  on  the  contrary,  to  draw 
our  motives  from  those  principles  that  are  universal,  "  unseen  and  eternal "  is  to  follow  a  road  which,  by 
a  like  infallible  necessity,  leads  to  perfection  and  felicity.  The  line  of  truth  and  virtue  is  always  (find  it 
where  we  may)  a  line  drawn  from  the  circumference  to  the  center  ;  and  to  no  other  center  than  that  of 
the  divine  purity  and  blessedness.  Scriptures,  by  a  multitude  of  intelligible  decisions,  adapted  to  all  occa- 
sions, distinguish  between  the  things  seen  and  temporal  and  those  that  are  unseen  and  eternal ;  and  to 
take  them  always  as  our  directory  is  to  walk  upon  a  path  which,  whether  rugged  or  smooth,  overshadowed 
or  illuminated,  shall  bring  us  at  length  to  immortality  and  joy.     I.  T. 


360 


SECTION  281.— 2  CORINTHIANS  4  ;  15-18;  5  : 1-10. 


15.  The  teaching  of  Christ  contemplated  the 
coming  of  a  day  for  his  disciples  in  which  many 
things  should  be  said  to  them  which  they  could  not 
bear  then.  In  the  later  teaching  that  day  is  come. 
At  first  they  are  taught  as  those  who  arc  tuith  Jesus, 
afterward  as  those  who  are  in  Christ.  They  know 
now  that  he  is  in  the  Father,  and  they  in  him,  and 
he  in  them.  When  that  consciousness  is  given,  a 
standing-point  is  reached  from  which  new  worlds  of 
thought  may  be  surveyed.  They  are  surveyed  in 
the  Epistles,  and  there  the  chosen  teachers  spread 
before  us  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.  They 
say  to  us,  "  Of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus  "  ;  and 
they  show  us  what  that  state  implies,  of  capacities, 
possessions,  responsibilities,  duties,  and  destinies; 
of  relations  to  God  and  man,  of  connection  with 
things  in  earth  and  things  in  heaven.  They  show 
that  to  produce  and  to  perfect  this  state  are  the 
ends  of  the  preaching  of  the  word,  of  the  institution 
of  the  sacraments,  of  the  ordinance  of  the  ministry, 
of  the  life  and  order  of  the  Church ;  yea,  of  the 
divine  government  of  the  world,  and  of  all  that  bears 
on  human  history :  "  All  things  are  for  your  sakes." 
T.  D.  B. 

16.  By  "  the  outward  man  "  is  meant  the  body 
— the  body  with  its  physical,  organic,  natural  life. 
"  The  inward  man "  is  not  the  soul  merely — the 
spiritual  part  of  our  constitution  as  distinct  from 
the  material — it  is  that,  as  animated  by  that  new 
and  divine  life  which  belongs  to  the  regenerate. 
"  The  inward  man  is  renewed  day  by  day.''''  This 
language  not  only  implies  that  daily  or  regular  re- 
newal is  needed,  but  that  it  can  be  had,  and  that  it 
is  the  will  of  Christ  that  it  should  be  had.  There  is 
a  daily  waste  of  spiritual  enei'gy  which  makes  neces- 
sary to  us  a  daily  renewal.  The  Christian  is  not 
only  called  to  duty  and  service  which  may  in  one 
sense  invigorate  while  in  another  they  exhaust ;  he 
is  exposed  to  temptations  which  may  suddenly  take 
him  at  an  advantage,  to  perils  and  dangers  which 
he  may  not  always  pass  through  unhurt.  All  this 
occasions  a  sense  of  exhaustion,  which  needs  to  be 
met  by  a  fresh  supply  of  Divine  strength.  Every 
new  day  brings  with  it  its  demand  for  service,  and 
its  exposures  to  peril.  The  grace  of  yesterday  will 
not  do  for  to-day ;  the  strength  of  yesterday  was 
needed  for  itself,  and  was  expended,  we  may  hope, 
in  doing  whatever  the  day  required.  It  will  not  be 
possible  to  meet  the  demands  of  a  new  morning  in 
the  wasted  condition  in  which  the  man  may  have 
been  left  on  the  preceding  night.  Hence  the  force 
of  the  apostle's  expression,  and  its  beauty  also,  in 
presenting  us  with  the  idea  of  the  renewal  of  the 
inward  man  day  by  day.     T.  B. 

As  a  man  does  not  make  himself  spiritually  alive, 
so  neither  can  he  keep  himself  so.  He  can  feed  on 
spiritual  food,  and  so  preserve  his  spiritual  strength ; 


he  can  walk  in  the  commandments  of  the  Lord,  and 
so  enjoy  rest  and  peace ;  but  still  the  inner  life  is 
dependent  upon  the  Spirit  as  much  for  its  after  ex- 
istence as  for  its  first  begetting.     C.  H.  S. That 

divine  fire  kindled  within  them  is  daily  refining  and 
sublimating  them.  Life  from  their  Lord  is  still 
flowing  and  causing  them  grow,  abating  the  power 
of  sin,  strengthening  a  fainting  faith,  quickening  a 
languishing  love,  teaching  the  soul  the  ways  of 
wounding  strong  corruptions  and  fortifying  its  weak 
graces;  yea,  in  wonderful  ways,  raising  them  by 
their  falls,  and  strengthening  them  by  their  very 
troubles  ;  working  them  up  to  humility  and  vigilance, 
and  sending  them  to  Christ  for  strength  by  the  ex- 
perience of  their  weaknesses  and  failings.     L. 

This  remains  the  law  of  life :  daily  renewal.  Where 
no  renewal  of  the  Holy  Ghost  takes  place,  there  the 
hand  of  faith  is  a  withered  hand,  which  can  neither 
hold  the  old  grace  nor  grasp  the  new ;  there  tears 
of  repentance  are  at  best  but  tears  of  duty,  or  of  a 
self-righteous  deception  of  the  soul.  Ye  who  go 
about  with  the  withered  hand  of  faith  and  the  dying 
fire  of  love,  ye  have  neglected  the  law  of  life — daily 
renewal.     A.  C. 

17.  Paul  recounts  his  manifold  trials  as  things 
that  had  done  him  good,  wherein  he  only  gloried. 
In  the  full  strength  and  at  the  lofty  height  of  his 
joyous  Christian  life  he  speaks  of  these  tribulations 
as  working  out  present  Christian  graces  and  future 
Christian  glories — as  if  from  the  very  gate  of  heav- 
en, casting  a  brief  glance  downward  upon  all  that 
troublous  sea  of  conflict  and  agony,  "  These  light 
afflictions  which  are  but  for  a  moment !  "  and  then 
lifting  his  eyes  upward,  crying,  "  That  far  more  ex- 
ceeding and  eternal  weight  of  glory.''''     C.  W. 

These  sufferings  are  but  temporary,  nay,  but  moment- 
ary, this  glory  eternal.  What  heart  is  big  enough 
to  comprehend  the  full  sense  of  these  words  ?  How 
might  I  dwell  upon  every  syllable,  light  affliction, 
weighty  glory,  exceeding  weight ;  affliction  for  a  mo- 
ment, eternal  weight  of  glory !     Howe. The  glory 

above  is  true  real  glory,  and  bears  weight,  and  so 
bears  aright  the  name  of  glory,  which  in  the  Hebrew 
signifies'  weight ;  and  the  apostle's  expression  seems 
to  allude  to  that  sense.  Speaking  of  this  same  glory 
to  come,  he  calls  it  a  far  more  excellent  tveight  of 
glory.  It  weighs  down  all  labor  and  sufferings  in 
the  way,  so  far  that  they  are  not  worth  the  speaking 
of  in  respect  of  it.  Other  glory  is  over-spoke,  but 
this  glory,  over-glorious  to  be  duly  spoke,  it  exceeds 
and  rises  above  all  that  can  be  spoke  of  it.     L. 

Afflictions  speak  convincingly.  Many  a  poor 
Christian  is  sometimes  bending  his  thoughts  to 
wealth,  or  flesh-pleasing,  or  applause,  and  so  loses 
his  relish  of  Christ  and  the  joy  above,  till  God  break 
in  upon  his  riches,  or  children,  or  conscience,  or 
health,  and  break   down  his  mountain   which  he 


SECTION  281.— 3  COEmTHIANS  4:15-18;  5:1-10. 


361 


thought  so  strong.  And  then,  when  he  lieth  in 
Manasseh's  fetters,  or  is  fastened  to  his  bed  with 
pining  sickness,  the  world  is  nothing,  and  heaven  is 
something.  If  our  dear  Lord  did  not  put  these  thorns 
under  our  head,  toe  should  sleep  out  our  lives,  and 

lose  our  glory.     Bax. Our  afflictions  work  out 

blessing  for  us,  not  only  because  there  is  laid  up  a 
reward  for  the  afflicted  according  to  the  measure  of 
affliction,  but  because  afflictions  make  the  heart  more 
deep,  more  experimental,  more  knowing  and  pro- 
found, and  so  more  able  to  hold  and  contain  more. 
Bun. 

18.  Not  at  the  things  seen.  The  apostle 
looks  not  on  the  things  that  are  temporal,  even  while 
admiring  the  display  in  them  of  God's  invisible  and 
eternal  reahties.  lie  looks  on  them  only  as  seeing 
through ;  uses  them  only  as  a  medium  of  training, 
exercise,  access  unto  God.  ■  Their  value  to  him  is 
not  in  what  they  are  but  in  what  they  signify. 
Thus  it  is  a  true  use  of  things  temporal,  that  they 
are  to  put  us  under  the  constant  all-dominating  im- 
pression of  things  eternal.  And  we  are  to  live  in 
them,  as  in  a  transparency,  looking  through,  every 
moment,  and  in  all  life's  works  and  ways,  acting 
through,  into  the  grand  reality-world  of  the  life  to 

come.    H.  B. At  the  things  not  seen.    The 

man  like  Paul  that  admits  and  believes  in  a  world 
of  truth  and  duty  and  spiritual  reality,  who  con- 
verses daily  with  the  invisible  and  the  eternal ;  a 
man  to  whom  all  the  material  universe  is  but  a  glass 
through  which  the  soul  reads  lessons  of  hope  and 
faith  and  love;  one  whose  eye  ranges  beyond  the 
horizon  of  time  and  sense,  and  takes  in  an  infinite 
prospect ;  one  who  sinks  the  body  into  subservience 
to  the  spirit,  and  who  makes  all  the  experience  of 
life,  its  pains  and  pleasures,  toil  and  rest,  trials  and 
triumphs,  help  to  the  development  of  a  holy  life  and 
preparation  for  final  blessedness :  such  a  one  is 
carrying  out  God's  plan  in  his  education.  He  looks 
to  things  that  are  unseen.     E.  H.  G. 

Things  not  seen  are  eternal.  If  there  be 
anything  in  the  world  eternal,  then  that  which  is 
perishable,  even  though  it  may  last  for  many  years 
or  many  ages,  must  become  infinitely  insignificant 
in  comparison.  Conceive  of  things  eternal,  and  we 
are  at  once  in  the  presence  of  God.  There  is  a  love 
and  there  is  a  work  which  shall  not  pass  away — a 
love  which  may  be  felt  daily  ;  a  work  which  may  be 
done  daily.  Surely  we  do  not  live  without  loving 
some  one ;  but  all  our  love,  pure  as  it  is,  will  cer- 
tainly pass  away  if  we  do  not  love  God.  Certainly 
there  will  be  a  time  when  those  who  do  not  love  God 
will  love  no  one  at  all,  nor  be  loved  by  any  one. 
Nor  do  we  live  without  doing  something ;  nor  yet, 
even  the  happiest  of  us,  without  having  something 
to  bear.  A  work  of  infinite  vanity,  a  suffering  of 
endless  increase,  unless  we  work  in  Christ,  and  bear 


with  Christ  and  for  Christ  and  through  Christ ;  but 
a  work  never  to  perish,  a  suffering  yielding  a  multi- 
plied harvest  of  blessing,  if  we  work  and  suffer  as 
the  heirs  of  life  eternal ;  if  we  firmly  believe  that 
there  are  things  which  shall  not  pass  away.     T.  A. 

1*  " //oMse  of  this  tabernacle''''  should  be  "tab- 
ernacle wherein  we  dwell."  The  introduction  of  the 
word  "  house  "  here  sadly  mars  the  imagery.  The 
apostle  was  a  tent-ms!kcv  ;  and  the  tents  were  made 
of  the  Cilician  haircloth,  which  was  also  used  for 
clothing.  Hence  the  mingling  of  the  images  of 
dwelling  and  clothing,  which  in  our  version  is  unin- 
telligible, because  we  do  not  wear  the  materials  of 
which  houses  are  built.  "  Of  God "  should  be 
"from  God."  And  after  '■'■eternal''^  a  comma 
should  be  placed.     A. 

1-4.  Is  it  not  as  easy  to  raise  the  dead  as  to 
make  heaven,  and  earth,  and  all — of  nothing  ?  Look 
not  on  the  dead  bones,  and  dust,  and  difficulty,  but 
at  the  promise.  Let  us  lie  down  in  peace  and  take 
our  rest ;  it  will  not  be  an  everlasting  night  nor  end- 
less sleep.  If  unclothing  be  the  thing  thou  fearest, 
it  is  that  thou  mayest  have  better  clothing.  If  to 
be  turned  out  of  doors  be  the  thing  thou  fearest, 
I'emember  that  when  the  earthly  house  is  dissolved 
thou  hast  a  building  of  God,  eternal  in  the  heavens. 

Bax. If  these  things  were  apprehended  and  laid 

hold  on,  Christ  made  ours,  and  the  first  resurrection 
manifest  in  us,  were  we  quickened  by  his  Spirit  to 
newness  of  life,  certainly  there  would  not  be  a  more 
welcome  and  refreshing  thought,  nor  a  sweeter  dis- 
course to  us,  than  that  of  death  ;  and  no  matter  for 
the  kind  of  it.  Welcome  shall  that  day  be,  that  day 
of  deliverance !  To  be  out  of  this  woful  prison,  I 
regard  not  at  what  door  I  go  out,  being  at  once 
freed  from  so  many  deaths,  and  let  in  to  enjoy  Him 

who  is  my  life.     L. Let  dissolution  come  when 

it  will,  it  can  do  the  Christian  no  harm  ;  for  it  will 
be  but  only  a  passage  out  of  a  prison  into  a  palace ; 
out  of  trouble  into  rest ;  to  an  innumerable  company 
of  true,  loving,  and  faithful  friends  ;  into  exceeding 
great  and  eternal  glory.     Bun. 

If  the  grave  is  becoming  populous,  so  is  the 
region  of  life  and  light  beyond  its  confines.  That 
better  land  in  one  sense  is  becoming  less  and  less  un- 
known. The  distance  diminishes  as  the  avenues  are 
multiplying,  along  which  throng  holy  desires,  earnest 
sympathies,  longing  aspirations.  That  is  not  the 
world  of  doubts  and  phantoms.  It  is  by  eminence  the 
land  of  life  and  of  conscious  existence.  Its  happy 
shores  are  even  now  thronged  hj  earthly  natures,  per- 
fected in  love,  happy  in  final  exemption  from  sin ;  who 
still,  from  the  very  necessity  of  the  sympathizing  re- 
membrances with  which  their  bosoms  overflow,  cast 
down  looks  of  loving  solicitude  to  their  old  friends 
and  companions,  and  would,  if  it  were  possible,  break 
the  mysterious  silence,  and  utter  audible  voices  of 


362 


SECTION'  281.— 2  COEmTHIANS  4:15-18;  5:1-10. 


encouragement,  and  reach  forth  signals  of  welcome. 
These,  in  the  view  of  faith,  are  undoubted  realities, 
facts  which  have  a  stable  foundation,  truths  most 
comprehensive  and  fruitful.  The  contemplation  of 
these  realities  serves  to  give  new  vigor  to  faith,  a 
fresh  reality  to  that  communion  of  which  Christ  is 
the  source  and  the  center;  to  enable  one  to  feel 
that,  however  weak  and  unworthy  he  may  be,  he  is 
still  a  citizen  of  a  mighty  commonwealth,  an  inmate 
of  an  imperial  household,  connected  by  bonds  over 
which  chance  and  time  and  death  have  no  power, 
with  those  who  are  now  pillars  in  the  temple  of 
God.     B.  B.  E. 

6.  Absent  from  the  Lord.  If  you  have  in- 
deed laid  Christ,  God-man,  for  your  foundation,  then 
you  do  lay  the  hope  of  your  felicity  and  joy  on  this, 
that  the  Son  of  Mary  is  now  absent  from  his  chil- 
dren in  his  person  and  humanity,  making  interces- 
sion for  them  and  for  thee  in  the  presence  of  his 
Father.  And  the  reason  that  thou  canst  rejoice 
hereat  is,  because  thou  hast  not  only  heard  of  it 
with  thine  ear,  but  dost  enjoy  the  sweet  hope  and 
faith  of  it  in  thy  heart ;  which  hope  and  faith  are 
begotten  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ.     Bun. 

7.  We  all  of  us  either  live  by  faith  or  by  sight ; 
either  upon  things  heavenly  or  things  earthly.  If 
upon  the  former,  let  us  go  forward  ;  on  the  word  of 
a  God,  everlasting  glory  is  before  us.  But  if  upon 
the  latter,  alas,  our  store  will  be  soon  exhausted ! 

A.  Fuller. Not  by  sight.    Not  yet,  not  yet  can 

we  behold  face  to  face  !  Few  eyes  have  seen  deeper 
into  God's  majestic  disclosures  than  those  piercing 
ones  that  looked  out  from  under  the  dark  Hebrew 
brow  of  the  Christian  historian,  Neander.  But  this 
was  the  motto  that  he  kept  inscribed  on  his  study 
wall,  making  his  library  to  open  upward  into  heaven : 
"Now  we  see  through  a  glass  darkly,  but  then  face 

to  face."    F.  D.  H. After  all,  faith  is  life.    Sight 

is  royalty  ;  but  in  order  to  reign,  and  before  reign- 
ing, it  is  necessary  to  live ;  and  sight  is  glory  and 
felicity  only  to  him  to  whom  long  before  seeing  it 

has  been  given  to  believe.    A.  V. We  read  that 

death  shall  be  swallowed  up  in  victory,  but  never 
that  faith  shall  be  swallowed  up  in  sight.  So  far  is 
this  from  being  the  case,  that  in  reality  the  sight 
which  the  soul  shall  enjoy  in  heaven  will  only  pre- 
pare it  for  the  exercise  of  still  greater  faith,  and 
faith  must  continue  to  be  the  life  of  the  soul  for 
ever.  Faith  will  indeed  cease  in  regard  to  certain 
things,  of  which  there  will  be  experience.  But  that 
absolute  knowledge^  for  which  the  soul  is  prepared 
by  a  life  of  faith  here,  is  to  be  the  ground,  in  con- 
nection with  this  precious  discipline,  of  still  higher 
faith  hereafter.     G.  B.  C, 

8.  We  are  confident.  There  is  such  a  thing 
as  Christian  assurance.  We  may  not  feel  it ;  but 
we  must  not  lower  the  standard  of  Christian  attain- 


ment to  suit  our  narrow  lives.  To  Paul,  ever  on  the 
brink  of  that  world  to  come,  his  own  immortality  of 
blessedness  was  no  peradventure.  It  was  not  a  mat- 
ter of  doubt  with  him  whether  he  was  Christ's  or 

not.      F.  W.  R. Surely  the  walk  through  the 

earthly  life  is  very  calm  and  peaceful  when  one  has 
nothing  to  fear,  but  everything  to  hope ;  when  by 
faith  the  sting  is  taken  from  death,  by  the  fear  of 
which  countless  men  are  slaves  for  their  whole  life ; 
when  the  natural  dread  of  this  great,  wondrous 
event  is  swallowed  up  in  the  joyful  courage  of  Chris- 
tian hope,  which  sees  in  death  only  a  birth  into  a 
more  perfect  life.  Those  who  long  for  home  know 
that  to  them  beyond  death  life  is  made  sure,  in  com- 
munion with  Him  who  says  to  his  disciples :  "  Be- 
cause I  live,  ye  shall  live  also."  Yes,  "  we  are  al- 
ways confident,"  whether  in  life  or  in  death.  With 
calm  longing,  our  glance  rests  upon  the  blessed 
home  which  lies  before  us,  and  life  appears  to  us 
peaceful,  and  death  sweet.  The  thorns  of  our  pil- 
grim-path no  longer  wound  us,  and  the  entrance  to 
the  Father's  house  is  no  more  narrow  and  fearful. 
The  waste  blooms  into  a  garden  of  the  Lord,  and 
the  dark  valley  becomes  a  light,  lovely  path.  With 
refreshing  peace  within,  praising  God  with  heart  and 
mouth,  we  joyfully  walk  toward  the  beloved  home. 
Muller. 

9.  Wherefore  we  labor.  Men  intensely  con- 
scious of  their  own  heavenly  immortality,  and  pro- 
foundly in  love  with  it,  will  act  with  an  inextinguish- 
able earnestness  in  behalf  of  fellow-men  destined 
also  to  live  for  ever ;  in  behalf  of  fellow-men  under 
an  eternal  government ;  invested  with  eternal  duties ; 
constructed  for  eternal  purity ;  susceptible  of  eter- 
nal happiness ;  exposed  to  eternal  woes.  What 
ardor  of  zeal  and  action,  what  pressure  of  responsi- 
bility attends  the  man  who  knows  he  is  doing  now, 
and  is  constantly  to  do  hereafter,  eternal  deeds  in 
behalf  of  eternal  spirits.  He  is  in  fact,  and  he  feels 
himself  to  be,  an  associate  worker  with  the  Deity, 
in  a  sphere  crowded  with  objects  immeasurable  and 
interests  unending  and  infinite.  His  whole  great 
soul  is  given  to  the  Lord's  service.      WJdte. 

10.  We  mnst  all  appear.  The  words  should 
be  rendered,  "  we  must  all  be  manifested  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ" — a  far  more  searching 
thought.  If  we  were  to  employ  a  homely  expression 
and  say,  "  turned  inside  out,"  it  would  exactly  ex- 
press the  intention  of  Paul :  all  that  is  inward  now, 
and  thus  hidden,  becoming  outward  then ;  all  secret 
things  searched  out ;  every  mask  stripped  off;  every 
disguise  torn  away ;  whatever  any  man's  work  has 
been,  that  day  declaring  it ;  for  it  shall  be  eminently 
a  day  of  tinveiling,  or  drawing  back  the  veil  which 
now  covers  and  conceals  so  much.  It  shall  be  a 
day  of  revelation,  in  respect  of  the  hidden  things  of 
glory  and  of  shame,    T. 


SECTION  282.-2  COEINTHIANS  5  :  11-21. 


363 


In  the  body.  It  is  not  for  what  we  have  done 
(taking  the  word  in  its  literal  meaning)  that  we 
shall  be  judged,  but  for  what  we  have  willed,  in 
other  words,  done  internally ;  that  is,  for  the  actions 
of  our  soul.  It  is  not  said  that  we  shall  receive 
according  to  what  we  have  done  wiih  our  body,  but 
according  to  what  we  shall  have  done  bchiff  in  the 
body.  But  in  every  case  it  is  the  internal  action 
which  will  be  judged,  the  heart  which  will  be 
sifted.    A.  V. 

Good  or  bad.  As  sin  is  sin,  everywhere  and 
in  all  forms,  the  respectable  and  the  unrespectable, 
the  same  in  principle,  and,  when  the  appearances 
are  different,  the  same  often  in  criminality,  the  world 
of  future  retribution  must,  of  course,  be  a  world  of 
strange  companionships.  We  are  expressly  told,  and 
it  seems  a  matter  of  reason  also  to  suppose,  that  the 
spirits  of  guilty  men  will  not  be  assorted  there  by 
their  tastes,  but  by  their  character  and  demerits. 
Death  is  the  limit  and  end  of  all  mere  convention- 
alities. The  fictitious  assortments  of  the  earthly 
state  never  pass  that  limit.  Rank,  caste,  fashion, 
disgust,  fastidiousness,  delicacy  of  sin — these  are 
able  to  draw  their  social  lines  no  longer.  Proxim- 
ity now  is  held  to  the  stern,  impartial  principle  of 
inward  demerit,  that  all  may  receive  according  to  the 


deeds  done  in  the  body.  This  is  the  level  of  adjust- 
ment, and  there  appears  to  be  no  other.     H.  B. 

If  the  government  of  Jesus  Christ  over  men  is  to  be 
revealed  on  that  day,  it  is  clear  that  all  men  with- 
out exception  must  be  judged.  So  linked,  indeed, 
is  the  history  of  each  man  with  that  of  others ;  so 
necessarily  is  each  man's  condition  and  character 
affected  by  that  of  all  who  have  gone  before  him, 
up  to  his  first  parents ;  so  truly  do  all  human  beings 
make  up  one  race,  one  family,  from  the  life  of  each 
being  more  or  less  connected  with  that  of  all,  that 
the  knowledge  of  the  real  history  of  even  one  man 
almost  implies  an  examination  into  the  real  history 
of  the  whole  human  race.     N.  M. 

The  Scriptures  do  not  deal  much  in  elaborate 
descriptions  of  that  great  Day  of  reckoning,  or  of 
the  sufferings  beyond.  What  they  are  earnest  to 
have  us  all  know,  and  feel,  and  remember,  is,  that 
there  is  a  reckoning,  and  that  the  justice  and  love 
of  the  Son  of  God  and  Son  of  man  will  control  and 
guide  it.  What  they  would  make  certain  to  us 
is  that  our  everlasting  life  is  in  actual  peril  from 
our  daily  temptations,  that  the  Judge  is  just,  and 
that  there  can  be  no  change  in  his  judgment. 
Grounded  in  these  certainties,  their  one  entreaty  is, 
"Be  ye  ready."    F.  D.  H. 


Section  282. 

2  Corinthians  v.  11-21. 


11  Knowing  therefore  the  terror  of  the  Lord,  we  persuade  men  ;  hut  we  are  made  manifest 

12  unto  God ;  and  I  trust  also  are  made  manifest  in  your  consciences.     For  we  commend  not 
ourselves  again  unto  you,  but  give  you  occasion  to  glory  on  our  behalf,  that  ye  may  have 

13  somewhat  to  ansicer  them  which  glory  in  appearance,  and  not  in  heart.     For  whether  we 

14  be  beside  ourselves,  it  is  to  God :  or  whether  we  be  sober,  it  is  for  your  cause.    For  the 
love  of  Christ  constraineth  us ;  because  we  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were 

15  all  dead :  and  that  he  died  for  all,  that  they  which  live  should  not  henceforth  live  unto  them- 

16  selves,  but  unto  him  which  died  for  them,  and  rose  again.     Wherefore  henceforth  know  we 
no  man  after  the  flesh :  yea,  though  we  have  known  Christ  after  the  flesh,  yet  now  hence- 

17  forth  know  we  Jmn  no  more.     Therefore  if  any  man  ie  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature : 

18  old  things  are  passed  away ;  behold,  all  things  are  become  new.     And  all  tilings  are  of  God, 
who  hath  reconciled  us  to  himself  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  hath  given  to  us  the  ministry  of 

19  reconciliation;  to  wit,  that  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  not  im- 
puting their  trespasses  unto  them  ;  and  hath  committed  unto  us  the  word  of  reconciliation. 

20  Now  then  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us :  we  pray 

21  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God.     For  he  hath  made  him  to  le  sin  for  us,  who 
knew  no  sin :  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him. 


To  be  reconciled  to  God !  It  is  necessarily  the  first  and  greatest  want  of  all  his  intelligent  and  im- 
mortal creatures  who  are  in  any  way  alienated  from  him.  It  is,  as  human  history  testifies,  the  vague,  but 
real  and  imperative,  longing  of  human  nature  itself,  underlying  all  others  more  permanent  than  they.  All 
systems  of  heathenism,  with  their  sacrifices  and  penances,  their  instituted  priesthoods,  their  costly  offer- 


504 


SECTION  282.-2  CORINTHIANS  5  :  11-21. 


ings,  their  destroying  pilgrimages,  their  smoking  piles  and  bloody  immolations,  are  built  at  the  base  on 
this  desire :  to  be  reconciled  to  God  !  A  sense  of  severance  and  remoteness  from  God,  a  vague  impres- 
sion of  responsive  rcpellcncy  and  condemnation  on  his  part — this  is  at  the  bottom  of  all  the  unrest,  the 
fearful  apprehension,  the  dark  anticipation,  the  swayings  back  and  forth  of  religious  opinion,  oscillating 
for  ever  between  skepticism  and  superstition,  which  confront  us  in  history.  And  this  each  man  will  find 
for  himself  in  his  own  moral  consciousness,  as  he  calmly  considers  it,  or  lets  it  frankly  and  freely  speak. 
It  is  then  the  instant  suggestion  of  reason,  it  is  the  imperative  mandate  of  prudence,  that  we  should  seek 
in  some  way  at  once,  and  in  some  sufficient  and  authorized  way,  to  be  "  reconciled  "  to  God.  It  is  death 
to  be  at  war  with  him !  death  certain,  remediless,  perfect,  fearful !  and,  as  it  is  the  one  infinite  evil  and 
mischief  to  be  in  any  way  dissevered  from  him,  so  to  be  in  hoart  affiliated  with  God,  to  feel  his  strength, 
wisdom,  and  grace  flowing  in  upon  us,  and  filling  our  souls  as  with  rivers  of  peace,  every  mind  must  in- 
stinctively recognize  that  as  the  highest  possible  attainment  of  our  nature,  in  which  that  nature  is  consum- 
mated and  crowned,  made  free  of  the  world,  supreme  above  chance,  and  ready  for  immortality !    R.  S.  S. 


In  these  verses  the  conclusion  is  drawn  which 
the  earlier  verses  had  introduced — the  high  and  self- 
denying  position  of  the  Christian  ministry,  and  the 
nature  of  its  work  as  a  reconciliation  of  man  to 
God.     A. 

The  terror  of  the  Lord.  God  hates  sin  as 
much  as  his  awful  threatenings  say  he  does ;  and 
they  who  deny  it  deny  the  God  of  heaven.  They 
deny  his  holiness,  his  real  abhorrence  of  sin.  They 
exhibit  a  false  God  to  the  human  mind — a  God  with- 
out principle,  a  God  without  character.  Such  a  God 
on  the  throne  of  the  universe,  and  every  angel  would 
drop  his  harp,  every  devil  shout  in  ecstasy.  The 
bands  of  God's  moral  dominion  would  be  broken, 
the  pillars  of  eternal  justice  would  fall,  and  heaven 
fall  with  them ;  the  fires  of  hell  burst  forth  un- 
checked, and  rebellion  stand  triumphant  on  the 
ruins.     Such  is  not  the  God  of  heaven.     N.  W.  T. 

Persuade  men.  We  should  expect  that  this 
loving  Lord  and  Master,  who  knows  so  well  what  is 
in  man,  would  present  not  a  part  but  all  of  the 
grand  motives  that  constrain  men  to  newness  of 
life,  to  repentance  and  faith,  to  the  conquest  of  self, 
and  the  glory  of  goodness ;  and  therefore  that  he 
would  sometimes  take  away  the  veil  from  the  misery 
and  horror  that  belong  to  the  second  death ;  that  he 
would  bid  his  servants  sometimes  call  men  to  "  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come,"  and  by  "  the  terrors  of  the 
Lord  " — of  the  Lord — to  persuade  men  ;  that  he 
would  show  that  God  has  not  forgotten  to  be  just, 
because  he  has  not  forgotten  to  be  gracious,  but  that 
he  governs  the  w^orld  by  law — blessed  and  righteous 
law — which  is  "  the  mother  of  our  peace  and  joy," 
just  as  truly  now  as  before  the  gospel  pity  and 
redemption  came.  So  He  came,  testifying  of  the 
judgment  to  come,  of  the  sifting  and  separating, 
and  shutting  doors,  and  sundering  of  soul  from 
soul,  and  opening  of  the  house  of  torment,  and  pun- 
ishment everlasting.  Let  us  at  least  receive  our 
Master's  words  as  they  stand.  And,  since  we  must 
all  stand  before  his  judgment-seat,  he  has  told  us 
beforehand,  so  that,  repenting  and  believing,  we 
might  stand  there  with  joy — not  with  grief — to  pass 
from  it  to  the  right  hand,  and  not  the  left,  of  the 
Son  of  man  in  his  glory,  our  Shepherd  and  our  King. 
F.  D.  H. 

To  speak  efficaciously  of  the  holiness  and  justice 
of  Almighty  God  and  of  its  future  consequences — 
to  speak  in  modesty,  tenderness,  and  power  of  the 
approaching  doom  of  the  impenitent — must  be  left 
to  those  whose  spirits  have  had  much  communion 
with  the  dread  majesty  on  high.    As  the  punish- 


ment  of  sin  springs  by  an  ineffable  harmony  from 
the  first  principles  of  the  Divine  Nature,  and  in- 
fringes not  at  all  upon  benevolence,  so  must  he  who 
would  rightly  speak  of  that  punishment  have  at- 
tained to  a  far  more  intimate  perception  of  the  co- 
incidence of  holiness  and  love  than  language  can 
convey,  or  that  can  be  made  the  subject  of  com- 
munication between  man  and  man.  As  often  as  we 
set  foot  upon  the  region  which  sin  has  replenished 
with  terrors,  we  have  need  of  all  the  strength  we 
can  derive  from  the  very  firmest  convictions.  Fatal 
to  his  influence  as  reprover  of  sin  must  be  a  lurk- 
ing skepticism  in  the  breast  of  the  public  teacher. 
No  care  will  avail  to  conceal  the  inward  misgiving 
of  the  mind.  The  tongue  of  the  speaker  will  falter, 
and  the  reserve,  the  indecision,  the  vagueness  of  his 
manner,  or,  still  more,  his  artificial  vehemence,  will 
betray  the  secret  of  his  doubts ;  and  the  infection 
of  these  doubts  will  pass  into  the  heart  of  the 
hearer,  and  will  serve  to  harden  each  transgressor 
in  his  impenitence.  Not  less  necessary  to  the  min- 
ister of  truth  is  an  unaffected,  sensitive  compassion 
toward  his  fellow-men — a  compassion  of  that  effi- 
cient kind  which  nothing  has  ever  produced  in  the 
world  but  the  gospel.  The  servant  of  heaven  can 
execute  his  commission  only  so  far  as  he  gains  ac- 
cess to  the  human  heart ;  and  there  is  no  other  path 
of  access,  no  other  law  of  affinity,  no  sympathy,  but 
that  of  love.  The  compassions  of  man  have  a 
special  property,  which  imparts  pathos  and  persua- 
sion to  the  awful  announcement  of  God's  displeasure 
against  sin.  The  end  of  all  reproof  is  mercy.  If 
there  were  no  redemption  at  hand,  it  were  idle  or 
cruel  to  talk  of  judgment.  But  the  reprover  is  the 
very  same  as  the  herald  of  peace,  and  must  draw 
his  arguments,  whether  of  terror  or  entreaty,  from 
his  own  blended  conviction  of  the  certainty  of  the 
future  punishment,  and  the  reality  of  the  means  of 
escape.    I.  T. 

13.  The  false  teachers  gloried  "  in  appearance," 
in  outward  demonstration,  such  as  eloquence,  or 
they  prided  themselves  in  a  superabundance  of 
spiritual  gifts.  Paul  says  that  the  true  apostoHc 
credentials  are  those  of  the  heart ;  and  accordingly 
the  proofs  he  had  given  were  his  truth,  his  suffer- 
ings, his  persuasiveness,  his  simplicity,  his  boldness, 
and  his  life  as  being  an  image  of  Christ's.   F.  W.  R. 

14.  '■'■Thclovc  of  ChrisV  should  have  been  ex- 
pressed  "  Christ's  love."      It  is  not  our  love  to 


SECTION  282.-2  CORINTHIAKS  5  :  11-21. 


365 


Christ,  but  His  to  us  which  is  spoken  of.  "  Tlie 
love  of  Christ "  may  mean  this,  but  is  ambiguous. 
"  Then  all  were  dead''''  should  be  "then  all  died." 
It  does  not  follow,  because  one  dies  for  another, 
that  that  other  was  dead,  but  it  does  follow  that  that 
other  died  by  substitution,  virtually  died,  inasmuch 
as  one  died  for  him.    And  thus  we  all  died  in 

Christ's  death  for  us.    A. Under  the  law  the 

o^reat  argument  for  obedience  was  God's  sovereignty : 
" Thus  and  thus  ye  shall  do "  ;  "I  am  the  Lord." 
I\^ow,  the  argument  is  gratitude — God's  love — God's 
love  in  Christ.  "  The  love  of  Christ  constraineth 
us."    Paul  often  persuades  by  that  motive,  "  Be 

God's  servants  for  Christ's  sake."    T.  M. It  is 

not  our  limited  and  weak  love  to  God  which  gives 
us  confidence,  which  casts  out  all  fear,  which  begets 
hope,  that  maketh  not  ashamed,  and  which  is  the 
constraining  power  of  our  life  ;  it  is  God's  love  to  us 
which  dwells  in  us,  the  infinite  and  eternal  love  of 
the  Father  through  the  self-sacrifice  of  the  Son,  re- 
vealed and  imparted  by  the  coequal  Spirit.     A.  S. 

15.  Shall  we  think  that  faith  will  leave  him 
who  by  it  has  received  Christ  to  be  as  unconcerned 
as  a  stock  or  stone,  or  that  its  utmost  excellency  is 
to  provoke  the  soul  to  a  lip-labor,  and  to  give  Christ 
a  few  fair  words  for  his  pains  and  grace  ?  No,  no  ; 
the  love  of  Christ  to  us  constraineth  us  thus  to 
judge  that  it  is  but  reasonable  since  he  gave  his  all 
for  us  that  we  should  give  our  some  for  him.     JBun. 

To  gaze  on  the  great  Sufferer  must  be  for  all 

hearts  that  are  not  utterly  hard  and  dull  to  learn  a 
higher  unselfishness,  a  lowlier  humility,  a  severer 
standard  of  Christian  life.  Jesus  Christ  did  not 
die  upon  the  cross  that  we  might  lead  a  self-seeking 
life,  whether  by  indulging  our  lower  appetites,  or 
by  wasting  intellectual  power  upon  subjects  which, 
however  gratifying  to  ourselves,  achieve  nothing  for 
the  honor  of  God  or  for  the  good  of  men.  Only 
when  we  devote  ourselves  according  to  our  measure 
to  God's  glory,  and  to  the  enlightening  or  cheering 
or  supporting  our  brethren,  do  we  enter  into  the 
practical  spirit  of  our  Lord's  death.  Self-renounce- 
ment is  the  temper  of  which  his  death  was  the 

highest  expression.     H.  P.  L. His  cross  teaches 

us,  not  that  each  one  is  to  be  looking  out  for  a 
selfish  salvation,  but  that  self  is  to  be  forgotten  in 
hearty  consecration  to  Him,  and  in  free  service  to 
our  brethren.  It  carries  us  clear  of  the  belittling 
notions  of  escaping  hell  as  a  punishment  or  earning 
heaven  as  a  reward.  It  makes  the  lofty  sentiment 
of  gratitude  the  mainspring  of  piety,  faith  the  pure 
inspiration  of  righteousness,  love  the  sacred  secret 
of  beneficence.    F.  D.  H. 

16.  Though  He  was  "  of  the  seed  of  David," 
by  genealogy  a  Jew,  that  he  might  be  the  Messiah 
("  for  salvation  is  of  the  Jews "),  now  that  he  is 
"  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  power,"  and 


"  appears  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us,"  henceforth 
we  know  him  as  a  Jew  no  more.  He  is  of  no  na- 
tion, for  "  he  died  for  all."  The  world  is  redeemed. 
The  Christ  of  God  was  "a  ransom  for  all."  All 
nations  are  equal.  "  In  him  let  the  Gentiles  trust." 
T.  B. "  If  I  ffo  not  away"  said  the  Saviour  be- 
fore he  ascended,  "  the  Spirit  can  not  come  "  ;  if  he 
be  away,  then,  the  Spirit  is  in  the  Church ;  the  ab- 
sence of  the  one  is  the  presence  of  the  other.  Let 
me  rather  say  that  there  is  no  absence,  no  distance, 
no  departure,  no  separation  !  Christ  Himself  is  one 
with  his  own  Spirit,  and  with  him  templed  in  the 
heart  of  his  mystic  body.  As  Paul  declares,  we 
"  know  him  no  longer  after  the  flesh  " — we  know 
him  not  by  sensible  perception  or  miraculous  vision, 
but  by  a  deeper,  a  better,  an  inward  and  abiding 
sense.     W.  A.  B. 

17.  In  Christ  a  new  creature.  When  it 
is  said  that  in  Emmanuel  God  is  with  us,  it  is 
meant  that  his  very  nature  is  wrought  into  our 
nature,  if  in  faith  we  receive  Him,  and  ours  into  His. 

F.  D.  H. Wherever  the  birth  is,  the  life  will 

more  or  less  follow,  and  wherever  the  new  life 
shows  itself,  the  new  birth  must  in  some  way  have 
preceded  it.  Repentance  is  the  look  which  such 
a  man  casts  backward,  contrition  is  the  turning  of 
his  eye  within,  and  the  setting  of  his  life  upon  a 
new  basis,  or  what  is  termed  sanctification,  is  his 
aim  as  he  looks  forward.  Humility,  and  self-distrust, 
and  dependence  on  God,  and  endeavor  after  an 
obedience  not  of  the  letter  but  of  the  spirit,  and  not 
of  fear  but  gratitude,  will  be  some  of  the  features 
which  mark  this  life.     Ker. 

18.  Reconciled  us  to  himself.  It  is  by 
personal  faith  in  his  Son  ;  a  faith  which  each  is  com- 
petent to  exercise ;  a  faith  which  hath  in  it  submis- 
sion and  sympathy ;  which  leads  us  to  devote  our- 
selves entirely  to  Christ,  and  which  carries  us  spon- 
taneously into  all  such  actions  as  we  know  will  be 
dear  and  beautiful  to  him.  This  is  the  power,  this 
the  act,  by  which,  through  Christ,  we  are  "  recon- 
ciled to  God."  We  are  thenceforth,  whether  we 
ourselves  are  at  once  and  fully  aware  of  it  or  not — 
from  that  moment  onward,  if  the  faith  has  been  a 
real  one,  the  submission  complete,  we  are  the  friends, 
the  children  of  God ;  his  children  and  heirs ;  par- 
takers of  his  favor,  and  expectants  of  his  home ! 
R.  S.  S. 

19.  The  Redeemer's  work  took  its  peculiar 
form  as  much  to  meet  the  feelings  of  the  hiunan 
heart  as  toTneet  the  requirements  of  God's  justice 
and  truth.  Our  feelings  toward  God  are  naturally 
those  of  distrust  and  opposition,  and  that  simply 
because  we  are  sinners ;  and  these  feelings  must  be 
mastered  before  we  can  be  saved ;  and  they  must 
be  mastered  by  an  unequivocal,  overwhelming  dem- 
onstration of  love ;   and  we  have  it  in  the  cross, 


SECTION'  S82.—2  COBINTHIAN'S  5  :  11-21. 


for  there  "  God  is  in  Christ,  reconciling  man  unto 

Himself."     E.  M. Christ  crucified  is  voluntarily 

devoted  and  accursed.  He  is  paying  the  penalty 
which  .siu  inevitably  merits.  He  is  reconciling  sin- 
ful man  to  a  holy,  loving,  but  offended  God.  The 
truth  which  underlies  and  illuminates  the  apostolical 
language  is  the  truth  of  our  Saviour's  Godhead. 
"  It  is,"  says  Hooker,  "  the  Son  of  God  condemned, 
the  Son  of  God,  and  no  other  person,  crucified; 
which  only  one  point  of  Christian  belief,  the  infinite 
worth  of  the  Son  of  God,  is  the  very  ground  of  all 
things  believed  concerning  life  and  salvation,  by  that 
which  Christ  either  did  or  suffered  as  man  in  our 

behalf."     H.  P.  L. God  in  Christ  reaches  down 

to  help,  save  us ;  dnly  asking  that  we,  by  love  and 
faith  to  the  Saviour,  and  corresponding  or  outflow- 
ing faithful  moral  effort,  will  let  ourselves  be  saved. 
The  gospel  is  an  offer  from  above  us.  It  is  a  divine 
interposition  of  deliverance  embodied  in  a  Divine 
Redeemer,  If  Christ  were  only  man,  he  could  not 
mediate  between  man  and  God.  If  he  were  only 
God,  he  could  not  mediate  between  God  and  man. 
Here  is  the  eternal,  inherent  necessity  of  the  mys- 
tery of  the  Incarnation,  reaching  back  before  Abra- 
ham was,  into  the  bosom  of  the  Everlasting  Father, 
and  there  deriving  the  purchase-power  to  lift 
humanity  to  heaven.  The  vital  point  of  the  whole 
Christian  system  is  the  inspiring  contact  it  estab- 
lishes between  the  life  of  God  and  the  life  of  man 
by  a  mediating  Christ ;  a  Christ  qualified  to  mediate 
by  bringing  over  the  forces  of  the  almighty  Spirit 
to  reinvigorate  the  wasted  spirituality  of  the  race, 
to  restore  and  comfort  ihe  individual  soul  that  will 
receive  him,    F.  D.  H. 

20.  The  gospel  may  be  described  in  two  sen- 
tences :  God  is  reconciled,  for  man  is  redeemed. 
God  is  reconciled,  not  because  sin  is  made  light  of 
or  forgotten,  but  because  it  has  been  expiated  at 
an  infinite  cost  in  the  person  of  his  only-begotten 
Son,  The  gospel  is  the  good  news  of  the  reconcilia- 
tion to  all  men  everywhere  ;  and  the  men  who  are 
commissioned  to  declare  it  to  their  fellows  convey 
the  toord  of  reconciliation,  praying  men  in  Christ's 

stead  to  be  reconciled  to  God.    A.  W.  T. It  was 

Christ's  work  to  reconcile  God  to  man.  That  is 
done,  and  done  for  ever.  "  By  one  offering  He  hath 
perfected  for  ever  them  that  arc  sanctified."  So  far, 
then,  as  we  represent  anything  besides  this  as  neces- 
sart/^  so  far  do  we  frustrate  it,  and  turn  the  Christian 
ministry  into  a  sacrificial  priesthood.  We  are  doing 
as  did  the  Galatians  of  old.  Therefore  the  whole 
work  of  the  Christian  ministry  consists  in  declaring 
God  as  reconciled  to  man,  and  in  beseeching  with 
every  variety  of  illustration,  and  every  degree  of 
earnestness,  men  to  become  reconciled  to  God. 
F.  W.  R. 

This  is  the  marvel,  that  peace  has  been  made  by 


God  himself,  though  justly  offended,  yet  beseeching 
us.  "  For  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  though 
God  did  beseech  you  by  us."  What  is  this  ?  Has 
He  been  outraged,  and  yet  does  He  beseech  us? 
Yes,  for  he  is  God,  and  therefore  he  beseeches  us 
as  a  benignant  Father.  And  see  what  happens ;  the 
Son  of  Him  that  beseeches  us — not  a  man,  not  an 
angel,  nor  an  archangel,  nor  a  servant  of  any  kind, 

is  the  Mediator      Chrys. God  is  suppliant  to  his 

creature.  He  who  agonized  beneath  created  hands — 
still,  in  the  perpetuated  spirit  of  that  miraculous 
love,  as  it  were  protracts  his  own  humiliation,  and 
beseeches  the  beings  he  has  made  to  make  him  hap- 
py by  making  themselves  blessed.  It  is  his  highest 
glory  to  conciliate  divine  omnipotence  with  the  un- 
impaired freedom  of  man,  that  "  his  people  "  should 
be  "  willvtg  in  the  day  of  his  power."  Ilis  offer  is 
universal,  for  he  would  be  absolved  before  heaven 
and  earth  when  that  offer  is  despised.     W.  A.  B. 

31.  Made  sin  for  us.  As  we  stand  in  spirit 
by  the  side  of  the  sleeping  disciples,  and  watch  their 
suffering  Lord ;  as  we  hear  him  cry  from  the  cross, 
Afy  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?  we 
feel  we  are  entering  into  the  communion  of  a  deep- 
er and  more  mysterious  sorrow  than  the  world 
has  ever  known,  which  becomes  bright  with  an  aw- 
ful meaning  then,  and  only  then,  when  we  recognize 
in  it  the  reality  of  a  Divine  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of 
the  world ;  the  offering  up  of  Him,  who  "  though 
He  knew  no  sin,  yet  was  made  sin  for  us,  that  we 
might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  Him." 

Tulloch. How  was  Christ  made  sin  ?     There  is 

no  other  explanation  conceivable  than  that  of  say- 
ing that  the  sin  of  the  world  was  imputed  to  Him, 
or,  which  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  that  the  word 
sin  is  here,  as  elsewhere,  equivalent  to  sin-offering : 
Christ  was  made  a  sin-offering  for  us.  This  sin- 
offering  turns  away  that  wrath  of  God  which  had 
thrown  sinners  to  an  infinite  distance  from  him.  It 
is  called  a  propitiation :  "  If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an 
advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous ; 
and  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins."     E.  M.  G. 

Made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him. 
What  is  ou7'S  passes  over  to  him  ;  what  is  7iis  passes 
over  to  us.  We  become  righteousness !  As  if, 
from  the  moment  that  we  believe  God's  testimony 
to  the  righteous  one  and  his  work,  we  and  right- 
eousness become  one  and  the  same  thing.  So  com- 
pletely are  we  justified,  and  lifted  up  into  the  same 
righteous  level  or  standing  which  the  righteous  one 
himself  occupies  in  the  sight  of  God.  Thus  are  we 
"  complete  in  him,"  "  found  in  him,"  recognized 
as  one  with  him  in  righteousness,  and  entitled  to 
possess  all  he  possesses.     Bonar. 

19-21.  This  is  one  of  the  happiest  summaries 
on  record  of  the  gospel ;  of  the  true  character  of 
the  ministry  ;  and  of  the  manner  in  which  this  min- 


SECTION  283.-2  CORINTHIANS  6  :  1-18;  7  :  1. 


367 


istry  should  be  exercised.  Precious  gospel !  a  recon- 
ciliiK^  God  in  Christ.  Solemn  ministry !  ambassa- 
dors for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  by  us. 
Touching  discharge  of  our  high  function  !  pleading 


with  men,  for  Christ's  sake,  to  be  reconciled  to  him, 
against  whom  they  have  rebelled,  but  who  yet  seeks 
to  cover  them,  through  faith  in  the  Crucified,  with  the 
rich  robe  of  his  own  perfect  righteousness,    J.  S.  S. 


Section  283. 

2  Corinthians  vi.  1-18;  vii.  1. 

1  "We  then,  as  workers  togetlier  %oith  him,  beseech  you  also  that  ye  receive  not  the  grace 

2  of  God  in  vain.  (For  he  saith,  I  have  heard  tliee  in  a  time  accepted,  and  in  the  day  of  sal- 
vation have  I  succoured  thee:  behold,  now  is  the  accepted  time;  behold,  now  is  the  day  of 
salvation.) 

3  Giving  no  offence  in  any  thing,  that  the  ministry  be  not  blamed :  but  in  all  things  approv- 

4  ing  ourselves  as  the  ministers  of  God,  in  much  patience,  in  afflictions,  in  necessities,  in  dis- 

5  tresses,  in  stripes,  in  imprisonments,  in  tumults,  in  labors,  in  watchings,  in  fastings;  by 

6  pureness,  by  knowledge,  by  longsuffering,  by  kindness,  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  love  un- 

7  feigned,  by  the  word  of  truth,  by  the  power  of  God,  by  the  armour  of  righteousness  on  the 

8  right  hand  and  on  the  left,  by  honour  and  dishonour,  by  evil  report  and  good  report :  as  de- 

9  ceivers,  and  yet  true ;  as  unknown,  and  yet  well  known ;  as  dying,  and,  behold,  we  live ;  as 

10  chastened,  and  not  killed;  as  sorrowful,  yet  alway  rejoicing;  as  poor,  yet  making  many 
rich ;  as  having  nothing,  and  yet  possessing  all  things. 

11  O  ye  Corinthians,  our  mouth  is  open  unto  you,  our  heart  is  enlarged.     Ye  are  not  strait- 

12  ened  in  us,  but  ye  are  straitened  in  your  own  bowels.     Now  for  a  recompense  in  the  same, 

13  (I  speak  as  unto  my  children,)  be  ye  also  enlarged.    Be  ye  not  unequally  yoked  together 

14  with  unbelievers:  for  what  fellowship  hath  i-ighteousness  with  unrighteousness?  and  what 

15  communion  hath  light  with  darkness?    And  what  concord  hath  Christ  with  Belial?  or 

16  what  part  hath  he  that  believeth  with  an  infidel  ?    And  what  agreement  hath  the  temple  of 
God  Avith  idols?  for  ye  are  the  temple  of  the  living  God;  as  God  hath  said,  I  will  dwell  in 

17  them,  and  walk  in  them;  and  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  people.    "Wherefore 
come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  unclean 

18  thing ;  and  I  will  receive  you,  and  will  be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and 
1  daughters,  saith  the  Loi'd  Almighty.     Having  therefore  these  promises,  dearly  beloved,  let 

us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear 
of  God. 


Having  glanced  from  the  earthly  tabernacle  to  the  "house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the 
heavens,"  from  the  "light  affliction"  befalling  the  "outward"  man  that  faints  and  perishes  to  the  "eter- 
nal weight  of  glory  "  yet  invisible,  showing  how,  in  every  soul  that  is  new-created  in  Christ  Jesus,  "  mor- 
tality is  swallowed  up  of  life,"  because  that  "  inward  man  is  renewed  day  by  day,"  and  then  setting  forth 
the  mighty  motive  to  that  conversion,  viz.,  that  "  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself," 
he  comes  at  last  to  that  close  point  in  the  process  where  he  defines  the  essential  contradiction  between 
the  spiritual  and  the  earthly  man.  By  a  succession  of  quick,  sharp  questions,  the  sword  of  his  doctrine 
cuts  asunder  the  sophistry  which  would  mix  up  worldly  self-will  with  Christian  consecration,  and  shows 
the  world  to  be  made  up  of  two  sorts  of  persons.  "  What  fellowship  hath  righteousness  with  unright- 
eousness ?  "What  part  hath  he  that  believeth  with  an  infidel  ?  "  And  then,  the  crowning  conclusion  : 
"  Wfiei'efore  come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye  separate,  and  touch  not  the  unclean  thing,  saith  the 
Lord  " ;  for  it  is  this,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,"  that  seals  the  promise.  "  And  I  will  be  a  Father  unto  you, 
and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty."  ....  In  order  to  a  Christian  position 
there  must  be  a  special  act — an  act  so  personal,  positive,  and  comprehensive,  that  it  determines  on  which 
side  of  one  fixed  line  the  rest  of  our  actions  shall  stand.  You  may  call  it  by  whatever  name  bears  most 
significance  to  your  own  mind.  The  Scriptures  furnish  as  great  a  variety  as  you  can  desire :  "  renewal  of 
the  mind,"  "  conversion,"  "  believing  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  "  getting  a  new  heart  and  spirit,"  "  putting 
off  the  works  of  darkness  and  putting  on  the  armor  of  light,"  "  forsaking  idols,"  "  coming  out  and  being 


368 


SECTION  283.-2  GORIKTHIANS  6  :  UlS ;  7  :  1. 


separate  " — these  are  the  Biblical  terms  for  a  single  fact.  What  is  essential  is  that  conscious  choice  of 
the  soul  by  which  it  gathers  up  its  powers  and  resolves — God's  grace  helping  it,  as  He  ever  will  help — 
to  be  on  Christ's  side  iu  this  fronting  of  armies  and  this  awful  battle  of  our  life.     F.  D.  II. 


1.  Workers  together  with  him.  These 
words  seem  to  express  the  idea  of  true  labor,  such 
as  God  calls  ua  to,  and  in  the  doing  of  which  there 
is  a  great  reward.  They  imply  that  the  living  God 
has  a  work  to  do  on  earth,  in  men  and  by  men ;  that 
in  this  work  he  has — if  I  may  so  express  it — a  deep 
personal  interest,  because  it  is  one  worthy  of  him- 
self, and  for  the  advancement  of  his  own  glory,  and 
the  good  and  happiness  of  man.  And  it  is  only 
when  we  know  God's  work  on  earth,  and  when,  from 
a  will  and  character  brought  into  harmony  with  his, 
we  see  how  excellent  the  work  is,  that  we  can  be, 
not  laborers  only,  but  "  fellow-laborers  "  with  God  ; 
not  workers  only,  but  workers  together  with  him. 

K  M. God  does  not  need  our  help.     Why  then 

does  he  put  us  to  the  trouble  of  working  for  him, 
why  put  us  to  the  strain  of  giving  for  him,  why  put 
us  to  the  long  endurance  of  patiently  planning  and 
waiting  that  we  may  accomplish  his  design  ?  Be- 
cause thus  he  develops  us.  The  man  who  has 
wrought  and  planned  and  endured  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  God's  plan  in  the  world  sees  the  great- 
ness of  it,  the  divinity  and  glory  of  it,  and  is  him- 
self more  perfectly  assimilated  to  it.     R.  S.  S. 

There  is  a  special  ministry  of  the  word,  begin- 
ning with  the  apostles,  descending  from  them  to 
those  who  are  now  preachers  of  righteousness,  and 
destined  to  endure  to  the  end  of  time.  But  there  is 
also  a  wider  ministry  of  the  universal  brotherhood 
of  believers.  We  are  all  of  us  ambassadors  of 
Christ.  Just  so  soon  as  we  are  brought,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  to  a  saving  knowledge  of  the  gospel, 
we  are  called  to  be  dispensers  of  it  to  others ;  tak- 
ing first  those  who  are  nearest  to  us,  but  pausing 
not  till  we  have  touched  the  farthest  boundaries  of 
the  globe.  In  these  Christian  cities  there  is  a  fright- 
ful waste  of  heathenism  weltering  at  our  very  feet. 
We  must  subdue  it  to  the  cross  of  Christ.  Over 
the  seas  are  millions  of  heathen,  darkening  the  con- 
tinents. To  them  also  must  we  send  the  light  of 
life.  Such  is  the  commandment  of  our  Lord.  Such 
is  the  service  laid  upon  us,  to  be  the  test  and  mea- 
sure of  our  faith.     R.  D.  II. 

Grace  of  God  in  vain.  As  long  as  thou 
hast  but  good  resolutions  thou  art  still  fostering  a 
secret  confidence  in  thine  own  strength.  As  a  naked 
and  unprotected  sinner,  who  can  bring  to  our  dear 
God  nothing  that  is  good,  and  as  one  who  is  unable 
to  answer  Ilim  in  anything,  must  thou  entreat  for 
grace  and  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  as  a  sinner  must 
thou  suffer  thyself  to  be  pardoned.     HoJlaz. 

2.  The  accepted  time  is  the  time  of  bounty,  the 


time  of  grace,  when  we  are  not  called  upon  to  an- 
swer for  our  sins  nor  to  suffer  punishment ;  but  be- 
sides being  released  from  it,  to  enjoy  innumerable 
blessings,  righteousness,  sanctification,  and  every, 
thing  else.  Let  us  draw  near  at  such  a  time  as  this, 
in  which  such  exuberant  bounty  is  poured  forth. 

Chrys. The  word  of   life   is  in  your  dwellings 

and  in  your  hands ;  the  lamp  of  salvation  shines  on 
your  way.  There  will  be  no  new  prophet  sent  into 
the  world  ;  there  will  be  no  new  miracle  ;  no  voice 
will  be  uttered  from  heaven  to  remove  your  per- 
plexity ;  and  the  dead  will  not  be  raised  to  resolve 
your  doubts.  You  have  Moses,  and  the  prophets 
and  the  apostles,  and  the  Redeemer ;  and  ivere  the 
dead  to  rise,  if  you  will  not  hear  the  risen  Son  of 
God,  you  would  not  be  persuaded  though  a  man 

should  come  now  from  the  tomb.     A.  B. The 

question  is  not,  "  How  long  may  I  put  off  being 
blessed  with  peace  and  glory  in  Christ  Jesus,  and 
then  have  it  after  all  ?  "  but  it  is,  "  IIow  soon  may 
I  make  sure  of  that  power  and  that  peace,  and  let 
that  glory  fall  in  on  my  saved  and  thankful  heart  ?  " 
It  is  a  present  command ;  not  for  yesterday,  not  for 
to-morrow ;  not  a  message  of  despair  that  the  great 
work  was  not  done  sooner ;  not  a  message  of  delay, 
as  if  it  could  as  well  be  done  later.  It  is  for  the 
passing  hour.  F.  D.  H. The  only  moment  of  du- 
ration in  which  our  Sovereign  promises  and  pledges 
himself  to  exert  his  mercy  and  his  power  is  the 
present  moment.  Concerning  the  next  instant,  or 
the  morrow,  he  has  given  no  assurance  or  certainty 
whatever.     Shedd. 

3-10.  Throughout  three  most  memorable  chap- 
ters, the  3d,  4th,  and  5th,  the  apostle  expatiates 
on  the  ministry  which  he  had  received,  and  which 
sustained  him  in  every  place,  so  that  he  fainted  not. 
It  was  of  the  New  Testament  excelling  the  Old  Cov- 
enant in  life  and  glory.  It  was  a  dispensation  of 
light  and  clearness,  not  of  veiled  faces.  Paul  was 
intrusted  with  a  manifestation  of  the  truth  in  men's 
consciences — a  message  of  reconciliation  to  their 
hearts.  Invested  with  such  a  ministry,  he  bore  all 
things  for  Jesus'  sake.     D.  F. 

10.  ^  believing  man  is  a  man  of  large  posses- 
sions. Silver  and  gold  he  may  have  none  ;  but  not 
the  less  on  that  account  are  his  possessions  great. 
"  Having  nothing,  and  yet  possessing  all  things,"  is 
the  apostle's  description  of  him.  There  is  no  end,  no 
measure  of  his  possessions,  for  they  are  summed  up 
in  the  fullness  of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all.     Bonar. 

11-13.  They  were  his  "children."  How  could  he 
resent  even  unmerited  reproach  from  them,  bound  as 


SECTION  283,-2  CORINTHIANS  6  : 1-18;  7  : 1. 


369 


they  were  to  him  by  so  dear  a  tie  ?  He  had  suif  ered 
for  them ;  he  pardoned  them,  for  they  did  it  ig- 
norantly.  His  spirit  sought  for  them  the  only  ex- 
cuse it  could.  How  worthy  a  successor  of  his 
Master's  spirit !  What  a  well-spring  of  love,  inex- 
haustible in  its  f reslmess  as  in  its  life !  And  this 
is  the  true  test  of  gracious  charity.  Hold  fast  to 
love.  If  men  wound  your  heart,  let  them  not  sour 
or  embitter  it ;  let  them  not  shut  up  or  narrow  it ; 
let  them  only  expand  it  more  and  more,  and  be  able 
always  to  say  with  Paul,  "  5Iy  heart  is  enlarged." 
F.  W.  R. 

15.  On  one  side  we  must  be,  Christ's  or  Belial's. 
Righteousness  refuses  fellowship  with  unrighteous- 
ness. Light  offers  no  hospitality  to  darkness.  If 
idols  have  our  heart's  secret  worship,  the  true  tem- 
ple of  God  shuts  its  doors  upon  us.  We  must  touch 
and  handle  the  unclean  thing  or  let  it  alone.  We 
do  assort  with  the  unbelievers,  or  come  out  from 
among  them  and  be  separate ;  and  the  Judge  knows 

which  we  do.    F.  D.  H. The  atheist  is  not  merely 

he  who  professes  unbelief,  but,  strictly  speaking, 
every  one  who  lives  without  God  in  the  world.  And 
the  heretic  is  not  merely  he  who  has  mistaken  some 
Christian  doctrine,  but  rather  he  who  causes  divisions 
among  the  brethren.  And  the  idolater  is  not  merely 
he  who  worships  images,  but  he  who  gives  his  heart 
to  something  which  is  less  than  God ;  for  a  man's 
god  is  that  which  has  his  whole  soul  and  worship, 
that  which  he  obeys  and  reverences  as  his  highest. 
F.  W.  R. 

We  take  our  names  from  Christ  and  the  Scrip- 
tures ;  but  we  take  our  views  from  the  world,  i.  e., 
from  that  class  of  people  among  whom  our  lives 
are  spent.  We  are  "  disciples,"  but  we  do  not  follow 
Christ  at  any  inconvenience.  We  are  soldiers,  but 
we  do  not  run  any  risks  in  fighting  for  him.  We 
are  a  priesthood — where  are  our  sacrifices  ?  AVe  are 
fellow-workers  with  God — what  are  we  doing  with 
God  ?  Many  of  us  hardly  ever  think  of  the  obli- 
gation to  labor  for  the  Lord.  Fashion  can  com- 
mand us.  Pleasure  can  command  us.  Money  can 
command  us.    Society  can  command  us.    God  speaks 

to  us,  and  we  are  deaf.     J.  Hall. Is  there  a  new 

heart ;  a  new  life  ;  a  new  conversation  ?  Are  there 
new  hopes ;  new  joys ;  new  objects  of  pursuit  ?  Or 
is  there  some  plan  for  compromising  matters  with 
God,  and  an  inquiry  how  the  hold  on  the  world  may 
be  continued  ?  Is  there  still  a  purpose,  while  the 
decencies  of  the  Christian  profession  shall  be  main- 
tained, to  grasp  still  as  much  of  the  world  as  pos- 
sible ;  to  be  as  gay  and  as  happy  in  the  world  as 
may jt)ossi6?y  consist  with  the  Christian  profession? 
I  tremble  when  I  think  of  such  an  endeavor  to 
make  a  compromise  with  God,  and  a  league  with  the 
world;  attempting  to  make  light  and  darkness 
meet.    A,  B. 

24 


17.  Come  out,  be  separate.  Both  a  be- 
ginning and  a  continuing ;  both  a  revolution  and  a 
habit ;  both  a  new  principle  and  a  new  life  is  this 
great  decisive  act  of  the  Christian.  A  coming  out 
from  irreligious  associations  is  one  part ;  it  implies 
energy  of  purpose  kindled  by  faith.  Being  separate 
implies  the  maintenance  of  the  ground  thus  taken 
against  all  opponents,  whether  they  frown  or  laugh, 
sneer  or  slight,  reason  or  threaten.  "Come  out" 
from  the  bonds  of  vicious  compliance  and  ungodly 
habit  is  a  call  to  the  courage  and  faith  of  the  awak- 
ened heart.  "  Be  separate  "  from  sin  is  a  command 
to  the  persevering  will.  "  Touch  not "  the  renounced 
pollution  is  an  adjuration  to  the  sanctified  conscience. 
And  these  are  the  three  daily  heroisms  in  the  disci- 
pline of  the  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ. 

18.  Sons  and  daughters!  What  a  power  of 
personal  endearment  is  lodged  in  that  particularity 
of  speech !  Not  "  children"  merely,  losing  indi- 
vidual consolation  in  the  generality  of  the  family ! 
God  uses  names  that  come  nearer  to  personal  affec- 
tion, and  meet  a  personal  want.  F.  D.  H. Med- 
itate often  and  deeply  on  his  Fatherhood,  and  on  the 
filial  relation  in  which  we  stand  to  him.  This  of 
itself  is  sufficient  to  stir  in  the  heart  an  emotion  of 
love  toward  him.  But  when  God  is  presented  to  us 
as  the  gospel  presents  him — when  we  are  assured 
that  his  love  was  so  true,  so  clinging,  that  even 
when  we  were  in  the  depths  of  our  degradation  and 
ruin,  fighting  against  him  with  all  the  force  of  our 
will,  he  gave  his  Only-begotten  Son  to  be  the  pro- 
pitiation for  our  sins,  then  indeed  the  sentiment  of 
love  to  him  begins  to  claim  for  itself  a  supremacy 
over  the  will,  and  to  establish  itself  as  a  principle  of 

action.     E.  M.  G. Then  you  will  put  your  faith 

into  honest  and  faithful  work,  and,  being  in  the 
world,  will  not  be  of  the  world.  The  stamp  of  an- 
other loyalty  will  be  upon  you.  The  spring  of  an- 
other joy  and  liberty  will  be  in  you.  And  then,  not 
till  then,  will  the  great  end  and  object  of  your  crea- 
tion as  a  spiritual  being,  a  son  or  daughter  of  God, 
begin  to  be  realized  in  your  life.    F.  D.  H. 

1.  The  real  Christian  is  not  merely  satisfied  with 
outward  reformation,  but  pants  also  for  inward 
purity.  His  desire  is  not  only  to  keep  the  flesh  and 
body  free  from  the  shoto  of  sin,  but  the  heart  pure 
from  the  guilt  of  sin.  Paul  dissuades  his  converts 
from  sin  by  'reminding  them  of  the  promises  of 
God;  which  promises  are,  that  he  will  work  with 
them  by  his  Spirit  and  give  them  "  a  new  heart  and 
a  new  spirit " ;  and  "  renew  them  in  the  spirit  of 
their  minds."  "  Having,  therefore,"  he  says,  "  such 
promises,  let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness 

of  flesh  and  spirit."     T.  M. Observe  the  gospel 

principle  of  action.  It  is  not.  Separate  yourself 
from  all  uncleanness  in  order  that  you  may  get  a 
right  of  sonship  ;  but,  Because  ye  are  sons  of  God, 


370 


SECTION  284.-2  CORINTHIAN'S  7  :  2-16. 


therefore  be  pure.  It  is  not,  Work  in  order  to 
be  saved;  but,  Because  you  arc  saved,  therefore 
work  out  your  salvation.  It  is  not,  Labor  that  you 
may  be  accepted ;  but.  Labor  because  you  are  ac- 
cepted in  the  beloved.     F.  W.  R. 

Those  who  do  not  mourn  under  their  imperfec- 
tions, and  unfeignedly  desire  and  endeavor  to  be 


better,  were  never  really  good.  It  is  a  perfect 
contradiction  for  any  man  to  think  he  is  sincere 
in  his  choice,  and  prepared  in  his  affections  for 
the  pure  glorious  felicity  in  heaven,  that  does  not 
labor  to  "  cleanse  himself  from  all  pollutions  of  flesh 
and  spirit,  and  to  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of 
God."     Bates. 


Section  284.  1 

2  Corinthians  vii.  2-16.  a 

2  Receive  its  ;  we  have  wronged  no  man,  we  have  corrupted  no  man,  we  have  defrauded 

3  no  man.     I  speak  not  this  to  condemn  you:  for  I  have  said  before,  that  ye  are  in  our  hearts 

4  to  die  and  live  with  you.     Great  is  my  boldness  of  speech  toward  you,  great  is  my  glorying 

5  of  you:  I  am  filled  with  comfort,  I  am  exceeding  joyful  in  all  our  tribulation.  For,  when 
we  were  come  into  Macedonia,  our  flesh  had  no  rest,  but  we  were  troubled  on  every  side; 

6  without  were  fightings,  within  were  fears.     Nevertheless  God,  that  comforteth  those  that 

7  are  cast  down,  comforted  us  by  the  coming  of  Titus ;  and  not  by  his  coming  only,  but  by 
the  consolation  wherewith  he  was  comforted  in  you,  wiien  he  told  us  your  earnest  desire, 

8  your  mourning,  your  fervent  mind  toward  me  ;  so  that  I  rejoiced  the  more.  For  though 
I  made  you  sorry  with  a  letter,  I  do  not  repent,  though  I  did  repent :  for  I  perceive  that 
the  same  epistle  hath  made  you  sorry,  though  it  were  but  for  a  season. 

9  Now  I  rejoice,  not  that  ye  were  made  sorry,  but  that  ye  sorrowed  to  repentance :  for  ye 
were  made  sorry  after  a  godly  manner,  that  ye  might  receive  damage  by  us  in  nothing. 

10  For  godly  sorrow  worketh  repentance  to  salvation  not  to  be  repented  of:  but  the  sorrow 

11  of  the  world  worketh  death.  For  behold  this  selfsame  thing,  that  ye  sorrowed  after  a. 
godly  sort,  what  carefulness  it  wrought  in  you,  yea,  tcliat  clearing  of  yourselves,  yea,  what 
indignation,  yea,  ichat  fear,  yea,  what  vehement  desire,  yea,  wliat  zeal,  yea,  what  revenge! 

12  In  all  things  ye  have  approved  yourselves  to  be  clear  in  this  matter.  Wherefore,  though  I 
wrote  unto  you,  I  did  it  not  for  his  cause  that  had  done  the  wrong,  nor  for  his  cause  that 

13  suffered  wrong,  but  that  our  care  for  you  in  the  sight  of  God  might  appear  unto  you.  There- 
fore we  were  comforted  in  your  comfort:  yea,  and  exceedingly  the  more  joyed  we  for  the 

14  joy  of  Titus,  because  his  spirit  was  refreshed  by  you  all.  For  if  I  have  boasted  any  thing  to 
him  of  you,  I  am  not  ashamed ;  but  as  we  spake  all  things  to  you  in  truth,  even  so  our 

15  boasting,  which  /ma^Ze  before  Titus,  is  found  a  truth.  And  his  Inward  aflfection  is  more 
abundant  toward  you,  whilst  he  remembereth  the  obedience  of  you  all,  how  with  fear  and 

16  trembling  ye  received  him.     I  rejoice  therefore  that  I  have  confidence  in  you  in  all  things. 


Godly  sorrow  is  an  inward  moral  force  which  produces  a  real  transfonnation  of  life  and  conduct.  It 
does  not  expend  itself  in  the  tears,  the  moans,  and  the  nervous  excitements  of  a  barren  pietism.  As  the 
Scripture  saith,  "It  worketh  effectual  reformation  not  to  be  repented  of."  "Fruits  meet  for  repentance," 
or  a  course  of  life  and  action  congruous  with  this  interior  moral  change,  must  surely  follow  this  ingenuous 
sorrow  under  the  light  of  a  gospel  which  reveals  the  fullness  of  the  divine  mercy  set  forth  by  an  all-suffi- 
cient atonement.  For  to  the  sorrowing  heart  the  gospel  reveals  free  pardon  as  the  gift  of  God's  munifi- 
cence ;  reveals  the  Divine  Spirit  as  waiting  to  impart  strength  ;  reveals  the  sympathetic  love  of  angels  as 
waiting  to  break  forth  into  songs  of  welcome,  that  shall  hail  the  converted  soul's  accession  to  the  ranks  of 
the  redeemed  ones.  When  the  heart  is  touched  with  healthful  grief  for  sin,  these  revelations  reach  its 
deepest  springs  of  action,  and  awaken  sentiments  of  love  and  gratitude  which  must  express  themselves 
in  acts  of  joyous  obedience.  Deliverance,  emancipation,  redemption,  freedom,  salvation — these  are  the 
words  which  fall  like  heavenly  music  upon  the  listening  ear,  and  furnish  an  adequate  supply  of  motive- 
power  to  meet  the  soul's  most  urgent  wants.     Hague. 

The  simplest  way  in  which  the  sorrow  of  the  world  works  death  is  seen  in  the  effect  of  mere  regret 
for  worldly  loss.  There  are  certain  advantages  with  which  we  come  into  the  world.  Youth,  health, 
fnends,  and  sometimes  property.     So  long  as  these  are  continued,  we  are  happy ;  and  because  happy,  fancy 


SECTION  28J^.—2  CORINTHIANS  7  :  2-16. 


3Y1 


ourselves  very  grateful  to  God.  But,  when  these  blessings  are  removed,  we  count  ourselves  hardly  treated, 
as  if  we  had  been  defrauded  of  a  right ;  rebellious,  hard  feelings  come ;  then  it  is  you  see  people  become 
bitter,  spiteful,  discontented.  At  every  step  in  the  solemn  path  of  life,  something  must  be  mourned  which 
will  come  back  no  more ;  the  temper  that  was  so  smooth  becomes  rugged  and  uneven ;  the  benevolence 
that  expanded  upon  all  narrows  into  an  ever-dwindling  selfishness — we  are  alone ;  and  then  that  death- 
like loneliness  deepens  as  life  goes  on.  The  course  of  man  is  downward,  and  he  moves  with  slow  and 
ever  more  solitary  steps  down  to  the  dark  silence — the  silence  of  the  grave.  This  is  the  death  of  heart ; 
the  sorrow  of  the  world  has  worked  death.     F.  W.  R. 


5.  Withont,    fightings;    within,    fears. 

The  great  trials  of  faith  and  patience  find  themselves 
represented  in  miniature  in  the  little  crosses,  rug- 
gednesses,  unpleasant  collisions  of  one  day's  walk. 
Temptations  in  the  heat  of  conversation  to  overstate 
things,  or  to  use  acrimonious  language,  or  to  throw 
out  (for  the  sake  of  amusement)  words  bordering  on 
the  profane — temptations  to  lose  one's  temper,  to 
indulge  appetite  in  eating,  to  resign  one's  self  to  calls 
of  ease  and  sloth,  or  to  harbor  thoughts  of  impuri- 
ty— all  this  is  the  miniature  crucible,  in  which  day 
by  day  the  faith  and  patience  of  God's  children  are 
tried  and  approved.  There  are  fightings  without 
and  fears  within,  oppositions,  vexations,  annoyances, 
anxieties,  apprehensions.  It  is  painful  to  thwart 
natural  inclinations,  as  a  Christian  must  do  several 
times  in  each  day ;  it  is  called  in  Scripture  "  cruci- 
fixion of  the  flesh,"  and  crucifixion  can  not  but  be 
painful.  But  comfort  thee,  faithful  soul !  the  night 
is  coming  when,  if  thou  wilt  endure  patiently  at 
present  the  fever-fit  of  passion  or  excitement,  thy 
anxiety  shall  have  worn  ofif,  and  the  Saviour  shall 
fold  thee  under  his  wing,  and  thou  shalt  sit  down 
under  his  shadow  with  great  delight.     E.  M.  G. 

To  say  that  doubts  and  fears  are  sinful,  is  not 
the  way  to  remove  them,  but  to  increase  them ;  in- 
asmuch as  the  sincere  soul  will  fear  more  and  more, 
by  thinking  it  has  more  sin  to  answer  for.  The  very 
doubts  and  fears  of  weak  believers  evidence  that 
they  are  in  covenant  with  God,  and  have  already  the 
faith  of  his  own  elect,  though  they  want  such  a  de- 
gree of  it  as  to  make  them  comfortable  in  their  own 
consciences.  If  there  was  no  faith,  there  would  be 
no  doubting ;  for  these  two  are  at  once  working  in 
the  heart,  the  one  opposing  the  actings  of  the  other ; 
so  that  my  very  fears  that  I  have  not  faith  prove 
that  I  have  it.  K  doubts  are  traced  to  their  origin, 
no  culpable  unbelief,  no  consent  of  the  will,  can 
ever  be  found  at  the  bottom  of  them,  but  real  faith 
will  always  be  discovered  at  their  root.  For  why 
does  the  soul  doubt  ?  Not  because  it  disbelieves  the 
promises  therein  contained  ;  but  because,  seeing  its 
own  sin  and  depravity,  and  God's  holiness  and 
purity,  and  not  having  clear  views  of  the  Lord's 
method  of  justifying  the  ungodly  without  money  and 
without  price,  it  distresses  and  perplexes  itself  with 
the  notion  that  its  great  vileness  is  a  bar  to  the 


mercy  of  God.  Nature  must,  in  a  manner,  be  re- 
versed, before  this  great  Scriptural  truth  will  be  re- 
ceived, viz.,  that  sin,  not  goodness,  q^ialifies  every  per- 
son  for  the  gospel  salvation.  The  verity  of  the  prom- 
ises, then,  is  not  questioned  by  the  feeble,  doubting 
Christian ;  but  what  he  doubts  and  fears  is,  that  he 
himself  has  no  interest  in  them ;  and  so  far  is  Christ 
from  being  displeased  with  such  weaklings,  that  he 
yearns  with  a  more  than  common  tenderness  over 
them.     Hill. 

6.  He  that  comforteth  "those  that  are  cast 
down "  really  shows  that  he  is  aware  of  his  ser- 
vant's great  need.  Not  through  the  coming  of  an 
angel  with  radiant  wings,  but  through  that  of  a  fel- 
low-laborer with  favorable  tidings,  He  raises  the 
cast-down  heart  from  the  dust.      Van  0. 

7.  So  that  I  rather  rejoiced.  The  Corin- 
thians had  given  a  hearty  welcome  to  Titus,  and 
on  receiving  the  first  Epistle  had  been  grieved  and 
sorry  for  the  evil  which  they  had  previously  con- 
nived at.  As  to  the  particular  case  of  which  the 
apostle  had  written,  they  had  subjected  the  man 
"  who  had  done  the  wrong "  to  a  discipline  severe 
yet  not  inexorable.  On  hearing  these  tidings,  Paul 
feels  renewed  confidence  in  the  Corinthians,  and, 
with  his  characteristic  generosity  of  temper,  tells 
them  so.     D.  F. 

8.  The  beautiful  law  is,  that  in  proportion  as 
the  repentance  increases  the  grief  diminishes.  "  I 
rejoice,"  says  Paul,  that  "  I  made  you  sorry,  though 
it  were  but  for  a  time.''''  And  few  things  more  sig- 
nally prove  the  wisdom  of  this  apostle  than  his  way 
of  dealing  with  this  grief  of  the  Corinthian.  He 
tried  no  artificial  means  of  intensifying  it — did  not 

i  urge  the  duty  of  dwelling  upon  it,  magnifying  it,  or 
even  of  gauging  and  examining  it.  So  soon  as  grief 
had  done  its  work,  the  apostle  was  anxious  to  dry 
useless  tears.  A  proud  remorse  does  not  forgive 
itself  the  forfeiture  of  its  own  dignity ;  but  it  is  the 
very  beauty  of  the  penitence  which  is  according  to 
God,  that  at  last  the  sinner,  realizing  God's  forgive- 
ness, does  learn  to  forgive  himself.  "What  is  meant 
by  the  publican's  going  down  to  his  house  justified, 
but  that  he  felt  at  peace  with  himself  and  God  ? 
F.  W.  R. 
i  9.  Sorrow  may  produce  two  kinds  of  reforma- 
i  tion,  a  transient  or  a  permanent  one  ;  an  alteration 


372 


SECTION  284.-2  CORINTEIANS  7  :  2-16. 


in  habits  which,  originating  in  emotion,  will  last  so 
long  as  that  emotion  continues,  and  then,  after  a 
few  fruitless  efforts,  be  given  up— a  repentance 
which  will  be  repented  of ;  or  again,  a  permanent 
change,  which  will  be  reversed  by  no  after-thought 
— a  repentance  not  to  be  repented  of. 

10.  Godly  sorrow.  Sorrowing  according  to 
God.  God  sees  sin,  not  in  its  consequences,  but  in 
itself;  a  thing  infinitely  evil,  even  if  the  conse- 
quences were  happiness  to  the  guilty  instead  of  mis- 
ery. So  sorrow,  according  to  God,  is  to  see  sin  as 
God  sees  it.  It  is  not  a  microscopic  self-examina- 
tion, nor  a  mourning  in  which  self  is  ever  upper- 
most ;  my  character  gone ;  the  greatness  of  my  sin ; 
the  forfeiture  of  my  salvation.  The  thought  of 
God  absorbs  all  that.  And  the  Christian — gazing 
not  on  what  he  is,  but  on  what  he  desires  to  be — 
dares,  even  when  the  recollection  of  his  sin  is  most 
vivid  and  most  poignant,  to  say  with  Peter,  thinking 
less  of  himself  than  of  God,  "  Lord,  thou  knowest 
all  things,  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee."    F.  W.  R. 

Repentance.  The  simple  meaning  of  this 
word,  which  was  so  familiar  to  the  lips  of  the  first 
preachers  of  the  gospel,  is  "  a  change  of  mind." 
Whensoever  the  term  7netanoia,  which  was  usually 
employed  by  the  apostles  to  designate  this  change, 
fell  upon  the  ear  of  a  Greek,  it  was  always  under- 
stood to  denote  some  kind  of  conversion.  His  idea 
of  the  nature  of  the  change  intended  would  be 
naturally  modified  by  the  connection  in  which  the 
word  occurred ;  but  whensoever  it  was  used  by  a 
Christian  teacher,  in  connection  with  the  startling 
narrative  of  his  master's  life,  death,  and  resurrec- 
tion, it  always  denoted  such  a  change  in  one's  habits 
of  thought,  feeling,  and  conduct,  as  constituted  a 
necessary  preparation  for  the  heartfelt  reception  of 
Christ  as  the  true  Teacher,  the  only  Saviour,  and 
the  rightful  Sovereign  of  the  soul.     Hague. 

Not  to  be  repented  of.  Coming  to  Christ  is 
the  crown  of  repentance.  It  is  the  only  kind  of  re- 
pentance that  really  gives  rest  and  peace.  It  is  the 
only  repentance  that  stills  the  tumult  of  the  soul, 
and  makes  repenting  sweet  instead  of  bitter.  We 
must  endeavor,  not  merely  to  see  that  we  have  done 
wrong — much  grievous  wrong — but  to  come  to  Christ 
himself  to  be  forgiven.  We  must  think  of  him  as 
of  one  who  deeply  loved  us,  who  still  yearns  after 
our  love,  whom  we  have  not  thought  of  as  we 
ought.  We  have  done  wrong,  but  let  all  other 
wrong  be  swallowed  up  in  the  thought  of  the  pain 
that  we  have  given,  that  we  are  giving,  to  the  soul 
of  the  most  loving  Friend  of  ours  that  ever  lived. 
That  only  will  give  us  rest.  All  other  repentance  is 
hard  work ;  wearisome,  cheerless ;  at  the  best  it 
gives  a  sort  of  relief  from  pain.  But  coming  to 
Christ  gives  real  joy  to  the  heart  and  life.     F.  T. 

The  sorrow  of  the  world  worketh  death. 


There  is  a  sorrow  for  past  transgressions  which 
proves  no  more  in  our  favor  than  a  fever  in  the 
brain  or  a  whirlwind  in  the  air.  No  holy  effects 
follow  it ;  it  may  break  our  hearts,  but  it  will  never 
subdue  them.  No  gracious  dispositions  produce  it : 
a  troubled  conscience,  a  dread  of  shame,  a  fear  of 
punishment — these  are  its  sources.  Death  is  its 
end.  C.  B. It  is  the  principal  distress  of  ex- 
treme bodily  hunger,  that  the  organs  of  digestion 
begin  themselves  to  be  gnawed  and  digested,  in 
place  of  the  food  on  which  the  digestive  power  is 
accustomed  to  spend  its  energy.  Remorse,  in  the 
same  way,  is  a  moral  hunger  of  the  soul.  It  is  the 
bitter  wail  of  a  famished  immortality.  It  is  your 
conscience  lashing  your  perverse  will ;  your  defraud- 
ed, hungry  love  weeping  its  dry,  pitchy  tears  on  the 
desert  your  evil  life  has  made  for  it.  It  is  your 
whole  spiritual  nature  famished  by  sin,  muttering 
wrathfully,  and  growling  like  a  caged  lion  at  the 
bars  which  shut  him  up  to  himself.  And  as  bodily 
hunger  sometimes  causes  the  starving  man  to  see 
devils  in  his  ravings,  so  this  hunger  of  remorse  fills 
the  soul  with  angry  demons  and  ministers  of  ven- 
geance, waiting  to  execute  judgment.  Sleep  van- 
ishes not  seldom,  or  comes  only  in  dreams  that  scare 
the  sleeper.  The  day  lags  heavily,  and  the  man 
carries  a  load  of  selfish  regret  and  worldly  sorrow 
that  worketh  death.     H.  B. 

11,  12.  The  criminal  had  undergone  public 
shame  and  public  humiliation ;  his  had  been  private 
grief,  and  many  searchings  of  heart;  and  all  this 
had  not  only  taught  him  a  lesson  which  never  could 
be  forgotten,  and  strengthened  him  by  terrible  disci- 
pline against  future  weakness,  but  also  had  set  up 
for  the  Corinthians  a  higher  standard,  and  vindicated 
the  purity  of  Christian  life  and  the  dignity  of  the 
Christian  Church.  This  was  the  pain,  and  these 
were  its  results.  Seeing  these  results,  Paul  steadily 
contemplated  the  necessary  suffering.  Let  us  now 
infer  from  this  a  great  truth — the  misfortune  of 
non-detection.  They  who  have  done  wrong  congrat- 
ulate themselves  upon  not  being  found  out.  A  sin 
undetected  is  the  soil  out  of  which  fresh  sins  will 
grow.  The  worst  misfortune  that  can  happen  is  to 
sin  and  to  escape  detection :  shame  and  sorrow  do 
God's  work,  as  nothing  else  can  do  it.     F.  W.  R. 

11.  What  indignation,  desire!  A  heart 
that  becomes  soft  beneath  the  cross  of  Christ,  how 
earnest,  burning,  pure,  are  the  tears  it  weeps !  For 
the  sufferings  which  the  Holy  One  of  God  endured 
on  account  of  our  sins,  teach  us  in  what  light  they 
are  regarded  by  God,  and  open  up  the  deepest  foun- 
tains of  our  sorrow.  Sorrow  without  Christ  is  death. 
But  to  repent  at  the  cross  of  Christ,  that  is  resurrec- 
tion, that  is  life.  There  is  pleasure  in  every  pang 
into  which  the  thought  of  love  enters,  and  therefore 
in  every  such  pang  there  is  strength.     One  love  de- 


SECTION  285.-3  CORINTHIANS  8  :  l-U- 


373 


serves  another !  cries  the  soul,  when  she  has  dried 
her  weeping  eyes,  and  goes  forth  and  works.  And 
the  work  which  she  then  has  done,  it  was  for  her 
Lord,  and  from  love  to  him  that  she  did  it.     A.  T. 

What  zeal.  True  zeal  will  hate  sin,  yet  love 
the  sinner.  True  zeal  will  hate  heresy,  and  yet  love 
the  heretic.  True  zeal  will  long  to  break  the  idol, 
but  deeply  pity  the  idolater.  True  zeal  will  abhor 
everv  kind  of  wickedness,  but  labor  to  do  good,  even 
to  the  vilest  transgressor.  True  zeal  will  speak  truth 
boldly,  like  Athanasius,  against  the  world ;  but  true 
zeal  will  speak  the  truth  in  love.     Ryle. 

13.  No  other  system  except  the  Christian  sys- 
tem of  grace  could  thus  afford  to  honor  penitence, 
because  no  other  gives  such  testimony  against  sin. 
It  is  because  Christianity  is  so  holy,  that  it  can  take 
hold  of  the  fallen  to  lift  them  out  of  the  mire  in 
which  they  have  sunk,  and  can  make  use  of  those 
even  who  have  dishonored  Christ,  as  promoters  of 
his  cause  before  a  censorious  and  Pharisaical  world. 
The  man  who  had  disgraced  Christianity  at  Corinth, 
when  he  evinced  thorough  repentance,  was  taken 
back  into  a  holy  body,  to  be  a  blessing  again,  and 
to  be  blest  in  that  sacred  circle.  But  if  the  gospel 
had  been  another  kind  of  religion,  if  external  purity 
of  morals  had  been  its  highest  aim,  then  doubtless 
every  marked  lapse  would  have  been  visited  with 
hopeless  exclusion,  lest  the  white,  or  rather  the 
white-washed,  robes  of  the  pure  should  be  soiled  by 
the  contact  of  the  unclean.  But  Christ  came  to  call 
sinners  to  repentance,  and  so  his  Church  is  a  blessed 
sort  of  hospital,  where  the  faulty  and  guilty  can  be 
cured ;  where  bitter,  ineffaceable  memories,  instead 
of  overwhelming  the   soul  in  sorrow,  can  be  the 


starting-point  of  a  new  life,  can  be  a  motive  to  new 
fidelity,  a  warning  against  return  to  sin  ;  where  the 
sympathies  aroused  by  a  common  experience  can 
greet  the  penitent  on  his  return ;  and  where  those 
whose  sin-malady  has  been  of  a  more  hidden  sort, 
knowing  that  they  too  belong  to  the  class  of  the 
recovered,  can  welcome  him  as  a  fellow  in  suffering, 
a  fellow  in  salvation.     T.  D.  W. 

13-16.  This  chapter  is  one  of  the  most  impas- 
sioned utterances  in  all  literature.  Now  he  glories 
in  the  Corinthians.  They  fill  him  with  comfort  to 
overflowing,  with  joy  to  painful  excess.  And,  again, 
he  grieves  that  he  should  ever  have  grieved  them, 
and  can  only  console  himself  with  the  happy  effects 
of  their  grief — that  it  was  a  sorrow  to  repentance 
and  life.  Yet,  beneath  all  this  intense  sympathy 
with  the  Corinthians,  there  runs  and  heaves  an  under- 
current of  feeling  for  Titus  hardly  less  intense. 
The  mere  coming  of  Titus  had  been  a  great  comfort 
to  him  ;  and  not  only  his  coming,  but  the  assurance 
that  the  Corinthians  had  been  kind  to  Titus,  and 
had  comforted  liim.  "  I  was  comforted  in  your  com- 
fort :  yea,  and  exceedingly  the  more  I  rejoiced  for 
the  joy  of  Titus,  because  his  spirit  was  refreshed  by 
you  all."  In  the  frankness  of  confidential  talk,  Paul 
had  often  boasted  to  Titus  of  the  Corinthians  ;  and 
now  it  is  an  inexpressible  happiness  to  him  that  his 
boasts  have  been  verified :  "  If  I  have  boasted  to 
him  of  you,  I  am  not  ashamed  " ;  and  that  Titus  has 
learned  to  love  them  "  with  a  deep,  inward  affec- 
tion." And  thus  throughout  the  chapter  he  makes 
much  of  the  Corinthians  and  much  of  Titus,  till  we 
can  not  say  whether  we  more  admire  the  apostle  or 
love  the  friend.     Cox. 


Section  285. 

2  Corinthians  viii.  1-24. 

1  Moreover,  brethren,  we  do  you  to  wit  of  the  grace  of  God  bestowed  on  the  churches  of 

2  Macedonia;  how  that  in  a  great  trial  of  atHiction  the  abundance  of  their  joy  and  their  deep 

3  poverty  abounded  unto  the  riches  of  their  liberality.     For  to  their  power,  I  bear  record, 

4  yea,  and  beyond  their  power  they  were  willing  of  themselves ;  praying  us  with  much  in- 
treaty  that  we  would  receive  the  gift,  and  tal-e  upon  us  the  fellowship  of  the  ministering 

5  to  the  saints.     And  this  they  did.,  not  as  we  hoped,  but  first  gave  their  own  selves  to  the 

6  Lord,  and  unto  us  by  the  will  of  God.     Insomuch  that  we  desired  Titus,  that  as  he  had 
begun,  so  he  would  also  finish  in  you  the  same  grace  also. 

7  Therefore,  as  ye  abound  in  every  thing.,  in  faith,  and  utterance,  and  knowledge,  and  in 

8  all  diligence,  and  in  your  love  to  us,  see  that  ye  abound  in  this  grace  also.     I  speak  not  by 
commandment,  but  by  occasion  of  the  forwardness  of  others,  and  to  prove  the  sincerity  of 

9  your  love.     For  ye  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that,  though  he  was  rich,  yet 

10  for  your  sakes  he  became  poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich.     And  herein  I 
give  my  advice  :  for  this  is  expedient  for  you,  who  have  begun  before,  not  only  to  do,  hut 

11  also  to  be  forward  a  year  ago.     Now  therefore  perform  the  doing  of  it;  that  as  there  was 

12  a  readiness  to  will,  so  there  may  he  a  performance  also  out  of  that  which  ye  have.    For  if 


374 


SECTION  285.-2  CORINTHIANS  8  :  1-24. 


there  be  first  a  vvilling  mind,  it  is  accepted  according  to  that  a  man  hath,  and  not  according 

13  to  that  he  hath  not.    For  I  mean  not  that  other  men  be  eased,  and  ye  burdened:  but  by 

14  an  equality,  that  now  at  this  time  your  abundance  may  he  a  supply  for  their  want,  that 

15  their  abundance  also  may  be  a  supply  for  your  want :  that  there  may  be  equality :  as  it  is 
■written,  lie  that  had  gathered  much  had  nothing  over  ;  and  he  that  had  gathered  httle  had 
no  lack. 

16  But  thanks  he  to  God,  which  put  the  same  earnest  care  into  the  heart  of  Titus  for  you. 

17  For  indeed  he  accepted  the  exhortation  ;  but  being  more  forward,  of  his  own  accord  he 

18  went  unto  you.     And  we  have  sent  with  him  the  brother,  whose  praise  is  in  the  gospel 

19  throughout  all  the  churches ;  and  not  that  only,  but  who  was  also  chosen  of  the  churches 
to  travel  with  us  with  this  grace,  which  is  administered  by  us  to  the  glory  of  the  same  Lord, 

20  and  declaration  of  your  ready  mind :  avoiding  this,  that  no  man  should  blame  us  in  this 

21  abundance  which  is  administered  by  us  :  providing  for  honest  things,  not  only  in  the  sight 

22  of  the  Lord,  but  also  in  the  sight  of  men.  And  we  have  sent  with  them  our  brother,  whom 
we  have  oftentimes  proved  diligent  in  many  things,  but  now  much  more  diligent,  upon  the 

23  great  confidence  which  I  have  in  you.  Whether  any  do  enquire  of  Titus,  he  is  my  partner 
and  fellowhelper  concerning  you :  or  our  brethren  he  enquired  of,  they  are  the  messengers 

24  of  the  churches,  and  the  glory  of  Christ.  Wherefore  shew  ye  to  them,  and  before  the 
churches,  the  proof  of  your  love,  and  of  our  boasting  on  your  behalf. 


If  we  vrould  be  as  Christ  is  in  this  world,  if  we  would  follow  his  steps  as  our  loving  Master,  there  is 
but  one  way,  one  straight,  narrow  way  ;  the  way  of  self-denying  charity.  Shall  we  go  on  speaking  of  His 
atoning  sacrifice,  but  ourselves  sacrifice  nothing ;  of  His  poverty  for  us,  but  have  ourselves  no  thought 
except  for  this  world's  riches  ;  of  His  humiliation  for  us,  but  ourselves  seek  only  how  to  exalt  ourselves 
and  our  families  in  this  world  ;  of  His  having  "  emptied  himself  "  of  his  inherent  majesty,  and  ourselves 
remain  "  full "  ?  Not  in  words  but  in  deeds  did  He  love  us,  when  he  came  down  amid  our  sin  and  shame 
and  sufferings,  to  be  hated,  scorned,  crucified,  to  bear  our  sins.  Not  in  words  then  but  in  deeds  must  be 
the  love  which  we  meanwhile  show  to  Him  in  his  poor  ;  learning,  slowly  it  may  be,  but  day  by  day,  to 
forego  things  which  tempt  the  eyes,  the  taste,  the  senses  ;  looking  not  at  what  we  can  afford  to  spend 
upon  self,  but  what  we  may  lawfully  deny  self ;  not  what  additional  comforts  we  may  keep  around  us, 
but  what  indulgences  we  may  part  with,  that  we  may  give  the  more  unto  Him  ;  seeking  how  our  habits 
may  become  more  simple ;  parting  with  luxuries  which  perish  in  the  using,  and  which  soon  must  part 
with  us,  in  order  to  win  the  love  of  God  ;  parting  with  things  temporal  for  things  eternal,  with  fading 
enjoyments  for  everlasting  glory ;  with  things  without  us,  that  Christ  (as  He  has  promised  to  those  who 
love)  may  make  his  abode  in  us.     F.  D.  H. 


The  second  division  of  the  Epistle  occupies  the 
eighth  and  ninth  chapters,  and  forms  the  only  speci- 
men extant  of  apostolic  teaching  on  the  duty  and 
privilege  of  giving  money  to  God  and  the  poor.  It 
is  well  to  mark  how  much  attention  the  foremost  of 
all  the  apostles  gave  to  such  a  matter  as  the  col- 
lection of  money.  It  is  not  right  to  let  the  money 
of  the  Lord's  house  be  collected  and  managed  on 
mere  earthly  principles.  The  treasury  of  his  tem- 
ple is  holy.  Those  who  put  money  into  it  should 
be  reminded  that  Christ  sits  over  against  the  trea- 
sury. Those  who  give  contributions  ought  to  regard 
them  in  the  light  here  thrown  around  them  by  Paul, 
exercising  liberality  under  the  grace  of  God,  making 
an  offering  with  the  same  reverence  as  belongs  to 
prayer  and  praise,  and  with  such  an  overwhelming 
sense  of  the  Lord's  goodness  as  will  lead  them,  not 
to  speak  of  their  own  gifts,  but  to  repeat  with  hum- 
ble joy  the  words  which  close  this  second  part  of 
the  Epistle :  "  Thanss  be  unto  God  for  his  unspeak- 
able gift."     D.  F. 


1.  "Make  known  to  you"  would  now  be  better 
understood  than  the  obsolete  "  do  you  to  wit  of."  A. 

2.  It  was  not  the  splendid  donations  of  the 
rich  which  drew  forth  the  praises  of  the  Son  of 
God,  but  the  more  than  royal  munificence  of  that 
indigent  widow  who  gave  "  all  that  she  had,  even 
all  her  living."  So  the  apostle  tells  us  here  of  "the 
churches  of  Macedonia."  ....  In  every  section  of 
the  Christian  Church,  a  spirit  of  self-denying  benev- 
olence is  the  exception,  and  a  spirit  of  worldly  self- 
indulgence,  which  leaves  little  for  God,  is  the  rule. 
Nor  can  a  thoughtful  Christian  reflect  on  the  grow- 
ing necessities  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  the 
imploring  attitude  of  the  heathen  world,  and  then 
remember  how  insignificant  a  proportion  of  the 
vast  pecuniary  resources  of  the  Christian  Church  is 
at  present  appropriated  to  the  demands  of  that 
kingdom  and  the  salvation  of  that  world,  without 
feeling  that,  among  the  revolutions  which  must  pre- 
cede the  universal  reign  of  Christ,  one  must  be  a 
revolution  in  the  economy  of  Christian  benevolence. 


SECTION  285.-2  GORmTHIANS  8  : 1-24. 


375 


5.  First  gave  their  own  selves  to  the 
Lord.  The  gospel  heightens  benevolence  into  one 
of  the  most  spiritual  and  improving  duties  the 
Christian  can  perform.  I'or,  by  imbuing  his  heart 
Tvith  the  love  of  God,  it  enables  him  to  taste  the 
godlike  enjoyment  of  doing  good ;  and,  by  teaching 
him  to  refer  all  his  acts  of  benevolence  to  Christ,  to 
perform  them  as  expressions  of  gratitude  to  him,  to 
hope  for  their  acceptance  through  him,  and  to  pray 
that  they  may  tend  to  his  glory,  it  keeps  him  near 
to  the  cross,  in  an  atmosphere  of  spiritual  and  ele- 
vated piety.    J.  H. 

9.  Christ  is  the  reference  for  everything.  To 
Christ's  Ufe  and  Christ's  spirit  Paul  refers  all  ques- 
tions, both  practical  and  speculative,  for  a  solution. 
It  is  in  spirit  and  not  in  letter  that  Christ  is  our 
example.  The  Corinthians  were  asked  to  give  money 
for  a  special  object,  and  Christ  is  brought  forward 
as  their  example.  But  Christ  did  not  give  money : 
he  gave  himself.  His  riches  were  perfect  happi- 
ness ;  his  poverty  was  humihation  ;  and  he  humbled 
himself  that  we,  through  his  poverty,  might  be 
made  rich.  He  gave  himself  to  bless  the  world. 
This,  then,  is  the  example ;  and  it  is  the  spirit  of 
that  example  which  the  Corinthians  are  urged  to 
imitate.  It  was  giving,  it  was  love,  that  was  the 
essence  of  the  sacrifice.  The  form  was  a  secondary 
thing.  It  was  Ufe  in  His  case,  it  was  money  in 
theirs ;  the  one  thing  needful  was  a  love  like  His, 
which  was  the  desire  to  give  and  to  bless.  F.  W.  R. 
The  mere  circumstance  of  His  assuming  our 
nature  was  to  him  an  unutterable  humiliation.  We 
can  not  measure  the  depth  of  it,  for  we  can  not 
measure  the  height  of  his  original  greatness.  All 
we  can  say  is,  he  was  God,  the  self-existent,  bound- 
less Jehovah ;  no  lofty  angel,  no  inferior  deity,  but 
"  very  God  of  very  God,"  possessing  in  himself  all 
the  fullness  of  the  divine  perfections,  sharing  with 
his  eternal  Father  in  all  he  was  and  enjoyed.  Nay, 
he  was  the  eternal  Father,  one  with  him  in  essence 

as  well  as  in  glory.     C.  B. He  took  on  himself 

our  manners  and  our  poverty  that  he  might  bestow 
on  us  his  own  riches.  For  his  passion  is  our  relief 
from  suffering,  and  his  death  is  our  immortality,  and 
his  tears  are  our  joy,  and  his  burial  is  our  resurrec- 
tion, and  his  baptism  is  our  sanctification,  and  his 
stripes  are  our  healing,  and  his  chastisement  is  our 
peace,  and  his  ignominy  is  our  glory.     Athanasius. 

You  know  the  height  from  which  he  stooped. 
You. know  the  depth  of  humiliation  to  which  he 
descended ;  that  he  found  no  resting-place  between 
his  throne  and  the  cross.  You  know  for  whom  he 
did  this — for  his  enemies,  his  destroyers.  You  know 
that  he  did  this  voluntarily  ;  that  his  own  love  was 
the  only  obligation ;  that  he  welcomed  each  indignity, 
invited  each  pang ;  made  them  a  part  of  his  plan  of 
condescension.    You  know  how  earnestly  he  prose- 


cuted the  work  of  our  salvation ;  that  in  every  step 
he  took  he  was  only  gratifying  the  compassionate 
yearnings  of  his  own  heart ;  that  he  assumed  life 
for  the  express  purpose  of  laying  it  down.  You 
know  the  object  for  which  he  did  it  all — for  your 
salvation ;  that  he  might  pour  his  fullness  into  your 
emptiness,  his  riches  into  your  poverty,  that  he 
might  raise  you  to  heaven,  and  share  with  you  the 
glories  of  his  own  throne.  And  will  you  withhold 
from  him  any  thing  in  your  possession  ?  Will  you 
not  freely  contribute  of  your  worldly  substance  to 
diffuse  the  knowledge  of  his  grace  ?    J.  H. 

11.  Now  therefore  perform  the  doing 
of  it.  True  though  it  is  that  willingness  is  ac- 
cepted where  the  means  are  not,  yet  where  the 
means  are,  willingness  is  only  tested  by  performance. 
Test  yourself  by  action ;  test  your  feelings  and  your 
liberal  words  by  self-denial.  Do  not  let  life  evapo- 
rate in  slothful  sympathies.  You  wish  you  were 
rich,  and  fancy  that  then  you  would  make  the  poor 
happy,  and  spend  your  life  in  blessing  ?  Now — now 
is  the  time — now  or  never.  Habituate  your  heart 
to  acts  of  giving.  Habituate  your  spirit  to  the 
thought  that  in  all  lives  something  is  owed  to  God. 
Neglect  this  now,  and  you  will  not  practice  it  more 
when  rich.  Charity  is  a  habit  of  the  soul,  therefore 
now  is  the  time.     F.  W.  R. 

Out  of  that  which  ye  have.  It  is  plain 
that  the  little  and  the  much  are  to  be  estimated  by 
the  quantity  of  the  means.  Such  was  our  Lord's 
judgment  in  the  case  of  the  widow's  mite.  This 
virtual  or  moral  estimate  claims  the  special  con- 
sideration of  that  portion  of  the  religious  commu- 
nity which  Providence  has  more  largely  favored.  It 
is  not  for  them  to  be  well  satisfied  with  themselves 
for  rendering  only  a  little  larger  share  of  aid  than 
what  is  expected  from  those  in  much  inferior  con- 
dition.    J.  F. Let   us   proportion  our  alms   to 

our  ability,  lest  we  provoke  God  to  proportion  His 
blessings  to  our  alms.     Beveridge. 

12.  I  give  no  alms  only  to  satisfy  the  hunger  of 
my  brother,  but  to  fulfill  and  accomplish  the  will 
and  command  of  God.  I  draw  not  my  purse  for  his 
sake  that  demands  it,  but  His  that  enjoined  it.  I 
relieve  no  man  upon  the  rhetoric  of  his  miseries, 
nor  to  content  mine  own  commiserating  disposition ; 
for  this  is  still  but  moral  charity,  and  an  act  that 
oweth  more  to  passion  than  to  reason.  He  that  re- 
lieves another  upon  the  bare  suggestion  of  pity, 
doth  not  this  so  much  for  his  sake  as  for  his  own ; 
for  by  compassion  we  make  other's  misery  our  own ; 
and  so,  by  relieving  them,  we  relieve  ourselves  also. 

Browne. You  go  into  the    Church    to    obtain 

mercy :  first,  show  mercy.  Make  God  your  debtor, 
and  then  you  may  ask  of  Him,  and  receive  with 
usury.  We  are  not  heard  barely  for  the  lifting  up 
of  our  hands.     Stretch  forth  your  hands  not  only 


376 


SECTI02T  2S6.—2  CORINTHIANS  9  : 1-15. 


to  heaven  but  to  the  poor.  If  you  stretch  out  your 
hands  to  the  poor,  you  touch  the  very  height  of 
heaven ;  for  He  that  eits  there  receives  your  alms. 
But  if  you  lift  up  barren  hands,  it  profits  nothing. 

Chrys. Alms  should  come  out  of  a  little  purse 

as  well  as  out  of  a  great  sack ;  but  surely  where 
there  is  plenty  charity  is  a  duty,  not  a  courtesy  ;  it 
is  a  tribute  imposed  by  Heaven  upon  us,  and  he  is 
not  a  good  subject  who  refuses  to  pay  it.     Fcltham. 

Defer  not  charities  till  death.     He  that  doth  so 

is  rather  liberal  of  another  man's  than  of  his  own. 
Bacon. A  life  of  benevolence  ending  in  a  mu- 
nificent bequest  is  like  a  glorious  sunset  to  a  sum- 
mer's day ;  but  he  who  withholds  his  hand  from 
deeds  of  benevolence  till  his  last  hour,  surrenders 
his  property  to  death  rather  than  devotes  it  to 
God.    J.  H. 

13.  "For  I  mean  not  that  other  men  be  eased 
and  ye  burdened " ;  as  if  the  benefit  of  the  poor 
were  the  main  end ;  as  if  God  cared  for  the  poor, 
and  not  for  the  rich ;  as  if  to  get  from  those  who 
have,  and  bestow  on  those  who  have  not,  were  the 
object  of  inciting  to  liberality.  Paul  distinctly  de- 
nies this.  He  takes  the  higher  ground  :  it  is  a  grace 
of  God.  He  contemplates  the  benefit  to  the  soul  of 
the  giver. 

15.  The  principle  laid  down  is,  that  the  abun- 
dance of  the  rich  is  intended  for  the  supply  of  the 
poor,  and  the  illustration  of  the  principle  is  drawn 
from  a  miracle  in  the  wilderness.  There,  by  a 
miraculous  arrangement,  if  any  one  through  greedi- 
ness gathered  more  manna  than  enough,  it  bred 
worms,  and  became  offensive ;  and  if,  through  weak- 
ness, or  deep  sorrow,  or  pain,  any  were  prevented 


from  collecting  enough,  still  what  they  had  collected 
was  found  to  be  suflScient.  In  this  miracle  Paul 
perceives  a  great  universal  principle  of  human  life. 
God  has  given  to  every  man  a  certain  capacity  and 
a  certain  power  of  enjoyment.  Whatsoever  he 
heaps  or  hoards  beyond  that  is  not  enjoyment  but 
disquiet.  If  a  man  piles  up  wealth,  all  beyond  a 
certain  point  becomes  disquiet.  Thus  thought 
James  :  "  Your  gold  and  silver  is  cankered."  You 
can  not  escape  the  stringency  of  that  law  of  the 
daily  manna.     F.  W.  R. 

16.  Titus  does  not,  like  Timothy,  appear  at  in- 
tervals through  all  the  passages  of  the  apostle's 
life.  He  is  not  mentioned  in  the  Acts  at  all,  and 
this  is  the  only  place  where  he  comes  conspicuously 
forward  in  the  Epistles,  and  all  that  is  said  of  him 
is  connected  with  the  business  of  the  collection.  If 
we  put  together  the  notices,  scanty  as  they  are,  of 
the  conduct  of  Titus,  they  set  before  us  a  character 
which  seems  to  claim  our  admiration  for  a  remark- 
able union  of  enthusiasm,  integrity,  and  discre- 
tion.    C. 

20,  31.  It  was  in  order  to  preserve  his  own 
reputation  that  Paul  shielded  himself  from  censure 
by  consulting  appearances,  for  if  so  large  a  sum  had 
been  intrusted  to  him  alone,  an  opening  would  have 
been  left  for  the  suspicion  of  appropriating  a  por- 
tion to  himself.  In  this  is  to  be  observed  Paul's 
wisdom,  not  only  as  a  man  of  the  world,  but  as  a 
man  of  God.  He  knew  that  he  lived  in  a  censorious 
age,  that  he  was  as  a  city  set  on  a  hill,  that  the 
world  would  scan  his  every  act  and  his  every  word, 
and  attribute  all  conceivable  and  even  inconceivable 
evil  to  what  he  did  in  all  honor.    F.  W.  R. 


Section  286. 

2  COEINTHIANS  ix    1-15. 

1  _  For  as  touching  the  ministering  to  the  saints,  it  is  superfluous  for  me  to  write  to  you: 

2  for  I  know  the  forwardness  of  your  mind,  for  which  I  boast  of  you  to  them  of  Macedonia, 

3  that  Achaia  was  ready  a  year  ago ;  and  your  zeal  hath  provoked  very  many.  Yet  have  I 
sent  the  brethren,  lest  our  boasting  of  you  should  be  in  vain  in  this  behalf ;  that,  as  I  said, 

4  ye  may  be  ready:  lest  haply  if  they  of  Macedonia  come  with  me,  and  find  you  unprepared, 

5  we  (that  we  say  not,  ye)  should  be  ashamed  in  this  same  confident  boasting.  Therefore  I 
thought  it  necessary  to  exhort  the  brethren,  that  they  wouhl  go  before  \mio  you,  and  make 
up  beforehand  your  bounty,  whereof  ye  had  notice  before,  that  the  same  might  be  ready, 
as  a  matter  of  bounty,  and  not  as  of  covetousness. 

6  But  this  I  say,  He  which  soweth  sparingly  shall  reap  also  sparingly  ;  and  he  which  sow- 

7  eth  bountifully  shall  reap  also  bountifully.  Every  man  according  as  he  purposeth  in  his 
heart,  so  let  him  give;  not  grudgingly,  or  of  necessity:  for  God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver. 

8  And  God  is  able  to  make  all  grace  abound  toward  you ;  that  ye,  always  having  aU  sufii- 

9  ciency  in  all  things,  may  abound  to  every  good  work :  (as  it  is  written,  He  hath  dispersed 

10  abroad ;  he  hath  given  to  the  poor :  his  righteousness  remaineth  for  ever.    Now  he  that 
mmistereth  seed  to  the  sower  both  minister  bread  for  your  food,  and  multiply  your  seed 

11  sown,  and  increase  the  fruits  of  your  righteousness;)  being  enriched  in  every  thing  to  all 


SECTION  286.-2  CORINTHIANS  9  : 1-15.  377 

12  bountifulness,  which  canseth  through  ns  thanksgiving  to  God.     For  the  administration  of 
this  service  not  only  supplieth  the  want  of  the  saints,  hut  is  abundant  also  by  many  thanks- 

13  givings  unto  God ;  whiles  by  the  experiment  of  this  ministration  they  glorify  God  for  your 
professed  subjection  unto  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  for  your  liberal  distribution  unto  them, 

14  and  unto  all  men ;  and  by  their  prayer  for  you,  which  long  after  you  for  the  exceeding 

15  grace  of  God  in  you.     Thanks  be  unto  God  for  his  unspeakable  gift. 


Christian  liberality  puts  itself  in  sympathy  with  that  great  tide  of  universal  mercy,  which,  flowing 
forth  from  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb,  encompasses  every  island,  washes  every  shore,  and  proffers 
its  life-giving  waters  to  every  individual  of  the  race.  It  is  prompted  by  sympathy  with  Christ  in  his  love 
for  universal  man.  It  recognizes  Christ  as  the  Saviour  of  universal  man.  It  recognizes  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  as  spiritual  and  universal.  Prompted  by  the  spirit  of  love  to  God,  enveloping  and  sanctifying  the 
loves  and  the  liberalities  of  earth.  Christian  liberality  forces  the  stream  of  its  bounty  upward,  far,  far 
above  them  all,  and  pours  it  forth  into  the  treasury  of  that  universal  empire  of  which  it  is  written ;  "  The 
kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ,  and  he  shall  reign  for 
ever  and  ever."  Here  only  does  Christian  liberality  become  pure,  because  here  only  does  Christian  love 
become  pure.  Unmixed  with  the  loves  and  the  liberalities  of  earth,  it  exhibits  itself,  like  the  water  of 
the  river  of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  and  flowing,  like  that  blessed  river,  in  unstinted  bounty  all  over  the 
world.    II.  Smith. 

'What  wc  wait  for,  and  are  looking  hopefully  to  see,  is  a  consecration  of  the  vast  money  power  of  the 
world  to  the  work  and  cause  and  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ.  For  that  day,  when  it  comes,  is  the  morning, 
so  to  speak,  of  the  new  creation.  That  tide-wave  in  the  money  power  can  as  little  be  resisted  when  God 
brings  it  on  as  the  tides  of  the  sea ;  and  like  these  also  it  will  flow  across  the  world  in  a  day.  And  such 
a  result  we  are  to  look  for  largely  to  the  merchant  class  of  disciples.  Trade  expanding  into  commerce 
and  commerce  rising  into  communion,  are  to  be  the  outline  of  the  story.  When  the  merchants  seeking 
goodly  pearls — all  the  merchant  race — find  the  precious  one  they  seek,  and  sell  their  all  to  buy  it,  they 
will  make  it  theirs.     H.  B. 


Let  this  dignify  wealth  in  your  eyes ;  value  it 
henceforth  on  this  account,  that  the  Lord  will  ac- 
cept it  at  your  hands  as  an  olfering  of  love.  Be 
thankful,  though  you  may  have  but  little  with  which 
to  present  him.  Seek  out  the  right  objects  for  it, 
the  objects  which  you  deem  to  be  the  dearest  in  his 
sight.  Give  to  them  all  you  can.  Give  under  a 
grateful  sense  of  your  obligations,  and  you  will  feel 
that  giving  itself  is  a  benefit,  that  it  is  an  act  in 

which  you  receive  more  than  you  render.    J.  H. 

A  liberal  heart  will  have  a  liberal  hand,  be  it  full  or 
empty.  The  most  beautiful  examples  of  charitable 
living  are  found  alike  among  the  rich  and  the  poor. 
None  are  so  low  or  so  destitute  but  that  they  may 
equal  the  princes  of  the  earth  in  charity.  Their 
mites  may  even  outstrip,  in  their  beauty  and  re. 
ward,  the  largest  bestowing  of  the  wealthy.  If 
riches  make  us  proud  and  forgetful  of  our  ill-de- 
servings,  they  will  harden  the  heart ;  but  if  they  be 
received  as  the  largesses  of  heaven,  and  our  unwor- 
thiness  be  deeply  tasted  in  them,  we  shall  delight 
to  use  them  for  the  good  of  others.     H.  H. 

4.  Observe  the  delicacy  of  the  mode  in  which 
the  hint  is  given :  "  We  (that  we  say  not,  ye)  may 
not  be  ashamed."  Paul  makes  it  a  matter  of  per- 
sonal anxiety,  as  if  the  shame  and  fault  of  non- 
payment would  be  his.  Thereby  he  appealed  not  to 
then*  selfish,  but  to  their  most  unselfish  feelings ; 


he  appealed  to  their  gratitude,  their  generosity,  to 
everything  which  was  noble  or  high  within  them. 
This  is  a  great  principle — one  of  the  deepest  you 
can  have  for  life  and  action.  Appeal  to  the  highest 
motives ;  appeal  whether  they  be  there  or  no,  for 
you  make  them  where  you  do  not  find  them.  Ar- 
nold trusted  his  boys,  avowing  that  he  believed  what 
they  affirmed,  and  all  attempt  at  deceiving  him  ceased 
forthwith.  Let  men  say  what  they  will  of  human 
nature's  evil,  a  generous,  real,  unaffected  confidence 
never  fails  to  elicit  the  Divine  spark.    F.  W.  R. 

6.  "  No  man  is  thoroughly  converted  till  his 
piety  reaches  his  pocket."  So  said  a  Christian  lay- 
man who  had  earned  the  right  to  say  it.  Let  the 
words  ring  in  men's  ears.  For  few,  how  very  few, 
have  learned  the  blessedness  of  noble,  bountiful, 
cheerful  giving.  Paul,  who  everywhere  urged  and 
organized  the  charity  of  the  churches,  has  told  us 
how  "  the  Lord  loveth  a  cheerful  giver  "  and  bless- 
eth  "  him  that  soweth  bountifully."  He  warns  us 
against  the  "  covetousness  which  is  idolatry " — 
which  makes  money  our  God.  And  he  urgently 
enjoins  upon  the  rich  the  duty  of  a  bountiful  liber- 
ality. The  New  Testament  doctrine  of  human 
ownership,  and  the  foundation  of  giving,  is  summed 
up  in  one  word — STEWARnsHip.     An. 

7.  The  duty  of  the  preacher  to  preach,  of  the 
scholar  to  teach,  is  no  more  imperative  than  the 


378 


SECTION  286.-2  CORINTHIAN'S  9  : 1-15. 


obligation  which  lies  upon  the  wealthy  to  give — to 
consecrate  a  similar  proportion  of  the  particular 
forms  of  power  which  they  wield  to  benevolent 
ends.  If  we  would  ascertain,  then,  the  right  use  of 
wealth  and  the  extent  of  the  obligation  which  binds 
men  who  control  it,  we  should  recur  to  the  New 
Testament,  and  there  study  the  precepts  and  exam- 
ple of  Christ  and  his  immediate  followers.  What- 
ever of  self-denial,  whatever  of  self-sacrifice,  what- 
ever of  consecration  of  power  to  the  salvation  of 
men  and  the  glory  of  God  marked  the  career  of 
these  exemplars  of  our  faith,  is  binding  to-day  upon 
the  Christian  teacher,  the  Christian  preacher,  and 

the  Christian  merchant.     M.  B.  A. The  Gospel 

of  Christ,  in  harmony  with  its  great  design  of  es- 
tablishing a  reign  of  love,  leaves  its  followers  to 
assess  themselves.  It  puts  into  their  hands,  indeed, 
a  claim  upon  their  property,  but  leaves  the  question, 
how  much?  to  be  determined  by  themselves.  In 
assisting  them  to  fill  up  the  blank  with  the  proper 
assessment,  the  only  step  which  it  takes  is  to  point 
them  to  the  cross  of  Christ ;  and,  while  their  eye  is 
fixed  there  in  admiring  love,  to  say,  "  How  much 
owest  thou  unto  thy  Lord  ?  "  "  Freely  ye  have  re- 
ceived, freely  give."    J.  11. Christian  charity  is 

a  calm,  wise  thing ;  nay,  sometimes  it  will  appear 
to  a  superficial  observer  a  very  hard  thing — for  it 
has  courage  to  refuse.  A  Christian  man  will  not 
give  to  everything ;  he  will  not  give  because  it  is 
the  fashion ;  he  will  not  give  because  an  appeal  is 
very  impassioned,  or  because  it  touches  his  sensi- 
bilities. He  gives  as  he  ^^ purposeth  in  his  heart." 
F.  W.  R. 

8.  No  soul  was  ever  yet,  or  ever  will  be,  gener- 
ous in  its  dealings  with  God,  which  has  not  first 
formed  a  large  estimate  of  God's  generosity.  Oh 
for  a  juster  conception  of  the  intensity  of  His  love 
and  tenderness  for  us,  of  His  unspeakable  willing- 
ness to  give  us  day  by  day,  and  hour  by  hour,  all 
things  which  are  requisite  for  the  spiritual  life !    E. 

M.  G. Spiritual  prosperity  is  inseparable  from 

Christian  liberality.  For  "  God  loveth  a  cheerful 
giver :  and  God  is  able  to  make  all  grace  abound 
toward  you."  As  often  as  you  practice  this  duty  in 
an  evangelical  spirit,  you  must  be  conscious  that  the 
best  part  of  your  sanctified  nature  is  called  into  ex- 
ercise ;  your  heart  is  partially  discharged  of  its  re- 
maining selfishness ;  your  mind  is  braced  more  for 
Christian  activity ;  your  sympathy  causes  you  to 
feel  afresh  your  alliance  with  man ;  your  beneficence 
enables  you  to  rejoice  in  your  union  of  spirit  with 
Christ,  and  adds  a  new  bond  to  that  power  of  affec- 
tion which  binds  you  to  his  cause.  And  while  other 
duties  bring  you  nearer  to  Christ,  this  may  be  said 
at  once  to  place  you  by  his  side,  and  to  exalt  you 
into  a  real  though  humble  imitator  of  his  divine 
benevolence.    J.  H. 


9.  A  habit  of  benevolence  must  be  contracted 
and  kept  alive,  as  all  other  habits  are,  by  constant 
exercise.  There  is  not  a  day  passes  over  our  heads 
but  we  might  contribute  something  to  lessen  the 
uneasiness  or  promote  the  happiness  of  those  with 
whom  we  have  to  do,  and,  by  studying  to  promote 
their  happiness,  we  mold  ourselves  into  those  hab- 
its which  are  productive  of  our  own,  both  here  and' 
hereafter.     Seed. 

11.  Paul  urges  all  these  motives  for  giving: 
emulation ;  self-esteem ;  gratitude,  or  sense  of  in- 
finite benefaction ;  prudence,  common  sense,  and  a 
reasonable  regard  to  what  is  fair  and  equitable ;  a 
sense  of  honor  before  men  and  God ;  ambition — a 
noble  desire  to  obtain  for  ourselves,  and  to  turn  to 
account  the  largest  and  most  liberal  supplies  of  the 
divine  bounty ;  and  lastly,  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God 
— a  feeling  of  what  redounds  to  His  honor  in  this 
whole  matter,  He  being  first,  middle,  and  end  in  it 
all.     Ross. 

12.  By  the  practice  of  Christian  liberality,  the 
glory  of  God  and  the  credit  of  religion  are  pro- 
moted ;  and  what  object  should  be  of  more  precious 
and  abiding  concern  to  the  believer  than  this  ?  The 
new-born  liberality  of  the  first  Christians  for  the 
support  of  their  needy  brethren  was  bringing  the 
benevolent  power  of  Christianity  to  the  test ;  and 
the  result  of  "  the  experiment  of  this  ministration  " 
was  such  as  to  call  forth  songs  of  exultation  to  the 
glory  of  God.  It  displayed  the  gospel  in  a  new 
aspect,  brought  to  light  its  benevolent  energies, 
showed  them  that  much  as  they  knew  of  its  virtues, 
it  contained  hidden  excellences  which  it  would  re- 
quire time  and  circumstances  to  evolve  and  display ; 
it  filled  the  Church  with  a  chorus  of  praise  to  the 
glory  of  God.    J.  H. 

13.  What  are  the  rewards  of  liberality  which 
Paul  promises  to  the  Corinthians  ?  They  are,  first, 
the  love  of  God  (v.  7) ;  secondly,  a  spirit  abounding 
to  every  good  work  (v.  8) ;  thirdly,  thanksgiving  on 
their  behalf  (vs.  11-13).  A  noble  harvest!  but 
all  spiritual.  Comprehend  the  meaning  of  it  well. 
When  you  give  to  God  sacrifice,  and  know  that  what 
you  give  is  sacrificed,  and  is  not  to  be  got  again, 
even  in  this  world ;  for  if  you  give,  expecting  it 
back  again,  there  is  no  sacrifice ;  charity  is  no  spec- 
ulation in  the  spiritual  funds,  no  wise,  investment,  to 
be  repaid  with  interest  either  in  time  or  eternity! 
No !  the  rewards  are  these :  Do  right,  and  God's 
recompense  to  you  will  be  the  power  of  doing  more 
right.  Give,  and  God's  reward  to  you  will  be  the 
spirit  of  giving  more ;  a  blessed  spirit,  for  it  is  the 
Spirit  of  God  Himself,  whose  life  is  the  blessedness 
of  giving.  Love,  and  God  will  pay  you  with  the 
capacity  of  more  love ;  for  love  is  heaven — love  is 
God  within  you.     F.  W.  R. 

15.  "Herein  is  love!"    "Thanks  be  unto  God 


SECTION  287.-2  CORINTHIAN'S  10  : 1-18. 


379 


for  his  unspeakable  gift ! "  And  while  you  are 
standing  in  the  presence  of  this  matchless  display 
of  love,  "  what  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee  ?  " 
For  yourself,  he  invites  you  to  accept  that  love  and 
be  happy.  And  in  relation  to  your  fellow-men,  he 
only  requires  that  the  stream  of  gratitude  which 
his  "rsat  love  has  drawn  from  your  heart  should  be 
poured  into  that  channel  in  which  a  tide  of  mercy 
is  rolling  through  the  world,  and  bearing  blessings 
to  the  nations.  He  who  for  your  sake  gave  his  Son 
asks  you  for  his  sake  to  give  of  your  worldly  sub- 
stance to  the  cause  of  human  happiness.  He  asks 
you  to  cast  into  that  treasury  into  which  he  hath 
given  his  Son,  and  poured  all  the  blessings  of  his 
grace.  The  office  to  which  God  designates  every 
man  from  the  moment  of  his  conversion  is  meant  to 
be  a  new  donation  to  the  world.  The  relation  in 
which  he  places  him  to  the  world  is  meant  to  be  a 
fresh  expression  of  the  same  infinite  love  which 
prompted  him  to  give  Christ ;  it  is  to  be  viewed  as 
nothing  less  than  a  symbolical  representation  to  the 
world  of  that  unspeakable  gift.  lie  is  not  that  gift, 
but  is  sent  to  bear  witness  of  that  gift ;  not  merely  to 
announce  it  with  his  lips,  but  to  describe  and  com- 
memorate its  fullness  and  freeness  in  his  own  char- 
acter. Like  his  blessed  Lord  he  is  to  look  upon  him- 
self as  dedicated  to  the  cause  of  human  happiness. 


Muse  on  the  prophetic  paintings  of  the  latter- 
day  glory,  that  day  without  a  cloud :  the  enemies  of 
man  subdued,  the  disorders  of  the  world  hushed, 
all  its  great  miseries  passed  away;  Christ  on  his 
throne  in  the  midst  of  a  redeemed,  sanctified,  happy 
creation ;  all  things  sacred  to  his  name ;  all  tongues 
rehearsing  for  the  last  great  chorus  of  the  universe ; 
all  hearts  united  in  holy  love,  and  in  that  love  offer- 
ing themselves  up  as  one  everlasting  sacrifice  as- 
cending before  him  in  its  own  flames ;  new  heavens, 
and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness. 
All  things  are  waiting  for  it.  All  things  are  ready 
bur  the  Church  of  Christ;  and  until  its  prayers,  its 
wealth,  all  its  energies  and  resources  are  laid  at  the 
feet  of  Christ,  all  things  must  continue  to  wait. 
Then,  by  the  mercies  of  God ;  by  the  richness  of 
his  goodness  toward  you  in  nature,  providence,  and 
grace ;  by  the  sacredness  of  the  commands  which  he 
has  laid  upon  you ;  by  a  legitimate  regard  for  your 
own  well-being ;  and  by  the  credit  of  that  religion 
whose  honor  should  be  dearer  to  you  than  life ; 
above  all,  by  Christ's  painful  self-denial  and  deep 
humiliation ;  by  his  obedience  unto  the  death  of  the 
cross ;  by  that  mystery  of  love  which  led  him  to  be- 
come poor  that  be  might  make  you  eternally  rich — 
0  Christian  soul,  dedicate  your  property  as  you  ded- 
icate your  soul  to  God  !    J.  H. 


Section  287. 

2   COEINTHIANS   X.  1-lS. 

1  Now  I  Paul  myself  beseecli  you  by  the  meekness  and  gentleness  of  Christ,  who  in  presence 

2  am  base  among  you,  but  being  absent  am  bold  toward  you :  but  I  beseech  you,  that  I  may 
not  be  bold  when  I  am  present  with  that  confidence,  wherewith  I  think  to  be  bold  against 

3  some,  which  think  of  us  as  if  we  walked  according  to  the  flesh.     For  though  we  walk  in 

4  the  flesh,  we  do  not  war  after  the  flesh  :  (for  the  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal, 

5  but  mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong  holds  ;)  casting  down  imaginations, 
and  every  high  thing  that  exalteth  itself  against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  bringing  into 

6  captivity  every  thought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ ;  and  having  in  a  readiness  to  revenge 
all  disobedience,  when  your  obedience  is  fulfilled. 

7  _   Do  ye  look  on  things  after  the  outward  appearance?    If  any  man  trust  to  himself  that  he 
is  Christ's,  let  him  of  himself  think  this  again,  that,  as  he  is  Christ's,  even  so  are  we 

8  Christ's.     For  though  I  should  boast  somewhat  more  of  our  authority,  which  the  Lord  hath 

9  given  us  for  edification,  and  not  for  your  destruction,  I  should  not  be  ashamed :  that  I  may  not 

10  seem  as  if  I  would  terrify  you  by  letters.     For  Ms  letters,  say  they,  are  weighty  and  power- 

11  f ul ;  but  his  bodily  presence  is  weak,  and  Ms  speech  contemptible.  Let  such  an  one  think 
this,  that,  such  as  we  are  in  word  by  letters  when  we  are  absent,  such  will  we  he  also  in 
deed  when  we  are  present. 

12  For  we  dare  not  make  ourselves  of  the  number,  or  compare  ourselves  with  some  that 
commend  themselves :  but  they  measuring  themselves  by  themselves,  and  comparing  them- 

13  selves  among  themselves,  are  not  wise.  But  we  will  not  boast  of  things  without  our  mea- 
sure, but  according  to  the  measure  of  the  rule  which  God  hath  distributed  to  us,  a  measure 

14  to  reach  even  unto  you.    For  we  stretch  not  ourselves  beyond  our  measure,  as  though  we 


f 


380 


SECTION  287.-2  CORINTHIANS  10  : 1-18. 


reached  not  unto  you:  for  we  are  come  as  far  as  to  you  also  in  2^reachiiig  the  gospel  of 

15  Christ :  not  boasting  of  things  without  our  measure,  that  is^  of  other  men's  labours ;  but 
havina;  hope,  when  your  faith  is  increased,  that  we  shall  be  enlarged  by  you  accordmg  to 

16  our  rule  abundantly,  to  preach  the  gospel  in  the  regions  beyond  you,  «w^  not  to  boast  in 

17  another  man's  line  of  things  made  ready  to  our  hand.     But  he  that  glorieth,  let  him  glory 

18  in  the  Lord.     For  not  he  that  commendeth  himself  is  approved,  but  whom  the  Lord  com- 
mendeth.  

It  may  only  be  by  a  long-protracted  process  of  holy  discipline,  by  many  a  weary  hour  of  inward  con- 
flict, fainting,  striving,  falling,  reviving,  yet  ever,  on  the  whole,  growing  in  conformity  to  the  will  of  God, 
that  the  soul  attains  at  last  to  the  complete  mastery  over  self,  the  perfect  inward  harmony  of  a  spirit  in 
which  every  thought  and  feeling  and  desire  are  "  brought  into  captivity  to  the  obedience  of  Christ."  But 
when  that  glorious  end  is  gained,  when  self  is  quelled,  and  duty  reigns  supreme  within  the  breast,  when 
"  the  immortal  soul  becomes  consistent  in  self-rule,"  then  the  "  weary  strife  of  frail  humanity  "  is  at  an 
end,  and  a  repose,  oh,  how  deep,  how  tranquil,  how  sublime !  diffuses  itself  throughout  the  spirit — a 
repose  in  which  there  is  at  once  calmness  and  power,  the  sweet  serenity  of  an  infant's  slumbers,  yet  the 
strength  of  an  angel  of  God,     Caira. 


With  this  chapter  begins  the  direct  personal  de- 
fense of  Paul  against  his  rivals  and  adversaries ;  and 
with  it  the  delicate  and  intricate  alternations  of 
gravity  and  irony,  earnest  pleading  and  rallying, 
which  make  this  portion  of  the  Epistle  so  exceed- 
ingly difficult.  It  is  hardly  needful  to  say  that  the 
whole  of  these  last  four  chapters  is  very  precious, 
both  as  letting  us  into  the  personal  character  and 
ways  of  the  apostle  and  as  abounding  with  rich 
gems  of  faith,  hope,  and  Christian  charity.     A. 

1.  Here,  again,  according  to  his  custom,  the 
apostle  refers  to  the  example  of  Christ.  He  be- 
sought the  Corinthians  "  by  the  meekness  and  gen- 
tleness of  Christ."  He  vindicated  his  authority,  be- 
cause he  had  been  meek,  as  Christ  was  meek ;  for 
not  by  menace  nor  by  force  did  He  conquer,  but  by 
the  might  of  gentleness  and  the  power  of  love.  Ee- 
member,  fine  loords  about  gentleness,  self-sacrifice, 
meekness,  are  worth  very  little.  Talking  of  the  no- 
bleness of  humiHty  and  self-surrender  is  not  believ- 
ing in  them.  Would  you  believe  in  the  cross  and  its 
victory  ?  then  live  in  its  spirit — act  upon  it.  F.  W.  R. 

4.  It  is  the  living  piety  of  the  Church — back  of 
all  sermons  however  studied,  all  creeds  however 
orthodox,  ail  rites  however  simple — that  gives  them 
force.  Not  the  great  names  of  her  eminent  min- 
isters, not  the  increase  of  her  numbers,  not  the 
outward  respect  which  she  receives  from  statesmen, 
and  poets,  and  politicians,  but  the  living,  active 
piety  of  her  members,  their  exemplary  and  devoted 
spirit,  their  praycrfulness,  humility,  and  Christlike- 
ness:  these  are  the  weapons  of  her  warfare,  not 
carnal,  but  mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down 
of  strongholds.  These  bring  down  to  her  aid  the 
omnipotence  of  God.     E.  H.  G. 

Here  is  an  apostle  of  the  Lord  Jesus  who  speaks 
the  language  of  a  soldier.  He  is  planning  a  cam- 
paign ;  nay,  rather,  he  is  making  war ;  he  glows  with 


the  fire  of  a  genuine  military  enthusiasm.  But  the 
weapons  of  his  warfare  are  not  carnal ;  the  standard 
under  which  he  fights  is  a  more  sacred  sign  than  that 
of  the  Cesar ;  the  operations  which  he  projects  are 
to  be  carried  out  in  a  territory  more  difficult  of  con- 
quest than  any  which  kept  the  conquerors  of  the 
world  at  bay.  He  is  invading  the  region  of  human 
thought ;  and,  as  he  fights  for  God,  he  is  sternly  re- 
solved upon  conquest.  He  sees  rising  before  him 
the  lofty  fortresses  of  hostile  errors ;  they  must  be 
reduced  and  razed.  Every  mountain  fastness  to 
whicli  the  enemy  of  Light  and  Love  can  retreat  must 
be  scaled  and  destroyed ;  and  all  the  thought  of  the 
human  soul  which  is  hostile  to  the  authority  of  the 
Divine  truth  must  be  "  led  away  as  a  prisoner  of 
war  "  into  the  camp  of  Christ.  Truly  a  vast  and 
unaccountable  ambition ;  a  dream — if  it  were  not, 
as  it  was,  a  necessity ;  a  tyranny — if  anything  less 
vigorous  and  trenchant  had  been  consistent  with  the 
claims  of  the  truth  of  God,  or  equal  to  the  needs  of 
the  soul  of  man.  Only  that  truth  has  an  indefeasi- 
ble right  to  reign  in  the  intellect  of  man.  The  apos- 
tle asserts  that  right,  when  he  speaks  of  bringing 
the  whole  intelligence  of  man  into  the  obedience  of 
Christ.     H.  P.  L. 

5.  Casting  down  everything  that  exalt- 
eth  itself  against  God.  This  is  that  bitter  root 
of  all  enmity  in  man  against  God,  and  against  one 
another — self;  man's  heart  turned  from  God  toward 
himself.  And  the  very  work  of  renewing  grace  is 
to  annul  and  destroy  self,  to  replace  God  in  liis 
right,  that  the  heart  and  all  its  affections  and  mo- 
tions may  be  at  his  disposal.  So  that,  instead  of 
self-will  and  self-love  that  ruled  before,  now  the  will 
of  God  and  the  love  of  God  command  all.  Cap- 
tivity to  Christ.  His  matchless  love  hath  freed 
me  from  the  miserable  captivity  of  sin,  and  hath 
for  ever  fastened  me  to  the  sweet  yoke  of  his  obe- 


SECTION  S88.—S  GOEINTEIAFS  11 : 1-5 


381 


dience.  Let  him  alone  to  dwell  and  rule  within  me ; 
and  let  him  never  go  forth  from  my  heart  who  for 
my  sake  refused  to  come  down  from  the  cross.    L. 

12.  Men  observe  each  other's  actions  and  prin- 
ciples ;  and  taking  the  general  character  of  each 
which  they  find  prevailing  around  them,  erect  it 
into  a  standard  of  morals  to  which  they  conform, 
and  by  which  they  try  their  own  lives.  Hence,  the 
opinion  of  the  world,  the  law  of  honor,  the  conven- 
tional usages  of  society,  become  tests  by  which  men 
learn  to  judge  of  right  and  wrong — crooked  rules 
which,  false  in  themselves,  can  but  mislead  those 
who  apply  them  to  the  decision  of  their  conduct. 

J.  J. A  simpler  and  heartier  reception  of  Christ 

within  would  expel  this  eternal  self-reference,  self- 
measurement,  self-inspection.  There  was  a  grand 
thought  in  that  saying  of  a  believer  of  the  primitive 
stamp :  "  I  do  not  want  to  possess  a  faith ;  I  want  a 
faith  that  shall  possess  me."  The  safest  strength 
of  the  heart  is  the  feeling  of  complete  dependence. 
There  is  something  in  a  self-renouncing  and  trusting 
temper  that  makes  piety  fragrant  with  the  air  of 
Gethsemane.  You  find  it  only  where  you  find  the 
life  hid  with  Christ  in  God.     F.  D.  H. 

15,  16.  These  words  suggest  these  three  im- 
portant principles :  the  great  general  duty  of  ex- 
tending and  maintaining  the  ministry  of  the  gospel 
beyond  the  more  central,  and  prominent,  and  favored 
districts  of  its  domain  ;  the  blessedness  of  that 
charity  which  voluntarily  supports  a  distant  minis- 
try, even  while  maintaining  its  own ;  and  the  propri- 
ety of  prosecuting  the  work  in  strict  adherence  to  a 


settled  distribution  of  ministerial  labor,  and  espe- 
cially— for  on  this  the  apostle  eminently  insists — with 
a  careful  recognition  of  the  rights  of  the  ministry 
previously  located  in  each  district  of  the  Church. 

W.  A.  B. Paul  was  now  fettered  in  his  plans  of 

benevolence,  and  it  was  from  the  Corinthian  disciples 
that  he  expected  his  release.  The  fulfillment  of  his 
hope  depended  upon  their  progress  to  higher  attain- 
ments in  faith.  There  is  involved,  then,  in  these 
words  of  an  inspired  and  most  successful  mission- 
ary, a  principle,  that  the  missionaries  of  (he  Church 
require  at  her  hands,  for  the  extension  and  success  of 
their  efforts,  an  increase  of  faith.  If  we  look  to  the 
period  when  the  limits  of  the  Church  were  most 
rapidly  and  widely  extended,  it  will  be  found  not  the 
era  when  the  worldly  power,  the  learning,  and  the 
wealth  of  the  Church  were  at  their  highest  elevation, 
but  in  the  age  when,  though  lacking  all  these,  by 
the  energy  of  an  overmastering  faith,  she  rose  su- 
perior to  every  impediment,  and,  destitute  of  all 
earthly  aid  and  encouragement,  dared  to  hope  in 
God.  Wise  in  his  wisdom,  and  strong  in  his  might, 
she  devised  her  plans  of  conquest  upon  the  broad 
and  magnificent  basis  of  the  Saviour's  promises,  and 
then,  in  humility,  diligence,  and  simple  devotion, 
called  upon  the  Saviour's  faithfulness  to  accomplish 
the  plans  his  own  word  had  warranted  and  his  own 
Spirit  incited.  And  in  most  of  the  great  revivals  of 
faith  and  godliness  in  the  modern  Church,  it  will  be 
discovered  that  the  rising  flood  of  religious  feeling 
has  opened  anew,  or  found  and  followed  the  already 
open  channel  of  missionary  enterprise.     W.  R.  W. 


Section  288. 

2  CoRI^•THIA^-s  xi.  1-33. 

1  Would  to  God  ye  could  bear  with  me  a  little  in  my  folly :  and  indeed  bear  ■with  me. 

2  For  1  am  jealous  over  you  with  godly  jealousy  ;  for  I  have  espoused  you  to  one  husband, 

3  that  I  may  present  you  as  a  chaste  virgin  to  Christ.     But  I  fear,  lest  by  any  means,  as  the 
serpent  beguiled  Eve  through  his  subtilty,  so  your  minds  should  be  corrupted  from  the  sim- 

4  pHcity  that  is  in  Christ.   For  if  he  that  cometh  preacheth  another  Jesus,  whom  we  have  not 
preached,  or  if  ye  receive  another  spirit,  which  ye  have  not  received,  or  another  gospel, 

5  which  ye  have  not  accepted,  ye  might  well  bear  with  Mm.    For  I  suppose  I  was  not  a  whit 

6  behind  the  very  chiefest  apostles.     But  though  /  be  rude  in  speech,  yet  not  in  knowledge  ; 

7  but  we  have  been  thoroughly  made  manifest  among  you  in  all  things.     Have  I  committed 
an  offence  in  abasing  myself  that  ye  might  be  exalted,  because  I  have  preached  to  you  the 

8  gospel  of  God  freely  ?     I  robbed  other  churches,  taking  wages  of  them,  to  do  you  service. 

9  And  when  I  was  present  with  you,  and  wanted,  I  was  chargeable  to  no  man :  for  that 
which  was  lacking  to  me  the  brethren  which  came  from  Macedonia  supplied :  and  in  all 

10  things  I  have  kept  myself  from  being  burdensome  unto  you,  and  so  will  I  keep  myself.     As 
the  truth  of  Christ  is  in  me,  no  man  shall  stop  me  of  this  boasting  in  the  regions  of  Achaia. 

11  Wherefore?  because  I  love  you  not?     God  knoweth.     But  what  I  do,  that  I  will  do,  that 

12  I  may  cut  off  occasion  from  them  which  desire  occasion ;  that  wherein  they  glory,  they 

13  may  be  foimd  even  as  we.     For  such  are  false  apostles,  deceitful  workers,  transforming 

14  themselves  into  the  apostles  of  Christ.     And  no  marvel ;  for  Satan  himself  is  transformed 

15  into  an  angel  of  light.     Therefore  it  is  no  great  thing  if  his  ministers  also  be  transformed 

16  as  the  ministers  of  righteousness ;  whose  end  shall  be  according  to  their  works.    I  say 


< 


382 


SECTION  288.— S  CORIFTHIANS  11 : 1-33. 


19  For  ye  sulfer  fools  gladly,  seeing  ye  yourselves  are  wise.     For  ye  suffer,  if  a  man  bring  you 

20  into  bondage,  if  a  man  devour  you,  if  a  man  take  of  you,  if  a  man  exalt  himself,  if  a  man 
smite  you  on  the  face. 

21  I  speak  as  concerning  reproach,  as  though  we  had  been  weak.     Howbeit,  whereinsoever 

22  any  is  bold,  (I  speak  foolishly,)  I  am  bold  also.     Are  they  Hebrews  ?  so  am  I.    Are  they 

23  Israelites  ?  so  am  I.     Are  they  the  seed  of  Abraham  ?  so  am  I.     Are  they  ministers  of 
Christ  ?  (I  speak  as  a  fool)  I  am  more  ;  in  labours  more  abundant,  in  stripes  above  measure, 

24  in  prisons  more  frequent,  in  deaths  oft.     Of  the  Jews  five  times  received  I  forty  stripes 

25  save  one.     Thrice  was  I  beaten  with  rods,  once  was  I  stoned,  thrice  I  suffered  shipwreck, 

26  a  night  and  a  day  I  have  been  in  the  deep  ;  in  journeyings  often,  in  perils  of  waters,  in  perils 
of  robbers,  in  perils  by  mine  own  countrymen,  in  perils  by  the  heathen,  in  perils  in  the 

27  city,  in  perils  in  the  wilderness,  in  perils  in  the  sea,  in  perils  among  false  brethren ;  in 
weariness  and  painfulness,  in  watchings  often,  in  hunger  and  thirst,  in  fastings  often,  in 

28  cold  and  nakedness.     Beside  those  things  that  are  without,  that  which  cometh  upon  me 

29  daily,  the  care  of  all  the  churches.     "Who  is  weak,  and  I  am  not  weak  ?  who  is  offended, 

30  and  I  burn  not  ?     If  I  must  needs  glory,  I  will  glory  of  the  things  which  concern  mine 

31  infirmities.     The  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  is  blessed  for  evermore, 

32  knoweth  that  I  lie  not.    In  Damascus  the  governor  under  Aretas  the  king  kept  the  city  of 

33  the  Damascenes  with  a  garrison,  desirous  to  apprehend  me :  and  through  a  window  in  a 
basket  was  I  let  down  by  the  wall,  and  escaped  his  hands. 


Hating  given  himself  to  God,  Paul  desired  to  bring  with  himself  the  whole  world  as  an  offering.  To 
this  end  he  traversed  sea  and  land,  Greece  and  the  barbarous  countries,  everywhere  plucking  up  the 
thorns  of  sin,  that  he  might  sow  the  seed  of  the  gospel,  and  everywhere  transforming  men  into  angels. 

Chrys. We  see  him,  in  the  prosecution  of  his  purpose,  traveling  from  countiy  to  country,  enduring 

every  species  of  hardship,  encountering  every  extremity  of  danger,  assaulted  by  the  populace,  punished 
by  the  magistrates,  scourged,  beaten,  stoned,  left  for  dead  ;  expecting,  wherever  he  came,  a  renewal  of 
the  same  treatment  and  the  same  dangers  ;  yet,  when  driven  from  one  city,  preaching  in  the  next,  spend- 
ing his  whole  time  in  the  employment,  sacrificing  to  it  his  pleasures,  his  ease,  his  safety ;  persisting  in 
this  course  to  old  age  (through  more  than  thirty  years) ;  unaltered  by  the  experience  of  perverseness,  in- 
gratitude, prejudice,  desertion  ;  unsubdued  by  anxiety,  want,  labor,  persecutions  ;  unwearied  by  long  con- 
finement, undismayed  by  the  prospect  of  death.     Paley. Full  of  impassioned  efficiency  and  yet  full  of 

cool  discretion,  he  is  restlessly  at  work  for  a  spiritual  object ;  he  couples  vigorous  earnestness  and  manly 
strength  with  the  tenderest  mildness  ;  his  deep  spirit  overflows  with  love,  yet  without  becoming  soft  and 
weak  ;  he  is  able  to  accommodate  himself  to  all  conditions,  bear  all  things,  hope  for  all  things,  joyfully 
deny  himself  all  things,  even  such  as  are  lawful ;  he  lets  his  own  personal  interest  fade  entirely  from  his 
view,  so  that  he  may  labor  for  the  invisible  kingdom  of  God,  and  live  for  a  crucified  man,  who  was  rejected 
by  the  world,  and  yet  in  the  knowledge  of  whom  he  had  found  the  highest  good,  and  would  willingly  im- 
part this  good  to  all  men.      Ullmann. The  world  may  be  challenged  to  find  his  superior  in  simple 

power  of  soul.  Judged  by  the  thought  in  his  writings,  he  stands  unsurpassed.  There  is  nothing  like 
them  in  iron  logic,  in  profound  insight,  in  comprehensive  breadth,  in  all-embracing  grandeur  of  view. 
There  is  nothing  like  them  in  their  expression  of  a  great  human  heart,  in  its  compassion  for  man,  in  its 
love  for  God,  in  its  devotion  to  Jesus  Christ — bearing  the  burden  of  the  apostate  and  perishing  Jew, 
reaching  out  after  the  dying  Gentile,  and  in  visions  of  the  ineffable  glory  anticipating  the  ecstasy  of 
heaven.     Where  in  all  the  centuries  has  there  ever  appeared  another  such  indomitable  will  ?     D.  S.  G. 


No  longer  is  Timothy  associated.  The  writer 
is,  "  I,  Paul,  myself."  And  the  tone  becomes  very 
firm,  sometimes  even  stern  and  sarcastic.  A  strong 
anti-Pauline  party  had  arisen  at  Corinth,  headed  by 
certain  teachers,  here  designated  "  false  apostles." 
In  reply  to  their  objection  that  he  had  brought  no 


commendatory  letters,  Paul  maintains  that  he  needed 
none,  and  that  the  converts  under  his  ministry  formed 
for  him  a  sufficient  testimonial.  In  knowledge,  in 
labors,  and  in  sufferings,  he  was  not  a  whit  behind 
the  very  chief  of  the  apostles.  It  was  painful  to 
him  to  be  obliged  to  make  such  statements.     "  I  am 


SECTION  S88.—2  CORINTHIANS  11 : 1- 


383 


become  a  fool  in  glorying ;  ye  have  compelled  me." 
The  brethren  at  Corinth  were  being  misled  by  men 
who  envied  and  calumniated  the  very  founder  of  their 
Church.  In  such  circumstances  Paul  was  bound  to 
vindicate  himself,  and  to  show  how  fully  his  apos- 
tolic position  was  evidenced  by  his  apostolic  life, 
his  fruitful  labors,  patient  sufferings,  and  abundant 
revelations.    D.  F. 

3,  4.  Paul  told  them  that  better  far  than  grace 
of  language  or  eloquence  was  the  fact  that  the  truth 
he  had  preached  was  the  essential  truth  of  the 
gospel ;  and  this  truth  he  gives  in  a  very  few  words, 
as  Christ  the  risen  and  the  crucified  ;  Christ  held  in 
the  heart  and  life,  the  spirit  of  the  Cross  and  of 
the  Resurrection :  the  spirit  of  the  Cross  sundering 
the  heart,  no  matter  how  painfully,  year  by  year, 
from  the  evil  within  us ;  the  spirit  of  the  Kesurrec- 
tion  raising  us  to  all  things  high  and  pure  and  no- 
ble, leaving  in  the  grave  behind  us  all  despondency, 
sadness,  and  sin,  and  raising  us  up,  as  on  angels' 
wings,  to  contemplate,  and  gradually  to  have  formed 
within  us,  the  purity  of  Him  who  sitteth  on  the 
right  hand  of  God.     F.  W.  R. 

3.  Simplicity :  "  the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ." 
It  is  a  beautiful  word.  To  speak  what  we  think ! 
to  live  what  we  believe !  to  seem  what  we  are !  to 
be  far  more  anxious  to  stand  well  with  our  own  con- 
science than  in  the  opinions  of  others  about  us,  and 
to  be  supremely  anxious  to  please  God,  and  to  live 
I  in  his  love,  and  according  to  his  laws.  Such  is  the 
life  of  Christian  "  simplicity,"  which,  however,  is  at 
the  same  time  a  life  as  beautiful  as  the  morning, 
and  as  grand  as  the  mountains,  and  "  as  it  were  the 
body  of  heaven  in  its  clearness."     A.  R. 

5.  For  "the  very  chief  est  apostles"  should  stand 
"  those  over-much  apostles  "  ;  i.  e.,  those  men  who 
pretend  to  be  more  than  the  Apostles  themselves. 
He  means  the  false  and  rival  teachers,  not  the  apos- 
tles (see  12  :  11).    A. 

9.  I  wanted.  We  have  been  accustomed  to 
think  of  his  life  as  full  of  pains,  toils,  dangers, 
calamities;  but  we  have  also  been  accustomed  to 
attribute  his  perils  and  sufferings  to  the  persecu- 
tions which  befell  him  as  an  apostle  of  Christ.  It  is 
pathetic,  it  touches  us  close  home,  to  learn  that 
some  of  these  sufferings  came  upon  him  as  a  work- 
ing-man; that  he  knew  what  it  was  to  have  an 
empty  purse  and  a  bare  cupboard.  Weary  with  his 
rough  work,  knowing  that  he  must  come  back  to 
labors  that  would  extend  far  into  the  night,  he 
dragged  himself  evening  by  evening  to  the  syn- 
agogue, or  to  the  house  of  Justus,  that  he  might 
teach  and  argue  of  the  things  of  Christ.  Never  was 
he  more  constant  or  more  ardent  in  the  ministry  of 
his  apostleship  than  during  the  eighteen  months  he 
spent  at  Corinth  ;  yet  it  was  in  these  very  months 
that  he  "wanted."     Paul's  utter  devotion  to  his 


Master  is  a  rebuke  to  us  all;  but  it  is  the  very 
gravest  of  rebukes  to  those  who,  professing  and 
calling  themselves  Christians,  can  encounter  any  toils 
of  business  or  pleasure,  but  are  always  too  weary  or 
too  occupied  to  serve  the  Church ;  who  usually  find 
the  means  for  schemes  of  recreation  and  gain,  but 
are  as  generally  too  poor  to  contribute  to  the  wants 
of  their  neighbors.  For  here  was  a  man,  often  in 
want,  yet  forward  to  help  and  to  give.  Here  was  a 
man  worn  with  handicraft  toils,  yet  always  fresh 
and  vigorous  for  the  ministration  of  truth  and 
charity,  always  delighted  to  lavish  his  energies  in 
any  endeavor  to  teach  men  wisdom  or  to  do  them 
good.     Cox. 

13.  We  must  consider  that  it  is  quite  possible 
for  some  to  deceive  and  others  to  remain  true,  and 
that  the  discovery  of  occasional  hypocrites  does  not 
make  all  religion  a  pretense.  If  there  were  no  re- 
ality, there  could  be  no  counterfeit.  When  hypo- 
crites do  startle  us  where  we  little  expected  them, 
our  hearts  must  learn  to  fall  back  on  the  sincere 
who  have  fully  approved  themselves,  the  guileless 
and  the  good  on  whose  foreheads  the  God  of  Truth 
has  written  his  name  in  life  and  death — the  beloved 
on  earth  and  the  blessed  in  heaven.     Ker. 

14.  The  Bible  account  of  the  fall  in  paradise 
gives  us  a  key  to  the  whole  secret  of  the  way  and 
the  power  of  temptation.  Sin  besieged  the  human 
heart,  and  carried  it,  and  made  its  fatal  entrance 
into  the  world,  not  as  sin,  but  as  the  means  to  the 
knowledge  of  good  and  evil :  Satan  ti'ansformed  in- 
to an  angel  of  light. 

Satan  docs  not  march  his  victim  up  to  face  per- 
dition point-blank.  He  leads  him  to  it  by  easy 
stages,  and  through  a  labyrinth  that  shows  no  dan- 
ger. Round  and  round  go  those  circling  currents  of 
the  northern  sea  that  swallow  the  ship  ;  and  by  the 
same  winding  coil  goes  the  spiritual  decline  that 
ends  in  spiritual  death.  It  is  gayety,  not  the  grave, 
that  youth  is  seeking  when  it  steps  inside  the  circle 
of  forbidden  pleasure.  It  is  for  social  cheer,  for 
good  companionship,  because  he  would  not  be  mo- 
rose, because  he  would  scatter  his  despondency,  that 
the  drunkard  drinks  damnation,  not  for  damnation's 
sake.  A  worldly  life  is  begun  for  the  more  decent 
uses  that  wealth  may  be  put  to ;  but  it  is  followed 
afterward  in  servitude  to  that  unscrupulous  task- 
master, avarice.  Tempting  men  imitate  their  great 
leader  and  prototype.  They  never  go  directly  and 
openly  to  their  object.  If  they  would  weaken  the 
holy  restraints  that  gird  in,  with  their  blessed  zone, 
the  innocence  of  childhood,  they  will  urge  some  sly 
argument  to  an  honorable  pride,  or  else  to  a  friend- 
ly sympathy,  or  else  to  a  praiseworthy  love  of  inde- 
pendence ;  and  the  first  battery  that  has  been  plied 
against  many  a  boy's  virtue  has  been  the  cunning 
caution  that  bade  him  not  be  afraid  of  his  elders. 


PjSi 


SECTION  289.-2  CORINTHIANS  12  :  1-21. 


Y,  D.  n. In  harmony  with  the  viewless  opera- 
tions of  the  Holy  Spirit  are  the  subtle  and  impalpa- 
ble agencies  which  Satan  now  wields.  If  Christ  is 
concealed  by  the  cloud,  so  is  Satan.  He  no  more 
appears  in  visible  shape  on  earth;  he  no  longer 
permits  his  spirits  to  torment  the  bodies  of  men. 
He  has  withdrawn  his  oracles,  his  sorceries,  his 
magic,  his  outward  signs,  and  tempts  those  who 
have  laid  aside  the  worship  of  graven  images  with 
the  idolatries  of  the  heart  and  mind — with  covet- 
ousness  and  worldlincss.  3IacmiUan. The  busi- 
ness of  our  moral  vigilance,  and  the  test  of  our 
moral  strength,  is  to  penetrate  the  delusion,  to  tear 
off  the  mask,  to  recognize  Satan  even  through  his 
transformations.  We  should  know  our  tempters, 
as  the  sure  instincts  of  innocent  hearts  know  hypo- 
crites, "  through  the  disguise  they  wear."  F.  D.  H. 
23-27.  All  elements  of  danger,  all  details  of 
adventure,  all  anxieties  and  toils,  seemed  summed 
up  in  his  one  person.  Europe  and  Asia  are  full  of 
him.  "  From  Jerusalem  round  about  unto  Illyricum  " 
is  but  his  note  of  journey  made  half  way.  The 
deserts  have  seen  him  struggling  with  their  sand- 
storms ;  the  rivers  have  been  breasted  by  his  arm ; 
the  deep  has  held  him,  hour  after  hour,  drifting 
solitary  on  its  surface.  Again  and  again  ocean  has 
cast  him  shipwrecked  to  land,  and  land  has  yielded 
him,  full  of  fresh,  holy  enterprise,  to  ocean.  Dis- 
puting in  the  synagogue,  working  at  the  hair-cloth 
loom,  singing  at  midnight  in  the  prison,  kneeUng, 
and  mingling  his  tears  with  his  farewell  prayers  on 
the  Syrian  or  Milesian  shore,  preaching  amid  the 
marble  temples  on  Mars'  Hill  at  Athens,  thanking 
God  and  taking  courage  on  the  broad  stones  of  the 
Appian  Way,  clanking  his  chain  as  he  writes  in  his 
hired  house  at  Rome — where,  and  in  what  employ, 
do  we  not  find  this  strange,  fervent  man,  this  ves- 


sel of  God's  election  for  the  second  founding  of 
his  Church?  Such,  then,  was  he  whom  the  Lord 
grasped  with  His  own  hand,  and  rescued  from 
the  ranks  of  foes  and  persecutors  for  His  own  ser- 
vice.   A. 

The  five  Jewish  scourgings,  two  of  the  three  Ro- 
man beatings  with  rods  (one  being  at  Pliilippi),  and 
the  three  shipwrecks,  are  all  unrecorded  in  the  Acts. 
The  stoning  was  at  Lystra.  What  a  Ufe  of  inces- 
sant adventure  and  peril  is  here  disclosed  to  us! 
And  when  we  remember  that  he  who  endured  and 
dared  all  this  was  a  man  constantly  suffering  from 
infirm  health,  such  heroic  self-devotion  seems  almost 
superhuman.     C. 

29.  Who  is  offended,  and  I  burn  not? 
If  you  add  innumerable  miracles  to  this,  you  will 
say  nothing  so  grand.  If  he  even  glories,  it  is  in 
weaknesses,  in  outrages,  in  his  intense  sympathy 
with  the  injured ;  just  as  here  he  also  says,  "  Who 
is  weak,  and  I  am  not  weak  ?  "  These  words  are 
greater  than  dangers ;  and  hence,  when  increasing 
the  emphasis  of  his  discourse,  he  places  them  last 
of  all.  Both  soul  and  body  did  he  give  up  that  the 
men  who  stoned  and  beat  him  might  attain  a  king- 
dom. "  For  thus,"  says  he,  "  has  Christ  taught  me 
to  love,  who  left  that  new  commandment  of  His 
about  love,  and  himself   fulfilled  it  by  his  own 

actions."     Chrys. Paul  does  not  glory  in  what 

he  had  done,  but  in  what  he  had  borne ;  be  does  not 
speak  of  his  successes,  of  his  converts,  of  the  here- 
sies he  had  subdued,  but  he  speaks  of  the  manifold 
trials  which  he  had  undergone  for  Christ.  He  had 
"  filled  up  that  which  was  behind  of  the  afiaictions 
of  Christ  in  my  flesh,  for  his  body's  sake,  which  is 
the  Church."  This  marks  all  his  conduct  and  suf- 
ferings as  being  in  the  spirit  of  the  cross,  that  it 
was  for  the  sake  of  others.    F.  W.  R. 


Section  289. 

2  Corinthians  xii.  1-21. 

1  It  is  not  expedient  for  me  doubtless  to  glory.    I  will  come  to  visions  and  revelations  of  the 

2  Lord.     I  knew  a  man  in  Christ  above  fourteen  years  ago,  (whether  in  the  body,  I  cannot 
tell ;  or  whether  out  of  the  body,  I  cannot  tell :  God  knoweth  ;)  such  an  one  caught  up  to 

3  the  third  heaven.     And  I  knew  such  a  man,  (whether  in  the  body,  or  out  of  the  body,  I 

4  cannot  tell :  God  knoweth  ;)  how  that  he  was  caught  up  into  paradise,  and  heard  unspeak- 

5  able  words,  which  it  is  not  lawful  for  a  man  to  utter.     Of  such  an  one  will  I  glory  :  yet  of 
G  myself  I  will  not  glory,  but  in  mine  infirmities.     For   though  I  would  desire  to  glory,  I 

shall  not  be  a  fool ;  for  I  will  say  the  truth :  but  now  I  forbear,  lest  any  man  should  think 

V  of  me  above  that  which  he  seeth  me  to  ie,  or  tJiat  he  heareth  of  me.     And  lest  I  should 

be  exalted  above  measure  through  the  abundance  of  the  revelations,  there  was  given  to  me 

a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  the  messenger  of  Satan  to  buffet  me,  lest  I  should  be   exalted  above 

8  measure.    For  this  thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice,  that  it  might  depart  from  me.    And 

9  he  said  unto  me,  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee  :  for  my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weak- 


SECTION  289.-2  CORINTHIANS  12  : 1-21. 


385 


ness.    Most  gladly  therefore  will  I  rather  glory  in  my  infirmities,  that  the  power  of  Christ 

10  may  rest  upon  me.  Therefore  I  take  pleasure  in  infirmities,  in  reproaches,  in  necessities, 
in  persecutions,  in  distresses  for  Christ's  sake :  for  when  I  am  weak,  then  am  I  strong. 

11  I  am  become  a  fool  in  glorying  ;  ye  have  compelled  me :  for  I  ought  to  have  been  com- 
mended of  you :  for  in  nothing  am  I  behind  the  very  chiefest  apostles,  though  I  be  no- 

12  thing.     Truly  the  signs  of  an  apostle  were  wrought  among  you  in  all  patience,  in  signs, 

13  and  wonders,  and  mighty  deeds.     For  what  is  it  wherein  ye  were  inferior  to  other  churches, 

14  except  it  le  that  I  myself  was  not  burdensome  to  you  ?  forgive  me  this  wrong.  Behold, 
the  third  time  I  am  ready  to  come  to  you  ;  and  I  will  not  be  burdensome  to  you  :  for  I  seek 
not  your's,  but  you  :  for  the  children  ought  not  to  lay  up  for  the  parents,  but  the  parents 

15  for  the  children.     And  I  will  very  gladly  spend  and  be  spent  for  you ;  though  the  more 

16  abundantly  I  love  you,  the  less  I  be  loved.     But  be  it  so,  I  did  not  burden  you :  never- 

17  theless,  being  crafty,  I  caught  you  with  guile.     Did  I  make  a  gain  of  vou  by  any  of  them 

18  whom  I  sent  unto  you  ?  I  desired  Titus,  and  with  him  I  sent  a  brother.  Did  Titus  make 
a  gain  of  you?  walked  we  not  in  the  same  spirit?   walked  we  not  in   the  same  steps? 

19  Again,  think  ye  that  we  excuse  ourselves  unto  you  ?  we  speak  before  God  in  Christ :  but 

20  loe  do  all  things,  dearly  beloved,  for  your  edifying.  For  I  fear,  lest,  when  I  come,  I  shall 
not  find  you  such  as  I  would,  and  that  I  shall  be  found  unto  you  such  as  ye  would  not :  lest 
there  le  debates,  envyings,  wraths,  strifes,  backbitings,  whisperings,   swellings,  tumults : 

21  and  lest,  when  I  come  again,  my  God  will  humble  me  among  you,  and  that  I  shall  bewail 
many  which  have  sinned  already,  and  have  not  repented  of  the  uncleanness  and  fornica- 
tion and  lasciviousness  which  they  have  committed. 


TttL  the  death  of  Christ,  the  strong  man  was  the  man  strong  with  his  sinews  and  his  hands,  or,  at 
best,  with  the  cunning  and  calculation  of  his  brain.  Bodily  "  weakness "  was  either  to  be  simply  de- 
plored as  a  calamity  or  despised  as  a  shame.  No  spiritual  illumination,  shining  through,  transfigured 
the  sick  face  ;  no  submission  of  faith  dignified  the  poor  frame  prostrate  with  pain.  The  men,  and  even 
the  women,  looked  on  disease  with  a  kind  of  dry  disgust.  Virtue  consisted  in  keeping  up  the  animal 
vigor  as  long  as  possible,  and  when  it  failed,  all  that  the  most  faithful  friendship  could  do  was  to  draw 
back  in  helpless  embarrassment,  just  where  Christian  sympathy  is  most  eager  to  press  forward  and  reach 
out  its  merciful  hands.  It  was  imbecility  gazing  at  infirmity  in  despair.  We  see  the  apostle  of  Christ 
standing  in  the  presence  of  such  a  proud  civilization  as  that,  and  quietly  saying  to  it,  "  When  I  am 
weak,  then  am  I  strong."  The  meaning  is  that,  in  order  to  get  very  near  to  God,  or  to  let  the  glorious 
attractions  of  almighty  love  and  light  lay  hold  of  us  and  lift  ua  up,  we  must  somehow  be  impoverished 
first,  belittled,  disappointed,  baflBed,  weakened.  Obstacles,  sicknesses,  losses,  defeats  of  our  plans,  the 
breakings  up  of  our  securities,  are  God's  opportunities  ;  and  he  knows  how  to  use  them.  We  watch  the 
course  of  our  lives,  and  we  see  that  what  is  best  has  generally  come  by  self-subjection.  And  at  last  our 
experience  answers  to  this  mystical  account  given  of  the  heroes  of  the  Bible  :  "  Out  of  weakness  they 
were  made  strons:."     F.  D.  H. 


2.  "  I  hiew  a  man  "  should  be  "  I  know  a  man." 
The  apostle  is  not  speaking  of  one  whom  he  once 
knew,  but  of  one  whom  he  now  knows.  Fourteen 
years  ago  is  the  date,  not  of  the  knowledge,  as  our 
version  makes  it,  but  of  the  vision.  The  same  is 
the  case  in  verse  3  also.    A. 

4.  Caught  np.  The  Spirit  loveth  to  do  what 
he  does  in  private :  that  man  to  whom  God  intendeth 
to  reveal  great  things,  he  taketh  him  aside  from  the 
lumber  and  cumber  of  this  world,  and  carrieth  him 
away  in  the  solace  and  contemplation  of  the  things 
of  another  world.     Bun. 

5.  He  speaks  of  a  divided  experience,  of  two 
selves,  two  Pauls  :  one  Paul  in  the  third  heaven,  en- 
joying the  beatific  vision;  another  yet  on  earth, 
strugghng,  tempted,  tried,  and  buffeted  by  Satan. 
The  former  he  chose  rather  to  regard  as  the  Paul 
that  was  to  be.    He  dwelt  on  the  latter  as  the  actual 

25 


Paul  coming  down  to  the  prose  of  life  to  find  his 
real  self,  lest  he  should  be  tempted  to  forget  or  mis- 
take himself  in  the  midst  of  the  heavenly  revela- 
tions.   F.  W.  R. 

7.  A  thorn  in  the  flesh,  the  messenger 
of  Satan.  That  this  was  some  permanent  infir- 
mity which  troubled  and  hindered  the  apostle 
through  his  subsequent  career,  seems  plain  from  his 
expression  of  resignation  to  it,  after  his  thrice-re- 
peated prayer  for  its  removal  had  been  answered 
only  by  an  encouragement  to  submission.  It  is  best 
to  believe  that  in  this,  as  in  other  cases,  the  silence 
of  Scripture  is  intentional ;  to  the  end  that  men  of 
natures  more  ardent  than  their  strength,  whose 
spirit  is  willing  but  whose  flesh  is  weak,  may  learn 
from  Paul's  example  to  acknowledge  and  bow  be- 
neath the  hand  of  God  in  those  impediments  but 
for  which  they  would  become  boasters ;  nay,  to  re- 


I 


386 


SECTION  289.-2  CORINTEIANS  12  : 1-21. 


joice,  that  the  glory  of  what  they  can  yet  do  is  not 

their  own  but  God's.     S. The  Bible  calls  trials 

evils,  recognizes  them  as  messengers  from  Satan, 
though  often  blessed  by  God— to  be  got  rid  of  if 
possible.  The  Christians  rejoiced  in  tribulation — 
in  God ;  but  that  in  spite  of,  not  because  of,  tribu- 
lation. And  here  God  does  not  command  Paul  to 
think  the  throb  of  his  thorn  enjoyable.  He  only 
bids  him  bear  it,  because  he  says,  "  My  grace  is  suf- 
ficient for  thee."     F.  W.  R. 

Paul  tells  us  "  there  was  given  him  a  thorn  in  the 
flesh  "  for  this  very  reason,  lest "  he  should  be  exalted 
above  measure  through  the  abundance  of  the  revela- 
tions." There  was  then  in  his  case  a  danger  to  be 
guarded  against  in  the  consciousness  of  what  God 
had  wrought  in  him  and  for  him.  The  most  privi- 
leged "  experience  "  is  not  now  more  secure  in  the 

same  direction.     0.  E.  D. Notwithstanding   so 

many  promises  made  to  faith,  we  are  always  more 
or  less  enfeebled  by  a  remainder  of  our  own  strength, 
as  we  are  always  more  or  less  troubled  by  remains 
of  our  own  righteousness,  which  even  the  most 
humble  bear  with  them  everywhere.  This  wretched 
strength  of  our  own,  this  talent  of  our  own,  this 
eloquence  of  our  own,  this  knowledge  of  our  o\vii, 
this  influence  of  our  own,  forms  in  us  a  little  cher- 
ished sanctuary,  which  our  jealous  pride  keeps 
closed  against  the  strength  of  God,  in  order  to  re- 
serve for  itself  a  last  retreat.  But  if  we  could 
finally  become  weak  in  good  earnest,  and  despair 
absolutely  of  ourselves,  the  strength  of  God,  dif- 
fusing itself  throughout  our  entire  inward  man, 
would  fill  us  *'  with  all  the  fullness  of  God  "  ;  and 
thus  the  strength  of  man  being  exchanged  for  the 
strength  of  God,  "  nothing  would  be  impossible  for 
us,"  because  "with  God  nothing  is  impossible." 
Such  is  the  incalculable  service  which  his  weak- 
ness confers  on  Paul,  and  which  no  strength  could 
ever  have  rendered  him.     Monod. 

God  takes  the  most  eminent  and  choicest  of  his 
servants  for  the  choicest  and  most  eminent  afflic- 
tions. They  who  have  received  most  grace  from 
God  are  able  to  bear  most  afflictions  from  God. 
Affliction  doth  not  hit  the  saints  by  chance,  but  by 
direction.  God  doth  not  draw  his  bow  at  a  venture. 
Every  one  of  his  arrows  goes  upon  a  special  errand, 
and  touches  no  breast  but  that  against  whom  it  was 
sent.  It  is  not  only  the  grace  but  the  glory  of  a 
believer  when  he  can  stand  as  a  butt-mark  and  take 
affliction  quietly.     Caryl. 

8.  Paul  besought  God  thrice  that  the  thorn 
might  be  removed,  when  the  answer  came,  not  in  the 
removal  of  the  trial,  but  "  my  grace  is  sufficient  for 
thee."  Was  this  to  deny  the  petition  ?  No !  it  was 
to  grant  it  in  greater  fullness.  Here  lies  the  differ- 
ence between  God's  way  and  man's  :  man  keeps  the 
word  of  promise  to  the  ear,  but  breaks  it  to  the 


hope ;  God  keeps  the  promise  to  the  hope,  though 

he  may  seem  to  break  it  to  the  ear.     F.  W.  R 

Paul's  case  teaches  us  that  the  precept  of  our  Lord 
"  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you,"  must  not  be  under- 
stood as  promising  a  direct  answer  to  every  prayer 
but  as  expressing  the  certainty  that  He  who  knows 
our  infirmities  before  we  ask,  and  our  ignorance  in 
asking,  will,  in  the  end,  supply  our  needs  with  all 
that  we  require,  though  not  with  all  that  we  desire 
or  thhik  that  we  require.  The  apostle  prayed  sim- 
ply that  a  great  impediment  to  his  usefulness  might 
be  removed ;  and  even  this  was  not  granted.  And, 
in  like  manner,  a  greater  than  the  apostle  had  "  of- 
fered up  prayer  and  supplications,  with  strong  cry- 
ing and  tears,"  and  yet  the  prayer  was  not  granted. 
If  the  prayer  of  Paul  and  the  prayer  of  Christ  were 
refused,  none  need  complain  or  be  perplexed.  A.  P.  S. 

When  you  ask  of  God  what  God  praises,  what 

God  commands,  what  God  promises  in  the  life  to 
come,  then  ask  fearlessly,  and  put  your  whole  force, 
as  far  as  you  can,  into  your  prayers,  that  you  may 
obtain.  For  such  things  are  granted  by  God  in  his 
gracious  mercy ;  such  things  are  bestowed  by  him, 
not  in  anger,  but  in  compassion.  But  when  you  are 
asking  for  things  temporal,  ask  with  qualifications, 
ask  with  fear;  commit  them  to  him  that  he  may 
give  them  if  they  are  profitable,  and  may  not  give 
them  if  he  knows  them  to  be  hai*mful.  What  is 
harmful,  and  what  is  profitable,  the  physician  knows 
and  not  the  patient.     Aug. 

My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee.  That  is, 
my  free  love  will  communicate  to  thee  all  that  is 
needful ;  rest  satisfied  with  it.  It  is  to  his  own  free 
love  that  the  Lord  points  the  eye  of  his  struggling 
saint — to  this  alone,  as  being  all  he  needs  to  meet 
his  case.  He  pledges  nothing  beyond  this  ;  nor  ad- 
ministers any  comfort,  save  in  connection  with  his 
own  character  as  "  the  God  of  all  grace."  There  is 
but  one  treasure-house  of  blessing,  one  well-spring 
of  strength  and  gladness :  the  grace  of  the  infinite 
Jehovah.  God  says  to  us,  Here  is  righteousness, 
divine  and  perfect  righteousness  ;  use  it  as  if  it  were 
your  own ;  come  to  me  with  it  as  if  it  were  your 
own.  Here  is  strength  ;  use  it  as  if  it  were  your  own ; 
use  it  to  its  full  extent ;  count  upon  its  available- 
ness  for  you  to  the  full  stretch  of  its  almighty  com- 
pass. Thus  is  the  grace  of  Christ  so  placed  within 
our  reach  that  we  may  use  it  just  as  if  all  its  good 
things  were  within  us,  not  without  us — as  if  they 
were  really  ours,  not  his.  All  this  fullness  is  so  at 
our  disposal  that  we  are  actually  responsible  for  the 
use  of  it  all. 

My  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weak- 
ness. That  is,  my  strength  finds  its  full  scope,  its 
proper  development,  in  the  weakness  of  its  object. 
It  is  just  those  very  things  that  constitute  us  help- 
less, worthless,  lost,  that  make  us  suitable  objects 


SECTION  290.— 2  CORINTHIANS  13  : 1-I4. 


387 


of  this  grace.  It  is  those  very  things  that  would 
lead  us  to  despond  and  turn  away  and  remain  aloof 
from  Him  that  should  lead  us  to  be  of  good  courage 
to  arise  and  betake  ourselves  at  once  to  God.  It  is 
the  ignorance  of  the  child  that  fits  it  for  the  teach- 
er's skill  and  wisdom ;  so  is  it  our  ignorance  that 
fits  us  for  Him  who  can  have  compassion  on  the  ig- 
norant, and  who  has  said,  "  Learn  of  me."  It  is 
the  infant's  helplessness  that  fits  it  for  the  father's 
strong  or  the  mother's  tender  arm ;  so  it  is  our 
feebleness  that  fits   us  for   the   strength   of   the 

mighty  Saviour.     Bonar. We  hang  from  hour 

to  hour  on  God.  When  we  know  ourselves  aright, 
we  shall  feel  that  we  have  nothing  of  our  own  that  is 
„ood — that  we  are  strengthless,  powerless,  and  must 
depend  entirely  on  His  all-sufficient  grace.  F.  W.  R. 
10.  Therefore  I  take  pleasure  in  in- 
firmities. Strength  will  be  poured  into  our  breasts 
from  God,  provided  only  the  bars  that  keep  it  out 
are  taken  down.  Only  one  thing  is  wanting,  that 
the  two  bolts  —  self-will  and  self-indulgence — be 
weakened  till  they  give  way.  Weaken  them,  then, 
in  every  way — by  self-reproach,  by  discipline,  by 
taking  up  a  cross,  by  doing  duties  that  you  dislike 
to  do,  by  disinterested  work  for  other  men — and  the 
blessed  energy  of  the  Spirit  will  flow  iu.  In  your 
weakness  God's  strength  will  be  made  perfect,  and 
then  you  will  know,  with  Paul,  what  it  is  to  glory 
in  tribulations ;  then  you  will  learn  to  entertain 
sickness  and  sorrow  in  your  houses  as  the  royal  am- 
bassadors of  the  King  of  Peace.  At  first  Paul 
called  his  thorn  a  messenger  of  Satan  buffeting 
him.  After  he  found  out  why  it  came,  he  called  it 
a  gift,  a  love  token,  a  sign  of  heavenly  favor  from 
his  master.  If  Satan's  angels  are  sometimes  clothed 
as  angels  of  light,  why  not  God's  angels  in  shadows  ? 
If  it  keeps  you  humble,  the  thorn  is  finally  woven 
into  the  crown  of  rejoicing.    Oh,  blessed  infirmities. 


blemishes,  ugliness,  pain,  poor  success,  mortified 
ambition,  ye  are  prophets  and  heralds  of  salvation, 
ye  are  our  securities  from  deeper  and  more  lasting 
shame !  To  accept  bodily  pain,  or  an  insignificant 
reputation,  or  a  ruined  plan,  even  after  having 
prayed  against  it,  as  the  veiled  minister  of  mercy, 
and  heartily  to  give  thanks  for  the  scourge — this  is 
to  have  Christ  formed  by  faith  within.     F.  D.  H. 

For  Christ's  sake.  That  is  the  main  point. 
The  apostle  took  pleasure  in  pain,  not  as  pain,  but 
for  Christ's  sake.  Sorrow  is  not  naturally  sanctify- 
ing. It  is  only  in  afflictions  borne  for  Christ's  sake 
— that  is,  in  Christ's  name  and  with  Christ's  spirit 
— that  we  can  rejoice.  He  only  can  rejoice  in  infir- 
mities,  in  reproaches,  in  suffering,  who,  taking  the 
cup  gently,  lovingly,  humbly  into  his  hand,  can 
drain  it  to  the  dregs,  and  say,  as  did  his  Master, 
"  The  cup  which  my  Father  hath  given  me,  shall  I 
not  drink  it  ?  "    F.  W.  R. 

11.  For  '■'■am  I  behind,"  read  "came  I  behind." 
For  "the  very  chief  est  apostles"  read  as  above  (11  : 
5),  "  those  over-much  apostles."  This  is  absolutely 
required  here.  Paul  challenges  them  to  compare 
him  with  his  rivals  among  them,  and  states  that  in 
no  particular  did  he  come  behind  them.  This  could 
not  apply  to  the  Twelve,  whom  the  Corinthians  had 
never  seen.     A. 

13.  The  grounds  of  apostleship  alleged  here  are 
all  spiritual ;  none  are  external.  "  Truly  the  signs 
of  an  apostle  were  wrought  among  you  in  all  pa- 
tience, in  signs  and  wonders  and  mighty  deeds." 
Thus  Paul  does  not  graft  his  right  of  appeal  on  any 
proud,  priestly  assumption,  but  on  an  inward  like- 
ness to  Christ.  Therefore,  the  true  apostolical  suc- 
cession is  and  must  be  a  spiritual  one.  He  is  a  true 
minister  who  is  one  from  sharing  in  the  spirit  of  an 
apostle,  not  from  the  ordination  and  descent  from 
an  apostle.     F.  W.  R. 


Section  290. 


2  Corinthians  xiii.  1-14. 


1  Tms  is  the  third  time  I  am  coming  to  you.     In  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses  shall 

2  every  word  he  estahlished.     I  told  you  before,  and  foretel  you,  as  if  I  were  present,  the 
second  time ;  and  being  absent  now  I  write  to  them  which  heretofore  have  sinned,  and  to 

3  all  other,  that,  if  I  come  again,  I  will  not  spare  :  since  ye  seek  a  proof  of  Christ  speaking 

4  in  me,  which  to  you-ward  is  not  weak,  but  is  mighty  in  you.     For  though  he  was  crucified 
through  weakness,  yet  he  hveth  by  the  power  of  God.    For  we  also  are  weak  in  him,  but 

5  we  shall  live  with  him  by  the  power  of  God  toward  you.    Examine  yourselves,  whether  ye 
be  in  the  faith  ;  prove  your  own  selves.     Know  ye  not  your  own  selves,  how  that  Jesus 

6  Christ  is  in  you,  except  ye  he  reprobates  ?    But  I  trust  that  ye  shall  know  that  we  are  not 

7  reprobates.    Now  I  pray  to  God  that  ye  do  no  evil;  not  that  we  should  appear  approved, 

8  hnt  that  ye  should  do  that  which  is  honest,  though  we  be  as  reprobates.     For  we  can  do 


388 


SECTION  290.— 2  CORIN'TEIAFS  13  : 1-11^. 


9  nothing  against  the  truth,  but  for  the  truth.     For  we  are  glad,  when  we  are  weak,  and  ye 

10  are  strong:  and  this  also  we  wish,  ewTi  your  perfection.     Therefore  I  write  these  things 
being  absent,  lest  being  present  I  should  use  sharpness,  according  to  the  power  which  the 

11  Lord  hath  given  me  to  edification,  and  not  to  destruction.     Finally,  brethren,  farewell.    Be 
perfect,  be  of  good  comfort,  be  of  one  mind,  live  in  peace ;  and  the  God  of  love  and  peace 

12  shall  be  with  you.     Greet  one  another  with  an  holy  kiss.     All  the  saints  salute  you.    The 
14  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God,  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 

he  with  you  all.     Amen.  

The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  not  merely  the  center,  but  the  beginning  and  foundation,  of  all 
that  Christians  are  already  here  below,  and  shall  become  in  eternity.  Only  through  the  grace  of  the  Son 
men  come  to  the  full  experience  of  the  Father's  compassion.  Therefore  the  love  of  God  is  not  mentioned 
by  Paul  in  the  first  place,  but  in  the  second,  and  without  the  addition  of  the  name  of  Father.  This  is 
silently  understood,  and  in  the  most  absolute  sense  the  name  of  God  given  inclusively  to  the  Father,  be- 
cause in  the  Divinity  of  the  Father  that  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Spirit  has  its  immovable  basis.  Not  be- 
fore, but  only  after  men  have  personally  understood  and  experienced  the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  can 
they  be  certain  of  the  love  of  God,  in  a  measure  belonging  to  no  one  who  is  not  a  Christian.  How  do  we 
continue,  nevertheless,  in  the  midst  of  so  much  temptation  in  and  ai'ound  us,  in  the  permanent  possession 
of  both  ?  Only  in  the  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  binds  the  Christian  most  closely  to  the  Son 
and  the  Father,  does  this  become  possible,  and  just  this,  therefore,  forms  the  crown  and  cope-stone  of  the 
apostohc  blessing.  Only  through  the  Son  do  we  become  children  of  the  Father,  and  temples  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Only  through  the  Holy  Ghost  do  we  become  partakers  of  the  grace  of  the  Son  and  the  love  of 
the  Father.  There  are,  as  it  were,  three  distinct  circles  which  issue  from  the  same  center,  and  constantly 
return  to  it ;  a  threefold  cord  of  blessing  which  can  not  be  broken.      Van  0. 


The  last  chapter  contains  a  grave  declaration  of 
his  resolution  to  come  among  them,  and  exhortations 
and  denunciations,  grounded  on  the  certainty  of  that 
his  approaching  visit.  The  final  salutation  is  cut  off 
very  short,  in  accordance  with  the  serious  and  al- 
most minatory  tone  of  this  conclusion ;  and  the  let- 
ter ends  with  that  benediction  in  the  express  name 
of  the  Holy  Trinity,  which  has  become  the  accus- 
tomed formula  of  dismissal  throughout  the  ages  of 
the  Christian  Church. 

1.  The  third  time.  This  would  of  course 
imply  that  he  had  visited  them  twice  before.  But 
only  one  previous  visit  has  been  related,  viz.,  that 
first  one,  during  which  he  wrote  the  Epistles  to  the 
Thessalonians.  Before  bis  next  recorded  visit,  viz., 
that  mentioned  in  Acts  20  :  1,  2,  both  the  Epistles 
to  the  Corinthians  had  been  written.  He  wrote  the 
Ji7-st  from  Ephesus,  at  a  time  when  he  intended  to 
stay  there  till  Pentecost  (1  Cor.  16  :  8) ;  he  wrote  the 
second  from  Macedonia,  at  a  time  when  he  had  re- 
cently left  Asia  (2  Cor.  9:1-4;  1:8;  2  :  12),  after 
being  there  in  danger  of  his  life.  AH  this  agrees 
with  the  history  of  his  sojourn  in  Ephesus  related 
in  Acts  19,  and  with  his  journey  through  Macedonia, 
related  Acts  20  :  1,  2.  We  infer  then  that  he  must 
have  gone  over  from  Ephesus  to  Corinth  at  some 
time  early  in  those  three  years  of  his  Ephesian  visit. 
Nor  need  we  be  in  the  least  degree  surprised  that 
this  journey  is  not  recorded  in  the  Acts.  Long  and 
important  journeys  are  dismissed  in  a  few  words,  or 
even  altogether  omitted,  as  that  to  Arabia,  men- 
tioned Gal.  1  :  17,  and  that  in  Syria  and  Cilicia, 
Gal.  1  :  21.  Ephesus  and  Corinth  were  the  usual 
points  of  transit  to  and  from  Asia  and  Europe, 
and  a  journey  across  and  back  might  present  very 
little  for  the  sacred  historian  to  dwell  upon.     A. 

4.  He  was  crucified  through  weakness ;  such 
was  the  extremity  of  his  weakness  that  he  died  un- 


der it ;  he  made  no  use  of  his  divine  strength,  but 
gave  himself  to  his  enemies,  to  be  by  them  crucified 
and  slain ;  his  crucifixion  was  the  exhibition  of  weak- 
ness, not  of  strength  ;  yet  he  was  raised  again  from 
the  dead  by  power,  the  power  of  God ;  in  the  extrem- 
ity of  his  weakness,  power  came  in  from  another 
quarter.  God  raised  him  up,  and  highly  exalted 
him.  And  as  in  his  cross  we  see  this  combination 
of  weakness  and  strength — personal  weakness  and 
divine  strength — so  we  see  the  same  in  ourselves. 
We  are  men  utterly  without  power  in  ourselves,  yet 
we  have  the  power  of  God  working  in  us  and  for 
us.     Bonar. 

5.  The  earnest  force  of  this  examination  should 
fix  on  the  points  named  by  the  apostle  :  "  whether 
ye  be  in  the  faith,"  whether  "  Jesus  Christ  be  in 
you."  Let,  then,  the  self-examiner's  earnest  inqui- 
sition be  directed  to  this  great  point — "whether" 
he  "  be  in  the  faith  " ;  whether  he  is  decidedly  more 
than  a  cold,  assenting  believer  in  the  Christian  doc- 
trines. That  a  man  may  be,  and  yet  at  the  same 
time  be  in — vitally  and  actively  in — a  spirit  opposite 
to  all  these  heavenly  truths.  But — in  the  faith  ?  so 
in  it  as  to  be  powerfully  withdrawn  and  withheld 
from  the  spirit  and  dominion  of  the  world  ?  encir- 
cled, separated,  guarded  ?  So  in  it  as  to  have  a 
habitual  prevailing  order  of  views,  feehngs,  motives, 
preferences,  purposes,  created  and  animated  by  it  ? 
So  in  it  as  to  be  in  a  cordial  and  zealous  league  with 
its  faithful  adherents  ?  The  other  form  of  expres- 
sion for  the  same  thing  is,  "  that  Jesus  Christ  is  in 


SECTION  290.— 2  CORINTHIANS  13  : 1-U. 


389 


you."  He  may  be  in  the  thoughts  as  a  commanding 
object  of  contemplation.  He  may  be  in  the  affec- 
tions— the  object  of  love  and  of  reverence.  He  may 
be  in  the  conscience  as  an  authority.  He  may,  in 
short,  be  established  in  the  soul — in  vital  interest, 
in  exclusive  reliance,  and  in  hope — as  its  sole  and 
all-sufficient  and  almighty  Redeemer.  Thus  he  shall 
be  in  the  soul  as  an  indwelling  presence,  without 
which  it  were  lifeless  and  hopeless ;  by  which  it  is 
alive  to  God,  and  looks  forward  to  eternal  felicity. 
Now,  whether  this  be  in  some  good  measure  the  case 
13  matter  preeminently  for  self-examination.     J.  F. 

The  scriptural  philosophy  of  Christian  experi- 
ence is  very  beautiful.  If  you  would  either  excite 
or  test  the  presence  of  any  emotion  in  the  heart, 
you  must  bring  before  the  understanding  the  truth 
which  tends  to  excite  and  call  forth  that  emotion. 
You  can  never  by  mere  act  of  your  own  will  call 
these  emotions  into  play.  While  the  gospel  religion 
is  a  religion  of  the  heart,  and  lays  all  stress  on  the 
affections,  it  never  assumes  that  sinners,  by  a  mere 
volition,  can  make  themselves  love  Christ  and  the 
Spirit  and  the  Father.  But  it  tells  you  the  wonder- 
ful story  of  Christ's  generous  acts,  and  of  the  Spirit's 
kind  movings,  and  of  the  Father's  yearning  compas- 
sion, that,  as  you  listen,  the  affections  of  love  shall 
be  awakened  in  the  heart.  S.  R. The  contem- 
plation of  ourselves,  if  it  be  not  unceasingly  purified 
by  the  contemplation  of  Jesus  Christ,  readily  be- 
comes egotistical.  If  not  subordinated  to  the  con- 
templation of  Jesus  Christ,  it  leads  us  step  by  step 
to  our  own  righteousness,  to  salvation  by  worksi 
and  thence  to  pride  if  we  forget  ourselves,  or  to 
listlessness  and  despondency  if  we  see  ourselves  as 
we  are ;  so  that,  at  last,  the  noble  principle  which 
salvation  by  grace  should  have  placed  in  our  hearts, 
that  principle  whose  place  can  not  be  supplied,  and 
out  of  which  there  is  nought  but  falsehood,  deceit, 
and  rebelhon — that  principle,  slowly  undermined  by 
self  and  curiosity,  fades  from  our  creed,  which  is 
then  like  an  old  tree  standing  with  its  bark  after 
the  wood  and  pith  have  wasted  away.     A.  V. 

In  what  is  frequently  understood  by  self-exami- 
nation, there  is  something  mistaken  or  deceitful, 
which  needs  to  be  carefully  resisted.  In  the  first 
place,  it  is  a  kind  of  artificial  state,  in  which  the 
soul  is  drawn  off  from  its  objects  and  works,  and 
its  calls  of  love  and  sacrifice,  to  engage  itself  in 
acts  of  self-inspection.  The  will  is  called  off  to  be 
questioned,  when  of  course  it  is  out  of  that  engage- 
ment where  it  otherwise  would  be  found.  So  one 
falls  to  examining  his  affections,  when  of  course 
his  mind  is  introverted,  and  called  off  from  God  and 
Christ,  where  only  right  affections  have  their  object 
and  rest.  And  the  result  not  seldom  is  accordingly, 
that  persons  who  become  thoroughly  bent  down  upon 
this  matter  of  examining  their  affections,  are  doomed 


to  see  them  wither  in  the  process.  The  wonder  then 
is,  that  the  more  faithful  they  are — and  surely  they 
mean  to  be  faithful — the  darker  they  become.   H.  B. 

In  nine  cases  of  ten  the  first  question  will  be, 

What  is  your  feeling  ?  not,  What  are  you  standing 
on  ?  not  whether  a  holy  Christ  has  your  loyal  and  un- 
flinching obedience ;  not  how  far  you  are  practically 
pledged  to  a  righteous  Master — which  are  certainly 
the  chief  matters  now,  as  they  were  in  the  days  and 
the  preaching  of  the  apostles — but  rather  whether 
the  sensibilities  are  lively  and  the  devout  emotions 
enthusiastic.  Religious  feeling  is  one  of  the  fruits 
of  the  Spirit — one  of  them ;  it  has  much  to  do  in 
kindling  and  sustaining  religious  exertion.  But  feel- 
ing is  the  most  irregular  element  in  our  composition, 
and  it  so  far  depends  on  outward  conditions  that  it 
makes  one  of  the  least  trustworthy  tests  of  the 
actual  frame  of  a  Christian  soul  before  God.  Feel- 
ing belongs  to  the  passive  part  of  our  nature  ;  prin- 
ciple to  the  active  part.  Feeling  depends  on  a  sen- 
sitive surface ;  principle  on  depths  of  moral  purity. 
Feeling  changes  with  temperament,  with  states  of 
health  and  nerves,  with  a  thousand  fickle  external 
influences  ;  principle  is  independent  of  all  physical 
or  alterable  circumstances,  moves  straight  on  through 
all  moods  and  climates,  sails  by  fixed  stars,  and  is 
the  same  secure  and  glorious  thing  through  all  the 
shifting  seasons,  though  the  mountains  of  prosperity 
were  torn  up  and  cast  into  the  sea.     F.  D.  H. 

It  is  by  a  displacement  of  truth  that  Christians 
painfully  engage  themselves  in  weighing,  measuring 
every  feeling  within  them,  analyzing  and  noting  it 
in  order  to  growth  in  grace,  applying  to  themselves 
the  machinery  which  the  word  provides  for  detecting 
and  exposing  hypocrisy,  when  they  would  be  better 
employed  in  believing  the  simple  promises  and  doing 
the  revealed  duties — going  out  of  themselves  and 
concentrating  their  thoughts  on  the  Saviour,  whose 
righteousness  covers  and  whose  Spirit  instructs  in 

the  way  of  peace.    /.  Hall. True  religion  is  all 

comprised  in  two  precepts.  Look  into  yourself  to  see 
your  own  vileness.  Look  out  of  yourself  to  Christ. 
Little  enough  health,  comfort,  peace,  and  satisfac- 
tion shall  we  derive  from  the  first  of  these  precepts 
unless  we  constantly  couple  with  it  the  second. 
Live  not  too  much  with  thyself  in  the  close  chamber 
of  spiritual  anatomy.  Doubt  and  disquietude,  and 
subtle  metaphysical  difficulties,  and  over-canvassing 
of  motives,  will  be  the  least  mischief  resulting  from 
such  a  system.  The  knowledge  and  deep  conscious, 
ness  of  thy  dark  guilt  is  only  valuable  as  a  back- 
ground on  which  to  paint  more  vividly  to  thy  mind's 
eye  the  rainbow  colors  of  the  love  of  Jesus.  Walk 
abroad  ever  and  anon,  and  expatiate  freely  in  the 
sunlight  of  God's  grace  and  love  in  Christ.     E.  M.  G. 

You  will  never  "brighten  your  evidences"  by 
polishing  at  them.    To  polish  the  mirror  ever  so 


390 


SECTION  S90.—2  CORINTHIANS  13  : 1-U. 


assiduously  does  not  secure  the  image  of  the  sun  on 
its  surface.  The  only  way  to  do  that  is  to  carry  the 
poor  bit  of  glass  out  into  the  sunshine.  It  will 
shine  then,  never  fear.  It  is  weary  work  to  labor 
at  self-improvement  with  the  hope  of  drawing  from 
our  own  characters  evidences  that  we  are  the  sons 
of  God.  To  have  the  heart  filled  with  the  light  of 
Christ's  love  to  us  is  the  only  way  to  have  the 

whole  being  full  of  light.     A.   M. There   are 

states  of  the  soul  when,  instead  of  dwelling  on  his 
experience,  the  disciple's  first  need  is  to  forget 
it  altogether,  to  let  the  thoughts,  jaded  with  this 
chafing  in  the  prison-house  of  consciousness,  spring 
away  into  healthful  liberty,  from  deploring  what  self 
has  left  undone,  to  center  a  grateful  praise  on  what 
Christ  has  done.  Faith  bids  these  groaning  hearts 
not  to  toil  for  ever  in  the  dungeon ;  but  to  swing 
the  door  wide  open,  and  let  the  light  of  the  Father's 
face  shine  down  into  the  breast.  For,  as  a  search- 
ing writer  has  said,  "  After  we  are  in  peace  and 
power,  self-analysis  is  instructive,  humbling,  and 
bracing;  but  while  we  are  cold  and  dead,  it  is  a 
poisonous  thing,  like  a  draught  of  quinine  while  the 
ague  fit  is  on."     F.  D.  H. 

We  may  be  false  to  the  moving  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  by  a  diseased  inspection  of  our  own  minds  in 
the  act  of  communion  with  God.  Self-examination 
is  a  suitable  preliminary  or  after-thought  to  prayer, 
but  is  no  part  of  it.  Devotion  is  most  thoroughly 
objective,  in  respect  of  the  motives  which  induce  its 
presence.  It  is  won  into  exercise  by  attractions 
from  without,  not  forced  into  being  by  internal 
commotions.  It  is  an  outgoing,  not  a  seething  of 
sensibility.  The  suppliant  looks  upward  and  around 
beyond  himself ;  and  devout  affections  grow  in  in- 
tensity with  the  distance  which  he  penetrates,  as  the 
eye  grows  keen  with  far  seeing.  The  Spirit  invites 
to  no  other  than  such  expansive  devotion.  We  are 
never  more  like  Christ  than  in  prayers  of  interces- 
sion. In  the  most  lofty  devotion  we  become  un- 
conscious of  self.  Have  you  never  observed  how 
entirely  devoid  is  the  Lord's  Prayer  of  any  material 
which  can  tempt  to  this  subtle  self -inspection  in  the 
act  of  devotion?  It  is  full  of  an  outflowing  of 
thought  and  of  emotion  toward  great  objects  of 
desire,  great  necessities,  and  great  perils.  "  After 
this  manner,  therefore,  pray  ye."    A.  P. 

Christ  is  in  you.  Who  shall  dare  pollute  the 
body  that  Christ  has  honored  by  his  adoption  ?  Who 
shall  dare  stain  the  soul  that  Christ  glorifies  with 
his  presence  ?  We  Christians  dwell  in  Christ,  and 
Christ  in  us ;  this  is  our  world,  we  ask  none  else ; 
this  is  the  substance  of  our  hope  here,  as  it  is  to  be 
the  substance  of  our  heaven  hereafter.  Heed  then, 
earnestly  heed,  your  high  calling  in  Christ  Jesus. 
Glory  in  it,  for  angels  can  not  match  it !  Guard  it, 
live  in  it,  for  it  is  the  source  and  principle  of  your 


immortality !  Remember,  with  trembling  joy  re- 
member, that  Christ,  in  all  the  power  and  majesty 
of  the  Godhead,  "  is  in  you,  if  ye  be  not  repro- 
bates "  ;  "  for  ye  are  the  temple  of  the  living  God, 
as  God  hath  said,  I  will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk  in 
them ;  and  I  will  be  their  God  and  they  shall  be  my 
people  ! "    W.  A.  B. 

1 1-14.  Nothing  remains  but  a  concluding  coun- 
sel, salutations,  and  benediction.  These  form  a 
sweet  and  graceful  close,  all  the  more  welcome  after 
the  keen  and  indignant  tone  of  some  of  the  previous 
sentences.     D.  F. 

14.  A  spiritual  and  cordial  trlnitarian  faith  we 
affirm  to  be  the  basis  of  the  only  virtue  which  de- 
serves the  name — a  serious,  reverential,  happy,  and 
affectionate  devotion  of  the  whole  nature  to  God 
the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Spirit.  Christian 
virtue  is  the  habit,  the  motive,  and  the  act  of  the 
soul  meditating  upon  "  the  love  of  God,"  and  "  the 
grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  and  enjoying  "  the  com- 
munion of  the  Holy  Spirit."     I.  T. This  grace 

of  Christ  leads  into  the  love  of  God,  and  this  love 
is  central  in  benediction.  In  this  home  and  rest  of 
the  human  spirit  believers  are  kept  by  the  commu- 
nion of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Therefore,  this  closes  and 
perfects  the  blessing,  "  The  communion  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  be  with  you  all."    D.  F. 

The  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  that  doctrine  that 
showeth  us  the  love  of  God  the  Father  in  giving  his 
Son,  the  love  of  God  the  Son  in  giving  himself,  and 
the  love  of  the  Lord  the  Spirit  in  his  work  of  re- 
generating us,  that  we  may  be  made  able  to  lay  hold 
of  the  love  of  the  Father  by  his  Son,  and  so  enjoy 
eternal  life  by  grace.  The  Father's  grace  saveth  no 
man  without  the  grace  of  the  Son,  neither  do  the 
Father  and  the  Son  save  any  without  the  grace  of 
the  Spirit ;  for  as  the  Father  loves,  the  Son  must 
die,  and  the  Spirit  must  sanctify,  or  no  soul  must 
be  saved.  But  yet,  as  these  three  do  put  forth  grace 
jointly  and  truly  in  the  salvation  of  a  sinner,  so  they 
put  it  forth  after  a  diverse  manner.  The  Father 
designs  us  for  heaven,  the  Son  redeems  from  sin  and 
death,. and  the  Spirit  makes  us  meet  for  heaven,  by 
his  revealing  Christ  and  applying  Christ  to  our 
souls,  by  shedding  the  love  of  God  abroad  in  our 
hearts,  by  sanctifying  our  souls  and  taking  posses- 
sion of  us  as  an  earnest  of  our  possession  in  heaven. 
Bun. The  Apostolic  Benediction,  used  so  gener- 
ally for  all  centuries  since  Christ's  ascension,  is  a 
prayer  to  each  person  of  the  Divine  Trinity  for 
the  maintenance  and  expansion  of  that  sway  of 
Christ  over  the  nations,  by  means  of  Christ's 
churches.  Here  the  work  of  the  Atoner  stands  first ; 
the  parental  love  of  the  Divine  Father  follows  in 
the  second  place ;  and  to  the  third  place  is  assigned 
the  energy  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  as  maintaining  the 
unity  and  brotherhood  of  the  Church,  cementing 
and  assimilating  the  body  of  Christ,  and  rendering 
it  aggressive  and  victorious  in  its  influence  over  the 
world  by  a  power  of  transmutation  and  assimilation 
shed  forth  upon  them.  And  the  Apostolical  Bene- 
diction, sounded  in  so  many  tongues  of  the  earth 
and  through  so  many  centuries,  over  such  myriads 
on  myriads  of  assembled  Christians,  reminds  the 


SECTION  S91.—GALATIAFS  1:1-24. 


391 


whole  sacramental  host  in  whose  name  it  is  that 
they  set  up  their  banners ;  and  bids  them  ever,  in 
their  plans  and  supplications,  to  remember  that,  as 
they  are  bought  in  one  blood,  and  are  the  called  of 
one  Father,  they  need  to  receive,  and  cherish,  and 
implore  one  Spirit.  By  Him  shall  ultimately  all 
earth's  discords  be  hushed.  To  "grieve"  that  Spirit 
of  holiness  and  love  is  to  rend  Christ's  mystic  body. 
To  "  quench  "  that  Spirit  of  light,  truth,  and  life,  is 
to  install  falsehood  in  the  chair  of  verity,  to  bequeath 
despair  to  the  world,  and  to  work  suicide  as  against 
the  Church. 

The  Trinity  is  not,  then,  in  the  Bible  a  mere 
speculative  mystery,  too  recondite  to  be  practical. 
As  a  doctrine,  each  disciple  avouches  it  on  the 


church  threshold.  As  an  experience,  it  underlies  the 
conversion  of  the  individual.  As  a  life,  it  pervades 
the  collective  churches  through  all  lands  and  all 
ages.  It  is  at  once  badge,  history,  and  banner :  a 
badge  in  baptism ;  a  history  as  to  the  ransom,  re- 
generation, and  filial  adoption  of  each  separate  dis- 
ciple ;  and  a  banner  as  to  the  array  and  prospects 
of  Christ's  collected  disciples,  moving  forward  as 
churches  to  subdue  the  world  to  the  obedience  of 
the  faith.  The  Zion  of  God  welcomes  each  neo- 
phyte into  her  fellowship  under  this  Triune  Name, 
and  speeds  forth  each  dispersing  assembly  that  quits 
her  courts  with  the  same  significant  invocation.  She 
greets  the  coming,  she  bids  farewell  to  the  parting 
guest  in  the  name  of  the  Trinity.     W.  K.  W. 


Section  291. 

Galatiai^s  i.  1-24. 


•  1      Paul,  an  apostle,  (not  of  men,  neither  by  man,  but  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  God  the  Father, 
3  who  raised  him  from  the  dead  ; )  and  all  the  brethren  which  are  with  me,  unto  the  churches 

3  of  Galatia :  grace  ie  to  you  and  peace  from  God  the  Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus 

4  Christ,  who  gave  himself  for  our  sins,  that  he  might  deliver  us  from  this  present  evil  world, 

5  according  to  the  will  of  God  and  our  Father :  to  whom  ie  glory  for  ever  and  ever.    Amen. 

6  I  marvel  that  ye  are  so  soon  removed  from  him  that  called  you  into  the  grace  of  Christ  unto 

7  another  gospel:  which  is  not  another;  but  there.be  some  that  trouble  you,  and  would  per- 

8  vert  the  gospel  of  Christ.     But  though  we,  or  an  angel  from  heaven,  preach  any  other  gos- 

9  pel  unto  you  than  that  which  we  have  preached  unto  you,  let  him  be  accursed.     As  we  said 
before,  so  say  I  now  again.  If  any  man  preach  any  other  gospel  unto  you  than  that  ye  have 

10  received,  let  him  be  accursed.     For  do  I  now  persuade  men,  or  God?  or  do  I  seek  to  please 

11  men?  for  if  I  yet  pleased  men,  I  should  not  be  the  servant  of  Christ.     But  I  certify  you, 

12  brethren,  that  the  gospel  which  was  preached  of  me  is  not  after  man.     For  I  neither  re- 
ceived it  of  man,  neither  was  I  taught  it,  but  by  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ. 

13  For  ye  have  heard  of  my  conversation  in  time  past  in  the  Jews'  religion,  how  that  be- 

14  yond  measure  I  persecuted  the  church  of  God,  and  wasted  it :  and  profited  in  the  Jews' 
religion  above  many  my  equals  in  mine  own  nation,  being  more  exceedingly  zealous  of  the 

15  traditions  of  my  fathers.     But  when  it  pleased  God,  who  separated  me  from  my  mother's 

16  womb,  and  called  me  by  his  grace,  to  reveal  his  Son  in  me,  that  I  might  preach  him  among 

17  the  heathen  ;  immediately  I  conferred  not  with  flesh  and  blood:  neither  went  I  up  to  Jeru- 
salem to  them  which  were  apostles  before  me ;  but  I  went  into  Arabia,  and  returned  again 

18  unto  Damascus.     Then  after  three  years  I  went  up  to  Jerusalem  to  see  Peter,  and  abode 

19  with  him  fifteen  days.    But  other  of  the  apostles  saw  I  none,  save  James  the  Lord's  brother. 

20  Now  the  things  which  I  write  unto  you,  behold,  before  God,  I  lie  not.     Afterwards  I  came 

21  into  the  regions   of  Syria  and  Cilicia;    and  was  unknown   by  face  unto  the   churches 

22  of  Judasa  which  werein  Christ:  but  they  had  heard   only.  That  he  which  persecuted 

23  us  in  times  past  now  preacheth  the  faith  which  once  he  destroyed.     And  they  glorified 

24  God  in  me. 


Epistle  to  the  Galatiass. 

The  Galatians,  or  Gauls,  or  Kelts,  for  the  name 
is  probably  but  one  and  the  same  under  these  dif- 
ferent forms,  are  found  at  the  earliest  historic  pe- 
riod inhabiting  the  greater  part  of  Western  Europe. 
When  we  first  encounter  them,  they  are  a  restless, 
migratory  people,  making  incursions  on  their  neigh- 
bors, and  occupying  new  territories  by  conquest. 
In  the  fourth  century  before  Christ,  we  see  Rome 
itself  sacked  and  plundered  by  them ;  shortly  after, 
the  famous  temple  at  Delphi  suffers  their  attack 
and  witnesses  their  repulse.    A  detachment  of  this 


same  invading  body  wandered  away  into  the  far 
east,  and  overran  the  lesser  Asia.  There  eventually, 
after  a  series  of  vicissitudes,  they  became  settled. 
The  central  portion  of  Asia  Minor,  known  as  Gala- 
tia, was  their  country ;  and  at  the  time  of  the  apos- 
tolic history  gave  its  name  to,  and  was  itself  part 
of,  a  Roman  province  slightly  exceeding  its  own 
extent.  Mingled  with  this  invading  people  were  a 
considerable  number  of  the  original  Phrygian  in- 
habitants ;  and,  what  is  more  important  for  our 
present  purpose,  a  large  and  influential  Jewish  ele- 
ment (see  map,  page  94).  Still,  the  character  of 
the  population  in  the  main  was  that  of  the  Gar.ls 


392 


SECTION  291.—GALATIANS  1 : 1-21^. 


or  Kelts.  Its  description  by  independent  writers 
is  full  of  interest  for  the  readers  of  this  Epistle. 
Cesar,  the  great  conqueror  of  Gaul,  describes  him- 
self as  taking  certain  precautions,  "fearing  the 
weakness  of  the  Gauls,  because  they  are  fickle  in 
taking  up  plans,  and  ever  fond  of  innovating,  and 
therefore  he  thought  that  no  trust  should  be  put  in 
them."  But  the  main  feature  of  their  character 
with  which  we  are  in  this  Epistle  concerned  is  their 
restless  love  of  change.  They  had  received  the 
gospel  at  the  hands  of  Paul  with  their  usual  fervor 
and  impetuosity.  But,  at  the  time  of  his  writing 
this  letter,  they  were  rapidly  changing  to  another 
gospel,  which  was  not  another  (ch.  1:6);  and 
the  nature  of  that  change  is  not  without  its  in- 
terest. It  was  being  brought  about  by  Jewish  in- 
fluence, and  was  in  the  direction  of  the  Mosaic 
rites  and  ceremonies.  Now  Cesar's  description  of 
the  Gauls  is,  that  they  are  above  all  other  people 
given  to  superstitious  observances ;  so  that  here 
again  we  have  a  point  of  national  character  brought 
out. 

In  Acts  16  :  6  we  read  that  the  Apostle,  who 
had,  in  company  with  Silas,  revisited  the  churches 
previously  founded  by  him  in  Lycaonia,  "  went 
through  the  Phrygian  and  Galatian  country " ;  for 
so  the  words  should  be  read.  No  more  is  here  said. 
It  would  appear  from  Gal.  4  :  3  that  his  intention 
had  been  merely  to  pass  through,  but  that  he  was 
detained  by  a  sickness.  He  appears  to  have  taken 
occasion  by  this  detention  to  preach  to  them  the 
gospel,  and  to  found  the  Galatian  churches,  of  which 
churches  we  have  no  particular  account.  But  this 
was  not  his  only  visit.  We  find  him  in  Acts  18  :  23 
carrying  out  a  more  formal  visitation,  going  through 
the  whole  country  in  order,  confirming  all  the  dis- 
ciples. This  was  after  an  interval  of  at  least  three 
years  ;  and  it  is  to  this  second  visit  that  some  allu- 
sions of  an  instructive  character,  occurring  in  the 
Epistle,  must  be  referred.  In  chapter  4  :  16  he  asks 
them  reproachingly  whether  he  had  become  their 
enemy  by  telling  them  the  truth  ?  These  words  can 
not  of  course  apply  to  that  first  visit ;  as  little  can 
they  be  interpreted  of  anything  in  the  Epistle 
which  the  Galatians  had  not  yet  received  ;  but  their 
reference  must  be  found  in  something  that  happened 
on  the  second  presence  of  the  Apostle  among  them. 
Then  he  must  have  found  the  evil  beginning  to  be 
apparent,  and  have  spoken  to  them  his  mind  about 

it.     A. He  wrote  this  letter,  as  we  suppose,  after 

his  Second  to  the  Corinthians,  and  just  before  the 
Epistle  to  the  Eomans  (see  page  143).  There  is 
internal  evidence  of  this.  The  strain  of  self-vindi- 
cation which  marks  2  Corinthians  is  continued  in 
Galatians.  There  is,  on  the  part  of  the  writer,  the 
same  sensitiveness  as  to  the  confidence  which  the 
Churches  placed  in  him,  the  same  affirmation  of  his 
apostolatc,  the  same  vehemence  against  the  false 
teachers  who  depreciated  his  authority  and  per- 
verted his  gospel.  Then  there  is  a  preparation  for 
the  Epistle  to  the  Romans  in  the  consecutive  setting 
forth  of  doctrine  and  practice.  This  may  be  called 
a  first  draft  of  that  more  finished  and  rounded  pro- 
duction ;  this  the  bold  but  somewhat  fragmentary 
assertion  of  trutlis  which  are  there  more  compre- 
hensively and  systematically  taught.     D.  F. 

This  letter  sprung  out  of  two  circumstances, 
both  belonging  to  the  same  growing  apostasy  on  the 
part  of  the  Galatians.  They  were  falling  from  the 
gospel  of  the  grace  of  Christ,  and  they  were  repu- 
diating his  apostolic  authority.     On  this  their  two- 


fold fault  the  whole  Epistle  is  the  comment.    First  i 
of  all,  after  denouncing  in  the  plainest  terms  their 
fickleness,  he  proceeds  to  defend  the  apostolic  char-  ; 
acter  of  his  ministry,  and  its  independence  on  hu-  ' 
man  testimony.     This  he  does  by  giving  a  history  of  ' 
his  intercourse  with  the  other  apostles  at  and  after 
his  own  conversion ;  ending  with  a  remarkable  ac- 
count of   an  occasion  at  Antioch  when  he  found 
himself  compelled  to  withstand  and  openly  rebuke 
Peter.     The  value  to  the  Church  of  this  narration 
can  not  be  over-esteemed.     It  has  set  before  us  the 
reality  of  the  conflicts  of  the  Apostolic  Church,  and 
the  fallibility  of  the  great  leaders  of  it,  in  a  way  for 
which  we  can  not  be  too  thankful.     A. 

The  Epistles  to  the  Romans  and  Galatians  point 
out  the  significance  of  Christ's  death  as  a  propitia- 
tory Sacrifice.  They  explain  the  reason  and  neces- 
sity of  his  death,  as  that  which  alone  could  enable 
God,  consistently  with  his  attributes  of  justice,  holi- 
ness, and  truth,  to  save  the  sinner.  They  illustrate 
the  nature  of  the  faith  which  justifies,  by  referring 
to  examples  recorded  in  the  Old  Testament  Scrip- 
ture (examples  which  show  clearly  that  it  is  a  prac- 
tical principle,  lying  at  the  root  of  all  right  disposi- 
tions toward  God),  and  thus  assign  the  reason  why 
so  much  stress  should  be  laid  upon  faith  in  the 
matter  of  man's  salvation.  They  explain  the  theory 
of  imputed  sin  and  imputed  righteousness,  teaching 
us  that  men  are  regarded  by  God,  not  merely  as  in- 
dividuals, but  in  their  corporate  capacity  also — that 
all  belong  to  one  of  the  two  great  families,  of  whidi 
Adam  and  Christ  respectively  are  covenant  Heads 
and  Representatives.  They  explain  also  the  relation 
of  the  law  to  the  Gospel,  and  teach  us  that  the  elder 
dispensation  was  a  rudimentary  discipline,  by  means 
of  which  those  who  were  under  it  were  trained  for 
the  understanding  and  appreciation  of  gospel  bless- 
ings.    E.  M.  G. 

1.  In  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  when  he  has 
to  maintain  his  gospel  as  being  the  gospel,  we  find 
the  precision  which  marks  the  language  of  one  who 
knows  what  insinuations  he  has  to  negative :  "Paul, 
an  apostle,  not  of  men,  neither  by  men,  but  by  Jesus 
Christ,  and  God  the  Father,  who  raised  him  from 
the  dead."  He  declares  himself  to  have  been  placed, 
not  originally  from  men,  nor  mediately  by  any  man's 
ministry,  but  by  the  very  hand  of  Christ,  in  the 
chair  from  which  his  instructions  are  delivered,  and 
thus  he  attaches  the  authority  of  the  commission  to 
the  instructions  which  are  given  under  it.  But  in 
verses  11,  12  he  goes  further,  and  affirms  that  those 
instructions  themselves  were  no  less  immediately 
received  from  the  Lord  Jesus  than  was  the  commis- 
sion under  which  they  were  delivered.     T.  D.  B. 

3.  Grace  to  you.  Grace  can  pardon  our 
ungodliness  and  justify  us  with  Christ's  righteous- 
ness ;  it  can  put  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  Clirist  within 
us ;  it  can  help  us  when  we  are  down ;  it  can  heal 
us  when  we  are  wounded ;  it  can  multiply  pardons, 
as  we  through  frailty  multiply  transgressions.    Bun. 

Peace.     It  is  good  and  pleasant,  beyond  the 

power  of  tongue  to  tell,  to  be  deeply  and  fully  in  the 
enjoyment  of  the  divine  legacy  of  "  peace."  To  be 
filled  with   peace!      To  have  all  known  relations 


SECTION  S91.—GALATIANS  1 : 1-24. 


393 


touched  and  calmed  by  it !  To  hear  the  soft,  glad 
murmur  of  the  cleansed  and  liberated  conscience 
aflSrming  the  truth  of  the  written  word,  that  "  there 
is  now  no  condemnation,"  and  that  "  the  blood  of 
Jesus  Christ  clcanseth  us  from  all  sin  "  !  And  the 
gentle  stirrings  of  the  Spirit  within,  prompting  us 
to  cry  "  Abba,  Father  "  !  And  to  see  those  meetings 
and  minglings  of  earth  and  heaven,  which  disclose 
themselves  only  to  peaceful  souls !  There  can  be  no 
better  state  of  its  kind  than  this.  It  is  an  antepast 
of  the  rest  of  heaven.     A.  R. 

10.  Persuade  men  or  God.  If  once  we 
ren'ard  the  preacher,  whatever  his  faults,  as  a  man 
sent  with  a  message  to  us,  which  it  is  a  matter  of 
life  or  death  whether  we  hear  or  refuse  ;  if  we  look 
upon  him  as  set  in  charge  over  many  souls  in  danger 
of  ruin,  and  having  allowed  to  him  but  an  hour  or 
two  in  the  seven  days  to  speak  to  them ;  we  shall 
wish  that  the  words  of  the  messenger  may  be  sim- 
ple, even  when  they  are  sweetest,  and  the  place  from 
which  he  speaks  like  a  marble  rock  in  the  desert, 
about  which  the  people  have  gathered  in  their  thirsty 

RusHn. If  clergymen  in  our  day  would  return 

to  the  simplicity  of  the  gospel,  and  preach  more  to 
individuals  and  less  to  the  crowd,  there  would  not  be 
so  much  complaint  of  the  decline  of  true  religion. 
Many  of  the  ministers  of  the  present  day  take  their 
texts  from  Paul  and  preach  from  the  newspapers. 
AVhen  they  do  so,  I  prefer  to  enjoy  my  own  thoughts 
rather  than  to  listen.  I  want  my  pastor  to  come  to 
me  in  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  saying:  "You  are 
mortal;  your  probation  is  brief;  your  work  must  be 
done  speedily.  You  are  immortal,  too.  You  are 
hastening  to  the  bar  of  God ;  the  Judge  even  now 
standeth  at  the  door ! "  When  I  am  thus  admon- 
ished, I  have  no  disposition  either  to  muse  or  to 
sleep.     Daniel  Webster. 

Ministers  should  preach  feelingly,  experiment- 
ally as  well  as  excmplarily  ;  they  must  speak  from 
the  heart  to  the  heart ;  they  must  feel  the  worth,  the 
weight,  the  sweet  of  those  things  upon  their  own 
souls  that  they  give  out  to  others.  The  highest 
mystery  in  divine  rhetoric  is  to  feel  what  a  man 
speaks,  and  then  speak  what  a  man  feels.     Brooks. 

It  is  not  mere  words  which  turn  men ;  it  is  the 

heart  mounting,  uncalled,  into  the  expression  of  the 
features ;  it  is  the  eye  illuminated  by  reason,  the  look 
beaming  with  goodness ;  it  is  the  tone  of  the  voice, 
that  instrument  of  the  soul,  which  changes  quality 
with  such  amazing  facility,  and  gives  out  in  the  soft, 
the  tender,  the  tremulous,  the  firm,  every  shade  of 
emotion  and  character.  And  so  much  is  there  in 
this,  that  the  moral  stature  and  character  of  the 
man  that  speaks  are  likely  to  be  well  represented  in 
his  manner.    II.  B. 

If  any  work  ever  demanded  the  whole  of  one's 
mind,  it  is  that  of  a  stated  preacher  of  God's  word. 


All  the  great  things  of  earth,  compared  with  what 
depends  on  this  work,  are  deserving  of  no  mention 
or  thought.  Kingdoms  rise  and  fall,  worlds  pass 
away,  but  human  minds  hold  on  their  eternal  course ; 
and  whether  they  shall  be  endlessly  continued  in  woe 
or  bliss  may  be  depending,  more  than  all  things  else, 
upon  the  character  of  the  preaching  which  they  hear 
from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath.  What  manner  of  men, 
then,  should  preachers  of  the  gospel  be?  and  how 
exclusive  and  magnificent  their  vocation !  T.  H.  S. 
11,  12.  The  whole  argument  to  the  Galatians 
turns  upon  the  doctrinal  clement  of  the  Gospel.  It 
is  of  this,  therefore,  that  he  so  solemnly  affirms  that 
he  was  not  taught  it  by  the  agency  of  man,  but  re- 
ceived it  as  direct  revelation  from  the  Lord ;  and 
this  affirmation  is  made,  not  merely  in  respect  of 
the  general  doctrine,  but  specifically  of  those  parts 
of  it  which  it  was  given  to  him  to  develop  and  de- 
fend :  "  the  gospel  which  was  preached  by  me  " — 
")?i.V  ffo.spcl"  as  he  elsewhere  calls  it,  the  gospel 
under  that  particular  aspect  which  he  admits  to  be 
the  subject  of  extensive  doubt  and  complaint.  The 
part  in  the  progress  of  doctrine  committed  to  Paul 
was  to  define,  to  settle,  and  to  carry  out  to  its  prac- 
tical consequences  the  principle  of  free  justification 
in  Christ,  which  {as  a  principle)  was  acknowledged 
and  held  before  his  voice  was  heard ;  and  we  learn 
from  his  own  statements  that,  for  this  special  work, 
not  only  a  special  commission,  but  a  special  revela- 
tion was  given  him  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  so  as  to 
clear  and  settle  his  own  mind  on  those  points  on 
which  he  was  sent  to  clear  and  settle  the  minds  of 
others.  In  this  way  he  was  a  minister  and  a  wit- 
ness, not  of  those  things  which  he  had  heard  from 
others,  nor  of  those  things  which  he  had  only 
thought  out  for  himself,  but  of  those  things  which 
his  Lord  had  showed  him  in  personal  visits  and  dis- 
tinct communications,  according  to  the  announcement 
made  at  the  first  commencement  of  this  peculiar  in- 
tercourse :  "  I  have  appeared  unto  thee  for  this  pur- 
pose, to  make  thee  a  minister  and  a  witness,  both 
of  those  things  which  thou  hast  seen,  and  of  those 
things  in  the  which  I  will  appear  unto  thee."    T.  D.  B. 

15.  The  phrases,  ^'■separated,  sandifed,  filled 
leitli  the  Holy  Ghost,  from  the  womb,"  mean  no  more 
than  that  God  thus  early  signified  a  special  Divine 
purpose  in  the  birth  of  the  individuals  thus  dis- 
tinguished, without  tying  Himself  to  time  in  the  ac- 
tual bestowment  of  their  miraculous  endowments. 
It  was  '■'■from  the  womb  "  that  their  special  designa- 
tion to  one  great  purpose  was  made  known.  The 
actual  impulses  of  inspiration,  or  of  other  gifts,  may 
have  been,  and  doubtless  xnere,  bestowed  only  as  oc- 
casion demanded  their  exercise.  Facts  in  this  and 
other  cases  bear  out  this  view.     J.  S.  S. 

16.  To  reveal  his  Son  in  me.  And  what  a 
revelation  was  it  to  him !— as  great  proportionally 
to  all  who  receive  it.  It  is  as  if  they  had  gotten  a 
new  soul,  with  a  heaven-full  of  society  gathered 
round  the  Son  of  man  there  revealed.  It  is  as  if 
some  wondrous,  unknown  light  had  broken  in  ;  the 
whole  sky  is  luminous.  The  soul  is  in  day,  for  the 
day  has  dawned  and  the  day-star  is  risen.  God, 
eternity,  immortality,  universal  love,  and  society — 
into  these  broad  ranges  it  has  come,  and  in  these  it 


394 


SECTION  292.—  GALATIANS  2  : 1-21. 


is  free,  having  them  all  for  its  element  and  its  con- 
versation in  them,  as  in  heaven.  The  unknowing 
state,  the  old,  blank  ignorance  that  was,  because  of 
the  blindness  of  the  heart,  is  gone,  and  a  wondrous 
knowledge  opens  because  the  heart  can  see.  Oh, 
what  strength  and  majesty  and  general  height  of 
being  are  felt  in  the  new  hfe  begun !  And  this  is 
salvation !  great  because  it  saves,  not  some  small 
part  of  the  soul,  but  because  it  saves  and  glorifies 
the  sublime  whole,  restoring  its  integrity  and  pro- 
portion, and  setting  it  complete  in  God's  own  order, 
as  in  everlasting  hfe.     II.  B. 


18.  To  see  Peter.  As  he  himself  tells  us, 
his  purpose  was  to  form  Peter's  acquaintance.  He 
probably  thought  that  the  time  was  come  for  that 
concert  with  the  former  apostles  which  he  had 
purposely  abstained  from  seeking  as  a  preliminary 
qualification  for  his  own  ministry.  And  even  now 
he  takes  pains  to  have  it  understood  that  he  ac- 
cepted no  formal  confirmation  of  his  call  from  the 
"  apostolic  college."  lie  mentions  the  journey  as 
an  illustration  of  his  argument  that  he  did  not  re- 
ceive the  gospel  which  he  preached  (that  is,  the 
commission  to  preach  it)  from  man ;  and  adds  the 
solemn  asseveration,  "  Before  God,  I  lie  not,"  to  the 
statement,  "  Other  of  the  apostles  saw  I  none  save 
James  the  Lord's  brother."     S. 


Section  292. 

Galatians  ii.  1-21. 

1  Theit  fourteen  years  after  I  went  np  again  to  Jerusalem  with  Barnabas,  and  took  Titus 

2  with  me  also.  And  I  went  up  by  revelation,  and  communicated  unto  them  that  gospel 
which  I  preach  among  the  Gentiles,  but  privately  to  them  which  were  of  reputation,  lest 

3  by  any  means  I  should  run,  or  had  run,  in  vain.     But  neither  Titus,  who  was  with  me,  be- 

4  ing  a  Greek,  was  compelled  to  be  circumcised :  and  that  because  of  false  brethren  unawares 
brought  in,  who  came  in  privily  to  spy  out  our  liberty  which  we  have  in  Christ  Jesus,  that 

5  they  might  bring  us  into  bondage :  to  whom  we  gave  place  by  subjection,  no,  not  for  an 

6  hour ;  that  the  truth  of  the  gospel  might  continue  with  you.  But  of  these  who  seemed  to 
be  somewhat,  (whatsoever  they  were,  it  maketh  no  matter  to  me :  God  accepteth  no  man's 

7  person :)  for  they  who  seemed  to  he  somewhat  in  conference  added  nothing  to  me  :  but  con- 
trariwise, when  they  saw  that  the  gospel  of  the  uncircumcision  was  committed  unto  me,  as 

8  the  g OS}) el  of  t\\Q  v\YQ,\iVLic\&\on  ^D as  nnio  Peter;  (for  he  that  wrought  effectually  in  Peter  to 

9  the  apostleship  of  the  circumcision,  the  same  was  mighty  in  me  toward  the  Gentiles:)  and 
when  James,  Cephas,  and  John,  who  seemed  to  be  pillars,  perceived  the  grace  that  was 
given  unto  me,  they  gave  to  me  and  Barnabas  the  right  hands  of  fellowship  ;  that  we  should 

10  go  unto  the  heathen,  and  they  unto  the  circumcision.  Only  they  xcould  that  we  should  re- 
member the  poor ;  the  same  whicli  I  also  was  forward  to  do. 

11  But  when  Peter  was  come  to  Antioch,  I  withstood  him  to  the  face,  because  he  was  to  be 

12  blamed.  For  before  that  certain  came  from  James,  he  did  eat  with  the  Gentiles:  but 
when  they  were  come,  he  withdrew  and  separated  himself,  fearing  them  which  were  of  the 

13  circumcision.     And  the  other  Jews  dissembled  likewise  with  him ;  insomuch  that  Barnabas 

14  also  was  carried  away  with  their  dissimulation.  But  when  I  saw  that  they  walked  not  up- 
rightly according  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  I  said  unto  Peter  before  them  all,  If  thou,  be- 
ing a  Jew,  livest  after  the  manner  of  Gentiles,  and  not  as  do  the  Jews,  why  compellest 

15  thou  the  Gentiles  to  live  as  do  the  Jews?     We  icho  are  Jews  by  nature,  and  not  sinners  of 

16  the  Gentiles,  knowing  that  a  man  is  not  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by  the 
faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  even  we  have  believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  we  might  be  justified  by 
the  faith  of  Christ,  and  not  by  the  works  of  the  law  :  for  by  the  works  of  the  law  shall  no 

17  flesh  be  justified.     But  if,  while  we  seek  to  be  justified  by  Christ,  we  ourselves  also  are 

18  found  sinners,  is  therefore  Christ  the  minister  of  sin  ?    God  forbid.    For  if  I  build  again  the 

19  things  which  I  destroyed,  I  make  myself  a  transgressor.     For  I  through  the  law  am  dead 

20  to  the  law,  that  I  might  live  unto  God.  I  am  crncified  with  Christ:  nevertheless  I  live; 
yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me :  and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh  I  live  by  the 

21  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.  I  do  not  frustrate  the 
grace  of  God :  for  if  righteousness  come  by  the  law,  then  Christ  is  dead  in  vain. 


In  the  Scriptures,  written  by  the  inspiration  of  the  God  of  love  and  wisdom,  there  are  encourage- 
ments and  invitations,  so  simple,  affectionate,  and  comprehensive,  that  none  can  remain  in  doubt  as  to 
their  meaning ;  that  none  can  fail  to  see  the  willingness  of  God  to  receive  and  bless  the  returning  sinner. 


SECTION  S92.—GALATIANS  2:1-21. 


39c 


They  are  clear  and  frequent ;  human  language  can  afford  no  terms  more  lucid,  urgent,  and  tender.  Be- 
sides these  texts,  written  so  legibly  and  attractively  on  the  door  of  revelation,  there  are  other  declarations 
of  Scripture  which  are  understood  and  enjoyed  only  by  those  who,  obedient  to  the  heavenly  voice,  have 
entered  in  by  the  open  gate.  There  are,  so  to  say,  outside  texts  and  inside  texts.  What  can  be  more 
encouraging  and  comprehensive  than  the  message,  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begot- 
ten Son."  Here  is  indeed  a  wide,  open,  golden  gate !  But  if  we  enter,  we  read,  "  The  life  of  faith  in  the 
Son  of  God,  who  loved  mc,  and  gave  Himself  for  me."  If  we  did  not  possess  the  outside  and  compre- 
hensive texts,  Scripture  would  be  like  a  house  without  a  door.  The  wanderer  outside  in  darkness,  loneli- 
ness, and  danger,  seeking  shelter  and  peace,  could  not  enter.  But  if  Scripture  did  not  contain  the  inside, 
special,  and  mysterious  texts,  it  would  be  like  doors  that  lead  to  nothing,  promises  which  have  no  fulfill- 
ment, invitations  to  a  feast  without  the  reality  of  a  feast  awaiting  those  who  accept  them.  It  would  be 
merely  "  Come"  ;  but  not  "All  things  are  ready."  We  need  not  expect  to  read  the  inside  texts  until  we 
are  inside.  The  love  of  Jesus,  what  it  is,  none  but  his  loved  ones  know.  That  which  describes  the  ex- 
perience of  the  believer  and  the  dealings  of  God  with  him  can  not  be  known,  and  can  not  form  the 
ground  of  encouragement  to  an  outsider.  God  speaks  to  him  as  one  of  the  world.  God  loved  the  world. 
Believe,  and  you  will  be  able  to  say,  Christ  loved  the  Church.  He  loved  me.  Yet  in  God's  wisdom  the 
outside  texts  never  become  superfluous  to  the  saints  who  are  by  grace  within  the  fold.  The  first  and  sim- 
plest truths  of  the  gospel  become  of  growing  value  to  our  souls  as  we  advance  along  the  narrow  road 
which  leadeth  unto  life.     A.  S. 


The  incidents  referred  to  in  this  chapter  will  be 
better  understood  by  a  careful  reading  of  page 
109.    B. 

4.  These  Judaistic  errorists,  or  "false  brethren 
unawares  brought  in,"  should  by  no  means  be  con- 
founded with  the  "  iveak  brethren,"  i.  e.,  the  Jewish 
Christians,  who  for  their  own  part  moved  indeed 
with  scrupulous  conscientiousness  in  the  traditional 
forms  of  the  Mosaic  religion,  yet  at  the  same  time 
referred  all  salvation  to  Christ,  and  recognized  the 
free  Gentile  Christians  as  brethren  in  the  Lord. 
Toward  these  Paul  was  exceedingly  indulgent,  and 
claimed  for  them  brothei'ly  love  and  forbearance. 
But  in  opposition  to  the  other  errorists  he  was  in- 
flexible ;  for  they  annulled  the  proper  essence  of  the 
gospel ;  wished  to  replace  the  old  yoke  of  legal  bon- 
dage ;  spread  division  everywhere  in  his  churches, 
especially  in  Galatia  and  Corinth,  and  even  in  Phi- 
lippi ;  and  in  all  this  sought  their  own  glory.  To 
this  great  controversy  of  the  Gentile  apostle  with 
the  Pharisaic  Judaizers  we  owe  the  masterly  and 
profound  exhibitions  of  the  evangelical  doctrines  of 
the  law  and  the  gospel,  sin  and  grace,  bondage  and 
freedom,  faith  and  justification,  which  lie  before  us 
in  his  Epistles.     P.  S. 

5.  The  point  round  which  the  strife  was  waged 
was,  whether  Gentiles  could  come  into  the  Church 
as  Gentiles  without  first  being  incorporated  into  the 
Jewish  nation  by  circumcision,  and  whether  they 
could  remain  in  as  Gentiles  without  conforming  to 
Jewish  ceremonial  and  law.  The  fight  was  stubborn 
and  bitter.  It  is  harder  to  abolish  forms  than  to 
change  opinions.  All  through  Paul's  life  he  was 
dogged  and  tormented  by  this  controversy.  There 
was  a  deep  gulf  between  the  churches  he  planted 
and  this  reactionary  section  of  the  Christian  com- 
munity. Its  emissaries  were  continually  following 
in  his  footsteps.  As  he  bitterly  reproaches  them, 
they  entered  upon  another  man's  line  of  things 
made  ready  to  their  hand,  not  caring  to  plant 
churches  of  circumcised  Gentiles  themselves,  but 
starting  up  behind  him  as  soon  as  his  back  was 
turned,  and  spoiling  his  work.  This  Epistle  is  the 
memorial  of  that  foot-to-foot  feud.  It  is  of  peren- 
nial use,  as  the  tendencies  against  which  it  is 
directed  are  constant  in  human  nature.     Men  are 


ever  apt  to  confound  form  and  substance,  to  crave 
material  embodiments  of  spiritual  realities,  to  ele- 
vate the  outward  means  into  the  place  of  the  in- 
ward and  real,  to  which  all  the  outward  is  but  sub- 
sidiary. In  every  period  of  strife  between  the  two 
great  opponents  this  letter  has  been  the  stronghold 
of  those  who  fight  for  the  spiritual  conception  of 
religion.  With  it  Luther  waged  his  warfare,  and  in 
this  day,  too,  its  words  are  precious.     A.  M. 

9.  This  is  the  only  meeting  of  Paul  and  John 
recorded  in  the  Scripture.  John  had  been  silent 
during  the  public  discussion  (Acts  15);  but  at  the 
close  of  it  he  expressed  his  cordial  union  with  Paul 
in  "  the  truth  of  the  gospel."  They  stand  together 
among  the  pillars  of  the  holy  temple ;  and  the 
Church  of  God  is  thankful  to  learn  how  contem- 
plation may  be  united  with  action,  and  faith  with 
love,  in  the  spiritual  life.     II. 

9,  10.  The  reputed  "pillars"  of  the  Church 
"  added  nothing  to  Paul " — no  new  truth  for  hira 
and  his  converts  to  learn,  no  new  law  for  them  to 
observe.  They  cordially  recognized  what  God  him- 
self had  made  clear,  that  "  the  gospel  of  the  un- 
circumcision "  had  been  committed  to  Paul,  like 
"  the  gospel  of  the  circumcision  "  to  Peter,  and  that 
the  one  could  show  miracles  as  convincing  as  the 
other ;  and  they  gave  Paul  and  Barnabas  the  right 
hands  of  fellowship,  as  the  pledge  of  the  solemn 
compact,  that  these  two  should  go  to  the  Gentiles 
and  they  themselves  to  the  Jews.  Paul  adds  one 
point  which  proves  that,  amid  these  questions  of 
doctrine  and  ritual,  all  the  Apostles  were  agreed  on 
the  supreme  importance  of  the  fruit  of  practical 
beneficence  in  Christianity :  "  Only  they  would  that 
we  should  remember  the  poor ;  the  same  which  I 
also  was  forward  to  do." 

11-14.  Peter  proved  his  full  adoption  of  the 
new  law  of  liberty  by  eating  with  the  Gentiles,  till 
certain  Jewish  Christians  "  came  from  James,"  when, 
for  fear  of  them,  he  withdrew  from  all  such  inter- 
course. The  other  Jews,  to  use  the  strong  phrase  of 
Paul,  "  played  the  hypocrite  with  him,"  and  even 
Barnabas  was  carried  away  with  the  rest.  Paul,  re- 
garding their  conduct  as  an  open  departure  from 
"  walking  uprightly  according  to  the  truth  of  the 
gospel,^^  "  withstood  Peter  to  the  face."     This  was 


396 


SECTION  292.—  GALATIANS  2  : 1-21. 


no  opposition  of  Pauline  to  Petrine  views  ;  it  was  a 
faithful  rebuke  of  blamable  moral  weakness.     S. 

The  point  of  Paul's  rebuke  is   plainly  this — 

that,  in  sanctioning  the  Jewish  feeling  which  re- 
garded eating  with  the  Gentiles  as  an  unclean  thing, 
Peter  was  untrue  to  his  principles,  was  acting  hypo- 
critically and  from  fear.     J.  B.  L. 

In  verse  13,  "  dissembled  likewise  with  him,"  sub- 
stitute "  also  joined  in  his  hypocrisy  "  ;  and  at  the 
end  of  the  verse,  for  "  dissimulation,^''  render  "  hy- 
pocri-sy."     A. 

And  who  is  this  who  thus  exhibited  narrowness 
and  moral  cowardice  on  a  critical  occasion,  and  drew 
others  away  after  him  into  compliance  with  his  mis- 
chievous example  ?  This  is  a  saint  specially  dear  to 
Christ,  and  specially  honored  of  him ;  a  saint  who 
was  enabled  to  perform  many  mighty  and  wonder- 
ful works.  Verily,  "  Elias  was  a  man  subject  to  like 
passions  as  we  are."  Every  man  and  woman  who 
lives  by  Christian  principle  (that  is,  by  faith),  who 
sustains  the  life  of  his  immortal  spirit  by  prayer 
and  the  word  of  God,  and  resists  evil  watchfully 
and  steadfastly,  is  a  saint.  He  may  have  his  infir- 
mities, his  backslidings,  his  periods  of  lukewarmness, 
his  failings  of  temper,  his  moral  cowardice ;  so  had 

the   Scriptural   saints.     E.  M.  G. The   one  who 

suffered  himself  to  be  corrected,  appears  here  still 
more  worthy  of  admiration  and  harder  to  imitate, 
than  the  one  who  corrected  him.  For  it  is  easier 
to  see  what  may  be  improved  in  others,  than  for 
each  to  see  what  needs  improvement  in  himself ; 
and  cheerfully  to  receive  correction  from  himself 
for  wrong-doing  is  hard  ;  still  harder,  from  another. 
This  serves  as  a  grand  example  of  humility ;  and  the 
doctrine  of  humility  is  the  most  important  in  the 
Christian  system  of  morals ;  for  by  humility  love  is 

preserved.     Aug. The  generosity  and  forgiving 

disposition  of  Peter  is  especially  manifest  from  his 
Epistles,  where  he  endorses  the  doctrines  preached 
by  Paul,  and  after  having  spoken  of  the  "  long-suf- 
fering of  our  Lord,"  and  of  the  prospect  of  sinless 
happiness  in  the  world  to  come,  alludes  to  those  very 
Epistles  in  one  of  which  his  own  censure  is  recorded, 
and  calls  their  author  his  "  beloved  brother  "  !  P.  S. 

19.  To  *'  live  unto  God  "  is  but  to  return  him 
his  own  rights  in  the  human  heart ;  to  concentrate 
on  him  those  affections  which  originally  were  formed 
for  him  alone.  It  is  to  know  and  feel  that,  even 
while  this  shadowy  world  encompasses  us,  there  is 
around  and  above  it  a  scene  real,  substantial,  and 
eternal;  a  scene  in  which  every  holier  affection, 
widowetl  and  blighted  here,  is  to  be  met  and  satis- 
fied. To  live  in  this  belief — this  hope ;  to  read  in 
the  death  of  Christ  death  itself  lost  in  immortality ; 
to  make  the  God  of  the  New  Testament  the  Friend, 
the  Companion,  the  Consoler,  of  all  earthly  sorrow; 
to  feel  the  brightest  colors  of  ordinary  life  fade  in 
"  the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed  " — this  is  to  live 
the  "  life "  that  heralds  the  immortality  "  unto 
God  "  !  God  grant  to  us  a  strong  desire  to  live  the 
"  life  unto  God,"  by  patience  and  faith  "  to  walk  as 
seeing  the  invisible,"  to  yearn  after  that  devotion 
of  heart  and  soul  unto  Him,  which,  begun  in  this 
world,  shall  be  perfected  and  consummated  in  the 
world  of  eternal  peace  !     W,  A.  B. 


20,  31.  For  "am  crucified,"  substitute  "have 
been  crucified."  The  following  clause  should  stand : 
"  And  it  is  no  longer  I  that  live,  but  Christ  that 
liveth  in  me."  In  verse  20,  for  "  by  the  faith,"  sub- 
stitute "in  the  faith."  In  verse  21,  for  "is  dead  in 
vain,"  render  "  died  without  cause."    A. 

"/am  a'udjied  loith  Christ,^^  says  Paul.  Faith 
so  looks  on  the  death  of  Christ  that  it  takes  the  im- 
pression of  it,  sets  it  on  the  heart,  kills  it  unto  sin : 
Christ  and  the  believer .  do  not  only  become  one  in 
law  so  as  his  death  stands  for  theirs,  but  are  one  in 
nature  so  as  his  death  for  sin  causes  theirs  to  it. 

Baptized  into   his   death.     L. Every  believer  is 

dead  already  for  his  sins  in  his  Saviour  ;  he  need  not 
fear  that  he  shall  die  again.  Comfort  thyself,  thou 
penitent  and  fearful  soul,  in  the  confidence  of  thy 
safety.  Thou  shalt  not  die  but  live,  since  thou  art 
already  crucified  with  thy  Saviour.  He  died  for  thee, 
thou  diedst  in  Him.     Bp.  H. 

Self-love  may  impel  to  his  feet,  but  Christ-love 
should  be  the  moving  spring  of  life  thereafter. 
Ere  we  have  received  anything  from  him,  our  whole 
soul  may  be  a  longing  to  have  our  emptiness  filled  ; 
but,  when  we  have  received  his  own  great  gift,  our 
whole  soul  should  be  a  thank-offering.  The  great 
reformation  which  Christ  produces  is  that  he  shifts 
the  center  for  us  from  ourselves  to  himself.  Faith 
may  begin  with  desiring  the  blessing  rather  than 
the  Christ.  It  must  end  with  desiring  him  move 
than  all  besides,  and  with  losing  self  utterly  in  his 
great  love.  Its  starting-point  may  rightly  be, 
"  Save,  Lord,  or  I  perish."     Its  goal  must  be,  "  I 

live,  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me."     A.  M. 

Christ  is  so  related  now  to  the  soul  of  them  that 
receive  him,  that  he  is  present  with  them  in  all 
places,  at  all  times,  bearing  witness  with  their  spirit 
in  guidance  and  holy  society ;  a  friend,  a  consoler, 
a  glorious  illuminator,  all  that  he  would  or  could 
be,  if  we  had  him  each  to  himself  in  outward  com- 
pany. Oh,  what  a  footing  is  this  for  a  mortal  crea- 
ture to  occupy,  an  open  relationship  with  Christ  and 
God,  in  which  it  shall  receive  just  all  which  it  wants, 
being  consciously  girded  with  strength  for  whatever 
it  has  to  do,  patience  for  suffering,  wisdom  for  guid- 
ance !  Everything  flows  down  upon  us  from  him, 
and  so  we  begin  to  speak  of  being  washed,  sancti- 
fied, justified  in  him.  lie  is  our  peace,  our  light,  our 
bread  ;  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life.     H.  B. 

By  the  fai.th  of  the  Son  of  God.  The  oh 
jcct  of  faith  is  Christ.  If  the  object  be  a  living 
Person,  then  there  follows  inseparably  this :  that 
faith  is  not  merely  the  assent  of  the  understanding, 
that  faith  is  not  merely  the  persuasion  of  the  reality 
of  unseen  things,  that  faith  is  not  merely  the  confi- 
dent expectation  of  future  good,  but  that  faith  is 
the  personal  relation  of  him  that  believes  to  the 
living  Person  its  object — the  relation  which  is  ex- 


SECTION  S93.—GALATIANS  3  :  1-29. 


397 


pressed,  not  more  clearly,  but  perhaps  a  little  more 
forcibly  to  us  by  substituting  another  word,  and 
saying,  faith  is  trust.  By  laying  hold  of  that  simple 
principle.  Because  Christ  is  the  object  of  faith, 
therefore  faith  must  be  trust,  we  get  bright  and 
beautiful  light  upon  the  grandest  truths  of  the  gos- 
pel of  God.    A.  M. 

Who  loved  me  and  gave  himself.  Is  it 
true  that  the  Eternal  Word  was  "  made  flesh,  and 
dwelt  among  us,"  and  "  died  for  our  sins,"  having 
been  constituted  "  a  curse  for  us  "  ?  Sin  then  is 
ruin — immortal  ruin ;  and  our  condition,  if  not 
benefited  by  that  sacrifice,  is  desperate.  But  the 
Saviour,  as  we  learn  from  his  own  lips,  although 
oiven  by  the  Father  to  suffer  for  the  sins  of  the 
"whole  world,"  yet  gave  himself  for  his  people. 
On  this  ground  the  apostle  speaks  of  his  Lord  as 
"having  loved  him,  and  given  himself  for  him.'''' 
A  distinct  apprehension  of  truths  such  as  these 
brings  home  to  the  heart  every  kind  of  powerful 
influence,  every  imaginable  element  of  awe,  com- 
punction, dread,  gratitude,  and  tender  affection,  to 

which  the  human  mind  may  be  opened.     I.  T. 

What  gives  to  the  gospel  of  reconciliation  the  true 


living  power  is  that  great  "  for  me  "  which  was  the 
sinew  and  soul  of  the  whole  spiritual  life  of  Paul. 
Even  for  me,  as  truly  as  I  am  a  man  and  a  sinner, 
but  through  the  grace  of  God  a  believer  and  a  re- 
deemed one.  This  is  the  highest  vaunt  of  faith  on 
the  recollection  of  the  death  of  the  Saviour,  and  to 
this  vaunt  the  eternal  gospel  gives  us  a  right,  if  in- 
deed the  heart  is  upright  before  God.  For  the 
greatest  of  sinners  who  ever  found  mercy,  but  not 
more  for  these  than  for  me.  Were  I  a  hundred 
times  pooi'er,  more  unworthy,  or  more  wretched 
than  I  have  ever  known  myself  to  be,  yet  so  true 
the  love  which  made  thee  die  upon  the  cross  that  I 
can  say,  Thou  hast  died  there  for  me  !     Van  0. 

21.  If  righteousness  by  law  then.  The 
stupendous  facts  of  the  incarnation  and  the  life  of 
the  Son  of  God,  the  agony  and  the  sacrifice,  the 
garden  and  the  cross,  have  been  to  no  purpose  ! 
There  has  been  no  "  fullness  of  time,"  no  "  crisis  " 
of  the  world.  For  anything  that  has  been  done 
Christ  need  not  have  appeared.  If  the  law  saves 
now,  it  could  have  saved  before.  The  Only-Begot- 
ten has  been  "  given,"  "  set  forth,"  "  manifested," 
and  especially  has  "  died  "  "  in  vain"  1    T.  B. 


Section  293. 

Galatians  ill.  1-29. 

1  0  FOOLISH  Galatians,  who  liath  bewitched  you,  that  ye  should  not  obey  the  truth,_before 

2  whose  eyes  Jesus  Christ  hath  been  evidently  set  forth,  crucified  among  you?     This  only 
would  I  learn  of  you,  Eeceived  ye  the  Spirit  by  the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing  of 

3  faith?     Are  ye  so  foohsh?  having  begun  in  the  Spirit,  are  ye  now  made  perfect  by  the 

4  flesh?     Have  ye  suffered  so  many  things  in  vain?  if  it  he  yet  in  vain.     He  therefore  that 

5  ministereth  to  you  the  Spirit,  and  worketh  miracles  among  you,  doeth  he  it  by  the  works  of 

6  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing  of  faith  ?     Even  as  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  accounted 

7  to  Liui  for  righteousness.     Know  ye  therefore  that  they  which  are  of  faitb,  the  same  are 

8  the  children  of  Abraham.     And  the  Scripture,   foreseeing  that  God  would  justify  the 
heathen  through  faith,  preached  before  the  gospel  unto  Abraham,  saying,  In  thee  shall  all 

9  nations  be  blessed.     So  then  they  which  be  of  faith  are  blessed  with  faithful  Abraham. 

10  For  as  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law  are  under  the  curse :  for  it  is  written,  Cursed 
is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to 

11  do  them.    But  that  no  man  is  jastified  by  the  law  in  the  sight  of  God,  it  is  evident :  for, 

12  The  just  shall  live  by  faith.     And  the  law  is  not  of  faith  :  but.  The  man  that  doeth  them 

13  shall  Uve  in  them.     Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  tlie  law,  being  made  a  curse 

14  for  us:  for  it  is  written,  Cursed  is  every  one  that  hangeth  on  a  tree:  that  the  blessing  of 
Abraham  might  come  on  the  Gentiles  through  Jesus  Christ;  that  we  might  receive  the 
promise  of  the  Spirit  through  faith. 

15  Brethren,  I  speak  after  the  manner  of  men;  Though  it  le  but  a  man's  covenant,  yet  if  it 

16  le  confirmed,  no  man  disannulleth,  or  addeth  thereto.  Now  to  Abraham  and  his  seed  were 
the  promises  made.     He  saith  not,  And  to  seeds,  as  of  many ;  but  as  of  one,  And  to  thy 

17  seed,  which  is  Christ.  And  this  I  say,  that  the  covenant,  that  was  confirmed  before  of 
God  in  Christ,  the  law,  which  was  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  after,  cannot  disannul, 

18  that  it  should  make  the  promise  of  none  effect.     For  if  the  inheritance  le  of  the  law,  it  is 

19  no  more  of  promise :  but  God  gave  it  to  Abraham  by  promise.  Wherefore  then  serveth 
the  law?     It  was  added  because  of  transgressions,  till  the  seed  should  come  to  whom  tlie 

20  promise  was  made  ;  and  it  was  ordained  by  angels  in  the  hand  of  a  mediator.     Now  a  me- 


398 


SECTION  293.—GALATIANS  3  : 1-29. 


21  diator  is  not  a  mediator  of  one,  but  God  is  one.  Is  the  law  then  against  the  promises  of 
God  ?  God  forbid :  for  if  there  had  been  a  law  given  which  could  have  given  life,  verily 
righteousness  should  have  been  by  the  law. 

22  But  the  Scripture  hath  concluded  all  under  sin,  that  the  promise  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ 

23  might  be  given  to  them  that  believe.     But  before  faith  came,  we  were  kept  under  the  law, 

24  shut  up  unto  the  faith  which  should  afterwards  be  revealed.     Wherefore  the  law  was  our 

25  schoolmaster  to  Iring  us  unto  Christ,  that  we  might  be  justified  by  faith.     But  after  that 

26  faith  is  come,  we  are  no  longer  under  a  schoolmaster.     For  ye  are  all  the  children  of  God 

27  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.     For  as  many  of  you  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ  have  put 

28  on  Christ.     There  is  neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  there  is  neither  bond  nor  free,  there  is  neither 

29  male  nor  female :  for  ye  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus.  And  if  ye  le  Christ's,  then  are  ye 
Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise. 


If  there  is  anything  which  can  make  a  man  fear  to  sin,  it  is  the  atonement  in  its  mysterious  awfulness. 
There  is  a  power  in  the  scenes  of  Gethsemane  and  Calvary  which  could  not  be  surpassed  or  equaled  if  we 
had  present  before  us  all  the  torments  of  all  the  lost.  The  overwhelming  thing  about  the  atonement  13 
that  "  God  spared  not  his  own  Son."  A  substituted  angel  would  have  made  sin  appear  "  exceeding  sin- 
ful " ;  but  when  we  go  beyond  the  angel,  and  have  before  us  the  substitute,  incomprehensible  indeed,  yet 
confessedly  "the  brightness  of  his  Father's  glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person";  when  we  find 
that  his  dignity  is  no  shield  against  suffering,  but  that  he  is  reckoned  with  rigidly  and  unflinchingly,  so 
that  the  poison  of  death  for  a  time  overcomes  him,  then  there  is  set  in  array  before  us  such  an  exhibition 
of  God's  thoughts  of  sin  and  determination  to  punish  it,  as  leaves  far  behind  the  highest  picture  which  the 
imagination  can  sketch  of  the  whole  earth  visited  with  the  extreme  of  divine  indignation.  If  thus  there 
is  no  injury  done  to  the  securities  of  righteousness,  which  indeed  are  strengthened ;  if  there  is  no  injury 
done  to  Christy  who  voluntarily  became  our  surety ;  if  no  injury  is  done  to  us,  who  receive  redemption 
through  his  blood,  where  is  the  injustice  of  that  atonement  which  was  wrought  out  by  Christ's  redeeming 
us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  as  he  became  a  curse  for  us  ?    E.  M. 


1-9.  He  begins  with  a  vigorous  interrogation — 
"  0  foolish  (inconsiderate)  Galatians  !  who  hath  be- 
witched you  that  ye  should  not  obey  the  truth,  before 
whose  eyes  Jesus  Christ  crucified  was  placarded 
(proclaimed)  ?  "  What  bewitched  them,  or  cast  an 
evil  spell  over  them,  was  the  "  different  gospel "  of 
false  teachers  who  drew  them  back  under  the  law, 
insisted  on  circumcision  in  the  flesh,  required  the 
observance  of  Jewish  festivals,  and  inculcated  jus- 
tification by  works.  In  the  view  of  Paul  this  was  a 
declension  from  liberty  to  bondage,  and  from  the 
Spirit  to  the  flesh ;  not  a  mere  alteration  or  even 
distortion,  but  a  downright  reversal  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ.  He  fights  against  it  with  the  sword  of  his 
mouth.  The  Galatians  have  been  misled  by  their 
new  teachers  through  a  misuse  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment ;  and  therefore  Paul  refers  them  to  the  ancient 
Scriptures,  and  shows  them  that  the  promise  of 
grace  to  Abraham  preceded  by  hundreds  of  years 
the  law  of  works  through  Moses,  and  that  the  law 
was  added  really  to  prepare  for  the  time  of  richer 
grace  in  Christ,  shutting  men  up  "  unto  the  faith 
which  should  afterward  be  revealed."  All  who  arc 
of  faith  are  blessed  with  Abraham.     D.  F. 

1.  When  Jesus  shall  have  been  set  forth,  or 
rather  shall  have  portrayed  himself,  as  the  apostle 
calls  it,  before  your  eyes ;  when,  as  the  result  of 
this  profound  contemplation,  he  shall  have  been  cru- 
cified before  you ;  when  you  shall  have  beheld  all 
the  glory  of  his  martyrdom,  all  the  authority  of  his 
dying  words,  all  the  inconceivable  love  which  min- 


gles with  this  incomparable  authority ;  when,  pene- 
trating within  the  veil  of  his  sufferings,  you  shall 
have  seen  God  himself  humbled  in  the  person  of 
Jesus  Christ  to  the  level  of  our  miseries,  and  the  in- 
finitude of  love  revealing  itself  for  the  first  time 
in  the  infinitude  of  power ;  then,  as  naturally  as 
light  enters  the  eye  and  air  enters  the  lungs,  this 
great  and  unfathomable  mystery  of  a  love,  without 
which  we  could  not  form  any  proper  idea  of  God, 
will  enter  your  mind.     A.  V. 

2.  The  Spirit  is  "  received,"  His  gifts  conferred, 
in  connection  with  belief  in  the  verities  of  redemp- 
tion. "  He  glorifies  Christ."  Place  dependence  on 
external  ritualisms,  and  He  departs !  You  may 
make  "  a  fair  show  in  the  flesh  "  ;  it  is  "  a  show," 
and  nothing  else — a  mere  parade  of  empty  formali- 
ties !  Pardon  and  holiness ;  reconciliation  and  re- 
newal ;  the  beginning,  the  middle,  and  the  end  of 
an  inward,  spiritual,  divine  life — these,  with  other 
important  correlative  things,  all  being  associated  by 
Paul  with  that  which  the  Galatian  error  would  dis- 
place, it  is  not  surprising  that  it  was  encountered 
by  him  with  such  a  vehemence  of  resistance,  and 
such  an  emphasis  of  rebuke.     T.  B. 

10.  Under  the  corse.  Present  obedience 
can  neither  annihilate  nor  lessen  the  guilt  of  what 
is  past;  though  absolutely  perfect,  it  can  do  no 


SECTION  293.—  GALATIANS  3:1  29. 


399 


more  than  answer  for  itself.  Acceptance,  there- 
fore on  the  ground  of  that  law  which  requires  us 
to  "love  the  Lord  our  God  with  all  our  heart," 
which  demands  the  universal  and  unceasing  opera- 
tion of  this  principle  in  every  thought,  word,  and 
action  must  be  entirely  and  for  ever  out  of  the 
question.  The  blot  of  a  single  sin  on  a  character 
as  pure  as  that  of  an  angel  would  seal  his  con- 
demnation.   N.  W.  T. Cursed  !     It  is  terrible 

to  be  cursed  by  a  man,  a  wicked  man,  without 
cause ;  but  to  be  cursed  by  a  Father,  by  a  being 
who  never  errs  in  judgment,  a  being  who  never  con- 
demns unjustly,  a  being  who  suffered  to  save  us,  a 
being  who  has  long  expostulated  in  view  of  this  very 
judgment,  a  being  who  commands  the  elements  of  the 
universe  to  execute  his  purposes — what  must  this 
curae  be  ?  No  tongue  can  tell,  no  imagination  con- 
ceive it.  Christ  has  warned  us  with  a  solemnity  that 
may  well  intimidate  and  arouse.  It  is  nothing  less 
than  eternal  banishment  from  light  and  life  and  hope 
to  regions  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels, 
where  the  soul  shall  be  enveloped  and  penetrated 
with  a  misery  immense,  infinite.     Kirk, 

1 1 .  The  words  "  the  just  shall  live  hy  faith  " 
ought  to  stand,  "  the  just  by  faith  (i.  e.,  they  that 
are  justified  by  faith)  shall  live."  The  stress  of  the 
argument  here  is  on  the  contrast  between  those  that 
are  just  by  faith  and  those  whose  righteousness 
arises  from  having  done  the  works  of  the  law  :  the 

attainment  of  life  being  common  to  both.     A. 

In  Scripture,  where  justification  is  ascribed  to  faith 
alone,  there  the  word  faith  does  not  signify  abstract- 
edly a  mere  persuasion,  but  the  obedience  of  a 
holy  life  pei'formed  in  the  strength  and  virtue  of 
such  a  persuasion.  Not  that  this  justifies  meritori- 
ously by  any  inherent  worth  or  value  in  itself,  but 
instrumentally  as  a  condition  appointed  by  God, 
upon  the  performance  of  which  he  freely  imputes 
to  us  Christ's  righteousness,  which  is  the  sole, 
proper,  and  formal  cause  of  our  justification.     R.  S. 

The  doctrine  of  the  Bible  is  that  justification  is 
a  forensic  term,  expressing  an  act  of  God  by  which 
he  accepts  a  sinner  as  righteous  in  the  sight  of  the 
law ;  that  the  best  obedience  of  the  sinner,  even  in 
his  renewed  state,  is  insufiicient  for  this  end  ;  that 
we  are  justified  without  works,  and  that  the  works 
thus  excluded  are  not  merely  ceremonial  works,  nor 
works  wrought  in  unbelief,  but  all  works  whatever ; 
that  the  righteousness  which  justifies  us  is  that  of  our 
Divine  Mediator,  consisting  of  what  he  did  and  what 
he  suffered ;  that  this  righteousness  becomes  ours 
upon  our  believing ;  that  the  efficacy  of  faith  does 
not  arise  from  the  act  of  believing  being  imputed 
in  lieu  of  obedience,  nor  from  faith  viewed  as  the 
source  of  all  obedience,  but  from  its  uniting  us  with 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  that  in  consequence  of  this 
union,  the  acts  of  the  Redeemer  are  considered  as 
the  acts  of  his  people,  which  is  otherwise  called  the 
imputation  of  his  righteousness ;  and  that  hence  the 
believing  sinner  receives  the  absolute  remission  of 


all  his  sins,  with  a  right  to  eternal  salvation.    J.  W. 

A. Though  the  word  "satisfaction"  is  not  in 

Scripture,  the  thing  is  everywhere  there  ;  the  idea  of 
it  is  inherent  in  Scriptural  words,  phrases,  and  im- 
ages out  of  number.     T. 

13.  Cross  and  curse  go  together ;  but  so  also  do 
cross  and  blessing.  Christ  became  a  curse  for  us,  in 
our  stead,  and  out  of  love  to  us.  If  he  shrank  back 
with  horror  from  our  curse,  yet  through  his  great 
love  he  overcame  this  horror.  He  carried  away  all 
curse  from  the  accursed  earth  when  he  carried  up 
to  the  cross  the  world's  sin  in  his  own  body,  to  be- 
come a  sacrifice  for  it,  that  we,  instead  of  the  curse, 
might  inherit  the  blessing ;  for  "  there  is  now  no 
condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus." 

Besser. If  thou  wouldst  be  faithful  to  do  that 

work  that  God  has  allotted  thee  to  do  for  his  name, 
labor  to  live  in  the  sense  of  thy  freedom  and  liberty 
by  Jesus  Christ ;  keep  this  ever  before  thee,  that 
thou  art  a  redeemed  one,  taken  out  of  this  world  and 
from  under  the  curse  of  the  law,  out  of  the  power  of 
the  devil,  and  placed  in  a  kingdom  of  grace  and  for- 
giveness of  sins  for  Christ's  sake.  This  is  of  abso- 
lute use  in  this  matter ;  yea,  so  absolute  that  it  is 
impossible  for  any  Christian  to  do  his  work  Chris- 
tianly  without  some  enjoyment  of  it.     Bun. 

14.  Throngh  faith.  Faith  is  simply  instru- 
mental and  receptive.  It  is  the  hand  stretched  forth 
to  receive  an  infinite  bounty,  namely,  the  perfect 
righteousness  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Being  a 
persuasion  of  God's  mercy,  an  acquiescence  in  God's 
plan,  involving  a  despair  of  our  own  strength  and  an 
acknowledgment  of  free  grace,  faith  is  above  all 
other  exercises  fitted  to  exclude  the  pretense  of 
merit,  and  to  exalt  the  riches  of  Christ.  The  mo- 
ment a  sinner  believes,  he  is  justified.  It  is  of  all 
things  the  furthest  from  his  thoughts  that  this  act 
constitutes  any  claim  ;  he  scarcely  makes  it  an  ob- 
ject of  attention ;  his  soul  is  absorbed  in  the  infinite 
object  which  it  apprehends.  Yet  at  this  point  of 
time  the  righteousness  of  Christ  becomes  his  own  ; 
and  it  becomes  so  because  faith  unites  him  to  the 
Surety.  This  is  the  secret  of  its  power.  It  estab- 
lishes the  communication  with  the  source  of  merit. 
He  is  thenceforth  in  Christ,  and  the  righteousness  of 
God  in  him.  Being  one  with  Christ,  he  possesses  in 
the  eye  of  the  law  the  acts  and  merits  of  his  Head. 
J.  W.  A. 

16.  Abraham,  "  the  father  of  the  faithful,"  not  of 
the  Jews  only,  but  of  Christians  also,  his  "  spiritual 
seed,"  was  a  typical  or  representative  man  in  whom 
was  set  forth  for  the  study  of  humanity  the  princi- 
ple on  which  God  intended  to  deal  with  it.  After- 
ward, the  posterity  of  the  patriarch  became  this 
model  or  type,  and  was  put  through  its  peculiar  dis- 
cipline, not  merely  for  its  own  sake,  but  for  ours, 
"  on  whom  the  ends  of  the  world  arc  come."    T.  B. 


400 


SECTIOF  29S.—GALATIANS  3  : 1-29. 


Verse  20.  would  be  clearer  expressed,  "  Xow  a 
mediator  can  not  be  of  one  (1.  e.,  necessarily  requires 
two  parties),  but  God  is  one  "  (one  in  Himself,  and 
essentially  one  in  his  purposes  and  actions).     A. 

God  is  one  and,  therefore,  mcdiatorless.     God 

himself,  without  any  intervention,  speaks  the  prom- 
ise to  Abraham  ;  the  promise  is  conveyed  through 
no  third  party,  as  was  the  law.  Whatever  contin- 
gency might  be  in  the  law  and  its  conveyance  by  a 
mediator  who  went  between  God  and  the  people, 
there  can  be  none  with  regard  to  the  promise,  the 
direct  and  unconditioned  word  of  Jehovah  himself 
alone.     Eadie. 

21,  22.  God  who  appointed  Moses  mediator  is 
one  and  the  same,  unchanged,  unchangeable.  Can, 
then,  the  law  be  against  the  promises  of  God? 
Moses  was  not  the  author  of  the  law ;  he  was  but 
the  mediator.  The  law  was  God's  law,  and  Moses 
was  God's  mediator  ;  the  one  was  enjoined,  the  oth- 
er appointed  by  him.  The  promise  was  his  promise. 
He  can  not  by  his  law  contradict  his  promise.  He 
is  one  and  the  same,  always  like  himself.  The  two 
divine  institutions,  the  law  and  the  promise,  can 
not  be  inconsistent,  coming  as  they  do  from  the  im- 
mutable God.     J.  B. 

23,  24.  The  school  was  the  Mosaic  dispensa- 
tion, the  schoolmaster  was  the  law.  But  the  Jewish 
people  were  the  representatives  of  the  race.  In 
them  "we  all  had  our  conversation  in  time  past." 
We  lived  with  them  at  the  same  school,  and  learned 
with  them  the  same  lessons.  The  teacher  did  for 
us  what  he  did  for  them.  "  The  law  was  our  school- 
master to  bring  us  unto  Christ  that  we  might  be  jus- 
tified by  faith,"  "  to  the  end  that  the  promise  might 
be  sure  to  all  the  seed ;  not  to  that  only  which  is  of 
the  law,  but  to  that  also  ivhich  is  of  the  faith  of 
Abraham  who  is  the  father  of  us  all."  The  idea 
of  the  necessity  for  something  to  be  do/ie,  an  actual 
Divine  interposition  in  order  to  meet  the  condition 
of  humanity — this  is  just  the  one  great  lesson  which 
the  schoolmaster  embodied  in  all  the  forms  of  his  em- 
blematical teaching.  It  pervades  everything — every- 
thing in  map,  prophecy,  and  picture-book.  To  im- 
press it  on  the  heart  was  the  object  of  the  previous 
preparatory  discipline  through  which  the  Church 
went  in  its  Hebrew  stage — the  accomplishment  of 
that  object  being  the  production  of  a  state  of  mind 
ready  to  apprehend,  to  recognize,  and  confide  in 
the  Divine  miracle  itself  when,  "  in  the  fullness  of 
time,"  it  should  be  wrought  and  revealed.     T.  B. 

Do  this  and  live,  the  majority  of  moralists  say 

to  us ;  80  also  do  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. That  is  to  say,  if  we  regard  the  spirituality, 
the  perfection  of  the  law,  do  what  is  impossible,  and 
live ;  do  what  is  impossible,  or  perish.  It  was  neces- 
sary that  such  a  morality  should  be  taught  in  the 
world ;  it  was  necessary,  also,  that  God  should  pro- 


claim it  in  the  old  dispensation ;  it  is  still  necessary 
that  it  should  be  preached  in  our  days  among  those 
who  resist  the  gospel ;  because  the  blessing  must  be 
estimated  by  the  want,  the  remedy  by  the  evil. 
Those  who  reject  Jesus  Christ  must  learn  how  far 
they  are  from  fulfilling  the  conditions  of  their  exis- 
tence, and  how  much  they  need  that  the  exigency 
thus  created  should  be  met  by  Him  whom  can  eet  all 
exigencies,  supply  all  deficiencies ;  in  a  word,  by  Him 
who  only  can  create ;  for  the  thing  to  be  accom- 
plished is  nothing  less  than  a  creation.  In  this  way 
law  or  morality  "  is  a  schoolmaster  thai  leads  to 
Christ."    A.  V. 

26.  All  children  by  faith.  To  believe  in 
Christ  that,  though  he  was  God  and  with  God,  he  be- 
came a  man  ivith  men ;  that,  though  he  was  rich,  he 
became  poor ;  though  he  was  sinless,  he  became  a  sin- 
offering  ;  and  that,  having  died  and  risen  and  ascend- 
ed, he  is  now  "  exalted  to  be  a  prince  and  a  Saviour, 
to  give  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  " — to  be- 
lieve this,  to  have  this  revelation  stand  forth  before 
the  mind's  eye,  as  the  wonder  of  angels,  the  song  of 
the  redeemed,  the  hope  of  men ;  it  makes  the  man 
a  new  man,  opening  within  him  a  fountain  of  new 
and  tender  and  holy  affections,  producing  childship, 
and  bringing  nigh  to  God  the  Father,  as  a  brother  to 
Christ  the  Son  of  God,  the  heir  of  all  things! 
W.  I.  B. 

27.  The  meaning  is  plainly  this  :  The  law  hav- 
ing been,  of  course  through  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  and  the  accompanying  influences  of  the 
Spirit,  the  means  of  bringing  the  Galatians  to 
Christ  for  justification  by  faith,  they  had,  in  this 
faith,  been  baptized  into  Christ,  or  into  his  name. 
More  fully  expressed,  they  had  been  baptized  into 
the  one  great  name,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost ; 
and  the  result  of  l\\€vc  previous  blessed  change  had 
been,  that  they  had  become,  as  the  apostle  styles 
them,  "the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ."  As  the  result  of  that  change,  a  change 
professed  and  sealed  at  their  baptism,  they  had 
'■'■  put  on  ChrisV ;  or,  as  the  same  apostle  expresses 
the  idea  in  another  Epistle,  they  had  become  "  con- 
formed to  the  image"  of  Christ.  '■'■  Putting  on 
Christ "  means,  being  made  like  Christ ;  having  the 
same  "  mind  which  was  also  in  him  " ;  being  "  con- 
formed to  his  image"  ;  made  "children  of  God  hy 
faith  in  him  "  ;  and  this  was  effected  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  using  the  law  and  its  accompanying  influences 
in  bringing  the  Galatians  to  Christ  for  justification 
by  faith,  and  in  thus  making  them  God's  believing 
children.  '■'■As  many  of  you,"  says  the  apostle,  "as 
have  been  baptized  into  Christ,  have  put  on  Christ." 
This,  evidently,  is  the  full  meaning  of  the  passage ; 
it  comes  up  fully  to  the  dignity  of  the  connected 
discourse,  and  it  is  warm  with  all  the  vital  meaning 
of  the  gospel.     J.  S.  S. 

28.  Neither  Jew  nor  Greek.  The  Jew 
wished  to  continue  the  separation  l)etwecn  himself 
and  all  the  rest  of  God's  great  family ;  or,  if  there 
was  to  be  any  approximation,  it  must  be  by  the  Gen- 
tiles becoming  Jews  !  Jew  as  he  was — of  the  stock 
of  Israel,  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  "  a  Hebrew  of 
the  Hebrews" — this  notion  roused,  as  it  were,  the 
apostle's  humanity;  it  stirred  and  agitated  the 
strong  affections  of  his  great  soul ;  it  was  met  by 
the  resistance  of  his  reason  and  his  faith,  by  the 


SECTION  SH.—GALATIANS  4  :  1-31;  5  : 1. 


401 


liffht  which  the  healthy  instincts  of  the  one  had  re- 
ceived from  the  grand  idea  of  the  other.     T.  B. 

All  one.  That  is  to  say,  in  this  high  fellowship  of 
reli''ion,  distinctions  of  race,  of  sex,  and  of  condi- 
tion—as between  masters  and  slaves — vanish.  A 
common  sympathy  sweeps  away  the  walls  of  separa- 
tion between  man  and  man.  The  heavenly  good  of 
the  gospel  is  of  such  a  nature  that  it  can  be  offered 
indiscriminately  to  all.  The  sense  of  a  common  re- 
lationship to  Christ  and  to  God  melts  away  all  dif- 
ferences. The  brotherhood  of  the  race  is  no  more 
a  philosopher's  dream ;  it  has  become  a  realized 
fact.    G.  P.  F. 

29.  The  Scriptures  furnish  us  with  sufBcient 
evidence  to  prove  that  the  Abrahamic  covenant  was 
never  abrogated,  and  consequently  that  it  was  made 
with  that  Church  which  is  to  continue  to  the  end  of 
time.  It  was  not  annulled  at  the  introduction  of  the 
Levitical  dispensation,  as  the  apostle  strongly  affirms, 


when  arguing  for  the  continuance  of  its  promises : 
"  And  this  I  say,  that  the  covenant  that  was  con- 
firmed before  of  God  in  Christ,  the  law,  which  was 
four  hundred  and  thirty  years  after,  can  not  disan- 
nul, that  it  should  make  the  promise  of  none  effect." 
For  the  same  reason,  it  could  not  be  annulled  at  the 
introduction  of  the  Christian  economy,  when  the 
ceremonial  ritual  was  abrogated.  The  apostle  ex- 
pressly argues  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  after  this 
period,  from  the  existence  and  terms  of  the  cove- 
nant with  Abraham  (vs.  14-16).  "That  the  bless- 
ing of  Abraham  might  come  on  the  Gentiles  through 
Jesus  Christ,"  he  maintains  that  "  to  Abraham  and 
his  seed  were  the  promises  made :  not  to  seeds,  as 
of  many,  but  as  of  one  (and  to  thy  seed),  which  is 
Christ " ;  whence  he  draws  the  legitimate  and  consol- 
ing inference,  "  Ye  are  all  one  in  Christ  Jesus,  and 
if  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and 
heirs  according  to  the  promise."     W.  S. 


Section  294. 

Galatians  iv.  1-31 ;  v.  1. 

1  Now  I  Scay,  That  the  heir,  as  long  as  he  is  a  child,  difFereth  nothing  from  a  servant, 

2  though  he  he  lord  of  all ;  hut  is  under  tutors  and  governors  until  the  time  appointed  of  the 

3  father.    Even  so  we,  when  we  were  children,  were  in  bondage  under  the  elements  of  the 

4  world :  hut  when  the  fulness  of  the  time  was  come,  God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a 
6  woman,  made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law,  that  we  might  re- 

6  ceive  the  adoption  of  sons.     And  because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his 

7  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abha,  Father.     Wherefore  thou  art  no  more  a  servant,  hut  a 
son ;  and  if  a  son,  then  an  heir  of  God  through  Christ. 

8  Howbeit  then,  when  ye  knew  not  God,  ye  did  service  unto  them  which  by  nature  are  no 

9  gods.    But  now,  atter  that  ye  have  known  God,  or  rather  are  known  of  God,  how  turn  ye 

10  again  to  the  weak  and  beggarly  elements,  whereunto  ye  desire  again  to  be  in  bondage?    Ye 

11  observe  days,  and  months,  and  times,  and  years.     I  am  afraid  of  you,  lest  I  have  bestowed 

12  upon  you  labour  in  vain.     Brethren,  I  beseech  you,  be  as  I  am  ;  for  I  am  as  ye  are :  ye 

13  have  not  injured  me  at  all.     Ye  know  how  through  infirmity  of  the  flesh  I  preached  the 

14  gospel  unto  you  at  the  first.     And  my  temptation  which  was  in  ray  flesh  ye  despised  not, 

15  nor  rejected ;  but  received  me  as  an  angel  of  God,  even  as  Christ  Jesus.     "Where  is  then  the 
blessedness  ye  spake  of  ?  for  I  bear  you  record,  that,  if  it  had  been  possible,  ye  would  have 

16  plucked  out  your  own  eyes,  and  have  given  them  to  me.     Am  I  therefore  become  your  ene- 

17  my,  because  I  tell  you  the  truth?    They  zealously  affect  you,  lut  not  well;  yea,  they  would 

18  exclude  you,  that  ye  might  aftect  them.     But  it  is  good  to  be  zealously  affected  always  in  a 

19  good  thing,  and  not  only  when  I  am  present  with  you.     My  little  children,  of  whom  I 

20  travail  in  birth  again  until  Christ  he  formed  in  you,  I  desire  to  be  present  with  you  now, 
and  to  change  my  voice ;  for  I  stand  in  doubt  of  you. 

21  Tell  me,  ye  that  desire  to  be  under  the  law,  do  ye  not  hear  the  law?    For  it  is  written, 

22  that  Abraham  had  two  sons,  the  one  by  a  bondmaid,  the  other  by  a  freewoman.     But  he 

23  who  was  of  the  bondwoman  was  born  after  the  flesh ;  but  he  of  the  freewoman  was  by 

24  promise.     "Which  things  are  an  allegory :  for  these  are  the  two  covenants ;  the  one  from 

25  the  mount  Sinai,  which  gendereth  to  bondage,  which  is  Agar.     For  this  Agar  is  mount 
Sinai  in  Arabia,  and  answereth  to  Jerusalem  which  now  is,  and  is  in  bondage  with  her 

26  children.     But  Jerusalem  which  is  above  is  free,  which  is  the  mother  of  us  all.     For  it  is 

27  written,  Rejoice,  thou  barren  that  bearest  not ;  break  forth  and  cry,  thou  that  travailest 

28  not:  for  the  desolate  hath  many  more  children  than  she  which  hath  an  husband.    Now  we, 

29  brethren,  as  Isaac  was,  are  the  children  of  promise.    But  as  then  he  that  was  born  after  the 

30  flesh  persecuted  him  that  was  lorn  after  the  Spirit,  even  so  it  is  now.     Nevertheless  what 
saith  the  Scripture  ?    Cast  out  the  bondwoman  and  her  son  :  for  the  son  of  the  bondwoman 

31  shall  not  be  heir  with  the  son  of  the  freewoman.     So  then,  brethren,  we  are  not  children 
of  the  bondwoman,  but  of  the  free. 

1      Stand  fast  therefore  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  hath  made  us  free,  and  be  not  en- 
tangled again  with  the  yoke  of  bondage. 
26 


402 


SECTION  2H.—GALATIAFS  k  :  1-31;  5  : 1. 


Even  sincere  Christians  may  oftentimes  feel  in  duty  more  of  the  friction  of  self-denial  than  the  free 
motion  of  delight.  As  love  to  Christ  deepens  in  the  soul  that  is  truly  given  to  him,  the  work  which  it 
prompts  us  to  do  for  him  loses  the  feeling  of  effort,  and  passes  into  pleasure.  Less  and  less  of  set  pur- 
pose do  we  need  to  constrain  the  mind  to  think  of  him,  or  to  approach  him  in  the  formal  attitude  of  de- 
votion. The  idea  of  Christ  in  the  holy  mind  becomes  gradually  blended  with  all  the  actions  of  its  daily 
life  •  thought  goes  out  to  him  as  by  a  divine  instinct ;  an  ever-acting  attraction  draws  the  heart  upward  to 
its  "'rcat  and  first  object,  and  life  becomes  an  unconscious  yet  continuous  prayer.     Caird. 


2.  "  Tutors  and  governors  "  would  be  more  cor- 
rectly expressed  "guardians  and  stewards  " ;  and  in 
verse  3,  "  rudiments  "  would  be  nearer  the  sense 

than  "  elements  " ;  as  also  in  verse  9.     A. Here 

Paul  calls  the  law  rudiments,  because  it  is  not  able 
to  perform  that  righteousness  which  it  requires. 
For,  whereas  it  earnestly  requires  a  heart  and  mind 
given  to  godliness,  nature  is  not  able  to  satisfy  it. 
Herein  it  makes  a  man  feel  his  poverty,  and  ac- 
knowledge his  infirmity;  it  requires  that  of  him  by 
right  which  he  has  not,  neither  is  able  to  have. 
Paul  calls  them  the  rudiments  of  the  world,  which, 
not  being  renewed  by  the  Spirit,  only  perform  world- 
ly things.     Luther. 

4.  The  fulness  of  time.  There  were  three 
chosen  nations  in  ancient  history,  the  Jcios,  the 
Greeks,  and  the  Romans  ;  and  three  cities  of  special 
importance,  Jerusalem,  Athens,  and  Rome.  The  Jews 
were  chosen  with  reference  to  eternal  things ;  the 
Greeks  and  Romans,  with  reference  to  temporal ; 
but  time  must  serve  eternity,  and  earth  carry  out 
the  designs  of  heaven.  "  Greek  cultivation,"  says 
Arnold,  "  and  Roman  polity  prepared  men  for  Chris- 
tianity." The  great  historian  of  Switzerland,  John 
von  Miillcr,  confessed  toward  the  close  of  his  life, 
after  repeated  and  most  careful  study  of  ancient 
literature  :  "  When  I  read  the  classics,  I  observed 
everywhere  a  wonderful  preparation  for  Christi- 
anity ;  everything  was  exactly  fitted  to  the  design 
of  God,  as  made  known  by  the  apostles."     P.  S. 

All  experiments  had  been  tried.    All  the  forces 

which  could  be  relied  on  to  give  men  a  fuller  knowl- 
edge of  God,  to  preserve  and  make  effective  that 
which  was  originally  intended  for  man's  salvation, 
had  been  tried,  and  tried  on  a  large  and  varied  scale. 
They  were  all  failures.  The  world  was  sinking  into 
utter  chaos,  night,  corruption ;  nothing  was  left  for  it 
but  to  go  on  degenerating  lower  and  lower.  Truth 
was  gone,  faith  was  dying ;  and  the  passions  of  men, 
without  these,  overleaped  the  boundaries  set  by  a  re- 
fined selfishness,  and  the  end  was  death.  It  was  time 
for  a  new  creation,  for  a  new  revelation  of  God,  for 
the  divine  Redeemer  to  appear.    Tlie  fullness  of  time 

had  come.     S.  W.  T. Among  the  unnumbered 

and  careful  preordinations  of  God  in  relation  to  the 
personal  office  and  achievements  of  Christ  in  the 
great  event  of  human  history,  the  precise  time, 
place,  and  other  similar  circumstances,  even  to  the 
minutest  particular,  were  every  one  of  them  matters 
of  divine  fore-thought  and  prescription.  When  we 
find  not  only  the  country  of  his  birth  foretokened, 
but  the  very  citu  of  it ;  when  we  find  not  only  his 
descent  from  Abraham  proclaimed,  but  his  descent 
from  a  special  tribe  of  Abraham's  family  ;  and  not 
only  from  this  special  tri>)e,  but  from  a  particular 
royal  line  ;  when  we  find  the  stale  of  the  general  world 
at  his  coming  not  obscurely  shadowed  forth ;  and, 
Btill  more,  the  rery  year  of  his  great  sacrifice  pre- 
dicted, and  the  accompanying  condilion  of  the  former 
but  forsaken  nation  of  God  declared  ;  can  we  doubt 


that  the  world  was  duly  prepared  for  him  no  less 
than  he  for  the  world ;  that  the  precise  condition 
of  the  people  among  whom  he  came,  and  no  other 
condilion  of  that  people,  and  no  other  people  of 
anri  condition,  suited  the  exact  designs  of  Heaven? 
W.  A.  B. 

5.  Adoption  is  one  of  the  most  comprehensive 
terms  of  the  evangelical  system.  It  includes  the 
pardon  of  sin  and  the  acceptance  of  our  persons  be- 
fore God,  which  are  the  constituents  ol  justification. 
It  includes  the  new  birth,  through  the  quickening 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  the  doctrine  of 
regeneration.  It  includes  the  believer's  growth  in 
holiness,  until  he  attains  "  the  measure  of  the  stature 
of  the  fullness  of  Christ,"  which  is  sanctif  cation. 
And  finally,  it  involves  the  saint's  translation  to 
heaven,  to  take  possession  of  the  child's  inheritance, 
which  is  glorification.  All  therefore  that  the  word 
salvation  implies — in  deliverance  from  the  guilt,  the 
stain,  the  dominion,  and  the  being  of  sin — is  poten- 
tially included  in  the  idea  of  adoption  ;  and  is  in 
every  particular  wrought  out  when  that  idea  comes 
to  be  realized  in  its  final  results.  Whoever  under- 
takes the  full  exposition  of  the  word,  finds  himself 
carried  around  the  entire  circle  of  revealed  religion ; 
and  touches  as  he  swings  the  doctrines  of  sover- 
eign election  by  the  Father,  of  redemption  by  the 
Son,  of  the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit,  of  union  with 
Christ  by  faith,  and  of  joint  heirship  with  him  in 
eternal  glory.  If  the  gospel  has  any  term  that  is 
generic,  in  which  is  logically  contained  all  that 
constitutes  the  experience  of  the  Christian,  it  is 
ADOPTION.      B.  M.  P. 

6.  Here  we  see  plainly  that  the  Holy  Ghost  com- 
eth  to  the  saints,  not  by  works,  but  by  faith  alone. 
Sons  believe,  while  servants  only  work ;  sons  are 
free  from  the  law,  servants  are  held  under  the  law, 
as  appears  by  those  things  that  have  been  before 
spoken.  Now,  if  the  Father  give  unto  us  his  Spirit, 
he  will  make  us  his  true  sons  and  heirs,  that  we 
may  with  confidence  cry  with  Christ,  Abba,  Father, 

being  his  brethren  and  fellow-heirs.     Luther. 

Believers  are  in  Christ,  and  so  are  sons  of  God,  but, 
having  become  so,  they  find  that  Christ  also  is  in 
them,  giving  them  the  mind  of  sons  and  the  sense 
of  their  sonship.  "  The  Spirit  itself  witnesseth  with 
our  spirit  that  we  are  the  children  of  God."    T.  D.  B. 

Fatherhood  speaks  of  the  communication  of  a  life 

and  the  reciprocity  of  love.     It  rests  upon  a  divine 


SECTION  S94.—  GALATIAN'S  4  :  1-31;  5  : 1. 


403 


act,  and  it  involves  a  human  emotion.  It  involves 
that  the  father  and  the  child  shall  have  kindred  life 
^the  father  bestowing  and  the  child  possessing  a 
life  which  is  derived ;  and  because  derived,  kindred ; 
and  because  kindred,  unfolding  itself  in  likeness  to 
the  father  that  gave  it.  And  it  requires  that  be- 
tween the  father's  heart  and  the  child's  heart  there 
shall  pass,  in  blessed  interchange  and  quick  corre- 
spondence, answering  love.     A.  M. 

7.  When  a  man  is  under  a  covenant  of  works, 
the  testimony  of  his  conscience  is  suitable  to  that 
covenant,  and  his  spirit  is  servile,  and  all  that  he 
does  he  does  as  a  bondman ;  but,  when  by  grace  he 
is  brought  under  a  diiferent  dispensation,  he  is  also 
brought  into  a  different  disposition,  and  his  spirit 
becomes  more  filial,  more  trusting,  more  childlike  ; 
he  acts  as  a  son,  with  liberty  and  confidence.  The 
new  covenant  gives   another  spirit,  and   provides 

another  inheritance.     T.  M. In  the  quality  of 

sons  w'e  are  heirs  of  God's  kingdom.  And  that 
honorable  relation  we  have  upon  a  double  account, 

by  adoption  and  regeneration.     Bates. There  is 

no  inheritance  without  sonship,  there  is  no  sonship 
without  a  spiritual  birth,  there  is  no  spiritual  birth 
without  Christ,  and  there  is  no  Christ  for  us  without 
faith.  No  inheritance  without  sonship.  For  who 
can  possess  God  but  they  who  love  him  ?  Who  can 
love  but  they  who  know  his  love  ?  Where  can  he 
make  his  temple  except  in  the  upright  heart  and 
pure  ?  How  can  there  be  fellowship  betwixt  him 
and  any  one  except  the  man  who  is  a  son  because 
he  hath  received  of  the  divine  nature,  and  in  whom 
that  divine  nature  is  growing  up  into  a  divine  like- 
ness ?    A.  M. 

Avoid  all  which  can  make  you  mean,  low,  selfish, 
cruel.  Cling  to  all  which  can  fill  your  mind  with 
lofty,  kindly,  generous,  loyal  thoughts ;  and  so  in 
God's  good  time  you  will  enter  into  the  meaning  of 
those  great  words,  Abba,  Father.  The  more  you 
give  up  your  hearts  to  such  good  feelings,  the  more 
you  will  understand  of  God ;  the  more  nobleness 
there  is  in  you,  the  more  you  will  see  of  God's  noble- 
ness, God's  justice,  God's  love,  God's  true  glory. 
The  more  you  become  like  God's  Son,  the  more 
you  will  understand  how  God  can  stoop  to  call  him- 
self your  Father,  and  the  more  you  will  under- 
stand what  a  Father,  what  a  perfect  Father,  God 
is.     C.  K. 

9.  Indignant  that  Christian  believers  should  re- 
treat back  to  the  Mosaic  observances,  Paul  styles 
them  "  weak  and  beggarly  elements,"  or  rudiments, 

which  the  gospel  has  left  behind.    G.  P.  F. After 

"knowing  God,"  were  they  "to  turn  again  to  the 
weak  and  beggarly  elements"  of  a  superseded  dis- 
pensation !  To  shut  the  inward  eye  against  the  di- 
vine forms  of  the  good  and  the  true,  presented  by 
the  facts  of  the  evangelical  economy  to  reason  and 


faith,  was  to  cease  to  be  "  men  in  understanding" ; 
to  be  absorbed  in  the  ceremonies  and  formalities 
of  external  religion  as  if  ihei/  were  all-important, 
was  to  go  back  to  the  playthings  and  primers  of  the 
child.     T.  B. 

14.  There  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  "  the  temp- 
tation which  was  in  the  flesh,"  and  "  the  thorn  in 
the  flesh,  the  messenger  of  Satan  to  buffet  him," 
mentioned  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  were  in- 
tended to  denote  the  same  things.  In  both  Epistles, 
the  notice  of  his  infirmity  is  suited  to  the  place  in 
which  it  is  found.  In  the  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians, 
the  train  of  thought  draws  up  to  the  circumstance 
by  a  regular  approximation.  In  this  Epistle,  it  is 
suggested  by  the  subject  and  occasion  of  the  Epistle 
itself.     Paley. 

16.  Error  is  touchy ;  carnal  affections  are  loth 
to  have  the  judgment  informed ;  they  take  away  the 
light  of  reason,  and  leave  us  only  the  pride  of  rea- 
son ;  therefore  none  so  angry  as  those  that  are  se- 
duced into  an  erroneous  opinion  by  interest ;  their 
sore  must  not  be  touched.  Usually,  conviction  and 
reproof  beget  hatred  :  "  Am  I  become  your  enemy 
because  I  tell  you  the  truth  ?  "  This  should  not  be 
so.  David  counted  the  smiting  of  the  righteous  as 
a  "  chief  oil."  Faithful  reproof  and  counsel  is  like 
a  sword  anointed  with  balsam  that  wounds  and  heals 

at  the  same  time.     T.  M. It  can  not  be  but  that 

plain  truth  (by  whatever  voice)  must  say  many 
things  that  are  unpleasing.  All  censure  hurts  that 
most  quick  and  delicate  and  constant  of  all  feelings, 
self-love.  And  who  dares  to  say  in  how  many  points 
the  full  unmitigated  application  of  truth  to  him 
would  not  be  censure  ?  Who  dares  to  say  how 
many  of  these  points  might  not  be  struck  upon  by 
a  clear-sighted  friend  that  should  unreservedly  ex- 
press "  the  truth  "  ?  Hence  the  disposition  to  re- 
gard him  as  an  "  enemy."  Is  it  a  vise  self-love  that 
would  draw  a  protective  and  inviolable  line  round 
everything  that  is  ours  ;  round  all  the  defects  and 
faults  we  may  have,  which  are  our  closest  and  most 
mischievous  enemies  ?  As  if  a  garrison  should  make 
a  point  of  most  sacredly  protecting  the  very  traitors 
it  knows  or  suspects  it  has  within,  because  they  be- 
long to  their  town !  The  right  disposition  of  mind 
is  that  which  desires  earnestly  "the  truth!"— "the 
TRUTH ! "  in  uhatei-er  manner  it  may  come  to  us.  Not 
that  the  manner  of  its  being  conveyed  is  quite  in- 
different ;  far  from  it :  but  "  the  truth,"  howsoever 
it  come,  has  its  own  intrinsic,  eternal  value.  Even 
from  an  avowed  enemy,  as  it  has  often  been  said, 
we  ought  to  be  willing  to  learn ;  but  surely,  then, 
when  it  is  from  a  friend,  a  Christian  friend !   J.  F. 

In  verse  17,  "affect"  does  not  convey  much 
meaning  to  the  modern  reader;  "court"  would  ex- 
press the  sense  better.  The  same  applies  to  the 
next  verse. 


404 


SECTION  295.— GAL  ATI ANS  5  : 2-26. 


21-31.  And  now  follows  a  remarkable  passage, 
in  which  Paul  carries  on  his  argument  against  the 
Judaizers  by  maintaining  against  them  the  allegori- 
cal sense  of  that  law  of  which  they  professed  them- 
selves the  upholders ;  by  maintaining,  that  is,  that 
the  events,  and  even  the  names,  which  come  before 
us  in  the  Old  Testament  history,  have  beneath  them 
spiritual  meanings,  and  are  parables  of  Christian 
truths.  He  adopted  the  same  strain  in  1  Cor.  10, 
when  he  spoke  of  the  mystical  meaning  of  the  his- 
tory of  the  Jews  in  the  wilderness ;  the  same  again 
in  1  Cor.  15,  when  he  insisted  on  the  mutual  rela- 
tions of  Adam  and  of  Christ.  Mr.  Conybeare  has 
well  remarked,  "  The  lesson  to  be  drawn  from  this 
whole  passage,  as  regards  the  Christian  use  of  the 
Old  Testament,  is  of  an  importance  which  can 
scarcely  be  overrated."    A. 

21-23.  The  apostle  stood  up  for  the  simplicity 
and  spirituality  of  the  gospel  against  the  impor- 
tance to  men  as  men  of  the  external  and  done-with 
ritualism  of  the  Jew.  In  addition  to  this,  he  threw 
his  reasoning  into  the  form  of  an  allegory,  that 
would  shock  and  exasperate  the  minds  of  his  oppo- 
nents. To  make  Hagar  and  Ishmael — the  bond- 
woman and  her  slave-child — a  type  of  the  Jew,  and 
Sarah  and  Isaac  of  the  Christian  Gentiles,  would 
seem  to  those  pointed  at  by  the  parable  as  if  a 
sacrilegious  hand  had  torn  down  the  veil  of  the 
temple,  and  exposed  the  holiest  of  all  to  the  com- 
mon gaze  ;  or,  rather,  as  if  the  unclean  and  the  un- 
circumcised  had  been  introduced  within  the  sacred 
precincts  as  their  proper  place,  and  the  very  priests 
of  God  thrust  out — "  as  if  they  had  not  been  anoint- 
ed with  oil ! "  Consistently  with  this  daring  defi- 
ance of  the  national  opinion,  this  contemptuous 
mockery  of  Jewish  pretensions,  put  in  the  form  of 
that  allegorical  logic  in  which  Paul  was  so  thorough 
a  proficient,  and  the  force  of  which  on  the  Hebrew 
mind  he  so  well  knew — in  consistency  with  this,  he 
even  presents  the  believing  Gentiles  as  the  seed  of 
Abraham ;  tells  them  that  the  blessing  of  Abraham 
comes  on  them ;  that  theirs  is  the  promise  and  the 
inheritance  through  faith ;  that  circumcision  is  no- 
thing, and  may  be  worse  than  nothing ;  that  "  the 
Israel  of  God "  is  not  now  "  the  concision,"  as  he 
calls  them  in  another  Epistle,  but  those  who  walk 
according  to  the  rule  that   "  neither  circumcision 


availcth  anything  nor  uncircumcision,  but  a  new 
creature."  "  We  are  the  circumcision,  who  worship 
God  in  the  spirit,  who  rejoice  in  Jesus  Christ,  and 
have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh."     T.  B. 

24,  25.  In  verse  2-t,  for  "are  an  allegory" 
read  "  have  another  meaning."  In  verse  25,  for 
"  this  Agar  is  Mount  Sinai  in  Arabia"  read  "  the 
word  Hagar  is  in  Arabia  (i.  e.,  in  the  Arabic  lan- 
guage) Mount  Sinai,"  which  appears  to  have  been 
the  case.  The  Chaldee  paraphrast  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament uses  it  with  this  meaning.     A. 26.  The 

very  giving  of  the  law  is  represented  as  a  type  of 
bondage  in  the  stern  and  rugged  peaks  of  Sinai, 
whereas  the  gospel  is  likened  to  that  wondrous  city 
of  crystal,  gold,  and  gems,  which  John  describes  in 
the  Revelation,  and  which  Paul  elsewhere  speaks 
of  as  the  heavenly  Jerusalem.  Already,  through 
grace,  our  citizenship  is  there,  and  we  should  make 
this  manifest  in  the  joyous  freedom  of  the  spiritual 
life.     J.  P.  T. 

31.  "The  bondwoman"  should  be  "a  bond- 
woman"; "we  are  not  children  of  any  bondmaid, 
but  of  the  (the  chosen,  the  well-known)  freewo- 
man." 

1.  The  result  of  the  argument  from  the  alle- 
gorical interpretation  is  that  we  are  not  children  of 
a  system  of  bondage,  but  of  liberty,  wherewith 
Christ  made  us  free.     In  this  liberty  we  must  stand 

fast.      A. While  the  end  of  one   dispensation 

and  the  beginning  of  another  remained  in  contact, 
mingling  together  their  respective  influences,  so 
that  two  elements  were  in  some  degree  active  at  the 
same  time,  Paul  admitted  that  some  might  con- 
scientiously observe  their  accustomed  formalities, 
provided  they  kept  them  in  their  proper  place,  using 
them  only  as  helps  to  what  was  higher,  and  as  helps 
to  themselves,  not  putting  them  in  the  place  of  essen- 
tial truth,  and  especially  not  attempting  to  force 
their  observance  on  those  who  neither  saw  them  to 
be  obligatory  nor  felt  them  to  be  beneficial.  With 
this  most  catholic  feeling  toward  the  conscientious 
on  all  sides,  it  was  perfectly  consistent  for  the 
apostle  to  resist  the  imposition  of  ceremonies  simply 
as  intolerance.  Hence  his  call  and  counsel  to  the 
Galatians,  "  Stand  fast  in  the  liberty  with  which 
Christ  has  made  us  free,  and  be  not  entangled  again 
u'ith  the  yoke  of  bondage."     T.  B. 


Section  295. 


Galatians  v.  2-26. 


2  Behold,  I  Paul  say  unto  you,  that  if  ye  be  circumcised,  Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing, 

3  For  I  testify  again  to  every  man  that  is  circumcised,  that  he  is  a  debtor  to  do  the  whole  law. 

4  Christ  is  become  of  no  effect  unto  you,  whosoever  of  you  are  justified  hy  the  law ;  ye  are 

5  fallen  from  grace.     For  v/e  through  the  Spirit  wait  for  the  hope  of  righteousness  by  faith. 

6  For  in  Jesus  Christ  neither  circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcision ;  but  faith 

7  which  worketh  by  love.     Ye  did  run  well ;  who  did  hinder  you  that  ye  should  not  obey  the 

8  truth?     This  persuasion  cometh  not  of  him  that  calleth  you.     A  little  leaven  leaveneth  the 

9  whole  lump.     I  have  confidence  in  you  through  the  Lord,  that  ye  will  he  none  otherwise 

10  minded :  but  he  that  troubleth  you  shall  bear  his  judgment,  whosoever  he  be.     And  I, 

11  brethren,  if  I  yet  preach  circumcision,  why  do  I  yet  suffer  persecution  ?  then  is  the  offence 

12  of  the  cross  ceased.    I  would  they  were  even  cut  off  which  trouble  you. 

13  For,  brethren,  ye  have  been  called  unto  liberty;  only  ^l8e  not  liberty  for  an  occasion  to 

14  the  flesh,  but  by  love  serve  one  another.    For  all  the  law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word,  even  in 

15  this;  Thon  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself.     But  if  ye  bite  and  devour  one  another, 


SECTION  295.—  GALATIANS  5:2-26. 


405 


16  take  heed  that  ye  be  not  consumed  one  of  another.     This  I  say  then,  "Walk  in  the  Spirit, 

17  and  ye  shall  not  fulfil  the  lust  of  the  flesh.     For  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  the 
Spirit  against  the  flesh :  and  these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other :  so  that  ye  cannot  do 

18  the  thmgs  that  ye  would.     But  if  ye  be  led  of  the  Spirit,  ye  are  not  under  the  law.     Now 

19  the  works  of  the  flesh  are  manifest,  which  are  these  ;  Adultery,  fornication,  uncleanness,  las- 

20  civiousness,   idolatry,  witchcraft,   hatred,   variance,    emulations,   wrath,   strife,   seditions, 

21  heresies,  envyings,  murders,  drunkenness,  revellings,  and  such  like:  of  the  which  I  tell  you 
before,  as  I  have  also  told  you  in  time  past,  that  they  which  do  such  things  shall  not  inherit 

22  the  kingdom  of  God.     But  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  longsuflering,  gentle- 

23  ness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance :  against  such  there  is  no  law.     And  they  that 

24  are  Christ's  have  crucified  the  flesh  with  the  affections  and  lusts.     If  we  live  in  the  Spirit, 

25  let  us  also  walk  in  the  Spirit.     Let  us  not  be  desirous  of  vain  glory,  provoking  one  an- 

26  other,  envying  one  another. 

A  SELF-WILLED,  self-indulgent  Christian  is  not  to  be  found  on  the  earth.  Self-gratification  is 
no  gospel  blessing.  We  must  not  expect  it  or  even  wish  for  it  on  earth ;  we  must  wait  for  it  till  we 
wake  up  in  heaven.  There  our  desires  may  roam  as  they  will,  settle  where  they  please,  and  go  forth  as 
intensely  as  they  can,  for  all  within  us  there  will  be  pure  and  holy,  all  moving  in  a  blessed  conformity  to 
the  divine  will ;  but  here  liberty  for  our  hearts  is  misery  for  our  hearts  ;  yea,  it  is  ruin  and  death  for  us. 
We  must  bridle  our  desires,  and  we  must  fetter  them.  And  even  then  they  will  destroy  us,  unless  a 
mighty  Spirit  also  bridles  and  fetters  them.  Self-denial  is  our  duty,  but  it  is  not  our  safety  and  must  not 
be  our  hope.  We  may  set  about  crucifying  "  the  flesh  with  its  affections  and  lusts,"  but  if  we  expect  to 
bind  and  slay  this  vile  thing  by  our  own  power,  we  might  almost  as  well  leave  it  to  itself.  None  can  de- 
stroy sin  in  us  but  Christ  the  great  Saviour  from  sin.  The  work  is  his,  and  when  we  feel  that  it  is  his, 
and  implore  him  to  do  it,  the  work  is  done.     We  give  him  the  glory,  and  he  gives  us  the  victory.     C.  B. 

Wherefore,  walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  ye  shall  not  fulfill  the  lusts  of  the  flesh ;  but  do  even  the  things 

which  ye  would.  And  ye  can  walk  in  the  Spirit  if  ye  seek  for  the  Spirit ;  if  ye  seek  him  by  prayer,  and 
by  reading  of  Christ,  and  the  things  of  Christ.  If  we  will  do  neither,  then  most  assuredly  we  are  not 
seeking  him ;  if  we  seek  him  not,  we  shall  never  find  him.  If  we  find  him  not,  we  shall  never  be  able  to 
do  the  things  that  we  would ;  we  shall  never  be  redeemed,  never  made  free,  but  our  souls  shall  be  over- 
come by  their  evil  nature,  as  surely  as  our  bodies  by  their  diseased  nature ;  till  one  death  shall  possess  us 
wholly,  a  death  of  body  and  of  soul,  the  death  of  eternal  misery.     T.  A. 


1-6.  The  object  of  the  gospel  is  both  to  pacify 
the  sinner's  conscience  and  to  purify  his  heart.  The 
best  way  of  casting  out  an  impure  affection  is  to 
admit  a  pure  one,  and  by  the  love  of  what  is  good 
to  expel  the  love  of  what  is  evil.  Thus  the  freer 
the  gospel,  the  more  sanctifying  is  the  gospel ;  and 
the  more  it  is  received  as  a  doctrine  of  grace,  the 
more  will  it  be  felt  as  a  doctrine  according  to  godli- 
ness. This  is  one  of  the  secrets  of  the  Christian 
life,  that  the  more  a  man  holds  of  God  as  a  pen- 
sioner, the  greater  is  the  payment  of  service  that 
he  renders  back  again.     T.  C. 

4.  Before  Christ  came,  the  figures  of  the  law 
had  a  relative  value  and  a  preparatory  use ;  but  if, 
after  He  is  come,  they  are  still  depended  on,  they 
are  then  looked  to  as  realities,  as  things  which  are 
substantial,  final,  and  efficient,  and  He  is  rejected 

to  whom  they  were  to  lead  !     T.  B. The  two  ways 

of  grace  and  works  are  incompatible.  It  was  the 
error  of  those  against  whom  Paul  deals  in  his 
Epistles  to  rest  half  upon  Christ  and  half  upon 
works,  and  therefore  is  he  so  zealous  everywhere  in 


this  dispute :  for  they  went  about  to  mix  both  the 
covenants,  and  so  wholly  destroyed  their  own  in- 
terest in  that  of  grace.     T.  M. Practically  many 

Christians  are  in  the  same  position.  They  are  as 
much  in  Moses  as  "  in  Christ."  Instead  of  looking 
at  Christ  till  they  imbibe  from  him  strength  and 
joy,  holy  aspiration  and  confidence  Godward — in- 
stead of  looking  at  Christ  till  he  draws  them  up- 
ward, out  of  their  selfishness,  out  of  their  sin,  out 
of  their  unbelief,  on  toward  himself,  they  look  at 
faith,  or  they  look  at  conversion,  and  wonder  how 
they  are  to  get  it ;  and,  as  it  is  a  very  dim  comfort 
that  they  derive  from  the  Saviour,  so  it  is  a  very 
faint  reflection  of  his  spirit  and  character  which 
comes  through  their  murky  atmosphere.  Hamilton. 
6.  There  is  much  significance  in  the  double  ne- 
gation, "  Neither  circumcision  nor  uncircumcision." 
If  the  Judaizers  were  tempted  to  insist  on  the 
former  as  indispensable,  their  antagonists  were  as 
much  tempted  to  insist  on  the  latter.  There  may 
be  as  much  formalism  in  protesting  against  forms 
as  in  using  them.    If  religion  be  the  loving  devo- 


406 


SECTION  295.—aALATIANS  5  :  S-S6. 


tion  of  the  soul  to  God,  resting  upon  reasonable 
faith,  then  all  besides  is  at  the  most  a  means  which 
may  further  it.  If  loving  trust  which  apprehends 
the  truth,  and  cleaves  to  the  Person  revealed  to  us 
in  the  gospel,  be  the  link  which  binds  men  to  God, 
then  the  only  way  by  which  these  externals  can  be 
"means  of  grace"  is  by  their  aiding  us  to  under-" 
stand  better  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and  to 
cleave  closer  to  him  who  is  the  truth.     A.  M. 

Faith  worketh.  Of  all  the  graces  that  be  in 
the  soul  of  man,  faith  is  the  most  useful ;  and  there- 
fore, above  all,  labor  to  be  rich  in  faith.  It  is  a 
Christian's  right  eye,  without  which  he  can  not  look 
for  Christ ;  it  is  his  right  hand,  without  which  he 
can  not  do  for  Christ;  it  is  his  tongue,  without 
which  he  can  not  speak  for  Christ ;  it  is  his  vital 
force,  without  which  he  can  not  ad  for  Christ. 

Brooks. Saving  faith  is  that  living  and  active 

principle  in  our  minds  by  which,  under  the  soften- 
ing impressions  of  the  love  of  God,  we  accept  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  our  only  Saviour  ;  spiritually 
feed  on  Him  as  on  the  bread  of  life ;  place  a  humble 
yet  sure  reliance  upon  his  mercy  and  power ;  and, 
with  full  purpose  and  devotion  of  heart,  submit  our 
whole  selves  to  his  spiritual  government.  This  is 
the  faith  which  "worketh  by  love,"  and  which 
enables  us  to  bring  forth  the  pure  and  lovely  fruits 
of  holiness,  charity,  gentleness,  patience,  joy,  and 
peace.     Gurney. 

By  love.  It  is  quite  childish  to  talk  of  faith 
being  imperfect  without  charity  or  love ;  as  wisely 
might  you  say  that  a  fire,  however  bright  and  strong, 
was  imperfect  without  heat ;  or  that  the  sun,  how- 
ever cloudless,  is  imperfect  without  beams.  The 
true  answer  would  be,  it  is  not  faith,  but  utter  rep- 
robate faithlessness.     S.  T.  C. Love  makes  long 

service  short,  and  hard  service  easy.  Nothing  is 
pain  that  love  does.  And  this  is  gospel  obedience. 
It  is  faith  working  by  love  which  refines  duty  into 
a  grace — the  commandments  are  exalted  into  privi- 
leges— ordinances  become  happy  means  of  fellow- 
ship  with   God.     Romaine. Were   a   sentiment 

only  of  justice  in  the  heart  of  a  Christian,  he  would 
trace  for  himself  precise  limits,  he  would  know 
where  to  stop  ;  but,  obeying  because  he  loves,  loving 
Ilim  whom  he  can  not  love  too  much,  he  abandons 
himself  to  the  impulse  of  his  heart.  He  never  says, 
and  he  never  can  say,  it  is  enough.  Love  knows  no 
reserve ;  it  ever  desires  more ;  it  is  inflamed  by  its 
own  movement ;  it  grows  by  sacrifices  themselves, 
expects  to  receive  in  the  measure  that  it  gives,  and 
is  itself  its  own  reward ;  for  the  true  reward  of 
love  is  to  love  still  more.  Where,  then,  in  its  appli- 
cations, shall  a  faith  stop  which  resolves  itself  into 
love  ?    A.  V. 

7.  Many  err,  believing  that  when  the  soul  is 
once  converted  the  work  is  done.    Vain  dream !  the 


Christian  life  is  a  warfare,  from  the  beginning  to  the 
end.  It  is  quite  possible  to  "  run  well  for  a  season," 
and  then  to  drop  by  the  wayside.  Your  faith  will 
not  go  untried,  even  after  God  has  accepted  you  in 
Christ.  He  will  uphold  you  in  every  trial,  if  you 
keep  your  fidelity ;  but  you  will  find  it  necessary  at 
every  step  to  watch  and  pray,  to  fear  and  to  strug- 
gle. You  will  be  tried  by  all  the  old  seductions 
that  formerly  prevailed  with  you,  and  by  all  the 
new  allurements  that  the  ingenuity  of  the  adversary 
can  invent.  There  is  no  hint  in  Scripture  of  the 
possibility  of  final  failure  in  the  case  of  any  who 
"  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith  "  to  the  end ;  but  the 
Bible  is  full  of  warnings  against  security,  against 
forgetfulness,  against  ceasing  to  strive  earnestly. 
McClintock. 

13.  By  love  serve  one  another.  A  con- 
tinual confinement  of  attention  to  ourselves,  or  to 
those  who  by  belonging  to  us  become  only  a  slight 
extension  of  self,  belittles  us.  The  soul  takes  petty 
proportions,  sees  with  a  narrow  vision,  and  is  warped 
to  one-sided  judgments.  Finding  nothing  beyond 
self  to  fasten  upon,  affection  settles  back  and  stag- 
nates or  sours  in  the  breast,  till  mere  self-preserva- 
tion becomes  the  end  of  living.  Religion,  though 
her  hand  is  on  the  invisible  world,  will  have  hard 
work  to  save  such  a  life  from  contempt.  It  is  a 
spirit  directly  opposite  to  the  charity  and  cross  of 
Christ.    F.  D.  H. 

16.  Just  as  the  strengthening  of  the  whole  con- 
stitution of  the  body  makes  any  particular  and  local 
affection  disappear,  so  by  degrees,  by  the  raising  of 
the  character,  do  the  lower  affections  become,  not 
extinguished  or  destroyed  by  excision,  but  ennobled 
by  a  new  and  loftier  spirit  breathed  through  them. 
This  is  the  account  given  by  the  apostle.  He  speaks 
of  the  conflict  between  the  flesh  and  the  spirit.  And 
his  remedy  is  to  give  vigor  to  the  higher,  rather  than 
to  struggle  with  the  lower.  "  This  I  say  then.  Walk 
in  the  Spirit,  and  ye  shall  not  fulfill  the  lust  of  the 

flesh."    F.  W.  R. So  everywhere  positives,  not 

negatives.  The  way  to  get  out  of  self-love  is  to  love 
God.  Do  we  not  see  what  Paul  was  teaching  the 
Galatians  when  he  said,  "Walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  ye 
shall  not  fulfill  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  "  ?  And  to  help 
us  to  this  positive  life  we  have  this  positive  salva- 
tion, these  positive  things  fairly  revealed  to  us, 
God's  will,  Christ's  love,  and  the  eternal  life.  It  is 
no  hard  master  that  stands  over  us.  It  is  the  King 
in  his  beauty.  Before  him  repentance  and  faith  be- 
come but  one  perfect  act.  When  we  really  get  the 
scales  off  our  eyes  and  see  him,  the  struggle  of  life 
will  be  over.  We  shall  not  have  to  leave  our  sins 
to  go  to  him,  as  if  they  were  two  acts.  The  going 
of  the  soul  to  him  will  be  itself  the  easy  casting 
away  of  sin,  the  easy  mastery  of  this  world  which 
masters  us  so  now.     P.  B. 


SECTION  S95.—GALATIANS  5  : 2-26. 


40T 


17.  While  he  has  a  distinctive  nature  of  his 
own,  man  is  a  partalier  and  representative  of  every 
thing  in  the  inferior  creation.  In  him  are  united 
the  material  and  the  spiritual,  the  animal  and  the 
rational.  He  has  instincts,  propensities,  desires, 
passions,  by  which  he  is  allied  to  the  animals ;  he 
has  also  reason,  conscience,  free  will,  by  which  he 
is  allied  to  higher  intelligences  and  to  God.  Hence 
the  ends  he  is  capable  of  choosing,  and  the  princi- 
ples by  which  he  may  be  actuated,  are  very  various. 
Body  and  soul,  reason  and  passion,  conscience  and 
desire,  often  seem  to  be,  and  are,  opposing  forces. 
"  The  intestine  war  of  reason  against  the  passions," 
says  Pascal,  "  has  given  rise,  among  those  who  wish 
for  peace,  to  the  formation  of  two  different  sects. 
The  one  wished  to  renounce  the  passions  and  be  as 
gods ;  the  other  to  renounce  reason  and  become 
beasts."     M.  H. 

That  painful  experience,  of  which  every  true  be- 
liever has  a  keen  and  continual  perception,  is  repre- 
sented here  by  the  lusting  of  the  flesh  against  the 
spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh,  and  elsewhere 
as  the  warfare  of  a  law  in  the  members  against  the 
law  of  the  mind,  and  gives  occasion  to  the  dis- 
tinction of  the  old  man  and  the  new,  the  natural 
(or  carnal)  mind  and  the  spiritual  mind.  By  these 
terms  are  to  be  understood  the  same  man,  as  he  is 
subject  to  the  actings  and  strivings  of  two  distinct 
and  opposite  principles  within  him — the  older  one 
of  corruption,  the  new  of  holiness,  both  operating 
upon  the  same  mind.  Thus  it  is  the  same  soul  that 
formerly  was  unrogenerate  which  is  now  regenerate. 
The  leaven  of  divine  grace  acts  upon  the  same  mass 
which  %ms  unleavened.  The  believer  puts  off  the 
old  man  and  puts  on  the  new,  by  daily  warfare 
against  "  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind," 
and  by  the  practice  of  all  holiness  in  the  fear  of 
God.     Goode. 

"  Ye  can  not  do  the  things  that  ye  would."  The 
words  as  we  use  them  and  as  the  apostle  used 
them  have  the  most  opposite  meaning  in  the  world. 
We  use  them  as  a  reason  why  we  should  be  satis- 
fied, the  apostle  as  a  reason  why  we  should  be 
alarmed ;  we  intend  them  to  be  an  excuse,  the  apos- 
tle meant  them  to  be  a  certain  sign  of  condemna- 
tion. The  words  mean  no  other  than  this :  "  Ye 
can  not  be  redeemed  from  the  power  of  death  and 
of  Satan;  the  power  is  wanting  in  you,  however 
much  you  may  wish  it ;  death  has  got  you,  and  it 

will  keep  you  for  ever."     T.  A. Lust  is  a  tyrant 

that  wars  in  the  soul  and  wars  against  the  soul.  It 
wars  in  the  soul^  for  it  abuses  your  affections  to  carry 
on  the  rebellion  against  heaven.  It  wars  against 
your  soul,  for  it  defaces  the  beauty,  disturbs  the 
order,  and  enthralls  the  liberty  of  the  soul.  Instead 
of  God's  image,  there  is  Satan's  likeness ;  instead 
of  subjection  to  reason,  there  is  the  rebellion  of  ap- 


petite and  vile  affections ;  and  instead  of  freedom 
for  righteousness,  there  is  a  hopeless  bondage  to 
evil.     T.  M. 

18.  What  the  Holy  Spirit  docs  is  to  lead — and 
to  move,  in  order  that  he  may  lead.  Do  not  imagine 
that  he  drives  or  compels.  To  do  so  would  be  to 
destroy  the  moral  nature  of  the  creature  instead  of 
renewing  it.  The  Holy  Spirit  extends  his  hand  to 
us,  allures,  invites,  remonstrates,  but  never  forces. 
Let  us  place  our  hand  in  his,  and  make  ourselves 
over  to  his  guidance.     E.  M.  G. 

19-21.  The  flesh  is  born  of  the  flesh — ^human 
nature  undfer  inherited  and  accustomed  sinfulness. 
It  acts  from  self-will,  and  builds  up  a  religion  of 
self-righteousness.  Its  works  are  manifest ;  not  its 
fruit,  not  even  its  work,  because  it  has  no  inward 
harmony  to  produce  unity  of  result ;  but  its  works 
in  great  profusion  appear.  The  apostle  gives  not  a 
catalogue  of  them,  but  a  few  specimens,  describing 
them  as  the  sins  of  sensuality,  idolatry,  malice,  and 
excess. 

22,  23.  The  spirit  is  born  of  the  Spirit.  It  is 
the  sacred  vitality  and  sensibility,  animated  and 
guided  by  the  indwelling  Spirit  of  Christ  Jesus.  It 
is  known  by  its  fruit.  Men  often  speak  of  the- 
fruits  of  the  Spirit,  but  the  apostle  is  careful  to  say 
fruit — one  holy  fruit  or  result  comprismg  many  vir- 
tues. Love  is  the  juice  of  the  fruit,  sweet  to  God 
and  man ;  joy,  its  beautiful  bloom  ;  peace,  long- 
suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  meekness,  form  its 
mellow  softness ;  faith  is  its  consistence,  and  also 
forms  its  characteristic  and  incomparable  flavor; 
temperance,  the  rind  of  the  fruit,  binding  it  to- 
gether, keeping  it  fresh,  and  preserving  its  good 
qualities  from  waste.     D.  F. 

The  spiritual  life  consists  neither  in  ordinances 
nor  in  actions,  nor  yet,  as  some  seem  to  imagine,  in 
activities.  It  is  closely  connected  with  ordinances, 
actions,  and  activities,  but  it  no  more  stands  in 
these  things  than  the  life  of  a  tree  is  the  fruit  of 
the  tree,  or  the  means  for  cultivating  the  tree.  It 
does  not  stand  in  many  prayers,  nor  in  hearing 
many  sermons,  nor  in  studying  many  chapters  of 
the  Bible,  nor  in  many  acts  of  public  worship,  nor 
even  in  many  communions.  These  are  means  in 
God's  hand  of  kindling  the  spiritual  life  in  the  soul 
of  man,  or  means  of  feeding  the  flames  when 
kindled ;  but  they  are  not  the  flame  itself,  they  are 
not  the  life.  Paul's  compendious  and  noble  de- 
scription of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the  human  soul 
runs  thus  :  "  The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and 
drink  " — it  stands  not  in  outward  institutions  but  in 
interior  affections — "  but  righteousness  and  peace 
and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  Nor  does  the  spiritual 
life  consist  in  actions.  The  actions  are  the  result, 
the  fruit,  but  they  are  not  the  life  of  the  tree. 
Minds  which  recoil  from  the   idea  of  a   life   de- 


408 


SECTION  295.— GAL  ATI ANS  5  :  2-26. 


voted  exclusively  to  ordinances  are  often  apt  to 
fall  into  this  opposite  error.  The  sum  and  sub- 
stance of  true  religion  in  their  view  is  merely  the 
going  about  doing  good.  Whereas  the  Apostle 
Paul,  in  his  enumeration,  docs  not  mention  a  sivc/le 
action,  but  merely  a  series  of  tempers — "  love,  joy, 
peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith, 
meekness,  temperance."     E.  M.  G. 

Those  graces  which  are  denominated  the  fruit  of 
the  Spirit  are  in  their  very  nature  modes  of  happi- 
ness. Some  of  them  are  directly  consolatory,  be- 
cause they  strike  at  the  very  root  of  our  inward  dis- 
quietudes. For  instance,  Faith,  by  realizing  to  the 
soul  divine  truths,  carries  it  away  above  its  suffer- 
ings; and  so  consoles.  Gentleness  diffuses  a  blessed 
calm  over  the  nature.  Love  is  the  atmosphere  of 
heaven.  Long-suffering  and  meekness  counteract 
all  those  distresses — and  they  are  innumerable — 
which  arise  from  pride,  anger,  and  revenge.  Joy 
drives  out  the  soul's  pains  by  the  expulsive  power 
of  a  new  dominant  affection.  And  peace  is  but  the 
scriptural  name  for  the  entire  result  of  combined 
holy  satisfactions  in  the  heart.     J.  W.  A. 

24.  Have  crucified  the  flesh.  By  the  term 
"  flesh,"  he  does  not  mean  this  mortal  body,  but 
that  corrupt  nature  which  our  iirst  parents  trans- 
mitted to  all  their  children.  Its  character  may  be 
seen  in  its  works ;  and  what  these  are,  when  fully 
developed,  may  be  read  in  its  awful  catalogue.  It  is 
to  crucifixion,  whose  intensely  painful  and  protract- 
ed agonies  the  apostle  himself  may  have  witnessed, 
that  Paul  turns  for  a  figure  strong  and  bold  enough 

to  describe  the  death  of  sin.     T.  G. When  God 

puts  his  law  into  any  soul,  sin's  usurped  dominion  is 
overthrown ;  its  power  broken ;  its  final  destruction 
sure.  The  man  now  strives  against  it  in  all  its 
shapes — against  corrupt  reason  and  passion  both. 
They  must  be  driven  out,  inch  by  inch ;  and  at 
times,  as  in  the  case  of  David,  Peter,  and  others, 
they  make  sudden  and  desperate  efforts,  and  seem, 
for  a  season,  to  have  regained  their  wonted  empire ; 
and  this  conflict  continues  to  the  end.  The  old  man 
is  crucified  with  the  affections  and  lusts,  but  he  dies 
not,  till  the  believer  is  delivered  from  the  burden  of 
the  flesh,  and  enters  that  world  where  there  is  sin 
no  more.     Goode. 

25.  The  sanctifying  Spirit  renews  the  directing 
and  commanding  faculties,  the  fountains  of  moral 


action,  enlightens  the  understanding  with  saving 
knowledge,  rectifies  the  obliquity  of  the  will,  puri- 
fies the  affection,  and  reforms  the  life.  So  that  the 
same  mind  is  in  Christians  as  was  in  Christ ;  and  as 
his  conversation  ivas,  such  is  theirs  in  the  vjorld.  They 
are  said  to  be  in  the  Spirit,  illuminated,  inclined, 
and  enabled  by  the  Spirit  to  do  God's  will ;  and  the 
Spirit  of  God  to  dwell  in  them,  by  his  peculiar  and 
eminent  operations  :   They  live  in  the  Spirit  !     Bales. 

Let  us  also  walk  in  the  Spirit.  Let  the 
doctrine  find  its  unanswerable  testimonies  in  the 
greater  purity,  nobleness,  and  devotedness  of  the 
Christian's  life  before  men.  We  greatly  want  a 
fresher  and  deeper  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  We 
want  it  individually,  to  give  vitality  to  our  pro- 
fessions, and  energy  to  our  effort,  and  sanctity  to 
our  faith,  and  unconquerable  constancy  to  our  will. 
Christendom  wants  it,  to  heal  the  waste  places  of 
its  foreign  and  its  domestic  heathenism,  to  repair 
the  desolations  of  bigotry  and  formality,  to  ad- 
vance the  flagging  march  of  its  principles,  to  an- 
imate the  languid  piety  of  its  churches,  to  invigorate 
pure  and  undefiled  religion,  to  gather  unrepenting 
but  homesick  prodigals  in,  to  enlarge  and  build  up 
and  strengthen  the  inclosures  of  the  Saviour's  ever- 
lasting fold.  Come,  then,  thou  Holy  Spirit,  the  Re- 
newer,  to  replenish  our  wasting  lamps,  and  revive 
thy  work,  in  the  midst  of  the  years!  Come,  Guide 
and  Teacher,  to  take  our  hands  in  thine,  and  pour 
light  on  our  way  and  on  our  mind !  Come  as  the 
Comforter,  to  heal  bleeding  hearts,  and  bind  up  the 
bruises  of  uncharitableness,  and  every  sorrow! 
Come,  Restrainer,  to  keep  our  feet,  and  all  our  hid- 
den desires  and  imaginations,  from  evil!  Come, 
thou  Sanctifier,  to  purify  and  perfect  us — unto  the 
worship  of  the  Father  and  obedience  to  the  Son — till 
we  are  a  true  and  accepted  branch  of  the  immortal 
vine — a  people  patient  and  believing,  and  zealous  of 
good  works !    F.  D.  H. 

26.  There  should  be  a  love  of  true  excellence 
out  of  one's  self — of  all  true  excellence,  wherever 
recognized ;  a  hearty  sympathy  with  all  struggles, 
especially  all  successful  struggles  for  eminent  worth, 
by  whomsoever  made.  Into  every  spirit  which  Chris- 
tianity enters,  it  carries  and  settles  a  large  infusion 
of  this  noble,  disinterested  zeal  to  see  the  true,  the 
good,  the  magnanimous,  reigning  in  all  brother 
hearts.     White. 


SECTION  296.—0ALATIANS  6  : 1-18.  409 

Section  296. 

Gaxatians  vi.  1-18. 

1  Bretheex,  if  a  man  be  overtaken  in  a  fault,  ye  wliicli  are  spiritual,  restore  such  an  one  in 

2  the  spirit  of  meekness;  considering  thyself,  lest  thou  also  be  tempted.     Bear  ye  one  an- 

3  other's  burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ.     For  if  a  man  think  himself  to  be  some- 

4  thing,  when  he  is  nothing,  he  deceiveth  himself.     But  let  every  man  prove  his  own  work, 

5  and  then  shall  he  have  rejoicing  in  himself  alone,  and  not  in  another.     For  every  man  shall 

6  bear  his  own  burden.     Let  him  that  is  taught  in  the  word  communicate  unto  him  that 

7  teacheth  in  all  good  things.     Be  not  deceived  ;  God  is  not  mocked :  for  whatsoever  a  man 

8  soweth,  that  shall  he  also  reap.     For  he  that  soweth  to  his  flesh  shall  of  the  flesh  reap  cor- 

9  ruption ;  but  he  that  soweth  to  the  Spirit  shall  of  the  Spirit  reap  life  everlasting.     And  let 

10  Qs  not  be  weary  in  well  doing:  for  in  due  season  we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not.  As  we 
have  therefore  opportunity,  let  us  do  good  unto  all  men,  especially  unto  them  who  are  of  the 
household  of  faith. 

11  Ye  see  hon'  large  a  letter  I  have  written  unto  you  with  mine  own  hand.     As  many  as 

12  desire  to  make  a  fair  shew  in  the  flesh,  they  constrain  you  to  be  circumcised  ;  only  lest  they 

13  should  suffer  persecution  for  the  cross  of  Christ.  For  neither  they  themselves  who  are  cir- 
cumcised keep  the  law ;  but  desire  to  have  you  circumcised,  that  they  may  glory  in  your 

14  flesh.     But  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by 

15  whom  the  world  is  crucified  unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world.     For  in  Christ  Jesus  neither 

16  circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcision,  but  a  new  creature.  And  as  many  as 
walk  according  to  this  rule,  peace  le  on  them,  and  mercy,  and  upon  the  Israel  of  God. 

17  From  henceforth  let  no  man  trouble  me :  for  I  bear  in  my  body  the  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

18  Brethren,  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  le  with  your  spirit.     Amen. 


The  crucifixion  of  the  old  manhood  is  to  be  the  life's  work  of  every  Christian,  through  the  power  of 
faith  in  that  cross  by  which  "  the  world  is  crucified  unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world."  That  thought  comes 
over  and  over  again  in  all  forms  of  earnest  presentation  in  the  apostle's  teaching.  It  carries  in  its  type 
a  most  solemn  reality.  The  truth  is,  that,  if  a  Christian,  you  have  a  double  life.  There  is  Christ,  with 
his  power,  with  his  Spirit,  giving  you  a  nature  which  is  pure  and  sinless,  incapable  of  transgression,  like 
his  own.  The  new  man,  that  which  is  horn  of  God,  sinneth  not,  can  not  sin.  But  side  by  side  with  it, 
working  through  it,  working  in  it,  indistinguishable  from  it  to  your  consciousness  by  anything  but  this, 
that  the  one  works  righteousness  and  the  other  works  transgression— there  is  the  "  old  man,"  "  the  flesh," 
"  the  old  Adam,"  your  own  godless,  independent,  selfish,  proud  being.  And  the  one  is  to  slay  the  other ! 
Ah,  these  words— crucifying,  casting  out  the  old  man,  plucking  out  the  right  eye,  maimmg  self  of  the 
right  hand,  mortifpng  the  deeds  of  the  body— they  are  something  very  much  deeper  and  more  awful  than 
poetical  symbols  and  metaphors.  They  teach  us  this— there  is  no  growth  without  sore  sorrow.  Conflict, 
not  progress,  is  the  word  that  defines  man's  path  from  darkness  into  light.  No  holiness  is  won  by  any 
other  means  than  this,  that  wickedness  should  be  slain  day  by  day  and  hour  by  hour.  In  long,  lingering 
agony  often,  with  the  blood  of  the  heart  pouring  out  at  every  quivering  vein,  you  are  to  cut  right  through 
the  life  and  being  of  that  sinful  self;  to  do  what  the  word  does,  pierce  to  the  dividing  asunder  of  the 
thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart,  and  get  rid  by  crucifying  and  slaying— a  long  process,  a  pamful  pro- 
cess— of  your  own  sinful  self.     A.  M. 


1.  Be  overtaken  in  a  fault.  Sins  of  sur- 
prise are  particularly  the  sins  which  Paul  commends 
to  the  care  of  Christian  friends.  It  is  by  these  sins 
of  surprise  that  a  man  is  rightly  said  to  be  over- 
taken. It  is  the  weak  soul  that  has  fallen  into  sin, 
partly  from   surprise,  partly  from  weakness,  that 


older  or  stronger  Christians.  And  it  must  be  given 
by  showing  a  sympathy  with  the  pain  which  such 
sins  bring  in  their  consequence,  by  showing  a  readi- 
ness to  welcome  every  effort  toward  repentance,  by 
eagerness  to  judge  as  favorably  as  it  is  possible  to 
judge,  by  a  generous  forgetfulness  of  whatever  is 


reaUy  needs  the  help  of  f ellow-Christians.     And     plainly  forsaken ;  in  short,  by  giving  that  sort  of 
that  help  must  be  given  by  mtimate  friends,  and  by  |  help  which  each  man's  conscience  will  tell  him 


410 


SECTION  296.— GAL  ATI ANS  6:1-18. 


would  be  best  for  himself  in  the  same  circum- 
stances; not  a  help  to  think  lightly  of  what  is 
wrong,  but  a  help  to  be  braver  and  firmer  in  doing 
right ;  that  help  which  restores  self-respect,  and  re- 
vives hope,  and  unites  the  fallen  to  the  company  of 
his  fellows.     F.  T. 

Restore  in  meekness.  In  thy  love,  0  Chris- 
tian, let  earnestness  never  fail  in  gentleness,  and  let 
"■entleness  never  fail  in  earnestness.  Do  not  take 
the  earnest  words  of  Jesus  into  thy  mouth,  unless 
thou  hast  the  spirit  of  Jesus  in  thy  heart.  He  that 
uses  the  rebuking  word  of  Jesus  when  he  has  not 
the  loving  heart  of  Jesus  is  full  of  carnal  zeal,  even 
though  he  could  add  Bible  texts  to  every  harsh 
word  of  .censure  that  he  utters.  "We  must  rebuke 
ourselves  before  we  rebuke  others,  that  meekness 
In  our  heart  and  words  may  give  divine  help  to 
earnestness.     A.  C. 

2.  The  Christian  faith  contemplates  each  heart 
as  having  interdepeadencies  and  communications 
with  its  fellows.  It  calls  every  exclusive,  oppres- 
sive, abusive,  corrupting  community  or  person  to 
account  for  the  lost,  the  neglected,  the  betrayed, 
the  weaker  members  of  the  household.  One  half  of 
its  twofold  commandment  is,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself."  If  it  declares  in  one  breath 
that  "  every  man  shall  bear  his  own  burden,"  in  the 
next  it  says,  "  Bear  ye  one  another's  burdens."  It 
predicts  an  infinite  misery  for  them  that  tempt,  be- 
tray, misguide,  deprave  one  another — for  them  that 
form  companies,  clubs,  societies,  to  make  each  other 
frivolous,  profligate,  dissolute.  It  requires  all  to 
give,  not  only  food,  clothes,  and  money,  but  the 
ministry  of  encouraging  words,  patient  endurance, 
honest  living,  aspiring  thoughts.  In  fact,  all  the 
pages  of  our  Book  of  Faith  are  marked  with  these 
earnest  counsels  and  expostulations  about  caring 
for  other  souls.  It  is  always  adjuring  us  to  work 
for,  to  think  for,  to  suffer  for — and  to  that  end  to 
love — other  people.  Such  is  the  compass  of  its 
charity.  Whether  it  commands  or  forbids,  its  in- 
tent is  the  same.    F.  D.  H. There  is  many  a 

load  which  only  grows  less  by  giving  a  lift  to 
another.  Life  itself  is  apt  to  grow  burdensome  to 
the  self-centered  pleasure-seeker,  and  there  are 
some  who  in  resultless  speculations  become  ab- 
sorbed and  exhausted.  For  such  the  best  prescrip- 
tion is  practical  philanthropy.  Confront  the  ma- 
terial evil,  the  palpable  miseries  around  you,  and 
try  to  make  them  less.  If  you  succeed,  and  you 
will  succeed,  the  happiness  of  others  will  be  a  balm 
for  the  healing  of  your  own  wounds,  and,  as  you 
advance  in  the  experiment,  you  will  land  on  results 
which  pure  reason  did  not  anticipate.  You  will  find 
that  for  lessening  your  own  sorrows  it  is  a  good 
plan  to  share  the  sorrows  of  others,  and  that  for 
lessening  both  theirs  and  yours  there  is  no  method 


so  effectual  as  recourse  to  a  Saviour's  sympathy. 
Hamilton. 

3.  Too  many  take  the  ready  course  to  deceive 
themselves,  for  they  look  with  both  eyes  on  the 
failings  and  defects  of  others,  and  scarcely  give 
their  good  quaUties  half  an  eye,  while,  on  the  con- 
trary, in  themselves,  they  study  to  the  full  their  own 
advantages,  and  pass  over  their  weaknesses  and 
defects ;  and,  making  this  uneven  parallel,  what 
wonder  if  the  result  be  a  gross  mistake  of  them- 
selves!   L. 4.  Prove  his  own  work.    There 

is  a  particular  emphasis  in  these  words  which  must 
not  be  overlooked.  It  is  his  own  work  that  a  man 
must  prove.  We  are  sufficiently  ready  to  examine 
and  to  pass  sentence  upon  the  works  of  others. 
We  are  often  abroad,  but  are  seldom  at  home,  where 
our  chief  business  lies.  Like  some  travelers,  who 
are  well  acquainted  with  foreign  countries  but 
shamefully  ignorant  of  their  own,  we  know  more 
of  others  than  we  are  willing  to  know  of  ourselves. 
R.  W. 

5.  If  every  man  is  to  bear  his  own  burden,  it 
might  be  asked.  How  can  each  bear  the  other's  ? 
And  again,  if  ye  bear  one  another's  burdens.  How 
can  each  have  rejoicing  in  himself  alone,  and  not  in 
another  ?  The  truth  is,  here  is  the  very  perfection 
of  society,  set  down  in  these  brief  items  ;  the  per- 
fection at  once  of  dependence  and  independence,  of 
personal  and  mutual  responsibility  and  accountabil- 
ity. In  this  kingdom  of  heaven  upon  earth,  formed 
by  each  one  having  as  much  at  heart  the  welfare  of 
others  as  his  own,  each  individual  is  to  regard  all 
others  as  so  many  reduplicates  of  self,  to  be  blessed 
and  benefited,  and  every  individual  is  to  avoid 
throwing  his  own  burdens  upon  others.  Each  is  to 
prove  his  own  work,  and  not  leave  it  to  be  accom- 
plished by  others,  and  at  the  same  time  each  is  to 
help  all  others  as  often  as  he  can  find  opportunity. 
And  the  opportunity  to  bless  others  is  to  be  re- 
garded as  itself  one  of  the  greatest  of  blessings. 
G.  B.  C. 

7.  God  is  not  mocked.  Think  of  the  great 
God  watching  every  kind  of  hypocrite  as  he  tries 
to  deceive  his  fellows  by  empty  shows  ;  as  he  glories 
in  his  success  ;  as  he  thinks  the  secret  is  known  only 
to  himself.  Can  He,  the  infinitely  pure  and  true,  fall 
below  man  in  his  abhorrence  of  such  a  character  ? 
And  if  the  blind  man  could  once  open  his  eye  on 
God,  seeing  him  in  all  the  glory  of  his  truth,  and 
seeing  that  there  is  one  immortal  witness  against 
him,  who  knows  all  and  remembers  all,  could  he 
help  being  withered  and  loathing  himself  ?   T.  D.  W. 

That  shall  he  reap.  We  are  all  placed  in 
this  preparatory  state  under  a  solemn  course  of 
education  for  immortality;  we  are  intrusted  with 
the  formation  of  our  own  character ;  such  as  we 
make  ourselves,  such  we  must  be  for  ever ;  and  in 


SECTION  296.—aALATIAR8  6  : 1-18. 


411 


our  conduct,  in  our  words,  in  our  very  inactivity, 
we  are  (by  the  law  of  our  present  nature)  cease- 
lessly engaged  in  constructing  that  nature  which  is 
to  be  ours  for  eternity.  What  unutterable  impor- 
tance does  this  tremendous  charge  confer  upon  the 
slightest  act  of  daily  life  !  insignificant  in  itself,  it 
swells  to  mighty  magnitude,  when  it  becomes  an 
element  in  that  accumulation  of  habits  which  con- 
stitutes the  character,  and  thence  an  item  in  an  im- 
mortal account,  and  in  its  consequences  absolutely 
imperishable.  Of  a  truth,  life  is  "  the  seed-time  of 
eternity,"  and  every  hour,  every  minute,  the  seed 
is  sown,  which  is  to  reappear  in  immortal  fruits. 
W.  A.  B. 

8.  Reap  corruption.  The  most  dangerous 
because  most  attractive  form  of  modern  infidelity, 
pretending  to. exalt  the  beneficence  of  the  Deity,  de- 
grades it  into  a  reckless  infinitude  of  mercy,  and 
blind  obliteration  of  the  work  of  sin  ;  and  does  this 
chiefly  by  dwelling  on  the  manifold  appearances  of 
God's  kindness  on  the  face  of  creation.  Such  kind- 
ness is  indeed  everywhere  and  always  visible ;  but  not 
alone.  Wrath  and  threatening  are  invariably  mingled 
with  the  love ;  and  in  the  utmost  solitudes  of  nature 
the  existence  of  hell  seems  to  me  as  legibly  declared 
by  a  thousand  spiritual  utterances  as  that  of  heaven. 
It  is  well  for  us  to  dwell  with  thankfulness  on  the 
unfolding  of  the  flower,  and  the  falling  of  the  dew, 
and  the  sleep  of  the  green  fields  in  the  sunshine ; 
but  the  blasted  trunk,  the  barren  rock,  the  moaning 
of  the  bleak  winds,  the  roar  of  the  black,  perilous 
whirlpools  of  the  mountain  streams,  the  solemn 
solitudes  of  moors  and  seas,  the  "continual  fading 
of  all  beauty  into  darkness  and  of  all  strength  into 
dust — have  these  no  language  for  us  ?  We  may 
seek  to  escape  their  teaching  by  reasonings  touch- 
ing the  good  which  is  wrought  out  of  all  evil ;  but 
it  is  vain  sophistry.  The  good  succeeds  to  the  evil 
as  day  succeeds  the  night,  but  so  also  the  evil  to 
the  good.  Gerizim  and  Ebal,  birth  and  death,  light 
and  darkness,  heaven  and  hell,  divide  the  existence 
of  man  and  his  futurity.     RusMn. 

Nature  has  no  forgiveness.  Providence  has  no 
forgiveness,  Revelation  has  forgiveness  only  on  con- 
ditions. It  is  of  no  use,  it  can  be  of  no  use  to  us 
either  here  or  hereafter,  to  attempt  to  practice  a  de- 
ception on  ourselves.  We  must  take  God  as  Ave 
find  him,  as  he  presents  himself  to  us  in  Nature,  in 
Providence,  in  the  Word,  and  not  as  we  would  make 
him  over  to  suit  our  own  desires.  Christ  was  full 
of  mercy,  his  mission  was  a  mission  of  love ;  but 
you  can  find  nowhere  in  the  Bible  more  terrific 
representations  of  the  hopeless,  eternal  miseries  of 
the  wicked  in  the  future  life  than  those  which  are 
ascribed  to  Christ  in  the  first  three  gospels.     An. 

If  there  be  a  life  to  come,  then  the  evil  deed 

you  did  is  not  ended  by  its  commission,  but  it  will 


still  go  on  and  on.  The  evil  you  have  done  to 
others  will  remain  throughout  eternity ;  the  evil  you 
have  done  to  your  own  soul  will  spread.  There  is 
no  perhaps.  These  are  things  which  will  be  here- 
after. You  can  not  alter  the  eternal  laws.  You 
can  not  put  your  hand  in  the  flame  and  not  be  burnt. 
You  can  not  sin  in  the  body  and  escape  the  sin,  for 
it  goes  inward,  becomes  part  of  you,  and  is  itself 
the  penalty  which  cleaves  for  ever  and  ever  to  your 
spirit.  Sow  in  the  flesh,  and  you  will  reap  corrup- 
tion ;  yield  to  passion,  and  it  becomes  your  tyi-ant 
and  your  torment ;  be  sensual,  self-indulgent,  indo- 
lent, worldly,  hard — oh !  they  all  have  their  corre- 
sponding penalties.  "Whatsoever  a  man  soweth, 
that  shall  he  also  reap."     F.  W.  R. 

9.  Be  not  weary  in  well-doing.  There  is 
in  this  short  life  to  every  man,  especially  to  every 
Christian,  a  holy  summons  to  do  good,  and  as  much 
good  as  possible.  For  this  the  narrowest  sphere  af- 
fords abundant  opportunity ;  as  little  does  there  lack 
incitement  to  use  well  the  opportunity.  And  yet  the 
best  of  us  constantly  run  the  risk  of  slackening 
their  zeal  in  those  good  works,  which  they  acknowl- 
edge as  duties.  The  good  is  not  always  the  plea- 
sant, the  convenient,  the  immediately  practical.  It 
seems  so  much  more  prudent,  at  least  much  quieter, 

to  work  by  passive  means  than  active.     Van  0. 

If  by  "  icell-doinc/  "  we  mean  something  beyond  the 
ordinary  proprieties  of  conduct — things  of  decided 
Christian  exertion,  requiring  energy  and  patience — 
there  is  great  need  of  the  exhortation,  "^e  not 
iwearj/."  Even  the  most  faithful  and  devoted  work- 
men, in  the  worthiest  services,  are  not  quite  exempt 
from  the  operation  of  causes  tending  to  this  failure ; 
they  feel  them  while  they  resist  them. 

We  shall  reap.  The  laborers  in  the  good 
cause  must  firmly  stay  by  this  assurance,  standing 
as  it  does  combined  with  a  vast  number  of  prom- 
ises to  the  same  efi'ect — a  magnificent  assemblage  I 
The  main  substance  of  the  reaping  will  be  in  the 
field  of  eternity.     J.  F. 

10.  Consider  well  where  God  has  placed  its,  our 
position  in  life,  our  opportunities  for  pai-ticular  ac- 
tion or  influence,  the  paths  in  which  we  move  in 
society,  the  leisure  that'  lies  in  our  hand.  To  ex- 
amine these  carefully,  and  see  how  we  can  with  all 
wisdom  turn  them  to  Christian  pi'ofit,  is  a  great  mat- 
ter for  every  one  of  us.  If  there  be  an  earnest  de- 
sire  to  do  good,  even  with  a  sense  of  much  unfit- 
ness, it  is  marvelous  how  fitness  will  grow.  He  who 
sends  the  opportunity  and  the  desire  will  send  the 
qualification.  In  general,  it  will  be  found  that  the 
best  Christian  work  is  not  far  from  our  own  door, 
and  that  those  are  mistaken  who  think  they  can  do 
nothing  till  they  find  some  great  sphere.  The  work 
of  Christ's  servants  is  often  most  effectually  per- 
formed when  it  is  done  noiselessly  and  informally, 


412 


SECTION  296.—GALATIANS  6  : 1-18. 


in  hidden  nooks  of  quiet  homes,  or  walking  by  the 
wayside  and  yet  scattering  seed  in  the  field.  A 
master  among  his  servants,  a  workman  among  his 
associates,  a  mother  among  her  children,  a  sister 
among  brothers,  may  be  dropping  words  and  radia- 
ting influences  of  which  there  shall  be  no  report  till 
the  last  great  disclosure  shall  bring  out  the  "  Well 
done,  good  and  faithful  servant."     Ker. 

Oh,  if  we  but  saw  how  the  gates  of  opportunity 
open  and  close !  how  the  possibilities  of  to-day, 
neglected,  become  to-morrow  the  things  which  God 
himself  could  not  do  ;  how  unused  strength  wastes 
away  and  brings  up  behind  it  no  other  strengths ; 
how  the  grace  that  lies  about  all  our  occasions, 
ready  to  flow  upon  them  at  the  touches  of  our  dili- 
gence, slighted,  lifts  itself  up  into  the  heavens,  and 
leaves  us  in  hardness  and  dearth  ;  how,  on  the  other 
hand,  when  used,  it  drops  upon  us  like  the  rain,  and 
distills  like  the  dew ;  how  work  done  makes  work 
easier ;  how  the  voluntary  use,  even  to  exhaustion 
and  waste,  of  "  all  that  is  within  us,"  and  without 
us  too — of  soul  and  flesh,  of  love  and  brain,  of  time 
and  strength,  and  hours  of  work  and  hours  of  prayer 
— will  bring  upon  us,  and  through  the  needs  thus 
made  by  our  faithfulness,  the  gentle  pressures  of 
the  infinite  fullness,  God's  newest,  freshest  grace. 
If  we  but  saw  such  things  as  these,  what  "  girding  " 
there  would  be  among  us !  what  gatherings  to- 
gether for  cooperative  work !  what  goings  up  upon 
the  land  to  be  possessed  !  Come  ;  let  us  live  as  we 
may.    A.  R. 

11.  At  this  point  the  apostle  takes  the  pen  from 
the  amanuensis,  and  the  concluding  paragraph  is 
written  with  his  own  hand.  He  sums  up  the  main 
lessons  of  the  Epistle  in  terse,  eager,  disjointed  sen- 
tences. He  writes  it  too  in  large,  bold  characters, 
that  his  handwriting  may  reflect  the  energy  and  de- 
termination of  his  soul.  To  this  feature  he  calls 
attention  in  his  words  that  follow:  "Look  you,  in 
what  large  letters  I  write  with  mine  own  hand  !  " 

J.  B.  L. It  was  in  those  large  characters  that  he 

traced  the  words,  "  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory, 
save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ "  ;  "  In 
Christ  Jesus  neither  circumcision  availeth  any  thing, 
nor  uncircumcision,  but  a  new  creature."    F.  W.  R. 

14.  The  cross.  In  Scripture  the  cross  is  used 
literally  and  metaphorically.  Literally,  it  means 
the  instrument  for  capital  punishment  used  by  the 
Romans.  Metaphorically,  it  means  the  doctrine  of 
atonement  for  sin,  made  by  the  death  upon  it  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  Literally,  it  signi- 
fies the  most  ignominious  of  gibbets.  Metaphori- 
cally, it  signifies  the  most  glorious  of  truths.  It  is 
no  wonder  that  some  confusion  should  have  arisen 
from  the  use  of  the  same  word  in  such  very  differ- 
ent meanings.  On  the  one  side,  unbelieving  Jews, 
identifying  the  metaphorical  with  the  literal,  the 
doctrine  with  the  gibbet,  have  enlarged  on  the  dis- 
grace and  degradation  of  the  Crucified,  and  thrown 


it  contemptuously  in  the  teeth  of  his  disciples.  On 
the  other  side,  superstitious  Christians  (so  called), 
identifying  the  literal  with  the  metaphorical,  the 
gibbet  with  the  doctrine,  have  elevated  the  material 
figure  into  the  place  of  the  spiritual  truth,  and  en- 
larged on  the  glorious  cross,  the  holy  cross.  Chris- 
tianity distinguishes  between  the  gibbet  and  the  doc- 
trine ;  degrading  the  gibbet  as  low  as  any  Jew  can 
desire,  for  it  was  indeed  vile,  even  the  accursed 
tree ;  and  elevating  the  doctrine  as  high  as  any 
Christian  can  desire,  for  it  is  the  saving  truth  of 
God.  The  doctrine  is  seen  to  be  more  and  more 
glorious,  as  the  gibbet  is  seen  to  be  more  and  more 
ignominious.     McNeile. 

Oh,  the  wondrous  power  of  the  Cross  !  Oh,  the 
ineffable  glory  of  the  Passion !  wherein  is  the  trib- 
unal of  the  Lord,  and  the  judgment  of  the  world, 
and  the  power  of  the  Crucified.  For  thou,  0  Lord, 
"  drewest  all  to  thee,"  when  the  veil  of  the  temple 
was  rent ;  that  figure  might  be  changed  into  reality, 
prophecy  into  manifestation,  and  law  into  gospel. 
Thy  cross  is  the  fountain  of  all  blessings,  it  is  the 
cause  of  all  graces,  through  which  is  given  to  be- 
lievers strength  instead  of  weakness,  glory  instead 
of  obloquy,  life  instead  of  death.     Leo. 

Glory  in  the  cross.  The  natui'al  selfishness 
in  us  will  glory  in  anything  else  rather  than  in  the 
cross — in  having  its  own  way,  in  reputation,  in  busi- 
ness success,  in  riches,  in  taking  the  lead  in  fash- 
ionable distinctions  ;  it  does  not  wish  the  Avorld  to  be 
crucified  to  it,  for  the  world  is  the  theatre  of  its  dis- 
play ;  it  does  not  wish  itself  to  be  crucified  to  the 
world,  for  there  it  finds  all  its  excitements  and  en- 
joyments. Here,  then,  is  the  perpetual  and  deadly 
conflict  between  man's  self-will  and  the  spirit  of  the 

cross.     F.  D.  H. But  the  love  of  Christ  in  the 

soul  takes  the  very  nails  that  fastened  him  to  the 
cross,  and  crucifies  the  soul  to  the  world  and  to  sin. 
Generally,  as  Plato  hath  it,  love  takes  away  one's 
living  in  themselves,  and  transfers  it  into  the  party 
loved ;  but  the  divine  love  of  Christ  doth  it  in  the 
truest  and  highest  manner.     L. 

14.  "The  world"  in  the  New  Testament  sense 
designates  present  sensible  things,  viewed  as  exercis- 
ing a  malignant  influence  over  the  minds  of  men — 
directly  opposed  to  the  influence  which  future  and 
spiritual  things  should  exert  over  them.  It  is  plain 
that  one  man's  "  world  "  may  be  very  different  from 
another  man's  world.  In  each  case  it  means  the 
various  earthly  objects,  whether  persons  or  things, 
objects  or  events,  by  which  the  individual  is  sur- 
rounded. These  things  are  here  personified.  This 
personage  is  crucified  "to  him,"  i.  e.,  in  his  esti- 
mation. It  is  as  a  crucified  person  to  him — as  an 
expiring  felon  on  a  cross,  an  object  of  aversion. 
And  Junto  the  tcorld:  and  I  am  as  a  crucified  per- 
son in  the  world's  estimation,  i.  e.,  in  the  estimation 
of  worldly  men.  I  am  an  object  of  contempt  and 
of  hatred  to  my  unbelieving  countrymen  and  to  un- 


SECTION  S96.—GALATIANS  6  : 1-18. 


418 


believing  Gentiles.  It  was  the  mode  of  thinking, 
feeling,  acting,  to  which  the  faith  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  cross  naturally  led,  that  made  him  the  object  of 
the  contempt  and  dislike  of  worldly  men.  It  was 
this  that  led  him  to  the  bold  avowal  of  doctrines 
disliked  by  the  worldly,  and  to  his  active  endeavors 
to  overthrow  the  power  of  the  world  over  the  heart 
and  mind  of  men.  Paul's  sentiment  is  :  In  the  cross 
I  have  infinitely  more  than  the  world  ever  gave  me ; 
and  I  have  also  what  far  more  than  compensates  for 
its  contempt  and  hatred.     J.  B. 

In  one  sentence  we  sec  three  crucifixions ;  and 
yet,  under  all  the  three,  there  is  one  and  the  same 
grand  truth,  one  sublime  principle  of  self-sacrificing 
love.  There  is  "  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
It  is  by  virtue  of  that  one  only  complete  and  sufficient 
sacrifice  that  every  other  self-denial  gets  its  Chris- 
tian virtue.  Hence  Paul  says,  with  his  overpower- 
ing and  exclusive  energy  of  thankful  devotion,  "  God 
forbid  that  I  should  glory  in  anything  but  that ! " 
Next  is  the  crucifixion  of  that  mixed  and  ever-pres- 
ent power  of  attraction  and  temptation  called  "  the 
world."  "  The  world  is  crucified  unto  me."  This 
fascinating,  terrible  tempter,  which  tries  the  purity 
and  honor  of  every  soul,  whether  saved  or  lost,  has 
to  be  so  broken  down,  denied  and  killed,  to  all  such 
as  will  be  saved,  that  it  is  said  to  be  slain  on  a  cross. 
But  to  that  end  there  must  be  yet  a  third  crucifixion : 
"  And  I  unto  the  world."  And  all  this  giving  up, 
this  sacrifice  of  passion,  of  admiration,  of  earthly 
pleasure,  of  wrong  pursuits  and  property,  of  idols  in 
business,  idols  in  society,  idols  in  the  house,  idols  in 
the  secret  ambitions  and  lusts  of  the  mind — all  of  it 
is  for  Christ's  dear  and  glorious  sake ;  hy  whom — 
by  whose  faith  and  promise  and  life  and  death,  by 
whose  inestimable  gift,  by  whose  agony  and  bloody 
sweat,  by  whose  cross  and  passion — the  blessed 
power  is  given,  and  the  triumph  of  renunciation  is 
gained.    F.  D.  H. 

15.  A  new  creature*  It  is  a  figure,  and  hut 
a  figure ;  heavy  though  it  be,  like  all  other  Scrip- 
tural figures,  with  deep  and  important  meaning.  It 
is  a  moral,  not  a  physical,  an  alterative,  not  an  ori- 
ginating act.  It  consists,  not  in  originating  a  soul 
into  separate  nature  and  life,  but  in  actuating  the 
nature  of  a  living  soul,  already  originated  and  be- 
come sinful ;  in  so  actuating  it  as  to  effect  a  moral 
change  of  its  nature  and  character,  of  its  tempers 
and  tastes,  its  inclinations  and  purposes,  its  inward 
and  its  outward  habits  and  actions.  This  is  a  pro- 
cess which  we  can  comprehend.  How  it  begins  with 
God  and  is  sustained  by  Him,  we  know  not ;  but  we 


know  how  it  begins  and  is  sustained  in  us ;  even 
with  memory,  reflection,  thought,  feeling,  purpose, 
action,  in  the  great  work  of  repentance,  faith,  love, 

and  obedience.     J.  S.  S. Paul  began  the  Epistle 

(1  : 4)  with  allusion  to  Christ's  death  as  intended 
to  deliver  us  from  this  present  evil  world  ;  and  now 
he  ends  it  by  declaring  that  the  cross  of  Christ  ob- 
literates mere  worldly  rudiments  and  fleshly  distinc- 
tions in  religion.  There  is  a  new  creation,  with  a 
new  atmosphere  of  motive  and  sympathy,  a  new 
life  in  the  Spirit,  a  new  hope  to  cheer,  and  a 
new  priuclijle  to  actuate,  viz.,  faith  which  works 
by  love. 

16-18.  To  walk  according  to  the  rule  of  a  re- 
ligion in  the  flesh  and  of  the  world  can  only  end  in 
confusion.  But  the  apostle  has  a  benediction  for 
as  many  as  walk  according  to  this  rule  of  new 
creatureship.  "  Peace  be  on  them  and  mercy,  and 
upon  the  Israel  of  Gad,"  as  distinguished  from  the 
mere  Israel  after  the  flesh  which  boasted  in  the  law. 
So  Paul  makes  an  end.  Let  who  will  impugn  his 
relation  to  Christ,  he  bears  "  the  stigmata  of  Jesus  " 
in  the  marks  of  his  good  fight  of  faith,  and  his 
many  afflictions.  Then,  breathing  always  the  dispo- 
sition befitting  an  apostle  of  the  Lamb,  he  concludes, 
not  with  menaces  or  curses  of  the  law,  but  with  a 
kindly  prayer  for  the  Galatians :  "  Brethren,  the 
grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  your  spirit. 
Amen."  It  is  the  only  church  Epistle  in  which  this 
form  is  used ;  and  an  emphasis  lies  on  spirit  as 
against  the  flesh.  No  grace  can  possibly  come  upon 
the  flesh.  It  is  crucified  with  its  affections  and 
lusts.  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  is  with  our 
spirit,  or  not  with  us  at  all ;  and  his  Spirit  is  to 
bear  witness  with  our  spirits  that  we  are  the  children 
of  God. 

This  Epistle  may  in  one  sense  be  called  obsolete. 
The  Jewish  form  of  a  false  gospel  we  never  think 
of.  But  in  other  forms  false  gospels  abound.  To 
combat  these,  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians  is  fresh 
and  powerful  as  ever.  It  was  a  true  instinct  which 
led  Martin  Luther  to  give  much  of  his  time  to  the 
exposition  of  it,  in  order  to  establish  the  doctrine 
of  faith ;  and  we  want  it  still  to  smite  self -right- 
eousness and  religious  externalism  root  and  branch, 
and  to  teach  that  a  man,  in  order  to  be  justified, 
must  believe  in  Christ,  and,  in  order  to  be  sancti- 
fied, must  be  crucified  with  Christ.  The  Epistle  is 
full  of  animation,  argument,  and  reproof ;  but,  above 
all  and  best  of  all,  it  is  full  of  grace.  So  it  teaches 
a  lesson  for  all  time — that  sinners  are  saved  by 
grace,  and  saints  are  preserved  by  grace,     D.  F, 


4[i  SECTION  291.— EPHESIANS  l:l-i 


Section  297. 

Ephesians  i.  1-23. 

1  Paul  an  apostle  of  Jesu9  Christ  by  the  will  of  God,  to  the  saints  which  are  at  Ephesus, 

2  and  to  the  faithful  in  Christ  Jesus :  grace  le  to  you,  and  peace,  from  God  our  Father,  and 

3  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Blessed  te  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Clirist,  who 

4  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly^Zaces  in  Christ:  according  as  he  hath 
chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  Jaoly  and  without 

5  blame  before  him  in  love :  having  predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption  of  children  by  Jesus 

6  Christ  to  himself,  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will,  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of 

7  his  grace,  wherein  he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  beloved.    In  whom  we  have  redemption 

8  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace  ;  wherein  he 

9  hath  abounded  toward  us  in  all  wisdom  and  prudence ;  having  made  known  unto  us  the 
mystery  of  his  will,  according  to  his  good  pleasure  wliich  he  hath  purposed  in  himself: 

10  that  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times  he  might  gather  together  in  one  all  things 

11  in  Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth  ;  emn  in  him  :  in  whom  also 
we  have  obtained  an  inheritance,  being  predestinated  according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who 

12  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will :  that  we  should  be  to  the  praise  of 

13  his  glory,  who  first  trusted  in  Christ.     In  whom  ye  also  trusted,  after  that  ye  heard  the  word 
of  truth,  the  gospel  of  your  salvation  :  in  whom  also,  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed 

14  with  that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance  until  the  redemp- 
tion of  the  purchased  possession,  unto  the  praise  of  his  glory. 

15  Wherefore  I  also,  after  I  heard  of  your  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  love  unto  all  the 

16  saints,  cease  not  to  give  thanks  for  you,  making  mention  of  you  in  my  prayers;  that  the 

17  God  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  glory,  may  give  unto  you  the  spirit  of  wisdom 

18  and  revelation  in  the  knowledge  of  him :  the  eyes  of  your  understanding  being  enlightened ; 
that  ye  may  know  what  is  the  hope  of  his  calling,  and  what  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  his 

19  inheritance  in  the  saints,  and  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  to  us-ward  who 

20  believe,  according  to  the  working  of  his  mighty  power,  which  he  wrought  in  Clirist,  when 
he  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  Mm  at  his  own  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  joZaces, 

21  far  above  all  principality,  and  power,  and  might,  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is 

22  named,  not  only  in  this  world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come :  and  hath  put  all  things 

23  under  his  feet,  and  gave  liim  to  le  the  head  over  all  things  to  the  church,  which  is  his  body, 
the  fulness  of  him  that  fiUeth  all  in  all. 


The  recovery  of  man  was  announced  on  the  day  of  his  apostasy ;  though,  by  the  very  terms  of  that 
announcement,  this  recovery  would  involve  a  loug  conflict  between  the  seed  of  the  woman  and  the  serpent. 
13ut  the  method  of  that  recovery  was  a  mystery,  obscurely  hinted  at  by  prophets  who  knew  not  what  the 
Spirit  that  was  in  them  did  testify,  more  and  more  pronounced  through  symbols  and  the  later  prophecies ; 
at  length,  in  the  fullness  of  times,  unveiled  in  the  incarnation  of  Christ ;  but  still  a  mystery  of  the  divine 
love  for  the  ever-unfolding  glories  of  eternity.  And  all  this  wondrous  plan  is  referred  back  to  the  pur- 
pose of  God  before  the  foundation  of  the  world  ;  ever  the  same  plan  in  the  religion  which  the  Bible  re- 
veals ;  ever  the  same  purpose  in  Divine  Providence,  unfolding  and  fulfilling  this  plan ;  ever  the  same 
development  in  history,  as  this  great  purpose  of  redemption  moves  onward  through  the  ages  toward  its 
consummation  in  the  final  accord  of  the  physical  and  the  moral  universe,  through  the  triumph  of  God 
over  evil,  of  salvation  over  sin.  Surely  we  who  have  part  in  such  a  redemption,  and  whose  inheritance 
in  this  glory  is  sealed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise,  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him  who 
hath  blessed  us  with  these  infinite  riches  of  his  grace.     J.  P.  T. 


SECTION  297.—EPHE8IANS  1 : 1- 


415 


The  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians. 

This  Epistle  was  written  during  Paul's  first  im- 
prisonment at  Rome  in  the  spring  of  a.  d.  62,  at 
the  same  time  with  those  to  Philemon  and  to  the 
Colossians.     B. 

We  infer  that  the  Epistle  was  veritably  written 
as  now  addressed  to  the  Ephesian  Church  and  to 
no  other.  Ephesus  was  a  place  of  great  commerce 
and  note  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Cayster  in  Lydia. 
It  was  famed  for  its  great  temple  of  Diana,  one  of 
the  wonders  of  the  ancient  world.  Paul's  first  and 
short  visit  to  it  is  recorded  Acts  18  :  19-21.  The 
work  begun  by  him  was  afterward  carried  on  by 
Apollos  and  by  Aquila  and  Priscilla.  During  his 
second  visit,  lasting  "three  years,"  he  founded  the 
Ephesian  Church  (see  Acts  19  :  20).  The  number 
of  converts  seems  to  have  been  considerable,  and 
the  Church  had  been  an  especial  object  of  the  apos- 
tle's personal  care.  On  his  last  recorded  journey  to 
Jerusalem  he  did  not  touch  at  Ephesus,  but  sum- 
moned the  elders  of  the  Ephesian  Church  to  meet 
him  at  Miletus,  where  he  took  an  affecting  farewell 
of  them,  which  at  the  time  he  believed  to  be  his 
last.     (Read  Sections  220,  221,  223.) 

When  we  come  to  inquire  into  the  occasion  of 
the  Epistle  we  find  nothing  special  in  the  state  of 
the  Ephesian  Church  which  may  account  for  it. 
Rather  does  it  seem  to  have  sprung  out  of  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  Apostle's  employment  at  the  time. 
He  was  sending  by  Tychicus  and  Onesimus  a  weighty 
letter  to  the  Colossian  Chui-ch,  occasioned  by  defects 
in  its  belief  and  practices.  His  mind  was  much 
exercised  on  the  points  which  he  had  to  treat  in 
that  Epistle.  But  these  very  matters  were  parts  of 
a  larger  and  more  complete  subject  which  the  spe- 
cial import  of  that  letter  would  not  allow  him  to  in- 
troduce. He  loncccd  to  set  forth  the  length  and 
breadth  and  height  of  the  Church  of  Christ  as 
founded  in  the  counsel  of  the  Father's  will,  wrought 
by  the  obedience  and  love  of  the  Son,  carried  on  and 
nourished  by  the  indwelling  influence  of  the  Spirit. 
And  to  whom  should  such  an  Epistle  be  addressed 
but  to  that  Church  which,  more  than  any  other,  he 
had  founded  and  built  up — the  Church  at  Ephesus  ? 
This,  then,  seems  to  be  its  occasion.  It  is  to  the 
Epistle  to  the  Colossians  what  the  Epistle  to  the 
Romans  is  to  that  to  the  Galatians :  a  great  oif- 
i<pring,  greater  than  the  parent,  embracing  the  gen- 
eral subject  of  which  the  other  treated  a  particular 
portion.  He  addresses  the  Ephesian  Church  as  a 
type,  a  sample  of  the  Church  universal.  He  sets 
forth  to  them  the  ground,  the  course,  the  aim  and 
end  of  the  church  universal.  All  through  the  letter 
this  threefold  division  is  found.  The  origin  of  the 
Church  in  the  ivill  of  the  Father  ;  the  course  of  the 
Church  by  the  satisfaction  of  the  Son  ;  the  scope  and 
aim  of  the  Church,  life  in  the  Spip.it — these  three 
things  run  through  the  whole,  dividing  the  Epistle 
first  into  three  larger  portions,  and  then  in  those 
portions  carrying  out  the  same  order  in  every  para- 
graph, and  almost  in  every  sentence.  The  whole  is 
a  magnificent  apostolic  comment  on  the  doctrine  of 
the  Holy  Trinity,  as  the  divine  Persons  are  con- 
cerned in  the  work  of  our  redemption.  Those  who 
deny  that  doctrine  must  either  set  aside  this  Epistle 
altogether  or  must  tear  out  of  it  all  meaning  and 
coherence. 

After  the  customary  apostolic  greeting,  begins 
the  first  portion  of  the  Epistle  (1:3;  z\  21),  the 
doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  This  is  subdivided 
as  follows :  1,  The  Ground  and  Origin  of  the  Church, 


in  the  Father^s  Council,  and  his  Act  in  Christ,  by  the 
Spirit  (1  :  3-23).  2.  The  Course  and  Progress  of 
the  Church  through  the  Son  (2  :  1-22).  3.  The  Aim 
and  End  of  the  Church  in  the  Spirit  (3  :  1-21). 

3-33.  The  Ground  and  Origin  of  the  Church, 
in  the  Father^  Council,  and  his  Act  in  Christ,  by  the 
Spirit.  —  In  carrying  out  this,  the  apostle  gives, 
1.  The  preliminary  idea  of  the  Church,  set  forth 
in  the  form  of  an  ascription  of  praise  (3-14),  and 
thus  arranged  :  The  Father,  in  his  eternal  love,  has 
chosen  us  unto  holiness  (v.  4),  ordained  us  to  son- 
ship  (v.  5),  bestowed  grace  on  us  in  the  beloved 
(v.  6) ;  in  the  Son  we  have  redemption  through  the 
riches  of  his  grace  (v.  7),  knowledge  of  the  mystery 
of  hie  will  (vs.  8,  9),  inheritance  under  him  as  the 
one  Head  (vs.  10-12);  through  ihe.  Sjnrit  we  are 
sealed  by  hearing  the  word  of  salvation  (v.  13),  by 
receiving  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance  (v.  14),  un- 
til the  redemption  of  the  purchased  possession.  2. 
The  idea  of  the  Church  carried  forward,  in  the  form 
of  a  prayer  for  the  Ephesians,  in  which  the  fulfill- 
ment of  the  Father's  counsel  through  the  Son,  by 
the  Spirit  in  his  people,  is  set  forth  as  consisting  in 
the  knowledge  of  the  hope  of  his  calling,  of  the 
riches  of  his  promise,  and  the  power  which  he  exer- 
cises on  his  saints  as  first  wrought  by  him  in  Christ, 
whom  he  has  made  Head  over  all  the  Church  (vs. 
15-23).     A. 

3.  All  blessings  in  Christ.  The  feeling  and 
the  cry  of  faith  is,  He  gives  us  Christ,  and  in  him 
all  things.  Christ  can  not  be  ours  and  any  grace  be 
absent ;  this  King  can  not  enthrone  himself  in  our 
spirit  and  not  bring  with  him  his  whole  retinue  of 
blessings.  Christ  is  here,  and  He,  the  "  Son  over  his 
own  house,"  will  take  care  to  rule  it  in  wisdom ;  in 
having  Him  we  have  pardon,  in  having  Him  we  have 
holiness,  in  having  Him  we  have  heaven  itself — 
"raised  up  together,  and  made  to  sit  together  in 
heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus."     W.  A.  B. 

4.  Chosen  ug.  5.  Predestinated  us.  The 
doctrine  of  predestination  is  in  the  Bible.  But  how 
is  it  there  ?  Is  it  proclaimed  in  awfulness  and  anger, 
to  tell  that  gospel  blessing  and  gospel  invitations 
are  of  little  use,  for  God's  decree  has  narrowed  them 
to  a  scanty  number  ?  As  it  stands  in  the  Bible, 
how  does  it  look,  benignant  or  forbidding  ?  How 
does  it  sound  ?  harmonious  or  harsh  ?  Not  only 
what  is  its  tenor  ?  but  its  tone  ?  Turning  to  one  of 
its  stronghold  passages  (Eph.  1 :  3-12),  and  noticing 
how  it  is  qualified  and  tempered  by  the  object  of  it 
all,  "  that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  be- 
fore him  in  love,"  I  beg  you  to  observe  its  tone. 
Observe  how  ecstatic  and  exulting  the  whole  passage 
is,  beginning  and  ending  with  hallelujahs,  "  Blessed 
be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus,"  and 
steeped  in  joy  and  love  from  end  to  end.  When 
viewed  from  the  evangelic  standpoint,  observe  what 
a  benignant  doctrine  this  election  is,  hindering  no 
man's  salvation  who  is  willing  to  be  saved,  and  giv- 
ing glorious  security  for  their  salvation  who  have 
once  found  acceptance  in  the  beloved.     Hamilton. 

A  thoughtful  nature  can  not  shrink  from  those 


416 


SECTION  297.—EPnESIAFS  1 : 1-23. 


absorbing  inquiries  which  relate  to  the  harmonies  of 
divine  intentions  with  the  unquestionable  facts  of 
self-science ;  but  the  whole  history  of  moral  philos- 
ophy demonstrates  that  no  man  is  safe  in  approach- 
ing the  brink  of  this  great  ocean  except  as  he  is  led 
by  the  hand  of  Christ ;  then  this  great  and  wide  sea 
is  calm,  and  the  outlook  on  its  length  and  breadth 
and  depth  is  cheerful,  and  the  soul  trusts,  and 
adores,  and  loves,  but  does  not  sink ;  for  Christ,  the 
livin"-  loving  Saviour  of  the  soul,  is  the  center  about 
which  all  the  purposes  and  decrees  of  God  in  regard 
to  our  race  and  world  revolve,  and,  whatever  el,se  we 
doubt  or  ponder  in  vain,  this  is  clear  and  indubi- 
table, that  God  would  have  all  men  to  be  saved  and 
come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  For  a  practi- 
cal, theologic  use,  what  better  definition  can  be 
given  of  God's  eternal  and  sovereign  decrees  than 
this — Christianity  no  accident,  no  incident,  but  God's 
original  plan  ?  and  sovereign  election — so  often  con- 
ceived and  presented  as  a  philosophical  abstraction 
by  which  many  are  chilled  and  repelled — what  is  it, 
in  fact,  but  this  blessed  and  most  comforting  assu- 
rance, that  Christianity  will  be  no  failure  or  disap- 
pointment; that  its  success  depends  on  no  contin- 
gency, but  is  made  certain  by  the  very  love  from 
which  it  drew  its  origin  ?     W.  A. 

6.  Accepted  in  the  beloved.  The  sinner 
hands  over  his  sins  to  the  perfect  One,  and  the  per- 
fect One  hands  over  his  perfection  to  the  sinner. 
Thus,  by  reason  of  this  blessed  transference  or  ex- 
change, the  imperfect  one  becomes  as  the  perfect 
One  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  is  dealt  with  as  such 
in  regard  to  all  favor  and  blessing.  Perfection 
covers  imperfection,  and  the  believing  sinner  stands 
"  complete  "  in  the  perfect  One  :  "  accepted  in  the 
Beloved."  Crediting  God's  testimony  to  the  perfect 
One,  and  his  perfect  sacrifice,  we  stand  before  God 
on  a  new  footing — as  men  who  have  *'  become  the 
righteousness  of  God  in  Him,"  and  who  now  get 
life,  and  peace,  and  pardon,  and  blessing,  simply 
because  the  perfect  One  has  deserved  it  for  them. 
We  have  all  in  Him.     Bonar. 

God's  hearing  of  our  prayers  doth  not  depend 
upon  sanctification,  but  upon  Christ's  intercession ; 
not  upon  what  we  are  in  ourselves,  but  what  we  are 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  both  our  persons  and  our  pray- 
ers are  acceptable  in  the  Beloved.  Brooks. Re- 
pentance is,  properly  speaking,  a  change  of  mind, 
or  a  new  mind  about  God  ;  regeneration  is  a  change 
of  heart,  or  a  new  heart  toward  God  ;  conversion  is 
a  change  of  life,  or  a  new  life  for  God  ;  adoption  is 
a  change  of  family,  or  a  new  relationship  to  God  ; 
sanctification  is  a  change  of  employment,  or  a  conse- 
cration of  all  to  God ;  glorification  is  a  change  of 
place,  or  a  new  condition  with  God  ;  but  justifica- 
tion, which  is  a  change  of  state,  or  a  new  standing 
before  God,  must  be  presented  as  going  before  all. 


for  being  "  accepted  in  the  Beloved  "  is  the  founda- 
tion and  the  cause  of  all.    An. 

7,  In  whom  we  have  redemption  throngh 
his  blood.  Never  has  there  been,  never  was 
there,  never  will  there  be  such  another — but  only 
He,  the  virgin-born,  God  and  man  ;  whose  inherent 
worthiness  is  not  only  equivalent  to  the  multitude 
of  the  guilty,  but  many  times  outweighs  it.  Being 
of  his  own  free  will  condemned,  he  annulled  the 
death  deserved  by  his  crucifiers,  and  converted  the 
crime  of  his  slayers  into  the  criminals'  own  salva- 
tion. He  came  to  save,  but  it  behooved  him  also  to 
suffer.  How  could  both  these  things  be  ?  A  mere 
man  had  no  power  to  save  ;  God,  by  himself,  could 
not  possibly  suffer.  What  then  took  place  ?  Em- 
manuel, being  himself  God,  became  man.  That 
which  he  was  wrought  salvation,  that  which  he  be- 
came suffered.  Froclus. Holy  and  full  of  bless- 
ing is  the  living  law  of  our  redemption — Jesus 
Christ,  who  blesses  us  through  the  forgiveness  of 
sins.  Condemned  is  every  righteousness  and  holi- 
ness of  man.  The  way  to  righteousness  and  holi- 
ness is  Jesus  Christ  and  his  atoning  death.  All 
bonds  burst  from  hands  and  feet,  from  heart  and 
head,  from  word  and  life,  from  soul  and  body,  when 
Jesus  Christ  forgives  our  sins.  Redemption  is  no 
dead  letter ;  it  is  life,  and  it  works  life.     A.  C. 

9-13.  BeUeving  in  God,  and  reasoning  consis- 
tently, we  can  not  avoid  the  conclusion  that  there 
is  a  system  of  things  upborne  and  guided  by  the 
agency  and  government  of  the  Almighty ;  but  it  is 
only  when  we  are  informed  in  the  Christian  revela- 
tion what  this  system  is-r-even  the  purpose  of  God, 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world  was  laid,  to 
make  it  the  theatre  of  redeeming  love — that  God's 
sovereign  decrees  are  taken  out  of  all  association 
with  fatalistic  necessity,  and  made  to  glow  with  a 
most  celestial  joy.  Would  it  comfort  our  rational 
souls  to  be  assured  that  this  world  and  its  affairs 
were  drifting  along  without  plan  or  purpose ;  that 
redemption  was  an  after-thought,  an  improvised  ex- 
pedient gotten  up  of  necessity  to  remedy  an  unfore- 
seen accident  ?  Does  it  not  comfort  every  rational 
soul,  taking  its  position  by  the  side  of  the  Son  of 
God,  looking  backward  and  upward,  to  be  informed 
that  the  one  purpose,  which  includes  every  other 
pertaining  to  our  race,  is  that  which  according  to 
his  good  pleasure  God  hath  purposed  in  himself, 
that  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fullness  of  time  he 
might  gather  together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ, 
that  we  should  be  to  the  praise  of  his  glory  who 
trusted  and  hoped  in  Christ  ?     W.  A. 

10.  All  things  in  heaven  and  on  earth. 
From  intimations  such  as  these,  it  is  probable  that, 
in  the  great  work  of  redemption  as  well  as  of  crea- 
tion, there  is  a  vast  stupendous  plan  of  wisdom,  of 
which  we  can  not  at  present  so  much  as  conceive  the 


SECTION  S97.—EPHESIANS  1  : 1-23. 


417 


whole  compass  and  extent.  And,  if  the  redemption 
wrought  by  Christ  extended  to  other  worlds,  if 
its  virtues  penetrate  even  into  heaven  itself,  if  it 
gather  together  all  things  in  Christ,  who  will  then 
say  that  the  dignity  of  the  agent  was  dispropor- 
tioned  to  the  magnitude  of  the  work,  and  that  this 
small  globe  of  earth  was  not  a  scene  sufficiently 
splendid  for  the  Son  of  God  himself  to  appear  upon, 
and  to  display  the  riches  of  his  love,  not  only  to 
the  race  of  man,  but  to  many  other  orders  of  in- 
telligent beings  ?     P. 

12.  Trusted  in  Christ.  Talk  what  we  will 
of  faith,  if  we  do  not  trust  and  rely  on  him,  we  do 
not  believe  in  him.  Believe  in  him  and  not  trust  in 
him  !     You  might  as  well  say  the  Jews  did  love  him 

when  they  nailed  him  to  the  cross.     Farindon. 

The  faith  that  brings  salvation  is  the  act  of  a  being 
toward  a  being,  sinner  to  Saviour,  man  to  God.  "  He 
that  believeth  in  me,"  says  Christ,  not  he  that  be- 
lieveth  some  things,  or  many  things,  about  me.  The 
simple  first  point  of  it  is  Christ,  a  Saviour,  mani- 
fested in  such  love  and  divinity  that,  taken  for  sal- 
vation as  a  being,  he  can  be  trusted.  And,  when 
he  is  thus  trusted,  that  is  saving  faith.     H.  B. 

13.  Sealed  with  the  Holy  Spirit.  Scaling 
implies  the  direct  contact  of  the  seal  with  the  thing 
sealed,  and  involves  the  idea  that  the  consequence 
of  that  sealing  is  the  impression  on  the  thing  sealed 
of  the  device  that  is  carved  on  the  seal.  The  pur- 
pose of  that  sealing  is  security  and  safety.  The 
thought,  then,  is  just  this,  that  God's- Holy  Spirit 
comes  into  real  contact  with  the  Christian  man's 
soul,  and  there  stamps  and  impresses  the  character 

.  and  copy  of  its  own  likeness ;  and  that  these  God- 
like desires,  feelings,  emotions,  thoughts,  the  whole 
reflected  character  of  the  divine  majesty  and  holi- 
ness, as  mirrored  and  molded  in  a  believer's  heart, 
are  the  pledge  of  the  security  of  that  man,  and  of 
the  certainty  that  he  will  be  kept  in  the  way  in 
which  he  goes.  If  you  take  that  for  your  doctrine 
of  final  perseverance,  there  is  no  fear  of  its  ever 
being  turned  to  anything  but  the  noblest  purposes, 
or  being  found  to  contain  anything  but  the  might- 
iest inducements  to  walking  in  the  Divine  life,  and 
to  seeking  to  possess  that  mirrored  image  of  the 
Divine  Word.     A.  M. 

14.  The  earnest  of  our  inheritance  means  the 
experience  of  it,  in  some  measure  beforehand,  min- 
istered with  faith  by  the  Holy  promised  Spirit,  until 
the  time  when,  by  redemption  completed,  it  shall 
come  to  be  held  in  actual  everlasting  possession. 
God  gives  us  not  mere  testimony,  though  it  be  his 
own,  but  experience  also,  and  the  evidence  of  experi- 
ence in  the  Christian  life.  But  experience  is  not 
the  first  thing.  First  comes  belief  in  the  things 
revealed  of  God,  because  God  testifies  of  them,  be- 
cause God  declares  them.     Then  comes  knowledge, 

27 


the  knowledge  of  experience  growing  out  of  faith. 
G.  B.  C. 

17-23.  The  first  chapter  ends  with  a  sublime 
prayer  of  intercession  in  behalf  of  the  Ephesian 
saints.  Paul  desires  their  spiritual  illumination. 
They  have  the  spirit  of  life ;  he  asks  for  them  the 
spirit  of  wisdom.  They  have  a  holy  calling;  he 
asks  that  the  eyes  of  their  hearts  may  be  opened, 
so  that  they  may  know  "  the  hope  of  his  calling." 
They  have  forgiveness  through  the  death  of  Christ ; 
he  asks  that  they  may  know  in  themselves  the  power 
which  God  put  forth  in  the  resurrection  of  Christ 
from  the  dead.  The  prayer  ends  with  mention  of 
the  exaltation  of  the  Saviour,  and  his  headship  over 
all,  to  the  Church,  which  is  his  body.  Then  these 
thoughts  run  through  all  the  remainder  of  the  Epis- 
tle. It  recognizes  the  heavenly  places,  and  sees  the 
Church  in  elevation  with  Christ,  regarding  it  as  his 
mystical  body,  his  holy  temple,  and  his  ransomed 
bride.     D.  F. 

17.  The  spirit  of  revelation.  The  Spirit 
of  God  is  represented  by  various  types:  by  oint- 
ment that  clarifies  the  eye  to  see  things  aright ;  by 
cleansing,  refreshing  water;  by  purifying,  refining 
fire,  correspondent  to  his  sacred  operations  in  the 
soul.  As  the  Spirit  of  truth,  he  illuminates  the  un- 
derstanding to  see  the  reason  and  excellency  of  su- 
pernatural and  heavenly  things,  of  the  great  mys- 
teries of  godliness,  of  eternal  glory ;  so  that  a 
Christian,  in  his  most  deliberate,  solemn,  and  com- 
posed thoughts,  in  his  exactest  valuation,  infinitely 
prefers  them  before  the  vanities  of  this  transient 
world.  When  the  eyes  of  the  mind  are  truly  en- 
lightened, present  things  appear,  or  rather  disap- 
pear, as  shadows.     Bates. 

19,  20.  Jesus  has  universal  dominion,  and  uses 
that  dominion,  as  mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  to 
bring  about  the  everlasting  counsels  of  his  love  in 
our  deliverance  from  sin  and  death  and  hell.  Here 
is  the  security  of  the  covenant.  Corruption  is 
mighty,  enemies  are  mighty ;  but  he  who  loveth  us, 
he  who  reigns  for  us,  is  mightier.  He  gives  strength 
and  power  unto  his  people  in  their  present  conflicts, 
and  will  bring  glory  to  himself  and  them  in  making 
them  at  last  "more  than  conquerors"  over  all. 
Goode. 

21.  Principality  and  power.  The  creative 
power  of  God  is  adequate  to  the  peopling  of  the 
universe  with  beings  as  various  as  the  infinite  vari- 
ety of  material  objects.  Only  the  divine  wisdom 
limits  the  divine  power.  That  wisdom  is  its  own 
judge  of  what  is  fit  and  best  for  this  power  to  ac- 
complish. The  reason  of  man  has  no  foothold  in 
this  superior  sphere.  On  this  subject  the  word  of  " 
God  is  singularly  clear  and  decisive.  It  declares  to 
us  the  existence  of  such  a  class  of  intelligences.  It 
describes  them  in  their  personality,  distinguishing 
them  broadly  from  man  and  the  powers  of  nature. 
It  attributes  to  them  all  the  attributes  of  personality 
and  intelligence,  will,  affections,  powers.  It  gives 
some  of  their  names,  expressive  of  their  characters 
— Michael,  who  is  as  Gdfl,  a  prince  ;  Satan,  the  adver- 
sary. It  tells  of  the  love  and  joyful  obedience  of 
one  class  ;  of  their  delight  in  God  and  holiness  ;  of 
their  interest  in  the  progress  of  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom,  and  their  outburst  of  praise  at  his  birth ; 
and  of  their  joy  over  the  conversion  of  sinners, 
their  worship  of  God  and  the  Lamb,  and  their 
agency  in  the  final  destruction  of  this  world.  It  de- 
scribes to  us  the  malignity  of  aaother  class,  their     ♦ 


418 


SECTION  298.—EPHESIAN8  2  : 1-22. 


onposilion  to  man,  their  evil  influence,  their  fall, 
their  condemnation ;  it  tells  us  of  those  who  kept 
not  their  first  estate,  who  through  the  indulgence 
of  pride  fell,  who  ever  since  the  creation  of  man 
have  been  engaged  in  constituting  the  kingdom  of 
the  world  in  opposition  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
S.  W.  F. 

22.  Head  orer  all  things  to  the  church. 
That  is,  he  hath  placed  him  at  the  head  of  all 
things,  and  given  him  supreme  dominion  over  them ; 
so  that  the  highest  angels  are  only  servants  in  his 
kingdom,  whom  he  sends  forth  to  minister  to  the 
heirs  of  salvation.  But  his  relation  to  his  Church 
carries  in  it  a  more  close  and  intimate  connection, 
lie  is  not  only  head  over  his  Church  in  respect  of 
supreme  authority,  but  he  is  the  head  of  his  Church 
in  respect  of  vital  influence ;  for  so  the  apostle  him- 
self explains  it  in  the  following  chapter,  verse  19 : 
lie  is  that  head  "from  which  all  the  body  by 
joints  and  bands  having  nourishment  ministered,  and 
knit  together,  increaseth  with  the  increase  of  God," 

R.  W. We  need  the  Prophet  to  give  us  the 

knowledge  and  arouse  in  us  the  feeling  of  what  re- 
ligious duty  is.  We  need  the  Triest  of  sacrifice  to 
restore  and  reconcile  and  pardon  us  when  duty  has 
been  lost.  We  need,  too,  the  holy  and  governing 
Head  to  preside  over  and  guide  and  intercede  for  and 
quicken  us  till  we  come  into  the  assembly  of  the 
just,  the  Church  of  the  First-born — when  the  king- 
doms of  this  world  are  all  made  the  kingdoms  of 
our  Lord.  In  these  three  celestial  characters  of  the 
Son  we  find  the  manifestation  of  what  we  are  taught 
to  believe  are  the  three  great  attributes  of  God — 
wisdom,  love,  power — wisdom  in  the  Teacher,  love  in 
the  Sacrifice,  power  in  the  King.  Every  one  of  the 
three  oSices,  with  the  three  corresponding  disposi- 
tions in  us — docility  to  the  Teacher,  faith  in  the 


Propitiator,  loyalty  to  the  Ruler — becomes  a  theme 
of  thanksgiving.  No  one  of  them  depresses,  dis- 
empowcrs,  or  restrains  our  energies.  They  all  up- 
lift, encourage,  and  liberate.  They  are  full  of  ani- 
mation, promise,  gladness.  The  Teacher  enlightens ; 
and  what  more  glorious  or  gladdening  gift  than 
light  ?  The  living  Sacrifice  rolls  away  tiie  burdens 
of  remorse,  and  sets  us  in  a  world  where  love  is  seen 
for  ever  victorious,  with  the  cross  for  its  sign.  The 
"  Head  over  all  things  to  his  Church  "  inspires  us 
with  the  felicity  of  a  divine  friendship,  opens  to  us 
the  inviting  doors  of  that  kingdom  which  is  not  of 
this  world — embracing  earth  and  heaven,  the  holy 
life  here  and  the  holy  life  everlasting.     F.  D.  H. 

All  in  all.  Alike  in  ancient  prophecy,  in  di- 
rect personal  claim,  in  apostolic  description,  and  in 
the  yet  loftier  portraitures  of  the  future  world,  a 
Being  is  found  to  move  through  the  Bible,  invested 
with  characters  of  dignity  beyond  which  no  higher 
exaltation  is  conceivable  by  man.  To  this  Being  a 
power  is  by  his  own  hallowed  lips  declared  to  be 
"  committed,"  which  embraces  all  things  in  heaven 
and  in  earth.  A  prophet,  who  is  subsequently  inter- 
preted by  a  prophet,  represents  Him  as  surrounded 
by  the  adoring  hosts  of  heaven,  who  veil  their  faces 
in  presence  of  his  surpassing  luster ;  and  the  last 
book  of  divine  prediction  discloses  the  same  tran- 
scendent abode,  not  merely  as  evermore  resounding 
his  praises,  but  even  as  owing  the  very  light  that 
fills  and  beautifies  it  to  Him.  And  if  it  be  true  of 
the  sinless  heaven  that  "the  Lamb  is  the  light 
thereof,"  no  marvel  that  He  should  be  designated  as 
"the  light  of  this  world";  or  that,  from  every  de- 
partment of  our  lower  creation,  a  tribute  should  be 
levied  to  celebrate  His  praise  who  is  declared  to  be 
the  one  that  "  fiUeth  all  in  all."    W.  A.  B. 


Section  298. 

Ephesians  ii.  1-22, 

X      And  you  hath  he  quickened,  who  were  dead  in  trespaf5ses  and  sins  ;  wherein  in  time  past 

2  ye  walked  according  to  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  the  prince  of  the  power  of 

3  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience :  among  whom  also  we 
all  had  our  conversation  in  times  past  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,  fulfilling  the  desires  of  the 

4  flesh  and  of  the  mind ;  and  were  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as  others.  But 
f)  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were 
G  dead  in  sins,  hath  qftickened  us  together  with  Christ,  (by  grace  ye  are  saved ;)  and  hath 

7  raised  vs  up  together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus  :  that  in 
the  ages  to  come  he  might  shew  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in  his  kindness  toward 

8  us  through  Christ  Jesus.  For  by  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith ;  and  that  not  of  your- 
0  selves :  it  is  the  gift  of  God :  not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast.     For  we  are  his 

10  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  'before  ordained 
that  we  sliotild  walk  in  them. 


SECTIOir  298.—EPHESIANS  2  : 1-i 


419 


11  "Wherefore  remember,  that  ye  leing  in  time  past  Gentiles  in  the  flesh,  who  are  called  Un- 

12  circumcision  by  that  which  is  called  the  Circumcision  in  the  flesh  made  by  hands  ;  that  at 
that  time  ye  were  without  Christ,  being  aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel,  and 
strangers  from  the  covenants  of  promise,  having  no  hope,  and  without  God  in  the  world : 

13  but  now  in  Christ  Jesus  ye  who  sometimes  were  far  oflf  are  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of 

14  Christ.     For  he  is  our  peace,  who  hath  made  both  one,  and  hath  broken  down  the  middle 

15  wall  of  partition  hetwcen  us  ;  having  abolished  in  his  flesh  the  enmity,  even  the  law  of  com- 
mandments contained  in  oi'dinances ;  for  to  make  in  himself  of  twain  one  new  man,  so  mak- 

16  ing  peace;  and  that  he  might  reconcile  both  unto  God  in  one  body  by  the  cross,  having 

17  slain  the  enmity  thereby  :  and  came  and  preached  peace  to  you  which  were  afar  oflf,  and  to 

18  them  that  were  nigh.    For  through  him  we  both  have  access  by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father. 

19  Now  therefore  ye  are  no  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellowcitizens  with  the 

20  saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God  ;  and  are  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and 

21  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  corner  stone  ;  in  whom  all  the  building  fitly 

22  framed  together  groweth  unto  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord :  in  whom  ye  also  are  builded  to- 
gether for  an  habitation  of  God  through  the  Spirit. 


A  DYING  body  is  adapted  to  the  world  of  sense  and  time,  a  deathless  spirit  is  meant  and  made  for  a 
world  immortal  as  itself.  The  life  for  eternity  is  already  begun ;  we  are,  from  the  very  hour  of  our  re- 
generation, introduced  into  the  spiritual  world— a  world  which,  thoiigh  mysterious  and  invisible,  is  as  real 
as  the  world  of  sense  around  us ;  the  Christian's  life  of  heavenliness  is  the  first  stage  of  heaven  itself ! 
"  The  Father,"  saith  the  apostle,  "  hath  (already  supernaturally)  made  us  meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the 
saints."  Christian  men  are  already  in  a  true  though  most  mysterious  sense  raised  with  Christ  Jesus  and 
set  in  heavenly  places  in  him ;  they  are  now  virtually  in  the  very  presence  and  kingdom  of  God ;  they 
already  possess  the  seed  of  immortality ;  "  he  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life  "  ;  that  life  is  now  "  hid  with 
Christ  in  God,"  to  be  manifested  when  he  "  shall  be  manifested  "  in  glory.  There  is  a  power  now  within 
us  in  the  germ,  of  which  our  celestial  immortality  shall  be  the  proper  fruit.  The  dawn  of  heaven  hath 
already  begun  in  all  who  are  yet  to  rejoice  in  its  noontide  glory.  No  thought  surely  can  be  more  awaken- 
ing than  this ;  none  of  more  urgent  practical  importance.  Christianity  is  but  half  unfolded  to  us  with- 
out this  doctrine  of  the  present  indweUing  of  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come.     W.  A.  B. 


1-22.  The  course  and  progress  of  the  Church 
through  the  Son,  thus  subdivided :  1.  The  power  of 
the  Father  in  quickening  us,  both  Gentiles  and  Jews, 
in  and  with  Christ  (vs.  1-6) ;  his  purpose  in  mani- 
festing this  power  (v.  1) ;  inference  respecting  the 
method  of  our  salvation  (v.  10).  2.  Hortatory  ex- 
pansion of  the  foregoing  into  detail ;  reminding 
them  what  they  once  were  (vs.  11,  12);  what  they 
now  were  in  Christ  (vs.  13-22). 

1.  "In  trespasses  and  sins"  should  read  "by 

reason  of  your  trespasses  and  sins."     A. 2,  3. 

When  we  read  of  this  evil  spirit  working  in  the  dis- 
obedient, and  when  we  consider  more  closely  the 
very  nature  of  spiritual  influences,  we  can  scarcely 
refuse  to  recognize  in  this  diabolical  agency  that  in- 
dwelHng  tyranny,  separate  from  the  man,  but  so 
mysteriously  interwoven  in  his  nature  that  the  will 
is  a  will  and  yet  a  captive,  and  the  tyrant  and  the 

slave  blended  inconceivably  in  one.     W.  A.  B. 

If  we  do  not  see  the  signs  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  we 
are  but  too  sure  that  the  evil  spirit  is  there.  We 
know  him  by  the  sign  of  an  increasing  selfishness, 
the  everlasting  cry  of  the  thousand  passions  of  our 
nature,  all  for  ever  calling  out  "  Give,  give  " ;  all  for 


ever  impatient,  complaining  when  their  gratification 
is  withheld,  when  the  call  of  duty  is  set  before  them. 
We  know  him  by  pride  and  self-importance,  as  if 
nothing  was  so  great  as  self,  as  if  our  own  opin- 
ions, judgment,  feelings,  were  to  he  consulted  in  all 
things.  We  know  him  by  the  deep  ungodliness 
which  he  occasions — no  thought  of  God,  much  less 
any  love  of  him ;  living  utterly  without  him  in  the 
world,  or,  at  least,  while  health  and  prosperity 
continue.  T.  A. Either  our  sins,  our  self-right- 
eousness, our  evil  and  good  works  condemn  us,  or 
we  are  born  again  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  we 
escape  condemnation ;  a  third  state  is  impossi- 
ble. Either  children  of  wrath  or  children  of  grace. 
A.  C. 

4.  Rich  in  mercy.  A  thought  of  unfathom- 
able meaning  and  sweetness  with  which  the  apostle 
introduces  the  fact  and  the  fruit  of  God's  great  love^ 
a  love  that  quickens  us  from  the  death  of  sin,  and 
raises  us  purified  to  the  heavenly  fellowship  of 
Christ.  It  reveals  the  riches  of  his  wisdom  and 
power  as  subordinated  to  the  supreme  purpose  of 
mercy  in  achieving  "  his  kindness  toward  us  through 
Christ  Jesus."     B. 


420 


SECTION  S98.—EPEESIANS  2  : 1-22. 


5.  By  ^ace  ye  are  saved.  "  The  doctrines 
of  grace  "  is  the  best  name  tliat  can  be  given  to  that 
system  of  truth  distinguished  from  all  other  by  the 
deep  impression  it  has  ever  made,  and  the  incal- 
culable importance  its  recipients  ever  attached  to  it 
— the  tenacious  truth,  ever  holding  its  own,  ever 
recovering  from  attack,  and  from  which  all  diver- 
gencies have  ever  wandered  more  and  more  until 
lost  in  the  utter  darkness  of  atheistic  infidelity. 
This  was  its  essential  orthodoxy:  a  great  perdition 
from  which  to  be  rescued,  a  great  and  most  real 
peril  to  man,  a  great  salvation,  a  great  and  divine 
Saviour.  Grace  is  the  significant  word — grace  as 
distinct  from  every  idea  that  ever  springs  from  any 
mere  earthly  thinking.  Man  ruined  by  himself,  and 
saved  by  God ;  lost  in  Adam,  found  in  Christ.  Here 
has  been  the  Church,  the  visible  Church — visible  in 
the  light  of  this  Word.  With  this  Church  we 
should  love  to  be  in  communion,  to  agree  with  it  in 
doctrine,  to  interpret  by  it  and  with  it  the  Word  of 
God.     T.  L. 

6.  What  hope  for  single  souls  or  for  the  woi-ld 
in  the  knowledge  that  Christ  was  good,  or  in  the 
belief  that  he  had  gone  up  on  high  ?  The  eyes  that 
have  grown  wan  with  waiting  will  have  no  light  of 
hope  kindled  in  them  by  such  a  gospel  as  that.  But 
bid  them  look,  languid  and  weary  as  they  are,  to  him 
who  is  lifted  up,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him 
should  not  perish — that  vision  will  give  to  the  still 
loftier  sight  of  Christ  on  the  throne  its  true  mean- 
ing, as  not  a  barren  triumph  for  himself  alone,  but 
as  victory  for  us — ^yea,  our  victory  in  him.  If  we 
can  say,  "  God  hath  quickened  us  together,"  then  we 
can  add,  "  and  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made 
us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Jesus  Christ." 
A.  M. Believers  are  in  Christ,  so  as  to  be  par- 
takers in  all  that  He  docs,  and  has,  and  is.  They 
died  with  him,  and  rose  with  him,  and  live  with  him, 
and  in  him  are  seated  in  heavenly  places.  When 
the  eye  of  God  looks  on  them  they  are  found  in 
Christ,  and  there  is  no  condemnation  to  those  that 
are  in  Him,  and  they  are  righteous  in  his  righteous- 
ness, and  loved  with  the  love  which  rests  on  him, 
and  are  sons  of  God  in  his  sonship,  and  heirs  with 
him  of  his  inheritance,  and  are  soon  to  be  glorified 

with  him  in  his  glory.     T.  D.  B. Assuming  the 

human,  not  the  angelic  nature,  and  glorifying  it  with 
the  robe  of  a  holy  resurrection  and  immortality.  He 
carried  it  above  all  heavens,  above  all  choirs  of 
angels,  above  the  cherubim  and  seraphim,  placing  it 
at  God's  right  hand.  There  it  is  praised  by  angels, 
adored  by  dominions,  and  all  the  powers  of  heaven 
bow  before  the  God-man  above  them.  This  human 
nature  is  my  whole  hope  and  all  my  confidence.  For 
in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself  is  a  portion  of 
each  one  of  us,  flesh  and  blood.  Where,  therefore, 
a  portion  of  me  is  reigning,  there  I  believe  that  I 


shall  reign  myself.  Where  my  flesh  is  glorified, 
there  I  know  that  I  shall  be  glorious.     Aug. 

Together  in  Christ.  Shall  we  meet  friends 
again  so  as  to  know  them,  or  shaXX  they  not  be  sepa- 
rated from  us  by  the  vast  expanses  of  that  world, 
and  by  the  varied  courses  they  may  have  to  pursue  ? 
We  may  have  our  thoughts  about  these  things  tran- 
quil ized,  if  we  bring  them  into  connection  with 
Christ.  Our  eternal  life  begins  in  union  with  Him, 
and  it  must  for  ever  so  continue.  If  we  are  gath- 
ered round  Him  in  heaven,  and  know  him,  and  are 
known  of  him,  this  will  insure  acquaintance  with 
one  another.  It  is  strange  that  it  ever  could  be 
made  matter  of  doubt.  And  when  we  think  that  he 
gave  us  human  hearts  and  took  one  into  his  own 
breast — that  he  bestowed  on  us  human  homes  and 
affections,  and  solaced  himself  with  them — we  need 
not  fear  that  he  will  deny  us  our  heart's  wish,  where 
it  is  natural  and  good.     Kcr. 

7.  Riches  of  grace*  It  is  a  figure  under 
which  he  seems  to  delight  in  describing  them.  The 
Lord,  he  says,  is  "  rich  in  mercy  " ;  he  is  "  rich  unto 
all  that  call  upon  him."  He  tells  us  of  "the  riches 
of  his  goodness,"  "  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace," 
"the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ."  The  gospel 
which  proclaims  his  mercy  he  calls  "  a  treasure," 
and  says  that  in  it,  or  rather  in  that  Saviour  of 
whom  it  testifies,  "  are  hidden  all  the  treasures  of 

wisdom  and  knowledge."     C.  B. Forgiveness  is 

according  to  the  riches  of  God's  grace,  wherein  he 
has  abounded  toward  us  in  all  wisdom  and  prudence. 
Grace  can  continue  to  pardon,  favor,  and  save — from 
falls,  in  falls,  and  out  of  falfs.  Grace  can  comfort, 
relieve,  and  help  those  that  have  hurt  themselves ; 
and  grace  can  bring  the  unworthy  to  glory.  This  the 
law  can  not  do,  man  can  not  do,  angels  can  not  do ; 
this  God  can  not  do  but  only  by  the  riches  of  his 
grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ 
Jesus.     Bun. 

8.  Through  faith.  Faith  is  the  hand  by 
which  we  seize  the  pardon,  the  promises,  the  love 
of  the  Father ;  and  the  providing  us  with  this  spirit- 
ual hand  forms  the  second  miracle  of  grace.  Grace 
is  therefore  the  cause,  the  source  of  salvation ; 
faith  is  only  the  means,  or,  if  you  will,  there  are 
two  graces :  one  which  is  performed  out  of  us,  and 
which  the  apostle  calls  simply  grace,  and  another 
which  is  accomplished  in  us,  and  which  the  apostle 
calls  faith.  In  principle  grace  is  one  ;  but  it  has 
different  moments,  different  places,  different  forms. 
There  are  several  gifts,  but  the  whole  is  gift. 
Grace  out  of  us,  grace  in  us ;  such  is  the  Gospel. 

A.  V. Though  a  gift  of  God,  faith  is  withal  an 

act  or  habit  of  the  human  mind  ;  like  every  other 
virtue,  it  is  on  the  one  hand  a  boon  of  heaven,  on 
the  other,  the  exercise  of  unfettered  human  agency 
— it  is  the  natural  result  of  evidence  duly  and  im- 


SECTION  298.—EPEESIAN'S  2  : 1-i 


421 


'partially  considered,  and  no  man  can  be  guiltless 
who  willfully  turns  away  from  the  contemplation  of 
that  evidence.     W.  R.  W. 

Faith  as  the  gift  of  God  is  not  the  Saviour,  as 
our  act  doth  merit,  nothing/  Faith  was  not  the 
cause  that  God  gave  Christ,  neither  is  it  the  cause 
why  God  converts  men  to  Christ ;  but  faith  is  a 
gift  bestowed  upon  us  by  the  gracious  God,  the 
nature  of  which  is  to  lay  hold  on  Christ,  whom  God 
before  did  give  for  a  ransom  to  redeem  sinners. 
If  we  speak  properly,  it  was  God's  grace  that  moved 
him  to  give  Christ  a  ransom  for  sinners,  and  the 
same  God  with  the  same  grace  that  doth  give  to 
the  soul  faith  to  believe  and  by  believing  to  close 
in  with  him  whom  God  out  of  his  love  and  pity  did 
send  into  the  world  to  save  sinners  ;  so  that  all  the 
works  of  the  creature  are  shut  out  as  to  justifica- 
tion and  life,  and  men  are  saved  freely  by  grace. 

Bun. It  is  indeed  Jesus  Christ  who  is  the  object 

of  faith,  and  he  has  been  made  of  God  wisdom,  and 
righteousness,  and  sanctification,  and  redemption ; 
all  of  these  jointly,  and  none  of  them  severally. 
But  all  these  together  constitute  grace.  To  have 
faith  is  to  believe  all  those  things  of  which  the 
center  and  the  source  is  Jesus  Christ  crucified. 
Under  the  name  of  grace,  therefore,  it  is  Jesus 
Christ,  and  Jesus  Christ  wholly,  that  we  have  set 
forth  as  the  object  of  faith ;  not  merely  his  God- 
head, but  his  humanity ;  not  merely  his  death,  but 
his  life  ;  not  merely  his  doctrine,  but  his  example ; 
not  merely  his  sacrifice,  but  his  glory  ;  for  it  is  by 
all  these  things  united,  without  excepting  any  or 
diminishing  any,  that  Christ  Jesus  is  our  Saviour. 
A.  V. 

9.  Not  of  works.  It  is  not  by  a  painful 
coimting  up  of  duties  undone,  and  sins  committed, 
and  by  a  resolving  ever  so  earnestly  to  be  more 
careful  in  all  these  things  for  the  time  to  come,  that 
we  can  be  saved  ;  "  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  shall  no 
flesh  be  justified."  Much  less  is  it  by  a  fond  trust  in 
outward  rites  and  ceremonies,  or  the  belonging  to 
what  is  in  such  a  sense  most  falsely  called  Christ's 
holy  church.  We  must  belong  to  Christ's  church 
through  Him,  to  that  church  which  will  be  his  for 
ever,  not  to  him  through  his  church.  Salvation  is 
not  in  even  the  most  faithful  church  which  ever  fol- 
lowed its  Lord,  but  in  Ilim  only.     T.  A. 

10.  His  workmanship.  There  is  no  mo- 
ment of  life  in  which  some  part  of  the  work  is  not 
going  on  under  the  hand  of  the  new-creative  power. 
In  the  hands  of  God,  who  carries  out  his  perfect 
and  loving  idea,  it  is  Faith  which,  by  a  patient  and 
perpetual  energy,  operates  with  ten  thousand  sepa- 
rate shaping  influences  of  Truth,  all  carrying  for- 
ward  the  living  sculpture,  and  bringing  out  the 
eventual  form  of  holy  grace,  which  shall  be  the 
everlasting  delight  of  angels  and  of  God,    J,  "W,  A. 


That  we  should  walk  in  them.     The  law 

has  said,  "  Do  these  things,  and  live,"  but  the  lan- 
guage of  the  gospel  is,  "  Live,  and  do  these  things." 
The  gospel  declares  that  we  are  saved,  not  by  our 
works,  but  before  our  works.  It  gives  rest  and  en- 
largement to  the  heart.  Conquered  by  gratitude, 
the  believer  is  seized  with  a  desire  to  do  everything 
for  Him  who  hath  first  loved  him,  and  given  himself 
for  him.  The  law  will  become  to  him  more  dear 
and  sacred.  But  he  will  observe  it  in  another 
spirit — as  the  law  of  love,  as  the  law  of  a  Father 
and  a  Saviour.  It  will  no  longer  be  necessary  to 
say  to  him.  In  the  name  of  your  eternal  interests, 
in  the  name  of  the  terrors  of  the  judgment,  do  this 
and  live ;  because  his  eternal  interests  have  been 
provided  for,  and  the  sentence  which  condemns  him 
has  been  nailed  to  the  cross.  But  it  will  be  said  to 
him,  "  Walk  in  good  works,  for  which  ye  were  cre- 
ated in  Christ  Jesus."    A.  V. 

If  we  live  a  dumb,  unpositive  life,  under  the 
power  of  the  world,  selfish  still  as  before,  and  self- 
pursuing;  if  the  old  man  is  not  crucified,  and  the 
new  man,  Christ,  is  certainly  not  being  formed 
within,  then  our  profession  signifies  nothing  but 
the  mere  respectability  of  our  sin.  What  is  our 
supposed  piety  but  this,  if  it  have  no  spiritual  and 
inwardly  transforming  power?  Christ  is  redemp- 
tion only  as  he  actually  redeems  and  delivers  our 
nature  from  sin.  If  he  is  not  the  law  and  spring  of 
a  new  spirit  of  life,  he  is  nothing.     H.  B. 

11-33.  The  commonwealth  of  Israel  was  the 
outward  type  of  that  spiritual  community  of  which 
God  is  the  head,,  and  in  which  holiness  is  the  life. 
The  Gentiles,  who  followed  other  gods,  were  aliens 
from  that  commonwealth,  and  could  have  no  part 
in  its  promises  or  blessings.  But  when  the  Jews 
had  begun  to  boast  this  as  their  salvation,  the  walls 
of  the  material  city  were  broken  down,  and  the  true 
spiritual  Jerusalem  came  forth  as  the  household  of 
God,  embracing  all  believers.  This  commonwealth 
has  its  temple;  a  temple  built  of  living  stones. 
The  prophets,  who  had  taught  of  the  coming  of 
Christ,  and  the  apostles,  who  witnessed  for  his  doc- 
trine, his  death,  and  his  resurrection,  joined  in  lay- 
ing their  faith  upon  Christ  himself  as  the  chief  cor- 
ner-stone. On  that  same  foundation  all  true  be- 
lievers are  established ;  in  that  same  faith  they  are 
builded  together,  so  that,  without  distinction  of 
name,  race,  or  country,  all  who  believe  constitute 
one  household,  in  which  God  himself  abides,  per- 
vading every  heart  with  his  Spirit.     J.  P.  T. 

13.  No  hope.  Let  a  night  be  never  so  dark 
or  tempestuous,  yet  the  hope  of  the  morning  is  a 
mercy  and  a  light.  How  sick,  then,  they  who  are 
hopeless.  Everlastingness  is  the  sting  and  poison 
of  all  miseries ;  it  is,  indeed,  the  sting  of  hell. 
Heaven  is  a  day  that  shall  never  see  any  approaches 


422 


SECTION  208.—EPEESIANS  2  :  1-22. 


of  night.  Hell  is  a  night  that  shall  never  see  any 
dawning  of  day.     Caryl. 

"  Without  God  in  the  world."  Think  what  a 
description,  and  applicable  to  individuals  without 
number !  If  it  had  been  "  without  friends,  without 
shelter,  without  food,"  that  would  have  had  a  gloomy 
sound ;  but  "  without  God"  !  Without  Him !  that  is, 
in  no  happy  relation  to  him  who  is  the  very  origin, 
support,  and  life  of  all  things;  without  him  who 
can  make  good  flow  to  his  creatures  from  an  infinity 
of  sources ;  without  him  whose  favor  possessed  is 
the  best,  the  sublimest  of  all  delights,  all  triumphs, 
all  glories ;  without  him  who  can  confer  an  eternal 
felicity !  We  fall  unspeakably  below  the  true  and 
dreadful  emphasis  of  the  expression,  after  we  have 
given  our  utmost  aggravation  to  its  significance. 
And  still  it  is  but  the  description  of  an  actual  con- 
dition. The  description  belong^  to  that  state  of 
mind  in  which  there  is  no  communion  with  him, 
maintained  or  even  sought  with  cordial  aspiration ; 
no  pouring  out  of  the  soul  in  fervent  desires  for  his 
illuminations,  his  compassion,  his  forgiveness,  his 
transforming  operations ;  no  earnest,  penitential, 
hopeful  pleading  in  the  name  of  the  glorious  Inter- 
cessor; no  solemn,  affectionate  dedication  of  the 
whole  being ;  no  animation  and  vigor  obtained  for 
the  labors  and  the  warfare  of  a  Christian  life.    J.  F. 

14.  He  is  our  peace.  "  He  has  made  peace 
through  the  blood  of  his  cross."  That  which  makes 
peace,  and  which  gives  peace,  has  been  finished  and 
perfected  in  Him  upon  the  cross.  Peace  is  not  a 
thing  to  be  made  by  -us.  It  was  made  by  Him.  He 
finished  the  reconciling  work,  the  peace-making  work, 
eighteen  hundred  years  ago.     It  is  done.     Bonar. 

Our  communion  may  be  subject  to  sad  alterna 

tions  of  warmth  and  coldness ;  our  love  may  burn 
strongly  to-day  and  feebly  to-morrow.  But  that 
does  not  change  our  real  standing  before  God.  We 
can  not  now  be  in  a  state  of  justification  and  now 
out  of  it.  As  God  has  put  the  terms  of  salvation 
so  high  that  we  could  not  of  ourselves  make  them, 
so  he  has  put  our  title-deeds  to  salvation  so  high 
that  we  may  not  mar  them,  having  hidden  them 
"  with  Christ  in  God."  As  Rutherford  says,  "  Un- 
belief may  perhaps  tear  the  copies  of  the  covenant 
which  Christ  hath  given  you ;  but  he  still  keeps  the 
original  in  heaven  ivith  himself.  Your  doubts  and 
fears  are  no  part  of  the  covenant,  neither  can  they 
change  Christ.'''  If  Christ  is  the  complete  and  only 
reason  of  our  acceptance,  must  there  not  be  some 
greater  reason  for  our  rejection  than  our  doubts  and 
misgivings  ?  If  "  in  Christ  Jesus  we  who  sometime 
were  afar  off  are  made  nigh,"  will  it  not  take  some- 
thing more  than  our  distrust  and  despair  to  remove 
us  far  off  again,  and  set  us  among  aliens  and  stran- 
gers ?     A.  J.  G. 

Made   both  one.     Four  thousand  years  of 


Jewish  and  Gentile  self-righteousness  had  proved 
that  there  is  no  self-recovering  power  in  humanity 
alone.  That  power  must  be  lodged  in  a  Person  who 
has  in  him  both  of  the  estranged  natures  that  are 
to  be  reconciled  to  each  other ;  it  must  be  a  media- 
tion between  an  everlasting  law  of  purity  and  right 
which  every  man  is  concerned  in  having  kept  honor- 
able and  inviolate,  and  the  weak  but  repenting  soul 
which  has  violated  its  commandment ;  it  must  be  a 
suffering  so  free  and  so  glorious  in  its  charity  that 
it  shall  be  a  bond  of  union  between  believers, 
mightier  than  the  wall  of  partition  which  it  broke 
down.  Beyond  all  the  blessings  of  the  Saviour's 
life  among  men  was  the  mediatorial  mercy  and  recon- 
ciliation of  his  death.  So  runs  the  teaching  and 
testimony  of  the  gospel  from  first  to  last.     F.  D.  H. 

The  death  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  being  every  way 

powerful  for  reconcilement  and  union,  did  not  only 
break  the  partition  wall  of  guiltiness  that  stood  be- 
twixt God  and  man,  but  the  wall  of  ceremonies  that 
stood  betwixt  the  Jews  and  Gentiles ;  made  all  that 
believe  one  with  God,  and  made  of  both  one — united 
them  one  to  another.  Christ's  work  in  the  world  was 
union.  He  began  the  union  in  the  wonderful  union 
made  in  his  person  that  was  to  work  it — made  God 
and  man  one.  And  by  what  he  performed  the  per- 
sons of  men  are  united  to  God.  Faith  makes  them 
one  with  Christ,  and  he  makes  them  one  with  the 
Father ;  and  from  these  results  oneness  among  them- 
selves, concentering  and  meeting  in  Jesus  Christ; 
and  in  the  Father,  through  him,  they  are  made  one 
together.  And  that  this  was  his  great  work  we  may 
read  in  his  prayer,  where  it  is  the  burden  and  great 
request  that  they  may  be  one  as  toe  are  one. 

16.  He  hath  reconciled  us  by  his  cross,  hav'mg 
slain  the  enmity  ;  he  killed  the  quarrel  betwixt  God 
and  us ;  killed  it  by  his  death.  He  thus  brings  the 
parties  together,  and  hath  laid  a  sure  foundation  of 
agreement  in  his  own  sufferings ;  appeases  his  Fa- 
ther's wrath  by  them,  and  by  the  same  appeases  the 
sinner's  conscience.  All  that  God  hath  to  say  in 
point  of  justice  is  answered  there ;  all  that  the  poor 
humbled  sinner  hath  to  say  is  answered  too.  He 
hath  offered  up  such  an  atonement  as  satisfies  the 
Father ;  so  he  is  content  that  sinners  come  in  and 
be  reconciled.     L. 

18.  The  entire  Trinity  is  bound  up  in  prayer. 
To  the  Father  the  petition  is  offered.  Through  the 
Son's  mediation,  and  through  his  intercession,  it  is 
rendered  acceptable.  From  the  Spirit's  instigation 
it  took  its  rise,  and  by  the  Spirit  helping  our  infirmi- 
ties, and  making  intercession  within  us  with  groan- 
ings  which  can  not  be  uttered,  it  is  ultimately 
brought  to  the  birth.  And  so  it  is  written, "  Tlirough 
Him  we  have  access  by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father." 

E.  M.  G. 1  behold  in  my  once-crucified  Piedeemer 

a  glorious  Mediator.     Seeing  that  I  have  such  a 


SECTIOI^  299.—EPHESIAKS  3  : 1-21. 


423 


High  Priest  iu  the  heavens,  one  so  merciful  and 
gracious — one  who  has  shared  my  griefs  and  carried 
my  sorrows ;  one  who  in  his  unparalleled  misery 
never  forgot  my  wants,  and  who  now,  in  his  wonder- 
ful joy,  is  still  touched  with  a  feeUng  of  my  infirmi- 
ties— I  now  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace. 
I  cry,  Abba,  Father ;  I  feel  at  a  Father's  feet,  and 
am  at  rest.     C.  B. 

20-23.  In  other  places  the  individual  believer 
is  represented  as  a  temple  of  God  ;  but  here,  by  a 
change  of  figure  which  beautifully  and  expressively 
brings  forward  the  fellowship,  multitude,  and  union 
of  believers,  the  whole  are  set  before  us  as  com- 
pacted into  one  perfect  structure.  The  stones  are 
no  longer  masses  of  granite,  marble,  or  porphyry, 
but  men,  redeemed  and  sanctified,  and  hereafter  to 
be  perfected  and  glorified.  Every  saint  has  his  ap- 
pointed place.  The  temple  comprises  all  the  right- 
eous, who  have  been,  arc,  and  shall  be  to  the  end 
of  time.  It  was  meet  that  the  Son  of  God  should 
take  humanity  in  order  that  he  might  be  the  foun- 
dation of  this  human  temple.  It  rests  on  him  for 
its  coherence,  beauty,  grandeur,  and  very  existence. 
Its  walls  are  cemented  by  his  precious  blood.  Every 
lively  stone  in  the  pile  bears  his  image,  and  is  fash- 


ioned after  the  headstone  of  the  comer.  His  truth 
is  the  basis  of  all  faith  in  the  Church.  His  right- 
eousness is  the  ground  of  all  pardon,  acceptance, 
and  title  to  life.  His  Spirit  prepares  and  adorns 
each  individual  member,  brings  him  into  the  struc- 
ture, and  keeps  him  there.  Each  soul,  and  all  con- 
joined, rest  and  rely  on  Jesus  Christ  alone  as  the 
source  of  strength,  union,  and  perfection.  J.  W.  A. 
20.  Absolutely,  Christ  is  called  the  foundation 
of  the  Church,  besides  which  no  other  can  be  laid  ; 
but,  in  a  secondary  or  relative  sense,  so  are  the 
apostles  also,  whom  Christ  uses  as  his  instruments. 
Hence  it  is  said  of  the  saints,  that  they  "  are  built 
upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets, 
Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  corner-stone  "  ; 
and  hence  the  twelve  foundations  of  the  New  Jeru- 
salem bear  the  names  of  the  twelve  apostles  of  the 

Lamb  (Rev.  21  :  14).     P.  S. To  the  Christians  at 

Ephesus,  dwelling  under  the  shadow  of  the  great 
temple  of  Diana,  and  daily  seeing  its  outward  gran- 
deur, the  allusions  in  this  Epistle  to  that  mystic 
building,  of  which  Christ  was  the  corner-stone,  the 
apostles  the  foundations,  and  himself  and  his  fel- 
low Christians  portions  of  the  august  superstructure, 
must  have  spoken  with  a  force,  an  appropriateness, 
and  a  reassuring  depth  of  teaching  that  can  not  be 
overestimated.     S. 


Section  299. 

Ephesiaxs  iii.  1-21. 

1  For  this  cause  I  Paul,  the  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ  for  you  Gentiles,  if  ye  have  heard  of 

2  the  dispensation  of  the  grace  of  God  which  is  given  me  to  you-ward  :  how  that  Ly  revela- 

3  tion  he  made  known  unto  me  the  mystery ;  (as  I  wrote  afore  in  few  words,  whereby,  when 

4  ye  read,  ye  may  understand  my  knowledge  in  the  mystery  of  Christ)  which  in  other  ages 

5  was  not  made  known  unto  the  sons  of  men,  as  it  is  now  revealed  imto  his  holy  apostles  and 

6  prophets  by  the  Spirit ;  that  the  Gentiles  should  be  fellowheirs,  and  of  the  same  body,  and 
1  partakers  of  his  promise  in  Christ  by  the  gospel :  whereof  I  was  made  a  minister,  according 

to  the  gift  of  the  grace  of  God  given  unto  me  by  the  effectual  working  of  his  power. 

8  Fnto  me,  who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints,  is  this  grace  given,  that  I  should  preach 

9  among  the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ;  and  to  make  all  men  see  what  is  the 
fellowship  of  the  mystery,  which  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  hath  been  hid  in  God, 

10  who  created  all  things  by  Jesus  Christ :  to  the  intent  that  now  unto  the  principalities  and 
powers   in   heavenly  places  might  be  known  by  the  church  the  manifold  wisdom  of 

11  God,  according  to  the  eternal  purpose  which  he  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord :  in 

12  whom  we  have  boldness  and  access  with  confidence  by  the  faith  of  him.     "Wherefore  I  desire 

13  that  ye  faint  not  at  my  tribulations  for  you,  whicli  is  your  glory.     For  this  cause  I  bow  my 

14  knees  unto  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and 

15  earth  is  named,  that  he  would  grant  you,  according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory,  to  be  strength- 

16  ened  with  might  by  his  Spirit  in  the  inner  man;  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by 

17  faith;  that  ye,  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  maybe  able  to  comprehend  with  all 

18  saints  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and  height ;  and  to  know  the  love  of 

19  Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge,  that  ye  might  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God.     iSTow 

20  unto  him  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask  or  think,  according 

21  to  the  power  that  worketh  in  us,  unto  him  le  glory  in  the  church  by  Christ  Jesus  through- 
out all  ages,  world  without  end.     Amen. 


"  That  ye  may  be  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,"  says  the  apostle — grounded  on  it,  as  the  temple  on 
the  base ;  rooted  in  it,  as  the  tree  in  the  soil,  to  which  it  is  attached  by  myriad  tics,  and  from  which  it 


^24 


SECTION  299.—EPHESIANS  3  : 1-21. 


drinks  its  nourishing  life.  Every  pillar,  and  wall,  and  arch,  and  spire  in  the  personal  attainment  will 
then  manifest  the  permanence  and  reveal  the  uplifting  and  molding  power  of  this  love  which  is  beneath. 
Every  branch,  and  bloom,  and  leaf,  and  fruit  in  the  complex  character  will  exhibit  the  beauty  and  throb 
with  the  life  of  this  permeating  force.  How  essential  and  how  immense  the  change  which  is  thus  pre- 
figured as  the  anticipated  fruit  of  the  gospel  in  each  who  receives  it !  A  change  in  the  outward  habit  not 
only,  or  in  the  intellectual  views  and  beliefs,  but  in  the  sovereign  passion  of  the  heart ;  a  change  not 
transient,  but  enduring  as  life ;  not  limited  in  its  influence,  but  extending  in  the  force  that  radiates  from 
it  to  all  the  powers,  and  even  to  each  particular  of  the  conduct ;  a  change  that  will  shed  through  the  soul 
itself,  and  through  the  activity  in  which  that  is  expressed,  the  inspiration  of  such  a  love  as  breathed 
throughout  the  works  and  words  of  Christ,  and  was  uttered  with  absolute  energy  in  his  cross ;  of  such  as 
reigns  eternally  in  God,  the  source  of  his  felicity,  and  the  moral  ground  of  his  dominion.  Christianity 
proposes  to  take  the  humblest  man — ignorant,  weak,  sinful,  condemned,  darkened  in  mind,  vitiated  in 
heart,  and  inwardly  severed  from  goodness  and  from  God — and  to  make  him  that  which  Paul  prefigured, 
which  Paul  now  is.  It  is  to  make  Christ  dwell  within  him ;  to  ground  and  root  his  character  in  love ;  to 
fill  him  in  spirit  with  all  that  is  divine  unto  the  fullness  of  God  himself!  How  necessary /az7A  in  the 
Divine  Master  as  the  means  by  which  the  soul  in  man  shall  open  to  and  appropriate  these  heavenly  trea- 
sures, and  make  them  all  at  last  its  own  !  Not  faith  in  teachers,  faith  in  opinions,  faith  in  a  church  ;  we 
need  for  this  that  faith  in  Christ  which  he  demanded  ;  which  apostles  proclaimed  the  condition  in  each  of 
the  life  everlasting;  which  is  the  element  of  victory  on  earth,  of  serenity  in  death,  and  of  the  vision  that 
comes  beyond.     R.  S.  S.  


1-21.  The  Aim  and  End  of  the  CImrcli  in  the 
Spirit. — Mainly  set  forth  in  the  revelation  to  it  of 
the  mystery  of  Christ,  through  the  ministry,  work- 
ing in  the  Spirit ;  and  primarily  as  regarded  these 
Ephesians  by  himself.  Thus:  1.  Of  his  office  as 
apostle  of  the  Gentiles  (vs.  1-13).  2.  Under  the 
form  of  a  prayer  for  them,  of  the  aim  and  end  of 
that  office  as  respected  the  Church ;  its  becoming 
strong  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit  (vs.  14-19).  Then 
(vs.  20,  21)  a  doxology  concludes  this  first  portion  of 
the  Epistle.     A. 

8.  The  apostle  declares  he  was  commissioned  as 
an  ambassador  from  God  to  proclaim  "  among  the 
Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ " ;  to  tell 
them  of  the  justice,  the  judgment,  the  mercy,  and 
love  of  God ;  of  the  justice  that  pronounces  sentence 
on  sinners,  but  which  Christ  has  satisfied ;  of  the 
judgment  that  is  to  be  executed  on  them,  but  which 
Christ  has  borne ;  of  the  mercy  that  they  have  for 
ever  forfeited,  but  which  Christ  has  purchased  for 
them ;  to  tell  them  of  the  wisdom  that  devised,  the 
faithfulness  that  carried  out,  and  the  love  that 
began,  continued,  and  carries  on  the  glorious  plan  of 
salvation  for  a  guilty  world ;  and  call  them  thus  to 
turn  from  their  idols  and  their  vanities  to  serve  the 

living  God.    IP  Ghee. As  he  turns  from  gazing  at 

the  page  of  his  commisiion,  on  which  a  single  name 
fills  all  with  its  radiance,  the  name  of  Jesus,  to  look 
at  what  he  was,  what  he  is,  he  is  amazed  and  over- 
whelmed that  such  a  one  as  he  should  have  this 
honor.  He  looks  at  the  treasure  of  which  he  is  a 
steward,  the  Ridics  of  Christ,  well  so  called ;  riches 
of  his  nature,  of  his  grace,  of  his  atonement,  of  that 
love  which  passcth  knowledge ;  riches  of  its  conse- 
quences, in  the  wealthy  bliss  of  millions  of  over- 
flowing vessels  of  mercy.  Unsearchable  riches  !  in- 
calculable in  number,  in  height,  in  depth.  A  river 
of  life  flowing  from  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the 


Lamb,  unsearchable  in  its  sovereign  source,  immea- 
surable and  unfathomable  in  its  ocean  flow.  J.  W.  A. 
10.  "  By  the  Church,"  said  the  apostle — and 
remember  that  he  was  writing  to  the  poor  converts 
of  the  earliest  century,  very  imperfect  in  their  char- 
acter, very  limited  in  their  influence,  who  were  gath- 
ered at  Ephesus  and  the  various  near  commercial 
cities — "  by  the  Church,"  made  up  of  the  ignorant 
and  the  weak,  of  slaves  and  of  the  outcast — "  by 
the  Church  may  be  made  known" — made  known  to 
whom?  to  the  world  around  it?  Nay,  verily!  "by 
the  Church  may  be  made  known  to  principalities  and 
powers  in  heavenly  places  the  manifold  wisdom  of 
God  "  !  And,  however  humble  the  Church  may  be, 
by  its  agency  in  bringing  men  to  Christ — through  its 
ministry  of  the  truth,  when  that  is  accompanied  by 
the  grace  of  the  Highest — the  manifold  wisdom  of 
the  Creator  is  revealed,  even  to  angels  in  heavenly 
places ;  is  so  revealed  as  it  could  not  be  in  all  the 
wonders  of  creation  and  all  the  mighty  order  of 
Providence.     R.  S.  S. 

TJnto  principalities  and  powers.  Con- 
ceive of  them  as  spectators  of  the  fall  and  the  first 
measures  of  God  for  the  restoration  of  man.  Some- 
thing yet  remains  in  this  world-history  to  satisfy 
these  minds,  for  which  they  wait  in  faith.  At  length 
the  full  solution  comes,  in  Christ  incarnate  and  suf- 
fering. Now  they  burst  into  rapturous  joy  and 
learn  new  wisdom,  and  become  more  faithful  to 
righteousness,  as  they  see  the  mystery  of  grace  un- 
folded.   T.  D.  W. The  manifold  wisdom  of 

God.  Heaven  can  not  lack  for  evidences  of  the 
divine  wisdom ;  but,  if  it  would  see  this  attribute  in 
its  glory,  it  must  come  down  to  earth.  Justice  vin- 
dicated, and  mercy  triumphant ;  sin  punished,  and 
the  sinner  saved ;  heaven  bestowed  upon  the  guilty 


SECTION  299.—EPHESIAN'S  3  :  1-21. 


425 


tand  the  vile,  and  the  recipient  not  elated,  but  hum- 
bled ;  Satan  vanquished  by  the  seed  of  the  woman ; 
death  turned  into  a  fountain  of  life ;  the  cross  not 
merely  transfigured  into  the  brightest  crown  of  the 
Son  of  God,  but  multiplied  into  as  many  such  crowns 
as  there  will  be  ransomed  sinners  in  heaven — ^this 
is  the  wisdom  which  streams  forth  from  redemption, 
and  bathes  cherubim  and  seraphim,  no  less  than 
man,  with  its  splendors.     11.  A.  B. 

12.  Access  with  confidence.  What  we  all 
of  us  need  to  learn  more  is  how  to  walk  with  God 
hour  by  hour  as  a  man  with  his  friend ;  not  so  much 
_  to  be  continually  going  in  and  out  of  his  presence 
as  to  be  always  living  in  it,  without  effort  thinking 
of  him,  without  insincerity  consulting  him,  with- 
out hesitation  obeying  him,  without  embarrassment 
speaking  of  him.  Surely  he  prefers  the  simple 
trustfulness  of  kinsfolk  to  the  distant  homage  of 
strangers ;  and  if  we  made  it  more  out  endeavor  to 
bring  every  thought,  every  word,  every  habit,  every 
employment,  every  recreation,  every  commonest  act 
of  life  into  captivity  to  Christ,  and  so  into  harmony 
and  fellowship  with  him,  it  would  not  violently  in- 
terrupt us,  as  it  often  does,  to  lay  down  the  task  of 
the  moment,  to  hold  intercourse  with  Him.    A.  W.  T. 

Verse  15  should  read,  "  from  whom  every  family 
in  heaven  and  on  earth."  It  is  very  difficult  to  con- 
vey in  English  the  apostle's  meaning,  which  depends 
on  a  similarity  of  words  in  the  original ;  the  word 
for  family  (patria)  being  derived  from  that  for  fa- 
ther [pater) ;  that  heavenly  Pater,  from  whom  every 
patria  in  heaven  and  on  earth  derives  its  name  and 

its  laws  of  being.    A. In  heaven  and  earth. 

The  difference  betwixt  us  and  them  is,  not  that  we 
are  really  two,  but  one  body  in  Christ,  in  divers 
places.  True,  we  are  below  stairs,  and  they  above  ; 
they  in  their  holiday,  and  we  in  our  working-day 
clothes ;  they  in  harbor,  but  we  in  the  storm ;  they 
at  rest,  but  we  in  the  wilderness ;  they  singing,  as 
crowned  with  joy,  we  crying,  as  crowned  with  thorns. 
But  we  are  all  of  one  house,  one  family,  and  are  all 
the  children  of  one  Father.     Bun. 

16-19.  This  wondrous  prayer  of  the  apostle 
opens  to  us  the  infinite  possibilities  of  the  life  of 
faith.  Beginning  by  resting  the  soul  in  Christ  as 
the  source  of  its  life,  faith  rises  above  the  range  of 
human  wisdom,  and  looks  into  the  mysteries  of  re- 
demption, which  only  the  mind  of  God  could  unveil ; 
and  with  this  unfolding  of  spiritual  knowledge 
comes  an  expansion  of  love,  which,  grow  as  it  may, 
is  continually  filled  and  satisfied  with  the  fullness 
of  love  that  flows  from  the  infinite  Father.     J.  P.  T. 

16.  By  his  Spirit.  Careful  walking  is  pro- 
duced only  by  the  Holy  Spirit ;  that  sweet  and  lov- 
ing Spirit  who  can  bend  our  will,  or  rather  lift  it 
up  and  direct  it  toward  his  own,  so  that  we  may 
be  able  truly  to  understand,  fervently  to  love,  and 


effectually  to    fulfill    that  will   of   his.      Bernard. 

The   two   great  needs   of   our   condition    and 

nature  arc  met  by  the  central  provisions  of  the 
faith — the  atoning  sacrifice  and  the  sanctifying 
Spirit.  Through  these  we  are  brought  to  God  and 
made  like  Him.  We  can  be  so  raised  above  our- 
selves as  "to  pass  our  sojourning  here"  like  men 
that  "  continually  look  for  their  Lord,"  so  touching 
all  things  temporal  as  not  to  lose  sight  or  hold  of 
those  that  are  eternal.  "  Jerusalem  the  Golden " 
will  be  reached  at  last.     T.  B. 

17,  Christ  is  said  to  dwell  in  our  hearts  by 
faith.  Faith  is  seated  in  the  whole  soul,  and  ac- 
cepts of  Christ  entirely  as  pi-ophet,  priest,  and  king. 
To  those  in  whom  he  dwells,  Christ  is  made  of  God, 
wisdom,  to  cure  their  ignorance  and  folly  ;  righteous- 
ness, to  abolish  their  guilt ;  sanctification,  to  renew 
their  natures  ;  and  redemption,  to  free  them  at  last 
from  the  grave,  and  bring  them  to  glory.     Bates. 

Rooted  in  love.  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is 
love :  penitence  is  love,  bathing  the  Saviour's  feet 
with  her  tears ;  patience  is  love,  kissing  the  rod ; 
prayer  is  love,  holding  communion  with  the  Father ; 
praise  is  the  adoration  of  love ;  hope  is  the  expec- 
tation of  love  ;  joy  is  the  delight  of  love ;  heaven  is 
the  full  appreciation  of  love.  Love  is  the  bond  that 
unites  the  whole  family.  The  harmony  of  the  music 
that  fills  the  eternal  spheres  is  love ;  the  light  that 
glitters  there  is  the  light  of  love  ;  and  our  meetness 
for  heaven,  and  our  progress  toward  the  eternal  in- 
heritance, is  proportioned  to  our  being  "  rooted  and 
grounded  in  love."     iV.  Hall. 

19.  The  love  of  Christ.  Ilere  is  a  love 
that  weighs  not  our  deservings,  comes  down  to  our 
poor  estate,  asks  not  anything  that  we  have,  en- 
gages to  make  us  worthy  of  itself,  and  gives  us, 
even  what  it  exacts,  our  love  again.  Wonderful 
love !  Itself  both  our  teacher  and  our  joy — enrich- 
ing us  when  we  have  a  sense  that  we  are  poor,  as  it 
is  only  then  we  can  enjoy  gifts ;  exalting  us  when 
we  are  humble,  as  it  is  only  then  we  can  profit  by 
exaltation ;  strengthening  us  when  we  know  cur 
weakness,  as  it  is  only  then  we  will  use  his  help ; 
returning  to  us  when  we  will  return  to  him,  as  it  is 
only  then  that  he  can  bind  us  to  our  duty — such  is 
the  love  of  God  to  us,  giving  us  all  the  good  that  we 
may  safely  have,  and  making  us  the  better  for  all  he 
gives — our  example  and  our  blessedness  for  ever- 
more !     H.  H. Paul  calls  it  (v.  9)  a  mystery — a 

secret — which  had  been  hidden  from  the  foundation 
of  the  world  till  then,  and  was  then  revealed  by 
God's  Spirit ;  namely,  this  boundless  love  of  God, 
shown  by  Christ's  dying  on  the  cross.  And,  he  says, 
his  great  hope,  his  gi-eat  business,  the  thing  on 
which  his  heart  was  set,  and  which  God  had  sent 
him  in  the  world  to  do,  was  this :  to  make  people 
know  the  love  of  Christ ;  to  look  at  Christ's  cross, 


426 


SECTION  300.—EPEESIANS  4  : 1-16. 


and  take  in  its  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and 
height.  It  passes  knowledge,  he  says.  We  shall 
never  know  the  whole  of  it,  never  know  all  that 
God's  love  has  done  and  will  do ;  but,  the  more  we 
know  of  it,  the  more  blessed  and  hopeful,  the  more 
strong  and  earnest,  the  more  good  and  righteous  we 
shall  become.     C.  K. 

30.  The  apostle  does  not  say  God  is  ivilUng : 
this  was  unnecessary.  lie  turns  the  gaze  of  the 
Ephesians  upon  the  wonders  of  God's  power — God 
"  is  able  to  do  "  ;  and  connects  it  with  that  love  of 
Christ  and  fullness  of  God  of  which  he  had  just 
been  speaking.  There  is  a  little  cleft  of  heaven 
opened  to  us  by  these  words,  and  some  light  breaks 
in.  Thoughts  and  prayers  are  both  together  swal- 
lowed up  and  drowned  in  the  depths  of  God's 
power  and  goodness  ;  for  he  "  is  able  to  do  exceed- 
ing abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask  or  think." 
The  word  is  peculiar,  "  out  of  measure — surpass- 
ingly, or  transcendently,"  breaking  over  all  bounds 
of  our  comprehension.  You  will  feel  its  force  more 
when  you  take  along  with  you  the  whole  of  the 
glowing  context,  wherein  the  language  labors  in 
order  to  indicate  the  great  ideas.  We  have  to 
comprehend  the  incomprehensible,  and  to  measure 
the  immense,  and  to  sound  the  unfathomable,  "  to 
know  the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge  "  ; 
to  comprehend  with  all  saints  the  dimensions  of 
that  which  stretches  beyond  all  human  lines — the 
"  love  of  Christ."  As  the  measure  of  what  God 
will  give  is  his  power,  so  the  measure  is  the  love 
of  Christ ;  and  both  are  summed  up  in  that  amazing 
expression,  "  all  the  fullness  of  God  ! "     J.  W.  A. 

"  lie  is  able  to  do  abundantly  more,  yea,  exceed- 


ing abundantly  above  all  that  we  ask  or  think."  It, 
is  a  text  made  up  of  words  picked  and  packed  to- 
gether by  the  wisdom  of  God  ;  picked  and  packed 
together  on  purpose  for  the  succor  and  relief  of  the 
tempted  ;  that  they  may,  when  in  the  midst  of  their 
distresses,  cast  themselves  upon  the  Lord  their  God. 

Bun. Our   Heavenly   Father   always    sends  his 

children  the  things  they  ask  or  better  things.  lie 
answers  their  petitions  in  kind  or  in  kindness ; 
but,  while  we  think  only  of  ease,  he  consults  our 
profit.  We  call  for  present  comfort ;  he  considers 
our  everlasting  rest ;  and  therefore,  when  he  sends 
not  the  very  things  we  ask,  he  hears  us  by  sending 
greater  than  we  can  ask  or  think.     Cecil. 

The  power  that  Avorketh  in  us.  In  God 
to  will  is  to  act,  to  favor  is  to  bless  ;  and  thus  grace 
is  not  simply  kindly  feeling  on  the  part  of  God,  but 
a  positive  boon  conferred  on  man.  Grace  is  a  real 
agent ;  it  is  "  the  power  that  worketh  in  us,"  illumi- 
nating the  intellect,  warming  the  heart,  strengthen- 
ing the  will  of  redeemed  humanity.  It  is  the  might 
of  the  everlasting  Spirit  renovating  man  by  uniting 
him  to  the  sacred  manhood  of  the  Word  Incarnate. 
H.  P.  L. 

21.  The  apostle  strikes  a  note  of  thanksgiving 
that  is  to  be  endless  in  the  Church,  militant  and 
triumphant.  All  ages  shall  be  full  of  the  "  praise 
of  the  glory  of  his  grace."  Here  w^e  form  low  con- 
ceptions of  what  our  Heavenly  Father  is  able  to 
do ;  and  we  can  give  thanks  only  according  to  our 
knowledge  ;  but,  as  our  comprehension  of  divine 
grace  and  glory  increases,  we  shall  fall  down  on  the 
golden  pavement  in  speechless  rapture  of  gratitude. 
J.  W.  A. 


Section  300. 

Ephesians  iv.  1-16. 

1  I  THEEEFORE,  the  prisoner  of  the  Lord,  beseecli  you  that  ye  walk  worthy  of  the  vocation 

2  wherewith  ye  are  called,  with  all  lowliness  and  meekness,  with  longsufFering,  forbearing  one 

3  another  in  love;  endeavouring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.     There 

4  is  one  body,  and  one  Spirit,  even  as  ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of  your  calling;  one  Lord, 

6  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in 

7  you  all.     But  unto  every  one  of  us  is  given  grace  according  to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of 

8  Christ.     Wherefore  he  saith,  When  he  ascended  up  on  high,  he  led  captivity  captive,  and 

9  gave  gifts  unto  men.     (Now  that  he  ascended,  what  is  it  but  that  he  also  descended  first  into 

10  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth?  he  that  descended  is  the  same  also  that  ascended  up  far  above 

11  all  heavens,  that  he  might  fill  all  things.)     And  be  gave  some,  apostles;  and  some,  prophets; 
13  and  some,  evangelists;  and  some,  pastors  and  teachers  ;  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for 

13  tlie  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ:  till  we  all  come  in  the 
unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the 

14  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ :  that  we  Jienceforth  be  no  more  children, 
tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  men,  and 


SECTI02T  SOO.—EPHESIAN'S  4  : 1-16. 


427. 


15  cunning  craftiness,  whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive ;  but  speaking  the  truth  in  love,  may 

16  grow  up  into  him  in  all  things,  which  is  the  head,  even  Christ:  from  whom  the  whole  body 
fitly  joined  together  and  compacted  by  that  "which  every  joint  supplieth,  according  to  the 
effectual  working  in  the  measure  of  every  part,  maketh  increase  of  the  body  unto  the  edify- 
ing of  itself  in  love. 

Though  the  Son  of  God,  says  the  apostle,  ascended  on  high  that  he  might  fill  all  things,  yet  he  conde- 
scended to  give  to  men  a  regal  ascension  gift,  that  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ. 
And  the  end  to  be  attained  by  this  gift  is,  that  all  the  Church  become  one  in  faith  and  knowledge,  and  so 
become  one  that  it  shall  be,  as  it  were,  the  earthly  counterpart  of  the  Redeemer.  Christ  is  one  person, 
divine  and  human,  and  so  is  the  Church,  which  is  his  body,  to  be  one  in  him.  As  the  end  of  the  first 
creation  will  be  realized,  when  it  becomes  the  unclouded  mirror  of  the  internal  glory  of  the  Creator,  so 
the  end  of  the  new  creation,  which  is  grounded  in  the  incarnation,  will  be  reached  when  it  becomes  the 
express  image  of  the  incarnate  God,  when  it  comes  to  the  measure  of  the  statm-e  of  the  fullness  of  Christ. 
This  is  the  prophetic  hope,  the  ideal  end  of  the  Church  of  our  Lord.  Its  very  growth,  if  it  be  healthful, 
must  be  a  growth  in  imion  and  toward  unity,  just  as  a  plant  is  held  together  while  it  grows  by  a  more  in- 
tense unifying  power  at  the  heart  of  its  life.  The  Church  in  its  essence  is  a  spiritual  organism,  vitally 
united  to  Christ,  and  all  its  atoms  are  ensouled  by  the  common  life  of  one  and  the  selfsame  Spirit.  And 
though  this  "note"  of  the  Church  applies  in  an  eminent  sense  only  to  the  radiant  bride,  the  New  Jeru- 
salem, yet  it  is  also  the  instinct  of  her  deepest  life,  even  while  militant  here  on  earth,  that  she  may  at  last 
appear  before  her  divine  bridegroom,  having  no  spot,  nor  wrinkle,  nor  any  such  thing,  and  receive  from 
his  loving  hands  the  seamless  robe  and  the  victor's  crown.     H.  B.  S.  , 


1-16.  This  section  presents  the  ground  of  the 
Christian's  duties  as  a  member  of  the  Church,  viz., 
the  unity  of  the  mystical  body  of  Christ  (vs.  1-G),  the 
manifoldness  of  grace  given  to  each  (vs.  7-13),  that 
we  may  come  to  perfection  in  him  (vs.  14-16).     A. 

1 .  Nothing  is  there  more  noble  than  to  suffer 
any  evil  for  Christ's  sake.  I  count  not  Paul  so 
happy  because  he  was  "  caught  up  into  Paradise  " 
as  because  he  was  cast  into  the  dungeon ;  I  count 
him  not  so  happy  because  he  "  heard  unspeakable 
words  "  as  because  he  endured  those  bonds  ;  I  count 
him  not  so  happy  because  he  was  "  caught  up  into 
the  third  heaven  "  as  I  count  him  happy  for  those 
bonds'  sake.  For,  that  these  latter  are  greater  than 
the  former,  hear  how  even  he  himself  knew  this ; 
for  he  saith  not,  "  I,  who  heard  unspeakable  words, 
beseech  you  " ;  but  what  ?  "  I,  the  prisoner  of  the 
Lord,  beseech  you."     Chrys. 

3,  Keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit.  Only 
think  what  it  would  be  if  we  looked  on  one  another 
as  brethren,  redeemed  by  one  ransom,  pledged  to 
one  service ;  if  we  bore  with  one  another's  weak- 
nesses, if  we  helped  one  another's  endeavors,  if  each 
saw  and  heard  in  the  words  and  life  of  his  neigh- 
bor an  image  of  Christ  and  a  pledge  of  the  truth  of 
his  promises.  Consider  what  it  would  be  if,  with 
no  quarrels,  with  no  jealousies,  with  no  unkindness, 
we  sought,  not  every  man  his  own,  but  every  man 
also  another's  welfare,  as  true  members,  one  of 
another,  of  one  body,  of  which  Christ  is  the  head. 
Consider  what  it  would  be  if  our  judgments  of  men 
and  things  were  like  Christ's  judgments — neither 
strengthening  the  heart  of  the  careless  and  sinful 


by  our  laxity,  nor  making  sad  the  heart  of  God's 
true  servant  by  our  uncharitableness ;  not  putting 
little  things  in  the  place  of  great,  nor  great  things 
in  the  place  of  little ;  not  neglecting  the  unity  of 
the  Spirit.     T.  A. 

In,  the  bond  of  peace.  It  is  not  possible 
that  imity  should  exist  in  enmity  and  discord.  Paul 
would  have  us  linked  and  tied  one  to  another,  not 
simply  that  we  be  at  peace,  not  simply  that  we  love 
one  another,  but  that  in  all  there  should  be  but  one 
soul.  A  glorious  bond  is  this  !  With  this  bond  let 
us  bind  ourselves  together,  alike  to  one  another  and 

to  God.     Chrys. It  is  a  truer  discrimination  that 

recognizes  the  presences  of  God  in  men,  the  saints 
that  are  in  the  world,  not  by  the  miracles  they  work, 
but  by  the  miracles  they  are  ;  by  the  way  in  which 
they  bring' the  grace  of  God  to  bear  on  the  simple 
duties  of  the  household  and  the  street.  The  saint- 
hoods of  the  fireside  and  of  the  market-place — 
they  wear  no  glory  round  their  heads  ;  they  do  their 
duties  in  the  strength  of  God ;  they  have  their  mar- 
tyrdoms and  win  their  palms,  and  though  they  get 
into  no  calendars,  they  leave  a  benediction  and  a 
force  behind  them  on  the  earth  when  they  go  up  to 
heaven.     P.  B. 

4,  One  body.  The  idea  of  the  Church  as  pre- 
sented in  the  Bible  is  that  believers  scattered  over 
the  world  are  a  band  of  brethren,  children  of  the 
same  Father,  subjects  of  the  same  Lord,  forming  one 
body  by  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  uniting 
all  to  Christ  as  theii:  living  head.  This  indwelling 
of  the  Spirit  makes  all  believers  one  in  faith,  one  in 
their  religious  life,  one  in  love.  Hence  they  ac- 
knowledge each  other  as  brethren,  and  are  ready  to 


428 


SECTION'  SOO.—EPEESIAN'S  4  : 1-16. 


bear  each  other's  burden.  This  is  the  communion 
of  saints.  The  Church,  in  this  view,  is  the  mystical 
body  of  Christ.  As  believers  in  their  individual 
capacity  scattered  over  the  world  constitute  the 
mystical  body  of  Christ  on  earth,  so  the  local 
churches  constitute  one  body,  which  is  the  visible 
church  in  each  successive  age.  These  churches  are 
one  body,  first,  spiritually.  They  have  one  God  £hid 
Saviour.  They  are  united  in  one  spiritual  life.  They 
have  one  faith  and  one  baptism.  They  are  one  body 
also  externally  and  visibly.  First,  because  they  re- 
cognize each  other  as  churches.  This  involves  the 
acknowledgment  that  each  has  all  the  prerogatives 
and  privileges  which  by  the  law  of  Christ  belong  to 
such  organizations :  the  right  to  conduct  public  wor- 
ship, to  preach  the  gospel,  to  administer  the  sacra- 
ment, and  to  exercise  discipline.  Secondly,  they  are 
one  body,  because  membership  in  one  of  these  local 
churches  involves  the  right  to  membership  in  every 
other  such  church.  The  terms  of  church  member- 
ship are  prescribed  by  Christ,  and  can  not  be  altered. 
We  are  bound  to  receive  those  whom  he  receives. 

5.  So  far  as  all  believers  are  taught  by  the  Spirit, 
they  must  agree  in  doctrine.  The  apostle,  there- 
fore, says  that,  as  there  is  one  body  and  one  Spirit, 
so  there  is  one  faith,  as  well  as  one  Lord  and  one 
baptism.  What  is  thus  taught  in  Scripture  is  found 
to  be  historically  true.  All  Christians  believe  in 
the  apostles'  creed ;  they  all  accept  the  doctrinal  de- 
cisions of  the  first  six  Ecumenical  Councils  concern- 
ing the  nature  of  God  and  the  person  of  Christ. 
They  therefore  all  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity  and  of  the  perfect  Godhead  and  perfect  hu- 
manity of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  They  adore  him 
as  God  manifest  in  the  flesh.  They  receive  him  as 
the  only  Saviour  of  men.  They  believe  that  he 
saves  us  by  his  blood,  by  bearing  our  sins  in  hi^  own 
body  on  the  tree.  They  believe  that  all  power  in 
heaven  and  earth  is  committed  to  his  hands,  and 
that  to  him  every  knee  shall  bow,  and  every  tongue 
confess  that  he  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the 
Father.  They  all  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
the  absolute  necessity  of  regeneration  and  sanctiti- 
cation  by  the  power  of  his  grace.  They  believe  in 
the  Holy  Catholic  Church,  the  communion  of  saints, 
the  forgiveness  of  sins,  the  resurrection  of  the  body, 
and  the  life  everlasting.  This  is  the  confession  that 
has  been  made  in  all  ages,  in  all  languages,  and  in 

all  places  wlrere  Christians  have  existed.    C.  H. 

The  unity  of  faith  in  the  Son  of  God  ;  the  unity  of 
common  regeneration  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  the  unity  of  love  to  Christ,  and  love  in 
Christ  to  all  who  are  Christ's ;  the  unity  of  loving 
work  for  Christ,  which,  amid  all  distinctions  of  mi- 
nor dogmas,  has  a  single  eye  for  the  glory  of  Christ 
and  a  single  aim  to  develop  his  kingdom  in  every 
ransomed  soul — that  is  the  unity  of  the  Church. 
That  is  the  unity  which  has  been  manifested  in 
every  age.  That  is  the  unity  which  Christ  prayed 
for,  and  which  was  granted  him,  and  which  distin- 
guishes and  separates  the  Church  of  Christ  from  the 
world.  In  that  unity  all  modes  of  holding  truth  co- 
incide. With  that  unity  denominational  distinctions 
are  entirely  consistent.  As  we  exhibit  the  loving 
principles  of  that*  divine  unity,  all  the  earthly  that 
divides  the  spiritual  brotherhood  becomes  secondary 
in  thought,  and  the  children  of  God  realize  their 
a,bsolute  and  eternal  oneness.     Bedell. 

8.  The  same  God  is  revealed  as  Redeemer  both 
under  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New,  and  the  Je- 


hovah of  the  one  is  the  Jesus  of  the  other.  In  Ps. 
68,  here  cited,  the  inspired  poet,  while  discussing 
the  interpositions  of  Jehovah,  has  used  language 
which  was  fully  realized  only  in  the  victory  and  ex- 
altation of  Christ.  Not  that  there  is  a  double  sense, 
but  the  Jehovah  of  the  theocracy  was  he  who,  in 
the  fullness  of  time,  assumed  humanity,  and  what 
he  did  among  his  people  prior  to  the  incarnation 
was  anticipative  of  nobler  achievements  in  the  na- 
ture of  man.  The  Psalmist  felt  this,  and,  under  the 
influence  of  such  emotions,  rapt  into  future  times, 
and,  beholding  salvation  completed,  enemies  defeat- 
ed, and  gifts  conferred,  thus  addressed  the  Con- 
queror, "  Thou  hast  ascended  on  high."  Such  a 
quotation  was,  therefore,  to  the  apostle's  purpose. 
There  are  gifts  in  the  Church — gifts  the  result  of 
empire  and  victory — ^gifts  in  accordance  with  the 
earnest  expectation  of  ancient  ages  ;  for  it  was  pre- 
dicted that  Jesus  should  ascend  on  high.     Eadie. 

Ascended  up.  Amid  the  shades  of  night  he 
came  ;  in  the  redness  of  the  morning  dawn  he  went 
away ;  ever,  ever  shalt  thou  stand  before  our  souls, 
thou  glorified  Saviour,  in  the  same  attitude  in  which 
thou  didst  leave  the  world,  with  thy  hands  extended 

over  thy  chosen  to  bless  them !    A.  T. If  we 

look  to  the  Ascension  and  that  last  blessing  with 
which  Christ's  earthly  work  was  consummated,  we 
shall  know  that  all  we  do  and  all  we  are  has  in  pos- 
sibility— God  grant  that  it  may  have  in  deed — a 
vital  relationship  with  heaven.  Earth  may  be  seen 
by  us  united  with  heaven,  not  as  in  a  dream  to  the 
sleeping  patriarch,  but  in  the  open  triumph  of  a 
Saviour.  The  whole  life  of  a  Christian,  when  we 
view  it  in  the  light  of  Ascension  day,  is  one  in  its 
character,  in  its  progress,  in  its  issue.  Such  a  view 
of  life  is  undoubtedly  solemn,  but  it  is  also  inex- 
pressibly grand.  B.  F.  W. Led  captivity- 
captive.  Christ,  the  King  on  high,  hath  impris- 
oned sin,  slain  death,  destroyed  hell.  Sin,  death, 
hell,  and  the  devil  had  imprisoned  us ;  but  Clirist 
hath  taken  them  captive  again.  His  kingdom  and 
office  are  above,  that  He  may  lead  captive  my  cap- 
tivity, kill  my  executioner,  condemn  my  sin,  slay  my 
death,  and  condemn  my  hell.     Luther. 

7-16.  The  most  comprehensive  view  of  the 
Christian  ministry  is  given  here.  Its  original  grant 
and  institution  is  traced  to  the  mediatorial  work  of 
the  Son  of  God.  The  high  preeminence  of  this  gift 
appears  in  its  distributive  variety  of  oSice — "  apos- 
tles, prophets,  evangelists,  pastors,  and  teachers" — 
and  in  the  important  end  for  which  it  was  ordained — 
the  completion  of  the  Church.  We  can  not  conceive 
any  more  entire  view  of  this  institution,  nor  one  that 
more  decisively  marks  its  divine  original.  Bridges. 
Our  ascended  Lord  has  given  to  his  people  apos- 
tles and  prophets — these  being  for  the  foundation 
of  the  Church — evangelists  for  its  extension,  and 
pastors  and  teachers  for  stationary  work  of  con- 
solidation and  instruction.  These  are  given  in  order 
to   the  "perfecting"  or  thorough   equipment  and 


SECTION'  SOO.—EPHESIANS  4  : 1-16. 


429 


training  of  saints  to  their  "work  of  ministry"  in 
truth  and  love.     D.  F. 

11.  "He  gave  some,  apostles,"  etc.,  should  be 
filled  so  as  to  be  intelligible — "  he  gave  some  to  be 

apostles,"  etc.     A. ^^Vhen  the  Lord  made  this 

gracious  gift  to  the  Church,  ho  only  continued  and 
exemplified  his  Old  Testament  plans,  with  such 
changes  as  the  new  arrangement  demanded.  The 
whole  tribe  of  Levi  he  gave  of  old  to  Israel  for  the 
wo;"k  of  the  ministry.  A  ministerial  tribe  became 
unsuitable  to  a  dispensation  that  was  for  all  nations ; 
and  so  the  families  of  God's  people  everywhere  fur- 
nish the  ministers  of  the  Xew  Testament.  The 
New  Testament  introduces  not  a  new  religion,  but  a 
new  form  of  the  old,  and  it  continues  therein  a 
separate  body  of  men,  chargeable  specially  with 
keeping  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  instructing  the 

people   out  of  his  law.     J.  Hall. Whether  we 

take  the  Prophets  under  the  old  dispensation,  or  the 
Lord's  messengers  under  the  new,  we  fimd  that  the 
distinctive  characteristics  of  a  true  minister  of  God 
lay  in  a  call  and  a  qualification.  The  qualification 
involved  a  gift,  a  power,  and  a  training.  He  who 
had  a  call  from  God,  a  gift  from  God,  and  a  power 
from  God,  and  he  only,  was  ever  prophet,  Evangelist, 
or  pastor  and  teacher  in  any  scriptural  sense.  The 
training  varied  with  the  age,  dispensation,  and  cir- 
cumstances ;  but  no  training  ever  did,  or  ever  can, 
make  him  a  minister  who  has  no  call,  no  gifts,  and 
no  power  sent  upon  his  soul  by  the  anointing  of  the 
eternal  Spirit.     Arthur. 

The  third  rank  is  assigned  by  Paul  to  the  cvan- 
ffclists  or  itinerant  missionaries.  The  name  itself 
indicates  that  their  chief  business  was  to  proclaim 
the  glad  tidings  of  salvation,  primarily  among  na- 
tions yet  unconverted,  but  not  exclusively.  The 
discourses  of  the  evangelists  turned  chiefly  upon  the 
main  facts  of  the  Saviour's  life,  especially  his  resur- 
rection. This  easily  gave  rise  to  the  later  applica- 
tion of  the  term  to  the  authors  of  our  written  gos- 
pels. We  find  the  evangelists  commonly  in  the 
immediate  neighborhood,  or  at  least  in  the  service, 
of  the  apostles,  as  their  "  helpers "  and  "  fellow- 
laborers."  Pastors  and  teachers.  Denoting  by 
these  terms  the  regular  overseers  of  single  congnc/a- 
tions  in  their  twofold  capacity.  These  officers  are 
undoubtedly  the  same  with  those  elsewhere  in  the 
New  Testament  commonly  called  presbyters  and  four 
times  bishops  (viz.,  in  Acts  20  :  28 ;  Phil.  1  :  1 ;  1 
Tim.  3:2;  Tit.  1  :  7),  whose  business  is  expressly 
declared  to  be  the  feeding  of  the  flock.     P.  S. 

12.  13.  Stripping  this  passage  of  its  beautiful 
inspired  phraseology,  and  dropping  its  reference  to 
those  miraculous  gifts  which  have  now  passed  away, 
its  gist  is  this :  that  the  ministry  of  God's  word  is 
the  great  appointed  means  for  the  perfecting  of  the 
saintly  or  Christlike  character  in  man.     E.  M.  G. 

13.  The  central  principle  of  the  Christian  systerh 
is,  The  personality  of  the  Being  ivlio,  as  efe  founder, 
pave  Christianitg  its  name — that  Being  who  is  un- 
like every  other  being  within  the  whole  scope  of  our 
knowledge ;  who  is  God,  who  is  man ;  the  manifesta- 
tion of  divinity ;  the  restorer  of  humanity ;  the 
world's  Creator,  and  the  world's  PiCdeemer  ;  the  au- 
thor of  life,  the  conqueror  of  death ;  the  royal  Head 
of  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  the  meek  pattern  of 
patience  under  shame  and  suffering ;  the  Son  of  God 


and  the  Son  of  Mary ;  having  a  glory  with  the  Su- 
preme before  the  worlds  were  made,  yet  born  of  a 
woman  and  laid  in  a  manger ;  tasting  death  upon 
the  cross,  dying  once,  but  dying  no  more  for  ever ; 
living  once,  and  alive  for  ever,  the  Head,  the  Saviour, 
the  Lord,  the  Life,  the  King  of  the  human  race. 
This  is  the  Being  who  forms  the  radiant  center  of  the 
Christian  system.  Here  have  we  a  complete  organ- 
ism, and  Christ  is  the  very  heart  and  life  of  it. 
Many  things  are  revealed  for  our  belief  and  practice, 
but  they  all  proceed  from  and  return  to  Jesus  Christ, 
to  find  and  prove  their  complete  unity  in  his  im- 
mortal personality.  There  is  not  a  truth,  not  a  fact 
in  the  universe,  which  is  not  related  to  this  central- 
ity  in  Christ.  The  importance  of  every  truth  and 
every  fact  is  to  be  measured  by  its  nearness  or  re- 
moteness as  related  to  him  who  is  the  sum  of  the 
whole.     W.  A. 

14.  The  institutions  and  gifts  conferred  upon 
the  Christian  Church  are  represented  as  established 
and  conferred  for  the  very  purpose  of  training,  dis- 
ciplining, and  developing  the  Christian  man ;  and  one 
of  the  ends  to  be  answered  by  this  is,  that,  being  no 
longer  a  child,  liable  to  be  influenced  by  others — ^to 
hear  arguments  which  he  can  net  answer,  and  to 
have  doubts  insinuated  which  he  can  not  repel — ^he 
will  be  in  no  danger  of  being  the  sport  of  every 
"  wind  of  doctrine,"  or  of  falling  under  the  influ- 
ence either  of  erroneous  or  immoral  teachers.     T.  B. 

15.  "Speaking  the  truth"  is  a  most  inadequate 
rendering.     It  is  the  whole  being,  not  the  tongue 

alone,  that  is  treated  of.   A. Let  us  "  follow  truth 

in  love,"  and,  of  the  two,  indeed,  be  contented  rather 
to  miss  a  speculative  truth  than  to  part  with  love. 
When  we  would  convince  men  of  any  error  by  the 
strength  of  truth,  let  us  withal  pour  the  sweet  balm 
of  love  upon  their  heads.  Truth  and  love  are  two 
of  the  most  powerful  things  in  the  world,  and  when 
they  both  go  together  they  can  not  easily  be  with- 
stood. The  golden  beams  of  truth  and  the  silken 
cords  of  love,  twisted  together,  will  draw  merf  on 
with  a  sweet  violence,  whether  they  will  or  no. 
Cudv;orth. 

Everything  in  us  daily  must  grow  up  into  him 
who  is  the  Head.  Everything  must  be  done  with 
reference  to  him,  nor  is  there  anything  so  small  or 
unimportant  which  may  not  bear  its  proportionate 
shade  of  sweet  coloring  drawn  from  him.  The  daily 
conquests  of  our  temper ;  the  daily  patience,  meek- 
ness, charity  of  spirit  and  of  action ;  the  daily  gen- 
tlenesses, kindnesses,  forbearances,  forgivenesses  of 
life ;  the  daily  experiments  and  practices  of  faith ; 
the  daily  services  of  grace  in  prayer ;  the  daily  lock- 
ings to  Christ,  like  the  flower  that  follows  the  sun ; 
the  daily  submissions  of  everything  to  him ;  the  daily 
effort  to  find  him,  and  to  grow  in  his  knowledge  and 
love ;  the  daily  feeding  on  a  portion  of  his  Word ;  the 


430 


SECTION  SOl.—EPHESIAN'S  4  ••  17-32. 


daily  endeavor  to  do  good  as  we  have  opportunity, 
winning  souls  to  Christ ;  the  daily  attention  to  our 
business  under  Christ's  love ;  the  daily  subduing  and 
denial  of  self,  in  bringing  everything  to  him,  for 
•him  and  not  self  to  stamp  and  seal  it  as  his  own, 
imbuing  it  with  his  Spirit ;  the  daily  rejoicing  in  his 
goodness,  and  thanksgiving  for  his  mercy :  all  these 
things  daily,  and  all  these  things  each  day  for  itself, 
and  not  put  off  to  the  morrow,  nor  the  morrow 
thrown  upon  to-day.     G.  B.  C. 

A  little  daily  reading  of  the  Word  ;  a  little  fixed, 
earnest  thought ;  short  but  frequent  and  fervent 
prayer ;  the  weekly  rest,  with  its  break  and  pause 
stilling  the  noise  and  whirl  of  the  week ;  the  Sab- 
bath solemnities  and  the  Sabbath  leisure,  with  their 
larger  opportunities  for  spiritual  culture — these  are 
the  things  which,  being  constantly  and  conscien- 
tiously used,  will  keep  the  realities  that  are  unseen 
before  the  eye  of  reason  through  the  clear  shining 
of  the  light  of  faith,  and  at  the  same  time  will  give 
to  them  a  calm  and  steady  supremacy  over  the  af- 
fections of  the  heart.  This  is  the  life  of  God  in  the 
soul  of  man,  and  this  is  the  way,  or  one  of  the 
ways,  by  which  men  may  retain  and  increase  it  by 
living  habitually  near  to  God.  He  who  thus  lives 
is  led  "  in  the  paths  of  righteousness "  ;  he  runs, 
wrestles,  resists,  pursues,  as  the  case  may  be,  or 
the  call  come ;  but,  though  often  fatigued,  and 
sometimes  faint,  he  is  never  disheartened,  for  he 
always  finds  that  "  as  his  day  is,  so  is  his  strength," 
or  so  at  least  are  his  means  and  opportunities  of 
renewing  it.  Constant  wear  is  met  and  counter- 
acted by  constant  watchfulness  ;  weekly  exhaustion 
by  Sabbath  refreshments.  The  sanctuary  at  times 
unveils  again,  and  gives  power  to  what  the  world 
may  have  wcUnigh  hidden.  The  closet  lets  in 
glimpses  of  the  sky,  which  frees  the  soul  from  the 
attractions  of  earth,  by  detecting  afresh  its  imposi- 
tions and  falsehoods.     And  so  it  comes  to  pass  that. 


in  spite  of  oscillations  and  slips  and  falls,  the 
progress  of  the  soul  is  steadily  onward.     T.  B. 

16.  Throughout  the  New  Testament  the  system 
of  the  Church  is  assumed  to  be  such  as  to  call  forth 
the  gift  of  every  member,  no  matter  of  what  order 
it  might  be ;  and  the  active  cooperation  of  each 
one  is  enjoined  to  promote  the  edification  of  all. 
Here  "  eveiy  joint"  is  to  supphf  somewhat,  "every 
part "  to  perform  its  "  effectual  working  "  ;  and  by 
this  means  the  body  is  to  increase,  "  edifying  itself  ' 
in  love.  No  system  can  be  made  to  accord  with  this 
passage,  any  more  than  with  the  general  spirit  of 
the  New  Testament,  wherein  the  pulpit  is  the  sole 
provision  for  instruction,  admonition,  and  exhorta- 
tion ;  the  great  bulk  of  the  members  of  the  Church 
being  merely  recipients,  each  living  a  stranger  to 
the  spiritual  concerns  of  the  others,  and  no  "  ef- 
fectual working  "  of  every  joint  and  every  part  for 
mutual  strengthening  being  looked  for.     Arthur. 

Maketh  increase  of  the  body  unto  the 
edifying  of  itself  in  love.  Christ  is  here  pre- 
sented as  the  one  to  whom  the  whole  development 
must  tend ;  the  aim  of  all  is  to  grow  up  into  true 
fellowship  with  him,  to  receive  him  wholly  into 
themselves,  to  become  full  of  him.  He  is  equally 
the  one  from  whom  the  whole  growth  up  into  him 
can  alone  proceed ;  from  whom  issue  all  the  vital 
energies ;  from  whom  alone  all  the  members  can 
receive  life  and  direction.  The  Christian  should 
ever  bear  in  mind  that  our  various  necessities,  and 
the  means  of  supplying  them,  are  distributed  in 
varying  modes  and  proportions  through  the  differ- 
ent members,  in  order  to  keep  them  in  a  state  of 
mutual  dependence  and  reciprocal  influence.     N. 

This  body  grows  up  and  edifies  itself  in  love. 
All  the  members  receive  spirits  from  the  same 
Head,  and  are  useful  and  serviceable  one  to  an- 
other, and  to  the  whole  body.  Thus  these  brethren, 
receiving  of  the  same  Spirit  from  their  head  Christ, 
are  most  strongly  bent  to  the  good  one  of  another. 
If  there  be  but  a  thorn  in  the  foot,  the  back  boweth, 
the  head  stoops  down,  the  eyes  look,  the  hands 
reach  to  it,  and  endeavor  its  help  and  ease.  In  a 
word,  all  the  members  partake  of  the  good  and  evil 
one  of  another.  Now,  by  how  much  this  body  is 
more  spiritual  and  lively,  so  much  the  stronger  must 
the  union  and  love  of  the  parts  of  it  be  each  to 
other.     L. 


Section  301. 


Ephesians  iv.  17-32. 

17  This  I  say  therefore,  and  testify  in  tlie  Lord,  that  ye  henceforth  walk  not  as  other  Gen- 

18  tiles  walk,  in  the  vanity  of  their  mind,  having  the  understanding  darkened,  being  alienated 
from  the  life  of  God  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  them,  hecanse  of  the  blindness  of 

19  their  heart:  who  being  past  feeling  have  given  themselves  over  unto  lasciviousness,  to  work 

20  all  uncleanness  with  greediness.     But  ye  have  not  so  learned  Christ ;  if  so  be  that  ye  have 

21  heard  him,  and  have  been  taught  by  him,  as  the  truth  is  in  Jesus :  that  ye  put  off  concern- 

22  ing  the  former  conversation  the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts ; 

23  and  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind;  and  that  ye  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after 

25  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.     Wherefore  putting  away  lying,  speak 

26  every  man  truth  with  his  neighbor :  for  we  are  raeinbcrs  one  of  another.    Be  ye  angry,  and 


SECTION  301.—EPEESIANS  4  :  17-33. 


431 


27  sin  not :  let  not  the  sun  go  down  upon  your  wrath  :  neither  give  place  to  the  devil.     Let 

28  him  that  stole  steal  no  more :  but  rather  let  him  labour,  working  with  ?iis  hands  the  thing 

29  which  is  good,  that  he  may  have  to  give  to  him  that  needeth.     Let  no  corrupt  communica- 
tion proceed  out  of  your  mouth,  but  that  which  is  good  to  the  use  of  edifying,  that  it  may 

30  minister  grace  unto  the  hearers.     And  grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye  are 

31  sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption.     Let  all  bitterness,  and  wrath,  and  anger,  and  clamour, 

32  and  evil  speaking,  be  put  away  from  you,  with  all  malice :  and  be  ye  kind  one  to  another, 
tenderhearted,  forgiving  one  another,  even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  you. 


The  rejection  of  light  tends  to  strengthen  the  power  of  sin.  It  decreases  the  restraining  and  remedial 
power  of  conscience ;  it  kills  the  sense  of  danger  and  even  adds  hopefulness  to  sin ;  it  destroys  any  influ- 
ence which  the  beauty  and  glory  of  truth  could  put  forth ;  in  short,  it  removes  those  checks  from  pru- 
dence, from  the  moral  powers,  and  from  the  character  of  God  which  retard  the  career  of  sin.  Closely 
connected  with  this  blinding  power  of  sin  is  another  law  of  character — that  sin  tends  to  benumb  and  root 
out  the  sensibilities  ;  by  which  process  again,  its  power  over  the  soul  is  anew  increased.  That  such  a  law 
does  exist,  we  may  almost  assume  ;  it  is  acknowledged,  and  its  workings  are  seen  on  every  hand.  It  is 
seen  in  the  acquired  cruelty  of  men  of  blood  ;  in  the  horrible  want  of  pity  of  the  miser ;  in  that  dead- 
uess  to  conscience,  produced  by  long  sinning;  in  the  disregard  of  rights  which  the  prodigal  manifests  ;  in 
the  extinction  of  the  family  affections ;  in  the  destruction,  almost  complete,  of  the  religious  sense  of  the 
blasphemer.  And  this  view  of  sin  shows  it  in  its  true  light  as  a  perverter  of  nature ;  an  overturner  of 
all  those  particular  traits,  the  union  of  which  under  love  to  God  makes  the  harmony  and  beauty  of  the 
soul.  Sin  tends  to  destroy  even  those  qualities  which  in  a  brute  awaken  our  deep  interest,  and  to  put  in- 
to their  place  a  lead-colored  monotonous  selfishness,  which  is  not  properly  human  nature,  but  its  wreck 
and  overthrow.  Oh !  when  selfishness,  from  being  an  instinct,  becomes  a  law,  a  reign,  a  tyranny  over  the 
soul,  when  this  corruption  has  absorbed  and  assimilated  to  itself  all  the  feelings  and  affections,  must  not 
the  power  of  sin  be  greatly  augmented  ?     T.  D.  W. 


17.  If  the  Ephesians  were  sitting  in  heavenly 
places  as  respects  nearness  and  access  to  God  in 
Christ,  that  privilege  ought  to  induce  a  holy  and 
consistent  walk  on  the  earth.  It  would  ill  become 
them,  it  ill  becomes  any  one  to  glory  in  celestial 
privilege,  unless  there  be  an  ho«est  endeavor  to  pu- 
rify the  terrestrial  life.  Before  their  conversion, 
the  Ephesians  had  walked  according  to  the  course 
of  this  world.  After  it,  they  are  bound  to  walk 
worthy  of  their  new  calling ;  and  this  is  explained 
further  by  the  expressions — walking  not  as  other 
Gentiles  walk,  walking  in  love,  walking  as  children 
of  light,  walking  circumspectly,  not  as  fools,  but  as 
wise.     D.  F. 

18.  The  consciousness  of  God  is  exactly  what 
was  lost  in  transgression,  and  nothing  was  left,  of 
course,  but  the  little,  defiled  consciousness  of  our- 
selves, in  which  we  arc  all  contriving  how  to  get 
some  particles  of  good,  or  pleasure,  or  pride,  or 
passion,  that  will  comfort  us.  We  do  not  know 
God  any  more ;  we  only  know  ourselves.  We  have 
the  eyes  and  the  cars  that  were  given  us,  but  we 
are  too  blind  to  see,  too  deaf  to  hear — "  Having  the 
understanding  darkened,  being  alienated  from  the 
life  of  God,  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  us  be- 
cause of  the  blindness  of  our  heart."     H.  B. 

God  begins  with  the  heart.     The  teaching  of  his 
Spirit  prepares  the  heart  to  see,  and  then  the  mind 


is  taught  to  see,  through  the  heart.  God  hath  shined 
in  our  hearts.  He  must  begin  there,  because  there, 
and  not  in  the  mind,  is  the  seat  of  darkness  and 
evil.  Therefore  the  great  Physician  of  the  soul, 
whose  omniscience  discerns  not  the  mere  symptoms, 
but  the  seat  of  the  disease,  goes  directly  to  the 
heart.  There  the  teaching  of  God's  Spirit  produces 
this  spiritual  discernment,  which  is  sharpened  and 
increased  just  in  proportion  as  a  right  state  of  the 
affections  is  produced  and  made  permanent.  G.  B.  C. 
19.  Past  feeling.  The  Holy  Spirit,  glorious 
and  joyful  truth,  does  find  a  way  into  souls  that  are 
steeped  in  spiritual  lethargy,  does  beget  anew  the 
sense  of  holy  things  that  appeared  to  be  faded  al- 
most away.  But,  when  the  very  faculty  that  makes 
his  working  possible  is  quite  closed  up,  or  so  nearly 
closed  that  no  living  receptivity  is  left  for  him  to 
work  in,  when  the  soul  has  no  fit  room,  or  function, 
to  I'cceive  his  inspiring  motions,  more  than  an  ossi- 
fied heart  to  let  the  life-power  play  its  action,  then, 
manifestly,  nothing  is  to  be  hoped  for  longer  from 

his  quickening  visitations.    H.  B. In  the  eternal 

world  no  one  can  be  indifferent,  no  one  shall  be  in- 
sensible. The  world  of  darkness  will  be  a  world  of 
feeling.  There  shall  be  weeping  there.  Not  tears 
of  penitence,  but  tears  of  despair.  The  worm  shall 
never  die.  There  will  be  a  fire  unquenchable  in 
every  sinner's  heart  that  will  burn  like  a  seven- 


432 


SECTION  301.—EP3ESIANS  4  ;  17-32. 


times-heated  furnace.  Conscience  will  be  fearfully 
busy  there— pointing  to  the  visions  of  a  Saviour 
offered  and  a  Saviour  demised — recalling  mercies 
once  contemned,  and  precious  invitations  trampled 
under  foot.  That  smothered  conscience  will  rise 
again.  It  will  awake  to  new  life  on  that  dread 
morn  when  the  archangel's  trump  shall  sound.  It 
will  be  alive  with  an  intensity  of  torment  on  that 
day  when  the  "  books  are  opened  "  ;  and  it  will  live 
amid  the  agonies  of  perdition  never  af/ain  to  beeome 

PAST  FEELING  !      T.  L.  C. 

21.  As  the  truth  is  in  Jesus.  We  often,  in- 
deed, hear  it  asserted  that  "  Christianity  is  a  life, 
and  not  a  creed  "  ;  that  it  is  "  devotion  to  a  Person, 
not  adhesion  to  a  dogma."  False  antithesis  appears 
to  be,  in  these  days,  a  most  popular  form  of  fal- 
lacy ;  and  in  this  language  we  encounter  it  full- 
grown.  Christianity  is  a  life  governed  and  molded 
by  a  creed  ;  a  creed  which  gives  motives  and  energy 
to  a  life.  It  is  devotion  to  a  person  who  is  mani- 
fested through  a  doctrinal  medium ;  who  can  not, 
without  such  a  medium,  be  recognized,  loved,  or 
worshiped,  as  he  has  revealed  himself,  and  as  he  is. 
This  is  the  heart  of  the  whole  matter.  Dogma  [or 
doctrine]  is  our  expression  of  the  iruih  as  it  is  in 
Jesus  ;  of  that  truth  which  can  indeed  make  us  free, 
because  it  is  the  substance  of  the  words  of  a  divine 
Redeemer.  Men  may  speak  and  feel  heartily  about 
the  character  of  Christ ;  but  they  can  not  accept 
the  Christ  of  the  gospels,  and  then  be  consistent  in 
disowning  a  dogmatic  religion.  They  must  choose 
between  a  doctrinal  Christianity  and  no  true  Chris- 
tianity at  all.  They  must  have  a  creed-,  or  they 
must  go  without  a  Christ.     Brigld. 

By  indifference  to  doctrine  altogether,  and  repre- 
senting the  whole  care  for  doctrine  as  narrow- 
mindedness  and  bigotry,  the  battle  of  infidelity 
against  true  religion  has  been  fought  in  every  age. 
Doctrine,  indeed,  is  commonly  the  first  point  of  at- 
tack ;  and  in  the  attack  upon  doctrine,  the  more  in- 
ward parts  of  religion,  such  as  faith  and  holiness, 
are  often  made  use  of  as  points  of  advantage,  on 
which  the  batteries  against  doctrine  may  be  planted. 
But,  in  truth,  the  attack  is  against  religion  alto- 
gether ;  and  faith  and  holiness  themselves,  and  all 
the  structure  of  religion,  inward  and  outward, 
shortly  disappear,  when  the  assault  upon  doctrine 
has  by  any  willful  heart,  with  whatever  pretext, 
been  made,  successfully  ;  not  to  say  that  it  is  com- 
monly because  faith  and  holiness  are  themselves  in 
decay  within  that  the  assault  on  doctrine  is  thought 
of.     Moherhj. 

Creeds  arc  due  to  ourselves,  that  we  may  honor 
the  blessed  God  by  open  profession  of  faith ;  due 
to  ourselves,  that  we  may  be  fortified  in  the  faith  by 
that  obligation  which  open  profession  lays  upon  us. 
They  are  also  due  to  others  whom  we  desire  to  draw 
to  us,  that  we  may  approach  them  with  our  prin- 
ciples pinned  upon  our  breast ;  due  to  others  who 
deny  our  faith,  that  we  may  warn  them  of  their  er- 
rors, and  exhibit  the  truth  upon  which  we  seriously 
believe  the  salvation  of  their  soul  depends.  Cham- 
berlain.  The  value  of  the  creeds  to  the  Christian 

world  can  not  be  overestimated.  They  are  a  bond 
of  union  as  to  l^elicf  in  "  the  first  principles  of  the 
oracles  of  God."  They  form  a  short  statement  of 
truths  necessary  to  salvation  which  even  children 
can  learn.     They  are  an  index  to  the  faith  of  the 


New  Testament,  bearing  the  sanction  of  seventeen 
centuries  of  learning,  practical  wisdom,  and  saintly 
piety ;  words  which  we  may  safely  carry  with  us  from 
our  childhood  to  the  grave  as  a  guide  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  God  and  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.     Blunt. 

The  Apostle's  Creed  is  most  wisely  concise  and 

simple ;  and  yet,  as  a  skeleton  of  New  Testament 
theology,  full  and  complete.  It  expresses  no  man's 
opinion ;  it  gives  no  man's  explanation.  It  simply 
records  the  facts  of  our  religion,  without  either  ac- 
counting for  them  or  deciding  in  what  particular 
manner  they  shall  be  held.  Account  for  the  facts 
as  you  may,  explain  them  as  you  will,  draw  what 
inferences  from  them  you  like — these  are  the  facts ; 
and  "  they  may  be  proved  by  most  certain  warrants 
of  Iloly  Scripture."  As  all  Christians  believe  these 
facts,  it  would  be  a  notable  sign  of  the  fundamental 
unity  of  the  Church,  if  every  congregation  through- 
out the  world  would  stand  up  and  declare  aloud, 
before  God,  before  angels,  before  all  men,  and  be- 
fore devils,  their  personal  faith  in  this  ancient,  com- 
prehensive, and  precious  creed.     PulsJ'ord. 

23.  For  "  concerning  the  former  conversation^'' 
which  conveys  very  little  meaning  to  the  English 
reader,  substitute  "  as  concerneth  your  former  way 
of  life."  A. The  gospel  sets  before  us  the  pat- 
tern of  the  new  man,  of  man  as  God  created  him 
to  be,  of  man  as  restored  in  Christ  to  a  true  and 
holy  life.  Such  we  are  required  to  become  by  put- 
ting off  that  type  of  selfish,  sinning  man  which  is 
as  old  as  Adam,  by  retrieving  the  spirit  of  the  mind 
from  its  long  subjection  to  the  propensities  and  pas- 
sions of  the  flesh,  and  putting  on  the  new  Adam, 
the  true  type  of  man,  whose  characteristics  are  a 
childlike  obedience  to  God,  an  unselfish  regard  for 
others,  a  self-sacrificing  devotion  to  truth,  duty,  and 
love.  This  is  a  renewal  "  in  the  spirit  of  the  mind," 
a  radical  change  in  its  objects  of  thought,  in  its 
aims  and  desires,  in  the  bent  and  purpose  of  liv- 
ing.    J.  P.  T. 

24.  Sanctification  is  moral  transformation,  and 
is  altogether  different  from  justification,  which  is 
only  a  change  of  legal  condition.  At  regeneration 
the  Christian  begins  to  lead  a  new  life — a  better, 
but  not  a  sinless,  life.  Though  a  new  nature  has,  so 
to  speak,  been  grafted  upon  the  soul,  the  old  nature 
is  not  dead.  The  fruits  of  sin  and  the  fruits  of  the 
Spirit  hang  side  by  side.  Sanctification  is  a  gradual 
change  of  character ;  it  is  a  putting  off  of  the  old 
man,  which  is  "  corrupt,  according  to  the  deceitful 
lusts,"  and  a  putting  on  of  "  the  new  man,  which 
after  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holi- 
ness."    F.  L.  P. The  Master  wants,  not  simply 

better  conduct,  but  a  solid,  new  man — so,  new  hus- 
bands, wives,  children,  citizens ;  new  kindness,  truth- 
fulness, honor,  honesty,  beauty.  This  new  man  is  to 
be  put  on ;  man  after  God  even  as  Christ  was  when 
he  came  in  God's  love  to  take  us  on  his  soul  that 
we  may  take  him  on  our  soul  and  be  covered  in  by 
the  new  investiture  of  his  life ;  that  sighing  we  may 
sigh  with  him,  dying  die  with  him,  rising  rise  with 


SECTION  SOl.—EPHESIAXS  k  ■  l'^-32. 


433 


him,  carrying  up  all  our  once  low  affections  to  sit 
with  him  where  he  sitteth,  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 
All  which  he  figures  in  the  parable  of  the  great 
king's  wedding-feast ;  where  the  guests  are  called 
by  sending  round  to  each,  for  his  card  of  invitation, 
a  caftan,  or  splendid  wedding-robe.  Putting  on  this 
robe,  the  guests  are  to  come  in,  and,  by  this  found 
upon  them,  are  to  be  admitted  and  have  their  places 
assigned.     H.  B. 

Is  created.  There  must  come  down  a  Divine 
leaven  into  the  mass  of  human  nature  before  this 
new  being  can  be  evolved  in  any  one.  There  must 
be  a  gift  of  God.  A  Divine  energy  must  be  the 
source  and  fountain  of  all  holy  and  of  all  Godlike 
life.  Christ  comes,  comes  to  make  you  and  me  live 
again  as  we  never  lived  before ;  like  possessors  of 
God's  love;  live  tenanted  and  ruled  by  a  divine 
Spirit ;  live  with  affections  in  our  hearts  which  we 
never  could  kindle  there ;  live  with  purposes  in  our 
souls  which  ive  never  could  put  there.  If  redemp- 
tion be  the  giving  of  life  from  God,  and  if  redemp- 
tion be  the  change  of  position  in  reference  to  God's 
love  and  God's  law  as  well,  neither  of  these  two 
changes  can  a  man  effect  for  himself.  You  can  not 
gather  up  and  reissue  the  past  life.  The  sin  remains, 
the  guilt  remains.  The  inevitable  law  of  God  will 
go  on  its  crashing  way  in  spite  of  all  penitence,  in 
spite  of  all  reformation,  in  spite  of  all  desires  after 
newness  of  life.  There  is  but  one  Being  that  can 
make  a  change  in  our  position  in  regard  to  God,  and 
there  is  but  one  Being  that  can  make  the  change  by 
which  man  shall  become  a  new  creature.    A.  M. 

There  has  been  too  much  in  the  popular  repre- 
sentations of  the  gospel,  as  if  its  principal  design 
was  to  save  men  from  hell,  and  that,  if  that  was 
secured,  they  might  be  happy  and  content.  It  is  to 
do  that  certainly,  but  it  aims  at  doing  far  more.  It 
is  to  save  from  wrath ;  but,  in  addition  to  that,  it  is 
to  unite  to  God,  and  to  make  men  like  Him.  Par- 
don, justification,  the  blessedness  thence  resulting 
— these  are  not  ultimate  ends ;  they  exhaust  not  the 
Divine  purpose.  They  are  only  means  to  a  further 
end,  a  subhmer  result — the  production  of  a  subjec- 
tive sanctity,  and,  through  that,  of  that  deeper  and 
higher  blessedness  which  flows  from  a  new  birth 
unto  righteousness;  a  resurrection  from  the  death 
of  sin  into  the  life  of  God ;  the  being  "  created  anew 
unto  good  works."  Redemption,  incarnation,  a  di- 
vine Mediator,  sacrifice,  intercession,  the  mission 
of  the  Comforter,  with  all  other  correlative  truths, 
seem  to  be  the  most  natural  things  imaginable,  when 
it  is  understood  that  the  grand,  ultimate  object  is  to 
recover  man  from  the  pollutions  of  the  flesh  and  the 
power  of  the  devil,  and  to  make  him  a  partaker  at 
once  of  the  holiness  and  the  blessedness  of  God. 
T.  B. 

35.  Truth  with  his  neighbor.     It  needs 
28 


but  a  coarse,  dull  sense  of  right  and  wrong  to  ab- 
stain from  telling  lies,  while  it  belongs  to  a  very 
sensitive,  delicate  conscience  to  shun  the  numberless 
by-paths  of  false  appearances  and  false  pretenses 
which  meet  one  on  all  sides  and  are  very  pleasant 
to  walk  in.  The  finish  of  the  character,  in  regard 
to  truthfulness,  is  one  of  the  noblest  attainments  of 
Christian  manhood,  and  it  is  as  difficult  as  perfec- 
tion is  in  any  other  department.  To  make  any  prog- 
ress in  this  direction,  we  must  have  a  clear  view  of 
the  field ;  we  must  form  an  idea  of  ivhat  it  is  to  be 
an  Israelite  indeed  without  guile ;  we  must  perceive 
how  insinuating  in  some  of  its  forms  untruthfulness 
is,  and  how  blessed  the  height — if  we  can  reach  it 
— where  our  whole  soul  shall  breathe  the  air  of 
truth,  and  of  nothing  but  truth.     T.  D.  W. 

26.  The  prohibitions  and  restraints  of  Christi- 
anity arc  laid  upon  the  malevolent  and  selfish  pas- 
sions— as  anger,  malice,  envy,  revenge,  of  the  first, 
and  vanity,  pride,  and  ambition,  of  the  second. 
These,  with  the  exception  of  anger,  it  absolutely 
prohibits  ;  and  it  prohibits  that,  so  far  as  it  is  malev- 
olent. It  distinguishes  between  the  holy  indigna- 
tion which  must  be  excited  by  wickedness  and  any 
mere  personal  feeling  or  desire  to  inflict  pain  for  its 
own  sake ;  and  hence  it  speaks  of  Christ  as  looking 
on  men  "  with  anger,  being  grieved  for  the  hardness 
of  their  hearts,"  and  it  commands  us  to  "  be  angry 
and  sin  not."     M.  H. 

27.  Those  who  indulge  fretful  feelings,  either 
of  anxiety  or  irritation,  know  not  what  an  opening 
they  thereby  give  to  the  devil  in  their  hearts.  "  Fret 
not  thyself,"  says  the  psalmist,  "  else  shalt  thou  he 
moved  to  do  evil."  And  in  entire  harmony  with  this 
warning  of  the  elder  Scriptures  is  this  precept  of 
Paul  against  undue  indulgence  of  anger :  "  Let  not 
the  sun  go  down  upon  your  wrath,  neither  give  place 
to  the  devil."  Peace  is  the  sentinel  of  the  soul, 
which  keeps  the  heart  and  mind  of  the  Christian 
through  Christ  Jesus.  So  long  as  this  sentinel  is 
on  guard  and  doing  his  duty,  the  castle  of  the  soul 
is  kept  secure.  But  let  the  sentinel  be  removed,  and 
the  way  is  opened  immediately  for  an  attack  upon 
the  fortress.     And  our  spiritual  foes  are  vigilant, 

however  much  we  may  sleep.     E.  M.  G. Though 

the  suggestion  of  evil  is  attributed  to  Satan,  by 
Peter's  question  to  Ananias  (Acts  5  :  3),  yet  the 
question  is  addressed  to  Ananias.  This  intimates 
that  he  could  have  closed  the  door  of  his  heart 
against  it  if  he  would.  Give  not  place  to  the  devil ; 
and  wanting  "  place  "  given  by  yourself,  he  has  no 
foothold  to  strike  any  blow.     Ar?iot. 

28.  The  desire  of  property  Christianity  regu- 
lates wisely.  Recognizing  the  inadequacy  of  prop- 
erty to  meet  the  wants  of  a  spiritual  being,  it  pro- 
hibits covetousness  as  idolatry,  and  exhorts  the  rich 
not  to  trust  in  uncertain  riches,  but  in  the  living 


434 


SECTION  301.—EFEE8IANS  4  :  17-32. 


God.  At  the  same  time  it  forbids  indolence,  requir- 
ing industry  and  frugality ;  and,  when  property  is 
acquired,  it  commands  us  to  be  "  ready  to  distribute, 
willing  to  communicate."  lie  that  stole  is  to  steal 
no  more,  but  is  to  labor,  working  with  his  hands, 
that  he  may  have  to  give  to  him  that.necdeth.  Thus 
would  Christianity  transform  every  lazy,  thievish 
pest  of  society  into  an  industrious,  useful,  and  lib- 
eral man.  Its  exhortations  would  all  lead  men  to 
works  of  general  beneficence — to  give  to  him  that 
ncedeth,  whoever  he  may  be — and  would  thus  cause 
money  to  become  a  means  of  spiritual  culture  to 
him  who  has  it,  as  well  as  a  blessing  to  him  to 
whom  it  is  given.     M.  H. 

29.  As  we  avoid  the  evil  of  the  tongue,  so  wc 
should  commune  one  with  another  more  frequently 
and  fruitfully,  quickening  one  another  to  a  sweet 
and  grateful  apprehension  of  the  benefits  of  God, 
and  especially  of  that  greatest  benefit  to  man,  the 
gift  of  his  dear  Son  Jesus  Christ — the  light  of  the 
worldj  the  refuge  of  the  lost,  the  Priest,  Prophet, 
and  King  of  our  profession.     T.  M. 

30.  The  work  of  the  Spirit  in  man  is  not  only 
as  real  and  important  as  the  work  of  Christ  for 
him,  but  it  is  as  much  required  to  keep  alive  as  to 
make  alive — to  preserve  the  life  as  to  impart  it. 
The  Holy  Spirit  has  not  only  to  visit  the  soul,  he 
has  to  "  dwell  "  in  it,  to  "  abide  "  with  it,  to  make 
the  heart  his  home,  the  body  his  temple.  If  he  be 
"  grieved "  or  offended,  if  he  withdraw  or  depart, 
the  spiritual  life  droops  and  languishes  ;  just  as  all 
nature  would  do  if  the  sun  were  to  be  protractedly 
eclipsed  ;  just  as  the  earth  would  suffer  if  the  heav- 
ens withheld  the  dew  and  the  rain.     T.  B. That 

Spirit  that  sometimes  does  illuminate,  teach,  and  in- 
struct them,  can  keep  silence,  can  cause  darkness, 
can  withdraw  itself,  and  suffer  the  soul  to  sin  more 
and  more ;  and  this  last  is  the  very  judgment  of 

judgments.     Bun. Take  heed,  respect  the  great 

Person  you  have  in  your  company,  who  lodges  with- 
in you,  the  Holy  Spirit.  Grieve  Mm  not,  for  it  will 
turn  to  your  own  grief  if  you  do ;  for  all  your  com- 
fort is  in  his  hand  and  flows  from  him.     L. It  is 

to  grieve  him,  when  you  stop  his  blessed  work  in 
you ;  when  you  will  not  let  Him  deepen  and  widen 
the  impression  of  his  seal.  He  grieves  over  your 
unmarked  hours  and  days  and  weeks,  because  he 
knows  that  the  time  which  is  unmarked  by  you  is 
marked  by  your  enemy ;  that  when  you  sleep,  then 
your  enemy  is  most  busy.  He  grieves  over  the 
weakness  that  will  not  be  made  strong,  over  the 
carelessness  which  will   not  be  made  thoughtful. 


He  grieves  over  this,  because  he  sees  to  what  end  it 
is  hastening.  But  if  he  grieves  over  our  manifold 
faults  and  weaknesses,  it  will  be  a  joy  to  him  no 
less  if  we  follow  his  guidance  and  love  his  com- 
fort ;  it  will  be  a  joy  to  him,  so  he  permits  us  to 
speak,  if  wc  suffer  him  to  finish  his  work,  and 
to  make  his  seal  every  year  more  visible  on  us; 
and  if  it  be  a  joy  to  him,  his  joy  will  be  our  infi- 
nite blessing ;  his  finished  work  is  our  life  eter- 
nal.    T.  A. 

31.  Of  all  things  that  are  to  be  met  with  here 
on  earth,  there  is  nothing  which  can  give  such  con- 
tinual, such  cutting,  such  useless  pain  as  an  undis- 
ciplined temper.  The  touching  and  sensitive  tem- 
per, which  takes  offense  at  a  word  ;  the  irritable 
temper,  which  finds  offense  in  everything  whether 
intended  or  not ;  the  violent  temper,  which  breaks 
through  all  bounds  of  reason  when  once  roused ; 
the  jealous  or  sullen  temper,  which  wears  a  cloud 
on  the  face  all  day,  and  never  utters  a  word  of  com- 
plaint ;  the  discontented  temper,  brooding  over  its 
own  wrongs ;  the  severe  temper,  which  always  looks 
at  the  worst  side  of  whatever  is  done ;  the  willful 
temper,  which  overrides  every  scruple  to  gratify  a 
whim — what  an  amount  of  pain  have  these  caused 
in  the  hearts  of  men,  if  we  could  but  sum  up  their 
results  !  How  many  a  soul  have  they  stirred  to  evil 
impulses;  how  many  a  prayer  have  they  stifled; 
how  many  an  emotion  of  true  affection  have  they 
turned  to  bitterness !  How  hard  they  sometimes 
make  all  duties !  IIow  painful  they  make  all  daily 
life !  How  they  kill  the  sweetest  and  warmest  of 
domestic  charities !  Ill  temper  is  a  sin  requiring 
long  and  careful  discipline.  Long  after  you  have 
seen  the  duty  of  controlling  it,  you  will  find  your 
control  of  it  very  imperfect.  God  gives  some  vic- 
tories speedily ;  this  victory  he  rarely  gives  till  after 
many  battles.     F.  T. 

33.  Two  very  distinct  Greek  words  are  translated 
by  the  single,  very  beautiful  English  word,  forgive- 
ness. One  signifies  merely  a  letting  go,  a  release  of 
charges,  an  exemption  from  punishment,  the  merely 
negative  good  of  not  being  held  in  condemnation ; 
a  word  accurately  translated  here  and  there  by  the 
word  "  remission."  The  other  signifies  the  very 
positive  and  operative  matter  of  sacrifice  and  suffer- 
ing to  gain  the  heart  of  an  adversary ;  that  which 
not  merely  lets  go,  but  prepares  men  to  be  let  go. 
Literally  this  word  means  "  to  bestow  grace."  Thus 
here  we  may  read  :  "  Dealing  grace  one  toward 
another,  even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  dealt 
grace  toward  you."     H.  B. 


SECTION  SOQ.—EPHESIANS  5  : 1-21. 


435 


I 


Section  302. 

Ephesians  v.  1-21. 

1  •  Be  ye  therefore  followers  of  God,  as  dear  children;  and  walk  in  love,  as  Christ  also  hath 

2  loved  us  and  hath  given  himself  for  us  an  offering  and  a  sacrifice  to  God  for  a  sweetsmell- 

3  in-  savour.     But  fornication,  and  all  uncleanness,  or  covetousness,  let  it  not  be  once  named 

4  among  you,  as  becometh  saints;  neither  filthiness,  nor  foohsh  talking,  nor  jestmg,  which 

5  are  not  convenient :  but  rather  giving  of  thanks.    For  this  ye  know,  that  no  whoremonger, 
nor  unclean  person,  nor  covetous  man,  who  is  an  idolater,  hath  any  inheritance  m  the  kmgdom 

6  of  Christ  and  of  God.     Let  no  man  deceive  you  with  vain  words :  for  because  of  these 

7  thin-s  Cometh  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  children  of  disobedience.    Be  not  ye  therefore 

8  partakers  with  them,    for  ye  were  sometimes  darkness,  but  now  are  ye  light  m  the  Lord : 

9  walk  as  children  of  light:  (for  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  in  all  goodness  and  righteousness 

11  and  truth-)  proving  what  is  acceptable  unto  the  Lord.     And  have  no  fellowship  with  the 

12  unfruitful' works  of  darkness,  but  rather  reprove  them.    For  it  is  a  shame  even  to  speak  of 

13  those  things  which  are  done  of  them  in  secret.     But  all  things  that  are  reproved  are  made 

14  manifest  bv  the  light:  for  whatsoever  doth  make  manifest  is  light.     Wherefore  he  saith, 

15  Awake  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light.     See 

16  then  that  ye  walk  circumspectly,  not  as  fools,  but  as  wise,  redeeming  the  time,  because  the 
ir  days  are  evil.     Wherefore  be  ye  not  unwise,  but  understanding  what  the  will  of  the  Lord 

18  is     And  be  not  drunk  with  wine,  wherein   is  excess;   but   be  filled  with  the  Spirit; 

19  speaking  to  yourselves  in  psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  and  making  melody 
90  in  your  heart  to  the  Lord;  giving  thanks  always  for  all  things  unto  God  and  the  Father  m 
21  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  submitting  yourselves  one  to  another  in  the  fear  of  God. 


There  can  be  no  perfect  melody  in  the  heart  while  sin  is  there.  If  word  is  discordant  with  word,  or 
deed  with  deed  or  thought  with  thought;  if  one  speaks  what  he  does  not  mean,  or  professes  what  he  does 
not  practice,  or  promises  what  he  does  not  fulfill ;  if  the  elements  of  his  moral  being  are  at  war  with  one 
another,  the  passions  with  the  reason,  the  appetites  with  the  conscience;  if,  in  a  word,  the  psalm  of  life 
has  not  been  tuned  to  the  keynote  of  the  gospel ;  if  our  uniform  and  practical  purpose  of  consecration  to 
God  does  not  bear  down  all  before  it ;  if  the  aims  and  aspirations  of  the  soul  do  not  all  accord  in  glory 
to  God  in  the  hi-hest,  peace  on  earth,  good  will  to  men,"  there  can  be  no  proper  melody  in  the  heart.  But 
let  this  be  the  case,  and  that  melody  is  the  legitimate  and  necessary  result.  Let  the  soul,  by  nature  at 
discord  with  itself,  with  conscience,  with  its  condition,  with  the  laws  of  holiness  and  God,  be  converted 
so  that  selfish  will  is  subdued,  so  that  God  is  loved  and  his  law  becomes  a  delight ;  let  the  soul,  purified 
by  the  power  of  atoning  blood  and  attuned  to  the  praise  of  Divine  grace,  be  brought  to  feel  that  there  « 
no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  then  all  its  faculties  and  affections  shall  unite  _m 
the  chorus  of  "  Holiness  to  the  Lord."  The  grace  of  God  shall  breathe  through  it,  and  wake  from  its 
trembling  strings  a  music  beyond  that  of  yEolian  harps.  There  will  be  a  sweet  concert  of  thought  and 
deed,  an  unmurmuring  submission  to  God's  providence,  a  holy  joy  in  doing  his  will.    E.  H.  G. 


1.  To  the  grace  of  pardon,  and  the  grace  of  re- 
newal, succeeds  the  grace  of  adoption  in  the  order 
of  blessings  of  his  covenant ;  whereby  God,  in  in- 
finite condescension,  is  pleased  to  stand  to  redeemed 
sinners  in  the  relation  of  a  father.     They  walk  with 

liim  as  '■'■dear  childy-en.'"     Goode. Relirjion  is  the 

harmony  of  the  soul  with  God,  and  the  conformity  of 
the  life  to  his  laio.  The  loftiest  purpose  of  God  in 
all  his  dealings  is  to  make  us  like  himself ;  and  the 
end  of  all  religion  is  the  complete  accomplishment 
of  that  purpose.     There  is  no  religion  without  these 


elements :  consciousness  of  kindred  with  God,  recog- 
nition of  him  as  the  sum  of  all  excellence  and 
beauty,  and  of  his  will  as  unconditionally  binding 
upon  us,  aspiration  and  effort  after  a  full  accord  of 
heart  and  soul  with  him  and  with  his  law,  and  humble 
confidence  that  that  sovereign  beauty  will  be  ours. 
"Be  ye  imitators  of  God  as  dear  children"  is  the 
pure  and  comprehensive  dictate  which  expresses  the 

aim  of   all  devout  men.     A.  M. The  Christian 

life  is  a  transfigured  childhood.  Like  children,  we 
beheve  without  suspicion;    like  children,  we  love 


436 


SECTION  302.—EPEESIANS  5  : 1-21. 


without  distinction  ;  like  children,  we  hope  without 
limitation.     A.  T. 

2.  The  oiferings  prescribed  by  the  Levitical  law 
fell  into  two  entirely  distinct  classes.  The  one  class 
were  called  sweet-savor  offerings,  and  were  for  the 
acceptance  of  the  worshiper ;  the  thought  in  them 
was,  man  giving  to  God  something  which  God  views 
with  complacency.  The  second  class  consisted  of 
the  sin  and  trespass  offerings,  and  are  never  said  to 
be  of  a  sweet  savor ;  in  them  the  thought  was  man, 
as  a  transgressor,  enduring  the  curse  which  sin  has 
entailed.  Our  blessed  Lord  endured  this  curse, 
when,  upon  the  cross,  he  poured  out  his  soul  unto 
death ;  as  it  is  said  :  "  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from 
the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us." 
But  before  he  became  our  sin  and  trespass  offering, 
he  had  been  our  sweet  savor  offering,  presenting  to 
the  Father  a  human  heart  all  aflame,  as  no  human 
heart  but  his  ever  yet  was,  with  heavenly  love  and 
zeal,  a  life  wholly  devoted  to  the  service  of  God  and 
man,  and  the  only  pure  worship  which  since  the  days 
of  Eden  had  ever  ascended  from  the  earth.    E.  M.  G. 

3.  It  seems  a  trifle  to  all  but  earnest  believers 
to  give  way  to  bad  thoughts,  to  take  sinful  liberties 
with  the  eye  or  hand  ;  but  what  says  the  Scripture  ? 
Your  eyes  and  your  hands  are  members  of  Christ ; 
shall  I  then  take  Christ's  eye  and  hand,  and  make 
an  unclean  use  of  them  ?  Indeed,  we  shall  never 
understand  how  grievous  are  our  sins  against  purity 
until  we  have  learned  really  to  believe  that  we  are 

members  of  Christ  ourselves.     An. In  verse  4, 

'■'■which  are  not  convenient"  would  be  better  ex- 
pressed "  things  which  are  not  becoming."    A. 

"  Let  there  be  no  coarseness,  nor  vapid  and  gossip- 
ing conversation — no,  nor  even  the  refined  but  sin- 
ful railery  of  the  man  of  fashion."  Such  is  a  fair 
paraphrase  of  the  passage.  If  this  be  its  meaning, 
it  gives  us  the  salutary  warning  that,  albeit  plea- 
santry itself  be  no  sin,  it  is  under  certain  circum- 
stances very  closely  allied  with  sin.  By  way  of 
preserving  pure  this  offspring  of  the  heart's  merri- 
ment, three  cautions  should  be  rigidly  observed: 
First,  from  all  our  pleasantry  must  be  banished 
any,  even  the  remotest,  allusion  to  impurity,  which 
forms  the  staple  of  much  of  this  world's  wit.  Plea- 
santry should  be  the  fruit  of  a  childlike  playfulness, 
and  of  a  heart  buoyant  because  it  has  not  the  con- 
sciousness of  guile.  If  you  once  make  it  the  vehicle 
of  uncleanness,  you  foul  it  at  the  spring.  Secondly, 
all  such  sarcasms  as  hurt  another  person,  wound  his 
feelings,  and  give  him  unnecessary  pain,  are  abso- 
lutely forbidden  by  the  law  of  Christian  love.  The 
flashes  of  wit  should  be  like  those  of  the  summer 
lightning,  lambent  and  innocuous.  Thirdly,  all 
such  pleasantries  as  bring  anything  sacred  into  ridi- 
cule— or,  without  bringing  it  actually  into  ridicule, 
connect  with  it  in  the  minds  of   others  ludicrous 


associations,  so  that  they  can  never  see  the  object 
or  hear  the  words  without  the  ludicrous  observation 
being  presented  to  them — are  carefully  to  be  es- 
chewed. At  all  times  our  primary  duty — that  which 
is  inalienably  binding  upon  us,  and  from  which  no 
plea  of  entertainment  can  excuse  us — is  to  hallow 
God's  name.     E.  M.  G. 

5.  Nor  covetous  man.  The  lax  opinions  of 
the  Church  on  the  sin  of  covetousness  may  delude 
one  with  the  hope  that  cupidity  alone  shall  not  ex- 
clude him  from  the  divine  presence ;  but  the  decree 
has  gone  forth  against  every  covetous  man,  what- 
ever his  standing  in  the  Christian  Church.  Streams 
of  worldly  affluence  may  seem  to  seek  him,  and, 
like  a  sea,  he  may  receive  them  all ;  but  he  thinks 
not  of  transferring  his  treasures  by  deeds  of  benefi- 
cence to  the  hands  of  God  ;  and,  consequently,  when 
he  passes  out  of  time  into  eternity,  though  he  should 
be  sought  for  before  the  throne  of  God  above, 
sought  for  diligently  among  all  the  ranks  of  the 
blessed,  he  would  nowhere  be  found,  for  "  he  shall 
not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God."    J.  H. 

8.  In  the  reformation  of  men  whose  lives  had 
been  bad,  the  gospel  evinced  a  power  such  as  put 
to  shame  the  highest  achievements  of  philosophy  in 
this  practical  direction.  An  inspiration  was  fur- 
nished for  the  amendment  of  character  such  as  the 
world  had  never  witnessed  before.  This  is  evident 
from  statements  in  the  Apostolic  Epistles  and  in 
the  early  ecclesiastical  writers,  "  We,"  writes  Jus- 
tin Martyr,  "  who  formerly  were  the  slaves  of  lust, 
now  only  strive  after  purity ;  we  who  loved  the 
path  to  riches  above  every  other,  now  give  what  we 
have  to  the  common  use,  and  give  to  every  one  that 
needs  ;  we  who  hated  and  destroyed  one  another, 
now  live  together,  and  pray  for  our  enemies,  and 
endeavor  to  convince  those  who  hate  us  without 
cause,  so  that  they  may  order  their  lives  according 
to  Christ's  glorious  doctrine,  and  attain  to  the  joyful 
hope  of  receiving  like  blessings  with  ourselves  from 
God,  the  Lord  of  all."     G.  P.  F. 

Now  are  ye  light.  The  Christian  is  able 
clearly  to  discriminate  between  his  old  lite  and  the 
new,  whereby,  through  Jesus,  he  has  been  brought 
to  life  and  light.  Here  is  no  twilight,  but  the  clear 
light  of  day,  which  knows  no  turning  from  the  light 
of  grace  to  the  darkness  of  sin.  The  conversion 
effected  in  us  by  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  through  the 
propitiatory  sacrifice  of  Jesus,  is  the  clearly  defined 
boundary  between  things  old  and  new.  Not  a  single 
footbreadth  of  the  new  heart's  dominions  belongs 
to  the  old  Adam.    A.  C. 

Walk  as  children.  Were  wc  acquainted 
with  the  way  of  intermixing  holy  thoughts,  ejacula- 
tory  eyings  of  God,  in  our  ordinary  ways,  it  would 
keep  the  heart  in  a  sweet  temper  all  the  day  long, 
and  put  an  excellent  influence  into  all  our  ordinary 
actions,  and  into  our  holy  performances  at  those 
times  when  we  apply  ourselves  solemnly  to  them. 
Our  hearts  would  be  near  them,  not  so  far  off  to 


SECTION  30S.—EPHESIAN8  5  : 1-21. 


437 


seek  and  call  in  as  usually  they  are  throuprh  the 
neglect  of  this.  This  were  to  walk  with  God  in- 
deed ;  to  go  all  the  day  long  as  in  our  Father's 
hand ;  whereas,  without  this,  our  praying  morning 
and  evening  looks  but  as  a  formal  visit,  not  delight- 
ing in  that  constant  converse,  which  yet  is  our  hap- 
piness and  honor  and  makes  all  estates  sweet.  This 
would  refresh  us  in  the  hardest  labor ;  as  they  that 
carry  the  spices  from  Arabia  are  refreshed  with  the 
smell  of  them  in  their  journey  ;  and  some  observe 
that  it  keeps  their  strength  and  frees  them  from 
fainting.     L. 

13.  What  is  the  voice  of  God's  word  is  also 
the  voice  of  natural  feeling.  The  man  who  is  fair 
outside  and  foul  within  is  condemned  of  all  men  as 
a  hypocrite.  Men  reserve  all  their  strongest  terms 
of  reprobation  for  the  dark,  reserved,  and  secret 
sinner.  Nature  and  revelation  both  warn  us  against 
the  danger  we  run  if  we  pollute  our  inner  and  secret 
life  with  what  we  dare  not  tell.     F.  T. 

13.  It  should  run  thus :  "But  all  things  when 
they  are  reproved  are  made  manifest  by  the  light ; 
for  everything  that  is  made  manifest  is  light ;  that 
is,  the  light  of  your  Christian  light,  which  will  be 
by  your  reproof  shed  upon  these  deeds  of  darkness, 
will  bring  them  out  of  darkness  into  light,  for  every- 
thing, when  it  is  manifested,  becomes  light."  The 
Ephesians  themselves  were  "once  darkness,"  but 
were  now  become  "  light  in  the  Lord,"  having  been 
reproved  "  by  God's  Spirit."  For  this  reason  it  will 
be  better  in  verse  14  to  render  instead  of  "  Christ 
shall  give  thee  Ivjht^''  "  Christ  shall  shine  upon  thee," 
make  thee  light.     A. 

14.  Awake  thou  that  steepest.  To  the 
men  of  this  world  it  seems,  as  they  look  upon  the 
restless  activity  that  surrounds  them,  that  any  other 
term  than  "  asleep  "  should  be  the  figure  to  describe 
it.  "  This  world  around  us  asleep  ?  "  they  ask — 
these  panting  millions,  pressing,  dashing,  trampling 
each  other  in  the  dusty  highways  of  fortune,  fame, 
or  pleasure  ?  Asleep  !  this  restless,  raging  ocean 
of  life,  over  which  the  storm-king  rides  in  his  fury  ? 
Humanity  asleep,  that  neither  night,  nor  sickness, 
nor  satiety  can  check  in  its  tumultuous  course  ?  But 
the  Scriptures  teach  that  spiritual  slumber  may  con- 
sist with  great  physical  and  intellectual  activity. 
Godless  men  are  not  only  sleepers  but  somnambulists. 
They  walk  and  still  sleep  ;  they  speak,  though  still 
they  sleep ;  with  open  eyes  they  sleep  ;  in  the  view 
of  the  gospel  they  have  eyes  and  see  not— ears  have 
they,  but  they  hear  not.  They  see  what  is  not,  and 
do  not  see  what  is ;  things  far  off  seem  near  to 
them ;  things  near  seem  far  off.  While  they  walk, 
as  wakeful  men,  their  steps  arc  not  directed  by  the 

reality  of   things.     S.  R. Wake  in  death  you 

must,  for  it  is  an  earnest  thing  to  die.  Shall  it  be 
this,  I  pray  you  ?     Shall  it  be  the  voice  of  death 


which  first  says,  "  Arise,"  at  the  very  moment  when 
it  says,  "  Sleep  on  for  ever  "  ?  Shall  it  be  the  bridal 
train  sweeping  by,  and  the  shutting  of  the  doors, 
and  the  discovery  that  the  lamp  is  gone  out  ?  Shall 
that  be  the  first  time  you  know  that  it  is  an  earnest 
thing  to  live  ?  Let  us  feel  that  we  have  been  doing  ; 
learn  what  time  is,  sliding  from  you,  and  not  stop- 
ping when  you  stop ;  learn  what  sin  is ;  learn  what 
"  never  "  is :   "  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest." 

15,  16.  It  is  a  distinct  duty  to  use  life  while 
we  are  here.  Time  is  short ;  therefore  opportunities 
are  so  much  the  more  valuable.  There  is  an  infinite 
value  stamped  upon  them.  Therefore  use  the  world. 
But,  then,  it  is  a  duty  equally  distinct,  to  live  above 
the  world.  Unworldliness  is  the  spirit  of  holding  all 
things  as  not  our  own,  in  the  perpetual  conviction 
that  they  will  not  last.  It  is  not  to  put  life  and 
God's  lovely  world  aside  with  self-torturing  hand. 
It  is  to  have  the  world,  and  not  to  let  the  world 
have  you;    to  be  its  master,  and  not  its   slave. 

F.  W.  R. An  Italian  philosopher  expressed  in  his 

motto  that  time  was  his  estate ;  an  estate,  indeed, 
which  will  produce  nothing  without  cultivation,  but 
will  always  abundantly  repay  the  labors  of  industry, 
and  satisfy  the  most  extensive  desires,  if  no  part  of 
it  be  suffered  to  be  wasted  by  negligence,  to  be  over- 
run with  noxious  plants,  or  laid  out  for  show  rather 

than  for  use.  Johnson. All  that  life  has  of  good, 

or  great,  or  valuable,  or  useful,  is  fashioned  out  of 
time.  Out  of  it  we  bring  the  well-spent  hour,  the 
well-spent  year,  the  well-spent  life.  Time  for  an 
intelligent  being  is  the  equivalent  of  existence,  and 
we  must  estimate  it  by  the  capabilities  or  possibili- 
ties which  it  involves ;  what  it  can  do  for  character, 
virtue,  integrity,  piety,  Christian  hope,  beneficence. 
E.  H.  G. 

18.  "Excess"  is  a  mere  truism.  The  word 
thus  rendered  means  "  ruin,"  "  profligacy,"  reckless 
casting  away  of  body  and  soul.     The  best  rendering 

would  be  "profligacy."     A. 18-20.    "Be  not 

drunk  with  wine,  like  those  who  live  riotously ;  but 
be  filled  with  the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit,  when  you 
speak  one  to  another.  Let  your  singing  be  of 
psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  and  make 
melody  with  the  music  of  your  hearts,  to  the  Lord. 
And  at  all  times,  for  all  things  which  befall  you, 
give  thanks  to  our  God  and  Father,  in  the  name  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  Throughout  the  whole 
passage  there  is  a  contrast  implied  between  the 
heathen  and  the  Christian  practice.  When  you 
meet,  let  your  enjoyment  consist  not  in  fullness  of 
wine,  but  fullness  of  the  Spirit;  let  your  songs  be, 
not  the  drinking-songs  of  heathen  feasts,  but  psalms 
atid  hymns  ;  and  their  accompaniment,  not  the  music 
of  the  lyre,  but  the  melody  of  the  heart ;  while  you 
sing  them  to  the  praise,  not  of  Bacchus  or  Venus,  but 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     C, 


438 


SECTION  303.—EPHESIANS  5:22-33;  6:1-9. 


All  fullness  of  one  thing  hinders  the  receiving 
and  admittance  of  any  other,  especially  of  things  so 
opposite  as  these  fullnesses  are.  A  brutish  fullness 
makes  a  man  no  man ;  this  divine  fullness  makes 
him  more  than  a  man.  It  were  happy  to  be  so  filled 
with  this  as  that  it  might  be  called  a  kind  of  drunk- 
enness, as  it  was  with  the  apostles  (Acts  2),      L. 

There  is  one  intensity  of  feeling  produced  by 

stimulating  the  senses,  another  by  vivifying  the 
spiritual  life.  Stimulants  like  wine  inflame  the 
senses,  and  through  them  set  the  imaginations  and 
feelings  on  fire ;  and  the  law  of  our  spiritual  being 
is,  that  that  which  begins  with  the  flesh  sensualizes 
the  spirit — whereas  that  which  commences  in  the 
region  of  the  spirit  spiritualizes  the  senses,  in 
which  it  subsequently  stirs  emotion.  "Wine  is  but  a 
specimen  of  a  class  of  stimulants.  All  that  begins 
from  without  belongs  to  the  same  class.  The  stim- 
ulus may  be  afforded  by  almost  any  excessive  enjoy- 


ment of  the  senses.  The  prophet  tells  us  of  those 
who  are  drunken,  and  not  with  wine.  .  .  .  We  want 
the  vision  of  a  calmer  and  simpler  beauty,  to  tran- 
quilize  us  in  the  midst  of  artificial  tastes — we  want 
the  draught  of  a  purer  spring,  to  cool  the  flame  of 
our  excited  life — we  want,  in  other  words,  the  Spirit 
of  Christ,  with  power  to  calm  and  soothe  the  feel- 
ings which  it  rouses;  the  fullness  of  the  Spirit 
which  can  never  intoxicate  !     F.  W.  R. 

20,  Giving  thanks  always.  If,  when  thou 
art  in  prosperity  and  happiness,  in  success  and  en- 
joyment, thou  givest  thanks,  it  is  nothing  great 
or  wonderful ;  but  what  is  looked  for  is,  that  thou 
shouldest  give  thanks  when  in  tribulation  and  in  sor- 
row. Utter  nothing  in  preference  to  these  words, 
"I  thank  thee.  Lord."  Let  us  give  thanks,  not 
merely  for  manifest  blessings,  but  also  for  those 
which  are  not  manifest,  and  for  those  which  we  re- 
ceive against  our  will.     Chrys. 


Section  303. 

Ephesians  v.  22-33;  vi.  1-9. 

22  "Wives,  submit  yourselves  unto  your  own  husbands,  as  unto  the  Lord,     For  the  husband 

23  is  the  head  of  the  Avife,  even  as  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  church :  and  he  is  the  Saviour  of 

24  the  body.  Therefore  as  the  cliurch  is  subject  unto  Christ,  so  let  the  wives  le  to  their  own 
husbands  in  every  thing. 

25  Husbands,  love  your  wives,  even  as  Christ  also  loved  the  church,  and  gave  himself  for  it ; 

26  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word,  that  he  might 

27  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  tiling;  but 

28  that  it  should  be  holy  and  without  blemish.    So  ought  men  to  love  their  wives  as  their  own 

29  bodies.     He  that  loveth  his  wife  loveth  himself     For  no  man  ever  yet  hated  his  own  flesh ; 

30  but  nourisheth  and  cherisheth  it,  even  as  the  Lord  the  church  :  for  we  are  members  of  his 

31  body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones.     For  this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  his  father  and 

32  mother,  and  shall  be  joined  unto  his  wife,  and  they  two  shall  be  one  flesh.     This  is  a  great 

33  mystery:  but  I  speak  concerning  Christ  and  the  church.  Nevertheless,  let  everyone  of 
you  in  particular  so  love  his  wife  even  as  himself;  and  the  wife  see  that  she  reverence  Tier 
husband. 

1  Children,  obey  your  parents  in  the  Lord :   for  this  is  right.     Honour  thy  father  and 

2  mother;  which  is  the  first  commandment  with  promise  ;  that  it  may  be  well  with  thee,  and 

3  thou  mayest  live  long  on  the  earth.     And,  ye  fathers,  provoke  not  your  children  to  wrath : 

4  but  bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord. 

5  Servants,  be  obedient  to  them  that  are  your  masters  according  to  the  flesh,  with  fear  and 

6  trembling,  in  singleness  of  your  heart,  as  unto  Christ ;  not  with  eyeservice,  as  menpleasers ; 

7  but  as  the  servants  of  Christ,  doing  the  will  of  God  from  the  heart ;  with  good  will  doing 

8  service,  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  to  men :  knowing  that  whatsoever  good  thing  any  man  do- 
eth,  the  same  shall  he  receive  of  the  Lord,  whether  he  te  bond  or  free. 

9  And,  ye  masters,  do  the  same  things  unto  them,  forbearing  threatening :  knowing  that 
your  Master  also  is  in  heaven ;  neither  is  there  respect  of  persons  with  him. 


The  family  state  is  the  beginning  and  the  condition  of  society.     He  who  passes  out  of  its  healthy 
training  into  the  larger  circle  of  fellow-citizens  or  fellow-men,  has  a  foundation  already  laid  for  all  social 


SECTION  SOS.—EPHESIANS  5:22-33;  6:1-9. 


439 


sympathies,  for  the  conception  of  human  brotherhood,  for  the  exercise  of  good  will  in  every  form.  It  is 
also  the  condition  of,  and  the  preparation  for,  all  law.  The  dependent  being  trained  up  in  it  to  listen  to 
higher  authority  and  wisdom,  to  give  up  self-will  and  practice  self-control,  becomes  fitted  for  the  loyal  life 
of  the  citizen,  and  for  obedience  to  God.  Thus  it  was  meant,  according  to  the  primeval  plan,  that  the  in- 
fant mind  should  be  disciplined  in  the  family  for  a  life  of  law  and  of  love — law,  which  should  lead  the 
soul  up  to  the  great  central  lawgiver  of  the  universe,  and  love,  which  should  embrace  the  brotherhood  of 
souls,  and  God,  the  Father  of  all.  Such  was  the  idea  and  type  of  the  family  which,  through  the  fall  of 
the  race,  has  not  been  fully  realized.     T.  D.  W. 

To  watch  your  own  spirit ;  to  be  ready  with  the  soft  answer  which  turneth  away  wrath ;  to  wait  on 
the  invalid  and  never  weary ;  to  be  yourself  the  invalid,  yet  neither  fretful  nor  exacting  ;  to  minister  to 
the  mind  diseased,  pulling  it  out  of  the  self -same  slough  many  times  a  day ;  to  carry  in  your  own  bosom 
some  great  care  or  sorrow,  and  yet  rejoice  with  those  that  do  rejoice ;  to  break  away  from  favorite  pur- 
suits in  order  to  give  to  others  pleasure ;  to  do  all  this  is  difficult,  so  difficult  that  it  can  only  be  long  and 
systematically  sustained  in  strength  of  God's  giving  ;  but  just  because  so  difficult,  it  is  the  discipline  which 
God  prescribes  to  thousands  who,  up  the  steps  of  social  life  and  domestic  duty,  are  climbing  to  glory, 
honor,  and  immortality,  and  who,  as  they  reach  the  landing,  will  find  repayment  in  the  children  whom  God 
hath  siven  them.     Hmnilion. 


22-33.  He  is  enforcing  the  duties  of  the  do- 
mestic state,  and  begins  with  those  arising  from  the 
conjugal  relation.  His  method  is  to  illustrate  these 
by  the  relations  of  Christ  to  his  Church.  The  rela- 
tive duties  of  marriage  are  more  fully  comprehended 
when  the  essential  oneness  of  the  relation  is  com- 
pared with  the  oneness  of  the  believer  with  Christ. 
The  husband  is  the  head  of  the  wife,  just  as  Christ 
is  the  Head  of  the  Church.  The  wife  is  to  be  sub- 
ject to  her  own  husband,  just  as  the  Church  is  sub- 
ject to  Christ.  The  husband  is  to  love  the  wife,  just 
as  Christ  loved  the  Church.  He  is  to  nourish  her  as 
his  own  body,  just  as  Christ  nourisheth  the  Church, 
which  is  his  body.  The  parallel  is  drawn  out  in  all 
these  details,  and  then  the  very  terms  are  cited  in 
which  the  law  of  marriage  was  first  given,  in  order 
to  show  that  the  two  are  one  fiesh,  precisely  as  be- 
lievers are  members  "  of  Chi'ist,  of  his  flesh  and  of 
his  bones."  And  the  whole  form  of  exposition  as- 
sumes that  there  was  a  mystical  feature  in  marriage, 
designed  to  prefigure  the  mystical  union  of  Christ 
and  the  Church.  A  "  mystery "  was  put  into  the 
most  fundamental  of  our  natural  relations,  and  was 
kept  a  secret  through  all  the  ages,  until  the  corre- 
sponding "  mystery  "  was  revealed  in  our  spiritual 
relations,  which  cleared  up  its  meaning — the  hiero- 
glyph over  the  very  portals  of  marriage,  not  to  be 
deciphered  until  the  key  was  furnished  in  the  work 
of  redemption.  "What  sanctity  is  lent  to  the  con- 
jugal bond,  when  from  the  beginning  the  husband 
■was  designed  as  the  type  of  Chiist,  and  the  wife  a 
type  of  the  Church,  and  human  marriage  a  symbol 
of  the  sacred  espousals  between  the  Lord  and  his 
people !  If  there  be  a  holy  shrine  upon  the  earth, 
it  is  the  Family  which  wraps  within  its  hidden  folds 
the  "  great  mystery  "  of  grace,  the  believer's  living 
union  with  his  living  Head.     B.  M.  P. 

22-24.  The  ivife  stands  related  to  the  husband 
as  the  Church  to  the  Lord ;  that  is,  she  is  to  be  sub- 
ject to  him,  and  to  show  him  all  due  reverence.  But 
this  obedience  does  not  exclude  equality  of  personal 
and  moral  dignity.  It  should  have  nothing  slavish 
or  bitter  about  it,  no  fear  nor  trembling.  It  should 
be  free  and  joyful  in,  and  for  the  sake  of,  the  Lord. 
So  the  Church  finds  her  highest  honor,  delight,  and 
freedom  in  everywhere  following  her  heavenly  bride- 
groom in  the  most  trustful  self-resignation.  P.  S. 
This  subordination  of  the  wife  is  urged  upon 


the  ground  of  its  meetness  or  propriety,  "  as  it  is  ft 
in  the  lord"  (Col.  3  :  18).  The  duty  is  thus  laid 
upon  her  conscience,  and  is  not  left  simply  to  the 
operation  of  instinct.  At  the  very  first,  the  woman 
did  not  separately  exist.  When  God  executed  his 
counsel  to  "make  man  in  his  image  and  after  his 
likeness,"  he  created  Adam  alone.  The  woman  ex- 
isted as  yet  only  potentially  in  the  man,  and  was 
formed  afterward,  by  what  may  be  termed  a  second- 
ary creation,  out  of  his  substance.  Her  natural  con- 
dition is  that  of  union  with  man  as  a  portion  of 
him.  The  wife  is  always  the  rib,  having  her  true 
place  in  the  side,  again  rcincluded  in  the  man,  from 
whom  she  was  at  first  taken.  In  the  beautiful  lan- 
guage of  Matthew  Henry,  she  "  was  not  made  out  of 
his  head  to  top  him,  not  out  of  his  feet  to  be  tram- 
pled upon  by  him,  but  out  of  his  side,  to  be  equal 
with  him,  under  his  arm  to  be  protected,  and  near 
his  heart  to  be  beloved."  Her  derivation  from  man 
as  the  rib,  and  her  restoration  to  him  as  the  woman, 
are  both  to  be  connected  together ;  and  their  typical 
significance  is-  that  the  union  in  marriage  is  the  most 
intimate  which  can  be  conceived,  that  it  is  spiritual 
in  its  nature,  and  that  headship  in  the  one,  with 
submission  in  the  other,  are  the  two  halves  that 
make  np  the  whole.  But  over  and  beyond  this  God 
has  made  the  subordination  of  the  wife  and  the  su- 
premacy of  the  husband  a  part  of  the  constitution 
of  marriage,  and  has  established  both  by  positive 
statute.  Can  there  be  any  degradation  in  the  wife's 
obedience  to  the  law  of  her  husband,  when  this  is 
obedience  directly  rendered  to  the  authority  of  God  ? 
B.  M.  P. 

Is  it  nothing  for  woman  to  remember,  when  her 
sex  is  made  the  type  and  tabernacle  of  love,  that 
we  have  ascribed  the  loftiest  glory  even  to  the  Al- 
mighty Father  when  we  have  said  that  his  name  is 
love  ?  Is  it  nothing  to  her  that  her  place  in  society 
and  her  powers  in  the  world  correspond  to  her  char- 
acter ?  that,  while  she  shares  with  man,  in  honorable 
and  often  equal  measure,  certainly  in  these  modem 
times,  every  intellectual  privilege  and  literary  ac- 
complishment, she  yet  has  a  realm  all  her  own, 
sacred  to  her  peculiar  ministry,  where  she  reigns  by 
a  still  diviner  right  ?  It  has  been  historically  de- 
monstrated that  scarcely  a  single  hero,  reformer, 
statesman,  saint,  or  sage  has  ever  come  to  influence 
or  adorn  his  age  who  was  not  reared  by  a  remark- 


4:4:0 


SECTION  303.—EPHESIANS  5  :  S2-83 ;  6  : 1-9. 


able  mother  that  shaped  his  mind ;  and  then  ask 
whether  it  is  not  equal  folly  for  woman  to  claim 
the  name  of  power  and  for  man  to  deny  her  the 
possession.  Then  let  her  take  up  and  wield  the 
spiritual  sovereignty  that  is  her  birthright.  Let  her 
understand  the  power  lodged  in  her  whole  spirit 
and  voice  and  look  and  action  for  or  against  the 
kino-dom  of  heaven.  Let  her  be  the  brave  domestic 
advocate  of  every  virtue,  the  silent  but  effectual 
reformer  of  every  vice,  the  generous  patroness  of 
intelligence,  the  guardian  of  childhood,  the  minister 
of  heaven  to  home,  the  guide  of  orphans,  the  sister 
of  the  poor,  the  disciple  of  Christ's  holy  Church. 
On  Jesus  of  Nazareth — all  fails  except  for  this — 
on  the  Saviour's  heart  let  her  rest  her  unchangeable 
and  unassailable  hope,  her  unquestioning  trust,  her 
unconquerable  love.  For  then  shall  man  and  woman 
be  fellow-helpers  to  the  truth ;  marriage  the  pure 
sacrament  of  a  spiritual  faith,  and  families  on  earth 
humbler  branches  of  the  great  family  of  heaven. 
F.  D.  H. 

25.  For  this  Church  Christ  "gave  himself." 
That  token  of  love  is  immense.  His  strong  love 
laid  the  foundations  of  that  Church  ;  his  strong  love 
preserves  it.  That  affection  can  neither  abate  nor 
die.  Jesus  will  love  the  Church  as  lo?iff  as  he  loves 
the  Father,  that  is,  for  ever ;  and  as  he  loves  the 
Father,  that  is,  with  a  love  that  is  infinite.     A.  V. 

36,  27.  When  Paul  exhibits  the  union  of  the 
Church  with  Christ  under  the  image  of  the  bride 
and  the  bridegroom,  declaring  it  to  be  the  divine  pur- 
pose to  present  the  bride  to  her  Lord  "holy  and  with- 
out blemish,"  he  really  offers  the  strongest  conceiv- 
able appeal  to  the  Christian  disciple  for  an  unspotted 
hfe.  F.  I).  H. How  highly  Paul  himself  esti- 
mated this  heavenly  purity  we  may  infer  from  his 
dwelling  so  much  on  the  idea  of  it  in  this  place. 
He  mentions  it,  and  then  he  repeats  the  mention  of 
it,  and  then,  not  satisfied,  he  repeats  it  again  ;  heap- 
ing up  words  as  though  he  found  words  too  poor  to 
describe  it,  too  weak  to  come  up  even  to  his  con- 
ceptions of  its  blessedness.  The  Church  is  first 
"  sanctified  and  cleansed " ;  then  it  is  "  without 
spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing  "  ;  and  at  last  it 
is  "  holy  and  without  blemish."  la  our  present 
State  we  are  wanting  in  everything.  In  heaven 
every  defect  shall  be  supplied ;  nothing  shall  be 
wanting  in  us  which  can  bring  glory  to  our  Re- 
deemer or  happiness  to  ourselves.     C.  B. 

28,  29.  The  relation  of  the  husband  to  the  wife 
is  the  same  as  that  of  Christ  to  the  Church.  He  is 
not  to  lord  it  over  her  ambitiously  and  arbitrarily, 
but  with  the  power  of  love,  surrendering  himself  to 
her,  as  a  part  of  his  own  being,  as  his  other  self, 
making  her  partaker  of  all  his  joys  and  possessions, 
patiently  and  meekly  bearing  her  weaknesses,  pro- 
moting in  every  way  her  temporal  and,  above  all,  her 
spiritual  welfare,  and  sacrificing  himself  for  her, 
even  to  his  last  breath,  as  Christ  has  given  his  life 
for  the  Church,  is  continually  purifying  and  sanctify- 
ing her  with  his  blood,  and  raising  her  as  a  spotless, 
richly  adorned  bride  to  full  participation  in  his  glory 
and  blessedness.  This,  then,  makes  the  sanctifica- 
tion  and  moral  perfection  of  the  character  the  high- 
est end  of  conjugal  life.     P.  S. 

The  broad  doctrine  of  the  husband's  supremacy 
grounded  in  love  receives  additional  emphasis  from 
the  twofold  argument  by  which  the  apostle  enforces 
it  upon  the  conscience.  The  first  is  the  consideration 
of  tke  wife's  identity  witJi  her  Imshand.  The  allu- 
sion, of  course,  is  to  the  mystery  of  the  woman's 


original  derivation  from  the  body  of  the  man.  She 
is,  therefore,  his  other  self.  And,  as  "  no  man  ever 
hated  his  own  flesh,"  so  in  "  nourishing  and  cherish- 
ing "  her  ho  simply  loves  his  own  body.  She  is 
henceforth  one  with  him  in  a  mystical  unity  holier 
and  closer  tlian  that  which  was  broken  when  the 
flesh  was  closed  over  the  cleft  in  his  side.  The 
second  argument  of  the  apostle  is  tlie  analogy  between 
the  husband's  love  and  that  of  Christ  for  the  Church. 
The  immense  sacrifice  whereby  Christ  "gave  him- 
self for  the  Church  "  finds  its  type,  indescribably 
faint,  it  is  true,  in  the  consecration  of  the  husband; 
when,  forsaking  all  past  associations  and  fellowship, 
he  cleaves  unto  his  wife,  and  devotes  himself  to  her 
alone.  And  how  beneficent  is  the  reciprocal  effect 
of  a  true  conjugal  intercourse  between  the  two; 
when  she,  by  her  winning  tenderness,  softens  in 
him  all  that  is  harsh  and  rough,  and  he,  with  hia 
kindly  firmness,  upholds  and  trains  those  pliant 
graces  which  bloom  the  brighter  as  they  twine  them- 
selves around  his  strength.     B.  M.  P. 

30.  Three  principal  relations  are  included  in 
this  conception  of  the  Church  as  the  body  of  Christ. 
Christians  as  such  are  essentially  united  together  in 
virtue  of  their  relation  to  Christ,  and  that  irrespec- 
tive of  any  feeling  or  will  of  their  own.  Next,  they 
are  bound  to  one  another  by  the  obligation  of  mu- 
tual offices,  the  fulfillment  of  which  is  necessary  for 
the  well-being  of  the  whole.  And  lastly,  all  alike 
derive  their  life  from  their  Head  who  is  in  heaven. 
B.  F.  W. 

32.  A  mystery  is  a  truth,  a  fact,  but  to  us  a  hid- 
den truth.  It  is  a  truth  hiddan,  whether  from  the 
eye  of  sense  or  from  the  direct  glance  of  natural 
reason.  It  is  apprehended  as  true,  it  is  not  compre- 
hended. It  can  only  be  known  from  the  evidence  or 
symptoms  of  its  presence.  Yet  the  evidence,  what- 
ever it  be,  proves  to  us  that  the  truth  is  there ;  and 
the  truth  is  not  the  less  a  truth  because  it  is  itself 
shrouded  from  our  direct  gaze.  Thus  Paul  speaks 
of  the  mystery  of  the  Incarnation,  and  of  the  mys- 
stery  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  when  alluding 
to  the  fact  that  these  divine  purposes  were  hidden 
for  ages  in  the  mind  of  God  and  at  length  revealed. 
And  he  speaks  of  marriage  as  a  great  mystery,  mean- 
ing that  it  embodies  a  secret  correspondence  to  the 
union  between  our  Lord  and  his  Church,  which  does 
not  lie  upon  the  surface.     H.  P.  L. 

1-3.  The  first  duty  of  children  is  obedience. 
This  is  not  to  be  slavish  but  cheerful,  the  obedience 
of  unreserved  confidence  and  grateful  love.  It  is 
also  the  first  form  of  all  piety  toward  God  and  rev- 
erence for  divine  things.  For  in  its  parents  the 
child  sees  the  representative  of  God,  the  reflection 
of  his  majesty  and  love.  Where  this  course,  which 
even  natural  right  and  the  first  commandment  of  the 
second  table  point  out,  is  forsaken,  there  inevitably 
results  wildness,  slavery,  and  curse.  Obedience  to 
the  divinely  ordained  authority  of  parents  f orais  the 
only  true  training  for  real  freedom  and  manly  inde- 
pendence.    P.  S. 

1.  Authority  is  here  presented  to  the  consciaice  as 
grounded  in  absolute  right.  "  Children,  obey  your 
parents  in  the  Lord,  for  this  is  rigid.''''  A  broad 
foundation  is  thus  laid,  upon  which  a  steady  obedi- 
ence may  rest ;  for  the  appeal  is  made  to  the  intelli- 
gence and  reason  as  well  as  to  the  conscience  and 
heart  of  the  child.  But,  while  the  divine  will  is 
presented  as  a  motive  to  filial  obedience,  it  reflects 
equally  upon  parental  authority.  If  the  child  must 
"  obey  in  the  Lord,"  the  parent  must  command  in 


SECTION  SOS.—EPHESIAFS  5  :  22-33;  6  : 1-9. 


441 


the  Lord.  If  the  child  must  obey  as  "  well  pleasing 
to  the  Lord,"  the  parent  is  equally  to  please  the 
Lord  in  his  rule.  In  no  case  can  the  parent  plead  a 
divine  warrant  lor  obedience  in  unlawful  things.  lie 
must  rule,  and  the  child  must  obey,  under  the  law 
which  sets  forth  the  supreme  authority  of  him  who 
is  the  Creator  and  Lord  of  them  both. 

2)  3.  God  /ucs  lent  a  gracious  sanction  to  filial 
obedience  in  the  promise  appended  to  it.  Here,  in  the 
center  of  the  moral  law,  is  a  commandment  with 
promise.  In  the  New  Testament  it  is  reengrossed, 
and  stamped  with  the  seal  of  grace,  "  that  it  may 
be  well  with  thee,  and  thou  mayest  live  long  on  the 
earth."  As  though  to  add  a  deeper  emphasis,  this 
obedience  is  declared  to  be  "  well  pleasing  unto  the 
Lord."  The  promise  itself  is  abundantly  fulfilled 
in  various  directions.  In  the  goodness  of  God,  the 
child  acquires  the  great  secret  of  life  in  its  first  les- 
son that  virtue  is  bliss.  In  the  home  it  learns  that 
life's  pleasure  is  to  be  found  in  the  faithful  perform- 
ance of  duty,  and  that  self-conquest  is  indispensable 
to  happiness.  The  solid  character,  moreover,  which 
is  formed  under  this  discipline,  almost  insures  the 
success  which  is  promised.  The  qualities  which  are 
thus  matured  are  precisely  those  drawn  upon  in  the 
prosecution  of  every  earthly  calUng,  and  which  will 
wrest  even  from  hard  fortune  itself  a  final  triumph 
over  all  obstacles  ;  while,  in  addition,  the  language 
of  the  promise  conveys  an  assurance  of  the  divine 
blessing. 

4.  Children  are  given  to  us,  not  simply  to  be 
enjoyed  and  caressed,  but  to  be  educated — to  be 
educated  for  this  life  and  for  the  life  to  come.  The 
admonition  is  addressed  to  parents  in  a  form  that  at 
once  recognizes  the  disciplinary  office  with  which 
they  are  charged  and  the  peril  of  miscarriage.  Be- 
neath the  negative  style  of  the  admonition  we  dis- 
cover a  positive  principle,  that  children  should  never 
he  throicn  into  an  attitude  of  antagonism  to  the  parent. 
The  rule  of  the  parent  is  one  of  law,  but  of  law  as 
tempered  with  grace.  The  father  must  recognize 
his  responsibility  to  the  whole  nature  of  the  child, 
and  regard  him  as  a  being  to  be  molded  as  well  as 
controlled.  This  is  the  key  to  the  interpretation  of 
the  passage.  The  obedience  of  the  child  is  to  be 
free  and  unconstrained,  under  the  promptings  of 
affection.  He  must  not  be  teased,  and  worried,  and 
provoked  until  he  loses  heart,  and  renders  an  obe- 
dience in  which  there  is  no  soul :  "  lest  they  be  dis- 
couraged," adds  the  apostle  in  the  corresponding 
passage  (Col.  3  :  21).     B.  M.  P. 

Christian  parents  should  specially  be  careful  how 
they  strive  for  the  worldly  advancement  of  their 
children  at  the  hazard  of  their  spiritual  interests. 
It  fills  one  at  times  with  a  kind  of  despair  to  see 
how  those  who  profess  to  regard  religion  as  all-im- 
portant subordinate  it  to  almost  every  other  thing 


in  life ;  how  educational  accomplishments,  and 
choice  of  pursuits,  and  friendships,  and  aUiances, 
are  discussed  and  fixed  without  this  ever  coming 
into  serious  view.  Were  it  bodily  infection,  it  would 
fill  them  with  alarm,  but  spiritual  danger  is  lightly 
passed  by.  It  is  one  great  reason  why  Christianity 
makes  so  little  progress,  and  why  Christian  families 
are  constantly  melting  away  into  the  worldliness 
around  them ;  while  the  parents  have  to  see  their 
children  lost,  not  only  to  vital  religion,  but  even  to 
that  strength  of  mind  and  steadiness  of  purpose 
which  arc  necessary  to  any  firm  position  in  life. 
Both  worlds  frequently  slip  from  the  grasp  in  the 
miserable  attempt  to  gain  the  false  glitter  of  the 
present,  and  the  bitter  waters  of  disappointment 
sweep,  like  the  Sea  of  Sodom,  over  the  ruins  of  for- 
tune and  fame  coveted  at  the  cost  of  consistent 
principle.  Let  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  right- 
eousness be  sought  and  maintained  in  the  first 
place  ;  if  worldly  position  follows,  it  will  be  honor- 
ably borne  and  usefully  employed,  and  if  God  does 
not  see  fit  to  give  it,  there  will  be  sufficient  compen- 
sation in  the  pure  and  imperishable  treasures  with 
which  He  can  fill  the  soul.    Ker. 

Looking  at  the  laws  of  our  nature,  the  analogies 
of  Providence,  the  experience  of  former  times,  and 
above  all,  at  the  explicit  testimonies  of  the  divine 
word,  we  are  constrained  to  believe  that  the  leaven 
of  Christianity  will  diffuse  itself  through  the  mass 
of  human  nature,  not  so  much  by  the  impulsive 
agency  of  societies  for  the  reformation  of  particu- 
lar evils,  or  even  by  local  revivals  of  religion,  as 
by  the  still  and  patient  work  of  training  up  chil- 
dren in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  gospel. 
T.  H.  S. 

5-8.  These  servants  were  mostly  slaves  to  hea- 
then masters.  If  ever  of  any  calling  one  might  say, 
"  There  is  no  divine  stewardship  in  it,"  this  might 
have  been  said  surely  of  slavery  among  the  heathens. 
Yet  it  is  recognized  in  the  strongest  way  that  even 
such  a  slave's  duties  may  be  sanctified  by  importing 
into  them  a  Christian  motive,  and  that  then  the  ser- 
vice is  really  done,  not  to  the  human  master,  but 
(marvelous  condescension  !)  to  the  great  Head  of 

the  Church  himself.     E.  M.  G. 9.  "  Forbearing 

threatening,"  says  the  apostle.  It  is  a  special  cau- 
tion thrown  into  the  body  of  the  law,  securing  to  the 
servant  that  regard  to  his  sensibilities  and  feelings 
due  to  him  as  a  fellow-being.     B.  M.  P. 

Life  is  here ;  but  life  blended  with  the  life  of 
heaven.  The  great  characters  of  human  existence 
are  unchanged ;  its  relationships — father  and  child, 
master  and  servant,  husband  and  wife — are  as  be- 
fore ;  but  there  is  a  seal  upon  them  stamped  by 
the  signet  of  God ;  they  are  all  "  in  Christ." 
"  Children,  obey  your  parents,  in  the  Lord}''  "  Ser- 
vants, be  obedient — as  the  servants  of  Christ — for  ye 
serve  the  Lord.''''  "  Husbands,  love  your  wives,  even 
as  Christ  loved  the  Church."  This  new  and  celestial 
connection  with  Christ  became  the  ground  and  mo- 
tive of  everything.    W,  A,  B. 


442 


SECTION  30It.—EPEESIANS  6  :  10-U. 


Section  304. 

Ephesians  vi.  10-24. 

10  FiNALLT,  my  brethren,  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might.     Put  on 

11  the  whole  armour  of  God,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  stand  against  the  wiles  of  the  devil.    For 

12  we  wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood,  but  against  principalities,  against  powers,  against 

13  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  against  spiritual  wickedness  in  h^^  places.  Where- 
fore take  unto  you  the  whole  armour  of  God,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  withstand  in  the  evil 

14  day,  and  having  done  all,  to  stand.     Stand  therefore,  having  your  loins  girt  about  with 

15  truth,  and  having  on  the  breastplate  of  righteousness  ;  and  your  feet  shod  with  the  prepara- 

16  tion  of  the  gospel  of  peace ;  above  all,  taking  the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  ye  shall  be  able 

17  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked.     And  take  the  helmet  of  salvation,  and  the 

18  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God  :  praying  always  with  all  prayer  and  suppli- 
cation in  the  Spirit,  and  watching  thereunto  with  all  perseverance  and  supplication  for  all 

19  saints ;  and  for  me,  that  utterance  may  be  given  unto  me,  that  I  may  open  my  mouth  bold- 

20  ly,  to  make  known  the  mystery  of  the  gospel,  for  which  I  am  an  ambassador  in  bonds : 
that  therein  I  may  speak  boldly,  as  I  ought  to  speak. 

21  But  that  ye  also  may  know  my  affairs,  and  how  I  do,  Tychicus,  a  beloved  brother  and 

22  faithful  minister  in  the  Lord,  shall  make  known  to  you  all  things :  whom  I  have  sent  unto 
you  for  the  same  purpose,  that  ye  might  know  our  affairs,  and  that  he  might  comfort  your 

23  hearts.     Peace  he  to  the  brethren,  and  love  with  faith,  from  God  the  Father  and  the  Lord 

24  Jesus  Christ.     Grace  le  with  all  them  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity.     Amen. 


The  most  wondrous  thing  about  this  great  conflict  is  its  deep  silence  !  The  battle  of  God  and  of  Satan 
is  raging  around  us  every  hour ;  we  are  in  the  thick  of  the  encounter  ;  and  yet  we  scarcely  hear  it.  It  is 
not  that  the  name  of  rehgion  and  of  the  heavenly  warfare  is  altogether  unheard.  But  the  true  contest, 
that  which  includes  the  winning  or  losing  of  hearts  to  God — the  inward  securing  of  blessedness  or  con- 
demnation— thai  contest  is  lost  and  stifled  amid  the  busy  bustle  of  man's  interests  and  passions.  It  goes 
on,  but  it  goes  on  unnoticed.  Yes !  the  disputes  of  a  neighborhood,  the  momentary  encounter  of  rival 
interests,  are  loud  enough  to  occupy  every  ear  and  every  mind ;  the  conflict  of  heaven  and  hell,  the  strife 
that  fills  the  whole  length  and  breadth  of  eternity,  is  around  us — nay,  within  us — and  not  one  in  one  hun- 
dred has  even  really  known  of  its  existence  !  And  what  infinitely  heightens  this  wonder  is  that  in  this 
very  contest  we  are  ourselves  the  combatants  !  Were  we  mere  spectators,  we  might  slumber  in  the  con- 
templation. But  under  the  rival  standards  we  are  every  one  of  us  arrayed ;  each  busy  in  manifesting 
allegiance  to  his  master,  and  earnest  in  spreading  his  empire.     W.  A.  B. 


10.  Strong  in  the  Lord.  Spiritual  strength 
does  not  exist  in  us  by  nature  ;  nor  even  by  grace 
and  after  renewal  does  it  so  exist  as  to  be  a  per- 
manent stock,  upon  which  we  can  draw  as  some- 
thing of  our  own.  It  is  the  plan  of  God  that  his 
I'cdcemed  people  should  feel  their  dependence  at 
every  step.  Every  well-instructed  disciple  has  dis- 
covered that  he  can  not  walk  for  a  single  hour 
without  the  help  of  the  Divine  arm.  He  leads  the 
safest,  truest,  happiest  life,  who  most  consciously 
leans  upon  the  strength  of  the  Redeemer,  and  takes 
each  several  step  of  the  way  with  his  eye  fixed  on 
the  author  and  finisher  of  his  faith.     J.  W.  A. 

11.  The  wiles  of  the  devil.  That  that  tre- 
mendous antagonist  of  human  happiness  stands 
concealed  behind  the  entire  machinery  of  evil,  no 
one  can  doubt,  who  is  not  disposed  to  question  the 


whole  revealed  account  of  the  personages  of  the 
spiritual  world.  It  is  a  living  spirit  with  whom  we 
have  to  contend,  as  it  is  a  "  living  God  "  whom  we 
have  to  aid  us.  It  is  no  abstract  law  or  ideal  con- 
ception of  evil,  as  some  have  dared  to  theorize  ;  but 
a  Being  personal,  and  conscious,  and  distinctively 
active  as  ourselves,  though  with  faculties  immea- 
surably beyond  us ;  a  Being  profound  in  purpose, 
subtle  in  arrangement,  bold  in  enterprise,  undaunted 
in  execution  ;  a  Being  who  knows  us  far  better  than 
we  know  ourselves,  and  hates  us  far  more  intensely 
than  even  his  worst  inspirations  have  instigated  us 
to  hate  one  another ;  a  Being  whose  compass  of  pos- 
sible activity,  extending  through  every  region  where 
temptation  can  extend,  seems  for  a  time  permitted 
to  span  the  universe,  and  even  (if  we  may  dare  to 
interpret  certain   mysterious   intimations   of   holy 


SECTION  30Jf.—EPEESIANS  6  :  10-^. 


443 


Writ)  to  darken,  by  his  occasional  presence,  for 
some  unfathomable  purpose,  the  council-chamber  of 
the  Omnipotent  himself.  Satan,  then,  is  the  prime 
efiBcient  cause  of  this  lethargy ;  he  who  deceives 
that  he  may  destroy,  stupefies  that  he  may  deceive ; 
the  cunning  of  the  serpent  alone  can  reach  the  mas- 
ter-subtlety of  making  the  soul  of  man  do  his  work 
by  being  its  own  unpitying  enemy,  and  traitor,  and 
cheat ;  it  is  only  the  "  father  of  lies  "  that  thus  can 
make  the  wretched  heart  a  liar  to  itself.     W.  A.  B. 

12.  Principalities  and  powers,  rulers  of 
the  darkness  of  this  world.  Existing  in  num- 
bers designated  by  legions ;  filled  with  a  malignity 
the  most  implacable,  and  endowed  with  a  vast  intel- 
ligence ;  this  world  the  theatre  of  their  operations, 
and  the  ruin  of  our  race  the  point  on  which  their 
cunning  and  enginery  are  brought  to  bear — our  hope 
would  be  indeed  forlorn,  were  it  not  that  Christ  has 
come  to  our  aid,  taken  upon  him  our  nature  that  he 
might  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil ;  were  it  not 
that  the  mighty  Spirit  helps  our  infirmities,  and  aids 
our  escape ;  and  were  it  not  that,  in  addition  to  all 
these,  the  panoply  of  God  were  cast  about  us,  and 
we  kept  upon  our  watch.  Count  it  not  superfluous, 
then,  that  we  summon  you  to  arms.  If  any  cry 
peace,  our  reply  is,  "  What  have  we  to  do  with  peace 
so  long  as  we  wrestle  day  and  night  with  principali- 
ties and  powers,  and  the  stake  at  issue  is  heaven  or 
hell ;  so  long  as  the  infernal  hosts  are  mingling  in 
all  mortal  movements  ?  "     K.  T. 

13-17.  God  has  provided  for  the  child  of  light 
a  panoply  for  the  evil  day.  1.  The  girdle  of  truth, 
giving  strength  and  comeliness  to  Christian  charac- 
ter. 2.  The  breastplate  of  lighteousuess,  or  rather 
the  coat  of  mail  which  covers  the  body  all  round 
from  the  neck  to  the  thighs,  guarding  all  the  vital 
parts.  3.  The  shoes  of  the  preparation  of  the  gos- 
pel of  peace.  The  gospel  sandals  are  strong  and 
enduring,  but  never  burdensome ;  they  conduce  to 
alacrity  of  spirit  and  rapidity  of  progress.  4.  The 
shield  of  faith  over  all,  defending  the  armor  as  well 
as  the  armed  man,  capable  of  being  turned  hither 
and  thither  to  meet  every  attack,  and  of  quenching 
fiery  darts.  6.  The  helmet  of  salvation,  i.  e.,  the 
hope  of  salvation.  This  protects  the  head,  the  seat 
of  thought  and  principle.  6,  The  sword  of  the 
Spirit,  the  searching,  piercing  Word  of  God.  Who- 
so would  be  a  good  soldier  of  Christ  must  not  only 
possess  such  a  sword  but  learn  to  wield  it.  1.  All 
prayer,  without  which  the  strongest  and  most  ex- 
perienced may  be  worsted  in  the  evil  day.  All 
great  Christians  have  excelled  in,  and  prevailed  by 
persevering,  vigilant,  and  afEectionate  prayer.    D.  F. 

In  the  circumstances  with  which  the  apostle 

was  surrounded,  we  find  a  new  and  living  emphasis 
in  his  enumeration  of  all  the  parts  of  the  heavenly 
panoply — the  belt  of  sincerity  and  truth,  with  which 


the  loins  are  girded  for  the  spiritual  war — the  breast- 
plate of  that  righteousness,  the  inseparable  links 
whereof  are  faith  and  love  (1  Thes.  5  :  8) — the 
strong  sandals,  with  which  the  feet  of  Christ's  sol- 
diers are  made  ready  for  the  universal  message  of 
the  gospel  of  peace — the  large  shield  of  confident 
trust,  wherewith  the  whole  man  is  protected,  and 
whereon  the  fiery  arrows  of  the  wicked  one  fall 
harmless  and  dead — the  close-fitting  helmet,  with 
which  the  hope  of  salvation  invests  the  head  of  the 
believer— and,  finally,  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  the 
Word  of  God.  All  this  imagery  becomes  doubly  for- 
cible if  we  remember  that  when  Paul  wrote  the 
words  he  was  chained  to  a  soldier,  and  in  the  close 
neighborhood  of  military  sights  and  sounds.  The 
appearance  of  the  Prjetorian  guards  was  daily  fa- 
miliar to  him ;  as  his  "  chains,"  on  the  other  hand 
(so  he  tells  us  in  the  succeeding  Epistle),  became 
"  well  known  throughout  the  whole  Frcetorium."  C. 

14.  Stand.  A  true  Christian  must  be  a  Chris- 
tian before  men,  among  men,  in  their  face  and  sight. 
For  their  sake  und  his  own  he  must  be  enrolled,  and 
in  a  communion.  No  concealment,  or  ambiguity,  or 
misconstruction,  as  to  his  place  and  belongings,  can 

be  tolerated.    F.  D.  H. Your  loins  girt  about 

with  truth.  By  this  we  are  not  to  understand 
a  loose  sword-belt,  nor  any  ornamented  girdle,  but  a 
very  strong  girding  apparatus,  made  of  leather  and 
covered  with  metal  plates,  and  fastened  firmly  round 
the  loins.  It  was  the  first  part  of  the  armor  which 
the  soldier  would  put  on,  and  it  was  of  essential 
use  to  him  for  the  purposes  of  safety,  and  especially 
for  the  sake  of  standing  firmly.  It  was  to  the  Ro- 
man soldier  exactly  what  truth  is  to  the  soldier  of 
Christ.  Of  Christ  himself  it  is  said  in  the  prophecy 
that,  "  righteousness  shall  be  the  girdle  of  his  loins, 
and  faithfulness  (the  word  is  truth  in  the  Septua- 
gint)  the  girdle  of  his  reins."     H. 

16.  Darts  of  the  wicked.  Satan  endeavors 
to  discomfit  souls  by  busying  them  about  the  secret 
decrees  and  counsels  of  God,  or  by  engaging  them 
in  such  debates  and  disputes  as  neither  men  nor 
angels  can  certainly  and  infallibly  determine,  that 
so  he  may  spoil  their  comforts  when  he  can  not 
take  away  their  crown.  Brooks. Few  real  Chris- 
tians have  not  been  distressed  by  wanderings  in 
prayer,  and  by  doubts  about  the  truth  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. These  are  matters  that  the  vassals  of  Satan 
seldom  perplex  themselves  about.  But  if  the  fiend 
of  darkness  can  not  keep  Christ's  sheep  out  of 
heaven,  he  will  make  them  go  limping  thither  if  he 

can.     Hill. As  an  open  enemy  plagueth  a  town 

with  fire,  so  Satan  plagueth  the  heart  with  evil 
thoughts  ;  and  as  a  poisoned  arrow  causeth  painful 
wounds  and  unbearable  days  of  suffering,  so  the 
fiery  darts  of  the  devil  cause  anguish  and  secret 
pain  which  no  man  can  express,  and  in  comparison 


U4: 


SECTION  305.-^PEILIPPIANS  1 : 1-30. 


with  which  all  bodily  sufferings,  yea,  and  all  adver- 
sities, are   to  be  counted  as  nothing.     Arnd. 

Satan  endeavors  to  blow  out  the  spark  of  grace; 
but  instead  of  that  he  kindles  it  into  a  flame,  and 
only  blows  away  the  ashes  that  covered  it.  He 
plieth  the  saints  with  his  fiery  darts ;  but,  instead  of 
killing  them,  he  renders  them  more  expert  in  the 
art  of  defense,  teacheth  them  the  use  of  "  the  shield 
of  faith "  and  the  other  parts  of  their  spiritual 
armor.     R.  \V. 

17.  The  sword  of  the  Spirit.  The  Word 
of  God  is  so  called  in  reference  to  the  use  which 
this  divine  Agent  makes  of  it  in  slaying  the  sins  of 
the  heart  and  in  conquering  the  hostility  of  the 
world.  The  Spirit  most  efficaciously  wields  this  in- 
strument of  heavenly  temper  with  the  hand  of  an 
authorized  ministry  of  living  men.  This  ministry 
unquestionably  stands  in  the  awfully  honorable 
place  of  the  seen  hand  with  which  the  Spirit  of  God 
generally  grasps  and  wields  the  sword  of  divine 
truth.     And  this  hand  is  kindly  and  wisely  chosen. 

J.  S.  S. The  Scripture  discovers  sin  and  the  devil's 

devices  and  malice  ;  it  discovers  duty  and  the  love 
of  God  and  Christ ;  it  discovers  strength  and  en- 
couragement in  the  promises  of  assisting  and  crown- 
ing grace.  By  these  the  Spirit  acts,  the  devil  is 
conquered,  and  the  soul  is  comforted.  These  are 
the  words  of  reconciliation,  grace,  and  truth,  and 
the  power  of  God  to  salvation ;  therefore,  every 
day  look  into  these,  praying  for  the  Spirit's  teach- 
ings, and  mixing  faith  with  what  you  read.     Mason. 

18.  Praying  always.  The  aspiration  of  the 
soul  mounting  toward  its  Source  and  its  Deliverer ; 
the  speechless  language  of  faith,  and  hope,  and  love 
bounding  upward  toward  the  everlasting  Throne, 
and  then  prostrating  themselves  before  it ;  these 
trustful,  unformed,  hesitating  accents — the  language 
of  the  child  who  is  artlessly  pouring  his  every  grief 
and  every  joy  into  his  Father's  ear;  these  are  the 


spirit,  the  essence  of  prayer,  living  ever  in  the  se- 
cret hearts  of  all  the  children  of  God.  Such  prayer 
in  its  divinely  imparted  strength  and  confidence  in 
the  very  breath,  the  inmost  movement  of  the  super- 
natural life.     It  is  the  voice  of  love  seeking  its 

heavenly  object.    H.  P.  L. Prayer  is  the  abiding 

background  in  the  life  of  the  Christian.  Prayer 
must  give  support  to  his  whole  life,  his  every  action ; 
in  it  all  must  originate,  in  it  all  must  terminate.  The 
standard  by  which  to  estimate  our  true  condition  is 
the  degree  in  which  we  are  conversant  with  prayer. 
The  life  of  the  Christian  must  be  a  living  in  prayer. 

An. In  the  Spirit.     Prayer  is  nothing  but  the 

breathing  that  out  before  the  Lord  that  was  first 
breathed  into  us  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord. — Brooks. 
23,  24.  The  Ephcsian  converts  are  described 
in  the  Acts  as  publicly  burning  their  books  of  sor- 
cery, and  the  value  of  the  books  is  put  on  record. 
Truly  they  were  well  recompensed  when  they  got  this 
Epistle  to  lead  them,  not  into  magic  and  sorcery,  but 
into  the  mystery  of  Christ,  and  hidden  wisdom  of 
God.  They  had  burned  evil  and  superstitious  vol- 
umes, and  they  obtained  a  book  which  can  not  be 
valued  in  silver  and  gold — an  Epistle  of  wonderful 
breadth  and  power,  full  of  riches  of  the  mind  and 
the  warm  flow  of  a  master  spirit.  .  .  .  The  conclusion 
is  sweet  and  gentle.  Peace  of  reconciliation  they 
had ;  now  let  them  have  peace  of  obedience  and  of 
communion  with  God  and  with  one  another.  Faith 
they  had,  and  so  were  saved  by  grace ;  now  let  them 
have  increase  of  faith  for  the  conflicts  they  must 
endure,  and  with  it  much  love,  in  order  to  stand  to- 
gether, grow  together,  walk  together,  and  be  edified 
together.  The  last  sentence  is,  "Grace  be  with 
all  them  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincer- 
ity." No  one  loves  him  as  he  ought  to  be  loved ; 
and  we  may  be  thankful  that  the  blessing  is  not  for 
those  that  sufficiently  love  him,  but  for  all  that  sin- 
cerely love  him.     D.  F, 


Section  305. 

Philippians  i.  1-30. 

1  Paul  and  Timotlieus,  tho  servants  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  all  the  saints  in  Christ  Jcsiis  -wliich 

2  are  at  Philippi,  with  the  bishops  and  deacons :  grace  he  unto  you,  and  peace,  from  God  our 

3  Father,  and/rom  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     I  thank  my  God  upon  every  remembrance  of  you, 

4  always  in  every  prayer  of  mine  for  you  all  making  request  Avith  joy,  for  your  fellowship  in 

5  the  gospel  from  tlie  first  day  until  now ;  being  confident  of  this  very  thing,  that  he  which 
<3  hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you  will  perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ:  even  as  it  is 
1  meet  for  me  to  think  this  of  you  all,  because  I  have  you  in  my  heart;  inasmuch  as  botli  in 

my  bonds,  and  in  the  defence  and  confirmation  of  the  gospel,  ye  all  are  partakers  of  my 
8  grace.  For  God  is  my  record,  how  greatly  I  long  after  you  all  in  the  bowels  of  Jesus 
D  Christ.     And  this  I  pray,  that  your  love  may  abound  yet  more  and  more  in  knowledge  and 


SECTION'  SOS.—PHILIPPIANS  1 : 1-30. 


445 


10  in  all  judgment ;  that  ye  may  approve  things  that  are  excellent ;  that  ye  may  be  sincere  and 

11  without  offence  till  the  day  of  Christ;  being  filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  which 
are  by  Jesus  Christ,  unto  the  glory  and  praise  of  God. 

12  But  I  would  ye  should  understand,  brethren,  that  the  things  which  happened  unto  me 

13  have  fallen  out  rather  unto  the  furtlierance  of  the  gospel ;  so  that  my  bonds  in  Christ  are 

14  manifest  in  all  the  palace,  and  in  all  other  places;  and  many  of  the  brethren  in  the  Lord, 

15  waxing  confident  by  my  bonds,  are  much  more  bold  to  speak  the  word  without  fear.    Some 

16  indeed  preach  Christ  even  of  envy  and  strife;  and  some  also  of  good  will :  the  one  preach 

17  Christ  of  contention,  not  sincerely,  supposing  to  add  afiliction  to  my  bonds:  but  the  otlier 

18  of  love,  knowing  that  I  am  set  for  the  defence  of  the  gospel.  What  then?  notwithstand- 
ing, every  way,  whether  in  pretence,  or  in  truth,  CIn-ist  is  preached;  and  I  therein  do 

19  rejoice,  yea,  and  will  rejoice.    For  I  know  that  this  shall  turn  to  my  salvation  through  your 

20  prayer,  and  the  supply  of  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  my  earnest  expectation 
and  viy  hope,  that  in  nothing  I  shall  be  ashamed,  but  that  with  all  boldness,  as  always,  so 
now  also  Christ  shall  be  magnified  in  my  body,  whether  it  le  by  life,  or  by  death. 

21  For  to  me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain.     But  if  I  live  in  the  flesb,  this  is  the  fruit 

22  of  my  labor :  yet  what  I  shall  choose  I  w^ot  not.     For  I  am  in  a  strait  betwixt  two,  having 

23  a  desire  to  depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ ;  which  is  far  better :  nevertheless  to  abide  in  the 

24  flesh  is  more  needful  for  you.    And  having  this  confidence,  I  know  that  I  shall  abide  and 

25  continue  with  you  all  for  your  furtherance  and  joy  of  faith ;  that  your  rejoicing  may  be 

26  more  abundant  in  Jesus  Christ  for  me  by  my  coming  to  you  again.    Only  let  your  conversa- 

27  tion  be  as  it  becometh  the  gospel  of  Christ :  that  whether  I  come  and  see  you,  or  else  be 
alisent,  I  may  hear  of  your  affairs,  that  ye  stand  fast  in  one  spirit,  with  one  mind  striving 

28  together  for  the  faith  of  the  gospel ;  and  in  nothing  terrified  by  your  adversaries :  which  is 

29  to  them  an  evident  token  of  perdition,  but  to  you  of  salvation,  and  that  of  God.  For  unto 
you  it  is  given  in  the  behalf  of  Christ,  not  only  to  believe  on  him,  but  also  to  suffer  for  his 

80  sake ;  having  the  same  conflict  which  ye  saw  in  me,  and  now  hear  to  he  in  me. 


The  belief  of  the  final  perseverance  of  the  saints  is  a  very  different  thing  from  a  vain  presumption 
that  I  am  one  of  them,  because  of  some  dreams,  or  feelings,  or  past  experiences,  and  that  therefore  I 
can  not  fail  of  salvation,  whatever  may  be  the  tenor  of  my  life.  The  privilege  and  the  character  to  which 
it  belongs  can  not  be  separated.  The  perseverance  of  God's  people  is  a  perseverance  in  holmess  ;  and 
tliey,  therefore,  are  sure  of  eternal  life,  because  he  who  has  called  them  to  it  calls  them  to  holiness,  and 
pledges  himself  to  keep  them  in  holiness  as  the  way  to  life.  lie  ordains  them  to  the  means  as  well  as  to 
the  end.  The  assurance,  then,  I  am  a  child  of  God,  and  therefore  I  shall  never  fail  of  salvation,  can  not 
exist  for  a  moment  but  as  the  Spirit  of  God  witnesses  with  my  spirit,  not  that  he  once  (as  I  may  think) 
began,  but  that  he  is  carrying  on  a  work  of  grace,  a  sanctifying  work,  in  my  heart.  Any  habitually  in- 
dulged sin  at  once  demonstrates  that  my  confidence  of  interest  in  God  because  of  some  former  convic- 
tions and  religious  feehngs,  has  been  a  delusion.  And  the  sinful  infirmities  of  God's  people,  in  the  same 
proportion  that  they  grieve  and  banish  the  Comforter  from  their  souls,  take  away  all  oijoyntcnt  of  this 
truth  of  final  perseverance ;  not  because  the  truth  itself  is  doubted,  but  their  agreement  with  the  charac- 
ter of  those  in  whom  alone  it  is  verified.  This  doctrine  is  a  precious  cordial  for  the  fainting  soldier  in 
the  day  of  battle.  It  strengthens  his  weak  hands,  confirms  his  feeble  knees,  animates  him  under  all  the 
terribleness  of  conflict.  He  remembers  that  God  is  faithful,  who  has  promised,  "  They  shall  never  perish, 
neither  shall  any  one  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand."  Tell  him  this  sweet  truth,  then,  if  he  be  wavering, 
ready  to  give  up  in  despair,  as,  but  for  this  hope  of  salvation,  he  well  may.  Tell  him  of  it,  if  he  be  even 
fallen,  so  as  he  be  but  struggling  and  grapphng  with  his  enemy,  though  it  be  in  the  dust.  But,  if  he  be 
jyarleying  with  Satan,  tampering  with  sin,  ceasing  the  warfare,  this  precious  truth  of  God  becomes  as 
poison  to  his  soul.     Goode. 


The  Epistle  to  the  Philippians. 
Philippi  is  remarkable  as  the  first  European 
city  in  which  the  gospel  was  preached.  In  Acts 
16  :  12,  etc.,  we  have  the  account  of  Paul's  arrival 
and  proceeding  there.  (Eead  pages  112-116.)  That 
Church  had  begun  with  a  discourse  to  a  few  pious 
women  by  the  side  of  the  little  river  Gangites ;  it 
grew  to  bccorau  the  aiiectionate  and  only  helper  of 


the  apostle  in  his  necessities  on  two  several  occa- 
sions :  immediately  after  his  departure  from  Philip- 
pi,  and  again  shortly  before  this  Ej)istle  was  written, 
Paul  revisited  it  (Acts  20  ;  6)  on  his  return  to  Asia. 
But,  of  the  state  of  the  Church  from  the  time  of  his 
first  visit,  all  we  know  is  to  be  gathered  from  this 
Epistle,  and  from  a  few  scattered  notices  in  other 
Epistles.     A. 


U6 


SECTION'  305.—PHILIPPIANS  1 :  1-30. 


In  his  imprisonment  he  was  far  less  occupied 
with  anxiety  for  his  own  life  than  for  the  welfare  of 
the  churches  scattered  through  various  regions,  who 
through  the  dangers  which  beset  their  apostolic 
teacher  might  become  unsettled  in  their  faith,  de- 
prived as  they  were  of  his  personal  guidance  in 
this  darlc  and  troubled  period.  Through  his  pupils 
and  associates  in  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  who 
now  formed  the  living  link  between  him  and  these 
churches,  and  through  his  letters,  must  the  want  be 
supplied.  Among  these  churches  was  that  of  Phi- 
lippi  in  Macedonia.  Its  members  had  been  witnesses 
of  the  ignominy  and  suffering  endured  by  Paul  on 
account  of  the  gospel.  They  had  witnessed  the  ex- 
ample he  gave  of  boldness  in  the  faith,  of  devotion 
to  the  Lord,  of  triumphant  enthusiasm  in  his  ser- 
vice, his  joyiuluess  in  suffering,  and  the  wonderful 
deliverances  wrought  for  him  by  the  Lord.  This 
had  served,  in  a  special  manner,  to  give  greater 
depth  and  ardor  to  their  love  for  him,  who  was  ready 
to  sacrifice  all  that  he  might  bring  them  the  glad 
tidings  of  salvation.  They  followed  the  example  of 
their  faithful  teacher.  The  Church  at  Philippi  re- 
mained steadfast  under  persecutions.  Their  faith 
and  love  had  been  approved  thereby.  Neither  could 
they  be  unsettled  in  their  faith  by  the  persecutions 
which  had  now  befallen  their  apostolic  teacher. 
They  were  conscious  of  that  higher  fellowship  with 
him  under  all  his  conflicts  and  sufferings.  His  suf- 
ferings, and  the  dangers  which  hung  over  him,  but 
added  new  fuel  to  their  love  and  sympathy.  To 
manifest  this  to  him  they  had  sent  one  of  their  own 
number,  Epaphroditus,  who  might  also  bring  back 
to  them  more  exact  information  of  his  circum- 
stances. In  order  to  avoid  every  appearance  of  self- 
seeking,  and  to  take  from  the  opposcrs  among  the 
Jews  and  Judaizing  Christians  every  occasion  of  sus- 
picion, Paul  had  himself  assumed  the  whole  charge 
of  his  temporal  support.  Still  the  Church  at  Phi- 
lippi were  moved,  by  their  heartfelt  love  to  him,  to 
anticipate  his  wants  ;  and,  knowing  how  difficult  he 
must  often  find  it  to  earn  a  maintenance,  they  had 
several  times  sent  sums  of  money  for  his  necessities. 
Paul,  though  he  sought  no  gift,  yet,  in  view  of  the 
feeling  which  prompted  it,  could  not  reject  the  free- 
will offering  of  love.  This  Church  had  now  once 
more  manifested  in  this  way  their  active  sympathy 
for  Paul,  by  sending  to  him  Epaphroditus.  This 
circumstance,  and  what  he  learned  through  their 
messenger  of  the  condition  of  the  Philippian  Church, 
occasioned  the  writing  of  this  Epistle.  Its  object 
was  to  express  to  the  Church  at  Philippi  his  grati- 
tude and  love ;  to  relieve  their  anxiety  respecting 
his  own  situation ;  to  give  them  a  view  of  his  Chris- 
tian state  and  temper  in  the  midst  of  his  conflicts 
and  dangers ;  and  to  bestow  upon  them  the  counsels 
and  encouragements  suited  to  their  peculiar  circum- 
stances.    N. Of   course,  in  such  a  writer,  this 

would  lead  also  to  a  rich  pouring  forth  of  the  sym- 
pathies and  counsels  of  his  paternal  Christian  heart, 
whicli  under  the  guidance  of  the  blessed  Spirit  have 
become  a  precious  treasure  of  refreshment,  consola- 
tion, and  knowledge  for  all  ages  of  the  Church.    A. 

1,3.  The  letter  alleges  no  doctrinal  error 
against  the  Philippians,  nor  docs  it  reprove  any 
sin  or  practical  fault.  It  opens  easily  and  gra- 
ciously. Nothing  is  said  of  Paul's  apostleship,  for 
in  Philippi  it  had  not  been  called  in  question.  The 
Epistle  professes  to  proceed  from  "  Paul  and  Tim- 


othy, servants  of  Jesus  Christ,"  for  these  had  la- 
bored together  in  Macedonia ;  and  it  is  addressed  to 
"  all  the  saints  in  Christ  Jesus  which  are  at  Philip- 
pi, with  the  bishops  and  deacons."  It  is  a  very  im- 
portant description  of  a  primitive  Christian  com- 
munity.    D.  F. 

6.  The  Spirit  of  God  has  wrought  all  the  good 
that  is  in  us ;  and  the  imperfections  which  still 
cloud  the  brightness  of  his  work  are  the  lingering 
remains  of  our  own  evil  nature.  God's  work  is 
begun,  else  we  had  no  faith,  no  love.  But  our  faith 
is  wavering,  our  love  is  blended  fire  and  ice  ;  where- 
fore God's  work  is  clearly  not  completed.  What, 
then,  is  the  natural  conclusion  from  the  fact  which 
is  certified  to  every  Christian,  alike  by  the  good 
which  is  God's,  and  by  the  evil  that  is  his  own  ? 
What  is  the  natural  conclusion  from  the  fact  that 
God's  work  is  begun,  but  is  imperfect  ?  Is  it  not 
this — that  that  work  must  go  on  till  it  be  finished  ? 
If  a  Spirit  all-powerful  and  infinite  is  working  in 
me,  never  can  his  work  be  finished  until  it  is  per- 
fected.    A.  M. 

The  grace  of  Christ,  when  once  obtained,  shall 
infallibly  prove  victorious,  and  finally  prevail  against 
all  opposition.  He  who  is  the  author  is  likewise 
the  finisher  of  his  people's  faith ;  for  "  his  gifts  and 
calling  are  without  repentance."  Orace^  though  a 
small  rivulet  in  appearance,  is  fed  with  an  everlast- 
ing spring.  Where  the  Lord  Jesus  begins  a  good 
work  he  will  carry  it  on  to  perfection,  and  never 
leave  the  objects  of  his  love  till  he  hath  made  them 
like  himself,  all  glorious  both  within  and  without, 
and  presented  them  to  his  Father  without  spot  and 

blemish.     E.  W. In  this  confidence,  though  with 

fear  and  trembling,  let  us  work  out  our  salvation ; 
God  working  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his 
good  pleasure.  Seeking  the  aids  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
let  us  aim  at  perfection.  Let  every  day  see  some 
sin  crucified,  some  battle  fought,  some  good  done, 
some  victory  won ;  let  every  fall  be  followed  by  a 
rise,  and  every  step  gained  become,  not  a  resting- 
place,  but  a  new  starting  -  point,  for  further  and 
higher  progress  ;  and,  looking  over  the  gloomy  con- 
fines of  the  grave  to  the  glory  that  lies  beyond,  let 
us  meet  our  last  hour  and  last  enemy,  when  they 
come,  calm  "  in  the  sure  and  certain  hope  of  a  glo- 
rious resurrection  " — this  our  confidence,  that  he 
who  hath  begun  a  good  work  in  us  will  carry  it  on 
to  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus  !     T.  G. 

8.  For  " record"  read  " witness " ;  and  for  " in 
Ihe  bowels  of  Jesus  Christ"  "in  the  tender  heart  of 
Christ  Jesus."  The  Epistle  is  overflowing  with  ex- 
pressions of  affection.  We  see  how  such  a  heart, 
penetrated  to  its  depths  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  could 
love.  We  can  see  how  that  feeble  frame,  crushed 
to  the  very  verge  of  death  itself,  shaken  with  fight- 
ings and  fears,   burning  at   every  man's   offense 


SECTION  SOS.—PHILIPPIANS  1 :  ISO. 


U7 


and  weak  with  every  man's  infirmities,  had  yet 
its  sweet  refreshments  and  calm  resting-places  of 
affection.  We  can  form  some  estimate,  if  the  bliss 
of  reposing  on  human  spirits  who  loved  him  was 
so  great,  how  deep  must  have  been  his  tranquillity, 
how  ample  and  how  clear  his  fresh  spring  of  life 
and  joy  in  Him  of  whom  he  could  write,  "  Yet  it 
is  not  I  that  live,  but  Christ  that  liveth  in  me " ; 
and  of  whose  abiding  power  within  hini  he  felt, 
as  he  tells  his  Philippians,  "  I  have  strength  for 
all  things  in  Ilim  that  giveth  me  power."     A. 

9.  A  soul,  however  well  practiced  in  thinking, 
will  miss  the  right  if  not  quickened  and  the  eye  of 
the  spirit  made  single  by  love.  To  love,  therefore, 
Paul  here  gives  the  first  place,  and  ascribes  to  its 
quickening  presence  the  knowledge  and  capacity 
required  for  distinguishing  the  good  and  the  bad, 
the  true  and  the  false — as  he  himself  expresses  it, 
"  that  your  love  may  more  and  more  abound  in  all 
knowledge  "  ;  meaning  that  (herein  its  effect  is  seen, 
that  increase  of  knowledge  is  the  fruit  of  more 
abundant  love.  Paul  desires  for  them  especially 
increase  in  knowledge,  is  the  faculty  of  perception, 
that  they  might  test  things  which  differ,  the  good 
and  the  bad,  the  true  and  the  false,  that  thus  they 
might  avoid  the  one  and  choose  the  other.  lie  as- 
sumes that  for  this  work  the  diligent  exercise  of 
the  faculty  of  perception  is  necessary ;  that  such  a 
power  of  discernment  is  the  fruit  of  unremitting  ex- 
ercise of  the  Christian  judgment.     N. 

More  and  more  in  knowledge.  He  who 
lives  up  to  a  little  light  shall  have  more  light ;  he 
who  lives  up  to  a  little  knowledge  shall  have  more 
knowledge ;  he  who  lives  up  to  a  little  faith  shall 
have  more  faith ;  and  he  who  lives  up  to  a  little 
love  shall  have  more  love.  The  main  reason  why 
men  are  such  babes  and  shrubs  in  grace  is  because 
they  do  not  live  up  to  their  attainments. 

And  in  all  judgment.  That  wisdom  which 
a  believer  has  from  Christ  leads  him  to  center  in 
the  wisdom  of  Christ ;  and  that  love  which  the  soul 
has  from  Christ  leads  the  soul  to  center  in  the  love 
of  Christ ;  and  that  righteousness  which  the  soul 
has  from  Christ  leads  the  soul  to  rest  and  center  in 
the  righteousness  of  Christ.     Brools. 

10.  Things  excellent.  Good  and  evil,  in 
most  common  cases,  are  plain  enough  to  be  seen. 
We  do  not  mistake  the  one  for  the  other  ;  the  fault 
is  wholly  in  our  practice ;  we  knowingly  leave  good 
undone  and  do  evil.  But  there  are  also  many  cases 
where  it  is  otherwise,  and  where,  before  we  come  to 
the  difficulty  of  right  acting,  we  have  a  previous  dif- 
ficulty to  overcome  in  the  right  judging.  And  here 
it  is  that  Paul's  prayer  for  the  Philippians  applies 
to  us  also.  We  need  God's  help  in  order  to  distin- 
guish and  approve  what  is  really  excellent.     T.  A. 

11.  Those  fruits  of  righteousness,  by  which  the 


soul  is  qualified  to  appear  without  offense  in  the 
day  of  Christ,  the  several  graces  of  the  sanctifying 
Spirit,  are  nothing  else  but  so  many  holy  principles, 
all  disposing  the  soul  toward  this  blessedness  and 
the  way  to  it ;  mortification,  self-denial,  and  godly 
sorrow  take  it  off  from  other  objects,  the  world, 
self,  and  sin ;  repentance  (that  part  of  it  which  re- 
spects God)  turns  the  course  of  its  motion  toward 
God  the  end ;  faith  directs  it  through  Christ  the 
way ;  love  makes  it  move  freely  ;  desire,  earnestly ; 
joy,  pleasantly ;  hope,  confidently  ;  humility,  evenly ; 
fear,  circumspectly ;  patience,  constantly  and  perse- 
veringly.  All  conspire  to  give  the  soul  a  right  dis- 
position toward  this  blessedness.  The  result  of  them 
all  is  heavenhness — a  heavenly  temper  of  spirit.  For 
they  all,  as  so  many  lines  and  rays,  have  respect  to  a 
blessedness  in  God  as  the  point  at  which  they  aim ; 
and  the  point  in  which  they  meet  is  heavenliness. 
Howe. 

12-16.  Paul  was  at  Rome  precisely  at  that  time 
when  the  Palatine  was  the  most  conspicuous  spot 
on  the  earth,  not  merely  for  crime,  but  for  splendor 
and  power.  This  was  the  center  of  all  the  move- 
ments of  the  empire.  Here  were  heard  the  causes 
of  all  Roman  citizens  who  had  appealed  to  Cesar. 
Hence  were  issued  the  orders  to  the  governors  of  prov- 
inces and  to  the  legions  on  the  frontier.  From  the 
"  Golden  Milestone  "  below  the  palace  the  roads  ra- 
diated in  all  directions  to  the  remotest  verge  of 
civilization.  C. Paul  writes  that  his  imprison- 
ment was  favorable  to  the  spread  of  the  gospel. 
As  his  guards  relieved  one  another,  each  told  his 
comrades  what  he  had  heard  from  the  apostle,  so 
that  the  word  of  the  cross  became  known  to  the 
whole  imperial  guard.  In  Rome  also,  it  is  true, 
there  was  no  lack  of  Judidzing  false  teachers,  who 
preached  the  gospel  from  impure  motives,  from  envy 

and  the  spirit  of  contention.     P.  S. It  is  clear 

that  these  men  were  personal  enemies  of  Paul,  and 
that  in  their  efforts  to  promote  the  gospel  their  ob- 
ject was  to  frustrate  the  labors  of  the  apostle  and 
to  form  a  party  of  their  own  in  opposition  to  him. 
What  self-renunciation  must  it  then  have  required 
to  enable  Paul  to  rise  so  entirely  above  this  personal 
relation  that,  forgetting  the  design  against  himself, 
he  can  rejoice  with  his  whole  heart  that  the  One 
Christ,  whom  it  is  his  sole  desire  to  glorify,  is 
preached,  even  though  it  be  by  his  personal  ene- 
mies !  Thus  everything  pertaining  to  self  gives 
place  to  that  all-absorbing  love  to  the  Lord  and  to 
those  for  whom  he  gave  his  life.     N. 

18.  True  love  rejoices  in  the  truth,  by  whom- 
soever professed  or  disseminated.  If  Christ  is 
preached,  whether  in  pretense  or  in  truth,  it  rejoices, 
yea,  and  will  rejoice.  It  does  not  rebuke  a  man  be- 
cause he  prefers  to  labor  in  a  field  different  from 
that  of  his  neighbor,  or  cut  down  the  spiritual  har- 


448 


SECTION  SOB.^PEILIPPIAN'S  1 :  ISO. 


Test  with  a  different  implement,  or  wear  a  costume 
somewhat  plainer  or  more  costly.  It  does  not  meet 
the  report  of  a  victory  in  the  Christian  cause  with 
cold  indifference,  or  with  a  hesitating  approval,  till 
it  has  first  learned  what  particular  sect  has  the 
agency  or  will  receive  the  benefit.  It  nobly  over- 
looks all  such  things.  It  plants  itself  on  no  such 
narrow  grounds.  Its  object  is  not  to  make  prose- 
lytes, but  to  save  souls ;  not  to  count  up  converts  to 
this  or  that  dogma,  but  to  honor  the  lledeemer  of 
the  world.  Wherever,  in  whomsoever  it  can  discern 
the  lineaments  of  his  blessed  image,  it  welcomes  him 
to  communion  and  rejoices  in  his  prosperity.  This 
is  the  spirit  of  Christ  and  of  his  apostles.     B.  B.  E. 

19.  The  fact  is,  and  it  is  one  which  all  Chris- 
tians should  deeply  ponder,  "  the  supply  of  the 
Spirit,"  the  copiousness  or  deficiency  of  divine  in- 
fluence, is  very  much  regulated  by  settled  laws. 
The  Spirit  being  once  possessed,  his  subsequent 
donations  are  not  matters  of  accident  or  caprice  or 
of  mere  arbitrary  sovereignty.  There  are  always 
reasons  for  their  being  given  or  withheld,  not  only 
in  the  secret  depths  of  the  mind  of  God,  but  in  the 
character  and  life  of  the  individual,  and  in  the  con- 
dition of  his  mind  in  its  relation  to  spiritual  things. 
In  Providence,  certain  principles,  habits,  states  of 
mind,  courses  of  conduct,  have  their  appropriate 
results ;  in  the  spiritual  life,  certain  principles, 
habits,  courses  of  conduct,  states  of  mind,  have 
their  appropriate  results  too — in  each  case,  their 
gracious  reward  or  equitable  punishment,  an  issue 
at  once  fitting  and  inevitable.  Hence,  Christian 
men,  men  with  a  divine  spiritual  life  in  them,  are 
to  be  held  accountable  for  the  condition  of  that  life. 
The  enjoyment  of  holy  influence,  by  which  this 
inner  life  is  nourished  and  invigorated,  is  to  be  re- 
garded as  a  thing  which  very  much  depends  upon 
themselves.  To  have  it  is  their  privilege  and  duty. 
T.  B. 

20-35.  The  hand  that  wrote  these  words  of 
faith  and  hope  was  chained  to  a  Roman  soldier ; 
the  eye  that  looked  forward  to  the  ineffable  glory 
of  being  with  Christ  was  shut  in  by  the  walls  of  a 
dungeon.  But  no  chain  could  bind  the  spirit  that 
here  pours  itself  forth  with  such  magnanimity  of 
love,  such  triumph  of  devotion,  which  makes  bonds 
witnesses  for  Christ,  and  the  violence  of  adversaries 
a  token  that  God's  deliverance  is  at  hand.  Xo 
dungeon  could  darken,  no  threats  of  execution 
could  intimidate,  the  spirit  which  knew  that  to  die 
would  be  gain.  But,  while  faith  thus  triumphed 
over  death,  and  love  longed  to  depart  and  be  with 
Christ,  the  apostle,  in  his  master's  spirit  of  sacrifice, 
was  willing  to  postpone  his  own  glory  to  the  good 
of  the  Church,  and  to  preach  Christ  through  pains 
and  sufferings  and  patience,  if  thereby  he  might  in- 
spirit others  to  the  like  joy  of  faith.     J.  P.  T. 


21.  To  me  to  live  is  Christ.  A  bold  figure, 
showing  the  mighty  magnitude  of  that  object  in  his 
esteem.  He  regarded  all  the  grand  truths  and  in- 
terests of  religion  as  centering  in  Him,  compre- 
hended in  Him  ;  insomuch  that  his  very  name  might 
stand  equivalent  to  them  all.  His  chief  and  imme- 
diate reference  was  to  the  important  service  which 
his  prolonged  life  and  apostleship  would  render  to 
the  Christian  cause,  and  especially  to  the  Christian 
converts  to  whom  he  was  writing.  But  his  thoughts 
would  not  turn  solely  on  the  benefit  he  would  so  im- 
part to  others.  He  would  include  the  happiness 
which  he  would  enjoy  himself,  the  admiring  and 
grateful  contemplation  of  the  personal  excellence 
and  glory  and  sublimity  of  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of 
God  ;  that  communion  with  Christ  to  which  he  and 
all  the  apostles  so  often  refer  with  great  emphasis 
of  delight ;  the  hope,  the  assured  prospect  of  all 
that  was  in  futurity  for  himself  and  for  the  world. 
All  this  he  had  as  a  devoted  servant  of  Christ.    J.  Jb'. 

To  die  is  gain.     Christ  was  his  life  here ; 

Christ  was  in  him  the  hope  of  glory  hereafter.  It 
was  this  certain  assurance  of  a  risen  Christ,  this 
conscious  relation  to  a  risen  Lord,  which  filled  him 
with  such  confidence  and  exultation  in  the  prospect 
of  death,  which  made  him  even  "  desire  to  depart," 
that  he  might  "  for  ever  be  with  the  Lord." 
Perowiie. 

23.  In  a  strait.  "For  him  to  live  was 
Christ " ;  that  is,  to  do  the  work  and  serve  the  in- 
terest of  Christ.  For  him  "  to  die  was  gain,"  that 
is,  would  be  his  own  interest  and  reward.  His  strait 
was  not,  whether  it  would  be  good  to  live,  or  good 
to  depart,  because  both  were  good  ;  but  he  doubted 
which  of  the  two  was  most  desirable.  Nor  was  it 
his  meaning  to  bring  his  own  interest  and  Christ's 
into  competition  with  each  other.  By  Christ,  or  the 
interest  of  Christ,  he  means  his  serving  the  churches 
of  Christ  upon  earth.  But  he  knew  that  Christ  had 
an  interest  also  in  his  saints  above ;  and  could  raise 
up  more  to  serve  him  here.  Yet,  because  he  was  to 
judge  by  what  appeared,  and  saw  that  such  were 
much  wanted  upon  earth,  this  turned  the  scales  in 
his  choice  ;  and  therefore,  in  order  to  serve  Christ  in 
the  edification  of  his  churches,  he  was  more  in- 
clined, by  denying  himself,  to  have  his  reward  de- 
layed ;  at  the  same  time  well  knowing  that  the  delay 
of  his  reward  would  tend  to  its  increase.  [We  add 
some  touching  and  suggestive  personal  utterances. 
B.]  If  I  am  any  way  useful  to  the  world,  unde- 
served mercy  hath  made  me  so,  for  which  I  must  be 
thankful ;  how  long  I  shall  be  so  is  not  my  business 
to  determine,  but  my  Lord's.  If  one  flower  fall  or 
die,  others  in  future  summers  shall  arise  from  the 
same  root.  God  will  have  other  generations  to  suc- 
ceed us ;  let  us  thank  him  that  we  have  had  our 
time.     And  could  we,  without  selfishness,  love  others 


SECTION  805.—PEILIPPIAN'S  1 : 1-30. 


449 


as  ourselves,  and  God  as  God,  it  would  comfort  us 
at  death  to  have  others  survive  us,  and  the  world 
continue,  and  God  still  be  God,  and  be  glorified  in 
his  works.  Love  would  say,  "I  shall  live  in  Day 
successors ;  I  shall  more  than  live  in  the  life  of  the 
world ;  and  most  of  all,  in  the  eternal  life  and  glory 
of  God."     £ax. 

Desire  to  depart.  The  apostle's  expression 
was  not  uttered  in-  a  crisis  of  despondency,  but  evi- 
dently in  a  state  of  the  calmest  thought,  and  when 
he  saw  that  he  was  successful  in  his  important  mis- 
sion, and  should  continue  to  be  so  in  living  to  pros- 
ecute it.  In  this  state  of  mind  he  still  said,  to  leave 
all  this,  and  "  to  be  iciih  Christ,  is  far  better  " — "  io 
die  is  gain."  To  be  "  absent  from  the  body  "  was, 
according  to  his  faith,  to  "  be  present  with  the  Lordy 
The  apostle  was  of  the  highest  order  of  Christians. 
But  to  every  real  Christian,  "  to  die  is  c/ain."  The 
being  on  the  immortal  side  of  death  is  gain  to  the 
believer ;  preeminently,  the  perfect  deliverance  from 
sin — every  propensity  of  the  animated,  active,  en- 
ergetic spirit  pointing  only  to  good — pure,  abso- 
lute, unmingled  good — so  that  an  unlimited  liberty 
may  be  given  to  all  its  tendencies — the  attainment 
of  immense  knowledge,  all  of  it,  here,  beyond  the 
utmost  reach  of  thought ;  the  society  of  happy 
spirits  of  the  human  order  and  of  the  angelic ; 
some  far  more  bright  and  direct  manifestation  of 
the  Divine  Being  and  of  the  Mediator ;  an  intense 
realization  of  what  has  been  done  and  obtained  for 
them  by  the  redeeming  mediation ;  the  joyful  and 
not  impatient  looking  forward  to  what  is  to  be  re- 
vealed and  conferred  at  the  resurrection.  How 
mighty  the  duty,  how  transcendent  the  interest,  of 
directing  our  utmost  energy  to  the  end  that  death 
may  be  "  ffain  "  to  us  !     J.  F. 

27.  The  apostle  commences  an  exhortation  to 
the  Philippian  saints  regarding  their  callinfj  and 
duty  as  citizens  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The 
same  idea  of  citizenship  (in  our  version  "  conversa- 
tion") recurs  in  the  end  of  the  third  chapter  ;  and 
there  may  be  a  special  reason  for  the  use  of  such 
language  in  this  Epistle.  Paul  writes  from  Rome, 
the  greatest  city  of  the  world  ;  and  those  to  whom 
he  writes  are  at  Philippi,  which  was  a  Pioman  colo- 
nia,  and,  therefore,  politically  a  miniature  of  Rome 
itself.  It  was  there  that  the  apostle  alarmed  the 
magistrates  who  had  imprisoned  him  by  announcing 
himself  a  Roman  citizen  (Acts  16).  This  incident 
must  have  been  fresh  in  the  memory  of  the  Philip- 
pian believers  as  well  as  in  his  own,  and  in  all  like- 
lihood suggested  his  appeal  to  them  that  they  should 


bear  themselves  as  the  freemen  of  a  holy  city,  and 
partakers  of  a  heavenly  calling.     D.  F. 

All  the  admonitions  which  Paul  gives  the  Philip- 
pians  in  reference  to  the  Christian  walk  are  com- 
prehended in  this  one :  that  they  should  "  walk  in  a 
manner  worthy  of  the  gospel  of  Christ."  And  what 
is  required  of  them  in  their  position,  in  the  midst 
of  a  corrupt  world,  he  points  out  in  chapter  2 :  15, 16. 
Inasmuch,  he  says,  as  they  are  called  to  live  as 
children  of  God  in  the  midst  of  a  corrupt  world, 
they  are  called  to  maintain  unsullied  that  divine  life 
of  which  as  children  of  God  they  have  become  par- 
ticipants.    N. 

As  becometh  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Meet- 
ing his  countrymen  in  little  groups,  or  one  by  one, 
Christ  showed  them  what  was  in  his  heart,  and 
showed  them  the  ineffable  beauty  of  a  holy  and 
blessed  "  conversation  "  with  his  Father,  while  they 
were  yet  fishermen  and  publicans,  and  reapers  and 
water-carriers  about  their  houses  and  fields.  Before 
men  knew  it,  he  had  planted  a  kingdom  to  fill  and 
possess  the  earth — planted  it  just  where  alone  it 
could  be  planted,  in  the  living  heart  and  will  of  cer- 
tain individuals  who  had  ceased  minding  earthly 
things,  or  minded  heavenly  things  far  more.  And 
so  precisely  he  meets  us  to-day.  With  all  his  spirit 
of  sacrifice  and  mighty  power  of  redemption,  with 
the  cross  on  his  shoulders  and  the  scar  in  his 
side,  he  comes  to  each  one  of  us,  and  speaks. 
F.  D.  H. 

29.  Given  to  believe.  "Why  should  faith, 
which  is  a  work  of  man,  not  be  at  the  same  time  a 
work  of  God  ?  Why  should  not  be  who  has  granted 
pardon  not  also  give  faith  ?  Should  not  all  that 
leads  to  God  come  from  God  ?  They  who  admit 
this  give  him  the  glory  more  entirely  by  ceasing  to 
regard  faith  as  a  merely  human  work,  and  by  doing 
homage  for  it,  as  for  everything  else,  to  the  Divine 
liberality.  Under  this  reservation,  which  secures 
the  honor  of  grace,  they  may  frankly  admit  the  ne- 
cessity of  faith ;  they  may,  without  fear,  term  it  a 
condition  of  salvation,  recognize  it  as  a  work,  as  a 
moral  work  ;  in  one  word,  think  on  the  subject  of 
faith  as  it  is  impossible  not  to  think.     A.  V. 

It  is  not  more  given  us  to  believe  on  his  name 
than  it  is^o  suffer  for  his  sake  ;  that  is,  our  suffer- 
ings are  the  gifts,  the  privileges  of  his  calling,  the 
methods  by  which  that  calling  is  made  sure,  and  we 
fitted  for  rest  in  him,  as  by  a  dying  unto  the  world 
and  a  living  unto  him.  As  he  was  perfected  through 
suffering,  so  are  we ;  it  is  the  end,  the  sweetening 
result  of  all  he  gives  us  to  bear.     H.  H. 


29 


450  SECTION  306.—PHILIPPIANS  2  : 1-30. 

Section  306. 

Philippians  ii.  1-30. 

1  If  there  he  therefore  any  consolation  in  Christ,  if  any  comfort  of  love,  if  any  fellowship 

2  of  the  Spirit,  if  any  bowels  and  mercies,  fulfil  ye  my  joy,  that  ye  he  likeminded,  having  the 

3  same  love,  leing  of  one  accord,  of  one  mind.     Let  nothing  le  done  through  strife  or  vain- 

4  glory;  but  in  lowliness  of  mind  let  each  esteem  other  better  than  themselves.    Look  not 

5  every  man  on  his  own  things,  but  every  .man  also  on  the  things  of  others.    Let  this  mind 

6  be  in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus :  who,  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not 

7  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God :  but  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon  liira  the 

8  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men:  and  being  found  in  fashion  as  a 
man,  he  humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  tlie  cross. 

9  "Wherefore  God  also  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name  which  is  above  every 

10  name :  that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  of  things  in  heaven,  and  things 

11  in  earth,  and  things  under  the  earth  ;  and  that  every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father. 

12  Wherefore,  my  beloved,  as  ye  have  always  obeyed,  not  as  in  my  presence  only,  but  now 

13  much  more  in  my  absence,  work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling.     For  it  is 

14  God  which  worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure.     Do  all  things  with- 

15  out  murmurings  and  disputings:  that  ye  may  be  blameless  and  harmless,  the  sons  of  God, 
without  rebuke,  in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  and  perverse  nation,  among  whom  ye  shine  as 

16  lights  in  the  world;  holding  forth  the  word  of  life;  that  I  may  rejoice  in  the  day  of  Christ, 

17  that  I  have  not  run  in  vain,  neither  laboured  in  vain.    Yea,  and  if  I  be  offered  upon  the 

18  sacrifice  and  service  of  your  faith,  I  joy,  and  rejoice  with  you  all.  For  the  same  cause  also 
do  ye  joy,  and  rejoice  with  me. 

19  But  I  trust  in  the  Lord  Jesus  to  send  Timotheus  shortly  unto  you,  that  I  also  may  be  of 

20  good  comfort,  when  I  know  your  state.     For  I  have  no  man  likeminded,  who  will  naturally 

21  care  for  your  state.    For  all  seek  their  own,  not  the  things  which  are  Jesus  Christ's.    But 

22  ye  know  the  proof  of  him,  that,  as  a  son  with  the  father,  he  hath  served  with  me  in  the 

23  gospel.    Him  therefore  I  hope  to  send  presently,  so  soon  as  I  shall  see  how  it  will  go  with 

24  me.     But  I  trust  in  the  Lord  that  I  also  myself  shall  come  shortly.     Yet  I  supposed  it  ne- 

25  cessary  to  send  to  you  Epaphroditus,  my  brother,  and  companion  in  labour,  and  fellowsoldier, 

26  but  your  messenger,  and  he  that  ministered  to  my  wants.     For  he  longed  after  you  all,  and 

27  was  full  of  heaviness,  because  that  ye  had  heard  that  he  had  been  sick.  For  indeed  he  was 
sick  nigh  unto  death :  but  God  had  mercy  on  him ;  and  not  on  him  only,  but  on  me  also, 

28  lest  I  should  have  sorrow  upon  sorrow.     I  sent  him  therefore  the  more  carefully,  that,  when 

29  ye  see  him  again,  ye  may  rejoice,  and  that  I  may  be  the  less  sorrowful.     Receive  him  there- 

30  fore  in  the  Lord  with  all  gladness ;  and  hold  such  in  reputation :  because  for  the  work  of 
Christ  he  was  nigh  unto  death,  not  regarding  his  life,  to  supply  your  lack  of  service  toward 
me. 

INFINITE  are  the  mysteries  of  that  piacular  suffering  and  submission,  -which  were  passhig  within  the 
darkened  chamber  of  Christ's  soul,  and  which  no  finite  mind  can  ever  comprehend!  The  Httle  that  we 
know  is,  that  he  suffers  and  submits.  This  is  enough.  This  is  the  bowing  down  of  the  will,  the  vicarious, 
mediatory  will,  to  the  law  which  we  had  injured ;  to  the  law  in  its  twofold  power,  as  commanding  and  as 
smiting.  It  is  the  completcst,  as  it  is  the  most  stupendous,  oblation  unto  God  which  the  universe  has 
beheld.  In  all  its  parts,  it  forms  the  theme  of  eternal  thought  and  songs.  This  obedience,  even  unto 
death,  is  the  atonement.  It  is  a  satisfaction  of  infinite  value  made  to  the  will  of  Jehovah,  that  is,  to  Jus- 
tice. It  is  an  oblation  both  of  doing  and  of  suffering.  It  fills  the  cup  of  duty ;  it  exhausts  the  cup  of 
penalty.  It  meekly  says  to  Almighty  Justice,  "  Thy  will  be  done."  The  submission  of  our  Lord  amid 
this  inconceivable  struggle  is  the  pattern  and  motive  for  our  submission  to  God's  ivill.  So  beautiful  a  sight, 
to  those  who  account  moral  perfection  the  greatest  beauty,  was  never  presented,  as  in  the  spotless  obedi- 
ence of  Jesus ;  and  so  preeminent  a  part  of  that  obedience  is  nowhere  displayed  as  in  the  closing  night 
and  day  of  his  life  of  humiliation.  I  seem  to  behold  all  heaven  bending  down  toward  a  world  on  which 
for  forty  centuries  there  has  not  been  one  immaculate  object,  to  concentrate  its  gaze  on  the  "  Man  of  Sor- 
rows."    "  These  things  the  angels  desire  to  look  into  "  ;  they  can  not  imitate,  though  they  admire.     They 


SECTION  S06.—PHILIPPIANS  2  : 1-30. 


451 


"  adore  and  burn  "  ;  but  such  stretches  of  benevolence  are  beyond  their  reach.  This  is  a  love  which  has 
been  the  grand  attraction  of  the  Church  in  all  ages,  and  which  we  celebrate  in  a  sacrament.  It  is  love  in 
its  highest  exaltation ;  suffering  love ;  tearful,  bleeding,  dying  love.     J.  W.  A. 


1 .  For  "  bowels  and  mercies^''  read  "  tenderness 
and  compassion."  In  verse  2,  for  "  being  of  one  ac- 
cord, of  one  mind"  read  "  with  united  souls  being 
of  one  mind."    A. 

3.  The  Christian's  love  will  lead  him  first  of  all 
to  discern  what  is  good  in  another,  to  discover  even 
in  his  blemishes  his  peculiar  gifts,  that  in  which  he 
is  really  superior  to  himself;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  through  a  self-scrutiny  sharpened  by  the 
Spirit  which  quickens  him,  he  detects  with  rigor- 
ous exactness  his  own  faults.  And  this  self-rigor, 
united  with  love,  will  give  leniency  to  his  judgment 
of  whatever  may  obscure  the  divine  life  in  others. 
And  this  manner  of  viewing  one's  self,  in  relation 
to  others,  will  appear,  likewise,  in  his  whole  con- 
duct in  regard  to  them.     N. There  is  naturally 

in  all  men  a  kind  of  fancied  infallibUity  in  them- 
selves, which  makes  them  contentious,  contrary  to 
the  apostle's  rule.  Let  nothing  be  done  through  strife, 
and  as  earnest  upon  differing  in  the  smallest  punc- 
tilio as  in  a  high  article  of  faith.  Stronger  spirits 
are  usually  more  patient  of  contradiction,  especially 
in  doubtful  things ;  and  they  that  see  farthest  are 
least  peremptory  in  their  determinations.     L. 

Vainglory.  How  much  more  abundant  would 
be  our  tranquillity,  how  much  happier  our  lives,  how 
much  more  attractive  to  others  our  Christianity,  if 
the  canker-worm  of  party  spirit,  vainglory,  and 
contempt  of  others  did  not  blight  the  noblest  por- 
tion of  our  hidden  life !  Lowliness  of  mind. 
Humility  is  the  secret  of  true  rest,  for  the  lowly 
heart  is  also  the  quiet,  the  satisfied,  the  God-hal- 
lowed heart.  Humility  is  the  secret  of  true  power  ; 
for  in  the  kingdom  of  God  no  one  can  accomplish 
so  much  as  he  who  has  learned  to  think  humbly  of 
himself  and  highly  of  the  Saviour.  Therefore,  all 
God's  dealings  with  his  people  have  no  other  object 
than  daily  to  free  them  more  and  more  from  the 
dominion  of  self,  in  order  that  Christ  may  be  all  to 
them.      Van  0. 

4.  In  every  age  and  in  every  class  of  life,  sym- 
pathy is  the  great  craving  of  the  human  heart,  and 
if  we  can  be  so  unselfish  as  to  forget  ourselves  and 
show  it  with  the  peculiarities  of  others,  we  shall  be 
astonished  at  the  rich  return — how  cold  natures 
open  out  to  a  kindly  presence,  as  flowers  in  spring 
when  the  hard  frost  lifts  its  repressive  hand.  And 
in  pursuing  such  a  course  we  shall  best  succeed  in 
elevating  and  broadening  our  own  nature.  If  we 
could  bring  all  around  us  into  our  own  mold,  we 
should  only  have  narrowed  ourselves  in  the  process 
of  constraining  others.    But,  if  we  enter  into  sym- 


pathy with  their  pursuits,  we  not  merely  grow  in 
unselfishness,  but  add  something  to  our  intellectual 
nature  which  was  not  there  before.  We  have  so 
much  more  of  humanity  within  us.  There  can  be 
no  finer  instance  of  the  way  in  which  we  gain  by 
yielding,  and  make  conquests  of  men  and  things 
when  we  seem  to  be  led  captive.    Ker. 

Let  it  only  be  supposed  that  selfishness  has  been 
banished  from  the  Church,  and  what  would  ensue  ? 
Each  denomination  of  Christians,  without  sacrificing 
its  distinctive  character,  would  embrace  and  seek  to 
ally  itself  as  closely  with  all  the  rest  as  a  com- 
munity of  interest,  hope,  and  affection  could  bind 
it.  Each  creed  would  have  the  necessity  and  di- 
vinity of  brotherly  love  among  its  primary  articles, 
teaching  the  Christian  that  a  heart  glowing  with 
affection  to  "  the  brethren "  exhales  the  incense 
most  acceptable  to  God ;  that  such  love  is  God  in 
man.  Devotion,  no  longer  terminating  in  itself, 
would  go  to  God  and  plead  for  the  world.  Piety, 
no  longer  seeking  after  comfort  as  an  end,  would 
find  it  without  seeking;  find  it  in  the  paths  of 
Christian  activity  and  usefulness.  A  love  which 
would  yearn  over  the  whole  human  race ;  a  zeal 
which  would  be  constantly  devising  fresh  methods 
of  usefulness,  denying  itself,  and  laying  itself  out 
for  God;  and  a  perseverance  which  would  never 
rest  till  the  whole  family  of  man  should  be  seated 
at  the  banquet  of  salvation :  these  would  be  the 
prevailing  features  of  the  entire  Christian  communi- 
ty. The  tabernacle  of  God  would  be  with  men  upon 
the  earth,  God  would  bless  us,  and  all  the  ends  of 
the  earth  would  fear  him. 

5-8.  When  the  Apostle  Paul  would  enjoin  the 
Philippians  to  "look  every  man  on  the  things  of 
others,"  he  points  them  to  "  the  mind  which  was 
also  in  Christ  Jesus."  He  does  not  content  himself 
with  merely  stating  the  fact  of  our  Lord's  conde- 
scension and  death  ;  but,  as  if  the  immensity  of  the 
stoop  which  Christ  made  were  too  great  to  be  com- 
prehended at  once,  he  follows  him  downward  from 
point  to  point,  till  he  has  reached  the  lowest  depth 
of  his  humiliation.  As  if  he  felt  convinced  that 
the  amazing  spectacle  could  not  fail  to  annihilate 
selfishness  in  every  other  heart,  as  it  had  in  his  own, 
his  only  anxiety  is  that  it  should  be  vividly  present- 
ed before  the  eye  of  the  mind.  Having  carried 
our  thoughts  up  to  that  infinite  height  where  Christ 
had  been  from  eternity  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father, 
he  shows  us  the  Son  of  God  divesting  himself  of  his 
glory ;  and  then  he  detains  our  eye  in  a  prolonged 
gaze  on  his  descending  course ;    condescending  to 


452 


SECTION  SOe.—PEILIPPIANS  2  : 1-30. 


be  bom ;  voluntarily  subjecting  himself  to  all  the 
humbling  conditions  of  our  nature ;  taking  on  him- 
self the  responsibilities  of  a  servant;  still  hum- 
bling himself,  still  passing  from  one  depth  of  igno- 
miny to  a  lower  still;  becoming  obedient  unto 
death ;  and  that  death  the  most  humbling,  the  most 
replete  with  agony  and  shame — the  death  of  the 
cross,    J.  H. 

6.  The  mind  of  the  apostle,  as  expressed  in  the 
original  words,  is  that  Christ,  previously  existing  on 
'an  equality  with  God,  did  not  regard  this  his  equal- 
ity, this  his  loftiness  and  glory,  a  thing  to  be  held 
fast  by  him,  but  gave  it  up  and  emptied  himself  so 
as  to  become  man.  And  the  very  plain  words  in 
which  this  is  expressed  are :  "  Who,  existing  (or 
being)  in  the  form  of  God,  deemed  not  his  equaUty 
•with  God  a  thing  to  grasp  at,"  i.  e.,  a  matter  for 
him  to  retain,  as  one  who  grasps  what  he  is  afraid 
to  lose.  Thus,  by  keeping  close  to  the  original,  the 
whole  preexistent  majesty  of  Christ  is  set  before 
us,  and  "the  mind  which  was  in  Christ  Jesus" 
is  described  in  all  its  self-abandonment  of  divine 
love.     A. 

7.  We  say,  using  both  the  Scriptural  expres- 
sions, that  he  "  became  flesh,"  and  that  he  "  took 
the  form  of  a  servant."  The  word  "  became  "  inti- 
mates the  indivisibility  of  a  perfect  union ;  while 
the  word  "  took  "  proclaims  the  immutability  of  the 
Divine  nature.  Thus,  God  the  Word  became  per- 
fect man;  but  so  that  the  immutable  nature  re- 
ceived no  injury  from  that  inconceivable  miracle. 
This,  however,  we  have  learned  by  faith  ;  we  have 
not  mastered  it  by  inquiry.  And,  having  become 
man,  he  saves,  by  that  in  him  which  could  share 
their  sufferings,  the  race  that  was  corporeally  akin 
to  himself,  in  that  he  paid  the  debt  of  sin,  by  dying 
for  all  as  man,  and  "  destroyed  liim  that  had  the 
power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil,"  as  God,  to  whom 

evil  is  hateful.     Proclus. The  nature  which  had 

sinned  was  the  nature  to  be  redeemed,  and  it  could 
be  redeemed  only  by  that  which  was  effected  in  the 
nature  which  had  sinned.  Divinity  alone  could  not 
be  a  mediator ;  humanity  alone  could  not  be.  The 
nature  of  the  office,  implying  two  parties,  supposes 
of  necessity  a  sympathy  with  both  ;  and,  as  God  and 
man  are  the  parties,  none  but  the  God-man  can 
possibly  be  the  mediator.  Hence  Christ  took  upon 
him  the  form  of  a  servant.  Hence  "  the  Word  was 
made  flesh."  E.  M. What  greater  mercy  to- 
ward the  wretched  could  there  be  than  that  which 
brought  the  Creator  of  heaven  down  from  heaven, 
and  arrayed  the  Maker  of  earth  in  an  earthly  body ; 
which  placed  on  the  same  mortal  level  with  our- 
selves him  who  continues  coequal  in  the  eternal 
existence  of  the  Father ;  which  laid  the  form  of  a 
servant  on  the  Lord  of  the  world ;  that  the  Bread 
Himself  might  hunger.   Strength  be   made   weak. 


Health  be  wounded,  and  Life  die  ?  And  all  this, 
that  our  hunger  might  be  fed,  our  dryness  moistened, 
our  weakness  comforted,  our  iniquity  quenched,  our 
charity  enkindled  !  What  greater  mercy  than  that 
the  Creator  should  become  a  creature,  the  Sovereign 
becjpmc  a  servant,  the  Redeemer  be  sold,  the  Exalter 
be  abased,  the  Reviver  be  slain  ?     Aug. 

8.  Obedient  unto  death.  It  is  to  the  life- 
long obedience  of  Christ,  terminating  in  that  last 
and  greatest  act  of  obedience,  death,  that  the  apos- 
tle here  directs  us.  The  life  and  the  death  thus 
connected  with  each  other  by  the  apostle,  though 
differing  in  many  things,  yet  resembled  each  other 
in  this,  that  they  were  both  vicarious.  Christ  was 
our  substitute,  as  Luther  delighted  to  proclaim? 
from  his  cradle  to  his  cross,  from  Bethlehem  to 
Golgotha.  It  was  as  our  sin-bearing  substitute  that 
he  entered  on  his  life  of  obedience,  and  as  the  same 
that  he  finished  that  life  upon  the  cross.  He  was 
the  obedient  one  all  his  life  through ;  and  that  obe- 
dience was  for  us  ;  that  law-fulfilling  was  for  us  ; 
that  perfection  was  for  us.  In  his  completeness  we 
are  complete ;  by  his  stripes  we  are  healed ;  and  by 

his  death  we  are  reconciled.     An. It  is  not  by 

the  mere  sufferings  endured  between  Gethsemane 
and  Calvary  that  Jesus  Christ  saves  us,  but  by  all 
the  sufferings  of  his  life,  which  constituted  through- 
out one  entire  passion.  His  work  forms  an  indivis- 
ible whole.  He  could  not  save  us  without  suffering 
and  dying ;  but  he  did  not  accomplish  the  work 
merely  by  suffering  and  death.  He  accomplished 
it  by  all  that  he  was  and  by  all  that  he  performed  ; 
by  his  actions  and  by  his  words ;  by  what  he  did 
and  what  he  suffered ;  by  his  life  as  by  his  death. 
A.  V. 

9.  A  name  above  every  name.  Along  the 
track  of  the  ages,  above  all  vicissitudes  of  opinion 
and  feeling,  luminous  by  his  own  majesty  and  beau- 
ty, appears  the  Just  One,  in  whom  alone  the  absolute 
perfection  of  the  Godhead  irradiated  over  human 
flesh,  the  praises  of  earth  and  heaven  evermore  ac- 
cumulating around  him,  the  sweet  savor  of  his  name 
spreading  itself  through  the  air  we  breathe,  strength- 
ening the  weary,  cheering  the  sad,  restoring  our 

souls.    0.  E.  D. 10.   The  name  of  Jesus. 

He  took  this  name  on  him  as  though  he  had  chosen 
it  for  himself.  He  bore  it  about  with  him  as  long 
as  he  lived  on  earth,  and  when  he  died  he  died  with 
it  above  him  on  his  cross.  And  he  bears  it  now. 
Think  of  him  on  his  throne.  He  has  indeed  another 
name  written  on  him  there,  "King  of  kings,  and 
Lord  of  lords  " ;  but  when  he  speaks  to  us,  he  says, 
"  I  am  Jesus  still,  Jesus  your  Saviour."     C.  B. 

Verse  10  should  stand,  "  that  in  the  name  of  Je- 
sus every  knee  should  bend."  The  meaning  in  the 
mind  of  the  writer  is,  that  the  purpose  of  this  exal- 
tation of  the  Lord  Jesus  was,  that  in  his  name 


SECTION  306.—PEILIPPIANS  2  :  ISO. 


453 


should  all  prayer  be  made;  that  no  man  should 
come  to  the  Father  but  through  him.  He  himself 
shows  what  meaning  he  attached  to  the  phrase 
"bowing  the  knee"  in  Eph.  3  :  14.  It  is  with  him 
an  expression  for  offering  up  prayer.     A. 

11.  Confess  that  he  is  Lord.  We  feel  that 
he  is  entitled  to  be  made  head  over  all  things,  and 
to  have  the  power,  not  only  of  presenting  his  Church 
without  spot  or  wrinkle  before  the  presence  of  the 
Father,  but  of  collecting  the  angels  under  his  head- 
ship, and  extending  his  grace  through  all  the  realms 
of  intelligent  being,  so  as  finally  to  destroy  the  pos- 
sibility of  sin.  This  is  the  grand  consummation, 
and  it  is  a  beautiful  and  glorious  reward.  He  is  to 
finish  transgression  and  to  make  an  end  of  sin,  to 
redeem  and  sanctify  the  Church,  and  to  confirm  in 
holiness  every  order  of  unfallen  being ;  so  that,  when 
his  work  is  finished  and  his  glory  complete,  the  in- 
telligent universe,  by  virtue  of  one  grand  enterprise 
of  triumphant  virtue,  shall  be  bound  inviolably  to 
the  throne  of  God.     J.  H.  T. 

13.  "  Work  out "  ought  to  be  "  carry  out."  We 
do  not  v:ork  out  our  own  salvation,  for  we  are  saved 
by  grace ;  but  we  do  carry  out  our  own  salvation. 

A. "  What  God  hath  joined  together,  let  not  man 

put  asunder ! "  Here  are  joined  together,  in  the 
compass  of  one  practical  exhortation,  faith  in  a  fin- 
ished salvation,  and  yet  tvork  ;  God  working  all  in 
me,  and  yet  I  able  and  bound  to  work  likewise ; 
God  upholding  and  sustaining  his  child  to  the  very 
end,  "  perfecting  that  which  concerns  him,"  making 
his  salvation  certain  and  sure,  and  yet  the  Christian 
working  "  with  fear  and  trembling,"  lest  he  should 
come  short  of  the  grace  of  God.     A.  M. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  Epistles  were 
written,  not  to  make  converts,  but  to  edify  converts 
already  made.  In  the  Book  of  Acts  we  have  exam- 
ples of  addresses  made  to  unbelievers.    G.  P.  F. 

Remember  that  none  but  Christian  people  have  any- 
thing to  do  with  these  words.  To  all  others  this 
injunction  is  utterly  inapplicable.  It  is  addressed 
to  the  "  beloved,  who  have  always  obeyed  "  ;  to  the 
"saints  in  Christ  Jesus,  which  are  at  Philippi." 
Paul  has  no  idea  of  giving  his  disciples  a  lesson  in 
abstract  theology,  or  laying  for  them  a  foundation 
of  a  philosophy  of  free  will  and  divine  sovereignty ; 
he  is  not  merely  communicating  to  these  Philippians 
truths  for  their  creed,  but  precepts  for  their  deeds. 
Just  as  little  as  Scripture  gives  countenance  to  the 
error  that  makes  religion  theology  rather  than  life, 
just  so  little  does  it  give  countenance  to  the  far 
more  contemptible  and  shallow  error  common  in 
our  day,  which  says,  Religion  is  not  theology,  but 
life ;  and  means,  "  Therefore,  it  does  not  matter 
what  theology  you  have,  you  can  work  a  good  life 
out  with  any  creed  ! "  The  Bible  never  teaches  un- 
practical speculations,  and  the  Bible  never   gives 


precepts  which  do  not  rest  on  the  profoundcst 
truths.     A.  M. 

Work  out  your  own  salvation.  The  apos- 
tle has  here  in  view,  not  the  getting  correct  notions 
of  the  grace  of  God,  nor  even  the  exercise  of  devo- 
tional feelings  toward  God,  but  mainly  the  attain- 
ment of  the  mind  that  was  in  Christ,  the  putting  off 
the  old  man  and  putting  on  the  new.  It  is  the  pur- 
suit, in  fact,  of  practical  godliness,  such  a  spirit  and 
demeanor  as  adorn  the  gospel.  "Only,"  saith  he, 
"  let  your  conversation  be  as  becomcth  the  gospel  of 
Christ."  And  he  then  proceeds  to  point  out  the 
details  of  such  a  conduct ;  exhorting  them  to  unity 
of  spirit  as  brethren,  and  in  the  faith  and  patience 
of  Jesus  Christ ;  to  have  a  tender  regard  for  the 
welfare  one  of  another,  according  to  the  mind  that 
was  in  Christ  Jesus ;  to  be  blameless  and  harmless, 
the  sons  of  God  without  rebuke,  shining  as  lights  in 
an  evil  world.  In  a  word,  this  working  out  our  own 
salvation  is  a  following  out  in  our  daily  walk  of  that 
deliverance  from  evil,  and  from  all  its  consequences, 
which  is  brought  nigh  to  us  in  the  gospel.  Goode. 
Work  as  well  as  believe,  and  in  the  daily  prac- 
tice of  faithful  obedience,  in  the  daily  subjugation 
of  your  own  spirits  to  his  Divine  power,  in  the  daily 
crucifixion  of  your  flesh  with  its  affections  and  lusts, 
in  the  daily  straining  after  loftier  heights  of  godli- 
ness and  purer  atmospheres  of  devotion  and  love, 
make  more  thoroughly  your  own  that  which  you  pos- 
sess. "  Give  all  diligence  to  make  your  calling  and 
election  sure  " ;  and  remember  that  not  a  past  act  of 
faith,  but  a  present  and  continuous  life  of  loving, 
faithful  work  in  Christ,  which  is  his  and  yet  yours, 
is  the  "holding  fast  the  beginning  of  your  con- 
fidence firm  unto  the  end."     A.  M. 

With  fear  and  trembling.  He  refers  to 
the  feeling  of  personal  accountability  and  helpless- 
ness, of  insecurity  and  instability  in  ourselves,  by 
which  we  may  be  ever  admonished  to  continual 
watchfulness,  and  to  ever-renewed  waiting  upon  God 
as  the  fountain  of  all  our  strength.  This  feeling  of 
dependence,  the  ground-tone  of  the  Christian  life, 
is  ever  to  be  maintained.  It  is  this  which  must 
combat  the  presumption  of  a  vain  human  self- 
reliance,  which,  finding  itself  deceived  in  the  result, 
so  easily  gives  place  to  dejection  and  despair.  N. 
But  why  should  he  that  hath  assurance  of  sal- 
vation fear?  If  there  is  truth  in  his  assurance, 
nothing  can  disappoint  him,  not  sin  itself ;  but  it  is 
no  less  true  that,  if  he  do  not  fear  to  sin,  there  is  no 
truth  in  his  assurance ;  it  is  not  the  assurance  of 
faith,  but  the  mispersuasion  of  a  secure  and  profane 
mind.  This  fear  is  not  cowardice ;  it  doth  not  de- 
base but  elevates  the  mind ;  for  it  drowns  all  lower 
fears,  and  begets  true  fortitude  and  courage  to  en- 
counter all  dangers,  for  a  good  conscience  and  the 
obeying  of  God,    L. 


454 


SECTION  306.—PHILIPPIANS  2  : 1-30. 


13.  "  Of  his.  good  pleasure  "  should  be  "for  his 
good  pleasure."  The  meaning  is  not  that  God  work- 
eth  in  us  to  will  and  to  do  as  he  pleases,  but  so  that 
his  will  is  subserved  by  our  willing  and  doing.     A. 

Because  it  is  "  God  which  worketh  in  us  both  to 

will  and  to  do"  we  are  called  to  "work  out  our  own 
salvation."  The  instinct  of  every  renewed  soul 
realizes  this  fact,  and  his  every  prayer  expresses,  in 
one  and  the  same  breath,  both  the  divine  source  and 
the  absolutely  voluntary  character  of  all  his  Chris- 
tian emotions  and  activities.  How  the  two  interact 
and  blend  into  one  is  a  beautiful  subject  for  thought, 
but  not  to  be  fully  apprehended  here,  and  possibly 
never.  D.  B. Paul  blends  the  two  things  to- 
gether, and  sees — strangely  to  some  people — no  con- 
tradiction, nor  limitation,  nor  puzzle,  but  a  ground  of 
encouragement  to  cheerful  obedience.  Do  you  work, 
"for  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  you."  And  does  the 
apostle  limit  the  divine  operation  ?  Notice  how  his 
words  seem  picked  out  on  purpose  to  express  most 
emphatically  its  all-pei"vading  energy,  to  express 
with  the  utmost  possible  emphasis  that  all  which  a 
good  man  is  and  does  is  its  fruit.  It  is  not  that 
God  gives  men  the  power,  and  then  leaves  them  to 
make  the  use  of  it.  The  whole  process,  from  the 
first  sowing  of  the  seed  until  its  last  blossoming  and 
fruiting,  in  the  shape  of  an  accomplished  act,  of 
which  God  shall  bless  the  springing — it  is  all  God's 
together! — a  thorough-going,  absolute  attribution 
of  every  power,  every  action,  all  the  thoughts, 
words,  and  deeds  of  a  Christian  soul  to  God.  No 
words  could  be  selected  which  would  more  thor- 
oughly cut  away  the  ground  from  every  half-and- 
half  system  which  attempts  to  deal  them  out  in  two 
portions,  part  God's  and  part  mine.  With  all  em- 
phasis Paul  attributes  all  to  God.    A.  M. 

To  let  the  divine  decrees  stretch  everywhere  and 
bold  all,  embracing  even  these  finite  activities  and 
this  finite  freedom  as  a  part  of  their  stupendous 
machinery,  is  more  than  we  can  master.  Nor  in 
the  Scripture  is  any  attempt  ever  made  to  reconcile 
the  two  agencies  of  God  and  man.  Had  such  a 
reconcilement  been  necessary,  God  would  certainly 
have  suggested  it.  But  now  it  lies  back  in  the  dark- 
ness, and  we  must  consent  to  leave  it  there.  It  is 
one  of  the  secret  things  belonging  unto  the  Lord 
God.  The  things  revealed  are  the  facts  themselves 
reconciled — on  the  one  side,  a  divine  efficiency  which 
seems  to  clasp  the  universe  as  with  iron  arms ;  on 
the  other  side,  a  human  freedom  which  seems  to 
threaten  anarchy.  These  two  elements  we  must  ac- 
cept and  hold  them  together  as  we  can,  denying 
neither,  and  abating  the  force  of  neither,  holding  to 
the  divine  efficiency  without  flinching,  making  our 
faith  stout  and  masculine  with  it,  holding  also  to 
the  human  accountability,  making  our  faith  elastic 
and  agile  with  it.     And,  as  to  the  harmony  between 


them,  let  us  never  expect  to  find  it  in  this  world. 
Let  us  rather  leave  it,  and  leave  it  gladly,  for  the 
revelations  of  eternity.  For  the  present,  let  us  be 
careful  only  that  God  be  honored  and  our  own  des- 
tiny happily  accomplished.     R.  D.  H. 

A  Christian  knows  God's  providence  is  in  all 
things,  yet  is  as  diligent  in  his  calling  and  business 
as  if  he  were  to  provide  for  his  own  happiness.  He 
believes  beforehand  that  God  has  purposed  what  he 
shall  be,  and  that  nothing  can  make  him  alter  his 
purpose ;  yet  prays  and  endeavors,  as  if  he  would 
force  God  to  save  him  for  ever.  He  prays  and 
labors  for  that  which  he  is  confident  God  means  to 
give ;  and  the  more  assured  he  is,  the  more  earnest 
he  prays.  He  believes  his  prayers  are  heard  even 
when  they  are  denied,  and  gives  thanks  for  that 
which  he  prays  against.     Bacon. 

14.  Without  murmurings.  A  singular  sub- 
tilty  attaches  to  the  sin  of  excessive  fault-finding, 
which  makes  it  remarkably  difficult  of  correction. 
Self-knowledge  comes  with  peculiar  slowness  to  com- 
plainers.  It  is  doubtful  whether  one  person  in  a 
hundred  of  those  who  are  conspicuously  given  to 
pointing  out  real  or  imaginary  foibles  in  their  neigh- 
bors, and  speaking  censoriously  to  their  housemates, 
would  be  found  to  be  conscious  in  the  least  degree 
of  having  any  other  than  a  charitable  judgment,  a 
sweet  tongue,  and  a  reasonably  contented  disposi- 
tion. But  God  searches  us  within  and  searches  us 
out.  These  perpetual  murmurings  make  no  accept- 
able music  in  his  ear.  They  find  no  pattern  or 
sanction  in  the  gentleness  of  the  conversation  of 
Christ.  They  disturb  the  air,  ruffle  the  temper,  pro- 
voke angry  rejoinders,  make  virtue  difficult,  dis- 
courage penitents,  exasperate  children,  disorder  so- 
ciety, and  degrade  the  honor  of  the  Church.  They 
are  a  gross  form  of  ingratitude  to  God  ;  for  if  we 
were  really  mindful  of  the  countless  mercies  we  are 
receiving,  how  could  we  find  time  or  heart  to  speak 
only  of  the  blemishes  or  shortcomings  of  those 
around  us  ?     F.  D.  H. 

15,  Saints  are  the  lights  of  the  world  ;  but 
lights  are  not  kindled  in  empty  halls  and  unpeopled 
solitudes.  They  burn  where  houses  stand  thick  and 
crowds  throng  the  busy  streets,  or  shine  out  at  the 
harbor  mouth  through  the  night  and  tempest — 
guiding  lights  by  whose  welcome  gleams  the  sailor, 
leaving  storms  behind,  steers  his  bark  into  the 
desired  haven.  Let  such  be  the  aim  of  God's 
people.  Living  for  their  sanctification,  separate  in 
a  sense  from  the  world,  and  moving,  like  the  stars 
above  it,  in  a  loftier  sphere,  let  them  shine  with  the 
luster  of  holy  and  useful  lives,  that  others,  seeing 
their  good  works,  may  glorify  their  Father  which  is 
in  heaven.  T.  G. Light,  pure,  rich,  varied,  daz- 
zling, shines  forth  from  these  heavens  by  day  and  by 
night,  just  as  the  light  of  the  Christian's  example  is 


SECTION  306.—PHILIPPIANS  2  : 1-30. 


455 


I 


to  be  poured  on  the  darkness  of  the  world.  It 
shines  not  indeed  for  display,  but  for  use  ;  not  for 
its  own  glory,  but,  like  the  light  that  should  radiate 
from  the  Christian's  life,  to  illustrate  the  glory  of 
the  great  Creator.  And  if  Christian  light  does 
not  shine  forth  in  the  life,  we  have  the  highest 
evidence  that  it  has  never  been  enkindled  in  the 
heart.     A.  B. 

16.  Holding  forth  the  word  of  life.  Let 
your  daily  life  be  an  unuttered  yet  perpetual  plead- 
ing with  man  for  God.  Let  men  feel  in  contact 
with  you  the  grandeur  of  that  religion  to  whose 
claims  they  will  not  listen,  and  the  glory  of  that 
Saviour  whose  name  you  may  not  name.  Let  the 
sacredness  of  God's  slighted  law  be  proclaimed  by 
your  uniform  sacrifice  of  inclination  to  duty,  by 
your  repression  of  every  unkind  word,  your  scorn 
of  every  undue  or  base  advantage,  your  stern  and 
uncompromising  resistance  to  the  temptations  of 
appetite  and  sense.  Preach  the  preciousness  of 
time  by  your  husbanding  of  its  rapid  hours  and 
your  crowding  of  its  days  with  duties.  Though  no 
warning  against  an  uuspiritual,  no  exhortation  to  a 
holy  life  might  be  tolerated,  let  your  own  pure, 
earnest,  unworldly  character  and  bearing  be  to  the 
careless  soul  a  perpetual  atmosphere  of  spirituality 
haunting  and  hovering  round  it.  The  moral  in- 
fluence of  such  a  life  can  not  be  lost.  Like  the 
seed  wliich  the  wind  wafts  into  hidden  glades, 
where  no  sower's  hand  could  reach  to  scatter  it,  the 
subtile  germ  of  Christ's  truth  will  be  borne  on  the 
secret  atmosphere  of  a  holy  life  into  hearts  which 
no  preacher's  voice  could  penetrate.     Caird. 

1 7.  For  "  if  I  be  offered  "  read  "  if  I  am  even 
being  poured  out."  He  alludes  to  present,  not 
merely  to  possible  circumstances,  and  regards  his 
own  blood  as  the  libation  being  poured  out  over  the 
sacrifice,  as  the  Jews  poured  wine  (see  Num.  28  :  V ; 

15  :  4,    etc.).      A. All    believers    are    become, 

through  Christ  and  in  fellowship  with  him,  what  he 
himself  is — priests  before  the  God  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Paul  regards  as  his  own  priestly  calling  the  apostolic 
work ;  as  his  own  acceptable  offering  to  God,  the 
faith  planted  by  him  among  the  Gentiles  and  the 
Christian  life  of  the  converted  heathen  world.  It 
is  in  this  sense  he  speaks  in  these  words  to  his 
Philippian  brethren  of  "  the  sacrifice  and  priestly 
service  of  their  faith  "  as  his  offering  to  God.  It 
was  customary,  moreover,  to  pour  out  wine  upon  the 
altar,  a  so-called  libation,  as  a  seal  of  the  offering. 
Paul,  foreseeing  that  his  own  blood  might  be  poured 
out  in  his  priestly  office  of  proclaiming  the  gospel 
among  the  heathen,  that  he  might  be  called  to  tes- 
tify to  what  he  preached  in  the  very  face  of  death, 
and  to  put  the  seal  of  martyrdom  upon  his  life's 
work,  here  speaks  of  the  outpouring  of  his  own 
blood  as  a  libation — an  offering  of  himself  upon 


the  sacrifice.  Thus,  with  confidence,  the  apostle 
advances  toward  so  glorious  a  consummation  of  his 
work.  Far  from  needing  solace  from  others,  he 
could  call  on  the  Philippians  to  rejoice  with  him.  N. 
21.  Their  own,  not  Christ's.  As  if  their 
interest  and  His  were  two  separate,  opposite,  ir- 
reconcilable things,  or  as  if  they  had  never  heard 
of  the  grace  or  the  claims  of  Christ,  many  Christian 
professors  may  be  seen  pursuing  their  own  ends  as 
eagerly  and  wasting  their  substance  as  selfishly  as 
the  world  around  them.  Self  is  Dives  in  the  man- 
sion, clothed  in  purple,  and  faring  sumptuously  every 
day — the  cause  of  Christ  is  Lazarus  lying  at  his 
gate,  and  fed  only  with  the  crumbs  which  fall  from 

his  table.     J.  H. Self-seeking  blinds  the  soul, 

that  it  can  not  see  a  beauty  in  Christ  nor  an  excel- 
lency in  holiness ;  it  distempers  the  palate,  that  a 
man  can  not  taste  sweetness  in  the  word  of  God, 
nor  in  the  ways  of  God,  nor  in  the  society  of  the 
people  of  God ;  it  shuts  the  hand  against  all  the 
soul-enriching  offers  of  Christ ;  it  hardens  the  heart 
against  all  the  knocks  and  entreaties  of  Chi'ist ;  it 
makes  the  soul  as  an  empty  vine  and  as  a  barren 
wilderness ;  in  a  word,  there  is  nothing  that  bespeaks 
a  man  to  be  more  empty  and  void  of  God,  Christ, 

and  grace  than  self-seeking.     Brooks. More  than 

this,  selfishness  is  the  most  utter  destitution  of  a 
human  being.  It  can  bring  nothing  to  his  relief ;  it 
adds  soreness  to  his  sorrows ;  it  sharpens  his  pains  ; 
it  aggravates  all  the  losses  he  is  liable  to  endure,  and, 
when  goaded  to  extremes,  often  turns  destroyer  and 
strikes  its  last  blows  on  himself.     H.  H, 

25-30.  Epaphroditus  is  not  so  much  as  named 
except  here  and  again  in  the  last  chapter  of  this 
Epistle,  yet  even  by  so  brief  a  mention  the  name  is 
embalmed  and  consecrated.  Besides  the  testimony 
to  his  worth,  these  verses  are  remarkable  for  a  re- 
finement of  Christian  thought  and  feeling  evinced 
in  two  or  three  points.  The  dangerous  illness  of 
Epaphroditus  is  spoken  of  with  the  utmost  natural 
concern.  So  far  is  the  apostle  from  chiding  the 
anxiety  of  the  Philippian  Church,  that  he  adds  a  ten- 
der expression  of  his  own.  He  would  be  himself 
"  the  less  sorrowful "  when  they  should  rejoice  in  the 
safe  return  of  their  messenger.  Here,  too,  is  shown 
the  operation  of  a  true  Christian  charity,  which 
moves  us  to  relieve  the  disquietude  of  others  on  our 
account  instead  of  exacting  their  sympathy.  Epa- 
phroditus knew  the  sympathy  which  his  case  would 
excite  among  his  Philippian  brethren,  and  was  in  a 
manner  impatient  to  relieve  all  such  disquietude,  as 
he  was  now  able  to  do,  by  giving  them  personal 
proof  of  his  recovery.  The  apostle  enters  into  this 
feeling,  and  finds  relief  in  lightening  the  burden  of 
his  companion  and  of  those  to  whom  he  returns. 
How  fully  the  messenger  identifies  himself  with 
those  who  sent  him,  and  the  apostle  with  both,  each 
forward  to  allay  the  distress  and  to  partake  of  the 
joy  of  the  others ! 

Here  also  is  shown  how  a  loving  and  devout 
spirit  may  lead  us  to  recognize  the  goodness  of  God 
to  ourselves  in  his  goodness  to  others.     There  is  not 


456 


SECTION  307.—PEILIPPIANS  3  :  1-21;  If  :  1. 


anywhere  a  more  exquisite  delicacy  of  sentiment 
than  in  Paul's  commemoration  of  his  friend's  recov- 
ery. He  naturally  spoke  of  his  restored  health  as  a 
mercy  from  God  on  that  brother;  but  he  adds,  "And 
not  on  him  only,  but  on  me  also,  lest  I  should  have 
sorrow  upon  sorrow":  so  fully  does  he  identify 
himself  with  his  friend,  first  in  suffering  and  peril, 
and  then  not  less  in  the  deliverance.  If  the  Scrip- 
tures have  little  to  say  of  friendship  by  itself  as  a 
merely  human  affection,  they  exhibit  its  quality  and 


excellence  in  examples  which  make  it  not  the  less 
beautiful  because  it  is  not  the  only  and  not  the  prin- 
cipal affection.  Could  friends  stand  nearer  to  each 
other  than  Paul  and  Epaphroditus?  Could  mere 
natural  sentiment  bind  them  together  as  closely  as 
the  affinity  of  Christian  faith  and  love  ?  In  all  ages 
the  Church  has  nurtured  a  like  union  of  souls,  hal- 
lowing domestic  ties,  intertwining  branches  of  "  the 
true  Vine,"  knitting  together  human  hearts  in  the 
unity  of  the  Spirit.     0.  E.  D. 


Section  307. 

Philippians  iil.  1-21 ;  iv.  1. 

1  Finally,  my  brethren,  rejoice  in  the  Lord.     To  write  the  same  things  to  yon,  to  me  in- 

2  deed  is  not  grievous,  but  for  you  it  is  safe.    Beware  of  dogs,  beware  of  evil  workers,  beware 

3  of  the  concision.    For  we  are  the  circumcision,  which  worship  God  in  the  spirit,  and  re- 

4  joice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh.     Though  I  might  also  have  confi- 
dence in  the  flesh.     If  any  other  man  thinketh  that  he  hath  whereof  he  might  trust  in  the 

5  flesh,  I  more :  circumcised  the  eighth  day,  of  the  stock  of  Israel,  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin, 

6  an  Hebrew  of  the  Hebrews;  as  touching  the  law,  a  Pharisee;  concerning  zeal,  persecutmg 

7  the  church;  touching  the  righteousness  which  is  in  the  law,  blameless.     But  what  things 

8  were  gain  to  me,  those  I  counted  loss  for  Christ.     Yea  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but 
loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord  :  for  whom  I  have  suf- 

9  fered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do  count  them  but  dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be 
found  in  him,  not  having  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is 

10  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith:  that  I  may  know 
him,  and  the  power  of  his  resurrection,  and  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  being  made 

11  conformable  unto  his  death;  if  by  any  means  I  might  attain  unto  the  resurrection  of  the 

12  dead.    Not  as  though  I  had  already  attained,  either  were  already  perfect :  but  I  follow 

13  after,  if  that  I  may  apprehend  that  for  which  also  I  am  apprehended  of  Christ  Jesus. 
Brethren,  I  count  not  myself  to  have  apprehended:  but  this  one  thing  /  do,  forgetting 

14  those  things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto  those  things  which  are  before,  I 
press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus. 

15  Let  us  therefore,  as  many  as  be  perfect,  be  thus  minded  :  and  if  in  anything  ye  be  other- 

16  wise  minded,  God  shall  reveal  even  this  unto  you.    Nevertheless,  whereto  we  have  already 

17  attained,  let  us  walk  by  the  same  rule,  let  us  mind  the  same  thing.     Brethren,  be  followers 

18  together  of  me,  and  mark  them  which  walk  so  as  ye  have  us  for  an  ensample.     (For  many 
walk,  of  whom  I  have  told  you  often,  and  now  tell  you  even  weeping,  tJiat  they  are  the 

19  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ:  whose  end  is  destruction,  whose  God  is  their  belly,  and 
whose  glory  is  in  their  shame,  who  mind  earthly  things.) 

20  For  our  conversation  is  in  heaven  ;  from  whence  also  we  look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord 

21  Jesus  Christ :  who  shall  change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glori- 
ous body,  according  to  the  working  whereby  he  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things  unto  him- 

1  self.    Therefore,  my  brethren  dearly  beloved  and  longed  for,  my  joy  and  crown,  so  stand 
fast  in  the  Lord,  my  dearly  beloved. 


Conversion  is  not  merely  a  submission  to  the  moral  law.  Paul  was  a  moral  man  in  the  full  and  high 
sense  of  the  word,  subordinating  his  own  will  to  duty,  even  to  the  point  of  self-renunciation  and  sacrifice. 
Conversion  is  not  merely  the  acceptance,  however  sincere,  of  certain  religious  principles.  Saul  was  a  be- 
lieving Israelite,  a  zealous  Jew,  a  rigid  Pharisee,  exact  among  the  exact,  submissive  to  the  Scriptures, 
serving  the  true  God,  hoping  for  the  ^Icssiah,  equally  scrupulous  in  observing  and  ardent  in  defending  all 
the  ordinances  of  Moses.  Conversion  is  not  even  a  mere  gradual  development,  a  progressive  amelioration 
of  all  the  good  dispositions  which  we  have  just  recognized  in  Saul.     They  could  never  have  yielded  any- 


SECTION  307.—PHILIPPIANS  3  : 1-21;  k  :  1. 


4:61 


thing  save  that  which  they  contained  in  the  germ  ;  Saul  would  only  have  continued  Saul,  and  Paul  would 
never  have  begun. 

Conversion  is  the  starting-point  of  a  new  life  ;  opposite  to  the  old,  for  the  very  name  marks  the  re- 
turning upon  and  total  changing  of  one's  path.  By  it  Saul  becomes  not  better,  but  he  becomes  other ; 
he  is  not  more  faithful  than  formerly  to  his  principles,  but  his  principles  are  changed ;  that  which  he  re- 
garded as  evil,  he  regards  as  good ;  that  which  he  called  light,  he  calls  darkness.  A  germ,  new,  unknown, 
and  foreign,  has  been  deposited  in  the  depth  of  his  being ;  this  germ  is  faith  in  Jesus,  the  Christ,  the  Son 
of  God.  Henceforth,  that  which  he  had  sought  in  the  law,  he  seeks  only  in  grace  ;  that  which  he  had 
expected  from  his  own  righteousness,  he  expects  only  from  the  righteousness  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ. 
And  every  genuine  conversion,  beginning  like  that  of  Saul,  ends  also  like  that.  It  begins  by  Jesus  Christ 
living  and  reigning  in  the  heart  before  God ;  it  ends  by  Jesus  Christ  living  and  reigning  in  the  works  be- 
fore men.     Monod. 


1.  For  you  it  is  safe.  As  the  truths  of  our 
redemption  are  still  the  same,  and  as  our  nature  is 
still  the  same,  so  the  Christian  minister  must  un- 
avoidably say  the  same,  or  very  nearly  the  same 
things,  in  his  preaching  year  after  year.  Naturally, 
no  doubt,  it  is  very  irksome  to  be  repeating  only 
what  we  have  said  before ;  quite  as  irksome  to  the 
speaker  as  it  can  be  to  the  hearer.  But  Paul  says, 
"  to  me  indeed  it  is  not  grievous,  but  for  you  it  is 
safe  "  ;  and  the  reason,  probably,  why  he  did  not 
feel  it  grievous  was,  because  he  knew  that  for  his 
hearers  it  was  safe ;  and  so  we  ought  all  to  feel 
when  we  say  or  hear  what  has  been  in  substance 
often  said  and  heard  before.  If,  from  a  dread  of 
saying  what  we  have  said  before,  we  try  to  go  off  to 
something  less  familiar,  what  follows,  but  that  we 
must  put  the  less  important  truth  in  the  place  of 
the  more  important,  and  curious  questions  of  little 
real  value  in  the  place  of  the  word  of  life  ?     T.  A. 

2.  The  true  Christian  spirit  alone  could  make 
the  decision  between  a  carnal  or  a  spiritual  Mes- 
siah ;  between  a  righteousness  grounded  on  faith  in 
the  Redeemer  alone,  or  in  the  law  and  its  works ; 
between  the  transformation  effected  by  the  divine 
life,  working  from  within  the  reformation  of  the 
whole  man,  or  a  mere  external  change  in  outward 
conduct ;  between  God's  work  or  man's  work,  hum- 
ble acceptance  of  divine  gifts,  humble  surrender  to 
Jesus  as  the  Saviour,  or  a  carnal  Messiah,  with  the 
admission  of  the  desert  of  one's  o^vn  works.  It 
was  because  the  question  for  the  new  churches  was 
of  just  such  an  unconditional  opposition,  between 
what  was  Christian  and  what  was  un-Christian,  that 
Paul  felt  himself  obliged  to  present  the  case  so 
strongly,  and  to  testify  so  earnestly  against  those 
erroneous  views.  "  Beware  of  dogs  "  (the  term  in 
the  original  expressing  the  shameless  effrontery  of 
these  opposers  of  the  truth) ;  "  beware  of  evil  work- 
ers" (those  who  would  supplant  the  Christian  by 
the  Jewish  standpoint) ;  "  beware  of  the  concision." 
N. The  strange,  un-Enghsh  term,  "the  conci- 
sion," is  the  only  rendering  possible  for  the  con- 
temptuous word  which  Paul  uses  to  designate  the 
Judaizing  party.  What  he  eays  is,  "  Beware  of,  I 
will  not  say  the  ciV«wicision  (for  that  is  an  honor- 
able name,  as  I  will  presently  show  you),  but  the 
fo^jcision — the  mere  amputation — the  cutting  off  of 
the  flesh,  and  no  more."  He  reserves  the  word  cir- 
ew>/!cision,  in  its  true  sense,  for  Christians.     A. 

3.  A  scholar  trained  at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel 
kneels  before  "  the  Father  in  spirit " ;  a  Pharisee 
of  the  strictest  sect  has  his  shrunk  heart  expanded 
into  "  joy  in  Christ  Jesus " ;  a  proud  professor, 
blameless  touching  the  law,  feels  "  no  confidence  in 


the  flesh."  "  We  are  the  circumcision,"  he  says ; 
says  it  boldly,  after  this  thorough  readjusting  of  his 
religious  relations.  He  thought  so,  as  a  Jew,  when 
there  was  none  to  dispute  the  claim.  As  a  Chris- 
tian, with  all  Jewry  despising  that  claim,  he  is  &-ure 
of  it.  A  Saviour  to  go  to  and  walk  by ;  a  Father 
to  trust  in  and  forget  our  little  selves  in  glorifying ; 
this  is  the  "circumcision,"  both  "worshiping  the 
Father  in  spirit "  and  "  rejoicing  in  Christ  Jesus." 
F.  D.  H. 

4-9.  Even  the  Philippians  needed  a  passing 
warning.  Active  and  mischievous  teachers  would 
have  fain  placed  the  sacrifice  of  Calvary  and  the 
sacraments  of  the  new  Covenant  on  the  level  of  the 
legal  shadows  which  pointed  to  them.  Paul  appeals 
to  his  own  case  against  the  Judaizers.  He  had 
actually  enjoyed  the  distinctions  of  race  and  blood, 
of  exact  compliance  with  the  prescriptions  of  the 
ancient  ritual,  of  high  religious  standing,  of  public 
consideration  and  personal  character  which  they  so 
earnestly  coveted  or  recommended.  At  the  bidding 
of  heaven,  he  had  taken  the  true  measure  of  these 

things,  and  had  renounced  them.      H.  P.  L. A 

wonderful  thing !  the  one,  of  all  others,  who  could 
have  most  boldly  claimed  a  righteousness  of  his 
own,  is  that  one,  of  all  others,  who  has  most  clearly 
rejected  all  self-righteousness,  and  who  has  rested 
most  absolutely  in  the  alone  grace  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Minds  less  enlightened,  souls  less  elevated,  in  all 
Christian  communions,  in  all  the  religions  of  the 
world,  have  sought  in  privation  or  in  suffering  an 
imaginary  method  of  appeasing  God,  of  effacing 
their  sins  and  meriting  heaven;  but  in  his  case, 
that  which  calls  for,  that  which  sustains,  in  his 
heart  and  in  his  works,  a  devotion  without  reserve, 
is  the  distinct  contemplation,  the  profound  feeling, 
of  the  sacrifice  by  which  Jesus  Christ  had  been  be- 
forehand with  him  without  his  works,  before  his 
good  works,  and  notwithstanding  his  evil  works. 
The  crucified  love  of  the  lost  creature  responds  to 
the  crucified  love  of  God  the  Saviour.  Everywhere 
justification  "by  grace,  by  faith,"  holds  the  first 
place  ;  it  is  his  doctrine ;  he  is  apostle  only  for  that, 
as  he  had  become  apostle  only  for  that ;  the  transi- 
tion from  Saul  to  Paul  is  nothing  but  the  transition 
from  the  law  to  grace.  Paul  and  grace,  grace  and 
Paul — this  name  and  this  idea  are  so  inseparable 
that  the  one  should  be  regarded  as  the  living  per- 
sonification of  the  other.     Monod. 

7,  Paul  sayg  that  the  things  which  before  he 
counted  gain  now  he  counts  loss ;  to  let  us  see  that 
to  be  born  in  the  kirk,  to  be  of  the  true  religion,  to 
say  our  prayers  morning  and  evening,  to  live  blame- 


458 


SECTION  307.—PSILIPPIAFS  3  : 1-£1;  4  : 1. 


lessly,  to  deal  equitably  with  men,  are  so  far  from 
doing  us  good  to  get  heaven,  that  they  are  loss, 
and  hindrances  from  Christ,  and  impediments  to 
keep  from  heaven.  For  the  man  who  leans  on  these 
never  truly  repents  of  sin ;  never  troubles  himself 
to  mortify  his  own  evil  nature ;  is  not  earnest  for 
reconciliation  with  God;  never  arrests  himself  be- 
fore God's  tribunal  nor  mourns  before  him  in  secret 
for  sin ;  but  soothes  himself  in  his  estate  as  if  all 
were  well,  and  thinks,  when  he  compares  himself 
with  other  men,  if  he  be  barred  out  of  heaven  many 
a  one  has  cause  to  be  dismayed.  But  here  we  see 
all  these  things  they  count  gain  are  losses  and  hin- 
drances, main  deceits,  that  hinder  men  to  be  hum- 
bled before  God,  and,  being  leaned  to,  prove  rotten 
reeds,  that  break  and  stab  the  man  that  leans  on 
them. 

Many  never  lay  their  account  to  seek  heaven, 
but  say  within  themselves,  Bide  till  I  grow  old ; 
bide  till  I  get  such  a  business  by  hand ;  bide  till  I 
grow  rich.  They  may  as  well  say.  Bide  till  I  can 
serve  the  devil  no  longer.  They  have  their  houses 
and  estate  to  care  for,  their  name  and  credit  to  up- 
hold, their  pleasures  to  follow;  as  for  heaven,  a 
soul-righteousness,  or  life  eternal,  they  care  not  nor 
count  for  these.  Yet  we  see  Paul,  ere  he  kenned 
Christ,  was  reckoning  what  things  were  gain  to  him, 
that  he  might  get  to  heaven. 

8.  Win  Christ.  There  will  be  great  fight  ere 
this  be  gotten  done,  for  all  our  lusts  will  be  on  foot 
to  set  up  some  idol  in  his  room.  But  down  must 
they  all,  that  Christ  may  be  set  on  his  throne ;  for 
be  has  not  redeemed  us  from  the  devil  that  the 
devil  should  get  a  seat  above  him  in  our  soul.  But 
he  must  be  above  all ;  he  must  be  our  delight,  our 
wisdom,  our  riches,  our  glory,  our  life  ;  and  if  he  be 
not  in  his  room,  he  will  not  have  a  room  in  us 
at  all. 

9.  And  be  found  in  him.  Here  is  the  thing 
he  would  be  in  grips  with  instead  of  all  his  losses ; 
he  would  be  found  in  Christ.  This  imports  that  in 
the  day  of  God's  judging  there  will  be  an  inquisition 
made  for  every  man,  and  every  man  will  be  sought 
till  he  be  found.  The  apostle,  when  this  inquisition 
is  made,  has  no  will  to  be  found  out  of  Christ.    D.  D_ 

When  the  avenger  looks  for  me,  I  shall  not  be 

seen,  I  shall  not  be  discovered  ;  he  will  look  for^me, 
and  he  will  find  only  Christ.  I  shall  be  inside  that 
refuge  against  which  God's  own  judgment  shall  have 
no  power.  Judgment  may  seek  me,  but  I  shall  not 
be  found ;  only  Christ,  only  the  Saviour,  only  the 
Judge.  Could  any  words  express  more  forcibly  the 
safety  of  the  Christian  ?  He  will  be  found  inclosed, 
incorporated,  and  thus  hidden,  in  Christ  himself,  in 
the  Lord,  in  the  Judge  of  man!  It  is  God  that 
justifictk  ;  who  is  he  that  condemncih  ?    V. 

10.  That  I  may  know  him.    He  knew  him, 


but  he  would  know  him  better.  He  would  so  ex- 
perimentally know  Him  in  his  nature,  will,  office, 
fashions,  that  that  light  of  knowledge  might  be 
transfused  into  his  soul ;  that  he  might  draw  life 
and  power  from  Christ ;  that  he  might  feel  the 
power  of  his  resurrection ;  that  is,  such  a  commu- 
nion with  him  in  his  resurrection  as  may  raise  him 
to  newness  of  life,  and  make  him  have  more  peace 
and  joy  in  him,  and  fellowship  of  his  sufferings, 
that  as  Christ  suffered,  so  he  may  be  content  to  be  a 
crucified  man,  ready  to  follow  after  Christ,  renounc- 
ing the  world,  contented  to  be  scourged  back  and 
side  and  to  suffer  many  things,  whereby  he  might  be 
like  Christ.  If  the  fruits  of  Christ's  resurrection 
be  newness  of  life,  then  all  the  luster  a  man  has  of 
a  holy  and  blameless  life  before  he  come  to  Christ 
is  but  of  the  old  man ;  it  is  but  a  pagan's  luster. 
Whoever  would  have  a  new  life  must  draw  it  from 
Christ  risen.  11.  By  resurrection  from  the  dead 
is  meant  complete  satisfaction  in  newness  of  life. 
He  would  be  farther  on  to  a  higher  degree  of  resur- 
rection from  the  deadness  of  his  nature,  to  the  life 
of  Christ,  and  complete  stature  of  a  Christian 
man.  In  a  word,  he  desires  to  be  a  complete  Chris- 
tian.    D,  D. 

In  verse  12,  for  "  attained,^''  read  "  obtained."  It 
is  a  wholly  diiferent  word  from  that  rendered  "  at- 
tained "  in  the  last  verse,  and  ought  not  to  have 
been  rendered  by  the  same  word  in  English.  And 
it  should  proceed,  "or  are  already  made  perfect: 
but  1  press  on  (same  word  as  in  verse  14  below),  if  so 
be  that  I  may  lay  hold  on  that  for  which  also  I  was 
laid  hold  on  by  Christ."     And  in  verse  13,  for  "  ap- 

'prehended^''  "laid  hold."     A. Paul  is  far  from 

supposing  when  he  contemplates  his  own  life  that 
he  has  already  reached  the  limit  of  heavenly  perfec- 
tion, or  that  he  could  build  his  confidence  thereon 
as  if  it  were  a  life  of  perfected  sanctification.  But 
the  ground  of  his  confidence  is  this — that  Christ 
has  taken  him  into  fellowship  with  himself,  that 
Christ  has  apprehended  him.  He  knows  that  Christ, 
by  whom  he  has  been  apprehended,  will  not  leave 
unfinished  the  work  he  has  himself  begun  in  him, 
but,  if  he  truly  surrenders  himself  to  his  hands,  will 
conduct  it  through  all  conflicts  to  a  glorious  conclu- 
sion. N. This  is  to  be  observed  of  the  Chris- 
tian, that  as  he  advances  in  the  Christian  course,  his 
standard  of  perfection  rises,  whence  what  satisfied 
him  once  fails  to  satisfy  him  now.  As  he  put  on 
godliness  perhaps  the  change  was  great,  and  there- 
fore the  attainment  seemed  to  be  great.  But  he 
walks  onward,  making  fresh  discoveries  all  the 
while  of  two  objects,  of  himself  and  of  the  majes- 
tic law  of  Christian  duty.  His  life  pleases  him 
less,  for  he  sees  through  outward  actions  more  into 
his  soul.  His  standard  rises  and  rises  until  no- 
thing but  godlike  perfection  is  worthy  of  his  aims  or 


SECTION'  307.—PHILIPPIANS  3  : 1-21;  4  ••  -?• 


459 


hopes.     T.  D.  W. The  profession  of  a  state  of 

sinless  perfection  the  Scriptures  declare  to  be  a  delu- 
sion. It  is  contradicted  by  the  experience  and  re- 
corded confessions  of  the  most  eminent  saints  of 
God  in  all  .ages ;  and  is,  further,  in  opposition  to 
all  the  characters  under  which  Christian  experience 
is  described  in  Scripture — as  a  race,  a  warfare,  a 
wrestling  against  spiritual  enemies,  who  certainly 
are  not  slain  but  at  the  last ;  a  crucifixion  which, 
though  it  surely  terminate  in  death,  is  lingering. 
Goodc. 

13.  I  follow  after,  if  I  may  apprehend. 
That  is,  I  have  ta'en  a  grip  of  Christ,  to  see  if  I  can 
win  to  that  measure  of  holiness  wherefore  he  has 
gripped  me.  Then  he  says  over  again,  Think  not  so 
of  me,  that  I  am  come  so  far  on  in  sanctification  ;  for 
I  am  not  yet  won  to  the  mark  that  I  would  be  at, 
but  have  many  unmortified  sins  which  hold  me  that 
I  can  not  win  forward.  Yet  I  am  laboring  for  it.  I 
count  nothing  of  anything  that  I  have  done,  there 
is  so  much  yet  to  be  done.  I  reckon  none  of  by- 
ganes,  but  I  am  reaching  to  those  before  me.  I  am 
assaying  if  I  can  win  to  the  thing  I  would  be  at ; 
and  what  is  not  done,  I  am  minting  to  it.  This  is 
set  down  in  the  similitude  of  a  race  (vs.  13,  14). 
Then  he  bids  all  honest  men  be  like-minded,  and 
come  on  the  same  way  that  he  is  striving  (v.  15). 
D.  D. 

Christ  is  all.  All  centers  in  this  one  point,  that 
we  enter  into  his  fellowship  and  make  it  more  and 
more  our  own ;  that  we  follow  him  in  the  entire  re- 
nunciation of  selfish  and  earthly  interests,  not  shun- 
ning to  partake  in  the  fellowship^  of  his  sufferings ; 
and  following  him  also  as  the  Risen  One,  experienc- 
ing in  ourselves  the  power  of  his  resurrection — the 
resurrection  to  an  impci'ishable  and  divine  life  above 
sin,  death,  and  nature,  proceeding  from  him  to  us, 
inasmuch  as  he  has  apprehended  us  and  we  appre- 
hended him.     N. Wouldst  thou  know  if  Christ 

has  gripped  thee  to  salvation  ?  Thou  shalt  know  it 
by  this — if  thou  be  gripping  him  for  sanctification. 
If  thou  had  rather  be  at  holiness  than  anything, 
not  caring  what  thou  lose  or  gain  if  thou  win  to 
holiness,  then  be  sure  that  Christ  has  gripped  thee 
to  salvation.  Therefore  from  this  gather  strength 
to  look  unto  Christ,  for  if  thou  be  set  to  have  all 
known  sin  purged  out,  Christ  has  ta'en  a  grip  of  thee. 
As  Paul  was  first  apprehended  and  then  seeks  to 
apprehend,  so  art  thou.  Christ  has  gripped  and 
loved  thee  first,  for  all  the  work  begins  upon  his  side. 
Christ's  aiming  about  us  should  be  our  aim  also. 
Aims  Christ  at  this — to  have  us  strong  in  the  faith, 
to  encourage  us  against  doubting,  to  give  us  vic- 
tory over  foes,  joy  in  crosses  ?  wherever  he  looks, 
■  look  wo. 

13.  What  is  Paul's  behavior  in  this  race  ?  "  One 
thing  I  do."    Being  sensible  of  short  remaining  in 


the  race,  he  sets  himself  to  this  one  thing  ;  he  laid 
aside  all  that  might  hinder  or  divert  him  from  this 
one  thing,  whereby  he  teaches  us  to  lay  aside  every 
weight  that  presses  down.  The  care  of  lawful  busi- 
ness in  as  far  as  it  draws  from  God,  cast  thou  away 
the  care,  but  do  the  business.  In  loss  or  gain,  labor 
to  further  this  one  thing ;  and  let  all  the  points  of 
thy  calling  and  work  be  done  as  parts  of  this  only 
necessary  thing.    D.  D. 

Forgetting  the  things  behind.  Paul 
meant  only,  "  I  don't  count  that  these  past  efforts 
arc  complete,  I  don't  build  anything  upon  what  I 
have  done  already ;  I  recognise  the  mark  of  imper- 
fection over  it  all,  I  fling  it  behind  me  and  press  on- 
ward." But  we  may  widen  the  application  a  little 
further  than  that,  and  include  all  sorts  of  backward 
looking,  as  being  (except  under  very  special  condi- 
tions and  in  a  very  limited  degree)  a  positive  weak- 
ness and  impediment  to  a  man  in  running  the  race 
that  lies  before  him.  For  one  thing,  time  given  to 
such  an  occupation  is  time  withdrawn  from  the  actual 
work  of  life.  Remembering  always  tends  to  be- 
come a  substitute  for  doing. 

Past  failures  remembered  are  apt  to  weaken. 
We  are  prone  to  take  them  as  measures   of  the 

future.     A.  M. It  is  not  good  or  healthy  for  a 

sold  to  brood  over  past  sin.  Sorrow  for  sin  is  foun- 
dation work.  Should  a  man  be  employed  all  his 
days  in  laying  foundations,  what  could  he  do  be- 
sides ?  Sorrow  for  sin  too  is  subwdinate  work. 
Let  a  man  stop  there,  what  has  he  gained,  what  has 
God  gained  ?  Is  not  forgiveness,  or,  as  it  is  called 
in  the  Bible,  God's  having  our  sins  no  more  in  re- 
membrance, intended  to  put  them  in  a  certain  sense 
out  of  our  remembrance,  and  to  aid  us  in  thinking 
of  better  things  toward  which  forgiveness  opens 
the  prospect  ?  The  natural  course  is  from  a  right 
estimate  of  sin  to  sorrow  for  it,  from  sorrow  to  the 
purpose  of  new  obedience.  If  I  fail  of  this  last,  I 
fail  of  whatever  is  most  important,  and  I  surely 
shall  fail  if  all  my  religion  gathers  itself  on  this 
one  point  of  looking  back  upon  my  past  life.  No  ; 
better  would  it  be,  if  possible,  to  forget  all  my  past 
sin  than  thus  to  remember  it  ivithout  remembering 
also  the  gospel  provisions  and  the  gospel  motives 

for  sinners.     T.  D.  W. We  lose  time  in  mouj'ning 

the  loss  of  time.  We  miss  present  opportunities  ivhile 
lamenting  opportunities  that  are  past.  And  in  no- 
thing perhaps  is  the  healthy  bracing  spirit  of  the 
gospel  more  conspicuous  than  in  this — that  when 
we  are  truly  sorry  for  our  sins  we  find  that  our  sor- 
row is  of  a  kind  which  worketh  life  ;  that  while  we 
are  still  mourning  over  our  manifold  offenses  it  vir- 
tually says  to  us,  "  Leave  all  those  with  Him  who 
has  made  an  atonement  for  the  sin  of  the  world.  And 
now,  with  a  lightened  conscience  and  a  cheerful  trust, 
address  yourselves  to  the  work  that  lies  before  you." 


4G0 


SECTION  SOl.—PEILIPPIANS  3  : 1-21;  ^  ;  1. 


From  our  very  sins  and  errors  and  mistakes  God 
evolves  a  gracious  teaching  for  us  so  soon  as  we  are 
able  to  hear  it.  The  memory  of  the  transgressions 
we  deplore  goes  with  us  into  the  new  life,  no  longer 
to  threaten  and  affright  us,  but  to  deepen  our  love 
for  Him  who  has  redeemed  us,  to  supply  the  dark 
shadows  before  which  the  lights  of  hope  and  joy 
burn  with  a  more  cheerful  and  welcome  radiance. 
The  recollection  of  past  opportunities  neglected  or 
abused  becomes  an  incentive  to  a  more  diligent  use 
of  the  opportunities  still  vouchsafed  us.     Cox. 

Past  attainments  remembered  are  apt  to  become 
food  for  complacency,  for  every  vain  confidence. 
We  are  tempted  to  look  back  to  past  religious  emo- 
tions and  experiences  as  grounds  of  our  hope. 
These  past  emotions  were  good  for  the  time.  If 
you  turn  them  into  the  occasion  for  complacent  con- 
fidence, as  to  the  present  and  as  to  the  future,  they  are 
simply  bad.  "  Forget  the  things  that  are  behind." 
And  still  further  remember,  too,  that  these  attain- 
ments in  the  past,  like  the  failures  in  the  past,  do 
very  often  become  practically  to  us  the  measure  of 
our  notion  as  to  what  we  shall  be  able  to  do  in  the 
future. 

So  we  ought  to  forget  past  sorroivs  and  joys. 
The  one  is  not  without  remedy,  the  other  not  per- 
fect. "  God  is  able  to  give  thee  much  more  than 
these  "  ;  to  bring  again  blessednesses  which  surpass 
all  those  joys,  and  compensations  which  shall  make 
the  sorrows  seem  like  a  dream.  Why  live  in  the 
past,  which,  after  all,  was  not  so  precious  when  it 
was  a  present,  since  we  have  God  and  Christ  now 
as  then,  and  in  them  may  find  peace  for  to-day  and 
endless  hope  for  every  morrow  ? 

"  But  how  can  I  forget  ?  "  The  apostle  tells  us, 
not  by  resolving  to  do  it.  Such  efforts  simply  deepen 
the  impression  in  our  minds  of  the  thought  which 
we  want  to  get  out  of  our  minds.  The  way  is,  as 
he  says,  "  reaching  forth  unto  the  things  that  are 
before."  That  is  to  say,  this  wise  oblivion  is  to 
be  won,  not  so  much  by  forcing  ourselves  to  forget 
us  by  letting  ourselves  anticipate.  If  we  will  oc- 
cupy mind  and  heart  with  that  sunlit  future,  it  will 
dim  the  past,  however  bright  it  may  be.  It  is  when 
we  look  forward  and  Christward,  letting  Him  fill  the 
future  and  the  future  fill  our  hearts,  and  it  is  only 
tlien,  that  we  can  forget  the  things  that  are  behind. 
A.M. 

14.  The  language  is  sensibly  colored  by  the 
image  of  the  Greek  racer.  The  race  is  undecided. 
In  the  eager  pressure  of  the  struggle,  the  racer  can 
not  measure  the  ground  which  he  has  already  tra- 
versed ;  ho  forgets  those  things  which  arc  behind. 
He  reaches  forward  to  those  things  that  arc  be- 
fore, "the  bodily  attitude  exactly  picturing  the  men- 
tal impulse  both  in  its  posture  and  direction."  He 
presses  forward  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  with 


which  He  who  had  called  him  from  heaven  was  at 
length  to  bless  him.  Reflect  that,  when  Paul  ia 
writing,  that  entire  section  of  his  life  which  is  de- 
scribed in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  is  already  past. 
Already  he  has  written  his  greatest  Epistles,  he  has 
founded  his  noblest  churches.  Nay  more,  he  has 
even  been  caught  up  into  Paradise  and  heard  un- 
speakable words.  Yet  he  forgets  those  things  that 
are  behind  and  reaches  forward.  For  his  life  is 
true  to  the  law  which  is  obeyed  by  the  highest  as 
by  the  lowest  of  the  true  servants  of  Christ ;  it  is 

a  life  of  progress.    H.  P.  L. He  had  borne  every 

kind  of  persecution,  and  shrunk  from  no  kind  of 
labor.  Fasting  and  weariness  and  perils  had  been 
long  familiar.  He  had  long  given  up  all  pleasure, 
all  honor,  all  ambition,  to  the  one  hope  of  serving 
the  Master  who  had  shone  upon  his  eyes  on  the  way 
to  Damascus.  Surely,  if  any  man  had  any  right  to 
think  he  had  done  enough,  it  was  such  a  man  as 
this.  Surely,  if  old  age  gives  the  privilege  of  re- 
pose on  the  way  to  heaven,  the  aged  Apostle  might 
claim  the  blessing  of  rest.  Not  so  thought  Paul. 
Forgetting  all  this,  forgetting  his  labors  and  his 
sufferings,  all  that  he  had  given  up,  all  that  he  had 
done,  now  in  old  age  he  was  still  pressing  forward 
for  the  prize  which  he  did  not  consider  that  he  had 

yet  attained.     F.  T. He  is  gazing  on  the  heights 

yet  to  be  scaled,  the  graces  yet  to  be  won  in  his 
secret  soul,  on  the  deepening,  purifying,  strengthen- 
ing yet  more  perfectly  that  personal  love  for  the 
Lord  who  had  bought  him  from  bondage  and  death. 
That  love  is  in  very  deed  the  secret  and  the  principle 
of  his  life.  He  is  pondering  how  best  he  may  win 
for  and  impart  to  thought,  to  affection,  to  resolves, 
new  and  ever-widening  capacities ;  so  that,  as  his 
life's  stream  shall  ebb  and  his  natural  forces  shall 
decay,  he  may  be  gifted  within  and  for  ever  by  a 
secret  strength  that  had  come  from  heaven.  II.  P.  L. 
In  Christ  Jesus.  When  we  know  that  Christ 
must  cause  us  run  at  the  race,  this  makes  us  draw 
strength  and  courage  from  him,  and  run  still  till 
we  come  to  the  end.  If  we  be  hungry  or  faint  in 
the  race,  he  is  bread  of  life  to  refresh ;  he  is  the 
truth  to  direct ;  the  life  to  hold  in  our  hfe  till  the 
race  be  run ;  the  prize  we  run  for ;  our  swiftness, 
and  strength,  and  assurer  of  attainment.  So,  when 
we  look  to  the  prize  or  vantage  that  is  to  be  had  at 
the  end  of  our  Christian  race,  we  will  care  nothing 
for  many  crosses,  troubles,  in  the  top  of  the  race, 
for  all  these  further  us.  This  reproves  those  who 
clog  themselves  so  with  the  world  that  they  can  not 
run  this  race ;  therefore  God  many  times  pulls  off 
such  clogs  from  the  backs  of  his  own  that  they  may 
run  the  faster.  He  holds  the  things  of  this  world 
from  them ;  and  if,  instead  of  these,  he  gives  them 
sore  hearts,  by  these  he  is  only  helping  them  a  lift 
that  they  may  run  the  faster.     D.  D. 


SECTION  S08.—PHILIPPIANS  k  :  2-k 


461 


15.  God  will  reveal  also  this  unto  you. 

Paul  refers  to  the  great  truth  that  the  Spirit  of  God, 
which  has  revealed  to  them  the  light  of  the  gospel, 
will  also  carry  on  and  complete  this  his  revelation 
in  them  ;  that  He  will  continually  advance  them  in 
Christian  knowledge ;  and,  where  they  are  still  in 
error  and  divided  in  opinion,  there  too  will  he  yet 
make  known  to  them  the  one  true  way.     N. 

18.  There  were  many  persons  iu  the  Church  at 
Philippi,  pure  and  noble  as  that  Church  was  in  the 
main,  who  professed  to  be  Christians,  but  who 
showed  by  their  deportment  that  they  were  real 
enemies  of  the  religion  which  they  professed.  The 
"  Cross  of  Christ "  is  an  emphatic  phrase  to  denote 
the  Christian  religion.  As  the  sacrifice  on  the  cross 
constituted  the  very  essence  of  Christianity,  the  term 
came  to  denote  the  Christian  religion  itself.  It  is 
here  used,  perhaps,  also  to  show  more  emphatically 
the  apostle's  view  of  the  extreme  heinousness  of  the 
offense,  that,  while  they  professed  to  be  Ch7'istians, 
they  were  in  fact  the  enemies  of  the  veri/  peculiarity 
of  the  Christian  religion.  Of  their  character,  and 
of  their  fearful  doom,  he  had  told  them  often.  He 
now  again  reminded  them,  with  tears,  of  the  mel- 
ancholy truth.  He  knew  that  the  way  to  reclaim 
the  deceived  and  the  erring  was  not  to  denounce 
them  with  harshness,  but  to  entreat  them  with  tears. 
A.  B. 

19.  ^sca.  fallen  is  but  man  inverted  ;  his  love  is 
where  his  hatred  should  be,  and  his  hatred  where 
his  love  should  be ;  his  glory  whei'e  his  shame 
should  be,  and  his  shame  where  his  glory.  The 
apostle  says  of  unconverted  men,  "They  glory  in 
their  shame."     T.  M. 

20.  Conversation.  The  actual  sense  of  that 
word  is  cilizenship.  In  the  old  English  of  the  Bi- 
ble, a  man's  "  conversation "  meant,  not  the  mere 
act  of  his  tongue,  but  the  entire  expression  of  his 
life  in  conduct,  and  so  it  revealed  to  what  kingdom 


his  heart  belonged.      F.  D.  H. We  look  for 

the  Saviour.  We  speak  only  the  language  of 
truth  and  soberness,  of  experience  and  of  Scripture, 
when  we  say  that  the  heart  of  man,  of  all  men 
consciously  or  unconsciously,  is  hungering  and  thirst, 
ing  for  that  which  only  a  Person  can  satisfy  ;  not 
hungering  and  thirsting  for  a  gift,  for  freedom  from 
a  felt  evil  or  for  possession  of  a  desired  good,  but 
hungering  and  thirsting  for  the  love  of  a  Person  ;  a 
Person  who  can  be  admired  without  the  suspicion  of 
exaggeration,  adored  without  the  risk  of  idolatry, 
trusted  in  without  danger  of  disappointment,  and 
reposed  upon  without  the  possibility  of  failure  or  of 
separation  for  ever.     V. 

21.  "lF7to  shall  transform  the  body  of  our  hu- 
miliation so  as  to  be  conformed  to  the  body  of  his 
glory."  The  scene  of  the  transfiguration,  the  radi- 
ance of  Saul's  conversion,  the  symbolical  appari- 
tion in  Patmos,  give  us  some  idea  of  the  body  of 
his  glory.  And  our  body  shall  be  like  his,  fitted  to 
dwell  amid  the  dazzling  brightness  of  heaven.  Our 
bodies  shall  cease  to  be  animal,  and  they  shall  be- 
come "  spiritual  bodies" — etherealized  vehicles  for 
the  pure  spirit  which  shall  be  lodged  within  them. 
Hence  our  bodies  should  now  be  guarded  against 
all  vicious  and  groveling  indulgence,  such  as  are  de- 
nounced in  the  previous  verses.  The  body  must 
now  be  esteemed  as  sacred,  and  kept  free  from  con- 
tamination.    Eadie. There  is  not  presented  here 

a  resurrection,  as  a  restoration  merely  of  the  same 
earthly  body  in  the  same  earthly  form  ;  but,  on  the 
contrary,  a  glorious  transformation,  proceeding  from 
the  divine,  the  all-subduing  power  of  Christ ;  so 
that  believers,  free  from  all  the  defects  of  the 
earthly  existence,  released  from  all  its  barriers,  may 
reflect  the  full  image  of  the  heavenly  Christ  in  their 
whole  glorified  personality,  in  the  soul  pervaded  by 
the  divine  life  and  its  now  perfectly  assimilated 
glorified  organ.    N. 


Section  308. 

Philippians  iv.  2-23. 

2  I  BESEECH  Eiiodias,  and  beseech  Syntyclie,  that  they  be  of  the  same  mind  in  the  Lord. 

3  And  I  entreat  thee  also,  true  yokefellow,  help  those  women  which  hiboured  with  me  in  the 
gospel,  with  Clement  also,  and  with  other  my  fellowlabourers,  whose  names  are  in  the 

4  book  of  life.     Rejoice  in  the  Lord  alway:  and  again  I  say,  Rejoice.     Let  your  moderation 

5  be  known  unto  all  men.     Tbe  Lord  is  at  hand.     Be  careful  for  nothing;  but  in  every  thing 

6  by  prayer  and  supphcation  with  thanksgiving  let  your  requests  be  made  known  unto  God. 

7  And  the  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all  understanding,  shall  keep  your  hearts  and  minds 

8  through  Christ  Jesus.  Finally,  brethren,  whatsoever  things  are  true,  whatsoever  things  are 
honest,  whatsoever  things  are  just,  whatsoever  tilings  are  pure,  whatsoever  things  are  love- 
ly, whatsoever  things  are  of  good  report ;  if  there  ho  any  virtue,  and  if  there  le  any  praise, 


462 


SECTIOIT  308.—PEILIPPIANS  4  :  S-S3. 


9  think  on  these  things.     Those  things,  which  ye  have  both  learned,  and  received,  and  heard, 
and  seen  in  me,  do  :  and  the  God  of  peace  shall  he  with  you. 

10  But  I  rejoiced  in  the  Lord  greatly,  that  now  at  the  last  your  care  of  me  hath  flourished 

11  attain;  wherein  ye  were  also  careful,  hut  ye  lacked  opportunity.     Not  that  I  speak  in  re- 
spect of  want :    for  I  have  learned,  in  whatsoever  state  I  am,  therewith  to  be  content. 

12  I  know  both  how  to  be  abased,  and  I  know  how  to  abound :  every  where  and  in  aU  things  I 

13  am  instructed  both  to  be  full  and  to  be  hungry,  both  to  abound  and  to  suifer  need.     I  can 

14  do  all  things  through  Christ  which  strengtheneth  me.    Notwithstanding  ye  have  well  done, 

15  that  ye  did  communicate  with  my  affliction.     Now  ye  PhiUppians  know  also,  tliat  in  the 
beginning  of  the  gospel,  when  I  departed  from  Macedonia,  no  cliurch  communicated  with 

16  )ue  as  concerning  ginng  and  receiving,  but  ye  only.     For  even  in  Thessalonica  ye  sent  once 

17  and  again  unto  my  necessity.    Not  because  I  desire  a  gift :  but  I  desire  fruit  that  may  abound 

18  to  your  account.     But  I  have  all,  and  abound :  I  am  full,  having  receiv^ed  of  Epaphroditus 
the  things  which  were  sent  from  you,  an  odour  of  a  sweet  smell,  a  sacrifice  acceptable,  well 

19  pleasing  to  God.    But  my  God  shall  supply  all  your  need  according  to  his  riches  in  glory  by 
Christ  Jesus. 

20  Now  unto  God  and  our  Father  he  glory  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen.     Salute  every  saint  in 

21  Christ  Jesus.    The  brethren  which  are  with  me  greet  you.    All  the  saints  salute  you,  chiefly 

22  they  that  are  of  Caesar's  household.     The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  le  with  you  all. 

23  Amen. 

Yop  may  use  a  childlike  confidence  in  coming  to  your  Father  in  heaven  ;  you  may  unbosom  before 
him  your  smallest  disquietudes.  AVith  holy  habit,  hasten  with  everything  to  God ;  not  merely  when  the 
weightier  class  of  calamities  oppress  you,  but  amid  the  perturbations  of  ordinary  life,  the  collisions  of 
business,  the  perplexities  of  the  household,  the  mutations  of  health  and  spirits,  nay  the  clouds  of  the  sky, 
which  too  often  carry  darkness  into  the  windows  of  the  shrinking  and  sensitive  soul.  The  very  moods 
which  make  our  wheels  drag  slowly  through  the  daily  task,  the  tempers  of  those  around  us,  the  petty  dis- 
appointment and  chagrin,  the  slight,  the  cross,  the  look  of  unkindness  and  the  silence  of  rebuke — all  are 
dispensed  in  season  and  in  love.     Happy  is  the  soul  which,  having  secured  an  interest  in  providence  by 

securing  acceptance  in  Christ,  can  roll  its  burden  on  the  Lord.     J.  W.  A. Prayer,  not  only  in  the 

morning  watch,  but  prayer  sent  voiceless  from  the  heart  from  hour  to  hour,  makes  life  hallowed,  wakeful, 
and  calm.  It  becomes  beautiful  with  that  beauty  of  God  which  eye  hath  not  seen.  It  is  not  left  com- 
fortless, for  prayer  brings  the  Saviour  to  our  side.  We  seem  to  feel  his  hand  in  ours  in  the  passion  of 
our  endeavor  to  do  right  when  duty  and  interest  clash,  and  his  grasp  gives  firmness  to  our  faltering  reso- 
lution. And  prayer,  continually  lived  in,  makes  the  presence  of  a  holy  and  loving  God  the  air  which  life 
breathes  and  by  which  it  lives,  so  that  it  mingles  consciously  with  the  work  of  the  day.     S.  A.  B. 


2.  EuoDiA  and  Syntyche  seem  to  have  been 
Christian  women  of  position  and  influence  among 
the  Philippian  disciples.  What  set  them  at  variance 
we  know  not ;  but  the  dissension  between  them  was 
unhappy  for  the  Church,  as  liliely  to  engender  a 
factious  spirit ;  so  the  apostle  makes  direct  appeal 
to  them  to  "  mind  the  same  thing  in  the  Lord."  lie 
does  not  look  into  the  dispute  between  them.  Enough 
that  it  was  not  a  matter  for  which  the  harmony  of 
the  Church  should  be  broken.  The  thing  which 
Euodia  and  Syntjxhe  ought  to  mind  was  the  lowli- 
ness of  Christ  Jesus.     D.  F. 

4.  Rejoice  in  the  Lord  alway.  He,  the 
prisoner  of  the  Lord,  looking  it  may  be  to  a  near 
approaching  death,  finds  reason  to  promise  and  to 
require  an  ever-abiding  joy  in  the  consciousness  of 
fellowship  with  the  Lord ;  to  make  joy  indeed  the 
ground-tone  of  the  Christian  life,  to  make  the  whole 
Christian  life  a  jubilee  of  redemption.  But  with 
this  connects  itself  the  requisition  for  a  Christian 


walk,  since  that  joy  in  the  Lord  can  not  exist  if  the 
life  of  the  Christian  does  not  correspond  to  the  law 
of  the  Lord,  does  not  testify  of  fellowship  with 

him.     N. Is  there  such  a  thing  as  an  aptitude  to 

delight  in  our  natures,  and  doth  the  sanctification 
thereof  entitle  the  joy  of  saints  to  a  place  among 
the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  and  yet  is  the  exercise  of  it 
to  have  noi  place  in  their  hearts  and  practice  ?  Do  not 
think  you  are  permitted  to  extinguish  or  frustrate  so 
considerable  a  principle  of  the  divine  life.  Know 
and  settle  this  persuasion  in  your  hearts,  that  the 
rational,  regular,  seasonable  exercise  of  delight  and 
joy  is  matter  of  duty,  to  be  charged  upon  conscience 
from  the  authority  of  God,  and  is  an  integral  part 

in  the  religion  of  Christians.     Jloice. Happiness 

in  the  sense  of  Christ's  help  is  one  of  the  great 
missionary  powers  on  earth,  second  only  to  the 
power  of  love.  And  if  we  would  ask  how,  without 
any  ostentation,  we  can  best  obey  our  Lord's  com- 
mand, to  let  our  light  shine  before  men,  so  that  they 


SECTION  308.—PHILIPPIANS  k  •'  ^-^^. 


463 


I 


shall  glorify  our  Father  in  heaven,  the  answer  is : 
Let  all  men  read  in  your  face  the  happiness  of  a 
Christian  that  loves  his  Master.  Let  them  see  in 
your  unvarying  cheerfulness  the  assurance  of  your 
faith,  and  the  certainty  of  your  hope,  and  the  bless- 
edness of  your  love.    F.  T. It  is  because  God 

has  made  an  atoning  sacrifice  and  set  a  great  light 
of  hope  to  rule  our  day  that  we  can,  every  one  of 
us,  enjoy  present  good  with  a  merry  heart.  The 
past  is  clear  from  sin,  if  only  we  believe  on  Christ ; 
and,  if  we  believe  on  Him,  the  future  is  all  bright 
with  promise.  There  is  nothing,  save  the  weakness 
of  our  faith,  to  impede  our  obedience  or  to  jar  the 
music  of  our  cheerfulness  into  jangling  discords  of 
discontent.     Cox. 

5<  Christianity  forbids  no  necessary  occupa- 
tions, no  reasonable  indulgences,  no  innocent  re- 
laxations. All  it  requires  is  that  our  liberty  degen- 
erate not  into  licentiousness,  our  amusements  into 
dissipation,  our  industry  into  incessant  toil,  our 
carefulness  into  extreme  anxiety  and  endless  so- 
licitude. When  it  directs  us  "  to  make  our  modera- 
tion known  unto  all  men,"  this  evidently  implies, 
that  within  the  bounds  of  moderation  we  may  enjoy 
all  the  reasonable  conveniences  and  comforts  of  the 

present  life.     P. Everything,  in  short,  requires 

self-regulative  prudence.  Innocent  in  itseK,  it  can 
be,  and  very  often  is,  a  gate  that  opens  toward  ex- 
cess. We  can  not  refuse  everything  that  has  perils 
in  it,  for  then  we  should  stand  back  from  every- 
thing. Take  amusements  under  the  same  law  ;  not 
to  be  mastered  by  them,  but  to  master  them,  and 
be  just  so  much  further  advanced  in  all  high,  manly 
virtues.    II.  B. 

65  7.  "  Be  careful  for  nothing''''  (it  lies  with  us, 
therefore,  to  harbor  anxieties  or  to  dismiss  them) ; 
"  but  in  everything  by  prayer  and  supplication  with 
thanksgiving  let  your  requests  be  made  known  imto 
God  "  (that  is,  do  your  part  simply  and  faithfully  by 
recommending  your  wants  to  God) ;  "  and  "  (then 
God  shall  do  his,  the  author  of  peace  and  lover  of 
concord  shall  confer  upon  you  the  blessing,  which 
by  your  own  exertions  you  could  never  have  at- 
tained) "  the  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all  un- 
derstanding,  shall    keep  your    hearts   and   minds 

through   Christ  Jesus."     E.  M.  G. As  he  had 

made  the  whole  Christian  life  a  joy  in  the  Lord,  so 
now  he  makes  it  also  a  perpetual  prayer.  The  two 
stand  in  intimate  connection.  Neither  can  exist 
without  the  other.  He  does  not  require  the  sup- 
pression of  those  wants,  the  sense  of  which  begets 
anxiety,  but  that  the  sense  of  want  should  take  the 
form  of  prayer.  Thus  will  the  burdened  spirit  be- 
come lightened,  and  care  of  itself  will  fall  away. 
Yet,  although  the  Christian  has  wants  to  spread  out 
before  God  in  prayer,  and  much  to  ask  of  Him  for 
the  future,  he  still  finds  in  every  situation  enough 


that  calls  for  thankfulness  to  God,  since  all  things 
work  together  for  good  to  those  who  love  him. 
Paul  had  already  enjoined  on  the  Philippians,  af- 
flicted as  they  were,  to  rejoice  always  in  the  Lord ; 
and  in  this  it  is  assumed  that  there  is  nothing  un- 
reasonable in  the  requirement  that  they  should  give 
thanks  to  God.  The  whole  Christian  life  should  be 
a  prayer,  the  prayer  of  thanksgiving  and  of  suppli- 
cation, in  the  consciousness  of  grace  received  and 
the  conscious  need  of  renewed  grace.    N. 

It  was  a  choice  saying  of  Austin,  "Every  saint 
is  God's  temple,  and  he  who  carries  his  temple 
about  him,  may  go  to  prayer  when  he  pleaseth." 
Brooks. He  who  wishes  for  a  clear  head  in  pur- 
suing business  or  study,  for  an  understanding  quick 
to  perceive  truth  and  a  memory  attentive  to  retain 
it,  for  ability  to  spend  his  time  profitably — not  wast- 
ing his  energies  in  fruitless  pursuits  nor  exhausting 
them  in  profitless  speculations — will  not  find  the  time 
lost  that  is  spent  in  prayer  to  that  God  who  made 
the  understanding,  and  who  can  give  it  just  views  of 
the  proper  proportion  and  value  of  things.  A  holy, 
humble,  calm,  submissive  life,  a  life  of  cheerful 
piety,  self-denial,  and  of  practical  benevolence,  and 
a  resigned  and  peaceful  death,  are  the  "  open  re- 
ward" of  secret  prayer.     A.  B. Every  mercy 

that  is  gathered  by  the  hand  of  prayer  is  sweet ; 
but  those  blessings  which  are  received  without  cither 
supplication  or  thanksgiving  lack  the  precious  per- 
fume of  a  Saviour's  love,  and  leave  no  fragrance  in 
the  ungrateful  heart.     Brooks. 

7.  This  peace,  as  it  has  God  for  its  author,  Paul 
accordingly  describes  as  a  peace  which  is  above  all 
human  conception.  He  who  has  this  peace  has 
more  than  he  himself  knows,  more  than  he  is  able 
to  set  forth  in  thoughts  and  words.  It  is  an  over- 
flowing heavenly  repose,  with  which  nothing  earthly 
can  be  compared.  The  power  of  this  peace,  says 
Paul,  will  conduct  the  souls  that  live  in  fellowship 
with  Christ  safe  and  unharmed  through  all  conflicts 
and  assaults  from  within  and  from  without.  From 
this  proceeds  the  ground-tone  of  their  thoughts  and 
feelings ;  this  is  their  ju-otection,  which  avails  against 

all  human  care.    N. He  gives  himself  most  fully 

to  those  who  ask  for  him  secretly  and  often.  He 
enters  the  soul  when  all  the  doors  of  sense  are  shut ; 
he  gives  his  benediction  to  each  and  all  of  its  facul- 
ties :  "  Peace  be  unto  you."  The  soul  hears  him, 
it  sees  him  not ;  the  soul  feels  him,  yet  as  if  insen- 
sibly ;  and  his  presence  is  itself  that  peace  of  God 
which  passeth  all  understanding.  Henceforth,  en- 
riched by  his  indwelling,  the  soul's  desire  is  to  de- 
sire nothing,  its  will  to  will  for  nothing,  its  care  to 
care  for  nothing,  its  wealth  to  possess  nothing,  out 
of  God,  its  one,  its  everlasting  treasure.     H.  P.  L. 

8.  The  apostle  is  giving  the  outlines  of  an  ex- 
emplary man,  and  accordingly  seizes  upon  the  fun- 


404 


SECTION  SOS.—PMTLIPPIAN'S  k  •'  ^-33. 


damental  elements  of  morality,  and  inculcates  as 
duty  everything  in  which  these  elements  essentially 
enter  as  constituents.  The  first  is  truth — whatso- 
ever things  are  true.  lie  assumes  the  inherent  rec- 
titude of  veracity,  its  indispensable  and  eternal 
obligation,  and  enjoins  upon  his  readers  to  cultivate 
a  spirit  that  shall  reverence  and  exemplify  this 
obligation  in  the  whole  extent  of  its  application. 
He  next  signalizes  the  principle  of  self-respect, 
which  saves  a  man  from  all  that  is  little,  or  mean, 
or  indecent  in  deportment — whatsoever  things  are 
honest  J  rather,  whatsoever  things  are  venerable  or 
truly  honorable — whatsoever  is  calculated  to  com- 
mand respect  or  deserves  veneration  and  esteem. 
Then  comes  the  master  principle  of  justice,  or  right- 
eousness, without  which  all  pretensions  to  integrity 
are  vain  and  unmeaning.  This  is  the  solid  basis  of 
an  upright  character — whatsoever  things  are  just. 
Next  the  apostle,  as  his  Master  had  done  before 
him,  insists  upon  inward  purity,  the  regulation  of 
the  thoughts,  appetites,  and  affections,  so  as  to  pre- 
vent the  contamination  of  aught  that  is  unholy  or 
defiling — whatsoever  things  are  pure.  Under  this 
head  are  obviously  included  temperance,  chastity, 
and  modesty.  The  things  that  are  lovely  compre- 
hend everything  that  is  fitted  to  conciliate  or  ex- 
press the  sentiment  of  affection  and  esteem.  It 
embraces  such  duties  as  benevolence,  urbanity,  cour- 
tesy, and  sweetness  of  temper;  whatever,  in  other 
words,  springs  from  love  in  us  and  generates  love  in 
others.  The  things  of  good  report  have  reference 
to  those  matters,  indiilerent  in  themselves,  by  means 
of  which  we  can  recommend  our  persons  and  our 
cause  to  the  confidence  and  good-will  of  others.  As 
there  might  be  virtues  which  are  included  under 
none  of  these  heads,  the  apostle,  that  he  may  omit 
nothing,  extends  his  injunction  to  them.  If  there 
be  any  virtue^  and  if  tliare  be  any  praise — if  there 
be  anything  which  a  good  man  ought  to  observe, 
anything  right  or  praiseworthy,  that  can  not  be  re- 
duced to  any  of  these  categories — it  is  to  receive 
the  Christian  man's  attention.  This  passage,  then, 
according  to  the  interpretation  which  has  been  given, 
exhibits  the  model  of  character  which  Christianity 
proposes  to  its  followers,  and  which  their  Christian 
profession  exacts  of  them  that  they  shall  steadily 
endeavor  to  realize.  It  is  the  apostle's  picture  of 
an  exemplary  man.     J.  H.  T. 

From  the  evangelic  history  is  drawn  the  idea  of 
all  that  is  beautiful  in  virtue;  and  from  the  precep- 
tive parts  of  the  Scriptures  the  explicit  rules  of 
morality,  and  from  the  doctrinal  parts  the  impulsive 
principle  of  affectionate  obedience.  With  a  system 
of  ethics,  itself  faultless  as  a  definite  rule,  may  it 
not  be  affirmed  that  a  loving  loyalty  to  such  sov- 
ereign, at  once  Teacher  and  Saviour,  embraces  every 
motive  that  can  tend  to  secure  a  correspondent  moral 


harmony  and  completeness  in  the  conduct  and  tem- 
per of  his  subjects  and  disciples  ?     I.  T. Honor, 

frankness,  magnanimity,  and  the  whole  of  that  royal 
family,  are  the  vigorous  and  graceful  stock  on  which 
Christianity  ingrafts  its  new  and  divine  principle. 
Whatever  moral  beauty  it  does  not  create,  Chris- 
tianity claims  and  makes  its  own  by  adoption. 
These  well-born  virtues  are  orphans  in  the  world 
till  Christ  shows  them  the  Father.  Something  is 
greatly  wanting  in  them  till  they  learn  from  Jesus  a 
filial  submission  and  a  holy  trust.  But  separate 
them  from  self-confidence,  and  you  liberate  them  foi' 
a  boundless  progress.  Hallow  them  by  a  gospel 
penitence,  and  they  rise  into  a  new  and  an  infinite 
dignity.  They  root  themselves,  then,  in  a  firmer 
soil.  That  cluster  of  radiant  traits  which  gain  a 
uniform  approval  in  the  worldliest  companies,  which 
conform  to  the  highest  secular  standard,  never  reach 
their  loftiest  growth  till  Faith  crowns  them  with  her 
unrivaled  glory.  On  their  own  ground,  then,  and 
for  their  ultimate  perfecting,  these  traits  that  men 
everywhere  admire  for  their  manliness  must  confess 
the  sway  of  religion,  and  be  sanctified  by  her  doc- 
trines.    F.  D.  H. 

Think  on  these  things.  There  is  one  art 
of  which  every  man  should  be  master,  the  art  of 
KEFLECTiox.  If  you  are  not  a  thinking  man,  to  what 
purpose  are  you  a  man  at  all  ?  In  like  manner, 
there  is  one  knowledge  which  it  is  every  man's  in- 
terest and  duty  to  acquire,  namely,  self-knowledge  ; 
or  to  what  end  was  man  alone,  of  all  animals,  in- 
dued with  the  faculty  of  self-consciousness  ?  Reve- 
lation has  provided  new  subjects  for  reflection,  and 
new  treasures  of  knowledge,  never  to  be  unlocked 
by  him  who  remains  self  ignorant.  Self-knowledge 
is  the  key  to  this  casket,  and  by  reflection  alone  can 
it  be  obtained.  S.  T.  C. It  is  not  the  bee's  touch- 
ing upon  the  flowers  that  gathers  honey,  but  her 
abiding  for  a  time  upon  them,  and  drawing  out  the 
sweet.  It  is  not  he  that  reads  most,  but  he  that 
meditates  most  on  divine  truth  that  will  prove  the 
choicest,  wisest,  strongest  Christian.     Bp.  H. 

9.  In  me,  do.  The  perfect  model  we  have  in 
Jesus  Christ,  and  in  him  alone  ;  but  God  accommo- 
dates himself  to  a  necessity  of  our  weakness,  and 
shows  to  us  also  imperfect  models,  which,  while  re- 
maining far  behind  the  Master,  yet  proceed  greatly 
in  advance  of  us,  and  in  whom  natural  infirmity, 
without  being  destroyed,  has  been  to  such  an  extent 
restrained,  that  it  leaves  the  field  open  for  a  Chris- 
tian life  which  is  real,  complete,  and  victorious. 
Paul  is  one  of  those  imperfect  models,  and  the 
least  imperfect,  perhaps,  which  has  ever  been  given 
to  the  earth.     Monad. 

10-12.  Paul  here  gives  us  a  model  of  the  gen- 
uine Christian  character  in  his  demeanor  in  respect 
to  external  things.     The  Christian,  in  the  power  of 


SECTION  30S.—PEILIPPIANS  4  : 2-23. 


465 


the  Lord  through  which  he  is  able  to  do  all  things, 
proves  his  independence  of  the  world,  and  his  su- 
premacy over  it,  by  his  ability  to  endure  joyfully  all 
the  privations  which  the  Lord  lays  upon  him,  in  the 
circumstances  of  his  lot,  in  what  is  required  of  him 
by  his  calling.  His  soul,  filled  with  the  divine  life, 
can  not  be  bowed  down  by  earthly  want.  Subjected 
to  privation,  he  so  much  the  more  feels  and  proves 
his  inward  mastery  of  the  world.  But  the  Christian 
is  far  also  from  that  self-imposed  mortification  of 
the  flesh,  in  an  imaginary  spirituality,  which  never- 
theless only  serves  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  fleshly 
mind  ;  for  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  all  which  does  not 
proceed  from  the  divine  Spirit,  all  which  comes  from 
our  own  will,  therefore  every  form  of  vanity  and 
spiritual  pride,  is  ascribed  to  the  flesh.     N. 

11.  To  be  content.  Though  men  can  not 
bring  their  means  to  their  minds,  yet  ought  they 
to  bring  their  minds  to  their  means,  and  learn  con- 
tent in  every  state.  Brooks. There  is  no  condi- 
tion so  full  and  affluent,  but  content  is  and  will  be 
a  necessary  supplement  to  make  a  man  happy  in  it. 
Content  is  the  gift  of  heaven,  and  not  the  certain 
effect  of  anything  on  earth ;  and  it  is  as  easy  for 
Providence  to  convey  it  without  wealth  as  with  it. 
Happiness  and  comfort  stream  immediately  from  God 
himself,  as  light  issues  from  the  sun,  and  some- 
times looks  and  darts  itself  into  the  meanest  cor- 
ners, while  it  forbears  to  visit  the  largest  and  the 
noblest  rooms.  Every  man  is  happy  or  miserable, 
as  the  temper  of  his  mind  places  him  either  di- 
rectly under  or  beside  the  influences  of  the  divine 
nature ;  which  enlighten  and  enliven  the  disposed 
mind  with  secret,  ineffable  joys,  and  such  as  the  vi- 
cious or  unprepared  mind  is  wholly  unacquainted 
with.     R.  S. 

12.  We  need  to  become  like  little  children,  will- 
ing to  let  our  heavenly  Father  guide  us,  without 
imposing  upon  him  any  conditions  ;  willing  to  have 
much  or  little,  to  be  learned  or  ignorant,  to  go  or 
stay,  to  sit  down  or  to  rise  up,  to  speak  on  or  to  be 
silent,  to  be  on  the  mount  of  joy  or  in  the  valley  of 
humiliation — to  be  anything  or  nothing,  just  as  God 

wills.     Tauler. The  greater  the  faith  that  lets 

the  Lord  take  thought,  the  less  the  need.  The  less 
the  faith,  the  greater  the  need.  The  greater  the 
anxious  care,  the  greater  the  pressing  difficulty. 
The  greatness  of  the  need  is  no  condition  with  the 
believer  for  the  greatness  of  anxious  thought.  The 
believer  says :  "  Everywhere,  and  in  all  things,  I 
am  instructed  both  to  be  full  and  to  be  hungry, 
both  to  abound  and  to  suffer  need."     A.  C. 

13.  Observe  the  order  of  the  ideas :  First,  I  can 
do  all  things.  This  is  the  expression  of  a  resolu- 
tion to  work,  to  attempt  all  duty.  He  does  not  say, 
I  will  wait  until  I  see  and  feel  the  breathing  of  the 
Spirit  of  Christ.     No ;  I  will  arise  and  confidently 

30 


do  every  act  which  is  commanded.  Second,  Through 
Christ  which  strengtheneth  me.  This  is  the  expres- 
sion of  actual  belief  that  Christ  does  strengthen. 
This  is  being  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power 
of  his  might.  We  learn  this  truth,  then,  as  to  the 
order  in  which  these  ideas  arise  in  the  mind  of  a 
Christian.  We  set  ourselves  about  the  work  of 
piety.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  makes  this  work  effec- 
tual.   J.  W.  A. To  be  satisfying,  or  serene,  or 

strong,  our  life  must  link  itself  through  a  media- 
tor to  God,  and  breathe  by  his  inspiration.  When 
I  can  begin  every  day,  or  undertaking,  with  the 
feeling,  "I  do  it  not  of  myself,  so  much  as  the 
Spirit  through  me,"  then  I  labor  with  taore  than 
my  poor  mortal  ingenuity ;  the  cunning  of  my  fin- 
gers is  the  simple  desire  to  be  about  my  Father's 
business ;  and  I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ 
strengthening  me.  Consciously,  distinctly,  resolute- 
ly, habitually,  we  need  to  give  ourselves,  our  busi- 
ness, our  interests,  our  families,  our  affections,  into 
the  Spirit's  hands,  to  lead  and  fashion  us  as  he  will. 
"Without  me" — it  needs  to  be  brought  into  the 
souls,  and  so  into  the  labor  and  life,  of  the  people 
— "  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing — without  the 
principles  of  my  religion — without  the  purity  and 
justice  and  charity  of  the  beatitudes — without-  faith 
in  my  person — without  the  spirit  of  my  life  and 
the  sacrifice  of  my  cross ! "  Nothing,  literally  no- 
thing, in  the  final  reckoning  without  our  Lord ! 
F.  D.  H. 

15,  16.  These  poor  Philippians  willingly  con- 
stituted thqpselves  the  apostle's  treasurers ;  and, 
whether  he  was  in  the  course  of  travel,  as  at 
Corinth,  or  in  prison,  as  at  Rome,  their  beneficence 
found  means  to  reach  him.  This  was  their  liberal- 
ity— often  and  earnestly  acknowledged — to  Paul 
himself.     W.  A.  B. 

19.  This  was  the  language  of  gratitude,  drawn 
forth  from  the  apostle  by  the  kindness  shown  him 
in  a  season  of  difficulty  by  the  Philippian  Christians. 
And  it  expresses  most  naturally  the  feelings  of  a 
holy  soul  under  a  sense  of  kindness.  "  I  can  not 
recompense  you,"  it  says,  "  but  that  gives  me  no 
pain — my  God  can,  and  my  God  will.  Ye  sent  once 
and  again  unto  my  necessity ;  my  God  will  send  to 
you  in  yours.  He  will  supply  all  your  need  accord- 
ing to  his  riches  in  glory  by  Christ  Jesus."  It  is 
our  real  need  that  is  to  be  supplied,  not  our  imagi- 
nary need.  His  supplies  are  to  meet  our  necessities, 
not  our  wishes.  Sometimes  they  may  be  in  direct 
opposition  to  our  wishes.  Taking  into  view  their 
character,  their  circumstances,  and  their  high  desti- 
nation, the  great  God  will  so  deal  with  the  people 
he  loves  that  he  could  not  possibly  deal  with  them 
more  bountifully  or  more  munificently.  "  No  good 
thing  will  he  withhold  from  them."  They  shall 
have  everything  which  can  contribute  to  their  wel- 


466 


SECTION  SOQ.—COLOSSIANS  1 : 1-29. 


fare,  and  have  it  in  the  richest  measure.     C.  B. 

God's  hearing  and  answering  prayer  in  this  hfe 
assures  his  servants  that  he  is  their  true  and  faith- 
ful Saviour.  How  often  have  I  cried  to  him  when 
there  appeared  to  be  no  help  in  second  causes  ;  and 
how  frequently,  suddenly,  and  mercifully  has  he 
delirered  me  !  I  have  also  seen  wonders  done  for 
others  by  prayer  more  than  for  myself.  And  what 
were  all  those  merciful  answers  but  the  fruits  of 
Christ's  power,  faithfulness,  and  love,  the  fulfilling 
of  his  promises,  and  the  earnest  of  the  greater 
blessing  of  immortality  which  the  same  promises 
entitle  me  to  ?     Bax. 

23.  A  strange  place,  Cesar's  household,  to  hold 
some  of  those  saints.  They  lived  in  the  palace  of  the 
Emperor  Nero,  not  far  from  that  Pretorian  camp  in 
which  the  bonds  of  Paul  were  manifest  (1  :  13). 
The  soldiers  of  the  Pretorian  guard  knew  the  im- 
prisoned apostle  well ;  and  even  some  of  the  retain- 
ers of  the  cruel  Emperor  had  been  turned  to  the 
Lord.  It  was  not  required  of  them  by  Paul,  nor 
did  they  feel  bound  in  their  own  conscience  to  sur- 
render their  situations  and  withdraw  from  Nero's 
house.  Better  that  they  should  shine  as  lights  in 
that    dark    place,  and   walk  as   saints   in   Cesar's 

household.     D.  F. Of  the  line  of  Roman  Cesars 

— that  race  standing  apart,  of  whom  it  has  been 
well  said  that  there  met  in  them  "  all  the  heights 
and  depths  which  belong  to  man,  all  the  contrasts 


of  glory  and  meanness,  the  extremities  of  what  is 
highest  and  lowest  in  human  possibility  " — the  per- 
sonage whom  Paul  speaks  of  here  as  having  saints 
in  his  household  was  the  sixth  from  the  founder. 
Nero  was  a  prince  that  as  far  surpassed  others  in 
infamy  as  Augustus  did  in  royalty ;  a  man  who,  if 
every  soul  besides  himself  in  his  household  had  been 
a  saint,  concentrated  inhumanity  and  pollution 
enough  in  his  person  to  have  d.arkened  all  their  vir- 
tue by  the  blackness  of  his  unnatural  crimes ;  a 
man  that  expended  more  ingenuity  in  contriving 
new  modes  of  dishonoring  humanity  than  most 
Christians  have  in  serving  it,  and  who  earned  the 
reputation  of  introducing  into  history  as  facts 
crimes  so  enormous,  and  combinations  of  wicked- 
ness so  revolting,  that  but  for  him  they  would  have 
been  held  too  fabulous  for  the  wildest  fancy.  In 
the  household  of  such  a  man,  and  such  a  Cesar,  it 
was  that  the  apostle,  himself  now  a  prisoner  at 
Rome,  found  "  saints " — saints  that  he  mentions 
with  special  honor  when  he  sends  their  message  in 
his  letter  to  the  friends  at  Philippi.  There  and 
then  we  can  all  feel  that  it  was  something  heroic  to 
be  a  saint.  No  wonder  Paul  thanks  God  that  even 
then  the  faith  of  the  Roman  Christians  was  spoken 
of  in  all  the  world.     F.  D.  H. 

23,  A  sentence  of  commendation  to  the  grace 
of  Christ  concludes  this  holy  and  beautiful  Epistle, 
which  tells  us  how  to  live  and  how  to  die,  how  to 
renounce  and  how  to  attain,  how  to  endure  and  how 
to  rejoice.  "  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be 
with  your  spirit."    D.  F. 


Section  309. 

COLOSSIANS    i.   1-29. 

1  Paul,  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ  by  the  will  of  God,  and  Timotheus  our  brother,  to  the 

2  saints  and  faithful  brethren  in  Christ  which  are  at  Colosse :  Grace  le  unto  you,  and  peace, 

3  from  God  our  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     "We  give  thanks  to  God  and  the  Father  of 

4  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  praying  always  for  you,  since  we  heard  of  your  faith  in  Christ 

5  Jesus,  and  of  the  love  wMch  ye  have  to  all  the  saints,  for  the  hope  which  is  laid  up  for  you 

6  in  heaven,  whereof  ye  heard  before  in  the  word  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel ;  which  is  come 
unto  you,  as  it  is  in  all  the  world ;  and  bringeth  forth  fruit,  as  it  doth  also  in  you,  since  the 

7  day  ye  heard  of  it,  and  knew  the  grace  of  God  in  truth :  as  ye  also  learned  of  Epaphras 

8  our  dear  fellowservant,  who  is  for  you  a  faithful  minister  of  Christ;  who  also  declared 
unto  us  your  love  in  the  Spirit. 

9  For  this  cause  we  also,  since  the  day  we  heard  it,  do  not  cease  to  pray  for  you,  and  to 
desire  that  ye  might  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  his  will  in  all  wisdom  and  spiritual 

10  understanding;  that  ye  might  walk  wortliy  of  the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing,  being  fruitful  in 

11  every  good  work,  and  increasing  in  the  knowledge  of  God;  strengthened  with  all  might, 

12  according  to  his  glorious  power,  unto  all  patience  and  longsuffering  with  joyfulness ;  giv- 
ing thanks  unto  the  Father,  which  hath  made  us  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of 

13  the  saints  in  light :  who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  darkness,  and  hath  translated 

14  us  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  Son :  in  whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood,  even 

15  the  forgiveness  of  sins :  who  is  the  image  of  the  invisible  God,  the  firstborn  of  every  crea- 

16  ture :  for  by  him  were  all  things  created,  that  are  in  heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth,  visible 
and  invisible,  whether  they  ie  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers:  all  things 

17  were  created  by  him,  and  for  him :  and  he  is  before  all  things,  and  by  him  all  things  con- 

18  sist.    And  he  is  the  head  of  the  body,  the  church :  who  is  the  beginning,  the  firstborn  from 


SECTION  309.—GOL08SIANS  1 : 1-29.  467 

19  the  dead ;  that  in  all  things  he  might  have  the  preeminence.     For  it  pleased  tTie  Father  that 

20  in  him  should  all  fulness  dwell ;  and,  having  made  peace  through  the  Wood  of  his  cross,  by 
him  to  reconcile  all  things  unto  himself;  by  him,  /  say,  whether  they  he  things  in  earth,  or 
things  in  heaven. 

21  And  jou,  that  were  sometime  alienated  and  enemies  in  your  mind  by  wicked  Avorks,  yet 

22  now  hath  he  reconciled  in  the  body  of  his  flesh  through  death,  to  present  you  holy  and  un- 

23  blameable  and  unreproveable  in  his  sight :  if  ye  continue  in  the  faith  grounded  and  settled, 
and  ie  not  moved  away  from  the  hope  of  the  gospel,  which  ye  have  heard,  a)id  which  was 
preached  to  every  creature  which  is  under  heaven ;  whereof  I  Paul  am  made  a  minister; 

24  who  now  rejoice  in  my  sulferings  for  you,  and  fill  up  that  which  is  behind  of  the  afflictions 

25  of  Christ  in  my  flesh  for  his  body's  sake,  which  is  the  church :  whereof  I  am  made  a  minis- 
ter, according  to  the  dispensation  of  God  which  is  given  to  me  for  you,  to  fulfil  the  word  of 

26  God;  ciy«.  the  mystery  which  hath  been  hid  from  ages  and  from  generations,  but  now  is 

27  made  manifest  to  his  saints:  to  whom  God  would  make  known  what  is  the  riches  of  the 

L28  glory  of  this  mystery  among  the  Gentiles ;  which  is  Christ  in  you,  the  hope  of  glory :  whom 
we  preach,  warning  every  man,  and  teaching  every  man  in  all  wisdom  ;  that  we  may  pre- 
29  sent  every  man  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus:  whereunto  I  also  labour,  striving  according  to  his 
The  highest  kingdom  we  can  conceive  to  exist  is  one  which  aims  at  the  holiness  of  all  that  belong  to 
it ;  which  has  love  for  its  common  principle  ;  which  has  for  its  head  a  Being  who  unites  all  human  with 
all  divine  perfections ;  who  has  himself  suffered  for  all  the  members  of  this  kingdom  and  in  their  stead ; 
and  who  will  reign  over  and  within  them,  not  only  for  this  life,  but  also  for  that  which  is  to  come.  In 
such  a  kingdom  all  are  bound  together  by  the  strongest  ties  for  the  highest  objects.  And  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  which  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Head  and  redeemed  men  the  body.  Beyond  the  idea  of  such  a 
system,  centering  in  such  a  Being,  human  thought  is  impotent  to  advance  and  the  human  heart  has  no- 
thing real  to  desire ;  it  satisfies  all  within  us  which  is  not  sinful,  and  it  is  its  crowning  glory  that  it  sub- 
dues our  sinfulness  itself.  Such  a  system  brings  together,  recapitulates  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which 
are  in  heaven  and  which  are  in  earth ;  and  by  such  a  Person,  "  all  things  are  reconciled  to  God,  by  him," 
the  apostle  says,  "  whether  they  be  things  in  earth  or  things  in  heaven."  When  I  think  of  the  wonders  of 
our  Saviour's  person  and  of  the  glories  of  his  redemptive  work,  of  all  his  love,  his  love  for  me  a  sinner, 
his  love  to  all  so  great  that  he  could  die  for  all,  and  of  that  blessed  and  perpetual  kingdom  which  his 
blood  has  purchased,  and  of  which  he  is  the  ever-living  Head ;  when,  in  some  rapt  moment,  my  heart  can 
realize  this  in  all  its  fullness,  then,  if  ever,  is  my  whole  being  filled  with  the  profoundest  emotions  of  awe, 
of  gratitude,  and  of  love.  Never  is  the  soul  so  conscious  of  its  full  capacities  of  thought  and  feeling, 
never  does  it  throb  with  such  unwonted  and  divine  life,  as  when  it  has  most  fully  gi-asped  the  majestic 
reality  of  the  Christian  faith  as  a  wondrous  and  harmonious  whole,  tending  to  the  highest  imaginable  end, 
and  centering  in  that  glorious  Being  who  unites  divinity  with  humanity  and  reconciles  heaven  with  earth. 
In  comparison  with  the  fullness,  fitness,  and  sufiiciency  of  such  a  system,  the  most  colossal  structure  which 
Pantheism  ever  reared  is  but  a  palace  of  ice,  cold  and  cheerless,  contrasted  with  that  heavenly  city,  whose 
gates  are  pearl,  whose  streets  are  gold,  thronged  with  a  company  innumerable  and  exultant,  vocal  with  the 
melodies  of  the  redeemed,  of  which  the  Lamb  is  the  light,  and  God  the  glory.     H.  B.  S. 


k 


Epistle  to  the  Colossians. 
CoLOSSE  is  a  place  that  has  not  yet  appeared  in 
the  records  of  Paul's  labors.  It  was  an  ancient  but 
somewhat  decayed  city  of  Phrygia,  on  the  high-road 
between  Ephesus  and  the  Euphrates.  It  stood  on 
the  river  Lycus,  in  the  upper  basin  of  the  Meander, 
and  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  Laodicea 
and  Hierapolis,  cities  by  whose  growth  it  had  been 
eclipsed.  Paul  had  heard  with  deep  gratitude  of 
the  fruits  of  faith  and  love  wrought  among  the  Co- 
lossians by  the  word  of  gospel  truth,  which  had 
come  to  them,  as  it  was  taught  by  Epaphras,  a  na- 
tive of  the  city,  who,  having  been  to  them  a  faithful 
minister  of  Christ,  had  now  brought  to  Paul,  in  his 
imprisonment,  the  glad  tidings  of  their  love  in  the 
Spirit.  In  writing  to  congratulate  them  on  their 
state,  and  to  utter  his  prayers  for  their  growth  in 


the  knowledge  of  God,  the  apostle  takes  occasion, 
with  his  never-failing  faithfulness,  to  warn  them 
against  evils  about  which  perhaps  it  was  a  part  of 

the  mission  of  Epaphras  to  consult  him.     S. 

Error  of  a  very  serious  kind  by  degrees  made  its 
way  into  the  little  community  at  Colosse.  The  neigh- 
borhood, and  indeed  the  inhabitants  of  the  whole 
territory  of  Phrygia,  in  which  it  was  situated,  were 
prone  to  mysticism  and  fanatical  superstitions.  The 
heresv  afterward  known  as  Gnosticism,  the  teachers 
of  which  professed  a  higher  gnosis,  or  knowledge, 
than  others,  was  beginning  to  spread  in  various  parts 
of  the  Eastern  Church.  We  find  it  at  Colosse  in 
strange  commixture  with  a  leaning  to  Jewish  obser- 
vances. With  these,  and  the  superstitions  with 
which  they  had  become  corrupted,  the  Colossian 
Gnostics  also  combined  a  vainly  curious  search  into 


468 


SECTION  SOQ.—GOLOSSIANS  1 : 1-29. 


Coioaae. 


the  degrees  and  orders  of  angelic  beings,  and  a  wor- 
ship of  the  great  hierarchs  of  the  heavenly  kingdom. 
This  curious  mixture  of  opinions  in  the  Colossian 
Church  is  accounted  for  partly  by  the  fact,  told  us 
by  Josephus  the  Jewish  historian,  that  Alexander 
the  Great  sent,  in  consequence  of  the  disaffection  of 
Lydia  and  Phrygia,  2,000  Mesopotamian  and  Baby- 
lonian Jews  to  garrison  the  towns. 

Between  six  and  seven  years  had  elapsed  since 
its  founding  by  Epaphras.  During  this  time  the 
Apostle  had  passed  through  all  that  eventful  period 
of  his  life  related  in  the  last  nine  chapters  of  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles ;  had  escaped  the  tumult  at 
Ephesus ;  had  crossed  into  Greece,  and  wintered  at 
Corinth ;  had  gone  up  to  Jerusalem  with  forebod- 
ings which  caused  him  to  take  a  solemn  farewell  of 
the  elders  of  Ephesus  at  Miletus ;  had  narrowly  es- 
caped with  his  life  from  his  enemies  in  the  holy 
City ;  had  lain  two  years  in  prison  at  Cesarea ;  had 
accomplished  that  long  and  perilous  voyage  to  Rome. 
There  he  was  now  a  prisoner,  dwelling  with  the  sol- 
dier that  kept  him  in  his  own  hired  house,  receiving 
all  that  came  to  him  without  let  or  hindrance,  and 
laboring  for  the  gospel  of  Christ  by  his  tongue  and 
by  his  pen.  At  this  time  Epaphras  comes  to  Rome 
and  brings  him  a  report  from  Colosse.  He  spoke  of 
their  Christian  faith,  and  love,  and  hope ;  but  he 
also  spoke  of  much  which  pained  the  apostle's  ten- 
der heart,  and  roused  his  jealousy  for  the  pure  faith 
of  Christ.  Some  time  after  the  receipt  of  this  report 
Paul  wrote  the  Epistle.  Probably  he  waited  till  near 
the  time  when  Tychicus,  whom  he  sent  with  the  let- 
ter, was  ready  to  depart.     A. 

The  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  and  the  Epistle  to 
the  Colossians  import  to  be  two  letters  written  by 
the  same  person  at,  or  nearly  at,  the  same  time,  and 
upon  the  same  subject,  and  to  have  been  sent  by 
the  same  messenger.  Now  everything  in  the  sen- 
timents, order,  and  diction  of  the  two  writings  cor- 
responds with  what  might  bo  expected  from  this 


circumstance.  The  leading  doctrine  of  both  Epis- 
tles is  the  union  of  Jews  and  Gentiles  under  the 
Christian  dispensation ;  and  that  doctrine  in  both 
is  established  by  the  same  arguments,  or,  more 
properly  speaking,  illustrated  by  the  same  simili- 
tudes. "  One  head,"  "  one  body,"  "  one  new  man," 
"  one  temple,"  are  in  both  Epistles  the  figures  un- 
der which  the  society  of  believers  in  Christ,  and 
their  common  relation  to  him  as  such,  are  represent- 
ed. The  ancient  and  as  had  been  thought  the  in- 
delible distinction  between  Jew  and  Gentile,  in  both 
Epistles,  is  declared  to  be  "  now  abolished  by  his 
cross."  Besides  this  consent  in  the  general  tenor 
of  the  two  Epistles,  and  in  the  run  also  and  warmth 
of  thought  with  which  they  are  composed,  we  may 
naturally  look  for  many  of  the  same  expressions, 
and  sometimes  for  whole  sentences  being  alike; 
since  such  expressions  and  sentences  would  be  re- 
peated in  the  second  letter  as  yet  fresh  in  the  au- 
thor's mind  from  the  writing  of  the  first.     Foley. 

Out  of  the  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  verses 

contained  in  the  so-called  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians, 
seventy-eight  verses  contain  expressions  identical 
with  those  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians.  The 
kind  of  resemblance  is  just  what  we  might  expect 
to  find  in  the  work  of  a  man  whose  mind  was  thor- 
oughly imbued  with  the  ideas  and  expressions  of 

the  one  Epistle  when  he  wrote  the  other.     C. 

The  highest  characteristic  which  these  two  Epistles 
have  in  common  is  that  of  a  presentation  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  fuller  and  clearer  than  we  find 
in  previous  writing,  as  the  Head  of  creation  and  of 
mankind.  All  things  created  through  Christ,  all 
things  coherent  in  him,  all  things  reconciled  to  the 
Father  by  him,  the  eternal  purpose  to  restore  and 
complete  all  things  in  him — such  are  the  ideas  which 
grew  richer  and  more  distinct  in  the  mind  of  the 
apostle,  as  he  meditated  on  the  gospel  which  he  had 
been  preaching,  and  the  truths  implied  in  it.  In 
the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  this  divine  Headship  of 


SECTION  309,— COLOSSI ANS  1 : 1-S9. 


469 


Christ  is  maintained  as  the  safeguard  against  the 
fancies  which  filled  the  heavens  with  secondary  di- 
vinities, and  which  laid  down  rules  for  an  artificial 
sanctity  of  men  upon  the  earth.  In  the  Epistle  to 
the  Ephesians,  the  eternity  and  universality  of  God's 
redeeming  purpose  in  Christ,  and  the  gathering  of 
men  unto  him  as  his  members,  are  set  forth  as  glo- 
riously revealed  in  the  gospel.  In  both,  the  appli- 
cation of  the  truth  concerning  Christ,  as  the  Image 
of  God  and  the  Head  of  men,  to  the  common  rela- 
tions of  human  life — and  particularly  of  husband 
and  wife,  parents  and  children,  masters  and  servants 
— is  dwelt  upon  in  such  detail  as  to  form  a  perfect 
code  of  Christian  social  morals.     S. 

3-27.  After  his  usual  manner,  he  congratulates 
the  Colossians  on  the  report  which  Epaphras  had 
brought  of  their  faith,  and  love,  and  of  hope.  With 
his  thanksgiving  for  this  he  gradually  and  delicately 
interweaves  his  prayer  for  their  further  advance  in 
knowledge  and  practice ;  and  then  almost  impercep- 
tibly approaches  the  great  subject  of  their  error  and 
his  anxiety.  Admirable  indeed  is  the  way  in  which, 
through  the  long  sentence  extending  from  chapter 
1  :  9  to  chapter  1  :  20,  the  figure  of  our  glorified 
Lord  is  made  slowly  to  rise  upon  the  mind's  eye  in 
all  its  love  and  majesty,  care  being  taken  meantime 
that  every  separate  clause  should  do  its  own  work 
in  affirming  His  truth  and  impugning  their  error. 
Paul  uses  the  very  terms  which  they  had  adopted  for 
their  vain  imaginations :  as  in  the  case  of  the  word 
rendered  "fullness"  in  chapter  1  :  19,  which  is  the 
"  pleroma  "  of  the  Gnostic  heretics ;  he  overthrows 
by  anticipation  their  practice  of  angel-worship  by 
maintaining  the  absolute  and  exclusive  preeminence 
of  Christ  over  all  created  beings,  and  that  through 
the  blood  of  his  cross.  His  blood  has  made  peace ; 
and  in  that  peace  they  who  were  once  God's  ene- 
mies are  included,  provided  they  continue  ground- 
ed in  the  faith,  and  are  not  moved  away  from 
it.  To  this  end,  he,  the  apostle,  is  laboring,  carry- 
ing on,  in  his  work  for  Christ,  the  afflictions  of 
Christ  to  their  completion,  according  to  the  stew- 
ardship of  the  mystery  intrusted  to  him,  which 
was  Christ  among  them,  the  hope  of  the  glory  to 
come.     A. 

8.  Love  in  the  Spirit.  Love,  purified  and 
made  divine,  rises  and  attaches  itself  to  what  is  in- 
visible and  immortal ;  it  becomes  at  once  more  ten- 
der and  more  holy,  more  intimate  and  more  respect- 
ful ;  it  loves  God  in  every  soul,  and  loves  every  soul 
in  God.  The  believer  who  sees  all  things  with  the 
very  eye  of  God  loves,  if  we  dare  so  express  it, 
with  the  very  heart  of  God.    A.  V. 

9.  Light  is  sent  in  answer  to  prayer.  Paul  is 
so  convinced  of  this,  that  he  not  merely  writes  the 
Epistles  according  to  the  wisdom  given  unto  him, 
but  he  tells  the  churches  that  he  prays  for  them, 
that  God  may  enlighten  their  minds,  and  give  them 
spiritual  understanding  and  knowledge.  And  so  it 
is  with  all  spiritual  blessings.  "  Prayer  brings  all 
heaven  before  our  eyes,"  and  within  our  reach.    A.  S. 

10.  Religion  is  the  likeness  of  God  in  the  soul 
of  man,  and  a  Christian  is  an  imitator  of  God ; 
hence  he  is  called  "  to  walk  worthy  of  God,"  to  act 
as  becometh  one  who  professes  to  bear  the  divine 
image.    He  should  be  blameless  and  harmless  :  a  fol- 


lower only  of  that  which  is  good ;  holy  in  all  man- 
ner of  conversation  and  godliness ;  a  beautiful  spe- 
cimen of  whatsoever  is  noble,  dignified,  generous, 
and  useful.  The  world  take  us  at  our  word ;  they 
accept  our  profession  as  the  rule  of  their  expecta- 
tion ;  and  although  they  often  look  for  too  much, 
considering  the  present  imperfect  state  of  human 
nature,  yet  to  a  certain  extent  their  demands  are 
authorized  by  our  own  declarations.     J.  A.  J. 

Fruitful.  Our  Saviour  did  not  undergo  all 
those  grievous  pains  for  us  merely  that  we  should 
cease  to  commit  sin.  It  is  not  for  that  sluggish  and 
inglorious  virtue  that  he  has  prepared  the  glories 
of  his  kingdom.  He  did  not  come  to  reign  over  the 
dead ;  nor  was  it  any  part  of  his  purpose  to  people 
heaven  with  drones  and  sleepers.  As  his  life  on 
earth  was  active,  as  he  spent  his  days  in  working 
the  work  of  him  that  sent  him,  so  must  all  Chris- 
tians do  Christ's  work ;  and  they  must  strive  to  do 
it  a,s  cheerfully,  as  faithfully,  and  as  constantly  as 
Christ  did  the  work  of  his  Father.     A.  W.  H. 

Increasing  in  the  knowledge  of  God.  All 
life  expands  and  comes  to  perfection  with  due  nutri- 
ment seasonably  administered.  You  may  starve  the 
divine  life  as  well  as  choke  it.  A  soul  conversant 
with  a  few  stereotyped  thoughts  which  run  for  ever 
in  the  old  grooves  can  never  furnish  a  home  for  an 
expanding  spiritual  life.  And  there  is  nourishment 
for  the  souls  that  have  been  born  into  the  divine 
kingdom.  God  has  provided  the  amplest  stores  for 
the  healthy  development  of  the  children  He  brings 
into  his  kingdom  here.  And,  if  our  piety  is  to  grow, 
we  must  resort  to  and  feed  on  these  stores,  all  of 
them.    J.  D. 

11.  Unto  all  patience.  Patience  is  the  Chris- 
tian's suffering  power;  it  is  passive  fortitude,  an 
ability  to  suffer ;  and  so  apprehensive  he  is  of  their 
great  need  of  a  full  and  ample  supply  of  this  power, 
that  he  prays  that  they  might  be  strengthened  in 
this  kind  with  might,  with  all  might;  that  they 
might  be  even  almighty  sufferers ;  strengthened 
with  a  might  according  and  corresponding  to  the 
glorious  power  of  God  himself.    Howe. 

12.  We  must  always  take  such  passages  as  seem 
to  make  the  discipline  of  the  world  an  essential 
part  of  the  preparing  of  us  for  glory  in  conjunc- 
tion with  this  other  undeniable  truth  which  com- 
pletes  them,  that  when  a  man  has  the  love  of  God 
in  his  heart,  however  feebly,  however  newly,  there 
and  then  he  is  fit  for  the  inheritance.  Christian 
people  make  vast  mistakes  sometimes  in  talking 
about  "  being  made  meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the 
saints  in  light,"  about  being  "  ripe  for  glory,"  and 
the  like.  "  God  hath  made  us  meet  for  the  inheri- 
tance of  the  saints  in  light,"  says  the  apostle.  That 
is  a  past  act.  The  preparedness  for  heaven  comes 
when  a  man  turns  to  Christ.     A  Christian  at  any 


k 


470 


SECTION'  309.— COLOSSI ANS  1 : 1-29. 


period  of  his  Christian  experience,  if  it  please  God 
to  take  him,  is  fit  for  the  kingdom.  The  life  is  life, 
whether  it  be  the  budding  beauty  and  feebleness  of 
childhood,  the  strength  of  manhood,  or  the  maturity 
and  calm  peace  of  old  age.  Remember  that,  though 
the  root  of  the  matter,  the  seed  of  the  kingdom, 
may  be  in  you,  and  that  though,  therefore,  you  have 
a  right  to  feel  that  at  any  period  of  your  Christian 
experience  if  it  please  God  to  take  you  out  of  this 
world  you  are  fit  for  heaven,  yet  in  his  mercy  he  is 
leaving  you  here,  training  you,  disciplining  you, 
cleansing  you,  making  you  to  be  polished  shafts  in 
his  quiver.     A.  M. 

13,  13.  Light— darkness.  Hell  is  nothing 
but  the  orb  of  sin  and  wickedness,  the  hemisphere 
of  darkness  in  which  all  evil  moves ;  and  heaven  is 
the  opposite  hemisphere  of  light,  the  bright  orb  of 
truth,  holiness,  and  goodness ;  and  we  do  actually 
in  this  life  instate  ourselves  in  the  possession  of  one 
or  other  of  them.  Take  sin  and  disobedience  out  of 
hell,  and  it  will  presently  clear  up  into  light,  tran- 
quillity, serenity,  and  shine  out  into  heaven.  Every 
true  saint  carrieth  his  heaven  about  with  him  in  his 
own  heart ;  and  hell,  that  is  without  him,  can  have 
no  power  over  him.     Cudworth. 

14.  It  is  certain  that  the  satisfaction  and  sub- 
stitution necessary  for  the  atonement  of  man  can 
take  place  only  through  something  which  is  greater 
than  all  save  God ;  and  also,  that  he  who  under- 
takes this  satisfaction  and  substitution  must  be 
greater  than  all  which  is  not  God.  This  is  even 
God  himself,  who  became  man  in  order  to  under- 
take this  satisfaction  and  substitution  for  us.     An- 

selm. 15.  Paul  says  not  merely  that  our  Lord 

was  when  on  earth  the  visible  image  of  God,  but 
that  he  is  so  still.  In  Him  only  God  manifests 
himself  to  man,  and  he  is  still  visible  to  the  eye  of 

faith.     C. Notion,  conception,  image  of  God,  we 

can  form  no  other  than  that  of  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.  lie  is  the  image  of  the  invisible  God,  and  in 
him  is  represented  all  the  fullness  of  the  Godhead 
until  we  shall  know  even  as  we  are  known.     T.  A. 

The  first-born  of  every  creature.  The 
difficulty  vanishes  when  we  attend  to  the  reason  he 
assigns  for  giving  him  that  designation.  No  sooner 
has  he  called  him  the  first-horn  of  every  creature 
than  he  immediately  adds,  "  all  things  were  created 
by  him,  and  for  him."  And,  that  no  room  might  bo 
left  for  the  remotest  suspicion  that  he  himself 
might  have  been  created,  eternity,  in  the  most  abso- 
lute sense  of  that  word,  is  directly  ascribed  to  him : 
"And  he  is  before  all  things,  and  by  him  all  things 
consist."  Surely  he  who  existed  before  all  things, 
must  himself  be  without  beginning,  or  from  ever- 
lasting. Ilence  it  appears  that  this  designation,  the 
first-born  of  every  creature,  is  of  the  same  import 
with  that  other  form  of  expression  which  the  apos- 


tle useth  (Ileb.  1  :  2),  where,  having  styled  him  the 
Son  of  God,  he  adds,  "  whom  he  hath  appointed 
heir  of  all  things."  And  both  serve  to  denote  that 
universal  dominion  which  our  Lord  hath  by  inherit- 
ance, as  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  of  the 
same  essence  with  himself,  "  the  brightness  of  his 
glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person."    R.  W. 

17.  By  him  all  things  subsist.  We  shall 
never  understand  the  Christian  thought  about  God's 
universe  until  we  are  able  to  say.  Preservation  is  a 
continual  creation ;  and  beneath  all  the  ordinary 
workings  of  nature,  as  we  faithlessly  call  it,  and  the 
apparently  dead  play  of  secondary  causes,  there  are 
welling  forth,  and  energizing,  the  living  love  and 
the  blessed  power  of  Christ,  the  Maker,  and  Mon- 
arch, and  Sustainer  of  all.     A.  M. 

18.  Christ  is  more  than  the  founder  of  the 
Church.  He  pours  his  own  life  into  it.  It  is  his 
body.  Informing  it  with  his  Spirit,  the  Comforter, 
he  took  up  a  constant  abode  on  earth,  in  the  life  of 
his  followers.  Laying  down  his  Hebrew  body,  his 
soul  emancipated  itself  from  all  national  restric- 
tions, and  went  forth  to  make  its  dwelling  in  every 
believing  heart.  So  intimate  is  the  union  between 
the  disciple  and  Jesus.  "  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the 
branches"  ;  '■'■  I  in  you,  and  you  in  me."    F.  D.  H. 

19.  The  prominent  thought  in  Paul's  mind 
through  the  whole  Epistle  is  the  elevation,  pre- 
eminence, and  all-sufficiency  of  Christ.  He  dilates 
still  further  on  the  qualification  of  our  Lord  for  this 
glorious  supremacy.  "  All  the  fullness  was  pleased 
to  dwell  in  him."  "  In  him  dwelleth  all  the  fullness 
of  the  Deity  bodily."  There  seem  to  have  been  in 
the  Colossian  Church,  even  at  this  early  period, 
speculations  about  a  pleroma  or  plenitude  of  being, 
such  as  afterward  became  so  rife  among  the  Gnos- 
tics. From  this  pleroma  it  was  supposed  that  va- 
rious beings  and  agencies  issued  intermediate  be- 
tween God  and  man.  Paul  condemns  these  specu- 
lations, by  claiming  for  the   eternal  Son   all  the 

pleroma,  the   true  plenitude  of   Deity.     D.  F. 

The  Greek  has  only  "  Because  he  was  well  pleased 
that  in  him  should  all  the  fullness  dwell."     A. 

20.  Our  Lord  is  here  declared  to  be  the  grand 
center,  in  whom  the  reconciliation  between  God  and 
man,  between  heaven  and  earth,  is  effected.  There 
has  been  separation,  but  in  him  is  the  adjustment ; 
there  has  been  antagonism,  but  in  him  is  its  recon- 
ciliation ;  the  reconciliation  of  all  things,  of  the  high- 
est antagonisms,  of  those  between  an  infinite  and 
holy  God  and  his  finite  and  sinful  creatures,  is  here 
declared  to  be  consummated  in  the  peace  purchased 
through  the  blood  of  the  cross  of  Christ;  for  it 
pleased  the  Father  that  in  him  should  all  fullness 
dwell.  And  this  is  the  evidence  of  the  abounding 
fullness  in  Christ,  that  by  him  all  things  are  recon- 
ciled unto  God.     There  is  something  very  wonder- 


SECTION  309.—  COLOSSIAFS  1:1-29. 


471 


ful  in  the  position  here  assigned  to  Christ,  as  the 
grand  Reconciler  of  all  things.  No  man  can  grasp 
it  fully ;  but  the  more  it  is  studied,  the  more  mar- 
velous, majestic,  and  elevating  does  it  seem  to  be ; 
the  more  does  the  sacred  person  of  our  Lord  stand 
out  alone,  as  the  only  center  of  the  world,  central 
between  God  and  man,  between  heaven  and  earth. 
His  fullness,  in  its  largest  sense,  is  made  up  of  the 
fullness  of  heaven  and  the  fullness  of  earth,  gath- 
ered together,  recapitulated,  brought  to  its  crown 
and  its  peace,  in  him  who  hath  made  of  both  one, 
breaking  down  the  middle  wall  of  partition.  H.  B.  S. 

23.  Paul  of  course  speaks  here  hvperbolically, 
meaning,  the  teaching  which  you  heard  from  Epa- 
phras  is  the  same  which  has  been  published  universally 
bij  the  apostles.  C. We  learn  from  the  most  au- 
thentic writers  and  the  most  ancient  records  that 
the  gospel  was  preached  within  thirty  years  after 
the  death  of  Christ  in  Idumea,  Syria,  and  Mesopo- 
tamia ;  in  Media  and  Parthia,  and  many  parts  of 
Asia  Minor;  in  Egypt,  Mauritania,  Ethiopia,  and 
other  regions  of  Africa ;  in  Greece  and  Italy ;  as  far 
north  as  Scythia,  and  as  far  westward  as  Spain.    P. 

34.  The  Church  militant  has  inherited  the  con- 
dition of  Christ,  humbled  and  suffering.  Here  be- 
low it  represents  its  divine  chief  as  Son  of  man, 
and  will  represent  him  as  such  to  the  end  of  the 
world.  And,  while  Jesus  Christ,  the  head  or  chief, 
reigns  in  the  peace  and  glory  of  heaven,  the  body, 
which  is  the  Church,  remaining  upon  the  earth,  suf- 
fers upon  the  earth  all  that  Jesus  Christ  would 
suffer  if  he  were  still  upon  the  earth.  In  one  sense 
nothing  is  wanting  to  the  afflictions  of  Christ,  and 
in  another  sense  something  will  always  be  wanting ; 
there  will  always  be  a  residue  to  suffer  until  the  end 
of  the  ages  which  are  reserved  to  the  Church  and 
to  mankind ;  the  Church  is  nothing  else  than  the 
Man  of  sorrows,  perpetuated  in  the  persons  of  those 

who  are  united  to  him.     A.  V. We  are  told  of 

self-sacrifice,  that  it  is  the  law  or  moving  power  of 
Christ's  kingdom  ;  it  is  certainly  far  from  being  the 
law  of  natural  life,  yet  it  seems  to  stir  the  heart, 
even  as  beauty  moves  the  senses,  infallibly,  by  touch- 
ing the  spring  of  some  hidden  sure  affinity,  lying 
deeper  than  the  nature  with  which  it  seems  at  pres- 
ent to  war.  Nothing  belonging  to  Christ's  kingdom 
tells  much  upon  the  world  which  has  not  in  it  the 
element  of  sacrifice  and  of  Christlike  willingness 
to  participate  in  pain.     Kehle. 

37.  Christ  in  you.  As  really  and  more  inti- 
mately than  when  men  beheld  his  countenance,  and 
listened  to  his  words  of  love  and  power,  Jesus  is 
with  us  still.  If  it  would  strengthen  you  in  your 
difficulties  and  struggles  to  know  that  he  is  near,  to 
hear  him  speak,  to  take  hold  of  his  strengthening 
hand — know  that  he  is  nearer  still  than  this.  Every 
pure  thought  that  rises  in  your  breast  is  Christ's 


suggestion ;  every  holy  desire  and  resolution  the 
proof  that  he  is  at  hand ;  every  kindling  of  the 
spirit  into  devotion  the  unconscious  recognition  by 
the  spirit  of  his  heavenly  presence  near.  Open  the 
door  of  the  heart  to  him,  and  the  very  mind  and 
soul  of  Jesus  will  pass  into  yours ;  your  spirit  will 
be  suffused  with  his ;  the  very  heart  of  Jesus  will 

be   beating  within  your   breast.      Caird. The 

hope  of  glory.  Heaven  begun  in  the  soul  is  the 
living  proof  that  makes  the  heaven  to  come  credi- 
ble. It  is  the  eagle  eye  of  faith  which  penetrates 
the  grave,  and  sees  far  into  the  tranquil  things  of 
death.  He  alone  can  believe  in  immortality  who 
feels  the  resurrection  in  him  already.     F.  W.  R. 

38.  Let  the  Phrygians  boast  if  they  will  of  their 
ancient  mysteries.  Paul  has  a  nobler  boast.  He 
deals  with  a  glorious  mystery  of  God,  which  is  no 
gloomy  secret,  but  a  truth  brightly  revealed,  viz., 
"  Christ  in  you,  the  hope  of  glory."  They  who  dealt 
with  what  the  ancients  called  mysteries  kept  many 
of  their  disciples  in  a  position  of  imperfect  develop- 
ment, and  admitted  only  a  favored  few  to  a  knowl- 
edge of  their  arcana.  On  the  contrary,  the  apostle, 
as  a  steward  of  the  Christian  mystery,  proclaims  his 
desire  to  "  present  every  man  complete,"  i.  e.,  thor- 
oughly initiated,  enlightened,  and  established  in 
Christ  Jesus.     D.  F. 

Whom  we  preach.  Christ,  as  the  personal 
center  of  the  gospel,  to  whom  all  ancient  prophesies 
point,  whom  the  narratives  record  and  the  apostles 
demonstrate  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  the  one  divine 
Being  who  has  taken  upon  himself  our  nature  and 
life,  and  has  manifested  the  Infinite  by  whom  we 
are  encompassed ;  Christ,  as  the  author  and  patron 
of  reform,  the  perfect  example  of  all  loveliness  and 
virtue  ;  in  whom  the  poorest  may  find  friendship,  the 
guiltiest  forgiveness,  and  the  most  defiled  an  inward 
cleansing;  whom  angels  worship  and  saints  adore, 
and  whose  coming  to  the  earth  has  crowned  its  years 
and  lands  with  glory,  and  yet  who  is  interested  in 
each  of  his  followers,  is  their  strength  in  temptation, 
their  solace  in  sickness,  and  who  comes  hereafter  to 
be  their  Judge ;  through  whom  men  may  be  heirs  of 
God,  partakers  of  his  nature,  partakers  of  his  peace, 
and  after  this  life  participants  of  his  glory.  He  is 
to  be  preached  as  uniting  in  himself  all  the  attri- 
butes of  God,  and  reconciling  them  all  with  the  res- 
cue of  the  sinner ;  as  offering  himself  with  an 
equal  appeal  from  the  cross  and  from  the  throne ; 
at  once  absolute  in  law  and  infinite  in  pardon ;  the 
Lord  of  the  world  and  the  Leader  to  the  heavens. 
R.  S.  S. 

The  gospel  story  is  a  living  and  a  life-giving 
story !  'It  is  not  ancient  only,  nor  modem  only,  but 
both,  and  of  all  time.  It  fills  the  amplitude  of  eter- 
nity ;  for  its  author  is  one  who  is  "  the  same  yester- 
day, and  to-day,  and  for  ever  "  !  It  links  us  with 
Him  who  was  before  all  worlds,  and  who  will  be,  and 
be  0U7-S,  when  he  shall  have  rebuked  into  annihila- 
tion the  worlds  his  word  summoned  to  exist !  To 
preach  Christ  may  then  be  to  preach  the  facts  of 
a  history ;  but  they  are  the  facts  of  this  hour  no  less 
than  of  eighteen  centuries  ago.  What  he  has  done, 
he  is  doing ;  to  show  him  to  you,  the  living  imper- 
sonation of  almighty  love,  as  he  walked  among  us  of 
old,  is  to  show  him  to  you  the  same  quickening 
spirit  of  love  as  he  works  among  us  now  !    W.  A.  B. 


472 


SECTION  310.—  COLOSSIANS  2:1-23. 


Section  310. 


CoLOSSiANS  ii.  1-23. 


1  For  I  would  that  ye  knew  what  great  conflict  I  have  for  you,  and  for  them  at  Laodicea, 

2  and  for  as  many  as  have  not  seen  my  face  in  the  flesh  ;  that  their  hearts  might  be  comfort- 
ed, being  knit  together  in  love,  and  unto  all  riclies  of  the  full  assurance  of  understanding, 

3  to  the  acknowledgment  of  the  mystery  of  God,  and  of  the  Father,  and  of  Christ;  in  whom 

4  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge.     And  this  I  say,  lest  any  man  should 

5  beguile  you  with  enticing  words.     For  though  I  be  absent  in  the  flesh,  yet  am  I  with  you 
in  the  spirit,  joying  and  beholding  your  order,  and  the  stedfastness  of  your  faith  in  Christ. 

6  As  ye  have  therefore  received  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  so  walk  ye  in  him :  rooted  and  built 

7  up  in  him,  and  stablished  in  the  faith,  as  ye  have  been  taught,  abounding  therein  with 

8  thanksgiving.     Beware  lest  any  man  spoil  you  through  philosophy  and  vain  deceit,  after 

9  the  tradition  of  men,  after  the  rudiments  of  the  world,  and  not  after  Christ.     For  in  him 

10  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily.    And  ye  are  complete  in  him,  which  is  the 

11  head  of  all  principality  and  power :  in  whom  also  ye  are  circumcised  with  the  circumcision 
made  without  hands,  in  putting  off  the  body  of  the  sins  of  the  flesh  by  the  circumcision 

12  of  Christ :  buried  with  him  in  baptism,  wherein  also  ye  are  risen  with  Mm  through  the  faith 

13  of  the  operation  of  God,  who  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead.     And  you,  being  dead  in 
your  sins  and  the  uncircumcision  of  your  flesh,  hath  he  quickened  together  with  him,  hav- 

14  ing  forgiven  you  all  trespasses;  blotting  out  the  handwriting  of  ordinances  that  was  against 

15  us,  which  was  contrary  to  us,  and  took  it  out  of  the  way,  nailing  it  to  his  cross;  and  hav- 
ing spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  he  made  a  shew  of  them  openly,  triumphing  over 

16  them  in  it.     Let  no  man  therefore  judge  you  in  meat,  or  in  drink,  or  in  respect  of  an  holy- 

17  day,  or  of  the  new  moon,  or  of  the  sabbath  days:  which  are  a  shadow  of  things  to  come; 
but  the  body  is  of  Christ. 

18  Let  no  man  beguile  you  of  your  rev/ard  in  a  voluntary  humility  and  worshipping  of 
angels,  intruding  into  those  things  which  he  hath  not  seen,  vainly  puffed  up  by  his  ■fleshly 

19  mind,  and  not  holding  the  Head,  from  which  all  the  body  by  joints  and  bands  having 

20  nourishment  ministered,  and  knit  together,  increaseth  with  the  increase  of  God.     Where- 
fore if  ye  be  dead  with  Christ  from  the  rudiments  of  the  world,  why,  as  though  living  in 

21  the  world,  are  ye  subject  to  ordinances,  (touch  not;  taste  not;  handle  not;  which  all  are  to 

22  perish  with  the  using :)  after  the  commandments  and  doctrines  of  men  ?     Which  things 

23  have  indeed  a  shew  of  wisdom  in  will-worship,  and  humility,  and  neglecting  of  the  body; 
not  in  any  honour  to  the  satisfying  of  the  flesh. 


"  As  ye  have  therefore  received  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  so  walk  ye  in  him,"  might  be  taken  as  the 
solemn  superscription  of  eveiy  Epistle.  In  all  places  where  they  are  planted,  the  young  churches  are 
addressed  as  being  made  up  of  persons  in  whom  a  certain  movement  of  divine  life  has  been  begun,  but 
not  matured,  with  a  great  deal  yet  to  do,  and  a  great  deal  to  undo ;  graces  to  be  gained,  and  faults  to  be 
fought  down  ;  knowledge  to  be  patiently  acquired,  and  active  force  to  be  indefinitely  enlarged  ;  Christians 
to  be  fed,  that  they  may  grow — ministered  to,  that  they  may  be  built  up — "  called  to  be  saints,"  indeed, 
because  they  believe,  and  because  their  relationships  and  aims  are  holy,  but  with  a  saintship  inchoate,  as 
it  were ;  sure  in  its  root,  magnificent  in  its  anticipations,  and  yet  beholding  the  greater  glory  to  be  re- 
vealed only  through  a  perspective  of  greater  self-denials  to  be  borne,  and  greater  toils  to  be  accom- 
plished.    F.  D.  H. 

The  imitation  of  Jesus  signifies  that  we  should  walk  as  he  icalked,  tread  in  his  steps,  with  our  hand 
upon  the  Guide,  and  our  eye  upon  his  Rule  ;  that  we  should  do  glory  to  him  as  he  did  to  his  Father ;  and 
account  these  to  be  the  integral  part  of  our  duty,  which  are  imitations  of  his  actions  or  his  spirit,  of  his 
rule  or  of  his  life.  We  lead  Jesus  into  tlie  recesses  of  our  hearts  by  holy  meditations ;  and  we  enter  into 
his  heart  when  we  express  him  in  our  actions ;  for  so  tlie  apostle  says.  He  that  is  in  Christ  walks  as  he 
also  walked.     J.  T. 


1-23.  With  their  mystic  philosophy,  the  Colos- 
sian  errorists  set  a  high  value  on  sacred  rights,  es- 
pecially circumcision  (to  which  Paul  opposes  the 


spiritual  circumcision  of  Christ,  v.  11),  and  scru- 
pulously observed  the  Jewish  laws  respecting  food 
and  yearly,  monthly,  and  weekly  feasts — shadows  of 


SECTION  310.—COLOSSIANS  2:  1-23. 


473 


the  true  body  which  had  appeared  in  Christ  (v.  16). 
But  with  these  Judaistic  views  and  practices  they 
associated  a  rigid  asceticism,  a  mortification  of  the 
body.  This  in  all  probability  sprang  from  a  pagan 
view,  which  made  matter  and  body  in  themselves 
evil,  and  redemption  a  gradual  destruction  of  the 
bodily  nature.  The  conception  of  the  body  as  the 
work  of  the  devil  we  find  in  all  the  Gnostic  and 
Manichean  sects.  The  Scriptures,  on  the  contrary, 
make  the  clearest  distinction  between  hodif  and  Jfesh, 
representing  the  former  as  the  work  of  God  and  the 
temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  the  latter  as  the  per- 
version of  a  nature  in  itself  oripnally  good,  as  the 
selfish,  sinful  principle.  Finally,  these  Colossian 
errorists  practiced  under  the  garb  of  humility  the 
worship  of  angels  (v.  18),  instead  of  holding  to 
Christ,  the  Creator  of  angels,  the  revealed  Head  of 
the  Church,  and  communing  with  God  through  Him. 
This  Judaizing  Gnosticism  the  apostle  meets  with  a 
positive  refutation,  setting  forth  briefly  but  compre- 
hensively the  doctrine  of  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  his  redeeming  ivork.  Christ  is  presented  as  the 
center  of  the  whole  spiritual  world,  raised  above  all 
created  beings ;  as  the  mediator,  by  whom  the  world 
was  made  and  is  upheld ;  as  the  embodiment  of  all 
the  fullness  of  the  Godhead ;  as  the  head  of  the 
Church  and  the  source  of  all  wisdom  and  knowl- 
edge. The  redemption  wrought  by  him  embraces 
heaven  and  earth,  releases  believers  from  outward 
statutes,  from  this  perishable  world,  and  leads  them 
on  gradually  to  the  true  perfection.     P.  S. 

The  enlighteners  of  that  day  and  the  enlighten- 
ers  of  this  are  brethren.  Both  alike  would  sacrifice 
to  the  received  wisdom  of  the  time  that  "  everlast- 
ing gospel "  \thich  is  of  no  time,  or  rather  of  all 
times,  because  it  addresses  itself  to  a  nature  un- 
changed in  its  wants  and  its  weakness  from  the 
hour  of  the  fall  to  the  hour  of  "the  new  heaven 
and  the  new  earth." 

3.  In  whom  are  hid.  The  Christ  whose 
gospel  was  invested  with  the  simplicity  of  infancy 
was  yet,  it  seems,  the  fountain  of  a  wisdom  deep  as 
eternity ;  the  preaching  of  his  truth  was  to  be,  like 
himself,  at  once  lowly  and  divine.  It  was  to  be  a 
light  which  "the  darkness  comprehendeth  not," 
valued  not ;  and  yet  a  "  marvelous  light,"  on  which 
angels  shrank  as  they  gazed.  Through  all  its  earth- 
ly fortunes  it  was  to  meet  an  irreconcilable  antago- 
nist in  that  spurious  wisdom  it  deposed.  "  The  fool- 
ishness of  God  "  was  indeed  far  "  wiser  than  men  " ; 
but  to  the  mass  of  men  it  was  to  be  "foolishness" 
still.  The  "  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge  " 
were  to  be  in  Christ ;  but,  as  the  text  emphatically 
has  it,  they  were  to  be  "  hid  "  there.     W.  A.  B. 

4,  5.  Not  being  able  to  transport  himself  to 
the  Colossians,  and  appear  to  them  as  a  living  epis- 
tle of  Jesus  Christ,  Paul  seeks  to  supply  the  want  by 
the  earnestness  and  heartfelt  warmth  of  what  he 
writes.  He  does  all  he  can  to  make  himself  present 
by  the  power  of  his  love ;  the  impulses  of  his  heart 
annihilate  space ;  he  brings  the  Colossians  near  to 
him  by  thoughts  full  of  tenderness ;  he  says  he  is 
with  them  in  spirit.  He  has  not  only  heard  of  the 
battle  array  (for  this  seems  to  be  the  idea)  which 
the  Colossians  oppose  to  the  enemy  of  their  faith,  he 
sees  all  this,  and  rejoices  at  it.  He  is  at  their  head, 
or  rather  in  their  ranks ;  and,  if  they  here  engage  in 
a  struggle  or  combat,  he,  an  invisible  companion  in 
arms,  toils  and  combats  by  their  side.     A.  V. 

6.  The  principles  which  must  guide  us  in  the 


prosecution  of  saintliness  are  the  very  same  which 
must  guide  us  at  its  commencement.  So  that  the 
beginning  is  not  a  beginning  merely,  but  a  begin- 
ning which  has  a  development  wrapped  up  in  it ;  it 
is  a  seed  which  has  only  to  burst  and  shoot  up  in 
order  to  become  a  blade,  and  then  consecutively  an 
ear,  and  the  full  corn  in  the  ear.  "As  ye  have 
therefore  received  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  so  walk 
ye  in  Him,"  says  the  apostle,  showing  clearly  that 
Christian  progress  proceeds  in  the  very  same  method 
as  the  commencement  of  Christian  life.     E.  M.  G. 

Receiving  Christ,  as  Christ  himself  explains  the 

act,  even  under  the  strong  figure  of  "eating  his 
flesh  and  drinking  his  blood,"  is  believing  on  him; 
being  '■'' draivn''''  to  him,  '''■coming  to  him,"  and  "see- 
«!y"  him  with  that  spiritual  discernment  which 
results  from  being  "  taught  of  God,"  and  from  hav- 
ing "  learned  of  him."  It  is  relying  on  his  sacri- 
fice and  righteousness,  loving  him,  and  obeying  his 
word.     J.  S.  S. 

Walk  in  him.  Is  it  not  in  accordance  with 
reason,  and  all  the  deeper  feelings  of  the  human 
heart,  that,  having  found  our  one  Master  and  Love, 
and  having  entered  in  by  the  strait  gate  on  our  jour- 
ney to  the  pearly  gates  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem, 
we  should  now  wish  our  life  to  be  of  one  piece,  real, 
sincere,  harmonious,  where  everything  is  pervaded 
by  the  same  spirit,  so  that,  wherever  our  Lord  finds 
us,  in  meditation,  in  our  daily  work,  or  in  social  con- 
verse, he  may  find  us  in  loyal  and  obedient  affec- 
tion ?    A.  S. We  want  a  Christ  entirely  one  with 

all  that  is  joyous,  pure,  healthy,  sensitive,  aspiring, 
and  even  what  seems  to  us  commonplace  in  daily 
life.  We  wish  Him  to  share  in  our  anxieties  about 
our  children;  to  come  and  hallow  our  early  love, 
and  bless  with  a  further  nobleness  all  its  passion  ; 
to  move  us  to  quietude  and  hope  within  the  temple 
of  the  past  where  our  old  age  wanders  and  medi- 
tates ;  to  be  with  us  when  our  heart  swells  with  the 
beauty  of  the  world,  and  to  give  his  sympathy  to  us 
in  that  peculiar  passion ;  to  whisper  of  aspiration  in 
our  depression,  of  calm  in  our  excitement,  to  be,  in 
fine,  a  universal  friendly  presence  in  the  whole  of 
our  common  life.  Out  of  that  will  spring  no  diminu- 
tion of  reverence  to  Him,  but  rather  that  deepening 
of  awe,  that  solemnity  of  love  which  arise  toward 
one  whom  we  have  lived  with  daily,  and  never 
known  to  fail  in  the  power  of  giving  us  the  sense 
of  greatness  in  things  which  seem  the  smallest,  of 
making  life  delightful  with  the  feeling  that  we  are 
being  educated  through  its  slightest  details  into 
children  of  the  divine  Holiness.     S.  A.  B. 

8-23.  There  is  scarcely  a  single  topic  in  the 
Ephesian  Epistle  which  is  not  also  to  be  found  in 
the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians ;  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  this  important  section  has  no  parallel  in  Ephe- 
sians.     The  following  paraphrase  of  this  part  of 


474 


SECTION  310.—COLOSSIANS  2  : 1-23. 


the  Epistle  is  given  by  Neander  :  "  How  can  you 
still  fear  evil  spirits,  when  the  Father  himself  has 
delivered  you  from  the  kingdom  of  darkness  and 
transplanted  you  into  the  kingdom  of  his  dear  Son, 
who  has  victoriously  ascended  to  heaven  to  share 
the  divine  might  of  his  Father,  with  whom  he  now 
works  in  man  ;  when,  moreover,  he  by  his  sufferings 
has  united  you  with  the  Father,  and  freed  you  from 
the  dominion  of  all  the  powers  of  darkness,  whom 
he  exhibits  as  captives  in  his  triumphal  pomp,  and 
shows  their  impotence  to  harm  his  kingdom  estab- 
lished among  men  ?  How  can  you  still  let  the  doubts 
and  fears  of  your  conscience  bring  you  into  slavery 
to  superstition,  when  Christ  has  nailed  to  his  cross 
and  blotted  out  the  record  of  guilt  which  testified 
against  you  in  your  conscience,  and  has  assured  to 
you  the  forgiveness  of  all  your  sins  ?  Again,  how 
can  you  fear  to  be  polluted  by  outward  things,  how 
can  you  suffer  yourselves  to  be  in  captivity  to  out- 
ward ordinances,  when  you  have  died  with  Christ  to 
all  earthly  things,  and  are  risen  with  Christ,  and 
live  (according  to  your  true,  inward  life)  with  Christ 
in  heaven?  Your  faith  must  be  fixed  on  things 
above,  where  Christ  is,  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 
Your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God,  and  belongs  no 
more  to  earth."     C. 

8.  Paul  speaks  of  a  vain  philosophy  and  a  hu- 
man tradition.  The  former  is  natural  reason  pro- 
ceeding without  rule,  and  working  on  incomplete  or 
false  data  ;  the  latter  is  stupid  prejudice,  which,  in 
estimating  any  opinion,  throws  in  the  dead  weights 
of  number  and  time.  Paul  wishes  to  guard  the 
Colossians,  and  us  also,  against  sophistry  in  the 
garb  of  philosophy,  and  against  custom  claiming 
the  authority  of  proof.  At  Colosse  heresy  had  this 
double  character  ;  it  was  a  compound  of  subtle  rea- 
sonings and  imauthorized  traditions.  The  effect  of 
tradition  in  this  discussion  was  directed  not  so  much 
against  the  divine  nature  of  Jesus  Christ  as  against 
the  all-sufficient  and  perfect  virtue  of  his  work  as 
Redeemer.  Tradition  labored  to  bring  back  the 
Colossians  toward  the  law,  not  certainly  toward  that 
spiritual  law  which,  like  a  sage  preceptor,  would 
have  brought  them  to  Jesus  Christ,  but  toward  that 
law  of  works  and  observances  which  was  far  more 
fitted  than  any  other  thing  to  replace  the  idol  of 
self-righteousness  upon  its  pedestal.     A.  V. 

Genius  and  erudition  have  made,  of  late  years 
as  of  old,  prodigious  efforts  to  create  systems  of 
philosophy  and  ethics  without  the  aid  of  wisdom 
from  on  high  ;  and  of  late  years,  as  of  old,  genius 
and  erudition  have  signally  failed  in  the  attempt. 
A  succession  of  men  endowed  with  mighty  powers, 
but  voluntarily  placing  themselves  eighteen  cen- 
turies after  Christ  in  the  intellectual  position  of 
heathen  sages,  have,  after  all,  only  brought  the 
thinking  world  to  something  worse  than  the  hope- 
less skepticism  in  which  ended  the  wondrous  wis- 
dom of  Greece.  System  after  system  of  philosophy 
has  proved  the  impotence  of  man  to  discover  the 
highest  truths  without  divine  guidance.     Bp.  Jeune. 

Philosophy  may  expand  our  ideas  of  creation, 

but  it  neither  inspires  a  love  to  the  moral  character 
of  the  Creator  nor  a  well-grounded  hope  of  eternal « 
life.  Philosophy  at  most  can  only  place  us  upon 
the  top  of  Pisgah  ;  there,  like  Moses,  we  must  die. 
It  is  the  province  of  Christianity  to  add,  "  All  is 
yours  ! "     A.  Fuller. 

9.  This  is  the  endearing  peculiarity  of  the  gos- 
pel covenant,  that  all  the  blessings  of  it  are  secured 


against  forfeiture  in  the  hands  of  him  who  hath 
already  fulfilled  the  terms  of  the  grant,  and  finished 
the  work  which  was  given  him  to  do ;  who,  as  he 
died  to  purchase  those  blessings,  so  he  ever  liveth 
to  dispense  them ;  One  who  by  nature  is  God  as 
well  as  man ;  and  in  whom,  as  the  word  incarnate 
and  Mediator  of  the  covenant,  all  the  fullness  of  the 
Godhead  dwells,  for  enriching,  to  the  utmost  capa- 
city of  created  beings,  all  the  members  of  that  body 
whereof  he  is  the  head.     R.  W. 

10.  We  are  complete  in  Christ.  We  receive  in 
Jesus,  once  and  for  ever,  all  things  pertaining  to 
life  and  godliness.  We  are  by  faith  one  with  him 
whom  God  has  made  for  us  wisdom  and  righteous- 
ness, sanctification  and  redemption.  As  our  right- 
eousness is  in  heaven,  so  is  our  perfection  Christ  at 
the  right  hand  of  God.  And  our  hope  is  that  we 
shall  be  like  him ;  that  when  Jesus  comes  again  we 
shall  be  in  body,  soul,  and  spirit  conformed  to  the 
image  of  God's  Son,  according  to  the  working  where- 
by he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  imto  himself. 

A.  S. Man's  nature,  need,  and  destiny  are,  so  to 

speak,  wrapped  up  in  Christ.  The  secrets  of  our 
inmost  being,  the  enigmas  of  our  destiny,  are  re- 
vealed to  us  in  Christ,  and  in  him  alone.  Life  is  a 
maze ;  and  we  do  not  find  the  clew  to  guide  us 
safely  out  until  we  find  Christ.  Life  is  an  enigma  ; 
and  the  word  that  solves  the  enigma  is  Christ,  the 
Word  of  God.  When  we  know  Christ,  we  know 
what  we  are,  and  are  made  to  be  ;  and  out  of  him 
we  grope  in  darkness  and  conjectures.  On  the 
other  hand,  when  Christ  is  revealed  to  us,  we  are 
also  revealed  to  ourselves.  We  do  not  know  our- 
selves until  we  know  Christ.  Only  in  him  can  we 
unveil  the  secrets  and  scan  the  end  of  our  destiny. 
We  are  complete  in  him.  As  an  old  proverb  says, 
with  a  profound  prophetic  wisdom,  "  The  secret  of 
man  is  the  secret  of  the  Messiah."  He  stands 
alone  majestic,  yet  full  of  love,  with  one  hand 
reaching  to  the  very  heavens,  with  the  other  laying 
hold  of  our  fallen  humanity  and  raising  it  from  the 
depths  of  despair  to  the  beatitudes  of  redemption. 
And  men  in  every  age  have  scouted  every  other 
deliverer ;  and  men  in  every  age  have  received  him, 
and  him  alone,  as  the  Lord  of  their  souls.     H.  B.  S. 

The  head  of  all  principality  and  power. 

So  that,  when  his  vicarious  function  shall  have 
reached  its  completion,  the  union  of  the  Divine  and 
human  natures  shall  continue  to  bear  a  relation  to 
the  social  economy  of  the  great  immortal  family  in 
the  heavens,  and  shall  for  ever  subsist  as  the  princi- 
ple or  the  reason  of  communication  and  harmony 
among  all  ranks.  The  mystery  of  redemption  has 
fairly  brought  all  suppositions  within  our  range ; 
for  the  most  amazing  facts  must  still  be  inferior  to 
this.  We  may  say  then  that,  when  the  eternal 
Word  took  upon  him  the  nature  of  man,  he  em- 
braced in  one  bond  of  love  all  intermediate  orders. 
Without  annulling  real  and  native  inequalities,  with- 


SECTION  310.—COLOSSIANS  2  :  1-23. 


475 


out  degrading  the  high  for  the  sake  of  the  low,  he 
brought  in  a  law  of  relationship  which  at  once 
obliges  the  highest  to  recognize  a  dignity  in  the 
lower,  without  presumption  to  take  the  place  as- 
signed them.  Of  Him  it  is  said,  that  "  the  fullness 
of  Deity  dwells  in  him  "  ;  that  "  all  the  treasures  of 
wisdom  and  knowledge  are  hid  in  him  "  ;  so  that 
He,  standing  incomparably  above  the  highest  created 
minds,  and  yet  condescending  to  maintain  familiar 
intercourse  with  the  feeblest,  shall  hold  all  extremes 
in  amity.  Unison  is  the  word  whieli  at  once  charac- 
terizes true  religion  and  describes  the  upper  world. 
And  of  this  unison  Christ  is  the  principle,  both  in 
heaven  and  on  earth.  Because  in  heaven  "  all  things 
are  subject  to  the  Son,"  heaven  is  happy ;  and  on 
earth  man  is  not  happy,  because  this  is  not  the 
fact.     I.  T. 

Speculations  as  to  the  relation  of  an  incarnate 
God  to  the  other  innumerable  regions  of  the  uni- 
verse need  give  us  no  real  alarm.  In  the  present 
state  of  our  knowledge  of  the  immensity  of  crea- 
tion, it  is  almost  impossible  but  they  must  arise ; 
and  more  especially  in  reflecting  on  the  great  mys- 
tery which  obliges  us  to  contemplate  Christ  as  at 
once  the  enthroned  Monarch  of  the  whole  infinity  of 
being,  of  suns  and  systems,  and  at  the  same  time  a 
Man,  bound  by  ties  intimate  and  everlasting  to  one 
little  island  in  the  ocean  of  immensity,  one  little 
speck,  small  in  its  own  system  and  invisible  beyond 
it.  We  can  well  afford  to  admit  Him,  not  only  by 
right  of  creation  the  natural,  but  even  by  right  of 
Redemption  the  spiritual  King  of  this  multitude  of 
peopled  worlds.  Our  property  in  the  affections  of 
this  infinite  heart  is  in  no  respect  limited  by  any 
supposition  of  this  kind.  Enough  it  is  that  the  in- 
finite and  eternal  God  is  on  the  stage  of  this  earth 
manifested  as  our  Redeemer ;  that,  in  the  consum- 
mation of  that  redemption,  he  has  assumed  our  na- 
ture into  his  own,  and  thus  identified  us  with  all  his 
acts — enough  is  this  to  fix  us  with  anxiety  upon  all 
he  has  done  and  still  does.     W.  A.  B. 

11.  In  him  they  have  the  true  circumcision, 
"  that  of  the  heart,"  which  is  effected  by  "  putting 
off  the  body  of  the  sins  of  the  flesh,"  even  "  by  the 
circumcision  of  Christ,  i.  e.,  the  circumcision  which 
Christ  requires."  13.  All  this  is  most  strikingly 
represented  in  their  baptism,  wherein  they  are  sym- 
bolically (for  literally  they  can  not  be)  "  buried  and 
raised  with  Christ."  And  their  death  unto  sin, 
their  rising  to  a  new  life,  as  here  symbolized,  are 
effected  "through  their  belief  oi  that  mighty  working 
of  God,  which  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead." 
13.  "And  thus  it  is  that,  having  been  once  dead 
in  sin,  in  the  uncircumcised  carnality  of  their  nature, 
God  hath  quickened  them  together  with  Christ,  and 
freely  forgiven  them  all  their  trespasses."  This 
passage,  besides  implying  the  symbolical  nature  of 
baptism,  distinctly  favors  the  doctrine  that,  under 
the  gospel,  baptism  holds  the  same  place  as  a  seal  of 
the  covenant  of  grace,  with  circumcision  under  the 
law.     J.  S.  S. 

12.  Buried  *with  him  in  baptism.  An 
allusion  to  the  ancient  method  of  administering 
baptism.  The  immersion  in  water  of  the  bodies  of 
those  who  were  baptized  is  an  emblem  of  that  death 
unto  sin  by  which  the  conversion  of  Christians  is 
generally  expressed ;  this  rising  out  of  the  water — 
the  breathing  the  air  again  after  having  been  for 
some  time  in  another  element — is  an  emblem  of  that 
new  life  which  Christians  by  their  profession  are 
bound,  and  by  the  power  of  their  religion  are  en- 


abled, to  lead.  The  time  during  which  they  re- 
mained under  water  is  a  kind  of  temporary  death, 
after  the  image  of  the  death  of  Christ ;  when  they 
emerged  from  the  water  they  rose,  after  the  image 
of  his  resurrection,  to  a  life  of  righteousness  here, 
and  of  glory  hereafter.     G.  Hill. 

14,  15.  In  verse  14,  "fooA"  should  be  "hath 
taken";  and  '■'■his  cross"  "the  cross."  The  trans- 
lators fancied  that  the  subject  of  the  whole  sentence 
was  Christ,  whereas  it  is  God  the  Father.  In  verse 
15,  "  having  spoiled  "  should  be  "stripping  off  from 
himself,"  "divesting  himself  of,"  i.  e.,  in  the  cross 
of  Christ  God  put  off  from  himself  the  ministration 
of  angels,  by  which  the  law  was  given,  subjecting 
them  all  to  Christ,  whose  triumph  they  grace,  as  we 
also  are  said  to  do  (2  Cor.  2  :  14).  Therefore,  angels 
were  no  more  to  be  regarded  as  mediators  between 
God  and  man,  nor  the  law  which  they  ministered  as 
binding.     A. 

14.  His  nails  have  fastened  the  handwriting 
which  was  against  us  to  the  cross ;  it  no  longer 
stands  against  us,  but  is  a  receipted  bill,  an  evidence 
of  satisfaction  rendered.  In  old  paintings  divine 
Justice  paints  the  first  nail,  divine  Mercy  the  second, 
divine  Peace  the  third.  In  Christ's  wounds  righteous- 
ness and  peace  kiss  each  other,  and  peace  streams 
forth  upon  poor  sinners.     Through  his  wounds  we 

are  healed.     Besser. Sinners  now  need  only  come 

to  him,  and  they  receive  the  forgiveness  of  sins  from 
him.  The  Son  of  man,  in  that  he  hath  paid  the  debt 
of  sin,  hath  now  free  power  to  forgive  sins.  The 
handwriting  which  was  against  us  is  now  blotted  out 
and  torn ;  and  there  lie,  duly  sealed  and  ready  for 
poor  sinners,  many  hundred  thousand  charters  and 
letters  of  grace.  God  can  condemn  no  repentant 
sinner  now  ;  he  can  refuse  forgiveness  of  sins  to  no 
poor  sinner  beseeching  for  mercy.     Hollo.?.. 

16-23.  If  they  died  to  the  world  with  Christ, 
why  did  they  allow  themselves  to  be  debarred  from 
the  use  of  those  things  which  Christ  has  cleansed 
for  us,  as  though  they  were  living  in  the  world  ? 
Why  did  they  tamely  submit  to  commands  not  to 
touch,  not  to  taste,  not  to  handle  ?  Why  did  they 
submit  to  prohibitions  against  marriage  and  com- 
mands to  abstain  from  meats  ?  Such  things  are  not 
of  the  essence  of  our  spiritual  life,  but  belong  mere- 
ly to  this  perishable  condition,  and  will  vanish  with 
it ;  and  these  meddling  and  petty  ordinances  about 
them  serve  to  exalt  pretended  doctors  and  teachers 
into  a  repute  for  wisdom  and  heroism,  because  of 
their  volunteering  more  than  is  required,  and  appear- 
ing to  be  humble  and  self-denying,  but  are  not 
God's  appointed  way  of  honoring  our  bodies,  the 
instruments  of  his  glory,  nay,  are  all  so  many  feed- 
ings of  carnal  vanity,  under  the  guise  of  carnal  mor- 
tification. Such  is  the  fervid  and  outspoken  de- 
nunciation with  which  the  great  Apostle  meets  the 
ascetics  and  the  ritualists  in  the  Colossian  Church. 
Such  is  his  protest  on  behalf  of  the  life  of  Chris- 
tian liberty  and  Christian  loftiness  of  aim  and 
spirit.  We  can  hardly  conceive  a  more  direct  dec- 
laration of  the  apostolic  mind  on  the  controversies 
which  in  these  our  times  agitate  the  Church  of 
Christ.     A. 

18.  "  Let  no  man  (though  he  wishes  it)  defraud 
you  of  your  prize,  persuading  you  to  self-humilia- 
tion and  worship  of  angels." 

20-23.  "  If,  then,  when  you  died  with  Christ, 
you  put  away  the  childish  lessons  of  outward  things, 
why,  as  though  you  still  lived  in  outward  things,  do 
you  submit  yourself  to  decrees  ('hold  not,  taste  not, 


476 


SECTION  311.—C0L0S8IANS  3  : 1-17. 


touch  not  '—forbidding  the  use  of  things  which  are 
all  made  to  be  consumed  in  the  using)  founded  on 
the  precepts  and  doctrines  of  men  ?  For  these  pre- 
cepts, though  they  have  a  show  of  wisdom,  in  a  self- 
chosen  worship,  and  in  humiliation,  and  chastening 
of  the  body,  are  of  no  value  to  check  the  indulgence 
of  fleshly  passions."     C. 

23.  The  obedience  of  the  Christian  is  a  volun- 
tary obedience,  since  it  is  the  obedience  of  love. 
But  to  prescribe  to  one's  self  difficult  duties  in  order 
to  have  the  pleasure  of  obeying  one's  self;  this  will- 


worship,  as  Paul  designates  it,  is  not  the  worship  of 
God,  but  that  of  an  idol.  This  idol  is  the  human 
self,  which,  broken  in  conscience  by  the  cross  of 
Jesus  Christ,  persists,  broken  as  it  is,  in  raising 
itself,  and  rises  the  higher  the  lower  its  fall.  Per- 
fidious suggestions  of  the  indestructible  enemy! 
how  many  souls  have  ye  not  carried  back  to  the 
world  by  the  path  of  an  extraordinary  devotion  and 
refined  piety ;  led  back  to  the  world  merely  by  your 
having  subjected  them  to  the  illegitimate  empire  of 
self!    A.  V. 


Section  311. 

CoLOSsiANS  iii.  1-17. 


1  If  ye  then  be  risen  with  Christ,  seek  those  things  which  are  above,  where  Christ  sitteth 

2  on  the  right  hand  of  God.     Set  your  affection  on  things  above,  not  on  things  on  the  earth. 

3  For  ye  are  dead,  and  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God.     When  Christ,  who  is  our  life, 

4  shall  appear,  then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory.    Mortify  therefore  your  members 

5  which  are  upon  the  earth ;  fornication,  uncleanness,  inordinate  affection,  evil  concupiscence, 

6  and  covetousness,  which  is  idolatry:  for  which  things'  sake  the  wrath  of  God  cometh  on 

7  the  children  of  disobedience :  in  the  which  ye  also  walked  some  time,  when  ye  lived  in  them. 

8  But  now  ye  also  put  off  all  these ;  anger,  wrath,  malice,  blasphemy,  filthy  communication 

9  out  of  your  mouth.     Lie  not  one  to  another,  seeing  that  ye  have  put  off  the  old  man  with 

10  his  deeds;  and  have  put  on  the  new  man^  which  is  renewed  in  knowledge  after  the  image 

11  of  him  that  created  him:  where  there  is  neither  Greek  nor  Jew,  circamcision  noruncircum- 
cision,  Barbarian,  Scythian,  bond  nor  free :  but  Christ  is  all,  and  in  all. 

12  Put  on  therefore,  as  the  elect  of  God,  holy  and  beloved,  bowels  of  mercies,  kindness,  hum- 

13  bleness  of  mind,  meekness,  longsuffering ;  forbearing  one  another,  and  forgiving  one  anoth- 

14  er,  if  any  man  have  a  quarrel  against  any:  even  as  Christ  forgave  you,  so  also  do  ye.     And 

15  above  all  these  things ^wi  on  charity,  which  is  the  bond  of  perfectness.    And  let  the  peace 
of  God  rule  in  your  hearts,  to  the  which  also  ye  are  called  in  one  body ;  and  be  ye  tliank- 

16  ful.     Let  the  word  of  Christ  dwell  in  you  richly  in  all  wisdom  ;  teaching  and  admonishing 
one  another  in  psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  with  grace  in  your  hearts  to 

17  the  Lord.     And  whatsoever  ye  do  in  word  or  deed,  do  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
giving  thanks  to  God  and  the  Father  by  him. 


Thk  reputed  virtues  of  human  society  are  no  education  for  God,  inasmuch  as  they  all  more  or  less 
lack  that  one  essential  character  without  which  all  virtue  is  profitless  for  heaven,  and  would  be  useless  in 
heaven — the  habit  of  acting  from  the  love  and  in  obedience  to  the  will  of  God.  Joyful  obedience  must  be 
the  happiness  of  heaven ;  joyful  obedience  must,  therefore,  be  the  holiness  of  earth.  No  vaunted  virtue 
wrought  out  of  God,  no  amiability  of  manner,  gentleness  of  temper,  fidelity  of  friendship,  honor,  integ- 
rity, decorum,  no  virtue  that  leaves  the  heart  a  rebel  to  its  Maker,  or  forgetful  of  Him,  can  dispose  for 
heaven,  or  "  make  meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light."  How,  then,  shall  we  produce  the 
heavenly  mind  which  fits  for  a  heavenly  world  ?  Clearly  and  solely,  by  cultivating  affections  that  rest  in 
heaven  itself  and  its  God ;  and  by  devoting  our  earthly  affections,  not  merely  as  their  own  instinctive  im- 
pulses lead,  but  also,  as  far  as  may  be,  in  felt  and  constant  conformity  to  his  appointment.  Religion,  as 
distinct  from  the  virtues  of  society,  the  graceful  amenities  of  ordinary  life — Religion,  which  fixes  the 
heart  wholly  and  permanently  on  God  himself — it  is  no  enthusiasm,  no  idle  speculative  illusion,  to  affirm 
that  this  alone  can  meet  the  requirements  of  a  creature  formed  for  God  and  his  eternity.  Faith,  and 
hope,  and  love,  which  are  the  great  organs  or  exercises  of  religion,  are  the  instruments  which,  gradually 
uniting  the  heart  to  the  spiritual  world  and  its  Lord,  separate  it  from  earth,  predispose  it  for  heaven,  win 
the  will  to  his  service,  spiritually  disembody  the  soul  before  its  time,  and  train  it  for  the  fellowship  and  the 
heritage  of  the  saints.     Through  these  the  pathway  lies  to  heaven,  and  through  these  aloue.     W.  A.  B. 


SECTION  311.—C0L0SSIAFS  3  : 1-17. 


477 


I 


1-14.  According  to  Paul,  the  Christian  life  in 
man  originates  in  resurrection  with  Christ,  and  is 
braced  and  purified  by  the  consciousness  of  such 
resurrection.  Since  believers  in  Christ  are,  in  a 
moral  and  spiritual  sense,  raised  with  Him,  they 
are  bound  to  seek  the  things  which  are  above,  and 
to  mind  those  things  rather  than  objects  which  are 
beneath.  Duties  on  the  earth  are,  of  course,  to 
be  fulfilled,  and  the  occupations  of  common  life 
must  be  pursued ;  but  the  habitual  preponderance 
of  thought  and  affection  is  due  to  objects  that  are 
heavenly.  The  Christian  is  to  be — not  by  fits  and 
starts,  but  by  habit  and  repute — conversant  with 
heaven.  His  life  is  properly  a  heavenly  life,  "  hid 
with  Christ  in  God."  It  is  only  "  members  "  that 
he  has  on  the  earth — not  his  life,  and  certainly  not 
his  treasure.  This  position  conferred  on  believers 
through  grace  is  thus  used  as  an  argument  for 
personal  endeavors  to  be  holy.  Ye  have  died; 
"  therefore  put  to  death  your  members  on  the  earth." 
Carry  out  the  principle  of  the  extinction  of  the 
life  in  sin,  as  respects  your  members  in  detail,  the 
past  instruments  and  servants  of  unrighteousness. 
Ye  have  put  off  the  old  man,  and  put  on  the  new  ; 
therefore  put  on  in  detail  the  attributes  of  Christian 
character.  These  properties  the  apostle  enumerates, 
giving  great  prominence,  as  was  his  wont,  to  sweet 
and  lowly  virtues,  and  assigning  the  highest  place  to 
love  as  "  the  bond  of  perfectness."     D.  F. 

1.  The  resurrection  of  Christ,  his  restored  and 
exalted  life,  touches,  in  various  ways,  and  at  all 
points,  the  spiritual  life  of  Christian  men.  Christ's 
resurrection  is  typical  of  man's  new  life ;  for,  as  he 
was  raised  from  the  dead,  so  we  are  to  walk  "in 
newness  of  life  " — "  as  those  who  are  alive  from  the 
dead  "  too.  Then,  his  present  condition^  consequent 
on  his  rising  from  the  dead,  is  to  be  felt  as  a  motive 
to  spiritual-mindedness.  The  raised,  exalted,  living 
Christ  is  to  be  the  life  of  our  life,  the  source  of  our 
holiness ;  even  as  the  dying  Christ  is  the  death  of 
our  sins.  Believing  in  him,  he  lives  in  us.  Still 
further,  the  resurrection  of  Christ  is  at  once  the 
pledge  and  model  of  our  own.  His  present  condi- 
tion of  glory  and  blessedness  is  that  to  which  we 
are  to  be  conformed.     T.  B. 

Risen  with  Christ.  He  has  already  been 
exalted  above  the  heavens,  yet  we  are  not  separated 
from  him.  Be  this  our  meditation  on  earth,  that  we 
are  reckoned  as  in  heaven ;  and  let  us  labor  that,  as 
our  Lord  ascended  with  our  own  body  into  heaven, 
so  we,  as  far  as  we  can,  may  ascend  after  him  in 
hope,  and  follow  him  in  heart.  Let  us  ascend  after 
him  both   in  our  affections  and  in  our  advances 

toward  perfection.    Aug. The  risen  life  has  its 

clearly  defined  obligations  no  less  than  its  glorious 
privileges.  Those  who  have  in  very  deed  shared  in 
Christ's  resurrection-life  should  seek  things  above  the 


level  of  that  tomb  which,  with  him,  and  through  bim, 
they  had  left  behind.  H.  P.  L. — The  weaknesses,  the 
littlenesses,  the  incoherences  of  daily  life,  so  long  as 
they  are  felt  and  struggled  with,  are  evidences  of  a 
victory  yet  to  come.  They  bear  witness  to  us  that 
we  can  not  rest  till  we  rise  to  the  level  of  Him  in 
whom  we  live.  They  never  cease  to  teach  us  that 
the  end  to  which  we  are  called  is  not  now  or  here. 

B.  F.  W. Only  he  has  found  the  full,  controlling, 

blessing,  quickening  power  that  lies  in  the  thought 
of  the  future,  and  in  life  directed  by  it,  to  whom 
that  future  is  all  summed  in  the  name  of  his  Saviour. 
Whatever  makes  a  man  live  in  the  past  and  in  the 
future  raises  him ;  but  high  above  all  others  stand 
those  to  whom  the  past  is  an  apocalypse  of  God, 
with  Calvary  for  its  center,  and  all  the  future  is  fel- 
lowship with  Christ  and  joy  in  the  heavens.  Hav- 
ing these  hopes,  it  will  be  our  own  fault  if  we  are 
not  pure  and  gentle,  calm  in  changes  and  sorrows, 
armed  against  frowning  dangers,  and  proof  against 
smiling  temptations.    A.  M. 

2.  We  ought  not  to  be  satisfied  till  we  find  in 
ourselves  a  refinedness  from  this  earth,  a  thorough 
purgation  from  all  undue  degrees  of  sensual  inclina- 
tion and  affection,  an  aptitude  to  spiritual  exercises 
and  enjoyments,  a  worshiping  posture  of  soul, 
formed  to  the  veneration  of  the  eternal  wisdom, 
goodness,  power,  holiness ;  profound  humility  and 
abnegation  of  ourselves,  a  praiseful  frame  of  spirit 
much  used  to  gratulations  and  thanksgivings,  a  large 
and  universal  love  imitating  as  much  as  is  possible 
the  divine,  a  proneness  to  do  good  to  all,  a  steady 
composure  and  serene  temper  of  spirit,  every  way 
suitable  to  the  regions  where  nothing  but  perfect 
purity,  entire  devotedness  to  God,  love,  goodness, 
and  peace  shall  have  place  for  ever.     Howe. 

3.  Our  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God. 
God  is  the  author  of  the  vital  action,  Christ  is  the 
vital  center,  the  very  heart  of  the  system,  from 
whom  and  in  correspondence  with  whom  every  pul- 
sation of  spiritual  being  is  made.  They  that  are 
Christ's  feel  that  they  are  in  the  exercise  of  grace 
only  so  long  as  Christ  lives  in  them ;  that  the  true 
method  of  cultivating  piety  is  to  cultivate  a  sense 
of  dependence  on  Christ ;  that,  if  we  desire  to  grow 
in  grace  and  to  glorify  God,  we  must  look  above 
and  beyond  all  means,  all  instrumentality,  all  ordi- 
nances, to  Jesus  Christ  as  our  living  head.  J.  W.  A. 
The  loftier  the  exaltation  we  ascribe  to  the  Sa- 
viour in  his  divineness,  the  more  intimately  always 
we  find  him  related  to  the  sympathies  of  our  hu- 
manity. The  most  reverential  view  of  God  manifest 
in  the  flesh  is  the  largest  producer  of  daily  holiness 
as  well  as  the  dearest  to  the  heart.  And  thus  it  is 
proved,  as  in  many  instances  besides,  that  what  is 
most  profoundly  spiritual  is  also  most  directly  prac- 
tical.   For  the  most  intensely  practical  are  the  vital, 


478 


SFCTIOJ^  311.—C0L0SSIANS  3  :  1-17. 


comprehensive  truths  that  lie  deep  among  the 
springs  of  action  and  emotion,  and  bind  us  to  the 
invisible.  Yes;  whatever  reaches  down  to  the 
sources  of  our  being,  whatever  changes  the  great 
central  currents  of  our  purpose,  whatever  transfig- 
ures our  conduct,  regenerates  our  nature,  and  thus 
moves  us  to  a  diviner  practice  every  ^yay — that  is 
practical.  When  our  faith  does  this,  it  is  a  practi- 
cal faith.  And  by  no  appeal  does  it  lay  a  firmer 
hold  on  honest  convictions,  or  animate  holier  ener- 
gies, than  when,  by  the  Spirit's  favor,  it  shows  us 
the  beauty  and  the  strength  of  that  "  Hfe  that  is 
hid  with  Christ  in  God."    F.  D.  H. 

3,  4.  The  hidden  life  has  its  root  and  birth  in 
death.  "  Ye  have  died  with  Christ,  and  your  life  is 
hid  with  Christ  in  God."  The  hidden  life  has  its 
consummation  and  crown  in  the  second  advent  of  our 
Lord :  "  When  Christ,  who  is  our  life,  shall  appear, 
then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory."  Do 
you  think  that,  with  such  a  starting-point  as  baptism 
into  the  Saviour's  death,  and  with  such  a  goal  as 
the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb,  Christians  can 
love  the  world  and  the  things  of  the  world  ?     A.  S. 

In  verse  4,  "  sliall  appear  "  ought  to  be  "  is  mani- 
fested," and  "  appear  "  the  second  time,  "  be  mani- 
fested."   A. Christ  our  life.    Here  is  my  life, 

namely,  the  birth  of  this  man,  the  righteousness  of 
this  man,  the  blood  of  this  man,  the  death  and  resur- 
rection of  this  man,  the  ascension  and  intercession 
of  this  man  for  me,  and  the  second  coming  of  this 
man  to  judge  the  world  in  righteousness.  Here  is 
my  life,  if  I  see  this  by  faith  without  me,  through 
the  operation  of  the  Spirit  within  me :  I  am  safe,  I 
am  at  peace,  I  am  comforted,  I  am  encouraged ;  and 
I  know  that  my  comfort,  peace,  and  encourage- 
ment is  true,  and  given  me  from  heaven  by  the 
Father  of  mercies,  through  the  Son  of  the  Virgin 
Mary — the  Son  of  man,  the  Son  of  God,  the  true 

God.      Bun. Christ  is  our  life  in  a  far  higher 

sense  than  the  opener  of  a  free  way  of  access  to 
God  through  the  rent  veil  of  his  flesh.  He  is  the 
perennial  source  of  that  new  life  within,  which  con- 
sists in  communion  with  God,  likeness  to  God,  in 
gratitude,  in  love,  in  peace,  and  joy,  and  hope — in 
trusting,  serving,  submitting,  enduring.  This  life 
hangs  ever  and  wholly  upon  him;  all  good  and 
gracious  affections,  every  pure  and  holy  impulse,  the 
desire  and  ability  to  be,  to  do,  to  suffer — coming  to 
us  from  him  to  whose  light  we  bring  our  darkness, 
to  whose  strength  we  bring  our  weakness,  to  whose 
sympathy  our  sorrow,  to  whose  fullness  our  empti- 
ness.    W.  H. 

5.  To  mortify  is  to  make  dead,  to  destroy.  "  Ye 
are  dead,"  therefore  let  your  members  on  earth  be 
dead :  "  fornication,  uncleanness,  inordinate  affec- 
tion," etc.  As  if  he  had  said,  By  becoming  Chris- 
tians ye  engaged  to  be  dead  ;  and  therefore  see  to  it 


that  ye  are  so.  But  what  he  requires  us  to  make 
dead  or  to  destroy  are  our  evil  affections  and  de- 
sires, and  these  only.     T.  A. 

5-10.  Sanctification  is  not  mending  the  old 
nature  which  we  inherit  from  Adam;  it  is  culti- 
vating and  developing  the  new  nature  which  we 
receive  from  Christ.  The  old  nature  can  not  be  im- 
proved ;  it  is  under  a  ban  and  a  curse ;  it  is  to  be 
crucified  with  its  affections  and  lusts,  and  mortified 
in  its  members ;  we  are  to  put  it  off,  as  we  put  off  a 
worn-out  and  defiled  garment ;  nay,  we  are  to  count 
ourselves  dead  to  it,  as  if  it  had  no  more  relation  to 
us,  since  we  are  alive  to  God  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord.  The  soul  is  like  a  house  of  which  stran- 
gers have  taken  possession,  and  lord  it  cruelly  over 
the  owner.  What  shall  you  do  for  your  liberty  ? 
Can  you  change  the  strangers'  hearts  and  make 
them  other  men,  so  that  you  would  be  content  or 
even  glad  they  should  remain  ?  That  is  impossible. 
Pride  will  never  be  humble,  lust  will  never  be  pure, 
selfishness  will  never  think  of  a  neighbor's  interests, 
envy  will  never  exult  in  a  neighbor's  joy.  "  Old 
inbred  habits  will  make  resistance :  but  by  better 
habits  they  shall  be  entirely  overcome."  The  old 
affections  must  be  expelled  by  new ;  the  evil  over- 
come with  good.    A.  W.  T. 

Some  besetting  sin,  long  denied  indulgence, 
against  which  we  have  prayed,  and  watched,  and 
wrestled,  appears  to  be  dead ;  the  "  old  man  "  hangs 
motionless,  to  appearance  lifeless,  on  the  cross; 
when,  like  the  convulsive  movement  of  a  body  from 
which  bystanders  supposed  the  life  was  gone,  in 
some  bad  word,  or  deed,  or  thought,  the  "  old  man  " 
lives  again,  and  the  "new  man"  learns  to  his  sor- 
row that  the  flesh  he  had  crucified  is  not  yet  dead. 
The  entire  death  of  sin — a  consummation  devoutly 
to  be  wished  for — is  a  blessing  reserved  for  the 
close  of  life.  We  can  not  indeed  be  too  diligent  in 
mortifying  sin,  in  crucifying  every  limb  and  member 
of  the  flesh.  Still  the  question  is  not  whether  sin 
is  altogether  crucified,  but  is  crucified  at  all  ?  is 
whether  we  are  delivered,  though  not  completely, 
from  its  power  ?  is  whether  it  has  ceased  to  reign, 
though  it  has  not  ceased  to  remain  within  us  ?  It 
is  slow  work  dying  on  a  cross,  but  slower  still  dying 
to  sin.  However,  take  comfort.  Christians ;  God 
will  perfect  that  which  concerneth  us — a  hope  which, 
thanks  be  to  God,  shows  the  believer  a  Father's 
reconciled  countenance  shining  on  him  through  the 
darkest  cloud ;  a  hope  which  will  enable  you,  while 
confessing  with  Paul,  "  The  good  that  I  would,  I  do 
not ;  but  the  evil  which  I  would  not,  that  I  do,"  in 
almost  the  same  breath  to  exclaim,  "  I  thank  God 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  ....  there  is  no  con- 
demnation to  them  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus."    T.  G, 

10.  The  simple  yet  grand  truth  is,  that  man  was 
created  "  in  the  image  of  God,"  without  any  addi- 


SECTION  311.—  C0L0SSIANS  3  : 1-17. 


479 


I 


tional  supernatural  investment ;  "  in  the  likeness  of 
God,"  without  any  added  impartation  of  God ;  what 
we  understand  by  a  truly  and  a  merely  perfect  man. 
By  the  fall  his  nature  became  changed  from  perfect 
to  imperfect,  from  holy  to  sinful,  from  the  likeness 
of  God  to  a  loss  of  that  likeness.  And  now,  what 
Christ  seeks  in  coming  into  the  world,  surrounded 
with  the  lights  of  revelation  and  the  teachings  of 
the  Spirit,  is  to  restore  man  to  the  state  from  which 
he  is  fallen  ,■  to  change  his  nature  with  a  reverse 
movement  from  imperfect  to  perfect,  from  sinful 
to  holy,  from  the  loss  to  the  repossession  of  like- 
ness to  God.  We  do  not  need  a  mysterious  reinves- 
titure  with  the  Divine  nature,  but  a  Scriptural  res- 
toration to  the  perfection  of  our  own  nature.  We 
need,  not  a  virtually  miraculous  addition,  but  a  spir- 
itual though  intelligible  change;  a  change  inscru- 
table in  its  mode,  but  most  intelligible  in  its  effects  ; 
wrought  by  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  secrecy  of  his 
goings,  yet  distinctly  cognizable  by  us  in  the  results 
of  his  workings :  still,  a  mere  change,  and  not  an 
addition.  This  change  is  all  that  we  can  have  ;  and 
it  is  enough,  as  well  as  all  that  is  possible.  As  the 
issue  of  our  literal  resurrection  will  be  to  "  fashion 
our  vile  bodies  into  a  likeness  to  Christ's  glorious 
body  " ;  so  the  issue  of  this  spiritual  resurrection  is, 
to  refashion  our  fallen  souls  into  a  likeness  to  his 

more  glorious  Godhead.     J.  S.  S. God  had  no 

rest  from  the  creation  till  he  had  made  man,  and 
man  can  have  no  rest  in  the  creation  till  he  rests  in 
God.  The  human  spirit  never  rises  to  its  original 
glory  till  carried  up  on  the  wings  of  faith  and  love 
to  its  original  copy.     Charnock. 

11.  For  *^7ieither,"  better  "no  such  thing  as"; 
and  it  ought  to  be  "  Greek  and  Jeiv,"  "  circumcision 
a7id  uncircumcision."  The  apostle  says  that  there  is 
no  such  thing  as  "  Greek  and  Jew,"  i.  e.,  the  dis- 
tinction between  them.  The  last  four  have  no 
copula,  and  should  stand,  "  barbarian,  Scythian, 
bondman,  freeman."     A. 

Christ  is  all.  "  Christ — in  the  divinity  of  his 
nature ;  Christ — in  the  perfection  of  his  atonement ; 
Christ — in  the  prevalence  of  his  intercession ;  and 
Christ — in  the  love  of  his  heart,  and  in  the  power 
of  his  arm,  is  the  rock  on  which  I  rest ;  and  now, 
death,  do  your  worst."  (Thus  spake  John  Eees  on 
his  dying-bed.) 

13.  For  "  boioels  of  mei'cies"  read  "  an  heart  of 

pity."    A. Kindness.     Instead  of    absorbing 

everything  toward  yourself,  and  making  all  things 
minister  to  the  great  Self-idol,  you  will  become  ex- 
pansive and  forthgoing.  You  will  be  considerate  of 
the  interests  and  character,  the  comfort  and  feelings 
of  others,  and  to  do  good  and  communicate  you  will 
never  forget.  Hnmbleness  of  mind.  This  is 
the  grace  which  lies  prostrate  at  God's  footstool, 
self-abasing  and  self-disparaging,  amazed  at  God's 


mercy  and  abhorring  its  own  vileness.  Meekness. 
The  grace  which,  from  beneath  that  footstool,  lifts 
up  a  candid  and  confiding  eye,  accepting  God's  smile 
of  Fatherly  affection,  and  adoring  those  perfections 
which  it  can  not  comprehend.  And  "  long-suffer- 
ing, forbearance,  forgiveness,"  those  self-denying 
and  self-conquering  graces,  which  not  only  give  none 
occasion  of  offense,  but  are  not  easily  provoked — 
those  magnanimous  graces,  which  will  strive  to  over- 
come evil  with  good,  to  live  it  down  and  love  it 
down,  and  which,  if  all  effort  should  fail,  will  not 
be  lost,  but  come  back  in  peace  and  joy  to  your  own 
bosom.    Hamilton. 

13.  Forgiving.  If  it  is  in  us  to  forgive,  in 
any  real  and  properly  Christian  sense  of  the  term, 
it  will  not  be  that  we  can  somehow  be  gotten  down 
to  it,  by  the  expostulations  of  brethren,  nor  that  we 
only  do  not  expressly  claim  a  right  to  stay  in  our 
grudge,  or  the  huit  feeling  raised  by  the  wrongs  of 
our  adversary,  till  he  comes  to  us  in  a  better  mind. 
Perhaps  he  ought  to  come,  or  to  have  come  long  ago, 
but  that  is  nothing  as  regards  our  justification.  If 
we  know  how  to  forgive,  we  shall  be  like  Christ  our 
Master,  we  shall  be  giving  ourselves  for  our  adver- 
sary, circumventing  him  by  our  prayers,  contriving 
ways  to  reach  his  tenderness  and  turn  the  bad  will 
he  is  in,  taking  pains  that  we  may  get  him  into  the 
right  again.     H.  B 

15o  The  peace  with  God  procured  to  the  believer 
through  Christ,  the  peace  which  has  its  life  in  God,  of 
which  they  are  assured  in  union  with  him,  that  peace, 
amid  all  fluctuation,  is  the  controlling,  the  determin- 
ing element  in  the  Christian  life.     N. We  make 

a  great  mistake  when  we  say  there  is  strength  in 
passion,  in  the  exhibition  of  emotion.  The  real 
strength  and  majesty  of  the  soul  of  man  is  calm- 
ness ;  "  the  peace  of  God  "  ruling ;  the  word  of 
Christ  saying  to  the  inward  storms,  "  Peace  ! "  and 
there  is  "  a  great  calm."  From  the  apostle's  words 
wo  infer  that  peace  is  attainable,  and  within  the 
reach  of  our  own  wills  ;  that  if  there  be  not  repose 
there  is  blame  ;  If  there  be  not  peace,  but  discord 
in  the  heart,  there  is  something  wrong.  There  is  a 
peace  that  will  enter  there  if  you  do  not  thwart  it ; 
there  is  a  Spirit  that  will  take  possession  of  your 
soul,  provided  that  you  do  not  quench  it.  In  this 
world  we  are  recipients,  not  creators.  In  obedience 
and  in  gratefulness,  and  the  infinite  peace  of  God 
in  the  soul  of  man,  is  alone  deep  rest  and  repose. 
F.  W.  R. 

16.  The  word  of  Christ.  The  literal  word 
of  Christ  is  one  of  the  most  wonderful  things  that 
ever  has  been  in  the  world.  All  at  once,  up  in  Gali- 
lee, a  silent  man — for  he  was  then  known  only  as  a 
man — began  to  speak.  Amid  friends,  and  foes,  and 
crowds  of  thoughtless,  indifferent  people,  the  speaker 
continued  to  speak ;  and  as  he  spake  the  word  grew 


480 


SECTION  SlL—COLOSSIAIfS  3  : 1-17. 


and  multiplied,  and  became  increasingly  a  living 
spiritual  force  in  the  life  of  the  whole  nation.  And 
he  did  all  that  was  done  by  his  word.  The  word  of 
Christ  dwelt  in  this  world  richly  before  it  was  com- 
mitted to  writing.  When  this  Epistle  was  written 
they  had  not  the  gospels.  They  had,  as  yet,  little, 
comparatively,  even  of  the  apostolic  writing;  but 
they  had  the  word  of   Christ  in  its  newness,  its 

energy,  its  vitality.      A.  R. The  testimony  of 

Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  and  the  person  and 
work  of  Immanuel  are  the  great  burden  of  the 
Bible.  And  to  regenerate  souls  it  is  this  which 
makes  the  Bible  dear.  It  is  the  word  of  Christ, 
concerning  himself  and  from  himself,  the  word  of 
which  He  is  the  beginning  and  the  ending,  the  all 
in  all.     Hamilton. 

Dwell  in  you.  Let  it  inhabit  you.  Let  it 
make  house  and  home  of  you.  Yield  yourselves  up 
as  sacred  dwellings,  to  be  occupied  and  filled  with 
the  word  of  Christ.  This  means  that,  willingly, 
other  tenants  shall  not  be  suffered  to  remain  unless 
they  are  in  full  agreement  with  this  chief  dweller. 
The  word  of  Christ  touches  and  transmutes  every- 
thing else.  All  thoughts  are  ruled,  all  cares  are 
hallowed  by  it,  and  all  enjoyments  made  safe,  and 
pure,  and  good.  It  must  be  this  much,  or  it  can  be 
nothing  vital.  Christ's  word  in  the  morning — selfish 
prudence  all  through  the  day  ?  That  will  not  do. 
Christ's  word  for  the  religious  service — the  word  of 
man  for  the  mercantile  transaction?  Surely  not. 
Christ's  word  for  sickness,  for  sorrow,  for  death,  for 
the  funeral,  the  grave — other  words  than  His,  any 
that  are  most  pleasant,  for  times  of  health  and  hap- 
piness ?  That  never  can  be.  Let  the  word  of  Christ 
dwell  in  you ! 

"  Richly  " — in  great  abundance  and  readiness ;  in 
its  best  forms,  in  its  sweetest  fragrance,  with  all  its 
refreshing,  luminous,  guiding  powers.  Fill  yourself 
with  it.  Open  all  the  doors  that  it  may  come  in. 
The  word  is  nigh  thee.  It  is  in  thy  mouth  and  in 
thy  heart,  if  only  thou  wilt,  if  thou  wilt  but  let  it 
dwell  in  thee  richly.  It  is  everything  to  have  a  real 
faith  in  Christ,  and  in  his  blessed  gospel,  and  a  real 
sense  of  the  love  of  God  therein,  to  be  answered 
by  our  love  and  obedience  for  ever.  Life  with  some 
has  few  turns  and  changes,  inward  or  outward ;  but, 
with  Christ  and  his  word  in  the  heart,  it  will  be  in 
the  main  what  life  ought  to  be,  a  passing  from  dark- 
ness into  light,  a  growing  through  grace  into  glory. 
A.  R. 

This  verse  should  run  thus:  "Let  the  word  of 
Christ  dwell  in  you  richly ;  in  all  wisdom  teaching  and 
admonishing  one  another "  (this  is  the  highest  use 
of  speech,  as  it  looks  toward  man)  "  in  psalms  and 
hymns  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  thankfully  in 
your  hearts  to  the  Lord  "  (this  is  the  highest  use  of 
speech,  as  it  looks  toward  God).    These  two  ends, 


then,  are  edification  and  praise.  And  the  minstrelsy 
of  psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs  has  often 
brought  the  Christian  out  of  a  state  of  mind  in 
which  prayer  seemed  a  labor  and  a  drudgery,  if  not 
an  impossibility,  into  that  calm  and  holy  frame  in 
which  he  could  again  put  forth  spiritual  energies, 
and  has  found  himself  able  to  renew  his  interrupted 
converse  with  God.     E.  M.  G. 

Hymnody  actively  educates,  while  it  partially 
satisfies,  the  instinct  of  worship ;  it  is  a  less  formal 
and  sustained  act  of  worship  than  prayer;  yet  it 
may  really  involve  transient  acts  of  the  deepest 
adoration.  But,  because  it  is  less  formal,  because 
in  using  it  the  soul  can  pass,  as  it  were,  unobserved 
and  at  will  from  mere  sympathetic  states  of  feeling 
to  adoration,  and  from  adoration  back  to  passive 
although  reverent  sympathy,  hymnody  has  always 
been  a  popular  instrument  for  the  expression  of  re- 
ligious feeling ;  and  from  the  first  years  of  Chris- 
tianity it  seems  to  have  been  especially  consecrated 

to  the  honor  of  the  Redeemer.     H.  P.  L. Good 

hymns  are  concentrations  of  the  deepest  experience 
and  ripest  thought,  crystallized  into  the  most  beau- 
tiful forms  of  language.  A  hymn  should  be  a  con- 
centrated sermon,  a  compressed  force  entering  the 
mind,  there  to  put  forth  expansive  power,  acting 
with  holy  pressure  upon  heart  and  life.    Havergal. 

1 7.  "  Whatsoever  ye  do,  in  word  or  deed,  do  all 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  Do  all,  that  is  to 
say,  for  the  sake  of  the  character,  as  revealed  to 
you,  of  him  whom  you  love  ;  do  it  all,  giving  thanks 
unto  God  and  the  Father  by  him.  And  then,  in  the 
parallel  passage  at  the  close  of  the  same  chapter, 
"  Whatsoever  ye  do,  do  it  heartily,"  that  is  one  prin- 
ciple ;  and  next,  as  the  foundation  of  all  real  hearti- 
ness, do  it  "  as  to  the  Lord."  If  you  want  to  live 
in  this  world,  doing  the  duty  of  life,  knowing  the 
blessings  of  it,  doing  your  work  heartily,  and  yet 
not  absorbed  by  it,  remember  that  the  one  power 
whereby  you  can  so  act  is,  that  all  shall  be  conse- 
crated to  Christ  and  done  for  his  sake !  The  bur- 
dens of  life  are  too  heavy,  and  its  duties  are  too 
hard,  for  any  man  to  bear  by  himself  alone.  No 
one  who  plunges  himself  into  the  affairs  of  the 
world  without  God  can  easily  escape  one  of  two  sad 
alternatives.  Either  he  is  utterly  wearied  and  dis- 
gusted with  their  triviality,  and  dawdles  out  a  lan- 
guid life  of  supercilious  superiority  to  his  work,  or 
else  he  plunges  passionately  into  it,  and,  like  the 
ancient  queen,  dissolves  in  the  cup  the  precious 
jewel  of  his  own  soul.  There  is  but  one  escape, 
and  that  is  to  have  Christ  Jesus  for  our  Lord,  to 
make  his  will  our  law,  his  love  our  motive,  his  pat- 
tern our  example,  his  glory  our  end.     A.  M. 

There  is  no  single  sphere  of  personal,  household, 
political,  or  social  life  which  can  be  excepted  from 
the  influence  of  this  highest  rule  of  life.     "  To  him 


SECTION  S12.—  C0L0SSIANS  3:18-25;  4:1-18. 


481 


are  all  things,  to  him  be  the  glory."  And  no  one 
will  say  that  a  life  in  which  everything  directly  or 
indirectly  leads  toward  this  great  aim,  can  be  very 
narrow,  anxious,  or  monotonous.  On  the  contrary, 
the  path  indicated  by  Paul  is  at  once  the  way  of 
true  liberty  and  the  most  exalted  happiness.  No- 
thing is  permitted  through  which  his  rule  of  life 
would  be  obliterated  ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  all  is 


free,  in  due  time  and  measure,  which  really  can  be 
done  in  the  name  of  Christ,  and  to  the  glory  of  God, 
so  far  as  it  is  not  forbidden  by  some  higher  duty. 
Thus  this  prescription  breathes  a  spirit  of  liberality 
and  gladness,  by  which  all  incongruity  between 
God's  worship  and  every-day  life  finally  disappears, 
and  even  the  meanest  occupation  is  stamped  with 
the  ennobling  impress  of  glory  to  God.     T'a^i  0. 


[ 


Section  312. 

CoLOssiANS  iii.  18-25 ;  iv.  1-18. 

18      "WiYES,  submit  yourselves  unto  your  own  husbands,  as  it  is  fit  in  the  Lord.    Husbands, 

20  love  your  wives,  and  be  not  bitter  against  them.    Children,  obey  your  parents  in  all  things : 

21  for  this  is  well  pleasing  unto  the  Lord.     Fathers,  provoke  not  your  children  to  anger,  lest 

22  they  be  discouraged.     Servants,  obey  in  all  things  your  masters  according  to  the  flesh  ;  not 

23  with  eyeservice,  as  menpleasers;  but  in  singleness  of  heart,  fearing  God :  and  whatsoever 

24  ye  do,  do  it  heartily,  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  unto  men ;  knowing  that  of  the  Lord  ye  shall 

25  receive  the  reward  of  the  inheritance :  for  ye  serve  the  Lord  Christ.    But  he  that  doeth 
wrong  shall  receive  for  the  wrong  which  he  hath  done :  and  there  is  no  respect  of  persons. 

1  Masters,  give  unto  your  servants  that  which  is  just  and  equal ;  knowing  that  ye  also  have  a 

2  Master  in  heaven.     Continue  in  prayer,  and  watch  in  the  same  with  thanksgiving;,  withal 

3  praying  also  for  us,  that  God  would  open,  unto  us  a  door  of  utterance,  to  speak  the  mystery 

4  of  Christ,  for  which  I  am  also  in  bonds :  that  I  may  make  it  manifest,  as  I  ought  to  speak. 

5  Walk  in  wisdom  toward  them  that  are  without,  redeeming  the  time.    Let  your  speech  ie 

6  always  with  grace,  seasoned  vrith  salt,  that  ye  may  know  how  ye  ought  to  answer  every 
man. 

7  All  my  state  shall  Tychicus  declare  unto  you,  who  is  a  beloved  brother,  and  a  faithful 

8  minister  and  fellowservant  in  the  Lord  :  whom  I  have  sent  unto  you  for  the  same  purpose, 

9  that  he  might  know  your  estate,  and  comfort  your  hearts;  with  Onesimus,  a  faithful  and 
beloved  brother,  who  is  one  of  you.     They  shall  make  known  unto  you  all  things  which  are 

10  clone  here.     Aristarchus  my  fellowprisoner  saluteth  you,  and  Marcus,  sister's  son  to  Barna- 
bas, (touching  w^hom  ye  received  commandments:  if  he  come  unto  you,  receive  him;) 

11  and  Jesus,  which  is  called  Justus,  who  are  of  the  circumcision.     These  only  are  my  fellow- 

12  workers  unto  the  kingdom  of  God,  which  have  been  a  comfort  unto  me.     Epaphras,  who 
is  one  of  you,  a  servant  of  Christ,  saluteth  you,  always  labouring  fervently  for  you  m 

13  prayers,  that  ye  may  stand  perfect  and  complete  in  all  the  will  of  God.     For  I  bear  him 
record,  that  he  hath  a  great  zeal  for  you,  and  them  that  are  in  Laodicea,  and  them  in  fiie- 

14  rapolis.     Luke,  the  beloved  physician,  and  Demas,  greet  you.     Salute  the  brethren  which 

15  are  in  Laodicea,  and  Nymphas,  and  the  church  which  is  in  his  house.     And  when  this 

16  epistle  is  read  among  you,  cause  that  it  be  read  also  in  the  church  of  the  Laodiceans ;  and 

17  that  ye  likewise  read  the  epistle  from  Laodicea.     And  say  to  Archippus,  Take  heed  to  the 

18  ministry  which  thou  hast  received  in  the  Lord,  that  thou  fulfil  it.     The  salutation  by  the 
hand  of  me  Paul.     Remember  my  bonds.     Grace  he  with  you.     Amen. 


There  are  careless  minds  which  have  no  spring  of  thought  in  themselves,  which  are  quiet  and,  in 
truth,  empty  till  some  outward  objects  come  to  engage  them.  This  state  finds  exactly  all  that  it  desires 
in  the  presence  or  the  near  hope  of  outward  objects ;  the  mind  lives  in  its  daily  pursuits  and  companions 
and  amusements.  What  impressions  have  been  once  produced  are  soon  worn  away.  There  are  other 
minds  which  enter  keenly  into  everything  presented  to  them  by  their  outward  senses,  and  which,  when 
their  senses  cease  to  supply  them,  have  an  inexhaustible  source  of  thought  within,  which  furnishes  them 
with  abundant  matter  of  reflection  or  of  speculation.  To  such  a  mind  doing  is  most  delightful,  whether 
it  be  outward  doing  or  the  mere  exercise  of  thought ;  either  supplies  alike  the  consciousness  of  power. 
Where,  then,  is  there  room  for  the  less  obtruding  things  of  God  ?  Into  that  restless  water  another  and 
another  image  is  for  ever  stepping  down,  pushing  aside  and  keeping  at  a  distance  the  sobering  reflections 
31 


482 


SECTION  312.—  C0L0SSIANS  3  :  18-25;  Jf :  1-18. 


of  God  and  of  Christ.  In  our  careless  state  of  mind  the  call  to  us  is  to  watch ;  in  our  over-busy  state  the 
call  to  us  is  to  pray ;  in  our  hard  state  there  is  equal  need  for  both.  And  even  in  our  best  moods,  when 
we  are  not  hard,  nor  careless,  nor  over-busy,  when  we  are  at  once  sober  and  earnest  and  gentle,  then  not 
least  does  Christ  call  upon  us  to  watch  and  to  pray,  that  we  may  retain  that  than  which  else  no  gleam  of 
April  sunshine  was  ever  more  fleeting,  that  we  may  perfect  that  which  else  is  of  the  earth,  earthly,  and 
when  we  lie  down  in  the  dust  will  wither  and  come  to  dust  also.     T.  A. 


18-25.  All  are  to  be  loving,  pitiful,  and  for- 
giving;  all  are  to  praise  God  with  the  life  and 
with  the  lips;  all  are  to  consecrate  their  whole 
lives  to  the  service  of  their  master,  Jesus.  And  if 
all,  then  each  separate  class ;  each  glorifying  God, 
each  serving  the  Master  Christ,  in  its  peculiar  place 
and  circumstances ;  wives  and  husbands,  children 
and  parents,  servants  and  masters.  A.  (See  paral- 
lel passage,  Eph.  5  :  22-33,  6  :  1-9,  Sec.  303.    B.) 

19.  The  word  "  bitter  "  indicates  not  so  much  a 
special  fault  to  be  censured  as  the  fundamental 
danger  and  temptatio'n  to  which  the  relation  is  ex- 
posed. The  reference  is  to  that  authority  with  which 
the  husband  is  invested,  and  the  abuse  of  which  is 
his  constant  peril.  The  word  "  bitter  "  touches  this 
as  with  the  point  of  a  needle.  What  is  called  the 
weakness  of  woman  is  really  her  strength.  It 
springs  from  the  more  exquisite  delicacy  of  her 
organization,  both  intellectual  and  physical,  by  which 
she  is  fitted  for  the  more  delicate  and  tender  offices 
which  she  is  called  to  discharge.  The  dependence 
to  which  all  this  adapts  her  is  not  her  degradation, 
but  her  glory.  It  betrays,  then,  only  the  folly  of 
him  who  is  unable  to  distinguish  betwixt  subordina- 
tion and  inferiority^  and  who  fails  to  remember  that 
subordination  in  olBce  often  obtains  where  there  is 
absolute  equality  in  rank.     B.  M.  P. 

23*  To  be  faithful  in  the  perishable  things  of 
this  world  is  a  great  thing  in  the  eyes  of  our  Lord. 
It  does  not  matter  in  what  material  we  work,  wheth- 
er it  be  mean  or  costly.  "  Do  all  things,"  saith  the 
apo'stle  to  servants,  and  to  us  all,  "  heartily,  as  unto 
the  Lord."  The  most  common  and  trivial  work  is 
to  be  connected  with  the  deepest.  Take  an  interest 
in  it ;  do  it  with  all  your  ability,  from  the  deepest 
motive,  and  with  the  highest  aim ;  do  it  to  please 
the  Lord  ;  he  will  bless  you  in  the  labor,  and  he  will 

reward  you  for  the  work.    A.  S. No  duties  can  be 

imagined  lower  in  the  social  scale  than  those  of  a 
bond-servant  in  a  heathen  family — a  position  in 
which  many  members  of  the  early  Christian  com- 
munity found  themselves.  And  therefore,  if  the 
duties  of  those  bond-servants  admitted  of  being 
done  heartily,  as  to  the  Lord,  much  more  do  yours. 
E.  M.  G. 

The  gospel  does  not  unduly  slacken  the  bonds 
of  society,  but  rather  strengthens  them ;  yet  over 
every  cleft  between  men  and  men  she  throws  the 
roldcn  bridge  of  love,  which  shows  its  power  in 


cheerful  obedience.  IIow  good  it  would  be  were 
this  truth  more  commonly  understood  and  grasped ! 
and  how  much  clearer  should  our  view  of  life  be, 
how  much  holier  its  development,  if  all  Christians 
regarded  the  apostle's  words  as  personal,  each  one 
viewing  them  as  addressed  to  himself !  "  Ye  serve 
the  Lord  Christ  "  ;  thus  ye  occupy  an  honorable  po- 
sition, whether  ye  are  placed  on  the  height  or  in  the 
shade.  Van  0, In  order  to  serve  Christ  accept- 
ably, we  have  not  to  revolutionize  our  lot,  nor  to 
seek  other  conditions  than  those  Providence  sup- 
plies. The  place  is  nothing;  the  heart  is  all. 
Chambers  of  patient  invalids,  bedfl  of  submissive 
sickness,  obscurity,  weakness,  baffled  plans — a  thou- 
sand nameless  limitations  of  faculty,  of  opportu- 
nity, of  property — all  these  are  witnesses  of  silent 
but  victorious  faith.  In  all  of  them  God  is  glori- 
fied, for  in  all  of  them  his  will  is  done.  Out  of  all  of 
them  gates  open  into  heaven  and  the  joy  of  the  Lord. 
Mercifully  the  Father  has  appointed  many  ways  in 
which  we  may  w'alk  toward  his  face,  and  run  on  his 
errands.  Work  is  the  way  for  strength ;  lying  still 
is  the  way  for  infirmity,  if  only  there  are  trust  and 
prayer  in  both.     F.  D.  II. 

1.  blasters,  give  unto  your  servants  that 
which  is  just  and  equal.  Such  is  the  rule  that 
Christianity  lays  down ;  but  what  exactly,  in  any 
particular  case,  would  be  the  just  and  equal  thing 
to  do — what  would  be  the  proper  wages  for  the 
master  to  offer  and  the  servant  to  receive — she 
leaves  that  to  be  adjusted  between  masters  and  ser- 
vants, according  to  the  varying  circumstances  by 
which  the  wages  of  all  kinds  of  labor  must  be  regu- 
lated.    W.  E. 

Christianity  goes  to  the  slave,  and  tells  him  he 
is  the  Lord's  freedman ;  it  goes  to  the  master,  and 
tells  him  he  is  Christ's  servant.  It  tells  both  mas- 
ter and  slave  that  they  arc  brethren.  It  goes  to 
the  king,  and  tells  him  he  is  the  subject  of  a  higher 
power ;  it  goes  to  the  subject,  and  tells  him  he  may 
become  a  king  and  priest  to  God.  It  raises  all  men 
to  the  level  of  a  common  immortality ;  it  depresses 
them  all  to  the  level  of  a  common  sinfulness  and 
exposure ;  it  'Subjects  all  to  a  common  accounta- 
bility ;  it  offers  to  all  a  common  salvation ;  it  pro- 
poses to  all  a  law  of  perfect  equity  and  a  principle 
of  universal  love ;  and  then  it  leaves  these  princi- 
ples and  motives  to  work  their  own  effect,  assured 
that,  in  proportion  as  they  act,  they  must  change 


SECTION'  313.—C0L0SSIANS  3  :  18-25;  4  : 1-18. 


483 


the  nature,  if  not  the  name,  of  all  risible  institu- 
tions opposed  to  its  spirit.     M.  H. 

2.  Continue  in  prayer.  Prayer,  with  out- 
stretched arm,  fetches  from  the  inexhaustible  reser- 
voir above  those  rich  supplies  of  the  oil  of  divine 
grace,  fed  by  which  the  Christian  lamp  of  faith  will 
burn  with  a  steady  and  increasing  brightness ;  till, 
having  guided  the  believer  through  the  journey  of 
life,  cheered  by  its  gladdening  ray  the  gloom  of  the 
chamber  of  death,  and  even  darted  a  bright  gleam 
of  heavenly  light  deep  down  into  that  dark  valley 
through  which  he  must  pass  to  the  city  of  his  God, 
it  will  there  be  absorbed  in  the  blaze  of  light  that 
bums  around  the  throne.     Kirke  While. 

Watch  in  the  same.  When  we  pray,  it 
is  that  we  may  not  be  led  into  temptation,  that 
we  may  have  the  victory  over  the  world  and  its 
allurements,  that  we  may  be  kept  from  the  evil, 
that  God  will  give  us  grace  to  walk  through  these 
scenes  so  unfriendly  to  piety  without  being  ensnared 
by  them.  And  then  to  plunge  voluntarily  into  the 
midst  of  them  and  live  in  them  as  though  the  soul 
could  be  satisfied  with  them  for  ever,  this  surely  is 
not  to  watch  unto  prayer,  it  is  to  contradict  the 

prayer  and  hinder  our  prayerfulness.     R.  S.  S. 

We  must  u'atch  before  prayer  in  order  to  dismiss  the 
world  from  our  thoughts,  to  gather  up  our  minds  in 
God,  and  to  implore  the  Holy  Spirit's  help.  We 
must  watch  during  prayer,  to  guard  against  dis- 
traction, against  the  incursions  of  evil  thoughts, 
against  wanderings  of  mind  and  decay  of  fervor. 
We  must  watch  after  prayer,  in  order  that  we  may 
act  consistently  with  what  we  have  been  imploring 
of  God,  wait  his  time  for  answering  us,  and  not 

lose  the  visitation  of  grace.     Bp.  Wilson. With 

thanksgiving.  This  element  in  devotion,  and 
essential  charm  of  Christian  life,  Paul  never  for- 
gets. 

5.  They  are  to  consider  the  influence  of  their 
example,  not  only  on  those  within  the  Church,  but 
on  those  without.  Unbelievers  observe  closely,  per- 
haps suspiciously,  the  behavior  of  professed  be- 
lievers; and  they  will  pay  little  heed  to  words,, 
however  wise,  if  unsupported  in  those  who  speak 
them  by  a  discreet  and  upright  walk.  "Redeem- 
ing the  time"  always  accompanies  practical  wis- 
dom. It  is  meant  that  a  Christian  should  seize 
and  use  well  every  opportunity  to  do  good  and  to 
promote  the  glory  of  Christ.     D.  F. 

That  strange,  awful  thing,  Time !  sliding,  gliding, 
fleeting  on — on  to  the  cataract ;  and  then  the  deep, 
deep  plunge  down,  bearing  with  it  and  swallowing 
up  the  world  and  the  ages,  until  every  interest  that 
now  seems  so  great  and  absorbing  is  as  a  straw  on 
the  'mighty  bosom  of  a  flood.  Let  but  a  man  pos- 
sess his  soul  with  this  idea  of  Time,  and  then 
unworldliness   will  be   the  native  atmosphere  he 


breathes.  F.  W.  R. Time  is  a  valuable  mate- 
rial, because  what  we  bring  out  of  it  is  our  own 
and  ours  for  ever.  It  is  something  that  we  shall 
carry  with  us  when  time  itself  is  no  more.  The 
image  of  our  life  hewn  out  of  these  years  is  our 
living  self,  our  character,  our  conscious  being — 
every  deed  or  thought  that  has  gone  to  make  up 
what  we  are.  This  is  the  true  wealth — what  a  man 
is  in  himself.  What  unspeakable  treasures  are 
hid  in  these  unexplored  yeara;  what  inconceivable 
heights  and  degrees  of  blessedness ;  what  after-mem- 
ories of  holy  living  and  beneficent  action ;  what 
riches  of  penitence,  humility,  and  love  !  And,  of  all 
that  we  quarry  out  of  this  mine,  nothing  shall  be 
lost,  not  a  grain,  not  a  fragment.  The  value  of  time 
as  material  is  seen,  too,  from  the  fact  that  it  is 
never  given  but  once,  and  consequently,  when  lost, 
can  never  be  regained.  God's  providence  says,  "  Use 
it  now  or  never."  Thus  we  see  time's  value.  It  is 
the  material  of  life.  No  mine  is  so  rich  or  abun- 
dant. Its  results  last.  They  are  eternal.  What  we 
draw  from  it  is  our  own  and  ours  for  ever — the  only 
thing  that  is,  and,  when  lost,  it  can  never  be  recov- 
ered.    E.  H.  G. 

6.  Though  pious  speech  may  be  rejected  as  cant 
when  not  sustained  by  corresponding  conduct,  it  is 
when  so  supported  a  great  instrument  of  good. 
Let  it  be  "  always  with  grace  "  as  befits  the  utter- 
ance of  men  under  grace ;  and  let  it  be  "  seasoned 
with  salt,"  not  dull,  prosy,  or  insipid,  but  having 
point  and  pertinency  so  as  to  be  relished  and  re- 
membered.    D.  F. The  secondary  use  of  speech 

is  to  please  and  be  entertaining  to  each  other  in 
conversation.  This  is  in  every  respect  allowable 
and  right :  it  unites  men  closer  in  alliances  and 
friendships ;  gives  us  a  fellow-feeling  of  the  pros- 
perity and  unhappiness  of  each  other ;  and  is  in  sev- 
eral respects  serviceable  to  virtue,  and  to  promote 
good  behavior  in  the  world.  And,  provided  there  be 
not  too  much  time  spent  in  it,  if  it  were  considered 
only  in  the  way  of  gratification  and  delight,  men 
must  have  strange  notions  of  God  and  of  religion,  to 
think  that  he  can  be  offended  with  it,  or  that  it  is 
in  any  way  inconsistent  with  the  strictest  virtue. 
Bp.  Butler. 

We  leave  an  innocent  and  pleasant  circle,  and 
feel  more  animated  and  cheerful ;  but  this  feeling 
may  be  true  or  not.  If  there  has  been  nothing  truly 
important  and  great,  the  conversation  which  has 
amused  and  interested  us  by  its  brilliancy  and 
humor  leaves  nothing  behind  to  strengthen  us  when 
we  return  to  the  cares,  the  duties,  and  the  fatiguing 
troubles  of  life.  But,  if  such  social  intercourse  has 
given  us  a  deeper  feeling  or  more  correct  under, 
standing  of  some  truth  of  eternal  importance,  if  it 
has  afforded  us  a  new  insight  into  some  department 
of  the  spiritual  life,  or  gladdened  us  by  the  discovery 


48J: 


SECTION  313.— 1  THESSALONIANS  1  : 1-10. 


of  beautiful  and  noble  aspirations  of  some  kindred 
soul  who  is  interested  in  the  same  great  purpose, 
then  we  carry  away  an  enriched  feeling  of  life  into 
the  hours  of  labor  and  toil.  There  is  stirred  within 
us  a  high  energy,  which  brings  to  us  protracted  bless- 
in".  Something  out  of  the  stream  of  living  water 
has  flowed  into  our  soul,  and  we  are  strengthened 
for  the  next  moments  of  anxiety  and  work.  Schleier- 
rtiacher. 

9.  Who  is  one  of  you.  Observe  how  it  may 
be  made  out  that  Onesimus  was  a  Colossian.  Turn 
to  the  Epistle  to  Philemon,  and  you  will  find  that 
Onesimus  was  the  servant  or  slave  of  Philemon. 
The  question,  therefore,  will  be,  to  what  city  Phile- 
mon belonged.  In  the  Epistle  addressed  to  him  this 
is  not  declared.  It  appears  only  that  he  was  of  the 
same  place,  whatever  that  place  was,  with  an  emi- 
nent Christian  named  Archippus.  "  Paul,  a  prisoner 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  Timothy  our  brother,  unto 
Philemon  our  dearly  beloved,  and  fellow-laborer ; 
and  to  our  beloved  Apphia,  and  Archippus  our  fel- 
low-soldier, and  to  the  church  in  thy  house."  Now 
turn  to  the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  and  you  will 
find  Archippus  saluted  by  name  among  the  Chris- 
tians of  that  Church :  "  Take  heed  to  the  ministry 
which  thou  hast  received  in  the  Lord  that  thou  fulfill 
it "  (4 :  17).  The  necessary  result  is,  that  Onesimus 
also  was  of  the  same  city,  agreeably  to  what  is  said 


of  him,  "  he  is  one  of  you."  And  this  result  is  the 
effect  either  of  truth  which  produces  consistency 
without  the  writer's  thought  or  care,  or  of  a  con- 
texture of  forgeries  confirming  and  falling  in  with 
one  another  by  a  species  of  fortuity  of  which  I 
know  no  example.     Foley. 

18.  My  bonds:  my  chains.  Paul  here  for  the 
third  time  mentions  his  chains,  not  from  dejection, 
but  that  the  Colossians  might  remember  what  he  had 
been  suffering  for  the  gospel  now  for  four  years, 
and  that  his  firm  and  undaunted  constancy  and  full 
persuasion  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel  which  he  had 
preached  should  confirm  them  in  their  faith,  render 
them  constant  in  enduring  persecutions  for  the  same 
cause,  and  induce  them  to  pay  the  more  affectionate 
regard  to  the  whole  of  his  Epistle.     Bp.  Wilson. 

At  the  close  the  apostle  gives  his  own  salutation 
in  autograph.  Perhaps,  as  he  rose  to  do  so,  the 
clanking  of  his  chain  suggested  to  him  to  add,  "  Re- 
member my  bonds."  But  there  is  no  more  of  this 
— no  whining  over  his  unhappy  lot.  His  great  heart 
yearned  over  the  Church  in  the  love  of  Christ ;  and 
he  hastens  to  add,  the  "  Grace  be  with  you ! "  The 
grace  of  the  head  be  with  all  the  members  ;  the 
grace  of  the  Lord  with  all  the  servants  !  A  sweet 
note  on  which  to  rest  as  the  music  of  this  profound 
Epistle  dies  away.  They  who  love  the  Lord,  and 
wish  to  do  all  things  in  his  name,  have  daily 
need  of  grace ;  and  the  Lord  has  for  them  all  the 
grace  they  need  to  guide,  to  support,  to  console,  to 
purify.     D.  F. 


Section  313. 

1  Thessalonians  i.  1-10. 


1  Paul,  and  Silvanus,  and  Timotheus,  unto  the  cLurcli  of  the  Thessalonians  which  is  in  God 
the  Father  and  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  Grace  1)6  unto  you,  and  peace,  from  God  our 

2  Father,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     We  give  thanks  to  God  always  for  you  all,  making 

3  mention  of  you  in  our  prayers ;  remembering  without  ceasing  your  work  of  faith,  and  la- 
bour of  love,  and  patience  of  hope  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  sight  of  God  and  our 

4  Father;  knowing,  brethren  beloved,  your  election  of  God.     For  our  gospel  came  not  unto 

5  you  in  word  only,  but  also  in  power,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  much  assurance ;  as  ye 

6  know  what  manner  of  men  we  were  among  you  for  your  sake.     And  ye  became  followers 
of  us,  and  of  the  Lord,  having  received  the  word  in  much  affliction,  with  joy  of  the  Holy 

Y  Ghost :  so  that  ye  were  ensamples  to  all  that  believe  in  Macedonia  and  Achaia.     For  from 

8  you  sounded  out  the  word  of  the  Lord  not  only  in  Macedonia  and  Achaia,  but  also  in  every 
place  your  faith  to  Godward  is  spread  abroad ;  so  that  we  need  not  to  speak  any  thing. 

9  For  they  themselves  shew  of  us  what  manner  of  entering  in  we  had  unto  you,  and  how  ye 
10  turned  to  God  from  idols  to  serve  the  living  and  true  God ;  and  to  wait  for  his  Son  from 

heaven,  whom  he  raised  from  the  dead,  even  Jesus,  which  delivered  us  from  the  wrath  to 
come. 


The  brightness  of  our  life  consists  in  believing,  hoping,  loving:  in  believing;  that  is,  in  feeling  as- 
sured of  the  Father  amid  the  manifestations  of  his  discipline — in  hoping ;  that  is,  in  laying  hold,  amid 
the  ruins  which  gather  around  us,  of  the  kingdom  which  can  not  be  moved — in  loving ;  that  is,  in  sub- 
stituting for  the  care  for  our  own  happiness  a  care  for  the  happiness  of  others,  or,  more  generally,  to 
place  the  center  of  our  life  without  us ;  for,  properly  speaking,  it  is  only  in  this  that  life  consists.  Love, 
which  is  the  happiness  of  God  himself,  must  also  bo  the  supreme  felicity  of  the  being  whom  God  has 
made  in  his  own  image.     Every  other  happiness  is  unworthy  of  this  being,  and  does  not  satisfy  him. 


SECTION-  313.— 1  THESSALONIANS  1:1-10. 


485 


Selfish  enjoyment  requires  to  receive,  and  has  never  received  enough ;  love  requires  to  give,  and  has  never 
given  enough.  Sacrifices  exhaust  the  one  and  maintain  the  other,  and  while  the  first  would  gain  nothing 
by  gaining  the  world,  the  second  grows  rich  upon  its  very'  losses.  Faith  and  hope  are  of  value  only  be- 
cause they  conduct  to  love,  and  the  soul  would  dispense  with  believing  and  hoping,  if  without  hoping  and 
believing  it  were  possible  to  love.     A.  V. 


First  Epistle  to  tue  Thessalonians. 

This  is  the  earliest  of  the  extant  writings  of 
Paul,  and  it  reveals  as  vividly  as  any  of  them  the 
apostle's  generous  and  atfectionate  nature.  Along 
with  Silas  and  Timothy,  he  first  preached  Jesus 
Christ  in  Thcssalouica,  and  planted  the  Church 
there  in  the  face  of  vehement  opposition  from  the 
resident  Jews.  At  that  time  the  town  was  one  of 
great  importance  in  Macedonia ;  and,  while  the  old 
cities  of  Ephesus  and  Colosse  are  now  represented 
by  mere  heaps  of  ruins,  Thessalonica  exists  at  this 
day  as  the  town  of  Saloniki,  one  of  the  chief  places 
of  European  Turkey.  It  is  said  that  one  sixth  of 
the  modern  population  are  Jews.  (Read  pages  118, 
119,  and  lo'L)  The  missionary  visit  of  Paul  to  this 
Macedonian  city  was  short,  but  the  brethren  there 
always  retained  a  warm  place  in  his  heart.  Perse- 
cution drove  him  to  Berea,  and  thence  by  sea  to 
Attica.  At  Athens  he  was  soon  rejoined  by  Timo- 
thy, who  had  remained  in  Macedonia.  Paul  sent 
him  back  to  the  Thessalonians,  to  "  establish  them 
and  comfort  them  concerning  the  faith,"  while  he 
himself  went  on  to  Corinth.  At  that  city  he  spent 
a  year  and  a  half,  during  which  period  Timothy  re- 
turned with  a  good  account  of  the  Thessalonian 
Church.  This  greatly  cheered  the  apostle,  and  led 
him  to  write  the  letter  now  before  us,  which  is  one, 
not  of   argument,  controversy,  or  reproof,  but  of 

confirmation  and  encouragement.     D.  F. It  was 

written  because  the  apostle  wanted  to  fill  up  by  ex- 
hortation and  consolation  the  necessary  defects  of 
a  teaching  which  had  been  indeed  most  earnest  and 
plain  as  far  as  it  had  gone,  but  had  been  broken  off 
before  it  was  complete.  The  earlier  portion  of  the 
letter  is  spent  in  congratulating  the  Thessalonians 
and  praising  them  for  the  simplicity  and  readiness 
with  which  they  had  received  his  message,  and  for 
the  eminence  of  their  faith,  which  had  become  since 
then  matter  of  notoriety;  in  reminding  them  also 
of  the  whole  character  of  his  own  demeanor  among 
them  ;  his  disinterested  independence  of  them,  and 
gentle,  even  mother-like  affection  toward  them.  He 
next  recalls  to  mind  the  hostility  of  the  Jews,  not 
so  much  to  himself  as  to  them,  and  draws  a  com- 
parison between  them  and  the  churches  of  Judea  in 
this  respect.  Then  he  touches  gently  his  own  case, 
showing  how  this  same  hostility  had,  since  his  de- 
parture, defeated  one  and  another  scheme  which  he 
had  made  for  seeing  them.  The  third  chapter  is  oc- 
cupied with  a  narrative  of  the  circumstances  under 
which  the  report  of  Timothy  respecting  them  had 
reached  him,  and  with  expressions  of  thankfulness 
and  affection  resulting  thereupon  ;  concluding  with  a 
wish  for  the  possibility  of  his  visiting  them,  and  for 
their  increase  in  love  and  holiness,  that  they  might 
be  blameless  before  God  at  the  Lord's  coming. 
Then  follow  the  practical  exhortations  and  correc- 
tions of  defects.     A. 

The  whole  aspect  of  the  letter  shows  that  the 
main  body  of  the  Thessalonian  Church  was  not  Jew- 
ish, but  Gentile.  The  Jews  are  spoken  of  as  an  ex- 
traneous body,  as  the  enemies  of  Chi'istianity  and 


of  all  men,  not  as  the  elements  out  of  which  the 
church  was  composed.  The  ancient  Jewish  Scrip- 
tures are  not  once  quoted  in  either  of  these  Epistles. 
The  converts  are  addressed  as  those  who  had  turned, 
not  from  Hebrew  fables  and  traditions,  but  from  the 
practices  of  heathen  idolatry.     H. 

The  Thessalonian  Epistles  complete  Paul's  ad- 
dresses to  seven  churches,  and,  though  first  in  the 
date  of  production,  may  fitly  be  read  last  in  the 
permanent  order,  as  being  specially  distinguished 
by  the  eschatological  element,  and  sustaining  the 
conflict  of  faith  by  the  preaching  of  "  that  blessed 
hope  "  and  "  the  glorious  appearing  and  the  coming 
of  the  day  of  God."     T.  D.  B. 

3.  If  your  hope  prove  itself  by  the  patience 
that  comes  from  it,  and  your  faith  by  the  work 
which  it  produces,  and  your  love  by  the  labor  which 
is  its  result,  then  you  may  believe  that  the  hope 
and  faith  and  love  are  of  God,  and  will  abide  for 
ever.  Being  in  Christ,  it  is  safe  to  forget  the  past, 
it  is  possible  to  be  sure  of  the  future,  it  is  possible 
to  be  diligent  in  the  present.     Then  how  blessed 

such  a  life !    A.  M. Hope  will  put  on  patience 

as  a  vestment ;  it  will  wade  through  a  sea  of  blood  ; 
it  will  endure  all  things  if  it  be  of  the  right  kind, 
for  the  joy  that  is  set  before  it.  Hence  patience  is 
called  "  patience  of  hope,"  because  it  is  hope  that 
makes  the  soul  exercise  patience  and  long-suffering 
under  the  cross,  until  the  time  comes  to  enjoy  the 
crown.     Bim. 

4.  "  Knowing,  brethren  beloved,  your  election 
of  God,"  should  be  "  knowing,  brethren  beloved  of 
God,  your  election.''''     A. 

5.  Our  gospel  came  ....  in  the  Holy 
Ghost.  The  Holy  Spirit  makes  use  of  the  truth 
to  flash  light  into  the  soul  and  to  awaken  love  in  the 
heart.  Truth  reveals  to  the  man,  and  sets  impres- 
sively before  him  everything  it  becomes  him  to 
know  essential  to  his  salvation.  It  unveils  to  him 
himself,  sin,  God,  Christ,  mercy,  the  way  to  the 
Father,  the  welcome  awaiting  him,  the  grace 
promised,  the  power  of  the  cross,  the  "  Advocate  " 
on  high,  and  so  on.  This — "the  word  of  truth" — 
spiritually  impressed  and  made  influential  by  the 
divine  agent  that  wields  it,  calls  forth  contrition, 
faith,  hope,  inspires  joy  and  peace,  with  other  sooth- 
ing and  animating  results,  of  which  the  issue  is 
love — love  to  God  and  man.     T.  B. 

6.  Received  the  word.  They  are  the  good 
hearers,  the  best  hearers,  who  have  had  a  daily  ex- 
perience of  its  truths,  who  have  received  it  into 
themselves,  of  whose  spiritual  nature  it  has  become 
part,  in  whom  it  works  with  an  instinctive  accuracy 


486 


SECTION'  314.— 1   TEESSALORIANS  2  : 1-20. 


and  constancy,  so  that  they  do  not  need  to  consider 
what  is  right  and  wrong,  or  to  argue  about  it,  but 
know  the  right  from  the  wrong  with  a  certainty 
beyond  the  reach  of  logic.  The  word  of  God  to 
them  is  full  of  meaning — full  of  meanings  deeper 
and  more  subtile  than  others  can  see  ;  for  they  have 
long  since  not  only  "  understood  "  but  "  received  " 
the  word  into  their  heart  of  hearts.     Cox. 

8.  The  world  has  more  need  of  a  great  number 
of  Christian  people  doing  little  things  like  Chris- 
tians than  it  has  need  of  one  apostle  preaching  like 
an  apostle,  or  one  martyr  dying  like  a  martyr.  As 
a  means  of  spreading  the  gospel,  faithfulness  in 
doing  Uttle  things  is  a  mightier  engine  than  all  the 
power  of  the  pulpit  or  all  the  eloquence  of  a 
preacher.      "From  you,"    said    an    apostle    once, 


"  from  you  the  word  of  the  Lord  hath  sounded  out 
so  that  we  need  not  speak  anything."    A.  M. 

9.  What  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  is  the  ques- 
tion of  the  Christ-called  man.  The  Thessalonians 
turned  from  idols  to  serve  the  living  God.  We  are 
emancipated  from  the  fetters  of  sin  and  the  world, 
we  are  transplanted  into  the  kingdom  of  God  to 
work  in  the  love  and  energy  of  our  renewed  heart. 

A.  S. God  has  so  constituted  our  nature  that  a 

man  can  not  be  happy  unless  he  is,  or  thinks  he  is, 
a  means  of  good.  Give  a  man  what  you  please, 
surround  him  with  all  the  means  of  gratification, 
and  yet  let  the  conviction  come  home  to  him  clear 
and  irresistible  that  there  is  not  a  being  in  God's 
universe  a  whit  the  better  or  happier  for  his  exis- 
tence, and  he  can  not  but  be  unhappy.     E.  M. 


Section  314. 

1  Thessalonians  ii.  1-20. 


1  Foe  yourselves,  brethren,  know  our  entrance  in  unto  you,  that  it  was  not  in  vain :  but 

2  even  after  that  we  had  suffered  before,  and  were  shamefully  entreated,  as  ye  know,  at 
Philippi,  we  were  bold  in  our  God  to  speak  unto  you  the  gospel  of  God  with  much  conten- 

3  tion.     For  our  exhortation  teas  not  of  deceit,  nor  of  uncleanness,  nor  in  guile :  but  as  we 

4  were  allowed  of  God  to  be  put  in  trust  with  the  gospel,  even  so  we  speak ;  not  as  pleasing 

5  men,  but  God,  which  trieth  our  hearts.     For  neither  at  any  time  used  we  fl9,ttering  words, 

6  as  ye  know,  nor  a  eloke  of  covetousness ;  God  is  witness :  nor  of  men  sought  we  glory, 
neither  of  you,  nor  yet  of  others,  when  we  might  have  been  burdensome,  as  the  apostles  of 

7  Christ.     But  we  were  gentle  among  you,  even  as  a  nurse  cherisheth  her  children :  so  being 

8  affectionately  desirous  of  you,  we  were  willing  to  have  imparted  unto  you,  not  the  g03pei 

9  of  God  only,  but  also  our  own  souls,  because  ye  were  dear  unto  us.  For  ye  remember, 
brethren,  our  labour  and  travail:  for  labouring  night  and  day,  because  we  would  not  be 
chargeable  unto  any  of  you,  we  preached  unto  you  the  gospel  of  God. 

10  Ye  are  witnesses,  and  God  also,  how  hohly  and  justly  and  unblameably  we  behaved  our- 

11  selves  among  you  that  believe :  as  ye  know  how  we  exhorted  and  comforted  and  charged 

12  every  one  of  you,  as  a  father  doth  his  children,  that  ye  would  walk  worthy  of  God,  who 

13  hath  called  you  unto  his  kingdom  and  glory.  For  this  cause  also  thank  we  God  without 
ceasing,  because,  when  ye  received  the  word  of  God  which  ye  heard  of  us,  ye  received  it 
not  as  the  word  of  men,  but  as  it  is  in  truth,  the  word  of  God,  which  effectually  worketli 

14  also  in  you  that  believe.  For  ye,  brethren,  became  followers  of  the  churches  of  God  which 
in  Judsea  are  in  Christ  Jesus:  for  ye  also  have  suffered  like  things  of  your  own  countrymen, 

15  even  as  they  have  of  the  Jews  :  who  both  killed  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  their  own  prophets,  and 

16  have  persecuted  us ;  and  they  please  not  God,  and  aire  contrary  to  all  men :  forbidding  us  to 
speak  to  the  Gentiles  that  they  might  be  saved,  to  fill  up  their  sins  alway:  for  the  wrath  is 

17  come  upon  them  to  the  uttermost.  But  we,  brethren,  being  taken  from  you  for  a  short 
time  in  presence,  not  in  heart,  endeavoured  the  more  abundantly  to  see  your  face  with  great 

18  desire.     Wherefore  we  would  have  come  unto  you,  even  I  Paul,  once  and  again  ;  but  Satan 

19  hindered  us.    For  what  is  our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of  rejoicing  ?    Are  not  even  ye  in  the 

20  presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming  ?     For  ye  are  our  glory  and  joy. 


Slight  views  of  Christ's  atonement,  and  of  the  future  glory  which  it  purchases,  may  give  a  man  cold 
and  doubtful  expectations  ;  but  let  him  be  jjersuaded  that  these  things  are  as  real  as  his  own  existence, 
and  straightway  he  rejoices  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.  Here  is  faith  engendering  hope.  Faint  appre- 
hensions of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ  may  leave  the  heart  void  of  corresponding  affections,  but  let  the 


SECTION'  3U.—1  THESSALONIANS  2:1-20. 


487 


full  excellency  of  the  benignant  dying  Redeemer  overpower  the  soul,  and  it  is  dissolved  in  tender  attach- 
ment. Here  is  faith  working  by  love.  The  same  is  true  of  all  these  ever  busy  emotions,  which,  like  a 
ceaseless  sea,  for  ever  fluctuate  in  the  soul  of  man.  Faith  rises  over  these  waves  of  feeling  and  com- 
mands them.  The  cordial  belief  of  unseen  things  makes  the  heart's  pulses  play  with  new  animation. 
And  then  these  moving  powers  give  animation  to  the  whole  Christian  life.  The  mainspring  of  all,  how- 
ever, still  is  "  the  word  of  God,  which  effectually  worketh  also  in  you  that  believe."    J.  W.  A. 


I 


2.  The  history  (Acts  16)  relates  that,  after  Paul 
and  Silas  had  been  beaten  with  many  stripes  at 
Philippi,  shut  up  in  the  inner  prison,  and  their  feet 
made  fast  in  the  stocks,  as  soon  as  they  were  dis- 
charged from  their  confinement  they  departed  from 
thence,  and,  when  they  had  passed  through  Amphi- 
polis  and  ApoUonia,  came  to  Thessalonica,  where 
Paul  opened  .and  alleged  that  Jesus  was  the  Christ. 
The  Epistle  written  in  the  name  of  Paul  and  Syl- 
vanus  (Silas),  and  of  Timotheus,  who  appears  to 
have  been  with  them  at  Philippi,  here  accords  with 
the  history.     Paley. 

4.  In  trust  with  the  gospel.  That  theme 
of  earth  and  heaven,  of  sinner  repenting  and  saint 
rejoicing,  of  eternity  past  and  eternity  to  come,  the 
tenor,  substance,  sum  of  revelation ;  that  theme — 
"  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners  " 
— is  the  gospel.  This  gospel  of  which  we  are  put 
in  tritst  is  a  message  concerning  the  grace  of  God, 
but  it  is  not  the  grace.  And,  consequently,  as  our 
trust  covers  only  the  gospel,  it  extends  simply  to 
the  declaration  of  God's  grace  in  Christ  Jesus.  We 
can  not  touch  the  grace  itself  cither  to  give  or  with- 
hold. God,  the  Holy  Spirit,  mercifully  holds  the 
bestowal  of  grace  within  his  own  power.  We  an- 
nounce God's  merciful  purpose.  We  are  not  trus- 
tees of  grace,  but  only  of  the  gospel  of  grace.  We, 
sinners  saved  by  grace,  are  made  trustees  of  the 
gospel  for  saving  other  sinners.  We  are  exercising 
this  trust  for  the  kindest  and  gentlest  and  most 
gracious  of  masters.  Our  considerate  Saviour,  who 
has  called  us  to  the  work,  understands  whereof  we 
are  made.  lie  expects  of  us  no  more  than  we  can 
do.  He  asks  of  us  no  more  than  he  will  give 
strength  to  execute.  He  knows  that  the  vessel  is 
earthen ;  that  it  can  not  bear  all  trials  nor  endure 
all  shocks.  He  is  watching.  He  is  with  us.  With 
a  simple,  trusting  patience  we  labor  on,  committing 
humbly  and  confidently  to  him  to  fix  the  place  of 
our  ministry,  to  surround  it  with  such  circumstances 
as  will  best  forward  its  purpose,  to  sustain  us  in  its 
faithful  discharge,  and  to  secure  its  success.    Bedell. 

It  was  a  supreme  desire  to  please  God,  who 
trieth  the  heart,  without  regard  either  to  the  praise 
or  censure  of  men,  which  rendered  the  first  Chris- 
tians superior  to  adversity  in  all  its  frightful  forms  ; 
and  it  is  the  same  divine  principle,  which,  if  once  it 
got  the  entire  possession  of  our  hearts,  would  be  a 
constant  spring  of  holy  obedience,  and  enable  us,  by 
the  blessing  of  God,  to  follow  the  cloud  of  witnesses 
who  have  gone  before  us,  through  the  most  rugged 


paths  of  virtue,  untainted  with  that  inconstancy  of 
behavior  which  is  the  reproach  of  so  many  profess- 
ing Christians  in  our  days,     R.  W. 

7-13.  By  a  rare  privilege  of  nature,  or  of  grace, 
Paul,  combining  opposite  qualities  in  himself,  and 
tempering  force  by  gentleness,  possessed  one  of  the 
tenderest  hearts  that  ever  beat  beneath  the  sky. 
Not  merely  a  warm  heart,  but  a  feeling  heart,  with 
tender  attachments ;  so  far  was  his  greatness  from 
having  any  element  of  pride,  or  his  energy  any  ele- 
ment of  harshness.  What  can  be  more  affectionate 
than  the  language  of  the  apostle  to  his  brethren  of 
Thessalonica — ^his  children  in  the  faith  ?  All  whom 
he  had  begotten  to  eternal  life  are  so  many  friends 
whom  he  bears  on  his  heart  before  God.  The 
churches  without  number  founded  by  him  contain 
no  member  who  does  not  have  his  place  in  those 
prayers,  the  frequency  of  which  is  almost  as  aston- 
ishing as  their  fervor.  One  is  tempted  to  ask  where 
the  apostle  found  time  (to  speak  only  of  time)  to 
pray  so  constantly  for  so  many  persons  ;  and  the  in- 
exhaustible tenderness  of  his  soul  assuredly  enters 
largely  into  the  solution  of  this  touching  prob- 
lem.     Monod. With  what  a   graceful   mixture 

of  majesty  and  meekness  does  he  appeal  to  the 
Thessalonians !  And  what  can  attract  our  love, 
what  can  merit  our  esteem,  what  can  excite  our  ad- 
miration, if  such  a  temper  doth  not  ?  A  temper 
which,  to  all  the  magnanimity  of  the  hero,  unites  all 
the  piety  and  benevolence  of  the  saint.     R.  W. 

13.  There  is  a  revelation  of  God  to  his  children 
which  he  gives  them  immediately  by  his  Spirit,  that 
is,  its  own  witness.  The  man  who  has  it  is  sure  that 
he  has  it,  and  that  it  is  of  God.  Not  that  omv  feel- 
ings alone  are  the  test  of  truth  in  this  matter ;  but, 
wherever  there  is  this  genuine  illumination  by  God's 
Spirit,  it  will  be  found  exactly  to  accord  with  the 
outward  revelation  given  by  the  same  Spirit  in  the 
written  word.  It  is  maintained  and  grows  con- 
tinually by  meditation  upon  that  word,  in  faith  and 
prayer,  and  in  the  use  of  those  human  ministrations 
by  which  God  has  appointed  that  his  children  shall 
be  nourished.  In  these  God  himself  meets  them, 
and  teaches  them  by  his  Spirit.  Hence  the  gospel 
is  called,  "the  ministration  of  the  Spirit" ;  and  in 
this  light  all  true  believers  receive  it,  "  not  as  the 
word  of  man,  but,  as  it  is  in  truth,  the  word  of  God." 
Goode. Our  progress  is  real  when  there  is  ad- 
vance in  faith  corresponding  to  the  advance  in 


488 


SECTI02T  315.— 1  TEESSALONIAN'S  3  : 1-13. 


knowledge.  Aud  this  may  be  going  on  during  all 
our  Christian  course.  Every  perusal  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, every  hearing  of  the  preached  "Word,  should 
make  us  stronger  and  happier  Christians  by  the 
energy  of  faith  within. 

19,  20.  Every  Gentile  convert  was  a  jewel  in 
his  crown.  Again  and  again  he  asseverates  that 
he  mentions  them  without  ceasing  in  his  prayers. 
Though  himself  a  prisoner,  he  exclaims,  "  What  is 
our  hope  or  joy  or  crown  of  rejoicing?  Are  not 
even  ye  in  the  presence  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at 
his  coming  ?  "  Contemplate  here  the  true  temper 
of  the  missionary.  To  such  a  one,  life  will  seem  a 
rapid  current,  for  it  will  be  filled  with  the  haste  of 
fervid  action.  Oceans  will  become  mere  straits  to 
such  a  zeal.  The  place,  the  circumstances  of  labor, 
will  be  mere  dust  on  the  balance.  So  that  the  gos- 
pel be  preached,  it  will  matter  little  in  what  lan- 
guage or  amid  what  dangers.  The  preacher  thus 
fired  will  hence  be  able  to  fly  from  the  impulsive 
thought  of  his  own  unwortliiness  aud  the  glory  of 
the  gospel.     J.  \Y.  A. 

It  was  divine  love  and  mercy  which  made  sacred 
truth  so  pleasant  to  me,  that  my  life,  under  all  my 


infirmities,  has  been  almost  a  constant  recreation. 
IIow  far  beyond  my  expectation  has  a  merciful  God 
encouraged  me  in  his  sacred  work,  choosing  every 
place  of  my  ministry  and  abode  to  this  day,  without 
my  own  seeking,  and  never  sending  me  to  labor  in 
vain?  How  many  are  gone  to  heaven,  and  how 
many  are  in  the  way,  through  a  divine  blessing  on 
the  word  which  in  weakness    I  delivered  ?     Bax. 

My  heart  hath  been  so  wrapped  up  in  the  glory 

of  this  excellent  work,  that  I  counted  myself  more 
blessed  and  honored  of  God  by  this,  than  if  he  had 
made  me  emperor  of  the  Christian  world  or  the  lord 

of  all  the  glory  of  the  earth  without  it.    Bun. 

He  who  at  the  great  day  will  have  for  his  crown  of 
rejoicing  tens,  or  hundreds,  or  thousands,  to  whom 
many  others  were  "  teachers,"  but  only  he  a  "  fa- 
ther " — he  rises  to  such  joy  and  dignity  that  he  may 
look  back  upon  the  best  and  most  honored  of  God's 
ancient  servants,  and  feel  that,  in  comparison  with 
them,  he  has  only  to  be  thankful  for  his  own  more 
blessed  lot.  His  crown  and  his  prize  are  the  high- 
est to  which  man  may  aspire.  How  close  the  servant 
is  brought  to  the  Master  !  The  Master  is  Saviour, 
the  servant  the  instrument  of  saving !     Arthur, 


Section  315. 

1  Thessalonians  iii.  1-1  c 


1  "Wheeefoee  when  we  could  no  longer  forbear,  we  thought  it  good  to  be  left  at  Athens 

2  alone  ;  and  sent  Timotheus,  our  brother,  and  minister  of  God,  and  our  fellowlabourer  in  the 

3  gospel  of  Christ,  to  establish  you,  and  to  comfort  you  concerning  your  faith :  that  no  man 
should  be  moved  by  these  afflictions :  for  yourselves  know  that  we  are  appointed  thereunto. 

4  For  verily,  when  we  were  with  you,  we  told  you  before  that  we  should  suffer  tribulation ; 

5  even  as  it  came  to  pass,  and  ye  know.     For  this  cause,  when  I  could  no  longer  forbear,  I 
sent  to  know  your  faith,  lest  by  some  means  the  tempter  have  tempted  you,'  and  our  labour 

6  be  in  vain.     But  now  when  Timotheus  came  from  you  unto  us,  and  brought  us  good  tidings 
of  your  faith  and  charity,  and  that  ye  have  good  remembrance  of  us  always,  desiring  greatly 

Y  to  see  us,  as  we  also  to  see  you :  therefore,  brethren,  we  were  comforted  over  you  in  aU 

8  our  affliction  and  distress  by  your  faith  :  for  now  we  live,  if  ye  stand  fast  in  the  Lord.    For 

9  what  thanks  can  we  render  to  God  again  for  you,  for  all  the  joy  wherewith  we  joy  for  your 

10  sakes  before  our  God  ;  night  and  day  praying  exceedingly  that  we  might  see  your  face,  and 

11  might  perfect  that  which  is  lacking  in  your  faith  ?     Now  God  himself  and  our  Father,  and 

12  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  direct  our  way  unto  you.     And  the  Lord  make  you  to  increase  and 

13  abound  in  love  one  toward  another,  and  toward  all  men^  even  as  we  do  toward  you :  to  the 
end  he  may  stablish  your  hearts  unblameable  in  holiness  before  God,  even  our  Father,  at  the 
coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  all  his  saints. 


"Stand  fast  in  theLord.''^  Christians  are  "  saved"  and  "  sanctified  in  Christ  "  ;  are  "  rooted,  built  up," 
and  "made  perfect  in  Christ."  Their  faith,  hope,  love,  joy,  their  whole  life,  is  "in  Christ."  They  think, 
they  speak,  they  walk  "  in  Christ."  They  labor  and  suffer,  they  sorrow  and  rejoice,  they  conquer  and 
triumph  "  in  the  Lord."  They  receive  each  other  and  love  each  other  "  in  the  Lord."  The  fundamental 
relations,  the  primal  duties  of  life,  have  been  drawn  within  this  all-embracing  relation.     The  influence  of 


SECTIOirsiS.—l  THESSALONIANS  1:1-13. 


489 


it  extends  over  the  whole  field  of  action,  and  men  "  do  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  giving  thanks  to 
God  and  the  Father  by  him."  Finally,  this  character  of  existence  is  not  changed  by  that  which  changes 
all  besides.  Those  who  have  entered  on  it  depart,  but  they  "  die  in  the  Lord,"  they  "  sleep  in  Jesus," 
they  are  "the  dead  in  Christ";  and  "when  he  shall  appear,"  they  will  appear;  and  when  he  comes, 
"  God  shall  bring  them  with  him,"  and  they  shall  "  reign  in  life  by  one — Jesus  Christ."     T.  D.  B. 


1,3.  From  the  moment  Paul's  feet  touched  the 
pier  at  the  lower  end  of  Athens  the  monuments  of 
the  dominant  mythology  began  to  lift  themselves 
forbiddingly  before  him,  to  make  him  feel  himself 
"  alone."  From  the  water-side  all  the  way  up  to  the 
Acropolis  the  city  is  one  vast  museum  of  unhallowed 
art,  of  an  unclean  civilization,  of  a  Christless  wor- 
ship. If  he  turns  from  the  world  of  sight  to  the 
world  of  thought,  he  finds  the  schools  of  unbeliev- 
ing speculation.  Porch  and  Academy,  Stoa  and  Gar- 
dens, strong  in  great  names  to  be  sure,  but  dis- 
tracted with  debate  between  doubt  and  delusion,  and 
full  of  eloquent  error.  What  was  all  this  to  the 
sorrowful,  earnest,  straitened  spirit  which  was  there 
in  the  form  of  a  worn  and  sunburnt  traveler  from 
Tarsus,  secretly  so  absorbed  in  the  power  of  a  holy 
affection  for  a  Personage  executed  long  ago  as  a  dis- 
turber of  the  public  peace  in  the  distant  province 
of  Judea,  that  he  could  say,  "  It  is  no  more  I  that 
live ;  I  have  no  life  of  my  own ;  Christ  liveth  in 
me  "  ?  The  round  of  festal  novelties,  the  decora- 
tions of  Attic  taste,  the  splendid  learning,  the  riches 
and  refinements  of  a  proud  prosperity,  what  were 
they  all  to  one  whose  heart  was  in  the  unseen  court 
of  the  King  of  kings  ?  Deeper  and  darker  his  soli- 
tude grew.  And  yet  even  there  he  could  send  away 
from  his  side  the  single  sympathizing  friend  that 
had  followed  him ;  he  could  banish  himself  into  a 
completer  exile,  and  be  utterly  "  alone  at  Athens," 
for  the  confirmation  and  comforting's  sake  of  the 
little  band  of  Christians  far  off  at  Thessalonica. 
Here  is  the  test  of  courage,  and  of  all  real  charac- 
ters. Can  you  live,  work,  suffer,  stand  out,  move 
forward  alone?  This  settles  it  whether  you  are 
merely  a  piece  of  movable  furniture  in  the  halls  of 
a  worldly  society,  a  manufacture  molded  by  the 
hands  of  fashion,  or  a  living  and  independent  soul, 
satisfied  to  walk  with  that  Man  of  men  who  had  not 
where  to  lay  his  head  while  He  was  showing  the 
world  the  truth  and  love  of  God.     F.  D.  H. 

8.  Here  the  purest  zeal  for  the  honor  of  his 
Master  and  the  most  generous  love  to  the  souls  of 
men  are  happily  united,  and  expressed  in  the  native 


language  of  a  warm  and  upright  heart :  the  purest 
zeal  and  the  most  generous  love,  for  no  tincture  of 
selfishness  appears  in  either;  if  Christ  is  glorified, 
if  men  are  saved,  Paul  obtains  his  utmost  wish ; 
his  happiness  is  independent  of  everything  else ;  he 
enjoys  all  that  in  his  own  estimation  is  worthy  to  be 
accounted  life,  if  his  spiritual  children  stand  fast  in 

the   Lord.     R.  W. So,   in   a  later  time,  wrote 

Samuel  Rutherford  to  his  parishioners  at  Anwoth, 
"  I  long  exceedingly  to  know  if  the  oft-spoken  match 
between  you  and  Christ  holdeth,  and  if  ye  follow  on 
to  know  the  Lord.  My  day  thoughts  and  night 
thoughts  are  of  you.  While  you  sleep  I  am  afraid 
for  your  souls  that  they  be  off  the  Rock." 

9,  10.  The  disciples  at  Thessalonica  were  from 
the  first  exposed  to  persecution  on  account  of  their 
faith.  The  apostle  had  only  stayed  with  them  for  a 
few  weeks,  and  after  a  little  time  Silas  and  Timothy 
had  also  left  them.  They  were  a  congregation  of 
young  untried  Christians,  and  even  their  elders  could 
have  had  little  experience.  Nevertheless,  they  had 
thus  far  stood  firm  in  the  Lord ;  and  the  tidings  of 
their  steadfastness  regaled  the  spirit  and  strength- 
ened the  life  of  the  missionary  apostle.  Again  we 
are  reminded  of  the  fervent  desires  of  Samuel  Ruth- 
erford for  his  flock  at  Anwoth :  "  Oh,  how  rich  a 
prisoner  were  I,  if  I  could  obtain  of  my  Lord  the 
salvation  of  you  all !  What  a  prey  had  I  gotten  to 
have  you  all  caught  in  Christ's  net !  My  witness 
is  above  ;  your  heaven  would  be  two  heavens,  and 
the  salvation  of  you  all  as  two  salvations  to  me." 
D.  F. 

11,  13.  The  word  "  Christ "  is  omitted  in  all  the 
most  ancient  manuscripts.  "  The  Lord  Jesus  "  seems 
to  have  been  at  this  time  Paul's  constant  way  of 
naming  the  Saviour.  And  it  is  to  be  noted  that  he 
was  charged  at  Thessalonica  before  the  magistrates 
with  proclaiming  "  another  king,  one  Jesus."    A. 

13.  This  faithful  servant  is  well  content  to  con- 
tinue his  labor,  run  his  race,  and  endure  affliction, 
waiting  for  his  full  reward  till  his  Master  shall 
come.  Then  will  the  saints  of  Macedonia  be  to  him 
a  chaplet  of  victory — his  glory  and  his  joy.    D.  F. 


490 


SECTION  316.— 1  TEESSALOMANS  4  : 1-18. 


Section  316. 

1  Thessalonians  iv.  1-18. 

1  FtTKTHEEMORE  then  WG  beseech  you,  brethren,  and  exhort  you  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  as 
ye  have  received  of  us  how  ye  ought  to  walk  and  to  please  God,  so  ye  would  abound  more 

2  and  more.     For  ye  know  what  commandments  we  gave  you  by  the  Lord  Jesus.     For  this 

3  is  the  will  of  God,  even  your  sanctilication,  that  ye  should  abstain  from  fornication :  that 

4  every  one  of  you  should  know  how  to  possess  his  vessel  in  sanctilication  and  honour ;  not 

5  in  the  lust  of  concupiscence,  even  as  the  Gentiles  which  know  not  God :  that  no  man  go 

6  beyond  and  defraud  his  brother  in  any  matter :  because  that  the  Lord  is  the  avenger  of  all 

7  such,  as  we  also  have  forewarned  you  and  testified.     For  God  hath  not  called  us  unto  un- 

8  cleanness,  but  unto  holiness.     He  therefore  that  despiseth,  despiseth  not  man,  but  God, 
who  hath  also  given  unto  us  his  Holy  Spirit. 

9  But  as  touching  brotherly  love  ye  need  not  that  I  write  unto  you  :  for  ye  yourselves  are 

10  taught  of  God  to  love  one  another.     And  indeed  ye  do  it  toward  all  the  brethren  which  are 

11  in  all  Macedonia:  but  we  beseech  you,  brethren,  that  ye  increase  more  and  more  ;  and  that 
ye  study  to  be  quiet,  and  to  do  your  own  business,  and  to  work  with  your  own  hands,  as 

12  we  commanded  you ;  that  ye  may  walk  honestly  toward  them  that  are  without,  and  that 
ye  may  have  lack  of  nothing. 

13  But  I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant,  brethren,  concerning  them  which  are  asleep, 

14  that  ye  sorrow  not,  even  as  others  which  have  no  hope.     For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died 

15  and  rose  again,  even  so  them  also  which  sleep  in  Jesus  will  God  bring  with  him.    For  this 
we  say  unto  you  by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  we  which  are  alive  and  remain  unto  the 

16  coming  of  the  Lord  shall  not  prevent  them  which  are  asleep.     For  the  Lord  himself  shall 
descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of 

17  God :  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first :  then  we  which  are  alive  and  remain  shall  be 
caught  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air :  and  so  shall  we 

18  ever  be  with  the  Lord.     Wherefore  comfort  one  another  with  these  words. 


The  final  scene  in  the  life  of  Neander  is  one  most  characteristic  of  the  man,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most 
striking  ever  witnessed  in  the  chamber  of  death.  His  last  thoughts  amid  the  struggles  of  death  were 
devoted  to  the  great  labor  of  his  life.  Beginning  at  the  very  passage  of  his  Church  History  where  sick- 
ness had  arrested  his  progress,  he  resumed  the  thread  of  thought,  and,  in  spite  of  interruptions,  continued 
to  dictate  in  regular  periods  for  some  time.  At  the  close  of  each  sentence  he  paused,  as  if  his  amanuen- 
sis were  taking  down  his  words,  and  asked,  "  Are  you  ready  ?  "  paving  closed  a  division  of  his  subject, 
he  inquired  the  time.  Being  told  that  it  was  half-past  nine,  the  patient  sufferer  repeated  once  more  :  "  I 
am  weary  ;  I  will  now  go  to  sleep  ! "  Having  by  the  aid  of  friendly  hands  stretched  himself  in  bed  for 
his  last  slumber,  he  whispered  in  a  tone  of  inexpressible  tenderness,  which  sent  a  strange  thrill  through 
every  heart,  "  Good  night ! "  It  was  his  last  word..  He  immediately  fell  into  a  sleep,  which  continued 
for  hours,  when  his  great  spirit,  in  the  quiet  of  a  Sabbath  morning,  passed  gently  into  the  land  of  peace. 
What  a  commentary  on  his  own  exhortation  so  lately  uttered,  that  "  the  Christian  should  ever  remember 
that  here  all  is  fragmentary,  nothing  reaches  completion  ;  that  even  service  in  the  cause  of  Christ  on  earth 
is  but  the  beginning  of  an  activity  destined  for  eternity  ;  that  we  must  therefore  not  be  so  absorbed,  even 
in  labors  consecrated  to  God,  as  to  be  unprepared  to  obey  at  any  moment  the  summons  to  the  higher  life 
and  service  of  heaven  "  !  He  was  so  prepared  that  when  his  ear  caught  the  summons  he  could  drop  the 
great  labor  of  his  life  unfinished,  lay  himself  down  quietly  upon  his  bed,  and  with  a  childlike  "  Good 
night "  to  those  whom  he  left  behind,  slumber  over  (as  the  German  beautifully  expresses  it)  into  that 
higher  life  of  heaven.     U.  G.  Conant. 


1.  "To  please  God" — what  a  privilege  to  lie 
open  to  us  day  by  day,  and  every  hour  of  the  day  ! 
The  materials  of  an  acceptable  offering  lie  all 
around  us,  in  the  work  of  our  callings,  in  the  little 
calls  which  divine  Providence  daily  makes  to  us,  in 


the  little  crosses  which  God  requires  us  to  take  up, 
nay,  in  our  very  recreations.  The  great  point  is  to 
have  the  mind  set  upon  seeing  and  seeking  in  all 
things  the  service  of  Christ  and  the  glory  of  God, 
and,  lo !  every  trifling  incident   which   that  mind 


SECTION  316.— 1  THESSALONIAXS  Jf  :  1-18. 


491 


touches,  every  piece  of  work  -which  it  handles,  every 
dispensation  to  which  it  submits,  becomes  at  once  a 
sacrifice.     E.  M.  G. 

3.  The  more  sound  our  experience,  the  more 
pure  our  piety,  the  more  shall  we  understand  that 
"  this  is  the  will  of  God,  even  our  sanctification." 
This  is  the  heaven  we  desire.  We  shall  love  it  and 
exult  in  it,  in  proportion  as  we  love  God  and  exult 

in  God.     J.  W.  A. If  we  look  to  the  eternal 

election  of  the  Father,  if  we  reflect  upon  the  great 
work  of  redemption,  if  we  by  faith  realize  the  ful- 
fillment of  the  promise,  and  behold  the  new  Jeru- 
salem, everywhere  we  see  holiness  as  the  great  ob- 
ject of  the  divine  purpose  and  the  divine  acts  of 
grace.  Every  privilege  of  the  Christian  points  to 
this  great  end.  As  the  children  of  God,  the  com- 
mand follows  naturally:  "Be  ye  holy,  for  I  am 
holy."  As  members  of  the  body  of  which  the  Son 
of  God  is  head,  it  is  for  us  to  walk  worthy  of  the 
vocation  wherewith  we  are  called,  and  to  remember 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  himself  dwelleth  in  us.     A.  S. 

3-8.  The  mora-ls  of  the  Gentiles  were  shocking- 
ly corrupt,  and  what  we  call  sins  against  the  seventh 
commandment  were  scarcely  considered  disgraceful 
at  that  period.  Those  of  the  Gentiles  who  were  re- 
ceived into  the  Church  were  in  some  danger  of  re- 
lapsing into  old  habits ;  and  the  whole  tone  of 
Christian  life  was  apt  to  lae  injured  by  the  dissolute 
manners   of   surrounding   society.      Therefore  this 

prominent  warning  against  sensuality.     D.  F. If 

we  may  judge  of  their  morality  by  the  exhortations 
and  dehortations  which  they  received  from  the  apos- 
tle, Corinth  and  Thessalonica  were  but  beginners  in 
holiness.  They  were  but  just  rescued  from  heathen- 
ism, and  we  need  not  wonder  if  their  spirits  long 
bore  the  scars  of  their  former  bondage.  If  we  wish 
to  know  what  the  apostolic  Churches  were  like,  we 
have  but  to  look  at  the  communities  gathered  by 
modem  missionaries.    A.  M. 

6.  The  words  rendered  "  in  any  matter  "  stand 
in  the  original  "  in  the  matter,"  i.  e.,  in  this  matter 
which  is  now  in  hand,  viz.,  the  unclean  lusts  of  the 
flesh.  The  apostle  is  speaking  in  language  some- 
what veiled,  for  decency's  sake.     A. 

7.  The  law,  from  the  moment  of  closing  with 
Christ,  stands  as  the  great  rule  of  our  practical 
walk  and  conversation ;  seeing  a  true  believer  is 
"not  without  law"  (a  lawless  person)  "to  God,"  but 
is  "  under  the  law  "  (wit/iin  the  boud  of  the  law)  "  to 
Christ " ;  not  exempted  from  his  control  as  the 
standard  of  moral  action,  though  delivered  from  its 
power  and  execration  as  a  covenant  of  works.  The 
rules  and  precepts  of  the  law  are  very  subservient 
unto  Christ,  as  they  adorn  the  life  with  a  conversa- 
tion beseeming  a  companion  of  Christ,  who  calls  us 
not  unto  uncleanness  but  to  holiness.     Crisp. 

8.  Given  us.  "  The  Holy  Spirit"  to  be  the 
soul  of  thy  soul,  to  new-create  thy  moral  nature  in 
the  image  of  God,  to  dwell  in  thee  and  walk  in 
thee,  making  thy  heart  his  shrine,  a  present  stream 
of  joy  and  strength  and  consolation  springing  up 
into  everlasting  life — "  how  much  more  shall  your 
heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that 


ask  him  ?  "  Glorious  promise  !  Free  as  the  air  of 
heaven  to  those  who  will  but  come  forth  and  breathe 
it.  Then  come  forthwith  and  claim  this  mighty 
boon.  Come  with  strong  desire.  Let  the  heart 
speak  rather  than  the  mouth.  Come  in  steadfast 
faith.  And  lo  !  your  word  is  a  word  of  power.  Be- 
fore you  call,  He  answers ;  and  while  you  are  yet 
speaking,  He  hears.     E.  M.  G. 

9.  Love  one  another.  That  kind  of  love 
which  springs  from  our  being  all  one  in  Him  whose 
boundless  love  embraces  all  for  the  sake  of  redeem- 
ing them  unto  eternal  blessedness  and  gladness,  un- 
worthy as  they  are — this  is  possible  for  us  toward 
every  child  of  God,  the  unsightliest,  the  most  dis- 
agreeable, the  least  lovely,  the  worst.  We  can  not 
reverse  the  inwrought  laws  of  taste,  attraction,  pref- 
erence, common  culture,  and  common  life,  which 
group  and  distribute  men ;  but  we  can  merge  them 
all  in  that  one  common  charity  which,  in  the  Ee- 
deemer  himself,  was  large  enough  to  reach  and 
gather  up  the  vilest,  and  which  in  his  true  followers 
can  see  in  every  human  creature  this  trace  of  noble- 
ness and  beauty — the  capacity  of  being  by  repent- 
ance and  faith  raised  to  heavenly  places — of  wearing 
the  likeness  and  the  righteousness  of  the  Lord  for 
ever  and  for  ever.  In  other  words,  all  can  be  loved 
in  him,  and  will  be  by  those  that  have  their  life  in 
him.  And  we  must  not  be  too  fastidious  about 
people  forsaking  their  ugliness  and  correcting  their 
faults  before  our  charity  goes  out  to  them.  Sup- 
pose a  moment  the  grace  of  God  had  been  measured 
to  us  by  that  thrifty  rule.     F.  D.  H. 

11.  No  doubt  some  of  the  Thessalonian  con- 
verts had  lost  their  livelihood  on  account  of  their 
new  faith ;  others,  excited  by  their  new  position,  by 
their  sufferings  for  Christ,  and  by  the  hope  of  his 
speedy  advent,  may  have  become  negligent  in  busi- 
ness, and  given  up  steady  work  for  daily  subsistence. 
The  apostle,  therefore,  with  that  practical  sagacity 
which  his  enthusiasm  never  clouded,  warns  them 
not  to  become  burdensome  to  others,  but  to  main- 
tain a  proper  independence.     D.  F. 

When  men  were  converted  by  the  preaching  of 
his  apostles,  they  were  not  required  to  give  up  any 
honest  occupation.  If  they  were  found  idle,  they 
were  set  to  work,  and  commanded  "  to  be  quiet  and 
mind  their  own  business."  The  gospel  belongs  to 
man,  and  reckons  nothing  that  is  man's  alien  to  it. 
Whatever  is  open  to  men  that  is  just  and  right  ia 
business  is  open  to  Christians.  And  they  are  to 
give  themselves  to  it,  not  in  any  half-hearted  way. 
They  are  not  to  be  spectators  or  dreamers,  but  work- 
ers.   Whatever  their  hands  find  to  do,  they  are  to 

do  it  with  their  might.    Kcr. God  did  not  send 

us  into  the  world  merely  to  save  our  own  souls,  but 
to  glorify  him  by  our  lives  while  we  are  in  the 
world.     Our  lives  are  very  different.     Some  work 


492 


SECTION  316.— 1  TEESSALONIANS  k  :  1-18. 


with  their  heads,  some  with  their  hands ;  some  not 
at  all,  but  must  serve  God  by  patient  endurance— 
in  weakness,  in  darkness,  in  decay  of  vital  power. 
And  it  is  curious  to  trace  how  men,  in  assigning 
their  religious  duties,  will  generally  manage  to  leave 
out  of  the  account  just  that  very  range  of  circum- 
stances in  which  those  duties  really  lie.  Thy  Fa- 
ther's business  is  to  be  done,  not  only — not  princi- 
pally— on  the  Sunday,  and  with  thy  Bible  open 
before  thee ;  not  only,  nor  principally,  when  thou 
removest  thy  thoughts  from  this  world  to  another ; 
to  think  so,  is  to  yield  to  the  devil's  temptation,  who 
is  contented  if  he  can  only  get  men  to  leave  their 
common  lives  out  of  their  religion,  and  so  to  serve 
him  in  reality,  while  their  service  of  God  withers 
np  into  mere  confessions  of  faith,  and  forms  of 
worship,  and  observance  of  days.  No  ;  thy  Father's 
business  is  where  thou  standest  from  week's  end  to 
week's  end.  A. A  Christian  life  implies  a  con- 
secration to  the  work  of  God.  In  whatever  it  is 
engaged,  it  serves  him.  He  that  serves  confesses 
that  he  is  not  his  own  but  the  creature  of  God,  the 
redeemed  of  grace,  a  pensioner  on  the  divine  be- 
neficence ;  and  so,  with  holy  aims,  he  strives  to  put 
God's  will  in  all  things  in  place  of  his  own,  turning 
life  into  a  prayer,  and  making  each  daily  blessing  a 
note  in  the  sweet  music  of  adoration,  each  hardship 
a  step  by  which  he  climbs  up  toward  God.    E.  H.  G. 

13-18.  This  passage  appears  to  have  been  writ- 
ten in  reply  to  a  fear  of  the  Thessalonians  lest 
their  friends  who  had  fallen  asleep  in  Christ  should 
be  excluded  from  the  triumph  and  glory  of  his 
second  coming.  They  had  misunderstood  the  apos- 
tle's words.  Their  enthusiasm  had  outran  even  the 
apostle's  plain  speaking  ;  they  regarded  the  day  of 
the  Lord  as  actually  upon  them,  and  its  glories  as 
something  which  would  be  missed  by  those  who 
died  before  the  Lord  himself  should  appear.  As 
far  as  we  can  gather,  there  appear  to  have  been  two 
distinct  phases  of  their  misapprehension :  the  first, 
concerning  their  deceased  friends  ;  then,  when  that 
had  been  removed  by  a  plain  declaration  that  when 
Christ  should  come  they  would  accompany  him, 
another  mistake  as  to  the  immediate  coming  of  the 
day  itself,  which  it  is  Paul's  aim  to  correct  in  the 
second  Epistle.     A. 

13.  We  must  not  mourn  for  those  who  are  re- 
leased from  the  world  by  the  call  of  the  Lord,  when 
we  know  they  are  not  lost  but  sent  before.  We 
must,  indeed,  long  after  them,  but  not  bewail  them; 
we  ought  not,  for  their  sakes,  to  put  on  black  gar- 
ments, since  there  they  are  already  clothed  in  white. 
We  must  not  give  the  heathen  an  opportunity  justly 
to  blame  Christians  by  sorrowing  for  those  whom 
they  speak  of  as  living  with  God,  as  if  they  were 
lost  and  perished  men.  We,  who  live  in  hope  and 
believe  in  God,  and  are  confident  that  Christ  suf- 


fered for  us  and  rose  again,  we  who  abide  in  Christ, 
and  rise  again  through  him  and  in  him,  why  do  we 
either  ourselves  recoil  from  departing  out  of  this 
life,  or  lament  and  grieve  over  our  friends'  depar- 
ture, as  if  they  were  perished  ?  This  is  not  a  pass- 
ing  away,  but  a  passing  over,  and  a  transit  to  things 
eternal  after  this  temporal  journey  has  run  its 
course.     Cyprian. 

We  are  not  left  to  sorrow  in  darkness.  Death 
is  as  the  foreshadowing  of  life.  We  die  that  we 
may  die  no  more.  So  short  is  our  life  here,  and  so 
endless  the  life  on  which  we  enter  at  death,  that  the 
consideration  may  well  moderate  our  sorrow  at  part- 
ing. All  who  live  must  be  separated  by  the  great 
appointment ;  and,  if  the  change  is  their  gain,  we 
poorly  commend  our  love  to  them,  more  poorly  our 
love  to  Christ,  who  came  to  redeem  them  and  us  for 
the  end  of  taking  us  to  his  rest,  if  we  refuse  to 
be  comforted.  I  would  revere  all  grief  of  this  kind, 
yet  I  would  say  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  toill  of 
cherishing  it,  which  makes  it  rather  hurtful  than 
improving  in  its  effect.  This  may  be  done  under  a 
mistaken  idea  of  duty  or  gratitude  to  the  dead.  It 
may  be  done  as  a  sacrifice  to  what  we  deem  is  ex- 
pected of  us,  or  as  a  thing  becoming  in  the  eyes  of 
others.  But  that  bereavement  seems  rather  sancti- 
fied which  saddens  not  the  heart  over  much,  and 
softens  without  withering  it ;  which  refuses  no  com- 
fort or  improvement  we  can  profitably  receive.  H.  11. 

When  the  soul  leaves  the  body,  it  passes  at 
once  to  Christ,  to  perfection,  and  to  heaven,  thus  to 
abide  in  peace  and  glory  till  the  resurrection.  The 
bodies  of  Christ's  brethren  rest  in  their  graves  till 
the  resurrection.  That  union,  whereby  we  are 
members  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones, 
still  endures.  They  are  still  his ;  and  from  his 
heavenly  throne  he  watches  over  them.     J.  W.  A. 

Think  much   of  them  that  are  gone  before; 

how  safe  they  are  in  the  arms  of  Jesus.  Would 
they  be  here  again  for  a  thousand  worlds  ?  What 
would  they  judge  of  thee  if  they  knew  thy  heart 
began  to  fail  thee  in  thy  journey,  or  thy  sins  began 
to  allure  thee  and  to  persuade  thee  to  stop  thy  race  ? 
Would  they  not  say.  Oh,  that  he  did  but  sec  what 
we  see,  feel  what  we  feel !    Bun. 

14.  ^^ Sleep  in  Jesus"  ought  to  be  "fell  asleep 
through  Jesus,"  i.  e.,  by  his  merits  have  bad  their 
death  turned  into  sleep.  "Sleep  in  Jesus"  is  a 
beautiful  and  true  expression ;  but  it  is  not  the  one 
used  here.  In  the  same  verse,  "  with  him  "  may  be 
misunderstood.  "  Him  "  does  not  refer  to  God,  but 
to  Jesus :  will  God  bring,  at  the  same  time  that  he 
brings  him,  Jesus,  through  whom  they  fell  asleep. 
It  would  be  better,  therefore,  to  express  it,  "to- 
gether with  him,"  which  can  hardly  be  mistaken. 

A. In  the  book  of  life,  the  Scriptures,  the  death 

of  the  saints  is  called  a  sleep.    It  is  observable  how 


SECTION  817.— 1  TEESSALOXIAXS  5  : 1-28. 


493 


the  apostle  varies  the  expression,  Jesus  died,  and 
the  saints  sleep  in  him ;  for  he  sustained  death  with 
all  its  terrors  that  it  might  be  a  calm  sleep  to  his 
people.  They  enjoy  as  perfect  a  rest  in  the  beds  of 
dust  as  even  in  the  softest  down.     Stephen,  in  the 

midst  of  a  shower  of  stones,  fell  asleep.    Bates. 

Sleep  is  a  very  impressive  and  appropriate  Christian 
name  for  death.  If  we  were  not  made  indifferent 
by  familiarity  with  it,  natural  sleep  would  seem  a 
very  solemn  and  mysterious  experience.  We  might 
well  be  familiar  with  death,  for  we  have  a  symbol 
and  rehearsal  of  it  every  night.  We  might  be 
familiar  with  the  resurrection,  for  we  have  a  symbol 
and  rehearsal  of  it  every  morning.     Arnof. 

15.  The  coming  again  of  the  Lord  is  not  one 
single  act,  as  his  resurrection,  or  the  descent  of  the 
Spirit,  or  the  final  coming  to  judgment,  but  the 
great  complex  of  all  these,  the  result  of  which  shall 
be  his  taking  his  people  to  himself,  to  be  where  he 
is.  This  receiving  is  begun  in  his  resurrection,  car- 
ried on  in  the  spiritual  life,  further  advanced  when 
each  by  death  is  fetched  away  to  be  with  him,  fully 
completed  at  his  coming  in  glory,  when  they  shall 
for  ever  be  with  him  in  the  perfected  resurrection 

state.    A. Is  it  not  obvious  that  those  believers 

are  in  the  wrong  who  allow  themselves  to  be  so  re- 
pelled by  extravagances  on  this  subject  that  they 
do  not  make  the  second  coming  of  our  Lord  a  fre- 
quent and  joyous  contemplation  ?  It  was  so  to  the 
apostles ;  it  should  be  so  to  us,  as  the  current  lan- 
guage of  the  New  Testament  shows.  No  doubt 
there  are  many  comings  of  Christ,  many  spiritual 
ones,  which  are  unheralded,  save  in  earnest  hearts, 
some  that  are  noiseless,  like  the  springing  of  the 
day,  and  unobserved  as  light  by  blind  eyes  ;  but  all 
these  are  only  parts  and  harbingers  of  the  one  com- 
ing, which  is  to  be  visible,  like  the  rising  of  the 
king  of  day  himself.  And  this  expectation  is  ever- 
more before  the  Church ;  all  the  future  is  bright 
with  his  coming.  The  faithful  Chi'istian  is  one  who 
"  waits  for  the  Lord."      W.  I.  B. 

17.  To  meet  the  Lord.  Death  comes  to  set 
the  spirit  free ;  and  rude  though  be  the  hand  that 
knocks  off  the  fetters,  and  painful  though  be  the 


process  of  liberation,  what  need  the  prisoner  care 
for  that,  when  it  is  to  freedom,  life,  home,  he  is 
about  to  be  emancipated  ?  Death  strikes  the  hour 
of  the  soul's  everlasting  espousals,  and,  though  the 
sound  may  be  a  harsh  one,  what  matters  that  ? 
"  Now,"  may  the  fainting  passing  soul  reflect,  "  now 
my  Lord  is  coming,  I  go  to  meet  him — to  be  with 
Jesus — to  dwell  with  him  in  everlasting  light  and 
love — to  be  severed  from  him  no  more  for  ever :  O 

Death  lead  thou  me  on ! "    J.  W.  A. 18.  We  are 

now  tossed  upon  the  alternate  waves  of  time,  but  it 
is  that  we  may  arrive  at  the  port,  the  blessed  bosom 
of  our  Saviour,  and  enjoy  a  peaceful  calm ;  and  "  so 
we  shall  be  ever  with  the  Lord."  Words  of  infinite 
sweetness !  This  is  the  song  of  our  prosperity  and 
the  charm  of  our  adversity  ;  well  might  the  apostle 
add  immediately  after,  "  Therefore  comfort  one  an- 
other with  these  words."     Bates. 

To  the  primitive  Christians  all  this  was  reality. 
They  have  left  their  faith  and  hope  recorded  upon 
the  tombs  which  they  constructed  in  their  hiding- 
places  in  the  subterranean  excavations  or  quarries 
of  the  city  of  Rome.  In  those  long  galleries  of  cat- 
acombs, where  the  bodies  of  martyrs  and  persecuted 
saints  were  laid  to  rest,  there  is  not  one  trace  of  de- 
spondency or  gloom.  It  is  written  over  one  and  an- 
other, "  She  sleeps  "  ;  "  In  peace  " ;  "  With  Christ." 
The  anchor,  the  cross,  the  crown,  the  symbols  of  the 
resurrection  and  immortahty,  make  those  dark  gal- 
leries bright  with  the  presence  of  an  eternal  life. 
This  doctrine  should  inspire  the  Christian  disciples 
with  the  glad  consciousness  of  the  nearness  of  the 
Lord  at  death.  The  effort  to  find  for  heaven  a  lo- 
cality commonly  results  in  placing  it  at  an  immense 
remove  in  space  and  time ;  the  attempt  to  define  the 
features  and  occupations  results  in  vague  imaginings ; 
meantime  Paradise  comes  floating  down  to  us,  and 
Jesus  steps  to  the  bedside  of  one  whom  we  think 
dying,  and  says,  "  I  come  to  receive  thee  to  myself ; 
to-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise."  Heaven 
is  around  us ;  if  we  are  Christ's,  one  step  and  we 
are  there.  Then  why  let  earth  trouble,  delude,  en- 
gross or  detain  us  ?  And  why  should  death  intimi- 
date us '?     J.  P.  T. 


Section  317. 

1  Thessaloxiaxs  v.  1-28. 

1  But  of  the  times  and  the  seasons,  brethren,  ye  have  no  need  that  I  write  unto  yon.    For 

2  yourselves  know  perfectly  that  the  day  of  the  Lord  so  cometh  as  a  thief  in  the  night.     For 

3  when  they  shall  say,  Peace  and  safety  ;  then  sudden  destruction  cometh  upon  them,  as  tra- 

4  vail  upon  a  woman  with  child ;  and  they  shall  not  escape.    But  ye,  brethren,  are  not  in 

5  darkness,  that  that  day  should  overtake  you  as  a  thief.     Ye  are  all  the  children  of  light, 

6  and  the  children  of  the  day:  we  are  not  of  the  night,  nor  of  darkness.     Therefore  let' us 


494 


SECTION  317.— 1  THESSALOmANS  5  :  l-'< 


7  not  sleep,  as  do  others;  but  let  us  watch  and  be  sober.     For  they  that  sleep  sleep  in  the 

8  night ;  and  they  that  be  drunken  are  drunken  in  the  night.    But  let  us,  who  are  of  the 
day,  be  sober,  putting  on  the  breastplate  of  faith  and  love  ;  and  for  an  helmet,  the  hope  of 

9  salvation.    For  God  hath  not  appointed  us  to  wrath,  but  to  obtain  salvation  by  our  Lord 

10  Jesus  Christ,  who  died  for  us,  that,  whether  we  wake  or  sleep,  we  should  live  together  with 

11  him.     Wherefore  comfort  yourselves  together,  and  edify  one  another,  even  as  also  ye  do. 

12  And  we  beseech  you,  brethren,  to  know  them  which  labour  among  you,  and  are  over 

13  you  in  the  Lord,  and  admonish  you ;  and  to  esteem  them  very  highly  in  love  for  their  work's 

14  sake.     And  be  at  peace  among  yourselves.     Now  we  exhort  you,  brethren,  warn  them  that 

15  are  unruly,  comfort  the  feebleminded,  support  the  weak,  be  patient  toward  all  men.    See 
that  none  render  evil  for  evil  unto  any  man ;  but  ever  follow  that  which  is  good,  both 

16  among  yourselves,  and  to  all  men.     Eejoice  evermore.     Pray  without  ceasing.     In  every 

19  thing  give  thanks:  for  this  is  the  will  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  concerning  you.     Quench  not 

20  the  Spirit.     Despise  not  prophesyings.     Prove  all  things;  hold  fast  that  which  is  good. 
22  Abstain  from  all  appearance  of  evil.     And  the  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly ;  and 

"23  I  fray  Ood  your  whole  spirit  and  soul  and  body  be  preserved  blameless  unto  the  coming  of 
24  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Faithful  is  he  that  calleth  you,  who  also  will  do  it.  Brethren,  pray 
26  for  us.  Greet  all  the  brethren  with  an  holy  kiss.  I  charge  you  by  the  Lord  that  this  epis- 
28  tie  be  read  unto  all  the  holy  brethren.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  le  with  you. 
Amen. 


Obedience  to  these  precepts  would  make  life  perfect  both  in  its  relations  to  the  outer  world  and  in  its 
innermost  relations  with  God.  How  peaceful  would  be  the  life  of  one  who  should  never  render  evil  for 
evil !  how  beneficent  the  life  that  should  ever  follow  toward  all  men  that  which  is  good !  how  consis- 
tent and  symmetrical  the  life  that,  before  committing  itself  to  any  opinion  or  action,  should  test  its  char- 
acter, and  then  adopt  and  hold  fast  that  which  is  good  !  how  gracious  and  gentle  would  be  the  life  that 
should  minister  comfort  and  support  to  the  weak  and  needy,  and,  while  decided  against  every  wrong, 
should  be  patient  under  all  injury  or  provocation  !  and  how  pure  and  beautiful  the  life  that  should  abstain 
from  all  appearance  of  evil.  But  such  outward  peace,  benignity,  consistency,  grace,  beauty,  purity,  must 
spring  from  that  communion  with  God  in  which  prayer  is  unbroken  and  thanksgiving  is  perpetual ;  in 
which  no  light  of  the  Spirit  is  ever  quenched  by  earthly  passions,  no  voice  of  the  Spirit  drowned  by  earthly 
cares,  but  the  whole  nature — body,  soul,  and  spirit — is  brought  into  harmony  through  the  pervading, 
sanctifying  presence  of  the  God  of  peace.  For  this  let  us  pray  without  ceasing.  Unto  this,  also,  let  us 
daily  live.     J.  P.  T.  


2-32.  And  now  he  goes  on  to  speak  of  that 
great  day  itself  in  terms  which  doubtless  they  in 
their  eagerness  fastened  upon,  and  interpreted  of  its 
too  speedy  coming.  Now  occurs  the  first  of  those 
afterward  often-repeated  exhortations  to  walk  in 
light,  as  children  of  the  day  (see  also  Rom.  13  :  12, 
13;  Eph.  5:8;  Col.  1  :  12,  13);  now  is  found  the 
first  germ  of  that  description  of  the  armor  of  God, 
or  of  light,  which  he  afterward  expanded  so  glori- 
ously (Eph.  6  :  10).  Now,  also,  first  we  come  to  those 
short  insulated  admonitions  which  have  been  com- 
pared to  strings  of  pearls,  with  which  in  after  years 
he  was  in  the  habit  of  coming  toward  the  conclusion 
of  his  Epistles.     A. 

2.  The  day  of  the  Lord^  yet  future,  is  the  day  on 
which,  most  assuredly,  all  thoughts  will  turn  to  him, 
whether  willingly  or  by  constraint,  whether  in  ter- 
ror or  in  joy ;  the  day  in  which  his  truth  will  silence 
into  nothingness  all  human  errors  and  guesses  at 
truth,  in  which  his  justice  will  take  the  place  of  all 
that  is  named  justice,  rightly  or  wrongly,  among  the 


sons  of  men ;  the  day  in  which  everything  else  but 
he  will  be  lost  sight  of,  and  will  be  as  though  it 
were  not,  in  which  the  eternal  reality  of  his  rela- 
tion to  the  world  and  to  man  will  also  be  the  ac- 
knowledged reality.  It  is  the  day  on  which  he  will 
bring  the  vast  and  complex  moral  account  between 
himself  and  his  responsible  creatures  to  a  close — to 
a  final,  irreversible  decision.  As  surely  as  we  have 
seen  this  morning's  sunlight,  we  shall  hereafter  be- 
hold the  eternal  Judge  upon  his  throne,  the  count- 
less multitudes  before  him,  the  division  between  his 
creatures  deep  and  irreversible,  the  disciplined  ac- 
tivities of  his  angels,  the  issues  on  this  side  and  on 
that,  as  all  gradually  settles  down  into  the  last  un- 
changeable award.     II.  P.  L. 

3.  Usually  men  are  most  secure  before  their 
o^vn  judgment  and  ruin.  "  When  thoy  shall  say, 
peace  and  safety,  then  sudden  destruction  comcth 
upon  them."  When  security  runs  riot,  and  is  like 
to  degenerate  into  utter  contempt  of  God,  men  are 
not  likely  to  profit  by  the  word,  therefore  God  takes 


SECTION  317.— 1  THESSALONIANS  5:1-28. 


495 


the  rod  in  hand,  that  by  the  severity  of  discipline 
he  may  teach  men  that  which  they  would  not  learn 
by  kinder  and  milder  persuasions.     T.  M. 

5.  He,  the  Light  of  light,  will  certainly  give  his 
especial  help,  in  no  ordinary  measure,  to  the  man 
who,  for  his  sake,  is  striving  to  live  in  the  light. 
He  will  bless  the  open-hearted  man  with  the  highest 
of  all  blessings,  the  sure  sense  of  His  presence  with 
him.  F.  T. Light  ....  darkness.  The  pow- 
ers of  light  and  the  powers  of  darkness  contend 
within  us  and  for  us.  That  which  is  imaged  forth 
in  the  light  of  day  and  the  darkness  of  the  night ; 
that  which  is  exemplified  in  the  intimate  and  cen- 
tral powers  of  attraction  and  repulsion,  under  which 
all  nature  lives  and  grows,  is  repeated  in  a  higher 
sphere  in  the  whole  history  of  our  race.  As  the 
harmonies  of  nature  are  but  the  equilibrium  of  con- 
tending agencies,  and  its  peace  is  purchased  by  its 
elemental  strife,  so  are  the  harmonies  of  history  and 
also  its  peace  worked  out  through  its  antagonizing 
forces ;  so  that,  if  we  would  learn  the  rhythm  of 
nature,  of  history,  or  of  the  human  soul,  we  must 
learn  it  as  the  resultant  of  its  struggling  powers. 
Progress  through  conflict,  antagonisms  working  out 
a  higher  unity,  is  the  inmost  law  of  our  species.  It 
is  seen  in  the  transition  from  the  Jewish  to  the 
Christian  economy ;  it  is  involved  in  the  very  genius 
of  Christianity  as  a  redemptive  system ;  it  is  cor- 
roborated by  our  faith  in  the  final  victories  of  that 
system ;  it  is  read  in  its  deepest  meaning  by  all  who 
are  growing  in  knowledge  or  virtue  in  what  Plato 
calls  hfe's  "  immortal  battle."     H.  B.  S. 

6.  Watch.  Temptations  hover  about  you  in 
ambush.  They  are  not  in  great  emergencies,  but  in 
the  little  things  of  your  daily  life,  and  hidden  under 
unsuspected  appearances.  They  lurk  in  the  pillows 
of  comfort  on  which  you  lay  your  thoughtless  heads  ; 
in  the  emulation  where  you  mistake  the  pride  of  ex- 
celling for  the  love  of  wisdom ;  in  the  common  labor 
where  the  world  gambles  for  your  soul ;  in  the  mer- 
chandise where  you  are  offered  gain  for  falsehood ; 
in  the  social  fellowship  where  criminality  corrupts 
under  the  name  of  cordiality;  in  the  flatteries  of 
your  beauty,  or  your  talents,  or  your  disposition, 
which  borrow  the  silver  tones  of  friendship,  and 
sound  so  like  them  that  you  listen ;  in  the  familiar 
pleasures  that  make  the  feet  of  the  hours  so  swift, 
and  the  earth  so  satisfying,  that  you  feel  no  need  of 
heaven.  Here  are  your  tempters.  They  are  dis- 
guised ;  they  take  circuitous  paths ;  they  carry 
gifts  in  their  hands,  and  place  crowns  on  your 
heads  ;  they  are  clothed  like  angels  of  light.  Then 
watch !  and  watch  yourselves  only.  For  the  king- 
dom of  hell,  as  well  as  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  is 
within  us.  All  the  mischief  is  there,  its  origin  there, 
its  power  there,  its  fatal  result  there.  There  Satan's 
seat  is.     No  harm  can  come  nigh  you,  but  through 


the  gate  of  your  own  yielding  heart,  set  open  by 
your  own  perverted  will.     F.  D.  H. 

8.  In  a  firm,  good.  Christian  hope,  sin  meets  its 
strongest  antagonist.  The  man  who  possesses  it  has 
a  confidence  and  assurance  which  will  nerve  his  arm 
and  secure  the  victory.  The  breastplate  of  faith 
and  love  is  not  sufficient  without  the  hope  of  salva- 
tion for  a  helmet.     Homer. 

10.  Christ  died,  in  that  he  assumed  our  nature, 
and  did  not  die  in  respect  of  the  essence  of  eternal 
life.  He  suffered  in  that  he  assumed  a  body,  that 
the  reahty  of  the  body  so  assumed  might  be  be- 
lieved ;  and  he  did  not  suffer  in  respect  of  the  im- 
passible divinity  of  the  Word,  which  is  incapable  of 
any  pain.  While  the  anguish  of  death  took  not 
hold  of  him  as  God,  the  realms  of  death  beheld  him 
as  man.  While  he  was  hanging  on  the  cross,  he  was 
shaking  the  world.  While  he  was  being  executed, 
and  was  receiving  wounds,  he  was  bestowing  a  heav- 
enly kingdom.  While  he  was  "  made  the  sin  "  of 
all,  he  was  washing  away  the  sins  of  mankind. 
Lastly,  he  died — I  say  it  a  second  and  a  third  time, 
with  exultation,  with  triumph — He  died,  that  his 
death  might  become  the  life  of  the  dead  ;  "  that  ice 
should  live  together  with  Him  !  "     Ambrose, 

11-15.  Here  are  valuable  directions  for  the  col- 
lective Ufe  and  internal  peace  of  the  Church.  It  is 
a  brotherly  society,  in  which  every  one  is  so  far  his 
brother's  keeper  that  he  is  to  seek  his  brother's  wel- 
fare. Kindness,  consideration,  patience,  are  to  mark 
the  intercourse  of  Christians.  Special  respect  also 
is  due  to  those  who  preside  over  the  congregation. 
D.  F. 

11.  Edify  one  another.  The  full  meaning 
is,  "  Build  one  another  up,  that  you  may  all  together 
grow  into  a  temple  of  God."  The  word  is  fre- 
quently used  by  Paul  in  this  sense.  It  is  very  difii- 
cult  to  express  the  meaning  by  any  single  word  in 

English.     C. It  is  a  grand.  Scriptural  word,  and 

ought  always  to  be  thoughtfully  used.  Hu'ilding  up 
implies  establishment  upon  a  sure  foundation,  and 
growth,  or  steady  advance  heavenward.     B. 

16.  Rejoice.  It  is  remarkable  with  what 
earnestness  and  frequency  Paul  enjoins  a  spirit  of 
rejoicing  as  an  essential  part  of  a  spiritual  life ; 
and  his  words  prove  that  this  injunction  is  intimate- 
ly connected  with  the  indwelling  of  the  blessed 
Spirit.  He  represents  "  joy  "  as  one  of  the  fruits  of 
the  Spirit,  following  next  in  order  to  "  love."  It 
may  be  dimmed  or  overcast  by  the  will  of  God,  as  a 
chastisement,  or  discipline,  teaching  its  own  needful 
lessons  of  humility  and  trust  and  patient  endurance. 
But  joy  is  a  grace  to  be  earnestly  cherished,  as 
well  as  a  promised  blessing ;  a  duty  to  be  steadily 
fulfilled,  as  well  as  a  part  of  our  blessed  inheritance. 
We  are  expected  to  "  hold  fast  the  confidence  and 
the  rejoicing  of  the  hope  firm  unto  the  cud."    Kehle, 


496 


SECTION  317.— 1  TEESSALONIANS  5  : 1-2S. 


17.  Pray  without  ceasing.  Prayer  is  the 
pulsation  of  the  soul.  It  need  not  be  always  ex- 
pressed in  words.  There  is  a  prayer  which  the 
faithful  offer,  and  which,  like  the  pulse  in  the  veins, 
never  ceases  its  motion,  not  by  night,  not  by  day, 
and  which  can  be  heard  by  no  human  car.  In  this 
inward  silent  supplication  are  the  faithful  continu- 
ally exclaiming,  Abba,  dear  Father !  To  pray,  that 
is,  to  expect  nothing  except  from  God  and  to  expect 
everything  of  God;  to  keep  our  soul  incessantly 
open  before  him ;  to  lay  open  before  the  Father, 
whom  Jesus  Christ  has  restored  to  us,  our  wants, 
our  fears,  our  difficulties ;  to  place  ourselves  contin- 
ually in  his  hands ;  to  accept,  by  anticipation,  what- 
ever it  may  please  him  to  dispense ;  to  deposit  at 
his  feet  the  burden  of  our  sins ;  to  sigh  in  his  pres- 
ence after  the  gift  of  a  pure  heart ;  to  place  our- 
selves under  the  rays  of  his  light,  under  the  dew  of 
his  grace ;  with  all  the  humility  of  indigence  to  so- 
licit an  asylum  under  his  roof,  a  place  at  his  hearth; 
to  take  shelter  under  his  mercy,  and  gain  warmth 
upon  his  heart ;  such  is  the  grace  of  graces.     A.  V. 

By  the  most  urgent  prayers,  uttered  only  at 

night  and  morning,  if  we  did  nothing  more,  the 
prayers  would  soon  cease  to  be  urgent ;  they  would 
become  formal,  that  is,  they  would  be  no  prayers  at 
all.  For  prayer  lives  in  the  heart  and  not  in  the 
mouth  ;  it  consists  not  of  words,  but  wishes,  and  no 
man  can  set  himself  heartily  to  wish  twice  a  day  for 
things  of  which  he  never  thinks  at  other  times  in 
the  day.  So  that  prayer  requires  in  a  manner  to  be 
fed,  and  its  food  is  to  be  found  in  reading  and 
thinkivg ;  in  reading  God's  word,  and  in  thinking 
about  him.     T.  A. 

In  this  precept  there  is  nothing  commanded 
which  may  not  be  fulfilled,  when  we  understand  of 
prayer  as  the  continual  desire  of  the  soul  after  God ; 
having  indeed  its  times  of  intensity,  but  not  confined 
to  those  times ;  since  the  whole  life  of  the  faithful 
should  be,  in  Origen's  beautiful  words,  one  great 
connected  prayer.  "  That  soul,"  says  Donne,  "that 
is  accustomed  to  direct  herself  to  God  upon  every 
occasion — that  as  a  flower  at  sunrising  conceives  a 
sense  of  God  in  every  beam  of  his,  and  spreads 
and  dilates  itself  toward  him — in  every  small  bless- 
ing that  he  sheds  upon  her,  that  soul  who,  whatso- 
ever string  be  stricken,  is  ever  turned  toward  God, 
that  soul  prays  when  it  does  not  know  that  it, prays." 
Thus  Augustine :  "  Can  we,  indeed,  without  ceasing, 
bend  the  knee,  bow  the  body,  or  lift  up  the  hands, 
that  he  should  say,  '  Pray  without  ceasing '  ?  There 
is  another  interior  prayer  without  intermission,  and 
that  is  the  longing  of  thy  heart.  Whatever  else 
thou  mayest  be  doing,  if  thou  longest  after  that  Sab- 
bath of  God,  thou  dust  not  intermit  to  pray.  If 
thou  wishest  not  to  intermit  to  pray,  see  that  thou 
do  not  intermit  to  desire — thy  continual  desire  is 


thy  continual  voice.  Thou  wilt  be  silent  if  thou 
leave  off  to  love.  The  coldness  of  love  is  the  si- 
lence of  the  heart — the  fervency  of  love  is  the  cry 
of  the  heart."     T. 

18.  In  everything  give  thanks.  A  duty 
this  which  Paul  never  forgets,  and  which  he  consid- 
ers no  mere  optional  exercise.  It  is  of  obligation, 
because  it  is   God's  will  concerning  us  in  Christ 

Jesus.     D.  F. To  pray  without  ceasing,  and  in 

everything  to  give  thanks,  belong  to  each  other  as 
closely  as  the  breath  and  the  sound  of  the  voice ; 
what  is  more,  the  one  is  promoted  by  the  other. 
There  must  be  much  prayer  in  order  really  to  give 
thanks  in  all  things  ;  and,  again,  fervent  thankful- 
ness of  itself  leads  to  humbler  prayer.  Thus,  in  the 
compass  of  seven  words,  a  lesson  is  brought  before 
us,  which  the  farthest  advanced  Christian  requires 
to  study  every  day.  All  his  dealings  with  us  must  ini- 
tiate us  more  deeply  into  the  school  of  prayer ;  and 
the  holy  aim  of  redemption  in  Christ  is  only  reached 
when  in  everything  thanks  and  praise  are  rendered 
to  God  by  us.  This  thanksgiving  in  everything  is 
the  infallible  touchstone  of  a  faith  which,  under  all 
circumstances,  rests  assured  of  the  infinite  love  of 
God.     Van  0. 

19.  The  witness  of  the  Spirit,  if  it  were  yon- 
der in  heaven,  would  shine  like  a  perpetual  star ; 
the  witness  of  the  Spirit  here  in  the  heart  on  earth 
burns  like  a  flickering  flame,  never  to  be  extin- 
guished, but  still  not  always  bright,  wanting  to  be 
trimmed  and  needing  to  be  guarded  from  rude  blasts. 
Else  what  does  an  apostle  mean  when  he  says  to 
you  and  me,  "  Quench  not  the  Spirit "  ?  what  does  he 
mean  when  he  says  to  us,  "Grieve  not  the  Spirit"? 
You  have  no  reason  to  be  discouraged,  still  less  de- 
spondent, because  you  find  that  the  witness  of  the 
Spirit  changes  and  varies  in  your  heart.  Do  not  de- 
spond because  it  does.  Watch  it  and  guard  it,  lest 
it  do.     Live  in  the  contemplation  of  the  person  and 

the  fact  that  calls  it  forth,  that  it  may  not.   A.  M. 

These  familiar  exhortations  not  to  grieve  and  not  to 
quench  the  Spirit  of  God,  although  appropriated  to 
another  use,  originally  had  reference  to  Christians. 
They  teach  that  this  divine  influence  does  not  forci- 
bly retain  possession  of  the  human  heart ;  but,  if  it 
find  there  no  fellowship  of  holy  action,  it  will  leave 
it  as  an  uncongenial  sphere.  The  true  disciple  is 
sanctified  and  saved  only  in  harmony  with  his  own 
exertions.  It  is  the  Spirit  which  imparts  efficiency 
to  his  strength,  but,  if  he  do  not  exert  that  strength, 
the  Spirit  will  withdraw  his  aid.  He  disdains  to 
abide  in  a  stupid  soul.  He  prefers  rather  to  be  the 
life  of  those  that  live.  And,  if  there  be  one  condi- 
tion of  unwonted  melancholy,  it  is  that  of  the  Chris- 
tian who  by  negligence  has  forfeited  his  title  to  this 
heavenly  aid.    Homer. 

Draw  near  to  God  when  he  comes  to  you  in  the 


SECTION  317.— 1  THESSALONIAXS  5  : 1-28. 


497 


Spirit  as  it  operates  within  your  heart.  "There 
dwells,"  says  a  heathen  writer,  "in  men  a  Holy 
Spirit,  who  treats  us  as  he  is  treated  by  us."  Once 
turned  away,  he  comes  back  again  the  more  seldom, 
and  speaks  to  us  with  less  and  less  power.  But  what 
can  I  do,  you  ask,  if  the  voice  within  me  sounds  but 
softly,  or  if  I  have  disdained  it  until  it  has  be- 
come scarcely  audible  ?  Brother,  it  stands  recorded : 
"  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you ;  seek,  and  you  shall 
find ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  to  you."     A.  T. 

20.  31.  The  words  ought  to  stand,  "Despise 
not  prophesyings,  but  prove  all  things  " ;  i.  e.,  on  the 
one  hand,  do  not  think  lightly  of  any  utterances  of 
the  word  of  God  by  whomsoever  made ;  on  the  other, 
do  not  be  led  by  everything  so  spoken,  but  put  all 

things  to  the  test.    A. Prophesyings.     These 

were  utterances  in  the  Spirit,  more  direct  than  the 
ordinary  tenor  of  teaching,  and  directed  to  the  edifi- 
cation of  the  Church.  The  Corinthians  did  not  give 
due  place  to  prophesying,  preferring  the  more  showy 
gift  of  tongues ;  and  this  apostle  wrote  to  correct 
their  ill-judged  preference.  "  Covet  to  prophesy, 
and  forbid  not  to  speak  with  tongues."  He  is  anxious 
that  the  Thessalonians  should  not  fall  into  the  same 
mistake.  He  wishes  them  not  to"  make  light  of 
prophesyings,  for  these  tended  to  "  edification,  ex- 
hortation, and  comfort."     D.  F. 

21.  To  be  in  a  state  of  perpetual  equipoise  ;  to 
be  conducting  an  eternal  examination  into  "  evi- 
dences " ;  to  be  still  vaunting  what  is  called  "  the 
spirit  of  inquiry " ;  to  be  "  ever  learning  and  yet 
never  able  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  "  ; 
is  to  spend  a  life  not  only  of  personal  discomfort, 
where  there  is  any  sincerity,  but  really  of  little 
credit  or  honor  to  him  whose  life  it  is.  We  are  en- 
couraged to  ask  questions  of  God  and  man,  to  read 
books,  weigh  evidence,  reject  fallacy,  in  one  word,  to 
"  prove  all  things,"  but  all  this  with  a  view  to  the 
ending  of  hesitancy,  to  the  settlement  of  faith,  and 
the  holding  fast  of  "  that  which  is  good."  A.  E. 
Looking  to  the  awful  disclosures  made  by  Scrip- 
ture respecting  the  great  apostasy  from  the  faith, 
which  shall  be  a  feature  of  the  latter  days,  and 
looking  also  at  the  revolutionary  and  lawless  ten- 
dency of  the  age,  as  shown  in  political  and  social 
movements,  vie  are  quite  right  in  regarding  with  sus- 
picion, and  in  narrowly  questioning  and  examining, 
all  nevi-fangled  vieivs  whether  religioKS  or  social. 
And  yet  there  should  be  a  readiness  in  us,  though 
not  to  abandon  for  one  moment  the  old  truth,  yet  to 
recognize  any  new  form  in  which  it  may  be  pre- 
sented. We  have  been  brought  up  to  regard  truth 
— religious,  and  it  may  be  political  and  social  truth 
also— -in  one  aspect.  But  truth  is  many-sided,  like 
a  cube ;  and  we  should  never  be  so  tenacious  of  the 
aspect  of  it  which  is  familiar  to  us  as  not  to  be 
ready  to  come  round  and  view  it  under  another 
man's  aspect.     E.  M.  G. 

22.  Many  persons  have  thought  it  to  be  an 
injunction  to  abttain  even  from  that  which  seems 
evil,  to  avoid  all  chance  of  offense.  The  words 
mean  merely  this :  "  Abstain  from  every  form  of 
evil,"  i.e.,  "from  every  kind  of  evil."  And  they 
correspond  with  the  former  member  of  the  sentence, 
which  should  be  divided  further  by  a  comma  only, 
"  Hold  fast  that  which  is  good,  abstain  from  every 
kind  of  evil."     A. 

23.  Body,  soul,  and  spirit.   The  body — the 

32 


human  affections  and  passions  ;  the  soul — according 
to  the  philosophy  of  that  age — the  rational  powers ; 
and  the  spirit— that  on  which  God  directly  operates, 
and  which  apprehends  the  things  of  God :  and  the 
apostle  prayed  that  not  this  spirit  only,  but  the  whole 
man,  might  be  presented  blameless.  So  we  hear 
him  say,  "Not  that  we  would  be  unclothed,  but 
clothed  upon"  ;  that  the  Christian  should  have  a  glori- 
fied body,  a  sanctified  intellect,  and  moral  sense,  and 
a  spiritual  power  to  love  and  serve  God.     F.  W.  R. 

The  same  soul  with  its  essential  powers,  the 

same  body  with  its  natural  senses,  the  work  of  the 
creator,  remains ;  but  in  the  cleansing  of  his  stained 
nature,  in  the  sanctifying  his  faculties  that  are  the 
springs  of  his  actions,  the  whole  man  is  quickened 
into  a  divine  life,  and  enabled  to  act  in  conformity 
to  it.  An  active  principle  of  holiness  is  planted  in 
him ;  every  faculty  is  renewed,  and  every  grace  in- 
fused that  constitutes  the  divine  image.     Bates. 

24.  It  is  God  who  calls.  Christ  has  lived,  and 
he  asks  living  followers.  He  has  died  a  sacrifice, 
and  he  asks  the  spirit  of  self-sacrifice,  the  death  of 
evil,  in  you.  He  has  risen,  living  evermore ;  and 
whatsoever  gift  of  his  love  ye  shall  ask,  believing, 
ye  shall  receive.  These  are  your  guaranties,  your 
commission,  your  grounds  of  action.  This  is  your 
"  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus."  It  is  remarkable 
how  perseveringly  the  New  Testament  clings  to  this 
particular  conception  of  the  Christian  relation,  set- 
ting it  forward  in  all  possible  connections  of  phrase, 
and  putting  it  in  contact  with  each  element  of  the 
Christian  system,  as  if  there  were  a  vitality  in  it  that 
must  not  by  any  means  be  missed.  Disciples  are 
said  to  be  "  the  called  of  Jesus,"  "  called  out  of  dark- 
ness into  marvelous  light,"  "  called  unto  liberty," 
"  called  to  peace,"  "  called  to  eternal  life,"  "  called  " 
first,  to  be  afterward  "  justified  and  glorified," 
"  called  to  inherit  a  blessing,"  "  called  in  one  body  " 
and  "  one  hope,"  "  called  by  God's  grace  "  to  "  holi- 
ness," to  "his  kingdom  and  glory,"  with  "a  holy 
calling,"  "  a  heavenly  calling."  To  "  walk  worthy 
of  the  vocation  "  is  made  the  business  of  a  careful 
conscience.  To  make  our  "calling  and  election 
sure  "  is  the  grand  victory  of  our  warfare.  The 
promise  that  subdues  all  anxiety  as  to  the  result  is 
in  the  words,  "  Faithful  is  he  which  calleth  you." 
F.  D.  H. 

26.  An  holy  kiss.  We  find  a  full  account  of 
this  custom,  as  it  was  practiced  in  the  early  Church, 
in  the  Apostolical  Constitutions  (book  ii.  ch.  57). 
The  men  and  women  were  placed  in  separate  parts 
of  the  building  where  they  met  for  worship.  It 
should  be  remembered  by  English  readers  that  a 
kiss  was  in  ancient  times,  as  it  is  now  in  many  for- 
eign countries,  the  ordinary  mode  of  salutation  be- 
tween friends  when  they  met.     C. 

27.  "  I  adjure  j'ou  by  the  Lord,"  he  says,  "  that 
this  Epistle  be  read  unto  all  the  holy  brethren." 
Such  vehemence  would  ill  become  the  writer  of  any 
mere  human  letter.  And  this  remark  is  important 
considering  it  is  the  earliest  among  his  Epistles.  He 
wrote  in  full  consciousness  of  his  apostolic  power. 

A. This  Epistle  is  well   suited  at  all   times  to 

young  Christians.  It  furnishes  tests  of  conversion, 
corrects  errors  of  inexperience,  warns  against  vain 
security,  and  conveys,  in  a  most  compact  form,  wise 
counsels  for  the  Christian  life.  It  gives  prominence 
to  that  which  should  always  stand  before  the  minds 
of  disciples  young  and  old — the  coming  of  the  Lord 
from  heaven.  In  every  respect  it  is  an  Epistle  wor- 
thy to  "  be  read  unto  all  the  holy  brethren."    D.  F. 


498 


SECTION  318.— 3  THESSALONIANS  1  : 1-13. 


Section  318. 

2  Thessalonians  i.  1-12. 

1  Paul,  and  Silvanus,  and  Timotheus,  unto  the  churcli  of  tlie  Thessalonians  in  God  our 

2  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ :  grace  unto  you,  and  peace,  from  God  our  Father  and 

3  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     "We  are  bound  to  thank  God  always  for  you,  brethren,  as  it  is  meet, 
because  that  your  faith  groweth  exceedingly,  and  the  charity  of  every  one  of  you  all  toward 

4  each  other  aboundeth  ;  so  that  we  ourselves  glory  in  you  in  the  churches  of  God  for  your 

5  patience  and  faith  in  all  your  persecutions  and  tribulations  that  ye  endure :  which  is  a  mani- 
fest token  of  the  righteous  Judgment  of  God,  that  ye  may  be  counted  worthy  of  the  kiug- 

6  dom  of  God,  for  which  ye  also  suffer :  seeing  it  is  a  righteous  thing  with  God  to  recom- 

7  pense  tribulation  to  them  that  trouble  you ;  and  to  you  who  are  troubled  rest  with  us,  when 

8  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire  taking 
vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus 

9  Christ :  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 

10  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power;  when  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  to 
be  admired  in  all  them  that  believe  (because  our  testimony  among  you  was  believed)  in 

11  that  day.     "Wherefore  also  we  pray  always  ior  you,  that  our  God  would  count  you  worthy 
of  this  calling,  and  fulfill  all  the  good  pleasure  of  his  goodness,  and  the  work  of  faith  with 

12  power,  that  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  may  be  glorified  in  you,  and  ye  in  him, 
according  to  the  grace  of  our  God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


If  we  quite  believed  about  heaven  all  that  the  Bible  tells  us  of  it,  how  humility  would  clothe  us,  and 
zeal  inflame  us,  and  the  thought  of  our  inheritance  ennoble  us,  making  us  calm  and  brave  as  the  sons  of 
God  !  We  should  live  with  men  now,  heirs  with  us  of  a  common  salvation,  as  those  who  hope  presently 
to  pass  eternity  together.  Wherever  we  found  souls  without  the  divine  knowledge,  we  should  endeavor  to 
say  to  them  with  zeal,  and  yet  with  wisdom.  Come  thou  with  us,  and  we  will  do  thee  good.  We  should  pray, 
believing  in  prayer ;  we  should  work,  for  the  time  is  short ;  we  should  hate  and  resist  sin  in,  at  least, 
something  of  the  spirit  in  which  we  shall  look  back  at  it  out  of  Paradise  ;  sloth,  and  self-indulgence,  and 
covetousness,  and  injustice  to  each  other,  would  seem  even  a  treason  against  the  Lord  that  bought  us  with 
his  blood.  Then  let  us  live  for  this  glory,  and  wait  for  it,  and  do  all  we  can  to  earn  it,  for  our  glory  is 
our  Master's,  and  he  is  coming  to  he  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  to  be  admired  in  all  them  that  believe.   A.  W.  T. 


The  Second  Epistle  to  the  Thessalonians. 

It  is  a  sequel  to  the  previous  Epistle,  and  prob- 
ably followed  it  in  course  of  a  few  months.  It  is- 
sues from  the  same  persons,  Paul,  Silas,  and  Timo- 
thy ;  and  the  joint  origin  is  expressed  throughout 
the  Epistle  more  than  in  any  other  of  the  apostolic 

letters.     D.  F. Since  the  sending  of    the  first 

letter,  some  one  had  been  imposing  upon  the  Thes- 
salonians a  letter  in  the  apostle's  name,  to  the  effect 
that  the  day  of  the  Lord  was  close  upon  them,  ex- 
citing them,  and  causing  them  to  walk  disorderly, 
and  to  disregard  their  own  business  in  life.  On  be- 
ing informed  of  this  at  Corinth,  where  he  remained 
for  a  year  and  a  half,  he  sent  this  second  Epistle, 
not  contradicting,  not  even  modifying,  his  former 
teaching,  but  filling  it  out  and  rendering  it  complete ; 
informing  them  of  those  things  which  in  the  divine 
counsels  were  destined  to  precede  the  coming  of  the 
day  of  the  Lord,  and  the  manifestation  of  which 
was  kept  back  by  circumstances  then  existing.     A. 

He  had  already  told  them  of  these  signs  when 

he  was  with  them,  and  this  explains  the  extreme 
obscurity  of  his  description  of  them  in  the  present 
Epistle ;  for  he  was  not  giving  new  information,  but 


alluding  to  facts  which  he  had  already  explained  to 
them  at  an  earlier  period.  It  would  have  been  well 
if  this  had  been  remembered  by  those  who  have 
extracted  such  numerous  and  discordant  prophecies 
and  anathemas  from  certain  passages  in  the  follow- 
ing Epistle.     C.  

6-9.  The  Lord's  second  coming  in  glory  is  a  day 
of  vengeance  and  a  day  of  recompense.  Which  is 
not  to  be  understood  as  if  they  were  not  to  be  pun- 
ished nor  we  rewarded  befoi'C  that  day ;  but  that 
then  both  will  be  more  full  and  complete.  The 
wicked  that  are  now  in  chains  of  darkness  are  look- 
ing for  a  more  terrible  day  ;  and  souls  in  the  rest 
of  paradise,  in  the  intermediate  state  of  glory,  are 

looking  for  a  more  full  reward.     T.  M. Within 

the  shadow  of  that  throne  of  judgment  we  all  Hve, 
and  the  shadow  deepens  fast ;  for  every  hour  of  our 
dream-like  existence  is  bringing  us  nearer  and  nearer 
to  the  awful  reality.  Not  death  itself  is  more  in- 
evitable ;  for  death  is  but  the  commissioned  officer 


SECTI02f  318.— 2  THESSALONIANS  1:1-12. 


499 


I 


of  this  tribunal ;  he  exists  only  that  he  may  lead 
us  to  its  footstool.  Not  heaven's  promised  happi- 
ness is  more  assured ;  for  this  is  the  sole  portal  of 
heaven  to  man.  Nay,  the  very  being  of  our  God  is 
scarcely  a  more  fixed  truth ;  for  even  his  being  is 
not  more  certain  than  his  justice,  and  his  justice 
demands  the  judgment.  Whatever  is  uncertain,  or 
undecided,  or  controverted,  this  remains  unques- 
tionable :  God  shall  "  come  to  be  glorified  in  his 
saints,"  He  shall  be  "  revealed  in  flaming  fire,  tak- 
ing vengeance  on  them  that  know  him  not."  To  this 
all  gathers ;  in  this  all  is  consummated.     W.  A.  B. 

9.  There  are  many  who  cherish  good  hope,  not 
on  the  ground  of  avoiding  sin,  but  of  thinking  that 
hell  is  milder  than  the  tbreatenings  describe  it,  and 
temporary  instead  of  eternal ;  and  on  this  subject 
they  speculate  at  large.  But  that  it  is  not  tempo- 
rary we  may  learn  from  Paul  saying,  in  this  passage 
about  those  "  who  know  not  God,  and  believe  not 
the  gospel,"  that  they  "  shall  be  punished  with  eter- 
nal destruction."     How  then  can  what  is  eternal  be 

temporary?      Chrys. When  we  open  the  word 

of  God,  it  is  impossible  for  any  honest  man  to  deny 
that,  whether  its  teaching  be  true  or  false,  the  fact 
of  future  punishment  is  an  essential  portion  of  what 
is  taught.  By  no  conceivable  perversion  of  the 
words  of  Christ,  so  often  repeated  on  this  subject, 
and  by  no  interpretation  of  his  parables,  can  it  be 
denied  that  it  was  his  intention  to  give  the  very  im- 
pression which  the  universal  Church  has  received, 
that  there  is  a  "  wrath  to  come,"  and  a  state  of  be- 
ing which  to  some  is  "  cursed,"  and  so  very  dreadful 
that,  with  reference  to  one  of  his  own  disciples,  who 
is  called  "  the  son  of  perdition,"  the  Saviour  said 
that  it  would  have  "  been  good  for  that  man  had  he 
never  been  born."  The  apostles,  who  express  in 
language  as  strong  and  unhesitating  the  certainty 
and  dread  nature  of  future  punishment,  were  men 
also  who,  more  than  any  who  have  ever  lived,  loved 
their  fellow-men,  wept  like  their  Divine  Master  for 
their  sins,  and  devoted  their  lives,  with  untiring  un- 
selfishness, to  rescue  them  from  present  evil  and  fu- 
ture woe.     N.  M. 

It  can  not  be  doubted  that  the  character  of  un- 
godliness with  which  the  lost  spirit  leaves  this 
world  is  perpetuated  to  the  state  of  being  that  fol- 
lows it.  But  much  more  than  this  is  too  awfully 
probable.  The  total  absence  of  all  Divine  grace 
leaving  every  evil  propensity  to  rank  luxuriance,  the 
presence  of  all  the  accursed  stimulants  to  desperate 
impiety,  must  surely  combine  to  make  the  sinner, 
the  punished  sinner  of  this  life,  progressively,  un- 
ceasingly, the  everlasting  sinner  of  the  life  that  suc- 
ceeds it.  The  sinner  is  to  suffer  for  everlasting,  but 
it  is  because  the  sin  itself  is  as  everlasting  as  the 
suffering.  W.  A.  B. We  are  made  for  the  en- 
joyment of  eternal  blessedness ;  it  is  our  high  call- 


ing and  destination.  To  fail  of  such  an  object,  to 
defeat  the  end  of  our  existence,  and  in  consequence 
of  neglecting  the  great  salvation  to  sink  at  last 
under  the  frown  of  the  Almighty,  is  a  calamity 
which  words  were  not  invented  to  express,  nor 
finite  minds  formed  to  grasp.  If  it  be  lawful  to  in- 
dulge such  a  thought,  what  would  be  the  funeral 
obsequies  of  a  lost  soul  ?  Where  shall  we  find  the 
tears  fit  to  be  wept  at  such  a  spectacle  ?  or,  could 
we  realize  the  calamity  in  all  its  extent,  what  tokens 
of  commiseration  and  concern  would  be  deemed 
equal  to  the  occasion?  Would  it  suffice  for  the 
sun  to  veil  his  light  and  the  moon  her  brightness ; 
to  cover  the  ocean  with  mourning,  and  the  heavens 
with  sackcloth  ?  or,  were  the  whole  fabric  of  Nature 
to  become  animated  and  vocal,  Avould  it  be  possible 
for  her  to  utter  a  groan  too  deep,  or  a  cry  too  pierc- 
ing, to  express  the  magnitude  and  extent  of  such  a 
catastrophe  ?     R.  Hall. 

10.  He  assuredly  comes  to  put  that  glory  on  his 
saints  which  the  Father  has  put  upon  him,  for  it  is 
written,  "  He  comes  to  be  glorified  in  his  saints." 
Not  only  admired  in  himself  but  "  in  his  saints  "  / 
as  if  he  counted  the  social  glory  which  results  to  his 
person  from  the  glory  of  his  children  a  greater 
honor  to  him  than  his  own  personal  glory!     T.  M. 

That  bright  day  when  he  shall  shine  forth  in 

his  royal  dignity  shall  be  to  his  saints  the  gladdest 
day  that  ever  arose  upon  them;  a  day  that  shall 
never  set  or  be  benighted ;  the  day  they  so  much 
longed  and  looked  out  for,  the  full  accomplishment 
of  all  their  hopes  and  desires.  Oh,  how  dark  were 
all  our  days  without  the  hope  of  this  day !     L. 

11.  Fulfill  all.  He  who  first  wrought  this 
work  in  the  soul  of  his  good  pleasure  carries  on  his 
grace  in  the  same  sovereignty  of  love  and  power. 
He  refreshes,  the  soul  that  is  faint  and  weary,  re- 
vives its  graces,  enlarges  its  views,  and  confirms  its 
hold  of  divine  truth ;  he  calls  into  exercise  the 
spiritual  powers  with  which  he  has  endowed  his 
people,  and  sustains  them  therein,  to  the  bringing 
glory  to  his  name,  and  a  rich  treasure  to  them"  of 
present  enjoyment  and  future  recompense.  Hence 
the  apostle,  desiring  the  complete  salvation  of  his 
brethren,  prays  for  it  under  this  special  view,  "  that 
God  would  count  you  worthy  of  this  calling,  and 
fulfill  all  the  good  pleasure  of  his  goodness,  and  the 
work  of  faith  with  power."  Blessed  be  his  glorious 
name  for  such  a  view  of  that  great  work  that  needs 
to  be  perfected  in  our  souls  !     It  is  the  Lord's  own 

work ;    his  own  good  pleasure.     Goode. Never 

does  the  believer  work  for  God  with  so  much  confi- 
dence, and  activity,  and  perseverance,  and  zeal,  and 
success,  as  when  he  knows  that  all  his  works  are 
wrought  in  God ;  that  God  is  fulfilling  in  him  all 
the  good  pleasure  of  his  goodness,  and  the  work  of 
faith  with  power.     J.  W.  A. 


500 


SECTION  319.-2  TEESSALONIANS  2  :  1-17. 


12.  Christ  may  be  glorified.  To  keep 
ourselves  clear  from  the  world,  never  to  break  the 
sweet  charities  that  bind  together  the  circles  of  our 
homes,  to  walk  within  our  houses  with  perfect 
hearts,  to  be  honest  over  the  pence  as  well  as  over 
the  pounds,  never  to  permit  the  little  risings  of 
momentary  anger  that  seem  but  a  trifle  because 
they  pass  away  so  quickly,  to  do  the  small  duties 
that  recur  with  every  beat  of  the  pendulum,  and 
that  must  be  done  by  present  force  and  by  instantly 
falling  back  upon  the  loftiest  principle,  or  they  can 
not  be  done  at  all — these  are  as  noble  ways  of  glori- 
fying Christ  and  being  glorified  in  him  as  any  to 
which  we  can  ever  attain.     A.  M. 


Meaning  of  Olam  and  Aion. 

If  the  idea  of  eternity  is  expressed  at  all  in  the 
Scriptures,  it  is  by  the  Hebrew  word  olam  and  the 
Greek  words  aion  and  aionios.  But,  if  these  words, 
which  in  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  are  equivalent,  do 
not  carry  with  them  the  idea  of  duration,  then  there 
is  no  certainty  in  any  conclusion  as  to  the  meaning 
of  language.  That  they  are  used  with  reference  to 
different  measures  of  duration  is  evident,  and  results 
from  the  fundamental  idea  in  these  terms.  Olam 
and  aion  each  signify  world,  period,  age,  dispensa- 
tion. The  fundamental  idea,  out  of  which  the  terms 
have  grown,  is  that  of  a  succession  of  worlds  or 
world-periods,  the  eternity  before  and  after  the 
world  being  broken  up  into  great  periods,  in  each  of 
which  there  is  a  fixed  development  from  a  definite 
beginning  to  a  definite  end.  So  in  this  world-period 
in  which  we  live  there  are  lesser  periods,  ages,  or 


dispensations,  and  to  these  the  same  terms  are  ap- 
plied. But,  as  one  age  is  called  olam  or  aion,  so  is 
a  succession  of  ages  or  one  world-period;  and,  as 
one  world-period  is  described  by  the  same  terms,  so 
is  the  whole  succession  of  world-periods,  and  eter- 
nity itself  is  the  great  olam,  or  aion.  The  extent  of 
duration,  therefore,  is  to  be  inferred  from  the  nature 
of  that  to  which  the  terms  are  applied.  Now,  when 
these  terms,  carrying  with  them  the  idea  of  duration, 
are  applied  to  the  life,  which  is  the  gift  of  God 
through  Jesus  Christ,  is  there  any  reason  for  limit- 
ing their  significance?  The  eternal  life  of  the 
Scriptures  shall  never  end.  Is  not  the  loss  of  that 
life,  to  which  the  same  term  is  applied,  and  in  the 
same  connection,  unending  also  ?  Even  if  it  were 
possible,  therefore,  to  fix  upon  the  term  "  everlast- 
ing "  a  limited  signification  as  applied  to  future 
punishment,  still  the  loss  of  eternal  life  must  be  an 
eternal  loss.     J.  C.  S. 

Finally,  if  any  man,  after  a  careful  perusal  of 
what  has  been  or  may  be  offered  on  both  sides  of 
this  important  question,  shall  be  in  doubt  on  which 
side  the  truth  lies,  it  would  certainly  be  most  pru- 
dent and  safe  for  him  to  act  as  he  would  if  he  fully 
believed  endless  punishment;  it  will  be  most  pru- 
dent and  safe  for  him  to  yield  a  cordial  compliance 
with  the  gospel  in  repentance,  faith,  and  obedience. 
Then  he  will  be  safe  on  either  supposition.  But,  if 
he  trust  to  the  flattering  doctrine  that  all  are  finally 
to  be  saved,  and  in  this  presumption  shall  neglect 
the  gospel,  its  invitations  and  requirements,  and  it 
shall  finally  prove  that  that  doctrine  is  a  mere  im- 
agination of  men,  alas  !  he  is  lost,  irrecoverably  lost ; 
while  those  who  receive  the  gospel  with  the  "obe- 
dience of  faith  "  shall,  through  the  blood  of  atone- 
ment, "  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  shall  enter 
in  through  the  gates  into  the  city."     Edwards. 


Section  319. 

2  Thessalonians  ii.  1-lT 


1  Now  we  beseech  yon,  brethren,  by  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  ly  our 

2  gathering  together  unto  him,  that  ye  be  not  soon  shaken  in  mind,  or  be  troubled,  neither 

3  by  spirit,  nor  by  word,  nor  by  letter  as  from  us,  as  that  the  day  of  Christ  is  at  hand.     Let 
no  man  deceive  you  by  any  means :  for  that  day  shall  not  come,  except  there  come  a  falUng 

4  away  first,  and  that  man  of  sin  be  revealed,  the  son  of  perdition ;  who  opposeth  and  ex- 
alteth  liiraself  above  all  that  is  called  God,  or  that  is  worshipped;  so  that  he  as  God  sitteth 

5  in  the  temple  of  God,  shewing  himself  that  he  is  God.     Remember  ye  not,  that,  when  I 

6  was  yet  with  you,  I  told  you  these  things  ?     And  now  ye  know  what  withholdeth  that  he 

7  might  be  revealed  in  his  time.     For  the  mystery  of  iniquity  doth  already  work :  only  he 

8  who  now  letteth  icill  let,  until  he  be  taken  out  of  the  way.     And  then  shall  that  Wicked 
be  revealed,  whom  the  Lord  shall  consume  with  the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  shall  destroy 

9  with  the  brightness  of  his  coming:  even  Mm,  whose  coming  is  after  the  working  of  Satan 

10  with  all  power  and  signs  and  lying  wonders,  and  with  all  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness 
in  them  that  perish;  because  they  received  not  the  love  of  the  truth,  that  they  might  be 

11  saved.     And  for  this  cause  God  shall  send  them  strong  delusion,  that  they  should  believe 

12  a  lie :  that  they  all  might  be  damned  who  believed  not  the  truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  un- 
righteousness. 

13  But  we  are  bound  to  give  thanks  alway  to  God  for  you,  brethren  beloved  of  the  Lord, 
because  God  hath  from  the  beginning  chosen  you  to  salvation  through  sanctification  of  the 

14  Spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth :  whereunto  he  called  you  by  our  gospel,  to  the  obtaining  of 

15  the  glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Therefore,  brethren,  stand  fast,  and  hold  the  traditions 

16  which  ye  have  been  taught,  whether  by  word,  or  our  epistle.     Now  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 


SECTIOX  319.— 2  THESSALONIANS  2  : 1-17. 


501 


himself,  and  God,  even  our  Father,  which  hath  loved  us,  and  hath  given  tis  everlasting  con- 
17  solation  and  good  hope  through  grace,  comfort  your  hearts,  and  stablish  you  in  every  good 
■word  and  work. 


I 


"  God  hath  called  you.''^  The  word  "  calling,"  applied  to  a  human  life  in  the  Christian  sense  and  by  a 
Christian  authority  like  Paul,  is  a  condensed  confession  of  faith.  It  means  the  great  primary  truth  of 
religion,  viz.,  that  our  erring  Ufe  is  governed  by  a  will  above  it,  and  is  capable  of  receiving  influences  of 
attraction  from  the  Spirit  of  God.  Take  up  that  single  truth,  trace  it  out  to  its  legitimate  results,  admit 
all  its  practical  obligations,  let  in  upon  your  own  mind  both  the  solemn  sense  of  duty  and  the  clear  illu- 
mination for  sorow  that  it  brings  with  it,  accept  its  necessary  incidents  of  penitence,  renewal,  redemption, 
and  you  find  that,  including  its  connections  and  consequences,  it  is  a  majestic  compendium  of  religious 
doctrine.  Life,  without  this  sense  of  a  Hand  guiding  it,  a  Spirit  moving  it,  a  God  in  Christ  calling  to  it, 
is  really  far  more  perplexing  and  unaccountable  than  with  that  key  to  its  changes.  For  then,  severed 
from  a  Father,  it  is  not  only  a  mystery,  but  a  contradiction  ;  not  only  a  riddle  to  the  reason,  but,  sooner 
or  later,  with  all  its  failures  and  miseries,  a  painful  puzzle  to  the  heart,  or  even  an  agonizing  mockery  to 
our  sense  of  right — an  enigma  that  neither  genius,  nor  stoicism,  nor  sensuality,  nor  suicide  can  solve. 
F.  D.  H. 


2.  The  Thessalonians  are  cautioned  not  to  be 
"  shaken  in  mind  nor  troubled,  neither  by  spirit 
(spiritual  gift  of  prophecy),  nor  by  word,  nor  by 
letter  as  by  us."  This  would  look  as  if  some  Epis- 
tle had  been  circulated  among  them  purporting  to 
come,  but  not  really  coming,  from  their  father  in 
the  faith.  And  so  Chrysostom  takes  the  passage  to 
mean :  "  He  seems  to  me  here  to  hint  that  some 
were  going  about  with  a  forged  Epistle  pretending 
to  be  from  Paul,  and  that  showing  this  they  affirmed 
the  day  of  the  Lord  to  be  already  come,  that  they 
might  deceive  many.  And  this  supposition  also  de- 
rives confirmation  from  the  care  taken  in  chapter 
3  :  \1  to  add  to  this  Epistle,  itself  written  by  an 
amanuensis,  an  autograph  salutation,  and  to  specify 
such  autograph  salutation  to  be  the  token  of  gen- 
uineness which  the  apostle  intended  ever  after  to 
employ."    A. 

3-12.  It  could  not  be  the  day  of  the  Lord,  for 
certain  events  must  precede  the  advent,  which  had 
not  yet  come  to  pass.  There  must  first  be  "  the 
apostasy  "  ;  and  out  of  the  apostasy  would  issue  an 
opponent  of  God  and  of  Christ,  who  must  reveal  his 
proud  and  lawless  nature,  and  then  be  destroyed  "  by 
the  epiphany  of  the  Lord's  coming."  The  passage 
in  which  this  is  set  forth  is  perhaps  more  difficult 
of  interpretation  than  any  other  in  the  apostolic 
letters,  epitomizing,  as  it  does,  in  a  few  sentences, 
the  working  of  evil  in  the  Church  through  many 

centuries  till  the  advent  of  Christ.     D.  F. It  is 

pointed  out  as  the  apostasy,  because  it  will  be  the 
greatest  of  all  apostasies  ;  that  one  to  which  all  others 
will  converge,  and  in  which  they  will  be  absorbed. 
Such  an  apostasy,  in  its  full  development,  the  world 
has  not  yet  seen.  There  have  been  many  "  fallings 
away"  since  the  Lord  was  received  into  heaVen. 
There  were  the  partial  revivals  of  paganism  under 
Julian  and  others ;  there  was  the  great  Mohammedan 
imposture,  drawing  after  it  the  greater  portion  of 
the  East.  Churches  have  left  their  faith  and  been 
extinguished ;  heresies  have  sprung  up  and  run 
their  course.  In  the  Eastern  and  Western  churches, 
corruption  of  doctrine  and  practice  has  set  in.  In  the 
latter,  especially,  a  monstrous  caricature  of  Chris- 
tianity has  put  itself  in  the  place  of  the  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  Church ;  a  local  bishop  has  set 
himself  over  churches  and  kingdoms  ;  has  invented 
new  doctrines,  or  borrowed  the  cast-off  abominations 


of  paganism.  A  more  subtle  method  of  undermining 
the  gospel  of  Christ  has  never  been  devised ;  but 
still  the  Papacy  is  not  "  the  apostasv,"  any  more  than 
any  one  of  the  others  mentioned.  The  Papacy  does 
not,  which  the  apostasy  must  do,  abjure  and  cast  off 
Christ.     A. 

Out  of  the  apostasy  is  to  be  produced  and  un- 
veiled at  a  time  undetermined  the  man  of  sin,  the 
son  of  perdition,  the  laidess  one,  or  quintessence 
of  the  whole  mystery  of  lawlessness.  This  is  not 
to  be  explained  of  the  false  Christs — those  pseudo- 
Messiahs  of  the  early  ages,  who  led  away  none  but 
Jews  after  them.  Nor  is  it  to  be  referred  to  the 
many  Antichrists  spoken  of  by  John — teachers  of 
error  regarding  the  person  of  the  Lord,  asserting 
that  Christ  had  not  come  in  the  flesh.  To  the 
Oriental  Church,  Mohammed,  when  he  arose,  seemed 
to  be  this  man  of  sin.  From  the  eleventh  century, 
as  the  Papacy  reached  its  grand  climacteric,  some 
surmised  that  this  was  no  other  than  the  pope  ;  and 
the  Protestant  Churches  at  the  Reformation  gener- 
ally accepted  this  view.  Certain  features  of  the 
man  of  sin  are  undoubtedly  exhibited  in  the  Roman 
Papacy — especially  the  overweening  pretension  and 
arrogance.  But  in  other  points  the  correspondence 
is  not  at  all  so  obvious.  We  read  of  "  the  coming  " 
of  the  man  of  sin — an  expression  which  can  scarce- 
ly be  applied  to  the  rise  of  the  Papacy.  Then  the 
description  is  of  one  who  is  audacious  in  impiety, 
exalting  himself  above  every  one  called  God,  or 
that  is  an  object  of  worship,  and  exhibiting  himself 
"  that  he  is  God."  This  does  not  suggest  to  our 
minds  a  high  priest  of  superstition,  such  as  the  Pope 
of  Rome.  And  we  can  scarcely  say  that  the  man 
of  sin,  as  God  sitting  in  the  temple  of  God,  means 
the  pope  seated  on  high  at  a  great  festival  in 
Peter's,  unless  we  are  prepared  to  admit  that  the 
Basilica  of  the  Vatican  is  the  temple  of  God.  In 
fact,  nothing  has  occurred  in  the  history  of  Chris- 
tianity adequate  to  the  fulfillment  of  this  oracle ; 
and  therefore  we  fear  that  a  terrible  impersonation 
of  arrogant  impiety  is  yet  to  be  revealed.     D.  F. 

It  is   clear  that  no  person,  system,  or   event, 

has  yet  filled  out  the  measure  of  this  prophetic  out- 
line. Each  age  has  its  apostasy,  its  Antichrist,  and 
each  in  turn  is  overwhelmed  by  some  new  manifes- 
tation of  the  power  of  God  in  his  providence  or  his 
glory  in  his  Church ;  so  will  it  be  until  the  final 


)02 


SECTION  319.— S  TEESSALONIANS  2:1-17. 


battle  of  Gog  and  Magog  shall  usher  in  the  day  of 
judgment.  Prophesy  is  self-repeating;  and  thus 
the  Church  is  kept  always  in  a  state  of  prayerful 
expectation.  But,  whatever  foes  may  arise,  what- 
ever conflicts  come,  they  who  stand  fast  in  the  word 
of  Christ  shall  have  everlasting  consolation  at  the 
coming  of  the  Lord.     J.  P.  T. 

7.  "  Letteth  "  should  be  read  "  hindereth  "  ;  one 
of  the  many  instances  in  which  actual  usage  has 
reversed  the  meaning  of  old  English  words.     B. 

9.  Antichrist  had  a  time  to  come  into  the  world, 
and  so  must  he  have  a  time  to  go  out  again.  For, 
although  he  saith  that  he  is  a  god,  yet  he  must  be 
subject  to  the  will  of  God,  and  must  go  as  well  as 
come  according  to  that  will.  The  Lord  is  still  going 
on  to  make  that  conquest  over  him  that  is  deter- 
mined, in  the  way  that  is  determined.     Bun. 

We  of  Christ's  Church  believe  that  the  present 
course  of  things  is  the  conflict,  on  the  broad  stage 
of  the  world,  between  our  Captain,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  the  great  foe  of  God  and  man — the  con- 
flict which  in  person  he  waged  and  won  when  he 
trod  the  earth,  but  which  remains  to  be  fought  out 
by  them  whose  souls  he  has  redeemed,  and  to 
whom  he  gives  the  power  of  his  finished  victory 
for  aid.  They  in  their  own  persons,  his  Church  in 
her  collective  capacity,  must  follow  out  that  victory 
which  he  has  won ;  and  then,  when  it  is  about  to 
be  finally  and  gloriously  consummated,  will  the 
power  of  evil  culminate  and  do  its  worst.  Then 
shall  the  foe  himself  try  by  his  agents  all  his  arts, 
and  illude  the  world  with  signs  and  wonders,  wrought 
by  permitted  power.     A. 

10-12.  The  great  end  of  all  the  works  of  Je- 
hovah is  the  manifestation  of  his  true  character  to 
created  intelligences,  as  the  source  of  everlasting 
love,  and  confidence,  and  joy,  and  praise.  The  sys- 
tem of  manifestation  is  the  plan  of  redemption  dis- 
closed in  the  Bible,  and  carried  into  effect  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  in  giving  efficacy  to  revealed  truth  in 
the  sanctification  and  salvation  of  man.  "Without 
just  conceptions,  then,  of  revealed  truth,  the  true 
character  of  God  is  not  manifested,  and  can  not,  of 
course,  become  an  object  of  affection  or  source  of 
joy.  Erroneous  conceptions  of  revealed  truth 
eclipse  the  glory  of  God  in  its  progress  to  enlighten 
and  enrapture  the  universe.  They  propagate  false- 
hood concerning  God  through  all  parts  of  his  do- 
minions where  they  prevail,  undermine  confidence, 
annihilate  affection,  and  extinguish  joy.  They  ar- 
rest the  work  of  redemption  ;  for  moral  influence  is 
the  influence  by  which  God  redeems  from  sin,  and 
revealed  truth  embodies  that  influence.  When  that 
light  has  been  wantonly  extinguished,  God  will  not 
hold  those  guiltless  who  have  perpetrated  the  deed. 
He  has  exhibited  his  true  character,  and  command- 
ed us  to  love  him ;  and,  if  we  pervert  his  character, 
and  worship  other  gods,  he  will  punish  the  idolatry. 


L.  Beecher. Thus  is  God's  mysterious  judgment 

to  be  justified  when  he  shall  arraign  the  guilt  of 
that  unbelief  which  at  first  appears  so  utterly  re- 
moved from  the  sphere  of  voluntary  and  willful  sin ; 
thus  is  He  to  stand  approved  of  men  and  angels 
when  he  shall  unravel  all  the  tangled  mesh  of  our 
excuses,  and  flash  upon  us  the  tremendous  convic- 
tion that  we  are  lost  only  because  we  would  be  lost ; 
pursuing  the  trembling  conscience  into  its  lone- 
liest retreats,  crushing  all  its  unhappy  devices  of 
self-deception,  and  forcing  it  (last,  worst  form  of 
judgment !)  to  set  its  own  seal  upon  its  own  con- 
demnation.    W,  A.  B. 

13.  The  blessed  Quickener  and  Sanctifier  at 
one  instant  breathes  into  the  soul  two  influences, 
one  respecting  truth  and  the  other  respecting  holi- 
ness ;  one  is  fait\  the  other  is  obedience.  "  Both 
worketh  that  one  and  the  self-same  Spirit."  The 
hand  which  touches  Christ  as  a  Saviour  or  Priest 
docs  homage  to  him  as  a  King.  The  instrument 
employed  by  the  sovereign  Spirit  in  all  the  acts, 
believings,  feelings,  and  volitions  of  the  soul,  is 
truth.  The  renewed  mind  beholds  divine  objects 
in  a  new  and  indescribable  manner,  in  their  self- 
evidencing  brightness,  in  their  beauty,  loveliness, 
and  glory,  so  as  to  appreciate,  taste,  and  relish 
them,  and  in  a  certain  as  yet  imperfect  degree  dis- 
cern them  as  they  are.     J.  W.  A. 

15.  Stand  fast.  The  world,  never  resting, 
never  sleeping,  never  wanting  in  definite  promises, 
presses  hard.  Old  habits  and  passions  reassert 
their  insinuating  or  imperious  demands.  The  Hill 
Difiiculty  looks  rather  steep :  is  the  end  worth  the 
troublesome  toil  after  all  ?  But,  meantime,  the  ever- 
lasting verities  have  not  changed  their  places  or 
lost  their  light.  Your  Father  is  waiting  for  you; 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  same;  the  Holy  Spirit  still 
strives;  the  deep  wants  of  your  soul  are  not 
quenched  ;  the  Covenant  is  not  dissolved ;  the  House 
stands  with  the  door  open  and  the  table  spread, 
and  all  the  gracious  nurture  of  the  Home  is  pre- 
pared ;  provisions  are  made  there,  not  for  a  fickle 
sentiment,  but  for  an  immortal  progress.     F.  D.  H. 

Traditions.  The  earliest  writing  of  Paul  was 
not  written  till  more  than  half  of  his  apostolic  ca- 
reer was  past.  Previous  to  this,  the  gospel  was  in 
the  Church  as  a  tradition — or  as  a  deposit  in  the 
hands  of  the  apostles ;  or,  so  far  as  revealed,  as  so 
much  common  public  thought.  It  was  taught  by 
word  of  mouth — it  was  received  as  reported  and 
explained  by  those  who  preached  it ;  its  facts,  doc- 
trines, beliefs — its  ideas  of  the  divine,  the  spiritual, 
the  future — all  existed  in  the  mind  of  the  Christian 
community  without  their  being  formally  set  forth  in 
any  systematic,  apostolic  writing. 

16.  If  there  be  a  revelation  in  the  world,  it  is 
contained  in  the  Bible.     If  the  Bible  means  what  it 


SECTION  320.— 2  THESSALONIARS  3  : 1-lS.  503 


says,  that  revelation  culminates  in  the  discovery  of 
a  redemption  and  a  liedeemer — a  personal  Christ, 
who  comes  not  merely  to  teach,  but  to  accomplish — 
to  do  something ;  to  do  that,  in  fact,  by  which  sal- 
vation shall  be  secured  to  the  guilty,  and  holiness 
restored  to  the  fallen.  Then,  again,  if  words  have 
any  significance,  this  is  effectuated  by  his  death  and 
resurrection — facts  which  enfold  within  them  those 
central  and   mighty  doctrinal  truths  which  lie  at 


the  basis  of  that  knowledge  of  God  whence  comes 
"  everlasting  consolation  and   good  hope   through 

grace."     T.  B. There  is  but  one  resource  for  any 

man — to  grasp  in  faith  the  cross  of  Him  who  shall 
come  on  the  throne.  That  cross  disarms  all  the 
lightnings  of  his  hand,  for  it  finds  an  answer  in  his 
heart.  To  know  it,  live  by  it,  serve  under  it,  is  true 
life  now,  and  to  look  for  its  sign  in  the  sky  is  the 
good  hope,  through  grace,  of  life  eternal.     Ker. 


Section  320. 

2  Thessalonians  iii.  1-18. 


1  Finally,  brethren,  pray  for  us,  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  may  have  free  course,  and  be 

2  glorified,  even  as  it  is  with  you:  and  that  we  may  be  delivered  from  unreasonable  and 

3  wicked  men :  for  all  men  have  not  faith.     But  the  Lord  is  faithful,  who  shall  stablish  you, 

4  and  keep  you  from  evil.     And  we  have  confidence  in  the  Lord  touching  you,  that  ye  both 

5  do  and  will  do  the  things  which  we  command  you.     And  the  Lord  direct  your  hearts  into 

6  the  love  of  God,  and  into  the  patient  waiting  for  Christ.     Now  we  command  you,  brethren, 
in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  withdraw  yourselves  from  every  brother  that 

7  walketh  disorderly,  and  not  after  the  tradition  which  he  received  of  us.     For  yourselves 
know  how  ye  ought  to  follow  us :  for  we  behaved  not  ourselves  disorderly  among  you ; 

8  neither  did  we  eat  any  man's  bread  for  nought;  but  wrought  with  labour  and  travail  night 

9  and  day,  that  we  might  not  be  chargeable  to  any  of  you :  not  because  we  have  not  power, 

10  but  to  make  ourselves  an  ensample  unto  you  to  follow  us.    For  even  when  we  were  with 

11  you,  this  we  commanded  you,  that  if  any  would  not  work,  neither  should  be  eat.     For  we 
hear  that  there  are  some  which  walk  among  you  disorderly,  working  not  at  all,  but  are 

12  busybodies.     Now  them  that  are  such  we  command  and  exhort  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 

13  that  with  quietness  they  work,  and  eat  tbeir  own  bread.     But  ye,  brethren,  be  not  weary  in 

14  well  doing.     And  if  any  man  obey  not  our  word  by  this  epistle,  note  that  man,  and  have 

15  no  company  with  him,  that  he  may  be  ashamed.     Yet  count  Mm  not  as  an  enemy,  but  ad- 

16  monish  Mm  as  a  brother.     Now  the  Lord  of  peace  himself  give  you  peace  always  by  all 

17  means.     The  Lord  le  with  you  all.     The  salutation  of  Paul  with  mine  own  hand,  which  is 

18  the  token  in  every  epistle:  so  I  write.     The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  le  with  you  all. 
Amen. 

Be  not  weary  in  well-doing.  The  dawn  brightening  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day — that  is  the 
Christian's  course  when  he  is  truly  Christ's,  when  he  waits  and  is  not  weary.  AVe  see  Him  that  he  is 
really  alive ;  alive  at  God's  right  hand,  with  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth ;  and  because  he  lives  we  live 
also.  We  begin  to  feel  that  there  is  a  spiritual  life  in  us  also,  derived  from  our  communion  with  Christ ; 
that  we  know  what  it  is  to  forgive,  what  it  is  to  be  patient,  what  it  is  to  deny  ourselves,  what  it  is  to  be- 
lieve, and  to  hope,  and  to  love.  These  are  life,  or  the  seeds  of  life,  at  any  rate ;  they  will  be  ripened  when 
the  sun  is  risen ;  but  tiiey  are  quickened,  they  live  under  the  dawn.  Christ's  Spirit  is  consciously  witliin 
us ;  we  are  not  perfectly,  but  in  some  degree,  not  always,  yet  surely  sometimes,  spiritually  minded.  There- 
fore, be  of  good  courage,  as  many  of  you  as  are  waiting  but  have  not  yet  seen  the  dawn ;  who  pray,  but 
pray  with  effort ;  who  believe,  yet  are  full  of  unbelief.  Still  pray,  and  still  believe,  and  still  watch ;  turn 
not  back ;  do  not  give  up  the  point  whereunto  you  have  attained,  but  abide  there  with  anxious  patience. 
Watch  your  lives  carefully,  weed  out  whatever  sin  you  can  observe ;  this  is  the  proof  that  you  are  in 
earnest,  and  not  liars  to  God  and  to  yourselves  ;  but  wait  and  pray  for  Christ  to  appear,  and  to  establish 
you  with  his  righteousness,  and  to  grant  you  to  live  consciously  because  he  lives,  and  to  know  that  he  is  in 
the  Father,  and  you  in  him,  and  he  in  you.     T.  A. 


504 


SECTION  321.— 1  TIMOTHY  1 :  ISO. 


H,  In  the  first  Epistle  the  writer's  mind  is  almost 
entirely  occupied  with  the  thought  of  what  might  be 
happening  at  Thessalonica ;  in  the  second,  the  re- 
membrance of  his  own  pressing  trials  seems  to 
mino'le  more  conspicuously  with  the  exhortations 
and  warnings  addressed  to  those  who  are  absent. 
He  particularly  asks  for  the  prayers  of  the  Thessa- 
lonians,  that  he  may  be  delivered  from  the  perverse 
and  wicked  men  around  him,  who  were  destitute  of 
faith.  It  is  evident  that  he  was  in  a  condition  of 
fear  and  anxiety.  This  is  manifest  from  the  words 
which  were  heard  by  him  in  a  vision  vouchsafed  at 
this  critical  period.     H.     (See  Acts  18  :  9,  10.) 

5.  "  The  patient  waiting  for  Christ "  ought  to 
be  "  the  patience  of  Christ,"  the  patience  which  was 
in  Christ.  The  words  will  not  bear  the  other  ren- 
dering.    A. It  is  not  "the  patient  waiting  for 

Christ,"  as  in  the  authorized  version,  though  that  is 
good  ;  but  it  is  sympathy  with  the  very  patience  of 
Christ,  who,  during  this  time  of  opposition  to  his 
word — when  his  cause  is  obstructed  by  "  unreason- 
able and  wicked  men" — has  long  patience,  and  sits 
calmly  in  heaven  expecting  till  his  enemies  are  made 
his  footstool.  This  patience  his  people  are  to  share, 
that  they  may  also  have  part  in  his  victory. 

10-12.  With  that  broad,  practical  sense  which 
should  never  be  forgotten  in  religious  instruction, 
the  writers  renew  their  admonition  to  the  Thessa- 
lonians  regarding  honest,  self-supporting  industry. 
Probably  it  was  an  effect  of  the  agitation  among 
them  about  the  day  of  the  Lord  that  some  of  the 
Christians  had  renounced  daily  work,  and  were  liv- 
ing in  a  feverish  anxiety  or  excitement.  Those  who 
did  so  burdened  unduly  the  funds  of  the  Church,  or 
lived  at  the  expense  of  others  ;  so  the  Epistle  con- 
veys to  them  a  very  terse  injunction,  "  that  with 
quietness  they  work,  and  eat  their  own  bread." 
If  one  be  duly  called  and  appointed  to  undertake 
such  woi'k  in  the  Church  as  demands  all  his  time 
and  strength,  he  is  entitled  to  a  livelihood  for  him- 


self and  his  family;  he  may  "live  of  the  gospel." 
But  persons  not  so  called  and  appointed  have  no 
right  to  place  themselves  on  Church  support,  and 
call  it  "  living  by  faith."     D.  F. 

God  is  constantly  teaching  us  that  nothing  valu- 
able is  ever  obtained  without  labor,  and  that  no 
labor  can  be  honestly  expended  without  our  getting 
its  value  in  return.  He  is  not  careful  to  make  every- 
thing easy  to  man.  The  Bible  itself  is  no  light 
book ;  human  duty  no  holiday  engagement.    T.  B. 

Inasmuch   as  God  has  so  constituted  us  that 

without  work  we  can  not  eat,  that  if  men  ceased  for 
a  single  day  to  labor  the  machinery  of  life  would 
come  to  a  stand,  an  arrest  be  laid  on  science,  civili- 
zation, social  progress,  on  everything  that  is  condu- 
cive to  the  welfare  of  man  in  the  present  life,  we 
may  safely  conclude  that  religion,  which  is  also 
good  for  man,  which  is  indeed  the  supreme  good 
of  man,  is  not  inconsistent  with  hard  work.  It 
must  undoubtedly  be  the  design  of  our  gracious 
God  that  all  this  toil  for  the  supply  of  our  physical 
necessities,  this  incessant  occupation  amid  the  things 
that  perish,  shall  be  no  obstruction,  but  rather  a 
help  to  our  spiritual  life.     Caird. 

16.  "  The  Lord  of  peace  " — He  who  is  its  author 
and  the  source  from  which  it  flows — is  here  called 
upon  to  bestow  it:  "The  Lord  of  peace  himself 
give  you  peace."  Quite  consistently  with  those 
words  of  our  Lord,  wherein  he  communicates  peace 
as  his  legacy  to  his  disciples :  "  Peace  I  leave  with 
you,  my  peace  /  give  unto  you :  not  as  the  world 
giveth,  give  I  unto  you."     E.  M.  G. 

17,  18.  This  concluding  benediction  is  used  by 
Paul  at  the  end  of  the  Epistles  to  the  Romans, 
Corinthians  (under  a  longer  form  in  2  Cor.),  Gala- 
tians,  Ephesians,  Philippians,  and  Thessalonians. 
And,  in  a  shorter  form,  it  is  used  also  at  the  end 
of  all  his  other  Epistles.  It  seems,  from  what  he 
says  here,  to  have  been  always  written  with  his  own 
hand.     C. 


Section    321. 

1  TmoTHY  i.  1-20, 

1  Paul,  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ  by  the  commandment  of  God  our  Saviour,  and  Lord 

2  Jesus  Christ,  lohicTi  is  our  hope;  unto  Timothy,  my  own  son  in  the  faith:  Grace,  mercy, 
a7id  peace,  from  God  our  Father  and  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

3  As  I  besouglit  thee  to  abide  still  at  Ephesus,  when  I  went  into  Macedonia,  that  thou 

4  mightest  charge  some  that  they  teach  no  other  doctrine,  neither  give  heed  to  fables  and 
endless  genealogies,  which  minister  questions,  rather  than  godly  edifying  which  is  in  faith  : 

5  80  do.     Now  the  end  of  the  commandment  is  charity  out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  of  a,  good 

6  conscience,  and  o/ faith  nnfeigned:  from  which  some  having  swerved  have  turned  aside 

7  unto  vain  jangling ;  desiring  to  be  teachers  of  the  law ;  understanding  neither  what  they 

8  say,  nor  whereof  they  afBrm.     But  we  know  that  the  law  is  good,  if  a  man  use  it  lawfully ; 


SECTION  321.— 1  TIMOTHY  1 : 1-20. 


505 


9  knowing  this,  that  the  law  is  not  made  for  a  righteous  man,  but  for  the  lawless  and  disobe- 
dient, for  the  ungodly  and  for  sinners,  for  unholy  and  profane,  for  murderers  of  fathers  and 

10  murderers  of  mothers,  for  manslayers,  for  whoremongers,  for  them  that  defile  themselves 
with  mankind,  for  menstealers,  for  liars,  for  perjured  persons,  and  if  there  be  any  other 

11  thing  that  is  contrary  to  sound  doctrine ;  according  to  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed 
God,  which  was  committed  to  my  trust. 

12  And  I  thank  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  who  hath  enabled  me,  for  that  he  counted  me  faith- 

13  ful,  putting  me  into  the  ministry ;  who  was  before  a  blasphemer,  and  a  persecutor,  and 

14  injurious :  but  I  obtained  mercy,  because  I  did  it  ignorantly  in  unbelief.     And  the  grace  of 

15  our  Lord  was  exceeding  abundant  with  faith  and  love  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  This  is  a 
faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to 

16  save  sinners;  of  whom  I  am  chief.  Howbeit  for  this  cause  I  obtained  mercy,  that  in  me 
first  Jesus  Christ  might  shew  forth  all  longsuflfering,  for  a  pattern  to  them  which  should 

17  hereafter  believe  on  him  to  life  everlasting.  Now  unto  the  King  eternal,  immortal,  invisi- 
ble, the  only  wise  God,  ie  honour  and  glory  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 

18  This  charge  I  commit  unto  thee,  son  Timothy,  according  to  the  prophecies  which  went 

19  before  on  thee,  that  thou  by  them  mightest  war  a  good  warfare;  holding  faith,  and  a  good 

20  conscience;  which  some  having  put  away  concerning  faith  have  made  shipwreck:  of 
whom  is  Hymenfeus  and  Alexander;  whom  I  have  delivered  unto  Satan,  that  they  may 
learn  not  to  blaspheme. 

Inquiring  why  Christ  came  in  the  world,  and  taught  that  it  was  for  this  end,  to  save  sinners,  we  are 
initiated  on  the  instant  into  the  true  doctrine  concerning  our  own  nature.  The  glorious  original  of 
man,  the  Son  of  God,  pure,  joyous,  immortal,  the  image  of  his  Maker ;  man,  an  apostate  from  his  high 
estate,  his  capacities  undestroyed,  his  goodness  dimmed,  his  soul  grand  and  immortal  still,  but  that  very 
grandeur  and  immortality  made  a  curse  by  sin  ;  hope,  blasted  by  conscious  guilt,  revived  by  the  priest- 
hood of  Christ ;  a  new  life  imparted  to  the  disabled  spirit  through  the  blessedness  of  divine  mejcy;  that 
which  the  weakness  of  human  flesh  never  could  accomplish  of  itself  made  certain  by  our  alliance  with 
Christ ;  and  this  degenerate  and  prostrate  nature  of  ours,  in  Christ  elevated  above  the  angels,  and  prom- 
ised a  security  from  which  there  shall  be  no  other  falling ;  here  in  Christ  and  his  cross  have  we  the  uni- 
versal solvent,  which  touches  and  includes  every  real  fact  in  man's  eventful  life.  You  can  not  have  a  cold, 
lifeless,  or  false  theory  concerning  man,  so  long  as  you  study  man  in  Christ ;  his  advent,  his  atonement, 
his  resurrection,  his  redemptive  work.  There  is  not  a  belief,  a  duty,  a  command,  a  promise,  a  hope 
belonging  to  man,  which  does  not  range  itself  in  proper  place  and  order  around  this  central  fact,  that 
Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners.  Learning  here  at  what  a  costly  sacrifice  man  was 
redeemed,  we  are  struck  as  nowhere  else  with  the  shame  and  sadness  and  woe  of  his  fall ;  taught  at  the 
same  time  to  what  heights  he  is  raised  by  the  power  and  grace  of  the  Redeemer,  we  see  the  true 
greatness  and  glory  of  our  nature,  surpassing  all  that  ever  was  conceived  by  an  infidel  pride  and  ambi- 
tion. God  in  Christ,  God's  greatness  in  condescension.  Man  in  Christ,  man's  greatness  in  being  recov- 
ered. Recovery  implies  penitence,  forgiveness,  new  obedience,  progressive  sanctification,  the  law  of  the 
spirit  of  life,  a  heaven  of  holiness  and  blessedness,  and  fearless  security.     W.  A. 


The  First  Epistlk  to  Timothy. 

The  designation  of  pastoral  Epistles  has  been 
commonly  applied  to  the  two  Epistles  to  Timothy 
and  the  Epistle  to  Titus,  because  alike  addressed  to 
persons  engaged  in  pastoral  work,  and  chiefly  dis- 
coursing of  matters  relating  to  such  work.   P.  F. 

Without  doubt  it  was  near  the  end  of  Paul's  life  and 
ministry  that  he  wrote  the  pastoral  Epistles.  After 
his  first  imprisonment  at  Rome,  during  which  he 
dispatched  his  letters  to  the  Ephesians,  Philippians, 
Colossians,  and  to  Philemon,  he  resumed  his  itiner- 
ant ministry  for  a  few  years,  revisited  former  scenes, 
and  perhaps  entered  on  some  new  ground  also.  On 
this  apostolic  circuit  he  left  Timothy  at  Ephesus  and 
Titus  at  Crete,  to  represent  his  authority  and  estab- 
lish order  in  the  churches.  This  Epistle  was  sent  to 
Timothy  while  thus  acting. 

No  name  is  more  closely  connected  with  Paul's 


career  than  that  of  Timothy,  a  native  of  Lystra,  a 
town  not  very  remote  from  the  apostle's  birthplace 
at  Tarsus.  Though  his  father  was  a  Greek  and  a 
heathen,  his  mother  and  grandmother  were  devout 
Jewesses,  and  trained  him  from  childhood  in  a 
knowledge  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures.  He 
was  converted  to  Christ  through  the  preaching  of 
Paul,  on  his  first  visit  to  Lycaonia,  and  was,  no 
doubt,  baptized  at  the  same  time.  On  his  second 
visit,  the  apostle  took  notice  of  Timothy  as  "  a  disci- 
ple well  reported  of  by  the  brethren  at  Lystra  and 
Iconium,"  and  adopted  him  as  his  missionary  assist- 
ant. (Read  pages  102,  103,  110.)  Timothy  had 
noble  qualities  of  piety  and  faithful  afEection ;  and 
that  man  must  ever  be  honored  in  the  Church  of 
God  who  for  full  sixteen  years  possessed  the  love, 
deserved  the  confidence,  shared  the  labors,  and  al- 
leviated the  sorrows  of  the  great  apostle  Paul.   D.  F. 


)0G 


SECTION  321.— 1  TIMOTHY  1 : 1-20. 


The  work  and  difficulties  that  were  handed  over 
to  Timothy  are  vividly  portrayed  in  this  Epistle.  He 
had  to  rule  presbyters,  most  of  whom  were  older 
than  himself,  to  assign  to  each  a  stipend  in  propor- 
tion to  his  work,  to  receive  and  decide  on  charges 
that  might  be  brought  against  them,  to  regulate  the 
alms-giving  and  the  sisterhoods  of  the  Church,  to 
ordain  presbyters  and  deacons.  There  was  the  risk 
of  being  entangled  in  the  disputes,  prejudices,  covet- 
ousness,  sensuality  of  a  great  city.  There  was  the 
risk  of  injuring  health  and  strength  by  an  over- 
strained asceticism.  Leaders  of  rival  sects  were 
there — Hymenaeus,  Philetus,  Alexander — to  oppose 
and  thwart  him.  The  name  of  his  beloved  teacher 
was  no  longer  honored  as  it  had  been ;  the  strong 
affection  of  former  days  had  vanished,  and  "Paul 
the  aged "  had  become  unpopular,  the  object  of 
suspicion  and  dislike.  Only  in  the  narrowed  cir- 
cle of  the  faithful  few — Aquila,  Priscilla,  Mark,  and 
others,  who  were  still  with  him — was  he  likely  to 
find  sympathy  or  support.  We  can  not  wonder  that 
the  apostle,  knowing  these  trials,  and  with  his  mar- 
velous power  of  bearing  another's  burdens  and  mak- 
ing them  his  own,  should  be  full  of  anxiety  and  fear 
for  his  disciples'  steadfastness ;  that  admonitions, 
appeals,  warnings,  should  follow  each  other  in  rapid 
and  vehement  succession. 

3.  It  is  impossible  to  make  out  with  complete 
exactness  the  relations  between  the  missions  of  and 
the  Epistles  to  Timothy  and  Titus.  This  alone  is 
clear,  that  they  were  placed  at  Ephesus  and  Crete 
under  similar  circumstances,  and  about  the  same 
time ;  and  that  the  Epistles  to  them  were  nearly 
contemporaneous.     S. 

5.  In  the  spiritual  life  there  is  an  end.  The  end 
is  love — supreme  love,  with  all  the  powers  of  the 
soul,  to  God — and  such  love  to  our  brethren  as  we 
bear  to  ourselves — this  love  to  be  engendered  by  a 
living  faith  in  what  God  has  done  for  us,  a  faith 
which  sets  free  the  heart  both  from  a  sense  of  guilt 
and  from  a  love  of  sin,  and  which  thus  sets  the 
conscience  at  ease.  If  this  love  is  in  some  measure 
yielded  both  to  God  and  man,  the  object  of  true  re- 
ligion is  attained.  If  this  love  is  not  produced  and 
maintained  in  the  soul  we  fail  altogether  in  true  re- 
ligion, though  we  may  have  been  very  busy  ahout 
religion,  may  have  put  up  many  prayers,  heard  many 
sermons,   attended  many   sacraments,    assisted  in 

many  philanthropic  enterprises.     E.  M.  G. It  is 

love  out  of  a  pure  heart,  hence  incapable  of  work- 
ing to  ignoble  ends ;  also  out  of  a  good  conscience, 
honestly  bent  on  following  out  its  convictions  of 
truth  and  duty ;  finally,  out  of  faith  unfeigned — a 
term  frequently  used  to  characterize  the  graces  of 
the  Christian  character,  applied  to  faith,  serving  to 
indicate  its  living  apprehension  and  firm  grasp  of 
the  things  presented  to  its  view ;  hence  widely  dif- 
ferent from  that  lazy  assent  to  the  doctrines  of  the 
gospel,  that  merely  formal  profession  of  adherence 
to  them  which  often  goes  by  the  name  of  faith. 
Considered  with  respect  to  practical  working,  the 
order  adopted  by  the  apostle  is  quite  natural :  far- 


thest in,  as  the  deep  fountain-head  of  all  the  out- 
goings  of  Christian  love,  there  is  the  purified  heart ; 
then,  to  regulate  the  actings  of  love,  and  determine 
their  course  and  measure,  there  is  the  good  con- 
science ;  and  finally,  to  sustain  and  animate  the 
soul  in  the  varied  works  and  labors  proper  to  love, 
there  is  the  faith  unfeigned,  embracing  the  glorious 
promises  of  God,  and  ministering  strength  from  the 
things  therein  contained  to  its  vital  energy.     P.  F. 

There  can  be  no  saving  faith  in  an  unseen  Person 
except  through  the  medium  of  thoughts  concerning 
him,  which  thoughts  put  into  words  are  a  creed. 
The  antithesis  which  is  often  eagerly  urged  upon 
us — not  doctrines  but  Christ — is  a  very  incomplete 
and  misleading  one.  "  Christ "  is  a  mere  name,  empty 
of  all  significance  till  it  be  filled  with  definite  state- 
ments of  who  and  what  Christ  is.  But,  while  we 
must  have  doctrines  to  make  Christ  a  reality  and  an 
object  of  faith  to  grasp  at  all,  when  we  have  these 
doctrines,  it  is  not  the  creed  that  saves,  but  the  faith. 
You  must  turn  your  creed  into  a  faith  before  it  has 
power  to  bless  and  save.  What  is  the  use  of  your 
saying  that  you  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty 
when  there  is  no  child's  love  and  happy  confidence 
in  your  heart  ?  What  the  better  are  you  for  believ- 
ing in  Jesus  Christ,  his  divine  nature,  his  death  and 
glory,  when  you  have  no  reliance  on  him  nor  any 
love  toward  him  ?  Is  your  belief  in  the  Holy  Ghost 
of  the  smallest  consequence  if  you  do  not  yield  to 
his  hallowing  power?  What  does  it  matter  that 
you  believe  in  the  forgiveness  of  sins  so  long  as  you 
do  not  care  whether  yours  are  pardoned  or  not? 
And  is  it  anything  to  you  or  to  God  that  you  believe 
in  the  life  everlasting  if  all  your  work  and  hopes 
and  longings  are  confined  to  "this  bank  and  shoal 
of  time "  ?  Are  you  any  more  a  Christian  be- 
cause of  all  that  intellectual  assent  to  these  sol- 
emn verities?  Your  faith,  not  your  creed,  deter- 
mines your  religion.  Thank  God  that  the  soul  may 
be  wedded  to  Christ  even  while  a  partial  concep- 
tion of  Christ  is  in  the  understanding.  But  the 
more  complete  and  adequate  the  creed,  indeed,  the 
mightier  and  more  fruitful  in  blessing  will  the  faith 
naturally  be.     A.  M. 

8-9.  Law  never  can  be  abrogated.  Strict  rules 
are  needed  exactly  in  proportion  as  we  want  the 
power  or  the  will  to  rule  ourselves.  It  is  not  be- 
cause the  gospel  has  come  that  we  are  free  from  the 
law,  but  because  and  only  so  far  as  we  are  in  a  gos- 
pel state.  "  It  is  for  a  righteous  man "  that  the 
law  is  not  made,  and  thus  we  see  the  true  nature  of 
Christian  liberty.  The  liberty  to  which  we  arc 
called  in  Christ  is  not  the  liberty  of  doing  what  wc 
will,  but  the  blessed  liberty  of  being  on  the  side  of 
the  law,  and  therefore  unrestrained  by  it  in  doing 
right.  F.  W.  R. These  words  explain  the  mean- 
ing of  a  great  many  passages  in  Paul's  Epistles  in 


SECTION  321.— 1  TIMOTHY  1 : 1-20, 


507 


which  he  speaks  of  not  being  under  the  law.  It  is 
clear  that  he  is  not  speaking  solely  or  in  any  con- 
siderable degree  of  the  ceremonial  law ;  but  much 
more  of  the  law  of  moral  good,  the  law  which  told 
men  how  they  ought  to  live  and  how  they  ought 
not.  This  law,  he  says,  is  not  made  for  good  men 
but  for  evil :  a  thing  so  plain  that  we  may  well 
wonder  how  any  could  ever  have  misunderstood  it. 
It  is  so  manifest  that  strict  rules  are  required  just 
exactly  in  proportion  to  our  inability  or  want  of 
will  to  rule  ourselves  ;  it  is  so  very  plain  that,  with 
regard  to  those  crimes  which  we  are  under  no  temp- 
tation '  to  commit,  we  feel  exactly  as  if  there  were 
no  law.  We  are  not  under  the  law,  because  we  do 
not  need  it ;  not  because  there  is  in  reality  no  law 
to  punish  us  if  we  do  need  it.  And  just  of  this 
kind  is  that  general  freedom  from  the  law  of  which 
Paul  speaks  as  the  high  privilege  of  the  true  Chris- 
tians. It  supposes  that  the  Spirit  of  God,  present- 
ing to  our  minds  the  sight  of  God's  love  in  Christ, 
sets  us  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death  ;  that  is, 
that  a  sense  of  thankfulness  to  God,  and  love  of 
God  and  of  Christ,  will  be  so  strong  a  motive  that 
we  shall  need  no  other ;  that  it  will  so  work  upon 
us  as  to  make  us  feel  good,  easy,  and  delightful, 
and  thus  to  become  dead  to  the  law.     T.  A. 

11.  AVithout  seeking  to  pursue  the  subject  in 
the  form  of  a  studied  contrast  between  the  law  and 
the  gospel  (he  was  not  now  writing  against  direct 
Judaizers),  or  of  a  declaration  how  the  transgressors 
of  the  law  were  to  attain  righteousness,  he  more 
than  implies  it  all  in  the  history  of  his  own  case. 
In  a  word,  the  law  was  for  the  condemnation  of  sin- 
ners, the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  was  for  the  saving 
of  sinners  and  the  ministration  of  forgiveness ; 
verily,  it  was  a  gospel  of  the  glory  of  the  blessed  God. 
E. The  word  "  blessed  "  represents  that  particu- 
lar word  in  the  original  which  admits  of  being  ren- 
dered by  the  term  "  happy."  To  call  God  "  blessed," 
seeing  that  he  is  the  object  of  all  "  blessing  and 
praise  "  ;  to  whom  are  ascribed  by  all  holy  and  obe- 
dient natures  "  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and 
strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing  ";  this 
seems  natural  and  appropriate.  But  to  call  him 
"  blessed,"  in  the  sense  of  expressing  his  personal 
felicity — describing  him,  in  fact,  as  the  "  happy 
God  " — this  would  appear  to  jar  on  the  feelings,  as 
if  it  were  out  of  harmony  with  the  majesty  and 
grandeur  of  the  divine  nature.  Whatever  may  be 
thought  of  it,  however,  there  it  is ;  the  word  in 
question  stands  before  us  in  the  text.  He  is  not 
only  the  strong,  the  wise,  the  holy,  the  eternal,  but 
he  is  also  the  "  blessed,"  or  happy,  God.     T.  B. 

13.  He  did  not  merit  conversion  on  account  of 
having  been  ignorant ;  but  because  he  is  ignorant 
he  is  not  among  those  impenitent  persons,  those 
hardened  ones  for  whom  grace  itself  has  no  further 


resources — all  that  which  it  possesses  having  been 

tried,  exhausted,  but  without  profit.     Monod. 

His  violent  procedure,  however  inexcusable  in  itself, 
was  still  not  of  such  a  kind  as  placed  him  beyond 
the  pale  of  mercy  ;  since  he  had  not,  like  the  worse 
part  of  the  blaspheming  and  persecuting  Pharisees, 
sinned  against  his  better  convictions  ;  he  had  not 
deliberately  set  at  nought  the  counsel  of  God,  and 
defied  heaven  to  its  face.  He  stood,  therefore,  sub- 
stantially on  a  footing  with  the  Jerusalem  sinners 
who,  on  and  after  the  day  of  Pentecost,  were 
charged  by  Peter  with  the  awful  crime  of  having 
crucified  the  Lord  of  glory,  yet  with  the  qualifying 
circumstance  of  having  done  it  in  ignorance. 

14.  But  the  grace  of  our  Lord  superabounded — 
not  merely  manifested  itself  in  an  act  of  mercy  and 
exhibition  of  undeserved  goodness,  as  in  the  case  of 
ordinary  sinners,  but  overflowed,  in  a  manner,  its 
wonted  channels,  and  like  a  mighty  flood  poured  its 
gifts  of  love  into  his  bosom.  And,  with  the  won- 
derful grace  received,  the  apostle  couples  the  frame 
of  mind  awakened  by  it :  With  faith  and  love  that 
are  in  Christ  Jesus.     P.  F. 

15.  A  text  unspeakably  precious  to  every  soul 
born  of  the  Spirit,  which  every  student  of  his  Epis- 
tles recognizes  as  a  close  yet  clear  condensation  of 
them  all — the  very  breath  and  life  of  his  sanctified 
mind  and  heart ;  the  theme  of  ten  thousand  ser- 
mons, but  so  full  of  gospel,  that  it  continually  over- 
flows as  with  honey  from  the  cleft  of  the  rock  ;  so 
profound,  that  a  whole  system  of  theology  might  be 
drawn  from  its  few  words.  Bcthune. The  sim- 
plicity and  comprehensiveness  of  this  saying,  as  a 
summary  of  the  Christian  creed,  has  been  justly 
applauded.  Said  the  elder  Alexander,  after  teach- 
ing theology  forty  years :  "  The  longer  I  live,  the 
more  I  incline  to  sum  up  all  my  theology  in  the 
single  sentence,  '  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world 
to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief.' "  A  thought- 
ful analysis  of  the  passage  develops  these  proposi- 
tions as  contained  in  it :  1.  That  men  are  sinners  ia 
the  fundamental  fact  upon  which  the  whole  gospel 
proceeds,  and  to  which  it  all  refers.  2.  They  are 
sinners  in  a  sense  that  they  need,  not  merely  refor- 
mation, cultivation,  but  salvation  by  a  Jesus  that 
saves,  and  therefore  must  expiate  sin.  3.  The  Jesus 
that  saves  must  needs  be  also  Christ  the  "  anoint- 
ed," appointed — commissioned  of  God  as  Mediator, 
and  therefore  be  divine.  4.  The  "Christ"  must 
needs  "  come  into  the  world,'''  thereby  becoming  Son 
of  man,  as  well  as  Son  of  God.  This  view,  logically 
self-consistent  and  accordant  with  first  truths,  com- 
mends itself  to  the  rational  understanding  a.s  faith- 
ful— "  reliable  " — "  believable  " — to  be  confided  in 
as  truth.  6.  Also,  as  experimental  truth,  it  com- 
mends itself  to  the  heart  and  conscience  of  univer- 
sal humanity,  as  worthy  of  joyful  acceptance^    V. 


)08 


SECTION  321.— 1  TIMOTHY  1 : 1-20. 


The  practical  result  of  its  acceptance  is  a  humility 
out  of  which  springs  the  profoundest  conviction 
that  this  gospel  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost.  S.  R. 

Christ  came  to  save.  "  If  my  transgressions 
were  not  so  great,  I  could  venture  to  believe  in 
Christ  for  pardon  and  salvation  ;  but  now  I  fear  he 
will  cast  me  out,  if  I  come  unto  him."  According 
to  this  reasoning,  Moses,  not  Christ,  has  the  pre- 
eminence ;  and,  in  truth,  it  all  comes  to  this  issue, 
"  God  will  be  favorable  to  me,  or  not,  in  proportion 
as  I  have  kept  or  broken  the  law."  It  is  certain 
that  no  man  can  ever  view  sin  in  too  detestable  a 
light ;  but,  if  he  view  it  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
eclipse  his  views  of  Christ,  he  can  not  feel  any  kindly, 
ingenuous  sorrow  on  account  of  it.  Sin  viewed  in 
the  law  begets  terror  and  hardness ;  viewed  in  the 
gospel,  it  begets  sweet  relentings  of  soul.     Hill. 

Twenty  years  after  his  conversion,  Paul  speaks 
of  himself  as  "  unworthy  to  be  called  an  apostle.'''' 
Five  years  later,  he  is  "  less  than  the  least  of  all 
saints.'"  And  now,  three  or  four  years  later  still, 
and  not  long  before  his  "  time  of  departure,"  he  is 
"  chief  of  sinners.''^  So  has  it  ever  been  with  true- 
hearted  Christian  souls.  The  more  mature  and  rich 
their  experience  and  its  fruitage,  the  deeper  their 
sense  of  unworthiness.  The  nearer  to  Christ  and  to 
Christlikeness,  the  clearer  their  perception  of  sin 
and  the  greater  their  sensitiveness  to  its  painful 
effects.    B. 

16.  This  passage  sums  up  his  qualifications  as 
a  saved  sinner  to  preach  salvation  to  all  the  lost 
world.  lie  was  the  chief  of  sinners.  His  great  soul 
and  his  great  light  together  rendered  it  possible  that 
he  should  be  this.  His  obstinacy  in  unbelief  and 
rage  in  persecution  confirm  the  fact  that  he  was 
this.  He  was  saved  by  the  greatest  of  miracles  of 
grace.  Saul,  the  chief  of  sinners,  was  saved,  and 
brought  back  to  God,  to  appear  as  Paul  the  saint, 
prepared  to  do  his  grand  work  for  the  Gentile  world, 
and  to  go  up  at  the  last  to  wear  his  everlasting 
crown  of  righteousness.  Amazing  fact,  that  he,  the 
chief  of  sinners,  was  saved  by  Jesus  Christ !  Jesus 
Christ  showed  forth  all  long-suffering  in  this  man's 
salvation !  Who  does  not  see  the  marvelous  pa- 
tience of  God  with  Paul,  the  persecutor  and  blas- 
phemer, the  Pharisee  of  the  Pharisees,  through 
those  long  years  ?  The  greatest  of  sinners  saved  by 
the  greatest  of  grace  was  just  the  man  to  illustrate 
and  to  preach  the  world-salvation  to  the  universal 
man,  and  to  push  the  work  with  resistless  energy 
out  toward  the  ends  of  the  earth.     D.  S.  G. 

17.  When  He  is  spoken  of  as  Kincj  of  the  arjcs, 
he  is  presented  to  our  view  as  supreme  Lord  and  Di- 
rector of  the  successive  cycles  or  stages  of  develop- 
ment through  which  this  world,  or  creation  at  large, 
was  destined  to  pass — the  sovereign  Epoch-maker, 
who  arranges  everything  pertaining  to  them  before- 


hand, according  to  the  coimsel  of  his  own  will,  and 
controls  whatever  takes  place,  so  as  to  subordinate 
it  to  his  design.  The  idea  is  presented  in  many 
other  parts  of  Scripture,  in  the  Old  Testament  as 
well  as  in  the  New ;  and  in  Ps.  145  :  13  the  king- 
dom of  God  is  in  the  Septuagint  described  as  a 

kingdom  of  all  the  ages.     P.  F. "  Now  unto  the 

king  eternal,  immortal,  invisible,  the  only  wise  God, 
be  honor  and  glory  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen.''''  As 
I  read  these  words,  there  came  into  my  soul  and  was 
diffused  through  it  a  sense  of  the  glory  of  the  Di- 
vine Being.  Never  any  words  of  Scripture  seemed 
to  me  as  these  words  did.  I  thought  with  myself, 
how  excellent  a  Being  that  was,  and  how  happy  I 
should  be  if  I  might  enjoy  that  God,  and  be  waft  up 
to  Him  in  heaven,  and  be,  as  it  were,  swallowed  up 
in  Him  for  evermore.     Edwards. 

18.  It  is  important  to  observe  how  emphatically 
Paul  dwells  on  this  idea  of  a  charge  throughout  the 
Epistles  to  Timothy  and  Titus — a  charge  for  them  to 
keep  themselves,  and  to  enforce  on  all  the  church — 
bishops  and  deacons,  men  and  women,  rich  and  poor, 
faithful  disciples  and  factious  opponents.     S. 

19.  If  the  Christian  was  not  prayerful  and  vigi- 
lant ;  if  his  moral  tone  got  relaxed  and  lowered, 
either  by  his  falling  into  "  sins  of  the  flesh,"  or  be- 
ing "vainly  puffed  up  by  his  fleshly  mind,"  the 
light  within  him  would  become  darkness,  his  per- 
ception of  truth  less  clear,  his  hold  of  it  less  firm ; 
he  would  be  open  to  influences  antagonistic  to  it,  be 
liable  to  be  seduced  by  false  teachers,  or  might  wel- 
come misconceptions  originating  in  himself.  This 
moral  law,  conservative  of  stability  in  "the  apos- 
tles' doctrine,"  is  strongly  expressed  in  Paul's  ad- 
monitions to  Timothy  :  "  That  good  thing  which  was 
committed  unto  thee  keep  by  the  Holy  Ghost " ; 
"  holding  faith  and  a  good  conscience,  which "  {the 
good  conscience)  "  some  having  put  away  concerning 

the  faith  have  made  shipwreck."     T.  B. The  two 

must  go  together  as  inseparable  companions ;  the 
good  conscience  can  no  more  be  dispensed  with  than 
the  living  faith  ;  and  much  must  ever  depend  on  the 
healthful,  harmonious,  and  concurrent  action  of  the 
two  for  the  result  that  is  attained  in  the  Christian 
warfare.  Concerning  faith  made  shipwreck. 
They  resolutely  stifled  the  monitions  of  conscience, 
or  drove  from  them  whatever  it  suggested  in  the 
way  of  moral  suasion  to  restrain  them  in  the  course 
they  were  pursuing.  They  thus,  in  the  first  instance, 
proved  false  to  the  convictions  of  their  better  na- 
ture ;  and  this,  by  a  natural  process  of  reaction,  led 
them  to  make  shipwreck  of  faith  itself. 

20.  Satan  is  but  a  creature  and  an  instrument — 
one  who  has  a  definite  sphere  to  occupy  and  a  power 
to  exercise  in  relation  to  the  purposes  of  God's 
moral  government,  but  still  only  of  a  subordinate 
and  ministerial  kind.     Thus  Job  was  for  a  season 


SECTION  322.— 1  TIMOTHY  2  : 1-15. 


509 


left  to  be  bruised  and  afflicted  by  Satan  ;  only,  how- 
ever, for  a  season,  and  in  order  that  be  might  through 
the  fiery  ordeal  be  raised  to  a  higher  purity  and  a 
more  serene  bliss.  David,  also,  was  allowed  to  be 
tempted  by  Satan,  so  as  to  be  thereby  drawn  into 
the  vortex  of  severe  retributory  judgments,  yet  with 
the  ultimate  design  of  having  the  flesh  destroyed 
and  the  spirit  raised  to  a  nobler  elevation.     So  that 


the  delivering  to  Satan  was  in  the  apostle's  intention 
and  desire  only  an  expedient  for  accomplishing  a 
spiritual  cure.  It  was  the  most  solemn  form  of  ex- 
communication, and  betokened  that  those  against 
whom  it  was  employed  were  in  a  most  perilous  con- 
dition— trembling  on  the  brink  of  final  impenitence, 
and,  if  capable  of  being  saved  at  all,  saved  only  as 
by  fire.     P.  F. 


Section  322. 

1  Timothy  ii,  1  - 15. 

1  I  EXHORT  therefore,  that,  first  of  all,  supplications,  prayers,  intercessions,  and  giving  of 

2  thanks,  be  made  for  all  men ;  for  kings,  and /or  all  that  are  in  authority ;  that  we  may  lead 

3  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in  all  godhness  and  honesty.     For  this  ia  good  and  acceptable  in 

4  the  sight  of  God  our  Saviour ;  who  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved,  and  to  come  unto  the 

5  knowledge  of  the  truth.    For  there  is  one  God,  and  one  mediator  between  God  and  men, 

6  the  man  Christ  Jesus ;  who  gave  himself  a  ransom  for  all,  to  be  testified  in  due  time. 

7  Whereunto  I  am  ordained  a  preacher,  and  an  apostle,  (I  speak  the  truth  in  Christ,  and  lie 

8  not;)  a  teacher  of  the  Gentiles  in  faith  and  verity.     I  will  therefore  that  men  pray  every 
where,  lifting  up  holy  hands,  without  wrath  and  doubting. 

9  In  like  manner  also,  that  women  adorn  themselves  in  modest  apparel,  with  shamefaced- 

10  ness  and  sobriety;  not  with  broidered  hair,  or  gold,  or  pearls,  or  costly  array;  but  (which 

11  becometh  women  professing  godliness)  with  good  works.     Let  the  women  learn  in  sUence 

12  with  all  subjection.     But  I  suffer  not  a  woman  to  teach,  nor  to  usurp  authority  over  the 

13  man,  but  to  be  in  silence.     For  Adam  was  first  formed,  then  Eve.     And  Adam  was  not  de- 

14  ceived,  but  the  woman  being  deceived  was  in  the  transgression.    Notwithstanding  she  shall 

15  be  saved  in  childbearing,  if  they  continue  in  faith  and  charity  and  holiness  with  sobriety. 


The  same  Divine  Being,  who  by  the  voice  of  his  Scriptures  demands  our  whole  wealth  of  affections, 
has  also,  in  the  very  same  Scriptures,  exhibited  to  us  a  personage,  distinct  from  the  simple  and  unmingled 
Godhead,  who  makes  and  is  everywhere  countenanced  in  making  the  vei-y  same  demand.  The  highest  con- 
ceivable attributes  of  supremacy  are  combined  in  this  Being,  so  as  to  demand  our  absolute  submission  as 
a  right.  Our  whole  spiritual  life  and  eternal  fortunes  are  suspended  upon  him  so  as  to  demand  it  as  our 
interest.  Ties  more  potent,  more  holy  still,  bind  us  to  the  Mediator  ;  and  these  ties  (strange  to  say  !)  are 
found  to  compose  the  whole  habit  of  religion !  He  redeemed  us,  and  we  love  him ;  he  offered  us  salva- 
tion, and  we  believe  on  him ;  he  is  to  receive  us  into  glory,  and  we  Jiope  in  him ;  he  is  our  strength  and 
life,  and  we  rejoice  in  him  ;  he  is  proclaimed  our  "  King,"  our  •'  Head,"  the  vine  in  which  we  are  grafted, 
the  foundation  on  which  we  are  built,  and  we  ctdo7-e  him !  This  "  King  on  Zion  "  bears  that  within  him 
which  can  stand  the  whole  weight  of  our  adoration  ;  we  need  not  dread  in  our  hours  of  deepest  devotion, 
in  all  the  prostration  of  the  heart  before  its  Lord,  that  we  are  defrauding  the  God  when  we  worship  Him 
who  is  also  "the  man  Christ  Jesus."     W.  A.  B. 

In  the  business  of  life,  which  you  know  is  also  the  seed  of  eternity,  and  as  such  infinitely  precious, 
three  parties  there  are  concerned,  of  whose  existence  it  behooves  us  to  be  equally  and  intensely  conscious  ; 
three,  and  in  the  real,  deep  struggle  for  life  and  death,  three  only ;  and  these  three  are  God,  on  the  one 
hand,  and  your  own  individual  souls  on  the  other,  and  the  one  Mediator  Jesus  Christ,  who  alone  can  join 
the  two  into  one.  Lose  sight  of  one  of  these  three,  and  what  becomes  of  us  ?  Lose  sight  of  God,  and 
we  lose  sight  also  of  the  Mediator  by  necessity,  for  there  is  nothing  left  but  our  own  single  soul,  and  a 
mediator  is  not  a  mediator  of  one.  Lose  sight  of  the  one  Mediator,  and  we  lose  sight  no  less  surely  of 
the  one  true  God,  for  to  Him  there  is  no  access  for  living  man  but  only  through  the  Mediator,  his  Son  Je- 
sus Christ.  And  lose  sight  of  your  own  individual  souls,  try  to  sink  their  personal  existence  in  that  of 
other  men,  call  their  belief  your  belief,  and  surrender  your  conscience  to  their  conscience,  and  then  also 
we  lose  the  one  true  Mediator,  putting  other  and  false  mediators  in  his  place-,  and  they  can  not  keep  the 
individual  soul  alive  as  he  does  ;  but  they  weaken  and  destroy  it,  and  we  who  should  be  living  stones  in  a 


;io 


SECTION  322.— 1  TIMOTHY  2  : 1-15. 


living  temple,  with  our  own  personal  life  vigorous,  our  own  faith  and  our  own  love,  become  dead  stones 
in  a  dead  building,  and  we  lose  God  as  we  have  lost  Christ,  for  God  is  not  a  God  of  the  dead.  These, 
then,  are  the  three  which  it  becomes  us  to  realize  to  ourselves  most  strongly  all  the  days  of  our  life,  and 
hold  fast  to  them,  and  let  nothing  obscure  our  sense  of  either  of  them  ;  God,  and  Christ,  and  our  own 
individual  soul,  which  Christ  has  purchased  by  his  blood,  and  by  his  Spirit  will  unite  to  God,  that  it  may 
itself  know  and  love  God  for  ever.     T.  A. 


1-7,  Here  our  encouragement  in  prayer,  suppli- 
cation, and  intercession  for  all  men  is  grounded 
first  on  the  clear  declaration  that  such  prayer  is 
"good  and  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God  our 
Saviour" — "our  Saviour"  giving  intensity  to  the 
expression.  It  is  further  grounded  on  the  express 
declaration  of  his  will  regarding  others,  that  he 
"will  have  them  to  be  saved,  and  to  come  unto  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth."  Here  is  not  only  the 
assurance  that  we  are  right  in  praying  that  they 
may  be  saved,  but  right  in  praying  that  the  truth 
may  be  brought  to  all,  and  that  they  may  be  saved 
through  its  instrumentality ;  praying,  in  fact,  for 
the  universal  diffusion  of  Christ's  gospel  and  the 
universal  salvation  of  men.  It  is  further  supported 
on  the  ground  of  the  unity  of  God,  the  unity  of  the 
Mediator  between  God  and  men,  and  the  unity  of 
man  as  regarded  by  His  mediating  atonement.  We 
have,  then,  the  clear  example  of  the  first  preachers, 
the  express  declaration  that  the  early  conversions 
were  as  a  pattern  for  the  ages  to  come,  the  state- 
ment that  trust  in  God  as  the  Saviour  of  all  men 
was  the  animating  strength  under  apostolic  toil  and 
shame,  the  command  to  pray  for  all,  and  the  most 
formally  stated  warrant  for  such  prayers  boldly  to 
lay  hold  upon  the  promises  of  God.     Arthur. 

1.  The  variety  of  expression  is  perhaps  chiefly 
to  be  regarded  as  indicating  the  large  place  the  sub- 
ject of  intercessory  prayer  had  in  the  apostle's  mind, 
and  the  diverse  forms  he  thought  should  be  given  to 
it,  according  to  the  circumstances  in  which,  relative- 
ly to  others,  the  people  of  God  might  be  placed. 
Hence,  thanksgivings  were  to  be  added,  when  the 
conduct  of  the  parties  in  question  was  such  as  to 
favor  the  cause  of  righteousness  and  truth — a  fit 
occasion  being  thereby  presented  for  grateful  ac- 
.knowledgiiients  to  God,  who  had  so  inclined  their 
hearts.    P.  F. 

2«  Public  prayer  should  have  a  large  scope,  and 
cover  the  interests  of  all  mankind.  Special  empha- 
sis is  laid  on  the  duty  of  intercession  in  behalf  of 
the  kings  of  the  earth,  for  whom,  while  they  were 
heathen  and  hostile  to  the  gospel,  the  early  Chris- 
tians may  have  hesitated  to  pray.  There  must  be 
no  narrowness  in  the  spirit  of  the  praying  assembly. 
God  cares  for  all  men ;  Christ  is  provided  for  all 
men.  Therefore  let  the  prayer  of  the  Church  as- 
cend to  God  through  Christ  in  behalf  of  "  all  men." 
D-  F. Imitate  God.     If   he  is  willing  that  all 


men  should  be  saved,  it  is  meet  to  pray  for  all. 
If  he  willed  that  all  should  be  saved,  do  thou 
also  will  it ;  but,  if  thou  wiliest,  pray ;  for  it  is  the 

part  of  such  to  pray.     Chrys. You   may  have 

many  to  commend,  parents,  brothers,  sisters,  help- 
mates, friends,  children,  pastors,  parishioners,  and 
may  commend  them  all  by  the  simple,  quiet,  de- 
vout recitation  of  their  names.  Yes,  thou  mystical 
Aaron,  forget  not  to  wear  thy  breastplate,  when 
thou  gocst  in  to  offer  up  a  spiritual  sacrifice ;  neg- 
lect not  to  exhibit  silently  before  God,  graven  upon 
thy  heart,  the  names  of  all  thou  lovest ;  yea,  be  an 
intercessor,  as  far  as  in  thee  lies,  for  all  the  people ; 
for  of  what  member  of  the  human  family  can  it  be 
said  that  he  has  no  claim  whatever  upon  thy  sym- 
pathy and  kind  offices  ?     E.  M.  G. 

4.  All  unto  the  knowledge  of  the  truth. 
The  gospel  is  no  system  of  high  and  abstract  truth. 
The  salvation  it  offers  is  not  the  prize  of  a  lofty  in- 
tellect, but  of  a  lowly  heart.  The  mirror  in  which 
its  grand  truths  are  reflected  is  not  a  mind  of  calm 
and  philosophic  abstraction,  but  a  heart  of  earnest 
purity.  Its  light  shines  best  and  fullest,  not  on  a 
life  undisturbed  by  business,  but  on  a  soul  unstained 
by  sin.  The  religion  of  Christ,  while  it  affords 
scope  for  the  loftiest  intellect  in  the  contemplation 
and  development  of  its  glorious  truths,  is  yet,  in  the 
exquisite  simplicity  of  its  essential  facts  and 'princi- 
ples, patent  to  the  simplest  mind.  Rude,  untutored, 
toil-worn  you  may  be,  but,  if  you  have  wit  enough 
to  guide  you  in  the  commonest  round  of  daily  toil, 
you  have  wit  enough  to  learn  the  way  to  be  saved. 
The  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  while  in  one  view  of  it 
so  profound  that  the  highest  archangel's  intellect 
may  be  lost  in  the  contemplation  of  its  mysterious 
depths,  is  yet  in  another  so  simple  that  the  lisp- 
ing babe  at  a  mother's  knee  may  learn  its  meaning. 
Caird. 

5.  For  '■'■the  man,  Christ  Jesus"  a  more  accurate 
rendering  would  be,  "  Christ  Jesus,  himself  man." 

A. The  center  of  Christian  divinity  is  not  in  God, 

nor  in  man,  but  in  the  Godman.  Christian  theology 
is  essentially  a  Christology,  centering  in  facts,  not 
deduced  from  metaphysical  or  ethical  abstractions. 
Neither  God's  agency  nor  man's  will  can  give  us  the 
whole  system ;  but,  as  Calvin  says,  "  Christ  is  the 
mirror  in  whom  we  may  without  deception  contem- 
plate our  own  election."  Above  the  strife  of  the 
schools  rises  in  serene  and  untroubled  majesty  the 


SECTION'  322.— 1  TIMOTHY  2  : 1-15. 


511 


radiant  form  of  the  Son  of  God,  the  embodiment 
and  reconciliation  of  divinity  and  humanity.  H.  B.  S. 

Mediator.  Jesus  is  the  Mediator  of  the  New 
Testament,  who  takes  from  us  all  that  we  have  given  to 
ourselves,  and  gives  us  all  that  we  have  taken  away 
from  ourselves.  He  takes  from  us  our  sins  and  gives 
us  his  grace.  He  who  has  experienced  the  power  of 
his  sin-effacing,  grace-dispensing  blood,  knows  that 
there  is  but  one  Mediator  between  God  and  man, 
namely,  Jesus  Christ  the  Crucified  One.  Man. 
My  Mediator  is  of  my  flesh  and  blood.  My  Media- 
tor is  God  of  God.  Thus  God  stands,  clothed  in  my 
flesh  and  blood,  between  God  and  man.     Oh,  exalted 

humanity  !     Oh,  humbled  Godhead !     A.  C. The 

Judge  is  judged,  and  is  silent ;  the  Invisible  is  be- 
held, and  is  not  confounded ;  the  Infinite  is  seized, 
and  is  not  wrathful ;  the  Immeasurable  is  circum- 
scribed, and  resists  not ;  the  Impassible  suffers,  and 
avenges  not  himself ;  the  Immortal  dies,  and  com- 
plains not ;  the  Celestial  is  buried,  and  calmly  bears 
it.  For  the  Lord  Incarnate  was  condemned,  in 
order  to  bestow  mercy  on  us ;  bound,  in  order  to 
loose  us  ;  seized,  in  order  to  free  us ;  he  suffered,  to 
heal  our  sufferings ;  he  died,  to  restore  life  to  us ; 
he  was  buried,  to  raise  us  up  again.  One,  in  truth, 
was  condemned,  thousands  were  set  free ;  One  was 
buried,  thousands  rose  again.  This  is  the  Mediator 
between  God  and  men ;  this  is  the  resurrection  and 
salvation  of  all ;  this  is  the  Guide  of  the  erring,  the 
Shepherd  of  rescued  men,  the  Life  of  the  dead,  the 
Leader  of  angels,  and  the  King  of  kings  ;  to  whom 
be  glory  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen.  Alexander  of 
Alexandria. 

6.  Gave  himself.  Man  is  separated  from 
God  as  a  criminal ;  the  communion  is  restored  by 
free  pardon  on  God's  part,  and  the  acceptance  of 
that  pardon  upon  man's.  Man  is  separated  from 
God  as  unholy ;  the  communion  is  restored  by  ac- 
cepting the  sacrifice  of  Christ  instead  of  the  abso- 
lute sinlessness  of  man,  and  by  that  perpetual  and 
progressive  process  of  sanctification  which  makes  a 
lost  and  ruined  soul  at  length  "  meet  for  the  in- 
heritance of  the  saints."  Christ,  the  great  conduit 
of  mercy  between  God  and  man,  arrayed  in  all  the 
attributes  of  the  two  natures  he  came  to  reconcile, 
in  his  one  single  person  effects  the  whole ;  justifying 
as  we  are  in  Christ,  sanctifying  as  Christ  is  in  us. 
And  thus  it  is  that  Christianity  I'estores  the  race  of 
man  by  restoring  the  communion  with  God.  Thus 
it  is  that  humanity  once  more  meets  its  counterpart 
in  Deity,  and  the  harmony  of  the  universe  becomes 
complete !     W.  A.  B. 

8.  Lifting  up  holy  hands.  The  lifting  up 
of  the  hands  in  their  more  formal  exercises  of  de- 
votion appears  to  have  been  common  among  the 
nations  of  antiquity,  Jew  as  well  as  Gentile ;  and 
from  the  Jewish  it  naturally  passed  into  the  Chris- 


tian assemblies.  The  hands  so  employed  might 
fitly  be  regarded  as  bearing  the  petitions  of  the 
suppliants  heavenward,  and,  in  accordance  with  the 
action,  should  themselves  possess  a  character  of 

holiness.    P.  F. They  whose  hands  are  stretched 

toward  heaven  procure  protection  to  a  world  which 
perhaps  misrepresents  them,  or  at  most  knows  them 
not.  It  is  by  them  that  the  kingdom  of  God,  tram- 
meled by  so  many  obstacles,  gradually  makes  way 
upon  the  earth  which  it  will  one  day  completely  over- 
run. To  this  obscure  power,  to  this  unknown  in- 
fluence, are  due  the  numerous  blessings  of  which  a 
restless  and  turbulent  activity  appropriates  all  the 
glory.  Such  is  the  efScacy  of  prayer ;  and,  if  the 
number  of  these  benevolent  petitioners  were  in- 
creased, what  evils  would  be  removed  from  the 
earth,  what  errors  eradicated,  what  abuses  sponta- 
neously reformed  !  Without  wrath  and  doubt- 
ing. He  means  that  a  disposition  which  is  natural 
to  all  persons,  and  habitual  to  some,  and  which  op- 
position tends  always  to  awaken  in  the  calmest  and 
most  moderate  minds,  that  this  disposition  to  wrath 
and  disputation  ought  to  be  watched  over  and  re- 
pressed with  the  greatest  care,  in  order  that,  when 
the  moment  for  prayer  arrives,  we  may  be  able  to 
lift  up  pure  hands  to  heaven.  Contrast  the  ordinary 
fruits  of  wrath  with  the  results  of  prayer.  In  yield- 
ing to  the  former,  not  only  do  you  place  yourself  in 
opposition  to  the  holy  law  of  God,  but  you  destroy 
the  peace  of  your  life  and  the  peace  of  your  soul ; 
you  aggravate  the  evils  of  a  situation  already  de- 
plorable ;  you  kindle  up  hatred  in  the  heart  of  your 
enemy ;  you  render  reconciliation  on  his  part,  as 
well  as  on  yours,  always  more  difficult ;  you  run 
from  sin  to  sin  in  order  to  lull  your  pride,  and  this 
pride  gives  you  only  a  bitter,  poisoned,  and  criminal 
enjoyment.     How  much  better,  then,  is  prayer  than 

wrath  and  strife !     A.  V. Prayer  is  the  issue 

of  a  quiet  mind ;  'tis  the  daughter  of  charity  and 
the  sister  of  meekness ;  and  he  that  prays  to  God 
with  an  angry,  troubled,  and  discomposed  spirit,  is 
like  one  that  retires  into  a  battle  to  meditate,  and 
sets  up  his  closet  in  the  out-quarters  of  an  army. 
J.  T. 

9-13.  In  order  that  woman  may  hold  her  just 
position  in  society  and  in  the  Church,  the  gospel 
would  have  her  guard  with  sacred  jealousy  the  pro- 
prieties of  her  sex ;  and  by  the  modesty  and  quiet- 
ness of  her  manners,  the  discreetness  of  her  behavior 
in  public  assemblies,  and  the  abundance  of  her  good 
works,  wield  a  redeeming  and  refining  influence  over 
men  and  affairs.  The  influence  which  proved  so  de- 
structive in  the  beginning  of  the  race  may,  through 
the  gospel,  be  exerted  for  the  noblest  purposes  of 
good.  That  these  coimsels  were  not  intended  mere- 
ly for  a  local  and  temporary  condition  of  society  is 
plain  from  the  fact  that  they  are  based  upon  the 
order  of  creation  and  the  unchanging  qualities  of 
sex.  The  gospel,  which  carries  grace,  modesty,  and 
purity  into  the  family,  would  also  maintain  order 


512 


SECTION  323.— 1  TIMOTHY  3  : 1-16. 


and  integrity  in  government,  and  peace,  good-will, 
and  godliness  in  society  at  large.     J.  P.  T. 

9,  10.  i>y  the  women  in  question  must  be  un- 
derstood those  who  make  profession  of  godliness  by 
taking  up  the  Christian  name,  submitting  to  Chris- 
tian teaching  and  ordinances,  and  mingling  in  the 
assemblies  of  Christian  worshipers.  And,  as  mak- 
ing this  profession,  the  apostle  would  have  them 
to  understand,  first,  that  the  kind  of  dress  which 
becomes  them  is  of  a  neat  and  plain  as  contradis- 
tinguished from  a  luxurious  or  costly  one;  and, 
second,  that  the  distinction  which  women  of  gay 
and  worldly  dispositions  seek  to  acquire  by  their 
splendid  ornaments  and  fine  apparel  they  should 
endeavor  to  reach  through  their  good  works — a  dis- 
tinction of  a  far  nobler  kind,  and  the  only  one  that 
fitly  accords  with  their  calling. 

11;  12>  Let  a  tvoman  learn  in  silence  in  all  sub- 
jection— spoken  primarily  and  mainly  with  refer- 
ence to  the  public  assemblies  of  the  Church,  and 
only  an  abbreviated  reenforcement  of  the  instruc- 
tion previously  issued  to  the  Church  at  Corinth  (1 
Cor.  14  :  34).  The  all  subjection,  however,  can  only 
be  understood  to  reach  as  far  as  the  authoritative 
teaching  is  of  the  right  stamp.  Woman  docs  not 
lose  her  rational  power  of  thought  and  responsi- 
bility by  abiding  in  the  place  assigned  her  by  the 
gospel ;  and  she  also  has  a  right  to  prove  all  things 
— only  in  a  manner  suited  to  her  position — in  order 
that  she  may  hold  fast  that  which  is  good,  and  re- 
ject what  is  otherwise.  But  to  teach  I  permit  not  a 
tvoman — namely,  in  public ;  she  is  not  to  act  the 
part  of  a  teacher  in  the  meetings  of  the  faithful, 
nor  to  lord  it  over  the  man,  but  to  be  in  silence.     P. 

F. Whatever    might   be   allowed   in   regard   to 

prophecy  and  prayer,  the  rule  is  absolute  that  a 
woman  may  not  teach  or  rule  in  the  Church.     Of 


course  she  may  preach  or  publish  the  gospel  to 
"  them  that  are  without,"  under  those  conditions  of 
feminine  propriety  which  nature  itself  suggests; 
she  may  also  teach  her  own  sex,  and  have  authority 
over  them  and  over  children ;  but  she  may  not 
teach  publicly  in  the  assembly  of  saints,  or  "  usurp 
authority  over  the  man."     D.  ¥. 

14.  The  case  is  referred  to  as  a  grand  though 
mournful  example,  at  the  commencement  of  the 
world's  history,  of  the  evil  sure  to  arise  if  in  the 
general  management  of  affairs  woman  should  quit 
her  proper  position  as  the  handmaid  of  man,  and 
man  should  concede  to  her  the  ascendancy.  She 
wants,  by  the  very  constitution  of  nature,  the  quali- 
ties necessary  for  such  a  task.  Her  very  excel- 
lences in  other  respects — excellences  connected  with 
the  finer  sensibilities  and  stronger  impulses  of  her 
emotional  and  loving  nature — tend  in  a  measure  to 
disqualify  her  here. 

15.  Let  her  be  content,  he  virtually  says,  with 
this,  that  through  her  as  the  mother  of  a  seed, 
given  by  the  God  of  grace  and  blessing,  she  herself, 
as  well  as  others,  are  to  find  salvation.  But  he 
couples  certain  spiritual  qualifications  as  indispen- 
sable to  the  result :  if  they  abide  in  faith,  and  love, 
and  holiness,  with  discretion  (or  sober-mindedness). 
In  short,  they  must  fall  in  here  (as  Eve  should  have 
done  in  Paradise,  but  did  not)  with  the  spiritual 
provisions  and  requirements  of  the  plan  of  God ; 
in  faith,  resting  upon  God's  word  of  promise;  in 
love,  yielding  themselves  to  the  duties  of  their  spe- 
cial calling,  as  well  as  consenting  to  live  and  act 
within  its  appointed  limits ;  in  holiness,  wakeful  and 
striving  against  occasions  of  sin ;  and  all  tempered 
and  controlled  by  that  spirit  of  meek  and  wise  dis- 
cretion which  instinctively  shrink's  from  whatever  is 
unbecoming,  heady,  or  high-minded.     P.  F. 


Section  323. 

1  Timothy  iii.  1-16. 

1  This  is  a  true  saying,  If  a  man  desire  the  office  of  a  bishop,  he  desireth  a  good  work. 

2  A  bishop  then  must  be  blameless,  the  husband  of  one  wife,  vigilant,  sober,  of  good  be- 

3  haviour,  given  to  hospitality,  apt  to  teach ;  not  given  to  wine,  no  striker,  not  greedy  of 

4  filthy  lucre;  but  patient,  not  a  brawler,  not  covetous;  one  that  ruleth  well  his  own  house, 

5  having  his  children  in  subjection  with  all  gravity;  (for  if  a  man  know  not  how  to  rule  his 

6  own  house,  how  shall  he  take  care  of  the  church  of  God?)     Not  a  novice,  lest  being  lifted 

7  up  with  pride  he  fall  into  the  condemnation  of  the  devil.     Moreover  he  must  have  a  good 
report  of  them  which  are  without;  lest  he  fall  into  reproach  and  the  snare  of  the  devil. 

8  Likewise  must  the  deacons  le  grave,  not  doubletongued,  not  given  to  much  wine,  not 

9  greedy  of  filfJiy  lucre ;  holding  the  mystery  of  the  faith  in  a  pure  conscience.     And  let 

10  these  also  first  be  proved ;  then  let  them  use  the  office  of  a  deacon,  being  found  blameless. 

11  Even  so  rmist  their  wives  he  grave,  not  slanderers,  sober,  faithful  in  all  things.     Let  the 

12  deacons  be  the  husbands  of  one  wife,  ruling  their  children  and  their  own  houses  well. 

13  For  they  that  have  used  the  oflBce  of  a  deacon  well  purchase  to  themselves  a  good  degree, 

14  and  great  boldness  in  the  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.     These  things  write  I  unto  thee, 

15  hoping  to  come  unto  thee  shortly :  but  if  I  tarry  long,  that  thou  mayest  know  how  thou 
oughtest  to  behave  thyself  in  the  house  of  God,  which  is  the  church  of  the  living  God,  the 

IG  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth.  And  without  controversy  great  is  the  mystery  of  godli- 
ness :  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh,  justified  in  the  Spirit,  seen  of  angels,  preached  unto 
the  Gentiles,  believed  on  in  the  world,  received  up  into  glory. 


SECTION  323.— 1  TIMOTHY  3  : 1-16. 


513 


In  chapter  3  :  1  and  following,  wc  may  perhaps 
retain  the  word  "bishop,"  if  it  be  clearly  under- 
stood that  the  office  here  mentioned  has  really  noth- 
ing in  common  with  our  "  bishopricks."  These  "  bish- 
ops "  were  simply  presbyters.    A. By  comparing 

what  is  written  here  with  the  passage  in  Tit.  1  :  5-7, 
it  is  clear  that  Paul  uses  the  terms  episcopos  and 
prcsbyteros  of  the  same  office ;  for  in  Titus  the 
words  are  interchanged,  as  of  one  import.  There 
were  two  desigriations,  but  one  office ;  and  the  des- 
ignations were  two  because  they  were  derived  from 
two  different  quarters.  Frcsbi/tcros  was  of  Jewish  or- 
igin, and  was  undoubtedly  the  earlier  of  the  two,  hav- 
ing been  in  use  as  a  term  of  office  in  the  synagogue 
for  generations  before  the  Christian  era,  whence 
it  passed  over,  with  little  variation,  into  the  Christian 
Church.  The  term  originally  had  doubtless  some 
i-espect  to  the  age  of  the  persons  who  were  called  to 
preside  over  the  religious  community  ;  they  were  its 
seniors,  its  more  experienced  and  venerated  mem- 
bers ;  but  in  course  of  time  the  etymological  was 
lost  sight  of  in  the  current  official  meaning,  and  the 
presbyters  (elders),  whatever  might  be  their  relative 
age,  were  simply  the  presiding  heads  of  the  syna- 
gogal  communities  in  the  first  instance,  and  then  of 
the  Christian  Church.  Partaking,  however,  as  it  did 
so  distinctly,  of  a  Jewish  impress,  it  was  natural 
that,  in  the  churches  where  the  Greek  or  Gentile  ele- 
ment predominated,  a  properly  Greek  word,  of  equiv- 
alent import  as  a  designation  of  office,  should  come 
into  use.  Such  a  term  was  episcopos^  overseer,  the 
specific  or  official  designation  among  the  Athenians 
of  those  whom  they  sent  forth  to  take  the  oversight 
of  their  subject  cities  ;  so  that,  by  an  easy  transfer- 
ence from  the  civil  to  the  spiritual  sphere,  the  epis- 
copoi  of  the  Church  were  those  who  had  the  pastoral 
oversight  of  the  several  churches.  Quite  naturally, 
therefore,  it  is  the  term  employed  here,  where  im- 
mediate respect  is  had  to  Ephesus,  and  such  like 
churches  in  Asia  Minor,  which  were  largely  made 

up  of  converted  Greeks.     P.  F. Of  the  offices 

concerned  with  Church  government,  the  next  in  rank 
to  that  of  the  apostles  was  the  office  of  overseers  or 
elders,  more  usually  known  (by  their  Greek  designa- 
tions) as  bishops  or  presbyters.  These  terms  are 
used  in  the  New  Testament  as  equivalent,  the  former, 
episcopos,  denoting  (as  its  meaning  of  overseer  im- 
plies) the  duties,  the  latter,  preshyteros,  the  rank  of 
the  office.  The  office  of  the  presbyters  was  to  watch 
over  the  particular  church  in  which  they  ministered 
in  all  that  regarded  its  external  order  and  internal 
purity ;  they  were  to  instruct  the  ignorant,  to  exhort 
the  faithful,  to  confute  the  gainsayers,  to  "wai-n  the 
unruly,  to  comfort  the  feeble-minded,  to  support  the 
weak,  to  be  patient  toward  all."  They  were  "  to 
take  lieed  to  the  flock  over  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
had  made  them  overseers,  to  feed  the  Church  of  God 
which  he  had  purchased  with  his  own  blood."  In 
one  word,  it  was  their  duty  (as  it  has  been  the  duty 
of  all  who  have  been  called  to  the  same  office  during 
the  nineteen  centuries  which  have  succeeded)  to  pro- 
mote to  the  utmost  of  their  ability,  and  by  every 
means  within  their  reach,  the  spiritual  good  of  all 
those  committed  to  their  care.     C. 

2>  The  married  state  is  usually  that  in  which  we 
can  best  surmount  hardships,  and  attain  the  happy 
end  of  life,  with  many  refreshments  by  the  way. 
God  often  teaches  us  more  by  our  domestic  experi- 
ences, family  illnesses,  deaths  of  children,  and  the 
like,  than  we  can  learn  by  any  independent  specula- 
tions, however  spiritual  these  may  seem.     It  is  in 

33 


the  married  life  that  I  have  had  my  most  serious  af- 
flictions, but  with  them  my  strongest  consolations. 
Therefore  I  consider  it  more  than  a  mere  permission 
that  a  pastor  should  be  "the  husband  of  one  wife." 

Beng. "  Sober-minded  "  is  better  than  "  sober  " ; 

it  is  a  quality  of  mind,  not  a  habit  of  life,  that  is 

meant.     A. It  is  the  possession  of  what  may  be 

called  sanctified  common  sense;  and  for  this  the  god- 
ly pastor  should  earnestly  strive  and  pray,  under  the 
conviction  that  for  him  not  open  transgression  mere- 
ly but  imprudence  also,  indiscretion,  is  sin,  since  it 
throws  a  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  his  useful- 
ness, and  in  a  manner  robs  him  of  his  talents  and 
opportunities.     P.  F. 

Apt  to  teach.  Men  who  have  no  gift  to 
teach  ought  to  betake  themselves  to  whatever  hon- 
est calling  their  Maker  has  fitted  them  to  fulfill,  and 
not  pule  about  the  Lord  delighting  to  use  foolish  in- 
struments, while  every  day  proves  that  he  is  in  no 
way  using  them,  unless  it  be  as  an  example  to  all  not 
to  assume  an  office  without  having  proved  their  fit- 
ness. The  men  whom  God  sends  may  be  without 
the  accomplishments  of  scholars,  but  never  without 
sense  and  utterance.     Arthur. 

3.  Covetous.  There  are  three  words  which  in 
our  version  are  rendered  "  covetous  "  or  "  covetous- 
ness."  OxiQ.  SsignS&es,  a  man  greedy  of  gain.  Another 
signifies  a  man  ivho  always  desires  more  (Luke  12  : 
15).  The  last  signifies  simply  a  lover  of  money  (Luke 
16  :  14 ;  1  Tim.  3:3;  Heb.  13  :  5 ;  2  Tim.  3  :  2-4), 
a  friend  of  self,  friend  of  money,  friend  of  pleasure, 
more  than  friend  of  God.     Monod. 

4,  5.  He  should,  it  is  true,  be  apt  to  teach  in 
the  pulpit ;  but  Paul  sends  us  for  the  character  and 
credentials  of  a  bishop  to  the  bishop's  own  family, 
to  his  wife  and  his  children.     Is  he  one  that  ruleth 

well  his  own  house  ?     R.  T. Families  are  the 

principles  or  seeds  of  a  commonwealth.  A  family 
is  a  commonwealth  in  a  little  volume,  and  the  rules 
of  it  are  an  epitome  of  all  laws  by  which  whole 
nations  are  governed.  The  apostle  makes  it  a  spe- 
cial character  of  his  bishop  that  he  must  be  one  who 
rules  his  own  house  well,  and  subjoins  the  reason : 
"  For  if  a  man  know  not  how  to  rule  his  own  house, 
how  shall  he  take  care  of  the  Church  of  God  ? " 
And  therein  wi'aps  up  this  truth,  that  he  who  knows 
how  to  rule  his  own  house  well  is  in  good  posture  of 
spirit  for  public  rule.     Caryl. 

6.  The  supposed  neophyte,  through  his  inexperi- 
ence and  undue  elation  of  spirit,  first  falls  into  the 
sin  of  the  old  aspiring  apostate,  and  then  shares  in 
his  condemnation,  passing  from  the  sphere  of  a 
minister  of  light  into  the  doomed  condition  of  an 
instrument  of  darkness.  The  lesson,  with  its  at- 
tendant warning,  is  for  all  times.  7.  The  most 
natural  explanation  of  the  apostle's  fear  regarding 
the  appointment  of  pastors  who  were  not  in  good 
repute  with  the  world  is,  that  they  would  in  such  a 
case  be  exposed  to  the  taunts  of  ungodly  men,  dis- 
paraged as  unworthy  of  their  position,  and,  con- 
scious of  this,  would  probably  be  tempted  to  do 
things  which  would  entangle  them  in  Satan's  net  of 
unseemly  wranglings  or  dangerous  relationships. 
Thus  ends  the  apostle's  list  of  qualifications,  which 
he  desired  to  see  meeting  in  every  one  who  might  be 
placed  in  the  responsible  position  of  an  overseer  of 
Christ's  flock.  They  are  predominantly  moral,  and 
consist  of  attributes  of  character  rather  than  of 
gifts  and  endowments  of  mind.     P.  F. 

8.  The  word  diaconos  occurs  thirty  times  in  the 
New  Testament,  and  only  three  times  (or  at  most 


5U 


SECTI02T  323.— 1  TIMOTHY  3  : 1-16. 


four)  i?  it  used  a?  an  official  designation ;  in  all  the 
other  passages  it  is  used  in  its  simple  etymological 
sense  of  (J  mimsieriiifi  servant.  C. Wo  have  ex- 
press mention  of  deacons  at  Rome  (Rom.  12:7), 
Philippi  (Phil.  1:1),  and  Corinth;  for  the  exis- 
tence of  a  deaconess,  Thebe,  at  Cenchrea  (Rom. 
16  :  1)  certainly  leads  us  to  infer  that  there  were 
deacons  there  also.  The  business  of  these  deacons 
consisted  primarily  and  mainly,  according  to  the 
account  of  their  institution,  in  the  care  of  the  poor 
and  the  sick.  This  external  charge,  however,  natu- 
rally came  to  associate  with  itself  a  sort  of  pastoral 
care ;  for  poverty  and  sickness  offer  the  very  best 
opportunities  for  instruction,  exhortation,  and  conso- 
lation, and  according  to  the  spirit  of  Christianity  the 
relief  of  bodily  wants  should  serve  only  as  a  bridge 
or  channel  for  the  communication  of  the  far  more 
precious  benefits  of  the  gospel.  Hence,  in  the  ap- 
pointment of  deacons,  men  were  looked  for  of  strong 
faith  and  exemplary  piety  (Acts  6  :  3,  comp.  5:8); 
and  Paul  here  requires  that  deacons  be  of  good  re- 
port,  upright,  temperate,  free    from   covetousness, 

and  instructed  in  the  faith.     P.  S. At  Ephesus, 

and  in  the  larger  towns  of  Asia  Minor,  the  churches 
had  already  grovv-n  into  large  communities,  and  infe- 
rior as  we'll  as  superior  officers  were  required  (as 
previously  in  the  Church  at  Jerusalem)  for  the 
proper  distribution  and  management  of  their  affairs. 
The  distinct  place,  therefore,  assigned  to  deacons 
here  is  perfectly  in  keeping  with  the  historical  cir- 
cumstances of  the  time.  It  is  the  only  occasion  on 
which  they  are  formally  discoursed  of  in  Paul's 
writings.     P.  F. 

8-13.  The  deacons  must  be  men  of  fair  charac- 
ter, serious,  temperate,  candid ;  men  who  hold  to 
the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  with  a  pure  conscience ; 
men  who  have  been  proved,  and  who  have  shown 
that  they  are  quaUfied  to  serve  the  Church ;  men 
whose  wives  are  of  such  a  character  that  their  exam- 
ple will  contribute  to  the  promotion  of  the  common 
cause ;  men  who  exercise  exemplary  family  govern- 
ment.    A.  B. 

11.  Possibly  the  matter  was  so  put  here  as  in- 
tentionally to  include  at  once  wives  to  the  deacons 
who  occasionally  shared  with  their  husbands  in  di- 
aconal  ministrations,  and  women  who  were  them- 
selves charged  by  the  Church  with  such  ministra- 
tions. But  it  ought  to  be  understood  of  women 
who,  in  the  one  character  or  the  other,  were  actively 
en^-afjed  in  the  kind  of  work  which  was  proper  to 
deacons.  And,  considering  the  greater  separation 
which  then  existed  between  the  sexes,  and  the  ex- 
treme jealousy  which  guarded  the  approaches  to 
female  society,  it  was  in  a  manner  indispensable 
that  women,  with  some  sort  of  delegated  authority, 
should  often  be  intrusted  with  various  kinds  of 
diaconal  service.  For  those  so  intrusted,  the  follow- 
ing simple  requisites  are  mentioned:  that  they  be 
grave,  not  slanderers,  sober,  faUhful  in  all  things  ; 
the  same  substantially  as  those  required  of  the  dea- 
cons, only  delivered  with  more  brevity. 

15.  Go<Ts  house,  which  indeed  is  the  chirch  of 
the  living  God ;  the  latter  clause  defining  more  ex- 
actly what  is  meant  by  God's  house.  Thus,  in  Eph. 
2  :  2t>-22,  the  Church,  as  composed  of  believing 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  is  represented  as  a  glorious 
building,  raised  on  Christ  as  the  foundation ;  a 
holy  temple  in  the  Lord,  or  habitation  of  God 
through  the  Spirit.  A  quite  similar  representation 
is  given  in  Heb.  3 : 6,  where,  with  reference  to  Christ 
as  a  Son  in  his  own  house,  it  is  added :  "  Whose 


house  are  we."  In  these  passages,  the  house,  tem- 
ple, or  habitation  of  God  is  plainly  associated  with 
individuals,  the  individuals  addressed  by  the  apos- 
tle, contemplated  as  in  livhig  uuiou  with  Christ; 
and  in  the  strict  sense  it  can  only  be  predicated  of 
such  that  they  are  God's  house ;  for  in  their  case 
alone  is  there  the  real  link  that  connects  the  human 
with  the  divine,  the  spiritual  habitation  with  the 
glorious  inhabitant.  It  is  the  Church  as  the  ccclesia 
of  God,  his  elect,  whom  he  has  called  out  of  the 
world  and  gathered  into  his  fold,  that  he  may  sus- 
tain and  keep  them  unto  life  eternal.  Pillar  of 
the  truth.  If  it  was  worthy  of  the  name,  it  was 
God's  house,  a  living  community  of  saints  pervaded 
by  the  presence  of  the  living  God,  and  hence  the 
pillar  and  basement  of  the  truth  ;  for,  as  so  con- 
nected with  God,  it  necessarily  holds  and  bears  up 
in  the  world  that  with  which  his  name  and  glory 
are  peculiarlv  identified — the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 
P.  F. 

16.  The  mystery.  All  that  the  Scripture 
tells  is  for  our  use  and  nothing  is  for  our  curiosity.  It 
awakens  our  minds  to  higher  spiritual  knowledge,  but 
refuses  to  answer  a  thousand  questions  that  we  ask. 
It  gives  ghmpses,  but  holds  up  no  broad  light  reach- 
ing -from  the  beginning  to  the  end.     T.  D.  W. 

The  reasons  for  mystery  are  first,  because  religion, 
in  the  prime  institution  of  it,  was  designed  to  make 
impressions  of  awe  and  reverential  fear  upon  men's 
minds ;  secondly,  to  humble  the  pride  and  haughti- 
ness of  man's  reason ;  thirdly,  to  engage  us  in  a 
closer  and  more  diligent  search  into  them ;  and 
fourthly,  that  the  full  and  entire  knowledge  of  di- 
vine things  may  be  one  principal  part  of  our  felicity 
hereafter.  R.  S. Mystery  there  must  be  wher- 
ever an  infinite  Creator  and  his  finite  creature  em- 
brace ;  and  it  is,  therefore,  your  glory  that  you  are 
thus  robed  and  shrouded  in  mystery.  When  you 
think  of  God  in  Christ,  of  what  he  has  done,  and 
what  he  still  does,  and  what  he  will  do,  be  well  as- 
sured that  in  all  his  dealings  there  must  be  much 
you  can  never  expect  to  fathom ;  before  which, 
therefore,  you  can  but  bow  in  prostrate  humility  of 
adoration  ;  knowing — simply  knowing — that  aU  be 
will  do  he  can  do,  such  is  his  power ;  all  he  can 
rightly  do  he  will,  such  is  his  love !     W.  A.  B. 

Without  saying  that  the  mysteiy  is  in  fact  Christ, 
he  passes  from  the  mystery  to  the  person  of  Christ 
as  being  one  and  the  same.  Then,  thus  passing,  he 
is  naturally  led  to  a  summary  of  those  particulars 
wherein  Christ  has  been  revealed  as  a  ground  for 
the  godliness  of  his  Church.  And,  the  idea  of  mys- 
tery being  prominent  before  him,  he  selects  espe- 
cially those  events  in  and  by  which  Christ  was  mani- 
fested forth — came  forth  from  that  secrecy  in  which 
he  had  beforetime  been  hidden  in  the  counsels  of 
God,  and  shone  out  to  men  and  angels  as  the  Lord 
of  life  and  glory.     A. 

Manifest  in  the  flesh.  The  Christian  faith 
alone  shows  God  one  and  eternal — the  Grod  of 
Abraham  and  of  Moses  making  himself  man,  and  the 
divine  nature  uniting  itself  to  the  human  nature  in 
the  person  of  Jesus.  And  in  this  union  it  is  the 
divine  nature  that  shines  forth,  that  speaks,  that 
sets  in  movement.  And  this  incarnation  is  unparal- 
leled like  the  God  its  author.  And  why  did  God 
make  himself  man?  What  is  the  object  of  this 
unparalleled,  this  mysterious  incarnation?  It  is 
God's  purpose  to  rescue  man  from  the  evil  and  the 
peril  which  have  continued  to  weigh  upon  him  since 
the  fault  committed  by  his  first  progenitor.    It  is 


SECTION  324.— 1  TIMOTHY  4  : 1-16. 


515 


God's  purpose  to  ransom  the  human  race  from  the 
sin  of  Adam,  the  heritage  of  Adam's  children,  and 
to  bring  it  back  to  the  ways  of  eternal  life.  These 
are  the  designs,  loudly  proclaimed,  of  the  divine  in- 
carnation in  Jesus,  and  the  price  of  all  the  suffer- 
ings and  agonies  which  he  endured  in  its  accomplish- 
ment. And  how  does  this  sublime  fact  exalt  man's 
dignity  at  the  same  time  that  it  illustrates  the  value 
that  all  men  have  in  the  eyes  of  God  !     Guizot. 


Christ  is  "  God  manifest."  He  is  the  Word,  God 
heard ;  the  Light,  God  seen ;  the  Life,  God  felt. 
Wolfe. Oh,  high,  inconceivable  mystery  of  god- 
liness! God  manifested  in  the  Jiesh  !  Nothing  in 
this  world  so  strange  and  sweet  as  that  conjuncture, 
God  man.  What  a  strong  foundation  of  friend- 
ship and  union  betwixt  the  person  of  man  and  God, 
that  their  natures  met  in  so  close  embraces  in  one 
person !    L. 


Section  324. 

1  TmoTHY  iv.  1-16. 


1  Now  the  Spirit  speaketh  expressly,  that  in  the  latter  times  some  shall  depart  from  the 

2  faith,  giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits,  and  doctrines  of  devils ;  speaking  lies  in  hypocrisy  ; 

3  having  their  conscience  seared  with  a  hot  iron ;  forhidding  to  marry,  and  commanding  to 
abstain  from  meats,  which  God  hath  created  to  be  received  with  thanksgiving  of  them 

4  which  believe  and  know  the  truth.     For  every  creature  of  God  is  good,  and  nothing  to  be 

5  refused,  if  it  be  received  with  thanksgiving :  for  it  is  sanctified  by  the  word  of  God  and 

6  prayer.     If  thou  put  the  brethren  in  remembrance  of  these  things,  thou  shalt  be  a  good 
minister  of  Jesus  Christ,  nourished  up  in  the  words  of  faith  and  of  good  doctrine,  where- 

7  unto  thou  hast  attained.     But  refuse  profane  and  old  wives'  fables,  and  exercise  thyself 

8  rather  unto  godliness.     For  bodily  exercise  profiteth  little :  but  godliness  is  profitable  unto 

9  all  things,  having  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come.     This  is  a 

10  faithful  saying  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation.     For  therefore  we  botli  labour  and  suffer 
reproach,  because  we  trust  in  the  living  God,  who  is  the  Saviour  of  all  men,  specially  of 

11  those  that  believe.     These  things  command  and  teach.     Let  no  man  despise  thy  youth  ;  but 

12  be  thou  an  example  of  the  believers,  in  word,  in  conversation,  in  charity,  in  spirit,  in  faith, 

13  in  purity.     Till  I  come,  give  attendance  to  reading,  to  exhortation,  to  doctrine.     Neglect 

14  not  the  gift  that  is  in  thee,  which  was  given  thee  by  prophecy,  with  the  laying  on  of  the 

15  hands  of  the  presbytery.     Meditate  upon  these  things  ;  give  thyself  wholly  to  them  ;  that 

16  thy  profiting  may  appear  to  all.     Take  heed  unto  thyself,  and  unto  the  doctrine ;  continue 
in  them :  for  in  doing  this  thou  shalt  both  save  thyself,  and  them  that  hear  thee. 


Be  thou  an  example  !  Your  example  is  every  day  and  every  hour  at  work,  blessing  or  cursing  in  your 
family,  among  your  associates,  in  your  daily  intercourse,  among  all  that  know  you.  It  is  working  where 
you  are  and  where  you  are  not ;  it  is  multiplying  itself,  reproducing  through  others  its  own  image ;  it  is 
preaching  from  the  pulpit  of  your  life  a  sermon  mightier  than  your  mere  words.  Many  an  eye  looks  to 
you  to  know  what  you  will  do  and  how  you  will  live,  and  the  current  of  your  life  determines  that  of 
others.  What  a  blessed  treasure  for  you  would  be  that  of  holy  example !  Your  journey  through  the 
world  would  be  a  path  of  light.  The  treasure  of  a  useful  life  would  be  stored  up  for  you  in  heaven,  and 
on  your  track  to  the  spirit-world  would  follow  those  whom  your  example  had  attracted,  and  who  would 
join  you  in  the  music  of  the  new  song.     E.  H.  G. 

Meditate  on  these  things !  The  man  of  meditation  makes  the  Scriptures  his  own,  draws  from  them 
their  treasures,  and  incorporates  them  into  his  religious  life.  Divine  truth  has  a  lodgment  in  his  soul. 
It  is  linked  in  with  his  trains  df  thought,  as  he  sits,  or  works,  or  walks.  It  fills  him  with  thoughts  while 
other  men  are  filled  with  projects  and  restless  desires.  It  supplies  the  wants  both  of  his  intellectual  and 
his  practical  powers,  and  connects  itself  through  his  hopes  and  fears,  desires  and  conscience,  with  all  the 
conduct  of  life.  The  nature  of  divine  truth  is  such  that  its  fullness  of  meaning  and  of  bearing  upon 
life  only  reveals  itself  by  degrees  to  a  mind  open  for  its  reception.  The  thoughtful  mind  discovers  this 
richness  of  the  word ;  test  after  text  opens  and  gathers  power  before  the  eye  ;  truth  after  truth  puts  on 
new  glory.  Such  being  the  effect  of  meditation,  it  must  plainly  tend  to  keep  the  believer  closer  to  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Scriptures.    When  a  believer  studies  the  word  with  thoughtfulness,  he  becomes  imbued  with 


516 


SECTION  3U.—1  TIMOTHY  k  •  l-^Q- 


its  spirit,  its  parts  and  truths  assume  their  true  relations  to  one  another  in  his  mind,  and  thus,  without  his 
bein<»  aware,  there  has  a  system  of  Biblical  doctrine  grown  up  within  him.  Such  a  believer,  it  may  be,  is 
unable  to  explain  or  to  defend  the  truth,  but  in  the  main  it  is  with  him,  and  he  is  shielded  against  the 
plausibilities  of  error.     T.  D.  W.  


1-3.  While  the  apostles  wrote,  the  actual  state 
and  the  visible  tendencies  of  things  showed  too 
plainly  what  Church  history  would  be  ;  and,  at  the 
same  time,  prophetic  intimations  made  the  prospect 

still  more  dark.     T.  D.  B. The  apostle  predicts 

that  there  should  soon  appear  such  extravagances 
as  we  actually  find  afterward  in  the  Gnostic  and 
Manichean  systems — the  prohibition  of  marriage 
and  of  certain  kinds  of  food  (probably  animal) 
which  God  had  created  to  be  eaten  with  thanks- 
giving. He  describes  such  precepts  as  "  doctrines 
of  devils  " ;  in  other  words,  he  attributes  them  to 
the  suggestion  of  evil  spirits,  in  antithesis  with  the 
suggestion  of  the  Spirit  of  God  mentioned  in  the 
beginning  of  the  verse.     P.  S. 

2.  Persons  living  in  hypocrisy  as  their  natural 
element,  speaking  lies  as  their  proper  vocation,  men 
who  had  no  relish  for  the  pure  gospel,  and  assumed 
the  profession  of  a  regard  to  it  only  that  they  might 
the  more  advantageously  propagate  their  views  and 

practices.     P.  F. Hypocrisy  is  a  sin  that  dares 

it  with  God.  It  is  a  sin  that  saith  God  is  ignorant, 
or  that  he  delighteth  in  iniquity.  It  is  a  sin  that 
flattereth,  that  dissembleth,  that  offereth  to  hold 
God,  as  it  were,  fair  in  hand  about  that  which  is 
neither  purposed  nor  intended.  It  will  make  a  man 
preach  for  a  place  and  praise,  rather  than  to  glorify 
God  and  save  souls  ;  it  will  put  a  man  upon  talking 
that  he  may  be  commended ;  it  will  make  a  man 
show  zeal  in  duties  when  his  heart  is  as  cold,  as 
senseless,  and  as  much  without  savor  as  a  clod  ;  it 
will  make  a  man  pretend  to  experience  and  sanctifi- 
cation  when  he  has  none,  and  to  faith  and  sincerity 
when  he  knows  not  what  they  are.  There  are  op- 
posed to  this  sin  simplicity,  innocence,  and  godly 
sincerity.  Believe  that  a  hypocrite,  with  all  the 
cunning  that  shrouds  his  hypocrisy,  can  go  unseen 
no  farther  than  the  grave  ;  nor  can  he  longer  flatter 

himself  with    thoughts   of    life.     Bun. Their 

conscience  seared.  As  a  clean  conscience  is  its 
own  reward,  so  an  offended  conscience  is  its  own 
punishment.  Conscience  frequently  offended  soon 
becomes  "  seared " — mark,  not  destroyed  ;  quick 
and  raw  enough  underneath,  ready  to  be  probed 
and  fretted  by  the  worm  that  dieth  not,  and 
scorched  by  the  fire  that  never  goes  out — but 
seared  on  the  surface,  of  no  use  for  present  service  ; 
numbed,  dark,  useless.  People  with  their  con- 
sciences in  this  state  often  tell  us  they  do  not  feel 
condemned  for  di^ositions  and  practices  which 
are  evidently  forbidden  by  the  word  of  God,  nor 
for  things  which  they  once  would  have  trembled 
to  do.  They  do  not  see  that  their  consciences  are 
seared.     An. 

3>  The  prohibition  of  marriage  and  of  the  use 
of  certain  kinds  of  food,  by  which  more  especially 
animal  food  must  be  understood,  was  among  the 
commoner  forms  of  that  ascetic  tendency  which  had 
already  taken  root  in  the  East,  and,  the  apostle 
foresaw,  was  presently  going  to  win  for  itself  a 
place  within  the  pale  of  the  Christian  Church.  The 
Therapeutffi  of  Egypt,  and  the  Essenes  in  the  south 
of  Palestine,  were  examples  of  the  tendency  in 
question  ;  since,  not  only  at  the  gospel  era,  but  for 
generations  before  it,  they  had  in  considerable  num- 


bers been  systematically  carrying  out  their  ascetic 
principles  in  the  manner  indicated  by  the  apostle. 

P.  F. The  New  Testament  recognizes  in  marriage 

the  normal  relation  in  which  the  human  character 
fully  develops  itself  and  answers  its  great  end — a 
relation  instituted  by  God  and  sanctified  by  Christ. 
The  depreciation  of  conjugal  life  by  an  asceticism 
which  can  not  rise  above  its  physical  and  natural 
basis  to  the  view  of  its  higher  moral  and  religious 
significance,  contradicts  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  and 
is  in  reality  of  heathen  origin.  Here  the  apostle 
numbers  it  among  the  doctrines  of  the  evil  spirits 
which  rule  the  world  of  idolatry,  that  they  forbid 
marriage,  as  some  Gnostic  sects  and  the  Manicheans 
did — looking  on  the  body,  which  was  created  by 
God  and  designed  for  the  organ  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
as  a  part  of  the  intrinsically  evil  matter,  and  conse- 
quently regarding  all  contact  with  it  as  sinful.   P.  S. 

5.  The  apostle  had  plainly,  in  the  preceding 
verse,  referred  to  the  divine  testimony  recorded  in 
the  history  of  creation  respecting  the  goodness  of 
all  that  God  had  created  and  made,  coupled  also 
with  the  express  and  authoritative  permission 
granted  to  man  there,  and  still  more  fully  at  Gen. 
9  :  3,  4,  freely  to  use  whatever  was  fit  for  food  in 
the  vegetable  and  animal  kingdoms.  The  word  of 
God  in  those  passages  for  ever  sanctified  all  for 
man's  use ;  and  if  man  on  his  part,  taking  God's 
word  for  his  warrant,  gratefully  acknowledges  God's 
hand  in  the  gifts  bestowed,  and  entreats  his  blessing 
on  them,  the  sanctification  is  complete  both  ways 
— objectively  by  the  word  of  God,  subjectively  by 

prayer.     P.  F. A  man  may  take  food  with  the 

view  of  tasting,  and  thereby  bringing  home  to  his 
heart  a  more  lively  sense  of,  the  bounty  of  our 
heavenly  Father,  who  daily  spreads  a  table  for  all 
his  creatures,  and  by  each  meal  that  he  provides 
answers  the  Christian's  prayer,  "  Give  us  this  day 
our  daily  bread."  He  may  also  take  it  with  the 
view  of  making  his  body  a  fitter  and  more  efficient 
instrument  of  the  divine  service,  a  view  which  would 
effectually  preclude  all  intemperate  use  of  God's 
gifts,  and  make  a  man's  real  need  the  law  of  his 
appetite.  We  may  say  of  the  whole  compass  of 
earthly  blessings  what  here  he  says  of  food.  It  is 
not  mere  enjoyment  of  the  creature,  hut  trust  in  the 
creature  to  satisfy  all  the  deep  cravings  of  the  soul, 
which  excludes  God  and  Christ  from  the  heart. 
Nay ;  a  moderate  and  chastened  enjoyment  of  the 
creature  actually  contributes  to  our  sanctification, 
inasmuch  as  it  acts   as  a  stimulant  to  gratitude. 

E.  M.  G. Do  not  undervalue  the  gifts  of  God — 

wealth,  and  all  that  wealth  can  buy ;  pleasures  that 
come  to  the  soul  through  the  eye,  the  ear,  the  taste; 
the  delights  of  social  life,  refined  by  culture,  learn- 


SECTION  324.— 1  TIMOTHY  4  : 1-16. 


517 


ing,  beauty,  grace,  and  sweetened  by  the  charms  of 
friendship  and  love.  It  13  cant  and  sin  to  affect  to 
despise  the  delights  of  social  and  domestic  life,  as 
if  God  were  not  to  be  enjoyed  in  the  blessings  with 
which  he  crowns  our  days.  These  are  his  mercies, 
and  are  to  be  received  with  gratitude.  But  they  are 
not  enough,  and  they  are  only  the  efflorescence  of 
the  source  itself  of  inflnite  good.  They  are  God's, 
but  they  are  not  God.  He  is  in  himself  wealth, 
pleasure,  love  ;  and  to  long  for  them  alone  and  not 
to  pant  after  him,  is  to  be  satisfied  with  the  flower 
when  the  fruit  is  to  be  had,  to  drink  the  morning 
dew  when  the  fountain  of  living  water  is  at  your 
feet.     Prime. 

7.  Exercise  thyself.  The  more  our  gifts 
and  graces  are  exercised,  the  more  they  are  strength- 
ened and  increased.  All  acts  strengthen  habits. 
Not  he  who  knows  most,  nor  he  who  hears  most, 
nor  yet  he  who  talks  most,  but  he  who  exercises 
grace  most,  has  most  communion  with  God,  has  the 
clearest  visions  of  God,  and  the  sweetest  discoveries 
and  manifestations  of  his  Lord  and  Master.     Brooks. 

The  life  of  active  service  may  be  so  conducted 

as  to  secure  fresh  supplies  of  grace.  If  in  every 
part  of  his  active  work  for  God  the  Christian  sets 
God  before  him ;  if  he  is  very  jealous  of  the  purity 
of  his  motives  and  the  rectitude  of  his  intentions  ,- 
if  he  is  diligent  in  ejaculatory  prayer ;  if,  even  in 
the  little  crosses  and  annoyances  of  the  day,  he  re- 
gards the  will  of  God  who  sends  them,  and  takes 
them  accordingly  with  sweetness  and  buoyancy  of 
spirit ;  if  he  cultivates  the  habit  of  allowing  the 
objects  of  nature,  and  passing  events,  to  remind 
him  of  spiritual  truth,  and  lead  his  mind  upward ; 
if,  in  short,  he  turns  each  incident  of  life  into  a 
spiritual  exercise,  and  extracts  from  each  a  spiritual 
good — then  he  is  cultivating  the  internal  life,  while 
he  engages  in  the  external ;  and  while,  on  the  one 
hand,  he  is  expending  the  oil  of  grace,  he  is,  on  the 
other,  laying  in  a  fresh  stock  of  it  in  his  oil-ves- 
sels.    E.  M.  G. 

Unto  godliness.  Holiness  was  meant,  our 
New  Testament  tells  us,  for  every-day  use.  It  is 
home-made  and  home-worn.  Its  exercise  hardens 
the  bone  and  strengthens  the  muscle  in  the  body  of 
character.  Holiness  is  religion  shining.  It  is  the 
candle  lighted,  and  not  hid  under  a  bushel,  but  light- 
ing the  house.  It  is  religious  principle  put  into 
motion.  It  is  the  love  of  God  sent  forth  into  circu- 
lation, on  the  feet,  and  with  the  hand?,  of  love  to 
man.     It  is  faith  gone  to  work.    It  is  charity  coined 

into  actions.    F.  D.  H. Exercise  thy  patience, 

that  thou  mayest  be  able  to  bear  ever  more  and 
more  lovingly  the  weaknesses  of  others.  Exercise 
thy  faith,  that  the  better  thou  mayest  be  able  to 
overcome  the  world.  Exercise  thy  love,  that  the 
easier  thou  mayest  find  self-denial.     Exercise  thy 


hope,  that  the  oftener  thou  hast  to  pass  through 
tribulation  the  easier  it  may  be  to  do  so.  Exercise 
thyself  in  knowing  God,  that  the  better  thou  may- 
est understand  his  ways.  Exercise  thyself  in  hu- 
mility, that  thou  mayest  become  more  and  more  like 
Jesus,  thy  lowly  Lord.  Have  no  self-will,  but  exer- 
cise thyself  in  trusting  to  the  guidance  of  God. 
Fear  God — the  longer,  the  more  childlike.  Trust 
God — the  longer,  the  more  confidingly.    A.  C. 

8.  Instead  of  ^'■projiteth  little,"  read  "  profiteth  for 
a  little,"  i.  e.,  is  of  some  use.  The  authorized  version 
gives  a  sense  implying  the  contrary :  "profiteth  little," 

meaning,  "  is  of  no  (or  hardly  any)  use."     A. 

He  takes  occasion  to  commend  that  higher  kind  of 
energetic  striving  which  became  the  spiritual  ath- 
letes of  the  gospel.  The  gymnastic  training  had  a 
measure  of  good  attending  it;  it  was  profitable  with- 
in a  certain  limited  sphere,  since  it  contributed  to 
the  healthfulness  and  agility  of  the  bodily  frame, 
and  brought  its  successful  cultivator  a  present  rec- 
ompense of  honor  or  reward.  But  the  sincere  and 
strenuous  cultivation  of  vital  godliness  rises  im- 
mensely above  this ;  it  carries  in  its  train  the  high- 
est good  of  which  man  is  capable,  and  thai  not 
merely  for  time  but  throughout  eternity.  For  such 
is  the  explanation  the  apostle  himself  gives,  in  the 
words  that  follow,  of  the  all  things  unto  which  godli- 
ness is  profitable.     P.  F. 

While  the  holiness  of  man  is  the  grand  and  ulti- 
mate end  of  God's  promises,  there  is  no  sensibility  or 
interest  of  man  to  which  they  do  not  appeal,  and  aim 
to  render  subservient  to  that  end.  They  create  no  in- 
terference, but  insure  a  perfect  coincidence  between 
man's  temporal  and  eternal  well-being.  "  Godli- 
ness "  has  the  "  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and 
of  that  which  is  to  come."  There  is  no  interest  of 
man  in  time  which  they  disregard  or  fail  to  pro- 
mote; no  wants  to  which  they  do  not  furnish  the 
adequate  and  the  best  supplies.  There  are  no 
temptations,  nor  trials,  nor  afflictions,  for  which 
support  and  deliverance  are  not  provided  ;  no  aff"ec- 
tions,  no  relations,  no  duties  which  pertain  to  man's 
present  state,  to  which  their  provisions  do  not  fully 
extend,  which  they  do  not  consult  and  regulate  in  a 
manner  worthy  of  God.  By  precepts  he  regulates 
all,  and  by  the  promises  engages  to  give  grace  and 
glory.     N.  W.  T. 

10.  They  felt  that  their  grand  interest,  alike  for 
time  and  eternity,  lay  in  the  service  and  blessing  of 
God ;  and  without  disparaging  anything  naturally 
pleasant  or  advantageous  which  the  course  of  divine 
providence  might  place  within  their  reach,  or  shun- 
ning as  unclean  what  God  had  given  to  be  used, 
they  still  showed  that  they  were  prepared  to  undergo 
any  sacrifice  of  fleshly  ease  or  worldly  honor  that 
micht  be  required  by  their  devotion  to  the  cause  of 
Christ,  assured  that  thereby  they  gained  more  than 
they  lost — that  they  advanced  their  interest  in  what 
alone  is  of  supreme  and  imperishable  moment.    P.F. 


il8 


SECTION  3£4.—  l  TIMOTHY  4  : 1-16. 


There  is  an  inner  and  an  outer  circle  of  redemp- 
tion, if  we  may  say  so,  both  having  a  common  cen- 
ter in  the  cross.  The  larger  describes  the  limits  of 
a  possible  and  provisional  salvation;  the  smaller 
those  of  an  actual  and  realized  salvation.  The 
whole  world  is  comprehended  in  the  one  ;  only  those 
who  believe  are  included  in  the  other :  "  God  who  is 
the  Saviour  of  all  men,  especially  of  those  who  be- 
lieve."    A.  J.  6. 

11.  Charge  these  things,  and  teach;  the  things, 
namely,  which  had  been  mentioned  in  the  imme- 
diately preceding  verses,  and  which  concerned  the 
whole  Church  of  Christ — involving  serious  dangers 
to  be  guarded  against,  and  lines  of  duty  to  be  reso- 
lutely pursued.  On  Timothy's  part,  therefore,  there 
were  both  charges  to  be  given  respecting  them, 
and  principles  as  to  truth  and  error  to  be  taught. 

12.  Thy  youth.  The  youth  of  Timothy  must 
be  understood  relatively:  though  a  person  in  the 
full  vigor  of  manhood,  he  still  was  young  for  such  a 
charge  as  had  been  devolved  on  him — much  younger, 
in  all  probability,  than  some  on  whom  he  had  to 
exercise  disciplinary  treatment.  The  natural  dispo- 
sition of  Timothy,  also,  formed  rather  for  helping 
and  obeying  than  commanding,  could  scarcely  fail 
to  aggravate  the  danger ;  so  that  against  this,  as  a 
weak  point  in  his  position,  he  was  fitly  called  by  the 
apostle  to  guard.  Respect  for  the  sacred  interests 
intrusted  to  him  required  that  he  should  be  manly 
and  firm.     P.  F. 

12.  An  example.  In  all  cases  in  which 
formal  instruction  or  advice  is  precluded,  how  in- 
valuable that  other  mode  of  access  to  the  minds  of 
men — the  silent,  unobtrusive,  inoffensive,  yet  most 
potent  and  persuasive  teaching  of  the  life !  The 
counsel  you  may  not  speak  you  may  yet  embody  in 
action.  To  the  faults  and  sins  you  can  not  notice  in 
words,  you  may  hold  up  the  mirror  of  a  life  bright 
with  purity  and  goodness  and  grace.  The  mind 
which  no  force  of  rebuke  could  drive  from  sin  may 
yet  be  insensibly  drawn  from  it  by  the  attractive 
power  of  holiness  ever  acting  in  its  presence. 
Caird. 

13.  Give  attention  to  reading.  The  word 
itself  should  be  read.  It  carries  its  own  lights, 
evidences,  defenses.  The  best  answer  to  some  of 
the  doubts  that  arise  about  it  is — to  read  it.  Some, 
never  do  thoroughly  read  the  Bible  ;  and,  as  a  con- 
sequence, they  do  not  perceive  its  continuities,  its 
harmonies,  its  grandeur.  "  The  Word  of  God  "  is 
a  great  building  —  an  historical,  moral  structure, 
growing  through  the  ages  into  a  very  temple — co- 
herent, symmetrical,  grand.     A.  R. Read,  not  to 

contradict  and  confute,  nor  to  believe  and  take  for 
granted,  nor  to  find  talk  and  discourse,  but  to 
weigh  and  consider.     Bacon. 

14.  The  prophecy  is  to  be  viewed  as  the  distinct 
enunciation  of  God's  will  in  respect  to  Timothy's 
qualifications — liis  spiritual  as  well  as  natural  quali- 
fications for  the  evangelistic  office ;  and  the  formal 
designation  of  him  by  the  presbytery  was  the 
Church's  response  to  the  declared  mind  of  God,  and 

appropriate  action  to  carry  it  into  effect.     P.  F. 

The  practice  of  ordination  in  the  primitive  Church 


supposes  that  it  was  instituted  by  Christ.  The 
"  laying  on  of  hands,"  we  are  required  to  consider  a 
part  of  Christianity  (Heb.  6  :  2).  Ordination  con- 
sists in  the  transmission  of  ecclesiastical  power  by 
the  solemn  and  appropriate  form  of  the  laying  on 
of  the  hands  of  presbyters.  The  laying  on  of  hands 
in  ordination  is  distinctly  recognized  both  by  apos- 
tolical example  and  precept.  Not  that  anything  is 
actually  conveyed  by  the  mere  imposition  of  hands 
from  the  persons  engaged  in  the  act  to  the  person 
who  is  the  object  of  it.  It  is  the  appropriate  mode 
by  which  it  hath  pleased  the  Head  of  the  Church  to 
express  the  communication  of  official  power  to  those 
by  whom  it  is  to  be  exercised.  The  act  of  ordina- 
tion belongs  to  persons  previously  ordained.  If  it 
is  significant  of  the  conveyance  of  office-power,  it 
can  only  be  performed  by  those  who  possess  such 
power.  The  power,  it  is  true,  is  not  derived  from 
men,  but  from  Christ,  the  fountain-head  of  all  au- 
thority. But  it  is  transmitted  through  men ;  and 
there  seems  to  be  an  obvious  propriety,  if  not  neces- 
sity, that  the  medium  of  transmission  should  be  such 
as  to  bring  to  view  the  thing  transmitted.     W.  S. 

15.  Meditate.  It  is  good  to  read,  mark, 
learn ;  but  it  is  better  to  inwardly  digest.  It  is 
good  to  read,  better  to  think — better  to  think  one 
hour  than  to  read  ten  hours  without  thinking. 
Thinking  is  to  reading  what  rain  and  sunshine  are 
to  the  seed  cast  into  the  ground — the  influence 
which  maketh  it  bear  and  bring  forth  thirty-,  forty-, 
or  a  hundred-fold.  To  read  is  to  gather  into  the 
barn  or  storehouse  of  the  mind ;  to  think  is  to  cast 
seed-corn  into  the  ground  to  make  it  productive. 
To  read  is  to  collect  information ;  to  think  is  to 

evolve  power.     Cameron. Interest  in  a  subject 

depends  very  much  on  our  knowledge  of  it ;  and  so 
it  is  with  the  things  of  Christ.  As  long  as  the  life 
and  death  of  Christ  are  strange  to  us,  how  can  we 
be  interested  about  them  ?  but  read  them,  thinking 
of  what  they  were,  and  what  were  their  ends,  and  who 
can  help  being  interested  about  them  ?  Read  them 
carefully,  and  read  them  often,  and  they  will  bring 
before  our  minds  the  very  thoughts  which  we  need, 
and  which  the  world  keeps  continually  from  us,  the 
thoughts  which  naturally  feed  our  prayers ;  thoughts 
not  of  self,  nor  selfishness,  nor  pleasure,  nor  pas- 
sion, nor  folly,  but  of  such  things  as  are  truly  God's 
— love,  and  self-denial,  and  purity,  and  wisdom. 
These  thoughts  come  by  reading  the  Scriptures ;  and 
strangely  do  they  mingle  at  first  with  the  common 
evil  thoughts  of  our  evil  nature.  But  they  soon 
find  a  home  within  us,  and  more  good  thoughts  gather 
round  them,  and  there  comes  a  time  when  daily  life 
with  its  various  business,  which  once  seemed  to  shut 
them  out  altogether,  now  ministers  to  their  nourish- 
ment. Thoughtfulness,  which  is  at  the  bottom  of 
all  religious  knowledge,  is  one  of  the  greatest  soft- 
eners of  the  human  mind,  not  in  itself  indeed  the 
same  as  love,  yet  naturally  preparing  the  way  for 
love.  And  thoughtfulness,  blessed  be  God  for  it, 
does  not  depend  on  learning,  nor  is  the  particular 


SECTION  325.— 1  TIMOTHY  5  : 1-25. 


519 


portion  of  those  who  have  read  many  books  and 
have  much  leisure.  Even  in  the  busiest  life,  he  who 
has  no  other  book  than  his  Bible  may  enjoy  the 
blessedness  of  thought;  of  such  thought  as  leads 
to  the  highest  wisdom  ;  thought  upon  life  and  death, 
sin  and  holiness,  God's  promises  and  Christ's  love. 
T.  A. 

Thy  profiting  may  appear.  Whatever  en- 
riches the  thoughts  of  men,  or  refines  and  exalts 
these,  or  puts  a  higher  energy  upon  them,  while 
leaving  the  principle  of  faith  undisturbed,  makes 
them  just  so  much  better  ministers  of  Christianity ; 
the  more  appropriate  and  powerful  agents  in  achiev- 
ing its  advance.  The  splendid  genius  of  the  apostle 
to  the  Gentiles,  cultivated  by  Greek  training,  and 
disciplined  by  the  masculine  regimen  of  the  Phari- 
sean  schools,  to  whom  travel  was  a  teacher,  and 
many  cities  the  halls  of  his  university — this  is  the 
great  example  of  the  fact,  from  the  primitive  time, 
for  all  after  ages.  And  every  illustrious  champion 
of  the  truth,  who  has  preached  Paul's  doctrine,  with 
his  spirit  reproduced,  till  the  nations  paused  at  his 
feet  to  hear  it,  and  listening  centuries  clasped  hands 
around  his  pulpit,  has  shown  the  same.     R,  S.  S. 

16.  Take  heed  to  thyself.  That  soul  will 
doubtless  be  very  wary  in  its  walk  that  takes  daily 
account  of  itself  and  renders  up  that  account  unto 
God.  It  will  not  live  by  guess,  but  naturally  ex- 
amine each  step  beforehand,  because  it  is  resolved 


to  examine  all  after ;  will  consider  well  what  it 
should  do,  because  it  means  to  ask  over  again  what 
it  hath  done  ;  and  not  only  to  answer  itself  but  to 
make  a  faithful  report  of  all  unto  God ;  to  lay  all 
before  him  continually  upon  trial  made ;  to  tell  him 
what  is  in  any  measure  well  done  as  his  own  work, 
and  bless  him  for  that,  and  tell  him,  too,  all  the  slips 
and  miscarriages  of  the  day  as  our  own ;  complain- 
ing of  ourselves  in  his  presence,  and  still  entreating 
free  pardon,  and  more  wisdom  to  walk  more  holily 
and  exactly ;  and  gaining,  even  by  our  failings, 
more  humility  and  more  watchfulness.     L. 

The  one  reason  for  being  zealous  for  Christian 
doctrine,  which  so  far  surpasses  all  others  that  beside 
it  they  become  as  nothing,  is  that  here  given  by 
Paul  to  Timothy:  "For  in  doing  this  thou  shalt 
both  save  thyself,  and  them  that  hear  thee."  Sav- 
ing, first,  ourselves ;  then  those  that  hear  us :  the 
sublime  can  go  no  further  !  Here  we  have  set  be- 
fore our  hearts,  soliciting  us  onward,  motives  which 
we  acknowledge  have  already  moved  the  very  heart 
of  the  Godhead.  To  save !  as  an  instrument  it  is 
true ;  but  oh,  how  infinitely  glorious,  even  as  an  in- 
strument, to  save  !  and  that  not  only  ourselves  but 
others !  While,  on  the  one  hand,  guarding  "  the 
doctrine"  is  the  only  means  of  retaining  saving 
power  in  the  Church,  on  the  other,  no  guard  upon 
the  doctrine  will  ever  be  effectual  unless  we  can 
raise  up  a  succession  of  saved  men.     Arthur. 


Section  325. 

1  Timothy  v.   1-25. 


1  Eebuee  not  an  elder,  but  entreat  Am  as  a  father ;  and  the  younger  men  as  brethren; 

2  the  elder  women  as  mothers ;  the  younger  as  sisters,  with  all  purity.    Honour  widows  that 

3  are  widows  indeed.    But  if  any  widow  have  children  or  nephews,  let  them  learn  first  to  shew 

4  piety  at  home,  and  to  requite  their  parents :  for  that  is  good  and  acceptable  before  God. 

5  Now  she  that  is  a  widow  indeed,  and  desolate,  trusteth  in  God,  and  continueth  in  supplica- 

6  tions  and  prayers  night  and  day.     But  she  that  liveth  in  pleasure  is  dead  while  she  Jiveth. 

7  And  these  things  give  in  charge,  that  they  may  be  blameless.    But  if  any  provide  not  for  his 

8  own,  and  specially  for  those  of  his  own  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith,  and  is  worse  than 
an  infidel. 

9  Let  not  a  widow  be  taken  into  the  number  under  threescore  years  old,  having  been  the  wife 

10  of  one  man.     Well  reported  of  for  good  works  ;  if  she  have  brought  up  children,  if  she  have 
lodged  strangers,  if  she  have  washed  the  saints'  feet,  if  she  have  relieved  the  afflicted,  if  she 

11  have  diligently  followed  every  good  work.    But  the  younger  widows  refuse :  for  when  they 

12  have  begun  to  wax  wanton  against  Christ,  they  will  marry ;  having  damnation,   because 

13  they  have  cast  off  their  first  faith.     And  withal  they  learn  to  le  idle,  wandering  about  from 
house  to  house ;  and  not  only  idle,  but  tattlers  also  and  busybodies,  speaking  things  which 

14  they  ought  not.     I  will  therefore  that  the  younger  women  marry,  bear  children,  guide  the 

15  house,  give  none  occasion  to  the  adversary  to  speak  reproachfully.     For  some  are  already 

16  turned  aside  after  Satan.     If  any  man  or  woman  that  believeth  have  widows,  let  them  re- 
lieve them,  and  let  not  the  church  be  charged;  that  it  may  relieve  them  that  are  widows 

17  indeed.     Let  the  elders  that  rule  well  be  counted  worthy  of  double  honour,  especially  they 

18  who  labour  in  the  word  and  doctrine.     For  the  Scripture  saith,  Thou  shalt  not  muzzle  the 


520 


SECTION  S25.—1  TIMOTEY  5  : 1-25. 


ox  that  trcadeth  out  the  corn.     And,  The  labourer  is  worthy  of  his  reward.     Against  an 

19  elder  receive  not  an  accusation,  but  before  two  or  three  witnesses.     Them  that  sin  rebuke 

20  before  all,  that  others  also  may  fear.     I  charge  thee  before  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 

21  and  the  elect  angels,  that  thou  observe  these  things  without  preferring  one  before  another, 

22  doing  nothing  by  partiality.     Lay  hands  suddenly  on  no  man,  neither  be  partaker  of  other 

23  men's  sins :  keep  thyself  pure.     Drink  no  longer  water,  but  use  a  little  wine  for  thy  stom- 

24  ach's  sake  and  thine  often  infirmities.     Some  men's  sius  are  open  beforehand,  going  before 

25  to  judgment ;  and  some  men  they  follow  after.     Likewise  also  the  good  works  of  some  are 
manifest  beforehand ;  and  they  that  are  otherwise  cannot  be  hid. 


Shew  piety  at  home.  The  home  came  from  heaven.  Modeled  on  the  Father's  house  and  the  many 
mansions,  and  meant  the  one  to  be  a  training-place  for  the  other,  the  home  is  one  of  the  gifts  of  the  Lord 
Jesus — a  special  creation  of  Christianity.  It  is  to  Jesus  Christ  we  owe  the  truth,  the  tenderness,  the 
purity,  the  warm  affection,  the  holy  aspiration,  which  go  together  in  that  endearing  word ;  for  it  is  ho  who 
has  made  obedience  so  beautiful  and  affection  so  holy,  it  is  he  who  has  brought  the  Father's  house  so 
near,  and  who  has  taught  us  that  love  is  of  God.  Keep  the  home  near  heaven.  Let  it  face  toward  the 
Father's  house.  Not  only  let  the  day  begin  and  end  with  God,  with  mercies  acknowledged  and  forgive- 
nesses sought,  but  let  it  be  seen  and  felt  that  God  is  your  chiefest  joy,  his  will  in  all  you  do  the  absolute 
and  sufficient  reason.  Life  is  a  passover  which  must  be  eaten  with  bitter  herbs,  and  if  you  have  faith  in 
God  he  will  never  be  nearer  than  when  grief  is  near ;  nor  is  aught  so  assuring,  so  hallowing,  as  the  com- 
fort his  presence  imparts  in  the  moment  of  panic,  in  the  long  days  of  sickness,  in  the  dark  days  of  sorrow ; 
and  the  saintliest  characters,  the  sweetest,  meekest  spirits,  are  those  who  have  had  some  signal  experience 
of  the  Saviour's  sympathy.     Hamillon. 


4.  To  show  piety  at  home  points  back  to  the  fifth 
commandment,  in  which  the  honoring  of  parents  is 
placed  in  immediate  connection  with  the  reverence 
and  homage  due  to  God,  and  the  things  which  most 
nearly  concern  his  glory ;  that  in  youthful  bosoms  is 
the  germ  of  fealty  to  God,  and  so  its  becoming  ex- 
ercise is  reckoned  a  department  of  piety.  The 
homes  in  which  such  reverential  feelings  are  cher- 
ished and  such  acts  of  loving-kindness  are  recipro- 
cated are  the  best  nurseries  of  the  Church — churches 
themselves,  indeed,  in  embryo,  because  the  homes  of 
Christian   tenderness,   holy  affection,   self-denying 

love,   and  fruitfulness  in  well-doing.     P.  F. A 

man's  duties,  his  love,  his  kindness,  his  patience,  his 
faith,  his  hope,  his  every  grace,  which  united  con- 
stitute the  perfect  man,  should,  the  moment  they 
leave  his  own  soul,  meet  first  with  his  wife  and  bless 
her,  and  meet  with  his  children  and  bless  them. 
The  good  Christian  is  a  good  Christian  especially  in 
the  closet  and  about  the  hearth.  The  poor  Chris- 
tian, the  almost  Christian,  appears  best  out  of  doors, 
abroad.  The  reason  is,  true  religion  is  a  burning 
light,  a  constantly  operating  force.  Upon  those 
nearest  to  it,  and  with  it,  it  must  shine  and  act  most 
frequently,  constantly,  and  salutarily.     R.  T. 

6.  Dead  while  she  liveth.  If  you  wish  to 
know  what  hollowness  and  heartlessness  are,  you 
must  seek  for  them  in  the  world  of  light,  elegant, 
superficial  fashion,  where  frivolity  has  turned  the 
heart  into  a  rock-bed  of  selfishness.  Say  what  men 
will  of  the  heartlessness  of  trade,  it  is  nothing  com- 
pared with  the  heartlessness  of  fashion.  Say  what 
they  will  of  the  atheism  of  science,  it  is  nothing  to 


the  atheism  of  that  round  of  pleasure  in  which  the 

heart  lives — dead  while  it  lives.    F.  W.  R. This 

life  without  a  true  present  is  in  reality  death.  What 
the  world  calls  enjoying  life  is  enjoying  death. 
Worse  than  pain  and  care,  more  exhausting  than 
suffering  and  anxiety,  is  this  empty  and  dreary  exis- 
tence, in  which  the  soul  has  no  bread,  no  water,  no 
sunshine,  no  love  ;  in  which  the  immortal  and  God- 
breathed  spirit  knows  only  time-life.    A.  S. 1 

have  always  been  regarded  as  exceptionally  favored 
by  fortune,  and  I  do  not  wish  to  complain  or.  find 
fault  with  the  course  of  my  life.  But,  after  all,  it  is 
nothing  but  labor  and  toil ;  and  I  may  truly  say  that 
during  my  seventy-five  years  I  have  not  had  four 
weeks  of  real  comfort.  It  is  the  never-ceasing  roll- 
ing of  a  stone,  which  must  always  be  lifted  anew. 
Goethe. 

God  is  the  soul  of  our  soul  and  the  life  of  our 
life ;  and  Christ  must  dwell  in  our  heart  by  faith, 
and  be  the  heart  of  our  heart,  to  enable  us  to  say 
with  Paul,  "  I  live ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in 
me."  The  ungodly  man  is  a  living  corpse;  the 
worm  of  sinful  desire  consumes  his  conscience ;  he 
is  an  abomination  in  the  eyes  of  the  Saviour,  and 

offensive  to  God  and  the  holy  angels.     Gotthold. 

Even  now  we  are  alive  unto  God  or  dead  unto  God ; 
and  to  be  dead  unto  God  or  to  be  alive  to  him  are 
things  perceptibly  different.  The  coldness  and  lone- 
hness  of  the  world  without  God  must  be  felt  more 
and  more  as  life  wears  on ;  in  every  change  of  our 
own  state,  in  every  separation  from  or  loss  of  a 
friend,  in  every  more  sensible  weakness  of  our  own 
bodies,  in  every  additional  experience  of  the  uncer- 


SECTIOX  325.— 1  TIMOTHY  5  : 1-25. 


521 


tainty  of  our  own  counsels,  the  deathlike  feeling 
will  come  upon  us  more  and  more  strongly.  And 
that  were  indeed  awful  if,  being  dead  to  God  and 
yet  little  feeling  it  because  of  the  enjoyments  of  our 
worldly  life,  those  enjoyments  were  on  a  sudden  to 
be  struck  away  from  us,  and  we  should  find  then 
that  to  be  dead  to  God  was  death  indeed,  a  death 
from  which  there  is  no  waking,  and  in  which  there 
is  no  sleeping  for  ever.     T.  A. 

8.  The  declaration  itself  is  quite  general.  It 
asserts  in  the  most  emphatic  manner  the  obligations 
springing  out  of  family  relationships  as  grounded 
in  the  constitution  of  nature,  and,  so  far  from  being 
annulled  or  relaxed  by  the  gospel,  only  thereby  ren- 
dered the  more  sacred  and  imperatively  binding. 
The  parent  who  refuses  (if  he  is  able)  to  support 
his  children  while  from  youth  or  infirmity  they  are 
dependent  on  his  care  and  help,  or  the  children  who 
refuse  to  minister  to  the  sustenance  and  comfort  of 
aged  parents,  both  alike  act  an  unfeeling  and  un- 
natural part ;  they  are  not  true  to  the  moral  instincts 
of  their  own  nature,  and  fall  beneath  the  standard 
which  has  been  recognized  and  acted  on  by  the  bet- 
ter class  of  heathens.  For  one,  therefore,  bearing 
the  Christian  name  to  disregard  such  claims  is 
utterly  inexcusable ;  it  is  not  simply  dishonoring  to 
Christ,  it  is  to  bring  reproach  on  our  common  hu- 
manity.    P.  F. 

11.  But  younger  widoios  decline,  namely,  to  put 
on  the  list  of  widows  entitled  to  special  guardian- 
ship and  sustenance  on  the  part  of  the  Church. 
They  might  have  remarried,  as  he  presently  states, 
without  incurring  any  blame,  yea,  with  his  own  ap- 
proval and  advice.  But,  as  contemplated  by  him, 
the  remarrying  was  the  fruit  of  a  growing  insensi- 
bility to  spiritual  things,  the  result  of  a  light,  frivo- 
lous, sensual  tone  of  mind,  fretting  under  the  yoke 
of  Christ,  and  seeking  to  break  loose  from  the  re- 
straints imposed  by  it  upon  the  heart  and  conduct. 
So  that  nothing  less  than  an  utter  shipwreck  of  the 
spiritual  life  was  supposed  to  be  involved  in  the 
new  and  backward  direction  taken  by  the  parties  in 
question.  12.  First  faith.  Their  simple  faith 
in  Christ  and  consecration  to  his  service  when  they 
first  assumed  the  Christian  name.  It  is  not  the 
simple  question  of  adherence  to  a  state  of  widow- 
hood, or  of  departure  from  it,  but  such  a  course  of 
defection  from  the  decorum  and  purity  becoming 
the  gospel  of  Christ  as  argued  a  virtual  abandon- 
ment of  the  faith.  13.  Other  proofs  are  here 
given  of  their  tendency  in  that  direction,  and  such 
as  would  naturally  grow  by  the  comparative  ease  in 
which  they  might  be  enabled  to  live  in  consequence 
of  the  pecuniary  support  ministered  to  them  by  the 
Church. 

16.  Relieve  them  that  are  widows  in- 
deed. A  return  is  here  made  to  the  principle  of 
private  beneficence  with  respect  to  young  or  wid- 
owed relatives,  and  that  for  the  purpose  of  extend- 
ing it  somewhat  beyond  the  line  indicated  in  verses 
4  and  8.  In  these  earlier  verses,  the  children  and 
widows  spoken  of  were  relatives  of  the  nearer  kind ; 
they  belonged  to  the  believer's  household,  and  had 


consequently  the  strongest  claim  on  the  means  and 
resources  of  the  house.  But  now  a  wider  circle  is 
embraced.  There  might  be  widows,  the  apostle  sug- 
gests, who  were  not  constituent  members  of  a  be- 
liever's family,  such  as  a  sister,  or  step-daughter,  or 
niece ;  and,  in  cases  of  that  description,  the  home 
resources  (if  adequate)  should,  according  to  the 
apostle,  be  charged  with  the  maintenance  of  the  be- 
reaved, so  as  to  allow  the  benefactions  of  the  Church 
to  be  applied  to  the  support  of  those  who  were 
widows  in  the  stronger  sense,  destitute  in  them- 
selves, and  without  the  sympathy  of  any  near  Chris- 
tian relative  to  fall  back  upon.     P.  F. 

17.  Much  controversy  has  revolved  round  these 
words.  The  question  is  whether  this  sentence  sanc- 
tions lay-elders  (so  called)  to  rule  and  a  clerical 
elder  for  preaching  and  teaching.  It  seems  to  us 
that  to  found  on  these  words  a  separation  of  elders 
into  two  entirely  different  classes  is  to  put  more 
strain  on  the  sentence  than  it  will  fairly  bear.  The 
distinctive  function  of  all  the  elders  in  any  congre- 
gation is  to  rule  in  truth  and  love,  to  superintend 
and  supervise  the  flock.  In  the  discharge  of  this 
duty,  they  are  to  teach  and  so  "  feed  the  flock  "  ac- 
cording to  their  opportunity  and  ability.  But  it  is 
in  harmony  both  with  Scripture  and  with  common 
sense,  and  it  is  found  in  practice  most  expedient, 
that  one  of  the  elders,  by  natural  adaptation,  by 
special  training,  and  by  spiritual  endowment  more 
fitted  than  others  to  teach,  should  be  charged  with 
the  public  instruction  of  the  people,  and  occupy  the 

Christian  pulpit.     D.  F. In  an  exegetical  point 

of  view,  the  closing  portion  of  the  note  of  Ellicott 
gives,  so  far,  what  must  be  regarded  as  the  fair  and 
natural  import  of  the  apostle's  language :  "  The 
concluding  words  certainly  seem  to  imply  two  kinds 
of  ruling  presbyters — those  who  preached  and  taught, 
and  those  who  did  not ;  and,  though  it  has  been  plau- 
sibly urged  that  the  differentia  lies  in  '  labor,'  and 
that  the  apostle  does  not  so  much  distinguish  be- 
tween the  functions  as  the  execution  of  them,  it  yet 
seems  more  natural  to  suppose  the  existence,  in  the 
large  community  at  Ephesus,  of  a  clerical  college  of 
governing  elders,  some  of  whom  might  have  the 
gift  of  teaching  more  eminently  than  others."  But 
it  must  in  fairness  be  added  that  this  teaching  quali- 
fication appears  here  rather  as  a  separable  adjunct 
than  an  essential  attribute  of  the  presbyteral  func- 
tion— a  gift  which,  in  so  far  as  possessed  and  faith- 
fully exercised,  would  materially  contribute  to  the 
efficiency  of  the  ofiice,  and  entitle  him  who  so  held 
it  to  special  honor,  yet  not  so  as  to  disqualify  those 
who  wanted  it  from  discharging,  and  even  discharg- 
ing with  credit,  its  primary  duties.  Seeing  it  was 
a  spiritual  community  which  was  here  under  con- 
sideration, a  certain  didactic  power  must  be  un- 
derstood to  have  belonged  to  every  one  who  could 
rightly  take  part  in  the  government  of  its  members ; 
for  it  belonged  to  his  ofl3ce  that  be  should  at  least 
be  able  to  discern  between  carnal  and  spiritual  in 
the  characters  of  men,  be  capable  of  testing  their 
knowledge  in  divine  things,  and  by  private  fellow- 
ship and  friendly  admonition;  if  not  otherwise,  sub- 
serve the  interests  of  truth  and  righteousness  among 
them.  So  much  must  be  supposed  inseparable  from 
the  office  of  presbyter  as  held  by  every  qualified 
person ;  but  the  gift  of  teaching  in  the  more  dis- 
tinctive sense,  or,  in  modern  phrase,  of  preaching 
the  gospel  with  intelligence  to  the  edification  of 
others,  is  not  represented  as  indispensable.  A  man 
might  as  a  presbyter  govern,  and  even  govern  well, 


522 


SECTION  325.— 1  TIMOTHY  5  : 1-25. 


without  it.  And  indeed,  as  Lightfoot  remarks,  hav- 
ing respect  to  the  actual  state  of  things  in  most  of 
the  early  churches,  "■government  was  probably  the 
first  conception  of  the  office  " — hence,  also,  in  this 
passage  governing  is  the  distinctive  epithet  coupled 
with  presbyters  ;  yet  he  justly  adds  that  "  the  work 
of  teaching  must  have  fallen  to  the  presbyters  from 
the  very  first,  and  have  assumed  greater  prominence 
as  time  went  on."     P.  F. 

18.  Or,  as  it  might  be  expressed.  Thou  shalt 
not  muzzle  an  ox  when  threshing.  The  form  of  ex- 
pression points  to  the  peculiar  mode  of  threshing  in 
the  East,  by  driving  oxen  over  heaps  of  corn  lying 
on  the  barn-floor,  and,  either  by  their  feet  or  by 
means  of  a  hurdle  drawn  after  them,  bruising  the 
mass  so  as  to  separate  the  grain  from  the  straw  and 
chaff.  The  passage  respecting  it  is  taken  from 
Deut.  25  :  4,  and  is  one  of  a  series  of  dii'ections  en- 
joining kind  and  considerate  behavior.  It  is  the 
only  one  that  has  immediate  respect  to  the  lower 
animals;  all  the  rest  bear  on  the  conduct  that 
should  be  maintained  toward  one's  fellow-creatures, 
and  especially  toward  those  who  might  be  in  the 
unhappy  position  of  bondmen;  so  that  we  can 
scarcely  suppose  this  somewhat  exceptional  instruc- 
tion could  have  been  designed  for  the  exclusive 
benefit  of  oxen.  We  may  rather  suppose  it  was 
intended,  by  carrying  the  injunction  to  cultivate  a 
tender  and  beneficent  disposition  so  low,  to  make  it 
all  the  more  sure  that  such  a  disposition  should  be 
exercised  toward  brethren  of  one's  own  flesh,  most 
especially  toward  those  who  were  laying  themselves 
out  in  self-denying  labors  for  the  public  good.  It  is 
therefore  a  perfectly  legitimate  application  which  is 
made  of  the  passage  here,  and  in  1  Cor.  9  :  9,  to  the 
laborers  in  the  Christian  ministry.  This  prudential 
maxim,  it  should  be  added,  is  introduced,  like  the 
legal  prescription  before  it,  merely  for  the  sake  of 
the  general  principle  embodied  in  it.     P.  F. 

20.  Closely  connected  with  its  government  is 
the  discipline  of  the  Church.  The  purity,  peace, 
and  order  of  the  Church  depend  much  on  this  in- 
stitution of  Christ  being  properly  administered  in 
all  its  legitimate  objects.  That  he  has  made  provi- 
sion for  these  appears  from  the  power  with  which 
he  has  invested  office-bearers  in  the  Church  to  re- 
ceive qualified  persons  into  communion  ;  to  exercise 
a  watchful  inspection ;  to  take  cognoscence  of  of- 
fenses against  the  laws  of  Christ's  house ;  to  cite 
and  examine  offenders ;  to  administer  censure  ac- 
cording to  the  nature  and  degree  of  the  ofi'ense; 
and  either  to  restore  to  or  finally  eject  from  the 
fellowship  of  the  body  as  the  person  may  appear 
to  have  profited  or  not  by  the  censure  administered. 
The  authority  of  Christ  in  this,  as  in  the  other  in- 
stitutions of  his  house,  is  a  merciful  authority.  It 
is  a  proof  of  his  love,  designed  to  promote  the  best 
interests  of  the  offenders  themselves,  as  well  as  of 
the  body  at  large  to  which  they  belong,  and,  if 
rightly  improved,  a  manifest  and  decided  blessing. 
"  If  he  shall  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the 
Church ;  but,  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the  Church,  let 
him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen  man  and  a  publican. 
Them  that  sin  rebuke  before  all,  that  others  may 
fear.  A  man  that  is  a  heretic,  after  the  first  and 
second  admonition,  reject."     W.  S. 

22.  Paul  had  just  lieen  speaking  of  offenses, 
and  of  the  importance  of  dealing  witli  them  in  an 
impartial  and  faithful  manner.  It  was  in  perfect 
keeping  with  this  that  an  exhortation  should  be 
given  Timothy  to  beware  of  making  rash  appoint- 


ments to  the  ministerial  ofiice — to  take  pains  before- 
hand to  ascertain  the  godly  life  of  the  persons  who 
should  receive  the  appointment,  lest  he  should  be 
found  stamping  with  his  formal  approval  and  rais- 
ing to  the  government  of  the  Church  men  who  were 
themselves,  perhaps,  of  doubtful  character,  or  amena- 
ble to  discipline.  Hence  it  is  added :  neither  partici- 
pate in  other  nien^s  sins.  He  would  virtually  have 
done  so,  if  he  was  remiss  in  his  appointments  to  the 
higher  offices  in  the  Church,  and  did  not  carefully 
distinguish  between  the  worthy  and  the  unworthy. 
And  further :  keep  thyself  pure.  The  emphasis  is 
on  tlu/self,  which  is  hence  placed  first  in  the  original. 
Kot  only  beware,  by  hasty  ordinations  or  otherwise, 
of  coming  into  improper  alliance  with  the  sins  of 
others,  but  see  that  thine  own  conduct  is  free  from 
any  marked  blemishes.     P.  F. 

23.  Imagine  an  impostor  sitting  down  to  forge 
an  epistle  in  the  name  of  Paul.  Is  it  credible  that 
it  should  come  into  his  head  to  give  such  a  direction 
as  this ;  so  remote  from  everything  of  doctrine  or 
discipline,  everything  of  public  concern  to  the  reli- 
gion or  the  Church,  or  to  any  sect,  order,  or  party  in 
it,  and  from  every  purpose  with  which  such  an  epis- 
tle could  be  written  '?  It  seems  to  me  that  nothing 
but  reality — that  is,  the  real  valetudinary  situation 
of  a  real  person — could  have  suggested  a  thought  of 
so  domestic  a  nature.  But,  if  the  peculiarity  of  the 
advice  be  observable,  the  place  in  which  it  stands  is 
more  so.  The  train  of  thought  seems  to  be  broken 
to  let  it  in.  Now  when  does  this  happen  ?  It  hap- 
pens when  a  man  writes  as  he  remembers  ;  when  he 
puts  down  an  article  that  occurs  the  moment  it  oc- 
curs, lest  he  should  afterward  forget  it.  Paley. 
Timothy  had  a  great,  and  in  many  respects  irk- 
some, work  to  do,  with  the  disadvantage  of  a  delicate 
and  often  ailing  frame ;  and,  if  care  were  not  taken  to 
place  it  under  proper  dietary  treatment,  he  would 
inevitably  become  more  or  less  incapacitated  for  duty. 
And,  as  regards  the  specific  means  recommended  for 
this  end,  the  taking  of  a  little  wine,  the  apostle  is  to 
be  contemplated  merely  in  the  light  of  a  friend,  ex- 
horting to  the  use  of  what  was  then  understood  to 
belong  to  the  proper  regimen  for  such  infirmities  as 
Timothy  was  laboring  under.  He  necessarily  wrote 
from  the  point  of  view  common  to  him  and  his  con- 
temporaries, having  regard  to  what  was  then  believed 
to  be  best ;  and  possibly,  if  we  knew  more  fully  the 
circumstances  of  the  case,  it  might  even  still  be 
deemed  such.  On  every  account,  we  ought  to  take 
the  advice  tendered  by  the  apostle  in  its  simplest  and 
most  obvious  import.     P.  F. 

24.  Some  sins  are  so  plain,  so  glaring,  that  they 
carry  the  thoughts  at  once  to  the  bar  of  God,  and 
spectators  are  led  irresistibly  to  speak  of  the  fearful 
account  that  must  be  rendered  ;  and  such  sins  are  as 
swift  reporting  messengers  sent  onward  to  the  judg- 
ment. Other  sins  are  not  fully  completed  till  after 
the  author  of  them  has  gone  to  his  grave ;  the  results 
of  them  are  not  developed,  the  purposes  of  them  not 
accomplished ;  but,  as  fast  as  they  are,  so  fast  the 
witnesses  of  them  travel  on  after  the  author,  to  over- 
take him  in  the  eternal  world.  The  witnesses  against 
some  men,  we  have  reason  to  believe,  will  thus  be 
crowding  into  the  eternal  world  to  the  end  of  time, 
the  indictment  against  them  not  being  filled  up  till 
the  last  result  of  their  iniquity  is  developed.  A 
man,  for  example,  who  writes  an  immoral  but  im- 
mortal book,  may  be  tracked  into  eternity  by  a  pro- 
cession of  lost  souls  from  every  generation,  every 
one  of  them  to  be  a  witness  against  him  at  the  judg- 


SECTION  326.— 1  TIMOTHY  6  : 1-21.  523 


ment,  to  show  to  him  and  to  the  universe  the  im- 
measurable dreadfulness  of  his  iniquity.  But  the 
good  wojks  of  good  men  are  as  immortal  as  the  bad 
works  of  evil  men.  They,  too,  are  swift  messengers, 
but  bright  celestial  ones,  before  the  throne  of  God 
in  judgment.  They,  too,  come  trooping  into  the 
eternal  world  as  witnesses  long  after  the  authors  of 
them  have  entered  on  their  reward.  And  who  can 
tell  the  blessedness  of  such  men  as  Baxter,  Bunyau, 


Doddridge,  Flavel,  and  others,  when  they  see,  genera- 
tion after  generation,  the  results  and  marks  of  their 
own  earthly  labors,  in  souls  that  follow  after  them 
to  glory  ?  Kot  a  cup  of  cold  water  given  to  a  dis- 
ciple, nor  a  widow's  mite  put  into  Christ's  treasury, 
nor  a  penitent  tear,  nor  a  fervent,  faithful  prayer, 
nor  any  thought  or  deed  of  self-denying  love,  but  is 
recorded  in  the  book  of  life  and  sends  on  its  witness 
for  the  gi-eat  day.     G.  B.  C. 


Section  326. 

1     TlilOTHT    vi.    1-21. 


1  Let  as  many  servants  as  are  under  the  yoke  count  their  own  masters  worthy  of  all  hon- 

2  our,  that  the  name  of  God  and  his  doctrine  be  not  blasphemed.  And  they  that  have  believing 
masters,  let  them  not  despise  tJiem^  because  they  are  brethren  ;  but  rather  do  them  service, 
because  they  are  faithful  and  beloved,  partakers  of  the  benefit.     These  things  teach  and  ex- 

3  hort.     If  any  man  teach  otherwise,  and  consent  not  to  wholesome  words,  even  the  words  of 

4  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  the  doctrine  which  is  according  to  godliness ;  he  is  proud, 
knowing  notliing,  but  doting  about  questions  and  strifes  of  words,  whereof  conieth  envy, 

5  strife,  railings,  evil  surmisings,  perverse  disputings  of  men  of  corrupt  minds,  and  destitute 
of  the  truth,  supposing  that  gain  is  godliness  :  from  such  Avithdraw  thyself. 

6  But  godliness  with  contentment  is  great  gain.     For  we  brought  nothing  into  this  world, 

7  and  it  is  certain  we  can  carry  nothing  out.     And  having  food  and  raiment  let  us  be  there- 

8  with  content.     But  they  that  will  be  rich  fall  into  temptation  and  a  snare,  and  into  many 

9  foolish  and  hurtful  lusts,  which  drown  men  in  destruction  and  perdition.     For  the  love  of 

10  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil:  which  while  some  coveted  after,  they  have  erred  from  the 

11  faith,  and  pierced  themselves  through  with  many  sorrows.     But  thou,  O  man  of  God,  flee 
these  things;  and  follow  after  righteousness,  godliness,  faith,  love,  patience,  meekness. 

12  Fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  lay  hold  on  eternal  life,  whereunto  thou  art  also  called,  and 

13  hast  professed  a  good  profession  before  many  witnesses.     I  give  thee  charge  in  the  sight  of 
God,  who  quickeneth  all  things,  and  iefore  Christ  Jesus,  who  before  Pontius  Pilate  wit- 

14  nessed  a  good  confession ;  that  thou  keep  this  commandment  without  spot,  unrebukeable, 

15  until  the  appearing  of  6ur  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  which  in  his  times  he  shall  shew,  icho  is  the 

16  blessed  and  only  Potentate,  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords;  who  only  hath  immor- 
tality, dwelling  in  the  light  which  no  man  can  approach  unto ;  whom  no  man  hath  seen,  nor 

17  can  see :  to  whom  ie  honour  and  power  everlasting.     Amen.     Charge  them  that  are  rich 
in  this  world,  that  they  be  not  highminded,  nor  trust  in  uncertain  riches,  but  in  the  living 

18  God,  who  giveth  us  richly  all  things  to  enjoy;  that  they  do  good,  that  they  be  rich  in  good 

19  works,  ready  to  distribute,  willing  to  communicate ;  laying  up  in  store  for  themselves  a  good 

20  foundation  against  the  time  to  come,  that  they  may  lay  hold  on  eternal  life.     O  Timothy, 
keep  that  which  is  committed  to  thy  trust,  avoiding  profane  and  vain  babblings,  and  oppo- 

21  sitions  of  science  falsely  so  called :  which  some  professing  have  erred  concerning  the  faith. 
Grace  be  with  thee.     Amen. 

The  good  fight  is  the  fight  with  sin — sin  whhm  and  sin  without — whatever  would  overcome  us  or  keep 
our  souls  from  God.  This  implies  opposition  to  all  evils  that  come  properly  within  the  sphere  of  our 
effort — the  chronic  depravity  of  the  world,  the  phases  of  iniquity  which  corrupt  morals,  and  make  gain 
godliness,  and  blight  the  influences  of  the  gospel,  and  sometimes  we  must  come  to  a  hand-to-hand  fight 
with  these.  And  yet  we  are  to  fight  our  way  through  with  the  patience  of  Job  and  the  charity  of  Jesus, 
so  that  abuse  shall  leave  no  scar  on  our  even  temper,  and  disappointment  shall  generate  no  bitterness  of 
spirit,  and  our  zeal  shall  not  prove  a  sword  on  which  we  fall  ourselves.  The  real  battle  of  life  is  in  a 
man's  own  soul.  There,  with  no  eye  on  it  but  God's,  the  fight  begins  and  goes  on.  As  there  is  success 
or  defeat  there,  the  issue  of  life  itself  is  decided  for  good  or  evil.  The  conqueror  within  will  be  the  con- 
queror without.     Yet  the  revolution  within  that  throws  off  the  usurped  authority  of  Satan  and  the  powers 


52i 


SECTION  326.— 1  TIMOTHY  6  : 1-21. 


of  darkness  can  be  carried  forward  only  by  a  divine  energy.  He  that  would  fight  successfully  the  great 
conflict  of  life  must  first  of  all  recognize  his  dependence  on  a  higher  power.  He  must  place  himself 
under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty.  He  must  call  mightily  on  him  who  by  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  can 
change  the  nature  of  the  soul  and  transform  it  into  his  own  image.     E.  H.  G. 


1.  To  an  English  reader  the  term  servants  may 
or  may  not  mean  bondmen.  But  in  the  Greek 
douloi  there  is  no  such  ambiguity ;  its  proper  mean- 
ing was  slave,  and,  as  ordinarily  used,  the  douloi 
were  those  under  yoke.  The  tendency  and  purport 
of  the  exhortation  manifestly  is,  to  caution  this  part 
of  the  Christian  community  to  beware  of  imagining 
that  their  spiritual  calling  and  privileges  entitled 
them  to  spurn  the  outward  restraints  under  which 
they  lay,  and  disregard  the  duties  of  their  station. 
They  were  rather,  on  this  very  account,  to  behave 
toward  their  masters  with  becoming  regard  and  sub- 
mission, lest  otherwise,  as  Chrysostom  puts  it,  "  if 
the  master  should  see  them  carrying  themselves 
loftily  because  of  their  faith,  he  should  blaspheme, 
as  if  the  doctrine  were  the  ground  of  their  insubor- 
dination ;  whereas,  if  he  should  see  them  obedient, 
he  may  the  more  readily  believe,  and  attend  to  the 
things  that  are  spoken."  Ilence  the  special  reason 
given  by  the  apostle  for  the  dutiful  behavior  of  the 
Christian  bondmen  is,  thai  the  name  of  God  and  his 
doctrine  (or  the  teaching,  namely,  of  the  gospel) 
may  not  be  blasphemed. 

[It  must  be  noted,  however,  that,  while  the  mean- 
ing here  and  in  many  other  passages  is  plain  enough, 
the  usage  of  the  New  Testament  in  regard  to  doulos 
is  of  some  latitude.  The  usage,  indeed,  is  derived 
from  the  Septuagint,  in  which  the  Hebrew  word  is 
sometimes  rendered  by  doulos,  even  in  the  case  of 
persons  whose  service  was  entirely  free.  It  is, 
moreover,  applied  there  to  the  relation  and  service 
of  God's  more  peculiar  instruments  of  working, 
very  often  by  David  to  himself  with  reference  to 
God,  to  whom  he  felt  bound  to  render  the  fullest 
obedience.  This  naturally  led  to  a  more  extended 
and  honorable  use  of  the  word  by  the  New  Testa- 
ment writers  than  is  found  with  classical.  It  is  ap- 
plied there  to  true  Christians  generally ;  to  apos- 
tles, prophets,  and  ministers  of  the  New  Testament 
Church  ;  to  Moses,  the  highest  authority  in  the  old 
dispensation  (Rev.  15  :  3);  and  even  to  Christ,  the 
highest  in  the  new  (Phil.  2  :  7).  In  all  such  cases, 
the  rendering  slave,  or  bondman,  would  convey  an 
entirely  false  impression;  for,  while  there  is  im- 
plied in  the  relation  a  binding  or  constraining  ele- 
ment, it  is  that  of  willing,  devoted  love,  not  of 
legal  or  outward  compulsion.  In  some  cases,  also, 
when  the  relation  is  simply  human,  the  term  de- 
notes plainly  the  higher  class  of  dependents — stew- 
ards or  overseers,  not  bondmen  of  any  sort.] 

5.  Godliness  is  gain;  not  as  our  translators 
have  put  it,  "  that  gain  is  godliness,"  for  no  one 
scarcely  would  think  of  identifying  gain  absolutely 
with  godliness.  But  there  have  never  been  wanting 
those  who  suppose  godliness  to  be  gain,  consider  it 
as  a  lucrative  concern,  and  profess  it  only  in  so  far 
as  they  find  it  serviceable  to  their  worldly  inter- 
ests.   P.  F, 

6.  Devotion  is  the  life  of  religion,  the  very  soul 
of  piety,  the  highest  employment  of  grace,  and  no 
other  than  the  prepossession  of  heaven  by  the  saints 


of  God  here  upon  earth,  every  improvement  where- 
of is  of  more  advantage  and  value  to  the  Christian 
than  all  the  profit  and  contentment  which  this 
world  can  afford.     Bj3.  11. 

T.  All  that  we  i-eceive  in  this  world,  from  the 
hour  of  our  birth  to  the  hour  of  our  death,  in  food, 
drink,  raiment,  and  lodging,  is  the  bread  of  grace 
and  sorrow,  and  is  necessary  to  life.  But  we  must 
leave  all  behind  us  in  the  hour  of  death,  and  depart 
hence  even  poorer  than  when  we  came.  For  a  man, 
when  he  cometh  into  the  world,  bringeth  body  and 
soul  with  him,  and  he  hath  forthwith  his  raiment, 
food,  and  lodging.  But,  when  he  dieth,  he  must 
leave  not  only  these  behind,  but  his  body,  and  life 
likewise.  Who,  then,  is  poorer  than  man  is  when 
he  dieth  ?    Arnd. 

9.  That  will  be  rich.  Preach  to  the  con- 
science of  a  covetous  person  (if  he  may  be  said  to 
have  any)  with  the  tongue  of  men  and  angels,  and 
tell  him  of  the  vanity  of  the  world,  of  treasure  in 
heaven,  and  of  the  necessity  of  being  "  rich  toward 
God  "  and  liberal  to  his  poor  brother,  and  it  is  all 
but  flat,  insipid,  and  ridiculous  stuff  to  him  who 
neither  sees,  nor  feels,  nor  suffers  anything  to  pass 

into  his  heart  but  through  his  hands.     E.  S. A 

covetous  man  serveth  his  riches,  and  not  they  him  ; 
and  he  is  said  to  have  goods  as  he  hath  a  fever, 
which  holdeth  and  tyrannizeth  over  a  man,  not  he 

over  it.     Charron. The  price  which  the  rich  man 

pays  for  his  wealth  is  the  temptation  to  be  selfish. 
If  you  ivill  be  rich,  you  must  be  content  to  pay  the 
price  of  falling  into  temptation  and  a  snare  and 
many  foolish  and  hurtful  lusts.  K  that  price  be 
too  high  to  pay,  then  you  must  be  content  with  the 
quiet  valleys  of  existence,  where  alone  it  is  well 
with  us  ;  kept  out  of  an  inheritance,  but  having  in- 
stead God  for  your  portion,  peace  and  quietness, 
and  rest  with  Christ.     F.  W.  R. 

Into  many  hurtful  lusts.  So  hard  is  it  for 
the  corruption  of  man's  nature  not  to  work  where 
it  has  such  plenty  of  materials  to  work  upon.  For 
who  so  strongly  tempted  to  pride  as  he  who  has 
riches  to  bear  it  out  ?  Who  so  prone  to  be  luxuri- 
ous as  he  who  has  wealth  to  feed  and  maintain  his 
luxury  ?  Who  so  apt  to  besot  himself  with  idle- 
ness as  he  who  can  command  and  have  all  things, 
and  yet  do  nothing  ?  What  sin  so  costly  which  the 
rich  man  may  not  venture  upon,  if  he'  can  but 
stretch  his  conscience  to  the  measures  of  his  purse  ? 
It  is  a  miracle  almost  for  a  rich  man  not  to  be  over- 
run with  vice,  having  both  such  strong  inclinations 


SECTION  326.— 1  TIMOTHY  6  : 1-21. 


525 


to  it  from  within,  and  such  inducements  and  oppor- 
tunities to  it  from  without.     E.  S. And  these 

are  foolish  lusts,  too,  unreasonable,  childish  desires ; 
after  one  bargain,  such  another ;  and  after  one  sin, 
another ;  to  make  even,  and  somewhat  then  to  keep 
that  whole ;  and  so  on  without  end.  If  their  hearts 
are  set  upon  purchase  and  land,  still  some  house  or 
neighbor-field,  some  Naboth-vineyard  is  in  their 
eyes,  and  all  the  rest  is  nothing  without  that,  which 
discovers  the  madness  of  this  humoi",  this  dropsy- 
thirst.     L. 

Drown  men  in  perdition.  When  a  man 
has  no  other  object  than  simply  to  make  money 
when  he  has  more  than  he  can  or,  which  is  the  same 
thing,  is  willing  to  apply  to  useful  purposes ;  when 
he  has  no  ultimate  purpose  in  view,  but  his  desires 
terminate  upon  property  for  its  own  sake,  it  matters 
not  who  he  may  be,  what  his  outward  exhibitions  of 
character,  or  what  his  visible  relations,  he  is  under 
the  influence  of  the  same  spirit  which,  as  it  con- 
trolled a  false  disciple,  led  the  Redeemer  to  the 
ignominy  and  death  of  the  cross ;  and  we  can  say 
of  him  without  hesitation,  if  he  lives  and  dies  un- 
der its  power,  "  it  had  been  better  for  him  if  he 

had  never  been  born."    E.  M. There  is  no  sphere 

so  humble  and  contracted  as  to  secure  a  man  against 
the  intrusion  of  cupidity.  He  need  not  plunge  into 
the  ocean  in  order  to  drown  himself — a  very  shallow 
stream  will  suffice,  if  he  chooses  to  lie  prostrate  in 
it ;  and  the  desire  of  the  smallest  gain,  if  his  heart 
be  immersed  in  pursuit,  will  as  certainly  "  drown 
him  in  perdition  "  as  if  the  object  of  his  cupidity 
were  the  wealth  of  a  Croesus.     J.  H. 

10.  For  a  root  of  all  evih  is  the  love  of  money. 
The  sentiment  is,  that  there  is  no  kind  of  evil  to 
which  the  love  of  money  may  not  lead  men,  when 
it  once  fairly  takes  hold  of  them.  The  passion  is 
obviously  identified  by  the  apostle  with  its  object — 
money  as  a  thing  loved  and  sought  after ;  and  some, 
he  says,  reaching  forth  in  their  desires  after  this, 
made  a  twofold  shipwreck :  first,  of  their  Christian 
principles,  departing  from  the  faith ;  and  second,  of 
their  happiness,  piercing  themselves  through  (trans- 
fixed) with  many  pangs.      P.  F. The   passion 

("  the  love  of  money  ")  exists  under  various  modifi- 
cations. In  some  few  of  its  subjects,  it  appears  to 
be  pure,  unmixed,  exclusive  ;  terminates  and  is  con- 
centrated upon  just  the  money  itself  the  delight  of 
being  the  owner  of  so  much.  The  whole  soul  is 
absorbed  in  this  one  sentiment.  This  is  plain,  gen- 
uine idolatry.  But,  in  much  the  greater  number  of 
instances,  the  passion  involves  a  regard  to  some 
relative  objects.  In  some  it  is  combined  with  vani- 
ty ;  a  stimulating  desire  of  the  reputation  of  being 
rich — to  be  talked  of,  admired,  envied.  We  have 
even  heard  of  such  a  thing  as  a  desire  of  the  fame 
of  dying  rich  !    In  some  it  has  very  much  a  refer- 


ence to  that  authority,  weight,  prevailing  influence 
in  society  which  property  confers  ;  here  it  is  ambi- 
tion rather  than  avarice.  In  some  the  passion  has 
its  incitement  in  an  exorbitant  calculation  for  com- 
petence. So  much  and  so  much  they  shall  want ; 
so  much  more  they  may  want,  for  themselves  or 
their  descendants. 

Root  of  all  evil.  One  of  the  evil  effects  of 
this  passion  is  that  it  tends  to  arrogate  and  nar- 
row and  impel  the  whole  action  and  passion  of  the 
soul  toward  one  exclusive  object,  and  that  an  igno- 
ble one.  Almost  every  thought  that  starts  is  to  go 
that  way.  This  passion,  too,  when  thus  predomi- 
nant, throws  a  mean  character  into  the  estimate  of 
all  things,  as  they  are  all  estimated  according  to  a 
standard  of  money-value  and  in  referenee  to  gain. 
It  places  a  man  in  a  very  selfish  relation  to  other 
men  around  him.  He  can  not  sell  them,  but  the  con- 
stant question  in  his  mind  is,  "  What  and  how  can 
I  gain  by  them?"  When  this  principle  has  the 
full  ascendancy,  it  creates  a  settled  hardness  of 
character.  The  man  lives,  as  to  the  kinder  affec- 
tions, in  the  region  of  perpetual  ice.  He  is  little 
accessible  to  the  touches  and  emotions  of  sympathy, 
can  not  give  himself  out  in  any  generous  expansion 
of  the  affections.  And  the  disposition  in  question 
operates  with  a  slow  but  continual  effect  to  pervert 
the  judgment  and  conscience.  It  is  constantly  press- 
ing the  line  that  divides  right  from  wrong ;  it  re- 
moves it,  bends  it  away,  by  slight  degrees.  The 
distinction  becomes  less  positive  to  the  judgment. 
Self-interested  casuistry  is  put  in  operation.  Un- 
sound pleas  and  reasons  and  excuses  are  called  in. 
There  is  a  constant  tendency  to  equivocate  with  con- 
science, and  this  often  ends  in  at  once  satisfying  it 
and  defrauding  it.  As  a  final  point,  we  need  not  do 
more  than  advert  to  the  enormous  account  of  abso- 
lute andflagrant  ivrongs  which  have  been  perpetrated 
from  the  love  of  money — the  frauds,  the  taking 
advantage  of  law  in  despite  of  moral  justice,  the 
plunders  and  murders,  and  the  black  list  of  other 
iniquitous  expedients.  What  a  legion  of  violences 
and  villainies  this  passion  can  boast  to  have  brought 
upon  mankind  !    J.  F. 

■  Many  sorrows.  Sorrows  not  of  the  lighter 
and  more  transient  sort,  which  give  the  mind  but 
feeble  touches  and  short  visits,  and  quickly  go  off 
again ;  but  they  are  such  as  enter  into  the  inner- 
most parts  and  powers  of  it,  and,  in  a  word,  pierce 
it  through  and  through,  and  draw  out  the  very  life 
and  spirit  through  the  wound  they  make.  These 
are  the  peculiar  and  extraordinary  sorrows  which  go 
before,  accompany,  and  follow  riches,  thus  "  coveted 
after,"  and  there  is  no  man,  though  in  never  so  low 
a  station,  who  sets  his  heart  upon  growing  rich,  but 
shall,  in  his  proportion,  be  sure  to  have  his  share  of 
them.     K.  S. 


526 


SECTION  326.— 1  TIMOTHY  6  : 1-21. 


11.  We  hear  the  apostle  Paul  warning  even 
Timothy.  He  had  seen  so  many  apparent  proficients 
in  piety  drawn  in  by  this  moral  maelstrom  and 
"drowned  in  perdition,"  that  he  called  on  his 
"  dearly  beloved  Timothy,  his  own  son  in  the  faith  " 
called  on  him  with  more  than  his  usual  earnest- 
ness— to  flee  to  the  greatest  distance  from  this 
fatal  vortex.  "  0  man  of  God,"  said  he,  "  flee 
these  things."  As  if,  by  a  special  appointment  of 
Heaven,  the  monitory  strain  addressed  to  a  man  of 
Qod — to  such  a  man  of  God — and  echoing  through 
the  Church  in  all  ages,  should  make  it  inexcusable 
for  all  inferior  piety  ever  to  doubt  its  liability  to 
the  sin.     J.  H. 

Follow  after.  The  two  most  general  ideas 
go  first — righteousness  and  godliness ;  then  follow 
faith  and  love  as  the  fundamental  principles  of  the 
Christian  life;  and  finally,  patience  and  meekness 
of  spirit,  which  denote  the  conduct  proper  to  a 
Christian  amid  the  enmity  and  opposition  of  the 
world  to  Christ's  gospel.     Huther. 

12.  It  is  the  good,  literally  the  beautiful,  fight 
to  which  the  soldier  of  Christ  addresses  himself ; 
beautiful  and  good,  because  it  is  not  merely  lawful 
but  holy.  The  leader  who  summons  us  to  fight,  and 
who  goes  before  us  to  battle,  is  no  other  than  he 
who  himself  strove  even  unto  blood,  and  dying  over- 
came all  the  powers  of  hell,  and  who  stands  pledged 
for  the  victory  of  all  who  follow  his  triumphal  car. 
The  legion  along  with  whom  we  fight  are  the  noblest 
of  our  race  in  all  ages  and  peoples ;  our  companions 
in  arms  are  the  children  of  God,  the  redeemed  of 
Christ,  the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  spread  every- 
where over  the  earth ;  and  never  has  any  one  had 
cause  to  regret  who,  with  fixed  choice,  has  joined 
the  ever-growing  camp.  Van  0. There  are  dif- 
ficulties placed  in  our  path  to  give  us  opportunities 
of  evincing  what  .faith,  courage,  perseverance,  wis- 
dom, energy,  prayerfulness,  devotedness  are  in  us. 
God  withholds  some  things  from  us  with  a  prohibi- 
tion ;  it  is  treason  to  go  on  seeking  them.  He  with- 
holds other  things  by  way  of  incitation;  that  we 
may  be  stirred  up  to  engage  with  all  faith  and  as- 
siduity in  the  search  for  them,  and  that  the  conquest 
of  them  may  be  the  reward  of  valiant  endeavor. 

G.  B. Thy  foils,  through  the  wisdom  and  love  of 

thy  God,  may  be  ordered  to  advance  the  victory ;  to 
put  courage  and  holy  anger  into  thee  against  thine 
enemies ;  to  humble  thee,  and  drive  thee  from  thine 
own  imagined  strength  to  make  use  of  his  real 
strength.  And  be  not  hasty  ;  think  not  at  the  very 
first  to  conquer ;  many  a  hard  conflict  must  thou 
resolve  upon,  and  often  be  brought  very  low,  almost 
to  a  desperate  point,  that  to  thy  sense  it  is  past  re- 
covery ;  then  it  is  his  time  to  step  in,  even  in  the 
midst  of  their  prevailing.  Let  God  but  arise,  and 
his  enemies  shall  be  scattered.     Thus  the  Church  hath 


found  it  in  her  greatest  extremities,  and  thus  like- 
wise the  believing  soul.     L. 

Lay  hold  on  eternal  life.     Is  it  not  as  if 

we  saw  in  these  words  before  us  the  combatant  put- 
ting forth  his  utmost  energy  to  the  last  struggle, 
but  now  at  the  end  of  the  course  grasping  the  crown 
of  honor  ?  Eternal  life,  which  completes  all  and 
compensates  for  all ;  the  highest  aim  of  such  as 
are  not  yet  deeply  enough  sunk  to  choose  death 
rather  than  life ;  the  end  of  all  strife,  the  source 
of  all  peace :  what  can  be  imagined  more  sublime  ? 
Van  0. 

13,  14.  Not  from  6ewfa<7t  does  Christ's  kingdom 
spring,  but  from  above.  The  weapon  of  his  king- 
dom is  not  the  sword,  but  the  word  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  his  combatants  conquer  not  by  blows 
and  violence,  but  by  suifcrings  and  endurance — even 
as  he  did ;  his  kingdom's  palaces  are  no  castles  but 
the  hearts  of  men,  in  whom  he  dwells  through  faith ; 
the  good  things  of  his  kingdom  consist  not  of  gold, 
nor  of  outward  peace  and  prosperity,  but  of  forgive- 
ness of  sins,  of  peace  with  God,  of  righteousness 
and  eternal  life.  His  kingdom  embraces  the  whole 
circle  of  the  world  ;  its  term  of  duration  is  not 
thousands  of  years,  but  to  all  eternity.  When  Paul 
is  exhorting  Timothy  to  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith, 
and  to  hold  fast  by  sound  doctrine,  he  reminds  him 
of  the  good  confession  which  Jesus  Christ  witnessed 
before  Pontius  Pilate;  with  that  confession  shall 
Timothy  comfort  himself,  and  feel  sure  of  victory 
in  every  conflict.     Besser. 

15.  God's  eternal  thought  moves  on,  moves  on-" 
ward,  and  moves  all,  by  the  sweet  impulses  of  that 
law,  supreme,  regulative,  protecting,  of  which  it 
hath  been  said  that  "  her  seat  is  the  bosom  of  God 
and  her  voice  the  harmony  of  the  world.  All  things 
in  heaven  and  earth  do  her  homage ;  the  very  least 
as  feeling  her  care,  the  greatest  as  not  exempted 
from  her  power.  Both  angels  and  men,  though  each 
in  different  sort  and  manner,  with  uniform  consent 
admire  her  as  the  mother  of  their  peace  and  joy." 
Much  more  might  such  words  be  used  in  relation  to 
God  himself.  He  sits  enthroned  on  the  riches  of 
the  universe ;  all  holy  and  obedient  natures  adore 
and  worship,  ceaselessly  hymning  his  infinite  attri- 
butes, rejoicing  that  he  lives  and  reigns.  "  Great 
and  marvelous  are  thy  works.  Lord  God  Almighty  ; 
just  and  true  are  all  thy  ways,  thou  King  of  saints." 
And  this  anthem  of  adoration,  perpetually  rising 
toward  the  divine  throne,  expressive  of  the  happi- 
ness he  has  imparted,  is  but  the  echo  and  reverbera- 
tion of  that  which  he  possesses,  as  the  "  blessed  and 
only  potentate,"  the  holy  and  happy  God.     T.  B. 

17.  God  is  no  respecter  of  "them  that  are  rich 
in  this  world."  He  regards  them  as  of  the  common 
material  of  humanity ;  does  not  mistake  their  wealth 
for  a  part  of  them  ;  does  not  concentrate  the  cares 


SECTION  S27.—2  TIMOTHY  1 : 1-18. 


527 


of  his  Providence  peculiarly  on  them — not  less  re- 
quires a  sense  of  entire  dependence ;  does  not,  if 
they  pray,  give  a  precedence  to  their  applications ; 
does  not  hold  them  less  guilty  in  their  sins  ;  does 
not  give  them  sounder  or  more  lasting  bodies,  or  an 
exemption  from  the  worst  evils  of  the  mortal  state ; 
does  not  adopt  an  instant  change  of  sentiment  re- 
specting them  if  they  fall  from  affluence  to  poverty ; 
does  not  insure  them  that  in  the  other  world  they 
shall  be  glad  they  have  been  rich  in  this !     J.  F. 

The  apostle  here  again  reverts  to  the  subject  of 
riches,  but  now  under  a  different  aspect,  with  refer- 
ence, not  to  those  who  made  wealth  their  idol  and 
were  ready  to  sacrifice  principle  and  character  for 
its  attainment,  but  to  such  as  having  acquired  riches 
still  retain  their  Christianity,  and  are  willing  to  use 
what  they  possess  in  accordance  with  the  truth  of 
God  and  their  own  best  interests.  Charge  them  that 
are  rich  in  this  world  not  to  be  high-minded  7wr  to  set 
their  hopes  on  the  uncertainty  of  riches,  but  on  God, 
who  ministers  to  us  all  things  richly  for  enjoyment. 
To  trust  in  riches,  the  apostle  would  have  it  under- 
stood, is  virtually  to  make  uncertainty  one's  confi- 
dence, since  both  their  continuance  with  us  and  our 
possession  of  them  may  at  any  moment  come  to  a 
termination.  The  contrast  to  such  an  insecure 
foundation  is  God,  the  eternal,  the  all-sufficient,  who 
ministers  richly  to  bis  people's  necessities  and  just 
desires,  and  who,  as  a  source  of  enjoyment  to  those 
who  trust  in  Him,  can  never  fail. 

18.  Free  in  distributing,  ready  to  communicate  ; 
not  merely  imparting  of  their  substance  to  the  relief 
of  the  needy  and  the  promotion  of  good  objects, 
but  doing  it  with  a  frank  generosity  and  a  Uberal 
hand.  To  act  thus  is  nobly  to  realize  the  steward- 
ship of  wealth,  and,  according  to  the  word  of  our 
Lord,  to  make  to  one's  self  friends  of  what,  taken 
merely  by  itself,  is  the  mammon  of  unrighteous- 
ness. 


19.  Treasuring  up  for  themselves  a  good  founda- 
tion for  the  future,  in  order  that  they  may  lay  hold 
of  what  is  life  indeed.  Two  points  are  here  forcibly 
presented.  The  first  is  the  doctrine  of  a  future 
recompense,  the  proper  emplojinent  of  one's  means 
in  charitable  and  pious  uses,  and  consequently  the 
doing  of  good  deeds  generally,  being  said  to  consti- 
tute a  treasure  for  the  world  to  come;  a  treasure 
which  is  not  an  uncertainty,  like  riches  when  con- 
templated by  themselves  and  sought  for  their  own 
sake,  but  a  foundation  or  well-grounded  basis  of 
hope  for  the  great  future.  The  other  point  here 
presented  is  the  emphasis  laid  on  life  in  the  higher 
sense — life  that  really  may  be  called  such ;  rich 
Christians  are  exhorted  to  deal  with  their  earthly 
means  in  the  manner  prescribed,  in  order  that  they 

may  lay  hold  of  this.     P.  F. Estimate  the  value 

of  money  in  the  kindly  and  honoring  thoughts  of 
the  benefited  ;  in  the  blessings  of  those  "  ready  to 
perish " ;  the  present  recollections  of  sorrows  re- 
lieved and  sins  and  sicknesses  cured ;  in  memories 
of  self-sacrifices  that  shall  come  as  good  angels  to 
your  dark  hours ;  in  the  honor  of  Christ,  the  salva- 
tion of  souls,  and  the  everlasting  love  of  God. 
More  beautiful  than  all  the  miracles  of  art  shall  be 
the  vision  of  faces  from  which  tears  have  been 
wiped  away,  sweeter  than  all  music  the  voices  whose 
sighing  has  changed  to  song,  that  shall  come  to  you 
from  the  years  that  are  gone.  Look  on  your  chil- 
dren and  families  as  soon  being  alone  without  you 
in  this  time-field  of  trials,  dangers,  deaths ;  as  soon 
beyond  this  Vanity-Fair,  standing  with  you  before 
the  awful  Judge ;  as  soon  with  you  far  away  on  the 
courses  that  never  return.  Then  think  what  pro- 
vision best  befits  this  life  for  yourself  or  your  fami- 
lies. With  such  thoughts  answer  to  yourselves  the 
questions.  How,  and  what,  and  when,  and  to  what, 
shall  I  give,  in  fulfillment  of  my  stewardship  of  my 
Lord's  money  ?     Post. 


Section  327. 


2  TnioTnT  i.   1-18. 

1  Paul,  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ  by  the  will  of  God,  according  to  the  promise  of  life 

2  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  to  Timothy,  my  dearly  beloved  son :  Grace,  mercv,  and  peace, 

3  from  God  the  Father  and  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.     I  thank  God,  whom  I  serve  from  my 
forefathers  with  pure  conscience,  that  without  ceasing  I  have  remembrance  of  thee  in  my 

4  prayers  night  and  day  ;  greatly  desiring  to  see  thee,  being  mindful  of  thy  tears,  that  I  may 

5  be  filled  with  joy;  when  I  call  to  remembrance  the  unfeigned  faith  that  is  in  thee,  which 
dwelt  first  in  thy  grandmother  Lois,  and  thy  mother  Eunice ;  and  I  am  persuaded  that 

6  in  thee  also.     "Wherefore  I  put  thee  in  remembrance  that  thou  stir  up  the  gift  of  God, 

7  which  is  in  thee  by  the  putting  on  of  my  hands.     For  God  hath  not  given  us  the  spirit  of 

8  fear;  but  of  power,  and  of  love,  and  of  a  sound  mind.     Be  not  thou  therefore  ashamed  of 


528 


SECTION  327.-2  TIMOTHY  1  : 1-18. 


the  testimony  of  our  Lord,  nor  of  me  his  prisoner  :  but  be  thou  partaker  of  the  afflictions 

9  of  the  gospel  according  to  the  power  of  God ;  who  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  an  holy 

calling,  not  according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  own  purpose  and  grace,  which  was 

10  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  tlie  world  began,  but  is  now  made  manifest  by  the  appear- 
ing of  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  abolished  death,  and  hath  brought  life  and  im- 

11  mortality  to  light  through  the  gospel :  whereunto  I  am  appointed  a  preacher,  and  an  apos- 

12  tie,  and  a  teacher  of  the  Gentiles.  For  the  which  cause  I  also  suffer  these  things:  never- 
theless I  am  not  ashamed  :  for  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,  and  am  persuaded  that  he  is 

13  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto  him  against  that  day.  Hold  fast  the  form 
of  sound  words,  which  thou  hast  heard  of  me,  in  faith  and  love  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus. 

14  That  good  thing  which  was  committed  unto  thee  keep  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  dwelleth 

15  in  us.     This  thou  knowest,  that  all  they  which  are  in  Asia  be  turned  away  from  me;  of 

16  whom  are  Phygellus  and  Hermogenes.     The  Lord  give  mercy  unto  the  house  of  Onesi- 

17  phorus ;  for  he  oft  refreshed  me,  and  was  not  ashamed  of  my  chain :  but,  when  he  was  in 

18  Eome,  he  sought  me  out  very  diligently,  and  found  me.  The  Lord  grant  unto  him  that  he 
may  find  mercy  of  the  Lord  in  that  day  :  and  in  how  many  things  he  ministered  unto  me 
at  Ephesus,  thou  knowest  very  well. 


The  friendship  between  Paul  and  Timothy  is  one  of  the  most  suggestive  episodes  in  the  early  history 
of  the  gospel.  It  was  apparently  the  one  mellowing  affection  that  toned  down  the  impassioned  vigor  of 
Paul ;  that  mingled  a  constant  human  image  with  his  prayers  and  brought  them  trembling  on  his  voice : 
that,  homeless  as  he  was,  made  him  feel  amid  his  wanderings  the  sadness  of  absence  and  of  loneUness. 
The  traveled  ambassador  of  Christ,  who  snatched  Christianity  from  the  hands  of  a  local  faction  and 
turned  it  to  a  universal  faith  ;  who  turned  the  tide  of  history  and  thought,  giving  us  the  organization  of 
Christendom  for  the  legions  of  Kome,  and  for  Zeno  and  Epicurus,  Augustine,  Eckhart,  and  Luther — he, 
with  his  indomitable  soul,  was  conquered  by  a  Lyeaonian  youth ;  and  now  in  Eome  sat,  with  his  chained 
hands  upon  his  knee,  musing,  as  he  says,  with  joy  on  the  tears  and  embraces  of  their  last  parting.  And 
then  he  writes  to  say  he  can  not  do  without  him.  All  have  deserted  him  but  one  ;  at  his  hearing  in  the 
palace,  he  had  to  meet  his  accusers  almost  alone  ;  and  now  he  waits  his  sentence,  and,  ere  the  imperial 
sword  can  fall  upon  his  neck,  he  must  see  Timothy  again.  What  is  the  tone  of  the  letter  written  at  a 
crisis  like  that  ?  Does  he  indite  a  threnody  of  disappointment  ?  Does  he  caution  Timothy  against  sacri- 
ficing himself  to  impetuous  hopes,  and  tell  him  that  zeal  is  well  enough,  but  that,  after  all,  we  must  take 
men  as  we  find  them  ?  On  the  contrary,  bis  words  fan  every  noble  fire  in  the  young  man's  heart ;  like  the 
voice  of  the  retired  victor,  looking  on  and  feeling  the  blood  glow  at  sight  of  the  race  again,  they  spur  the 
dear  athlete  to  fresher  effort,  and  bid  him  mark  the  goal.  The  spirit  of  fear — 'tis  no  gift  of  God's  ;  only 
the  spirit  of  love  and  power !  Let  the  good  soldier  of  Jesus  press  on  in  hope,  heedless  of  any  shame  and 
hardship  that  may  befall  a  faithful  man  ;  stir  up  the  gift  that  is  in  him  ;  be  instant  in  season  and  out  of 
season  ;  keep  a  patience  never  spent  by  failure ;  and  in  the  last  extremity  remember  in  whom  he  has  be- 
lieved. Glorious  apostle !  Would  that  every  leader's  voice  could  burst,  as  he  falls,  in  such  a  trumpet-sound, 
thrilling  the  young  hearts  that  pant  in  the  good  fight,  and  must  never  despair  of  victory !    Martineau. 


Second  Epistle  to  Timothy, 
Since  he  last  communicated  with  Timothy,  Paul 
had  been  at  Miletus  and  Troas,  and  probably  also  at 
Corinth  (see  2  Tim.  4:13,  20).  It  is  probable  that 
his  journey  was  from  Crete  by  Miletus,  Ephesus, 
Troas,  perhaps  to  Corinth,  and  thence  to  Nicopolis. 
There  it  is  not  improbable  that  he  was  arrested,  as 
implicated  in  the  charges  made  against  the  Chris- 
tians after  the  fire  in  64  a.  d.,  and  sent  to  Rome. 
Arrived  there,  he  is  treated  no  longer,  as  before, 
with  courtesy,  but  as  a  common  criminal  (2  Tim. 
2  :  9).  All  his  Asiatic  friends  avoided  him  except 
Onesiphorus,  who  sought  him  out,  and  was  not 
ashamed  of  his  chain.  Demas,  Cresccns,  and  Titus 
had  left  him.  Tychicus  he  had  sent  to  Ephesus. 
Only  Luke  was  with  liim.     Thus  circumstanced,  he 


writes  the  Second  Epistle  to  Timothy,  most  likely  to 
Ephesus  (2  Tim.  2  :  1*7;  4  :  13),  earnestly  begging 
him  to  come  before  winter.  lie  writes  from  prison, 
in  expectation  of  his  execution.  He  was  conscious 
that  his  own  death  could  not  be  long  delayed ;  he 
was  uncertain  whether  he  should  live  to  sec  his 
"  child  in  the  faith."  Therefore  he  sends  him  fa- 
therly instructions  and  exhortations,  and  enforces 
them  by  the  consideration  of  his  own  approaching 
removal.     A. 

This  Epistle,  which  bears  plain  marks  of  being 
the  last  letter  of  the  great  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles, 
allows  us  at  least  a  glimpse  of  his  state  of  mind 
shortly  before  his  martyrdom.  For  nearly  thirty 
years  had  he  now  served  his  heavenly  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter with  unexampled  fidelity  and  self-denial.     Innu- 


SECTION  327.-2  TIMOTHY  1  : 1-18. 


529 


merable  perils,  conflicts,  and  persecutions,  on  land 
and  sea,  in  city  and  desert,  among  Jews,  heathens, 
and  false  brethren,  he  had  borne  with  a  heroism 
possible  only  by  help  from  above,  and  mightier  than 
any  arguments  of  reason  to  prove  the  divinity  of  the 
Christian  religion.  And  now,  as  he  nears  the  goal 
of  his  noble  career,  he  leaves  behind  him  a  most 
beautiful  memorial  of  his  paternal  love  for  his  dis- 
ciple Timothy ;  of  his  unwearied  care  for  the  Church 
and  for  the  purity  of  saving  doctrine  ;  of  his  exalted 
tranquillity  of  soul ;  and  of  his  unshaken  trust  in  the 
almighty  and  faithful  God,  and  in  the  final  triumph 

of  his  gospel  over  all  its  foes.     P.  S. Universal 

tradition  relates  that  he  was  beheaded  under  Nero. 
If  so,  it  can  not  well  have  been  before  the  last  year 
of  that  emperor's  reign,  67-68  a.  d.,  and  probably 
this  Second  Epistle  to  Timothy  was  written  but  a 
few  months  before  his  death.     A. 


I.  The  promise  of  life  which  is  in  Christ 

Jesus<  This  promise  of  life,  or,  as  it  is  expressed 
in  Tit.  1:2,"  hope  of  eternal  life,  which  God,  that 
can  not  lie,  promised  before  eternal  times,"  is  pre- 
sented as  the  primary  ground  out  of  which  the  spe- 
cific acts  and  arrangements  of  God  proceeded  in 
reference  to  the  work  of  salvation  in  the  world,  and 
among  others,  Paul's  own  calling  to  the  apostleship, 
which  formed  an  important  link  of  connection  be- 
tween the  promise  and  its  actual  realization  among 
men. 

3-5.  It  was  that  he  had,  and  still  continued  to 
have,  such  an  image  upon  his  mind  of  Timothy's 
affection  to  himself  and  his  faith  in  God,  that  he 
could  unceasingly  bring  him  into  remembrance  be- 
fore God  for  an  interest  in  the  divine  favor  and 
blessing,  being  assured  that  in  so  doing  he  might 
look  for  acceptance  with  heaven.  The  apostle's  long- 
ing, he  goes  on  to  state,  was  much  increased  by  the 
remembrance  of  Timothy's  tears — the  tears,  doubt- 
less, which  he  shed  at  parting  with  his  beloved  fa- 
ther in  Christ,  and  shed  afresh,  we  can  well  suppose, 
as  the  perils  deepened  around  the  apostle.     P.  F. 

4.  Here  we  have  a  fair,  unforced  example  of  co- 
incidence. In  the  history,  Timothy  was  the  "  son 
of  a  Jewess  that  believed " ;  in  the  Epistle,  Paul 
applauds  "the/a?7/t  which  dwelt  in  his  mother  Eu- 
nice." In  the  history,  it  is  said  of  the  mother,  "  that 
she  was  a  Jewess,  and  believed "  ;  of  the  father, 
"  that  he  was  a  Greek."  Xow,  when  it  is  said  of 
the  mother  alone  "  that  she  believed,"  the  father 
being  nevertheless  mentioned  in  the  same  sentence, 
we  are  led  to  suppose  of  the  father  that  he  did  not 
believe,  i.  e.,  either  that  he  was  dead,  or  that  he 
remained  unconverted.  Agreeably  hereunto,  while 
praise  is  bestowed  in  the  Epistle  upon  one  parent, 
and  upon  her  sincerity  in  the  faith,  no  notice  is 
taken  of  the  other.  The  mention  of  the  grand- 
mother is  the  addition  of  a  circumstance  not  found 
in  the  history ;  but  it  is  a  circumstance  which,  as 
well  as  the  names  of  the  parties,  might  naturally  be 
expected  to  be  known  to  the  apostle,  though  over- 
looked by  his  historian.     Pale;!. 

6.  The  gift  itself  is  undoubtedly  the  special  en- 
dowment or  gift  of  grace  qualifying  him  for  the 
evangelistic  work  to  which  he  was  appointed.  It 
was  referred  to  in  the  former  Epistle,  and  is  there 
connected  instrumentally  with  the  laying  on  of  the 
hands  of  the  presbytery,  as  here  with  the  laying  on 
of  Paul's  own  hands.  I3oth  parties,  no  doubt,  took 
part  in  the  ordination  service ;  but  here  it  was 
natural  and  proper  that  the  apostle  should  have  re- 

34 


minded  Timothy  of  his  own  act  of  imposition,  as 
now  more  than  ever  Timothy  was  likely  to  be  called 
to  stand  to  a  certain  extent  in  the  apostle's  room, 
and  enter  into  his  labors.  It  was  of  great  im- 
portance, therefore,  that  he  should  now  feel  his  in- 
creased responsibility,  and  apply  himself  to  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  grace  which  had  been  conferred 
upon  him,  undeterred  by  any  discouragements  or 
dangers  which  might  stand  in  the  way.     P.  F. 

Faith  is  invigorated  by  acting.  Neglect  of  our 
graces  is  the  ground  of  their  decrease  and  decay. 
The  noblest  faculties  are  imbased  when  not  im- 
proved by  exercise.  The  apostle  Paul  wishes  Timo- 
thy to  excite  and  enliven  his  gifts.  The  passage 
alludes  to  the  fire  of  the  Temple,  which  was  always 
to  be  kept  burning.  Be,  then,  much  in  duty — draw 
out  the  acts  of  your  graces.  Many  live  but  are  not 
lively :  decays  insensibly  make  way  for  deadness ! 

T.  M. There  is  no  lack  of  gifts,  and  there  is  no 

superfluity.  All  are  needed  for  all,  and  the  Church 
is  only  equipped  for  doing  the  great  work  assigned 
it,  when  it  can  command  for  its  use  all  the  gifts  of 
its  members  ;  when  it  can  bring  them  all  into  active 
service  for  its  own  blessed  objects.  Thousands  in 
the  Church  are  weary  and  despondent  because  they 
are  not  stirring  up  their  gifts,  or  else  are  using 
them  for  selfish  ends.  The  Church  is  languishing 
because  she  can  not  command  for  her  high  uses  the 

gifts  of  her  members.     J.  D. Having,  then,  a 

gift  granted  to  you,  whatever  it  be,  whether  of 
preaching,  or  of  instructing  children,  or  of  superin- 
tending, or  of  private  counseling,  or  simply  of  in- 
fluence, go  forth  to  exercise  it  with  the  single  aim 
of  glorifying  the  Giver  and  extending  his  kingdom. 
See  that  ye  stir  it  up  ;  for,  as  a  limb  never  exerted 
withers,  as  a  flame  never  roused  collapses,  as  a  trea- 
sure of  gold  or  silver  never  thrown  into  currency 
rusts,  so,  assuredly,  we  lose  our  gifts  if  we  never 
exercise  them.  Be  good  stewards,  then,  of  the 
manifold  grace  of  God.  Let  all  your  thought  and 
energy  be  expended  on  making  it  bring  in  the  lar- 
gest revenue  to  the  glory  of  our  divine  Master. 
E.  M.  G. 

7.  It  is  also  shown  to  Timothy  that  the  spirit 
given  to  the  servants  of  Christ  is  not  one  of  "  cow- 
ardice," shrinking  from  the  duty  of  testimony  be- 
cause of  the  risk  or  contempt  which  it  may  incur. 
It  is  the  spirit  of  power  from  on  high ;  suflBciency 
which  is  of  God,  power  to  speak  or  be  silent,  as 
duty  to  the  Lord  may  require ;  power  of  endurance 
and  power  of  resistance ;  power  for  fighting  the  bat- 
tle and  for  running  the  race.  It  is  the  spirit  of 
love,  seeking  not  its  own ;  love  which  tends  to  cast 
out  fear,  and,  more  than  any  other  influence,  nerves 
to  arduous  toils  and  perilous  enterprises ;  love  in  the 
truth,  which  makes  the  Christian  calm  and  strong. 
And  it  is  a  sound  mind,  represented  in  the  Greek 
original  by  one  word  which  occurs  nowhere  else  in 


530 


SECTION  3^.-2  TIMOTHY  1 : 1-18. 


the  New  Testament.  It  denotes  sobriety  of  mind, 
capable  of  self-correction  and  self-control ;  a  well- 
schooled  and  well-balanced  mind  that  sees  things  in 
their  just  proportions  and  relations,  and,  avoiding 
narrowness,  feverishness,  and  exaggeration,  moves 

on  with  vigor  in  the  paths  of  duty.     D.  F. It  is 

a  good,  sound  constitution  of  mind  not  to  feel  every 
blast,  either  of  seeming  reason  to  be  taken  with  it, 
or  of  cross  opinion  to  be  offended  at  it.     L. 

8.  Than  shame,  or  the  fear  of  man's  opinion, 
no  snare  ever  invented  by  the  adversary  of  man  has 
secured  a  larger  array  of  recruits  to  the  army  of 
evil.  Disbelief  is  blind  to  the  gospel ;  indolence 
evades  it ;  but  shame  alone  deserts  and  degrades  it. 
"Be  not  thou,"  says  the  apostle,  "  ashamed  of  the 
testimony  of  the  Lord."  Chosen  as  a  minister  of 
the  gospel,  exult  in  your  high  commission,  and  let 
the  world  perceive  that  you  value  the  reproach  of 
Christ  above  all  that  world  can  offer !  For  my  own 
part,  I,  Paul,  "  am  not  ashamed,  for  I  know  in  whom 
I  have  believed,"     W.  A.  B. 

But  suffer  hardship  with  me  for  thee/ospcl.,  accord- 
ing to  the  power  of  God.  We  have  a  similar  mode 
of  expression  in  Phil.  1  :  27 :  "  Striving  together  for 
the  faith  of  the  gospel."  When  the  apostle  exhorts 
Timothy  to  share  with  him  in  this  readiness  to  suf- 
fer for  the  gospel  according  to  the  power  of  God,  he 
points  (v.  9)  to  the  great  things  done  by  God  in  the 
matter  of  salvation  as  a  ground  and  motive  for 
something  corresponding  being  done  by  us.  9. 
The  work  itself,  with  this  individual  application  of 
it,  is  ascribed  as  to  its  origin  simply  and  exclusively 
to  the  sovereign  goodness  and  electing  love  of  God, 
projecting  themselves  into  the  future  before  it  could 
properly  be  said  there  was  either  a  past  or  a  future ; 
the  fountain-head  of  all  was  His  own  purpose  and 
grace,  and  that  not  waiting  to  be  evoked  by  the 
events  and  circumstances  of  human  life,  but  given 
in  Christ  Jesus  before  eternal  times.  How  carefully 
is  the  doctrine  of  God's  saving  grace  here  guarded 
from  dependence  on  anything  external  or  crcaturely ! 
It  is  traced  up  to  the  infinite  depths  of  the  Father's 
loving-kindness,  not  merely  as  regards  the  general 
idea  and  principal  lineaments  of  the  plan,  but  also 
in  respect  to  the  glorious  gift  it  secures  for  the  indi- 
vidual believer.  The  grace  was  given  us  by  Him — 
given  before  eternal  times ;  for,  as  even  De  Wette 
puts  it,  "what  God  determines  in  eternity  is 
as  good  as  done  in  time."  And  given  in  Christ, 
who,  as  sponsor  for  his  own  in  the  everlasting  cov- 
enant, could  then  also  receive  for  them  what  the 
Father  in  his  good  pleasure  gave ;  so  that,  as  regards 
those  who  shall  ultimately  share  in  the  blessings  of 
the  covenant,  all  from  the  first  is  well  ordered  and 
sure.     P.  F. 

10.  With  respect  to  the  word  rendered  "  brought 
to  light,"  it  docs  not  so  much  mean  to  discover  or 


make  known  as  a  new  thing — which  is  the  ordinary 
import  of  the  English  phrase — but  to  illustrate, 
clear  up,  or  cast  light  upon  a  thing ;  it  thus  assumes 
the  previous  existence  of  that  which  is  illustrated, 
but  it  asserts  the  fact  of  its  fuller  manifestation. 
Thus  explained,  the  meaning  of  the  text  would 
amount  to  this :  Previous  to  the  coming  of  Christ, 
the  idea  of  immortal  life  stood  before  the  Hebrew 
mind  like  some  vast  object  in  the  morning  twilight ; 
it  was  dimly  descried  and  imperfectly  apprehended. 
In  like  manner.  Death,  seen  through  that  same  dark- 
ness (for  "  the  light  was  as  darkness  "),  was  some- 
thing that  appeared  "  very  terrible,"  and  made  many 
"  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage."  The  advent 
of  the  Messiah,  including  the  whole  of  his  teaching 
and  work — the  "appearing"  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  as  "  the  light  of  the  world  "  and  "  the  sun  of 
righteousness  " — was,  to  these  spiritual  objects,  like 
the  rising  on  the  natural  world  of  that  luminary 
whose  power  and  splendor  symbolized  His  glory  in 
prophetic  song !  To  those  who  received  him,  whose 
reason  and  heart  he  alike  illuminated,  the  outward 
became  clear  and  the  inward  calm ;  the  shadows  de- 
parted and  fear  was  subdued ;  objective  truth  had 
light  cast  upon  it  that  made  it  manifest,  and  "  the 
king  of  terrors,"  seen  in  the  sunlight,  was  discov- 
ered to  have  an  aspect  that  did  not  terrify !     T.  B. 

We  read  our  evidences  for  heaven  by  the  light 
of  God's  countenance  ;  his  image  is  made  visible  in 
our  souls  by  the  illustration  of  his  Spirit ;  and  he 
exercises  prerogative  in  the  dispensation  of  his 
comforts.  It  is  his  pleasure  to  bestow  extraordi- 
nary favors  on  some,  and  deny  them  to  others  that 
are  as  holy.  But  every  penitent  believer  has  just 
cause  of  joy  in  death ;  for  Jesus  Christ  has  recon- 
ciled God,  destroyed  Satan,  and  conquered  death; 
and  the  last  day  of  his  life  is  the  first  of  his  glory. 

Bates. We  are  far  too  much  the   creatures  of 

sense,  and  the  accompaniments  of  dissolution  and 
departure  fill  up  our  hearts  and  our  eyes.  Think 
them  all  away,  believe  them  all  away,  love  them 
all  away.  Stand  in  the  light  of  Christ's  life,  and 
Christ's  death,  and  Christ's  rising,  till  you  feel 
that  death  is  a  shadow,  not  a  substance.  Yes,  a 
shadow  ;  and,  where  a  shadow  falls,  there  must  be 
sunlight  above  to  cast  it.  Look  up,  then,  above  the 
shadow  death,  above  the  sin  and  separation  from 
God,  of  which  it  is  the  shadow !  Look  up  to  the 
unsetting  light  of  the  Eternal  Life  on  the  throne  of 
the  universe,  and  see  bathed  in  it  the  living  dead  in 
Christ !  God  has  taken  them  to  himself,  and  we 
ought  not  to  think  (if  we  would  think  as  the  Bible 
speaks)  of  death  as  being  anything  else  than  the 
transitory  thing  which  breaks  down  the  brazen  walls 

and  lets  us  into  liberty.      A.  M. This  is  the 

glory  of  the  heaven  of  Jesus,  that  it  is  a  human 
nature  heaven.      Jesus  tells  us   of   an  existence 


SECTION  SS7.—2  TIMOTHY  1  : 1-18. 


531 


beyond  death  that  is  not  severed  at  all  from  any- 
thing that  is  pure  and  holy  and  beautiful  in  the 
present  life ;  of  an  eternal  manhood,  of  which  this 
is  the  infancy ;  of  an  eternal  harvest,  of  which  this 
is  the  seed-time ;  of  a  family  embracing  patriarchs 
and  prophets  and  apostles,  and  the  noble  army  of 
the  martyrs,  and  all  the  holy  and  good  who  have 
ever  lived,  with  all  the  good  and  pure  and  dear  of 
the  friends  we  have  ever  known !  Then,  then  the 
immortality  is  attractive  and  to  be  longed  for.  For 
it  enables  us  to  follow  our  departed  in  thought  to 
the  assembly  with  Abraham,  and  to  feel  that, 
instead  of  wandering  lonely  through  an  illimitable 
desert  of  eternal  existence,  they  are  with  friends 
who  care  for  them,  and  with  Jesus  who  loves  them. 
S.  R. 

11.  Appointed  a  preacher.  Suppose  God 
had  commissioned  us  to  go  from  graveyard  to 
graveyard  to  awaken  the  dead.  How  inspiring  and 
sublime  would  have  been  our  ofBce  !  Our  God  has 
actually  employed  us  in  a  sublimer  work  than  even 
this.  There  can  be  no  hesitation  in  affirming  that  it 
is  not  possible  for  man  or  angel  to  conceive  another 
work  equal  in  glory  with  that  with  which  we  stand 
commissioned.     Pubford. 

12.  Not  ashamed,  for  I  know.  When  he 
thought  of  Him  who  had  sent  him  on  such  a  war- 
fare, and  had  put  him  in  trust  with  so  precious  a 
treasure,  he  felt  there  was  no  room  for  shame,  and 
scorned  the  temporizing  policy  which  shame  would 
dictate.  The  all-powerful  Guardian  and  Protector 
in  whom  he  confided,  and  who  had  borne  him 
through  so  many  troubles  in  the  past,  would  assur- 
edly uphold  him  still,  and  enable  him  to  preserve 
his  calling,  with  all  its  sacred  prerogatives  and  gifts, 
unimpaired  to  the  end.  So  that,  in  the  great  day  of 
account,  nothing  properly  belonging  to  it  should  be 

found  wanting — nothing  forfeited  or  lost.    P.  F. 

The  soul  that  strongly  believes  and  loves  may  con- 
fidently hope  to  see  what  it  believeth  and  enjoy 
what  it  loves,  and  in  that  rejoice.  It  may  saj', 
Whatsoever  hazards,  whether  outward  or  inward, 
whatsoever  afflictions  and  temptations  I  endure, 
yet  this  one  thing  puts  me  out  of  hazard  and  in 
this  I  will  rejoice,  the  salvation  of  my  soul  depends 
not  upon  my  own  strength,  but  is  in  my  Saviour's 
hand.  The  childish  world  is  hunting  shadows,  gap- 
ing and  hoping  after  they  know  not  what ;  but  the 
believer  can  say,  I  know  whom  I  have  trusted,  and 


am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I 
have  committed  to  him  against  that  day,     L. 

13,  14.  Grand,  profound,  comprehensive  rule 
of  independence  and  of  life !  Dependence  only  on 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  on  the  truth  as  the  Holy  Ghost 
reveals  it  in  God's  word  and  keeps  it  in  the  heart  by 
dwellinff  in  ^ts.  The  Holy  Ghost  can  teach  the  truth 
to  the  Church,  can  keep  the  truth  in  the  Church  and 
sanctify  the  Church  by  it,  only  by  teaching  the  truth 
to  individuals,  keeping  the  truth  in  individuals,  and 
sanctifying  individuals  by  it.  And  so  the  Holy  Ghost 
increases  and  builds  up  the  Church  by  bringing  in 
continually  new  living  stones  into  the  Temple,  new 
regenerated  souls  into  the  Church,  through  the  door 
of  the  Church,  which  is  Christ.     G.  B.  C. 

16,  17.  The  Lord  give  mei-cy  to  the  house  oj 
Onesiphorus,  because  he  ofttimes  refreshed  me,  and 
teas  not  ashamed  of  my  chain — that,  namely,  which 
bound  him  as  a  felon  to  the  soldier  who  guarded 
him.  It  implies  that  others  were  ashamed,  and, 
shrinking  from  the  ignominious  treatment  which  his 
unflinching  zeal  had  brought  on  him,  turned  away. 
He  ofttimes  did  it,  says  the  apostle — even  after  the 
chain  had  turned  to  imprisonment  in  the  capital ; 
for  it  is  added,  when  he  had  arrived  in  Home  he 
sougJit  me  out  with  greater  diligence,  and  found  me. 
The  expression  is  striking,  as  showing  that  what  led 
others  to  turn  away  from  the  apostle  was  the  very 
thing  which  prompted  the  friendly  search  and  benefi- 
cent ministrations  of  Onesiphorus.     P.  F. The 

good  works  of  this  man  were  all  before  Paul  at  this 
time — his  boldness  in  Christ's  cause,  his  steadfast- 
ness, his  kindness ;  yet  what  does  he  say  ?  The  Lord 
recompense  him  after  his  works  ?  The  Lord  reward 
and  bless  him?  No;  he  sees  in  this  devoted  Chris- 
tian of  Ephesus  a  sinner  like  himself,  one  going 
soon  to  Christ's  judgment-seat,  and  his  only  prayer 
for  him  is,  that  he  may  find  mercy  there.  That 
day.  He  does  not  even  tell  us  what  day  he  means ; 
but  there  is  no  misunderstanding  him.  He  means 
the  last  great  day,  the  day  when  God  will  raise  the 
dead  and  judge  the  world.  And  this  mode  of  re- 
ferring to  this  day  is  common  in  his  writings.  The 
apostle^s  thoughts  toere  often  dwelling  on  this  day. 
"  That  day,"  he  says,  as  though  he  believed  that 
Timothy  also,  as  well  as  himself,  had  his  eyes  con- 
stantly fixed  on  it;  that  no  one  could  possibly  at  any 
time  forget  it ;  that  every  one  who  should  read  his 
writinfis  would  have  his  soul  full  of  it.     C.  B. 


532  SECTION  328.-2  TIMOTHY  2  :  1-26. 


Section  328. 

2  Timothy  ii.  1-26. 

1  Thou  therefore,  my  son,  be  strong  in  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.     And  the  things 

2  that  thou  hast  heard  of  me  among  many  witnesses,  the  same  commit  thou  to  faithful  men, 

3  who  shall  be  able  to  teach  others  also.     Thou  therefore  endure  hardness,  as  a  good  soldier 

4  of  Jesus  Christ.     No  man  that  warreth  entangleth  himself  with  the  affairs  of  this  life;  that 

5  he  may  please  him  who  hath  chosen  him  to  be  a  soldier.     And  if  a  man  also  strive  for 

6  masteries,  yet  is  he  not  crowned,  except  he  strive  lawfully.     The  husbandman  that  labour- 

7  eth  must  be  first  partaker  of  the  fruits.     Consider  what  I  say  ;  and  the  Lord  give  thee  un- 

8  derstanding  in  all  things.    Kemember  that  Jesus  Christ  of  the  seed  of  David  was  raised 

9  from  the  dead,  according  to  my  gospel :  wherein  I  suffer  trouble,  as  an  evil  doer,  even  unto 
10  bonds;  but  the  word  of  God  is  not  bound.     Therefore  I  endure  all  things  for  the  elect's 

sakes,  that  they  may  also  obtain  the  salvation  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  with  eternal  glory. 
\\  It  is  Q,  faithful  saying:  For  if  we  be  dead  with  Am,  we  shall  also  live  with  him:  if  we 

12  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign  with  him:  if  we  deny  Am,  he  also  will  deny  us:  if  we  believe 

13  not,  yet  he  abideth  faithful :  he  cannot  deny  himself. 

14  Of  these  things  put  them  in  remembrance,  charging  them  before  the  Lord  that  they  strive 

15  not  about  words  to  no  profit,  lut  to  the  subverting  of  the  hearers.     Study  to  shew  thyself 
approved  unto  God,  a  workman  that  needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing  the  word 

16  of  truth.     But  shun  profane  and  vain  babblings:  for  they  will  increase  unto  more  ungodli- 

17  ness.    And  their  word  will  eat  as  doth  a  canker  :  of  whom  is  HymeniBus  and  Philetus;  who 

18  concerning  the  truth  have  erred,  saying  that  the  resurrection  is  passed  already;  and  over- 

19  throw  the  faith  of  some.     Nevertheless  the  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure,  having  this 
seal.  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his.     And,  Let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of 

20  Christ  depart  from  iniquity.     But  in  a  great  house  there  are  not  only  vessels  of  gold  and 
of  silver,  but  also  of  wood  and  of  earth;  and  some  to  honour,  and  some  to  dishonour. 

21  If  a  man  therefore  purge  himself  from  these,  he  shall  be  a  vessel  unto  honour,  sanctified, 

22  and  meet  for  the  master's  use,  and  prepared  unto  every  good  work.    Flee  also  youthful  lusts: 
but  follow  righteousness,  faith,  charity,  peace,  with  them  that  call  on  the  Lord  out  of  a 

23  pure  heart.     But  foolish  and   unlearned  questions  avoid,  knowing  that  they  do  gender 

24  strifes.     And  the  servant  of  the  Lord  must  not  strive ;  but  be  gentle  unto  all  men,  apt  to 

25  teach,  patient,  in  meekness  instructing  those  that  oppose  themselves ;  if  God  peradventure 

26  will  give  them  repentance  to  the  acknowledging  of  the  truth  ;  and  that  they  may  recover 
themselves  out  of  the  snare  of  the  devil,  who  are  taken  captive  by  him  at  his  will. 


God  is  faithful,  faithful  to  his  warnings  as  he  is  to  his  promises  !  A  few  years  toore  (to  many  far 
fewer  years  than  they  have  already  past),  and  the  crisis  shall  at  last  arrive  which  shall  determine,  by  ter- 
rible proofs,  the  awful  faithfulness  of  God.  Then  that  inflexible  faithfulness,  which  forms  the  rock  of 
his  salvation  to  the  redeemed  one's  heart,  shall  assume  to  the  God-despiser  the  terrible  form  of  an  in- 
flexible curse.  The  permanence  of  God's  character  is  the  very  warrant  of  his  doom  and  the  seal  of  its 
eternity.  It  is  a  profound  and  impressive  remark  of  Bishop  Butler  that  the  most  formidable  of  all  God's 
attributes  to  the  wicked  is  his  goodness :  "  Malice  may  be  wearied  or  satiated,  caprice  may  change,  but 
goodness  is  a  steady,  inflexible  principle  of  action."  The  very  same  attributes  which  (like  the  pillar  in 
the  wilderness)  present  to  the  saved  a  side  of  light  and  protection,  shall  present  (themselves  unchanged) 
to  the  lost  a  gloomy  apparition  of  clouds  and  darkness.  The  justice  that  acquits  the  behever  in  the  blood 
of  the  sacrifice  shall  condemn  the  despiser  of  that  blood.  The  goodness  that  shelters  the  beloved  chil- 
dren in  the  bowers  of  Paradise  shall  abandon  to  his  punishment  the  guilty  for  the  benefit  of  the  universe. 
The  wisdom  that  is  shown  in  contriving  salvation  shall  be  "  justified  of  her  children "  in  condemnation 
also.  The  power  that  framed  a  heaven  for  the  blessed  shall  be  revealed  more  awfully  still  in  the  struc- 
ture of  the  abodes  of  misery.  What  is  to  be  gained  by  a  contest  with  such  a  being  as  this  ?  Can  wc 
expect  to  sway  his  eternal  purpose,  or  bend  to  our  caprices  his  eternal  laws  ?  Will  he  forget  his  faithful- 
ness because  we  forget  our  faith  ?     Never  !     We  must  alter,  for  God  will  not.     W.  A.  B. 


SECTION  328.-2  TIMOTHY  2  : 1-26. 


533 


2.  Here,  as  all  through  the  word  of  God,  the 
spiritual  qualification  is  set  as  a  consideration  ante- 
cedent to  that  of  gifts :  first  of  all "  faithful."  But 
not  merely  faithful,  "  who  shall  be  able  to  teach  others 
also."  The  steward  is  to  be  not  only  "  faithful," 
but  "  wise,"  able  to  distribute  to  every  one  in  due 
season.  He  who  is  not  apt  to  teach  ought  never  to 
be  commissioned  as  a  teacher.     Arthur. 

3.  Suffer  hardship  with  me,  or  "  take  thy  share 
in  suffering,"  intimating  that  the  disciple  in  this 
must  not  expect  to  be  above  his  Master.  If  he 
would  do  his  work  faithfully,  he  must  lay  his  ac- 
count to  experiences  of  trouble.    P.  F. All  things 

else  almost  have  changed  in  the  external  aspect  of 
religion  since  Christ  was  on  earth ;  but  in  and  above 
all  change  Christ  appears,  pressing  himself  upon  our 
notice,  demanding  that  we  adhere  to  him  in  personal 
devotion,  and  putting  it  to  the  proof,  oftentimes,  by 
tests  hard  to  be  endured,  whether  we  will  forsake  all 
and  follow  him.  We  may  think  him  severe,  but  he 
repeats  the  old  message,  he  cleaves  to  the  old  prin- 
ciple. He  wants  disciples,  but  he  wants  such  only 
as  have  counted  the  cost,  and  have  determined  to 
forsake  everything  else  but  him,  such  as  are  ready 
to  love  parents  and  all  nearest  kinsmen  with  a  love 
that  may  be  called  hatred,  so  far  does  it  fall  below 
the  height  of  love  to  him.  He  tries  us  perhaps  at 
the  very  point  where  we  are  most  tender,  most  likely 

to  estimate  his  service  a  hardship.     T.  D.  W. 

They  are  his  servants,  and  shall  they,  or  would  they, 
think  to  he  greater  than  their  Master,  to  be  exempt 
from  his  lot  in  the  world  ?  They  are  his  soldiers, 
and  will  they  refuse  to  follow  him  and  to  endure 
with  him  ?  Will  not  a  word  from  him  put  a  vigor 
in  them  to  go  after  him,  whether  upon  any  march  or 
service,  when  he  calls  them  friends  ?     L. 

4.  This  moral  discipline  of  the  soul  is  grounded 
on  the  same  reasons,  and  justifiable  on  the  same 
principles,  as  that  strict  military  discipline  to  which 
it  is  frequently  compared  in  Scripture,  and  which 
every  wise  commander  finds  it  necessary  to  maintain 
among  his  soldiers.  It  may  appear  to  them  some- 
times harsh  and  severe,  but  it  leads  to  order,  ease, 

security,  and  victory.     P. Christ's  soldiers  must 

take  every  man  his  part  under  the  great  Leader, 
throwing  nothing  over  upon  others  which  is  given 
them  to  do,  and  they  must  take  the  peril  of  it  as 
being  kindled  for  it  in  the  glorious  common  passion 
of  the  common  cause.  Patience,  endurance,  courage, 
fidelity,  and  even  a  kind  of  celestial  impassivity, 
must  be  set  in  their  otherwise  inconstant,  misgiving, 
self-indulgent  nature.  And  the  only  tonic  force 
equal  to  this  must  be  found  in  devotion  to  the 
Master,  carried  to  the  pitch  of  soldierhood  in  his 

cause.     H.  B. In  our  soldiership  we  have  the 

blessed  truth  to  stimulate  us,  that  the  Captain  of  our 
salvation  goes  before  us.     Come  prosperity  or  come 


pain,  come  wealth  or  bereavement,  come  health  or 
sickness,  come  temptation  or  labor,  if  Christ  be 
with  us,  all  shall  be  well !  And  with  us  he  is,  and 
will  be,  if  we  are  his  people,  and  if  his  promise  is 
true.  We  greatly  err  by  making  a  sort  of  merit  of 
our  misgivings,  and  groaning  over  our  weakness,  as 
if  this  were  pleasing  to  God ;  when,  indeed,  a  high 
aspiring  faith  and  unwavering  confidence  in  God's 
aid  for  the  future  is  more  welcome  to  him,  and  un- 
speakably more  productive  of  obedience  in  us. 
J.  W.  A. 

5.  For  ^^ strive  for  masteries"  read  "strive  in 
the  games  "  ;  and  for  "  lawfully,"  "  according  to  the 

rules."     A. He  is  not  crowned  unless  adhering 

with  whatever  self-sacrifice  to  the  prescribed  rules. 
The  inference  is  plain :  if  so  in  the  lower  sphere, 
and  with  respect  to  a  perishable  distinction,  how 
much  more  in  regard  to  the  great  struggle  between 
righteousness  and  sin,  light  and  darkness  in  our- 
selves and  in  the  world,  which  carries  with  it  issues 
of  eternal  moment ! 

6.  The  object  of  the  apostle  in  using  the  illus- 
tration was  not,  seemingly,  to  mark  the  distinction 
between  the  active  and  the  idle  husbandman.  He 
assumes  that  Timothy  would  be  a  worker  in  the 
Lord's  vineyard ;  but  he  would  have  him  to  be  like 
the  husbandman  who  labors  hard,  who  toils  at  hia 
employment,  and  so  reaps  ih&  first  SinA  fullest  recom- 
pense. We  must  keep  hold  of  the  great  principle 
which  the  statement  is  brought  to  establish — that 
the  most  williny  and  hard  laborer  is  the  most  speedily 
and  richly  blessed.  This  holds  good  in  the  spiritual 
as  in  the  natural  sphere.     P.  F. 

7,8.  In  verse  7,  for  ^'^  consider"  read  "un- 
derstand " ;  and  for  "  and  the  Lord  give  thee  un- 
derstanding," "  for  the  Lord  shall  give  thee  clear 
apprehension."  In  verse  8,  read  "  keep  in  remem- 
brance Jesus  Christ,  raised  from  the  dead,  of  the 

seed  of  David,  according  to  my  gospel."    A. 

The  more  immediate  point  is  how  to  endure  hard- 
ship, to  brave  persecution,  for  the  truth  of  Christ ; 
and,  surely,  holding  fast  by  Christ's  royal  lineage, 
which  was  essential  to  his  being  the  Messiah  prom- 
ised to  the  fathers,  and  by  his  resurrection  from  the 
dead,  which  was  equally  essential  to  his  right  to 
reign  over  the  house  of  God,  could  not  but  form  the 
best  preparation,  as  it  was  indeed  the  indispensable 
condition,  of  steadfastness. 

9.  But  (though  I  am  in  chains)  the  word  of  God 
is  not  bound :  this  still  ran,  and  was  glorified.  It 
did  so  partly  through  the  apostle  himself  testifying 
of  it,  even  in  his  bonds,  before  rulers  and  kings,  so 
that  his  gospel  as  well  as  his  bonds  came  to  be 
known  in  Cesar's  household,  and  in  his  letters 
sounding  it  forth  far  and  wide ;  but  partly  also 
through  the  instrumentality  of  others  who  gave 
themselves  to  the  same  blessed  work,  and  some  of 


534 


SECTION  328.-2  TIMOTHY  2  : 1-26. 


whom,  he  intimates,  waxed  bold  through  his  bonds 
to  speak  more  abundantly  the  word  of  God.  Thus, 
when  an  arrest  is  laid  on  one,  freedom  and  boldness 
are  given  to  others  to  spread  abroad  the  good  seed 
of  the  kingdom.     P.  F. 

10.  He  did  not  say  simply,  for  the  sake  of  some 
persons,  but  for  the  sake  of  the  elect.  If  God  chose 
them,  we  ought  to  suffer  all  things  for  them,  in 
order  that  they  also  may  obtain  salvation.  When 
he  says,  that  they  also,  he  means  to  say,  as  also  we  ; 
for  God  chose  us  also ;  and,  as  for  us  God  suffered, 
so  also  wc  for  them.     Chrys. 

11-13.  For  if  ive  died  with  him  (namely,  when 
by  a  living  faith  we  embraced  Christ  as  our  Saviour, 
entering  into  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings  and 
death),  we  shall  also  live  with  him,  sharing  at  last  in 
his  resurrection-power  and  blessedness  of  life,  as 
spiritually  we  do  in  a  measure  now.  If  we  endure 
(patiently  undergo  trial  and  hardship,  namely,  witJi 
him,  or  in  his  cause  and  service),  ive  shall  aho  reign 
with  him  ;  as  our  Lord  himself  repeatedly  testified 
(Mat.  16  :  24-27;  19  :  28,  29),  and  as  is  stated  also 
in  other  passages.  If  we  shall  deny  (him)  —  put 
contingently,  as  a  thing  that  might  possibly  hap- 
pen in  the  future — he  also  will  deny  us  ;  a  virtual 
repetition  of  our  Lord's  solemn  words :  "  Whoso- 
ever shall  deny  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also 
deny  before  my  Father  who  is  in  heaven."  Finally, 
if  we  are  unbelieving — not  merely  prove  unfaithful 
in  times  of  trial,  shrink  from  confessing  what  we 
inwardly  feel  to  be  the  truth  concerning  him,  but, 
rejecting  or  quitting  our  hold  of  the  truth,  pass 
over  entirely  into  the  region  of  unbelief — if  we 
should  thus  estrange  ourselves  from  the  common 
ground  of  faith,  still  he  abides  faithful — remaining 
perpetually  true  to  his  declarations  and  promises, 
whether  we  accredit  them  or  not.  And  the  reason 
follows :  For  he  can  not  deny  himself.  This  implies 
that  the  word  given  as  the  ground  of  our  faith  in 
Scripture  is  the  expression  of  his  own  essential 
nature ;  it  reveals  what,  as  possessed  of  that  nature, 
he  is  in  his  relation  to  us,  what  he  purposes  toward 
us,  or  has  done  in  the  execution  of  his  purposes. 
To  disown  this,  therefore,  were  to  deny  himself; 
and  that  it  is  impossible  he  should  ever  do,  seeing 
he  is  the  unchangeable  Jehovah ;  and  so,  his  word, 
like  himself,  "  liveth  and  abideth  for  ever."    P.  F. 

12.  The  gospel  is  plain  and  peremptory  in  this, 
if  we  will  "  reign  with  Christ,  we  must  suffer  with 
him,"  when  we  are  called  forth  to  give  a  noble  tes- 
timony to  his  truth.  It  is  no  extraordinary  eleva- 
tion, no  point  of  perfection,  but  the  duty  of  every 
Christian  to  be  always  ready  in  the  disposition  and 
resolution  of  his  mind,  to  sacrifice  his  life  when  the 
honor  of  Christ  requires  it.  But  it  is  no  hard  con- 
dition to  suffer  transient  afflictions  for  the  obtaining 
a  happy  immortality,  to  be  conformable  to  the  image 


of  our  suffering  Redeemer,  that  we  may  be  crowned 
with  his  glory.     Bates. 

15.  To  divide  rightly  refers  to  a  fair  and  con- 
scientious or  straightforward  handling  of  the  word 
itself.  This,  as  opposed  to  all  kinds  of  tortuous  in- 
terpretations or  by-plays  of  ingenuity,  is  preemi- 
nently what  becomes  the  teacher  who  would  stand 
approved  in  the  judgment  of  God :  like  a  sincere 
and  honest  workman,  he  must  go  right  on  in  his  use 
of  the  word,  maintaining  it  in  its  integrity,  and  ap- 
plying it  to  the  great  spiritual  ends  for  which  it  has 
been  given.  P.  F. Divine  truth  is  both  the  in- 
strument with  which  the  Spirit  quickens  the  soul 
and  the  light  through  which  the  soul  sees  God  and 
all  eternal  things ;  and  he  who  best  knows  how  to 
divide  this  truth,  to  separate  it  into  its  several  offices, 
and  to  point  the  arrows  of  its  power  with  greatest 
wisdom  and  skill,  is  the  ablest  minister  of  the  New 
Testament,  and  the  best  instructed  scribe  in  the  king- 
dom. He  will  be  the  means  of  convincing  most 
men  of  sin,  and  of  bringing  most  to  the  Saviour. 
J.  S.  S. When  you  preach,  be  real ;  say  to  your- 
self :.  "  Now  I  must  get  into  these  hearts  some  truth 
from  God  "  ;  strike  as  those  who  would  make  dints 
upon  their  shield  of  hardness,  yea,  and  smite  through 
them  to  their  heart  of  hearts;  speak  straight  to 
them,  as  you  would  beg  your  life,  or  counsel  your 
son,  or  call  your  dearest  friend  from  a  burning 
house,  in  plain,  strong,  earnest  words.  Bp.  Wilbei-- 
force. 

17,  18.  The  denial  of  a  resurrection  of  the 
body  was  no  new  error  in  the  Church,  but  was  the 
natural  result  of  Sadducean  corruption.  The  famous 
argument  of  the  apostle  seems  to  imply  that  in  the 
Church  of  Corinth  it  did  not  go  beyond  the  simple 
negation,  "  that  there  is  no  resurrection  of  the  dead.'''' 
But  these  pretenders  to  a  higher  spiritual  philosophy 
than  the  gospel  held  that  it  loas  already  accomplished; 
no  doubt  in  the  sense  soon  after  taught  by  the 
Gnostics,  that  the  only  resurrection  was  the  rising 
of  the  soul  from  the  death  of  ignorance  to  the  life 
and  light  of  knowledge.     S. 

19.  The  firm  foundation  of  Ood  stands,  not 
"  The  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure,"  which  is 
grammatically  untenable.  The  apostle's  assertion 
is,  that,  notwithstanding  the  existence  of  such  cases 
as  he  had  just  mentioned  of  defection  from  the 
truth  and  the  consequent  loss  of  salvation,  there 
is  a  firm  or  strong  foundation  of  God  which  re- 
mains steadfast.  Those  chosen  in  Christ  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  and  who  are  prepared  and 
kept  by  omnipotent  grace  for  the  glory  to  which 
from  the  first  they  were  destined — in  a  word,  the 
members  of  the  true  or  invisible  as  contrasted  with 
the  simply  outward  or  professing  Church :  these  are 
what  we  may  here  most  naturally  understand  by  the 
foundation  of  God.   They  constitute  Uisfrm  founda- 


SECTION  328.— 2  TIMOTHY  2  : 1-26. 


535 


tion,  which  stands  amid  both  the  assaults  of  adver- 
saries and  the  defection  of  unstable  souls,  because 
held  fast  by  his  own  eternal  purpose  and  efficacious 
grace.  This  accords  with  what  follows  about  the 
sealing,  which  has  immediate  respect  to  Christ's  true 
people.  Genuine  believers  are  God's  firm  founda- 
tion, because  they  have  their  place  and  calling  under 
this  certification :  "  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are 

his."     P.  F. The  sure  laid  foundation  of  God's 

work  in  them  makes  them  stand.  God's  free  love 
and  grace  brought  them  to  Christ,  keeps  them  in 
Christ,  and  lets  them  not  fall  into  deadly  errors.  The 
apostle  propounds  here  the  doctrine  of  election  to 
fortify  them  who  are  not  departed  from  the  faith.  It 
is  because  God  has  ta'en  pleasure  in  thee,  to  make 
thee  confirmed  to  his  Son  Christ.  Let  it  be  an  en- 
couragement for  further  well-doing,  yea,  a  confirma- 
tion of  thee  in  the  way,  and  a  thing  to  make  thee 
bless  God  that  thou  standest  when  others  fall. 

The  seal  of  the  elect  has  two  sides ,  the  one  is 
read  of  God,  the  other  toward  us  is  read  of  us.  The 
side  toward  God  is  that  he  knows  who  are  his  :  he 
knows  whom  he  has  loved  and  foreordained  for 
heaven ;  and  the  side  of  the  seal  which  is  toward  us 
is,  "Let  every  one  that  names  the  name  of  Jesus 

depart  from  iniquity."     D.  D. It  is  as  if  divine 

calling,  endowment,  and  help  were  on  one  side ;  self- 
discipline,  watching,  mortified  lusting,  and  steady 
resolve  on  the  other.  Liberty  and  discipline,  move- 
ment from  God's  center  and  movement  from  our 
own,  sanctified  inclination  and  self-compelling  will, 
are  the  two  great  factors  thus  of  Christian  life  and 
experience.     H.  B. 

Knoweth  his,  lie  knows  them  from  his  first 
purpose  about  them  to  the  last  perfecting  of  them 
in  glory ;  he  knows  them  by  loving  them,  approving 
them,  keeping  them  that  they  fall  not,  and  when 
they  fall,  to  raise  them  up  again.  All  is  concluded 
with  him  from  his  first  foresight  and  love ;  and  he 
still  keeps  and  preserves  them,  for  he  is  stronger 
than  all,  and  none  shall  be  able  to  reave  them  out 

of  his  hand.     D.  D. Depart  from  iniquity. 

All  unwary  walking  in  Christians  wrongs  their  com- 
munion with  heaven,  and  casts  a  damp  upon  their 
prayers,  so  as  to  clog  the  wings  of  it.  These  two 
mutually  help  one  another,  prayer  and  holy  conversa- 
tion :  the  more  exactly  we  walk  the  more  fit  are  we 
for  prayer ;  and  the  more  we  pray  the  more  are  we 
enabled  to  walk  exactly ;  and  it  is  a  happy  life  to 
find  the  correspondence  of  these  two,  calling  on  the 
Lord  and  departing  from  iniquity.  Therefore,  that 
you  may  pray  much  live  holily,  and  that  you  may 
live  holily  be  much  in  prayer ;  surely  such  are  the 
heirs  of  glory,  and  this  is  their  way  to  it.     L. 

20.  Here  the  apostle  passes  from  the  Church 
viewed  as  God's  firm  foundation  to  the  Church  as  a 
house  composed  of  various  and  to  a  certain  extent 


heterogeneous  materials.  The  distinction  is  simply 
that  of  the  real  and  the  professing,  or  the  invisible 
and  the  visible  Church :  the  one  God's  true  elect, 
his  jewels,  as  he  elsewhere  calls  them,  or  peculiar 
treasure,  preserved  by  his  faithful  guardianship,  and 
destined  to  his  eternal  glory ;  the  other,  those  who 
have  but  an  outward  standing  in  the  household. 

21.  If  any  one  shall  by  purifying  himself  have 
gone  out  of  their  number,  those,  namely,  represented 
by  the  vessels  associated  with  dishonor — he  shall  be  a 
vessel  for  hotior,  sanctifed,  serviceable  to  the  Master, 
prepared  for  every  good  work.  He  contents  himself 
with  putting  before  men  a  plain  practical  issue ; 
moving  no  question  about  election,  or  about  adop- 
tion into  the  family  of  God ;  but  simply  teaching, 
as  Calvin  well  puts  it,  "  that  all  who  would  conse- 
crate themselves  to  the  Lord  must  purge  themselves 
from  the  filthiness  of  the  ungodly — the  same,  in- 
deed, that  God  everywhere  teaches,"    P.  F. Art 

thou  then  purging  thyself  from  thy  old  deeds  ?  cry- 
ing with  David,  "  Purge  me  with  hyssop,  cleanse  me 
from  my  sins "  ?  breaking  thy  heart  for  grieving 
the  Holy  One  of  Israel  ?  thou  carriest  the  mark  of 
a  vessel  of  honor.  For  the  Master's  use.  If 
they  be  not  for  God's  use,  they  are  for  dishonest 
uses  :  following  of  their  lawful  calling,  working, 
plowing,  making  merchandise,  are  all  dishonest 
uses  with  them,  for  they  do  these  to  make  them- 
selves rich  and  honorable.  They  are  not  done  as 
service  to  God,  therefore  they  are  unclean ;  their 
eating,  drinking,  working,  not  being  for  God's  use, 
are  turned  into  sin.  But  the  vessel  of  honor  goes 
to  the  plow,  and  makes  merchandise,  for  God's  use. 
He  goes  to  the  kirk,  not  to  see  and  be  seen,  but  to 
meet  God  in  the  assembly.     D.  D. 

22.  Follow  righteousness,  faith,  lore, 
peace.  The  lesson  here  comes  out  again,  so  often 
already  and  in  so  many  ways  presented  in  these 
pastoral  Epistles,  that  a  sound  moral  condition  is 
above  all  things  essential  to  fitness  for  effective 
ministerial  service  in  the  divine  kingdom.  Other 
things  may  more  or  less  be  helpful,  but  this  is  in- 
dispensable. The  peace  spoken  of  is  undoubtedly 
to  be  understood  of  peace  in  the  closer  sense — a 
state  of  inner  harmony  and  agreeable  fellowship ; 
because  it  is  such  as  is  to  be  maintained  with  them 
that  call  upon  the  Lord  out  of  a  pure  heart.  This 
connection  obviously  reflects  upon  the  nature  of  the 
peace  intended. 

24-26.  The  whole  passage  might  be  read, 
pointed,  and  slightly  paraphrased  thus  :  In  meekness 
correcting  those  ivho  oppose  themselves,  if  peradvcnture 
God  may  give  them  repentance  [to  come]  unto  the 
full  knowledge  of  the  truth  ;  and  that  they  may  re- 
turn to  soberness  [and  so  escape]  out  of  the  snare 
of  the  devil  (by  whom  they  had  b(cn  taken  captive), 
according  to  the  will  of  him  (God),  who  for  this  end 
seconds  the  efforts  of  his  servant,  by  giving  the 
spirit  of  repentance  and  true  enlightenment.     P.  F. 

25.  In  meekness  instructing.  If,  in  Chris- 
tian or  social  intercourse,  we  wish  to  deliver  any 
man  from  what  we  think  error,  we  must  do  so  by 


536 


SECTION'  329.-2  TIMOTHY  3  : 1-17. 


putting  him  in  the  way  of  convincing  himself.  To 
beat  him  down  by  unreasoning  opposition,  or  even 
by  an  irresistible  argument,  may  please  us,  but  is 
not  likely  to  gain  him.  There  is  a  great  chasm  be- 
tween achieving  a  victory  and  making  a  conquest, 
and  the  completeness  of  the  first  often  prevents  the 
last.  To  respect  a  man's  freedom,  never  to  press 
him  so  hard  as  to  humiliate  him,  to  give  him  the 
clew  that  may  help  him  to  guide  himself  to  the 
right,  is  according  to  the  divine  model,  and  would 
aid  us  in  serving  at  the  same  time  both  our  fellow- 
men  and  the  truth.     Ker. 

The  living  ministry  is  a  ministry  that  never  loses 
sight  of  its  original  and  spiritual  purposes  in  the 
dull  round  of  a  mechanical  or  perfunctory  discharge 
of  the  external  duty  ;  it  will  be  in  itself,  on  its  prac- 
tical side,  an  example  of  its  doctrine ;  it  will  set 
that  doctrine  forth  in  a  spirit  at  once  transparent 
and  fearless,  unpretending  and  scholarlike ;  it  will 
have  its  frank   and   independent  word    on  every 


matter  that  affects  the  hopes  or  the  integrity  of  man- 
kind without  the  folly  of  running  about  to  proclaim 
its  independence,  and  saying  bold  things  only  to 
show  that  it  dares  to ;  it  will  free  itself  from  all 
prejudices  that  impair  its  single-niindedness ;  it  will 
place  itself  among  men  as  a  genuine  helper  of  hu- 
manity in  all  its  garbs  and  all  its  trials,  brave  as  a 
prophet,  devoted  as  an  apostle,  tender  as  John, 
fearless  as  Paul,  ardent  as  Peter,  blameless  as 
James,  a  learner  of  the  Christ,  a  workman  whose 
errand  is  from  heaven  to  persuade  and  lead  men's 
souls  thither.  When  such  a  ministry  is  realized, 
be  sure  not  only  that  it  will  not  have  to  dispute  its 
title  to  honor,  will  not  have  to  plead  for  a  hearing, 
will  not  complain  of  a  decline  of  its  prestige ;  be 
sure  not  only  that  the  eager  heart  of  the  community 
will  reverence  it,  will  leap  to  listen  to  it,  but  be  sure 
also  that  the  reign  of  irreligious  worldliness  will  be 
broken  up,  and  the  fairer  kingdom  of  spiritual  truth 
and  life  will  be  established  on  its  ruins.     F.  D.  II. 


Section  329. 

2  Timothy  iii.  1    17. 

1  This  know  also,  that  in  the  last  days  perilous  times  shall  come.     For  men  shall  be  lovers 

2  of  their  own  selves,  covetous,  boasters,  proud,  blasphemers,  disobedient  to  parents,  unthank- 

3  ful,  unholy,  without  natural  affection,  trucebreakers,  false  accusers,  incontinent,  fierce,  de- 

4  spisers  of  those  that  are  good,  traitors,  heady,  higliminded,  lovers  of  pleasures  more  than 

5  lovers  of  God ;  having  a  form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the  power  tliereof  :  from  such  turn 

6  away.     For  of  this  sort  are  they  which  creep  into  houses,  and  lead  captive  silly  women 

7  laden  with  sins,  led  away  with  divers  lusts,  ever  learning,  and  never  able  to  come  to  the 

8  knowledge  of  the  truth.     Now  as  Jannes  and  Jambres  withstood  Moses,  so  do  these  also 

9  resist  the  truth :  men  of  corrupt  minds,  reprobate  concerning  the  faith.     But  they  shall 
proceed  no  further :  for  their  folly  shall  be  manifest  unto  all  men,  as  theirs  also  was. 

10  But  thou  hast  fully  known  my  doctrine,  manner  of  life,  purpose,  faith,  longsuffering, 

11  charity,  patience,  persecutions,  afflictions,  which  came  unto  me  at  Antioch,  at  Iconium,  at 

12  Lystra;  what  persecutions  I  endured :  but  out  of  them  all  the  Lord  delivered  me.     Tea, 

13  and  all  that  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer  persecution.     But  evil  men  and  se- 

14  ducers  shall  wax  worse  and  worse,  deceiving,  and  being  deceived.     But  continue  thou  in 
the  things  which  thou  hast  learned  and  hast  been  assured  of,  knowing  of  whom  thou  hast 

15  learned  them  ;  and  that  from  a  child  thou  hast  known  the  holy  scriptures,  which  are  able 

16  to  make  thee  wise  unto  salvation  through  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.     All  scripture  is 
given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for 

17  instruction  in  righteousness :  that  the  man  of  God  may  he  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished 
unto  all  good  works. 


It  is  the  truth  which  by  the  Spirit  is  made  to  penetrate  as  light  into  the  intellect,  revealing  its  objects 
to  faith ;  and  to  purify  and  change  the  current  of  the  affections,  directing  them  toward  all  that  is  compre- 
hended in  duty.  The  apprehension  of  truth,  spiritually  discerned,  and  the  energy  of  love  divinely  evoked, 
constitute  the  essential  elements  of  the  inner  life.  Both  processes  depend  for  continued  action  on  the 
influences  of  that  divine  agent,  who  at  first  reached,  through  the  Word,  the  reason  and  the  heart.  If, 
then,  you  would  grow  in  the  divine  life,  if  you  would  secure  the  necessary  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
day  by  day,  the  first  rule  is,  that  you  must  keep  the  mind  in  contact  with  the  truth,  and  keep  the  channel 
of  divine  influence  open  by  prayer.  Contact  with  the  world,  conversation  and  intercourse  with  different 
minds  in  various  states  of  opinion  and  feeling,  books,  newspapers,  magazines,  reviews,  business  distrac- 
tions, political  excitement,  social  dissipation — these,  and  a  thousand  other  things  in  the  doings  and  details 
of  daily  life,  may  obscure  the  light  of  truth,  shade  spiritual  objects,  pervert  the  moral  judgment,  sophisti- 
cate the  conscience,  and  thus  create  a  necessity  for  a  fresh  infusion  of  that  element  in  which  all  divine 
things  stand  fully  revealed  !     Go,  then,  and  seek  for  that  in  the  way  through  which  it  was  obtained  by 


SECTION  329.-2  TIMOTHY  3  :  1-17. 


537 


psalmists  and  apostles — "  meditating  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,"  letting  in  the  light  of  the  "  Word  of  Christ," 
thus  reviving  the  forms  and  images  of  spiritual  truth  that  had  got  eclipsed.  But  as  truth  itself  needs  to 
be  wielded  by  a  divine  hand ;  as  the  heart  gets  cold  when  the  head  gets  dark  ;  as  the  affections  are  wounded 
and  chilled  by  error,  as  well  as  estranged  or  perverted  through  the  insidious  influence  of  the  world  ;  and 
as  for  this  deeper  element  of  the  inward  life  you  need  the  action  of  the  Spirit  with  the  truth,  ;9ra^ /or 
that ;  for  it  is  to  be  obtained  by  prayer.  Time  may  press,  and  toil  may  call,  or  toil  may  have  fatigued, 
but,  thanks  be  to  God,  you  are  not  to  be  heard  for  your  much  speaking,  but  for  your  earnest  speech.  The 
only  way,  perhaps,  by  which  the  calls  of  daily  duty  can  be  met  now  as  Christians  ought  to  meet  them,  is 
by  throwing  into  brief  but  frequent  spiritual  exercises  the  energy  and  earnestness  with  which  they  lay 
hold  of  their  ordinary  occupations.  In  this  way,  the  busiest  man  may  be  able  habitually  and  successfully 
to  seek  for  "  the  renewiug  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  by  the  mind  being  constantly  kept  in  contact  with  the 
truth  by  which  he  works,  and  by  that  "  prayer  of  faith  "  being  habitually  offered  by  which  his  effective 
agency  is  secured,  A  single  text,  fastened  on  the  mind  of  a  morning,  may  animate  and  guide  during  a 
whole  day.  An  ejaculatory  aspiration  thro^vn  out  on  entering  the  counting-house,  or  when  passing  along 
a  street,  may  strengthen  the  hands  to  lay  hold  of  work,  and  steady  and  "  keep  the  feet "  in  the  way — "  the 
way  of  God's  commandments."     T.  B. 


2.  liOvers  of  their  own  selves.  Selfishness 
is  contrary  to  the  habitual  temper  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  "  who  pleased  not  himself."  It  is  the  cause 
of  all  sin,  the  opposite  of  all  holiness  and  virtue ; 
is  the  source  of  innumerable  other  sins,  and  is  placed 
by  the  apostle  as  the  head  and  leader  of  the  eighteen 
vices  which  he  enumerates  as  the  marks  of  perilous 

times.     J.  A.  J. But,  in  proportion  as  the  spirit 

of  selfishness  should  at  any  time  prevail,  the  others 
might  be  expected  in  a  corresponding  ratio  to  follow. 
That  spirit  fitly  stands  at  the  head  of  this  black 
catalogue  of  moral  evils,  being  in  a  manner  the  root- 
quaUty  out  of  which  the  rest  will,  as  circumstances 
admit,  inevitably  spring,  and  being  that  also  which 
more  almost  than  any  other  bespeaks  the  disregard 
of  Christian  verities  and  the  absence  of  their  in- 
fluence on  the  heart.     P.  F. 

Covetous.  If  selfishness  be  the  prevailing 
form  of  sin,  covetousness  may  be  regarded  as  the 
prevailing  form  of  selfishness.  Entering  with  the 
first  transgression,  and  violating  the  spirit  of  the 
whole  law,  it  has  polluted  and,  threatened  the  ex- 
istence of  each  dispensation  of  religion ;  infected 
all  classes  and  relations  of  society ;  and  shown  itself 

capable  of  the  foulest  acts.    J.  H. Commerce  is 

covetous :  competition  is  without  bounds ;  rapid  for- 
tunes, sudden  falls,  speculations  without  end,  haz- 
ards, excitements  for  gaming  under  all  forms ;  such 
is  the  new  mode  of  satisfying  the  old  thirst  for  gold. 
Industry  is  covetous:  those  admirable  inventions 
which  are  continually  succeeding  one  another  aim 
less  at  the  progress  of  art  than  at  the  making  of 
money ;  produced  by  the  hope  of  gain,  they  hasten 
toward  gain.  Ambition  is  covetous;  that  solicita- 
tion for  office  which  crowds  all  the  avenues  to  au- 
thority aims  less  than  formerly  at  honor,  and  more 
at  money.  The  struggle  of  parties  is  covetous. 
Legislation  is  covetous:  in 'it,  money  is  the  chief 
comer-stone  ;  money  chooses  the  arbiters  of  our  so- 
cial and  political  destinies.     Marriage  is  sometimes 


covetous :  the  union  of  man  and  woman  becomes  a 
secondary  matter.  Literature  is  covetous :  impatient 
of  producing,  and  more  impatient  of  acquiring,  the 
literature  of  the  present  day  spends  its  strength  in 
unfinished,  defective,  extravagant  works,  perhaps 
immoral  and  impious,  which  cater  for  the  tastes  of 
the  multitude,  and  pour  into  the  hands  of  their 
authors  streams  of  gold  unaccompanied  by  glory. 
Monod. 

4.  You  may  be  lovers  of  pleasure  ;  it  is  natural, 
it  is  reasonable,  for  you  to  be  so ;  but  you  must  not 
be  lovers  ofjjleamire  more  than  lovers  of  God.  This 
is  the  true  line  that  separates  harmless  gaycty  from 
criminal  dissipation.  It  is  a  line  drawn  by  the  hand 
of  God  himself,  and  he  will  never  suffer  it  to  be 
passed  with  impunity.  He  claims  on  the  justest 
grounds  the  first  place  in  your  hearts.  His  laws 
and  precepts  are  to  be  the  first  object  of  your  re- 
gard. And  be  assured  that,  by  suffering  them  to  be 
so,  you  will  be  no  losers  even  in  present  felicity. 

P. A  man  in  whose  soul  the  earnestness  created 

by  the  thought  of  death  and  judgment  has  found 
place  can  never  be  frivolous  in  his  recreations; 
questionable  amusements,  if  they  once  had  a  hold 
upon  him,  will  drop  off  when  that  new  life  circulates 
and  stirs  within  him.  And  a  man  who  has  really 
tasted  the  peace  and  pleasantness  of  communion 
with  God  would  sooner  deprive  himself  of  natural 
repose  than  desecrate  holy  seasons.  Plant  by  God's 
grace  the  faith  and  love  of  Christ  in  any  man's  soul, 
and  you  have  then  a  perfect  security  for  the  inno- 
cence of  his  recreations,  and  for  the  devout  conse- 
cration of  a  just  proportion  of  his  time  to  God. 
E,  M.  G. 

5.  To  quiet  and  pacify  a  natural  conscience, 
many  who  deny  the  power  of  godliness  submit  to 
the  drudgery  of  maintaining  the  form  thereof. 
Some  do  it  to  impose  upon  the  world,  that  they  may 
gratify  their  ambitious  or  covetous  desires;  and 
others  do  it  to  impose  upon  themselves,  that  they 


538 


SECTION  329.-2  TIMOTHY  3  : 1-17. 


may  not  be  "  tormented  before  the  time."     R.  W. 

The   hypocrite   seeks   the  credit  of    qualities 

which  he  not  only  does  not  possess,  but  knows  he 
does  not  possess ;  it  is  a  conscious  deception.  To 
complete  the  idea  of  hypocrisy,  there  must  be  a 
reference  to  some  selfish  advantage.  The  preten- 
sion is  not  only  fraudulent,  but  the  fraud  of  mean- 
ness, the  grossest  of  all  forms  of  insincerity ;  "  the 
lie,"  as  Bacon  says,  "  that  siuketh  in."  The  com- 
mon instincts  of  honor  accord  with  the  Bible  in 
declaring  it  the  guiltiest  of  all  sins  that  are  not 
crimes.  It  is  the  most  fatal  enemy  that  Religion 
has  to  confront,  and  tearing  off  its  mask  is  her 
most  unwelcome  task.  Yet  superficial  critics  per- 
sist in  making  her  chargeable  for  the  very  insults 
it  heaps  upon  her.     F.  D.  H. 

8.  An  old  tradition  among  the  Jews  had  handed 
down  the  two  names  here  mentioned  as  those  of  the 
leading  magicians  who  endeavoi-ed  to  rival  the  mira- 
cles of  Moses,  and  foil  him  in  his  mission.  The 
conflict  now,  as  of  old,  was  essentially  one  between 
God's  truth  on  the  one  side  and  the  devil's  lie  on 
the  other ;  between  the  one  grand  remedy  of  heaven 
for  the  ills  of  humanity  and  the  wretched  devices 
of  self-seeking,  fraudulent  mew—men,  it  is  added 
by  the  apostle,  corrupted  in  their  mind,  reprobate 
(or  worthless)  concerning  tlie  faith.  Such  was  gen- 
erally the  condition  of  the  class  of  persons  who 
assumed  the  delusive  pretensions  referred  to,  and 
plied  the  infamous  traffic  connected  with  them. 
From  the  very  nature  of  things,  their  consciences 
must  have  been  entirely  sophisticated,  and  a  moral 
state  induced  strongly  repellent  to  the  faith  of  the 
gospel.  9.  But  (such  is  the  conclusion  of  the  mat- 
ter) they  shall  not  make  progress  ;  for  their  folly 
shall  become  manifest  to  all,  as  theirs  also  came  to 
be.  The  triumph  of  truth  over  error,  of  reality 
over  presumption,  should  now,  as  of  old,  become 
apparent.     P.  F. 

13.  "Evil  men  and  seducers  wax  worse  and 
worse,  deceiving  and  being  deceived."  They  de- 
ceive themselves,  and  are  deceived  by  themselves  as 
well  as  deceive  others.  Thus  they  cut  off  the  power 
of  motives.  We  can  not  reach  truth  by  the  experi- 
ence of  sin  any  more  than  we  can  make  good  legis- 
lators out  of  law-breakers  and  culprits.  The  blind- 
ness of  the  mind  is  the  worst  hindrance  against 
reformation.     T.  D.  W. 

15.  In  youth  rich  stores  of  divine  knowledge 
are  most  easily  acquired.  Deep  and  saving  impres- 
sions are  then  most  easily  made.  It  is  young  re- 
cruits that  become  the  best  soldiers,  and  young  ap- 
prentices the  best  mechanics ;  and  the  best  Chris- 
tians are  those  of  whom,  trained  by  a  Lois  or  a 
Eunice,  a  saintly  mother  or  mother's  mother,  we 
can  say,  in  Paul's  words  to  Timothy,  "From  a 
child  thou  hast  known  the  Holy  Scriptures."     T.  G, 


Through  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Faith  in  Christ  is  the  key  which  will  unlock  and 
give  access  to  the  treasures  of  saving  wisdom  which 
are  laid  up  in  the  Old  Testament.     The  Bible  is  an 
organized  whole,  and  Christ  and  the  Cross  of  Christ 
are  wrought  into  the  structure  of  it,  although  they 
do  not  always  meet  the  eye.     He  who  by  faith  sees 
"  Christ  and  him  crucified  "  in  the  Scriptures  is  in 
immediate  possession  of  the  ground-plan  of  the  holy 
volume.     He  will  observe  how  the  original  promise 
respecting  "  the  seed  of  the  woman  "  was  a  germ  of 
hope  planted  in  the  earth,  which,  by  constant  ac- 
cretions from  new  prophecies  and  new  types,  had 
expanded  itself  into  full  blossom,  when  the  virgin- 
born  appeared  to  fulfill  it.     He  will  observe  how, 
as  the  ages  rolled  away,  the  light  of  revelation  grew 
brighter,  and  how  the  prophets,  in  the  greater  spir- 
ituality of  their  religious  precepts,  and  the  greater 
cxplicitness  of  their  predictions,  were  many  steps  in 
advance  of  the  law.     He  will  observe  how,  from  the 
sacrifice  of  Abel  do^vnward,  every  victim  which  fell 
at  the  altar  of  Jehovah  prefigured  the  great  sacrifice 
of  the  death  of  Christ.    And,  in  reciting  the  Psalms, 
he  will  feel  that  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  which  was  in 
those  sweet  psalmists  of  Israel,  testified  darkly  be- 
forehand of  the  sufferings  of  Christ  and  the  glory 
which  should  follow.     Thus  the  whole  of  Scripture 
is  welded  together  in  the  counsel  and   design  of 
God ;  and  we  know  that,  as  regards  man,  that  coun- 
sel and  design  is  all  bound  up  in  one  word,  "  Christ." 
He  was  "  the  Lamb  slain  "  in  the  counsels  of  eter- 
nity "from  the  foundation  of  the  world";  and  ac- 
cordingly in   every  chant  of  God's  holy  prophets, 
which  have  been  since  the  world  began,  there  has 
always  been  an  undersong  of  him — an  undersong 
which  may  be  caught  by  every  spiritual  ear.  E.  M.  G. 
16.  The  Scriptures  give  Divine,  and  therefore 
infallible  direction,  for  doctrine — the  didactic  teach- 
ing of  the  truth  concerning  God  ;  "  for  reproof  " — 
the  refutation  by  proof  of  error  concerning  God ; 
"/or  correction  " — the  setting  right  or  rectifying  the 
wrong  principles  of  practical  ethics  ;  "/or  instruc- 
tion in  righteousness  " — the  positive  nurture  of  the 
soul  in  experimental  knowledge  of  the  way  in  which 
a  sinner  may  be  accounted  righteous  before  God. 
And  this,  it  will  be  perceived  on  a  httle  reflection, 
is  a  marvelously  logical  classification  of  their  uses  ; 
and  it  is  exhaustive,  as  covering  all  the  possible  wants 
that  man  can  desire  to  have  luet  by  a  revelation. 
As  a  being  endowed  with  reason,  and  capable  of  be- 
lieving only  what  he  conceives  to  be  truth,  his  re- 
ligion must  embrace  a  doctrine  of  God  and  his  rela- 
tion to  God.    As  a  creature  liable  to  be  deceived, 
by  error  and  unbelief  concerning  God  and  his  rela- 
tions to  God,  his  religion  must  have  a  guide  to  wani 
against  and  expose  the  wiles  of  error,  that  are  ever 
tampering  with  his  "  evil  heart  of  unbelief."     As  a 


SECTION'  330.— 2  TIMOTHY  ^  ;  1-22. 


539 


being  whose  passions  are  ever  blinding  his  con- 
science in  reference  to  duty  toward  God  and  man, 
his  religion  must  supply  him  with  a  rule  of  right, 
by  which  to  correct  his  crooked  judgments  and 
amend  his  crooked  ways.  As  a  being  capable  of  a 
birth  to  a  new  and  everlasting  life,  his  religion  must 
supply  him  with  a  nurture  under  the  new  law  of 
righteousness  which  the  faith  that  is  unto  salvation 
teaches  him.  So  that  it  may  be  affirmed  with  truth, 
that  no  want  of  the  human  soul  can  be  conceived 
which  is  not  provided  for  under  one  or  other  of 
these  four  heads.     S.  R. 

The  Holy  Scriptures  have  God  for  their  author, 
salvation  for  their  end,  and  truth,  without  any  mix- 
ture of  error,  for  their  matter.     Locke. Were  we 

deprived  of  the  entire  testamentary  evidence  of  mir- 
acles and  the  external  evidence  of  prophecy,  still 
the  internal  constitution  of  the  Scriptures  them- 
selves is  sufficient  to  command  our  assent.  No 
human  historian  could,  as  they  do,  tell  all  the  truth ; 
no  human  legislator  could  enact  the  Ten  Command- 
ments ;  no  human  genius  could  conceive  the  char- 
acter of  Christ ;  no  human  morality  could  ascend  to 
gospel  holiness ;  no  human  devotion  could  dictate 
the  Lord's  Prayer ;  no  human  mercy  could  provide 
gospel  grace ;  no  human  skill  could  so  search  and 
discover  the  secrets  of  the  human  heart,  and  at 
once  provide  the  means  of  proving  its  guilt  and  of 
cleansing  it  from  all  sin.  But  all  these  things  are 
done  by  the  Scriptures  :  they  are,  therefore,  not  of 

man — they  must  be  of  God.     Cooke. Not  being 

like  man,  which  knows  man's  thoughts  by  his  words, 
but  knowing  man's  thoughts  immediately,  Christ 
never  answered  their  words,  but  their  thoughts : 


much  in  the  like  maimer  it  is  with  the  Scriptures, 
which,  being  written  to  the  thoughts  of  men,  and  to 
the  succession  of  all  ages,  viith  aforesiyht  of  all  her- 
esies, contradictions,  differing  estates  of  the  Church, 
yea,  and  particularly  of  the  elect,  are  not  to  be  inter- 
preted only  according  to  the  latitude  of  the  proper 
sense  of  the  place,  and  respectively  toward  that 
present  occasion  whereupon  the  words  were  uttered, 
or  in  precise  congruity  or  contexture  with  the  words 
before  or  after,  or  in  contemplation  of  the  principal 
scope  of  the  place ;  but  have  in  themselves,  not  only 
totally  or  collectively,  but  distributively  in  clauses 
and  words,  infinite  springs  and  streams  of  doctrine 
to  water  the  Church  in  every  part.     Bacon. 

In  the  Bible  there  is  more  that  finds  me  than  I 
have  experienced  in  all  other  books  put  together : 
the  words  of  the  Bible  find  me  at  greater  depths  of 
my  being  ;  and  whatever  finds  me  brings  with  it  an 
irresistible  evidence  of  its  having  proceeded  from 

the  Holy  Spirit.     S.  T.  C. Think,  when  you  read 

the  Scriptures,  that  the  word  of  God  himself  falls 
upon  your  ears  ;  reflect  that  you  are  performing  a 
duty,  which  is  an  essential  part  of  communion  with 
him.  Regard  yourself  as  seeking  an  oracle  for  your 
direction  in  the  very  shrine  of  heaven — an  oracle 
which  can  not  misguide,  deceive,  or  lie.  Be  assured 
that,  since  God  had  before  him  when  he  inspired 
the  Holy  Scriptures  the  knowledge  of  future  events 
and  of  all  emergencies  which  should  arise  to  his 
people,  there  is  some  utterance  in  that  holy  book 
which  is  designed  to  meet  the  deepest  needs  of  thy 
heart.  And  read  it  with  all  the  reverence,  simplici- 
ty, and  awe  which  this  thought,  if  duly  weighed,  will 
inspire.     E.  M.  G. 


Section   330. 

2  TmoTHT  iv.  1-22. 

1  I  CHAEGE  thee  therefore  before  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  judge  the  quick 

2  and  the  dead  at  his  appearing  and  his  kingdom;  preach  the  word ;  be  instant  in  season,  out 

3  of  season ;  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort  with  all  longsuifering  and  doctrine.  For  the  time  will 
come  when  they  will  not  endure  sound  doctrine ;  but  after  their  own  lusts  shall  they  heap 

4  to  themselves  teachers,  having  itching  ears  ;  and  they  shall  turn  away  their  ears  from  the 

5  truth,  and  shall  be  turned  unto  fables.     But  watch  thou  in  all  things,  endure  afflictions,  do 

6  the  work  of  an  evangelist,  make  full  proof  of  thy  ministry.     For  I  am  now  ready  to  be 

7  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand.     I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  fin- 

8  ished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith :  henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  right- 
eousness, which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day :  and  not  to  me 
only,  but  unto  all  them  also  that  love  his  appearing. 

9  Do  thy  diligence  to  come  shortly  unto  me :  for  Demas  hath  forsaken  me,  having  loved 

10  this  present  world,  and  is  departed  unto  Thessalonica ;  Creecens  to  Galatia,  Titus  unto  Dal- 

11  matia.     Only  Luke  is  with  me.     Take  Mark,  and  bring  him  with  thee :  for  he  is  profitable 

12  to  me  for  the  ministry.     And  Tychicus  have  I  sent  to  Ephesus.     The  cloke  that  I  left  at 

13  Troas  with  Carpus,  when  thou  comest,  bring  with  thee,  and  the  books,  hut  especially  tha 


540 


SECTION  330.— 2  TIMOTHY  4  : 1-22. 


14  parchments.     Alexander  the  coppersmith  did  me  much  evil :  the  Lord  reward  him  accord- 

15  ing  to  his  works :  of  whom  he  thou  ware  also ;  for  he  hath  greatly  withstood  our  words. 

16  At  my  first  answer  no  man  stood  with  me,  but  all  men  forsook  me  :  I  pray  God  that  it 

17  may  not  be  laid  to  their  charge.  Notwithstanding  the  Lord  stood  with  me,  and  strengthened 
me ;  that  by  me  the  preaching  might  be  fully  known,  and  that  all  the  Gentiles  might  hear  : 

18  and  I  was  delivered  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lion.  And  the  Lord  shall  deliver  me  from 
every  evil  work,  and  will  preserve  me  unto  his  heavenly  kingdom :  to  whom  he  glory  for 
ever  and  ever.     Amen. 

19  Salute  Prisca  and  Aquila,  and  the  household  of  Onesiphorus.     Erastus  abode  at  Corinth : 

20  but  Trophimus  have  I  left  at  Miletum  sick.     Do  thy  diligence  to  come  before  winter.     Eu- 

21  bulus  greeteth  thee,  and  Pudens,  and  Linus,  and  Claudia,  and  all  the  brethren.     The  Lord 

22  Jesus  Christ  he  with  thy  spirit.     Grace  he  with  you.     Amen. 


Of  that  great  Roman  Emperor,  Augustus  Cesar,  it  is  related  that,  on  the  morning  of  his  death,  sensi- 
ble of  his  approaching  end,  he  called  for  a  mirror,  and  desired  his  gray  hairs  and  beard  to  be  decently 
arranged.  Then,  asking  of  his  friends  whether  he  had  played  well  his  part  in  the  drama  of  Ufe,  he  mut- 
tered a  verse  from  a  comic  epilogue,  inviting  them  to  greet  his  last  exit  with  applause.  Who  does  not 
gaze  in  pity  on  that — an  emperor's  deathbed  ?  Who  does  not  feel  a  painful  contrast  between  his  last 
hours,  and  the  exultant  triumph  of  "  such  an  one  as  Paul  the  aged,"  writing  with  manacled  hand  from 
his  chill  prison,  on  the  eve  of  martyrdom — "  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have 
kept  the  faith.  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness  "  ?  One  wants  the  voice  of 
praise  and  flattery  to  cheer  his  dying  hour.  The  other  is  looking  forward  to  the  "  well  done  "  of  the 
great  Judge.  One  feels  that  his  jeweled  crown  will  no  longer  cover  that  gray  head,  ripe  for  the  sickle  of 
the  great  Reaper.  The  other  is  assured  of  an  everlasting  crown,  such  as  senates  can  not  grant,  nor  death 
take  away.  One  looks  back  on  a  life  of  successful  but  selfish  ambition.  The  other  has  the  testimony  of 
a  good  conscience  that  he  has  lived  to  serve  God.  One  has  climbed  the  heights  of  power  and  surrounded 
himself  with  the  pageants  of  wealth  and  feasts  and  splendor,  only  to  die  like  a  play-actor.  The  other 
has  deliberately  chosen  a  path  which,  through  mobs,  and  prisons,  and  scorn,  and  hardships  unnumbered, 
leads  him  to  a  martyr's  death,  but  a  martyr's  triumph.  Both  wrought  with  rare  ability  and  rare  energy. 
Both  exerted  a  powerful  influence  on  the  history  of  the  world.  Each  in  a  measure  attained  his  end.  But 
in  the  final  result  the  sceptered  hand  grasped  a  bubble,  and  the  manacled  hand  grasped  a  crown.    E.  H.  G. 


1.  I  solemnly  charge  thee  before  God,  and  Christ 
Jesus,  who  is  going  to  judge  living  and  dead,  and  by 
his  appearing  and  his  kingdom.  This  is  the  apostle's 
last  charge  to  Timothy — the  last  in  this  Epistle,  and 
not  improbably  the  last  absolutely ;  and  he  therefore 
puts  it  in  the  most  solemn  form,  not  only  delivering 
it  as  in  the  presence  of  God  and  of  Jesus  Christ, 
but  also  the  appearing  of  Christ  and  his  kingdom. 
These  are  obviously  added  for  the  purpose  of  bring- 
ing before  Timothy  the  great  realities  of  the  future 
world,  which  should  infinitely  outweigh  all  the  pres- 
ent: Christ's  appearing,  when  everything  in  the 
past  shall  be  brought  into  judgment,  and  his  king- 
dom, when  his  faithful  servants  shall  reign  with  him 

in  glory.     P,  F. For  the  coming  of  that  kingdom 

all  believing  souls  are  praying  and  toiling.  And  the 
appeal  has  therefore  an  unlimited  application.  But 
with  emphasis  should  it  be  ever  pondered  by  the 
called  teacher  of  truth  and  exemplar  of  duty,  or- 
dained and  unordained,  in  the  pulpit,  in  the  class, 
and  in  the  household.  "  If  such,"  says  Burkitt,  "  in 
the  last  judgment,  who  neglected  to  feed  the  poor 
with  material  bread,  shall  be  placed  at  Christ's  left 


hand,  how  can  they  who  are  called  to  dispense  spir- 
itual bread,  if  they  neglect  to  do  it,  escape  condem- 
nation "  ?     B. 

The  charge :  Proclaim  the  tidings,  be  urgent  in 
season  and  out  of  season,  convince,  rebuke,  exhort, 
with  all  forbearance  and  perseverance  in  teach- 
ing (v.  2).  In  all  things  be  sober,  endure  alBic- 
tion,  do  the  work  of  an  evangelist,  accomplish  thy 

ministry  in  full  measure   (v.  5).     C. Proclaim, 

as  a  herald,  the  word  of  God,  the  glad  tidings  dis- 
closed in  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New.  (In  the 
New,  Timothy  had  been  fully  instructed  by  Paul.) 
The  urgency  refers  to  the  uttcrcr  of  the  word.  The 
in  season  and  out  of  season  refers  to  both  utterer  and 
hearer ;  and  respect  such  points  as  personal  com- 
fort, convenience,  or  safety.  It  is  not  meant  that 
the  urgency  should  be  rude,  or  in  any  wise  unfitting 
as  to  time  or  circumstances.  Paul  was  always 
courteous ;  he  timed  and  suited  his  words  most 
wisely.  Yet  who  than  he  ever  exemplified  this  in- 
junction more  admirably  ?     B. Have  no  definite 

time ;  let  it  be  always  time  for  thee :  not  in  peace 
alone,  or  in  quietness,  or  when  sitting  in  the  church. 


SECTION  330.— 2  TIMOTHY  4  .■  1-S2. 


541 


And  if  you  should  be  in  perils,  if  in  prison,  if  com- 
passed about  with  chains,  if  even  going  forth  to 
death,  at  that  very  time  convince,  withhold  not  the 
word  of  rebuke.  For  then  even  rebuking  is  in  sea- 
son, when  the  work  meets  with  success.    Chrys. 

Reprove,  or  convince :  show  them  their  errors.  Re- 
buke: show  them  their  sj«.  Exhort:  show  the  <rM^/i 
as  opposed  to  their  error,  the  right  as  opposed  to 

their   sin.      Eiddfe. And   all  this    showing,   of 

error,  of  sin,  of  truth  and  right,  is  to  be  performed 
with  all  forbearance  and  perseverance  in  teaching. 
Patiently,  forbearingly,  persevere  in  instructing  men 
upon  these  vital  matters,  whether  they  hear  or  for- 
bear. 

3)  4.  The  reason  is  here  assigned  for  this  faith- 
ful ministry;  one  that  has  always  been  in  force, 
since  human  nature  has  always  been  the  same. 
Men's  own  inclinations  will  become  the  guide  of 
their  conduct  concerning  truth  and  duty.  Because 
sound  or  salutary  teaching  about  their  own  errors 
and  sins  is  abasing  to  their  pride  and  crucifying  to 
their  selfish  passions,  it  will  not  be  endured.  Yet 
their  minds  crave  stimulus,  and  even  their  moral 
natures  demand  some  opiate.  Hence  they  will  re- 
sort to  various  so-called  teachers,  in  order  to  obtain 
fancies  that  please  and  rules  of  life  that  suit  their 
native  tastes.  And  the  effect  of  this  will  be  that 
they  turn  themselves  away  from  truth  to  falsehood, 
and  are  at  last  given  up  of  God  to  the  fixed  delusion 
of  believing  a  lie,  to  their  own  perdition.  The  picture 
is  sad  indeed,  and  common  as  sad,  in  this  as  in  every 
century  and  land.  None  believe  so  wildly,  and  none 
are  so  hopelessly  hardened  as  those  who  finally  re- 
ject the  saving  truth  of  God.     B. 

5,  Do  the  work  of  an  evangelist — much  the  same 
as  a  preacher  or  missionary  of  the  gospel,  a  carrier 
of  its  good  tidings,  without,  as  in  the  case  of  a  pas- 
tor, being  fixed  to  any  definite  locality.  In  the 
apostolic  age,  persons  recognized  as  evangelists 
seem  to  have  occupied  a  position  between  apostles 
and  pastors,  and  to  have  stood  in  a  certain  relation 
to  the  former  with  regard  to  the  diffusion  of  the 
gospel  and  the  planting  of  churches.  In  some  re- 
spects, therefore,  "they  were  nearest  to  the  apostles, 
and  had  an  office  cognate  to  these ;  in  respect  to 
dignity  alone  they  were  inferior.  For  at  the  com- 
mand of  the  apostles  [sometimes,  indeed,  without 
this ;  Acts  8  :  5,  40]  they  went  forth  to  various 
churches  in  order  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  to  per- 
fect the  work  which  had  been  begun  by  the  apostles  " 
(Suicer).  Or  it  might  be  in  the  inverse  order,  the 
apostles  came  to  perfect  what  the  evangelists  had 
begun ;  for  the  relations  so  far  do  not  seem  to  have 
been  exactly  determined.    P.  F. 

6-8.  FaitKs  Triumphant  Expectation  of  a?t 
Eternal  Reward  to  Faithfulness. — A  dcath-pean  of 
matchless  sublimity,  as  covering  the  retrospect  and 


prospect  of  a  Christlike  life — a  life  of  loyal  love  to 

God  and  man.     B. He  saw  before  him,  at  a  little 

distance,  the  doom  of  an  unrighteous  magistrate, 
and  the  sword  of  a  blood-stained  executioner ;  but 
he  appealed  to  the  sentence  of  a  juster  Judge,  who 
would  soon  change  the  fetters  of  the  criminal  into 
the  wreath  of  the  conqueror ;  he  looked  beyond  the 
transitory  present ;  the  tribunal  of  Nero  faded  from 
his  sight,  and  the  vista  was  closed  by  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Christ.     C. 

/  am  already  being  poured  out  as  a  sacrifcial 
offd'ing,  and  my  depaj-ting  time  is  near.  Thus  he 
intimates  that  Timothy  is  soon  to  take  up  his  work 
for  Christ.  To  prepare  him  and  his  successors  for 
like  fidelity  and  success,  Paul  had  written  these 
Epistles.  And  then  for  the  encouragement,  not  of 
Timothy  only,  but  of  all  who  serve  the  Lord  in  any 
sphere  or  measure,  and  who  love  his  appearing,  he 
calmly  affirms  his  truth  and  fidelity,  and  his  absolute 
assurance  of  triumph  and  reward  at  the  hand  of  his 
sovereign  Saviour.  And  not  to  me  only,  he  adds,  to 
the  end  setting  himself  forth  merely  as  "  a  pattern 
for  them  that  should  hereafter  believe  on  Christ," 
but  unto  all  those  that  love  his  appearing.     B. 

7.  It  is  not  strictly  correct  to  render  the  two 
Greek  words,  "I  have  fought  the  fight."  The  met- 
aphor is  taken  from  the  Greek  foot-races.  /  have 
run  the  good  race  would  be  more  exact.  The  literal 
English  is,  /  have  completed  the  glorious  contest.  He 
adds,  I  have  gone  over  the  whole  course  marked  out 
for  the  race.     C. 

The  battle  fought,  the  victory  won,  nothing  re- 
mains but  to  die — and  that  he  accounted  nothing. 
He  has  no  quarrel  with  death ;  no  fear  of  it ;  no 
battle  to  fight  with  it ;  "  I  have  fought  a  good  fight," 
he  says — fought  it  out.  It  is  done  and  over ;  and 
never  were  silent  night  and  soft  couch  more  welcome 
at  the  close  of  a  long  day's  journey  or  of  a  hard 
day's  fighting  than  death  and  the  grave  to  him  who 
exclaimed,  "  I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered,  and  the 
time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand."     T.  G. 

8.  And,  throughout,  his  faith  and  fealty  had 
never  faltered.  His  trust  in  Christ,  and  the  trust 
reposed  in  him  by  Christ,  had  alike  been  kept  in- 
violate. No  boasting  words  are  these,  but  truthful 
utterances,  "  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  judge  " 
who  gives  the  crown,  now  inspires  him  to  affirm,  as 
he  is  privileged  to  sta'nd  almost  within  the  veil. 
Now,  while  he  sees  at  hand  the  prize  toward  which 
he  has  been  so  long  pressing,  he  recognizes  it  as  the 
gracious  reward  of  divinely  prompted  and  aided  ser- 
vice— a  gift  of  grace,  and  striven  for  successfully 
through  given  grace  !  And,  as  if  to  emphasize  all 
this,  to  exalt  the  grace  of  God  alone,  we  read  his 
very  last  words  (v.  18),  expounding  even  this  sublime 
pean,  and  fitly  crowning  and  concluding  his  match- 
less teachings :  T7ie  Lord  shall  deliver  me  from,  eveiy 


542 


SECTION  330.— 2  TIMOTHY  4  :  1-Sl 


evil,  and  shall  preserve  me  unto  his  heavenly  kingdom. 
7'o  him  be  glory  unto  the  ages  of  ages.     Amen.     B. 

The  Lord  is  the  righteous  Judge :  for  his  judg- 
ment is  according  to  truth.  The  crown  of  believers 
is  a  crown  of  righteousness,  purchased  by  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ,  and  bestowed  as  the  reward  of 
the  saints'  righteousness.  This  crown,  which  be- 
lievers shall  wear,  is  laid  up  for  them ;  they  have  it 
not  at  present,  for  here  they  are  but  heirs ;  they 
have  it  not  In  possession,  and  yet  it  is  sure,  for  it  is 
laid  up  for  them.  The  righteous  Judge  will  give  it 
to  all  who  love,  prepare,  and  long  for  his  appearing. 

Henry. The  reward  which  God  has  in  hand  for 

his  faithful  servants  is  no  less  than  a  crown  of 
glory.  The  time  when  this  reward  shall  be  fully 
and  finally  dispensed  is  the  great  day.  It  is  the 
property  of  the  godly  to  look,  love,  and  long  for 
that  day.     Burkitt. 

10.  The  particular  form  under  which  "  this 
present  world  "  seduced  Demas  from  the  apostle's 
company  is  not  mentioned.  It  may  have  been  law- 
ful business  or  unlawful  pleasure,  an  office  or  emol- 
ument, luxury  or  ease,  the  solicitations  of  his  family 
or  friends.  Enough  that  the  love  so  interfered  with 
his  fidelity  to  the  gospel  and  its  apostle.     0.  E.  D. 

When  he  had  to  choose  between  fellowship 

with  the  bonds  of  Paul  and  the  freedom  of  the 
world  he  did  not  hesitate ;  he  felt  then  more  at- 
tracted to  the  pleasure  or  profit  of  Thessalonica  than 
to  the  dungeon  at  Rome.  lie  has  not  asked  if  it 
were  wise,  faithful,  Christian,  to  abandon  such  a 
prisoner  at  such  a  moment ;  and  when  he  disappears 
finally  from  our  view,  there  is  reason  to  fear  that 
his  parting  from  Paul  was  and  remained  a  falling 
away  from  a  faith  which,  indeed  more  than  aught 
else,  desires  from  its  professors  self-denial  and  cru- 
cifying of  the  flesh.  How  great  the  danger  of  the  love 
of  the  world  even  to  such  as  seem  to  be  on  the  road 
to  the  possession  of  a  treasure  in  heaven !     Van  0. 

He  had  been  a  preacher,  but  he  never  preached 

a  sermon  such  as  he  preaches  now — himself  the  ser- 
mon, and  these  words  his  text.  Love  not  the  world, 
neither  the  things  that  are  in  the  world.  If  any 
man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in 
him.     T.  G. 

11.  It  is  with  an  ever-deepening  sense  of  won- 
der we  find,  as  we  study  his  life,  that  the  man  lives 
in  the  apostle,  that  none  of  the  most  refined  fears, 
cares,  joys,  cravings,  tendernesses  of  the  most  pas- 
sionate human  friendship  arc  unkno^vn  to  him. 
Nothing,  indeed,  in  the  whole  range  of  his  writings 
is  more  striking  or  more  prophetic  than  the  friendly 
phrases  which  constantly  recur,  and  which  breathe 
the  very  spirit  of  tender  yearning  and  desire.  As 
we  accumulate  such  phrases  as,  "  Only  Luke  is  with 
me,"  "  No  man  stood  by  me,"  "  I  thought  it  good  to 
be  left  at  Athens  alone^''  and  "  I  have  no  man  like- 


minded  with  Aim,"  we  feel  that  we  are  permitted  to 
look  into  one  of  the  most  sensitive  of  human  hearts, 
a  heart  ever  craving  sympathy  and  love.  Such 
phrases,  and  the  scenes  to  which  they  refer  us,  re- 
veal the  man  to  us  and  make  him  dear  to  us.     Cox. 

13.  He  bids  Timothy  bring  the  cloak  which  he 
left  at  Troas,  in  anticipation  of  an  approaching 
winter,  "  and  the  books,  but  especially  the  parch- 
ments." These  particulars  have  seemed  to  some 
too  frivolous  for  inspiration,  but  they  have  a  real 
purpose  and  subserve  a  real  end,  if  they  show  that 
even  inspiration  did  not  destroy  tiie  perfect  sim- 
plicity and  naturalness  of  those  who  were  the  sub- 
jects of  it.     E.  M.  G. 

14.  The  Lord  will  requite  him  according  to  his 
works  seems  clearly  the  correct  reading.  The  fu- 
ture, as  compared  with  the  optative,  may  be  called 
popularly  the  milder  sense ;  and  Theodoret  seem^s 
to  lay  some  stress  on  so  explaining :  "  It  is  a  pre- 
diction, not  an  imprecation  ;  and  it  was  given  forth 
for  the  purpose  of  consoling  the  blessed  Timothy, 
and  teaching  him  not  to  be  disconcerted  by  the  as- 
saults of  the  adversaries."  In  a  theological  respect, 
however,  there  is  no  material  difference ;  and,  if  the 
optative  tvcre  the  correct  reading,  no  one  need  stum- 
ble at  it.  For,  surely,  what  it  is  perceived  God  is 
going  to  do,  a  believer,  an  apostle,  nay,  even  the 
purest  of  angelic  natures,  may  fitly  desire  to  see 
accomplished.     P.  F. 

17.  As  the  Lord  Jesus  at  the  end  of  his  career 
was  left  alone,  all  his  disciples  having  forsaken  him 
and  fled,  so  was  Paul  in  his  last  sufferings  alone. 
Nevertheless,  there  was  consolation  for  the  forsaken 
one.  As  the  Master  said,  "  The  Father  is  with  me," 
so  the  servant  said,  "The  Lord  stood  with  me  and 

strengthened  me."    D.  F. The  fait  hfidncss  of  the 

Lord  stands  forth  as  in  contrast  before  our  eyes  in 
heightened  splendor.  "  All  men  forsook  me ;  not- 
withstanding the  Lord  stood  with  me."  So  sounds 
forthwith  Paul's  vaunt  of  faith.  Jesus  departs  not 
hence.  Jesus  is  never  nearer  than  when  the  De- 
mases  become  conspicuous  through  their  absence. 
He  has  overcome  the  present  world,  and  he  who 
remains  faithful  to  Him  shall  share  His  victory. 
Van  0. 

The  Preaching  of  the  Word. 

L'or  dignify  and  usefulness  (he  pastoral  office  is  the 
frst  in  the  Church.  None  is  above  it ;  every  other 
subserves  and  culminates  in  it.  It  is  in  the  pastor 
that  we  find  the  minister  in  the  plenitude  of  his 
functions.  The  pastor  is  also  "  a  steward  of  the 
mysteries  of  God,"  "a  teacher,"  "a  bishop,"  "a 
deacon,"  "an  ambassador  for  Christ,"  "a  ruler," 
"  an  angel,"  but  the  converse  is  not  true ;  some  of 
these  names  may  be  taken  as  identical  in  meaning 
with  pastor  ;  otherwise,  neither  one  nor  the  whole  of 
them  has  as  comprehensive  an  import.  Vinet  does 
not  mistake  when  he  makes  the  pastor  essential  to 
the  typal  man.     "  It  is  impossible,"  he  says,  "  that 


SECTION  331.— TITUS  1 : 1-16. 


543 


the  pastor  should  not  make  a  part  of  the  ideal  of 
man — impossible  that  he  to  whom  the  perfection  of 
human  nature  was  fully  represented  should  not  have 
been  a  pastor."  It  was  necessary,  therefore,  that 
Christ,  the  divine  man,  should  have  borne  this  office ; 
that  this  "  pastor  of  the  worlds  in  the  heavens,"  to 
use  the  language  of  Bernard,  should  also  have  laeen 
the  shepherd  and  bishop  of  the  souls  of  men.  The 
pastoral  office  comprises  various  functions  ;  but  first 
and  chief  among  them  is  preaching  ;  the  proper  min- 
istry of  the  ivo7-d.     T.  H.  S. 

Nothing  less  than  a  very  distinct  and  forcible 
conception  and  assertion  of  things  spiritual  will 
avail  in  times  like  our  own  to  keep  alive  on  the 
mind  a  truth  equally  certain  and  momentous  in  one 
age  as  in  another,  that  whoever  is  not  in  a  definite 
sense  a  Christian  is  "  yet  in  his  sins,"  and  in  peril 
of  the  future  judgment.  We  are  come  to  no  easy 
and  gentle  mood  of  the  worid's  history.  This  is  no 
hour  of  leisure  and  facility  and  soft  persuasion. 
Whoever  dares  not  speak  explicitly  and  boldly  had 
better  not  speak  at  all.  Nothing  can  now  avail  the 
cause  of  truth  but  the  courage  which  truth  ought  to 
inspire.  The  adherents  of  the  gospel  must  then 
either  forfeit  all  chance  of  a  hearing  or  act  with  a 
correspondent  energy  and  promptitude.  If  in  any 
time  during  the  course  of  ages  there  has  been  need, 
on  the  part  of  Christians,  of  that  boldness  which 
walks  abreast  with  truth  and  wisdom,  this  is  such  a 
tune.  And  it  is  now  that  whatever  is  capital  and 
essential  in  Christianity  should  be  clearly  and  stren- 
uously affirmed.  And  now  it  is  (how  unutterably 
desirable !)  that  whatever  overloads,  encumbers,  de- 
faces our  faith  should  be  thrown  aside.     I.  T. 

The  preacher's  mind  should  resemble  a  lake  fed 
by  a  running  stream,  always  acquii-ing  fresh  knowl- 
edge, and  never  allowing  itself  to  be  stagnant. 
When  a  man  ceases  to  learn,  that  moment  he  be- 
comes unfit  to  teach.  T.  A. If  a  full  man  is  re- 
quired anywhere,  it  is  in  the  preacher  of  truth,  who 
is  fixed  to  the  same  spot  the  year  round.  Nothing 
short  of  a  large  magazine  to  draw  from  will  suffice 
for  these  frequent  demands  ;  without  it  the  thread 
of  his  speech  will  soon  run  out  the  staple  of  his 
argument,  and,  instead  of  a  preacher,  he  will  be- 
come a  spin-text.     Blunt. 

Let  prayer  go  hand  in  hand  with  study.  Let  the 
period  daily  spent  among  our  books  always  take  as 
much  as  possible  the  form  of  a  religious  meditation. 
Let  us  call  to  mind  when  we  read,  the  increased  ac- 
countability under  which  increased  knowledge  lays 
us.  Let  us  regard  our  minds  as  instruments  in 
God's  hand  whereby  he  proposes  to  communicate 
to  others  the  knowledge  of  his  dear  Son,  and  let  us 
furnish  them  carefully,  and  guard  them  jealously, 


under  this  view  of  their  relation  to  the  divine  ser- 
vice.    E.  M.  G. 

Affect  not  fine  words,  but  words  which  the  Holy 
Ghost  teaches  ;  that  is,  sound  speech,  which  can  not 
be  condemned.  Enticing  words  of  man's  wisdom 
debase  your  matter.  Gold  needs  not  to  be  painted. 
Scripture  expressions  are  what  people  are  used  to, 
and  will  remember.  Consider  the  lambs  of  your 
flock.  You  must  take  them  along  with  you.  Do  not 
over-drive  them  by  being  over-long  or  over-fine. 
Henry. Bring  your  own  spirit  to  the  fount  of  in- 
spiration ;  live  in  habitual  communion  with  the  in- 
finite truth  and  love,  and  the  words  you  speak  to 
men,  whether  rude  or  refined,  will  possess  a  charm, 
a  force,  a  power  to  touch  their  hearts  and  mold 
their  secret  souls  which  no  wo^ds  of  eloquent  con- 
ventionality can  ever  attain.  There  will  be  an  in- 
tuitive recognition   of   the   divine   fire   which  has 

touched  your  lips.      CairJ. Lean   only  on   the 

spirit  of  infinite  pity  and  help.  Keep  the  simplicity 
of  childlike  trust.  Never  measure  your  fidelity  by 
the  poor  signals  of  man's  applause.  Be  sure  your 
real  success  in  the  last  awards  will  be  found  in  the 
exact  measure  of  the  fervor  and  constancy  of  your 
communion  with  your  Lord.  The  office  of  the  min- 
istry is  to  take  up  and  carry  forward,  in  man's  be- 
half, Christ's  reconciling  work  ;  by  whatever  meth- 
ods, according  to  whatever  theory ;  by  communica- 
tion and  by  incitement ;  by  rousing  and  kindling  the 
dormant  capacities  of  the  soul,  and  by  taking  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  and  showing  them ;  life  as  op- 
posed to  stupor,  half-belief,  spiritual  indifference, 
or  a  heart  split  between  God's  worship  and  mam- 
mon worship  ;  life,  not  death.     F.  D.  H. 

Christian  saw  the  picture  of  a  very  grave  person 
hung  up  against  the  wall,  and  this  was  the  fashion 
of  it :  It  had  eyes  lifted  up  to  heaven,  the  best  of 
books  in  its  hand,  the  law  of  truth  was  written  upon 
its  lips,  the  world  was  behind  its  back ;  it  stood  as 
if  it  pleaded  with  men,  and  a  crown  of  gold  did 
hang  over  its  head.  Then  said  Christian,  "What 
meaneth  this  ?  "  The  interpreter  answered,  "  The 
man  whose  picture  this  is  is  one  of  a  thousand.  And 
whereas  thou  seest  him  with  his  eyes  lifted  up  to 
heaven,  the  best  of  books  in  his  hand,  and  the  law 
of  truth  written  on  his  lips,  it  is  to  show  thee  that 
his  work  is  to  know  and  to  unfold  dark  things  to 
sinners,  even  as  also  thou  seest  him  stand  as  if  he 
pleaded  with  men.  And  whereas  thou  seest  the 
world  as  cast  behind  him,  and  that  a  crown  hangs 
over  his  head,  that  is  to  show  thee  that,  slighting 
and  despising  the  things  that  are  present  for  the 
love  that  he  hath  to  his  Master's  service,  he  is  sure, 
in  the  world  that  comes  next,  to  have  glory  for  his 
reward."     £un. 


Section  331. 

Titus  i.  1-16. 


1  Patjl,  a  servant  of  God,  and  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  tlie  faith  of  God's 

2  elect,  and  the  acknowledging  of  the  truth  which  is  after  godliness  ;  in  hope  of  eternal  life, 

3  which  God,  that  cannot  lie,  promised  before  the  world  began  ;  but  hath  in  due  times  mani- 
fested his  word  through  preaching,  which  is  committed  unto  me  according  to  the  command- 

4  ment  of  God  our  Saviour  ;  to  Titus,  mine  own  son  after  the  common  faith  :  Grace,  mercy, 


544 


SECTION  SSL— TITUS  1  : 1-16. 


5  and  peace,  from  God  the  Father  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour.    For  this  cause 
left  I  thee  in  Crete,  that  thou  shonldest  set  in  order  the  things  that  are  wanting,  and  ordain 

6  elders  in  every  city,  as  I  had  appointed  thee :  if  any  be  blameless,  the  husband  of  one  wife, 

7  having  faithful  children  not  accused  of  riot  or  unruly.     For  a  bishop  must  be  blameless,  as 
the  steward  of  God  ;  not  selfwUled,  not  soon  angry,  not  given  to  wine,  no  striker,  not  given 

8  to  filthy  lucre ;  but  a  lover  of  hospitality,  a  lover  of  good  men,  sober,  just,  holy,  temperate ; 

9  holding  fast  the  faithful  word  as  he  hath  been  taught,  that  he  may  be  able  by  sound  doc- 
trine both  to  exhort  and  to  convince  the  gainsayers. 

10  For  there  are  many  unruly  and  vain  talkers  and  deceivers,  specially  they  of  the  circum- 

11  cision:  whose  mouths  must  be  stopped,  who  subvert  whole  houses,  teaching  things  which 

12  they  ought  not,  for  filthy  lucre's  sake.     One  of  themselves,  even  a  prophet  of  their  own, 

13  said.  The  Cretians  are  alway  liars,  evil  beasts,  slow  bellies.     This  witness  is  true.     Where- 

14  fore  rebuke  them  sharply,  that  they  may  be  sound  in  the  faith ;  not  giving  heed  to  Jewish 
fables,  and  commandments  of  men,  that  turn  from  the  truth. 

15  Unto  the  pure  all  things  are  pure :  but  unto  them  that  are  defiled  and  unbelieving  is  noth- 

16  ing  pure ;  but  even  their  mind  and  conscience  is  defiled.  They  profess  that  they  know 
God ;  but  in  works  they  deny  liim,  being  abominable,  and  disobedient,  and  unto  every 
good  work  reprobate. 

Some  sins,  far  more  than  others,  are  sins  first  of  the  imagination.  They  are  such  that  to  think  of 
them  is  to  be  tempted  by  them.  To  harbor  their  images,  to  gaze  on  their  portraits,  is  to  open  wide  the 
way  for  the  guilty  realities  themselves.  Especially  true  is  this  of  those  which  are  secret  in  their  very 
nature,  loving  darkness  rather  than  light,  born  and  nursed  in  hidden  chambers  where  no  eye  of  man  can 
reach,  till  they  gain  the  satanic  strength,  finally,  to  break  openly  over  the  bounds  of  law ;  but  at  any  rate 
corroding,  corrupting,  and  spoiling  the  chaste  heart  till  it  is  pure  no  longer.  So  certainly  teaches  Christ, 
he  who  knows  this  human  heart  so  well  in  all  its  weakness,  when  he  insists  that  sin  is  in  the  glance  of 
the  eye  and  the  desire  of  the  mind.  Hence  the  supreme  importance  he  assigns  in  his  teaching  to  the 
government  of  the  thoughts,  the  imagination,  the  "  hidden  man."  You  may  say,  "  Unto  the  pure  all 
things  are  pure,"  and  so  you  will  go  and  look  and  listen  as  you  please ;  you  will  let  meretricious  art  and 
ambiguous  literature  and  bold  company  tempt  you  to  the  full  bent  of  their  unbridled  will.  Yes,  "  Unto 
the  pure  all  tilings  are  pure  "  ;  that  declares  a  principle.  But  who  are  the  "  pure"  ?  Will  any  one  of 
us,  right-minded  as  he  may  be,  looking  up  honestly  toward  the  great  white  throne,  dare  say,  "  I  am 
pure  "  ?  and,  if  you  are,  how  does  it  happen  that  you  willingly  suffer  impurity  to  be  the  tolerated  guest 
of  your  heart's  hospitality  ?     F.  D.  PI. 


The  Epistle  to  Titus. 

The  precise  period  of  Paul's  visit  to  Crete,  for 
the  purpose  of  preaching  the  gospel  and  organizing 
Christians,  is  not  certainly  known.  But,  from  the 
great  similarity  between  certain  parts  of  this  Epis- 
tle and  the  First  Epistle  to  Timothy,  the  probabiUty 
is  that  the  visit  took  place  some  time  during  the 
later  operations  of  the  apostle  in  Asia  Minor  and 
Greece,  and  that  consequently  this  Epistle  to  Titus, 
who  had  been  left  behind  to  complete  the  work  be- 
gun by  the  apostle,  must  have  proceeded  from  his 
pen  at  no  great  interval  from  the  time  when  he  in- 
dited the  first  to  Timothy.     P.  F. Both  letters 

were  addressed  to  persons  left  by  the  writer  to  pre- 
side in  their  respective  churches  during  his  absence. 
Both  letters  are  principally  occupied  in  describing 
the  qualiticatious  to  be  sought  for  in  those  whom 
they  should  appoint  to  offices  in  the  Church ;  and 
the  particulars  are  in  both  letters  nearly  the  same. 
Timothy  and  Titus  are  likewise  cautioned  against 
the  same  prevailing  corruptions,  and,  in  particular, 
against  the  same  misdirection  of  their  cares  and 
studies.  The  writer  accosts  his  two  friends  with  the 
same  saluta»ion,  and  passes  on  to  the  business  of 
his  letter  by  the  same  transition.     Paley. 

Extremely  little  is  known  of  Titus,  either  as  a 
man  or  as  an  evangelist.     Ilis  name  never  occurs  in 


the  history  of  the  Acts,  which  is  somewhat  strange, 
as  we  know  from  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians  that 
he  was  with  Paul  and  Barnabas  at  Antioch,  and  ac- 
companied them  to  Jerusalem  when  they  went  to 
have  the  dispute  settled  about  circumcision  (Gal. 
2  :  1-3).  We  learn,  from  the  brief  notice  given  us 
of  what  took  place  on  that  occasion,  that  Paul  stern- 
ly refused  to  have  him  circumcised,  as  some  of  the 
Jewish  Christians  wished,  because  he  saw  that  in  his 
case  the  principle  of  gospel  liberty  was  at  stake, 
and  must,  at  whatever  hazard,  be  vindicated.  It 
therefore  appears  not  only  that  Titus  was  a  Gentile, 
but  that  he  must  have  also  been  employed  chiefly 
in  ministering  to  Gentiles,  or  to  churches  in  which 
these  formed  the  predominating  element.  He  ap- 
pears, at  a  later  period,  to  have  been  with  Paul  and 
Timothy  at  Ephesus,  doubtless  sharing  with  these  in 
the  manifold  labors  attendant  on  the  planting  of  the 
Church  in  that  center  of  idolatry  and  corruption. 
From  Ephesus  he  was  sent  forth  by  Paul  to  Corinth, 
for  the  purpose  of  stimulating  the  brethren  to  get 
forward  their  contributions  for  the  poor  saints  at 
Jerusalem  (2  Cor.  8  :  6  ;  12  :  18).  He  rejoined  the 
apostle  in  Macedonia,  and  cheered  him  with  the  re- 
port he  brought,  not  only  of  the  progress  of  the 
contributions,  but  also  of  the  salutary  effect  pro- 
duced by  the  First  Epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Church  at 


SECTION  331.— TITUS  1 : 1-16. 


545 


Corinth  (7  :  6-15).     P.  F. He  is  spoken  of  in 

the  highest  terms  as  being  Paul's  partner  and  fel- 
low-helper ;  and  his  unity  of  spirit  and  action  with 
the  apostle  is  confidently  appealed  to.  For  about 
ten  years  (a.  d.  57-67)  we  lose  sight  of  Titus  al- 
together, i.  e.,  until  the  notices  which  our  Epistle 
supplies.  Here  we  find  him  left  in  the  island  of 
Crete  by  Paul,  for  the  temporary  purpose  of  carry- 
ing forward  the  correction  of  those  things  that  were 
defective.  He  was  to  work  this  out  by  establish- 
ing presbyteries,  the  members  of  which  are  called 
bishops,  in  every  city.  He  was  to  stay  there  a  very 
short  time,  as  he  was,  on  the  arrival  of  Tychicus  or 
Artemas,  to  come  to  the  apostle  at  Nicopolis. 

The  only  plausible  account  of  the  origin  of  these 
Cretan  churches  is,  that  they  owed  their  beginning 
to  some  of  those  Cretan  Jews  who  are  related  to 
have  been  witnesses  of  the  miracle  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost.  If  this  view  be  correct,  it  will  furnish 
a  complete  and  interesting  explanation  of  their  con- 
dition as  shown  by  our  Epistle.  They  had  been  long 
founded,  yet  were  in  an  elementary  and  unformed 
state.  The  errors  in  them  were  almost  exclusively 
Jewish,  and  the  apostle's  visit  had  brought  out  the 
Judaistic  element  into  open  hostility  to  him.     A. 

1,  3.  The  faith  and  knowledge  of  God's  elect 
rested  on  a  background  of  promise  and  hope,  which, 
in  a  mannei',  stretched  from  eternity  to  eternity, 
having  God's  primeval  promise  for  its  origin,  and 
a  participation  in  his  everlasting  life  for  its  end. 
What  an  elevated  thought !  And  how  peculiarly  fit- 
ted, both  to  enhance  the  spiritual  attainments  which 
carried  with  them  the  realization  of  such  a  hope, 
and  to  exalt  the  ministry  which  was  appointed  to 
bring  them,  instrumentally,  within  the  reach  of  men ! 

5.  The  first  and  apparently  the  most  promi- 
nent point  concerned  the  official  organization  of  the 
churches  :  and  mightest  appoint  elders  in  every  city, 
as  I  directed  thee.  Not  only  was  the  appointment 
of  elders  to  each  several  congregation  to  be  made, 
but  it  was  to  be  done  in  accordance  with  the  in- 
structions which  had  been  given  by  the  apostle — 
the  main  part  of  which  are  doubtless  embodied  in 
the  description,  which  immediately  follows,  of  the 
qualifications  to  be  sought  in  the  persons  who  were 
to  receive  the  appointment.     P.  F. 

5-7.  The  name  prcshytei;  or  elder,  is  no  doubt 
of  Jewish-Christian  origin — a  translation  of  the  He- 
brew title  saken,  sekenim,  applied  to  the  rulers  of 
the  synagogues,  on  whom  devolved  the  conduct  of 
rehgious  affairs.  It  refers,  therefore,  primarily  to 
age  and  the  personal  venerableness  which  goes  with 
it ;  then  derivatively  to  official  dignity  and  authori- 
ty, since  these  are  usually  borne  by  men  of  age  and 
experience.  The  term  bishop,  or  overseer,  is,  in  all 
probability,  borrowed  from  the  political  relations  of 
the  Greeks.  Hence  it  came  later  into  ecclesiastical 
use,  and  made  its  first  appearance,  too,  among  the 
Gentile  Christians  ;  as,  in  fact,  it  occurs  in  the  New 
Testament  only  in  the  writings  of  Paul  and  his  dis- 
ciple Luke.  It  refers,  as  the  term  itself  signifies,  to 
the  official  duty  and  activity  of  these  congregational 
rulers.  The  demand  for  the  office  unquestionably 
arose  very  early ;  since,  notwithstanding  the  diffusion 
of  gifts,  which  were  not  necessarily  confined  to  offi- 
cial station,  provision  had  to  be  made  for  the  regu- 
lar instruction  and  government  of  the  rapidly  multi- 
plying churches.  The  historical  pattern  for  it  was 
presented  in  the  Jewish  synagogue,  in  the  bench  of 
elders  who  conducted  the  exercises  of  public  wor- 
ship, prayer,  and  the  reading  and  exposition  of  the 

35 


Scriptures.  Christian  presbyters  meet  us  for  the  first 
time  (Acts  11  :  30)  at  Jerusalem,  when  the  Church 
of  Antioch  sent  a  collection  to  their  brethren  in  Ju- 
dea.  Thence  the  institution  passed  over  not  only  to 
all  the  Jewish-Christian  churches,  but  also  to  those 
planted  by  Paul  and  his  colaborers  among  the  Gen- 
tiles. The  presbyters  or  bishops  of  the  apostolic 
period  were  the  regular  teachers  and  pastors,  preach- 
ers and  leaders  of  the  congregations ;  and  it  was 
their  office  to  conduct  all  public  worship,  to  take 
care  of  souls,  to  enforce  discipline,  and  to  manage 
the  church  property.     P.  S. 

As  at  the  first  settling  of  the  Church  of  Israel  in 
the  wilderness,  so  it  was  in  the  first  settling  of  the 
gospel.  The  first  fathers  of  the  Sanhedrim  in  the 
wilderness  were  endued  with  divine  gifts  ;  but,  when 
that  generation  was  expired,  those  that  were  to  suc- 
ceed in  that  function  and  employment  were  such  as 
were  qualified  for  it  by  education,  study,  and  parts 
acquired.  So  was  it  with  this  first  age  of  the  gos- 
pel and  the  ages  succeeding.  At  the  first  dispers- 
ing of  the  gospel,  it  was  absolutely  needful  that  the 
first  planters  should  be  furnished  with  such  extraor- 
dinary gifts,  or  else  it  was  not  possible  it  should  be 
planted,  as  may  appear  by  a  plain  instance :  Paul 
comes  to  a  place  where  the  gospel  had  never  come ; 
he  stays  a  month  or  two  and  begets  a  church,  and 
then  he  is  to  go  his  way  and  to  leave  them.  Who 
now,  in  this  church,  is  tit  to  be  their  minister  ?  they 
being  all  alike  but  very  children  in  the  gospel ;  but 
Paul  is  directed  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to  lay  his  hands 
upon  such  and  such  of  them  ;  and  that  bestows  upon 
them  the  gift  of  tongues  and  prophesying ;  and  now 
they  are  able  to  be  ministers,  and  to  teach  the  con- 
gregation. But  after  that  generation,  when  the  gos- 
pel was  settled  in  the  world,  and  committed  to  writ- 
ing, and  written  to  be  read  and  studied,  then  was 
study  of  the  Scriptures  the  way  to  enable  man  to 
unfold  the  Scriptures,  and  fit  them  to  be  ministers 
to  instruct  others  ;  and  revelations  and  inspirations 
neither  needful  nor  safe  to  be  looked  after,  nor 
hopeful  to  be  attained  unto.  And  this  was  the  rea- 
son why  Paul,  coming  but  newly  out  of  Ephesus 
and  Crete,  when  he  could  have  ordained  and  quali- 
fied ministers  with  abilities  by  the  imposition  of  his 
hands,  would  not  do  it,  but  left  Timothy  and  Titus 
to  ordain,  though  they  could  not  bestow  these  gifts ; 
because  he  knew  the  way  that  the  Lord  had  ap- 
pointed ministers  thenceforward  to  be  enabled  for 
the  ministry,  not  by  extraordinary  infusions  of 
the  Spirit,  but  by  serious  study  of  the  Scriptures ; 
not  by  a  miraculous,  but  by  an  ordinary  ordina- 
tion.    J.  L. 

9.  It  was  the  first  part  of  the  duty  of  the  over- 
seers of  such  a  community  to  exhort,  that  is,  to 
instruct  and  edify  its  own  members ;  and  only  sec- 
ondarily, and  as  occasion  required,  to  resist  and 
expose  the  false  teaching  of  those  who  assailed  the 
Christian  faith,  if  so  be  they  might  be  able  to  con- 
vince them  of  their  errors.  So  that  the  qualification 
here  associated  with  the  true  Christian  pastor  corre- 
sponds to  the  aptness  to  teach  mentioned  in  1  Tim. 
3:2;  only  here  it  is  more  specifically  described, 
and  its  importance  indicated  with  reference  as  well 
to  the  hostile  as  to  the  friendly  elements,  amid  which 
the  church  in  Crete  was  placed.     P.  F. 

12.  The  character  of  the  Cretans  quoted  by  the 
apostle  with  approbation,  out  of  the  Cretan  poet 
Epimenides,  is  abundantly  illustrated  by  the  testi- 
monies of  ancient  writers.  Livy,  Plutarch,  Polyb- 
ius,  and  Strabo  testify  to  their  love  of  gain,  their 


546 


SECTION  332.— TITUS  2  : 1-15. 


ferocity  and  fraud,  their  disregard  of  truth,  and  gen- 
eral depravity.     A. The  description,  of  course, 

is  to  be  understood  as  applying  only  in  the  general 
to  the  Cretan  population,  while  admitting,  doubtless, 
of  many  individual  exceptions.  But,  being  so  gen- 
eral as  to  have  become  a  kind  of  byword  and  re- 
proach to  the  island,  it  was  to  be  expected  that  the 
noxious  qualities  would  not  be  long  in  making  their 
appearance  in  the  Christian  Church  ;  on  the  side  es- 
pecially of  these  qualities  danger  was  to  be  looked 
for  to  the  cause  of  a  pure  and  healthful  Christian- 
ity.    V.Y. 

15.  Unto  the  pure  all  things  are  pure. 
The  pure  heart  becomes  a  center  of  attraction  round 
which  similar  atoms  gather,  and  from  which  dissim- 
ilar ones  are  repelled.  A  corrupt  heart  elicits  in  an 
hour  all  that  is  bad  in  us ;  a  spiritual  one  brings 
out  and  draws  to  itself  all  that  is  best  and  purest. 
We  do  not  want  a  new  world ;  we  want  new  hearts. 
Let  the  Spirit  of  God  purify  society,  and  to  the 

pure  all  things  will  be  pure.    F.  W.  R. Let  there 

be  purity  in  the  region  of  thought,  desire,  will,  and 
then  external  things  assume  a  corresponding  charac- 
ter, because  they  receive  an  impress  and  a  direction 
from  the  spirit  of  him  who  uses  them.  It  is  but  a 
fresh  enunciation  of  the  truth  long  before  uttered 
by  our  Lord,  and  laid  by  him  as  an  axe  to  the  root 
of  the  mistaken  ceremonialism  of  the  Pharisees : 
that  everything  depended  on  the  state  of  the  heart, 
from  which  proceed,  as  to  good  or  evil,  the  issues 
of  Ufe.     P.  F. 


All  tilings  are  pure  which  God  has  given  to  man. 
And,  therefore,  if  a  man  be  pure  in  heart,  all  which 
God  has  given  him  will  not  only  do  him  no  harm, 
but  do  him  good.  All  the  comforts  and  blessings 
of  this  life  will  help  to  make  him  a  better  man. 
They  will  teach  him  about  his  own  character ;  about 
human  nature,  and  the  people  with  whom  he  has  to 
do ;  ay,  about  God  himself,  as  it  is  written,  "  Blessed 
are  the  pure  in  heart,  for  they  shall  see  God."  Yet 
there  is  not  a  blessing  on  earth  which  a  man  may 
not  turn  into  a  curse.  There  is  not  a  good  gift  of 
God  out  of  which  a  man  may  not  get  harm,  if  only 
his  heart  be  not  pure ;  as  it  is  written,  "  To  those  who 
are  defiled  and  unbelieving  nothing  is  pure."    C.  K. 

They  have  within  a  fountain  of  pollution,  which 

spreads  itself  over  and  infects  everything  about 
them.  Their  food  and  drink,  their  possessions, 
their  employments,  their  comforts,  their  actions — 
all  are  in  the  reckoning  of  God  tainted  with  impu- 
rity, because  they  are  putting  away  from  them  that 
which  alone  has  for  the  soul  regenerating  and  cleans- 
ing efficacy.     P.  F. 

16.  " They  joro/Vss "  should  be  "they  make  con- 
fession." This  is  important.  The  English  version 
admits  the  idea  that  they  profess,  without  having, 
the  knowledge,  whereas  the  point  of  the  apostle's 
accusation  is  their  own  confession  of  the  fact  that 
they  know  God,  and  their  denial  of  him  in  their 
works.     A. 


Section  332. 

Titus  ii,  1-15. 

1  But  speak  thou  the  things  which  hecome  sound  doctrine :  that  the  aged  men  he  soher, 

2  grave,  temperate,  sound  in  faith,  in  charity,  in  patience.     The  aged  women  likewise,  that 

3  they  he  in  behaviour  as  becometh  holiness,  not  false  accusers,  not  given  to  much  wine,  teach- 

4  ers  of  good  things ;  that  they  may  teach  the  young  women  to  be  sober,  to  love  their  hus- 

5  bands,  to  love  their  children,  to  he  discreet,  chaste,  keepers  at  home,  good,  obedient  to  their 

6  own  husbands,  that  the  word  of  God  be  not  blasphemed.     Young  men  likewise  exhort  to 

7  be  sober  minded.     In  all  things  shewing  thyself  a  pattern  of  good  works :  in  doctrine  shew- 

8  ing  uncorruptness,  gravity,  sincerity,  sound  speech,  that  cannot  be  condemned ;  that  be 

9  that  is  of  the  contrary  part  may  be  ashamed,  having  no  evil  thing  to  say  of  you.    Exhort 
servants  to  be  obedient  unto  their  own  masters,  and  to  please  them  well  in  all  things  ;  not 

10  answering  again ;  not  purloining,  but  shewing  all  good  fidelity ;  that  they  may  adorn  the 
doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  in  all  things. 

11  For  the  grace  of  God  that  bringeth  salvation  hath  appeared  to  all  men,  teaching  us  that, 

12  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  rigliteously,  and  godly,  in 

13  this  present  world  ;  looking  for  that  blessed  hope,  and  the  glorious  appearing  of  the  great 

14  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ ;  who  gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from 
all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works.    These  things 

15  speak,  and  exhort,  and  rebuke  with  all  authority.    Let  no  man  despise  thee. 


SECTION  33^.— TITUS  2  : 1-15. 


547 


The  grace  of  the  gospel  is  an  effectual  principle  of  holiness  in  all  who  partake  of  it.  This  was  the 
doctrine  which  Paul  delivered  to  Titus.  "  The  grace  of  God  which  bringeth  salvation  teacheth  us  that, 
denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  and  righteously,  and  godly  in  this  present 
world."  I  read  of  a  dead  faith,  a  prcsumphious  hope,  a.  false  peace,  and  a  name  to  live.  Whereas  the  true 
faith  of  the  gospel  is  everywhere  represented  as  "  working  by  love "  and  "  overcoming  the  world." 
The  hope  of  the  gospel  incites  all  who  arc  possessed  of  it  "  to  purify  themselves,  even  as  he  "  whom 
they  hope  to  enjoy  "is  pure."  "The  peace  of  God  which  passeth  all  understanding  keeps,"  or 
guards,  "  the  heart  and  mind,"  and  fortifies  the  believer  against  the  fierce  assaults  of  his  spiritual  enemies. 
And  it  is  the  distinguishing  privilege  of  those  who  "  are  not  under  the  law  but  under  grace,"  that  "  sin 
shall  not  have  dominion  over  them."  They  show  that  they  live  in  the  Spirit  by  walking  in  the  Spirit,  and 
give  proof  that  they  are  "  risen  with  Christ,"  and  "  know  him  in  the  power  of  his  resurrection,"  by  "  seek- 
ing those  things  which  are  above,  where  Christ  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God."  These  are  the  words  of 
truth ;  they  are  pure  words,  like  silver  tried  in  a  furnace  of  earth,  and  purified  seven  times.  And  they 
are  written  in  such  capital  letters,  and  expressed  with  such  plainness  and  precision,  that  no  sophistry  can 
either  darken  their  meaning  or  impair  their  force  ;  unless  it  be  to  those  unstable  souls  who  are  "  ever 
learning  but  never  able  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth."    R.  W. 


1.  ^^  Sound  doctrine,''^  as  so  often,  should  be 
"  the  sound  doctrine,"  i.  e.,  the  apostolic  setting 
forth  of  the  Christian  faith;  not,  any  kind  of 
wholesome  teaching.     A. 

2.  The  various  things  mentioned  in  the  exhor- 
tation are  peculiarly  appropriate  for  persons  in  ad- 
vanced life ;  they  are  the  qualities  in  which  it  be- 
hooves them  in  an  enainent  degree  to  adorn  the 
Christian  faith.     P.  F. 

6.  The  term  sobriety  of  mind,  according  to  its 
crginal  import,  denoted  a  negation^  the  absence  of 
intoxication.  From  this  more  sensual  starting-point 
it  proceeded  to  denote  the  removal  of  all  such  ex- 
citing influences  as  tend  to  blind  and  bewilder  the 
mind,  to  weaken  the  power  of  judgment,  to  bring 
our  nature  under  the  dominion  of  passions  which 
plead  for  immediate  gratification.  Thus,  sobriety  of 
mind  came  to  mean  moral  soundness  or  health,  the 
domiruon  of  reason  over  desire.  The  word  here 
used,  strictly  translated,  means  "  sound-minded,"  or 
healthy-minded,  and  implies  the  conviction  that  there 
is  a  certain  standard  of  character  or  condition  of 
the  mind  which  bears  an  analogy  to  health  of  body, 
a  condition  in  which  all  the  functions  of  the  mind 
are  in  their  right  state,  in  which  sound  or  healthy 
views  of  things  are  taken,  in  which  no  part  of 
human  nature  is  inoperative  or  unduly  developed. 

This  Christian  duty  of  sobriety  needs  to  be 
pressed  with  especial  earnestness  on  young  men,  who 
are  apt  to  fail  just  at  this  point.  Without  the  les- 
sons of  experience,  impulsive  and  incautious,  pro- 
verbially hopeful,  often  dazzled  by  the  colors  which 
their  own  imaginations  throw  around  the  objects  of 
pursuit,  who  need  so  much  as  they  a  voice  of  coun- 
sel and  of  solemn  warning,  drawn  from  the  eternal 
issues  of  conduct?  Their  minds  naturally,  and  by 
a  divine  appointment,  take  held  of  life  with  a  strong 
zest ;  and  earthly  desires  are  at  their  side,  urging 
them,  according  to  the  design  of  their  existence,  to 
the  fulfillment  of  earthly  duties,  and  yet  able  to 
draw  them  away  into  every  excess.  Feeling  is  ex- 
uberant, temper  quick,  passion  strong ;  the  evil  of 
indulgence  is  unknown,  or  lies  afar  oif  and  may  not 
be  guarded  against ;  restraint  has  not  become  habit- 
ual. Let  all  go  on  in  an  unchecked  progress,  let 
there  be  no  light  from  the  skies  to  reveal  higher 
duties  and  a  nobler  life,  and  what  preservative  is 
there  against  the  mad  sweep  of  sensual  passions,  if 
the  temperament  lead  that  way,  or  against  the  in- 


safte  thirst  for  gold  or  office  ?  How  precious  then 
ought  that  fountain  to  be  regarded  from  which 
sobering  draughts  may  be  continually  drawn  ;  which 
tells  us  of  a  blessed  life,  that  is  passed  in  calmness 
where  no  gusts  of  passion  invade,  and  is  to  be 
measured,  not  by  outbursts  of  wild  joy,  but  by  the 
depth  of  an  inward  peace ;  which  tells  us  of  a  holy 
life,  whose  communings  with  an  Infinite  Father  and 
a  Divine  Saviour  curb,  as  by  a  wand  of  magic,  every 
lust,  and  bring  the  soul  into  harmony ;  which  tells 
us  of  a  noble  life  full  of  great  purposes,  the  least  of 
which  is  worth  more  to  the  soul  than  all  that  plea- 
sure ever  promised ;  which  tells  us  of  a  life  looking 
out  beyond  the  grave,  and  in  its  measurements  finding 
all  objects  bounded  by  this  world  to  be  ineffably 
small.     T.  D.  W. 

10.  In  order  that  in  all  things  they  may  adorn 
the  doctrine  of  our  Saviour  God.  Here  again,  as  at 
verse  5,  also  at  verse  8,  the  high  spiritual  aim  of 
the  gospel,  in  what  it  teaches  of  doctrine  and  exacts 
of  obedience,  comes  prominently  out.  The  glory  of 
God's  name  and  character  among  men  is  involved  in 
it.  And  the  strongest  expression  given  to  this  is 
precisely  here  where  the  lowest  in  social  position 
are  concerned.  Previously  it  was  that  God's  word 
might  not  be  blasphemed  ;  but  now  it  is  that  the 
conduct  of  the  poor  bondmen  who  avowed  them- 
selves believers  might  adorn  the  doctrine  which  is 
of  God.  "  God  thinks  it  meet "  (to  use  the  words 
of  Calvin)  "  to  receive  an  ornament  from  bondmen, 
whose  condition  was  so  mean  that  they  were  scarce- 
ly reckoned  among  men.  But  if  their  life  (he  justly 
adds)  is  an  ornament  of  the  Christian  name,  all  the 
more  should  they  who  are  in  honor  see  to  it  that 
they  do  not  mar  it  by  their  base  behavior."     P.  F. 

The  Christian  is  called  to  adorn  the  doctrine  of 

the  gospel  in  whatever  calling  he  is  placed.  He  is 
to  look  upon  the  world  as  the  field  where  the  char- 
acter of  Jesus  is  to  be  manifested  by  his  followers, 
and  where  God  is  to  be  glorified.  He  is  to  be  a 
prophet,  priest,  and  king,  teaching  truth  and  right- 
eousness, proclaiming  peace,  and  offering  interces- 


548 


SECTION  332.— TITUS  2  : 1-15. 


sion,  living  in  a  royal  spirit  above  the  distractions 
and  anxieties  of  time.  He  can  be  a  missionary 
everywhere  :  Christ  sends  him  into  the  world.  The 
less  he  loves  the  world  in  its  God-opposed  character, 
the  more  he  truly  loves  the  world,  and  is  a  blessing 
to  those  around  him.     A.  S. 

11-14.  Taking  occasion  from  what  he  nad  just 
said  of  the  connection  between  the  conduct  of 
Christians  and  the  doctrine  they  professed  to  have 
received,  and  the  connection  of  both  with  the  glory 
of  God,  the  apostle  proceeds  in  these  verses  to 
ground  the  whole  of  his  exhortations  respecting  the 
behavior  of  Christians  in  the  essentially  moral  na- 
ture and  design  of  the  grace  of  God  as  now  mani- 
fested in  the  gospel :  For  the  grace  of  God,  having 
salvation  for  all  men,  was  manifested,  disciplining  us, 

etc.    P.  F. By  the  action  of  grateful  motive  and 

the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  grace  persuades, 
impels,  and  educates  to  a  new  life  of  sobriety  as 
respects  self,  justice  toward  others,  piety  toward 
God  above.  And  this  new  life  is  no  dull  or  melan- 
choly thing.  It  has  a  blessed  hope.  It  is  indeed 
impelled  by  one  epiphany  of  Christ,  and  attracted 
by  another.  From  the  first  in  grace  it  has  its  mo- 
tive and  instruction ;  toward  the  second  in  glory  it 
stretches  forward,  and  in  the  hope  of  that  glory  it 
is  cheered  and  purified.  We  are  schooled  to  mod- 
eration in  all  things  by  the  thought  that  the  Lord  is 
at  hand.  We  are  kept  from  fainting  in  the  trial  of 
our  faith  by  the  assurance  that  it  will  be  "  found 
unto  praise  and  honor  and  glory  at  the  appearing  of 
Jesus  Christ."  We  turn  away  from  sin,  because  we 
look  for  that  Saviour  who  gave  himself  for  us  in 
order  to  deliver  and  cleanse  us  from  all  evil.  We 
are  his  treasure-people,  not  our  own,  and  he  will 
come  to  claim  us.  Therefore  we  are  under  the 
strongest  obligation  and  inducement  to  be  "  zealous 
of  good  works."  Such  was  the  doctrine  of  salvation 
taught  by  Paul,  and  committed  to  Titus.     D.  F. 

11.  The  whole  controversy  between  man  and 
his  Maker  may  be  reduced  to  a  question  between 
the  pride  of  man  and  the  grace  of  God.  One  may 
accept  temporal  benefits  at  the  hand  of  God,  and, 
instead  of  being  humble  and  grateful,  may  be  vain 
and  boastful,  as  if  he  were  in  some  way  worthy. 
But  one  can  not  accept  the  grace  of  God  which 
bringeth  salvation  without  owning  himself  a  sin- 
ner in  need  of  grace — guilty,  lost,  ready  to  perish, 
unless  God  shall  interpose  to  save.  Only  sinners 
have  need  of  grace ;  only  sinners  can  be  saved  by 
Christ ;  and,  among  sinners,  such  only  as  feel  and 
confess  their  guilt,  and  therefore  come  to  him  for 
pardon,  for  justification,  and  for  a  new  spirit. 
J.  P.  T.  %s, 

12.  The  saving  grace  of  God  comes  into  con- 
sideration as  the  disciplining  or  molding  power,  by 
means  of  which  our  naturally  wayward  and  corrupt 


souls  are  formed  to  that  higher  scheme  of  life.  And 
this  corrective  influence,  or  internal  discipline,  is 
expressed  first  in  the  negative,  and  shows  itself  in 
a  denial  of  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts.  An  ac- 
tive following  after  the  good  is  the  necessary  coun- 
terpart to  a  renunciation  of  the  evil ;  and  this  the 
apostle  describes  as  a  life  marked  by  three  promi- 
nent characteristics:  soberly  expresses  the  self- 
command  and  restraint  which  the  Christian  should 
always  exercise  over  his  thoughts  and  actions ;  just-  ■ 
ly,  the  integrity  that  should  regulate  all  his  dealings  ■ 
toward  his  fellow-men ;  while  godlily  or  piously  in- 
dicates the  state  of  mind  and  conduct  he  should 
maintain  in  his  relation  toward  God. 

13.  The  hope,  considered  with  respect  to  its 
realization,  is  here  called  blessed.  But  the  hope  it- 
self is  more  closely  defined  by  what  follows — the 
manifestation  of  the  glory.  P.  F. The  glori- 
ous appeaxing  of  the  great  God.  Christ  will 
then  gloriously  appear  as  the  great  God.  Every 
knee  shall  then  bow  to  him,  and  confess  that  he  is 
the  Lord  of  glory.  The  glory  of  his  mediatorship 
will  then  appear.  As  a  Saviour  and  Mediator  shall 
be  seen  and  known  the  all-fullness  of  his  satisfac- 
tion, merit,  and  saving  power.  The  glory  of  his 
manhood  will  then  also  appear.  The  very  body  of 
Christ  will  shine  with  a  most  glorious  brightness. 
No  heart  can  conceive  the  glory  in  which  Christ 
will  appear  in  that  day.  That  day  is  called  the  day 
of  Christ.  The  first  coming  of  Christ  was  the  night 
of  Christ,  a  time  of  darkness  wherein  his  glory  was 
greatly  hid  from  the  world.  But  his  second  coming 
will  be  a  day,  a  time  of  light  wherein  his  glory  will 
be  fully  revealed  and  shine  forth.     Increase  Mather. 

14.  An  expansion  of  the  term  Saviour  applied 
to  Christ,  so  presented  as  to  bring  out  a  fresh  exhi- 
bition of  the  grace  of  the  gospel :  ]V7io  gave  himself 
for  us — himself,  as  contradistinguished  from  any 
inferior  gift,  and  that  for  us,  in  our  behalf.  It  was 
altogether  in  our  interest  that  the  great  seK-sacrific- 
ing  deed  was  done ;  and  in  what  respect  is  imme- 
diately stated :  in  order  that  he  inight  redeem — by 
the  paying  of  a  ransom  free — us  from  oil  iniquity, 
and  purify  to  hhnself  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of 
good  works.  It  is  what  may  be  called  the  redemp- 
tive, not  the  atoning  or  propitiatory  aspect  of 
Christ's  work  which  is  here  brought  into  view, 
though  the  two  are  very  closely  interconnected,  and 
the  one  now  under  consideration  presupposes  and  is 
founded  upon  the  other ;  for  it  is  oidy  by  virtue  of 
the  reconciliation  with  God,  effected  through  the 
propitiatory  death  of  Christ,  that  there  is  attained 
by  the  sinner  such  a  participation  in  the  life  of 
Christ,  and  such  renewing  and  strengthening  aid 
from  the  Spirit  of  grace,  as  may  enable  him  to 
break  the  bonds  of  his  spiritual  captivity,  and  rise 
into  the  pure  and  glorious  liberty  of  God's  children. 


SECTION  333.— TITUS  3:1-15. 


549 


Having  through  his  obedience  unto  death  paid  the 
costly  ransom  through  which  this  happy  change  is 
accomplished,  Christ  is  therefore  said  to  have  re- 
deemed from  iniquity  those  who  share  in  his  salva- 
tion, and  purified  them  to  himself  as  a  peculiar  peo- 
ple, a  people  over  and  above,  occupying  a  position 
separate  and  peculiar,  like  one's  pecidium  or  special 
treasure.    P.  F. 

The  purchaser  was  Christ;  and  the  price  paid 
was  Christ.  God  the  Son  bought  us,  and  he  gave 
himself,  the  Son  of  God,  for  us.  He  gave  himself 
for  us,  not  that  he  might  simply  pay  our  debt  to 
divine  justice,  nor  that  he  might  save  us  in  our  sins 
at  all,  but  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  ini- 
quity. He  gave  himself,  to  purify  unto  himself  a 
peculiar  people ;  not  only  to  obtain  for  them  a  par- 
don, but  a  new  man,  created  after  God's  image. 
Redemption  from  the  curse,  and  from  the  love  of 
sin,  go  together ;  where  one  is,  the  other  is  °.  both 
are  united  in  the  pecuhar  people.  Purification  is 
setting  in  on  a  soul,  just  when  that  soul  sets  its  face 
Zionward ;  it  increases  with  each  step  taken  on  the 
road,  and  becomes  entire  in  heaven.  Hence,  wheth- 
er Christ's  death  is  of  any  avail  is  to  be  known  by 
our  progress  in  holiness,  or  by  our  zeal  in  good 
works,  as  a  good  tree  brings  forth  good  fruit,  a 
sweet  fountain  sweet  streams.  Therefore,  of  the 
teaching  of  our  words,  this  is  the  sum :  Christ  gave 
himself  for  sinners,  that  they  might  be  holy  ;  a  trea- 


sure for  himself ;  and  the  mark  by  which  they  are 
known  as  his  is  zeal  in  icell-doing.  One  thing  we 
need — that  which  an  old  Choctaw  Indian  prayed  for 
— "  a  clean  heart,  a  white  heart,  a  true  heart,  and  a 
big  heart,  large  enough  to  fill  the  whole  body."  Yes, 
that  is  it.  We  need  our  bodies  full  of  heart,  and 
our  hearts  full  of  Christ ;  full  of  faith  and  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  then  shall  we  be  zealous  of  good  works.  R.  T. 
The  movement  of  the  soul  along  the  path  of 
duty,  under  the  influence  of  holy  love  to  God,  con- 
stitutes what  are  called  good  works.  The  external 
form  of  an  action  can  not  alone  determine  whether 
it  be  a  good  work  or  not.  Its  usefulness  to  others 
may  be  determined  by  its  external  form,  but  its 
moral  worth  depends  on  the  moral  spring  from 
which  it  flows.  Good  works,  then,  are  healthy 
works,  or  works  of  a  healthy  mind.  Healthy  bod- 
ily actions  can  only  proceed  from  healthy  bodily 
principles ;  and  healthy  spiritual  actions  can  pro- 
ceed only  from  healthy  spiritual  principles.  Spirit- 
ual health  is  not  acquired  by  good  actions ;  it  is  fol- 
lowed by  them  and  strengthened  by  them.  They 
are  also  music,  sweet  music.  Good  works,  then,  are 
not  undervalued  by  those  who  hold  the  doctrine  of 
unconditional  pardon  in  its  highest  sense.  In  their 
view,  good  works  are  the  perfection  and  expression 
of  holy  principles,  the  very  end  and  object  of  all 
religion,  the  very  substance  of  happiness,  the  very 
element  of  heaven.     T.  Erskine. 


Section  333. 

TiTfs  iii.  1-15, 

1  Put  them  in  mind  to  be  subject  to  principalities  and  powers,  to  obey  magistrates,  to  be 

2  ready  to  every  good  work,  to  speak  evil  of  no  man,  to  be  no  brawlers,  h^it  gentle,  shewing 

3  all  meekness  unto  all  men.  For  we  ourselves  also  were  sometimes  foolish,  disobedient,  de- 
ceived, serving  divers  lusts  and  pleasures,  living  in  malice  and  envy,  hateful,  and  hating  one 

4  another.     But  after  that  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour  toward  man  appeared, 

5  not  by  works  of  righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved 

6  us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  which  he  shed  on  us 

7  abundantly  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour ;  that  being  justified  by  his  grace,  we  should 

8  be  made  heirs  according  to  the  hope  ot  eternal  life.  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  these 
things  I  will  that  thou  affirm  constantly,  that  they  which  have  believed  in  God  might  be 
careful  to  maintain  good  works.     These  things  are  good  and  profitable  unto  men. 

9  But  avoid  foolish  questions,  and  genealogies,  and  contentions,  and  strivings  about  the  law  ; 

10  for  they  are  unprofitable  and  vain.     A  man  that  is  an  heretick  after  the  first  and  second  ad- 

11  monition  reject;  knowing;  that  he  that  is  such  is  subverted,  and  sinneth,  being  condemned 

12  of  himself.     When  I  shall  send  Artemas  unto  thee,  or  Tychicus,  be  diligent  to  come  unto 

13  me  to  Nicopolis:  for  I  have  determined  there  to  winter.     Bring  Zenas  the  lawyer  and 
A  polios  on  their  journey  diligently,  that  nothing  be  wanting  unto  them. 

14  And  let  ours  also  learn  to  maintain  good  works  for  necessary  uses,  that  they  be  not  un- 

15  fruitful.    All  that  are  with  me  salute  thee.    Greet  them  that  love  us  in  the  faith,    Grace  he 
with  vou  all.     Amen, 


560 


SECTION  333.— TITUS  3  : 1-15. 


God  is  clearly  and  delightfully  seen  to  be  everything,  as  he  lifts  up  the  faint,  tearful  culprit  from  the 
earth  where  he  feels  his  true  position  to  be ;  and,  as  He  whispers  in  the  astonished  ear  words  of  amnesty, 
forgiveness,  adoption,  the  pardoned  penitent  is  in  Christ ;  and  that  by  the  sovereign  gift  of  the  Law- 
"•iver  and  King.  The  prodigal  is  seen,  and  met,  and  kissed,  and  wept  over,  and  clad,  and  decked,  and 
feasted.  "  The  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour  "  has  now  appeared ;  "  not  by  works  of  righteous- 
ness which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy."  And  this  gratuitousness  of  the  reconciUation  ex- 
cludes not  only  acts,  and  words,  and  conformities  to  law,  but  quite  as  much  all  feelings,  moods,  purposes, 
exertions,  endeavors,  nay,  even  repentings  and  believings.  All  are  made  utterly  worthless,  and  super- 
seded, by  the  free  grace  of  God,  whereby  he  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the  Beloved.    J.  W.  A. 


1.  Titus  was  also  to  exhort  thp  Christians  to  be- 
ware of  insubordination  to  the  government.  Magis- 
tracy is  an  ordinance  of  God ;  and  his  people,  while 
fully  at  liberty,  and  even  under  obligation,  to  alter 
and  reform  in  all  constitutional  ways  whatever  is 
amiss  in  the  social  and  political  state  of  the  country 
in  which  they  dwell,  arc  bound  by  the  highest  con- 
siderations of  religious  duty  to  respect  government, 
to  love  peace,  to  pay  tribute,  and  show  that  honor 
for  rulers  and  judges  which  is  an  essential  element 

and  safeguard  of  human  civilization.     D.  F. Of 

course  the  requirement  has  its  limitations :  the  du- 
ties of  rulers  and  ruled  are  reciprocal ;  and  absolute 
unrestricted  authority  on  the  one  side  is  no  more  to 
be  contemplated  than  unqualified  submission  on  the 
other,  for  neither  is  in  accordance  with  the  essential 
principles  of  truth  and  rectitude.  Obedience  to  ex- 
ternal authority  can  be  due  only  in  so  far  as  that 
authority  has  a  right  to  command ;  when  it  oversteps 
this,  and  issues  injunctions  which  reach  beyond  its 
proper  line  of  things,  the  higher  principles  of  obli- 
gation come  in  :  "  We  must  obey  God  rather  than 
men  "  ;  "  Be  not  partaker  in  other  men's  sins."     P. 

F. Every  good  work.     Indifference  in  any 

good  cause  is  blamable.  In  the  Christian  religion, 
it  is  insupportable.  It  does  violence  to  the  first 
and  fundamental  principle  of  that  religion,  "  Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart." 
Christianity  is  throughout  an  active  religion;  it 
consists  not  only  in  abstaining  from  evil,  but  in  be- 
ing "  ready  to  every  good  work,"  and,  if  we  stop 
short  at  the  first,  we  leave  half  of  our  business  un- 
done.    P. 

3-8.  As  a  reason  for  the  manifestation  of  this 
mild  and  benignant  spirit  toward  others,  even  de- 
graded and  ignorant  heathen,  the  apostle  refers  to 
their  own  similar  state  in  the  past,  and  the  marvel- 
ously  kind  and  compassionate  treatment  tlicy  had, 
notwithstanding,  experienced  from  their  heavenly 

Father.     P.  F. "  We  ourselves,"  I,  Paul,    thou, 

Titus,  and  other  preachers  like  us,  were  once  as  un- 
promising subjects  as  these  very  "  Cretans  "  ;  my- 
self, especially,  having  been  "  the  chief  of  sinners." 
But  see  what  the  niighty  gospel,  which  you  are  to 
preach  to  your  "  Cretans,"  has  by  the  power  of  the 
Iloly  Ghost  effected  even  in  us  ;  for  "  he  saved  us 
by  the  washing  of  regeneration  and  the  renewing  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  which  he  shed  on  us  abundantly 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour."  Thus,  encour- 
aged, then,  by  what  has  been  wrought  in  ourselves, 
be  not  backward  in  calling  your  "  Cretans  "  to  the 
entire  holiness  which  I  have  enjoined.  What  I 
have  said  "is  a  faithful  saying"  ;  my  injunction  is 
in  full  accord  with  the  spirit  of  the  gospel ;  "  and 
these  things  I  will  that  thou  affirm  constantly,  that 
they  which  have  believed  in  God  might  be  careful  to 
maintain  good  works."    J.  S.  S. 


4.  "  Love  of  God  our  Saviour  toward  man  ap- 
peared "  would  be  better  "  love  toward  men  of  our 
Saviour  God  was  manifested  " ;  "  love-toward-men  " 
is  one  word,  "  philanthropy,"  in  the  Greek,  and  so 
is  best  kept  together.     A. 

5.  JVot  of  works — works  in  righteousness — whieh 
we  did,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he  saved  lis.  The 
act  of  God,  though  expressed  only  at  the  close, 
covers  the  whole  of  the  passage :  he  saved  us,  not 
on  one  ground,  but  on  another.  JVof  of  works — that 
is,  out  of  them  as  the  formal  or  meritorious  cause. 

P.  F. It  is  only  the  part  which  God  performs  in 

our  salvation  that  is  held  up  to  view ;  and  so  it  did 
not  admit  of  that  being  mentioned  which  is  required 
on  the  part  of  man,  as  the  subjective  instrument  or 
condition  of  his  entrance  on  salvation.  Hence  it  is 
not  said  by  faith  (as  in  other  passages) ;  for  the 
apostle's  aim  here  is  not  to  describe  the  new  state 
of  the  man,  but  to  point  to  the  act  and  saving 
agency  of  God  in  regard  to  the  individual,  by  which 
the  new  state  is  brought  about,  and  which  shows, 
more  than  anything  else,  that  this  new  state  does 
not  rest  on  man's  merit  or  his  own  doing.    Wiesinger. 

Washing  of  regeneration.  Laver  is  the 
only  ascertained  sense  of  the  word.  It  signifies  not 
the  act  of  washing,  but  the  vessel  in  which  the  act 

was  performed.     P.  F. 1  readily  admit  that  the 

passage  is  to  be  explained  of  baptism,  not  because 
salvation  is  included  in  the  outward  symbol  of  water, 
but  because  baptism  seals  to  us  the  salvation  pro- 
cured by  Christ.  That  man  will  rightly  hold  the 
proper  use  and  virtue  of  the  sacraments  who  shall 
thus  connect  the  sign  and  the  thing  signified,  so  as 
neither  to  make  the  sign  empty  or  inefficacious,  nor 
yet,  with  the  view  of  extolling  it,  detract  from  the 
Holy  Spirit  what  is  his  own.  Calv. If  the  nat- 
ural import  of  Paul's  words  here  obliges  us  to  hold 
that  he  speaks  of  baptism,  it  is  of  baptism  (to  use 
the  words  of  Ellicott),  "  on  the  supposition  that  it 
was  no  mere  observance,  but  that  it  was  a  sacra- 
ment, in  which  all  that  was  inward  properly  and 
completely  accompanied  all  that  was  outward.  He 
thus  could  say,  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the  words, 
that  it  was  a  laver  of  regeneration,  as  he  had  also 
said  (Gal.  3  :  27)  that  as  many  as  were  baptized  into 
Christ  had  put  on  Christ — entered  into  vital  union 
with  him."  The  most  exact  parallel,  however,  is 
1  Pet.  3  :  21,  where,  with  reference  to  the  salvation 
wrought  for  Noah  through  the  deluge  and  the  ark, 
the  apostle  says  that  "  baptism  now  also  saves  us  "; 
but  then  baptism  of  what  sort  ?  Not  that  (he  pres- 
ently adds)  which  is  simply  outward,  and  which 
could  avail  only  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh,  but 
that  which  carries  with  it  "the  answer"  (or  inter- 
rogation) "  of  a  good  conscience  toward  God  through 
the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ."  It  was  baptism 
of  such  a  kind  as  involved  an  earnest  and  conscien- 


SECTION  SSJf.— PHILEMON  1 : 1-25. 


561 


tious  dealing  with  God  in  respect  to  salvation,  and 
an  appropriation  of  the  new  life  brought  in  for  be- 
lievers by  the  death  and  resurrcctioif  of  Christ. 

Renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  By  reno- 
vation, as  used  in  New  Testament  Scripture,  is  meant 
a  progressive  change  to  the  better — a  growing  ad- 
vancement in  the  divine  life,  of  which  the  Holy 
Spirit,  indeed,  is  the  etiicicnt  agent,  but  in  which 
also  there  is  a  concurrent  action  of  the  regenerated 
soul.  The  grace  that  works  in  it  is  not  convert- 
ing, but  cooperating  and  strengthening  grace.  And, 
while  baptism  is  the  seal  of  the  new  birth,  and  gives 
assurance  of  the  Spirit  for  all  redemption  blessings, 
it  is  never  formally  represented  as  the  seal  of  spir- 
itual progress,  nor  could  it  with  propriety  be  so. 
For  it  has  respect  to  our  introduction  into  a  new 
state,  but  not  to  any  future  and  successive  advances 
thereafter  to  be  made  in  it.  The  ordinance  of  the 
.supper,  in  a  sacramental  point  of  view,  stands  re- 
lated to  this,  not  baptism.  There  are  therefore  two 
things  marked  here — first,  baptism  (as  the  laver  of 
regeneration),  and  then  the  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  which  is  but  another  name  for  progressive 
sanctification. 

6.  Poured  on  us  riclily  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Saviour.  The  form  of  expression  is  derived  from 
the  language  of  Old  Testament  prophecy,  adopted 
by  the  apostles  at  the  commencement  of  the  New 
Testament  Church  —  language  proceeding  on  the 
similitude  of  the  Spirit's  grace  to  quickening  and 
refreshing  streams  of  water.  As  such  he  is  repre- 
sented, not  simply  as  given,  but  as  poured  out — nay, 
poured  out  richly,  in  order  to  convey  some  idea  of 
the  plenteous  beneficence  of  the  gift.  This  rich  be- 
stowal is  peculiar  to  New  Testament  times ;  and 
here,  as  elsewhere,  it  is  expressly  connected  with 
the  mediation  of  Christ,  who,  as  Saviour,  has  opened 
the  way  for  it,  and  himself  sends  forth  the  Spirit  as 
the  fruit  of  his  work  on  earth  and  the  token  of  its 
acceptance  with  the  Father.  So  that  the  whole 
Trinity  appears  here  as  concurring  in  the  blessed 
work  of  our  salvation.  We  are  saved  by  God  the 
Father,  through  the  ministration  of  his  life-giving 


ordinances,  rendered  such  by  the  presence  and  agen- 
cy of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  this  again  proceeds  on 
the  ground  of  what  was  done  for  us  by  Christ  as 
our  Saviour,  and  what  he  still  does  in  mediating  be- 
tween us  and  the  Father  respecting  the  bestowal  of 
the  Spirit.  Such  a  style  of  representation  could 
never  have  been  used  unless  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit 
had  been  coordinate  agents  in  the  work  of  salva- 
tion.    P.  F. 

13.  We  hear  for  the  first  time  of  "Zcnas  the 
lawyer  " ;  and  it  is  pleasant  to  think  of  the  union 
in  Christ  of  what  are  called  the  learned  professions, 
when  Zenas  the  lawyer  and  Luke  the  physician  met 

with  Paul  the  theologian  and  preacher.     D.  F. 

The  mention  of  Apollos  here  along  with  Zenas,  as 
one  whom  Paul  wished  to  have  beside  him,  so  near 
the  close  of  his  earthly  labors,  is  a  clear  proof  of 
the  good  understanding  which  subsisted  between 
these  two  eminent  servants  of  God.     P.  F. 

14.  The  apostle  here  indicates  to  us  a  duty  for 
which  the  evangelistic  activity  of  our  own  time  may 
furnish  frequent  opportunity.  It  is  that  of  helping 
and  forwarding  missionaries,  "  so  that  nothing  be 
wanting  to  them."  Let  our  churches  be  not  only 
ordered  after  the  apostolic  directions,  and  instructed 
in  the  apostolic  doctrine,  but  also  considerate  and 
generous  in  furthering  the  propagation  of  the  gos- 
pel ;  and  then  the  benediction  which  Paul  pro- 
nounces on  the  faithful  in  Crete  will  fall  on  them 
also :  "  Grace  be  with  vou  all."     D.  F. 


The  Epistle  to  Titus  is  dated  from  Nicopolis  in 
Macedonia,  while  no  city  of  that  name  is  known  to 
have  existed  in  that  province.  There  are  only 
eleven  distinct  assignments  of  date  to  Paul's  Epis- 
tles (for  the  four  written  from  Rome  may  be  con- 
sidered as  plainly  contemporary) ;  and  of  these,  six 
seem  to  be  erroneous.  I  do  not  attribute  any  au- 
thority to  these  subscriptions.  Had  they  come 
down  to  us  as  authentic  parts  of  the  Epistles,  there 
would  have  been  more  contrarieties  and  difficulties 
arising  out  of  these  final  verses  than  from  all  the 
rest  of  the  volume.     Foley , 


Section  334. 

Philehon  i.  1-25. 

1  Patix,  a  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  Timothy  our  brother,  unto  Philemon  our  dearly 

2  beloved,  and  fellowlabourer,  and  to  our  beloved  Apphia,  and  Archippus  our  fellowsoldier, 

3  and  to  the  church  in  thy  house :  grace  to  you,  and  peace,  from  God  our  Father  and  the 

4  Lord  Jesus   Christ.     I  thank  my  God,  making  mention  of  thee   always  in  my  prayers, 

5  hearing  of  thy  love  and  faith,  which  thou  hast  toward  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  toward  all 

6  saints ;  that  the  communication  of  thy  faith  may  become  effectual  by  the  acknowledging 

7  of  every  good  thing  which  is  in  you  in  Christ  Jesus.     For  we  have  great  joy  and  consola- 
tion in  thy  love,  because  the  bowels  of  the  saints  are  refreshed  by  thee,  brother.     Where- 

8  fore,  though  I  might  be  much  bold  in  Christ  to  enjoia  thee  that  which  is  convenient,  yet 

9  for  love's  sake  I  rather  beseech  thee.,  being  such  an  one  as  Paul  the  aged,  and  now  also  a 

10  prisoner  of  Jesus  Christ.     I  beseech  thee  for  my  son  Onesimus,  whom  I  have  begotten  in 

11  my  bonds  :  which  in  time  past  was  to  thee  unprofitable,  but  now  profitable  to  thee  and  to 

12  me  :  whom  I  have  sent  again :  thou  therefore  receive  him,  that  is,  mine  own  bowels  :  whom 

13  I  would  have  retained  with  me,  that  in  thy  stead  he  might  have  ministered  unto  me  in  the 

14  bonds  of  the  gospel :  but  without  thy  mind  would  I  do  nothing  ;  that  thy  benefit  should  not 


552 


SECTIOX  334.— PHILEMON'  1 : 1-25. 


15  be  as  it  were  of  necessity,  but  willingly.     For  perhaps  he  therefore  departed  for  a  season, 

16  that  thou  shouldest  receive  him  for  ever  ;  not  now  as  a  servant,  but  above  a  servant,  a  bro- 
ther beloved,  specially  to  ine,  but  how  much  more  unto  thee,  both  in  the  flesh,  and  in  the 

17  Lord?     If  thou  count  me  therefore  a  partner,  receive  him  as  myself.    If  he  hath  wronged 

18  thee  or  ovveth  thee  ought,  put  that  on  mine  account ;  I  Paul  have  written  it  with  mine  own 

19  hand  I  will  repay  it :  albeit  I  do  not  say  to  thee  how  thou  owest  unto  me  even  thine  own 

20  self  besides.     Yea,  brother,  let  me  have  joy  of  thee  in  the  Lord :  refresh  my  bowels  in  the 

21  Lord.     Having  confidence  in  thy  obedience  I  wrote  unto  thee,  knowing  that  thou  wilt  also 

22  do  more  than  I  say.     But  withal  prepare  me  also  a  lodging  :  for  I  trust  that  through  your 

23  prayers  I  shall  be  given  unto  you.    There  salute  thee  Epaphras,  my  fellowprisoner  in  Christ 

24  Jesus ;  Marcus,  Aristarchus,  Deraas,  Lucas,  my  fellowlabourers.     The  grace  of  our  Lord 

25  Jesus  Christ  le  with  your  spirit.     Amen. 


The  Epistle  to  Philemon. 

This  short  letter  differs  from  all  others  which 
have  come  down  to  us  as  parts  of  the  canon  of 
Scripture.  It  gives  us  a  glimpse  of  the  private 
friendships  of  an  apostle,  and  of  the  social  inter- 
course which  he  held  with  his  fellow-Christians.   A. 

Philemon  was  a  man  of  position  in  Colosse,  who 

had  been  converted  to  the  Christian  faith  under 
Paul's  ministry  at  Ephesus;  for  the  apostle  had 
never  visited  Colosse.  Apphia,  so  cordially  greeted 
along  with  Philemon  (v.  2j,  was  doubtless  his  wife, 
and  Archippus,  named  not  here  only  but  also  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  a  son  or  other  near  rela- 
tive. The  house  was  resorted  to  for  Christian  wor- 
ship ;  for  Paul  and  Timothy  send  greeting  to  the 
Church  in  the  house. 

Among  the  household  slaves  was  one  named 
Onesimus,  by  birth  a  Colossian.  He  was  not  a  Chris- 
tian ;  and,  giving  way  to  the  temptation  to  "  pur- 
loin," he  defrauded  his  master  and  absconded.  He 
bent  his  steps  to  Rome,  where  he  might  easily  escape 
detection.  Paul  was  then  in  Rome,  suffering  his 
first  imprisonment.  He  was  under  the  care  of  a 
soldier  who  was  responsible  for  his  custody,  but  was 
allowed  to  live  in  "  his  own  hired  house."  To  this 
bouse  Onesimus  repaired  in  his  distress.  It  may 
have  been  that  he  went  in  as  by  accident,  but  there 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  opened  the  heart  of  this 
hearer,  so  that  he  was  begotten  again  of  the  word 
of  truth  ;  for  the  apostle  writes  of  him  as  "  my  son 
Onesimus  whom  I  have  begotten  in  my  bonds." 
How  the  grace  of  God  follows  the  unworthy !  Onesi- 
mus had  possessed  in  Colosse  every  advantage  for 
learning  the  Christian  doctrine ;  but  he  learned  it 
not.  lie  then  loved  the  darkness  rather  than  the 
light.  But  the  good  Lord  willed  not  that  he  should 
perish ;  and  the  grace  which  he  refused  at  Colosse 
followed  him  to  Rome.  The  slave  became  a  free- 
man of  Christ.  The  runaway  became  a  brother  be- 
loved of  an  apostle  and  of  saints.  So  pleased  with 
him  was  Paul  that  he  would  gladly  have  retained 
him  to  cheer  and  help  him  in  his  bonds ;  and  gladly 
would  Onesimus  have  tarried  at  Rome  for  such  a 
purpose.  But  he  confided  to  the  apostle  the  shame- 
ful manner  and  reason  of  his  flight  from  Colosse, 
and  Paul  sent  him  back  to  Philemon  with  this  letter 
explaining  the  circumstances,  and  intimating  an 
earnest  desire  that  Onesimus  might  be  kindly  re- 
ceived. He  was  also  so  thoughtful  as  to  mention 
Onesimus  at  the  same  time  in  his  letter  to  the  Co- 
lossian Church,  certifying  him  as  "  a  faithful  and 
beloved  brother." 


The  letter  to  Philemon  is  a  model  of  tact  and 
delicacy.  Luther  calls  it  "a  charming  and  masterly 
example  of  Christian  love."  Erasmus,  thinking  most 
of   its  outward  form,  remarks  that  "  Cicero  never 

wrote  with  greater  elegance."     D.  F. This  letter 

was  preserved  in  the  family  to  which  it  was  ad- 
dressed, and  read  first,  no  doubt,  as  a  precious  apos- 
tolic  message  of  love  and  blessing  in  the  Church 
which  assembled  in  Philemon's  house.  Then  copies 
of  it  became  multiplied,  and  from  Colosse  it  spread 
through  the  Church  universal.  It  is  quoted  as  early 
as  the  end  of  the  second  century,  and  has  ever,  ex- 
cept with  some  few  who  question  everything,  re- 
mained an  undoubted  portion  of  the  writings  of 
Paul.     A. 

2*  A  word  respecting  this  Church  in  Philemoii's 
house.  Remember  that  this  was  before  there  were 
any  fixed  buildings  appropriated  to  purposes  of 
divine  worship.  The  Christians  assembled  where 
and  how  they  could,  and  generally,  we  may  well  sup- 
pose, in  not  very  large  numbers ;  and  thus  the  house 
of  the  minister,  or  of  some  other  Christian  brother, 
became  a  regular  place  of  meeting  for  prayer  and 
tile  sacrament.  We  learn  from  the  Epistle  to  the 
Colossians  that,  in  the  neighboring  city  of  Laodieea, 
one  Nymphas  similarly  assembled  the  Church  in  his 
house  ;  and  in  Rom.  16  :  5,  and  1  Cor.  16  :  19,  the 
same  is  said  of  Aquila  and  Priscilla. 

4-7.  The  apostle  proceeds  to  pave  the  way  for 
his  coming  request,  by  commending  the  faith  and 
love  of  him  to  whom  he  was  writing.  Philemon 
had  refreshed  the  heai'ts  of  the  saints ;  was  known 
as  one  full  of  benevolence  and  Christian  charity.  This, 
the  apostle  says,  made  him  the  bolder.  He  might 
have  commanded  him  to  do  what  was  fitting ;  this 
also  he  mentions  to  bespeak  acceptance  for  the 
lesser  thing — viz.,  his  request  for  love's  sake. 
8-14.  And  thus  he  introduces  the  subject  of  his 
letter,  even  further  bespeaking  favor  for  it  by  the 
circumstance  of  his  being  now  Paul  the  aged,  and 
in  chains  for  Jesus'  sake.  Onesimus  is  his  own 
child  ;  a  birth  into  the  Christian  Church,  which  had 
been  the  fruit  of  his  own  imprisonment.  His  name 
Onesimus,  in  Greek,  signified  "  profitable "  ;  little 
indeed  had  this  signification  as  yet  been  verified; 


SECTION  334.— PHILEMON  1  •  -^-^^• 


55J 


but  now  the  unprofitable  one  had  become  a  source 
of  profit — to  the  apostle,  whose  mhiistry  he  had 
sealed — to  his  master,  who  would  receive  him  now 
as  a  brother  beloved.  The  apostle  had  a  thought  of 
retaining  him  to  minister  to  himself  that  duty  which 
he  gently  reminds  Philemon  that  he,  the  master, 
owed  to  his  father  in  the  faith ;  but  he  is  unwilling 
to  take  his  service  for  granted,  and  thus  constrain 
it ;  all  that  he  does  for  the  apostle  shall  be  of  free 
will.    A. 

The  tenderness  and  delicacy  of  this  Epistle  have 
been  long  admired.  Yet  the  character  of  Paul  pre- 
vails in  it  throughout.  The  warm,  affectionate,  au- 
thoritative teacher  is  interceding  with  an  absent 
friend  for  a  beloved  convert.  He  urges  his  suit  with 
an  earnestness  befitting,  perhaps  not  so  much  the  oc- 
casion as  the  ardor  and  sensibility  of  his  own  mind. 
Here  also,  as  everywhere,  he  shows  himself  con- 
scious of  the  weight  and  dignity  of  his  mission; 
nor  does  he  suffer  Philemon  for  a  moment  to  for- 
get it :  "I  might  be  much  bold  in  Christ  to  enjoin 
thee  that  which  is  convenient."  He  is  careful  also 
to  recall  to  Philemon's  memory  the  sacred  obliga- 
tion under  which  he  had  laid  him  by  bringing  to  him 
the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ.  Without  laying 
aside  the  apostolic  character,  he  softens  the  impera- 
tive style  of  his  address,  by  mixing  with  it  every 
sentiment  and  consideration  that  could  move  the 
heart  of  his  correspondent. 

10.  An  assertion  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Colos- 
sians,  viz.,  that  "Onesimus  was  one  of  them,"  is 
verified  by  the  Epistle  to  Philemon,  not  by  any  men- 
tion of  Colosse,  nor  by  the  most  distant  intimation 
concerning  the  place  of  Philemon's  abode,  but  by 
stating  Onesimus  to  be  Philemon's  servant,  and  by 
joining  in  the  salutation  Philemon  with  Archippus; 
for  this  Archippus,  when  we  go  back  to  the  Epistle 
to  the  Colossians,  appears  to  have  been  an  inhabi- 
tant of  that  city,  and  to  have  held  an  oSice  in  that 
Church.  This  correspondence  evinces  the  genuine- 
ness of  one  Epistle  as  well  as  of  the  other.  It  is  like 
comparing  the  two  parts  of  a  cloven  tally.  Coin- 
cidence proves  the  authenticity  of  both.     Paley. 

15,  16.  Paul  had  confidence  in  Onesimus  that 
he  would  now  prove  as  valuable  to  Philemon  as  he 
had  been  worthless  before.  His  strong  desire  was 
that  his  former  master  and  the  Church  at  Colosse 
should,  without  misgiving,  receive  Onesimus  on  his 
return  into  "the  fellowship."  This,  indeed,  ie  the 
great  thought  of  the  letter.  There  is  a  fellowship 
in  Christ  which  overrides  all  outward  distinctions, 
swallows  up  a  thousand  upbraidings,  and  makes  mas- 
ter and  servants  brethren  in  the  Lord.  It  is  the 
warm,  generous,  sacred  communion  of  saints.    D.  F. 

18,  19.  Since  a  slave  could  possess  nothing, 
the  means  of  escape  and  sustenance  must  have  been 
fraudulently  obtained  out  of  his  master's  property, 


even  supposing  there  was  no  greater  theft  behind. 
To  whatever  sum  this  damage  amounted,  Paul  gives 
his  word  that  he  would  himself  be  chargeable  with 
it.  But  he  delicately  reminds  Philemon  that  a  far 
greater  debt  is  owing  to  him  than  can  be  due  from 
him — "  even  thine  own  self^ — to  him  who  first  taught 
thee  the  worth  of  thine  own  soul. 

The  apostle  will  not  rashly  or  hastily  interfere 
with  existing  institutions.  He  had  elsewhere  ad- 
vised (1  Cor.  7  :  20)  that  every  man  should  abide  in 
the  calling  in  which  he  finds  himself.  And  here  he 
is  consistent  with  himself.  He  never  requests  Phil- 
emon to  set  Onesimus  free,  but  only  to  receive  him 

back  kindly.     A. As  the  Christian  teachers  did 

not  directly  assail  the  civil  constitution,  however  de- 
fective it  might  be  considered,  so  they  did  not  try  to 
sweep  away  by  a  revolutionary  stroke  the  institution 
of  slavery,  which  was  so  firmly  established  in  an- 
cient society.  They  set  forth  the  common  relation 
of  master  and  servant  to  Christ,  the  Master  of  both ; 
they  declared  that  the  master  and  slave,  as  brethren, 
were  equal ;  they  pointed  out  the  inconsistency  of 
all  unkindness  and  oppression  with  the  law  of  love ; 
they  enjoined  upon  both  parties  the  duty  of  mutual 
forbearance  and  just  dealing ;  but  they  did  not  for- 
mally terminate  the  relation.     G.  P.  F. The  New 

Testament  contains  vital  principles,  not  always  de. 
fined,  but  which,  as  they  are  evolved  one  after 
another,  and  are  successively  brought  to  bear  upon 
the  opinions  and  manners  of  Christianized  nations, 
do  actually  remove  from  them  those  evils  which 
had  accumulated  in  the  course  of  time.  The  New 
Testament,  considered  as  embodying  a  system  of 
morals  for  the  world — a  system  which  is  slowly  to 
develop  itself,  until  the  human  family  has  been  led 
by  it  into  the  path  of  peace  and  purity — effects  this 
great  purpose,  not  by  prohibiting,  in  so  many  words, 
the  evils  it  is  at  length  to  abolish,  but  by  putting  in 
movement  unobtrusive  influences,  which  nothing,  in 
the  end,  shall  be  able  to  withstand.     I.  T. 

23,  24.  As  the  letter  to  Philemon  and  that  to 
the  Colossians  were  written  at  the  same  time,  and 
sent  by  the  same  messenger,  the  one  to  a  particular 
inhabitant,  the  other  to  the  Church  of  Colosse,  it 
may  be  expected  that  the  same,  or  nearly  the  same, 
persons  would  be  about  Paul,  and  join  with  him,  as 

!  was  the  practice,  in  the  salutations  of  the  Epistle. 

j  Accordingly  we  find  the  names  of  Aristarchus,  Mar- 
cus, Epaphras,  Luke,  and  Demas  in  both  Epistles. 
Paley. 

We  happen  to  possess  the  means  of  comparing 
this  specimen  of  Christian  intercession  with  a  like 
specimen  from  the  pen  of  a  kindly  spirited  and  cul- 
tivated heathen.  The  younger  Pliny,  the  same  who 
wrote  the  celebrated  letter  to  the  Emperor  Trajan 
about  the  Christians  in  Bithynia,  writes  to  his  friend 
Sabinianus  entreating  his  pardon  for  a  freedman 
who  had  offended  him ;  and  writes  again,  acknowl- 
edging gratefully  the  granting  of  his  request.  The 
letters  are  models  of  courtesy,  humanity,  good  feel- 
ing. But,  to  a  Christian  mind,  the  comparison  with 
this  of  Paul  is  most  instructive.  They  lack  just 
that  in  which  this  is  eminent.  Pliny  conjures  his 
friend  by  motives  of  pity,  of  self-respect,  even  of 
self-indulgence,  for,  says  he,  anger  must  be  a  tor- 
ment to  a  man  of  your  benevolent  disposition. 
Nay,  he  puts  in  another  motive  still :  if  you  spare 
him  now,  you  will  have  more  excuse  for  anger  with 
him  in  case  he  offends  hereafter.     Paul  writes  to  his 


554 


SECTION  335.— HEBREWS  1 : 1-I4. 


friend  far  otherwise.  There  is  no  appeal  to  pity,  no 
mirror  held  up  to  self-esteem,  no  after-thoughts  ad- 
mitting and  justifying  inconsistency:  all  comes 
warm  from  the  loving  heart,  and  all  the  heart's  love 
is  kindled  by  the  love  of  Christ. 

Many,  in  commenting  on  this  Epistle,  have  re- 
minded us  of  the  deeper  thought  which  has  occurred 
to  them,  that  Paul  is  indeed  here  our  example,  but 
was  himself  following  a  higher  example,  even  that 
of  him  wlio  found  us  wandering  from  our  duty  and  our 
Father's  house,  and  pleaded  for  our  restoration  with 


his  own  suffering,  and  his  own  most  precious  blood. 
But,  beyond  doubt,  the  lesson  of  all  others  from  this 
Epistle  is,  that  we  should  carry  into  the  concerns  of 
private  life  the  courtesy  and  the  Christian  spirit 
here  shown  by  the  apostle ;  that  we  should  talk  to 
one  another,  not  as  men  of  the  world,  but  as  disci- 
ples of  Christ ;  not  as  Pliny,  but  as  Paul ;  remem- 
bering whose  we  are,  and  whom  we  serve ;  and  that 
our  religion  is  to  be  a  light  shining  before  men,  to 
show  forth  the  glory  of  him  who  hath  redeemed  us 
by  Christ.     A. 


Section  335. 

Hebrews  i.  1-14. 

1  God,  who  at  sundry  times  and  in  divers  manners  spake  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers  by 

2  the  prophets,  hath  in  these  last  days  spoken  unto  us  by  Ms  Son,  whom  he  hath  appointed 

3  heir  of  all  things,  by  whom  also  he  made  the  worlds ;  who  being  the  brightness  of  his 
glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person,  and  upholding  all  things  by  the  word  of  his 
power,  when  he  had  by  himself  purged  our  sins,  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty 

4  on  high  ;  being  made  so  much  better  than  the  angels,  as  he  hath  by  inheritance  obtained  a 

5  more  excellent  name  than  they.  For  unto  which  of  the  angels  said  he  at  any  time,  Thou 
art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee  ?    And  again,  I  will  be  to  him  a  Father,  and  he 

6  shall  be  to  me  a  Son  ?     And  again,  when  he  bringeth  in  the  first  begotten  into  the  world, 

7  he  saith.  And  let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him.     And  of  the  angels  he  saith.  Who 

8  maketh  his  angels  spirits,  and  his  ministers  a  flame'of  fire.  But  unto  the  Son  he  saith,  Thy 
throne,  0  God,  is  for  ever  and  evert  a  sceptre  of  righteousness  is  the  sceptre  of  thy  king- 

9  dom.     Thou  hast  loved  righteousness,  and  hated  iniquity;  therefore  God,  eceTi  thy  God, 

10  hath  anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  thy  fellows.    And,  Thou,  Lord,  in  the 
beginning  hast  laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth  ;  and  the  heavens  are  the  works  of  thine 

11  hands:  they  shall  perish;   but  thou  remainest;  and  they  all  shall  wax  old  as  doth  a  gar- 

12  ment ;  and  as  a  vesture  shalt  thou  fold  them  up,  and  they  shall  be  changed :  but  thou  art 

13  the  same,  and  thy  years  shall  not  fail.     But  to  which  of  the  angels  said  he  at  any  time.  Sit 

14  on  my  right  hand,  until  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool  ?    Are  they  not  all  ministering 
spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister  for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation  ? 


The  Scriptures  have  a  wonderful  unity,  for  all  their  books  give  us  the  one  person  of  our  Lord.  Human 
history  has  no  other  center  of  convergence  and  divergence  than  the  cross  on  Calvary,  and  no  other  pro- 
phetic end  than  the  kingdom  of  Immanuel ;  and  thus  is  Christ  the  life  of  all  history.  All  vital  theologi- 
cal systems,  as  they  are  based  in  the  Trinity,  so  do  they  center  in  the  mediation  of  Christ.  Consciously 
or  unconsciously  they  pursue  that  plan  which  makes  the  Trinity  the  foundation,  each  separate  truth  a 
column,  each  connecting  truth  an  arch,  and  Christ  the  dome  that  crowns  the  whole,  while  the  work  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  like  the  ascending  spire,  leads  us  toward  heaven.     H.  B.  S. 

Now  that  the  end  of  all  the  beauty  and  awfulness  of  Zion  was  rapidly  approaching,  what  could  take 
the  place  of  the  Temple,  and  that  which  was  behind  the  veil,  and  the  Levitical  sacrifices,  and  the  Holy 
City,  when  they  should  cease  to  exist  ?  What  compensation  could  Christianity  offer  for  the  loss  which 
was  pressing  the  Hebrew  Christian  more  and  more  ?  The  writer  of  this  Epistle  answers  :  "  Your  new 
faith  gives  you  Christ,  and,  in  Christ,  all  you  seek,  all  your  fathers  sought.  In  Christ,  the  Son  of  God, 
you  have  an  all-sufficient  Mediator,  nearer  than  angels  to  the  Father,  eminent  above  Moses  as  a  benefac- 
tor, more  sympathizing  and  more  prevailing  than  the  high  priest  as  an  intercessor :  his  Sabbath  awaits 
you  in  heaven ;  to  his  covenant  the  old  was  intended  to  be  subservient ;  his  atonement  is  the  eternal  real- 
ity of  which  sacrifices  are  but  the  passing  shadow  ;  his  city  heavenly,  not  made  with  hands.  Having  him, 
believe  in  him  with  all  your  heart,  with  a  faith  in  the  unseen  future,  strong  as  that  of  the  saints  of  old, 
patient  under  present  and  prepared  for  coming  woe,  full  of  energy,  and  hope,  and  holiness,  and  love." 
Such  was  the  teaching  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.     S. 


SECTION  335.— HEBREWS  1 : 1-I4. 


555 


The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews. 

There  is  no  portion  of  the  New  Testament  whose 
authorship  is  so  disputed,  nor  any  of  which  the  in- 
spiration is  more  indisputable.  Every  sound  rea- 
soner  must  agree  with  Jerome,  that  it  matters  no- 
thing whether  it  were  written  by  Lulie,  by  Barnabas, 
or  by  Paul,  since  it  is  allowed  to  be  the  production 
of  the  apostolic  age,  and  has  been  read  in  the  pub- 
lic service  of  the  Church  from  the  earliest  times. 
Those,  therefore,  who  conclude  with  Calvin  that  it 
was  not  written  by  Paul,  must  also  join  with  him  in 
thinking  the  question  of  its  authorship  a  question 
of  little  moment,  and  in  "embracing  it  without  con- 
troversy as  one  of  the  apostolical  Epistles."  We 
need  not  scruple  to  speak  of  this  portion  of  Scrip- 
ture by  its  canonical  designation,  as  "  the  Epistle  of 
Paul  the  Apostle  to  the  Hebrews."  Jerome  ex- 
presses the  greatest  doubts  concerning  its  author- 
ship ;  and  Origen  says  that  "  the  writer  is  known  to 
God  alone."  The  same  doubts  are  expressed  by 
Eusebius  and  by  Augustine ;  yet  all  these  great 
writers  refer  to  the  words  of  the  Epistle  as  (he 
words  of  Paul.  In  fact,  whether  written  by  Barna- 
bas, by  Luke,  by  Clement,  or  by  Apollos,  it  repre- 
sented the  views,  and  was  impregnated  by  the  influ- 
ence, of  the  great  apostle,  whose  disciples  even  the 
chief  of  these  apostolic  men  might  well  be  called. 
By  their  writings,  no  less  than  by  his  own,  he  being 

dead  yet  spake.     C. The  Epistle  is  Pauline  in 

thought,  design,  and  argument,  even  though  it  may 
not  be  in  form  and  expression.  The  opinion  that 
the  apostle  Paul  is  the  author,  though  not  the  writer 
and  composer,  seems,  on  the  whole,  the  most  proba- 
ble.    A.  S. The  more  thoroughly  we  enter  into 

the  current  of  thought  and  line  of  doctrinal  discus- 
sion in  the  Epistle,  the  more  we  are  persuaded  that 
the  mind  of  Paul  is  at  work.  He  may  have  sketched 
out  the  argument,  and  one  of  bis  friends  (no  one 
more  fit  than  Apollos)  may  have  written  it  out  un- 
der his  general  sanction.     D.  F. 

It  may  be  held  as  certain  that  the  Epistle  was 
addressed  to  Hebrew  Christians.  Throughout  its 
pages  there  is  not  a  single  reference  to  any  other 
class  of  converts.  Its  readers  are  assumed  to  be 
familiar  with  the  Levitical  worship,  the  temple  ser- 
vices, and  all  the  institutions  of  the  Mosaic  ritual. 
They  are  called  to  view  in  Christianity  the  comple- 
tion and  perfect  consummation  of  Judaism.  They 
are  called  to  behold  in  Christ  the  fulfillment  of  the 
law,  in  his  person  the  antitype  of  the  priesthood,  in 
his  offices  the  eternal  realization  of  the  sacrificial 
and  mediatorial  functions  of  the  Jewish  hierarchy. 

C. The  Jews  did  everything  in  their  power  to 

withdraw  their  brethren  who  had  been  converted 
from  the  Christian  faith.  To  persecutions  and 
threats  they  added  arguments  derived  from  the  ex- 
cellency of  the  Jewish  religion.  They  regarded  the 
law  of  Moses  as  given  by  the  ministration  of  angels ; 
that  Moses  was  far  superior  to  Jesus  of  Kazareth, 
who  suffered  an  ignominious  death ;  that  the  public 
worship  of  God,  instituted  by  their  great  legislator 
and  prophet,  was  truly  splendid,  and  worthy  of  Je- 
hovah ;  while  the  Christians,  on  the  contrary,  had  no 
established  priesthood,  no  temple,  no  altars.  These 
arguments  being  both  plausible  and  successful,  the 
apostle  wrote  this  Epistle  to  prove  that  the  same 
God  who  gave  the  former  revelations  of  his  will  to 
the  fathers  of  the  Jewish  nation,  by  his  prophets, 
had  in  these  last  days  spoken  to  all  mankind  by  his 
Son ;  consequently  that  these  revelations,  emanat- 
ing from  the  same  divine  source,  could  not  possibly 


contradict  each  other.  The  Epistle  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  key  to  the  Old  Testament,  unlocking 
all  its  hidden  mysteries,  and  may  be  divided  into 
three  separate  heads.  First,  that  which  relates  to 
the  person  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  he  bad  been  de- 
scribed in  the  Old  Testament.  Secondly,  to  show  that 
the  religion  of  the  gospel  is  the  same  under  both 
Testaments,  being  shadowed  out  in  the  Old.  And, 
thirdly,  to  prove  that  the  Church  of  Israel  was  a 

figure  of  the  Church  of  Christ.    G.  T. The  writer 

demonstrates  the  infinite  exaltation  of  Christ  above 
Moses,  Aaron,  and  all  angels,  as  well  as  the  superi- 
ority of  the  new  covenant  established  by  him  over 
the  old.  The  arguments  are  mostly  drawn  from  the 
old  Testament  itself,  which  is  to  the  writer  a  sig- 
nificant symbol  and  shadow  of  good  things  to  come, 
prefiguring  in  all  its  wonderful  institutions  the 
higher  glory  of  Christianity,  but  at  the  same  time 
predicting  its  own  dissolution  as  soon  as  the  ante- 
type  and  substance  should  be  revealed.  True,  the 
Epistle  implies  throughout  the  existence  still  of  the 
Jewish  economy  and  the  Levitical  cultus,  but  repre- 
sents them  as  superannuated  and  in  process  of  de- 
cay, and  points  to  the  impending  judgment  which  a 
few  years  afterward  destroyed  the  Holy  City  and  the 
Temple.  These  exceedingly  interesting  expositions 
are  interwoven  with  the  most  precious  consolations 
in  view  of  the  heavy  persecutions  from  the  unbe- 
lieving Jews,  and  with  the  most  earnest  and  impres- 
sive exhortations  to  steadfastness  in  the  Christian 
faith.  For  the  more  valuable  the  blessings  of  the 
new  covenant  in  comparison  with  the  old,  the 
greater  are  its  obligations  also,  and  the  heavier  the 

condemnation  for  rejecting  it.    P.  S. To  use  one 

of  its  own  expressions,  the  whole  of  this  Epistle  is 
a  "  looking  unto  Jesus  "  ;  and  it  derives  its  peculiar 
value  from  its  showing  us  how  all  things  under  the 
law  looked  to  Jesus  also  ;  how  the  Levitical  ritual, 
the  ceremonial  cleansings,  the  prophecies  of  seers, 
the  sacrifices  of  priests,  and  the  functions  of  theo- 
cratic princes,  were  a  prediction  and  an  expectation 
of  that  Son  of  the  Highest  who  should  be  the  Re- 
vealer  of  God,  the  Reconciler  of  God  and  man,  and 
the  Ruler  of  his  own  redeemed  and  regenerate  king- 
dom.    Hamilton. 

1,2.  Over  and  above  the  discoveries  of  the 
mind  of  God  which  are  contained  in  the  natural 
order  of  things,  and  which  we  may  discern  by  an 
intuitive  faculty  or  infer  by  a  reasoning  process, 
we  have  that  which,  in  the  clearest,  fullest,  strong- 
est sense,  must  be  called  the  '■^  ivord  of  God."  Nay, 
he  has  not  only  given  us  a  vjord,  he  has  done  more, 
he  has  given  us  words,  separate,  articulate,  definite 
commimications,  each  as  truly  divine  as  is  the  whole 
word  which  they  compose.  Such  words  of  God 
were  spoken  of  in  old  time  as  "  coming  to  "  particu- 
lar persons,  who  were  to  be  the  messengers  of 
those  words  to  others.  The  prophets  testified, 
when  they  spoke,  that  "the  word  of  the  Lord 
came  to  them  "  ;  and  the  testimony  was  authentica- 
ted of  God  and  accepted  of  men.  But  the  commu- 
nications made  through  them  were  only  introductory. 
"In  sundry  parts  and  in  divers  ways  God  having 
spoken  of  old  to  the  fathers  in  the  prophets,  at  the 
end  of  these  days  spake  to  us  in  his  Son."  Those 
to  whom  the  word  of  God  came  were  succeeded  by 
him  who  is  himself  the  "  Word  of  God."  He  be- 
came man,  and  stood  forth  as  the  one  real  and  eter- 
nal Prophet,  the  medium  of  communication  between 
the  mind  of  God  and  the  mind  of  man.  On  the 
one  side  he  received,  on  the  other  he  gave.     U^i 


556 


SECTIOIT  335.— HEBREWS  1 : 1-I4. 


spoke  to  the  world  the  words  which  he  had  heard 
with  his  Father ;  and,  in  closing  his  personal  teach- 
ing in  the  flesh,  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  to  heaven  and 
said,  "  I  have  given  unto  them  the  words  which 
thou  gavest  me."  On  the  truth  of  tliis  saying 
stands  the  whole  fabric  of  creeds  and  doctrines.  It 
is  the  ground  of  authority  to  the  preacher,  of  assu- 
rance to  the  believer,  of  existence  to  the  Cliurch.  It 
is  the  source  from  which  the  perpetual  stream  of 
Christian  teaching  flows.  All  our  testimonies,  in- 
structions, exhortations,  derive  their  first  origin  and 
continuous  power  from  the  fact  that  the  Father  has 
given  to  the  Son,  the  Son  has  given  to  his  servants, 

the  words  of  truth  and  life.     T.  D.  B. These 

last  days.  I'.ut  it  may  be  asked.  How  could  those 
days  of  primitive  Christianity  be  called  the  last 
days,  inasmuch  as  since  those  days  eighteen  hun- 
dred years  have  elapsed,  and  still  the  world's  his- 
tory has  not  reached  its  close !  The  answer  is 
obvious.  No  new  dispensation  has  been  established 
since  God  sent  his  Son  into  the  world  to  die  for 
sins,  and,  in  consequence  of  his  Son's  exaltation, 
poured  down  from  heaven  the  gifts  of  his  Spirit. 
And  it  is  destined  to  be  the  last  economy  under 
which  man  is  to  be  tried.     E.  M.  G. 

A  Son !  the  Son  !  God's  Son  !  is  the  emphatic 
word  in  this  passage,  and  it  is  thek  ey  to  this  Epis- 
tle. A  Son,  his  express  image,  had  come  and  lived 
on  earth,  and  in  a  "  mode  "  the  most  express  and 
assuring  he  revealed  the  Father.  We  saw  how  he 
is  not  an  abstraction,  or  an  attribute,  but  a  living 
person.  We  saw  how  God  loves,  and  pities,  and 
consoles.  We  saw  how  God  dislikes  pretense,  and 
hypocrisy,  and  self-sufBciency ;  how  he  delights  in 
humility,  ingenuousness,  and  a  believing  or  trust- 
ful disposition.  We  saw  how  God  pardons  sin, 
and  how  by  long-suffering  and  wisdom  he  cures  in- 
firmity and  elevates  into  the  beauty  of  holiness 
characters  which,  as  he  found  them,  were  feeble, 
selfish,  and  unlovely.  And  now  that  God  has 
spoken  in  his  Son,  the  revelation  is  not  only  pre- 
cise and  explicit,  but  it  is  supremely  authoritative, 
and  peculiarly  kind  and  sympathetic.  On  the  one 
hand,  its  sanctions  are  as  august  as  its  author  is 
divine ;  on  the  other,  its  tone  is  as  tender  as  the 
speaker  is  brotherly.     Hamilton. 

2.  The  grandeur  of  the  latter  discovery  of  God 
was  derived  from  two  views  of  a  person.  This  per- 
son was  not  only  a  revealer,  as  all  prophets  were  re- 
vealers  of  God,  but  he  was  in  himself  the  revelation 
of  God.  The  prophets  spake  concerning  God  and  a 
coming  Messiah.  He  spake  concerning  God  and  him- 
self. Rather,  he  spake  of  God  when  he  spake  of 
himself.  Nay,  more,  when  he  did  not  speak,  but 
simply  stood  forth  and  wrought,  so  as  to  be  seen  and 
known,  even  then  he  most  fully  disclosed  the  nature 
and  the  character  of  God.  He  had  only  to  say,  "  I  and 
my  Father  are  one,"  "  Whoso  hath  seen  me  hath  seen 
the  Father,"  and  then  to  stand  still  or  move  along 
before  the  eyes  of  men  to  be  looked  upon,  in  order 
to  make  manifest  to  men  all  of  God  that  they  could 


comprehend.     J.  T.  D. A  mind   informed   from 

above  will,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  catch  by  sympathy 
the  greatness,  the  magnanimity,  which  belongs  to 
the  character  and  actions  of  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 
In  this  character  and  in  these  actions,  in  these 
words  of  grace  and  deeds  of  mercy,  scope  is  found, 
and  more  than  scope,  for  the  profoundest  emotions 
which  the  spirit  of  man  may  at  all  sustain.  The 
mind  reaches  no  limit  on  this  ground  ;  the  objects  of 
its  meditation,  by  a  combination  mysterious  truly, 
possess  at  once  all  the  distinctness  and  vivacity 
that  belongs  to  what  is  human,  and  all  the  depth 
and  height  that  attach  to  what  is  divine.  Scarcely 
a  sentence  recorded  by  the  evangelists,  and  scarcely 
an  action  narrated,  fails  to  present,  with  more  or 
less  distinctness  and  in  wondrous  unison,  the  divine 
and  human  attributes  of  him  who  spake  "  as  never 
man  spake."     I.  T. 

3.  In  both  the  old  Scripture  and  the  new,  what- 
ever may  be  the  word  for  the  divine  glory,  its  sym- 
bol is  always  light.  God  is  light ;  he  is  a  sun  ;  he 
dwellcth  in  light ;  he  clothes  himself  with  light  as 
with  a  garment.  The  light  in  the  cloud  was  the 
token  of  his  presence ;  the  light  of  the  Shechinah  was 
the  proof  of  his  indwelling  ;  the  light  in  the  temple 
was  the  sign  of  his  majestic  appearing  to  the  prophet. 
Then,  again,  in  the  new  Scripture,  God  is  light ;  he 
is  the  Father  of  lights,  the  effulgence  that  causes  the 
night  to  cease  in  heaven  and  the  sun  to  be  needless 
to  the  eternal  day.  From  this  symbol  of  the  divine 
grandeur  and  excellence  we  receive  our  expressive 
word  glory.  It  conveys  the  conception  of  outshining 
splendor.  Of  this  glory  of  God,  "  Jesus  Christ,  his 
Son,"  is  said  to  be  "  the  brightness."  It  is  not  said 
of  him,  "  who "  disclosing  or  showing,  but  "  who 
being  the  brightness  of  his  glory."  Expanding  the 
idea,  the  ancient  creed  declared  him  "  light  of  light," 
"  very  God  of  very  God."  Jesus  Christ  is  God's 
very  self  revealed  and  known.  He  could  say  of  him- 
self truly,  as  he  said,  "  He  that  seeth  me  seeth  him 

that  sent  me."     J.  T.  D. Believe  the  Son  to  be 

equal  with  the  Father,  but  still  the  Son  to  be  from 
the  Father,  and  not  the  Father  from  the  Son.  With 
the  Father  is  origination;  with  the  Son  equality. 
The  Father  always,  the  Son  always.  The  Father 
without  beginning  of  time,  the  Son  without  begin- 
ning of  time ;  never  the  Father  before  the  Son,  never 
the  Father  without  the  Son.  But  still,  since  the  Son 
is  God  from  God  the  Father,  and  the  Father  is  God, 
but  not  from  God  the  Son,  let  it  not  displease  us  to 
honor  the  Son  in  the  Father.  For  to  honor  the  Son 
renders  honor  to  the  Father,  and  does  not  lessen  his 
divinity.     Aug. 

4-6.  The  proofs  of  the  eternal  Deity  of  Christ  are 
produced  with  that  evidence  of  Scripture  light  that 
only  a  veiled  heart,  obstinate  infidelity,  can  resist. 
The  medium  which  the  inspired  penman  makes  use 


\ 


SECTION  335.— HEBREWS  1 : 1-U. 


557 


of  is  the  comparing  him  with  the  angels,  the  most 
noble  flower  of  the  creation,  and  showing  that  he  is 
infinitely  dignified  above  them.  This  he  does  by  a 
strong  connection  of  arguments  :  First,  by  his  title 
that  is  divinely  high  and  peculiar  to  himself.  He  is 
declared  by  the  testimony  of  the  eternal  Father  to 
he  his  Son  (vs.  4,5)  in  the  most  proper  and  sublime 
sense ;  begotten  of  him,  and  therefore  having  the 
same  essential  perfections  of  the  Godhead  in  their 
uncreated  glory.  But  the  angels  are  not  dignified 
with  this  name  in  any  places  of  Scripture,  where  the 
excellency  of  the  angels  is  in  the  fullest  terms  ex- 
pressed. And  that  this  name  is  taken  from  his 
nature  is  clearly  proved ;  because  adoration  is  due 
to  him  upon  this  account,  even  from  the  angels  of 
the  highest  order.  When  he  bringeth  in  the  first 
begotten  into  the  world,  he  saith,  "  And  let  all  the 

angels  of  God  worship  him "    (v.  6),     Bates. 

Which  one,  then,  of  all  the  heroes,  sages,  saints,  of 
any  nation,  commemorated  by  monuments,  by  litera- 
ture, by  private  veneration,  shall  claim  to  be  brother, 
in  kind  or  in  degree,  of  him  whom  even  all  the 
angels  of  God  are  commanded  to  worship  ? 

7.  His  angels  are  his  messengers.  In  so  sub- 
lime a  ceremonial  as  the  visible  ushering  into  the 
world  of  the  Person  of  its  Lord,  they  might  well 
come  as  Avinged  forms  in  the  sky,  heavenly  light 
clothing  them,  singing  a  supernatural  hymn ;  the 
whole  appearance  a  court  befitting  the  glory  of  the 
King.  When  God  bringeth  his  Only-begotten  Son 
into  the  world,  he  "  maketh  his  angels  spirits,  and 
his  ministers  a  flame  of  fire."  We  call  it  supernat- 
ural, and  it  is ;  yet  what  could  be  more  natural  to 
him  than  that,  when  the  eternal  Son,  begotten  of 
his  Father  before  all  worlds,  becomes  a  man — be- 
cause men  could  not  be  thoroughly  and  inwardly 
saved  but  by  the  sacrifice  and  sympathy  of  a  Sa- 
viour entering  into  the  poverty  and  suffering  of 
their  mortal  estate — those  intermediate  orders  of 
life  which  stand  between  him  and  us  should  attend 
his  advent,  and  announce  the  transcendent  blessing 
to  the  world  ?  It  was  too  high  a  mystery  to  be  her- 
alded, even  in  music,  from  the  stained  and  sinning 
lips  of  men.     F.  D.  H. 

8.  The  Father  creates  and  gives  life,  grace,  and 
peace,  and  even  so  gives  the  Son  the  same  gifts. 
Now,  to  give  grace,  peace,  everlasting  life,  forgive- 
ness of  sins,  to  justify,  to  save,  to  deliver  from 


death  and  hell — surely  these  are  not  the  works  of 
any  creature,  but  of  the  sole  majesty  of  God ;  things 
which  the  angels  themselves  can  neither  create  nor 
give.  Therefore,  such  works  pertain  to  the  high 
majesty,  honor,  and  glory  of  God,  who  is  the  only 
and  true  Creator  of  all  things.  We  must  think  of 
no  other  God  than  Christ ;  that  God  which  speaks 
not  out  of  Christ's '  mouth  is  not  God.  God,  in 
the  Old  Testament,  bound  himself  to  the  throne 
of  grace  ;  there  was  the  place  where  he  would  hear, 
so  long  as  the  policy  and  government  of  Moses  stood 
and  flourished.  In  like  manner,  be  will  still  hear  no 
man  or  human  creature,  but  only  through  Christ. 
We  seek  God  everywhere  ;  but,  not  seeking  him  in 
Christ,  we  find  him  nowhere.     Luther. 

13.  To  which  of  them  said  he,  Sit  on  mi/ right 
hand  ?  This  they  look  upon  with  perpetual  wonder, 
but  not  with  envy  nor  repining ;  yea,  they  rejoice 
in  the  infinite  wisdom  of  God  in  this  design,  and 
his  infinite  love  to  poor,  lost  mankind.  It  is  won- 
derful indeed  to  see  him  filling  the  room  of  their 
fallen  brethren  with  new  guests  from  earth ;  not 
only  that  sinful  man  should  thus  be  raised  to  a  par- 
ticipation of  glory  with  them  who  are  spotless,  sin- 
less spirits,  but  that  humanity  in  the  Redeemer 
should  be  dignified  with  a  glory  so  far  beyond  them. 
This  is  that  mystery  they  are  intent  in  looking  and 
prying  into,  and  can  not,  nor  ever  shall,  see  the  bot- 
tom of  it ;  for  it  hath  no  bottom.     L. 

14.  There  are  many  reasons  to  conclude  that 
the  angels  who  never  sinned  are  constantly  em- 
ployed. The  very  name  angel  signifies  a  messen- 
ger ;  one  who  is  appointed  to  execute  a  commission. 
They  do  the  commandments  of  God.  An  angel  ap- 
peared to  Zacharias  and  to  Mary.  Angels  announced 
the  birth  of  the  Saviour,  and  they  attended  him  in 
his  temptation  and  in  his  final  agony.  They  conduct- 
ed the  apostles  out  of  prison.  An  angel  advised  Cor- 
nelius to  send  for  Peter.  An  angel  informed  Paul 
that  he  and  his  companions  should  not  perish  on 
their  voyage  to  Rome.  And  the  separation  of  the 
righteous  from  the  wicked  at  the  day  of  judgment 
is  ascribed  to  the  angels.  In  short,  they  are  de- 
scribed as  ministering  spirits  sent  forth  to  minister 
to  them  who  are  heirs  of  salvation.  All  these  pas- 
sages  go  to  prove  that  their  great  work  is  not  si- 
lent adoration,  abstract  contemplation,  but  activity, 
boundless  activity.     B.  B.  E. 


558  SECTION  336.— HEBREWS  2  : 1-18. 

Section  336. 

Hebp.e-ws  ii.  1  18. 

1  Therefore  we  ought  to  give  tlie  more  earnest  lieed  to  the  things  ■n'hich  we  have  heard, 

2  lest  at  any  time  we  should  let  them  slip.     For  if  the  word  spoken  by  angels  was  stedfast, 

3  .and  every  transgression  and  disobedience  received  a  just  recompense  of  reward;  how  shall 
we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation ;  which  at  the  first  began  to  be  spoken  by  the 

4  Lord,  and  was  confirmed  unto  us  by  them  that  heard  Mm ;  God  also  bearing  tJiem  witness, 
both  with  signs  and  wonders,  and  with  divers  miracles,  and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  ac- 

5  cording  to  his  own  will?     For  unto  the  angels  hath  he  not  put  in  subjection  the  world  to 

6  come,  whereof  we  speak.     But  one  in  a  certain  place  testified,  saying.  What  is  man,  that 

7  thou  art  mindful  of  him?  or  the  son  of  man,  tbat  thou  visitest  him  ?     Thou  madest  him  a 
little  lower  than  the  angels;  thou  crownedst  him  with  glory  and  honour,  and  didst  set  him 

8  over  the  works  of  thy  hands:  thou  hast  put  all  things  in  subjection  under  his  feet.    For  in 
that  he  put  all  in  subjection  under  him,  he  left  nothing  that  is  not  put  under  him.     But 

9  now  we  see  not  yet  all  things  put  under  him.     But  we  see  Jesus,  who  was  made  a  little 
lower  than  the  angels  for  the  suffering  of  death,  crowned  with  glory  and  honour ;  that  he 

10  by  the  grace  of  God  should  taste  death  for  every  man.  For  it  became  him,  for  whom  are 
all  things,  and  by  whom  are  all  things,  in  bringing  many  sons  unto  glory,  to  make  the 
captain  of  their  salvation  perfect  through  sufferings. 

11  For  both  he  that  sanctifieth  and  they  who  are  sanctified  are  all  of  one  :  for  which  cause 

12  he  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them  brethren,  saying,  I  will  declare  thy  name  unto  my  brethren, 

13  in  the  midst  of  the  church  will  I  sing  praise  unto  thee.     And  again,  I  will  put  my  trust  in 

14  him.  And  again.  Behold  I  and  the  children  which  God  hath  given  me.  Forasmuch  then 
as  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself  likewise  took  part  of  the 
same  ;  that  through  death  he  might  destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the 

15  devil ;  and  deliver  them  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bond- 

16  age.     For  verily  he  took  not  on  Mm  the  nature  of  angels;  but  he  took  on  Mm  the  seed  of 

17  Abraham.  Wherefore  in  all  things  it  behoved  him  to  be  made  like  unto  his  brethren,  that 
he  might  be  a  merciful  and  faithful  high  priest  in  things  pertaining  to  God,  to  make  recon- 

18  ciliation  for  the  sins  of  the  people.  For  in  that  he  himself  hath  suffered  being  tempted, 
he  is  able  to  succour  them  that  are  tempted. 


"  As  the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,"  the  eternal  Son  also  "  took  part  of  the  same." 
He  put  on  the  garment  pf  humanity,  and  drew  near  in  person,  that  we  might  clasp  him  as  a  Ivinsman  in 
our  arms,  and  feel  the  Infinite  One  to  be  our  own.  Our  fallen  nature  made  it  needful  that  he  should  come 
closer  still.  lie  became  the  partaker  of  suffering  and  shame  that  we  might  touch  him  in  the  sympathy 
of  our  hearts,  and  feel  that,  in  like  manner,  he  can  touch  us  and  be  afflicted  in  all  our  afflictions.  Nay 
more,  he  became  sin  for  us,  and  bore  it  in  our  stead,  that  his  healing  touch  might  reach  our  conscience, 
and  that  we  may  have  the  assurance  that  he  can  be  present  to  help  in  the  deepest  guilt  and  darkness  of 
the  soul.  The  history  of  all  God's  dealings  with  man  is  the  record  of  an  approach  nearer  still  and  nearer, 
until,  in  the  incarnate  Son,  he  shares  all  our  sorrows  and  carries  our  sins,  till  faith  puts  its  fingers  into 
the  print  of  the  nails,  its  hand  into  the  wounded  side,  and  constrains  us  to  cry,  "My  Lord  and  my  God." 
So  does  he  approach  man,  for  man's  heart  thus  yearns  to  draw  near  to  him — to  a  living  God,  to  a  per- 
sonal Saviour.     Ker. 

Christ  is  large  enough,  comprehensive  enough,  compassionate  enough,  to  take  in  all  the  experience, 
the  souls,  the  lives,  the  burdens,  the  sorrows,  of  all  nations  and  all  ages.  See  at  once  what  a  higher  and 
holier  character  this  truth  puts  on  the  much-abused  dogma  of  the  dignity  of  human  nature.  Human 
nature  without  the  incarnation  is  the  least  dignified  of  all  things :  it  is  weak,  inconstant,  guilty,  lost.  But 
let  it  be  seen  that  human  nature  is  uplifted  and  ennobled  in  the  Divine  humanity  of  Christ,  Son  of  man 
and  Son  of  God,  and  forthwith  it  wears  a  grandeur  as  if  the  majestic  bearing  and  outlines  of  the  Divine 
Man  were  visibly  reflected  upon  it.     F.  D.  H. 


SECTION  336.— HEBREWS  2  : 1-lS. 


559 


1-3.  It  was  vital  to  bring  out  the  real  dignity 
and  preeminent  glory  of  Jesus  Christ.  It  was  in 
place  to  set  him  before  those  Hebrew  eyes  as  the 
very  image  of  the  infinite  God,  the  glorious  Creator 
and  Lord  of  all ;  as  high  above  the  highest  of  cre- 
ated angels.  It  was  directly  to  the  point  of  their 
case  to  warn  them  not  to  neglect  so  great  a  salva- 
tion which  the  Lord  from  heaven  himself  began  to 
teach ;  which  came  to  men  through  lips  more  pure 
and  sacred  than  angels ;  and,  though  Jesus  was  made 
a  little  lower  than  the  angels,  it  was  only  for  a  little 
time,  and  so  long  only  that  he  might  suffer  and  die 
for  men,  and  tlien,  having  died,  be  crowned  with 
glory  far  higher  than  theirs.  How  could  they  think 
lightly  of  such  a  Saviour  ?  How  could  they  afford 
to  dishonor  one  who  had  laid  aside  the  honors  of 
heaven  and  humbled  himself  so  low  that  he  might 
the  better  sympathize  with  their  sorrows,  and  bear 
their  sins,  and  wash  them  out  in  his  own  blood !  H.  C. 

1.  Lest  we  let  them  slip.  He  who  sows 
tares  also  roots  up  gi'owing  wheat,  and  does  not  ne- 
glect to  sweep  away  the  seed.  His  chosen  instru- 
ments are  those  light,  swift-winged,  apparently  in- 
nocent flocks  of  flying  thoughts  that  come  swooping 
across  your  souls  even  while  the  message  of  God's 
love  is  sounding  in  your  ears.  Yes,  with  most  men, 
it  is  the  constant  succession  of  petty  cares,  the  con- 
stant occupation  of  heart  and  mind  with  trivial  sub- 
jects and  passing  good,  much  rather  than  any  con- 
scious fixed  resolve  to  shut  their  souls  against  Christ 
and  his  love,  that  steals  away  the  word  from  their 
memories  and  thoughts.  Surely  you  ought  to  have 
more  control  over  your  minds,  and  the  subjects 
which  shall  occupy  them,  than  to  let  present  cares 
and  duties  and  enjoyments  absolutely  hide  from  you 
the  truth  which  you  profess  to  believe  is  of  supreme 
importance.  Surely  it  scarcely  becomes  a  man  to 
hold  it  with  so  slack  a  grasp  that  any  runaway  may 
snatch  it  from  you  as  you  go  along.     A.  M. 

2.  The  Jews  attached  much  importance  to  the 
part  which  the  angels  sustained  in  the  giving  of  the 
law.  "  The  Lord  came  from  Sinai ;  from  his  right 
hand  went  a  fiery  law."  "  The  chariots  of  God  are 
of  twenty  thousand,  even  thousands  of  angels :  the 
Lord  is  among  them,  as  in  Sinai,  in  the  holy  place." 
No  wonder  that  the  Hebrews  attached  surpassing 
sanctity  to  a  law  thus  given,  and  felt  that  it  would 
be  a  fearful  thing  to  violate  a  covenant  which  not 
only  issued  from  the  throne  of  the  eternal,  but  to 
give  grandeur  and  emphasis  to  which  Jehovah  had 
for  once  held  court  upon  earth,  and  marshaled  so 
many  of  the  highest  peers  of  heaven,  and  to  ob- 
serve the  carrying  out  of  which  was  one  main  part 
of  the  angelic  ministry.  Yet,  august  and  sacred  as 
was  the  law,  the  apostle  urges  more  sacred  still  and 
more  august  is  the  gospel.  And  this  he  does,  not 
on  grounds  which  the  Hebrews  might  question  or 
controvert,  but  on  grounds  which  he  knew  they  must 
concede.     Hamilton. 

3.  Great  salvation.     Salvation  !     What  mu- 


sic is  there  in  that  word,  music  that  always  rouses 
yet  always  rests  us !  It  is  vigor  to  us  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  in  the  evening  it  is  peace.  It  is  a  song 
that  is  always  singing  itself  deep  down  in  the  de- 
lighted soul.  Angelic  ears  are  ravished  by  it  up  in 
heaven ;  and  our  eternal  Father  himself  listens  to 
it  with  adorable  complacency.  It  is  sweet  even  to 
him  out  of  whose  mind  is  the  music  of  a  thousand 
worlds.  What  is  it  to  be  saved  in  the  fullest  and 
utmost  meaning  ?  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard. 
It  is  a  rescue,  and  from  such  a  shipwreck  !  It  is  a 
rest,  and  in  such  an  unimaginable  home !  It  is  to 
he  down  for  ever  in  the  bosom  of  God  in  an  endless 
rapture  of  insatiable  contentment.     Faber. 

The  idea  of  salvation  is  inconsistent  with  the 
idea  of  any  temporary  or  limited  perdition.  If  the 
lost  are  saved,  it  is  because  they  were  lost  for  ever. 
Neither  can  this  word  lost  mean  annihilation,  the 
extinction  of  being,  the  cessation  for  ever  of  thought 
and  feeling.  There  can  be  no  punishment  in  that, 
nor  retribution,  nor  wrath  abiding,  nor  wages  paid, 
nor  second  death,  nor  anything  that  needs  a  Saviour. 
Nor  was  it  any  bare  negation,  or  form  of  negation, 
but  a  positive,  absolute  perdition,  of  which  no  words 
can  convey  any  adequate  sense  or  measure ;  a  per- 
dition without  end,  and  a  loss  therefore  of  souls  in 
sin  and  death  eternal.  This  indeed  is  a  ruin  and  a 
misery  demanding  the  interposition  of  an  Almighty 
Saviour,  and  justifying  God  in  such  a  sacrifice. 
Thus  the  demonstration  of  eternal  death,  from  the 
offer  of  eternal  life  through  Christ,  is  unquestiona- 
ble. In  this  view  the  very  offer  of  salvation  is  a 
most  alarming  interposition.  It  startles  the  soul 
from  its  false  security  with  that  impressive  ques- 
tion, "  How  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great 

salvation  ?  "     G.  B.  C. If  God  hath,  as  it  were, 

exhausted  all  his  infinite  resources,  and  infinitely 
surpassed  all  your  own  conceptions ;  if  he  hath 
carried  on  an  argument  through  four  thousand 
years,  gradually  cumulating  to  its  full  completion  ; 
if,  in  the  way  of  argument,  he  hath  given  every 
conceivable  exposition;  if,  in  the  way  of  persua- 
sion, he  hath  used  every  conceivable  appeal  of  ten- 
derness and  love;  if,  in  the  way  of  warning  and 
alarm,  he  hath  arrayed  before  you  every  conceivable 
terror  among  the  recompenses  of  reward  to  trans- 
gressors— then  what  more  ic  there  to  wait  for  ?  what 
more  to  hope  for  ?  how  can  he  possibly  escape  who 
neglects  so  great  salvation  ?     S.  K. 

The  eternal  destiny  is  in  you,  and  you  can  not 
break  loose  from  it.  With  your  farthing  bribes 
you  try  to  hush  your  stupendous  wants,  with  your 
single  drops,  to  fill  the  ocean  of  your  immortal  aspi- 
rations. Oh,  this  great  and  mighty  soul,  were  it 
something  less,  you  might  find  what  to  do  with  it ; 
charm  it  with  the  jingle  of  a  golden  toy,  bouse  it  in 
a  safe  with  ledgers  and  stocks,  take  it  about  on 


560 


SECTIOX  336.— HEBREWS  2  : 1-18. 


journeys  to  see  and  be  seen !  But  it  is  the  godlike 
soul,  capable  of  rest  in  nothing  but  God ;  able  to 
be  filled  and  satisfied  with  nothing  but  his  fullness 
and  the  confidence  of  his  friendship.  What  man 
that  hves  in  sin  can  know  it  or  conceive  it  ?  who 
believe  what  it  is  ?  Oh,  thou  Prince  of  Life !  come 
in  thy  great  salvation  to  blinded  and  lost  men,  and 
lay  thy  piercing  question  to  their  ear.  What  shall  it 
profit  a  man  to  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his 
own  soul  ?  Breathe,  oh  breathe,  on  these  majestic 
ruins,  and  rouse  to  life  again,  though  it  be  but  for 
one  hour,  the  forgottten  sense  of  their  eternity, 
their  lost  eternity.     H.  B. 

Began  to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord.  He  was 
the  messenger  and  teacher  of  this  salvation,  as  well 
as  its  author  and  giver.  It  was  fully  wrought  by  the 
Lord  ;  but,  besides  that,  it  began  to  be  "  spoken  "  by 
the  Lord,  its  announcement  coming  first  from  his 
own  lips.  "  It  began  to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord," 
and  when  he  ceased  to  speak  the  word  was  not  yet 
completed.  It  was  to  be  cleared  and  assured  to  the 
world  by  those  that  heard  him ;  who,  having  been 
educated  and  commissioned  by  him  for  the  purpose, 
proceeded  to  preach  the  gospel  with  the  Holy  Ghost 
sent  down  from  heaven,  and  with  adequate  proofs 
of  the  coattestation  of  God.  It  would  be  easy  to 
show  that  every  doctrine  expanded  in  the  Epistles 
roots  itself  in  some  pregnant  saying  in  the  gospels  ; 
and  that  the  first  intimation  of  every  truth  revealed 
to  the  apostles  by  the  Spirit  came  first  from  the 
lips  of  the  Son  of  man.  In  each  case  the  later  reve- 
lation may  enlarge  the  earlier,  may  show  its  mean- 
ing and  define  its  application,  but  the  earlier  revela- 
tion stands  behind  it  still,  and  we  owe  our  first 
knowledge  of  every  part  of  the  new  covenant  to 
those  personal  communications  in  which  the  salva- 
tion began  to  be  spoken  by  the  Lord.  "In  all 
things  he  was  to  have  the  preeminence,"  in  speak- 
ing as  well  as  in  acting,  not  only  as  the  Life  but  also 
as  the  Light  of  men.  The  more  we  study  the  rec- 
ords of  that  short  ministry  in  the  flesh  the  more  we 
are  impressed  with  the  fact  that  all  the  past  and  all 
the  future  are  gathered  up  in  it.  Past  inspired 
teaching  here  finds  its  meaning  interpreted  and  its 
authority  sealed,  while  the  several  chapters  of  future 
inspired  teaching  are  opened  by  pregnant  summaries 
and  certified  by  anticipatory  sanctions.  That  is  in- 
deed a  time  "of  large  discourse,  looking  before  and 
after,"  and  the  words  of  prophets  on  the  one  side, 
and  of  apostles  on  the  other,  are  for  ever  justified 
and  maintained  by  the  words  of  him  who  came  be- 
tween them.     T.  D.  B. 

6-8.  {Ps.  8  :  S-*?).  Quoted  also  (with  a  slight 
variation)  as  referring  to  our  Lord,  1  Cor.  15  :  27, 
and  Eph.  1:22.  The  Hebrew  Psalmist  speaks  of 
mankind  ;  the  New  Testament  teaches  us  to  apply 
his  words  in  a  higher  sense  to  Christ,  the  represen- 
tative of  glorified  humanity.     C. 

9.  He  took  on  him,  at  the  very  instant  when 
angels  were  adoring  him  as  the  Only-begotten  of 
the  Father,  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  came  to  be 
despised  and  rejected,  to  hear  taunts  and  blasphe- 
mies, instead  of  hosannas  and  hallelujahs.  He  ex- 
changed heaven's  diadem  for  Judea's  thorns;  he 
forsook  the  palace  where  he  was  sovereign  for  the 
judgment-hall  where  he  was  bound  and  buffeted. 


scourged  and  condemned.  He  was  the  Lord  of  the 
universe,  but  he  was  born  of  one  of  the  lowliest 
inhabitants  of  earth's  obscurest  comer.  He  was 
Prince  of  Life,  but  he  tasted  death  for  every  man. 

Kirk. Man  could  not  save,  for  he  lay  under  the 

debt  of  sin.  An  angel  had  not  power  to  redeem 
mankind,  for  he  had  not  at  hand  the  ransom  re- 
quired. No  other  mode  of  release  from  the  evil  was 
left  than  this — that  the  sinless  God  should  die  for 
sinners — even  he  alone,  the  virgin-born,  God  and 
man ;  he  who  possessed  that  price  which  was  not 
only  equivalent  to  the  number  of  the  condemned, 
but  which  far  outweighed  it.     Proelus. 

It  was  necessary  that  a  mediator  between  God 
and  men  should  have  something  like  to  God,  some- 
thing like  to  men ;  lest,  if  he  were  wholly  like  to 
men,  he  should  be  far  off  from  God ;  or,  if  he  were 
wholly  like  to  God,  he  should  be  far  off  from  men, 
and  so  should  not  be  a  mediator.  If  all  men  as 
long  as  they  are  mortal  must  needs  be  miserable, 
we  must  seek  for  some  midway  being  who  shall  be 
not  only  man  but  also  God ;  that  the  blessed  mor- 
tality of  such  a  midway  being  may  lead  men  out  of 
their  miserable  mortality  into  a  blessed  immortality. 
That  we  might  be  brought  to  the  one  beatific  good, 
not  many  mediators  were  required,  but  one,  that 
same  One  by  communion  with  whom  we  may  be 
blessed,  that  is,  the  uncreated  Word  of  God,  "  by 
whom  all  things  were  made."  Yet  it  is  not  because 
he  is  the  Word  that  he  is  the  Mediator ;  for  the 
Word,  as  being  in  the  highest  degree  immortal  and 
in  the  highest  degree  blessed,  is  far  removed  from 
miserable  mortals ;  but  he  is  Mediator  in  that  he  is 
man ;  by  that  fact  indeed  showing  that,  in  order  to 
reach  that  good  which  is  not  only  blessed  but 
beatific,  we  ought  not  to  look  for  other  mediators, 
and  suppose  that  through  them  we  must  fashion 
steps  whereby  to  reach  it ;  for  God,  the  blessed  and 
the  beatific,  having  become  partaker  of  our  human- 
ity, has  given  us  a  short  way  to  the  partaking  of 
his  Godhead.     Axig. 

10.  We  have  a  Saviour  who  is  called  the  Captain 
of  our  salvation,  because  he  marches  in  the  van. 
Through  many  sufferings  he  was  made  perfect,  that 
he  might  bring  many  sons  into  glory.  Cast  your 
eye  on  him  when  ye  are  weary ;  see,  he  goes  before 
not  only  as  your  Leader,  but  also  conquering  for 
you.  Let  me  then  venture  upon  the  conflict  with  all 
its  sacrifices ;  when  I  shall  have  fought  it  out,  how 
blessedly  I  sliall  rest !  And  in  the  struggle  let  his 
"  It  is  finished "  be  my  consolation  as  well  as  my 
strength.  A.  T. Perfect  through  suffer- 
ings. Not  perfect  in  the  sense  of  sinless,  for  that 
he  was  from  his  infancy  upward,  but  perfect  in  the 
sense  in  which  no  one  can  be  perfect  who  has  not 
submitted  to  the  discipline  of  trial.  The  spotless 
block  of  marble  may  be  perfect  in  the  sense  of  be- 


SECTION  336.— HEBREWS  2  : 1-lS. 


561 


ing  without  a  flaw ;  but  it  acquires  a  perfection  of 
another  sort  when,  after  being  shaped  and  chiseled, 
it  is  converted  into  a  beautiful  vase  fit  for  the  pal- 
ace of  a  monarch.  The  Lord,  in  virtue  of  his  hu- 
manity, had  a  will  which  shrunk  from  a  deprecated 
suffering.  This  will,  however,  was  brought  into 
complete  acquiescence  with  the  higher  will.  It  was 
this  acquiescence  which  gave  to  the  human  character 
of  Christ,  sinless  all  along,  an  exquisitely  finished 
perfection.     E.  M.  G. 

1 1 .  In  Christ,  every  believer  is  born  of  God  ;  is 
his  Son  ;  and  so  they  are  not  only  brethren,  one  with 
another,  that  are  so  born,  but  Christ  himself  is  not 

ashamed  to  call  them  brethren.     L. His  way  was 

to  come  from  an  infinite  height  into  this  world,  that 
he  might  be  near  sinners,  able  to  touch  them,  and 
ready  to  be  touched.  It  was  to  take  their  nature 
upon  him  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  that  they 
might  feel  him  closer  still,  and  that  "  he  might  call 
them  brethren."  It  was  "  to  become  sin  for  them, 
though  he  knew  no  sin "  ;  that  he  might  bear  it, 
first  by  pity,  then  by  sacrifice,  and  at  last  by  par- 
don. This  is  the  great  and  godlike  plan,  the  very 
heart  of  the  reason  why  he  touched  the  soil  of  our 

sin-stricken    earth.      Ker. God's  only  Son  has 

made  many  sons  of  God.  He  bought  himself 
brothers  with  his  blood ;  when  they  reprobated 
him,  he  approved  them ;  when  they  sold  him,  he  re- 
deemed them ;  when  they  outraged  him,  he  honored 
them;  when  they  killed  him,  he  gave  them  life. 
Can  you  doubt  that  he  will  give  you  his  good  things, 
who  did  not  refuse  to  take  on  himself  your  evil 
things  ?     Aug. 

13.  Whereas  we  were  no  brethren  of  his,  but 
had  become  his  enemies  by  our  offenses,  he,  not 
being  a  mere  man,  but  God,  after  freely  bestowing 
on  us  hberty,  calls  us  even  his  own  brethren.  For, 
says  he,  "  I  will  declare  thy  name  unto  my  breth- 
ren." He,  then,  who  redeemed  us,  if  you  look  at 
his  (original)  nature,  is  not  our  brother,  nor  man ; 
but,  if  you  look  at  that  condescension  to  us  which  is 
the  result  of  his  grace,  he  calls  us  brethren,  and 
stoops  to  manhood.     JBasil. 

14c  The  very  Only-begotten  Word  of  God,  the 
Maker  of  the  worlds,  he  by  whom  are  all  things, 
and  in  whom  are  all  things,  the  true  Light,  the  all- 
quickening  Nature,  in  the  last  times  of  the  world's 
period,  by  the  Father's  gracious  will  to  save  the 
human  race  which  had  fallen  under  a  curse,  and 
through  sin  had  been  borne  away  to  death  and  cor- 
ruption, did  become  "  partaker  of  flesh  and  blood," 
that  is,  he  became  man ;  that  being  made  man  for 
us,  he  might  die  humanly,  and  rise  again  divinely, 
having  trampled  down  the  power  of  death.     Cyril 

of  Alex. The  Seraphim  were  not  daring  to  gaze 

on  him  who  was  being  questioned  by  Pilate.     The 
slave  buffeted  him,  and  creation  shuddered.      He 
36 


was  nailed  to  the  cross,  while  the  throne  of  glory 
was  not  emptied  of  his  presence.  He  was  inclosed 
in  the  tomb,  while  he  was  spreading  out  the  heaven 
like  a  curtain.  He  was  reckoned  among  the  dead, 
while  he  was  despoiling  Hades.  Here  he  was  being 
calumniated  as  a  deceiver,  there  he  was  being  glori- 
fied as  holy.  Oh,  mystery  !  I  see  the  wonders,  and 
I  proclaim  the  Godhead ;  I  see  the  sufferings,  and  I 
deny  not  the  manhood.     Proclus. 

That  hath  the  power  of  death.  The 
power  of  God  is  wholly  constructive  ;  even  when  he 
destroys,  it  is  to  build  up  in  some  other  form.  But 
the  power  of  Satan  is  wholly  destructive,  and  only 
by  the  higher  power  of  God  is  it  ever  made  an  occa- 
sion of  good.  The  kingdom  of  God  is  thus  a 
kingdom  of  eternal  progress ;  a  kingdom  of  light, 
ever  shining  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day ;  a 
kingdom  of  life,  ever  growing  and  renewing  itself 
as  life  eternal.  But  the  kingdom  of  evil  is  without 
progress  except  from  death  to  death,  without  light, 
without  life,  while  all  is  wasted  and  lost.  That 
Satan,  therefore,  should  have  the  power  of  death  is 
in  keeping  with  all  we  know  of  the  kind  of  power 
possessed  by  the  wicked  alone.     N.  M. 

15.  Fear  of  death.  If  we  have  faith  in 
Christ  now,  if  we  have  known  and  loved  him  daily, 
and  have  nailed  our  sins  to  his  cross,  and  have  risen 
with  him  in  newness  and  holiness  of  living,  then  we 
need  not  be  afraid  that  our  faith  will  fail  at  the 
moment  when  it  is  going  to  be  exchanged  for  sight. 
Then  there  is  indeed  death  before  us,  but  there  is 
also  Christ  with  us ;  he  knows  the  way  through  that 
dark  valley ;  it  kept  him  not  in  it  a  prisoner,  neither 
did  it  destroy  him ;  but  he  rose  again  to  live  for 
evermore,  and  he  can  and  will  keep  in  perfect  peace 
and  raise  to  perfect  glory  those  who  have  put  their 
trust  in  him.     T.  A. 

For  the  grace  of  preservation  which  extends 
through  the  whole  journey  there  comes  the  grace  of 
victory  in  death.  But  let  no  one  expect  this  before 
the  time.  Some  believers  distress  themselves  not  a 
little  because  they  can  not  die  calmly  or  joyfully,  in 
thought  and  feeling,  long  before  they  die  in  fact. 
They  want  the  dying  grace  before  the  dying  comes ; 
instead  of  trusting,  as  they  ought  to  trust,  that  the 
rich  and  thoughtful  love  which  has  always  met  the 
needs  of  busy  life,  will,  when  the  time  comes,  give 
the  needed  grace  to  die.  The  fullness  of  God  in 
Christ,  of  which  we  have  received  all  these  years, 
will  be  the  fullness  of  God  in  Christ  on  the  day  of 
death ;  and  if  only  we  seek  the  grace  to  live  by  as 
long  as  we  live — be  it  strength,  or  patience,  or  watch- 
fulness, or  faith,  or  whatever  else  within  the  great 
circle  of  the  gracious  beneficence  of  God — we  need 
have  no  fear  of  finding  the  help  that  will  be  needed 
to  go  through  the  dark  valley,  and  to  stand  up  in 
the  manifestation  among  the  sons  of  God.     A.  K. 


562 


SECTION  336.— HEBREWS  2  : 1-18. 


Many  true  Christians  go  through  the  world  in 
bondage  from  the  fear  of  death,  because  they  have 
allowed  themselves  to  think  there  is  some  dark  pas- 
sage through  which  the  soul  must  go  after  it  has 
left  the  body,  and  before  it  enters  into  the  presence 
and  the  joy  of  the  Lord.  There  is  no  warrant  for 
such  an  opinion  in  the  word  of  God.  Absence  from 
the  body  is  there  represented  as  presence  with  the 
Lord,  and  that  which  from  the  human  side  is  called 
a  departure  is  described  on  the  heavenly  side  as  a 
being  with  Christ.  The  two  are  simultaneous. 
That  which  separates  the  Christian  from  Christ  is 
not  distance,  but  the  veil  of  the  flesh ;  and,  there- 
fore, the  moment  that  is  laid  aside  the  Christian  is 
with  his  Lord.  There  is  no  middle  passage  of  hor- 
rors between  the  two.     W.  M.  T. 

Christ,  who  dying  conquered  death  in  his  own 
person,  conquered  sin,  and  death,  which  is  the  wages 
of  sin,  for  thee.  The  grave  is  thy  bed  of  rest,  and 
no  longer  the  cold  bed ;  for  thy  Saviour  has  warmed 
it  and  made  it  fragrant.  If  then  it  be  health  and 
comfort  to  the  faithful  that  Christ  descended  into 
the  grave,  with  especial  confidence  may  we  meditate 
en  his  return  from  thence,  quickened  by  the  Spirit  ; 
this  being  to  those  who  arc  in  him  the  certain 
pledge,  yea,  the  effectual  cause,  of  that  blessed  res- 
urrection for  which  they  themselves  hope.  There 
is  that  union  betwixt  them  and  their  Redeemer  that 
they  shall  rise  by  the  communication  and  virtue  of 
his  rising ;  not  simply  by  his  power,  for  so  the  vncked 
likewise  to  their  grief  shall  be  raised,  but  they  by 
his  life  as  their  life.     L.  &  S.  T.  C. 

Dr.  W.  Gordon,  a  man  of  high  culture,  said 
when  dying,  "People  have  said  that  death  is  fright- 
ful. I  look  on  it  with  pleasure.  Death  !  I  see  no 
death  at  my  bedside.  It  is  that  benign  Saviour  wait- 
ing to  take  me.  I  could  not  have  a  fear.  This  is  not 
the  testimony  of  one  who  has  nothing  to  live  for. 
I  am  in  the  prime  of  life,  with  comforts  and  friends 
around  me,  but  the  prospect  of  heaven  is  more  than 
all.  Christ,  not  death,  is  about  to  take  me  from 
earth.  There  is  no  death  to  the  Christian.  That 
glorious  gospel  takes  away  death."  Closing  Scenes, 
etc.,  by  iV.  Hall. 

16.  He  took  not  hold  of  the  any  els ;  let  them 
go  :  hath  left  them  to  die  for  ever  ;  but  he  took  hold 
of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  and  took  on  him  indeed 

their  flesh,  dwelling  among  us.     L. The  Word 

personally  united  to  himself  flesh  animated  with  a 
reasonable  soul,  and  became  man,  ineffably  and  in- 
conceivably. Although  the  natures  which  were 
combined  into  a  real  unity  are  diverse,  yet  from 
both  results  one  Christ  and  Son ;  not  as  if  the  dif- 
ference of  the  natures  had  been  annulled  because 
of  the  union,  but  rather  that  Godhead  and  man- 
hood, through  the  ineffable  and  inexplicable  con- 
currence into  unity,  constitute  for  us  the  one  Lord 

and  Son,  Jesus  Christ.      Cyril  of  Alex. Christ, 

who  delighted  to  mingle  every  mercy  with  miracle 
and  wonder,  took  a  finite  nature  into  the  society 


and  union  of  his  person  ;  whereupon  what  was  im- 
possible  to  a  divine  nature  was  rendered  very  possi- 
ble to  a  divine  person  ;  so  that,  being  made  man,  he 
could  do  all  things  that  man  could  do,  except  only 

sin.     R.  S. We  perceive  love,  in  that  the  human 

nature,  the  nature  of  man,  not  of  angels,  is  taken 
into  union  with  God.  By  this  very  act  of  the 
heavenly  wisdom  we  have  an  inconceivable  pledge 
of  the  love  of  Christ  to  man  ;  for,  in  that  he  hath 
taken  into  union  with  himself  our  nature,  what  doth 
it  signify  but  that  he  intends  to  take  into  union 
with  himself  our  persons  ?  For  this  very  purpose 
did  he  assume  our  nature.  Bun. God  hath  be- 
come our  brother,  yea,  our  flesh  and  blood.  This 
great  honor  is  not  experienced  by  the  angels,  but 
by  us  men.  Although  the  angels  are  more  glorious 
creatures  than  we,  yet  God  hath  honored  us  more 
than  them,  and  hath  approached  nearer  to  us  than 
he  hath  to  them,  inasmuch  as  he  became,  not  an 
angel,  but  a  man.     Luther. 

If  Christ  took  our  nature  upon  hira,  as  we  be- 
lieve, by  an  act  of  love,  it  was  not  that  of  one  but 
of  all.  lie  was  not  one  man  only  among  many  men, 
but  in  him  all  humanity  was  gathered  up.  And 
thus  now,  as  at  all  time,  mankind  are,  so  to  speak, 
organically  united  with  him.  His  acts  are  in  a  true 
sense  our  acts,  so  far  as  we  realize  the  union ;  his 
death  is  our  death,  his  resurrection  our  resurrection, 

B.  F.  W. The  Son  of  God  took  on  him  human 

nature,  not  a  human  personality.  Therefore  he  be- 
comes the  Redeemer  of  our  several  persons,  because 
he  is  already  the  Redeemer  of  this  our  common 
nature,  which  he  has  made  for  ever  his  own.  As 
human  nature  was  present  in  Adam  when  by  his 
representative  sin  he  ruined  his  posterity,  so  was 
human  nature  present  in  Christ  our  Lord  when  by 
his  voluntary  offering  of  his  sinless  self  he  "  bare 
our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree."  Christ  is 
thus  the  second  head  of  our  race.  Our  nature  is 
his  own.  He  carried  it  with  him  through  life  to 
death.  lie  made  it  do  and  bear  that  which  was 
utterly  beyond  its  native  strength.  His  eternal  per- 
son gave  infinite  merit  to  its  acts  and  its  sufferings. 
In  him  it  died,  rose,  ascended,  and  was  perfectly 
well  pleasing  to  the  All-Holy.  Thus  by  no  forced 
or  artificial  transaction,  but  in  virtue  of  his  existing 
representative  relation  to  the  human  family,  he  gave 
himself  to  be  a  ransom  for  all.  In  intention  and 
efficacy  his  sufferings  were  endured  on  behalf  of  all 
who  share  his  human  nature.  In  point  of  fact  they 
avail  to  pardon  those  who,  through  faith,  are  living- 
ly  one  with  him,  so  that  his  personal  acts  have  be- 
come their  own.     H.  P.  L. 

1 7.  That  God  is  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world 
to  himself — this  is  the  keynote  of  the  Christian  dis- 
pensation, its  luminous  and  life-giving  message.  All 
religion  is  the  union  between  man  and  God ;  the 
Christian  religion  is  a  reunion,  a  reinstated  fellow- 
ship, a  redemption.  And  this  redemption  centers 
in  the  person  and  work  of  Christ,  the  one  Mediator 
between  God  and  man.  In  his  mediation  is,  then, 
to  be  found  the  central  principle  of  this  divine  econ- 
omy. It  may  be  called  the  mediatorial  principle, 
for  mediation  between  a  holy  God  and  sinful  man  is 
the  essence  of  his  work ;  or  it  may  be  called  the 
Christological  principle,  as  it  represents  to  us  the 
person  of  Christ,  the  God-man.     In  its  fullest  state- 


SECTION  337.— HEBREWS  3  : 1-19. 


563 


ment  it  includes  both  incarnation  and  redemption  ; 
for,  both  as  incarnate  and  redeeming,  Christ  is  our 
Mediator.  In  the  fact  of  the  incarnation  of  the  Son 
of  God  for  our  redemption  may  be  said  to  be  the 
grand  principle  of  the  Christian  faith,  its  center  of 
unity.  He  was  made  like  unto  us  that  he  might  be 
a  merciful  and  faithful  high  priest  in  things  pertain- 
ing to  God,  to  make  reconciliation  for  the  sins  of 
the  people.     H.  B.  S. 

18.  The  two  elements  of  character  requisite  to 
the  helpful  friend  are  sympathy  and  power.  A 
heart  to  love  and  an  arm  to  save,  combined  in  one, 
make  that  one  the  friend  you  need.  In  the  chapter 
before  us,  the  writer's  mind  is  mainly  engrossed 
with  the  sympathy  of  Jesus  for  his  people.  The 
human  side  of  his  being  is  chiefly  under  considera- 
tion. Yet  it  is  a  striking  fact  that,  in  saying  "  is 
able  to  succor,"  he  has  chosen  the  word  which,  more 
than  any  other  in  the  language,  suggests  dynamic 
force  ;  as  if,  out  of  his  deep  sufferings  and  terrible 
temptations,  there  came  forth  that  very  power  in 
which  he  proves  himself  so  gloriously  "  mighty  to 
save."     H.  C. 

It  was  necessary  that  Jesus  should  be  tempted ; 
that  is  enough.  The  temptation  was  no  mere  acci- 
dent in  his  life  ;  it  was  essential  to  it ;  it  entered 
into  the  plan  of  our  redemption.  All  the  images 
under  which  the  prophets  had  described  the  coming 


Messiah  looked  to  a  strife  between  himself  and  the 
spirit  of  darkness — a  strife  of  which  the  narrative 
given  in  the  gospel  is  but  the  prelude.  Having 
come  to  establish  a  kingdom,  but  to  establish  it  upon 
the  ruins  of  a  usurper,  the  Messiah,  that  true  Joshua, 
could  obtain  his  dominion  only  by  conquest ;  he  could 
receive  "  the  inheritance  of  the  nations "  only  by 
wresting  it  from  "  the  prince  of  this  world."  The 
Jews  had  understood  it  thus  themselves,  and  it  was 
an  article  in  their  belief  that  the  Messiah  should  be 
tempted  by  Satan  at  the  very  outset  of  his  career. 
Monod. 

Temptation  is  the  condition  of  human  life,  and 
to  try  to  flee  from  it  in  one  shape  is  often  only  to 
provoke  it  in  another.  Every  period  of  life,  every 
class  in  society,  every  occupation  and  calling,  du- 
ties as  well  as  pleasures,  work  as  well  as  rest,  con- 
tain within  them  the  elements  of  an  incessant  temp- 
tation, which  it  is  at  once  our  folly  to  ignore,  our 
discipline  to  encounter,  and  our  glory  to  overcome. 
It  is  no  sin  to  be  tempted,  for  Jesus,  the  sinless  one, 
was  tempted  in  all  things  like  as  we  are,  yet  with- 
out sin.  It  is  no  weakness  to  feel  the  temptation 
grievous,  for  Jesus  again  suffered  being  tempted. 
The  mistake  is  to  run  into  temptation  of  our  own 
accord.  The  sin  is  in  listening  to  the  voice  of  the 
charmer  until  our  hearts  go  out  after  the  forbidden 
sweetness.    A.  W.  T. 


Section   337. 

Hebrews  iii.  1-19. 

1  "Wherefore,  holy  brethren,  partakers  of  the  heavenly  calling,  consider  the  Apostle  and 

2  nigh  Priest  of  our  profession,  Christ  Jesus;  who  was  faithful  to  him  that  appointed  him, 

3  as  also  Moses  icas  faithful  in  all  his  house.     For  this  man  was  counted  worthy  of  more 
glory  than  Moses,  inasmuch  as  he  who  hath  builded  the  house  hath  more  honour  than  the 

4  house.     For  every  house  is  builded  by  some  man;  but  he  that  built  all  things  is  God. 

5  And  Moses  verily  was  faithful  in  all  his  house,  as  a  servant,  for  a  testimony  of  those  things 

6  which  were  to  be  spoken  after;  but  Christ  as  a  son  over  his  own  house;  whose  house  are 
we,  if  we  hold  fast  the  confidence  and  the  rejoicing  of  the  hope  firm  unto  the  end. 

7  Wherefore  (as  the  Holy  Ghost  saith,  To  day  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your 

8  hearts,  as  in  the  provocation,  in  the  day  of  temptation  in  the  wilderness :  when  your  fathers 

9  tempted  me,  proved  me,  and  saw  my  works  forty  years.     Wherefore  I  was  grieved  with  that 

10  generation,  and  said,  They  do  alway  err  in  their  heart ;  and  they  have  not  known  my  ways. 

11  So  I  sware  in  my  wrath.  They  shall  not  enter  into  my  rest.) 

12  Take  heed,  brethren,  lest  there  be  in  any  of  you  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  in  departing 

13  from  the  living  God.     But  exhort  one  another  daily,  while  it  is  called  To  day  ;  lest  any  of 

14  you  be  hardened  through  the  deceitfulness  of  sin.     For  we  are  made  partakers  of  Christ, 
16  if  we  hold  the  beginning  of  our  confidence  stedfast  unto  the  end ;  while  it  is  said,  To  day 

16  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts,  as  in  the  provocation.     For  some,  when 

17  they  had  heard,  did  provoke:  howbeit  not  all  that  came  out  of  Egypt  by  Moses.     But  with 
whom  was  he  grieved  forty  years  ?  wa^  it  not  with  them  that  had  sinned,  whose  carcases 

18  fell  in  the  wilderness  ?     And  to  whom  sware  he  that  they  should  not  enter  into  his  rest, 

19  but  to  them  that  believed  not  ?     So  we  see  that  they  could  not  enter  in  because  of  unbelief. 


564 


SECTIOR  337. —HEBREWS  3  :  1-19. 


Who  is  this  new  "  Sun  of  Righteousness,"  that  identifies,  in  their  effects  on  the  eternal  state,  the 
attraction  of  faith  to  himself  as  a  center,  and  the  attraction  of  unsinning  obedience  to  God  as  a  center  ? 
I  can  find  no  solution  for  the  question  until  I  recognize  in  him,  who  fixed  on  himself  man's  grasp  of  faith, 
the  same  everlasting  God,  who  of  old  fixed  on  himself  man's  obligation  of  obedience,  llien  can  I  see 
the  force  of  that  comparison  of  Paul  between  the  two  prophets  of  the  law  and  gospel,  which  states  that 
Moses  was  "the  servant,"  but  Christ  "the  builder  of  the  house,"  and  "  the  Son  over  Ms  own  house."  As 
the  giver  and  witness  of  the  law,  the  very  essence  of  righteousness  in  his  own  person,  he  could,  on  the 
one  hand,  maintain  it  inviolate,  on  the  other,  alter  his  terms  of  acceptance  from  sinless  obedience  to 
himself  to  faith  dependent  on  himself.     W.  A.  B. 


1.  As  "the  Apostle  of  our  profession,"  the 
prime-minister  of  the  Gospel  Church,  Christ  was 
the  principal  messenger  of  God  to  men,  the  great 
revealer  of  that  faith  which  we  profess  to  hold  and 

of  that  hope  which  we  profess  to  have.    Henry. 

The  apostleship  of  Jesus  Christ  is  still  and  for 
ever  in  the  world  ;  as  really  in  all  the  substance  of 
the  office  as  when  it  was  held,  under  circumstantial 
differences  of  miraculous  attestation,  by  Peter  and 
James  and  John.  And  when  he  to  whom  "  all 
power  is  given  in  heaven  and  earth  "  promised  to 
be  "  always,  unto  the  end  of  the  world,"  present 
with  his  eleven  mortal  commissaries,  he  spake  not 
to  the  men,  but  to  the  office,  or  to  the  men  as  the 
temporary  symbols,  representatives,  and  occupants 
of  the  office.     W.  A.  B. 

3-6.  It  is  hardly  possible  for  Gentiles  to  under- 
stand or  realize  the  veneration  and  affection  with 
which  the  Jews  regard  Moses,  the  servant  of  God. 
All  their  religious  life,  all  their  thoughts  about  God, 
all  their  practices  aud  observances,  all  their  hopes 
of  the  future — everything  connected  with  God  is 
with  them  also  connected  with  Moses.  He  was  to 
them  the  great  apostle,  the  man  sent  unto  them  of 

God,  the  mediator  of  the  Old  Covenant.    A.  S. 

The  Christian  Hebrews  were  in  no  wise  to  disown 
or  disparage  Moses,  but  are  exhorted  to  consider  a 
greater  apostle,  or  Sent  One ;  not  a  servant,  as 
Moses  was,  in  the  house  of  God,  but  the  Son  pre- 
siding over  his  own  house.  Let  the  dignity  of 
Moses,  his  great  services,  and  noble  fidelity  be  fully 
acknowledged  ;  yet  Christ  Jesus  is  worthy  of  more 

glory  than  he.    D.  F. Moses  is  but  a  star  shining 

by  reflected  light ;  Christ  is  the  Sun,  the  light  of 
the  world.  Moses  foretold  his  coming,  and  in  spirit 
sat  at  his  feet  and  listened  to  his  voice,  as  did  Abra- 
ham before  him,  and  all  the  prophets  after  him. 
Christ  is  more  than  a  prophet ;  he  is  the  central  fig- 
ure of  all  prophecy.  The  place  that  he  assumes  as 
the  center  of  Christianity  and  the  head  of  this  spir- 
itual kingdom  was  prepared  in  the  ages  for  him. 
He  takes  the  throne  as  the  only  one  in  the  universe 
capacitated  for  it.  No  one  stands  a  moment  in  com- 
parison with  him,  the  Lord  of  lords  and  King  of 
kings.     S.  W.  F. 

7-1 1 .  Amid  all  the  demonstrations  of  the  pow- 


er and  goodness  of  God  in  behalf  of  the  Jews,  they 
had  still  hardened  their  hearts  by  their  continued 
and  aggravated  rebellions.  At  length,  wearied  and 
grieved  by  their  provocations,  he  formed  the  irrevo- 
cable purpose,  and  confirmed  it  by  an  oath,  that 
they  should  not  enter  the  land  of  promise,  the  type 
of  the  heavenly  country.  This  severe  judgment  of 
God  against  these  ancient  Israelites  was  appealed 
to  by  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  days  of  David  as  a 
solemn  warning  to  unbelievers  of  his  time.  The 
same  use  is  made  of  it  by  the  apostle  Paul ;  and  it 
is  left  on  record  as  equally  applicable  to  those  of 
similar  character  in  every  succeeding  age.  "  To-day 
if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts." 
N.  W.  T. 

13.  Heart  of  unbelief.  There  is  no  greater 
mistake  in  the  world  than  to  suppose  that  we  be- 
lieve what  we  do  not  disbelieve.  The  common  state 
with  many  of  us  is  to  do  neither  the  one  nor  the 
other ;  neither  to  think  that  Christ's  word  is  true 
nor  yet  that  it  is  false,  but  to  think  nothing  at  all 
about  it.  But  this  is  truly  unbelief ;  truly,  and  in 
the  scriptural  sense  of  unbelief  ;  because,  although 
neither  our  tongue  nor  our  understanding  conscious- 
ly says  that  Christ's  word  is  false,  yet  our  whole  be- 
ing says  so  daily ;  it  gives  its  witness  against  Christ's 
truth,  silently,  indeed,  but  quite  decisively.  Our 
whole  being  has  settled  the  question  for  itself  with- 
out directly  arguing  it.  Our  hopes  renounce  Christ, 
our  fears  renounce  him,  our  affections  renounce 
him  ;  they  all  go  on  their  way,  working  busily  every 
day,  but  taking  no  account  at  all  of  him.  And  their 
testimony  is  our  testimony,  for  they  are  our  true 
life.  Ask  of  our  fear  whether  it  ever  knows  any- 
thing of  Christ,  and  it  will  say.  No.  A-sk  of  our 
hope  the  same,  and  it  will  give  the  same  answer. 
Ask  of  our  affections,  which  are  very  busy  every 
day,  and  their  answer  is  no  less  positive,  that  to 
them  Christ  is  not.     T.  A. 

No  man  can  receive  Christ  without  being  made 
ready  for  him  by  the  teachings  of  conscience  and  of 
reason.  The  root  of  unbelief  and  of  skepticism 
lies  deeper  down  in  the  soul  than  many  a  man 
thinks :  it  is  not  merely  rejection  of  the  supernat- 
ural, or  even  the  closing  of  the  heart  to  God's  infi- 
nite love,  manifest  in  his  dear  Son,  but  it  is  shutting 


SECTION  337.— HEBREWS  3  : 1-19. 


565 


the  ear  to  the  very  voice  of  nature  crying  within  us, 
telling  us  of  our  immense  needs,  and  thus  bringing 
us  to  a  Christ  all  ready  for  our  reception.  And  thus 
unbelief  takes  its  true  place:  it  is  not  only  sin 
against  Christ,  blindness  to  revealed  glories,  insen- 
sibility to  love  from  heaven — it  is  also  sin  against 
nature,  sin  against  reason,,  sin   against  the  soul's 

deepest,  most  universal  convictions.     T.  D.  W. 

Why  does  a  man  refuse  to  beheve  ?  Because  he 
has  confidence  in  himself ;  because  he  has  not  a 
sense  of  his  own  sins  ;  because  he  has  not  love  in 
his  heart  to  his  Lord  and  Saviour.  Unbelief  men 
are  responsible  for.  Unbelief  is  criminal,  because 
it  is  a  moral  act — an  act  of  the  whole  nature.  Be- 
lief or  unbelief  is  the  test  of  a  man's  whole  spirit- 
ual condition,  just  because  it  is  the  whole  being, 
affections,  will,  conscience,  and  all,  as  well  as  the 
understanding,  which  are  concerned  in  it.  And 
therefore  Christ,  who  says,  "  Sanctified  by  faith  that 
is  in  me,"  says  likewise,  "  He  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  condemned."  Faith  is  trust :  Christ  is  the 
object  of  faith.  Faith  is  the  condition  of  salva- 
tion ;  and  unbelief  is  your  fault,  your  loss — the 
crime  which  ruins  men's  souls !     A.  M. 

Departing  from  God.  Sin  is  nothing  else 
than  that  the  creature  willeth  otherwise  than  God 
willeth.  And  this  contradiction  to  God's  will  is  dis- 
obedience, and  therefore  "  Adam,"  "  self-will,"  "  the 
old  man,"  or  "  departing  from  God,"  do  all  mean 

one  and  the  same  thing.     Tlieol.  Ger. There  is 

nothing  contrary  to  God  in  the  whole  world,  and 
fights  against  him,  but  self-will.  Our  only  way  to 
recover  God  and  happiness  is,  not  to  soar  up  with 
our  understandings,  but  to  destroy  this  self-will  of 
ours.  God  inll  not  hurt  us,  and  hell  ca7i  not  hurt 
us,  if  we  will  nothing  but  what  God  wills.  Nay, 
then  we  are  aided  by  God  himself,  and  the  whole 
divinity  floweth  in  upon  us.  "When  we  have  cash- 
iered this  self-will  of  ours,  which  did  but  shackle  and 
confine  our  souls,  our  wills  shall  then  be  widened 
and  enlarged  to  the  extent  of  God's  own  will,  which 
is  freedom  indeed.     Cuherwell. 

13.  Exhort  one  another.  Exhortation  may 
easily  be  much  overdone,  in  which  case  it  has  little 
or  no  effect.  Scarcely  anything  is  of  less  force  than 
a  continued  stream  of  it,  when  it  comes  not  from 
visible  and  adequate  truth-springs.  But  the  ex- 
hortations here  commended  by  the  apostle  are 
founded,  as  we  know  and  as  they  knew,  upon  the 
broadest  of  all  foundations.  They  rest  on  the  proved 
actuality  of  the  revelation  of  God  to  men ;  on  God 
manifest  in  the  flesh  ;  on  redemption  accomplished  ; 
on  Christ  risen ;  on  the  believer  risen  with  Christ ; 
on  all  that  is  peculiar,  vital,  permanent,  in  the  Chris- 
tian system.     A.  R. To  exhort  one  another  in  a 

Christian  spirit  with  genuine  love,  but  at  the  same 
time  with  holy  earnestness ;  to  do  this  without  ar- 


rogance, without  hardness  or  bitterness,  without 
respect  of  persons ;  to  do  this  not  merely  once,  but 
every  day  anew,  as  frequently  as  occasion  offers,  as 
long  as  it  is  called  to-day ;  to  go  on  doing  it,  even 
when  our  voice  has  been  already  more  than  once  as 
the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness :  how  much 
is  comprised  in  this,  and  how  far  even  the  best  of 
us  come  short  of  it !     Van  0. 

Deceitfulness  of  sin.  Sin  deceives  us  until 
it  comes  into  manifestation.  Men  are  apt  to  think 
that  they  are  good  enough,  because  no  indications 
of  a  corrupt  character  are  shown  in  their  lives. 
And  then,  when  the  time  of  trial  comes  and  they 
yield,  they  excuse  themselves  because  temptation  is 
so  strong  and  so  sudden.  In  neither  case  does  their 
moral  judgment  conform  to  the  true  state  of  things. 
Principle  means  that  tvhicli  will  stand  the  test,  when 
native  characteristics  which  tcere  on  its  side  have 
turned  against  it.  The  measure  of  principle  is  the 
strength  of  resistance  to  attacks  of  temptation,  and, 
if  hatred  or  lust  is  a  cherished  feeling  of  the  heart, 
there  is  no  possibility  of  resistance  when  circum- 
stances turn  so  as  to  favor  sin.  How  deceitful  then 
and  how  false  the  judgments  from  a  mere  absence 
of  outward  sin  !     T.  D.  W. 

15-19.  The  great  reason  why  a  revelation  from 
God  is  given  at  all  is  because  the  destiny  to  come  is 
an  eternal  one,  because  the  heaven  to  be  lost,  if  lost, 
is  eternal,  and  the  retributions  to  be  endured,  if  en- 
dured at  all,  are  eternal.  We  may  safely  say  that, 
if  this  were  not  the  case,  there  would  have  been  no 
revelation,  because  the  human  race  could  as  well 
have  gone  on  and  have  been  saved  loithout  a  revela- 
tion as  with  one.  The  very  fact  on  which  that  rev- 
elation is  grounded  is  the  fact  of  a  future  state  of 
endless  retribution,  to  which  this  world,  according  to 
the  character  formed  in  it,  is  an  introduction.  What 
makes  God's  warnings  so  awfully  impressive  is,  that 
they  are  warnings  as  to  a  threatened  experience 
which  is  endless.  There  is  no  return  from  it,  no 
change  of  it,  after  it  be  once  entered.  This  eternity 
of  our  future  condition  has  made  the  cross  a  reality ; 
for  without  it  there  had  been  no  Saviour  suffering, 
dying,  and  no  need  of  one.  And  the  cross  itself, 
the  system  of  redemption,  this  vast,  incomprehensi- 
ble, all-comprehending  transaction,  demonstrates 
that  eternal  retribution,  and  makes  its  eternity  a 
reality.  The  system  itself,  in  the  character  of  the 
sinner  and  the  character  of  the  Son  of  God,  is  such 
that,  if  accepted,  it  secures  heaven  as  eternal;  but, 
if  rejected,  is  death  unto  death,  and  renders  hell  both 
inevitable  and  eternal.  It  is  under  these  circum- 
stances  that  God  has  said  that  there  is  no  way  or 
possibility  of  salvation  except  through  Christ,  and 
that  he  has  added  to  this  the  warning  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  TO-DAY  !  "  To-day,  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice, 
harden  not  your  hearts."    G.  B.  C. 


566  SECTION  338.— HEBREWS  k  :  1-13. 

Section  338. 

Hebrews  iv.  1-13. 

1  Let  us  therefore  fear,  lest,  a  promise  being  left  us  of  entering  into  his  rest,  any  of  you 

2  should  seem  to  come  short  of  it.  For  unto  us  was  the  gospel  preached,  as  well  as  unto 
them :  but  the  word  preached  did  not  profit  them,  not  being  mixed  with  faith  in  them  that 

3  heard  it.  For  we  which  have  believed  do  enter  into  rest,  as  he  said.  As  I  have  sworn  in  my 
wrath,  if  they  shall  enter  into  my  rest :  although  the  works  were  finished  from  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world. 

4  For  he  spake  in  a  certain  place  of  the  seventh  day  on  this  wise,  And  God  did  rest  the 

5  seventh  day  from  all  his  works.     And  in  this  place  again,  If  tliey  shall  enter  into  my  rest. 

6  Seeing  therefore  it  remaineth  that  some  must  enter  therein,  and  they  to  whom  it  was  first 

7  preached  entered  not  in  because  of  unbelief:  again,  he  liraiteth  a  certain  day,  saying  in 
David,  To  day,  after  so  long  a  time ;  as  it  is  said,  To  day  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden 

8  not  your  hearts.  For  if  Jesus  had  given  them  rest,  then  would  he  not  afterward  have  spoken 
of  another  day. 

9  There  remaineth  therefore  a  rest  to  the  people  of  God.     For  he  that  is  entered  into  his 

10  rest,  he  also  hath  ceased  from  his  own  works,  as  God  did  from  his.    Let  us  labour  therefore 

11  to  enter  into  that  rest,  lest  any  man  fall  after  the  same  example  of  unbelief.     For  the  word 

12  of  God  is  quick,  and  powerful,  and  sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword,  piercing  even  to  the 
dividing  asunder  of  soul  and  spirit,  and  of  the  joints  and  marrow,  and  is  a  discerner  of  the 

13  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart.     Neither  is  there  any  creature  that  is  not  manifest  in  his 
sight :  but  all  things  are  naked  and  opened  unto  the  eyes  of  him  with  whom  we  have  to  do. 


The  rest  of  God — '■^  My  rest. ''^  That  rest  belongs  necessarily  to  the  Divine  Nature.  It  is  the  deep 
tranquillity  of  a  nature  self-suflBcing  in  its  infinite  beauty,  calm  in  its  everlasting  strength,  placid  in  its 
deepest  joy,  still  in  its  mightiest  energy ;  loving  without  passion,  willing  without  decision  or  change,  acting 
without  effort ;  quiet,  and  moving  everything ;  making  all  things  new,  and  itself  everlasting ;  creating, 
and  knowing  no  diminution  by  the  act ;  annihilating,  and  knowing  no  loss  though  the  universe  were  bar- 
ren and  unpeopled.  God  is,  God  is  everywhere,  God  is  everywhere  the  same,  God  is  everywhere  the  same 
infinite,  God  is  everywhere  the  same  infinite  love  and  the  same  infinite  self-sufficiency ;  therefore,  his  very 
being  is  rest.  And  yet  that  great  ocean  of  the  Divine  Nature  which  knows  no  storm  nor  billow  is  not  a 
tideless  and  stagnant  sea.  God  is  changeless  and  ever  tranquil,  and  yet  he  loves.  God  is  changeless  and 
ever  tranquil,  and  yet  he  wills.  God  is  changeless  and  ever  tranquil,  and  yet  he  acts.  Mystery  of  mys- 
teries, passing  all  understanding ! 

The  heaven  of  all  spiritual  natures  is  not  idleness.  Man's  delight  is  activity.  The  loving  heart's  de- 
light is  obedience.  The  saved  heart's  delight  is  grateful  service.  The  joys  of  heaven  are  not  the  joys  of 
passive  contemplation,  of  dreamy  remembrance,  of  perfect  repose  ;  but  they  are  described  thus :  "  They 
rest  not  day  nor  night,"  "  his  servants  serve  him,  and  see  his  face."  Yes,  heaven  is  perfect  "  rest.''''  God 
be  thanked  for  all  the  depth  of  unspeakable  sweetness  which  lies  in  that  one  little  word,  to  the  ears  of  all 
the  weary  and  the  heavy  laden.  Rest  in  heaven — rest  in  God  !  Yes,  but  work  in  rest !  Ah,  that  our 
hearts  should  grow  up  into  an  energy  of  love  of  which  we  know  nothing  here,  and  that  our  hands  should 
be  swift  to  do  service,  beyond  all  that  could  be  rendered  on  earth — that,  never  wearying,  we  should  for 
ever  be  honored  by  having  work  that  never  becomes  toil  nor  needs  repose  ;  that,  ever  resting,  we  should 
ever  be  blessed  by  doing  service  which  is  the  expression  of  our  loving  hearts,  and  the  offering  of  our  grate- 
ful and  greatened  spirits,  joyful  to  us  and  acceptable  to  God — that  is  the  true  conception  of  "  the  rest  that 
remaineth  for  the  people  of  God."  Heaven  is  waiting  for  us — like  God's,  like  Christ's — still  in  all  its 
work,  active  in  all  its  repose.  See  to  it  that  your  life  be  calm  because  your  soul  is  fixed,  trusting  in  Jesus, 
who  alone  gives  rest  here  to  the  heavy  laden.  Then  your  death  will  be  but  the  passing  from  one  degree 
of  tranquillity  to  another,  and  the  calm  face,  whence  all  lines  of  sorrow  and  care  have  faded  utterly  away, 
will  be  but  a  poor  emblem  of  the  perfect  stillness  into  which  the  spirit  has  gone.  Faith  is  the  gate  to 
partaking  in  the  rest  of  God  on  earth.  Death  with  faith  is  the  gate  of  entrance  into  the  rest  of  God  iu 
heaven.    A.  M. 


SECTION  3S8.— HEBREWS  ^  :  1-13. 


567 


1*  Since  the  earth  has  stood,  the  heart  of  many 
a  man  has  been  pierced  through  by  the  cutting 
words,  "  It  is  too  late."  But  who  will  describe  the 
lamentation  that  will  arise  when,  at  the  boundary 
line  which  parts  time  from  eternity,  the  voice  of  the 
righieoics  Judge  will  cry,  "  It  is  too  late ! "  Loiig 
have  the  wide  gates  of  heaven  stood  open,  and  its 
messengers  have  cried  at  one  time  and  another : 
To-day,  to-day,  if  ye  will  hear  his  voice !  Man,  man, 
how  then  will  it  be  with  you,  when  once  these  gates, 
with  appalling  sound,  shall  be  shut  for  eternity ! 
But  the  more  appalling  the  truth  is  that,  at  the 
dividing  line  between  time  and  eternity,  the  sentence 
will  be  proclaimed,  "It  is  too  late,"  so  much  the 
more  consoling  is  the  word,  flowing  down  to  us  from 
the  cross  of  Jesus — Sinner,  while  thou  standest  on 
this  side  the  grave,  it  is  never  too  late.  "  Therefore, 
let  us  fear,"  cries  an  apostle  to  us,  "lest  we  should 
slight  the  promise  of  entering  into  his  rest,  and 
some  one  of  us  remain  behind — to-day,  if  ye  will  hear 
his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts."  Whether  the 
voice  of  thy  God  will  come  to  thee  again  and  search 
thee  out,  this  thou  knowest  not ;  but  whatever  may 
lie  behind  thee,  whether  nights  of  the  darkest  error, 
whether  mountains  of  sin,  thou  distinctly  hcarest 
to-day  his  proclamation,  "  It  is  not  too  late  !  "  A.  T. 

2.  Not  mixed  with  faith  in  them  that 
heard.  If  the  seed  were  in  the  ground,  where  it 
should  be,  instead  of  on  it,  no  foot  of  peasant,  no 
hungry  bird  could  harm  it ;  and  if  the  Divine  word 
were  in  the  hearer's  heart  instead  of  outside  it,  no 
external  impression  could  injure  or  remove  it.  As 
it  is,  it  lies  at  the  mercy  of  any,  even  the  most  natu- 
ral and  innocent,  succeeding  impression.  He  has 
felt  the  word  fall  upon  his  heart,  perchance,  hard 
though  it  be ;  he  has  dimly  and  from  afar  appre- 
hended that  there  is  a  life,  a  reality,  in  the  truth  of 
God  which  he  has  not  hitherto  recognized  ;  and  he 
has  thought,  as  he  listened,  that  it  will  be  well  for 
him  to  look  into  the  matter  for  himself  some  day ; 
but  the  sermon  over,  the  organ  begins  to  play,  and 
the  sweet  innocent  music  with  its  new  impressions 
carries  off  part  of  the  impression  previously  made. 
Then  follow  neighborly  salutes  and  inquiries,  a 
pleasant  walk,  and  the  good  thought  is  gone.  The 
man  has  been  so  accustomed  to  let  all  kinds  of  impres- 
sions come  and  go  that  he  feels  rather  relieved  when 
this  has  taken  flight;  and  so  he  goes  on  and  on, 
meaning  no  harm,  yet  doing  this  great  harm — that 
he  is  not  only  hardening  his  own  spiritual  nature  and 
frittering  away  its  strength,  not  only  preparing  sharp 
pangs  for  himself  in  the  future,  but  helping  to  keep 
the  world  at  a  low  unspiritual  level  of  life,  and  hang- 
ing like  a  retarding  clod  on  the  chariot-wheels  of 
the  divine  King.     Cox. 

Our  Christianity  has  a  fault  that  is  too  common : 
it  is  outward,  it  is  plated ;  it  is  upon  us,  but  is 


not  in  us.  From  that  surface  of  our  being  where  it 
stops,  it  has  penetrated  as  far  as  our  morning  and 
evening  prayers ;  but  it  has  not  entered  every- 
where  into  our  domestic  life — into  the  work  of  our 
retirement,  into  our  literature,  into  our  commerce, 
into  our  politics ;  it  is  not  melted  into  our  human 
existence,  and  therefore  it  has  so  little  hold  upon 

humanity.    Monod. If  Jesus  Christ  himself  were 

on  earth  and  now  preaching  among  us,  yet  might 
his  incomparable  words  be  unprofitable  to  us,  not 
being  mixed  with  faith  in  the  hearers ;  but,  where 
faith  is,  the  meanest  conveyance  of  his  message,  re- 
ceived with  humility  and  affection,  will  work  blessed 

effects.     L. It  is  very  certain  that  the  purer,  the 

truer,  and  deeper  a  soul's  religious  experience  be- 
comes, and  the  more  a  man  distrusts  and  abases 
self  and  clings  solely  to  God  and  his  word,  exalting 
them,  the  more  sure  and  trustworthy  and  full  of 
truth  will  be  that  soul's  views  of  religious  doctrine. 
He  who  exalts  the  word,  the  word  will  exalt  him ; 
but  he  who  neglects  or  discsteems  the  word,  will 
himself  go  down  in  proportion.  It  is  surprising 
what  an  invigorating  and  expanding  power  a  great 
faith  in  God's  word  exerts  upon  the  mind ;  and  on 
the  other  hand,  a  weak  faith  in  God's  word  leads  to 
weakness,  to  doubt,  self-confidence,  and  dependence 
upon  men.     G.  B.  C. 

3.  The  rest,  or  Sabbatism,  which  God  spoke  of 
in  the  words,  "  If  they  shall  enter  into  my  rest," 
did  not  mean  entering  into  the  promised  land  under 
Joshua,  for  they  are  said  in  a  psalm  of  David  long 
after  Joshua.  Therefore  their  fulfillment  is  yet  to 
come,  and  the  solemn  threat  yet  endures  in  all  its 

power.     A. 5.  The  meaning  of  this  is :    God's 

rest  was  a  perfect  rest ;  he  declared  his  intention 
that  his  people  should  enjoy  His  rest ;  that  intention 
has  not  yet  been  fulfilled ;  its  fulfillment  therefore 
is  still  to  come.  6.  Here  it  is  said  they  entered  not 
because  of  disobedience  ;  in  3  :  19,  of  unbelief ;  but 
this  does  not  justify  us  in  translating  these  different 
Greek  expressions  by  the  same  English  word.  The 
rejection  of  the  Israelites  was  caused  both  by  mw- 
helief  and  by  disobedience,  the  former  being  the 
source  of  the  latter.     C. 

7.  How  many  things  combine  to  make  us  lay 
this  warning  in  all  its  seriousness  to  heart  and  con- 
science !  Earnestly  it  points  us  to  an  irrevocable 
past,  in  which  already  so  much  precious  time  has 
been  lost,  dreamed  away,  trifled  away,  sinned  away ; 
regarding  which  so  many  voices  rise  to  accuse  us, 
while  we  can  not  call  back  one  hour  of  the  past, 
can  not  with  all  our  tears  wash  out  one  single  stain 
in  our  life's  history.  But  in  friendlier  guise,  on  the 
other  hand,  a  blessed,  to-day  is  placed  before  us,  in 
which  again  the  glad  tidings  are  proclaimed  to  us, 
and  absolutely  nothing  left  untried  to  win  our  hearts 
to  heaven.     Who  can  tell  the  riches  of  blessing 


568 


SECTION  338.— HEBREWS  ^  :  1-13. 


which  this  day  of  salvation  may  bring  to  a  soul 
really  hungering  and  thirsting  after  righteousness  ? 
But,  on  the  other  hand,  what  tongue  may  express 
the  peril  to  which  that  recklessness  exposes  us, 
which  always  counts  on  years,  while  yet  we  can  not 
be  sure  of  an  hour  ?  To  an  incalculable  to-morrow 
these  words  of  warning  point  significantly;  but  a 
to-morrow  of  mercy  is  nowhere  promised.      Van  0. 

8.  Note  particularly  that  the  word  "Jesus" 
should  read  "  Joshua,"  and  that  "  he  "  (following) 
refers  to  God.     B. 

9,  10.  If  we  take  the  context  of  the  passage, 
we  can  not  but  recognize  this  as  the  truth  taught 
here,  that  faith,  and  not  death,  is  the  gate  to  par- 
ticipation in  Christ's  rest — that  the  rest  remained 
over  after  Moses  and  Judaism,  but  came  into  posses- 
sion under  and  by  Christ.  For  the  main  scope  of 
the  whole  passage  is  the  elucidation  of  one  of  the 
points  in  which  the  writer  asserts  the  superiority  of 
Christ  to  Moses,  of  Christianity  to  Judaism.  That 
old  system,  says  he,  had  in  it  for  its  very  heart  a 
promise  of  rest;  but  it  had  only  a  promise.  It 
could  not  ffive  the  thing  that  it  held  forth.  It  could 
not,  by  the  nature  of  the  system.  It  could  not,  as 
is  manifest  from  this  fact,  that  years  after  they  had 
entered  into  possession  of  the  land,  years  after  the 
promise  had  been  first  given,  the  psalmist  represents 
the  entrance  into  that  rest  as  a  privilege  not  yet 
realized,  but  waiting  to  be  grasped  by  the  men  of 
his  day  whose  hearts  were  softened  to  hear  God's 
voice.  David's  words  clearly,  to  the  mind  of  the 
writer  of  the  Epistle,  show  that  Canaan  was  not  the 
promised  "  rest."  David  treats  it  as  being  obtained 
by  obedience  to  God's  word,  as  not  possessed  by  the 
■people,  though  they  had  the  promised  land.  He 
treats  it  as  then,  in  his  own  "day,"  still  but  a 
promise,  and  a  promise  which  might  not  be  fulfilled 
to  his  people  if  they  hardened  their  hearts.  All 
this  carries  the  inference  that  the  Mosaic  system  did 
not  ffive  the  "  rest "  it  promised.  Hence,  says  the 
author  of  the  Hebrews,  that  "  rest "  held  forth  from 
the  beginning,  gleaming  before  all  generations  of 
the  Jewish  people,  but  to  them  only  a  fair  vision, 
remains  unpossessed  as  yet,  but  to  be  possessed  by 
all  who  believe.     A.  M. 

9.  Weariness  and  strife  are  still  but  the  next  to 
the  last  words  of  the  story  of  our  earthly  life  ;  the 
last  shall  be  like  that  of  Jesus,  rest.  Like  a  sunset 
in  solemn  majesty  was  his  death;  like  a  sunset 
shall  be  the  death  of  each  one  of  his  followers. 
But  we  know  that  after  the  sunshine  comes  the 
shadow,  after  the  labors  of  the  week  the  Sabbath, 
and  thus  happiness  is  in  store  for  us,  the  rest  which 
shall  come  to  us.  There  remaincth  therefore  a  rest 
for  the  people  of  God,  a  rest  won  through  the 
cross  of  Jesus,  guaranteed  through  the  sepulchre 
of  Jesus.     Christians,  cross-bearers,  go  forth  then 


boldly  through  the  noonday  and  the  evening  of 
your  life  to  meet  the  night !  The  light  of  faith 
shall  not  fail  your  sight ;  the  star  of  hope  is  about 
to  shine  above  the  tomb  on  you ;  and  the  bond  of 
love  which  knits  you  to  the  Lord,  and  to  all  who 
are  his  in  heaven  and  earth,  is  stronger  than  death 
and  the  grave.      Van  O. 

10.  Faith,  which  is  the  means  of  entering  into 
rest,  will — if  only  you  cherish  it — make  your  life  no 
unworthy  resemblance  of  his  who,  triumphant  above 
works  for  us,  and,  working  for  us,  rests  from  all  his 
toil.  Trust  Christ !  is  the  teaching  here.  Trust 
Christ,  and  a  great  benediction  of  tranquil  repose 
comes  down  upon  thy  calm  mind  and  upon  thy  set- 
tled heart.  Trust  Christ,  and  rest  is  thine — rest  from 
fear,  rest  from  toil  and  trouble,  rest  from  sorrow,  rest 
from  the  tossings  of  thine  own  soul,  rest  from  the 
tumults  of  thine  own  desires,  rest  from  the  stings  of 
thine  own  conscience,  rest  from  the  seeking  to  work 
out  a  righteousness  of  thine  own.  Trust  Christ,  cease 
from  "  thine  ow?i  ivorks,"  forsake  thine  own  doings, 
and  abjure  and  abandon  thine  own  righteousness ; 
and  though  God's  throne  be  far  above  thee,  and  the 
depth  of  that  being  be  incommunicable  to  and  un- 
copyable  by  thee,  yet  a  divine  likeness  of  his  still 
and  blessed  and  unbroken  repose  shall  come  down 
and  lie,  a  solid  and  substantial  thing,  on  thy  pure 
and  calm  spirit.     A.  M. 

12, 13.  The  word  of  God  is  quick.  This 
almost  obsolete  Saxon  word  retains  its  old  sense 
in  certain  set  phrases :  e.  g.,  "  cut  to  the  qitick " 
means  cut  into  the  live  flesh.  The  Greek  is  simply 
livviff — all  alive  with  vital  energy.  The  word  for 
"  powerful "  is  the  Greek  for  energetic,  instinct  with 
force.  A  "  double-edged  sword  "  is  one  brought  to 
an  edge  on  both  sides  of  the  blade.  "Dividing 
asunder  the  animal  life  from  the  spiritual,"  and  so 
causing  death.  "  Severing  joints  and  marrow  "  in- 
volves dismembering  the  body  and  cutting  through 
the  solid  bones  to  the  central  marrow  within.  These 
words  carry  out  the  figure  of  the  double-edged  sword, 
to  which  the  word  of  God  is  compared.  The  word 
"  discerner  "  carries  the  thought  rather  to  God  than 
to  his  word.  Throughout  verse  13  the  writer  speaks 
definitely  of  God — "  his  sight " ;  "  him  with  whom 
we  have  to  do."  No  created  being  can  be  hidden 
from  God's  searching  eye.  "All  things  " — all  deep- 
est thoughts  and  purposes  of  creatures  made  of  God 
lie  naked  and  opened  to  his  eyes,  before  whom  is 
our  account,  to  whom  we  are  supremely  responsi- 
ble, and  before  whom  we  must  speak — as  the  Greek 
word  implies — render  up  orally  our  account  when  he 
shall  summon  us  to  his  bar.  The  Greek  word  for 
"  opened  "  is  neck-exposed,  as  when  the  head  of  an 
animal  is  forced  back  to  lay  the  neck  open  for  the 
bloody  knife.     H.  C. 

13.  There  is  mention  (Gen.  3  :  24)  of  a  sword 
turning  every  way  ;  parallel  whereto  is  the  word  of 
God  in  a  wounded  conscience.  Man's  heart  is  full 
of  windings,  turnings,  and  doublings,  to  shift  and 
shun  the  stroke  thereof  if  possible;  but  this  sword 
meets   them  wheresoever  they   move  ;  it    fetches 


SECTION  339.— HEBREWS  If :  I4-I6  ;  5  : 1-10. 


569 


and  finds  them  out ;  it  hunts  and  haunts  them,  for- 
bidding them  during  their  agony  any  entrance  into 
the  paradise  of  one  comfortable  thought.    T.  Fuller. 

It  takes  human  nature  as  it  actually  is ;  and, 

disregarding  all  adventitious  differences,  it  enters 
into  the  inner  man  and  speaks  to  all  the  same  lan- 
guage ;  addresses  in  all  the  same  principles  and  feel- 
ings, and  supplies  the  same  wants  of  this  dying,  im- 
mortal, rational,  accountable  being.  It  recognizes 
his  profoundest  moral  feelings,  the  mighty  move- 
ments of  his  spirit,  and  everything  in  him  which 
loves  to  grapple  with  infinity,  which  rejoices  in  the 
thoughts  of  eternity  and  longs  after  immortality.  It 
shows  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  his  deepest 
musings,  his  most  retired  thoughts,  the  agonizing 
throes  and  throbbings  of  his  soul,  when  the  flesh 
contends  with  the  spirit  and  the  spirit  with  the  fiesh ; 
when  he  feels  the  entanglements  and  enticements  of 
worldly  pleasure,  and  is  powerfully  attracted  by  the 
lying  vanities  of  life,  but  yet  knows  that  he  has  a 
nature  allied  to  heaven,  and  is  an  heir  of  eternity  ; 
when  the  dark  cloud  of  guilt  hangs  over  his  heart, 
and  truth  is  only  like  the  lightning-flash  which  shows 
the  fearfulness  of  the  coming  storm.  The  deep 
anxieties,  the  soul-shaking  terrors,  the  envenomed 


stings  of  remorse — all,  in  a  word,  that  guilt  suffers 
and  the  greater  torments  which  it  fears,  are  perfectly 
known  to  the  Bible,  as  well  as  every  feeling  of  in- 
genuous repentance,  every  purpose  of  holy  living, 
every  kindling  up  of  hope,  every  anticipated  joy  of 
eternal  life.  In  this  sacred  word  of  eternal  truth  we 
find  a  power  of  thoroughly  searching  the  heart,  a 
perfect  knowledge  of  everything  in  man,  which  com- 
pels us  to  believe  that  he  who  made  him  made  the 
Bible  also.     Rice. 

Having  this  penetrating  and  convincing  efficacy, 
the  word  of  the  cross  is  capable  of  a  most  faithful 
and  deep  work  in  the  character ;  no  gospel  therefore 
of  temporizing  mercy  and  slight  healing,  but  a  down- 
right, thoroughgoing,  radical,  life-renewing  energy 
— a  power  of  God  unto  salvation.  It  bends  to  no 
false  principle,  deals  in  no  mock  sentiment,  hides 
no  point  of  exactness,  spares  no  necessary  pain.  It 
applies  to  sin  a  surgery  deep  as  the  malady  ;  it  cuts 
the  cancer  clean  out  by  conviction  that  a  genuine, 
true  healing  may  follow.  And  what  shall  we  do 
but  open  our  heart  to  it,  counting  it  even  good 
to  be  condemned  before  a  salvation  so  thorough, 
so  deeply  grounded  in  the  unsparing  severities  of 
truth  ?     H.  B. 


Section  339. 

Hebrews  iv.  14-16 ;  v.  1-10. 

14  Seeing  then  that  we  have  a  great  high  priest,  that  is  passed  into  the  heavens,  Jesns  the 

15  Son  of  God,  let  us  hold  fast  our  profession.     For  we  have  not  an  high  priest  which  cannot 
he  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities ;  hut  was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are, 

16  yet  without  sin.     Let  us  therefore  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain 

1  mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need.     For  every  high  priest  taken  from  among 
men  is  ordained  for  men  in  things  pertaining  to  God,  that  he  may  offer  both  gifts  and  sac- 

2  rifices  for  sins :  who  can  have  compassion  on  the  ignorant,  and  on  them  that  are  out  of  the 

3  way ;  for  that  he  himself  also  is  compassed  with  infirmity.     And  by  reason  hereof  he  ought, 

4  as  for  the  people,  so  also  for  himself,  to  offer  for  sins.     And  no  man  taketh  this  honour 

5  unto  himself,  hut  he  that  is  called  of  God,  as  was  Aaron.     So  also  Christ  glorified  not  him- 
self to  be  made  an  high  priest ;  but  he  that  said  unto  him,  Thou  art  my  Son,  to  day  have  I 

6  begotten  tliee.     As  he  saith  also  in  another  7; Z«ce,  Thou  art  a  priest  for  ever  after  the  order 

7  of  Melchisedec.     Who  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  when  he  had  offered  up  prayers  and  suppli- 
cations with  strong  crying  and  tears  unto  him  that  was  able  to  save  him  from  death,  and 

8  was  heard  in  that  he  feared ;  though  he  were  a  Son,  yet  learned  he  obedience  by  the  things 

9  which  he  suffered ;  and  being  made  perfect,  he  became  the  author  of  eternal  salvation  unto 
10  all  them  that  obey  him  ;  called  of  God  an  high  priest  after  the  order  of  Melchisedec. 


Christ  is  before  us.  Those  that  place  their  hands  in  his  he  leads  to  the  Father.  "  All  mine,"  he 
says,  "  are  thine,  and  thine  are  mine."  To  have  faith  in  Christ  is  to  be  brought  nigh  to  God.  Here  is 
the  spiritual  bond  which  unites  our  loftiest  aspirings  with  heaven  no  less  than  our  lowliest  self-accusings. 
In  the  Mediator  our  hope  as  well  as  our  penitence  is  satisfied.  We  are  not  only  restored  from  what  we 
have  been — we  are  helped  forward  to  what  we  would  be.  If  our  sin  finds  pardon,  our  love  of  excellence 
finds  a  pattern.     Our  whole  humanity  is  redeemed.     No  thought  or  affection,  but  Christ  leads,  and  trains, 


570 


SECTION  339.— HEBREWS  4  :  U-16 ;  5  : 1-10. 


and  unfolds  it.  And  so  our  life  at  its  best  estate — whether  that  be  its  humiliation  or  its  triumph, 
whether  in  the  valley  of  dejection  or  on  the  delectable  mountains  where  the  city  of  God  beckons  us — is 
"  hid  with  Christ  in  God."     F.  D.  H. 

Turn  your  thoughts  more  frequently  to  the  glorious  high  estate  of  our  great  High  Priest.  He  sits  on 
hifh,  and  is  upon  the  council  of  all,  wlio  hath  loved  us  and  given  himself  for  us  ;  yea,  who  hath  made  our 
inheritance  there  which  he  purchased  sure  to  us,  taking  possession  for  us  and  in  our  name ;  since  he  is 
there  not  only  as  the  Son  of  God,  but  as  our  surety  and  our  head ;  and  so  the  believer  may  think  himself 
even  already  possessed  of  this  right,  inasmuch  as  his  Christ  is  there.  The  saints  are  glorified  already  in 
their  head.  Where  he  reigns,  there  I  believe  myself  to  reign,  says  Augustine.  And  consider  in  all  thy 
straits  and  troubles,  outward  and  inward,  that  they  are  not  hid  from  him.  He  knows  them  and  feels 
them,  is  a  compassionate  High  Priest,  and  hath  a  gracious  sense  of  thy  frailties  and  griefs,  fears,  and 
temptations  ;  and  he  will  not  suffer  thee  to  be  surcharged  ;  but  is  still  presenting  thy  estate  to  the  Father, 
and  using  that  interest  and  power  he  hath  in  his  affection  for  thy  good.  And  what  wouldest  thou  more  ? 
Art  thou  one  whose  heart  desires  to  rest  upon  him  and  cleave  to  him  ?  Thou  art  knit  so  to  him  that  his 
resurrection  and  glory  secure  thee  thine :  his  life  and  thine  are  not  two,  but  one  life,  as  that  of  the  head 
and  members  ;  and  if  he  could  not  be  overcome  of  death,  neither  canst  thou.  Oh  !  that  sweet,  sure  word, 
Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live  also !     L.  


14.  One  who  was  "  made  like  unto  ourselves  in 
all  points  "  has  in  our  view  trodden  the  ground  of 
earth,  and  has  passed  thence  immediately  and  not 
through  an  immeasurable  circuit,  or  by  countless 
progressions,  "into  the  heavens."  Thus  we  have 
the  reason  of  our  hope  of  future  advancement  set 
out  in  a  living  form  in  the  track  of  our  Representa- 
tive from  earth  to  heaven.  What  can  the  dying 
believer  do,  uninformed  as  he  is  of  the  way  he  is 
to  tread — his  foot  advanced,  though  the  ground  on 
which  it  is  nest  to  rest  is  unseen — what  but  recur 
to  the  rudiments  of  his  hope  ?  What  but  look  to 
the  Precursor,  who  is  also  the  Lord  of  that  unseen 
world  ?     I.  T. 

15p  16.  The  legal  high  priest  carried  the  names 
of  the  twelve  tribes  on  his  shoulder  and  breast- 
plate when,  on  the  great  day  of  atonement,  he 
made  his  solemn  entrance  into  the  holy  of  holies ; 
that  while  God  looked  upon  him  he  might  at  the 
same  time  remember  the  tribes  of  Israel,  accept  his 
offering  for  the  expiation  of  their  guilt,  and  hearken 
to  his  prayers  and  intercession  on  their  behalf.  In 
like  manner,  our  great  High  Priest,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  is  gone  into  the  heavenly  sanctuary, 
"  appears  in  the  immediate  presence  of  God  for  us," 
sustaining  the  character  of  the  second  Adam,  the 
head  and  representative  of  all  his  spiritual  seed  5 
and  is  raised  to  the  highest  dignity  and  power  that 
he  may  manage  their  affairs  to  the  best  advantage, 
and  effectually  secure  their  eternal  salvation.  He 
was  a  sufferer  himself,  and  knoweth  the  heart  of  a 
sufferer  by  personal  experience.  He  was  tried  with 
temptations  even  as  we  are ;  and  though  he  con- 
quered them  all,  yet  he  had  proof  of  the  skill  as 
well  as  of  the  malice  of  the  tempter,  and  can  make 
allowance  for  the  disproportion  betwixt  himself  and 
us.  Nay,  he  stooped  thus  low,  not  only  to  make 
atonement  for  our  guilt,  and  to  open  for  us  a  pas- 
sage to  the  mercy-seat ;  but  that  we,  being  assured 


of  his  perfect  acquaintance  with  human  infirmity, 
might  have  the  most  cheerful  reliance  upon  his  com- 
passion and  sympathy,  and  boldly  approach  the  throne 
of  grace,  having  such  a  friend  to  patronize  us  and 

to  plead  our  cause.     R.  W. It  is  a  real  truth 

that  Christ's  eye,  the  eye  of  the  Son  of  man,  at  the 
right  hand  of  God  exalted,  is  ever  upon  each  of  us ; 
when  we  go  out,  when  we  are  abroad,  and  when  we 
are  within  doors ;  when  we  are  awake  or  when  we 
are  asleep  ^  when  we  are  alone  or  when  we  are  with 
others,  Christ  is  ever  regarding  us.  Think  of  him 
when  we  will,  and  also  at  all  times  when  we  do  not 
think  of  him,  still  in  very  deed  Christ  is  looking 
upon  us  with  compassion ;  that  is,  he  knows  our 
danger,  and  he  desires  to  save  us.  Believe  this  to 
be  true,  as  indeed  it  is,  and  then  there  is  a  faith  in 
each  of  us  which  will  bring  us  to  Christ,  and  bring- 
ing us  to  him  in  earnest,  will  lay  hold  on  his  salva- 
tion.    T.  A. 

Read  verse  15,  "For  we  have  not  an  high  priest 
unable  to  sympathize  with  our  infirmities;  but 
rather  one  in  all  points  tempted  in  like  manner,  yet 
without  sin."  A. To  be  a  real  comforter,  a  per- 
son must  have  profound  sympathies ;  but  profound 
sympathies  are  always  in  association  with  keen  sen- 
sibilities, and  keen  sensibilities  expose  their  posses- 
sor to  a  depth  of  anguish  utterly  unintelligible  to 
ordinary  souls.  As  is  the  capacity  to  be  a  heavenly 
comforter,  such  is  the  capacity  to  be  an  awful  suf- 
ferer.    Pulsford. That  central  heart  of  love  and 

pity  opened  itself  at  every  point  to  all  the  forms  and 
varieties  of  human  woe.  Its  sympathy  stood  free 
from  all  those  restraints  that  lie  upon  ours.  Our 
ignorance,  our  selfishness,  our  coldness,  our  inca- 
pacity for  more  than  a  few  intense  affections,  nar- 
row and  weaken  the  sympathy  we  feel.  But  he 
knows  all,  can  feel  for  all ;  so  that  not  a  pang  of 
grief  wrings  any  human  bosom  but  sends  an  answer- 
ing thrill  through  the  loving,  pitying  heart  of  our 


SECTION  339.— HEBREWS  k  •'  U-16 ;  5  : 1-10. 


571 


divine  Redeemer.  W.  H. How  many  forward- 
nesses of  ours  docs  he  smother  ?  how  many  indigni- 
ties does  he  pass  by  ?  and  how  many  affronts  does 
he  endure  at  our  hands,  because  his  love  is  invin- 
cible and  his  friendship  unchangeable  ?  Ue  rates 
every  action,  every  sinful  infirmity,  with  the  allow- 
ances of  mercy ;  and  never  weighs  the  sin,  but  to- 
gether with  it  he  weighs  the  force  of  the  induce- 
ment ;  how  much  of  it  is  to  be  attributed  to  choice, 
how  much  to  the  violence  of  the  temptation,  to  the 
stratagem  of  the  occasion,  and  the  yielding  frailties 
of  weak  nature.     R.  S. 

Jesus  Christ  sees  us  as  we  are,  and  he  can  only 
deal  with  us  on  a  footing  of  reality.  Some  of  us 
have  felt  the  blessing  of  this.  In  moments  of  deep 
self-conviction,  we  have  found  the  unspeakable  com- 
fort of  entering  just  one  only  presence  in  which  we 
are  known  precisely  as  we  are,  and  yet  are  borne 
with.  Christ  can  see,  and  yet  he  loves  too.  And 
the  soul  feels  this.  In  hours  of  mirth  and  gladness, 
in  days  of  pride  and  self-ignorance,  we  may  not 
value  Christ  either  for  his  truth  or  for  his  tender- 
ness. But  let  the  evil  day  come — it  may  be  of  dis- 
appointed ambition,  it  may  be  of  sharp  bereave- 
ment, it  may  be  (worse  yet  to  bear)  of  remorse  and 
shame — then  there  is  something,  account  for  it  as 
we  may,  which  makes  the  soul  trust  and  turn  to  the 
truthful  and  compassionate  Lord ;  knowing  before  he 
speaks  that  he  knows  all ;  knowing  before  he  speaks 

that   he  can  yet  abundantly  pardon.     V. Oh, 

do  not,  do  not  keep  this  sacred  thought  of  Christ's 
companionship  in  sorrow  for  the  larger  trials  of 
life.  If  the  mote  in  the  eye  be  large  enough  to 
annoy  you,  it  is  large  enough  to  bring  out  his  sym- 
pathy ;  and  if  the  grief  be  too  small  for  him  to  com- 
passionate and  share,  it  is  too  small  for  you  to  be 
troubled  by  it.  If  you  are  ashamed  to  apply  that 
divine  thought,  "  Christ  bears  this  grief  with  me," 
to  those  petty  molehills  that  you  magnify  into  moun- 
tains sometimes,  think  to  yourselves  that  then  it  is  a 
shame  for  you  to  be  stumbling  over  them.  But,  on 
the  other  hand,  never  fear  to  be  irreverent  or  too 
familiar  in  the  thought  that  Christ  is  willing  to  bear 
and  help  you  to  bear,  the  pettiest,  the  minutest,  and 
most  insignificant  of  the  daily  annoyances  that  may 
come  to  ruffle  you.  He  will  do  more,  he  will  bear  it 
with  you,  for  if  so  be  that  we  suffer  with  him,  he 
suffers  with  us.     A.  M. 

Was  tempted.  Our  Lord's  will  has  been  to 
prefigure  us,  who  are  his  body,  in  that  body  of  his 
in  which  he  has  already  died  and  risen,  and  ascend- 
ed into  heaven ;  that  whither  the  head  has  gone 
before  thither  the  members  may  trust  to  follow. 
Therefore  he  represented  us  in  himself  when  he 
willed  to  be  tempted  by  Satan.  For  in  Christ  you 
were  tempted,  since  Christ  had  flesh  for  himself 
from  you,  salvation  from  himself  for  you;    death 


for  himself  from  you,  life  from  himself  for  you ; 
insults  for  himself  from  you,  honors  from  himself 
for  you ;  therefore  temptation  for  himself  from  you, 
victory  from  himself  for  you.  If  in  him  we  have 
been  tempted,  in  him  we  overcome  the  devil.  Do 
you  observe  that  Christ  was  tempted,  and  not  also 
that  he  conquered  ?  Recognize  yourself  as  tempted 
in  him,  and  recognize  yourself   as  conquering  in 

him.     Aug. Without  sin.     A  man  who  was 

subject,  like  other  mortals,  to  every  temptation  to 
sin  and  still  fell  not,  was  not  defiled  by  the  slight- 
est breath  of  iniquity,  wandered  not  once  in  his  life, 
not  even  a  hair's  breadth  from  the  path  of  virtue ; 
such  a  man  is  indeed  no  less  a  wonder  in  the  moral 
world  than  one  raised  from  the  grave  and  lifted  up 
with  a  visible  body  to  heaven  is  a  wonder  in  the 
physical  world.     Orelli. 

16.  We  read  of  no  mediator  to  bring  us  to 
Christ ;  for  though,  being  God  by  nature,  he  dwells 
in  the  height  of  majesty  and  the  inaccessible  glories 
of  a  deity,  yet,  to  keep  off  all  strangeness  between 
himself  and  the  sons  of  men,  he  has  condescended 
to  a  consanguinity  with  us,  he  has  clothed  himself 
with  flesh  and  blood,  that  so  he  might  subdue  his 
glories  to  a  possibility  of  human  converse.  And, 
therefore,  he  that  denies  himself  an  immediate  ac- 
cess to  Christ  affronts  him  in  the  great  relation  of  a 
friend  opening  himself  both  to  our  persons  and  to  our 
wants,  with  the  greatest  tenderness  and  the  freest 
invitation.    R.  S. 

Grace  to  help.  It  is  grace  that  chooses,  it  is 
grace  that  calleth,  it  is  grace  that  preserveth,  and  it 
is  grace  that  brings  to  glory,  even  the  grace  that, 
like  a  river  of  water  of  life,  proceeds  from  this 
"  throne  of  grace."  Oh,  when  a  God  of  grace  is 
upon  a  throne  of  grace,  and  a  poor  sinner  stands 
by  and  begs  for  grace,  and  that  in  the  name  of 
a  gracious  Christ,  in  and  by  the  help  of  the  Spirit 
of  grace,  can  it  be  otherwise  but  such  a  sinner 
must  obtain  mercy  and  grace  to  help  in  time  of 
need  ?     Bun. 

4.  As  soon  as  God  began  to  constitute  a  Church 
and  fix  the  priesthood,  which  before  was  dispensed 
into  all  families,  God  gave  the  power  and  designed 
the  person :  and  therefore  Moses  consecrated  Aaron ; 
he  performed  the  external  rites  of  designation,  but 
God  was  the  consecrator ;  Moses  appointed  Aaron 
to  the  priesthood,  and  gave  him  the  order,  but  it 
was  only  as  the  minister  and  deputy  of  God,  under 
God  th6  chief  consecrator.     J.  T. 

5.  Earnestly  to  covet  greatness  is  contrary  to 
the  rules  of  the  gospel.  We  should  refer  our  ad- 
vancement to  the  invitations  of  Providence,  and 
stay  until  the  master  of  the  feast  bids  us  sit  higher. 
"  Christ  glorified  not  himself  as  high  priest,  but  was 
called  of  God,  as  Aaron."  When  we  do  not  stay 
for  the  call  of  Providence,  it  is  but  an  untimely  de- 


572 


SECTION  SJfi.— HEBREWS  5  :  11-U;  6  : 1-12. 


sire  for  promotion,  which  either  God  crosses,  or  else 
it  proves  a  curse  and  snare  to  us.     T.  M. 

7.  For  "  was  heard  in  that  he  feared^''  read 
"  having  been  heard  by  reason  of  his  reverent  sub- 
mission."    A. The  inspired  writers  attribute  to 

Christ  all  human  properties  and  relations,  such  even 
as  seem  at  first  sight  inconsistent  with  his  Godhead. 
He  was  tempted,  he  prayed,  he  was  heard  in  that  he 
feared ;  with  strong  crying  and  tears  he  presented 
his  petitions ;  he  was  troubled  in  spirit ;  he  had  an- 
gels to  comfort  him.  With  startling  simplicity  are 
all  these  facts  recorded :  and  it  can  hardly  excite 
surprise  that  reverence  for  his  dignity,  though  ia 
this  case  falsely  applied,  has  attempted  in  every  age 
to  modify  the  form  or  to  soften  the  meaning  of  the 
terms  in  which  these  truths  have  been  conveyed. 
Let  no  Christian,  however,  scruple  to  employ  these 
expressions  or  to  give  them  their  appropriate  mean- 
ing. What  may  seem  to  be  gained  by  restricting 
them,  will  be  lost  in  the  diminished  fitness  of  Christ 
for  his  office  as  our  Sacrifice  and  Advocate  ;  in  the 
unintelligibleness  of  the  evangelical  history ;  the 
introduction  of  a  partial  system  of  interpretation, 
and  the  exaltation  of  human  reason  above  the  plain 
and  obvious  import  of  Scripture.  Such  passages 
contain  a  truth  as  precious  as  it  is  obvious,  as  con- 
solatory as  it  is  ennobling.  He  stooped  to  our  na- 
ture, that  he  might  make  us  partakers  of  his  own. 
J.  A. 

We  are  so  tried  and  tossed,  so  compassed  around 
with  pain,  so  much  apparently  the  sport  of  fanciful 


passion,  so  curiously  framed  as  it  were  for  tempta- 
tion, with  high  aspirations  living  in  us  along  with 
base  desires  ;  so  hovering  ever  on  the  verge  of  good 
and  ill,  and  so  weak  to  choose  the  good  ;  so  troubled 
by  the  necessity  of  battle  when  our  heart  i3  weary 
with  the  passionate  longing  for  rest ;  so  sick  of  our- 
selves and  of  the  vile  cravings  which  at  times  pos- 
sess us,  that  God  knows  we  do  want  some  sympathy 
higher  than  any  one  on  earth  can  give  us — some 
sympathy  which  will  not  weaken  but  strengthen ; 
some  certainty  that  the  eternal  love  and  righteous- 
ness can  feel  with  us  and  assist  us.  Therefore  it  is 
the  deepest  blessedness  to  know  that  One  who 
shared  in  our  nature — the  proper  divine  man — was 
in  the  days  of  his  flesh  a  partaker  of  "  our  strong 
crying  and  tears,"  and  "learned  obedience  by  the 
things  which  he  suffered,"  for  then  we  know  that 
he  can,  in  his  triumphant  nature,  be  still  "  touched 

with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities."     S.  A.  B. 

When  denied  the  objects  we  cherish ;  when  these 
bodies  are  wasting  with  disease  or  racked  with  pain ; 
when  troubled  on  every  side,  it  should  be  enough 
that,  like  our  Divine  Master,  we  are  to  "  learn  obedi- 
ence from  the  things  we  suffer,"  and  be  perfected 
through  the  same ;  that  our  sufferings  worthily 
borne  will  improve  and  exercise  our  best  virtues, 
prepare  us  for  and  entitle  us  to  the  best  rewards  ; 
so  fulfilling  the  inspired  words  that,  "  if  we  suffer 
together  with  Christ,  we  shall  also  together  be  glori- 
fied with  him  ;  if  we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign  with 
him."     H.  H. 


Section  340. 

Hebrews  v.  11-14;   vi.  1-12. 

11  Of  whom  we  have  many  things  to  say,  and  hard  to  be  uttered,  seeing  ye  are  dull  of  hear- 

12  ing.     For  when  for  the  time  ye  ought  to  be  teachers,  ye  have  need  that  one  teach  you  again 
which  6e  tlie  first  principles  of  the  oracles  of  God;  and  are  become  such  as  have  need  of 

13  milk,  and  not  of  strong  meat.     For  every  one  that  useth  milk  is  unskilful  in  the  word  of 

14  righteousness :  for  he  is  a  babe.     But  strong  meat  belongeth  to  them  that  are  of  full  age, 
even  those  who  by  reason  of  use  have  their  senses  exercised  to  discern  both  good  and  evil. 

1  Therefore  leaving  the  principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  let  us  go  on  unto  perfection  ;  not 

2  laying  again  the  foundation  of  repentance  from  dead  works,  and  of  faith  toward  God,  of 
the  doctrine  of  baptisms,  and  of  laying  on  of  hands,  and  of  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and 

3  of  eternal  judgment.     And  this  will  we  do,  if  God  permit.     For  it  is  impossible  for  those 

4  who  were  once  enlightened,  and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  were  made  partakers 

5  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to 

6  come,  if  they  shall  fall  away,  to  renew  them  again  unto  repentance ;  seeing  they  crucify  to 

7  themselves  the  Son  of  God  afresh,  and  put  Iiim  to  an  open  shame.     For  the  earth  which 
drinketh  in  the  rain  that  cometh  oft  upon  it,  and  bringeth  forth  herbs  meet  for  them  by 

8  whom  it  is  dressed,  receiveth  blessing  from  God :  but  that  which  beareth  thorns  and  briers 

9  is  rejected,  and  is  nigh  unto  cursing;  whose  end  is  to  be  burned.     But,  beloved,  we  are 
persuaded  better  things  of  you,  and  things  that  accompany  salvation,  though  we  thus  speak. 


SECTION  SIfi.— HEBREWS  5:11-14;  6:1-12. 


5T3 


10  For  God  is  not  unrighteous  to  forget  your  work  and  labour  of  love,  whicli  ye  have  shewed 

11  toward  his  name,  in  that  ye  have  ministered  to  the  saints,  and  do  minister.     And  we  desire 
that  every  one  of  you  do  shew  the  same  diligence  to  the  full  assurance  of  hope  unto  the 

12  end  :  that  ye  be  not  slothful,  but  followers  of  them  who  through  faith  and  patience  inherit 
the  promises. 

The  word  rendered  full-assurance  carrieg  with  it  the  idea  of  fullness,  such  as  of  a  tree  laden  with 
fruit,  or  of  a  vessel's  sails  when  stretched  by  a  favoring  gale.  Tbe  assurance  of  faith  is  a  persuasion  so 
firm  as  to  be  the  basis  and  resting-place  of  all  Christian  reliance.  It  sees  Christ,  and  believes  in  him. 
The  assurance  of  hope  is  a  settled,  well-grounded,  immovable  persuasion  and  certainty,  that  I,  as  an  indi- 
vidual, have  thus  believed ;  that  I  am  in  Christ ;  that  God  is  my  reconciled  Father ;  that  I  shall  never 
come  into  condemnation ;  and  that  my  heaven  is  secure.  The  former  is  a  universal  duty  ;  the  latter  is  a 
gracious  privilege.  Professors  who  take  their  pleasure  in  this  life  do  not  seek  this  assurance,  and  do  not 
find  it.  In  chambers  of  disease  and  mourning,  on  death-beds,  at  the  stake,  or  amid  the  wild  beasts,  it 
has  risen  to  exultation.  In  the  days  of  primitive  piety,  it  seems  to  have  been  enjoyed  by  all  the  martyrs. 
In  our  day  of  half-way  Christianity,  when  the  children  of  this  world  are  mingled  with  the  children  of 
light,  it  is  less  prized  and  less  freely  bestowed.  If  we  had  higher  graces,  we  should  have  more  assu- 
rance. In  a  better  day,  when  the  universal  Christianity  shall  shoot  up  to  a  loftier  stature,  it  will  reappear. 
And,  wherever  among  the  throng  any  shall  rise  to  superior  eminence  in  holiness,  his  melting  heart,  fused 
into  a  flow  of  tenderness  and  love  by  the  heavenly  ray,  will  experience  the  pressure  of  this  pledge  and 
seal.     J.  W.  A. 


11)  12.  He  tells  them  plainly  how  deficient  they 
were  in  the  improvement  which  might  have  been 
expected  from  the  time  that  they  had  been  in  the 
school  of  Christ.  Instead  of  being  in  a  capacity 
of  teaching  others,  they  were  themselves  in  the 
lowest  class  of  learners.  Their  faculties  through 
disuse  had  become  so  contracted  as  to  i-efuse  ad- 
mittance to  the  plainest  truths,  much  more  to 
doctrines  so  deep  and  involved  as  those  which  he 
had  begun  to  state.  Such  is  the  spirit  of  the 
apostle's  reproof.  The  neglect,  at  least  the  slow 
improvement  of  the  means  of  knowledge,  has 
not  ceased  to  be  a  reproach  in  these  latter  days. 
R.  W. One  prolific  source  of  religious  indiffer- 
ence is  that  those  who  appear  to  the  world  as  rep- 
resentatives of  religion  have  but  a  meager  and 
timid  apprehension  of  the  principle  of  perpetual 
growth  inherent  in  the  Christian  faith.  It  is  not 
that  they  are  insincere  in  belief  or  feeling,  but  that 
they  take  the  Christian  privilege  for  a  much  less 
glorious  thing  than  it  is,  and  misconceive  its  mighti- 
est law.  They  exhibit  it  as  negative  when  it  really 
is  positive ;  as  attained  and  compassed  by  a  single 
experience  of  conversion,  whereas  that  is  only  the 
outset  of  an  unceasing  progress.  Growth  is  the 
law  of  a  true  Christian  life.  Such  a  life  is  not 
satisfied,  therefore,  with  conversion,  but  is  quite  as 
exacting  of  sanctification.  Christianity  wants  to 
build  after  the  pattern  of  a  divine  beauty,  a  sym- 
metry without  blemish,  and  a  wholeness  without  de- 
fect. It  is  itself  incarnated  in  a  living  example  of 
that  completeness.  It  has  a  welcome  for  every  con- 
tribution of  science,  only  requiring  that  science 
shall  remember  its  ministerial  ofiice,  not  exalting 


its  telescopes  and  crucibles  into  an  apparatus  of 
will-worship,  displacing  dependence  and  redemp- 
tion. It  has  nothing  but  contempt  for  that  com- 
placent, Pharisaic  style  of  piety  which  fancies  its 
only  needed  work  is  done  when  it  has  just  gi'azed 
the  gates  of  hell  by  sliding  into  a  lazy  church; 
which  goes  shufiBing  and  dozing  through  a  life  that 
vibrates  between  formalities  on  Sunday  and  intense 
vitalities  all  the  week.    F.  D.  U. 

13.  Unskilful  in  the  word.  What  Divine 
skill  is  evinced  in  so  ^'■dividing  the  ivord  of  truth" 
as  to  build  up  true  Christians  from  one  degree  of 
perfectness  to  another  in  the  divine  life ;  from  the 
babe  to  the  man  of  full  age ;  from  the  carnal  to  the 
spiritual ;  from  the  dull  of  hearing  to  those  who,  by 
reason  of  tise,  have  their  moral  senses  exercised  to 
discern  both  good  and  evil !  And  how  remarkable 
that,  in  all  this  work  of  building  up  Christians  in 
their  most  holy  faith,  the  word,  the  zcord,  is  the  only 
instrument  mentioned  as  wielded  by  the  Spirit  in 
the  hand  of  a  living  ministry !     J.  S.  S. 

14.  Nothing  has  been  of  more  prejudice  to 
Christianity  than  the  premature  indigested  reason- 
ing of  novices  about  its  more  speculative  doctrines 
before  they  have  been  well  established  in  its  great 
and  fundamental  articles.  Hence  have  arisen  all 
those  odious  names  with  which  particular  sects  have 
stigmatized  one  another,  while  they  have  thrown 
away  that  badge  of  charity  by  which  the  true  disci- 
ples of  Christ  are  most  effectually  distinguished. 
Justly,  then,  does  the  apostle  say  that  strong  meat 
belongeth  only  to  them  who,  by  reason  of  use,  have 
their  senses  exercised  to  discern  between  good  and 
evil.     R.  W. 


574 


SECTION'  340.— HEBREWS  5  :  11-U;  6  : 1-12. 


1.  The  Bible  exhorts  us  to  search,  to  meditate, 
to  "dig  for  wisdom  as  for  hid  treasures,"  which 
must  mean  that  we  should  bring  out  the  fresh  and 
unexplored.  It  compares  truth  to  a  running  well, 
which  must  be  because  it  should  be  in  movement, 
visiting  and  watering  new  pastures.  It  is,  indeed, 
certain  that  the  principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ 
jilways  remain  the  same,  and  yet  the  apostle  exhorts 
us  that  we  are  "  to  leave  them  and  go  on  unto  per- 
fection," that  is,  to  leave  them  and  yet  never  to 
abandon  them,  as  a  tree  leaves  its  root  and  yet 
never  quits  hold  of  it,  as  it  has  the  vital  sap  from 
that  constant  source,  and  yet  spreads  away  into 
branches  and  blossoms  and  fruit,  without  which  it 
could  never  be  a  tree,  and  might  as  well  lie  dead. 
If  we  think  that  we  honor  the  Bible  by  reiterating 
certain  formulas  caught  from  it  without  taking  in 
the  manifold  illustrations  of  God's  word,  and  the 
manifold  applications  in  human  life,  we  shall  find 
that  the  divine  life  deserts  these  formulas,  and  that 
a  class  of  men  spring  up  who  deny  in  them  the 
truth  they  have.     Ker. 

Looking  only  at  God's  works  of  creation  and 
providence,  we  could  infer  that  sanctification,  one  of 
the  greatest  of  his  works,  would  also  be  one  of  prog- 
ress— giving  us  no  more  reason  to  expect  that  a 
sinner  on  his  conversion  would  suddenly  grow  up 
into  a  perfect  saint  than  a  seedling  into  a  perfect 
tree,  or  the  field  sown  to-day  be  to-morrow  flashing 
with  the  sickles  and  joyous  with  the  song  of  reap- 
ers. Grace  has  its  dawn  as  well  as  day ;  grace  has 
its  green  blade,  and  afterward  its  ripe  corn  in  the 
car;  grace  has  its  babes  and  its  men  in  Christ. 
With  God's  work  here,  as  with  all  his  works,  prog- 
ress is  both  the  prelude  and  the  path  to  perfection. 
Therefore  we  are  exhorted  to  grow  in  grace  and  in 
the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 
Imitating  him  whom  faith  receives  both  as  our  pro- 
pitiation and  our  pattern,  we  are  by  pains  and 
prayer  to  grow  in  holiness  and  humility ;  in  sweet- 
ness of  temper  and  heavenliness  of  mind ;  in  active 
obedience  and  patient  suffering ;  in  conformity  to 
the  will  and  delight  in  the  ways  of  God.  No  doubt, 
whether  our  aim  be  high  or  humble,  we  always  come 
short  of  the  mark.  Yet  let  us  be  thankful,  though 
we  have  not  reached,  if  we  are  nearing  perfection ; 
if,  like  the  harbor  lights,  we  see  it  ahead  of  us,  not 
vanishing  on  the  stern,  but  growing  on  the  bow ;  if 
our  course  shows  marks  of  progress.     T.  G. 

The  maturest  manhood  or  saintliest  womanhood 
ought  to  be  seeking  still,  and  for  ever  seeking — be- 
cause the  best  are  weak,  truth  is  boundless,  and  the 
highest  soul  stands  at  an  infinite  remove  from  God. 
They  that  have  not  yet  steadfastly  set  their  faces  as 
though  they  would  go  up  higher  are  encouraged 
and  soUcited.  They  that  have  gone  some  way  are 
bidden  to  press  on.     They  that  have  mastered  the 


worst  enemies  are  cheered  forward  to  be  more  than 
conquerors  through  him  who  hath  loved  them — 
whose  face  they  have  beheld,  whose  breath  they 
have  felt.  Nor  is  it  said  to  one  of  them  more  than 
to  another,  "  Seek,  and  ye  shall  find."  From  all  the 
fountains  of  religious  feeling,  whose  living  waters 
leap  as  if  an  angel  troubled  them — from  all  trees  of 
wise  thought,  whose  leaves  are  for  the  healing  of 
the  nations — from  all  the  lights  in  the  starry  heavens 
of  the  elder  time,  the  ages  of  faith — from  the  spirits 
about  us,  on  the  right  and  the  left,  purer  and  calmer 
than  our  own,  and  shaming  our  uncertain  steps — 
from  our  own  failures  and  mortifications — from 
prayer  and  communion,  from  Bible  and  Providence, 
from  Church  and  life — above  all,  direct  from  that 
mighty  and  loving  heart  of  Jesus,  out  of  which  flows 
the  spirit  without  measure — let  us  continually  and 
faithfully  seek — seek  summit  above  summit  of  gra- 
cious attainment — seek  depth  below  depth  of  God's 
unfathomable  love.  So  shall  we  not  lose  the  way 
and  miss  our  Father's  house,  nor  come  halting  and 
maimed  there,  but  erect  and  healthful  souls,  save  as 
we  are  bended  in  gratitude  at  the  mercy  that  for- 
gives, in  penitence  for  the  sins  to  be  forgiven,  and 
in  reverence  at  the  vision  of  him  who  makes  his 
people  whole.     F.  D.  H. 

4.  A  reason  is  here  given  by  the  writer  why  he 
will  not  attempt  to  teach  his  readers  the  rudiments 
of  Christianity  over  again,  namely,  that  it  is  useless 
to  attempt,  by  the  repetition  of  such  instruction,  to 
recall  those  who  have  renounced  Christianity  to  re- 
pentance. The  impossibilitij  which  he  speaks  of 
has  reference  (it  should  be  observed)  only  to  human 
agents  ;  it  is  only  said  that  all  human  means  of  act- 
ing on  the  heart  have  been  exhausted  in  such  a  case. 
Of  course  no  limit  is  placed  on  the  divine  power. 
Even  in  the  passage  10  :  26-31  (which  is  much 
stronger  than  the  present  passage),  it  is  not  said 
that  such  apostates  are  never  brought  to  repent- 
ance ;  but  only  that  it  can  not  be  expected  they  ever 
should  be.     C. 

5.  Revelation  lays  a  solemn  stress  on  the  fact 
itself  of  immortality.  It  creates  a  conviction  in 
every  Christian  tliat  he  ought  to  pass  through  his 
whole  course  here  with  the  eyes  of  his  faith  and 
hope  turned  forward — a  purifying  influence  from 
his  future  home  perpetually  breathing  upon  him : 
what  Paul  calls  "  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come." 

F.  D.   H. They  are  influences  emanating  from 

objects  and  realities  which  preceded  the  very  ex- 
istence of  this  world,  and  will  remain  after  it  shall 
be  demolished  ;  from  God  and  Christ  and  angels ; 
from  eternity  ;  from  everlasting  truth  ;  from  what- 
ever region  is  that  of  the  sublimest  glory  in  the 
universe.  They  are  "poicos"  of  influence  which 
all  the  best  beings  conspire  to  send.  For  even  the 
departed  saints  are  placed  in  combination  with  God, 


SECTION  SJfi.— HEBREWS  5  :  11-14;  6  : 1-12. 


575 


the  Mediator,  and  the  angels,  in  sending  a  benefi- 
cent influence  on  us  below ;  by  their  memory,  by 
their  example,  by  their  being  displayed  to  our  faith 
as  in  a  blissful  state  above,  and  (we  may  believe) 
by  their  kind  regard  and  wishes  for  those  below. 
All  these  ^^ powers,"  these  forces  of  influence,  are 
sent  through  the  medium  and  in  virtue  of  the  work 
of  the  Mediator,  and  bear  in  them  a  peculiar  char- 
acter, derived  from  him.  They  are  ^^ powers"  which 
attract  toward  where  they  come  from ;  which  dis- 
cipline, and  refine,  and  prepare  the  soul  for  its  grand 
future  destin}-,  and  to  which  it  may  surrender  itself 
without  reserve.  They  are  powers  from  a  world 
where  our  own  great  final  interest  lies.     J.  F. 

6.  If  they  shall  fall  away.  It  is  obvious 
that  the  writer  does  not  think  of  actual  apostasies 
of  this  fatal  sort  among  his  Hebrew  converts.  Ob- 
serve what  he  says,  verse  9  :  "  But,  beloved,  we  are 
persuaded  better  things  of  you,  and  things  that  ac- 
company salvation"  (literally  things  having  salva- 
tion, involving,  insuring  it),  "  though  we  thus 
speak."  Do  not  understand  us  to  imply  that  any 
such  cases  are  occurring  or  will  occur  among  you. 
It  is  therefore  certain  that  in  the  writer's  view  it 
might  be  proper  to  throw  out  this  fearful  warning 
against  apostasy,  although  a  case  of  real  apostasy 
was  not  thought  of  as  actually  occurring.  We  may 
go  further  and  say  that,  in  the  nature  of  things,  such 
warnings  against  apostasy  do  not  necessarily  con- 
flict with  the  revealed  certainty  which  Jesus  puts  in 
these  words :  "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice ;  I  give 
them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish."  Such 
a  warning  as  this  is  one  of  God's  appointed  means 
to  forestall  fatal  apostasy.  The  case  for  illustra- 
tion often  appealed  to  is  always  in  point — that  of 
Paul  and  his  fellow  seafarers  (Acts  27  :  22-25). 
The  Lord  proposed  to  use  the  help  of  the  sailors 
and  never  thought  of  saving  all  the  souls  on  board 
in  any  other  way  than  with  their  help.  So  Christ 
does  not  propose  to  save  his  sheep  without  many  a 
solemn  warning  against  apostasy.  For  apostasy 
must  be  fatal,  and  Christians  must  therefore  fear 
it,  shun  it,  as  they  would  be  saved  at  last.     H.  C. 

4-6.  This  passage  of  God's  word  belongs  to 
all  who  have  ever  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  fully 
hearing  the  gospel,  being  enlightened  by  the  word 
of  God.  There  is  not  one  specification  in  it  which 
may  not  enter  into  the  divine  indictment  against 
the  whole  multitude  of  men  in  Christendom,  who 
from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath  have  heard  the  word  of 
God  proclaimed  and  expounded.  That  good  word 
of  God,  and  those  powers  of  the  world  to  come,  and 
those  precious  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  accom- 
panying them,  have  lifted  them  into  a  condition  in 
which  salvation  was  accessible  and  very  near.  But 
if,  from  all  these  advantages,  these  ladder-tops  of 
means  and  grace,  they  fall  away,  or  if,  under  all 


these  influences  and  privileges,  they  remain  un- 
moved, then  there  is  no  more  hope.  What  possi- 
bility remains,  after  all  the  round  of  God's  applied 
expedients  is  run  through  and  is  ineffectual  ?  Light, 
knowledge,  love,  warnings,  threatenings,  promises, 
invitations,  commands,  arguments,  entreaties,  gifts, 
powers,  providences,  the  word,  the  Spirit,  convic- 
tions, awakenings,  the  cross,  the  sufferings,  the 
death  of  Christ,  and  the  glories  of  heaven,  and  the 
terrors  of  hell,  all  applied  in  vain  !  What  is  there 
left,  what  more  powerful,  what  as  a  last  resort  ? 
What  is  there  of  hope  or  possibility  to  throw  your- 
self back  upon,  after  all  the  agencies  of  mercy  in 
God's  universe  have  been  tried  in  vain  ?     G.  B.  C. 

Some  may  go  on  grieving  Christ  and  crucifying 
him  afresh  for  as  much  as  seventy  years ;  and  he 
will  bear  with  them  all  that  time,  and  his  sun  will 
daily  shine  upon  them,  and  his  creatures  and  bi3 
words  will  minister  to  their  pleasure,  and  he  himself 
will  say  nothing  to  them  but  to  entreat  them  to 
turn  and  be  saved.  This  may  last  to  some  for  sev- 
enty years ;  to  others  it  may  last  fifty ;  to  many  of 
us  it  may  last  for  forty,  or  for  thirty ;  none,  per- 
haps, are  so  old  but  that  it  may  last  twenty,  or  at 
the  least  ten.  But  as  these  ten,  or  twenty,  or  fifty, 
or  seventy  years  pass  on,  Christ  will  still  spare  us, 
but  his  voice  of  entreaty  will  be  less  often  heard ; 
the  distance  between  him  and  us  will  be  consciously 
wider.  Year  after  year  the  world  will  become  to 
us  more  entirely  devoid  of  God.  If  sorrow,  or  some 
softening  joy,  ever  turns  our  minds  toward  Christ, 
we  shall  be  startled  at  perceiving  there  is  something 
which  keeps  us  from  him,  that  we  can  not  earnestly 
believe  in  him ;  that,  if  we  speak  of  loving  him,  our 
hearts,  which  can  still  love  earthly  things,  feel  that 
the  words  are  but  mockery.  Alas,  alas  !  the  in- 
creased weakness  of  our  flesh  has  destroyed  all  the 
power  of  our  spirit  and  almost  all  its  willingness ; 
it  is  bound  with  chains  which  it  can  not  break,  and, 
indeed,  scarcely  desires  to  break.  Redemption,  sal- 
vation, victory — what  words  are  these  when  applied 
to  that  enslaved,  that  utterly  overthrown  and  van- 
quished soul,  which  sin  is  leading  in  triumph  now, 
and  which  will  speedily  be  given  over  to  walk  for 
ever  as  a  captive  in  the  eternal  triumph  of  death ! 
T.  A. 

It  is  not  with  open  disavowal  that  the  votary  of 
fashionable  worldliness  disclaims  the  Lord  of  glory. 
A  peril  such  as  this  might  be  met  and  warded  off. 
But  society  does  its  work  surely  because  slowly.  Re- 
ligion is  not  proved  to  be  absurd,  but  assumed  to  be 
so  ;  the  world  would  not  harshly  ask  us  to  disbelieve 
in  Christ,  but  merely  to  forget  him.  Principles  are 
lost  for  ever  before  we  have  dreamed  they  were  in 
danger,  and  the  poor  victim  of  the  world's  opinion 
has  learned  to  "crucify  afresh  the  Son  of  God," 
without  relinquishing  one  outward  characteristic  of 


570 


SECTION  340.— HEBREWS  5  :  11-U;  6  : 1-12. 


disciplcship  !  There  are  apostasies  of  the  social 
table,  of  the  fireside  and  the  market-place,  the  re- 
fined apostasies  of  our  own  daily  life,  as  real  as  the 
imperial  treachery  of  a  Julian  or  the  cold-blooded 
abandonment  of  a  Demas.  To  every  one  of  these 
the  same  impress  belongs ;  it  may  be  branded  more 
or  less  deeply,  but  it  is  branded  on  all.  They  are 
all  alike  rife  with  the  spirit  of  Caiaphas's  council- 
chamber  ;  they  are  all  echoes  of  the  voice  that  cried 
aloud,  "Crucify  him,  crucify  him  ! "     W.  A.  B. 

10,  God  is  "  not  unrighteous  to  forget  your  work 
of  faith  and  labor  of  love."  Whatsoever  we  are 
capable  of  doing  for  him,  depend  upon  it  we  shall 
get  the  opportunity  of  doing.  The  way  to  get  ready 
for,  and  the  way  to  insure  the  possession  of,  the 
widest  field  for  service  and  the  loftiest  opportunities 
of  doing  his  will,  is  faithfully  to  fill  the  narrow 
sphere  in  which  he  at  present  sets  us.  Do  the  little, 
and  God  will  provide  the  great.  You  have  always 
as  much  to  do  as  you  have  strength  to  do  it  with. 
If,  by  patient  faith,  by  simple  dependence  upon 
Christ  and  his  mercy,  feeling  yourself  encompassed 
with  an  awful  and  impartial  law  of  right  which 
makes  everything  dreadful  that  is  wrong,  and  every- 
thing noble  that  is  obedience,  you  seek  to  execute 
God's  will,  loving  the  Lord  that  has  done  the  small- 
est things  for  you,  the  narrow  sphere  will  widen  and 
open  itself,  and  lofty  tasks  and  glorious  work  shall 
be  given  you.     A.  M. 

11.  All  who  come  to  Christ,  making  voluntary 
covenant  with  him,  and  continuing  faithful  to  the 
end,  are  saved ;  not  because  in  this  life  they  neces- 
sarily become  perfect,  or  free  from  the  infection  of 
original  sin,  but  because  they  are  in  him  who  is  per- 
fect, and  who  will  ultimately  perfect  them,  when, 
after  the  blessed  trials  and  the  loving  discipline  of 
time,  he  brings  them  to  the  full  vision  of  God,  and 
presents  them,  at  last,  "faultless  before  the  pres- 
ence of  his  glory  with  exceeding  joy."  It  is  evi- 
dent that  this  is  not  a  gospel,  nor  a  view  of  the  gos- 
pel, which  encourages  indolence  in  the  divine  life, 
or  allows  men  to  rest  satisfied  with  mere  half-way 
attainments  in  grace.  It  puts  every  renewed  heart 
to  panting  after  perfection ;  it  sets  every  foot  which 
has  been  turned  to  God's  testimonies  boldly  and  de- 
terminedly on  the  race  toward  perfection;  and  it 
throws  unwonted  terrors  on  the  way  of  him  who, 
having  thus  started,  carelessly  suffers  a  pause  in  his 
progress  or  a  rest  to  his  pantings  after  perfection. 
Still,  it  is  a  gospel,  or  a  view  of  tlie  gospel,  which 
sheds  not  only  hope,  but  "the  full  assurance  of 
hope"  on  the  way  of  him  who,  having  been  re- 
newed by  the  Spirit  unto  repentance  and  faith  in 
Christ,  thus  sets  forth  and  thus  perseveres  on  the 
Christian  course,  even  though,  amid  the  weaknesses 
of  nature  and  the  intensities  of  the  conflict  with 
evil,  he  come  to  the  goal  of  death  with  something 


still  of  remaining  sin  wil,hin  him.  He  has  the  be- 
ginnings of  the  "  life  hid  with  Christ  in  God  "  ;  and 
he  knows,  to  his  deep  joy,  that  when  he  comes  to 
see  him  he  shall  be  fully  "  like  him ;  because  he 
shall  see  him,  as  he  is."     J.  S.  S. 

12.  He  refers  more  directly  to  those  Old  Testa- 
ment worthies,  of  whose  names  and  deeds  he  gives 
so  splendid  a  catalogue  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 
But  the  exhortation  has  relation  to  the  examples  of 
all  believers,  of  every  age,  who,  by  the  same  means, 
have  attained  the  like  triumphs  and  rewards.  They 
are  described  under  the  twofold  ideas  of  the  end 
at  which  they  aimed,  "thei/  inherit  the  promises," 
and  the  means  by  which  they  achieved  their  bliss, 

"through  faith   and  patience."     T.  E.  V. The 

gate  of  heaven  is  no  wider  now  than  it  was  seven- 
teen hundred  years  ago.  The  law  of  God  extends 
as  far  as  it  did  when  the  apostles  lived.  We  are 
bound  to  the  same  strictness  and  purity,  to  the  same 
zeal  and  steadfastness,  which  distinguished  the 
primitive  Christians.  They  were  all  men  of  like 
passions  with  ourselves  ;  they  had  the  same  corrupt 
nature  to  strive  against,  the  same  temptations  to  re- 
sist, the  same  enemies  to  overcome.  Their  advan- 
tages for  performing  their  duty  were  not  greater 
than  ours ;  on  the  contrary,  besides  all  that  they 
possessed,  we  have  the  benefit  of  their  example  and 
experience.  God's  hand  is  not  shortened,  the  blood 
of  Christ  hath  lost  none  of  its  virtue,  his  interces- 
sion is  no  less  prevalent,  nor  is  the  power  of  his 
Spirit  in  the  least  impaired  by  length  of  time  and 
constant  exercise.  So  that  we  are  entirely  without 
excuse,  if  we  do  not  both  aim  at  and  actually  at- 
tain the  same  degrees  of  holiness  and  purity  with 
any  of  those  that  have  gone  before  us.     R.  W. 

In  the  catacombs  of  Rome  you  behold  the  long 
tiers,  or  alcoves,  of  the  graves  of  those  who,  having 
died  in  faith,  inherit  the  promises.  No  symbols  of 
hateful  passion,  no  tokens  of  revenge  for  the  wrongs 
they  smarted  under,  no  wails  of  heathenish  despair, 
no  signs  of  bloody  altars ;  but,  instead,  the  tokens 
of  peace,  hope,  and  joy ;  pictures  of  love ;  legends 
of  reconciliation ;  a  monogram  of  the  Saviour ;  a 
lamb ;  a  branch  of  palm ;  a  cross ;  some  epitaph 
commemorating  a  "  friend  of  all  men,"  "  an  enemy 
of  none,"  "  one  meek  and  lowly,"  those  that  "  sleep 
in  Jesus,"  or  others  "  borne  away  by  angels."  Every- 
where you  see  traces  and  proofs  of  that  heavenly 
temper,  that  pure  and  prayerful  spirit,  that  disinter- 
ested and  self-denying  piety,  that  influence  from  on 
high  which  you  know  was  never  the  product  of  the 
Roman  nature,  never  caught  from  Roman  philoso- 
phers, never  fostered  by  the  Roman  armies,  never 
ordained  by  Roman  law,  never  inspired  by  Roman 
mythology,  the  gift  of  God  in  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ,  the  heritage  of  his  Church,  the  new  creation, 
the  regeneration  of  the  Holy  Spirit.     F.  D.  H. 


SECTION  SJtl.— HEBREWS  6  :  13-20;  7  : 1-28.  577 

Section  341. 

Hebrews  vi.  13-20  ;  vii.  1-28. 

13  Foe  when  God  made  promise  to  Abraham,  because  he  could  swear  by  no  greater,  he 

14  sware  by  himself,  saying,  Surely  blessing  I  will  bless  thee,  and  multiplying  I  will  multiply 

15  thee.    And  so,  after  he  had  patiently  endured,  he  obtained  the  promise.     For  men  verily 

16  swear  by  the  greater :  and  an  oath  for  confirmation  is  to  them  an  end  of  all  strife.    Where- 

17  in  God,  willing  more  abundantly  to  shew  unto  the  heirs  of  promise  the  immutability  of  his 

18  counsel,  confirmed  it  by  an  oath  :  that  by  two  immutable  things,  in  which  it  was  impossible 
for  God  to  lie,  we  might  have  a  strong  consolation,  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold 

19  upon  the  hope  set  before  us :  which  hope  we  have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure  and 

20  stedfast,  and  which  entereth  into  that  within  the  vail ;  whither  the  forerunner  is  for  us 
entered,  eten  Jesus,  made  an  high  priest  for  ever  after  the  order  of  Melchisedec. 

1  For  this  Melchisedec,  king  of  Salem,  priest  of  the  most  high  God,  who  met  Abraham  re- 

2  turning  from  the  slaughter  of  the  kings,  and  blessed  him  ;  to  whom  also  Abraham  gave  a 
tenth  part  of  all ;  first  being  by  interpretation  King  of  righteousness,  and  after  that  also 

3  King  of  Salem,  which  is.  King  of  peace  ;  without  father,  without  mother,  without  descent, 
having  neither  beginning  of  days,  nor  end  of  life ;  but  made  like  unto  the  Son  of  God ; 

4  abideth  a  priest  continually.     Now  consider  how  great  this  man  was,  unto  whom  even  the 

5  patriarch  Abraham  gave  the  tenth  of  the  spoils.  And  verily  they  that  are  of  the  sons  of 
Levi,  who  receive  the  office  of  the  priesthood,  have  a  commandment  to  take  tithes  of  the 
people  according  to  the  law,  that  is,  of  their  brethren,  though  they  come  out  of  the  loins 

6  of  Abraham  :  but  he  whose  descent  is  not  counted  from  them  received  tithes  of  Abraham, 

7  and  blessed  him  that  had  the  promises.     And  without  all  contradiction  the  less  is  blessed 

8  of  the  better.     And  here  men  that  die  receive  tithes;  but  there  he  receiveth  them,  of  whom 

9  it  is  witnessed  that  he  liveth.     And  as  I  may  so  say,  Levi  also,  who  receiveth  tithes,  paid 

10  tithes  in  Abraham.     For  he  was  yet  in  the  loins  of  his  father,  when  Melchisedec  met  him. 

11  If  therefore  perfection  were  by  the  Levitical  priesthood,  (for  under  it  the  people  received 
the  law,)  what  further  need  icas  there  that  another  priest  should  rise  after  the  order  of  Mel- 

12  chisedec,  and  not  be  called  after  the  order  of  Aaron?     For  the  priesthood  being  changed, 

13  there  is  made  of  necessity  a  change  also  of  the  law.   For  he  of  whom  these  things  are  spoken 

14  pertaineth  to  another  tribe,  of  which  no  man  gave  attendance  at  the  altar.    For  it  is  evident 
that  our  Lord  sprang  out  of  Juda ;  of  which  tribe  Moses  spake  nothing  concerning  priest- 

15  hood.     And  it  is  yet  far  more  evident :  for  that  after  the  similitude  of  Melchisedec  there 

16  ariseth  another  priest,  who  is  made,  not  after  the  law  of  a  carnal  commandment,  but  after 

17  the  power  of  an  endless  life.     For  he  testifieth,  Thou  art  a  priest  for  ever  after  the  order 

18  of  Melchisedec.     For  there  is  verily  a  disannulling  of  the  commandment  going  before 

19  for  the  weakness  and  unprofitableness  thereof.     For  the  law  made  nothing  perfect,  but  the 
bringing  in  of  a  better  hope  did  ;  by  the  which  we  draw  nigh  unto  God. 

20  And  inasmuch  as  not  without  an  oath  he  was  made  priest :  (for  those  priests  were  made 

21  without  an  oath  ;  but  this  with  an  oath  by  him  that  said  unto  him.  The  Lord  sware  and 

22  will  not  repent,  Thou  art  a  priest  for  ever  after  the  order  of  Melchisedec  :)  by  so  much  was 

23  Jesus  made  a  surety  of  a  better  testament.     And  they  truly  were  many  priests,  because 

24  they  were  not  suffered  to  continue  by  reason  of  death :  but  this  man,  because  he  continueth 

25  ever,  hath  an  unchangeable  priesthood.     "Wherefore  he  is  able  also  to  save  them  to  the 
uttermost  that  come  unto  God  by  him,  seeing  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  them. 

26  For  such  an  high  priest  became  us,  who  is  holy,  harmless,  undefiled,  separate  from  sinners, 

27  and  made  higher  than  the  heavens ;  who  needeth  not  daily,  as  those  high  priests,  to  ofier 
up  sacrifice,  first  for  his  own  sins,  and  then  for  the  people's :  for  this  he  did  once,  when  he 

28  ofiered  up  himself.    For  the  law  maketh  men  high  priests  which  have  infirmity  ;  but  the 
word  of  the  oath,  which  was  since  the  law,  malceth  the  Son,  who  is  consecrated  for  ever- 


To  have  the  great  object  of  our  thoughts  placed  beyond  the  chances  of  human  life  is  to  place  ourselves 

beyond  them  !     Our  hope  "  entereth  into  that  within  the  veil "  !     The  Christian  lays  hold  of  a  chain 

which  is  bound  to  the  throne  of  God ;  the  immutable  attributes  of  the  God  of  the  universe  are  pledged 

for  his  security !     The  laws  that  bind  together  the  elements  of  the  universe  may  vanish  and  give  place. 

37 


578 


SECTION  SJfl.— HEBREWS  6  :  13-20;  7  : 1-i 


to  new  relations  and  connections  ;  the  law  that  binds  together  the  eternal  sovereignty  of  Christ  with  the 
happiness  of  his  people  is  unchangeable  as  God  himself !     W.  A.  B. 

In  the  grand  mystery  of  Christ  and  his  eternal  priesthood — Christ,  who  ever  liveth  to  make  interces- 
sion  the  righteous  will  be  set  in  personal  and  experimental  connection  with  all  the  great  problems  of 

grace  and  counsels  of  love,  comprised  in  the  plan  by  which  they  have  been  trained,  and  the  glories  to 
which  they  are  exalted.  Their  subjects  and  conferences  will  be  those  of  principalities  and  powers,  and 
the  conceptions  of  their  great  society  will  be  correspondent,  for  they  are  now  coming  to  the  stature  ne- 
cessary to  a  fit  contemplation  of  such  themes.  The  Lamb  of  redemption  and  the  throne  of  law,  and  a 
government  comprising  both,  will  be  the  field  of  their  study,  and  they  will  find  their  own  once  petty  expe- 
rience related  to  all  that  is  vastest  and  most  transcendent  in  the  works  and  appointments  of  God's  em- 
pire. Oh,  what  thoughts  will  spring  up  in  such  minds,  surrounded  by  such  fellow  intelligences,  entered 
on  such  themes,  and  present  to  such  discoveries !  How  grand  their  action !  How  majestic  their  com- 
munion !  Their  praise  how  august !  Their  joys  how  full  and  clear  !  Oh,  this  power  of  endless  life ! 
great  King  of  Life,  and  Priest  of  Eternity,  reveal  thyself  to  us,  and  us  to  ourselves,  and  quicken  us  to 
this  unknown  future  before  us  !    H.  B. 


17.  God  hath  not  left  us  to  spell  out  our  privi- 
leges or  to  reason  ourselves  into  the  hope  of  good 
things ;  he  hath  plainly  told  us  what  is  in  his  heart ; 
he  hath  put  his  merciful  designs  into  the  form  of  a 
covenant,  and  expressed  them  in  a  variety  of 
gracious  promises,  by  the  help  of  which  we  may  lay 
hold  upon  his  truth.  This  privilege  is  common  to 
all  believers  in  Christ ;  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  their 
guardian  as  well  as  their  friend ;  he  chargeth  him- 
self with  their  protection ;  he  adopts  them  into  his 
family ;  and  not  only  dignifies  them  with  the  title  of 
children,  but  doth  likewise  enrich  them  with  all  the 
immunities  and  privileges  which  that  high  and  en- 
dearing appellation  imports.  And  what  may  they 
not  expect  from  such  a  father?  whose  wisdom  is 
infinite,  whose  power  is  irresistible,  whose  "  mercy 
is  everlasting,"  and  whose  "  truth  endureth  to  all 
generations."     R.  W. 

18.  A  true  and  blessed  hope  is  the  gift  of  a 
■heavenly  Spirit,  a  peculiar  work  of  God  the  Holy 
Ghost  in  the  heart.  It  is  like  holiness  and  love,  the 
fruit  of  faith ;  of  faith  in  God's  promises  made  to 
a  world  of  sinners  in  Christ  Jesus.  It  very  much 
resembles  faitli,  resting  on  the  same  foundation  and 
exercising  itself  on  the  same  objects,  and  yet  it 
differs  from  it.  Faith  believes  the  promise,  hope 
looks  forward  to  the  fulfillment  of  it.  "  There  is  a 
world  of  glory,"  says  faith,  "  for  pardoned  sinners, 
for  all  who  are  washed  and  cleansed  in  the  blood  of 
Christ."  "  I  am  going  to  that  world,"  says  hope  ; 
"  that  glory  will  be  mine."  Faith  discovers  the 
treasure,  hope  rejoices  in  the  expectation  of  gather- 
ing it  up.    C.  B. The  work  of  grace  may  evidence 

to  you  the  truth  of  your  hope ;  but  the  ground  it 
fastens  on  is  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom  all  our  rights 
and  evidences  hold  good :  his  death  assuring  us  of 
freedom  from  condemnation,  and  his  life  and  pos- 
session of  glory  being  the  foundation  of  our  hope. 
If  you  would  have  it  immovable,  rest  it  there ;  lay 
all  this  hope  on  him,  and  when  assaulted,  fetch  all 


your  answers  for  it  from  him,  for  it  is  Christ  in  you 
that  is  your  hope  of  glory.     L. 

19.  Changing  the  figure,  or  rather  adding  an- 
other, this  hope  is  thought  of  as  an  anchor  to  the 
soul.  As  the  huge  iron  anchor  goes  into  the  great 
deep  and  fastens  its  flukes  upon  the  moveless  rocks, 
holding  the  ship  "  sure  and  steadfast,"  so  the  Chris- 
tian anchor  ["  hope "]  goes  up  into  the  heavenly 
sanctuary  (the  place  within  the  veil),  for  there  our 
Jesus  dwells ;  our  forerunner,  gone  on  before,  sits 
there  enthroned  for  ever,  our  great  high  priest ;  and 
upon  him  our  immortal  hope  fastens  itself,  and  we 
are  held  safely  for  ever,  "  sure  and  steadfast."  H.  C 

Hope  is  an  anchor  of  the  soul !    Among  all 

the  emblems  of  Scripture,  is  there  one  more  beauti- 
ful or  more  just  than  this  ?  A  ship  without  anchor, 
a  prey  to  the  billows  and  the  breakers,  threatened 
on  all  sides  by  rocks  and  reefs ;  behold  in  this  a 
soul  without  true  hope !  Assuredly  the  greatest 
poet  of  the  middle  ages  could  have  engraved  no 
more  striking  inscription  on  the  place  of  eternal 
punishment  than  the  famous  "  Abandon  hope,  all  ye 
who  enter  here."     Van  0. 

Faith  believes  the  truth  of  the  word,  hope  waits 
for  the  fulfilling  of  it.  Faith  lays  hold  of  that  end 
of  the  promise  that  is  next  to  us,  to  wit,  as  it  is  in 
the  Bible ;  hope  lays  hold  of  that  end  of  the  prom- 
ise that  is  fastened  to  the  mercy-seat.  For  the 
promise  is  like  a  mighty  cable  that  is  fastened  by 
one  end  to  a  ship,  and  by  the  other  to  the  anchor. 
The  soul  is  the  ship  where  faith  is,  and  to  which 
the  hither  end  of  this  cable  is  fastened  ;  but  hope 
is  the  anchor  that  is  at  the  other  end  of  this  cable, 
and  "which  entereth  into  that  within  the  veil." 
Thus  faith  and  hope  getting  hold  of  both  ends  of 

the  promise  they  carry  it  safely  all  away.    Bun. 

The  habit  of  living  in  the  future  should  make  us 
glad  and  confident.  We  should  not  keep  the  con- 
templation of  another  state  of  existence  to  make 
us  sorrowful,  nor  allow  the  transiency  of  this  pres- 


SECTION'  SJfl.—EEBREWS  6  :  13-W ;   7  : 1-28. 


579 


ent  to  shade  our  joys.  Our  hope  should  make  us 
buoyant,  and  should  keep  us  firm.  It  is  an  anchor 
of  the  soul.  All  men  live  by  hope,  even  when  it  is 
fixed  upon  the  changing  and  uncertain  things  of  this 
world.  But  the  hopes  of  men  who  have  not  their 
hearts  fixed  upon  God  try  to  grapple  themselves  on 
the  cloudrack  that  rolls  along  the  flanks  of  the 
mountains ;  while  our  hopes  pierce  within  that  veil, 
and  lay  hold  of  the  Rock  of  Ages  that  towers  above 
the  flying  vapors.  Let  us  then  be  strong,  for  our 
future  is  not  a  dim  peradventure,  nor  a  vague 
dream,  nor  a  fancy  of  our  own,  nor  a  wish  turning 
itself  into  a  vision,  but  it  is  made  and  certified  by 
him  who  is  the  God  of  all  the  past  and  of  all  the 
present.  It  is  built  upon  his  word,  and  the  bright- 
est hope  of  all  its  brightness  is  the  enjoyment  of 
more  of  his  presence,  and  the  possession  of  more  of 
his  likeness.  That  hope  is  certain.  Therefore,  let 
us  live  in  it.     A.  M. 

Indisputably,  the  firm  believers  in  the  gospel 
have  a  great  advantage  over  all  others;  for  this 
simple  reason — that,  if  true,  they  will  have  their 
reward  hereafter ;  and,  if  there  be  no  hereafter,  they 
can  but  be  with  the  infidel  in  his  eternal  sleep,  hav- 
ing had  the  assistance  of  an  exalted  hope  through  life, 
without  subsequent  disappointment,  since  "  out  of 
nothing,  nothing  can  arise,"  not  even  sorrow.  Byron. 

20.  That  same  Jesus  who  died  on  Calvary  has 
ascended,  in  our  nature,  to  carry  on  the  purposes  of 
his  grace  in  the  hearts  of  his  people.  Having  left 
his  mediatorial  throne  to  suffer  for  sins,  he  reas- 
sumed  it,  on  his  ascension,  in  a  new  character,  man 
for  men:  as  such  he- reigns  "a  priest  upon  his 
THRONE  "  (Zech.  6:13),  our  true  Melchisedec,  king 
and  priest  both  in  one  person ;  having  all  power 
given  him  in  heaven  and  in  earth  to  give  eternal 
life  to  his  people,  and  pleading  their  cause,  as  their 
ever-living  "  advocate  with  the  Father."     Ooode. 

1,  2.  Melchisedec.  That  he  was  a  type  of 
Christ,  is  affirmed :  "  Thou  art  a  priest  for  ever  after 
the  order  of  Melchisedec."  The  points  of  accord- 
ance are  many  and  striking.  The  very  name,  which 
signifies  "  King  of  righteousness,"  points  directly  to 
Him  who,  righteous  in  himself,  wrought  out  for  his 
people  a  justifying  righteousness,  works  a  sanctify- 
ing righteousness  within  them  by  his  Spirit,  and 
sways  them  with  a  scepter  of  righteousness.  Ilis 
designation  "  King  of  Salem,"  that  is  "  King  of 
peace,"  fitly  enough  points  out  one  who,  whether  as 
regards  the  disposition  for  which  he  was  distin- 
guished, the  blessing  he  died  to  procure,  or  the  ef- 
fects of  his  administration,  is  well  entitled  to  be 
called  "the  Prince  of  Peace."  But  the  point  which, 
most  of  all,  marks  him  out  as  typical  of  our  media- 
torial king,  is  his  combining  in  his  own  person  the 
regal  and  sacerdotal  offices.  Besides  being  "king 
of  Salem,"  he  was  "  priest  of  the  most  high  God." 
lie  was  a  royal  priest — a  sacerdotal  king — and  thus 
an  eminent  type  of  Him  who,  as  exerting  his  power 
on  the  foot  of  his  purchase,  sits  "  a  priest  upon  his 
throne."     W.  S. 


3.  Without  descent.  This  explains  the  two 
preceding  words :  the  meaning  is,  that  the  priest- 
hood of  Melchisedec  was  not,  like  the  Levitical 
priesthood,  dependent  on  his  descent,  through  his 
parents,  from  a  particular  family,  but  was  a  per- 
sonal office.  Neither  beginning,  etc.  Here, 
as  in  the  previous  wiihout  father  and  mother,  the 
silence  of  Scripture  is  interpreted  allegorically. 
Scripture  mentions  neither  the  father  nor  mother, 

neither  the  birth  nor  death  of  Melchisedec.     C. 

He  had  no  genealogy  on  the  Hebrew  records.  He 
stands  there  a  priest,  and  this  only  ;  a  priest  for  ever, 
for  there  is  no  hint  that  he  ever  ceased  to  be  a 
priest.  So  far,  therefore,  as  the  Hebrew  records 
go,  he  is  made  like  the  Son  of  God  and  abides  a 
priest  for  ever. 

4-15.  The  real  clew  to  the  sense  of  this  whole 
case  of  Melchisedec  is  this:  We  must  take  him  as 
he  stands  in  Hebrew  history,  and  on  the  old  genealo- 
gies of  their  nation.  We  are  to  know  nothing  more ; 
to  ask  nothing  further.  Taking  him  as  he  stands 
there,  he  is  fatherless,  motherless ;  never  born,  never 
dying ;  a  priest  only,  therefore,  and  a  priest  for  ever ; 
greater  than  Abraham,  and  consequently  greater 
than  Levi,  than  Aaron,  than  any  or  all  of  Aaron's 
line.  All  these  points  are  turned  to  account  as  il- 
lustrating the  priesthood  of  Jesus.  To  the  ancient 
Hebrew  people,  how  striking  must  have  been  that 
ancient  figure  in  their  history  which  stood,  as  Mel- 
chisedec did,  alone  in  sublime,  isolated  grandeur, 
towering  above  their  oldest  patriarch,  Abraham,  and 
standing  loftily  apart  from  the  long  line  of  their 
national  genealogies !    H.  C. 

16.  The  priesthood  of  Christ  is  graduated  by 
the  wants  and  measures  of  the  human  soul  as  the 
priesthood  of  the  law  was  not ;  the  endless  life  in 
which  he  comes  matches  and  measures  the  endless 
life  in  mankind  whose  fall  he  is  to  restore.  Powers 
of  endless  life  though  we  be,  falling  principalities, 
wandering  stars  shooting  downward  in  the  precipi- 
tation of  evil,  he  is  able  to  bring  us  off,  reestablish 
our  dismantled  eternities,  and  set  us  in  the  peace 
and  confidence  of  an  eternal  righteousness.  Nothing 
meets  our  want  in  fact,  but  to  see  the  boundaries 
of  nature  and  time  break  away  to  let  in  a  being  and 
a  power  visibly  not  of  this  world.  Let  him  be  the 
Eternal  Son  of  God  and  Word  of  the  Father,  de- 
scending out  of  higher  worlds  to  be  incarnate  in  this. 
As  we  have  lost  our  measures,  let  us  recover  them, 
if  possible,  in  the  sense  restored  of  our  everlasting 
brotherhood  with  him.  Let  him  so  be  made  a  priest 
for  us,  not  after  the  law  of  a  carnal  commandment, 
but  after  the  power  of  an  endless  life — the  bright- 
ness of  the  Father's  glory  and  the  express  image 
of  his  person — God  manifest  in  the  flesh — God  in 
Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself.     II.  B. 

As  a  priest  He  ever  lives,  and  the  efficacy  of  his 
work  is  dependent  upon  the  circumstance  that  he  is 
incapable  of  death.  His  Divine  Person  is  essentially 
immortal,  and  that  assumption  to  itself  of  the  entire 
nature  of  man  by  virtue  of  which  he  becomes  a 
priest  involves  a  union  which  can  never  be  disturbed. 
He  can  never  cease  to  be  God  and  man  in  two  dis- 


580 


SECTION  31^1.— HEBREWS  6  :  13-20;  7  : 1-^ 


tinct  natures  and  one  Person  for  ever.  He  is  a  priest 
after  the  power  of  an  endless  life.  The  victim  which 
he  offered  was  his  human  nature,  which  was  suscep- 
tible of  death  by  the  separation  of  its  parts,  though 
the  union  of  neither  part  with  the  divine  Son  could 
be  dissolved.  Here,  then,  the  Priest,  as  living,  lays 
down  a  life  upon  which  death  may  seize  without  af- 
fecting the  integrity  of  his  own  being.  He  lays  it 
down  and  he  takes  it  again.  Both  are  his  own  acts, 
and  the  inconsistency  of  attributing  to  the  dead  the 
properties  of  the  living  is  fully  resolved.  How  he 
could  die  and  yet  be  ever  alive ;  how,  as  dead,  he 
could  resume  a  life  which  supposes  him  not  to  be 
(lead — these  are  contradictions  which  can  only  be 
explained  by  the  mystery  of  the  incarnation,  in 
which  the  union  of  the  natures  is  maintained,  each 
in  its  integrity,  without  confusion,  amalgamation,  or 
mixture.  The  priest  lives,  the  victim  dies;  the 
priest  is  the  actor,  the  victim  the  sufferer.  J.  H.  T. 
It  is  a  magnificent  conception,  the  power  of  an 
endless  life  !  Life  worthy  to  be  called  life ;  life  holy, 
beatific,  glorious,  divine;  life  participant  of  God's 
own  holiness  and  blessedness.  The  power  of  such 
a  life !  endless,  unchangeable,  save  only  from  accu- 
mulating glory ;  perpetual  in  its  energy  and  fresh- 
ness, with  the  boundlessness  and  security  of  in- 
finitude before  it  for  ever  and  ever !  The  mighty 
conflict  which  agitates  the  universe  is  a  conflict  for 
eternity,  a  conflict  between  two  eternities,  between 
the  power  of  an  endless  life  and  the  power  of  an 
endless  death.  Nothing  less  than  this  could  range 
the  Son  of  God  incarnate  on  the  one  side  and  Satan 
on  the  other.  Nothing  less  than  the  certainty  and 
dreadfulness  of  an  endless  death  could  bring  from 
heaven  a  divine  Redeemer,  the  Lord  of  eternity,  to 
take  upon  himself  our  flesh  and  blood  that  through 
death  he  might  destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of 

death.     G.  B.  C. Whatever  may  be  the  force  of 

other  arguments,  our  faith  in  immortality  actually 
takes  its  stand  on  divine  testimony,  rather  than  on 
abstruse  reasons.  In  truth,  we  have  need  of  this 
testimony  to  put  an  end  to  some  doubts  which  rea- 
son could  never  solve.  There  are  lines  of  argument 
which,  although  they  might  seem  fairly  to  establish 
the  doctrine  of  a  life  after  the  dissolution  of  the 
body,  would  not  absolutely  include  the  notion — 
amazing  idea  !^-of  Endless  Existence.  It  is  one 
thing  to  awake  at  death  to  a  new  life,  and  another 
to  inherit  absolutely  a  never-ending  life.  It  is 
fearful,  if  we  reflect  upon  what  it  implies,  to  bear 
relation  in  any  way,  even  remotely,  to  infinitude — 
for  who  shall  calculate  the  whole  result  of  such  a 
connection  ?  How  fearful  then  to  carry  infinity  in 
our  very  bosoms  !  to  be  wedded  inseparably  to  that 
which  has  no  bounds !  In  comparison  with  this 
power  of  eternal  life  all  powers  are  nothing;  or 
ohould  we  not  rather  say  that  every  faculty  which  is 


linked  to  this  borrows  from  it  an  incalculable  im- 
portance?    I.  T. 

Verse  19  should  run  thus:  ("for  the  law  made 
nothing  perfect),  and  there  is  a  bringing  in  of  a 
better  hope,  by  which,"  etc.,  putting  no  stop  at  end 

of  verse  18.     A. The    law  made   nothing 

perfect.  It  only  told  what  the  perfect  was — did 
not  inspire  the  motive,  the  love  to  keep  it.  If  kept 
at  all  as  law,  it  would  be  by  fear  or  a  selfish  seeking 
for  safety  from  its  penalty,  not  by  self-forgetting 
loyalty.  "  If  ye  are  led  by  the  Spirit,  ye  are  not 
under  the  law,  but  under  grace."  Law  is  com- 
pulsory ;  grace  is  free.  Law  is  obligatory ;  the  gos- 
pel is  attractive.  Law  is  command  ;  the  covenant 
in  Christ,  which  "  the  law  can  not  disannul,"  is 
promise.  Law  is  terrible ;  the  Spirit  is  animating 
— pardon,  peace,  love,  joy,  gentleness,  goodness, 
faith.  Here  stands  the  anxious  conscience,  troubled, 
discouraged,  looking  far  up  at  the  blazing  standard, 
the  commandment,  and  then  looking  back  at  its  dis- 
ordered and  miserable  self ;  no  way  of  bringing  the 
two  together.  It  needs  a  Reconciler,  who  shall  not 
lower  the  law,  but  keep  it,  honor  it,  magnify  it,  and 
at  the  same  time  lift  up,  forgive,  reinvigorate  man, 
and  breathe  a  new  life  of  the  Holy  Spirit  into  him. 
This  is  the  bringing  in  of  a  better  hope.     P.  D.  H. 

22.  Jesus,  as  the  Mediator  between  God  and 
man,  is  the  "  Surety  of  the  better  covenant,"  who 
has  fulfilled  all  the  terms  upon  which  it  rests. 
It  has  no  terms  for  us  to  fulfill  beyond  the  accept- 
ance of  the  blessing,  because,  in  his  infinite  love 
to  man,  he  accomplished  in  his  own  person  all  that 
was  needed,  that  God  might  be  a  just  God  and  yet 
a  Saviour.     Goode. 

25.  The  dignity  of  his  person  as  the  "eternal 
Word  made  flesh,"  the  perfection  of  his  obedience, 
the  merit  of  his  sacrifice,  his  resurrection  from  the 
dead,  and  his  exaltation  to  the  right  hand  of  God, 
leave  no  room  to  doubt  of  his  saving  power ;  while 
his  own  account  of  the  errand  upon  which  he  came 
into  the  world,  his  free  choice  of  the  office  of  Re- 
deemer, his  generous  offers  of  mercy  to  the  chief 
of  sinners,  together  with  the  regret  he  always  ex- 
pressed when  these  offers  were  rejected,  may  justly 
lead  us  to  conclude  that  he  is  no  less  willing  than 
"  he  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come 
unto  God  by  him."  These  encouraging  truths  are 
written  as  with  a  sunbeam  in  the  sacred  Scriptures. 

R.  W. Christ  saves  to  the  uttermost  because  he 

suffered  to  the  uttermost.  He  was  not  spared  one 
blow,  one  drop,  one  sigh,  one  sorrow,  one  shame, 
one  circumstance  of  all  or  any  one  of  those  which 
justice  could  demand  as  a  satisfaction  for  man's  sin. 
Caryl. 

It  is  as  our  great  High  Priest  that  he  hath 
"passed  into  the  heavens,"  "where  he  ever  liveth 
to  make  intercession  for  us."    Because  he  continueth 


SECTION  341.— HEBREWS  6  :  13-20;  7  : 1-28. 


581 


ever,  he  "hath  an  unchangeable  priesthood"  ;  he  is 
"  consecrated  for  evermore."  Heaven  is  full  of  sacri- 
ficial recollections.  Christ  dies  no  more  for  ever,  yet 
for  ever  he  "  appears  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us," 
his  hands  filled  with  priestly  oblations,  and  his  bo- 
som covered  with  the  sculptured  names  of  his  tribes. 

J.  W.  A. Since  Christ  is  an  intercessor,  believers 

should  not  rest  at  the  cross  for  comfort :  justifica- 
tion they  should  look  for  there ;  but,  being  justified 
by  his  blood,  they  should  ascend  up  after  him  to  his 
throne.  There  you  shall  see  him  wearing  the  breast- 
plate of  judgment,  and  with  all  your  names  written 
upon  his  heart.  Then  you  shall  perceive  how  he 
prevails  with  God  the  Father  of  mercies  for  you. 
Stand  still  awhile  and  listen,  yea,  enter  with  bold- 
ness unto  the  holiest,  and  see  your  Jesus  as  he  now 
appears  in  the  presence  of  God  for  you ;  what  work 
he  makes  against  the  devil  and  sin,  and  death  and 
hell,  for  you.  This  then  is  our  High  Priest ;  this  is 
intercession — these  the  benefits  of  it.  It  lies  in  our 
part  to  improve  it ;  and  wisdom  to  do  so— that  also 
comes  from  the  mercy-seat  or  throne  of  grace  where 
he,  even  our  High  Priest,  ever  liveth  to  make  inter- 
cession for  us.  To  whom  be  glory  for  ever  and 
ever.     Bun. 

26.  Holy<  With  all  other  men  there  is  some 
discrepancy  in  the  inner  life.  The  two  poles  of 
intellectual  life,  knowledge  and  feeling,  head  and 
heart;  the  two  powers  of  the  moral  life,  thought 
and  will — in  whom  are  they  fully  agreed  ?  But  in 
Jesus  reigns  perfect  harmony  of  the  inner  spiritual 
life.  His  soul  is  at  absolute  peace.  He  is  all  love, 
all  heart,  all  feeling ;  and  yet  he  is  all  intellect,  all 
clearness,  all  majesty.  All  is  quiet  greatness,  peace- 
ful simplicity,  sublime  harmony.     Luthardt. 

Separate  from  sinners.  When  we  appeal 
to  his  humiliations  under  the  flesh  and  as  a  man  of 
sorrows,  we  really  do  not  count  on  the  flesh  and  the 
sorrows  as  being  the  Christly  power,  but  only  on 
what  he  brought  into  the  world  from  above  the 
world  by  the  flesh  and  the  sorrows — the  holiness, 
the  deific  love,  the  self-sacrificing  greatness,  the 
everlasting  beauty;  in  a  word,  all  that  most  dis- 
tinguishes him  above  mankind  and  shows  him 
most  transcendently  separate  from  sinners.  How 
great  a  thing  is  it  that  such  a  being  has  come  into 
our  world  and  lived  in  it — a  being  above  mortality 
while  in  it ;  a  being  separate  from  sinners,  bringing 
unto  sinners,  by  a  fellow  nature,  what  is  transcen- 
dent and  even  deific  in  the  divine  holiness  and  love ! 
Yes,  we  have  had  a  visitor  among  us,  living  out,  in 


the  molds  of  human  conduct  and  feeling,  the  perfec- 
tions of  God !  What  an  importation  of  glory  and 
truth  !  Who,  that  lives,  a  man,  can  ever  after  this 
think  it  a  low  and  common  thing  to  fill  these 
spheres,  walk  in  these  ranges  of  life,  and  do  these 
works  of  duty,  which  have  been  raised  so  high  by 
the  life  of  Jesus  in  the  flesh  !  The  world  is  no 
more  the  same  that  it  was.  All  its  main  ideas  and 
ideals  are  raised.  A  kind  of  sacred  glory  invests 
even  our  humblest  spheres  and  most  common  con- 
cerns.    H.  B. And  now,  to  draw  closer  to  this 

Son  of  God  evermore,  and  to  feel  the  tide  of  life 
that  comes  from  him,  pouring  with  fuller  flood 
around  and  through  us ;  to  have  him  in  our  heart 
and  eye,  and  to  follow  in  his  steps  of  free,  unselfish 
love  to  God  and  man  ;  to  be  true  and  transparent  as 
he  was,  saying  the  thing  that  is,  and  doing  the  thing 
that  should  be ;  to  struggle  toward  this  mark  where 
we  do  not  reach  it,  and  send  after  it,  from  every  fall, 
more  earnest  aim  and  effort :  this,  with  the  help  of 
God,  will  deliver  us  from  the  bitter  scoff  that  all 
the  world  is  hollow,  and  man,  at  his  best,  a  vain  and 
frivolous  thing.  The  groveling  and  the  false  will 
sink  away  beneath  our  feet,  and  we  shall  rise  to 
that  hold  of  God  which  gives  his  own  unassailable 
peace  within,  and  to  that  calm,  though  it  may  be 
sad,  look  on  a  fallen  world  and  on  poor  tossing 
humanity,  as  still  in  his  hand,  and  as  destined  to 
work  out  his  purposes  of  free  and  everlasting  grace. 
Ker. 

26-28.  This  forcible  grouping  of  the  grand 
points  in  the  priesthood  of  Jesus  brings  the  long 
argument  in  this  chapter  to  its  consummation.  Such 
a  Great  High  Priest  every  way  befits  us ;  is  adapted 
to  our  case  and  to  all  our  wants.  The  Mosaic  ritual 
made  the  utmost  account  of  the  symbols  of  purity  in 
the  priesthood  ;  yet  how  could  mere  ritualities  secure 
the  purity  itself  ?  But  Jesus  was  the  embodiment 
of  purity  itself.  Exalted,  moreover,  higher  than 
the  heavens ;  gone  up  into  the  upper  sanctuary,  at 
the  very  center  of  influence,  before  the  throne  of 
the  Infinite  Father,  at  the  summit  of  dignity  and 
glory,  having  no  need,  like  those  priests,  to  offer 
daily  for  his  own  sins  ere  he  could  offer  for  the  peo- 
ple. And  daily  offerings  for  his  people  were  super- 
seded by  his  offering  of  himself  once  for  all.  Final- 
ly, to  fill  out  this  magnificent  contrast  to  its  utmost 
strength  and  glory,  the  old  Mosaic  law  ordained  for 
its  priests  men  full  of  all  infirmities ;  but  the  decree 
of  the  solemn  oath  which  succeeded  and  supplanted 
that  law  ordained  the  very  Son  of  God  who  is  for 
ever  infinitely  perfect.  The  word  "  consecrated  "  is 
too  weak  to  express  the  full  force  of  the  Greek 
which  means  perfected,  holding  the  full  consumma- 
tion of  all  the  glorious  qualities  of  a  High  Priest 
before  God.     H.  C. 


582  SECTION  3^.— HEBREWS  8  : 1-13. 

Section  342. 

Hebrews  viii.  1  - 13. 

1  Now  of  the  things  which  we  have  spoken  this  is  the  sum :  We  have  such  an  high  priest, 

2  who  is  set  on  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  the  Majesty  in  the  heavens ;  a  minister  of 

3  the  sanctuary,  and  of  the  true  tabernacle,  which  the  Lord  pitched,  and  not  man.  For  every 
high  priest  is  ordained  to  offer  gifts  and  sacrifices :  wherefore  it  is  of  necessity  that  this 

4  man  have  somewhat  also  to  offer.    For  if  he  were  on  earth,  he  should  not  be  a  priest,  seeing 

5  that  there  are  priests  that  offer  gifts  according  to  the  law  :  who  serve  unto  the  example  and 
shadow  of  heavenly  things,  as  Moses  was  admonished  of  God  when  he  was  about  to  make 
the  tabernacle  :  for.  See,  saith  he,  that  thou  make  all  things  according  to  the  pattern  shewed 

6  to  thee  in  the  mount.  But  now  hath  he  obtained  a  more  excellent  ministry,  by  how  much 
also  he  is  the  mediator  of  a  better  covenant,  which  was  established  upon  better  promises. 

7  For  if  that  first  covenant  had  been  faultless,  then  should  no  place  have  been  sought  for 

8  the  second.  For  finding  fault  with  them,  he  saith.  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord, 
when  I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with  the  house  of  Israel  and  with  the  house  of  Judah : 

9  not  according  to  the  covenant  that  I  made  with  their  fathers  in  the  day  when  I  took  them 
by  the  hand  to  lead  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt ;  because  they  continued  not  in  my 

10  covenant,  and  I  regarded  them  not,  saith  the  Lord.  For  this  is  the  covenant  that  I  will 
make  with  the  house  of  Israel  after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord;  I  will  put  my  laws  into 
their  mind,  and  write  them  in  their  hearts  :  and  I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be 

11  to  me  a  people :  and  they  shall  not  teach  every  man  his  neighbour,  and  every  man  his 
brother,  saying,  Know  the  Lord :  for  all  shall  know  me,  from  the  least  to  the  greatest. 

12  For  I  will  be  merciful  to  their  unrighteousness,  and  their  sins  and  their  iniquities  will  I 

13  remember  no  more.  In  that  he  saith,  A  new  covenant^  he  hath  made  the  first  old.  Now 
that  which  decayeth  and  waxeth  old  is  ready  to  vanish  away. 


With  respect  to  every  one  of  these  promised  blessings,  whether  of  divine  renewal,  divine  relationship, 
or  divine  enlightening,  God  has  said,  I  will  do  it  for  them,  "/br  I  will  be  merciful "  to  them.  In  other 
words,  I  will  sanctify  and  bless  them,  for  I  will  freely  justify  them.  It  is  very  important  to  begin  in  this 
matter  where  God  begins  ;  to  know  that  the  justification  of  a  sinner,  in  the  sight  of  God,  is  wholly  inde- 
pendent of  personal  holiness  as  the  procuring  cause  of  it.  He  first  "  justifies  the  ungodly,"  that  he  may 
sanctify ;  and  thus  justification,  or  that  state  of  a  sinner  wherein  God  lays  no  sin  to  his  charge,  though 
it  be  so  intimately  connected  with  holiness  that  the  one  can  not  be  without  the  other  (for  those  whom  God 
promises  to  justify  he  covenants  also  to  sanctify),  is  yet  wholly  independent  of  it :  the  one  is  not  the  cause 
of  the  other ;  the  finished  work  of  Jesus,  without  holiness  of  any  kind  in  the  sinner,  gives  him  perfect 
reconciliation  and  peace  with  God,  when  in  a  sense  of  his  own  ruin  he  goes  to  God  and  pleads  it  for  ac- 
ceptance. Many  mistakenly  regard  acceptance  with  God  as  that  of  which  they  can  not  be  sure,  until  they 
finish  their  course  and  get  beyond  the  dangers  of  this  scene  of  trial.  This  is  to  confound  two  things 
which  we  can  not  be  too  careful  to  distinguish — our  justification  and  our  sanctification  :  it  makes  the  for- 
mer to  rest  upon  the  latter.  Complete  justification  is  perfectly  consistent  with  incomplete  sanctification. 
The  one  rests  on  the  simple  acceptance  of  Christ's  work,  finished  and  accepted  of  God  for  us  ;  the  other 
is  a  gradual  work  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  us  ;  sure  indeed  in  its  issue,  but  vehemently  opposed  by  the 
devil  and  corrupt  nature ;  and  the  sensible  measure  of  it  perpetually  varying,  in  the  daily  conflict  of  the 
believer,  while  he  is  in  the  body.  It  is  the  great  secret  of  the  believer's  peace  to  know  that  his  accept- 
ance with  God  is  not  to  be  measured  by  his  own  experience,  his  spiritual  comfort  or  dejection.  The 
established  Christian  knows  and  blesses  God  that  he  has  something  quite  distinct  from  his  own  experience, 
something  that  is  incapable  of  change,  wherein  to  glory.  As  a  believer,  being  justified  through  the  faith 
of  Christ,  he  is  always  "  accepted  in  the  beloved."  The  firm  persuasion  of  this  soul-supporting  truth 
forms  his  great  encouragement  to  persevere  in  his  pursuit  of  holiness  under  all  difiiculties.  If  he  be  cast 
down  in  the  deadly  strife  against  corruption,  in  this  strength  of  the  Lord  he  is  enabled  to  get  up  again. 
It  is  his  privilege  to  know  that  "  there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus  " — a  truth  of 
which  the  believer,  in  his  present  condition,  often  needs  the  comfortable  assurance.     Goode. 


SECTION  3Ji2.— HEBREWS  8  : 1-13. 


583 


1-4.  Christianity  recognized  the  Jewish  religion 
as  from  God ;  and  it  was  a  ground  of  its  rejection 
by  the  Jews  that  it  destroyed  their  law  or  ritual. 
Hence  it  became  necessary  to  show  that  it  was  in 
perfect  harmony  with  the  Jewish  religion  when 
rightly  understood,  and  was  indeed  necessary  to  its 
completion.  Did  the  Jews  insist  that  Christianity 
had  no  priesthood  ?  The  apostle  affirms  that  it  had 
such  a  high  priest  as  became  us, "  who  is  holy,  harm- 
less, undefiled,  separate  from  sinners,  and  made 
higher  than  the  heavens."  Did  the  Jews  affirm  that 
Christianity  had  no  tabernacle  ?  The  apostle  asserts 
that  Christ  was  the  minister  "  of  the  true  tabernacle, 
which  the  Lord  pitched,  and  not  man  "  ;  that  he  had 
"  not  entered  into  the  holy  places  made  with  hands, 
which  are  the  figures  of  the  true,  but  into  heaven 
itself."  Was  it  objected  that  Christianity  had  no 
altar  and  no  sacrifice  ?  The  apostle  affirms  that 
"  now,  once  in  the  end  of  the  world,  Christ  had  ap- 
peared to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself." 
Thus  did  the  apostle  show  that  the  Jewish  religion, 
having  dropped  its  swaddling-clothes  of  rites  and 
ceremonies,  was  identical  in  spirit  with  Christianity. 
The  same  correspondence  was  either  attempted  to 
be  shown  or  taken  for  granted  by  all  the  Xew  Testa- 
ment writers.     M.  H. 

The  knowledge  of  God  enjoyed  under  the  old  dis- 
pensation will  scarcely  bear  a  moment's  comparison 
with  that  which  shines  forth  under  the  gospel.  All 
its  institutions,  its  paschal  lamb  and  other  sacrifices, 
its  meats  and  drinks  and  divers  washings,  its  taber- 
nacle or  temple,  with  the  holy  of  holies,  and  the 
ark  of  the  covenant,  and  the  cherubim  of  glory 
shadowing  the  mercy-seat — all  these  were  "patterns 
of  things  in  the  heavens,"  types  and  symbols  of  di- 
vine mysteries,  chiefly  of  the  person  and  work  of 
Christ.  Believers  under  the  gospel  can  see  in  these 
an  exact  and  beautiful  representation,  given  by  the 
wisdom  of  God,  of  the  good  things  that  were  to  come. 
But,  before  the  actual  incarnation  of  the  promised 
Messiah,  they  were  a  mystery,  of  the  real  meaning 
of  which  the  best  instructed  among  the  Jews  had 
but  little  accurate  perception.  Their  knowledge  was 
at  the  best  but  shadowy,  ours  real  and  substantial. 

6.  That  active  ministry,  commenced  with  His 
incarnation,  the  apostle  here  declares  to  be  "  more 
excellent"  than  that  of  Aaron,  above  which  it  is 
one  great  object  of  this  Epistle  to  exalt  it.  The 
main  intention  of  this  earthly  ministry  of  Christ 
was  to  make  atonement.  And  remission  of  sins 
being  thie  foundation-stone  upon  which  the  whole 
covenant  of  grace  rests,  the  blood  of  the  surety  was 
necessary  to  ratify  it,  and  so  confirm  its  blessings 
to  the  sinner.  He  appeared,  therefore,  upon  earth 
in  the  double  character  of  Offerer  and  Offering, 
Priest  and  Victim  ;  and  his  infinite  sufficiency  for 
both  these  characters  rests  upon  the  union  of  the 
divine  and  human  nature  in  the  one  person  of 
Christ. 

A  better  covenant.  It  must  be  carefully 
observed  that  the  covenant  to  which  this  is  here 
preferred  is  the  national  covenant  made  with  Israel 
at  Mount  Sinai,  the  mediator  of  which  was  Moses, 
and  the  ministry  of  which,  throughout  the  term  of 
its  continuance,  was  committed  to  the  sons  of 
Aaron.  That  this  is  the  covenant  referred  to  here 
is  clear  from  verse  9  of  this  chapter,  where  God 
calls  it  "  the  covenant  that  I  made  with  their 
fathers  in  the  day  when  I  took  them  by  the  hand 
to  lead  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt."  This  cove- 
nant was  faulty  (v.  7),  except  as  introductory  to 


that  which  was  to  succeed  it.  It  was  partly  a  cove- 
nant of  works,  resting  its  blessings  on  Israel's  ful- 
fillment of  certain  conditions  (for  instance,  the 
possession  of  the  promised  land  on  their  national 
adherence  of  the  worship  of  the  true  God),  and  fur- 
ther, as  reviving  the  moral  law,  in  all  the  exactness 
of  its  requirements  and  the  terrors  of  its  curse.  It 
is  on  this  account  chiefly,  as  having  the  original 
covenant  of  works  incorporated  in  it,  that  the  gospel 
covenant  is  here  so  greatly  preferred  to  it.  At  the 
same  time  it  differed  from  the  original  covenant  of 
works,  inasmuch  as  it  had  provisions  of  grace,  ordi- 
nances tiijAcal  of  the  mercy  designed  for  men  in  the 
f/ospef,  and  ministering  this  gi'ace  and  mercy,  though 
by  shadows  only,  to  the  people  of  God.  It  may 
thus  be  considered  as  a  republication,  for  a  particu- 
lar temporary  purpose,  of  the  old  covenant  of  works, 
with  appendages  intended  to  mark  man's  need  of 
some  better  way,  and  sjTnbolizing  that  way.  The 
new  covenant,  of  which  Christ  is  mediator,  is  that 
better  way  itself.  "  A  better  covenant,  established 
upon  better  promises."     Goode. 

7.  If  the  first  covenant — that  of  which  the 
whole  Mosaic  system,  the  ritual,  the  priesthood,  and 
the  sacrifices,  were  the  component  parts — had  been 
faultless,  if  it  had  done  its  work  with  entire  suc- 
cess, leaving  nothing  more  to  be  desired,  then  no 
place  would  have  been  sought  for  a  second  ;  there 
would  have  been  no  occasion  to  think  of  it,  much 
less  to  provide  it.  But  ages  of  experiment  had 
shown  the  deficiencies  of  the  first  covenant.  It  had 
failed  to  regenerate  Israel.  Its  priests  and  spiritual 
guides  had  become  wofully  corrupt ;  the  people 
were  fearfully  far  from  God  and  righteousness — 
as  their  reception  of  Jesus  in  the  flesh  most  con- 
clusively proved.  A  better  scheme  was  demand- 
ed.    H.  C. 

8-12.  This  is  quoted,  with  little  variation,  from 

the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah  (31  :  31-34),  and  relates 
primarily  to  the  literal  Israel,  in  whom,  as  a  nation, 
it  is  to  have  a  grand  and  ultimate  accomplish- 
ment.    Goode. 

10.  The  faith  which  enables  the  soul  to  abide 
in  Christ  is  nothing  else  than  an  assured  trust  and 
confidence  on  our  part  that,  as  he  has  already 
wrought  out  FOR  us  our  acceptance  with  God,  so  he 
will  work  IN  us  every  gracious  disposition  (be  it  re- 
pentance, or  faith  itself,  or  humility,  or  hope,  or 
love)  which  is  necessary  to  qualify  us  for  glory.  It 
is  not  enough  to  supplicate  these  graces ;  we  must 
lean  upon  him  for  them,  and  fix  the  eye  of  expecta- 
tion upon  the  promise  of  his  new  covenant :  "  I 
will  put  my  laws  into  their  mind,  and  write  them  in 
their  hearts  "  ;  being  well  assured  that  he  will  fulfill 

to  us  the  terms  thereof.     E.  M.  G. The  law  is 

not  given  in  this  covenant,  as  at  Mount  Sinai,  on 
tables  of  stone,  but  graven  on  "  fleshly  tables  of  the 
heart."  It  is  the  creation  of  a  new  divine  princi- 
ple of  holiness  that  is  here  promised,  which  shall 
rule  in  the  soul,  enlightening  the  understanding, 
and  captivating  the  affections  to  willing  obedience. 
Hence,  while  the  believer  is  eternally  delivered  from 
the  law  as  a  covenant,  in  which  respect  it  "  gender- 
eth  to  bondage,"  while  he  receives  the  life  he  once 


584 


SECTION  SJ^.— HEBREWS  8  : 1-13. 


sought  to  merit  by  it  as  a  "/ree  gift "  of  God  in 
Christ,  he  yet  "  delights  in  this  law  of  God  after 
the  inward  man  " ;  he  walks  conformably  to  it  in 
love,  "  being  iiflt  without  law  to  God,  but  under  the 
law  to  Christ."  God  is  himself  the  immediate  agent 
in  this  mighty  work  of  renewal.  "  /  will  put  " — 
"/will  write." 

Divine  relationship,  too,  is  renewed  between  God 
and  the  soul  of  man.  "  I  will  be  to  them  a  God, 
and  they  shall  be  to  me  a  people."  The  covenant 
founded  on  mercy  to  unrighteousness  has  in  it  the 
promise  of  restoration  to  the  divine  favor,  and  that 
to  the  largest  possible  extent.  God  says  here,  not 
only,  "  I  will  be  to  them  a  father,"  or  any  such  finite 
relation,  but,  to  include  these  in  a  name  which  con- 
tains the  sum  of  all  that  is  glorious  and  gracious, 
"  I,"  saith  he,  "  will  be  to  them  a  God." 

11.  All  shall  know  me.  Under  this  "bet- 
ter covenant  "  we  have  the  substance  of  the  shadows, 
the  reality  of  the  types :  Jesus  Christ ;  "  him  of 
whom  Moses  in  the  law  and  the  prophets  did  write," 
"  full  of  grace  and  truth."  The  manifestation  of 
the  Father's  love.  "  The  brightness  of  his  glory, 
the  express  image  of  his  person."  Moreover,  the 
Spirit  of  God  is  himself  the  great  teacher  of  his 
covenant  people.  There  is  now,  therefore,  an  en- 
larged knowledge  of  God ;  such  a  knowledge  of  the 
mystery  of  his  person  as  the  Triune  Jehovah,  of  his 
character  and  grace  in  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ, 
as  "  in  former  ages  was  not  made  known  unto  the 
sons  of  men."  Now,  there  is  not  one  in  covenant 
with  God  who  has  not  his  measure  of  this  blessed 
knowledge ;  the  least  as  well  as  the  greatest  is  privi- 
leged to  enjoy  it ;  the  babe  in  the  school  of  Christ 
has  a  clear  understanding  of  those  things  which  the 
holiest  of  the  Old  Testament  saints  saw  but  darkly, 
if  at  all,  under  the  law. 

13.  Three  parts  are  distinguishable  in  the  ap- 
plication of  "  mercy  to  unrighteousness  "  through 
Christ :  TJie  gift  of  faith,  whereby  the  penitent  sin- 
ner is  brought  to  believe  God's  record  of  his  Son ; 
to  receive  and  rest  in  Christ  and  his  righteousness,  as 
the  all-suflScient  gift  of  God  to  men.  The  imputation 
of  Christ's  righteousness  so  embraced.  Faith  takes  it 
as  given  of  God,  in  the  gift  of  Christ ;  and  thus  it  is 
called  "  the  gift  by  grace,"  "  the  gift  of  righteous- 
ness," The  man  has  it  to  present  to  God,  and  God 
therefore  imputes  it  because  he  has  it.  Justification 
in  virtue  of  that  righteousness.  God  is  '■'■just  in 
being  the  justifier  of  him  that  belicveth  in  Jesus  " ; 
and  that  with  regard  to  no  other  condition  of  the 
sinner  that  comes  to  him  than  that  he  does  so  come, 
believing  God's  record  of  his  Son,  and  thereby  pos- 
sessing that  "  righteousness  of  God  which  is  by  faith 
of  Jesus  Christ  unto  all  and  upon  all  them  that  be- 
lieve." The  administration  of  the  Christian  cove- 
nant, with  its  free,  full,  sure,  and  everlasting  grace,  is 


in  the  hands  of  Christ  as  Mediator  between  God  and 
man.  It  owes  its  gracious  character  to  his  engage- 
ments entered  into  from  eternity ;  its  estahlishmei-tt 
with  man  to  his  sacrifice,  the  blood  of  which  ratified 
it ;  and  its  perpetual  efficacy  in  the  experience  of  elect 
sinners  to  his  all-prevailing  intercession.  And  the 
foundation-stone  upon  which  all  its  blessings  rest  is 
unconditional  mercy  to  sinners  and  everlasting  ob- 
livion of  all  possible  offenses.  Contemplate,  then, 
this  covenant,  in  the  amazing /rfcness  of  its  forgiving 
grace,  in  the  exceeding y?i/?ness  of  its  promised  bless- 
ings (divine  renewal,  divine  relationship,  and  divine 
illumination),  in  the  absolute  security  given  for 
their  enjoyment  by  the  pledge  of  God  that  he  ivill 
and  that  man  shall,  and  in  the  everlastingness  of 
its  continuance — and  say  if  its  treasures  of  good- 
ness do  not  surpass  all  that  heart  of  man  could  have 
conceived.     Ooode. 

13.  Is  ready  to  vanish  away.  It  did  van- 
ish away.  It  became  useless  ;  it  lost  its  significance ; 
it  was  Superseded  and  put  aside  as  a  thing  that  was 
"  done  with,  that  that  which  could  not  be  shaken 
might  remain."  Every  attempt  to  make  Christian 
ministers  into  priests  ;  to  give  them  a  place  between 
the  people  and  Christ,  as  He  stands  between  the 
people  and  God  ;  to  ascribe  virtue  to  their  acts,  in- 
stead of  attaching  importance  to  instruction ;  every- 
thing like  trying  to  address  the  eye  instead  of  the 
understanding  ;  the  notion  that  holy  Christian  "  mys- 
teries "  are  things  to  be  done,  instead  of  things  that 
are  taught ;  attempts  to  lead  the  people  to  depend 
on  what  can  be  performed /or  them,  or  by  them,  in- 
stead of  cultivating  their  reason  and  conscience, 
and  raising  them  to  the  manly  apprehension  of  the 
spiritual — all  this  is  but  the  modern  form  of  the 
Judaizing  errors  which  the  apostle  met  with  his  in- 
dignant condemnation. 


True  or  false,  the  Jewish  and  Christian  religions 
are  the  most  wonderful  things  of  which  there  is  any 
account  in  the  records  of  the  race.  What  an  extraor- 
dinary people  that  Hebrew  people  must  have  been, 
who  in  the  wilderness  commenced,  and  in  subsequent 
ages  perfected,  a  ritual  system  embodying  in  its  sig- 
nificance some  of  the  profoundest  truths  afterward 
to  be  demonstrated  by  logicians  and  philosophers — 
and  who  did  this  by  no  divine  or  supernatural  assis- 
tance, but  simply  from  the  impulses  of  their  own 
inward  religious  life,  which  struggled  to  express  it- 
self, and  which  found  utterance  in  this  way !  How 
wonderful  that  this  rude  people  should  go  on,  per- 
fecting their  ideas  and  multiplying  their  myths,  till 
they  took  a  new  form  in  the  history  of  Jesus,  and 
in  the  spiritual  or  transcendental  interpretation  of 
the  old  ritual  system  which  that  introduced !  What 
a  marvel  it  is,  too,  that  the  whole  thing  should  have 
been  so  constructed  and  so  carried  out  as  to  seize  on 
the  human  mind  beyond  Judea — to  subdue  the  most 
cultivated  portions  of  the  race — to  supersede  all 
other  myths,  theologies,  and  philosophies  with  which 
it  came  in  contact— and  to  be  spreading  in  the  world 
as  a  regal  power  to  the  present  day ! 

The  extraordinary  nature  of  the  Christian  inter- 
pretation of  the  Hebrew  ritual  is  itself  worthy  of 
specific  remark.  The  idea  of  taking  the  tabernacle 
or  temple,  the  altar  and  priesthood,  with  all  the  ac- 


SECTION  SJtS.— HEBREWS  9  : 1-28, 


585 


cessories  of  the  ritual  service,  and  giving  them  a 
significance — finding  for  them  a  design  and  a  reality 
that  sliould  at  once  fill  the  earth  and  reach  up  to 
heaven!  think  of  that.  After  the  prophecies,  or 
supposed  prophecies,  which  for  ages  had  stirred  the 
national  heart,  filling  it  with  splendid  anticipations 
of  a  regal  and  conquering  Messiah — after  he  was 
supposed  to  have  come,  and  then  to  have  departed, 
and  to  have  so  departed  as  to  have  disappointed  the 
hopes  cherished  to  the  last  by  his  immediate  fol- 
lowers— after  this,  what  an  idea  it  was  to  turn  the 
very  fact  which  shattered  their  expectations  into  a 
fulcrum  on  which  to  fix  an  engine  that  should  move 
the  world !  What  an  intrepid  and  sublime  daring 
there  is  in  the  thought  of  Messiah  the  Priest  being 
placed  in  the  foreground  of  Messiah  the  King !  the 
wide  earth  the  place  of  sacrifice,  the  cross  of  igno- 
miny the  altar  of  propitiation,  the  upper  world  the 
holy  of  holies — the  way  into  it  being  opened  and 


sanctified  by  the  resuscitated  Redeemer,  who  passes 
through  the  veil  of  the  visible  heavens  as  into  the 
interior  of  a  temple,  "  there  to  appear  in  the  pres- 
ence of  God  for  us  " — for  us,  for  humanity,  and  for 
the  accomplishment  of  those  spiritual  objects  which 
humanity  spiritually  needs ! 

On  any  supposition,  it  is  a  most  marvelous  coin- 
cidence that,  exactly  at  the  period  when  Judaism 
must  necessarily  fall  as  a  practicable  system,  thei-e 
should  happen  to  arise  a  new  mode  of  interpreta- 
tion by  which  a  hidden  significance  was  discovered 
in  it,  its  great  idea  found  and  developed,  its  depar- 
ture provided  for — itself,  as  it  were,  immortalized 
by  a  divine  apotheosis  at  the  moment  of  its  martyr- 
dom, transformed  from  body  to  spirit,  raised  from 
earth  to  heaven,  associated  with  the  interests  of  the 
race — the  highest  interests  of  man  as  immortal, 
liberated  from  local  and  national  limitations,  and 
made  large  enough  to  embrace  the  world  ]     T.  B. 


Section  343. 

Hebeews  ix.  1-28. 

1  Then  verily  tlie  first  covenant  had  also  ordinances  of  divine  service,  and  a  worldly  sanc- 

2  tiiary.     For  there  was  a  tabernacle  made;  the  first,  wherein  teas  the  candlestick,  and  the 

3  table,  and  the  shewbread;  which  is  called  the  sanctuary.     And  after  the  second  vail,  the 

4  tabernacle,  which  is  called  the  Holiest  of  all ;  which  had  the  golden  censer,  and  the  ark  of  the 
covenant  overlaid  round  about  with  gold,  wherein  was  the  golden  pot  that  had  manna,  and 

5  Aaron's  rod  that  budded,  and  the  tables  of  the  covenant ;  and  over  it  the  cherubims  of  glory 

6  shadowing  the  mercyseat ;  of  which  we  cannot  now  speak  particularly.     Now  wlien  these 
things  were  thus  ordained,  the  priests  went  always  into  the  first  tabernacle,  accomplishing 

7  the  service  of  God.     But  into  the  second  went  the  high  priest  alone  once  every  year,  not 

8  without  blood,  which  he  offered  for  himself,  and /or  the  errors  of  the  people:  the  Holy 
Ghost  this  signifying,  that  the  way  into  the  holiest  of  all  was  not  yet  made  manifest,  while 

9  as  the  first  tabernacle  was  yet  standing  :  which  was  a  figure  for  the  time  then  present,  in 
which  were  offered  both  gifts  and  sacrifices,  that  could  not  make  him  that  did  the  service 

10  perfect,  as  pertaining  to  the  conscience;  which  stood  only  in  meats  and  drinks,  and  divers 
washings,  and  carnal  ordinances,  imposed  on  them  until  the  time  of  reformation. 

11  But  Christ  being  come  an  high  priest  of  good  things  to  come,  by  a  greater  and  more  per- 

12  feet  tabernacle,  not  made  with  hands,  that  is  to  say,  not  of  this  building;  neither  by  the 
blood  of  goats  and  calves,  but  by  his  own  blood  he  entered  in  once  into  the  holy  place, 

13  having  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us.     For  if  the  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats,  and 

14  the  ashes  of  an  heifer  sprinkling  the  unclean,  sanctifieth  to  the  purifying  of  the  fiesh ;  how 
much  more  shall  the  blood  of  Christ,  who  through  the  eternal  Spirit  offered  himself  with- 
out spot  to  God,  purge  your  conscience  from  dead  works  to  serve  the  living  God  ? 

15  And  for  this  cause  he  is  the  mediator  of  the  new  testament,  that  by  means  of  death,  for 
the  redemption  of  the  transgressions  that  were  under  the  first  testament,  they  which  are 

16  called  might  receive  the  promise  of  eternal  inheritance.     For  where  a  testament  is,  there 

17  must  also  of  necessity  be  the  death  of  the  testator.     For  a  testament  is  of  force  after  men 

18  are  dead:  otherwise  it  is  of  no  strength  at  all  while  the  testator  livetli.     Whereupon  neither 

19  the  first  testament  was  dedicated  without  blood.  For  when  Moses  had  spoken  every  precept 
to  all  the  people  according  to  the  law,  he  took  the  blood  of  calves  and  of  goats,  with  water, 

20  and  scarlet  wool,  and  hyssop,  and  sprinkled  both  the  book,  and  all  the  people,  saying,  This 

21  is  the  blood  of  the  testament  which  God  hath  enjoined  unto  you.     Moreover  he  sprinkled 

22  likewise  with  blood  both  the  tabernacle,  and  all  the  vessels  of  the  ministry.  And  almost 
all  things  are  by  the  law  purged  with  blood;  and  without  shedding  of  blood  is  no  remission. 

23  It  icas  therefore  necessary  that  the  patterns  of  things  in  the  heavens  should  be  purified  with 
these ;  but  the  heavenly  things  themselves  with  better  sacrifices  than  these. 

24  For  Christ  is  not  entered  into  the  holy  places  made  with  hands,  tohich  are  the  figures  of 

25  the  true ;  but  into  heaven  itself,  now  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us :  nor  yet  that 


586 


SEGTIOX  3J,3.— HEBREWS  9  : 1-28. 


he  should  offer  himself  often,  as  the  high  priest  entereth  into  the  holy  place  every  year 

26  with  hlood  of  others ;  for  then  must  he  often  have  suffered  since  the  foundation  of  the 
world :  but  now  once  in  the  end  of  the  world  hath  he  appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the 

27  sacrifice  of  himself.     And  as  it  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die,  but  after  this  the  judg- 

28  ment :  so  Christ  was  once  offered  to  bear  the  sins  of  many ;  and  unto  them  that  look  for 
him  shall  he  appear  the  second  time  without  sin  unto  salvation. 


The  pieces  of  prophecy  respecting  Messiah,  when  all  are  put  together,  compose  a  figure  unique  and 
mysterious.  There  is  something  about  it  not  to  be  confined  to  the  limits  of  a  nation,  nor  connected  with 
temporal  sovereignty  or  secular  successes ;  and  yet  there  is  the  constant  employment  of  language  partial 
to  the  Hebrew  people,  and  indicative  of  mundane  magnificence  !  King,  priest,  prophet,  martyr ;  conquest 
and  defeat ;  triumph  and  tears ;  songs  and  sovereignty ;  stripes  and  blood — pieces  thus  cut,  as  it  were,  out 
of  different  figures,  irreconcilable,  as  it  would  seem,  in  attributes  and  fortune,  have  to  be  gathered  up  and 
put  together  by  the  severely  tasked  pupil  of  the  law.  The  enigma  at  length  finds  its  solution,  the  strange, 
mysterious  picture,  its  reality,  in  the  Person  of  a  suffering  yet  conquering  Messiah,  who  redeems  the  soul 
from  sin,  beautifies  the  Church  with  salvation,  defeats  tlie  spiritual  adversary  of  the  race,  and  opens  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  to  all  believers !  who  "  is  made  of  the  seed  of  David  according  to  the  flesh,  but  de- 
clared to  be  the  Son  of  God  with  power,  according  to  the  Spirit  of  holiness,  by  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead  " ;  who — exalted  at  length  to  "  the  right  hand  of  God,"  "  angels,  authorities,  and  powers  being  made 
subject  to  him  " — lives  and  reigns,  ''  from  thenceforth  expecting,  till  his  enemies  be  made  his  footstool." 
With  new  views  of  the  central  figure,  the  whole  of  the  Levitical  system  undergoes  a  change.  It  comes  to 
be  looked  at  as  constructed  for  a  purpose,  which  gives  to  it  a  deeper  and  diviner  significance  than  was  at 
first  suspected.  Priest  and  sacrifice,  altar  and  propitiation,  cease  to  be  realities ;  they  are  understood  to 
be  only  shadows  and  signs  of  what  was  to  be  found,  substantially,  in  the  Person  and  work,  the  acts  and 
offices,  of  "  the  great  High  Priest  of  our  profession."  The  Tabernacle  and  Temple  seem  to  enlarge  tlieir 
proportions,  as  if  to  become  a  fitting  sphere  for  the  presentation  of  such  a  sacrifice,  and  the  services  of 
such  a  functionary,  as  are  conceived  of  now.  The  earth  is  the  court  in  which  death  is  inflicted ;  the  over- 
hanging sky  is  the  mysterious  veil ;  and  high  heaven,  the  dwelling-place  of  God,  is  the  holy  of  holies ! 
The  only  sacrifice  is  understood  to  be  that  of  "  the  Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world  " !  The 
pomp  and  splendor  of  the  temple  service  fade  away ;  its  songs  and  anthems  come  to  symbolize  diviner 
joys  than  they  ever  could  impart.  The  infliction  of  death  on  unconscious  animals,  with  their  throes  and 
contortions  under  their  sharp  but  transitory  suffering,  sink  into  something  like  fictitious  agony,  and  have 
to  give  place  to  the  terrible  reality  of  His  mighty  and  mysterious  anguish  whose  "  soul  was  made  an  offer- 
ing for  sin."  The  purifications  and  washings,  the  cleansing  of  the  body  by  water  or  blood,  enjoined  by 
the  law,  prepare  the  way  for  the  evangelical  announcements  of  the  "  fountain  opened  for  uncleanness," 
and  of  "  the  laver  of  regeneration,  and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost."     T.  B. 


In  this  chapter  the  old  covenant  and  the  new  are 
laid  side  by  side  for  comparison  and  contrast,  to 
show  that  the  former  was  designed  to  illustrate  the 
latter,  the  former  being  the  symbol  and  the  latter 
the  thing  symbolized ;  the  former  being  of  little 
value  in  itself,  and  useful  mainly  as  throwing  light 
in  advance  upon  the  great  purposes  and  work  of  the 
latter.     H.  C. 

1-5.  The  outward  impressiveness  and  material 
splendor  of  the  ancient  religion,  "  the  ordinances  of 
divine  service  and  worldly  sanctuary  "  of  the  "  first 
covenant,"  were  in  reality  but  indications  of  imper- 
fection and  weakness.  The  ceremonial  plainness, 
the  literal,  unsymbolic  character  of  the  new  econ- 
omy, is  the  exponent  of  its  true  dignity  and  glory. 
Caird. 

It  is  very  easy  to  discern  in  the  tabernacle  ser- 
vice, first,  a  proximate  or  external  and  secular  in- 


tention, which  reached  its  end  in  its  immediate  in- 
fluence upon  the  people.  But  besides  this,  and 
compatibly  therewith,  the  same  worship  held  forth 
from  age  to  age  a  mute  prophecy  of  "  good  things 
to  come  " ;  that  is  to  say,  of  the  mediatorial  scheme, 
afterward  to  be  brought  into  effect  and  made  known. 
Yet  a  third  intention  (as  we  suppose)  ran  through 
every  article  of  the  "  worldly  sanctuary,"  adumbrat- 
ing the  unearthly  and  spiritual  system.  Thus,  in  the 
farthest  recess  of  that  sacred  Pavilion  of  the  God 
and  King  of  Israel,  was  displayed  the  visible  splen- 
dor of  the  Divine  Presence ;  high  above  it,  without 
and  in  view  of  all,  towered  the  cloudy  column,  alter- 
nately dark  and  resplendent.  Before  the  Shechinah 
crouched  the  cherubic  symbols  of  the  incessant  adora- 
tion of  the  celestial  orders.  To  this  inner  chamber 
the  mediator  alone  had  access ;  and  there,  by  his 
intercession,  maintained  propitious  intercourse  be- 


SECTION  31,3.— HEBREWS  9  :  1-S8. 


687 


tween  the  Divine  Majesty  and  the  remoter  worship- 
ers.    Without  the  veil  were  seen  the  seven  lamps — 
the  cheering  radiance  of  spiritual  illumination ;  and 
thence    also   went    up   the 
perpetual  incense  of  pray- 
er.   Far  spread  around  this 
"  house    not     made    with 
hands,"   not  raised  by  la- 
bor or  of   solid  materials, 
were  ranged  the  assembled 
thousands  of  Israel,  in  de- 
vout expectation,  while  they 
took  part  in  the  loud,  respon- 
sive anthem  of  praise.  I.  T. 

In  the  ordering  of  the 
temple  worship,  some  line 
of  the  Messiah  is  graven  on 
everything.  From  the  door 
whereby  you  enter  until 
you  approach  the  Shechinah 
between  the  cherubim  on 
the  mercy-seat;  from  the 
blood  of  the  victim  to  the 
flashing  breast-plate  on  the 
high  priest's  robe ;  from  the 

daily  offerings  of  the  morning  and  evening  sacrifice  to 
the  annual  ceremony  of  atonement,  every  object  and 
every  rite  foreshadows  the  great  propitiation.  T.  D.  A. 

9.   Were    offered    gifts    and    sacrifices. 
Sacrifice,  in  one  or  other  of  its  many  forms,  was 


tuted  the  first  class.  They,  or  a  part  of  them,  were 
burned  upon  the  altar,  or  table  of  God,  and  regarded 
as  Jehovah's  portion.     They  typified  Christ  the  God- 


The  Uoly  Place,  with  Candlestick,  Table  of  Shew-bread,  and  Altar  of  Incense ;  and  (the  veil  re- 
moved) the  Most  Holy  Place,  with  Ark,  Cherubim,  and  Shechinah. 

the  great  feature  of  the  Jewish  worship.  There 
were  two  grand  divisions  of  sacrifice,  typifying  dif- 
ferent aspects  of  the  work  of  Christ.  The  sweet- 
savor  offerings  (or  offerings  for  acceptance)  consti- 


The  Tabernacle,  Altar  of  Sacrifice,  Laver,  and  Inclosure. 


man  yielding  to  God  the  devotion  of  a  pure  heart 
and  an  unsullied  life ;  meeting  the  requirements 
of  the  law  in  every  particular ;  and  so  yield- 
ing to  God  that  which  humanity  never  yet  had 
yielded  —  a  perfect  righteousness.  No  thought 
of  sin  enters  here  ; 
it  is  humanity  giv- 
ing to  God  his  por- 
tion and  his  due. 
The  second  class 
are  the  offerings  not 
of  sweet  savor  (of 
which  the  sin-  and 
trespass  -  offerings 
are  the  two  varie- 
ties). They  were 
not  offered  for  the 
acceptance  of  the 
worshiper,  but'  for 
the  expiation  of  his 
sin.  Accordingly, 
the  body  of  the  vic- 
tim was  not  burned 
upon  the  altar,  but 
cast  forth  without 
the  camp  as  an  ac- 
cursed thing,  and 
there  burned  upon 
the  earth.  These  emblematized  Christ  in  his  cross 
and  passion — Christ  the  sin-bearer,  identified  for 
the  time  with  sin,  and  enduring  sin's  maledic- 
tion— Christ  the  brazen  serpent,  identified  for  the 


588 


SECTION  3 JfS.— HEBREWS  9  : 1-28. 


time  with  the  principle  of  evil,  and  therefore  sus- 
pended upon  the  tree.  The  mere  observation  of  this 
distinction  supplies  an  easjt  answer  to  one  of  the 
weak  cavils  brought  against  the  doctrine  of  the 
Atonement.     E.  M.  G. 

Could  not  make  perfect.  They  sufficed  to 
relieve  him  from  the  ritual  disabilities  growing  out 
of  ceremonial  defilement ;  they  gave  him  his  place 
among  the  recognized  people  of  God ;  but  the  deep 
and  dreadful  sense  of  guilt  they  could  not  allay ;  the 
burden  of  sin  that  would  lie  heavy  on  his  soul  they 


Supposed  Form  of  the  Altar  of  Incense. 

could  in  no  wise  remove.  The  voice  of  inspiration 
even  then  proclaimed :  "  Thou  delightest  not  in  sac- 
rifice, else  would  I  give  it ;  thou  hast  no  pleasure 
in  burnt  offerings,  but  the  sacrifices  of  God  are  a 
broken  spirit."     H.  C. 

12.  Jesus,  the  High  Priest,  goes  before  thee 
into  the  holiest  of  holies  with  his  blood.  Dost  thou 
not  believe  that  his  intercession  covers  thee? 
Then  I  thought:  It  is  for  all  except  me.  I  have 
done  too  wickedly.  I  have  sinned  again,  after  hav- 
ing received  grace  and  forgiveness.  I  dare  not 
again  approach  the  throne  of  grace ;  and  yet — yet 
fain  would  I  draw  nigh!  As  my  soul  thus  held 
converse  with  herself,  Jesus  the  High  Priest  opened 
to  me  the  door  of  his  word,  and  I  read  there : 
"  Where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much  more 
aboimd."  Through  the  open  door  of  his  word  I 
beheld  the  spear-pierced  side  of  my  Priest  and  his 
sacrifice,  and  I  believed,  "  for  me."  As  I  this  be- 
lieved, I  found  myself  within  with  the  Father ;  my 
High  Priest  covered  me  with  his  intercession,  and 
I  was  no  longer  afraid.  From  that  moment  I  knew 
that  Jesus  Christ  was  my  High  Priest.     A.  C. 

14.  He  offered  himself.  They  accounted  it 
an  ill-boding  sign  when  the  sacrifices  came  con- 
strainedly to  the  altar  and  drew  back  ;  and,  on  the 
contrary,  were  glad  in  the  hopes  of  success  when 
they  came  cheerfully  forward ;  but  never  sacrifice 


came  so  willingly  all  the  way,  and  from  the  first 
step  knew  whither  he  was  going.  The  beasts,  if 
they  came  wiUingly,  yet  offered  not  themselves; 
but  he  offered  up  himself ;  and  thus,  not  only  by  a 
willingness  far  above  all  those  sacrifices  of  bullocks 
and  goats,  but  by  the  eternal  Spirit,  he  offered  up 

himself.     L. To  serve  God.     A  consideration 

of  what  Christ's  death  declares  to  us  should  have 
power  to  melt  the  hardest  heart  and  to  sober  the 
lightest ;  when  we  think  of  Christ  dying,  dying  for 
us,  and  so  purchasing  for  us  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
and  everlasting  life,  such  a  love,  and  such  a  pros- 
pect of  peace  with  God,  and  of  glory,  should  in  the 
highest  degree  soften  and  enkindle  us ;  and  from 
love  for  him,  and  confidence  of  hope  through  the 
prospect  which  he  has  given  us,  we  should  be  able 

to  overcome  all  temptations.     T.  A. The  blood 

of  Christ,  sprinkled  upon  our  consciences,  and  puri- 
fying them  from  dead  works,  takes  the  sting  out  of 
sorrow,  and  brings  a  "  peace  which  the  world  can 
neither  give  nor  take  away."  As  there  is  peace  in 
heaven,  the  peace  that  comes  of  purity,  confidence, 
and  love,  so  there  is  peace  in  us  when  our  guilt  is 
purged  away,  and  confidence  and  love  are  springing 
up  as  the  free  breath  of  life  from  the  dead.     H.  H. 

15,  16.  For  "  </te  new  testament,''^  read  "a  new 
covenant "  ;  for  "  by  means  of  death,''^  "  death  having 
taken  place  "  ;  for  "  redemption,^''  "  propitiation  "  ; 
for  "testament,''^  "covenant";  for  "«/«•««/,"  "the 
eternal."  In  verse  16,  "testament"  would  better, 
perhaps,  be  "  testamentary  covenant."  It  is  the 
same  Greek  word  as  that  rendered  "  covenant " 
before,  but  now  signifying  a  testament  of  be- 
quest.   A. 

23.  It  was  ordained  from  the  beginning  that 
life  must  be  paid  for  sin.  This  was  the  reason  for 
appointing  the  blood  of  victims  as  the  emblem  of 
atonement.  While  there  is  no  value  in  the  blood  of 
animals,  as  there  is  in  their  skins  and  flesh,  the 
Scripture  says,  The  life  is  in  the  blood,  and  the  ap- 
pointment of  blood,  therefore,  to  make  atonement, 

signified  that  life  must  be  paid  for  sin.     N.  A. 

The  honest  heart  cries  out  in  its  shame  and  fear : 
"  Let  me  suffer  for  my  sin."  Suffering  for  it  there 
must  be  somewhere  ;  transgression  is  a  costly  busi- 
ness ;  so  it  must  always  be  and  always  look ;  right 
must  stand  at  any  rate  ;  law  must  be  sacred,  or  all 
is  gone ;  and  since  nothing  is  so  dear  as  life,  and 
blood  is  the  element  of  life,  life  itself  must  be  sur- 
rendered, and  "  without  the  shedding  of  blood  is  no 
remission."  Just  because  this  life  is  so  dear,  he 
who  loves  us  infinitely,  and  to  whom  it  is  dearer 
than  to  us,  will  be  willing  to  lay  down  for  us  his 
own.  He  will  not  even  wait  for  our  consent ;  but, 
in  the  abundance  of  that  unspeakable  compassion, 
in  the  irresistible  freedom  of  that  goodness,  he  will 
do  it  beforehand,  only  asking  of  us  that  we  will  be- 


SEGTIOF  3J{3.— HEBREWS  9  : 1-28. 


589 


lieve  he  has  dono  it,  and,  accepting  our  pardon,  be 
drawn  by  that  faith  into  the  same  self-sacri- 
ficing spirit.  Herein  is  love  indeed.  Suffering  for 
our  peace  !  Sacrifice  not  that  our  service  may  profit 
and  pay  him,  but  that  our  transgression  of  a  per- 
fect law  may  be  pardoned,  and  the  noble  life  of  dis- 
interested goodness  may  be  begotten  in  ourselves. 
The  atonement  of  Christ  thus  becomes  the  inmost 
and  grandest  power  of  the  world.  It  is  the  one  pe- 
culiar, characteristic,  crowning,  glorious  truth  of  the 
gospel.     F.  D.  H. 

27,  28.  One  more  analogy  completes  this  chap- 
ter of  his  argument.  It  falls  to  men  to  die  once ; 
after  this,  to  go  to  the  judgment.  So  it  falls  to 
Christ  to  die  once  for  the  sin  of  many,  and  to  come 
a  second  time,  for  the  final  judgment.  The  more 
particular  purpose  of  his  second  coming,  as  put 
here,  has  respect  to  the  grand  consummation  of  his 
redemptive  work  in  behalf  of  his  people.  He  ap- 
pears for  the  final  and  complete  salvation  of  those 
whose  faith  looks  humbly  to  him  for  such  salvation. 
This  statement  docs  not  attempt  to  exhaust  the  ob- 
jects and  results  of  that  great  final  judgment.  It 
simply  designates  those  particular  results  which 
were  in  point  then  for  the  consolation  of  his  Chris- 
tian readers.     H.  C. 

27.  Once.  Observing  this  word  "once,"  and 
reading  it  more  exactly,  "  once  for  all,"  we  discover 
an  aspect  of  finality  in  the  declaration — implying, 
in  fact,  a  fixed  belief  that  our  present  probation,  or 
state  of  trial,  is  to  be  both  first  and  last,  a  trial 
once  for  all.  Enough  that  there  is  no  severity  in 
having  but  a  single  trial,  and  that,  if  more  than  one 
were  offered,  we  should  do  well  to  petition  against 
it.  Beyond  a  question,  God,  in  giving  us  our  one 
opportunity  and  no  more,  fixes  this  close  limit  be- 
cause one  will  do  more  for  us  than  many.  A  great- 
er number — two,  ten,  twenty — we  could  not  have 

without  unspeakable  damage  and  loss.     H.  B. 

Appointed  to  die.  We  must  look  higher  than 
a  natural  agency  for  the  account  of  the  death  of  a 
single  individual.  Here,  as  in  other  departments 
of  his  administration,  our  Lord  works  by  second 
causes.  Disease,  violence,  and  natural  decay  are 
his  instrumentality.  But  who  calls  the  instrumen- 
tality into  play  ?  who  sets  it  at  work  ?  who  first 
touches  the  hidden  spring  ?  Undoubtedly  the  great 
Redeemer.  Death  is  a  solemn  thing,  a  thing  of 
vast  moment,  and  can  not  be  decreed  except  imme- 
diately by  him.  The  key  is  in  his  hand  exclusively ; 
the  great  summons  goes  forth  from  his  presence, 
and  is  spoken  by  his  lips.  Death  is  the  transaction 
of  an  Individual  with  an  individual,  of  Christ  the 
Lord  with  one  single  member  of  the  human  family. 
The  span  of  each  one  is  measured  out  by  considera- 
tions purely  personal  to  himself.     E.  M.  G. 

If,  when  the  connection  with  matter  is  dissolved, 


an  immediate  consciousness  is  to  be  had  of  the  Di- 
vine Presence,  there  can  be  no  more  room  left  for 
mixed  or  ambiguous  moral  sentiments.  The  spirit, 
quick  throughout  with  the  feeling  of  good  and  evil, 
is  surrounded  on  every  side  with  the  Great  Object 
of  all  such  feelings ;  even  as  the  mote  that  swims 
in  the  brightness  of  the  upper  skies  is  encompassed 
with  the  effulgence  of  noon.  To  Die  is  to  burst 
upon  the  blaze  of  uncreated  Light  and  to  be  sensi- 
tive to  its  beams — and  to  nothing  else !     I.  T. 

He  who  beholds  Christ  in  death  beholds  with  him 
also  an  infinite  multitude  of  friends  ;  the  sky  is  as 
it  were  thick  set  with  stars,  one  star  differing  from 
another  star  in  glory,  but  all  glorious ;  first  the 
holy  angels,  then  God's  earthly  children,  Christ's 
redeemed  who  have  gone  before  us.  But,  if  the 
greater  light  be  hidden,  the  lesser  lights  vanish 
also ;  and  not  the  faintest  glimmer  of  the  smallest 
star  relieves  the  infinite  void.  We  need  not  carry 
forward  our  thoughts  to  the  judgment ;  death  itself 
with  its  awful  darkness  and  loneliness  is  appalling 
enough  to  us,  if  we  have  not  learned  to  fear  Christ. 
But,  fearing  Him,  we  lack  nothing,  nothing  in  earth 
or  heaven,  in  life  or  in  death,  in  time  or  in  eternity. 
Nothing  shall  in  any  wise  hurt  us  ;  for  we  are  then 
Christ's.     T.  A. 

After  death  the  judgment.  At  death  pro- 
bation ceases  and  retribution  begins ;  a  retribution 
whose  lines  run  on  without  a  break  or  a  bend.  And 
yet  the  retribution  must  needs  be  incomplete.  The 
disembodied  soul  is  not  the  whole  man.  In  order  to 
perfect  fullness  of  retribution  our  complex  humanity 
must  be  reconstructed.  The  soul  must  be  reem- 
bodied  in  order  to  encounter  the  completeness  of  its 
doom.  Whatever  there  may  be  of  heaven  for  the 
dying  saint,  or  of  hell  for  the  dying  sinner,  the 
day  of  final  reckoning  will  open  and  shut  gates  of 
glory  and  of  gloom,  through  which  only  the  reem- 
bodied  can  pass  to  the  consummation  of  their  weal 
or  woe.  It  is  this  final  goal  of  history  toward  which 
the  finger  of  prophecy  in  the  New  Testament  ever 
points.  Paul,  John,  Peter,  and  our  Lord  himself  are 
all  agreed  in  this,  that  the  great  day  for  every 
single  member  of  the  human  race,  as  for  the  race 
as  a  whole,  is  that  solemn  day  when  the  trumpet 
shall  sound  and  the  dead  shall  rise.  It  is  then  that 
the  wicked  are  to  "(70  away  into  everlastinq  punish- 
ment, but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal^     R.  D.  H. 

After  the  judgment  an  eternal  too  late  to  such  as 
have  not  then  employed  aright  the  day  of  grace ! 
Well  may  we,  when  images  of  terror  such  as  these 
arise,  with  clasped  hands  implore  beseechingly  the 
thoughtless  to  awake  at  last  out  of  their  slumber, 
since  the  sun  of  their  short  day  already  stands  high 
in  the  heavens ;  nay,  it  may  be,  sinks  to  the  western 
horizon.  Well  may  we,  when  on  so  many  sides  we 
hear  around  us  the  lullaby,  "  Never  too  late,  there  is 


590 


SECTION'  3U-—SEBREWS  10  : 1-39. 


time  to  wait,"  ask  ourselves,  as  in  the  presence  of 
Omniscience,  if  we  have  yet  accepted  the  offer  of 
mercy,  and  where  we  should  be  found  if  suddenly 
the  day  of  grace  came  to  an  end.     Van  0. 

28.  When  he  cometh  again,  he  shall  appear 
"  loithout  sin,"  without  that  guilt  which  was  charged 
upon  him,  while  he  sustained  the  character  of  Surety 
and  stood  in  the  place  of  sinful  man.  It  shall  not 
be  such  an  appearance  as  his  first  was,  when  he 
"  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  took  upon  him  the 
form  of  a  servant,"  and  submitted  to  all  the  indig- 
nities attending  that  mean  condition.  No  ;  he  shall 
come  in  the  clouds  with  great  power  and  glory  ;  he 
shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  with  his  mighty 
angels ;  he  shall  appear  in  all  the  splendor  of  Zion's 
King,  arrayed  with  that  glory  which  he  had  with  the 
Father  before  the  world  was.  Then  shall  the  re- 
proach of  the  cross  be  wiped  off,  and  all  his  suffer- 
ings fully  recompensed.     R.  W. For  the  death 

of  the  cross  God  hath  highly  exalted  him  to  be  a 
Prince  and  a  Saviour.     The  cross  links  on  to  the 


kingdom — the  kingdom  lights  up  the  cross !  The 
Saviour  comes — the  Saviour  comes  a  king !  The 
kingdom  that  he  establishes  is  all  full  of  blessing 
and  love  and  gentleness ;  and  to  us  (if  we  will  unite 
the  thoughts  of  cross  and  crown)  there  is  opened  up, 
not  only  the  possibility  of  having  boldness  before  him 
in  the  day  of  judgment,  but  there  is  opened  up  this 
likewise — the  certainty  that  he  "  shall  receive  of  the 
travail  of  his  soul  and  be  satisfied."  Oh,  remember 
that,  as  certain  as  the  historical  fact,  he  died  on 
Calvary,  so  certain  is  the  prophetic  fact,  he  shall 
reign,  and  you  and  I  will  stand  ihere  !  Take  it  into 
your  own  hearts  and  think  about  it — a  kingdom,  a 
judgment-seat,  a  crown,  a  gathered  universe ;  sepa- 
ration, decision,  execution  of  the  sentence.  And  oh  ! 
ask  yourselves,  "  When  that  gentle  eye,  with  light- 
ning in  its  depths,  falls  upon  me,  individualizes  me, 
summons  out  me  to  its  bar,  how  shall  I  stand  ?  " 
"  Herein  is  our  love  made  perfect  that  we  may 
have  boldness  before  him  in  the  day  of  judgment." 
A.  M. 


Section    344. 

Hebrews  x.  1-39. 

1  For  the  law  having  a  shadow  of  good  things  to  come,  and  not  the  very  image  of  the 
things,  can  never  with  those  sacrifices  which  they  offered  year  by  year  continually  make 

2  the  comers  thereunto  perfect.    For  then  would  they  not  have  ceased  to  be  offered  ?  because 

3  that  the  worshippers  once  purged  should  have  had  no  more  conscience  of  sins.     But  in 

4  those  sacrifices  there  is  a  remembrance  again  made  of  sins  every  year.     For  it  is  not  possi- 

5  ble  that  the  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats  should  take  away  sins.     Wherefore  when  he  com- 
eth into  the  world,  he  saith,  Sacrifice  and  offering  thou  wouldest  not,  hut  a  body  hast  thou 

6  prepared  me :  in  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices  for  sin  thou  hast  had  no  pleasure.     Then  said 

7  I,  Lo,  I  come  (in  the  volume  of  the  book  it  is  written  of  me,)  to  do  thy  will,  O  God.     Above 

8  when  he  said,  Sacrifice  and  offering  and  burnt  offerings  and  offering  for  sin  thou  wouldest 

9  not,  neither  hadst  pleasure  therein ;  which  are  offered  by  the  law ;  then  said  he,  Lo,  I 
come  to  do  thy  will,  O  God.     He  taketh  away  the  first,  that  he  may  estabhsh  the  second. 

10  By  the  which  will  we  are  sanctified  through  the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once 

11  for  all.     And  every  priest  standeth  daily  ministering  and  offering  oftentimes  the  same  sacri- 

12  fices,  which  can  never  take  away  sins :  but  this  man,  after  he  had  offered  one  sacrifice  for 

13  sins  for  ever,  sat  down  on  the  right  hand  of  God;  from  henceforth  expecting  till  his  ene- 

14  mies  be  made  his  footstool.     For  by  one  offering  he  hath  perfected  for  ever,them  that  are 

15  sanctified.      Whereof  t\\&  Holy  Ghost  also  is  a  witness  to  us:  for  after  that  he  had  said 

16  before,  This  is  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with  them  after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord, 

17  I  will  put  my  laws  into  their  hearts,  and  in  their  minds  will  I  write  them;  and  their  sins 

18  and  iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more.     Now  where  remission  of  these  is,  there  is  no  more 
offering  for  sin. 

19  Having  therefore,  brethren,  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by 

20  a  new  and  living  way,  which  he  hath  consecrated  for  us,  through  the  vail,  that  is  to  say, 

21  his  flesh  ;  and  having  an  high  priest,  over  the  house  of  God ;  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true 

22  heart  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  and 

23  our  bodies  washed  with  pure  water.     Let  us  hold  fast  the  profession  of  our  faith  without 

24  wavering ;  (for  he  is  faithful  that  promised ;)  and  let  us  consider  one  another  to  provoke  unto 

25  love  and  to  good  works :  not  forsaking  the  assembling  of  ourselves  together,  as  the  manner 
of  some  is;  but  exhorting  one  another  :  and  so  much  the  more,  as  ye  see  the  day  approach- 

26  ing.     For  if  we  sin  wilfully  after  that  we  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  there 

27  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sins,  but  a  certain  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment  and  fiery 


SECTION  3U.— HEBREWS  10  : 1-39. 


591 


28  indignation,  which  shall  devour  the  adversaries.     He  that  despised  Moses'  law  died  without 

29  mercy  under  two  or  three  witnesses:  of  how  much  sorer  punishment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he 
be  thought  worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  and  hath  counted  the 
blood  of  the  covenant,  wherewith  he  was  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing,  and  hath  done  despite 

30  unto  the  Spirit  of  grace  ?     For  we  know  him  that  hath  said,  Vengeance  helongeth  unto  me, 

31  I  will  recompense,  saith  the  Lord.  And  again.  The  Lord  shall  judge  his  people.  It  is  a. 
fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God. 

32  But  call  to  remembrance  the  former  days,  in  which,  after  ye  were  illuminated,  ye  endured 

33  a  great  fight  of  afflictions ;  partly,  whilst  ye  were  made  a  gazingstock  both  by  reproaches 

34  and  afflictions ;  and  partly,  whilst  ye  became  companions  of  them  that  were  so  used.  For 
ye  had  compassion  of  me  in  my  bonds,  and  took  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  your  goods,  know- 

35  ing  in  yourselves  that  ye  have  in  heaven  a  better  and  an  enduring  substance.     Cast  not 

36  away  therefore  your  confidence,  which  hath  great  recompense  of  reward.     For  ye  have  need 

37  of  patience,  that,  after  ye  have  done  the  will  of  God,  ye  might  receive  the  promise.     For 

38  yet  a  little  wliile,  and  he  that  shall  come  will  come,  and  will  not  tarry.     Now  the  just  shall 

39  live  by  faith :  but  if  any  man  draw  back,  my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in  him.  But  we 
are  not  of  them  who  draw  back  unto  perdition ;  but  of  them  that  believe  to  the  saving  of 
the  soul. 

Let  us  hold  fast  the  profession  of  our  faith  without  wavering.  "We  must  find  the  meaning  so  precious 
to  every  soul  that  really  has  laid  hold  of  it,  in  those  strange  words,  "  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  died  for  me." 
We  must  see  the  Jesus  of  the  cross  on  the  cross.  And  what  then  ?  Full  of  profoundest  gratitude,  the 
soul  looks  round  to  see  what  it  can  give  to  the  Saviour  in  token  of  its  feeling  of  his  love.  And,  hopeless 
of  finding  anything,  it  simply  gives  itself.  It  is  its  own  no  longer.  It  is  given  away  to  Christ.  It  lives 
his  life  and  not  its  own.  Can  you  imagine  that  becoming  real  to  a  man  and  not  changing  his  relation  to 
the  temptations  that  beset  him  ?  He  feels  now  with  Christ's  feeling,  and  corruption  drops  away  from  him. 
Shame,  love,  hope,  every  good  passion  wakes  in  the  soul.  It  walks  unharmed,  because  it  walks  in  this 
new  sense  of  consecration.  That  seems  to  be  the  perfect  ransom  of  a  soul.  When  I  am  so  thankful  to 
Christ  for  all  he  suffered  in  my  behalf  that  I  give  up  my  life  to  him  to  show  him  how  I  love  him,  and  by 
my  dedication  of  myself  to  him  am  saved  from  the  world's  low  slaveries  and  stains,  then  my  heaven  is 
begun,  its  security  and  peace  I  have  entered,  and  all  my  happy,  restful  life  takes  up  already  its  eternal 
psalm.     P.  B. 


The  writer  resumes  his  great  theme — the  com- 
parison of  the  old  covenant  with  the  new — the  sac- 
rifices under  the  law  of  Moses  with  the  one  great 
sacrifice  of  Christ — and  brings  it  to  its  close  and  its 
practical  application.     H.  C. 

1-4.  Bj  ceasing  to  apply  the  term  '■'■sacrifice'''' 
in  its  proper  sense  under  the  gospel  to  everything 
save  the  death  of  Christ  as  an  atonement  for  sin, 
the  inspired  writers  evidently  designed  to  embody 
this  vitally  important  teaching,  that  the  one  great 
and  only  propitiatory  sacrifice  having  been  offered 
once  for  all,  the  whole  system  of  typical  and  repre- 
sentative sacrifices  is  at  an  end  for  ever,  and  is  for 
ever  to  remain  without  successor  and  without  sub- 
stitute. Under  the  old  dispensation,  when  the  great 
atonement  had  been  neither  publicly  offered  nor 
fully  revealed,  it  was  necessary  to  keep  up  a  lively 
idea  of  sin,  and  of  the  necessity  of  atonement,  by  a 
system  of  most  speaking  types.  Hence  living  vic- 
tims were  ordered  to  be  slain,  and  animal  blood  to 
be  sprinkled,  amid  all  the  solemnities  of  an  impos- 
ing ritual ;  a  ritual  carrying,  nevertheless,  on  its 
very  face  the  truth  that  "  those  sacrifices,  which 
vrcre  offered  year  by  year  continually,"  could  not  of 
themselves  "  take  away  sin "  ;  while,  at  the  same 
moment,  it  served  to  keep  alive  both  a  se7ise  of  sin 
and  the  idea  that  a  real  and  efficacious  atonement 
was  necessary.  But,  noio  this  real  and  efficacious 
atonement  having  been  both  publicly  offered  and 
fully  revealed,  the  whole  system  of  typical  and 
representative  sacrifices  is  abolished,  and  the  pall  of 


significant  silence  is,  under  the  gospel,  thro^vn  over 
the  dead  body  of  that  system,  in  order  that  there 
may  be  nothing,  not  even  a  ivord,  to  turn  away  our 
eye  from  the  sacrifice  on  the  cross,  the  true  "  Lamb 
of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world,"  as 
he  stands  forth  luminously  manifest  in  the  gospel, 
the  only  hope  of  the  sinner.     J.  S.  S. 

5-9.  The  Psalmist  affirms  the  inadequacy  of 
animal  sacrifices  to  fulfill  the  divine  requirement ; 
personal  surrender  is  the  thing  demanded.  This 
statement  involves  a  principle  which  the  inspired 
author  of  the  Hebrews  makes  use  of  to  establish 
the  point  that  he  is  arguing,  viz.,  that  the  Mosaic 
sacrifices  are  superseded  and  abolished  by  the  one 
all-perfect  and  atoning  sacrifice  of  Christ.  If  the 
only  true  sacrifice,  and  that  which  alone  is  accept- 
able to  God,  is  a  personal  surrender,  then,  in  order 
to  a  perfect  and  thoroughly  acceptable  sacrifice, 
this  surrender  must  be  complete.  There  is  but  one 
of  our  race  who  can  claim  that  his  submission  to 
the  will  of  God  has  been  unreserved,  and  tbat  ho 
has  fulfilled  that  will  in  every  particular.  It  is  he 
who  came  down  from  heaven  not  to  do  his  own  will 
but  the  will  of  the  Father  who  had  sent  him  ;  and 
who  did  always  those  things  that  please  him.  Here, 
and  here  only,  is  a  subjection  to  the  will  of  God 
that  completely  fills  the  true  idea  of  a  sacrifice. 
Language  that  David  and  other  servants  of  God 
employed  in  their  own  feeble  measure  could  be 
adopted  by  him  in  its  highest  sense  without  abate- 
ment or  alloy.     The  words  which  the  Psalmist  used 


692 


SECTION'  3U.— HEBREWS  10  : 1-39. 


to  express  his  own  devout  feelings  first  find  their 
adequate  embodiment  in  the  incarnation  and  aton 
ing  work  of  Christ.  The  Psahuist  was  not  specifi- 
cally thinking  of  Christ  when  he  penned  these 
words.  He  did  not  at  the  time  intend  them  as  the 
utterance  of  Messiah.  But,  if  the  meaning  of 
Christ's  act  in  coming  into  the  world  is  to  be  put 
into  words,  these  are  its  true  expression.  And 
hence  the  writer  of  this  Epistle  represents  him  as 
saying  when  he  came  into  the  world  just  what  that 
act  in  effect  did  say.     W.  H.  G. 

7.  He  became  Mediator  and  reconciling  Peace- 
maker between  God  and  men,  having  offered  him- 
self up  to  God  the  Father  for  a  sweet-smelling 
savor.  For  what  offering  or  sacrifice  could  he  have 
needed  for  himself,  when,  being  God,  he  was  already 
far  above  all  sin  ?  Then  what  room  is  left  for 
doubting  that  on  our  account  and  for  us  he  was 

sacrificed  as  the  true  Lamb  ?     Cyril  of  Alex. 

The  freeness  of  the  sacrifice  was  its  efiicacy.  It 
was  not  the  offering  of  the  Father  alone,  nor  of  the 
Son  alone,  but  of  the  divine  heart  of  God  in  them 
both — a  heart  that  was  loving  before  the  foundation 
of  the  world,  and  finding  this  overwhelming  utter- 
ance at  last.     F.  D.  H. 

9.  At  the  table,  in  the  temple,  on  the  mount, 
by  the  wayside,  weary,  hungry,  defamed,  by  night, 
by  day,  in  every  state  and  place,  weeping  over  the 
grave  of  Lazarus,  riding  triumphantly  into  Jerusa- 
lem, praying  in  the  garden,  hanging  on  the  cross, 
Jesus  was  still  the  same — he  did  the  will  of  the 
Father  who  sent  him.  Fancy  can  imagine  nothing 
more  sublime  than  the  unity  of  that  great  purpose. 

Bawdier. "  He  taketh  away  the  first,"  viz.,  the 

sacrifices,  "  that  he  may  establish  the  second,"  viz., 
the  will  of  God.     C. 


Altar  of  Burnt  OfferiDg,  from  Surenhusius's  Mishna. 


11.  For  four  thousand  years  the  animal  tribes, 
by  their  appointed  representatives,  paid  for  man  the 
forfeiture  of  his  life  by  their  own.  For  thousands 
of  years  the  priests  of  God  stood  daily  offering  the 
same  sacrifices,  all  holding  forth  the  same  truths : 
The  wages  of  sin  is  death  ;  and.  Without  shedding 

of  blood,  is  no  remission.     N.  A. 12.    Under 

the  lav,-  there  was  no  end  to  the  priest's  work  ;  for, 


besides  the  two  great  public  sacrifices  at  morning  and 
evening,  any  man  might  bring  his  sin-offering  or 
trespass-offering  at  any  hour  to  the  temple,  and  there 
must  be  a  priest  waiting  to  receive  and  present  it. 
And  all  this  went  on  year  after  year  for  ages.  The 
fire  on  the  altar  was  kept  continually  burning,  and 
the  blood  of  victims  almost  as  continually  flowing — 
significant  but  awful  emblems  of  the  unceasing, 
ever-burning  displeasure  of  Jehovah  against  man's 
transgressions,  and  the  utter  insufiBciency  of  all  that 
man  can  do  to  remove  it.  "  But  this  man,"  the 
Lord  Jesus,  our  great  High  Priest,  "  offered  one 
sacrifice,"  one  only,  and  when  he  had  offered  that, 
his  work  was  done.  His  precious  blood  once  shed, 
all  is  over.  The  fire  on  the  altar  goes  out,  and  the 
altar  itself  is  soon  thrown  down  and  destroyed. 
C.  B. He  obtained  by  one  act  that  which  man- 
kind, from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  had  been  en- 
deavoring in  vain  to  accomplish  by  innumerable  and 
continual  sacrifices,  the  pardon  of  sin  and  reconcili- 
ation with  God.  After  this  universal  and  effectual 
expiation,  in  every  country  that  embraced  the  gospel, 
all  sacrifices,  both  animal  and  human,  immediately 
ceased ;  a  sudden  and  absolute  period  was  put  to 
that  incredible  effusion  of  blood  which  had  deluged 
the  world  almost  from  the  very  creation  down  to 
that  time.     P. 

As  the  virtue  of  his  death  looks  backward  to  all 
preceding  ages,  whose  faith  and  sacrifices  looked 
forward  to  it,  so  the  same  death  is  of  force  and  per- 
petual value  to  the  end  of  the  world.  The  cross  on 
which  he  was  extended  points  in  the  length  of  it  to 
heaven  and  earth,  reconciling  them  together ;  and 
in  the  breadth  of  it  to  former  and  following  ages, 

as  being   equally  salvation  to  both.     L. For 

ever  sat  down.  The  mediatorial  dominion  stands 
in  inseparable  connection  with  the  sacerdotal  offer- 
ing of  Christ.  He  sits  a  Priest  upon  his  throne. 
Nor  will  any  enlightened,  unprejudiced  subject  of 
Zion's  King  feel  that  there  is  any  incongruity,  in 
his  case  at  least,  between  the  miter  and  the  crown, 
the  altar  and  the  throne,  the  censer  and  the  scepter; 
the  smoking  incense  and  the  shout  of  victory.  "  We 
have  a  great  High  Priest  that  is  passed  into  the 
heavens.  This  man  for  ever  sat  down  on  the  right 
hand  of  God."  W.  S. In  his  wonderful  person- 
ality, uniting  the  divine  with  the  human  constitu- 
tion— after  his  amazing  and  unparalleled  experience, 
of  the  endurance  unto  death,  of  resurrection  and  as- 
cension— as  the  head  of  the  system  which  represents 
him  among  men,  he  abideth  henceforth  in  the  pres- 
ence of  God.  He  there  awaits  the  extension  through 
the  earth  of  his  spiritual  kingdom.     R.  S.  S. 

14-18.  "By  one  offering  he  hath  perfected  for 
ever  them  that  are  sanctified."  That  this  is  so, 
saith  he,  the  Holy  Ghost  himself  witnesses  by  the 
express   terms  of   the  new  covenant.    For,   after 


SECTION  3U-—SEBREWS  10  : 1-39. 


593 


promising  to  be  the  author  of  sanctification  to  the 
heirs  of  promise,  he  adds,  "And  their  sins  and  in- 
iquities will  I  remember  no  more."  "  Now,"  argues 
the  apostle,  "  where  remission  of  these  is,"  such  a 
remission  as  is  complete  and  Jinal,  "there  is  no 

more   ofifeiing  for  sin."     Goode. Perfected. 

They  lie  no  longer  under  a  sense  of  condemnation. 
They  are  really  accepted  before  the  infinite  throne 
as  redeemed  and  saved  children  of  God.  More  than 
merely  forgiven,  they  are  renewed  in  heart  to  love 
and  obedience ;  born  of  God  unto  a  new  and  heav- 
enly life  of  soul.  The  work  of  salvation  is  for  them 
made  perfect.  In  a  blessed  sense  they  are  "  perfect- 
ed for  ever."     H.  C. 

15-17.  (See  Section  342,  verses  10-12.)  In 
this  covenant,  life  and  every  blessing  is  freely  made 
over  in  Christ ;  it  is  a  covenant  founded  on  free 
forgiveness  of  all  iniquity,  consisting  of  exceeding 
great  and  precious  promises  from  him  who  is  able 
to  make  them  good,  and  having  no  other  conditions 
to  be  fulfilled,  on  man's  part,  than  simply  to  accept 
its  grace.     Goode. 

19.  The  meaning  of  this  is,  that  the  flesh  (or 
manhood)  of  Christ  was  a  veil  which  hid  his  true 
nature  ;  this  veil  he  rent  when  he  gave  up  his  body 
to  death ;  and  through  his  incarnation,  thus  revealed 
under  its  true  aspect,  we  must  pass,  if  we  would  en- 
ter into  the  presence  of  God.  We  can  have  no  real 
knowledge  of  God  but  through  his  incarnation.     C. 

The  blood    by  which  we  now  enter  into  the 

heavenly  sanctuary  is  the  blood  of  him  who  hath 
life  in  himself ;  who,  though  he  voluntarily  submit- 
ted to  death  for  a  season,  yet  soon  rose  again  from 
the  grave  by  his  own  power  ;  "  who  liveth  for  ever- 
more." His  Jlesh,  Or  human  nature,  gets  the  name 
of  a  veil,  through  which  the  new  and  living  way  in- 
to the  holiest  is  consecrated  for  us.  It  is  such  a 
veil  as  doth  not  exclude  from  but  opens  to  give  v.s 
admittance  to  a  throne  of  grace ;  nay,  Christ  him- 
self is  the  true  propitiatory  or  mercy-seat :  the  sac- 
rifice, the  altar,  and  the  high  priest  are  all  united  in 
his  wonderful  person.  In  short,  "  he  is  the  way, 
the  truth,  and  the  life  "  ;  the  true,  the  living,  and 
the  only  way  to  the  Father.     R.  W. 

22.  Draw  near.  The  outer  temple  was  the 
figure  of  the  whole  Church  upon  earth  ;  like  as  the 
holy  of  holies  represented  heaven.  Nothing  can 
better  resemble  faithful  prayers  than  sweet  perfume. 
These  God  looks  that  we  should  send  up  unto  him 
morning  and  evening.  The  elevation  of  our  hearts 
should  be  perpetual ;  but,  if  twice  in  the  day  we  do 
not  present  God  with  our  solemn  invocations,  we 
make  the  gospel  less  effective  than  the  law.  Now, 
every  man  is  a  priest  unto  God ;  every  man,  since 
the  veil  was  rent,  prays  within  the  temple.  What 
are  we  the  better  for  our  greater  freedom  of  access 
to  God  imder  the  gospel,  if  we  do  not  make  use  of 
38 


our  privilege  ?     Bp.  H. In  full  assurance. 

We  have  the  promise  of  God  confirmed  by  his  oath ; 
we  have  the  gift  of  his  own  Son  to  be  the  propitia- 
tion for  our  sins ;  we  are  not  only  permitted,  but 
invited,  nay,  commanded,  to  come  to  the  Saviour, 
with  this  most  endearing  declaration,  that  such  as 
come  to  him  shall  in  no  wise  be  rejected  or  cast  out 
by  him.  And  shall  not  this  accumulated,  this  su- 
perabundant evidence  produce  in  us  that  full  assu- 
rance of  faith  with  which  the  apostle  exhortcth  us 
to  draw  near  to  God  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  ?  R.  W. 
Hearts  sprinkled.  Pardoned  sins  can  not 
hurt  the  sinner,  and,  though  it  troubles  him  that  he 
hath  sinned,  yet  his  sins  can  not  trouble  him.  Free 
grace  in  justification  takes  all  our  sins  off  the  file 
as  if  they  were  not  at  all.  Pardon  is  the  blotting 
of  transgressions  out  of  God's  book,  and,  if  they  are 
once  blotted  out  of  God's  book,  we  need  not  care 
who  writes  them  in  their  book,  nor  what  books  men 

or  devils  write  against   us.     Caryl. What  the 

apostle  subjoins,  having  our  bodies  washed  with  pure 
tvaier,  ought  to  be  transferred  to  the  following  verse ; 
in  which  case,  without  any  straining,  they  obviously 
apply  to  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  and  are  urged, 
with  great  propriety,  to  enforce  a  steadfast,  unwa- 
vering adherence  to  that  faith  which  the  converted 
Hebrews  had  professed  with  such  solemnity,  when, 
at  their  admission  into  the  Church  of  Christ,  their 
bodies  were  washed  with  pure  icater,  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.     R.  W. 

23.  There  are  four  things  ascribed  to  God  in 
Scripture  which  may  assure  us  he  will  be  just  in 
performing  all  his  promises :  he  remembers  them 
all,  he  is  unchangeable,  he  is  furnished  with  power 
to  perform  them,  he  is  most  faithful,  and  will  not 
deny  nor  falsify  them.  To  keep  commandments  is 
our  work — to  keep  promises  is  God's  work  ;  though 
we  may  fail  much  in  our  work,  God  will  not  fail 
at  all  in  his  work.     To  believe  this  is  our  highest 

and  truest  work  of  faith.     Caryl. "  God,"  it  is 

written,  "  is  faithful,"  as  promising  to  save ;  he  will 
save  assuredly,  yet  so  as  he  has  promised.  But  in 
what  way  has  he  promised  ?  On  our  willing  it  and 
on  our  hearing  him ;  for  he  does  not  make  a  promise 
to  blocks  of  wood  and  to  inert  stones.     Chrys. 

24,  25.  I  do  not  know  anything  more  impressive 
than  the  sight  of  a  congregation  evidently  in  earnest 
in  the  service  in  which  they  arc  engaged.  We  then 
feel  how  different  is  our  lonely  prayer  from  the 
united  voice  of  many  hearts,  each  cheering,  strength- 
ening, enkindling  the  other.  We  then  consider  one 
another  to  provoke  unto  love  and  good  works.  Hoy 
different  are  the  feelings  with  which  we  regard  a 
number  of  persons  met  for  any  common  purpose, 
and  the  same  persons  engaged  together  in  serious 
prayer  or  praise  !  Then  Christ  seems  to  appear  to 
us  in  each  of  them ;  we  are  all  one  in  him.     How 


594 


SECTION  344.— HEBREWS  10  : 1-39. 


little  do  all  earthly  unkindnesses,  dislikes,  preju- 
dices become  in  our  eyes  when  the  real  bond  of  our 
common  faith  is  discerned  clearly  !     T.  A. 

Should  you  be  really  and  lawfully  hindered  by 
works  of  necessity  and  love  from  attending  public 
worship,  you  break  no  law  whatever  by  absent- 
in^  yourself  from  it ;  nay,  because  God  sends  the 
hindrance  in  the  order  of  his  providence,  you  shall 
none  the  less  realize  his  presence  and  receive  his 
blessing  in  the  sanctuary  of  your  heart.  Whereas, 
on  the  other  hand,  when  there  is  no  such  hindrance, 
and  when  opportunities  ofCer,  you  do  forsake  the 
assembling  of  yourself  together  with  your  brethren, 
if  you  do  not  avail  yourself  of  them.  The  precept 
is  free  enough  to  give  dispensation  in  circumstances 
of  necessity,  while  at  the  same  time  it  is  strict 
enough  to  secure  obedience  where  there  are  no  such 

circumstances.    E.  M.  G. Wc  should  be  alarmed 

to  know  that  the  prayers  of  God's  house  are  pro- 
ceeding without  us ;  that  the  songs  of  the  temple 
are  sung,  and  our  voices  are  dumb ;  that  the  trea- 
sury of  benevolence  is  filled,  while  our  money  cankers 
and  eats  our  flesh ;  that  dying  souls  need  us  not, 
t^hile  others  search  them  out  as  gems  for  our  Re- 
deemer's crown.     R.  T. 

25.  The  day  approaching.  The  Church 
being  in  all  ages  kept  uncertain  how  soon  Christ  is 
coming,  the  day  is,  and  has  been  in  each  age,  practi- 
cally always  near,  whence  believers  have  been  called 
on  always  to  be  watching  for  it  as  nigh  at  hand. 
The  Hebrews  were  now  living  close  upon  one  of 
those  great  types  and  foretastes  of  it — the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem.    Fausset. That  day  is  the  day 

of  days,  the  ending  day  of  all  days,  the  settling  day 
of  all  days,  the  day  of  the  promotion  of  time  into 
eternity,  the  day  which,  for  the  Church,  breaks 
through  and  breaks  off  the  night  of  the  present 
world.     Delitzsch. 

26-31.  This  and  the  similar  passage,  6  :  4-6, 
have  proved  perplexing  to  many  readers ;  yet  neither 
passage  asserts  the  impossibility  of  an  apostate's 
repentance.  What  is  said  amounts  to  this :  that  for 
the  conversion  of  a  deliberate  apostate,  God  has 
(according  to  the  ordinary  laws  of  his  working)  no 
further  means  in  store  than  those  which  have  been 
already  tried  in  vain.  It  should  be  remembered 
also  that  the  parties  addressed  are  not  those  who 
had  already  apostatized,  but  those  who  were  in 
danger  of  so  doing,  and  who  needed  the  most  ear- 
nest warning.     C. 

26,  27«  God  is  now  merciful ;  he  deals  with  us 
through  the  medium  of  his  Son.  If  we  will  be  rec- 
onciled to  him  as  he  is  to  us  through  Christ,  we 
shall  have  peace,  and  the  blood  of  Christ  shall 
cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness ;  but,  if  not, 
God  will  have  judgment  without  mercy.  This  is  a 
result  of  evil  proportioned  to  the  cost  and  prccious- 


nes3  of  the  good  we  decline ;  and  both  reason  and 
conscience  give  forth  this  "  looking  for  of  judgment 
and  fiery  indignation."  This  is  the  handwriting  of 
conscience  upon  the  wall  which  we  need  no  prophet 

to  divine.     II.  H. God  will  punish  sin  in  a  way 

corresponding  to  the  infinite  wonders  of  his  love 
and  grace  in  redemption ;  and  they  who  neglect 
Christ  and  continue  in  sin  will  endure  a  punishment 
corresponding  to  the  greatness  of  the  salvation 
which  was  provided  for  them.     N.  A. 

29.  Man  is  voluntary  in  his  departure  from  God ; 
he  is  voluntary  in  loving  the  creature  more  than 
God  ;  and  he  is  voluntary  in  refusing  to  return  to 
God  by  Jesus  Christ.  A  complete  atonement  has 
been  made  for  all  his  sins,  and  a  free  pardon  is  of- 
fered if  he  will  repent.  But  he  will  not  repent. 
Christ  is  able  and  willing  to  save  him  if  he  will 
come  to  him,  but  he  will  not  come.  God  has  built 
an  eternal  prison,  and  the  sinner  fits  himself  for  it ; 
goes  there  of  his  own  accord,  in  spite  of  all  the 
restraints  which  God  has  laid  upon  him  and  all  the 
obstructions  by  which  he  has  blocked  up  the  way  to 
ruin.  God  has  done  everything  but  just  to  exert 
almighty  power  ;  yet  he  will  not  turn.  He  will  die ! 
He  shuts  his  eyes ;  he  stops  his  ears  to  prayers  and 
entreaties ;  he  treads  under  foot  the  blood  of  the 
covenant  and  does  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace ; 
and,  through  a  host  of  opposing  means,  and  while 
God  and  angels  and  men  are  entreating  him  to  stop, 

he  forces  his  way  down  to  ruin.     L.  B. Believe 

it,  whoever  hewed  the  cross,  or  drove  the  nails,  or 
platted  the  thorns,  or  pierced  the  side,  it  is  indiffer- 
ence, it  is  ingratitude,  it  is  unbelief,  it  is  selfishness, 
it  is  hard,  cold,  narrow  worldliness,  everywhere,  al- 
ways, which  crucifies  the  Lord  of  Glory,  and  is  the 
agency  of  his  crucifixion.     F.  D.  H. 

30,  31.  What  say  we  of  the  penalty?  Shall 
we  amuse  our  leisure  by  showing  the  inconclusive- 
ness  of  certain  terrific  and  probable  arguments  on 
this  subject  ?  Shall  we  spend  the  hours  of  life  that 
remain  in  gathering  reasons  which  seem  to  make  it 
less  than  absolutely  certain  that  the  worst  that  has 
been  affirmed  shall  prove  to  be  true  ?  Shall  we 
court  those  dreams  concerning  the  lenity  of  the 
divine  government  which  the  miseries  even  of  the 
present  life  are  enough  to  dissipate  ?  Nay,  rather 
than  any  longer  debilitate  the  moral  forces  of  the 
mind  by  giving  ear  to  flatteries  that  breathe  the 
very  nausea  of  sin,  let  us  take  up,  as  the  first  axiom 
of  our  religious  notions,  the  ti'uth — that  "  it  is  in- 
deed a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
hving  God ! "     I.  T. 

36.  Need  of  patience.  All  other  virtues  and 
graces  have  need  of  patience  to  perfect  or  to  secure 
them.  Patience  interposes  herself,  and  receives  and 
stops  every  dart  which  the  evil  one  aims  at  them. 
"  Patience  is  the  root  and  guardian  of  all  virtue  " , 


SECTION  Slfi.— HEBREWS  11 : 1-16. 


595 


impatience  is  the  enemy  of  all.  Impatience  dis- 
quiets the  soul,  makes  her  weary  of  conflict,  ready 
to  lay  aside  her  armor  and  to  leave  difficult  duty. 
Impatience,  by  troubling  the  smooth  mirror  of  the 
soul,  hinders  her  from  reflecting  the  face  of  God ;  by 
its  din,  it  hinders  her  from  hearing  the  voice  of  God. 
Impatience  listens  to  nothing,  heeds  nothing,  fears 
nothing,  hopes  nothing,  judges  aright  of  nothing, 
perseveres  in  nothing  except  in  restlessness.  Impa- 
tience distrusts  man  and  rebels  against  God.   JPusey. 

The  active  vrorking  time  in  some  manner  comes 

to  an  end.  Perhaps  health  fails,  or  circumstances 
change,  or  doors  of  opportunity  are  closed,  or  fields 
once  white  unto  the  harvest  are  now  reaped  and 
bare,  and  no  other  fields  are  whitening.  Arrest,  in 
some  way,  is  laid  upon  the  active  power,  and  there 
is  "  need  of  patience."  Or,  the  work  still  going  on, 
without  abatement  of  energy  in  the  doing  of  it, 
with  no  slackening  of  diligence  or  narrowing  of  op- 
portunity, there  is  still,  it  may  be,  much  need  of 
patience.  Work,  and  have  patience.  And  still 
work,  as  long  as  working  power  is  given,  and  still 
have  patience.     A.  R. 

37.  Waiting  souls,  remember  this :  assurance  is 
yours,  but  the  time  of  giving  it  is  the  Lord's ;  the 
golden  chain  is  yours,  but  he  only  knows  the  hour 


wherein  he  will  put  it  around  your  necks.  Well, 
wait  patiently  and  quietly,  wait  expectingly  and  be- 
lievingly,  wait  affectionately  and  wait  diligently,  and 
you  shall  find  that  Scripture  made  good  with  power 
upon  your  souls :  "  Vet  a  little  while,  and  he  that  shall 

come  will  come,  and  will  not  tai-ry."     Brooks. 

Christ  came  the  first  time  in  weakness;  he  is  to 
come  the  second  time  in  might ;  the  first  time  in  our 
littleness,  the  second  time  in  his  own  majesty ;  the 
first  time  in  mercy,  the  second  in  judgment;  the 
first  time  to  redeem,  the  second  to  recompense,  and 
recompense  all  the  more  terribly  because  of  the 
long-suffering  and  delay.     Hildehei-t. 

39.  Believe  to  saving.  The  faith  that  saves 
is  the  faith  that  inspires — the  faith  of  practice, 
working  by  love,  proved  by  charity,  triumphing  in 
integrity,  constant  unto  death,  making  the  Christian 
ever  more  and  more  like  the  Master,  more  true  to 

man,  humbler  before  God.     F.  D.  H. It  ought  to 

be  a  joy  to  us  all  that  a  faith  which  is  clouded  with 
ignorance  may  yet  be  a  faith  which  Christ  accepts. 
He  that  knows  and  trusts  him  as  brother,  friend, 
Saviour,  in  whom  he  receives  the  pardon  and  cleans- 
ing which  he  needs  and  desires,  may  have  very 
much  misconception  and  error  cleaving  to  him,  but 
Christ  accepts  him.    A.  M. 


Section  345. 

Hebrews  xi.    1-16. 

1  Now  faith  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen.     For  by 

2  it  the  elders  obtained  a  good  report.     Through  faith  we  understand  that  the  worlds  were 

3  framed  by  the  word  of  God,  so  that  things  which  are  seen  were  not  made  of  things  which 
do  appear. 

4  By  faith  Abel  offered  unto  God  a  more  excellent  sacrifice  than  Cain,  by  which  he  ob- 
tained witness  that  he  was  righteous,  God  testifying  of  his  gifts  :  and  by  it  he  being  dead 

5  yet  speaketh.    By  faith  Enoch  was  translated  that  he  should  not  see  death ;  and  was  not 
found,  because  God  had  translated  him :  for  before  his  translation  he  had  this  testimony, 

6  that  he  pleased  God.     But  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  him :  for  he  that  cometh 
to  God  must  believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  dihgently  seek  him. 

7  By  faith  Noah,  being  warned  of  God  of  things  not  seen  as  yet,  moved  with  fear,  prepared 
an  ark  to  the  saving  of  his  house ;  by  the  which  he  condemned  the  world,  and  became  heir 

8  of  the  righteousness  which  is  by  faith.     By  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was  called  to  go  out 
into  a  place  which  he  should  after  receive  for  an  inheritance,  obeyed ;  and  he  went  out,  not 

9  knowing  whither  he  went.     By  faith  he  sojourned  in  the  land  of  promise,  as  in  a  strange 
country,  dwelling  in  tabernacles  with  Isaac  and  Jacob,  the  heirs  with  him  of  the  same 

10  promise  :  for  he  looked  for  a  city  which  hath  foundations,  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God. 

11  Through  faith  also  Sara  herself  received  strength  to  conceive  seed,  and  was  delivered  of  a 

12  child  when  she  was  past  age,  because  she  judged  hhn  faithful  who  had  promised.  Therefore 
sprang  there  even  of  one,  and  him  as  good  as  dead,  so  many  as  the  stars  of  the  sky  in  mul- 
titude, and  as  the  sand  which  is  by  the  sea  shore  innumerable. 

18  These  all  died  in  faith,  not  having  received  the  promises,  but  having  seen  them  afar  off, 
and  were  persuaded  of  them,  and  embraced  them,  and  confessed  that  they  were  strangers 


596 


SECTION  3^.— HEBREWS  11  : 1-16. 


14  and  pilgrims  on  tLe  earth.     For  they  that  say  such  things  declare  plainly  that  they  seek  a 

15  country.     And  truly,  if  they  had  been  mindful  of  that  country  from  whence  they  came  out, 

16  they  might  have  had  opportunity  to  have  returned.  But  now  they  desire  a  better  country, 
that  is,  an  heavenly :  wherefore  God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God  :  for  he  hath  pre- 
pared for  them  a  city 

The  first  of  the  gifts  of  the  new  covenant  is  faith.  The  property  of  faith  is  to  attach  itself  before  all 
and  above  all  to  what  God  has  said,  be  it  command,  instruction,  or  promise.  To  believe  is  to  repose 
entirely  on  the  infallibiUty  and  faithfulness  of  God ;  it  is  to  place  his  testimony  above  all  kinds  of  cer- 
tainty or  guarantee ;  it  is  to  regard  every  word  proceeding  from  his  mouth  as  more  substantial  and  real 
than  the  reality  itself;  it  is  in  practice  to  regard  duty  in  the  form  in  which  God  has  enjoined  it  as  the 
clearest  and  most  imperative  of  all  obligations ;  it  is,  consequently,  to  go  forward  with  unflinching  eye, 
and  meet  coming  events  as  we  would  meet  God  himself ;  it  is  to  renounce  the  tyrannical  domination  of  the 
senses,  and  uniformly  look  to  the  foundation,  the  very  essence  of  the  truth,  instead  of  looking  to  external 
accidents  or  signs ;  it  is  to  prefer  the  invisible,  which  is  eternal,  to  the  visible,  which  passes  away,  and 
the  possession  of  the  sovereign  good  to  the  sensible  signs  of  its  presence.     A.  V. 

Throw  into  one  great  sum  total  all  that  you  have  ever  experienced  or  can  conceive  of  wisdom  and 
power — the  most  far-sighted  discernment  of  results,  with  the  most  absolute  control  over  them — the  keen- 
est intuition  into  character,  with  every  conceivable  influence  for  molding  it — think  of  a  providence  not  of 
this  earth,  which  no  opposition  can  surprise,  and  no  device  counterplot,  calmly  and  serenely  evolving  its 
own  designs  from  the  perverse  agencies  of  man,  and  turning  the  very  arm  which  is  raised  to  defeat  it  into 
a  minister  of  its  will — imagine  a  Being  so  wonderfully  endowed  that  the  whole  keyboard  of  nature,  prov- 
idence, and  the  human  heart  lies  under  his  hand,  and,  smitten  by  his  mystic  fingers,  gives  forth  the  har- 
mony which  pleases  him ;  and  then  invest  him  in  your  conception  with  an  intensity  of  love  which  is  not 
discouraged  by  the  deepest  moral  degradation  in  its  objects,  and  which  clings  to  the  person  of  the  sinner 
with  unchilled  devotion  even  while  it  condemns  his  sin  with  an  abhorrence  no  less  than  infinite — imagine 
such  a  Being,  and  imagine  him  accessible  to  man,  and  you  imagine  one  to  whom  in  their  hour  of  need  all 
the  world,  unless  indeed  the  spell  of  some  deadly  fascination  were  laid  upon  them,  would  be  resorting 
continually  for  guidance,  help,  and  comfort.  But  this  is  no  imagination.  It  is  a  reality.  God  is  such  a 
being  as  we  have  labored  to  describe.  He  not  only  permits,  but  invites ;  not  only  invites,  but  commands 
the  approach  to  him  of  every  comer.     E.  M.  G. 


The  citation  of  the  great  Pauline  watchword 
(10  :  38),  "  The  just  man  shall  live  by  faith,"  leads 
to  a  grand  digression  on  the  triumphs  of  faith,  as 
shown  in  the  holy  men  and  women  of  old.  Thus 
this  chapter  constitutes  the  Hymn  of  Faith,  as  1  Cor. 
13  was  the  Hymn  of  Love  ;  the  two  being  the  high- 
est flights  of  impassioned  rhetoric  in  the  Apostolic 
Epistles.  A. This  magnificent  grouping  of  ex- 
amples of  faith  was  specially  in  point  for  his  He- 
brew readers.  Those  heroes  and  martyrs  were  the 
pride  and  the  glory  of  every  son  and  daughter  of 
Abraham.  To  turn  all  this  admiration  to  account, 
the  writer  had  only  to  show  that  their  heroism  was 
the  outcome  of  their  faith — the  very  same  faith  es- 
sentially which  he  was  exhorting  them  to  cherish 
and  hold  fast.  Yet  this  chapter  is  good,  not  for 
that  age  of  stem  trial  only,  but  for  all  the  ages  to 
the  cud  of  time.  Walking  and  working  by  faith 
are  the  staple  of  the  Christian  life,  and  are  to  be  so 
long  as  earthly  life  is  a  pilgrimage  and  a  warfare. 
Therefore  let  us  open  our  souls  to  the  grand  inspi- 
rations of  these  heroic  examples  !     H.  C. 

1.  This  is  the  only  place  in  the  Bible  where  we 
have  what  we  can  call  a  definition  of  faith.     That 


faith  which  is  the  foundation  of  all  other  Christian 
graces — the  title  by  which  we  keep  our  place  as 
Christians,  the  inward  working  which  has  its  fruit 
in  good  works,  the  hand  by  which  we  lay  hold  on 
God  and  on  Christ — is  here  said  to  be  the  substance 
of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen ; 
and  by  substance  is  here  meant  firm  confidence,  and 
by  evidence  is  meant  conviction.  Faith  is  the  laying 
hold  of  the  future  in  the  midst  of  the  present,  of 

the  unseen  in  the  midst  of  the  seen.    F.  T. Faith 

is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  substantiating 
them  to  the  apprehension,  realizing  them  to  the 
heart,  making  them  operative  motives,  as  much  as 
the  gain,  the  pleasure,  and  the  fear  of  our  daily 
walks.  One  of  the  most  precious  gifts  which  God 
ever  vouchsafes  us  is  a  clear,  unwavering  insight  of 
the  soul  into  future  and  unseen  things,  which  on 
God's  authority  become  so  sure  to  us  that  they  stand 
out  palpable  and  real  before  us,  and,  though  not  by 
the  same  evidence,  become  as  influential  upon  our 
affections  and  will  as  the  material  objects  of  our 
senses.     Such  faith  is  no  fancy,  but  self-evidence. 

J.  W.  A. Such  was  the  apostle's  own  faith.     It 

pierced  the  veil  which  hides  the  other  world  from 


SECTION  SJt5.— HEBREWS  11 : 1-16. 


597 


us,  and  took  in,  not  merely  this  brief,  precarious 
span  that  we  call  life,  but  the  soul's  whole  duration ; 
not  merely  the  shadows  of  the  present  scene,  which 
we  misname  realities,  but  the  realities  of  the  spirit- 
world,  which  we  mistake  for  shadows.  And  it  in- 
terpreted both  the  pleasures  and  the  crosses  of  our 
earthly  pilgrimage  by  the  light  thrown  back  upon 
them  from  the  resplendent  walls  and  towers  of  the 
city  of  the  Great  King.     U.  A.  B. 

3.  By  revelation  we  understand  that  the  worlds 
were  brought  into  being  by  the  word  of  God.  So 
that  the  things  which  are  seen  (the  worlds)  were  not 
made  of  things  which  did  appear  before  they  were 
made;  that  is,  the  worlds  which  we  see  were  not 
made  of  matter  which  had  existed  from  eternity, 
but  of  matter  which  God  created  and  formed  into 
the  things  which  we  see ;  and,  having  formed  them, 
he  placed  them  in  the  beautiful  order  which  they 
now  hold,  and  impressed  on  them  the  motions 
proper  to  each,  which  they  have  retained  ever 
since.     M. 

4,  The  institution  of  sacrifices,  immediately  that 
man  fell,  had  no  object ;  they  were  of  no  efficacy,  but 
as  they  showed  forth  the  Mediator,  through  whom, 
as  slain  for  us,  we  draw  near  to  God.  The  rejection 
of  Cain's  offering  was  owing  to  a  want  of  acknowl- 
edgment in  it  of  this  great  truth ;  it  was  one  that 
man  might  have  made  in  innocence ;  but  it  recog- 
nized not  his  guilt  and  need  of  mediation  as  a  fallen 
being ;  it  was  not  offered,  as  the  "  more  excellent 
sacrifice  "  of  Abel  was,  "  by  faith  "  in  another  for 
acceptance  with  God,  and  "  the  Lord  had  not  re- 
spect unto  it."     Goode. God  had  said  in  effect, 

once  for  all,  that  he  would  never  speak  nor  be 
spoken  to  in  a  way  of  friendship  by  any  of  the  hu- 
man race  but  through  a  Mediator.  This  was  inti- 
mated, partly  by  man's  being  debarred  from  all 
access  to  the  tree  of  life,  partly  by  the  promise  of 
the  woman's  seed,  and  partly  by  the  institution  of 
sacrifices.  Cain  overlooked  all  this,  and  approached 
God  without  an  expiatory  sacrifice,  as  if  there  had 
been  no  breach  between  them  and  so  no  need  of  an 
atonement.  This  was  daring  unbelief.  Abel  took 
God  at  his  word,  perceived  the  evil  of  sin  and  the 
awful  breach  made  by  it — dared  not  to  bring  an 
offering  without  a  victim  for  atonement — had  re- 
spect to  the  promised  Messiah — and  thus,  by  faith 
in  the  unseen  Lamb,  offered  a  more  excellent  offer- 
ing than  Cain.     A.  Fuller. 

Dead,  yet  speaketh.  Then  the  man  begins 
to  speak  and  act  through  his  influence  alone.  That 
has  gone  forth  through  example,  opinions,  words, 
and  deeds,  thenceforth  disencumbered  of  all  mortal 
hindrance  to  work  directly  on  the  minds  and  hearts 
of  survivors.  It  shapes  the  plan,  decides  the  waver- 
ing purpose,  lures  to  the  forbidden  path,  or  utters 
the  word  of  remonstrance — the  timely  warning.     It 


lives  in  the  hearts  of  all  that  it  ever  reached,  and 
when  they  drop  away  and  disappear,  it  still  survives, 
transmitted  to  others  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion.    E.  H.  G. A  purely  good  man,  a  holy  man, 

a  man  whose  life  and  nature  you  saw  always  lumi- 
nous with  the  presence  of  God  in  every  thought  and 
act  and  word — have  you  never  been  conscious  of 
some  power  in  his  presence  ?  or,  if  he  were  dead,  of 
some  power  in  the  image  of  what  he  was  that  grew 
up  in  you  as  you  read  or  heard  about  him,  utterly 
unlike  that  which  far  greater  men  had  over  you.  He 
was  no  hero  and  no  teacher.  You  felt  no  wonder  at 
his  ability,  and  found  no  intellectual  delight  in  what 
he  told  you,  but  he  brought  God  close  to  you.   P.  B. 

6.  Faith  is  the  identifying  Christian  principle, 
separate  and  apart  from  which,  whatever  excellence 
men  may  exhibit,  is  but  mere  morality.  By  faith 
we  submit  to  the  authority  of  God's  law ;  by  faith 
we  are  united  to  Christ  and  "  receive  from  his  full- 
ness and  grace  for  grace  "  ;  by  faith  we  contemplate 
the  love  of  God  in  Christ ;  by  faith  our  conduct  be- 
comes acceptable  to  God  through  Christ.     J.  A.  J. 

Whatever  faith  touches  it  turns  into  gold,  that 
is,  into  our  good.  If  faith  looks  upon  God,  it  says, 
This  God  is  my  God  for  ever  and  ever,  he  shall  be 
my  guide  even  unto  death.  When  it  looks  upon  the 
crown  of  righteousness,  it  says,  "  This  crown  is  laid 
up  for  me."  Faith  is  a  sword  to  defend  us,  a  guide 
to  direct  us,  a  staff  to  support  us,  a  friend  to  com- 
fort us,  and  a  golden  key  to  open  heaven  unto  us. 
Faith,  of  all  graces,  is  the  most  useful  grace  to  the 
soul  of  man.  Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please 
God.  And  there  is  something  very  stimulating  and 
encouraging  in  the  thought  that  we  can  do  that 
which  shall  actually  please  God.  It  throws  a  light 
and  glory  upon  all  duty.     Brooks. 

What  is  left  of  prayer  if  these  two  things  are 
abstracted  from  it — a  sense  of  the  personal  presence 
and  of  the  personal  friendship  of  God  ?  He  that 
Cometh  unto  God  must  believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he 
is  a  reivarder.  To  feel  the  reality  of  God's  spiritual 
presence,  and  then  to  speak  the  language  of  adoration, 
confession,  petition,  thanksgiving,  with  a  continuous 
sense  of  its  being  an  actual  interchange  between 
ourselves  and  God,  a  real  conference  of  friends, 
this,  surely,  is  not  at  all  times,  in  all  states  of  the 
body,  in  all  moods  of  sensibility,  under  all  varieties 
of  circumstance,  natural  to  fallen  minds  like  ours. 
It  is  not  a  state  of  mind  to  which,  without  culture, 
without  discipline  in  Christian  life,  we  spring  spon- 
taneously, involuntarily,  as  we  spring  to  conscious 
thinking  when  we  wake  from  sleep.  A  process  of 
intellect  is  involved  in  it  which  demands  exertion. 
A.  P. 

Mast  believe  that  he  is.  This  belief  can 
not  bring  the  soul  in  effectual  approach  to  God,  mi- 
less  it  be  a  penetrating  conviction  that,  there  being 


598 


SECTION  3^5.— HEBREWS  11 : 1-16. 


a  God,  we  have  to  do  with  him  every  moment ;  that 
this  faith  must  be  the  predominating  authority  over 
our  course  through  the  world,  determining  our  voli- 
tions and  actions.  This  actuating  conviction  must 
be  decided  and  absolute  in  him  that  '■'■  comeih  to 
QodP  He  must  feel  positively  assured  it  will  not 
be  just  the  same  to  him  in  the  event  of  things 
whether  he  diligently  seek  God  or  not.  He  must  be 
assured  that,  if  God  be  true,  there  is  something  to 
be  granted  to  such  seeking  that  will  not  be  granted 
without  it ;  that  one  thing  is  iu  God's  determination, 
namely,  to  fulfill  his  promises.  By  humble,  faithful, 
persevering  importunity  of  prayer  in  the  name  of 
Christ,  I  have  an  assured  hold  upon — or,  by  a  neg- 
lect of  it,  I  let  loose  from  my  grasp  and  hope — all 
those  things  which  he  has  promised  to  such  prayer, 
I  am,  then,  assured  he  is  the  "  rewarder^''  inasmuch 
as  I  know  it  will  not  be  all  the  same  to  me  whether  I 
seek  him  or  not.  And  what  is  that  in  which  it  will 
be  verified  to  them  "  that  he  is  a  rewarder  "  ?  For 
what  will  they  have  to  adore  and  bless  him  as  such  ? 
For  the  grandest  benefits  which  even  he  can  impart 
— can  impart  in  doing  full  justice  to  the  infinite 
merits  of  the  appointed  Redeemer.  An  inestimable 
privilege !  that  those  greatest  blessings  may  be 
asked  for,  positively  and  specifically ;  whereas  the 
minor  benefits  are  to  be  requested  conditionally,  and 
it  is  better  that  the  applicants  should  not  be  certain 
of  obtaining  them.  It  is  enough  for  their  faith  as 
to  these  that  an  infinitely  wiser  judgment  than  theirs 
will  be  exercised  in  selecting,  giving,  withholding, 
adjusting.  But  the  important  admonition  is,  that 
all  this  is  for  them  "  that  diligently  seek  "  ;  so  habit- 
ually, importunately,  perseveringly,  that  it  shall 
really,  and  in  good  faith,  be  made  the  primary  con- 
cern of  our  life  ;  so  that,  while  wishes  and  impulses 
to  obtain  are  incessantly  springing  and  darting  from 
the  busy  soul  in  divers  directions,  there  shall  still  be 
one  predominant  impulse  directed  toward  heaven. 
J.  F. 

The  divine  rewards  are  rewards  in  kind.  They 
are  large  just  according  to  the  spirituality  of  our 
lives,  the  zeal  of  our  worship,  the  strength  of  our 
faith.  They  are  interior,  not  visible.  They  are  in- 
cidental, not  sought.  They  are  of  nobleness  rather 
than  of  happiness.  Sometimes  "the  rewarder  of 
them  that  diligently  seek  him  "  will  reward  the  true 
Christian  soul  by  giving  him  a  strengthening  and 
encouraging  consciousness  of  harmony  with  the  di- 
vine will ;  sometimes  by  taking  him  out  from  under 
the  power  of  temptation,  or  a  straitened  self-accusa- 
tion, and  setting  his  feet  in  a  large  place;  some- 
times by  redoubling  his  spiritual  energy  and  quick- 
ening his  Christian  activity,  breathing  a  prompter 
zeal  into  all  the  secret  forces  of  his  being,  through 
the  unseen  agencies  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  sometimes 
by  giving  him  a  blessed  sense  of  renunciation,  of 


having  given  up  all  to  him  to  whom  all  of  right  be- 
longs, together  with  an  exalted  sense  of  liberty  from 
all  limitations  of  appetite  and  ambition ;  sometimes 
by  affording  us  greater  satisfaction  in  our  appointed 
struggles  and  our  every-day  drudgery,  and  some- 
times, too,  by  granting  us — provided  we  do  not  ask  J 
it  too  eagerly,  as  if  it  were  better  for  us  than  toil —  \ 
an  inward  peace,  or  rest  from  care  and  from  strife 
and  from  fear,  passing  all  understanding,  such  as 
the  world  never  gave.     F.  D.  H. 

7.  Noah's  obedience,  having  indeed  so  boister- 
ous winds  to  encounter,  had  need  of  a  well-fastened 
root  that  it  might  stand  and  hold  out  against  them 
all,  and  so  it  had.  The  apostle  tells  us  what  the 
root  of  it  was ;  by  faith,  being  war7icd  of  God,  he 
prepared  an  ark.  And  there  is  no  living  and  last- 
ing obedience  but  what  springs  from  that  root.  He 
believed  what  the  Lord  spake  of  his  determined 
judgment  on  the  ungodly  world  ;  and  from  the  be- 
lief of  that  arose  that  holy  fear,  which  is  expressly 
mentioned  as  exciting  him  to  this  work.  And  he 
believed  the  word  of  promise  that  the  Lord  spake 
concerning  his  preservation  by  the  ark ;  and  the  be- 
lief of  these  two  carried  him  strongly  on  to  the 
work,  and  through  it.     L. 

8.  Abraham  acted  upon  simple  obedience  to  the 
divine  word  and  unwavering  confidence  in  the  di- 
vine promises.  He  asked  no  vouchers  from  God 
for  the  fulfillment  of  his  word.  He  grasped  the 
word,  he  held  it,  and  trusting  to  it  left  his  home 
and  went  out,  not  knowing  whither  he  went.  Like 
him,  we  are  to  commit  ourselves  to  a  whole  earthly 
life  of  faith  in  God,  and  then  follow  where  our 
faith  leads.  The  sublime  height  of  faith  is  reached 
when  we  cherish  a  calm  indifference,  a  holy  heedless- 
ness where  it  will  carry  us  in  the  interim,  if  it  car- 
ries us  into  the  presence  of  God  and  the  home  of  the 
good  at  last.     J.  D. 

10,  Heaven  for  stability  is  called  "a  city  that 
has  foundations,  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God." 
The  present  world  is  like  a  tent  or  tabernacle  set  up 
for  a  time,  while  the  Church  is  passing  through  the 
wilderness ;  but  heaven  is  the  "  city  of  the  living 
God,"  the  place  of  his  happy  residence,  the  scat  of 
his  eternal  empire.  The  visible  world  shall  shortly 
fall,  this  beautiful  scene  be  abolished ;  but  the  su- 
preme heaven  is  truly  called  "  a  kingdom  that  can 
not  be  shaken."  The  wise  maker  has  framed  it 
correspondently  to  the  end  for  which  it  was  de- 
signed :  it  is  the  scat  of  his  majesty,  his  sacred 
temple  wherein  he  diffuses  the  richest  beams  of  his 
goodness  and  glory,  and  his  chosen  servants  see  and 
praise  his  adorable  excellences  for  ever.     Bates. 

13.  Having  received  the  promises.  If 
the  unseen  is  ever  to  rule  in  men's  lives,  it  must  be 
through  their  thoughts.  It  must  become  intelligi- 
ble, clear,  real.     Dreams  and  hopes  and  peradven- 


SECTION  3Jt5.— HEBREWS  11 : 1-16. 


599 


tures  are  too  unsubstantial  stuff  to  be  a  bulwark 
against  the  very  real,  undeniable  present.  And 
such  certitude  is  given  through  faith  which  grasps 
the  promises  of  God,  and  twines  the  soul  round  the 
risen  Saviour  so  closely  that  it  sits  with  him  in 
heavenly  places.  Such  certitude  is  given  by  faith 
alone.     A.  M. 

Strangers  and  pilgrims.  At  the  same  time 
the  saints  of  old  declared  themselves  expectants  of 
a  land  of  promise  hereaftei",  they  also  declared 
themselves  strangers  and  pilgrims  here.  And,  there- 
fore, let  not  men  mock  and  deceive  themselves  by 
thinking  to  compass  heaven  with  one  hand  and 
earth  with  the  other,  and  so  to  reign  as  princes  in 
both.  For  the  wisdom  of  God  has  decreed  it  other- 
wise, and  judged  one  world  enough  for  one  man, 

though  it  gives  him  his  choice  of  two.     R.  S. 

We  ought  every  moment  to  be  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Lord,  and  guard  against  fixing  our  place  here  as  if 
we  were  to  be  here  for  ever.  Bear  in  mind  that  we 
are  really  and  of  necessity  strangers  and  pilgrims  ; 
and  yet  let  us  not  do  anything  slightly  or  negli- 
gently. Let  us  labor  as  diligently  as  if  we  and  our 
labors  were  to  endure  always.  Though  we  endure 
not,  let  us  do  enduring  works.  Let  us  employ  all 
our  faculties  in  everything  we  have  to  do ;  let  us 
employ  to  the  best  advantage  our  leisure,  our  re- 
Bources,  the  life  which  God  gives  us ;  let  us  not  live 
by  halves,  live  with  regret,  but  let  us  be  always  im- 
pressed with  the  conditions  of  our  existence.  While 
staying,  let  us  be  ready  to  depart ;  let  us  be  con- 
tinually departing  in  spirit.     A.  V. 

It  is  equally  true  that  wc  are  strangers  and  pil- 
grims in  iime,  and  that  we  are  living  the  eternal 
life.  The  life  of  faith  is  the  life  which  breathes 
the  atmosphere  of  eternity,  which  looks  on  the 
things  unseen  and  eternal,  and  beholds  the  glory  of 
God.  And  as  the  heavenly  citizenship  is  ours  while 
we  are  still  walking  on  earth,  so  the  eternal  life  is 
ours  though  we  are  still  in  time.  In  the  midst  of 
cares  and  sorrows,  toil  and  labor,  conflict  and  strug- 
gle, we  have  a  still  deeper  and  more  real  possession, 
even  that  hidden  life  in  which  there  is  no  pause  and 
no  change,  but  perennial  sunshine  and  inexhaustible 
fullness,  perfect  rest,  and  the  peace  which  passeth 
understanding.  Part  of  the  daily  bread  which  our 
heavenly  Father  gives  to  his  children  on  earth  is  to 
enter  daily  into  the  secret  place  of  the  Slost  High, 
and  to  be  in  eternity.  Eternity  is  wrought  into  time. 
He  who  lives  in  eternity  finds  time  and  strength  for 
every  good  work  which  God  lays  before  him.    A.  S. 

14.  They  seek  a  country.  None  can  use 
earth  well  that  prefer  not  heaven ;  and  none  but 
infants  can  come  to  heaven  that  are  not  prepared 
for  it  by  well  using  earth.  Heaven  must  have  our 
highest  esteem,  and  our  habitual  love,  desire,  and 
joy ;  but  earth  must  have  more  of  our  daily  thoughts 


for  present  practice.  A  man  that  travels  to  the 
most  desirable  home  has  an  habitual  desire  to  it  all 
the  way ;  but  his  present  business  is  his  journey, 
and  therefore  his  horse,  inns,  and  company,  his 
roads,  fatigues,  may  employ  more  of  his  thoughts, 

and  talk,  and  action,  than  his  home.     £ax. The 

dissatisfaction  of  the  godly  man  with  this  earthly 
life  is  a  feeling  which  can  exist  in  the  highest  pros- 
perity, when  the  wishes  are  all  gratified,  when  not  a 
cloud  is  on  the  sky.  It  has  no  reference  whatever 
to  external  fortunes ;  no  height  of  prosperity  can 
extinguish  it,  and  the  depths  of  sorrow  only  increase 
it.  It  has  a  divine  source,  and  is  aroused  by  a  sense 
of  absence  from  communion  more  precious  than  any 
on  earth,  by  a  sense  of  imperfection  which  no  prog- 
ress in  godliness  has  repressed,  by  a  sense  of  want 
of  spiritual  enjoyment  for  which  no  earthly  enjoy- 
ment can  compensate.  With  such  a  dissatisfaction 
the  highest  contentment  is  compatible.  The  man 
may  be  willing,  yes,  he  may  rejoice,  to  stay  amid  his 
trials  and  in  a  world  of  sin,  in  the  hope  of  working 
for  God  and  "of  fitting  himself  for  everlasting  life. 
T.  D.  W. 

16.  Life's  promise  is,  you  shall  have  a  Canaan; 
it  turns  out  to  be  a  baseless,  airy  dream — toil  and 
■warfare — nothing  that  we  can  call  our  own.  There 
are  two  ways  of  considering  this  aspect  of  life. 
One  is  the  way  of  sentiment  j  a  way  that  is  trite 
enough.  Saint,  sage,  sophist,  moralist,  and  preacher 
have  repeated  in  every  possible  image,  till  there 
is  nothing  new  to  say,  that  life  is  a  bubble,  a  dream, 
a  delusion,  a  phantasm.  The  other  is  the  way  of 
faith :  the  ancient  saints  felt  as  keenly  as  any  mor- 
alist could  feel  the  brokenness  of  its  promises ; 
they  confessed  that  they  were  strangers  and  pilgrims 
here ;  they  said  that  they  had  here  no  continuing 
city,  but  they  did  not  mournfully  moralize  on  this — 
they  said  it  cheerfully  and  rejoiced  that  it  was  so. 
They  felt  that  all  was  right ;  they  knew  that  the 
promise  itself  had  a  deeper  meaning ;  they  looked 
undauntedly  for  "  a  city  which  hath  foundations." 

F.  W.  R. They  recognized  God  as  their  portion, 

and  in  turn  he  was  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their 
God,  that  is,  not  their  object  of  worship,  but  their 
protector  and  guardian.  Well  he  might  thus  be 
called,  for  he  had  prepared  for  them  a  city.  He 
would  not  suffer  these  longings  of  theirs,  which 
were  founded  on  faith  and  love  to  him,  to  be  unsat- 
isfied. He  had  built  a  city  on  purpose  for  their  re- 
ception. They  were  to  have,  instead  of  tabernacles, 
in  which  they  removed  from  one  pasturage  to  an- 
other, a  settled  home  ;  instead  of  a  dwelling  among 
strangers,  a  dwelling  among  the  truest  friends  ;  instead 
of  a  lonely  tent,  a  thronged  city  ;  instead  of  a  resi- 
dence without  rights  or  security,  a  share  in  that  safe 
commonwealth,  that  heavenly  polity,  over  which  God 
reigns.     T.  D.  W. 


500  SECTION  SIfi.— HEBREWS  11  :  17-40. 

Section   346. 

Hebrews  xi.  17  -  40. 

17  By  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was  tried,  oflfered  np  Isaac:  and  he  that  had  received  the 

18  promises  offered  up  his  only  begotten  son,  of  whom  it  was  said,  That  in  Isaac  shaU  thy  seed 

19  be  called:  accounting  that  God  was  able  to  raise  him  up,  even  from  the  dead;  from  whence 

20  also  he  received  him  in  a  figure.     By  faith  Isaac  blessed  Jacob  and  Esau  concerning  things 

21  to  come.     By  faith  Jacob,  when  he  was  a  dying,  blessed  both  the  sons  of  Joseph  ;  and  wor- 

22  shipped,  leaning  upon  the  top  of  his  staff.    By  faith  Joseph,  when  he  died,  made  mention  of 

23  the  departing  of  the  children  of  Israel ;  and  gave  commandment  concerning  his  bones.     By 
faith  Moses,  when  he  was  born,  was  hid  three  months  of  his  parents,  because  they  saw  he 

24  was  a  proper  child ;  and  they  were  not  afraid  of  the  king's  commandment.     By  faith  Moses, 

25  when  he  was  come  to  years,  refused  to  be  called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter ;  choosing 
rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a 

26  season;  esteeming  the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treasures  in  Egypt :  for  he 

27  had  respect  unto  the  recompence  of  the  reward.     By  faith  he  forsook  Egypt,  not  fearing  the 

28  wrath  of  the  king:  for  he  endured,  as  seeing  him  who  is  invisible.     Through  faith  he  kept 
the  passover,  and  the  sprinkling  of  blood,  lest  he  that  destroyed  the  firstborn  should  touch 

29  them.     By  faith  they  passed  through  the  Red  sea  as  by  dry  land:  which  the  Egyptians 

30  assaying  to  do  were  drowned.    By  faith  the  walls  of  Jericho  fell  down,  after  they  Avere  com- 

31  passed  about  seven  days.     By  faith  the  harlot  Rahab  perished  not  with  them  that  believed 
not,  when  she  had  received  the  spies  with  peace. 

32  And  what  shall  I  more  say?  for  the  time  would  fail  me  to  tell  of  Gedeon,  and  <?/ Barak, 

33  and  (j/* Sampson,  and  <>/ Jephthae ;  of  David  also,  and  Samuel,  and  of  the  prophets:  who 
through  faith  subdued  kingdoms,  wrought  righteousness,  obtained  promises,  stopped  the 

34  mouths  of  lions,  quenched  the  violence  of  fire,  escaped  the  edge  of  the  sword,  out  of  weak- 
ness were  made  strong,  waxed  valiant  in  fight,  turned  to  fiight  the  armies  of  the  aliens. 

35  "Women  received  their  dead  raised  to  life  again :  and  others  were  tortured,  not  accepting 

36  deliverance ;  that  they  might  obtain  a  better  resurrection :  and  others  had  trial  of  cruel 

37  mockings  and  scourgings,  yea,  moreover  of  bonds  and  imprisonment:  they  were  stoned, 
they  were  sawn  asunder,  were  tempted,  were  slain  with  the  sword :  tl!ey  wandered  about 

38  in  sheepskins  and  goatskins ;  being  destitute,  aflQicted,  tormented ;  (of  whom  the  world  was 
not  worthy :)  they  wandered  in  deserts,  and  in  mountains,  and  in  dens  and  caves  of  the 

39  earth.     And  these  all,  having  obtained  a  good  report  through  faith,  received  not  the 

40  promise  :  God  having  provided  some  better  thing  for  us,  that  they  without  us  should  not  be 
made  perfect. 

There  came  a  faith  wholly  unknown  before ;  a  faith  that  counted  no  labor  too  great  to  be  attempted, 
no  possible  sacrifice  too  great  to  be  made ;  that  believed  without  argument,  endured  without  remonstrance, 
happiest  under  the  heaviest  cross ;  that  expected  success  amid  whatever  disasters ;  and  that  no  more 
feared  death  than  did  the  Lord  the  waves  which  he  trod  on.  Such  a  faith  as  this  had  no  name  for  it,  in 
either  the  Greek  or  the  Roman  world,  till  the  gospel  touched  their  very  language,  and  charged  it  with 
meanings  which  they  who  had  formed  it  had  never  conceived.  No  Being  had  appeared  to  call  it  forth.  It 
was  not  known  that  the  soul  of  man  was  capable  of  it.  And  well  might  the  hardiest  and  the  most  prac- 
ticed wonder,  when  delicate  women,  sustained  by  it,  stood  unshrinking  before  the  onset  of  wild  beasts ; 
when  men,  inspired  by  it,  sang  praises  as  destroying  fires  curled  round  them  at  the  stake.  Such  a  faith 
had  come  to  manifestation,  and  a  heroism  born  of  it,  of  which  the  world,  with  all  its  experience  of  a  strenu- 
ous ambition  and  a  passionate  courage,  had  seen  no  instance.     R.  S.  S. 

But  how  did  faith  do  all  this  ?  Why,  in  the  strength  of  love ;  faith  being  properly  the  eye  of  the  soul, 
to  spy  out  and  represent  to  it  those  excellent  things,  the  love  and  desire  of  which  should  be  hotter  than 
fire  and  stronger  than  death ;  bearing  a  man  through  and  above  all  the  terrors  of  both,  for  the  obtaining  of 
so  transcendent  a  good.  In  short,  faith  shows  the  soul  its  treasure ;  which,  being  once  seen  by  it,  naturally 
inflames  the  affections,  and  they  as  naturally  engage  all  the  faculties  and  powers  of  soul  and  body  in  a 
restless,  indefatigable  endeavor  after  it.  And  thus,  in  all  those  heroic  instances  of  passive  fortitude, 
faith  wrought  by  love,  and  therefore  it  wrought  wonders.     R.  S. 


SECTION  3Ji6.— HEBREWS  11 :  17-Jfi. 


601 


17.  Abraham  offered  up  Isaac.     He  was 

divided  between  believing  the  promise  and  obeying 
the  command  !  God  tried  him  in  his  faith  :  Ms  faith 
was  to  carry  on  a  conflict  with  his  natural  reason,  as 
well  as  his  ohedience  with  his  natural  affection.  But 
"  he  accounted  that  God  was  able  to  raise  Isaac  from 
the  dead  "  ;  and  he  reconciles  the  command  "  with 
the  promise."    T.  M. 

24-29.  In  all  the  elements  of  greatness  "iloses 
the  servant  of  the  Lord "  stands  foremost  among 
the  heroes  of  antiquity.  Among  statesmen  none 
ever  wrought  such  barbarous  materials  into  so  per- 
fect a  commonwealth.  No  military  leader  ever  con- 
ducted such  a  host  through  such  a  wilderness.  But 
there  is  cue  comprehensive  fact  that  blends  all  the 
traits  of  his  character  into  symmetry  and  strength, 
explains  all  the  signs  and  wonders  that  he  wrought, 
epitomizes  his  whole  career,  and  imparts  an  imper- 
ishable life  to  his  name.  He  was  the  servant  of  the 
Lord ;  his  servant  in  the  face  of  allurements  and 
oppositions,  the  like  of  which  have  seldom  com- 
passed the  path  of  man  ;  his  servant  to  the  very  end 
of  life,  laying  his  gray  hairs  on  the  same  altar 
where  he  had  consecrated  the  dew  of  life's  morning 
a  willing  sacrifice.     V.  D. 

39.  How  happy  the  hearts  which  in  every  situa- 
tion place  unbounded  confidence  in  Jehovah's  word ! 
Such  may  be  hedged  up  on  every  side,  and  encom- 
passed, like  Israel  at  the  Red  Sea,  with  seemingly 
insurmountable  difliculties ;  yet  even  here  they  will 
follow  Israel's  example  ;  they  will  cry  unto  God,  and 
rely  upon  his  mercy.  If  means  can  be  used,  they 
will  use  them  ;  if  not,  they  will  "  stand  still  and  see 
the  salvation  of  the  Lord."  "  Speak  unto  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel,"  said  the  Lord,  "  that  they  go  for- 
ward ! "  They  went :  a  way  was  made  in  the  sea, 
and  a  path  in  the  mighty  waters.  Well  may  it  be 
said,  "  By  Faith  Israel  passed  through  the  Red 
Sea  !  "     A.  Fuller. 

The  Egyptians  were  drowned.  It  is  diifi- 
cult  to  see  why  the  apostle  should  bestow  this  notice 
upon  the  buried  Egyptians,  while  the  people  of  God 
had  gone  triumphantly  over,  unless  there  were  some 
additional  illustrations  of  the  nature  of  faith  to  be 
gained  by  such  a  contrast.  Accordingly,  as  it  is  an 
instance  of  precisely  the  same  act,  performed  by 
believers  and  unbelievers,  with  results  precisely  and 
to  the  uttermost  extreme  opposite,  it  shows  in  the 
strongest  manner  the  comprehensive  and  decisive 
nature  and  operation  of  the  principle  of  faith,  as 
determining  the  character  and  destiny.  The  same 
things  done  in  faith  and  done  without  faith  are  en- 
tirely different.  In  the  one  case  they  are  righteous- 
ness and  peace,  in  the  other  they  are  guilt  and  con- 
demnation ;  in  the  one  case  they  are  life,  in  the 
other  death.     G.  B.  C. 

36,  37.  The   description  which   the  writer  to 


the  Hebrews  here  gives  of  the  saints  and  prophets 
of  old  may,  with  the  strictest  truth,  be  applied  to 
the  great  multitude  of  Christian  martyrs  in  the  first 
ages  of  the  gospel,  under  the  various  persecutions 
to  which  they  were  exposed.  All  these  barbarities 
they  endured  with  unshaken  patience  and  firmness, 
and  thereby  bore  the  strongest  possible  testimony, 
not  only  to  their  own  sincerity,  but  to  the  divine 
and  miraculous  influence  of  the  religion  which  they 
taught.  It  is  justly  and  forcibly  observed  by  Mr. 
Addison,  that  the  astonishing  and  unexampled  forti- 
tude which  was  shown  by  innumerable  multitudes 
of  martyrs,  in  those  slow  and  painful  torments  that 
were  inflicted  on  them,  is  nothing  less  than  a  stand- 
ing miracle  during  the  first  three  centuries.  "  I  can 
not,"  says  he,  "  conceive  a  man  placed  in  the  burn- 
ing iron  chair  of  Lyons,  amid  the  insults  and  mock- 
eries of  a  crowded  amphitheatre,  and  still  keeping 
his  seat,  or  stretched  upon  a  grate  of  iron  over  an 
intense  fire,  and  breathing  out  his  soul  amid  the 
exquisite  sufferings  of  such  a  tedious  execution, 
rather  than  renounce  his  religion,  or  blaspheme  his 
Saviour,  without  supposing  something  supernatural. 
Such  trials  seem  to  me  above  the  strength  of  human 
nature,  and  able  to  overbear  duty,  reason,  faith, 
conviction,  nay,  and  the  most  absolute  certainty  of 
a  future  state.  We  can  easily  imagine  that  a  few 
persons  in  so  good  a  cause  might  have  laid  down 
their  lives  at  the  gibbet,  the  stake,  or  the  block ; 
but  that  multitudes  of  each  sex,  of  every  age,  of 
different  countries  and  conditions,  should,  for  nearly 
three  hundred  years  together,  expire  leisurely  amid 
the  most  exquisite  tortures,  rather  than  apostatize 
from  the  truth,  has  something  in  it  so  far  beyond 
the  natural  strength  and  force  of  mortals,  that  one 
can  not  but  conclude  there  was  some  miraculous 
power  to  support  the  sufferers ;  and,  if  so,  here  is 
at  once  a  proof,  from  history  and  from  fact,  of  the 
divine  origin  of  our  religion."     P. 

They  consulted  not  with  flesh  and  blood,  but  sac- 
rificed personal  ease,  and  submitted  to  hardships  and 
trials  of  which  we  know  comparatively,  most  of  us, 
absolutely  nothing.  They  were  "  men  that  hazarded 
their  lives  for  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  Yes, 
for  their  religion  they  were  ready  to  die,  and  for  it 
they  did  die  by  hecatombs,  and  by  dying  for  it  they 
often  accomplished  more  than  by  living  and  labor- 
ing for  it.  Hence  the  triumphant  remark  of  Tertul- 
lian  had  quite  as  much  truth  as  poetry :  "  The  more 
you  mow  us  down,  the  thicker  we  rise ;  the  Chris- 
tian blood  you  spill  is  like  the  seed  you  sow:  it 
springs  from  the  earth  and  fructifies  the  more." 
Stoiv. 

Lives  of  heroic  faith  have  stood,  and  still  stand, 
like  pillars  of  witness,  to  tell  the  world  what  can  be 
built  on  the  gospel  corner-stone.  Buried  in  an  ob- 
scurity that  no  antiquarian  disturbs,  and  which  wiU 


602 


SECTION  347.— HEBREWS  12  : 1-13. 


never  be  dispelled,  unless  God  gives  tongues  to  the 
stone  walls  of  dungeons,  or  the  rocks  of  the  wilder- 
ness, or  the  scattered  dust-atoms  of  heath,  moor, 
and  glen,  there  are,  waiting  a  resurrection,  biogra- 
phies of  unknown  men,  who  in  toil  and  hardship  and 
self-denial,  under  the  consciousness  of  God's  all-be- 
holding eye,  have  accomplished  their  lifework,  and 
left  in  the  bosom  of  their  unfrequented  valleys  the 
memories  of  holy  faith  and  love  and  communion 
with  heaven  more  precious  and  beautiful,  if  we 
should  dig  them  out  even  in  fragments  by  our  care- 
ful research,  than  anything  which  buried  cities 
like  Nineveh  have  yielded  to  the  museums  of  art. 
E.  H.  G. 

We  should  have  higher  views  of  Christ  and  of 
his  religion  if  we  could  enter  more  fully  into  the 
conflicts  of  those  who  have  suffered  for  his  sake ; 
if  we  could  trace  the  growth  of  Christian  martyr- 
dom from  its  first  fainting  origin,  when  the  shudder- 
ing soul  dreaded  the  hour  of  coming  trial,  through 
the  hours,  days,  weeks,  and  months  of  prayer  and 
meditation,  up  to  the  critical  moment  when  all  was 
surrendered  and  all  ventured  for  Christ ;  if  we  could 
comprehend  the  resignation,  the  peace,  and  the  vic- 
torious confidence  of  the  instant  when  the  soul 
reached  its  highest  joy  in  dissolution,  and  just  hov- 
ering between  time  and  eternity,  forgot  its  pangs  in 
the  visions  of  God.  Oh,  what  are  gibbets,  fires, 
wild  beasts,  or  inquisitorial  racks  to  one  who  al- 
ready feels  his  union  with  Christ,  and  knows  that 
death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory !     J,  W.  A. 

39,  40.  The  things  promised  they  did  not  re- 
ceive. This  refers  to  the  personal  Messiah  then  ac- 
tually come.     This  was  the  main  point  of  difference 


between  them  and  us  (he  would  say) ;  they  had  the 
promise  of  a  Messiah  to  come,  but  not  the  Messiah 
himself.  We  have  had  the  very  Christ  in  person ; 
some  of  us  now  living  have  seen  him  with  our  eyes, 
and  our  own  hands  have  "  handled  the  Word  of 
Life."  This  better  thing  God  has  provided  for  us, 
that  they,  apart  from  us,  should  not  reach  the  com- 
plete consummation  of  their  hopes.  The  argument 
is :  If  they,  having  only  the  promise,  not  the  reality, 
of  an  incarnate  Messiah  visible  to  their  eye  of  sense, 
yet  walked  by  fai^h,  leaving  such  a  record  of  moral 
heroism  as  we  see,  how  much  more  should  we,  with 
the  living  Messiah  still  fresh  in  the  recollection  of 
many,  maintain  an  unfaltering  faith,  and  stand  firm 
against  the  fiercest  shocks  of  persecution !     H.  C. 

There  are  many  dark  seasons  in  God's  providen- 
tial dealings  with  us  in  which  we  can  see  no  way  of 
escape  nor  find  any  source  of  comfort  but  the  testi- 
mony of  God.  God's  friends  are  not  distinguished 
in  this  world  by  any  exemption  from  trying  provi- 
dences. They  shall  be  known  by  what  is  far  more 
noble  and  advantageous,  namely,  by  patience,  obe- 
dience, submission,  and  divine  support  under  them. 
Moreover,  as  we  profess  to  be  friends  of  God,  and 
to  trust  the  salvation  of  our  souls  with  all  our  con- 
cerns in  his  hands,  he  sees  it  proper  to  bring  us 
into  such  circumstances  as  shall  try  us,  and  show 

whether  we  confide  in  him  or  not.    A.  Fuller. 

Is  the  faith,  in  the  possession  of  which  we  exult, 
thus  verified  ?  Is  ours  the  life  of  cross-bearing  and 
watchfulness  and  prayerf ulness  ?  If  not,  is  it  a  life 
of  discipleship  to  Christ — is  it  the  race  of  faith, 
swift,  direct,  and  onward  ?  and  shall  it  win  at  last 
the  crown  of  the  triumphant  believer  ?     W.  R.  W. 


Section  347. 

Hebrews   xii.  1-13. 

1  Wheeefoee  seeing  we  also  are  compassed  about  with  so  great  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  let 
U3  lay  aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  doth  so  easily  beset  «s,  and  let  us  run  with 

2  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before  us,  looking  unto  Jesus  the  author  and  finisher  of  our 
faith ;  who  for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him  endured  the  cross,  despising  the  shame,  and 

3  is  set  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God.     For  consider  him  that  endured  such 

4  contradiction  of  sinners  against  himself,  lest  ye  be  wearied  and  faint  in  your  minds.     Ye 

5  have  not  yet  resisted  unto  blood,  striving  against  sin.     And  ye  have  forgotten  the  exhorta- 
tion which  speaketh  unto  you  as  unto  children.  My  son,  despise  not  thoil  the  chastening  of 

6  the  Lord,  nor  faint  when  thou  art  rebuked  of  him  :  for  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasten- 

7  eth,  and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth.     If  ye  endure  chastening,  God  dealeth 

8  with  you  as  with  sons ;  for  what  son  is  he  whom  the  father  chasteneth  not  ?     But  if  ye  be 

9  without  chastisement,  whereof  all  are  partakers,  then  are  ye  bastards,  and  not  sons.    Fur- 
thermore we  have  had  fathers  of  our  flesh  which  corrected  us,  and  we  gave  them  rever- 

10  ence  :  shall  we  not  much  rather  be  in  subjection  unto  the  Father  of  Spirits,  and  live  ?     For 
they  verily  for  a  few  days  chastened  us  after  their  own  pleasure ;  but  he  for  our  profit,  that 


SECTION  347.— HEBREWS  12  : 1-13. 


603 


11  we  might  be  partakers  of  his  Iioliness.     Now  no  chastening  for  the  present  seemeth  to  be 
joyous,  but  grievous :  nevertheless  afterward  it  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruit  of  righteous- 

12  ness  unto  them  which  are  exercised  thereby.     Wherefore  lift  up  the  hands  which  hang 

13  down,  and  the  feeble  knees;  and  make  straight  paths  for  your  feet,  lest  that  which  is  lame 
be  turned  out  of  the  way ;  but  let  it  rather  be  healed. 


We  never  feel  Christ  to  be  a  reality  until  we  feel  him  to  be  a  necessity.  Therefore,  God  makes  us 
feel  that  necessity.  He  tries  us  here,  and  he  tries  us  there.  He  sends  upon  us  the  chastisements  which 
he  knows  we  shall  feel  most  sensitively.  He  pursues  us  when  we  would  fain  flee  from  his  hand  ;  and,  if 
need  be,  he  shakes  to  pieces  the  whole  framework  of  our  plans  of  life,  by  which  we  have  been  struggling 
to  build  together  the  service  of  God  and  the  service  of  self,  till  at  last  he  makes  us  feel  that  Christ  is  all 
that  is  left  to  us.  When  we  discover  that,  and  go  to  Christ,  conscious  of  our  beggary  in  respect  of  every- 
thing else,  we  go,  not  expecting  much,  perhaps  not  asking  much.  There  may  be  hours  of  prostration 
when  we  ask  only  for  rest ;  we  pray  for  the  cessation  of  suffering ;  we  seek  repose  from  conflict  with 
ourselves,  and  with  God's  providence.  But  God  gives  us  more.  He  is  more  generous  than  we  have  dared 
to  believe.  He  gives  us  joy,  he  gives  us  liberty,  he  gives  us  victory,  he  gives  us  a  sense  of  self-conquest 
and  of  union  with  himself  in  an  eternal  friendship.  On  the  basis  of  that  single  experience  of  Christ  as 
a  reality,  because  a  necessity,  there  rises  an  experience  of  blessedness  in  communion  with  God  which 
prayer  expresses  hke  a  revelation.     Such  devotion  is  a  jubilant  psalm.     A.  P. 


1-11*  An  exhortation,  mixed  \jrith  reproof,  on 
looking  back  at  all  these  witnesses,  and  also  at 
Jesus,  who  had  gone  through  suffering  to  glory,  not 
to  faint  in  the  conflict  with  sin ;  nor  to  forget  the 
law  of  our  Father,  who  visits  us  with  chastisement 
that  we  may  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  righteousness. 
This  exhortation  was  begun  at  10  :  19,  and  broken 
off  by  the  insertion  of  all  those  examples  of  the 
nature  and  triumphs  of  faith.  It  has  acquired  new 
strength  by  the  interruption,  and  is  now  pressed 
directly  home  upon  the  reader.     A. 

1.  We  are  urged  forward  in  the  Christian  race, 
not  by  the  fancy  that  we  are  surrounded  by  a  throng 
of  spectators,  that  we  and  our  doings  are  the  center 
of  all  eyes,  that  we  draw  upon  ourselves  the  gaze  of 
the  universe,  but  by  the  elevating  and  exciting  real- 
ity that  we  have  about  us  a  great  cloud  of  witnesses, 
in  the  recorded  or  attested  examples  of  the  good  of 
every  age,  who  testify  to  the  power  of  faith,  who 
show  by  their  lives  what  this  divine  principle  can 
achieve,  and  especially  that  we  have  before  us  the 
faithful  and  true  witness,  the  one  perfect  exemplar 

of  faith.     W.  H.  G. The  Christian  man's  life  is 

like  a  race.  The  length  of  the  way  of  the  race  is 
the  man's  lifetime ;  the  actions  and  passages  of  a 
man's  life  are  the  steps  of  the  race  ;  our  high  call- 
ing is  our  starting  and  on-holding  in  the  race ;  the 
prize  we  run  for  is  holiness  and  eternal  blessedness. 
There  is  one  that  sets  the  race,  even  God,  who  calls 
and  starts  all  the  runners  by  the  voice  of  his  word : 
he  goes  on  beside  them,  and  exhorts  them  to  run 
this  or  that  way  as  may  best  further  them  in  the 
race,  while  he  bids  them  mend  their  pace ;  and  if 
they  fall  behind  he  encourages,  as  a  friend  that  stirs 
up  one  whom  he  would  fain  have  winning  the  race. 


Every  direction  from  the  word  is  an  encouragement 
in  the  race.  Every  action  or  word  is  a  step  of  this 
race :  words  spoken  to  edification  are  steps ;  words 
of  thy  calling  leveled  at  the  mark  are  steps ;  for  a 
man  may  speak  of  worldly  purposes  with  a  heaven- 
ly mind,  and  do  worldly  actions  leveled  by  a  spir- 
itual  rule.  Albeit  God  ordains  to  run  this  Christian 
race,  yet  he  ordains  every  man  to  continue  in  his 
calling,  for  every  point  of  a  man's  service  done  as 
service  to  God  shall  promote  him  in  his  race.    D.  D. 

Lay  aside.  For  every  new  step  that  we  win 
in  the  Christian  course  there  must  have  been  the 
laying  aside  of  something.  For  every  progress  in 
knowledge,  there  must  have  been  a  sacrifice  and 
martyrdom  of  our  own  indolence,  of  our  own  pride, 
of  our  own  blindness  of  heart,  of  our  own  per- 
verseness  of  will,  wavering  hearts  that  are  drawn 
away  from  God  by  the  sweetness  of  this  world.  For 
every  progress  in  strenuous  work  for  God,  there 
must  have  been  a  slaying  of  the  selfishness  which 
urges  us  to  work  in  our  own  strength  and  for  our 
own  sake. 

Every  weight  and  sin.  All  sin  is  according 
to  this  passage  a  besetting  sin.  It  is  the  character- 
istic of  every  kind  of  transgression,  that  it  circles 
us  round  about,  that  it  is  always  lying  in  wait  and 
lurking  for  us.  But  there  is  something  else  to  be  put 
aside  as  well  as  sin.  There  is  "  every  weight "  as 
well  as  every  transgression — two  distinct  things, 
meant  to  be  distinguished.  The  putting  away  of 
both  of  them  is  equally  needful  for  the  race.  The 
figure  is  plain  enough.  We  as  racers  must  throw 
aside  the  garment  that  wraps  us  round — that  is  to 
say,  "  the  sin  that  easily  besets  us  "  ;  and  then,  be- 
sides that,  we  must  lay  aside  everything  else  which 


604 


SECTION  31^7.— HEBREWS  12  : 1  13. 


weights  us  for  the  race — that  is  to  say,  certain 
habits  or  tendencies  within  us.  The  distinction  is 
important.  Sin  is  sin  in  whatever  degree  it  is  done ; 
but  weights  may  be  weights  when  they  are  in  excess, 
and  helps,  not  hindrances,  when  they  are  in  modera- 
tion. What  are  the  things  which  may  thus  become 
weights  ?  Everything.  It  is  an  awful  and  mysteri- 
ous power,  that  which  we  all  possess,  of  perverting 
the  highest  endowments,  whether  of  soul  or  of  cir- 
cumstances, which  God  has  given  us,  into  the  occa- 
sions for  faltering  and  falling  back  in  the  divine 
life.  Because  we  cleave  to  them  too  much,  because 
we  cleave  to  them  not  only  in  a  wrong  degree  but 
in  a  wrong  manner  (for  that  is  the  deepest  part  of 
the  fault),  we  may  make  them  all  hindrances.   A.  M. 

2.  Looking  nnto  Jesus.  As  the  example 
and  company  of  the  saints  in  suffering  is  very  con- 
siderable, so  that  of  Christ  is  more  than  any  other, 
yea,  than  all  the  rest  together.  Therefore  the  apos- 
tle, having  represented  the  former  at  large,  ends  in 
this  as  the  top  of  all.  There  is  a  race  set  before  us  ; 
it  is  to  be  run,  run  xoith  patience  and  without  faint- 
ing. He  tells  us  of  a  cloud  of  witnesses  ;  a  cloud  made 
up  of  instances  of  believers  suffering  before  us ; 
and  the  heat  of  the  day  wherein  we  run  is  somewhat 
cooled,  even  by  that  cloud  compassing  us.  But  the 
main  strength  of  their  comfort  here  lies  in  looking 
to  Jesus,  eying  of  his  sufferings  and  their  issue.  The 
true  life  of  Christians  is  to  eye  Christ  in  every  step 
of  his  life,  looking  to  him  as  their  pattern  both  in 
doing  and  in  suffering,  and  drawing  power  from  him 
for  going  through  both,  being  tvithout  him  able  for 

nothing.    L. If  you  would  lay  aside  every  weight, 

you  must  look  to  Christ  and  let  his  love  flow  into 
your  soul.  Then  self-denial  will  not  be  self-denial. 
It  will  be  blessing  and  joy,  sweet  and  easy.  Just  as 
the  old  leaves  drop  naturally  from  the  tree  when  the 
new  buds  of  spring  begin  to  put  themselves  out,  let 
the  new  affection  come  and  dwell  in  thy  heart  and 
expel  the  old.  " Lay  aside  every  weight " — "look- 
ing unto  Jesus."  Then,  too,  you  will  find  that  the 
sacrifice  and  maiming  of  the  old  man  has  been  the 
perfecting  of  the  man.  You  will  find  that  whatever 
you  give  up  for  Christ  you  get  back  from  Christ, 
better,  more  beautiful,  more  blessed,  a  joy  and  a 
possession  for  ever.     A.  M. 

The  less  that  is  said  about  faith — the  mere  act 
we  mean — and  the  more  that  is  said  about  its  ob- 
ject, the  Saviour,  the  better.  There  is  a  discours- 
ing about  the  mere  belief,  and  an  exhorting  to  the 
mere  belief,  the  only  effect  of  which  is  to  leave  the 
impression  on  the  mind  that  it  is  some  "  great 
thing"  which  people  have  to  do  in  order  to  their 
acceptance  with  God.  Whereas,  saying  as  little  as 
the  Bible  says  about  the  act  and  the  duty,  and  all 
about  Jesus  himself,  his  cross  and  his  crown,  faith, 
through  the  Spirit's  use  of  this,  will  spring  up  as  a 


thing  of  course.     Jiev.  J.  Purvey. It  is  not  well 

to  be  often  talking  about  yourself,  looking  at  your- 
self, making  a  merit  of  magnifying  your  own  faults 
and  sins,  especially  your  want  of  religious  enjoy- 
ment. Think  less  of  what  you  have  done  and  more 
of  what  Christ  has  done.  Study  his  life  and  follow 
his  example  by  living,  not  for  yourself,  but  for 
others ;  trying  every  day,  and  every  hour  of  every 
day,  to  do  something  that  shall  be  like  what  Christ 
would  do  if  he  were  in  your  house  and  heart.  You 
will  very  soon  find  that  the  sense  of  unrest  will 
vanish  in  the  pursuit  of  the  good  and  useful. 
Prime. 

Look  unto  Jesus,  and  not  to  what  we  do  for  him. 
Too  much  taken  up  with  our  work,  we  may  forget 
our  Master ;  it  is  possible  to  have  the  hand  full  and 
the  heart  empty.  Taken  up  with  our  Master,  we 
can  not  forget  our  work  ;  if  the  heart  is  filled  with 
his  love,  how  can  the  hands  not  be  active  in  his  ser- 
vice ?  Unto  Jesus,  and  not  to  the  apparent  success 
of  our  efforts.  It  is  of  our  work  he  will  require  an 
account,  and  not  of  our  success ;  why  then  take 
thought  about  it  before  the  time  ?  It  is  for  us  to 
sow  the  seed,  it  is  for  God  to  gather  the  fruit ;  if 
not  to-day,  it  will  be  to-morrow ;  if  not  by  us,  it 
will  be  by  others.  Even  when  success  is  granted 
us,  it  is  always  dangerous  to  let  our  eyes  rest  upon 
it  complacently — on  the  one  hand,  we  are  tempted 
to  attribute  something  of  it  to  ourselves ;  on  the 
other  hand,  we  thus  accustom  ourselves  to  give  way 
to  relaxing  our  zeal  when  we  fail  to  perceive  its 
effects,  that  is^  at  the  very  time  when  we  ought  to 
redouble  our  energy.  To  look  to  success  is  to  walk 
by  sight ;  to  look  to  Jesus,  and  to  persevere  in  fol- 
lowing and  serving  him  in  spite  of  all  discourage- 
ments, is  to  walk  by  faith.  "  Thy  work  shall  be  re- 
warded," saith  Jehovah.     Monod. 

The  upward  looking  unto  Jesus  is  our  sufficient 
resource  in  the  trying  of  faith  and  fortitude,  what- 
ever the  cause  or  force  of  the  trial.  The  heavens 
arc  never  closed  to  the  trusting,  uplooking  soul. 
Jesus  ever  stands  to  behold  the  peril  and  to  inter- 
pose for  deliverance  or  support.  So,  also,  the  up- 
looking  unto  Jesus  naturally  excites  the  sensitive 
heart  to  some  joyous,  hopeful  expression,  of  adoring 
praise  or  gratitude,  of  trusting  affection  or  high,  pure 
aspiration.  And  the  sustaining  privilege  of  self-com- 
mitment to  Christ  in  dying  is  ours.  It  rests  upon 
the  sure  word  of  promise :  /  icill  come  again  and 
receive  you  unto  myself.  As  he  can  and  does  supply 
all  known  living  needs,  so  he  can  and  will  give 
needful  grace  for  the  deeper,  untried  experience  of 
dying.  For,  as  we  see  him  in  Stephen's  vision,  so  is 
he  evermore :  Tkde  God  and  true  Man,  with  love, 
sympathy,  and  might  adequate  for  all  possible  de- 
mands of  human  experience.  Living,  then,  and 
dying,  should  we  not,  shall  we  not  be  habitually 


SECTION  3Jt7.— HEBREWS  12  : 1-13. 


605 


availed  of  this  glad,  all-inclusive  privilege  of  look- 
ing away  from  self,  upward  unto  Jesus  ?     B. 

Despising  the  shame.  Poverty  was  his  fee, 
and  the  only  recompense  of  all  his  cures ;  he  de- 
spised a  kingship,  and  regarded  not  their  hosannas. 
He  embraced  "a  cross,"  and  declined  "not  the 
shame."  "  Endured  the  cross,  and  is  set  down  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  throne."  In  the  whole  narrative 
of  our  Saviour's  life  no  passage  is  related  of  him  as 
low  or  weak  but  it  is  immediately  seconded  by  an- 
other high  and  miraculous.  No  sooner  was  Christ 
humbled  to  a  manger  but  the  contempt  of  the  place 
was  taken  off  with  the  glory  of  the  attendance  in 
the  ministration  of  angels.  His  fasting  and  tempta- 
tion were  attended  with  another  service  of  angels ; 
his  baptism  with  a  glorious  recognition  by  a  voice 
from  heaven.  When  he  seemed  to  be  overpowered 
at  his  apprehension,  he  exerted  his  might  in  causing 
his  armed  adversaries  to  fall  backward,  and  in  heal- 
ing Malchus's  ear  with  a  touch.  When  he  under- 
went the  lash  and  infamy  of  crucifixion,  then  did 
the  universal  frame  of  nature  give  testimony  to  his 
divinity — the  whole  creation  seemed  to  sympathize 
with  his  passion.  And  when,  afterward,  he  seemed 
to  be  in  the  very  dominion  of  death,  he  quickly  con- 
futed the  dishonor  of  the  grave  by  an  astonishing 
resurrection,  and  proved  the  divinity  of  his  person 
in  an  equally  miraculous  ascension.     R.  S. 

And  as  there  was  a  joy  set  before  Jesus,  for 
which  he  endured  the  cross,  despising  the  shame,  so 
there  is  a  glorious  recompense  of  reward  attached 
to  our  sacrifices  and  labors  of  love.  We  can  never 
be  other  than  unprofitable  servants ;  but  God,  in 
infinite  goodness,  measures  the  expressions  of  his 
favor  by  the  intensity  with  which  we  have  mani- 
fested the  spirit  of  allegiance  to  him.  All  he  asks 
is  that  the  heart  should  be  in  the  service ;  and  any 
effort  that  really  proceeds  from  love  to  his  name 
and  charity  to  the  race  will  never  be  overlooked  nor 
forgotten.  The  act  must  proceed  from  love,  be  a 
cheerful  and  voluntary  expression  of  love,  and  vin- 
dicate its  own  sincerity  by  its  cost  to  the  flesh. 
When  these  conditions  meet,  there  is  a  reward 
which  becomes  the  more  glorious  the  less  we  feel 
it  to  be  deserved — a  reward  compared  with  which 
the  poor  satisfaction  we  obtain  in  the  carnal  indul- 
gences which  we  spare  in  refusing  to  make  sacrifices 
deserves  not  to  be  named.  This  reward  is  twofold 
— it  is  the  reward  of  success  here  and  of  glory  here- 
after.    J.  H.  T. 

3.  Endured  such  contradiction.  In  the 
passion  of  Jesus,  it  must  be  enough  that  I  look  on 
the  travail  of  a  divine  feeling,  and  behold  the  spec- 
tacle of  God  in  sacrifice..  This  I  see  and  nothing 
less.  He  is  visibly  not  a  man.  His  character  is  not 
of  this  world.  I  feel  a  divinity  in  him.  And  when 
I  stand  by  his  cross,  when  I  look  on  that  strong 


passion  and  shudder  with  the  shuddering  earth,  and 
darken  with  the  darkening  sun,  enough  that  I  can 
say,  My  Lord  and  my  God!  Enough  that  I  can 
see  the  heart  of  God,  and,  in  all  this  wondrous  pas- 
sion, know  him  as  enduring  the  conti'adiction  of  sin- 
ners. He  that  endures  me  so,  subdues  me,  and  I 
yield.     H.  B. 

Lest  ye  be  wearied.  If  He  had  been  "  wea- 
ried,^'' and  left  but  one  thing  undone !  If  he  had 
shrunk  and  failed,  what  sensation  in  heaven — hell — 
earth !  Let  his  followers,  when  tempted  to  shrink 
from  service  and  to  say  it  is  too  much,  go  and  look 
at  Him !  He  is  the  grand  transcendent  example,  to 
show  that  a  good  work  must  be  gone  through  with. 
"  He  that  endurelh  to  the  end  shall  be  saved,"     J.  F. 

Since  whatsoever  befalls  us  of  suffering  or  ill  is, 
however  it  comes,  the  will  of  God  to  us,  what  then 
should  we  do  when  it  comes  ?  Surely  forget  as  far 
as  we  may  all  besides,  and  go  up  in  thought  to  the 
Eternal  Throne,  and  behold  the  heavens  opened  and 
Jesus  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  thence 
looking  down  upon  us,  allotting  to  us  our  trials, 
even  through  the  wrong  tempers  of  men;  thence 
passing  down  his  strength  to  us  to  bear  them ; 
thence  preparing  us  for  the  place  in  heaven  which 
he  ascended  on  high  to  prepare  for  us.  Oh,  how  do 
all  the  ills  of  life  fade  into  nothing ;  how  glad  may 
any  trial  be,  though  painful  to  flesh  and  blood ;  how 
should  we  greet  as  goods  the  evils  of  life ;  how  would 
its  sadness  become  gladness,  its  thorns  a  crown,  if  we 
but  see  in  them  the  eternal  hand  of  God,  molding 
us  by  them  for  everlasting  glory;  refining  away 
through  outward  ills  our  own  inward  evils ;  chasten- 
ing us  that  we  might  not  perish,  checking  us  that 
we  might  not  go  astray ;  recalling  us  when  astray ; 
alluring  us  by  his  goodness ;  and  then  again  wean- 
ing us  from  the  world  by  its  very  unrest  and  suffer- 
ing, that  in  him  we  might  find  everlasting  rest  and 
peace !     Pusey. 

5.  If  God  were  to  exempt  his  friends  from  trial, 
he  would  take  away  one  of  the  most  effective  means 
of  their  training,  and  one  of  the  most  striking  ways 
in  which  they  can  prove  their  likeness  to  Christ. 
The  righteous  is  more  excellent  than  his  neighbor, 
but  it  is  not  seen  in  his  being  saved  from  suffering ; 
it  is  in  the  way  in  which  he  meets  it.  A  merely 
worldly  spirit  is  ready  in  severe  affliction  to  fall 
into  one  of  two  extremes :  either  to  cast  the  trial 
aside  in  levity  and  to  dissipate  thought  by  some  en- 
grossing preoccupation,  or  to  sink  into  despon- 
dency and  consider  all  as  lost.  The  spirit  of  the 
Christian,  which  is  also  that  of  the  true  man,  is  de- 
scribed by  the  apostle :  "  not  to  despise  the  chasten- 
ing of  the  Lord,  nor  to  faint  when  we  are  rebuked 
of  him."  A  spirit  of  hopeful  patience  is  that  which 
most  of  all  marks  a  Christian  man  in  trial,  as  of 
one  who  knows  that  there  is  a  purpose  in  God's 


606 


SECTION'  3Jt7.— HEBREWS  12  : 1-13. 


providence,  if  he  could  discover  it,  and  that,  where 
he  can  not,  it  will  come  out  some  day,  filled  with 

vdsdom  and  kindness.     I^er. Conscious  of  it  or 

not,  agencies  are  at  work  in  us  to  make  ready,  if  we 
only  will,  for  the  entrance  of  the  Lord  of  the  heart 
into  his  home  and  dwelling-place  there.  Having 
created  us  for  Christian  service,  as  the  true  end  and 
real  glory  of  our  being,  our  Father  takes  pains  to 
fit  and  to  fashion  us  for  that  destiny,  with  all  its 
honor  and  all  its  joy.  By  secret  influences,  untrace- 
able as  the  wind  that  bloweth  where  it  listeth, 
silently  pressing  on  the  springs  of  feeling  and  prin- 
ciple within  us ;  by  hours  of  uneasiness  not  ex- 
plained ;  by  sharp  twinges  of  conscience ;  by  open 
providences,  prosperous  or  painful ;  by  letting  us 
have  what  we  want,  to  encourage  or  to  shame  us ; 
by  taking  away  what  we  love  too  well,  or  love  false- 
ly, that  we  may  become  wise,  and  strong,  and  pure 
in  our  grief — this  process  of  personal  preparation 
is  in  continual  operation.     F.  D.  H. 

Those  occurrences  which  others  term  crosses, 
afflictions,  judgments,  misfortunes,  to  me,  who  in- 
quire further  into  them  than  their  visible  effects, 
they  both  appear,  and  in  event  have  ever  proved, 
the  secret  and  dissembled  favors  of  his  affection. 
It  is  a  singular  piece  of  wisdom  to  apprehend  truly 
and  without  passion  the  works  of  God  ;  and  so  well 
to  distinguish  his  justice  from  his  mercy  as  not  to 
miscall  those  noble  attributes  ;  yet  it  is  likewise  an 
honest  piece  of  logic  so  to  argue  the  proceedings 
of  God  as  to  distinguish  even  his  judgments  into 
mercies.  For  God  is  merciful  unto  all,  because  bet- 
ter to  the  worst  than  the  best  deserve  ;  and  to  say 
he  punisheth  none  in  this  world,  though  it  be  a 
paradox,  is  no  absurdity.  To  one  that  hath  com- 
mitted murder,  if  the  judge  should  only  ordain  a 
fine,  it  were  a  madness  to  call  this  a  punishment, 
and  to  repine  at  the  sentence  rather  than  admire 
the  clemency  of  the  judge.  Thus  our  offenses  be- 
ing mortal  and  deserving  death,  if  the  goodness  of 
God  be  content  to  pass  them  over  with  a  loss,  mis- 
fortune, or  disease,  what  frenzy  were  it  to  term  this 
a  punishment,  rather  than  an  extremity  of  mercy, 
and  to  groan  under  the  rod  of  his  judgments,  rather 
than  admire  the  scepter  of  his  mercies !  Therefore 
to  adore,  honor,  and  admire  him,  is  a  debt  of  grati- 
tude due  from  the  obligation  of  our  nature,  states, 
and  conditions.     Browne. 

6.  It  is  not  correction,  but  the  hand  of  God  in 
it  and  with  it,  which  makes  us  happy.  A  cross 
without  a  Christ  never  made  any  man  better,  but 
with  Christ  all  are  made  better  by  the  cross.  As  a 
good  heart  takes  notice  of  the  least  comfort,  so  it 

will  take  notice  of  the  least  cross.     Caryl. His 

justice  might,  but  his  love  will  not,  let  us  do  as  we 
will.  It  follows  us  in  our  waywardness,  and  when 
by  tenderness  it  can  not,  with  the  rod  it  procures 


our  return.  It  is  not  our  happiness  as  we  choose  it, 
depending  on  things  lower  than  ourselves,  but  our 
happiness  as  wrought  in  us,  and  outstarting  in  the 
growth  of  life,  which  he  is  concerned  to  secure  for 
us.  We  have  virtues  and  graces  to  form  and  estab- 
lish, and  He  tries  them,  and  puts  force  on  them  to 
give  them  strength.     H.  H. 

God's  children  are  like  stars,  that  shine  brightest 
in  the  darkest  night ;  like  grapes,  that  come  not  to 
the  proof  till  they  come  to  the  press ;  like  trees, 
that  drive  down  their  roots  farther  and  grasp  the 
earth  tighter  by  reason  of  the  storm ;  like  vines, 
that  grow  the  better  for  bleeding ;  like  juniper, 
that  smells  sweetest  in  the  fire  ;  like  the  pomander, 
which  becomes  more  fragrant  for  chafing ;  like  the 
palm-tree,  which  proves  the  better  for  preserving ; 
like  the  chamomile,  which  spreads  the  more  as  you 
tread  upon  it.     An. 

7.  Know  that  thy  sin,  after  thou  hast  received 
the  Spirit  of  adoption  to  cry  unto  God,  "  Father, 
Father,"  is  counted  the  transgression  of  a  child,  not 
of  a  slave  ;  and  that  all  that  happeneth  to  thee  for 
that  transgression  is  but  the  chastisement  of  a  fa- 
ther :  "  And  what  son  is  he  whom  the  father  chas- 

teneth  not  ?  "     Bun. The  art  of  tasting  what  is 

sweet  in  the  will  of  God,  even  when  that  will  in- 
volves what  is  in  itself  bitter,  is  what  we  are  in- 
tended to  learn.  When  one  learns  to  suffer  in  this 
childlike  spirit,  a  multitude  of  moral  lessons  open 
to  him.  Then  one  need  not  wait  for  extraordinary 
seasons  of  affliction.  Each  little  daily  sorrow,  every 
misunderstanding  we  experience  on  the  part  of  our 
fellow-men,  every  little  disappointed  hope,  every 
cross,  every  care,  if  only  viewed  in  this  light,  be- 
comes a  great  lesson  to  every  Christian  soul :  he 
must  not  bear  it  as  a  servant,  he  must  bear  it  as  a 
son !    A.  T. 

8»  Woe,  woe  to  that  soul  that  God  will  not 
spend  a  rod  upon !  This  is  the  saddest  stroke  of  all, 
when  God  refuses  to  strike  at  all.  "  Nothing,"  said 
one,  "  seems  more  unhappy  to  me  than  he  to  whom 
no  adversity  has  happened."     Brooks. 

10.  They  chastened.  They  were  in  the 
habit  of  chastening  us  during  the  brief  days  of  child- 
hood as  it  seemed  best  to  their  judgment ;  to  meet 
their  responsibilities  wisely  as  they  might  be  able, 
though  imperfectly.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
Great  Father  chastens  only  for  our  profit — with 
never  a  mistake  of  judgment,  and  never  the  least 
deviation  from  this  most  benevolent  purpose— owr 
highest  spiritual  profit — that  we  may  share  his  own 

perfect  holiness.    H.  C. Whoever  well  considers 

the  state  of  the  world  and  human  experience  can  not 
but  conclude  that  God  is  more  concerned  to  make 
man  holy  than  happy  ;  for  many  arc  able  to  rest  in 
their  sorrows  for  the  sake  of  their  use  and  end,  but 
no   one  finds  rest  in  unholy  delights.     In  sinful 


SECTION  Slfl.— HEBREWS  12  : 1-13. 


607 


pleasure,  God  follows  man  with  a  scourge ;  in  sor- 
row, with  balm.     Pulsford. 

How  great  a  word  is  that  (spoken  in  reference 
to  our  present  state) — to  make  us  partakers  of  his 
holiness !  It  is  instanced  as  an  effect  and  argument 
of  love.  And  sure  the  love  of  God  can  not  be  more 
directly  expressed  than  in  his  first  intending  to 
make  a  poor  soul  like  him,  while  he  loves  it  with 
compassion,  and  then  imprinting  and  perfecting 
that  likeness  that  he  may  love  it  with  eternal  de- 
light. Love  is  here  the  first  and  the  last,  the  begin- 
ning and  end  in  all  this  business.     Howe. If  we 

duly  considered  what  it  is  to  be  partakers  of  God's 
holiness,  and  that  every  event  that  befalls  us  is 
appointed  by  his  wisdom  to  promote  this  end,  could 
we  even  wish  one  providential  event  to  be  other 
than  it  is  ?  To  be  a  partaker  of  the  holiness  of 
God  is  the  highest  point  of  exaltation — imagination 
can  ascend  no  higher.  If  we  are  partakers  of  God's 
holiness,  we  shall  also  be  partakers  of  God's  hap- 
piness. For  holiness  and  happiness  are  one.  God 
would  unite  them  here,  and  by  his  providential  ap- 
pointments would  perfect  that  union  for  its  final 
consummation  in  the  heavens.    N.  W.  T. 

11.  God's  chastisements  lead  men  to  conformity 
to  the  will  of  God  (which  is  righteousness) ;  and 
this  effect  of  suffering  is  full  of  peace.  There  can 
be  no  peace  like  that  which  follows  upon  the  sub- 
mission of  the  soul  to  the  chastisement  of  our 
heavenly  Father,  if  we  receive  it  as  inflicted  by  in- 
finite wisdom  and  perfect  love.      C. For  the 

present,  grievous.  In  particular  cases  of  suffer- 
ing we  have  to  fall  back  on  some  reserved  fund  of 
faith  accumulated  in  calmer  moments.  God  will  not 
be  angry  if  you  fail  to  see  just  in  that  bewildered 
paroxysm  of  grief  how  it  is  well  for  you  to  be  so 
stricken.  Yet  you  can  say  to  yourself,  even  then, 
in  the  midst  of  your  tears,  "  It  is  well ;  somehow  it 
is  well ;  it  must  be  wise,  and  right,  and  merciful." 
That  will  be  both  the  trial  and  the  triumph  of  faith. 

F.  D.  H. Seek  not  altogether  to  dry  up  the  stream 

of  sorrow,  but  to  bound  it,  and  keep  it  within  its 
banks.  Religion  doth  not  destroy  the  life  of  nature, 
but  add3  to  it  a  life  more  excellent ;  yea,  it  doth  not 
only  permit  but  requires  some  feeling  of  afflic- 
tions.    L. 

Afterward  peaceable  fruit.  "Peaceable 
fruit"  is  none  other  than  peaceful — peace-bearing, 
that  which  brings  the  deep,  rich  peace  of  a  subdued, 
penitent,  humbled,  chastened  soul.  This  is  the  fruit 
of  righteousness  in  the  sense  of  rightness — the  spirit 

that  is  right  before  God.     H.  C. The  chastening 

yieldeth  the  "  peaceable  " — that  is,  peace,  happiness, 
and  life-bringing — "  fruit  of  righteousness  to  them 
that  are  exercised  thereby.''''  Righteousness,  in  the 
measure  attainable  here  below,  becomes  the  ines- 
timable result  which  it  produces ;  and  now — thus 


may  we  well  complete  the  declaration  of  our  text — 
noio  there  is  no  more  cause  for  sorrow,  but  only  for 
pure  joy.  Faith  still  tastes  joy ;  how  strange  it 
sounds  even  under  the  sufferings  of  earth !  and 
many  a  one  has  known  more  quiet  gladness  in  the 
house  of  mourning  than  the  worldling  at  the  most 
sumptuous  feast.  Yet,  especially  afterward,  often 
here  below,  from  the  seed  of  tears  is  produced  the 
most  glorious  harvest  of  joy.      Van  0. 

Trial  brings  us  into  a  mood  more  receptive  of 
blessing :  it  makes  our  spirits  tender ;  it  softens 
our  hearts  ;  it  makes  our  consciences  alive ;  it  emp- 
ties us  of  adverse  influences ;  it  makes  us  willing  to 
receive  and  to  learn ;  it  breaks  our  stubborn  wills ; 
it  makes  us  prize  the  word  ;  it  shuts  out  the  world; 
it  bids  us  look  up,  and  turns  our  hope  to  the  Lord's 

great  coming.     Bonar. Prayer  does  not  directly 

take  away  a  trial  or  its  pain,  but  it  preserves  the 
strength  of  the  whole  spiritual  fiber,  so  that  the 
trial  does  not  pass  into  temptation  to  sin.  A  sor- 
row comes  upon  you.  Omit  prayer,  and  you  fall  out 
of  God's  testing  into  the  devil's  temptation;  you 
get  angry,  hard  of  heart,  reckless.  But  meet  the 
trial  with  prayer,  cast  your  care  on  God,  and  the 
paralyzing,  embittering  effects  of  pain  and  sorrow 
pass  away,  a  stream  of  sanctifying  and  softening 
thought  pours  into  the  soul,  and  that  which  might 
have  wrought  your  fall  but  works  in  you  the  peace- 
able fruit  of  righteousness.  You  pass  from  bitter- 
ness into  endurance,  from  endurance  into  battle, 
and  from  battle  to  victory,  till  at  last  the  trial  dig- 
nifies and  blesses  your  life.     S.  A.  B. 

12.  The  sons  and  daughters  of  his  afflicting, 
who  come  bending  unto  him,  are  the  privileged 
spirits  who  take  their  sufferings  as  love-tokens  that 
he  remembers  them  still,  has  not  left  them  to  their 
folly,  but  means  by  all  means  to  number  them  with 
his  saints  in  glory  everlasting.  No  Scripture  teaches 
us  that  this  casing  and  lightening  of  the  Christian 
life  shall  be  completed  at  once.  The  learners  in 
that  often  sad  but  blessed  school,  even  though  sit- 
ting solitary,  with  pale  faces,  nerveless  limbs,  and 
tears  in  their  eyes,  will  find  "  rest "  flowing  in,  not 
in  violent  floods,  but  as  the  dawn  trembles  into  the 
sky,  by  gradual  and  almost  imperceptible  incre- 
ments and  risings  of  the  light.  Gradually  but 
steadily,  a  tranquil  faith  sets  up  its  unseen  pillars 
of  power  beneath  and  within  those  hanging  heads 
and  feeble  knees,  till  the  whole  body  of  character 
is  built  up,  by  this  edifying  submission,  a  spiritual 
house.  Gradually  but  steadily,  the  blood  streams 
back  into  the  veins;  and  it  is  not  nature's  blood, 
but  is  redder  and  richer  and  sweeter  blood  than 
that,  as  if  the  very  sweetness  and  life  of  the  "pre- 
cious blood  "  were  in  it,  out  of  the  heart  of  Jesus, 
King  at  once  and  Lamb,  who  is  the  life  of  every 
Christian  that  lives.     F.  D.  H. 


608 


SECTION  3Jf8.— HEBREWS  12  :  11^-29. 


13.  The  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter  is  sim- 
ply this :  God  has  made  us  for  himself ;  made  us, 
that  is,  to  be  like  himself,  to  share  his  perfect  bles- 
sedness and  peace.  By  smiles  or  frowns,  by  pros- 
perity and  adversity,  he  compels  us  to  look  up  to 
him  ;  to  rise  to  the  height  of  our  nature  ;  to  place 
our  treasure  and  affections  beyond  the  reach  of 
change ;  to  value  most  that  which  is  worth  most 
and  lasts  the  longest ;  to  find  a  deeper  peace  than 
we  sought,  and  a  more  perfect  happiness.  Cox. 
Hence   God's  personal   providence  with  us  is 


continually  pushing  us  on,  loosening  our  feet,  chang- 
ing the  scene,  displacing  one  or  another  scheme,  or 
vision,  or  staff,  or  companion.  He  does  it  for  what 
he  would  make  of  us — better  men — and  for  the  far- 
sighted  love  wherewith  he  loves  us.  He  does  it  be- 
cause he  will  not  let  our  feet  cleave  to  the  dust,  our 
hearts  grow  thin  and  weak,  our  faith  dwindle  and 
die  out ;  the  dropping  of  every  such  dear  delusion 
liberates  our  I'cal  life,  increases  our  durable  riches, 
replenishes  our  strength,  sets  us  forward,  lifts  us 
up.     F.  D.  H. 


Section  348. 

Hebrews  xii.  14-29. 

14  Follow  peace  with  all  men.,  and  holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord: 

15  looking  diligently  lest  any  man  fail  of  the  grace  of  God ;  lest  any  root  of  bitterness  spring- 

16  ing  up  trouble  you.,  and  thereby  many  be  defiled;  lest  there  te  any  fornicator,  or  profane 

17  person,  as  Esau,  who  for  one  morsel  of  meat  sold  his  birthright.  For  ye  know  how  that 
afterward,  when  he  would  have  inherited  the  blessing,  he  was  rejected :  for  he  found  no 
place  of  repentance,  though  he  sought  it  carefully  with  tears. 

18  For  ye  are  not  come  unto  the  mount  that  might  be  touched,  and  that  burned  with  fire, 

19  nor  unto  blackness,  and  darkness,  and  tempest,  and  the  sound  of  a  trumpet,  and  the  voice 
of  words;  which  'coice  they  that  heard  intreated  that  the  word  should  not  be  spoken  to 

20  them  any  more:  (for  they  could  not  endure  that  which  was  commanded,  And  if  so  much 

21  as  a  beast  touch  the  mountain,  it  shall  be  stoned,  or  thrust  through  with  a  dart:  and  so  ter- 

22  rible  was  the  sight,  that  Moses  said,  I  exceedingly  fear  and  quake :)  but  ye  are  come  unto 
mount  Sion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to  an  innu- 

23  merable  company  of  angels,  to  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  firstborn,  which  are 
written  in  heaven,  and  to  God  the  Judge  of  all,  and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect, 

24  and  to  Jesus  the  mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  and  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  that  speak- 
eth  better  things  than  that  ()/Abel. 

25  See  that  ye  refuse  not  him  that  speaketh.  For  if  they  escaped  not  who  refused  him  that 
spake  on  earth,  much  more  shall  not  we  escape,  if  we  turn  away  from  him  that  speaTcetli 

26  from  heaven  :  whose  voice  then  shook  the  earth  :  but  now  he  hath  promised,  saying,  Yet 

27  once  more  I  shake  not  the  earth  only,  but  also  heaven.  And  this  icord.,  Yet  once  more, 
signifieth  the  removing  of  those  tilings  that  are  shaken,  as  of  things  that  are  made,  that 

28  those  things  which  cannot  be  shaken  may  remain.  "Wherefore  we  receiving  a  kingdom 
which  cannot  be  moved,  let  us  have  grace,  whereby  we  may  serve  God  acceptably  with 

29  reverence  and  godly  fear :  for  our  God  is  a  consuming  fire. 


Is  it  not  true  that  every  man  that  rejects  Christ  does  in  simple  verity  reject  him,  and  not  merely  ne- 
glect him ;  that  there  is  always  an  effort,  that  there  is  a  struggle,  feeble  perhaps  but  real,  which  ends  in 
the  turning  away  ?  It  is  not  that  you  stand  there,  and  simply  let  him  go  past.  That  were  bad  enough ; 
but  it  is  more  than  that.  It  is  that  you  turn  your  back  upon  him!  It  is  not  that  his  hand  is  laid  on 
yours,  and  yours  remains  dead  and  cold,  and  does  not  open  to  clasp  it;  but  it  is  that  his  hand  being  laid 
on  yours,  you  clench  yours  the  tighter,  and  loill  not  have  it.  And  so  every  man  that  ever  rejects  Christ 
does  these  things  thereby — wounds  his  own  conscience,  hardens  his  own  heart,  makes  himself  a  worse 
man.  The  message  of  love  can  never  come  into  a  human  soul,  and  pass  away  from  it  unrcceived,  without 
leaving  that  spirit  worse,  with  all  its  lowest  characteristics  strengthened,  and  all  its  best  ones  depressed, 
by  the  fact  of  rejection.  If  there  were  no  judgment  at  all,  the  natural  result  of  the  simple  rejection  of 
the  gospel  is  that,  bit  by  bit,  all  the  lingering  remains  of  nobleness  that  hover  about  the  man,  like  scent 


SECTION  SJfS.— HEBREWS  12  :  U-29. 


609 


about  a  broken  vase,  shall  pass  away ;  and  that,  step  by  step,  through  the  simple  process  of  saying,  "  I 
will  not  have  Christ  to  rule  over  me,"  the  whole  being  shall  degenerate,  until  the  soul  is  lost  by  its  own 
want  of  faith.  Unbelief  is  its  own  judgment ;  unbelief  is  its  own  condemnation ;  unbelief,  as  sin,  is 
punished,  like  all  other  sins,  by  the  perpetuation  of  deeper  and  darker  forms  of  itself.     A.  M. 


14,  Perseverance  includes  not  only  continuance 
in  well-doing,  but  fervor  and  progress  toward  per- 
fection. There  are  two  fixed  states.  The  blessed 
spirits  above  are  arrived  to  the  height  of  holiness. 
The  devil  and  lost  spirits  are  sunk  to  the  lowest  ex- 
tremity of  sin.  But  in  the  middle  state  here  grace 
in  the  saints  is  a  rising,  growing  light ;  and  sin  in 
the  wicked  increases  every  day,  like  poison  in  a  ser- 
pent, that  becomes  more  deadly  by  his  age.  We 
are  enjoined  not  to  remain  in  our  first  imperfections, 
but  to  "  follow  holiness  "  to  the  utmost  issue  of  our 
lives,  to  its  entire  consummation.  For  this  end  all 
the  dispensations  of  Providence  must  be  improved, 
whether  prosperous  or  afflicting.  And  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  gospel  were  appointed  that  in  the  use 
of  them  we  may  be  "  changed  into  the  divine  image 

from  glory  to  glory."     Bates. Christ's  blood  was 

shed  that  we  might  be  purified.  The  Holy  Ghost 
dwells  in  men  that  they  may  be  sanctified.  The 
Scriptures  are  given  that  we  may  cleanse  our  way 
by  taking  heed  to  it  according  to  God's  word.  The 
ordinances  of  the  Supper  and  Baptism,  and  the  rest 
of  the  holy  Sabbath,  are  appointed  to  promote  our 
purity  ;  angels  minister  to  us  that  we  may  be  holy  ; 
and  we  are  cast  into  the  furnace  of  affliction  that 
we  may  be  refined  ;  we  are  chastened  that  we  may 
be  partakers  of  God's  holiness — that  indispensable 
qualification  for  heaven.     R.  T. 

Holiness  is  not  to  be  confounded  with  virtue. 
Nor  is  any  disparagement  cast  upon  virtue  by  affirm- 
ing this  distinction.  They  are  names  of  two 
things,  not  one  and  the  same.  They  do  not  express 
the  same  quality  in  character.  They  are  fed  from 
different  fountains — virtue  from  moral  principle, 
holiness  from  communion  with  God  in  Christ. 
Holiness  requires  virtue,  for  no  man  can  be  holy 
without  being  virtuous.  But  holiness  is  the  essen- 
tial root ;  virtue  the  essential  fruit.  And  holiness 
never  was  obtained  by  a  few  desultory  snatches  of 
sober  reflection  hastily  dismissed — a  few  vague  im- 
pressions in  churches  or  cemeteries.  It  must  be 
treated  like  an  interest,  a  pursuit,  a  profession.  It 
is  the  great  livelihood  of  your  heart,  the  vocation  of 
your  soul.  It  must  be  begun,  followed,  and  never 
ended.  Resolve,  deliberation,  continuous  effort,  are 
its  motor  powers.  All  your  members  are  its  flexile 
instruments.  The  Bible  is  its  text-book.  Morning, 
evening,  noon,  all  the  circling  hours,  are  its  periods 
of  exercise.  Prayer  is  its  rehearsal.  God  an- 
swering is  its  teacher.  Christ  is  its  pattern.  Spe- 
cial, express,  intentional,  must  the  striving  after 
39 


holiness  be  in  order  to  secure  it.     "  God  hath  called 

us  to  holiness."     F.  D.  H. The  man  who  is  not 

holy  does  not  do  "  about  right "  ;  he  wrongs  himself 
and  his  God  and  his  fellow  beings.  All  his  works 
possess  the  character  of  himself,  as  streams  partake 
the  qualities  of  the  fountain — or  fruit  that  of  the 
tree.  If  a  man  is  not  holy,  his  doings  are  not  holy  ; 
and  the  more  he  does  the  more  he  is  undone. 
R.  T. Seeing  then  there  is  no  other  way  to  hap- 
piness but  by  holiness,  no  assurance  of  the  love  of 
God  without  it,  take  the  apostle's  advice,  study  it, 
seek  it,  follow  earnestly  after  holiness,  without  which 
no  man  shall  see  the  Lord.     L. 

15.  "  Lest  any  fail  of  the  grace  of  God  " ;  that 
one  stroke  of  the  pen  sketches  to  us  the  figure  of  a 
man  with  whom,  after  a  spring  of  awakened  spirit- 
ual life,  and  after  a  summer  which  promised  abun- 
dant fruit,  a  season  of  standing  still  has  intervened, 
followed  immediately  by  declension,  the  end  of 
which  can  not  be  calculated.  With  all  respect  for 
genuine  progress  in  the  sphere  of  intellectual  and 
social  life,  we  should  willfully  close  our  eyes  if  we 
denied  that  the  danger  of  declension  in  a  moral, 
religious.  Christian  sense,  perhaps  never  was  so 
great  as  now.  "  The  grace  of  God  " :  what  is  become 
of  it  in  the  inner  life  of  so  many  who  yet  call  them- 
selves Christians  ?  And  even  where  it  is  known  and 
treasured,  how  frequently  does  it  seem  as  if  all 
within  and  around  us  had  conspired  against  our  spir- 
itual growth,  both  in  the  knowledge  and  grace  of 
Christ !     Van  0. 

16.  The  birthright  which  the  profane  Esau  re- 
jected, and  which  the  supple  Jacob  acquired,  was 
the  investiture  of  the  first-bom  with  all  the  patri- 
archal  privileges,  magisterial   and    priestly,  which 

death  conveyed  from  father  to  son.     B.  M.  P. 

Esau  came  from  the  hunting-field  worn  and  hungry ; 
the  only  means  of  procuring  the  tempting  mess  of 
his  brother's  pottage  was  the  sacrifice  of  his  father's 
blessing,  which  in  those  ages  carried  with  it  a  sub- 
stantial advantage ;  but  that  birthright  could  be  en- 
joyed only  after  years  —  the  'pottage  was  present., 
near,  and  certain ;  therefore  he  sacrificed  a  future 
and  higher  blessing  for  a  present  and  lower  plea- 
sure.    For  this  reason  Esau  is  the  Bible  type  of 

worldliness.      F.  W.  R. In    saying    that   Esau 

sought  repentance  with  tears,  the  writer  obviously 
means  that  he  sought  to  reverse  the  consequences  of 
his  fault,  and  obtain  the  blessing.  If  we  refer  to 
Genesis,  we  find  that  it  was,  in  fact,  Jacob's  bless- 
ing which  Esau  sought  with  tears.     C. 


610 


SECTION  SJfS.— HEBREWS  12  :  14-29. 


18-24«  In  the  course  of  his  exhortation,  the 
writer  recurs  to  the  contrast  between  the  old  and 
new  dispensations,  and  in  a  very  grand  passage  lik- 
ens it  to  the  difference  between  Mount  Sinai  and 
Mount  Zion.  The  former  was  earthly,  a  mount  that 
might  be  touched,  and  that  was  enveloped  in  the 
terrors  of  the  law.  The  latter  is  the  citadel  of  the 
Son  of  David,  and  is  connected  with  the  heavenly 
kingdom.  Sinai  is  on  the  way  to  Jerusalem,  no 
doubt,  but  far  from  it.  Zion  ia  at  Jerusalem,  the 
city  of  peace.  At  that  "city  of  the  living  God" 
we  are  come  to  "  myriads  of  angels  in  full  assem- 
bly." The  law  was  given  at  Sinai  "  by  a  disposition 
of  angels " ;  but  the  tribes  entered  not  into  the 
company  of  those  heavenly  messengers,  who  brought 
no  comfort  to  the  people  who  were  under  the  law, 
but  rather  increased  the  terror.  Now  all  is  changed 
under  grace,  and  the  worshiping  Church  is  surround- 
ed by  the  convocation  of  angels  in  their  myriads, 
who  add  their  chorus  to  the  song  of  the  redeemed. 

D.  F. There  are  the  choirs  of  angels ;  tliere  the 

fellowship  of  the  heavenly  citizens  ;  there  the  sweet 
festival  of  those  who  come  home  from  the  dreary 
toils  of  this  pilgrimage ;  there  are  the  far-seeing 
choirs  of  prophets ;  there  the  company  of  apostles ; 
there  the  victorious  host  of  innumerable  martyrs, 
the  more  grievous  their  afflictions  here,  the  fuller 
their  gladness  there ;  there  the  steadfast  confes- 
sors, comforted  by  the  enjoyment  of  their  reward. 
Then  let  faith  grow  warm  toward  that  which  it  has 
believed ;  let  our  desires  burn  for  our  home  above. 
Gregory  the  Great. 

18,  19.  In  that  momentous  day  when  all  Israel 
were  come  to  it,  marshaled  in  the  great  plain  of  Er 
Rahah,  which  stretched  away  to  the  north  from  its 
base,  and  stood  there  in  front  of  its  vast  wall  of 
rugged  rock  and  frowning  precipice,  it  burned  with 
fire  enwrapped  in  blackness  and  darkness  and  tem- 
pest— as  if  a  thousand  thunder-clouds  were  con- 
densed into  one,  and  that  one  begirt  this  awful 
mountain  in  its  folds — the  terrible  blackness  broken 
only  by  the  flashes  of  lightning  ;  and  the  perpetual 
roar  of  the  tempest  only  by  the  more  terrific  trum- 
pet-blast and  the  more  awful  voice  of  the  Almighty, 
pronouncing  the  words  of  his  fiery  law.  Dr.  E. 
Robinson,  standing  on  the  spot,  wrote :  "  Here  lay 
the  plain  where  the  whole  congregation  might  be 
assembled  ;  here  was  the  mount  that  could  be  ap- 
proached and  touched,  if  not  forbidden  ;  and  here 
the  mountain  brow,  where  alone  the  lightnings  and 
the  thick  cloud  would  be  visible  and  the  thunders 
and  the  voice  of  the  trump  be  heard,  when  the  Lord 
came  down  in  the  sight  of  all  the  people  upon 
Mount  Sinai.  I  know  not  when  I  have  felt  a  thrill 
of  stronger  emotion  than  when,  in  first  crossing  the 
plain,  the  dark  precipices  of  Horeb  rising  in  solemn 
grandeur  before  us,  we  became  aware  of  the  entire 
adaptedness  of  the  scene  to  the  purposes  for  which 
it  was  chosen."     H.  C. 

20.  "  For  they  eould  not  endure  that  lohich  was 
commanded.''^  This  sentence  belongs  to  and  com- 
pletes that  which  goes  before,  and  should  be  followed 
with  a  perioJ.     Then  begins  the  parenthesis,  which 


also  should  be  closed  with  a  period  (at  the  end  of 
verse  21).     B. 

23.  The  spirits  of  just  men  made  per- 
fect. The  soul's  recovery  implies  its  admission  into 
the  society  of  all  which  is  noble  and  good ;  for  "  the 
saints  on  earth  and  all  the  dead  but  one  communion 
make."  It  is  not  only  encompassed  by  a  great  cloud 
of  witnesses,  it  is  itself  one  of  these  witnesses. 
It  has  become  a  part  of  the  great  commonwealth 
of  the  living  and  the  blessed  dead.  When  it  par- 
takes of  the  spirit  of  angels,  it  shares  in  their  sweet 
ministries  of  grace,  and  will  triumph  evermore  in 
their  blissful  society.  It  is  drawn  upward,  not  alone 
by  its  own  impulses,  or  by  the  power  of  its  redeem- 
er's arm,  but  by  the  consciousness  of  its  glorious 
companionship,  by   the   encouraging  voices  which 

greet  the  still  struggling  spirit.     B.  B.  E. The 

present  life  of  departed  saints  is  fuller  and  nobler 
than  that  which  they  possessed  on  earth.  They  are 
even  now,  whatever  be  the  details  of  their  condition, 
"  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect."  As  yet  the 
body  is  not  glorified,  but  the  spirits  of  the  perfected 
I'ighteous  are  now  parts  of  that  lofty  society  whose 
head  is  Christ,  whose  members  are  the  angels  of 
God,  the  saints  on  earth  and  the  equally  conscious 

redeemed  who  "  sleep  in  Jesus."     A.  M. Their 

number  is  daily  increasing.  Day  by  day  unbroken 
columns  are  passing  through  the  golden  gates  of 
the  city,  and  God's  elect  are  gathering  from  the  four 
winds  of  heaven.  There  are  no  dead  saints ;  all 
are  alive  unto  God,  and  "we   live  together  with 

them.     N.  M. More  than  eighteen  hundred  years 

have  passed  since  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  was 
written ;  and  how  many  thousands  of  just  men  and 
women,  pure,  noble,  tender,  wise,  beneficent,  have 
graced  the  earth  since  then,  and  left  their  mark 
upon  mankind,  and  helped  forward  the  hallowing 
of  our  heavenly  Father's  name,  the  coming  of  his 
kingdom,  the  doing  of  his  will  on  earth  as  it  is  done 
in  heaven;  and  helped,  therefore,  to  abolish  the 
superstition,  the  misrule,  the  vice,  and,  therefore, 
the  misery  of  this  struggling,  moaning  world.  Yes, 
many  a  holy  soul,  many  a  useful  soul,  many  a  saint 
who  is  now  .  at  God's  right  hand,  has  lived  and 
worked,  and  been  a  blessing,  himself  blest,  of  whom 
the  world,  and  even  the  Church,  has  never  heard, 
who  will  never  be  seen  or  known  again  till  the  day 
in  which  the  Lord  counteth  up  his  jewels.     C.  K. 

Of  the  future  recognition  of  our  Christian  friends, 
it  is  almost  as  unreasonable  to  ask  for  proofs  as  for 
the  probable  recognition  of  friends  in  a  different 
part  of  the  country,  after  having  been  separated 
one  from  another  during  a  brief  interval  of  time. 
What !  shall  memory  be  obliterated,  and  shall  we 
forget  our  own  past  histories,  and  therefore  lose  the 
sense  of  our  personal  identity,  and  be  ignorant  of 
all  we  have  been  and  done  as  sinners,  and  of  all 


SECTION  SJfS.— HEBREWS  12  :  U-S9. 


611 


we  have  received  and  done  as  redeemed  men  ?  or, 
knowing  all  this,  shall  we  be  prevented  from  com- 
municatiag  our  histories  to  others  ?  Shall  beloved 
friends  be  there  whom  we  have  known  and  loved  in 
Christ  here  ;  with  whom  we  have  held  holy  commu- 
nion ;  with  whom  we  have  labored  and  prayed  for 
the  advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom,  and  with  whom 
we  have  eagerly  watched  for  his  second  coming — 
and  shall  we  be  unable  throughout  eternity  either 
to  discover  their  existence  or  associate  with  them  in 
the  New  Jerusalem  ?  Oh !  what  is  there  in  the 
whole  word  of  God,  what  argument  derived  from 
our  experience  of  the  blessings  of  Christian  fellow- 
ship, what  in  the  character  of  God  or  his  dealings 
with  man,  what  in  his  promises  of  things  to  come 
laid  up  for  those  who  love  him,  that  could  have  sug- 
gested such  strange,  unworthy,  false,  and  dreary 
thoughts  of  the  union,  or  rather  disunion,  of  friends 
in  their  Father's  home  ?  Tell  me  not  that  special  af- 
fection to  Christian  brethren,  from  whatever  causes 
it  may  arise,  is  inconsistent  with  unfeigned  love  to 
all,  and  with  absorbing  love  to  Jesus.  It  is  not  so 
here,  and  never  can  be  so  from  the  nature  of  holy 
love,  and  was  not  so  in  Christ's  own  case  when  he, 
the  Perfect  One,  lived  among  us. 

24.  To  Jesus.  "I  will  take  you  to  myself'' 
is  the  blessed  promise.  *'  We  shall  see  him  as  he 
is  "  is  the  longed-for  vision.  "  We  shall  be  like 
him"  is  the  hoped-for  perfection.  To  know,  to 
love,  to  be  in  all  things  like  Jesus,  and  to  hold  com- 
munion with  him  for  ever,  what  "  an  exceeding 
weight  of  glory  " !  Jesus  will  never  be  separated 
personally  from  his  people ;  nor  can  they  ever  possi- 
bly separate  their  character,  their  joy,  or  their  safe- 
ty from  his  atoning  death  for  them  on  earth,  or  from 
his  constant  life  for  them  in  heaven.  It  is  the 
Lamb  who  shall  lead  them  to  living  fountains  of 

waters.    K  M. The  Mediator  of  the  New 

Covenant.  lie  who  before  all  ages  proceeded  as 
the  only-begotten  from  the  Father,  was  born  of  Mary 
in  the  end  of  times.  This  is  he  who  was  foretold 
by  patriarchs,  proclaimed  by  prophets,  heralded  by 
angels,  accepted  by  apostles.  Rejoice,  therefore, 
and  exult,  thou  Gentile  world,  now  at  length  con- 
verted to  thy  God.  For  Israel,  as  we  read,  in  fear 
and  trembling  marveled  that  Moses,  the  chief  of 
the  people,  was  talking  alone  with  God,  wrapt  in 
the  cloud  and  on  the  peak  of  a  high  mountain.  But 
unto  us  has  Christ  with  such  vast  graciousness  be- 
stowed himself  as  to  speak  to  all  and  be  seen  by 
all.  Whoever  of  the  people  drew  near  at  that  time 
to  Mount  Sinai,  was  punished  with  instant  destruc- 
tion ;  but  whoever  does  not  draw  near  to  this  Moun- 
tain, will  die.  Do  thou,  therefore,  welcome  the  gra- 
ciousness of  the  Eternal  Majesty,  for  unto  all  the 
faithful  Christ  gives  salvation.     Maximus. 

To  the  blood  of  sprinkling.     Here  is  a 


sacrifice,  a  sin-offering,  for  the  whole  world ;  and  a 
high  priest,  who  is  indeed  a  mediator,  who,  not  in 
type  or  shadow,  but  in  very  truth  and  in  his  own 
right,  stands  in  the  place  of  man  to  God  and  of 
God  to  man,  and  who  receives  as  a  judge  what  he 
offered  as  an  advocate.  Would  you  be  grateful  to 
one  who  had  ransomed  you  from  slavery  under  a 
bitter  foe,  or  who  brought  you  out  of  captivity  ? 
Here  is  redemption  from  a  far  direr  sli^very,  the 
slavery  of  sin  unto  death  !  And  he  who  gave  him- 
self  for  the  ransom   has  taken  captivity  captive. 

S.  T.  C. Speaketh  better  things.    The  blood 

of  Christ  proclaims  pardon  and  peace ;  the  blood  of 
Abel  cried  to  God  from  the  ground  (Gen.  4  :  10)  for 
the  infliction  of  punishment  upon  the  murderer. 
Such  is  the  contrast  between  the  former  and  latter 
dispensation.  There  all  is  awful,  terrible,  and 
threatening;  here  all  is  alluring,  gracious,  and  ani- 
mating. Who  now  can  adhere  to  the  former  and 
reverence  the  latter  ?  Such  is  the  nature  of  the 
argument  presented.     M.  S. 

25.  How  escape.  Surely  were  God  but  for 
one  moment  to  let  this  world  hear  the  weeping  and 
wailing  of  the  lost,  that  sound,  more  terrible  than 
Egypt's  midnight  cry,  would  rouse  the  student  at 
his  books,  arrest  the  foot  of  the  dancer  in  the  ball, 
stop  armies  in  the  very  fury  of  the  fight,  and,  call- 
ing a  sleeping  world  from  their  beds,  would  bend 
the  most  stubborn  knees,  and  extort  from  all  the 
one  loud  cry,  "  Lord,  save  me,  or  I  perish !  "  Still  it 
is  not  terror  which  is  the  mighty  power  of  God. 
This  terror  is  not  only  subordinate  to  love,  but  sub- 
servient to  it.  As  the  skillful  painter  fills  the  back- 
ground of  his  picture  with  his  darker  colors,  God 
puts  in  the  smoke  of  torment  and  the  black  clouds 
of  Sinai,  to  give  brighter  prominence  to  Jesus,  the 
cross  of  Calvary,  and  his  love  to  the  chief  of  sin- 
ners.     T.  G. The   wrath-principle   and  justice 

have  the  same  place  under  Christianity  that  they 
had  before.  One  of  the  things  most  needed  in  the 
recovery  of  men  to  God  is  this  very  thing — a  more 
decisive  manifestation  of  the  wrath-principle  and 
justice  of  God.  Intimidation  is  a  first  means  of 
grace.  Xo  bad  mind  is  arrested  by  love  and  beauty 
till  such  time  as  it  is  balked  in  evil  and  put  on  ways 
of  thoughtfulness.  And  nothing  will  be  so  effec- 
tual for  this  as  a  distinct  apprehension  of  the  wrath 
to  come.  Then,  when  it  is  brought  to  a  condition 
of  thoughtfulness  by  the  apprehension  of  damage 
and  loss,  the  vehemence  of  God  and  his  judgment 
starts  a  correspondent  moral  vehemence  in  its  own 
self-condemnations,  when  it  is  ready  to  be  melted 
by  the  compassions  and  won  by  the  beauty  of  the 

cross  that  is  born  of  God.     H.  B. To  such  as 

answer  to  his  heavenly  call,  God  shows  himself  to 
them  only  as  a  loving  father,  who  would  be  loved 
by  them  and  love  them  for  ever.     But  to  those  who 


612 


SECTION  SJIfQ.— HEBREWS  13  : 1-35. 


answer  not  to  it,  and,  far  more,  who  dare  to  abuse 
it — to  all  such  God  is  still  a  consuming  fire,  and 
their  most  merciful  Saviour  himself  a  judge  to  try 
their  very  hearts  and  reins.  In  short,  the  gospel  is 
to  them,  not  salvation,  but  condemnation.  It  does 
not  do  away,  but  doubles  their  guilt,  and  therefore 
brings  upon  them,  and  will  bring  through  all  eter- 
nity, a  double  measure  of  punishment.     T.  A. 

28.  Receiving  a  kingdom  that  can  not 
be  moved.  We  are  citizens  of  a  commonwealth 
that  has  in  it  no  seeds  of  dissolution,  members  of 
a  society  that  shall  have  no  discordant  element, 
united  in  a  polity  whose  only  law  is  love,  entering 
on  a  destiny  where  all  possibility  of  disaster,  all  the 
contingencies  of  evil,  are  excluded  for  ever.  There 
is  something  inexpressibly  touching,  as  well  as  sub- 
lime, in  the  idea  of  the  eternal  duration  of  such  a 
kingdom ;  in  the  thought  of  that  dear  communion 
which  may  be  held  for  ever  with  spirits  kindred 
with  your  own,  not  selfish,  not  isolated,  but  bound 
each  to  each  by  the  common  bonds  of  high  intelli- 
gence, and  the  warmest  spiritual  sympathy,  and  all 
allied  in  undying  affection  to  one  common  and 
glorious  Head,  who  feels  toward  all  the  most  com- 
placent delight,  sheds  upon  all  his  selectest  influ- 
ence. This  mutual  communion,  this  idea  of  a 
celestial  commonwealth,  is  founded  in  the  nature  of 
man,  on  which  grace  places  the  seal,  and  effects  its 
realization.  Prophet  and  evangelist,  rapt  in  vision, 
could  imagine  heaven  itself  in  no  other  way  so 
worthily.     B.  B.  E. 

29.  God  is  still  (as  ever)  "  a  consuming  fire  " 
to  all  who  disown  his  authority  and  discard  his 
mercy.  These  words  are  apparently  taken  from 
Moses,  Deut.  4  :  24,  where  they  stand  in  connection 
with  his  recital  of  the  scenes  of  Sinai :  "  For  the 
Lord  thy  God  is  a  consuming  fire,  even  a  jealous 


God."  He  means  to  declare  emphatically  that  God 
remains  for  ever  the  same  in  his  abhorrence  of  sin ; 
the  same  in  his  consuming  vengeance  toward  those 
who  despise  his  gospel  as  toward  those  who  disown 

his  law.     H.  C. Must  not  men  be  blind  and  deaf 

who  fail  to  see  and  acknowledge  that  the  God- 
Father  in  revelation,  providence,  and  nature  is  not 
all  smiles  ?  There  are  the  bursting  of  a  mountain, 
a  stream  of  fire,  and  a  burning  sea  on  the  very  spot 
where  yesterday  was  the  blooming  of  an  Italian 
garden.  God  is  love ;  penitent  hearts  find  him 
thus.  God  is  a  consuming  fire,  and  impenitent 
hearts  feel  him  to  be  such.  No  one  can  study  his 
providences  without  discovering  the  unyielding  jus- 
tice that  forgives  not,  but  holds  the  impenitent  and 
self-hardened  victim  aloof  for  ever.     L.  T.  T. 

No  man  even  is  a  proper  man,  whose  moral  na- 
ture is  not  put  in  armor  by  the  wrath-principle. 
Much  less  is  God  true  God,  when  no  such  central 
fire  burns  in  his  bosom,  to  make  him  the  moral 
avenger  of  the  world.  The  eternal  King  is  King 
indeed,  and  no  such  dispenser  only  of  the  confec- 
tions and  other  sweet  delectations  of  favor,  as  the 
feeble  gospel  of  modern  philanthropism  requires 
him  to  be.  Oh,  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb ! — there  is 
the  rugged  majesty  of  meaning  that  transgression 
needs  to  meet !  Smooth  and  soft  things  only  will 
not  do.  If  Christ  bends  low  at  his  cross,  no  such 
fearful  words  of  warning  and  severity  as  his  were 
ever  before  spoken.  The  Old  Testament  is  a  dew- 
fall  in  comparison  with  the  simply  judicial,  spir- 
itual, unbending,  and  impartial  wrath  of  the  New. 
As  certainly  as  God  is  God,  and  Christ  his  prophet, 
he  will  not  come  bringing  pardons  only,  suing  and 
suing  to  the  guilty ;  but  over  against  all  obstinacy 
he  will  kindle  his  fires  of  justice,  and  by  these  he 
will  reign — even  where  by  love  he  can  not.     H.  B. 


Section  349. 

Hebrews  xiii.  1-25.  ' 

1  Let  brotherly  love  continue.     Be  not  forgetful  to  entertain  strangers :  for  thereby  some 

2  have  entertained  angels  unawares.     Remember  them  that  are  in  bonds,  as  bound  with 

3  them  ;  and  them  which  suffer  adversity,  as  being  yourselves  also  in  the  body.     Marriage  is 

4  honourable  in  all,  and  the  bed  undefiled :  but  whoremongers  and  adulterers  God  will  judge. 

5  Let  your  conversation  he  without  covetousness ;  and  ie  content  with  such  things  as  ye 

6  have  :  for  he  hath  said,  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee.     So  that  we  may  boldly 

7  say,  The  Lord  is  my  helper,  and  I  will  not  fear  what  man  shall  do  unto  me.     Remember 
them  which  have  the  rule  over  you,  who  have  spoken  unto  you  the  word  of  God :  whose 

8  faith  follow,  considering  the  end  of  their  conversation :  Jesus  Christ  the  same  yesterday, 

9  and  to  day,  and  for  ever.     Be  not  carried  about  with  divers  and  strange  doctrines.    For 
it  is  a  good  thing  that  the  heart  be  established  with  grace ;  not  with  meats,  which  have 

10  not  profited  them  that  have  been  occupied  therein.     We  have  an  altar,  whereof  they  have 


SECTION  3Ji9.— HEBREWS  13  : 1-25. 


613 


11  no  right  to  eat  which  serve  the  tahernacle.     For  the  bodies  of  those  beasts,  whose  blood  is 

12  brought  into  the  sanctuary  by  the  high  priest  for  sin,  are  burned  without  the  camp.  Where- 
fore Jesus  also,  that  he  might  sanctify  the  people  with  his  own  blood,  suffered  without  the 

13  gate.     Let  us  go  forth  therefore  unto  him  without  the  camp,  bearing  his  reproach.     For 

14  here  have  we  no  continuing  city,  but  we  seek  one  to  come.     By  him  therefore  let  us  offer 

15  the  sacrifice  of  praise  to  God  continually,  that  is,  the  fruit  of  our  lips,  giving  thanks  to  his 

16  name.  But  to  do  good  and  to  communicate  forget  not:  for  with  such  sacrifices  God  is 
well  pleased. 

17  Obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over  you,  and  submit  yourselves:  for  they  watch  for  your 
souls,  as  they  that  must  give  account,  that  they  may  doit  with  joy,  and  not  with  grief:  for 

18  that  M  unprofitable  for  you.     Pray  for  us :  for  we  trust  we  have  a  good  conscience,  in  all 

19  things  willing  to  live  honestly.  But  I  beseech  you  the  rather  to  do  this,  that  I  may  be 
restored  to  you  the  sooner. 

20  Now  the  God  of  peace,  that  brought  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  that  great 

21  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  through  the  blood  of  the  everlasting  covenant,  make  you  perfect 
in  every  good  word  to  do  his  will,  working  in  you  that  which  is  well  pleasing  in  his  sight, 
through  Jesus  Christ ;  to  whom  he  glory  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 

22  And  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  suffer  the  word  of  exhortation :  for  I  have  written  a  letter 

23  unto  you  in  few  words.     Know  ye  that  our  brother  Timothy  is  set  at  liberty  ;  with  whom, 

24  if  he  come  shortly,  I  will  see  you.     Salute  all  them  that  have  the  rule  over  you,  and  all  the 

25  saints.     They  of  Italy  salute  you.     Grace  he  with  you  all.     Amen. 


Jesus  Christ,  the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  for  ever.  From  out  of  the  blazing  heart  of  the  glory, 
the  same  tender  face  looks  that  bent  over  sick  men's  pallets,  and  that  turned  on  Peter  in  the  jud"-ment- 
hall.  The  hand  that  holds  the  scepter  of  the  universe  is  the  hand  that  was  nailed  to  the  cross,  and  that 
was  stretched  out  to  that  same  Peter  when  he  was  ready  to  sink.  The  breast  that  is  girt  with  the  golden 
girdle  of  priestly  sovereignty  is  the  same  tender  home  on  which  John's  happy  head  rested  in  placid  con- 
tentment. All  the  love  that  ever  flowed  from  Christ  flows  from  him  still.  To  him,  "  whose  nature  and 
whose  name  are  love,"  it  matters  nothing  whether  he  is  in  the  house  at  Bethany,  or  in  the  upper  room, 
or  hanging  on  the  cross,  or  lying  in  the  grave,  or  risen  from  the  dead,  or  seated  on  the  right  hand  of  God. 

He  is  the  same  everywhere  and  always.     "I  have  loved  thee  with  an  everlasting  love."     A.  M. 0  sons 

of  men !  perplexed  by  all  the  apparent  contradictions  and  cross  purposes  and  opposing  powers  and  princi- 
ples of  this  strange,  dark,  noisy  time,  remember  to  your  comfort  that  your  King,  a  man  Hke  you,  yet  very 
God,  now  sits  above,  seeing  through  all  which  you  can  not  see  through  ;  unraveling  surely  all  this  tangled 
web  of  time,  while  under  his  guiding  eye  all  things  are  moving  onward,  like  the  stars  in  their  courses 
above  you,  toward  their  appointed  end,  "  when  he  shall  have  put  down  all  rule,  and  all  authority,  and 
power,  for  he  must  reign  till  he  hath  put  all  enemies  under  his  feet."  And  then,  at  last,  this  cloudy  sky 
shall  be  all  clear  and  bright,  for  he,  the  Lamb,  shall  be  the  light  thereof.     C.  K. 


4.  If  you  regard  the  necessity  of  marriage,  God 
found  it  good  to  give  man  a  wife ;  if  the  antiquity, 
it  was  ordained  in  the  beginning  of  the  world ;  if 
the  place,  in  Paradise  ;  if  the  time,  in  the  innocency 
of  man.  If  you  regard  anything  the  rather  because 
of  him  that  ordained  it,  God  was  the  author  of  mar- 
riage. ...  If  you  seek  the  allowance,  Christ  ap- 
proved it  by  his  birth  in  marriage  and  by  his  pres- 
ence at  marriage;  if  the  dignity,  it  is  honorable; 
if  among  whom,  in  all  men  of  all  estates,  of  all 
callings,  in  prince,  in  subject,  in  minister,  in  priest, 
and  in  people.  Bp.  Jewell. Christianity  has  ex- 
alted marriage  to  the  highest  dignity,  and  crowned 
it  with  the  most  sacred  beauty :  it  is  the  symbol  of 
the  union  of  Christ  and  his  Church ;  and  the  con- 
summation of  hope,  purity,  and  joy  in  heaven,  is 
typified  under  "  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb." 
Marriage  is  the  festival  of  love,  and  as  such,  should 
be  attended  with  all  that  represents  beauty  and  fe- 
licity ;  it  is  the  festival  of  joy,  and,  as  such,  should 


be  a  time  of  preeminent  joyousness  to  all  who  as- 
sist in  its  solemnities.  But  it  is  also  a  festival  of 
consecration ;  and  it  should  be  hallowed  with  the 
word  of  God  and  prayer.     J.  P.  T. 

5.  The  word  "conversation,"  as  used  in  our 
version,  illustrates  the  instabilities  of  language. 
The  translators  seem  to  have  had  a  special  partiality 
for  this  word,  using  it  once  (in  this  verse)  for  the 
Greek  tropos  ;  thirteen  times  for  the  Greek  anas- 
trophe  ;  twice  (in  PhiHppians)  ior  polis  or  \ts  com- 
pounds. They  did  not  foresee  that  within  two  and 
a  half  centuries  it  would  have  lost  every  one  of 
those  meanings,  and  have  settled  down  into  a  sense 
quite  remote  from  any  one  of  them.     H.  C. 

Withont  covetoosness.  Covetousness  gen- 
erates discontent ;  and  this  is  an  element  with  which 
no  Christian  grace  can  long  be  held  in  aflSnity.  It 
magnifies  trivial    losses,  and   diminishes  the  most 


614 


SECTION  31(9.— HEBREWS  13:1-25. 


magnificent  blessings  to  a  point ;  it  thinks  highly 
of  the  least  sacrifice  which  it  may  grudgingly  make 
in  the  cause  of  God,  feels  no  enterprise  in  his  ser- 
vice, and  never  considers  itself  at  liberty  to  leave  its 
little  circle  of  decent  selfishness,  in  which  its  mur- 
murs on  account  of  what  it  has  not  are  always 
louder  than  its  thanks  for  what  it  has.  "  Let  your 
conversation,"  therefore,  says  the  apostle,  "be  with- 
out covetousness."    J.  II. Be  content.     One 

thing  which  we  have  to  do  in  the  pursuit  of  holiness 
is  to  be  satisfied  as  regards  our  condition,  so  as  not 
to  indulge  a  wish  for  the  change  of  it.  Let  our 
whole  care  be  to  serve  God  in  the  present  moment 
of  our  lives ;  to  taste  the  peace  of  the  present  par- 
don offered  to  us  freely  through  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ;  to  meet  faithfully  the  obligations  and  re- 
sponsibilities which  the  passing  hour  devolves  upon 
us ;  to  improve  to  the  utmost  present  opportunities 
either  of  doing  or  receiving  good.     E.  M.  G. 

"  I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  theey  There 
are  five  negatives  in  the  Greek,  to  assure  God's 
people  that  he  will  never  forsake  them.  Five  times 
this  precious  promise  is  renewed  in  the  Scripture, 
that  we  might  have  the  stronger  consolation,  and 
that  we  might  press  and  press  it  again,  till  we  have 

gotten  all  the  sweetness  out  of  it.    Brooks. All 

other  things  may  forsake  you.  Riches  may  take  wings 
and  fly  away  ;  friends  may  desert  you,  or  they  may 
die  ;  your  health  and  strength  may  fail  and  decay ; 
yea,  memory,  judgment,  and  all  the  faculties  of 
your  mind  may  be  weakened  or  destroyed  :  "  But  I 
will  never  leave  you,  I  will  never  forsake  you"; 
my  friendship  is  unchangeable  ;  "  And  whom  I  love, 
I  love  to  the  end."  All  this,  saith  the  apostle,  God 
hath  said ;  but  he  doth  not  tell  us  when  or  where 
he  hath  said  it,  because  he  hath  said  it  so 
often.     R.  W. 

7,  8.  "  The  end  of  whose  life  considering,  imi- 
tate their  faith.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  same,"  etc.  A. 
The  Biblical  representation  is  that  fpr  ever- 
more, by  an  indissoluble  union,  the  Human  is  as- 
sumed into  the  Divine,  and  that  "  to-day  and  for 
ever"  He  remains  the  man  Christ  Jesus.  That 
truth  is  the  very  hinge  on  which  turn  our  loftiest 
hopes.  Without  it,  that  mighty  work  which  he  ever 
carries  on  of  succoring  them  that  are  tempted,  and 
having  compassion  with  us,  were  impossible.  With- 
out that  permanent  manhood,  his  mighty  work  of 
preparing  a  place  for  us  and  making  heaven  a  home 
for  men  because  a  man  is  its  Lord,  were  at  an  end. 
Without  it  he  in  his  glory  would  be  no  prophecy  of 
man's  dominion,  nor  would  he  have  entered  for  us 
into  the  holy  place.  Grasp  firmly  the  essential, 
perpetual  manhood  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  then  to  see 
him  crowned  with  glory  and  honor  gives  the  tri- 
umphant answer  to  the  despairing  question  that 
rises  often  to  the  lips  of  every  one  who  knows  the 


facts  of  life,  "  Wherefore  hast  thou  made  all  men 
in  vain  ?  "     A.  M, 

The  true  view  regards  Christ  as  showing  forth 
not  only  a  perfect  humanity,  but  also  and  primarily 
God  himself ;  representing  God  to  man,  as  well  as 
man  to  himself ;  being  the  express  image  of  God's 
person ;  being  God  in  the  act  and  character  of  re- 
vealing or  manifesting  himself,  ci'eating  and  savin-^ 
the  world  ;  separate  at  no  point  from  God's  sover- 
eignty, nor  knowing,  in  his  divinity,  any  limitation 
or  abridgment  from  the  fullness  of  God  ;  exhibiting, 
as  in  God's  behalf,  through  a  union  of  nature  with 
the  Father  not  explicable  to  us,  the  divine  attri- 
butes ;  and  reconciling  alienated  souls  by  manifest- 
ing God  in  his  flesh.  According  to  this  doctrine,  he 
survives  in  his  Church  to  this  day,  and  will  survive, 
not  only  by  influence  and  memory,  but  by  the  pres- 
ence of  his  person ;  a  distinct  and  everlasting  per- 
son in  himself,  without  beginning  of  days  or  end  of 
years,  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever. 
Consult  the  inmost  faith  of  the  truly  believing 
heart,  which  has  once  given  all  to  him  who  gave 
himself  for  us,  and  see  what  a  bleak  bereavement 
would  fall  like  midnight  upon  it  if  you  were  to 
sweep  away  from  it  this  perpetual  privilege  of  con- 
fiding, loyal,  adoring  fellowship  with  its  ascended, 
crowned,  and  yet  ever  condescending  King.    F.  D.  H. 

9.  Carried  about.  The  allusion  is  to  ships 
at  sea.  Like  these  driven  by  contrary  winds,  are 
unestablished  minds  under  the  influence  of  diverse 
and  strange  doctrines.  They  are  in  doubt  as  to  the 
truth  of  what  they  had  believed ;  they  profess  now 
one  thing  and  now  another ;  and  some  at  last  "  make 
shipwreck  of  the  faith  and  a  good  conscience."  The 
doctrines  referred  to  are  described  as  being  diverse, 
as  they  are  inconsistent  with  each  other,  and  strange, 
as  they  are  inconsistent  with  the  gospel — unknown 
or  not  received  by  the  church  of  Christ  and  its  ac- 
credited teachers.  This  explanation  is  suggested 
by  the  words  immediately  following,  "  It  is  a  good 
thing  that  the  heart  be  established  with  grace." 
The  gospel  is  a  scheme  of  grace.  Whatever  doc- 
trines deny,  conceal,  or  frustrate  the  grace  of  God 
in  the  salvation  of  his  people — his  grace  in  their 
effectual  calling  by  the  working  of  his  power — his 
grace  in  their  justification  through  the  redemption 
of  Christ — his  grace  in  their  preservation  by  his  in- 
dwelling spirit  unto  eternal  life — are  diverse  and 
strange.  It  is  therefore  "  good,"  approved  of  God, 
and  for  the  peace  and  salvation  of  the  soul,  "that 
the  heart  be  established  "  in  a  firm  reliance  on  the 
grace  of  God,  as  here  revealed,  and  not  on  a  dis- 
tinction of  meats  as  clean  or  unclean,  according  to 
an  abrogated  ritual.     N.  P. 

10.  As  the  Lord's  body  was  broken  on  the  cross 
once  for  all,  so  is  that  breaking  symbolized  when 
we  break  the  bread  in  the  communion  :  but  as  it  is 


SECTION  3Jfi.— HEBREWS  13  : 1-25. 


615 


heresy  to  regard  the  holy  communion  as  a  repetition 
of  the  Lord's  sacrifice,  so  is  the  terra  "  altar,"  in  any 
strictness,  quite  inapplicable  to  the  Lord's  table. 
And  no  such  application  is  sanctioned  here.  The 
altar  spoken  of  is  the  cross,  on  which  the  one  victim 

suffered  once  for  all.    A. Whether  in  a  Pagan, 

Jewish,  or  Christian  dress,  the  world's  religion  is 
ever  the  same  thing,  a  substituting  of  man  for  God, 
of  pretense  for  reality,  of  form  for  substance,  of 
bodily  observance  for  spiritual  obedience,  for  the 
subjugation  of  the  soul  to  the  law  and  will  of  God. 
Such  a  religion  must  go,  and  go  entirely,  if  we  would 
become  the  real  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ,  It  will 
not  blend  with  the  gospel,  and  we  must  not  attempt 
to  make  it  blend  with  it.  "  We  have  an  altar,"  says 
the  apostle,  "  whereof  they  have  no  right  to  eat 
which  serve  the  tabernacle  " ;  they  will  not  eat  of 
it,  and  if  they  would,  they  are  prohibited ;  they  can 
not. 

11,  13.  The  blood  of  these  animals  was  shed, 
that  it  might  be  taken  "  into  the  sanctuary  by  the  high 
priest  for  sin,"  as  a  propitiation  for  sin ;  their  bodies 
were  burned  as  a  testimony  of  the  divine  indignation 
against  sin.  When  these  two  ceremonies  had  been 
gone  through,  God  is  said  to  have  been  reconciled  to 
his  people ;  the  whole  camp  was  considered  as  purged 
from  its  transgressions.  And  what  was  the  end  for 
which  our  Lord  suffered  ?  It  was  that  his  people, 
his  spiritual  Israel,  might  have  sin  removed  from 
them :  "  Jesus  also,  that  he  might  sanctify  the 
people  with  his  own  blood,  suffered  without  the 
gate."  13.  lie  is  still  without  the  gate,  beyond 
the  boundary  of  the  world's  tents,  and  we  must  be 
content  to  leave  the  world  behind  us,  or  never  go  to 
him.  His  own  language  on  this  point  is  some  of 
the  plainest  and  strongest  that  ever  fell  from  his 
lips.  He  calls  upon  us  to  forsake  all  we  have  for 
him,  and  tells  us  that  if  we  do  not  forsake  it,  we 
can  not  be  his  disciples.     C.  B. 

14.  The  man  of  God  dwells  in  a  tent  or  taber- 
nacle in  this  world,  and  not  only  tcanis  no  city  here, 
but  feels  that  he  can  fnd  none.  Still  his  nature 
longs  for  something  abiding.  Death,  decay,  change, 
uncertainty  are  alien  from  his  nature ;  they  run 
counter  to  the  longing  for  immortality  which  is 
within  him.  Such  an  abiding-place  God,  his  God, 
hath  provided  for  him.  It  is  a  city  which  hath 
foundations,  whose  builder  is  the  everlasting  one, 
and  which  the  skill  of  such  a  builder  has  made  in- 
destructible. It  is  a  permanent  home.  He  who  is 
admitted  into  its  gates  is  no  more  an  emigrant  or  a 
pilgrim.     This  city  henceforth  is  to  be  his  continual 

home,  and  his  rest.     T.  D.  W. The  country  or 

city  of  Christians  is  not  here.  The  true  and  eternal 
happiness  of  Christians  is  not  here.  He  that  seeks 
happiness  in  the  world  will  not  have  it  in  heaven. 
Our  country  is  Paradise,  our  city  is  the  heavenly  Jer- 


usalem ;  our  fellow-citizens  are  the  angels,  the  pa- 
triarchs and  prophets,  the  apostles  and  martyrs ;  our 
king  is  Christ.  Let  us  therefore  lead  such  a  life  in 
this  pilgrimage,  that  as  long  as  we  are  here  we  may 
be  able  to  long  for  such  a  country  as  that  is.     Aug. 

Christian  life  is  meaningless  if  it  is  not  a  thing 

separate  from  the  life  of  the  world,  in  its  springs 
and  its  manifestation.  Christian  character  has  no- 
thing distinctively  to  commend  itself,  if  it  read  not 
its  title  clear  to  mansions  in  the  skies.  To  speak  of 
ourselves  as  pilgrims  and  strangers  is  but  a  wordy 
utterance,  unless,  in  truth,  we  do  look  for  a  city  of 
God  and  a  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the 
heavens.  Men  never  grow  unworldly  whose  hopes 
are  bounded  by  earthly  horizons.  They  never  grow 
upward  toward  God  in  reaches  of  spiritual  aspira- 
tion and  enjoyment  till  they  put  their  chief  good 
where  Christ  bids  us  all  to  lay  up  our  treasure. 
Haydn. 

15.  The  Christian  sacrifice  is  a  "sacrifice  of 
praise  and  thanksgiving,"  contrasted  with  the  pro- 
pitiatory sacrifices  of  the  old  law,  which  were  for 

ever  consummated  by  Christ.     C. That  in  the 

sacred  supper  there  is  a  sacrifice  in  that  sense  where- 
in the  fathers  spake,  none  of  us  ever  doubted ;  but 
that  is  eucharistical ;  that  is,  as  Chrysostom  speaks, 
a  remembrance  of  a  sacrifice ;  that  is,  as  Augustine 
interprets  it,  a  memorial  of  Christ's  passion  cele- 
brated in  the  Church.  And  from  this  sweet  com- 
memoration of  our  redemption  there  arises  another 
sacrifice — the  sacrifice  of  praise;  and  from  thence 
a  true  peace-offering  of  the  Christian  soul.     Bp.  H. 

All  our  graces  are  His  free  gift,  and  are  given 

as  the  rich  garments  of  this  spiritual  priesthood, 
only  to  attire  us  suitably  for  this  spiritual  sacrifice 
of  his  praises ;  as  the  costly  vesture  of  the  high- 
priest  under  the  law  was  appointed  to  decorate  him 
for  his  holy  service,  and  to  commend  (as  a  figure  of 
it)  the  perfect  holiness  wherewith  our  great  High- 
priest  Jesus  Christ  was  clothed.  What  good  thing 
have  we  that  is  not  from  the  hand  of  our  good  God  ? 
And  receiving  all  from  him,  and  after  a  special  man- 
ner spiritual  blessings,  is  it  not  reasonable  that  all 
we  have,  but  those  spiritual  gifts  especially,  should 
declare  his  praise  and  his  only  ?    L, 

Be  much  in  the  angelical  work  of  praise.  The 
more  heavenly  the  employment,  the  more  will  it 
make  the  spirit  heavenly.  Praising  God  is  the  work 
of  angels  and  saints  in  heaven,  and  will  be  our  own 
everlasting  work ;  and  if  we  were  more  in  it  now, 
we  should  be  more  like  what  we  shall  be  then.  The 
liveliest  emblem  of  heaven  that  I  know  upon  earth, 
is  when  the  people  of  God,  in  the  deep  sense  of  his 
excellency  and  bounty,  from  hearts  abounding  with 
love  and  joy,  join  together  both  in  heart  and  voice 
in  the  cheerful  and  melodious  singing  of  his  praises. 
These  delights,  like  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit,  wit- 


616 


SECTION  SJfi.— HEBREWS  13  : 1-25. 


ness  themselves  to  be  of  God,  and  bring  the  evi- 
dence of  their  heavenly  parentage  along  with  them. 

Box. Let  not  merely  thanksgiving,  but  praise, 

always  form  an  ingredient  of  thy  prayers.  To  be 
large  and  fervent  in  praise  counteracts  the  natural 
tendency  to  selfishness  which  is  found  in  mere 
prayer.  And  it  shall  often  happen  that  when  thy 
heart  is  numb  and  torpid,  and  yields  not  to  the 
action  of  prayer,  it  shall  begin  to  thaw,  and  at  last 
burst,  like  streams  under  the  breath  of  spring,  from 
its  icy  prison,  with  the  warm  and  genial  exercise  of 
praise.  The  deadness,  the  distractions  thou  deplor- 
est,  shall  flee  away  as  the  harp  is  taken  down  from 
the  willow,  and  strung  to  celebrate  the  divine  per- 
fections. For  how  much  is  there  to  kindle  the 
heart  in  the  very  thought  of  praise !  Praise  is  the 
religious  exercise — the  only  religious  exercise — of 
heaven.  Angels  are  offering  it  ceaselessly,  resting 
not  night  or  day.  Saints  are  offering  it  ceaselessly 
in  Paradise.  Nature  in  her  every  district  is  offering 
it  ceaselessly.  And  the  sense  of  sympathy  in  the 
exercise  shall  kindle  life  in  thee,  and  the  soul  shall 
recover  its  benumbed  energies,  and  prayer  shall  be 
no  more  a  painful  wrestling  with  thy  own  mind,  but 
a  solace,  and  a  strength,  and  a  light,  and  a  heal- 
ing.    E.  M.  G. 

16.  The  true  philosophy  or  method  of  doing 
good  is,  first  of  all  and  principally,  to  be  good — to 
have  a  character  that  will  of  itself  communicate 
good.  There  must  be  and  will  be  active  effort  where 
there  is  goodness  of  principle ;  but  the  latter  we 
should  hold  to  be  the  principal  thing,  the  root  and 

life  of   all.     H.  B. The  joy  resulting  from  the 

diffusion  of  blessings  to  all  around  us  is  the  purest 
and  sublimest  that  can  ever  enter  the  human  mind, 
and  can  be  conceived  only  by  those  who  have  expe- 
rienced it.  Next  to  the  consolations  of  divine  grace, 
it  is  the  most  sovereign  balm  to  the  miseries  of  life, 
both  in  him  who  is  the  object  of  it  and  in  him  who 
exercises  it ;  and  it  will  not  only  sooth  and  tranquil- 
ize  a  troubled  spirit,  but  inspire  a  constant  flow  of 
content  and  gaiety  of  heart.     P. 

When  mercy  is  shown  and  done  as  duty,  and 
according  to  the  manner  God  hath  required,  it  is  a 
pledge  of  mercy  from  on  high.  "  To  distribute,  for- 
get not,  for  with  such  sacrifices  God  is  ivell  pleased." 
Alms  must  be  sacrifice,  given  to  men  for  God's  sake. 
The  right  spring  of  mercy  is  from  a  sense  of  God's 


mercy ;   it   is  a   thank-offering,   not   a  sin-offering. 

T.  M. By  leaving  the  poor  always  with  us— and 

not  only  the  poor,  but  the  sick  and  the  sorrowing, 
the  depraved  and  the  ignorant — and  by  making  the 
disciple  the  salt  of  the  earth,  the  light  of  the  world, 
Jesus  virtually  says  to  each  follower  :  "  It  is  a  world 
of  poverty,  be  ye  my  almoner ;  it  is  a  world  of  dark- 
ness, be  ye  my  torch-bearer ;  it  is  a  mighty  lazaretto 
— a  world  of  disease  and  sickness,  of  agony  and 
pain — be  you  my  ministering  angel ;  it  is  a  world  of 
ignorance  and  depravity,  be  you  my  missionary." 
Hamilton. 

There  are  many  interests  in  society  to  which  we 
are  under  continual  obligation — not  to  our  fellow- 
men  merely,  not  to  ourselves  merely,  but  to  God — 
to  give  them  whatever  of  aid  and  furtherance  it  is 
possible  for  us  to  give.  Enterprises  that  seek  the 
intellectual  culture  of  mankind,  the  founding  of  a 
library,  the  building  up  of  schools  and  institutions 
of  learning,  the  circulation  of  a  true  and  enlighten- 
ing literature  ;  enterprises  which  seek  to  further  the 
secular  and  social  interests  of  the  community ;  en- 
terprises that  concert  for  the  public  welfare  in  the 
matter  of  health,  in  the  matter  of  public  order,  in 
the  matter  of  just  and  liberal  government ;  patri- 
otic enterprises  which  seek  to  advance  and  establish 
the  well-being  of  a  nation — all  these,  and  many 
others  of  a  like  nature,  are  as  obligatory  upon  the 
Christian  as  a  duty  which  immediately  concerns  the 
instruction  of  men  in  religious  truth.     R.  S.  S. 


This  book  should  be  read  and  interpreted 
throughout,  under  a  recollection  of  the  fact  that  it 
was  addressed  to  Hebrews,  and  skillfully  adapted  to 
the  condition  of  the  native  Christians  in  Palestine  a 
few  years  before  the  downfall  of  Jerusalem.  Never- 
theless the  Epistle  is  most  profitable  to  Gentile 
Christians  also.  The  Bible  of  our  religion  is  formed 
of  the  books  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  ;  and 
it  concerns  us,  even  though  our  fathers  never  were 
under  Moses,  to  know  the  order  in  which  divine 
truth  has  been  revealed  to  mankind,  and  divine 
privilege  conferred  on  believers.  Invaluable,  there- 
fore, to  us  is  the  book  which  explains  more  clearly 
than  any  other  how  the  New  Testament  was  en- 
folded in  the  Old,  and  the  Old  Testament  is  unfolded 
in  the  New.     D.  F. 


SECTION  350.— JAMES  1  : 1-12. 


617 


Section  350. 

James  i.  1-12. 

1  James,  a  servant  of  God  and  of  tlie  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  twelve  tribes  which  are 

2  scattered  abroad,  greeting.     My  brethren,  count  it  all  joy  when  ye  fall  into  divers  tempta- 

3  tions;  knowing  this.,  that  the  trying  of  your  faith  worketh  patience.     But  let  patience  have 

4  her  perfect  work,  that  ye  may  be  perfect  and  entire,  wanting  nothing.     If  any  of  you  lack 

5  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men  liberally,  and  upbraideth  not ;  and  it 

6  shall  be  given  him.     But  let  him  ask  in  faith,  nothing  wavering.     For  he  that  wavereth  is 

7  like  a  wave  of  the  sea  driven  with  the  wind  and  tossed.     For  let  not  that  man  think  that 

8  he  shall  receive  any  thing  of  the  Lord.     A  doubleminded  man  is  unstable  in  all  his  ways. 

9  Let  the  brother  of  low  degree  rejoice  in  that  he  is  exalted :  but  the  rich,  in  that  he  is  made 

10  low:  because  as  the  flower  of  the  grass  he  shall  pass  away.     For  the  sun  is  no  sooner  risen 

11  with  a  burning  heat,  but  it  withereth  the  grass,  and  the  flower  thereof  faUeth,  and  the  grace 

12  of  the  fashion  of  it  perisheth  :  so  also  shall  the  rich  man  fade  away  in  his  ways.  Blessed 
is  the  man  that  endureth  temptation  :  for  when  he  is  tried,  he  shall  receive  the  crown  of 
life,  which  the  Lord  hath  promised  to  them  that  love  him. 


We  shall  not  find  a  phrase  that  better  describes  the  real  end  and  purpose  of  our  discipline  in  this 
world  than  the  one  James  has  given  us :  "  The  trying  of  your  faith."  It  is  for  the  trying  of  your  faith 
that  your  will  is  suffered  to  be  free,  that  limits  are  set  to  your  strength,  that  your  desires  outrun  your 
ability,  that  your  aspiration  transcends  your  performance,  that  your  energy  so  often  has  to  droop  its  tired 
wings  and  sink  back  baffled,  that  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit  and  your  passions  chafe  against  your 
principles.  It  is  for  the  trying  of  your  faith  that  unexpected  joys  rise  up  and  flock  about  you,  that 
mornings  of  consolation  break  after  nights  of  sorrow,  that  the  alarm  of  pain  sounds  through  your 
chambers  at  midnight,  that  inward  admonitions  point  you  forward  to  a  day  when  all  costlier  garments 
shall  be  exchanged  for  a  shroud  and  strange  hands  shall  lower  your  dust  into  a  grave.  It  is  for  the  trying 
of  your  faith  that  your  little  island  of  knowledge  is  embosomed  in  an  ocean  of  mystery ;  that  the  Bible  is 
not  all  plain  to  the  understanding,  nor  God's  voice  audible  when  we  are  perplexed,  nor  the  way-marks  of 
duty  always  visible ;  that  the  brightest  lamps  are  often  quenched  first ;  that  moral  purity  is  not  out- 
wardly rewarded,  and  righteous  plans  seem  to  fail.  And,  what  is  perhaps  unlikelier  to  be  believed  than 
all,  it  is  for  the  trying  of  your  faith  that  markets  fluctuate  and  crops  grow  or  fail.  It  is  for  this  God 
places  us  in  the  world,  schools  us  in  it,  takes  us  out  of  it.  For  are  we  not  immortal  ?  And  is  not  the 
principle  of  our  immortality  faith  in  the  Father  of  our  spirits,  in  his  Son  who  manifests  hira  aud  is  the 
way  to  him,  in  his  spiritual  truth,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ?     F.  D.  11. 


The  Epistle  of  James. 
From  the  Pauline  writings  we  pass  to  the  col- 
lection of  the  Catholic  Epistles.  For  all  internal 
reasons  they  are  better  read  in  the  place  which 
they  occupy  in  our  Bibles  than  that  in  which  the 
older  mEtnuscripts  generally  assign  them,  preceding 
the  Epistles  of  Paul ;  for  they  are  in  effect  the 
confirmation  and  the  supplement  of  his  doctrine. 
The  personal  characteristics  of  these  writers  are 
unlike  those  of  Paul ;  the  aspects  of  the  truth 
are  different,  but  the  substance  and  the  features 
are  the  same.  Each  writer,  by  the  strongly  dis- 
tinguished lines  of  his  own  individuality,  makes 
still  more  conspicuous  the  unity  of  the  common 
faith.  The  Epistle  of  James  alone  makes  at  first 
sight  an  opposite  impression,  and  instead  of  har- 
monizing with  the  full  development  of  evangeli- 
cal doctrine,  may  appear  to  belong  to  an  earlier, 
or  rather  a  retrograde  stage.  But  the  careful  and 
candid  student  sees  that  the  language  employed  dis- 
tinctly presupposes  the  evangelical  doctrine,  and  by 


supplementing  other  expositions  of  it  does  in  fact 
acknowledge  and  confirm  them.     T.  D.  B. 

I  assume  that  James,  the  writer  of  our  Epistle, 
was  the  famous  brother  of  the  Lord ;  not  the  apos- 
tle, the  son  of  Alpheus.  That  Paul  appears  to  call  the 
brother  of  our  Lord  an  apostle  (Gal.  1  :  19)  is  no 
argument  against  such  an  assumption ;  for  there  were 
others  so  denominated  besides  the  twelve ;  and  it  is 
very  doubtful  whether  the  phraseology  of  that  verse 
need  imply  that  James  was  called  an  apostle  at  all. 
In  Acts  1  :  13  we  find  the  Lord's  brethren  expressly 
mentioned  as  forming  part  of  that  band  who,  with 
the  apostles  and  the  mother  of  our  Lord,  were  as- 
sembled in  the  "  upper  room  "  after  the  ascension. 
An  appearance  of  our  risen  Lord  to  "  James  "  is 
mentioned  by  Paul  (1  Cor.  15  :  7).     A. 

In  support  of  the  opinion  that  those  named  the 
"  brothers  "  and  "  sisters  "  of  Jesus  were  such  by  a 
real  physical  relationship  (as  children  of  Mary), 
these  arguments  present  themselves :  that  this  ac- 
cords with  what  Matt.  1  :  25  and  Luke  2  :  7  naturally 


618 


SECTION  350.— JAMES  1 : 1-lS. 


imply,  and  that  it  accounts  perfectly  for  the  close- 
ness of  their  association  with  Mary,  as  described  in 
the  various  statements  made  regarding  them  in  the 
gospels.  Moreover,  on  the  view  that  they  were  chil- 
dren of  Joseph  by  a  former  wife,  these  "  brothers  " 
must  have  been,  at  the  time  when  our  Lord  was  en- 
gaged in  his  public  ministry,  considerably  over 
thirty  years  of  age,  the  eldest  probably  not  much 
under  forty.  But  the  statements  made  regarding 
them  in  the  gospels  appear  naturally  to  imply  that 
they  were  still  unmarried  and  residing  with  Mary. 
Now,  considering  bow  early  the  Jews  usually  mar- 
ried, and  that  at  least  two  of  these  "  brothers  "  did 
actually  marry  (see  1  Cor.  9  :  5),  the  supposition  that 
they  were  so  old  at  the  time  of  the  incidents  re- 
corded by  the  evangelists  appears  unlikely.  Further, 
the  genealogies  of  the  Lord  given  by  Matthew  and 
Luke  both,  in  form  at  least,  show  our  Lord's  con- 
nection with  David  through  Joseph,  his  reputed 
father,  thus  proving  him  to  be,  according  to  the 
ordinary  principles  of  Jewish  law,  the  heir  to  David's 
throne.  The  argument  on  the  genealogies  seems  to 
imply  that  there  was  no  older  son  in  Joseph's  fam- 
ily.    Johnstone.     (See  Vol.  I.,  p.  231.) 

James  the  Just  we  know  already  as  a  strict  legal- 
ist, who  after  Peter's  removal  to  other  lands,  a.  d.  44 
(Acts  12  :  1*7),  presided  over  the  Church  of  Jerusa- 
lem and  of  all  Palestinian  Christianity  down  almost 
to  the  great  catastrophe,  and  stood  as  mediator  be- 
tween Jews  and  Christians.  In  conformity  with 
this  character,  education,  and  office,  he  conceives 
ohjedive  Christianity  as  law,  thus  standing  on  the 
ground  of  the  Mosaic  system,  while  at  the  same 
time  he  rises  above  it  in  representing  Christianity  as 
the  ^^ perfect  law  of  libcrti/.^^  He  views  the  law  in 
its  deep  moral  import,  and  as  such  an  organic  unit 
that  whoever  transgresses  a  single  precept  violates 
the  whole,  and  incurs  the  full  penalty.  The  law  re- 
quires actual  observance  and  fulfillment,  a  conduct 
conformed  to  its  precepts.  Hence  James's  hostility 
to  all  lifeless,  intellectual,  and  nominal  Christianity, 
and  his  earnest  stress  on  works,  the  fruits  of  faith, 
the  palpable  proof  of  justification.  And  as  he  sees 
in  the  law  an  indivisible  unit,  so  he  requires  the 
Christian  life  to  be  one  effusion,  one  complete  and 
faultless  work.  Finally,  as  with  him  the  sum  and 
substance  of  the  law  is  love,  so  the  fulfilling  of  the 
law  consists  in  undivided  love  to  God  and  our  neigh- 
bor, with  which  the  love  of  the  world  and  of  self  is 
absolutely  incompatible.  Consequently  James  places 
the  essence  of  the  Christian  religion  in  a  holy,  irre- 
proachable walk  of  love,  and  of  a  love,  too,  based 
ultimately  on  a  new  birth  (1  :  17,  18,  21)  and  on 
faith  in  Christ,  the  Lord  of  glory  (2  :  1,  22).  These 
are  the  leading  thoughts  of  the  Epistle  of  James. 
He  is  the  apostle  of  the  law  as  leading  to  Christ, 
regulating  the  Christian  life,  and  promoting  moral 
earnestness.     P.  S. 

His  was  preeminently  the  standing-point  of  Jew- 
ish piety  as  it  manifests  itself  in  the  forms  of  the 
Old  Testament.  Christianity  appears  to  his  mind  as 
true  Judaism.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  glorifies  the 
forms  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  leads  them  to  their 
true  fulfillment.  Something  would  be  wanting  had 
we  not  James  in  the  New  Testament.  His  standing- 
point  was  of  peculiar  service  in  bringing  over  devout 
Jews  to  the  faith  of  the  gospel.  To  a  Paul,  who 
was  elected  for  the  conversion  of  the  Gentile  na- 
tions, it  would  have  proved  a  hindrance  ;  to  James, 
in  the  sphere  of  action  assigned  to  him  among  un- 
mixed Jews,  in  Palestine  and  Jerusalem  especially, 


it  was  serviceable.     N. Had  not  a  Peter,  and, 

above  all,  a  Paul,  arisen  as  supplementary  to  James, 
Christianity  would  perhaps  never  have  become  en- 
tirely emancipated  from  the  thrall  of  Judaism,  and 
asserted  its  own  independence.  Still  there  was  a 
necessity  for  the  ministry  of  James.  If  any  could 
win  over  the  ancient  covenant  people,  it  was  he.  It 
pleased  God  to  set  so  high  an  example  of  Old  Testa- 
ment piety  in  its  purest  form  among  the  Jews,  to 
make  conversion  to  the  gospel,  even  at  the  eleventh 
hour,  as  easy  as  possible  for  them.  But  when  they 
would  not  listen  to  the  voice  of  this  last  messenger 
of  peace,  then  was  the  measure  of  the  divine  pa- 
tience exhausted,  and  the  fearful  and  long-threat- 
ened judgment  broke  forth.  And  thus  was  the 
mission  of  James  fulfilled.  He  was  not  to  outlive 
the  destruction  of  the  holy  city  and  the  temple. 
According  to  Hegesippus,  he  was  martyred  in  the 
year  before  that  event,  a.  d.  69. 

The  genial  Herder  has  characterized  the  Epistle 
in  these  striking  words :  "  What  a  noble  man  speaks 
in  this  Epistle  !  Deep,  unbroken  patience  in  suffer- 
ing !  Greatness  in  poverty !  Joy  in  sorrow !  Sim- 
plicity, sincerity,  firm,  direct  confidence  in  prayer ! 
To  nothing  is  he  more  opposed  than  to  unbelief, 
to  pusillanimous,  destructive  subtlety,  to  double- 
mindedness.  But  what  a  way  he  has  of  drawing 
nigh  to  God !  He  speaks  of  power,  the  miraculous 
power  of  prayer,  as  of  the  most  certain,  unfailing 
thing,  heartily,  from  experience,  with  particular  in- 
stances and  proofs — verily,  a  man  full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  a  praying  man,  a  disciple  of  Jesus !  How 
well  he  knows  wisdom,  and  the  origin  of  true  and 
false  wisdom  in  the  minds  of  men !  He  puts  re- 
straint on  the  tongue,  even  in  its  most  specious 
workings,  the  tongue,  which  murders  by  lusts  and 
passions !  Disciple  of  heavenly  wisdom  !  How  he 
wants  action!  Is''ot  words,  not  (dead  intellectual) 
faith,  but  free  action,  perfect,  noble  action  accord- 
ing to  the  royal  law  of  the  Spirit,  the  free — the 
purified  Phai'isee,  or  Essene — the  Christian ! "    P.  S. 

!•  His  humility  appears  in  this,  that,  though  in 
the  flesh  he  was  the  kinsman  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  yet 
he  uses  the  word  "  servant,"  "  servant  of  God  and 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  There  may  be  this  es- 
pecial reason  for  so  writing,  namely,  to  show  his 
countrymen,  the  Jews,  to  whom  this  Epistle  is  ad- 
dressed, that  in  serving  Christ  he  served  the  God  of 
his  fathers.  James  was  happier  too,  no  doubt,  in 
being  Christ's  servant  than  in  being  his  kinsman. 

T.  M. His  use  of  the  expression,  "  the  twelve 

tribes,"  shows  that  he  regarded  those  who  were 
called  Jews  and  Israelites  in  his  time,  whether 
dwelling  in  Palestine  or  scattered  through  the  East, 
not  as  the  mere  descendants  of  Judah  and  Benja- 
min, but  as  the  representatives  of  all  the  tribes  of 
Israel,  the  tribal  distinction  of  territory  having  been 
lost  for  many  generations.  The  Epistle  to  the  He- 
brews was  written  to  the  Christian  Jews  in  Pales- 
tine; this  to  Christian  Israelites  scattered  over 
other  lands ;  the  first  Epistle  of  Peter  to  those  of 
the  Jewish  dispersion  who  dwelt  in  Asia  Minor. 
These  books  form  a  trilogy ;  and,  though  written 
without  any  concert,  were  probably  composed  about 
the  same  time,  a.  d.  60  or  61.    D.  F. 


SECTION  350.— JAMES  1 :  1-lS. 


619 


Which  are  scattered  abroad.  More  exact- 
ly, "  that  are  in  the  Dispersion."  "  The  Dispersion  " 
v\-as  a  name  in  common  use  among  the  Jews  for  the 
condition  in  which  since  the  Captivity  great  numbers 
of  their  race  had  been,  or  sometimes  for  those  who 
were  In  that  condition.  Not  merely  did  a  great 
number  remain  in  Babylonia ;  but,  of  the  descen- 
dants of  those  who  returned  to  Palestine,  multitudes 
were  led  for  commercial  and  other  reasons  to  emi- 
grate to  various  countries,  so  that  in  course  of  time 
Jews  were  to  be  found  in  almost  all  parts  of  the 
Roman  Empire.  This  state  of  things,  or  those  who 
were  in  it,  had  the  name  of  "  The  Dispersion." 
James's  Epistle,  then,  is  addressed  to  the  Jews  of 
the  Dispersion,  the  Jews  living  out  of  Palestine. 
The  whole  tenor  of  the  letter  shows  that  it  was 
written  to  the  Christians  among  these  Jews.  The 
breadth  of  the  form  of  address  was  fitted  to  pro- 
claim that  to  all  Israel,  professedly  "  waiting  for  the 
consolation"  of  their  nation,  the  voice  of  "a  ser- 
vant of  Messiah  "  ouffJit  to  be  welcome  ;  and  at  the 
same  time  to  remind  the  believing  Jews — often,  no 
doubt,  charged  by  their  unbelieving  countrymen  with 
being  renegade  Israelites,  recreant  to  the  religion  of 
their  fathers — that  they  were  the  true  "  children  of 
Abraham,"  having  accepted  God's  way  of  fulfilling 
his  promises  with  like  simple  faith  as  Abraham 
bad  shown  in  accepting  the  promises  themselves. 
Johistone. 

2.  The  use  of  the  word  "  temptations  "  shows 
us  that  the  afflictions  of  God's  people  are  but  trials; 
they  are  not  judgments,  but  corrections  or  trials ; 
they  are  part  of  God's  discipline  to  mortify  sin,  or 
his  means  to  discover  grace,  so  as  to  prove  our  faith, 
love,  patience,  sincerity,  or  constancy.  Evils  are 
better  borne  when  we  fall  into  them  rather  than 
draio  them  upon  ourselves.     We  lose  the  comfort  of 

sufferings  when  there  is  guilt  in  them.     T.  M. 

To  venture  upon  the  occasion  of  sin,  and  then  to 
pray.  Lead  us  not  into  temptation^  is  the  same  as  to 
thrust  thy  finger  into  the  fire,  and  then  pray  that  it 
may  not  be  burned.  Brools. But  still  tempta- 
tions are  not  scattered  all  about  us  without  a  pur- 
pose. And  if  it  is  true  on  the  one  side  that  we 
have  no  right  to  run  into  temptations,  so  is  it  true 
on  the  other  hand  that  temptations  arc  the  neces- 
sary discipline  of  our  lives.     F.  T. 

3.  The  trying  of  faith.  Of  all  graces,  God 
delights  that  the  reality  of  "  faith  "  should  be  dis- 
covered. We  work  by  love,  but  live  by  faith.  It 
is  faith  that  makes  the  soul  "  stand  "  to  its  proof 
and  to  its  trial  here.  If,  then,  we  have  faith,  we 
must  look  for  trials.  Graces  are  not  crowned  until 
they  are  exercised.  Faith  must  be  tried  before  it  is 
found  to  praise  and  honor.  Worketh  patience. 
To  the  wicked  every  condition  is  a  snare,  but  to  the 
godly  every  state  brings  its  blessing;    their  pros- 


perity "  works  "  thankfulness,  their  adversity  "  pa- 
tience." Afilictions  serve  to  examine  and  prove  our 
faith,  and  by  the  blessing  of  God  to  bring  forth 
fruit  with  patience.     Patience  is  the  quiet  fruit  of 

righteousness.     T.  M. There  may  be  still  some 

doubt  while  a  man  is  underset  with  outward  helps, 
as  riches,  friends,  esteem,  whether  he  leans  upon 
those  or  upon  God."  But  when  all  these  outward 
props  are  plucked  away,  then  it  will  be  manifest 
whether  something  else  upholds  him  or  not ;  for  if 
there  be  nothing  else,  he  falls;  but  if  his  mind 
stands  firm  as  before,  it  is  evident  he  laid  not  his 
weight  upon  these  things  he  had  then  about  him, 
but  was  built  upon  a  foundation,  though  not  seen, 
which  is  able  alone  to  stay  him.     L. 

The  settled  conclusion  God  obviously  wishes  us 
to  reach  and  rest  in,  and  one  that  he  passes  us 
through  all  this  mixed  encounter  of  pain  and  peace 
to  establish  in  us,  is  this  :  that  in  every  passage  of 
our  life  there  are  two  parties  engaged — God  and 
ourselves.  Most  of  us  have  to  learn  it  by  a  long 
and  gradual  trying  of  our  faith.  A  nominal  belief 
in  such  a  truth  is  common  enough.  But  veritably 
to  realize  that  God  is  personally  present  and  inter- 
ested in  the  little  gettings-on  of  our  virtue,  is  a 
rarer  attainment,  and  needs  a  peculiar  training.  To 
achieve  that  result,  the  divine  methods  are  wonder- 
ful. He  buffets  and  caresses.  He  gives  and  takes 
away.  lie  sends  now  a  providence  signal  and  ex- 
ceptional, and  then  the  regularity  of  nature.  He 
answers  some  prayers  according  to  their  request,  and 
others  by  withholding  the  boon,  but  still  thereby 
increasing  submission.  He  twines  together  motives 
the  most  complicated.  He  keeps  generous  men 
poor,  and  lets  the  selfish  and  sensual  gain  the 
world.     All  this  for  the  trying  of  our  faith.     F.  D. 

H. The  little  trials  of  an  ordinary  career — the 

trials  which  involve  nothing  loftier  or  more  sublime 
than  the  rubs  and  collisions  of  every-day  life — the 
trials,  in  short,  which  range  themselves  under  the 
heads  of  tongue  and  temper — make  a  larger  demand 
upon  our  patience,  and  are  perhaps  a  greater  drain 
upon  our  fortitude  and  endurance,  than  even  those 
in  which  God  makes  our  flesh  quiver  with  the  tear- 
ing of  the  pincers  of  affliction.     E.  M.  6. 

4.  Never  be  discouraged  because  good  things  get 
on  so  slowly  here,  and  never  fail  to  do  daily  that  good 
which  lies  next  to  your  hand.  Enter  into  the  sub- 
lime patience  of  the  Lord.  God  can  afford  to  wait ; 
why  can  not  we,  since  we  have  him  to  fall  back 
upon  ?     Let  patience  have  her  perfect  work,  and 

bring  forth  her  celestial  fruits.     McD. True 

grace  aims  at  nothing  short  of  complete  holiness ; 
but  for  this  there  must  be  the  exercise  of  patience, 
faith,  prayer,  hope — all  the  fruits  of  grace !  Yes, 
while  we  are  in  the  world,  we  are  to  go  on  to  a  more 
and  more  perfect  discovery  of  patience,  and  follow 


620 


SECTION  350.— JAMES  1 : 1-12. 


them  who  through  "  faith  and  patience  inherit  the 
promises." 

6.  If  any  lack  wisdom.  Although  all  do 
not  lack  in  the  same  manner  or  in  the  same  degree, 
yet  who  of  all  men  does  not  in  some  measure  lack 
wisdom  ?  God's  wisdom  suffers  the  creature  to  lack, 
because  dependence  begets  observance.  If  we  were 
not  forced  to  hang  upon  heaven  and  to  live  upon 
the  continued  supplies  of  God,  we  should  not  care  for 
him.  Promises  usually  invite  those  that  are  in  want, 
because  they  are  most  hkoly  to  regard  them.    T.  M. 

"To  lead  his  followers  into  all  fiyilh"  is  a  most 

important  characteristic  of  the  divine  Spirit,  which 
we  ought  to  ask  from  God,  because  often  wisdom 
and  religion  have  been  parted  from  each  other,  and 
religious  zeal  and  common  sense  have  regarded  each 
other  with  suspicion.  But,  in  fact,  they  are  most 
nearly  allied.  Common  sense,  discretion,  judgment, 
are  high  Christian  graces.  They  are  God's  gifts,  to 
enable  us  to  do  the  work  which  is  set  before  us.  To 
be  able  to  see  the  truth,  and  to  discern  the  false 
from  the  true,  and  to  wish  to  know  the  truth,  this 
is  a  gift  which  is  needed  by  the  highest  philoso- 
pher ;  but  it  is  needed  also  by  the  humblest  man 
or  youth  that  has  to  make  his  way  in  life,  and  to 
serve  his  God  and  his  country  faithfully  and  truly. 
A.  P.  S. 

Ask  of  God.  God  will  have  us  see  the  author 
of  every  mercy  by  the  way  of  obtaining  it.  It  is  a 
comfort  and  a  privilege  to  receive  mercies  in  a  way 
of  duty.  Prayer  coming  between  our  desires  and 
the  bounty  of  God  is  a  mean  to  beget  a  due  respect 
between  him  and  us.  We  usually  wear  with  thanks 
what  we  win  by  prayer,  and  those  comforts  are 
best  improved  which  we  receive  upon  our  knees. 
Well,  then,  wisdom,  and  every  good  gift,  is  an  alms — 
you  have  it  for  asking ;  mercies  at  that  rate  do  not 
cost  dear.  Who  would  not  be  one  of  God's  suppli- 
ants ?    T.  M. Even  among  those  who  do  pray 

regularly,  the  prayer  for  wisdom  does  not,  I  suspect, 
form  a  part  of  their  petitions.  Many  of  us  seem  to 
have  a  confused  notion  that  sense,  reason,  good  judg- 
ment, or  by  whatever  name  we  call  our  intellectual 
faculties,  are  quite  distinct  from  spiritual  blessings, 
and  are  things  too  worldly  to  be  named  in  our 
prayers.  Yet  what  was  Solomon's  choice  but  "  an 
understanding  heart  to  judge  the  people "  ?  that 
is,  a  sound  and  powerful  mind  capable  of  discern- 
ing the  truth  and  the  right  in  the  line  of  his  daily 
duty.  Solomon's  choice  should  be  our  prayer;  in 
James's  words,  we  should  ask  of  God  to  give  us  wis- 
dom.    T.  A. 

6.  Ask  in  faith.  Prayer  must  be  regulated 
by  faith,  and  faith  must  not  wander  out  of  the  lim- 
its of  the  word  of  God.  If  you  have  a  promise,  you 
may  be  confident  that  your  requests  will  be  heard, 
though  in  God's  time.     All  things  are  to  be  asked 


in  faith  ;  some  things  absolutely,  as  spiritual  bless- 
ings. Other  things  conditionally.  Let  the  prayer 
be  according  to  the  word,  and  the  success  (in  God's 
season)  will  be  according  to  the  prayer. 

The  doubter  is  compared  here  to  "  a  wave  of  the 
sea  driven  with  the  wind  and  tossed " ;  tossed  to 
and  fro — agitated.  Until  faith  gives  some  certain- 
ty, this  is  our  state — tossed  and  driven ;  and  what 
rest  and  peace  is  there  for  a  soul,  tossed,  agitated, 
shaken,  and  driven  about  ?  Faith,  God's  gift  (and 
a  gift  which  he  loves  us  to  feel  our  need  of  and  to 
ask  for) — faith  in  God's  power  and  love  begets  a 

calm.     T.  M. The  feeling  of  unbelief,  wherever 

cherished,  must,  on  the  principles  of  the  gospel,  be 
fatal  to  all  power.  Trust,  firm  trust,  straightfor- 
ward, childlike  trust,  is  the  everlasting  condition  of 
all  cooperation  with  God.  He  will  not  use.  He  will 
not  bless,  He  will  not  inhabit  the  heart  that,  at  the 
moment  when  it  offers  him  a  request,  says,  "  I 
doubt  thee."     Arthur. 

And  upbraideth  not.  God  does  not  re- 
proach his  people  with  the  frequency  of  their  ad- 
dresses to  him  for  mercy,  and  is  never  weary  of 
doing  them  good.  Man  is  wont  to  excuse  himself 
by  what  he  has  already  done ;  the  stock  of  men 
wastes  by  giving,  and  therefore  they  grow  weary. 
We  are  afraid  to  press  a  friend  too  much,  lest  by 
frequent  use  kindness  be  worn  out.  But  the  oftener 
we  come  to  God  the  welcomer ;  his  gates  are  always 
open,  and  he  is  still  ready  to  receive  us.  We  need 
not  be  afraid  to  urge  God  to  the  next  act  of  love 
and  kindness.  "  Who  delivered  us,"  and  "  doth  de- 
liver," "  in  whom  we  trust  that  he  will  yet  deliver." 
One  mercy  is  but  a  step  to  another.  His  grace  runs 
in  an  eternal  tenor  of  love  and  sweetness.  Let  us 
ever  be  making  trial  of  his  imtiring  goodness.   T.  M. 

8.  The  Greek  word  signifies  one  who  has  two 
souls — one  for  heaven,  the  other  for  earth  ;  the  man 
who  desires  to  secure  both  worlds,  but  will  give  up 
neither.  It  was  a  usual  term  among  the  Jews,  to 
express  the  man  who  attempted  to  worship  God, 
and  yet  retained  the  love  of  the  creature.     G.  T. 

Where  minds  are  double,  ways  will  be  unstable. 

A  floating  belief  is  soon  discovered  in  the  incon- 
stancy and  unevenness  of  the  professor's  walk; 
none  are  so  constant  in  the  profession  of  any  truth 
as  those  that  are  convinced  and  assured  of  the 
grounds  of  it.  When  we  are  but  half  convinced, 
then  we  are  usually  unstable.  None  walk  so  evenly 
with  God  as  those  that  are  assured  of  the  love  of  God. 
Faith  is  the  mother  of  obedience,  and  sureness  of 

trust  makes  way  for  holiness  of  life.      T.  51. 

In  the  commencing  contest  of  Christianity  with  the 
whole  world  of  evil,  such  an  equivocal,  undecided, 
half-and-half  man,  if  he  made  any  pretensions  to  be 
for  the  cause  of  Christ,  must  have  appeared  a  sadly 
ill-constructed  creature.     Of  all  things  on  earth,  he 


SECTION  350.— JAMES  1 : 1-12. 


621 


would  not  do  for  a  Christian.  For  that  character 
and  service  a  vei'y  different  man  indeed  was  wanted. 
Nor  will  this  double-minded  man  now  be  of  any 
value  to  himself,  to  men,  or  to  God.     J.  F. 

9.  As  God  will  not  favor  the  rich  merely  be- 
cause they  ai'e  rich,  so  he  will  not  save  the  poor 
merely  because  they  are  poor.  There  is  grace  to 
save  "  through  faith  "  for  both  rich  and  poor ;  and 
it  is  this  grace  that  makes  the  poor  rich  in  faith  and 
the  rich  poor  in  spirit !  "  Let  the  brother  of  low  de- 
gree rejoice  in  that  he  is  exalted."  "  Exalted  "  not 
in  self-worth  nor  in  self -merits,  not  in  rejoicings  or 
boastings  contrary  to  grace,  but  that,  as  a  brother 
in  Christ,  he  is  brought  through  faith  into  covenant 
with  God,  and  raised  to  the  attainment  of  all  those 
privileges  and  dignities  which  belong  to  God's  be- 
lieving people. 

10.  The  apostle  gives  encouragement  to  the 
poor  and  advice  to  the  rich.  "Let  the  poor  re- 
joice" when  he  is  spiritually  exalted,  and  "the 
rich"  when  he  is  spiritually  humbled.  Thankful 
for  the  gifts  of  Providence  we  ought  to  be — oh,  how 
thankful!  but  we  must  not  make  them  objects  of 
trust.  Trust,  being  the  highest  respect  the  creature 
can  show,  must  not  be  intercepted,  but  ascend  to 
God.  God  would  have  the  rich  man  know  and  no- 
tice and  remember  that,  though  he  may  have  an  un- 
doubted security  of  his  estate,  he  has  none  of  his 
life ;  both  property  and  life  pass  away,  and  that 
with  as  easy  a  turn  of  Providence  as  the  flower  of 
the  field  fadetk.     T.  M. 

12.  Whenever  Luther  was  asked  what  made  the 
best  divine,  he  answered  temptation  ;  and  what  makes 
the  best  divine  makes  the  best  Christian.     Hill. 

Temptation  is  not  sin;  and  not  until  the  will 

consents  to  it,  not  until  it  is  willfully  entertained 
and  cherished,  does  temptation  become  sin.  Nay, 
we  may  go  further.  Temptation  is  not  always  even 
a  sign  of  a  sinful  nature.  It  is  quite  possible  that 
its  appeal  may  be  made  to  feelings  which  in  them- 
selves are  perfectly  pure  and  innocent.     Our  Lord's 

temptation  is  a  proof  of  this.     E.  M.  G. Every 

temptation  resisted  weakens  the  force  of  all  other 
temptations  of  every  sort.  Every  time  that  a  Chris- 
tian acts  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  that  motive  is  made 
stronger  in  his  soul.  Every  act  of  obedience  smoothes 
the  road  for  all  that  shall  come  after.  To  get  the 
habit  of  being  faithful  wrought  into  our  life,  and 


becoming  part  of  our  second  and  truer  self,  that  is 
a  defense  all  but  impregnable  for  us  when  the  stress 
of  the  great  trials  comes,  or  when  God  calls  us  to 
lofty  and  hard  duties.     A.  M. 

The  crown  of  life.  The  Lord  has  promised 
this  crown  "to  them  that  love  him."  So,  then,  the 
enduring  which  is  acceptable  to  God  arises  from 
love.  The  crown  which  God  has  promised  he  does 
not  promise  for  them  that  suffer,  but  for  them  that 
love.  It  will  be  theirs  who  endure  and  who  love. 
If,  therefore,  we  would  have  power  to  endure  tempta- 
tions, we  must  pray  that  the  love  of  God  in  Christ 

Jesus  may  rule  our  hearts.     T.  M. To  overcome 

temptation,  not  in  outer  act  merely,  but  with  heart 
and  soul,  that  is  what  wins  the  crown  of  life ;  the 
crown  emphatically  of  life,  for  he  who  has  passed 
through  temptations  victorious,  he  it  is  who  em- 
phatically lives.  He  has  in  him  the  richness  of  his 
own  experience.  He  is  not  using  words  without 
meaning,  or  words  with  a  vague,  indistinct  idea, 
when  he  speaks  of  the  battle  of  the  Christian  or  of 
the  help  of  his  Kedeemer.  His  principles  are  not 
mere  sentiments,  but  living  powers,  whose  strength 
has  been  tried  and  proved.  His  doctrines  are  not 
mere  forms  of  speech ;  they  correspond  with  needs 
of  his  soul,  which  he  has  probed  to  the  bottom  in 
the  hour  of  difficulty.  The  Bible  is  not  to  him  a 
beautiful  and  awful  book,  full  of  wonderful  prom- 
ises which  sound  like  words  in  a  foreign  tongue,  full 
of  awful  threatenings  which  seem  too  fearful  to  be 
literally  true,  but  a  record  of  realities  into  which  he 
has  himself  entered.  God  is  not  to  him  the  ruler 
of  the  universe  in  which  he  himself  is  a  little  un- 
considered fragment,  but  his  own  Father,  who  has 
told  him,  and  still  tells  him,  what  he  is  to  do,  and 
who  will  not  and  can  not  forget  him,  even  if  him- 
self be  all  forgotten.  Christ  is  not  to  him  the  Ee- 
deemer  of  mankind,  but  the  Friend  whose  love  sur- 
passes all  other  love,  whose  sympathy  embraces  all 
other  sympathy,  whose  help  can  not  fail,  whose  in- 
dwelling Spirit  is  ever  bringing  into  bis  heart,  up 
from  the  eternal  fountains,  the  waters  of  eternal 
life.  This  is  the  crown  which  buds  here  and  blos- 
soms hereafter,  and  fills  all  the  soul  on  which  it 
falls  with  the  power  of  its  beauty ;  and  this  crown 
is  given  to  him  who,  when  temptations  come,  gives 
himself  mind  and  soul,  and  will  and  heart,  to  fulfill 
the  love  of  Christ.    F.  T. 


622 


SECTI02T  351.— JAMES  1 :  13-27. 


Section  351. 

Jaues  i.  13-27. 

13  Let  no  maa  say  when  he  is  tempted,  I  am  tempted  of  God:  for  God  cannot  be  tempted 

14  with  evil,  neither  tempteth  he  any  man:  but  every  man  is  tempted,  when  he  is  drawn  awiiy 

15  of  his  own  lust,  and  enticed.     Then  when  hist  hath  conceived,  it  bringeth  forth  sin :  and 

16  sin,  when  it  is  finished,  bringeth  forth  death.     Do  not  err,  my  beloved  brethren.     Every 

17  good  gift  and  every  perfect  gift  is  from  above,  and  cometh  down  from  the  Father  of  lights, 

18  with  whom  is  no  variableness,  neither  shadow  of  turning.     Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us 

19  with  the  word  of  truth,  that  we  should  be  a  kind  of  firstfruits  of  his  creatures.     Where- 
fore, my  beloved  brethren,  let  every  man  be  swift  to  hear,  slow  to  speak,  slow  to  wrath : 

20  For  the  wrath  of  man  worketh  not  the  righteousness  of  God.     Wherefore  lay  apart  all 

21  filthiness  and  superfluity  of  naughtiness,  and  receive  with  meekness  the  engrafted  word, 

22  which  is  able  to  save  your  souls.     But  be  ye  doers  of  the  word,  and  not  hearers  only,  de- 

23  ceiving  your  own  selves.     For  if  any  be  a  hearer  of  the  word,  and  not  a  doer,  he  is  like 
24:  unto  a  man  beholding  his  natural  face  in  a  glass:  for  he  beholdeth  himself,  and  goeth  his 

25  way,  and  straightway  forgetteth  what  manner  of  man  he  was.    But  whoso  lookethinto  the 
perfect  law  of  liberty,  and  continueth  therein^  he  being  not  a  forgetful  hearer,  but  a  doer  of 

26  the  work,  this  man  shall  be  blessed  in  his  deed.     If  any  man  among  you  seem  to  be  reli- 
gious, and  bridleth  not  his  tongue,  butdeceiveth  his  own  heart,  this  man's  religion  is  vain. 

27  Pure  religion  and  undefiled  before  God  and  the  Father  is  this.  To  visit  the  fatherless  and 
widows  in  their  affliction,  and  to  keep  himself  unspotted  from  the  world. 


Judged  of  by  merely  outward  tokens,  Christianity  would  seem  to  bo  in  the  ascendant.  Imperial  edicts 
no  longer  assail  her  thickening  ranks,  the  proudest  philosophers  have  gone  down  before  her  doctrines,  and 
the  boundaries  of  heathendom  are  steadily  retreating  wherever  she  plants  her  invading  foot.  But  these 
outward  tokens  are  deceptive.  They  indicate  the  acceptance  of  Christianity  as  an  opinion,  a  polity,  a  cul- 
ture, while  they  fail  to  witness  for  the  acceptance  of  it  as  an  inward,  spiritual,  renovating  force.  The 
gospel-preacher,  stand  where  he  will,  is  sure  of  a  respectful,  perhaps  an  applauding,  audience ;  but  the 
chiefest  burden  of  his  message  is  not  regarded,  and  the  chiefest  longing  of  his  heart  is  not  realized.  The 
cross  of  Christ  is  no  offense  to  the  understanding  of  his  hearers,  but  their  proud  wills  are  not  bowed  be- 
fore it.  He  faces  a  masked  battery  of  most  orthodox  but  most  resolute  impenitence.  If  now  we  may 
venture  to  hope  for  a  better  issue,  it  must  be  on  the  basis  of  a  better  experience,  on  the  basis  of  a  better 
appreciation  of  the  real  genius  of  a  true  discipleship.  We  must  have  the  gospel  pattern  of  piety  held 
up  before  us.  Our  religion  must  be  more  to  us  than  a  mere  opinion,  m'ore  than  a  mere  excitement  of  feel- 
ing ;  it  must  be  a  resolute  and  manly  service.  Our  whole  life,  from  its  inmost  feelings  to  its  outmost  on- 
goings, must  be  subdued  to  Christ.  Personal  sanctity,  which  dreads  a  blot  upon  itself,  as  it  dreads  the 
anger  of  God ;  love  for  the  Church  of  Christ,  which  many  waters  of  strife  can  not  quench,  nor  floods 
drown  ;  with  labors,  wise,  earnest,  self-denying  and  abundant,  for  the  souls  of  perishing  men — all  these 
must  we  lay  as  a  cheerful  tribute  at  the  feet  of  the  King  of  kings.     R.  D.  H. 


13-23.  The  philosophy  of  sin  is  given  in  verses 
13-16  in  terms  that  answer  exactly  to  our  own  ex- 
perience. God  is  not  the  author  of  sin ;  God  docs 
not  subject  us  to  temptation  that,  through  sinning, 
we  may  illustrate  his  grace.  Trials  as  tests  of  our 
choice  of  good  or  evil,  of  our  faith  in  himself,  of 
our  love  and  devotion,  God  does  appoint  for  our 
moral  discipline  and  culture ;  but  temptations  that 
look  toward  sin,  and  lead  to  sin,  are  the  prompting 
of  our  own  desires  when  these  are  loosed  from  the 
control  of  reason  and  conscience.  The  sin  does  not 
lie  in  the  fact  of  temptation,  nor  in  the  susceptibil- 


ity to  temptation ;  but  when  we  suffer  our  suscepti- 
bilities to  natural  good  to  be  wrought  upon  to  such 
a  degree  that  they  entice  us  to  forget  reason,  con- 
science, duty  to  God ;  when  these  over-stimulated 
desires  come  to  a  head  in  the  decision  of  the  will  to 
gratify  them — then  do  they  bring  forth  sin.  The 
counteractive  to  such  temptation  is  a  just  conception 
of  our  highest  good  as  in  God,  and  from  him ;  a 
patient,  prayerful,  unwavering  trust  in  him,  and  the 
keeping  his  word  in  our  hearts  as  our  law  and 
guide.    J.  P.  T. 

13.    Outward    temptations,   of    which   he   has 


SECTION  S51.- JAMES  1 :  13-27. 


623 


hitherto  made  mention,  come  immediately  from  the 
hand  of  God.  In  this  sense  God  tempted  Abraham 
and  daily  tempts  us  ;  that  is,  he  makes  trial  of  the 
qualities  of  our  hearts  by  furnishing  us  with  an 
opportunity  of  disclosing  them.  But  to  draw  forth 
to  view  the  secrets  of  the  heart,  and  to  stir  up  in  it 
perverse  and  wicked  passions,  are  very  diifcrent 
things.  Here  he  treats  of  internal  temptations,  or 
of  those  inordinate  appetites  which  incite  us  to 
transgression,  and  with  great  justice  denies  God  to 
be  the  author  of  these.  Nothing  is  more  common 
among  mankind  than  to  transfer  to  others  the  blame 
of  the  evils  which  they  themselves  have  done  ;  and 
especially  they  think  themselves  then  most  free  from 
blame  if  they  can  turn  it  upon  God.  This  artifice, 
handed  down  to  us  from  the  first  man,  we  are  too 
careful  to  imitate.  For  this  reason  James  calls  upon 
each  of  us  to  confess  his  own  guilt,  and  not  to  lay 
the  charge  upon  God,  as  if  he  tempted  us  to 
sin.     Calv. 

We  charge  God  with  our  evils  and  sins  when  we 
blame  bis  providence.  In  this  way  God's  choicest 
mercies  and  blessings  may  be  turned  into  snares. 
We  charge  God  also  with  our  evils  and  sins  when  we 
ascribe  sin  to  the  defect  or  faint  operation  of  the 
divine  grace.  This  is  done  when  men  say  they  could 
do  no  otherwise,  because  they  had  no  more  grace 
given  them  of  God  !  We  charge  God  also  with  our 
sins  and  evils  when  we  have  a  wrong  understanding 
of  his  decrees,  as  if  on  account  of  his  decrees  (se- 
cret to  us)  we  were  under  a  necessity  to  commit 
sin.  Men  will  say,  "  Who  can  help  it  ?  God  will 
have  it  so."  Whatever  God's  decrees  may  be,  tJiis  is 
certain  and  not  secret,  that  he  neither  infuses  evil 
nor  enforces  evil.  God  uses  many  a  persuasion  to 
draw  us  to  holiness,  but  not  a  single  hint  to  encour- 
age us  in  sin.  Men  tempt  each  other,  but  God 
tempts  no  man  to  sin.  T,  M. There  are  mani- 
fold doors  in  the  divine  purpose  which  God  may 
open  or  shut  as  he  pleases ;  but  there  is  one  always, 
shut — that  God  should  tempt  any  man  to  evil ;  and 
there  is  one  for  ever  open — that  he  wills  not  the 
death  of  the  sinner,  but  that  he  should  turn  and 
live.  Whatever  diflBculties  may  be  in  these  ques- 
tions of  freedom  and  decree,  we  can  never  permit 
the  speck  of  one  to  touch  the  divine  purity  and 
mercy.     Ker. 

14.  Whatever  may  have  excited  them,  or  who- 
ever may  have  shared  in  them,  our  sins  have  taken 
their  rise  in  ourselves.  They  are  as  much  our  own 
as  though  there  were  not  one  unclean  spirit  to  be- 
tray, one  evil  example  to  mislead,  or  one  temptation 

to  allure.     C.  B. Of  all  the  fatal  effects  of  sin, 

none  looks  so  dreadfully,  none  strikes  so  just  a  hor- 
ror into  considering  minds,  as  that  every  sinful 
action  a  man  does  naturally  disposes  him  to  another ; 
and  that  it  is  hardly  possible  for  him  to  do  anything 


so  ill  but  that  it  proves  a  preparative  and  introduc- 
tion to  the  doing  of  something  worse.  As  tempta- 
tion brings  a  man  to  sin,  so  sin  also  brings  him  to 
temptation.     R.  S. 

15*  ^^  Lust  havivrf  conceived,  it  hrinycth  forth 
sin."  Sin  hath  its  conception,  and  that  is  delight ; 
and  then  its  formation,  and  that  is  design ;  and  then 
its  birth,  and  that  is  action;  and  then  its  growth, 
and  that  is  custom ;  and  then  its  end,  and  that  is 

damnation.     Brooks. "  Sin  when  it  is  grown  gen- 

dereth  death."    J.  B.  L. Consider  what  havoc 

has  been  made  in  the  body — that  curious  and  won- 
derful workmanship  of  the  Almighty.  How  the  un- 
bridled appetites  have  sown  the  seeds  of  disease 
therein;  and  how  pain,  languor,  and  decay  assail 
the  constitution  as  soon  as  we  begin  to  live,  and 
cease  not  their  attacks  till  they  triumph  over  the 
citadel  of  life !  Consult  the  history  of  the  world, 
and  what  a  lazar-house  and  a  Golgotha  has  it  been ! 
Consider  its  effects  upon  the  immortal  mind.  Wit- 
ness its  lofty  powers  bowed  down  in  ignominious 
servitude  to  base  corporeal  appetites,  and  furious 
and  debasing  passions  !  See  how  the  understanding 
is  darkened,  the  will  perverted,  and  the  heart  alien- 
ated from  all  that  is  holy !  See  reason  and  con- 
science dethroned,  and  selfishness  reigning  over 
them,  in  gloomy  and  undisputed  tyranny !  See  how 
the  affections  turn  away  with  loathing  from  God, 
and  what  a  wall  of  separation  has  sprung  up  be- 
tween man  and  his  Maker ;  how  deeply  and  univer- 
sally he  has  revolted  from  his  rightful  sovereign! 
These  are  the  genuine  fruits  of  sin.  This,  this  is 
death  !     R.  D.  H. 

16.  Do  not  err.  It  means  do  not  wander. 
Do  not  wander  from  the  truth.  To  err  here  may 
mean  errors  of  judgment  and  errors  of  practice. 
The  mind  receives  and  cherishes  error,  and  then  evil 
practice  follows.  Paul  speaks  of  first  being  "given 
up  to  a  vain  mind,"  and  then  to  "  vile  affections."   To 

avoid  error  we  must  seek  truth.     T.  M. It  may 

be  added  that  the  best  mode  of  opposing  error  is 
seldom  directly  to  advert  to  it,  but  calmly  and  at- 
tractively to  exhibit  the  opposite  right  and  truth ; 
for  truth  wins  its  own  way.  It  affects,  it  warms,  it 
invigorates,  it  controls,  by  its  own  proper  and  pecu- 
liar energy.  It  needs  not  elaborate  proof  or  subtle 
argumentation.  Let  it  be  proposed  in  fullness  and 
simplicity,  with  clearness  and  with  affection,  and 
the  task  is  done.  We  shall  thus  gain  the  strong- 
hold of  every  honest  understanding ;  we  shall  thus 
win  the  citadel  of  every  heart  that  can  be  won.  Bj). 
Jebb. 

17.  Not  only  is  God  not  the  author  of  sin,  but 
he  is  the  author  of  all  good,  especially  the  author  of 
all  the  spiritual  gifts  or  graces  bestowed  upon  us. 
"Every  good  gift,  and  every  perfect  gift,  is  from 
above."     All  good  things  flow  from  the  upper  spring. 


624 


SECTION  351.— JAMES  1 :  13-27. 


There  are  lower  channels  or  conveyances,  such  as 
the  written  word,  sacraments,  prayer,  meditation. 
And  then  for  ordinary  blessings,  there  is  your  pru- 
dence,  and  industry,  and  care ;  but  your  freshest 
springs  are  in  God,  and  in  all  things  we  may,  and 
we  must  be  thankful,  but  look  up.  God  delights  in 
this  honor  of  being  acknowledged,  as  he  is,  the  sole 
author  of  all  our  good.     T.  M. 

The  greatest  excellencies  in  us  do  as  much  de- 
pend on  God  as  the  light  does  upon  the  sun.  Here 
is  wisdom,  but  it  is  from  above.  Here  is  some  weak 
love  working  toward  Christ,  but  it  is  from  above. 
Here  is  joy,  and  comfort,  and  peace,  but  these  are 
all  the  flowers  of  paradise ;  they  never  grow  in  na- 
ture's garden.     Brooks. God  is  most  free  of  his 

best  blessings.  He  affords  salvation  in  common  to 
all  his  people.  He  gives  honor  and  riches  but  to 
few  of  them :  he  gives  Christ  and  heaven  to  them 
all.  God  sometimes  denies  a  crumb  even  to  him  on 
whom  he  bestows  a  kingdom.  There  are  many 
things  that  a  child  of  God  can  not  promise  to  him- 
self, but  heaven  he  may  reckon  upon.     Jenkyn. 

18-25.  "Of  his  own  will  begat  he  us  with  the 
word  of  truth,  that  we  should  be  a  kind  oi  first  fruits 
of  his  creatures  "  ;  or,  literally,  "  He  zvho  milled  hath 
begotten  us  by  the  word  of  truth."  God,  putting 
his  will  into,  or  with,  "  the  word  of  truth,"  his  own 
true  word,  had  "  begotten  "  the  early  Christians,  and 
made  them  "  first-fruits  of  his  creatures."  If  this 
be  not  the  work  of  our  new  birtli,  of  our  being  be- 
gotten to  the  new  and  spiritual  life  by  the  sole  in- 
strumentality of  the  loordof  truth,  then  it  is  impossi- 
ble to  find  that  work  described  or  asserted  in  the 
Bible  as  the  result  of  any  agency  or  of  any  instru- 
mentality. With  a  similar  meaning,  James  goes  on 
to  exhort  those  whom  he  addressed  to  "  receive 
with  meekness  the  ingrafted  word,  which  was  able 
to  save  their  souls"  (v.  21).  The  figure  here  is 
changed,  but  not  the  significaney.  The  word  in- 
grafted, the  truth  implanted  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  is 
the  instrument  of  the  new  birth.  Further  along 
the^^'wre  is  again  changed,  though  the  same  signi- 
ficaney remains  ;  with  this  difference,  perhaps,  that 
what  is  said  of  the  word  as  "  a  glass,"  the  mirror 
of  a  "  perfect  law,"  and  of  him  who  "  looketh  into  " 
it,  as  "  like  unto  a  man  beholding  his  natural  face 
in  a  glass,"  has  a  broader  application  ;  reaching  not 
only  to  him  who,  for  the  first  time,  looks  into  the 
mirror  of  the  word  with  a  spiritual  perception,  be- 
lief, and  love  of  the  truth,  but  also  to  him  who, 
having  entered  on  the  way  of  life,  "  continueth 
therein,"  consulting  often  the  same  divine  mirror, 
which  first,  through  the  Spirit,  brought  him  to  a 
knowledge  of  the  Saviour ;  and  even  extending  to 
him  who,  having  the  mirror  of  truth,  looks  into  it, 
but,  upon  "  beholding  himself,  goeth  his  way,  and 
straightway  forgetteth  what  manner  of  man  he 
was"  (vs.  22-25).  The  whole  passage  shows  us 
the  true  place  and  position  of  the  word  of  God,  his 
divine  truth,  both  in  its  relations  to  him  who  uses 
it  as  his  sole  instrument  in  our  regeneration,  and  in 
its  aspect  upon  us,  in  whom  it  is  made  to  effect  his 

blessed  work.     J.  S.  S. By  this  he  convinces  of 

sin  ;  by  this  he  reveals  Christ  as  a  suitaljle  and  all- 
sufficient  Saviour  ;  and  having  thus  caused  the  souls 


whom  he  has  touched  to  discover  their  own  need, 
and  Christ's  fullness,  he  enables  them  by  the  gift 
of  precious  faith,  called  "  the  faith  of  God's  elect," 
to  embrace  God's  record  of  his  Son  ;  to  appropriate 
him  and  his  work  as  an  atonement  lor  their  sins,  a 
righteousness  for  their  persons,  a  sufficient  title  to 
the  inheritance  of  eternal  life ;  and  henceforth  he 
abides  in  them  as  "  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  whereby 
they  cry,  Abba,  Father."  In  this  illumination  by 
the  Spirit,  this  revelation  of  Christ,  and  creation  of 
faith  in  him,  through  the  word,  lies  the  very  essence 
of  regeneration.  Believers  are  therefore  described 
as  born  again,  instrumentally,  by  the  word.     Goode. 

19.  This  is  the  chief  New  Testament  passage 
which  affirms  the  principle  on  which  conversation  is 
to  be  regulated.  "Let  every  man  be  swift  to  hear, 
slow  to  speak."  Self-restraint  in  talking  and  readi- 
ness to  receive  information  is  to  be  the  regulating 
principle.  The  spirit  of  the  Old  Testament  precept 
on  this  subject  is  the  same  with  that  of  the  New ; 
its  letter  is  even  more  solemn.  It  runs  thus  :  "  In 
the  multitude  of  words  there  wanteth  not  sin ;  but 
he  that  refraineth  his  lips  is  wise."  It  is  true  that 
the  primary  reference  is  in  all  probability  to  those 
words  by  which  religious  instruction  is  to  be  con- 
veyed. But  we  must  not  exclude  a  subordinate  but 
very  important  reference  to  the  whole  range  of  con- 
versation. Swift  to  hear.  An  effort  should  be 
made  to  extract  from  those  with  whom  the  occasions 
of  life  bring  us  into  contact  that  portion  of  useful 
knowledge  which  out  of  the  common  stock  they  have 
appropriated  to  themselves.  '■'■Slow to  speak"  is  in- 
volved in  and  would  naturally  follow  from  what 
went  before.  For  if  a  man  be  simply  desirous  to 
receive  instruction,  he  will  not  be  over  ready,  al- 
though he  will  not  be  backward,  to  communicate  it. 
Let  us  strive  that,  as  far  as  may  be,  each  word  we 
drop  may  have  some  point  in  it — some  worth  and 
weight  and  solidity.     E.  M.  G. 

30.  Wrathful  men  are  most  unfit  to  act  grace 
or  to  receive  grace :  to  act  grace  by  drawing  nigh  to 
God  in  worship ;  for  as  God  is  the  God  of  peace, 
he  will  be  served  and  worshiped  with  a  peaceful 
mind!  So,  also,  wrathful  men  are  unfit  to  receive 
grace  ;  angry  men  give  place  to  Satan,  but  grieve  the 
Spirit,  and  therefore  are  more  fit  to  receive  sin  than 
grace !  God,  in  the  second  psalm,  is  described  sit- 
ting in  the  heavens ;  this  posture,  while  it  indicates 
dignity,  for  all  the  hosts  of  heaven  stand  or  kneel 
before  him,  so  it  also  denotes  a  composed  and  quiet 
dignity  ;  and  as  truly  as  he  sitteth  in  the  heavens,  so 
he  dwells  in  the  lowly,  quiet,  humble,  tranquil  heart ! 
T.  51. 

31.  Tlie  ingrafted  word.  He  compares  the  word 
to  a  plant  of  excellent  virtue,  the  very  tree  of  life, 
the  word  that  is  able  to  save  j'our  souls.  But  the 
only  soil  wherein  it  will  grow  is  a  heart  full  of 
meekness,  a  heart  that  is  purged  of  those  luxuriant 
weeds  that  grow  so  rank  in  it  by  nature ;  they  must 


SECTIOIT  351.— JAMES  1 :  13-27. 


625 


be  plucked  up  and  thrown  out  to  make  place  for  this 
word.  How  few  consider  and  prize  it  as  the  great 
ordinance  of  God  for  the  salvation  of  souls,  the  be- 
ginner and  the  sustainer  of  the  divine  life  of  grace 
within  us !  And  certainly  until  we  have  these 
thoughts  of  it,  and  seek  to  feel  it  thus  ourselves, 
although  we  hear  it  most  frequently,  and  hear  it 
with  attention  and  some  present  delight,  yet  still 
we  miss  the  right  use  of  it  and  turn  it  from  its  true 
end,  while  we  take  it  not  as  tJiat  ingrafted  word 
which  is  able  to  save  our  souls.     L. 

22.  "  Be  ye  doers  of  the  Word  and  not  hearers 
only,  deceiving  your  own  selves,"  not  deceiving  God. 
He  sees  with  what  interest  you  listen,  what  you 
think  of,  what  you  retain,  how  much  progress  you 
make  by  means  of  what  he  supplies,  how  earnestly 
you  pray,  how  you  supplicate  God  on  the  score  of 
what  you  have  not,  how  you  thank  him  on  the  score 
of  what  you  have.  He  who  will  require  an  account 
knows  all.  Do  not  then  deceive  yourselves  on  the 
ground  of  your  having  come  eagerly  to  hear  the 
word,  if  you  do  not  perform  what  you  inadequately 
hear.  To  hear  and  to  do  is  to  build  upon  a  rock. 
Aug. 

23-25.  3Iere  professors  have  but  a  slight  and 
glancing  knowledge  of  the  word :  like  a  man  be- 
holding his  face  in  a  glass  while  passing  it,  or  like 
the  glare  of  a  sunbeam  upon  a  wave,  it  is  seen  and 
gone  in  a  moment.  But  in  meditation,  in  reflection, 
there  is  this  benefit,  that  a  steady  constant  light  is 
the  result.  The  expression  "  looketh  into  "  refers 
to  the  bending  posture  of  the  cherubim  that  were 
over  the  ark  of  the  covenant :  and  the  anxious  search 
which  the  angels  use  to  find  out  the  mysteries  of 
salvation :  "  Which  things  the  angels  desire  to  look 
into."  The  word  means  not  a  transient  glance,  but 
a  bending  of  the  body  with  a  piercing  inquiry  of 
eye  ;  it  means  diligence  of  search  and  investigation. 
T.  M. 

25.  This  moral  law,  or  "law  of  love,"  or  "law 
of  liberty,"  to  man  in  innocence  and  to  man  re- 
deemed (being  a  law  of  wrath  and  terror  only  to 
man  fallen),  is  that  same  law  which  was  written  on 
Adam's  heart  in  paradise  ;  the  same  which  brings 
in  the  whole  world  guilty  before  its  precepts ;  the 
same  which  our  Lord,  in  his  first  sermon  on  the 
mount,  enforces,  and  restores  to  its  purity  ;  the  same 
which  the  apostles  hold  forth  as  the  invariable  rule 
by  which  believers,  under  the  influence  of  faith  and 
love,  are  to  walk.     Hill. 

"  Whoso  looketh  into  shall  be  blessed."  Spir- 
itual emotion  is  begotten  of  spiritual  knowledge. 
We  can  feel  deeply  no  fact  we  do  not  apprehend,  no 
truth  we  do  not  appreciate  ;  the  fact  may  flash  upon 
us  with  the  suddenness  of  lightning,  or  open  to  our 
mind's  eyes  only  under  patient  study ;  the  truth  may 
strike  us  with  the  force  of  intuition,  or  dawn  upon 
40 


us  by  gradual  revelation ;  but  fact  and  truth  must 
be  known  before  they  can  be  felt.  A  mind  filled 
with  God  is  the  necessary  preparation  for  a  heart 
filled  with  God.  Vain  for  us  even  to  ask  him  for  a 
deeper  soul-life  while  we  give  him  and  his  truth  no 
fair  share  of  our  reflection ;  that  is  asking  him  to 
fan  into  a  flame  the  embers  which  we  have  cum- 
bered with  earth,  and  will  not  uncover  to  the  breath 
of  a  kindling  spirit.     Pierson. 

A  pure  creed  is  indeed  an  inestimable  blessing. 
No  greater  privilege  is  given  to  men  than  to  be  able 
to  advance  in  the  knowledge  of  divine  things,  to 
leai-n  by  slow  and  patient  thought  how  truth  is  set 
against  truth,  and  all  the  various  lines  of  revelation 
in  the  words  and  works  of  God  converge  to  one 
great  unity.  He  who  has  carefully  reflected  on 
what  he  professes  to  believe,  and  pierced  to  the 
spirit  of  his  faith,  has  gained  a  vantage  ground  for 
action.  But  knowledge  is  only  a  vantage  ground 
and  not  a  victory.  If  we  neglect  to  turn  to  use  the 
superiority  which  it  gives  us,  our  defeat  will  only  be 
the  more  disgraceful  because  we  were  so  richly  fur- 
nished for  the  battle.  Religious  truth  can  not  be 
of  the  intellect  only.     It  must,  if  it  be  held  vitally, 

show  itself  in  life.      B.  F.  W. Orthodoxy  may 

unconsciously  be  substituted  for  obedience ;  there 
may  be  a  keen,  lively  interest  in  the  intellectual  as- 
pect of  Christian  doctrine,  yet  while  the  deeper  es- 
sence of  divine  truth  remains  uncared  for,  the  sub- 
tle, unchastened  pleasure  may  glow  into  an  intel- 
lectual sin.  The  safeguard  is  mainly  moral  and 
spiritual ;  to  realize  the  facts  of  the  gospel,  not 
only  in  their  outward  coloring  but  in  their  inward 
vitality,  as  forming  the  process  of  miraculous  love 
whereby  God  interposed  for  a  ruined  world ;  to  keep 
before  the  mind's  eye,  as  Corner  expresses  it,  "the 
grand  total  image  of  the  living  Person  of  the  God- 
man,"  and  in  that  Presence  to  enter  more  livingly 
into  the  heights  and  depths  of  his  rehgion,  its  awful 
majesty  and  its  subduing  sweetness;  to  feel,  as  the 
greatest  doctors  have  felt,  that  it  is  greater  than  all 
their  words,  yet  that  its  highest  truths  are  full  of 
help  for  daily  fife,  and  of  comfort  for  daily  trouble, 
and  practically  to  remember  that  supernatural  truth 
can  not  be  thoroughly  possessed  by  means  of  efforts 
simply  natural.  And  such  a  relation  between  a 
man's  doctrinal  belief  and  his  devotions  will  act 
healthily  on  both.  He  will  learn  what  doctrine  has 
to  do  for  him ;  how  practical  it  is  in  its  effects,  what 
responsibilities  it  imposes,  what  splendors  it  can  ex- 
hibit, what  happiness  it  can  ensure.     Bright. 

Revealed  religion  is  by  its  very  nature  dogmatic  to 
the  very  core.  It  has  stood  the  highest  of  all  tests. 
The  heart  of  man,  which  it  has  stirred  to  its  inmost 
depths,  which  it  has  revealed  to  itself,  which  it  has 
called  out  of  itself,  into  which  it  has  infused  un- 
earthly powers,  powers  of  humility,  powers  of  en- 
durance, powers  of  love,  is  an  eternal  witness  to  its 
truth.  It  is  indeed  this — the  witness  of  the  present 
Spirit — which  is  the  highest  of  all  Christian  evi- 
dences. It  is  this  that  breathes  life  into  the  dead 
bones  of  doctrine,  and  bids  them  stand  upon  their 
feet,  an  exceeding  great  army.  It  is  by  this  Spirit, 
by  showing  in  our  own  lives,  if  God  give  us  grace, 
that  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  the  doctrines  of  the 
Church,  have  a  vitality  within  them  imparted  by 
God  himself ;  that  they  are  powerful  to  purify  the 
heart,  to  elevate  the  hopes,  to  sustain  under  afflic- 


626 


SECTION  352.— JAMES  2  : 1-26. 


tioD,  to  reassure  under  doubt,  to  give  peace  within,  to 
give  strength  without — it  is  by  this  life  that  we  shall 
most  effectually  serve  the  cause  of  Christ.     Shirley. 

26,  27.  Here  is  presented  the  point  of  contact 
between  Paul  and  James.  The  one  speaks  of  the 
essential  of  Christianity  as  faith,  the  other  as  works. 
They  are  only  striking  the  stream  at  different  points, 
one  at  the  fountain-head,  one  far  down  its  course 
among  the  haunts  of  men.  They  both  preach  that 
faith  must  be  "  faith  that  worketh,"  not  a  barren 
assent  to  a  dogma,  but  a  living  trust  that  brings 
forth  fruits  in  the  life.  Paul  believes  as  much  as 
James  that  faith  without  works  is  dead,  and  de- 
mands the  keeping  of  the  commandments  as  indis- 
pensable to  all  true  Christianity.  James  believes  as 
much  as  Paul  that  works  without  faith  are  of  none 
effect.  A.  M. The  soul  of  religion  is  the  practi- 
cal part.  This  Talkative  is  not  aware  of ;  he  thinks 
that  hearing  and  saying  will  make  a  good  Christian ; 
and  thus  he  deceiveth  his  own  soul.  Hearing  is  but 
the  sowing  of  the  seed;  talking  is  not  sufficient  to 
prove  that  fruit  is  indeed  in  the  heart  and  life :  and 
let  us  assure  ourselves  that  at  the  day  of  doom 
men  shall  be  judged  according  to  their  fruits ;  it  will 
not  be  then  said.  Did  you  believe  ?  but,  Were  you 
doers,  or  talkers  only  ?  And  accordingly  they  shall 
be  judged.  The  end  of  the  world  is  compared  to 
our  harvest ;  and  you  know  men  at  harvest  regard 
nothing  but  fruit.     Bun. 

27.  When  the  apostle  here  speaks  of  pure  and 
undefiled  religion,  he  does  not  set  down  what  is  the 
whole  nature  of  religion,  but  only  some  particular 
evidences  of  it.  Religion  requires  faith  and  wor- 
ship, and  the  truth  of  these  is  manifested  by  charity 
and  a  holy  life.     A  holy  life  and  a  bounteous  heart 

are  ornaments  to  the  Gospel.     T.  M. Before 

God.  All  depends  on  the  great  principle  from 
which  the  self-denial  and  beneficence  here  demand- 


ed proceed,  and  this  principle  is  with  the  upright 
disciple  of  the  Lord  indissolubly  one  with  his  sanc- 
tifying faith.  James  speaks,  indeed,  to  such  as  had 
already  by  God's  gracious  good  pleasure  been  begot- 
ten again  with  the  word  of  truth,  which  they  had 
believingly  embraced,  so  that  they  had  now  passed 
into  a  new  condition  of  life  as  first-fruits  of  his  crea- 
tures.     Van  0. 

There  have  been  and  arc  such  characters  as  be- 
nevolent worldlings.  They  are  tender-hearted  and 
compassionate  by  the  bent  of  their  dispositions, 
from  impulse  and  not  from  principle.  Such  benev- 
olence may  not  for  a  moment  be  confounded  with 
pure  religion.  In  it  there  is  an  essential  element 
not  only  of  love,  but  also  of  self-restraint.  While 
it  is  easily  moved  by  the  sight  of  suffering,  and 
eagerly  springs  to  its  relief,  it  has  none  of  that  mo- 
ral pliancy  which  lays  it  open  to  the  seduction  of 
worldly  maxims  or  of  fleshy  lusts.  It  keeps  itself 
unspotted  from  the  world.  E.  M.  G. Conscien- 
tious practical  activity  tends  to  preserve  the  inward 
fervor  of  the  soul,  as  that  fervor  again  "moves  and 
prompts  to  further  activity.  The  inward  and  the 
outward  act  and  react  upon  each  other.  Action 
will  not  be  spiritually  beneficial  unless  it  is  inspired 
by  what  the  soul  receives  through  the  study  of  the 
Word,  the  light  of  faith,  and  the  power  of  prayer — 
thought  and  devotion,  the  clear  perception  of  truth 
and  duty,  and  the  emotions  of  the  heart  in  relation 
to  both — these  are  not  enough,  unless  they  are  com- 
bined with  the  practical  endeavor  to  he  what  is  ad- 
mired, and  to  do  what  is  approved.  The  prayer  of 
the  morning  must  be  the  precept  for  the  day ;  and 
the  duties  of  the  day  must  expand  into  praise  at 
the  evening  sacrifice.  In  this  way,  song  and  sei-vice 
will  go  together.  They  will  blend  into  one.  Faith 
and  works  will  mutually  strengthen  and  illustrate 
each  other.     T.  B. 


Section  352. 

James  ii.  1-26. 

1  My  brethren,  have  not  the  faith  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord  of  glory,  with  respect 

2  of  persons.     For  if  there  come  unto  your  assembly  a  man  with  a  gold  ring,  in  goodly  ap- 

3  parel,  and  there  come  in  also  a  poor  man  in  vile  raiment;  and  ye  have  respect  to  him  that 
weareth  the  gay  clothing,  and  say  unto  him,  Sit  thou  here  in  a  good  place ;  and  say  to  the 

4  poor,  Stand  thou  there,  or  sit  liere  under  my  footstool :  are  ye  not  then  partial  in  yourselves, 

5  and  are  become  judges  of  evil  thoughts  ?     Hearken,  my  beloved  bretliren,  Hath  not  God 
chosen  the  poor  of  this  world  rich  in  faith,  and  heirs  of  the  kingdom  which  he  hath  proiu- 

6  ised  to  them  that  love  him  ?     But  ye  have  despised  the  poor.     Do  not  rich  men  oppress  you, 

7  and  draw  you  before  the  judgment  seats?     Do  not  they  blaspheme  that  worthy  name  by 

8  the  which  ye  are  called?     If  ye  fulfil  the  royal  law  according  to  the  scripture.  Thou  shalt 

9  love  thy  -neighbour  as  thyself,  ye  do  well :  but  if  ye  have  respect  to  persons,  ye  commit  sin, 

10  and  are  convinced  of  the  law  as  transgressors.     For  whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law, 

11  and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of  all.     For  he  that  said.  Do  not  commit  adultery, 
said  also.  Do  not  kill.     Now  if  thou  commit  no  adultery,  yet  if  thou  kill,  thou  art  become 


SECTION  352.~JAMES  2  : 1-26.  627 

12  a  transgressor  of  the  law.     So  speak  ye,  and  so  do,  as  they  that  shall  be  judged  by  the  law 

13  of  liberty.     For  he  shall  have  judgment  Avithout  mercy,  that  hath  shewed  no  mercy ;  and 
mercy  rejoiceth  against  judgment, 

14  What  doth  it  profit,  my  brethren,  though  a  man  say  he  hath  faith,  and  have  not  works? 

15  can  faith  save  him  ?     If  a  brother  or  sister  be  naked,  and  destitute  of  daily  food,  and  one 

16  of  you  say  unto  them.  Depart  in  peace,  be  ye  warmed  and  filled  ;  notwithstanding  ye  give 

17  them  not  those  things  which  are  needful  to  the  body  ;  what  doth  it  profit?     Even  so  faith, 

18  if  it  hath  not  works,  is  dead,  being  alone.     Yea,  a  man  may  say.  Thou  hast  faith,  and  I  have 
works :  shew  me  thy  faith  without  thy  works,  and  I  will  shew  thee  my  faith  by  my  works. 

19  Thou  believest  that  there  is  one  God  ;  thou  doest  well:  the  devils  also  believe,  and  trem- 

20  ble.     But  wilt  thou  know,  O  vain  man,  that  faith  without  works  is  dead  ?     Was  not  Abra- 

21  ham  our  father  justified  by  works,  when  he  had  offered  Isaac  his  son  upon  the  altar? 

22  Seest  thou  how  faith  wrought  with  his  Avorks,  and  by  works  was  faith  made  perfect?     And 

23  the  scripture  was  fulfilled  which  saith,  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  imputed  unto 

24  him  for  righteousness :  and  he  was  called  the  Friend  of  God.     Ye  see  then  how  that  by  works 

25  a  man  is  justified,  and  not  by  faith  only.     Likewise  also  was  not  Rahab  the  harlot  justified 

26  by  works,  when  she  had  received  the  messengers,  and  had  sent  them  out  another  way  ?     For 
as  the  body  without  the  spirit  is  dead,  so  faith  without  works  is  dead  also. 


A  MAN  of  great  intellectual  powers  and  ardent  but  not  perfect  piety  once  heard  two  pilgrims  of  apos- 
tolical authority  conversing  in  the  way  to  heaven.  One  of  them  said,  Tlierefore  we  conclude  that  a  man 
is  justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  the  law.  The  other  said,  Ye  see  then  how  that  by  works  a  man 
is  justified,  and  not  by  faith  only.  The  man  went  away  and  reported  that  there  was  a  quarrel  between 
those  two,  and  that  the  latter  of  the  two  was  strawy  in  his  sayings.  The  mistaken  man  was  Martin 
Luther.  Now  there  is  so  far  from  being  a  quarrel  between  Paul  and  James,  that  there  is  not  even  a 
difference.  The  two  passages  are  only  opposite  sides  of  the  same  great  truth,  the  great  distinguishing 
truth  of  the  gospel,  the  truth  of  justification  and  peace  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  One  text  shows  the 
side  toward  God  in  Christ,  the  other  the  side  toward  man ;  both  are  equally  true.  It  is  at  one  and  the 
same  time  an  undeniable  truth,  that  faith  without  works  is  the  only  true  religion,  and  yet  that  faith  with- 
out works  is  no  religion  at  all,  and  also  that  works  without  faith  are  no  better  than  sin.     G.  B.  C. 

Paul  had  said,  and  truly,  "  Ye  are  saved  by  faith."  James  added,  "  Show  me  thy  faith  without  thy  works, 
and  I  will  show  thee  my  faith  by  my  works."  This  is  the  burden  of  his  doctrine  :  not  works  independent 
of  faith,  not  mere  external  morality,  not  dry,  legal  obedience,  with  no  moisture  and  no  root,  but  works  as 
expressing  faith,  manifesting  it,  its  natural  fruit,  and  in  turn  reacting  upon  it,  to  confirm  and  multiply 
it.  Paul  proclaims  the  immortal  truth  lying  at  the  very  heart  of  the  gospel,  "By  God's  grace  are  ye 
saved,  and  that  not  of  yourselves  ;  it  is  free  gift."  James  accepts  this  declaration,  but  urges  us  to  remem- 
ber that  the  spirit  must  have  a  body ;  that  God's  free  grace  is  granted  only  on  conditions,  and  may  be 
detected  by  certain  signs ;  and  that,  where  it  really  has  a  vital  seat  within,  it  will  inevitably  bud  and  blos- 
som into  the  pure  and  undefiled  religion,  which  visits  the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their  affliction,  and 
keeps  itself  imspotted  from  the  world.    F.  D.  H. 


2-4.  These  three  verses  form  but  one  sentence    godly  rich  have  goodly  portions  here,  they  have  God 


— and  the  apostle  principally  complains  of  a  prone- 
ness  to  give  honor  to  worldly  greatness  merely  on 
account  of  worldly  greatness,  and  paying  more 
homage  to  exalted  wickedness  than  to  oppressed 

grace.     T.  M. He  is  deprecating  that  homage  to 

wealth  which  implies  that  it  is  honorable  for  its 
own   sake   alone,  and  that    poverty  is  disgraceful 


for  their  portion  too.  And  though  the  godly  poor 
are  without  temporal  abundance,  they  have  the 
riches  of  the  gospel,  "  the  unsearchable  riches  of 
Christ."  God  in  mercy  warns  and  teaches  (in  his 
word)  both  rich  and  poor.  Blessed  are  they  who, 
in  lowliness  of  mind  and  poverty  of  spirit,  receive 
the  word  as  from  the  Lord.     Rich   in  faith. 


however  borne ;  a  homage  which,  while  it  is  sinful     Both  poor  and  rich  should  aspire  after  that  faith 


everywhere,  can  not  be  practiced  in  the  sanctuary 
without  offering  peculiar  insult  to  the  throne  of 
God.    J.  H. 

5.  God  is  wanting  to  no  creature.     Thoufrh  the 


which  is  God's  gift,  and  which  will  make  all  the  re- 
cipients of  it  rich  indeed  ;  rich  in  the  pardon,  mercy, 
strength,  and  righteousness  of  the  Lord  ! 

6.  Despised  the  poor,     God  never  made  a 


628 


SECTION  S52.— JAMES  2  : 1-26. 


creature  for  contempt.  "Whoso  reproachetli  the 
poor  despiseth  his  maker  " — that  is,  contemns  the 
wise  dispensation  of  God.  The  existence  of  the 
poor  is  one  of  the  settled  constitutions  and  laws  of 
Providence ;  and  it  is  necessary  for  the  uses  and 
services  of  the  world.     T.  M. 

8.  The  main  idea  running  through  the  whole 
Epistle  is  that  of  the  permanence  of  the  law  and  of 
moral  obligation  under  the  Christian  dispensation. 
The  law  is  taken  in  its  deepest  sense  ;  it  is  to  him 
the  expression  of  absolute  good.  He  does  not 
speak,  in  fact,  so  much  of  particular  precepts  of 
the  law  as  of  the  law  regarded  as  an  indivisible 
whole,  and  restored  to  that  unity  which  is  insepa- 
rable from  spirituality.  The  royal  law  is  a  law  of 
love,  a  perfect  law,  and  a  law  o£  liberty.  It  is  no 
mere  external  commandment ;  it  is  a  spiritual  law 
to  be  engrafted  into  the  heart  of  man.  It  is  to  be 
observed  that  James  preserves  a  complete  silence 
as  to  the  ceremonial  law ;  he  says  not  a  single  word 
about  it.  We  find  him  in  his  Epistle  just  as  we 
have  seen  him  in  the  Acts  ;  he  does  not  attach  any 
universal  obligation  to  the  observance  of  the  Mosaic 
law  ;  he  himself  conforms  to  its  rites  only  because 
of  his  nationality  ;  but  he  insists  alone  on  the  great 
and  eternal  principle  of  all   morality — conformity 

to  the  will  of  God.     De  P. Many  duties  may  be 

done  on  lower  motives  without  a  divine  respect  to 
the  commands  and  glory  of  God.  But  renewing 
grace  subjects  the  soul  to  the  whole  royalty  of  the 
law,  uniformly  inclines  it  to  express  obedience  to 
all  its  precepts,  because  they  are  pure  and  derived 
from  the  eternal  spring  of  purity.  It  mortifies  con- 
cupiscence and  quickens  to  every  good  work  from 
a  principle  of  love  to  God,  and  in  this  is  distin- 
guished from  the  most  refined  unregcnerate  moral- 
ity.    Bates. 

Thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  The  term  neigh- 
bor includes  every  creature  of  God  that  needeth  a 
blessing  and  can  be  blessed.  Christianity  instructs 
the  hearts  of  her  disciples  to  take  home  to  their 
warmest  charities  and  prayers  every  fellow-man,  of 
whatever  nation  or  religious  faith.  It  creates  a 
spirit  in  man  which  sends  him  abroad  with  both 
hands  full  of  all  that  can  bless  and  endow  human 
existence ;  which  sends  him  especially  with  proffers 
of  salvation  in  the  name  of  Christ  to  the  worldly 
and  graceless,  who  are  wont  to  enter  no  churches,  to 
read  no  Bibles,  to  listen  to  no  mercy.  Under  the 
gospel,  man  is  not  all  inhumanity  to  man.  Heart 
does  meet  heart ;  does  warm  and  grieve  at  the  call 
of  sorrow  and  need ;  if  another  be  burdened,  feels 
itself  the  pressure ;  if  he  be  delivered,  exults  in  the 
emancipation.  Certainly  heaven  has  not  a  mightier 
coadjutor  on  the  earth  than  man's  feeling  for  man, 
when  baptized  under  Christianity  with  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  with  fire.     WIdte. 


Ye  do  well.  God  has  his  measuring  lines  and 
his  canons,  called  the  Ten  Commandments ;  they  are 
written  in  our  flesh  and  blood.  The  sum  of  them  is: 
"  What  thou  wouldesthave  done  to  thyself,  the  same 
do  thou  to  another."  God  presses  upon  this  point, 
saying :  "  Such  measure  as  thou  metest,  the  same 
shall  be  measured  to  thee  again."  With  this  mea- 
suring line  has  God  marked  the  whole  world.  They 
that  live  and  do  thereafter,  well  it  is  with  them,  for 
God  richly  rewards  them  in  this  life.    Luther. 

10.  This  law  is  the  law  of  perfection.  He  who 
understands  it  resembles  that  hero  so  frequently 
celebrated  in  history,  who  believed  that  he  had  done 
nothing  so  long  as  anything  remained  for  him  to  do. 
No  relation  of  his  life,  no  moment  of  his  career,  no 
part  of  his  duty,  can  be  withdrawn  from  this  univer- 
sal empire  of  the  moral  law.  To  obey  in  every- 
thing, to  obey  always,  to  obey  perfectly — such  is  the 
unchangeable  rule  of  his  conduct.  The  question 
with  him  is  not  about  enjoyment,  or  power,  or  life, 
but  about  obedience.  The  laws  of  nature  may 
change,  those  of  duty  remain.     The  universe  may 

dissolve,  the  moral   law  continues.     A.  V. Its 

precepts  are  not  to  be  taken  severally,  but  alto- 
gether, as  they  make  one  entire  law  and  rule  of 
righteousness,  the  contempt  reflecting  upon  the 
whole  law  when  it  is  violated  in  one  point,  as  he 
that  wrongeth  one  member  wrongeth  the  whole  man 
or  body  of  which  he  is  a  part.  It  is  the  voluntary 
and  allowed  neglect  of  any-  part  of  the  law  that 
makes  us  guilty  of  the  violation  of  the  whole  law. 
All  the  commands  are  equal  in  regard  of  God ;  they 
are  all  ratified  by  the  same  authority  which  man 
contemns  when  he  makes  his  own  will  the  measure 
of  obedience.  The  law  is  like  a  chain  which  is  dis- 
solved by  the  loosening  of  one  link.  True  love  is 
called  a  fulfilling  of  the  whole  law ;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  one  allowed  sin  is  virtually  a  violation  of 
the  whole  law.     T.  M. 

When  men  speak  of  the  consequences  of  a  sin- 
gle sin  as  unduly  severe,  they  forget  the  nature  of 
sin  itself.  To  sin  is  not  merely  to  rebel  against  a 
holy  and  good  being — the  law,  on  obedience  to  which 
is  suspended  the  happiness  of  the  moral  universe — 
but  it  is  a  deliberate  rejection  of  the  authority  of 
God  and  submission  of  the  soul  to  the  desires  of  the 

human  heart.    F.  W. The  law  demands  absolute 

control  where  it  enters,  and  when  it  moves  it  moves 
always  with  the  full  weight  of  its  command,  con- 
densing the  whole  strength  of  its  blessing  on  every 
point  of  occupation,  and  accepting  none  but  uncon- 
ditional submission.  If  you  single  out  some  one 
chosen  indulgence,  however  secret — a  dubious  cus- 
tom in  business,  a  fault  of  the  tongue  or  temper — 
and  placing  your  hand  over  that  reply  to  the  all- 
searching  commandment  of  the  Most  High  :  "  This 
I  can  not  let  go  ;  this  is  too  sweet  to  me,  or  too  prof- 


SECTIOF  352.— JAMES  2  : 1-26. 


629 


itable  to  me,  or  too  tightly  interwoven  with  my  con- 
stitutional predilections,  or  too  hard  to  be  put  off  " 
— then  the  quality  of  a  disciple  is  not  in  you.  There 
is  a  portion  of  your  being  which  you  do  not  mean, 
or  try,  to  consecrate  to  heaven.  And  that  single 
persistent  offense  vitiates  the  whole  character.     F. 

D.  H. There  is  no  sin  so  small  but  it  tends  to 

the  utmost  wickedness  that  can  possibly  be  commit- 
ted. An  irreverent  thought  of  God  tends  to  no  less 
than  blasphemy  and  atheism ;  a  slight  grudge  of 
another  tends  to  no  less  than  murder  ;  and  though 
at  first  they  seem  to  play  only  singly  about  the 
heart,  yet  within  a  while  they  will  mortrflly  wound 
it.     £j}.  Hopkins. 

11.  Here  is  a  proof  of  the  intention  of  the 
former  sentence :  that  we  arc  not  to  look  to  the 
matter  of  the  command,  as  to  how  far  it  complies 
with  our  desires  and  interest,  but  to  the  authority 
of  the  Lawgiver.  The  apostle  gives  an  instance  in 
the  sixth  and  seventh  commandments.  God,  that 
hath  said  one,  hath  said  both.  They  are  precepts 
of  the  same  law  and  Lawgiver  ;  and  therefore,  in  the 
violation  of  one  of  these  laws,  the  authority  of  the 
law'is  violated.  He  proves  that  the  whole  law  had 
an  equal  obligation  upon  the  conscience,  because  he 
that  said  the  one  said  the  other.  God's  will  is  mo- 
tive enough  to  obedience.  Every  sin  is  an  affrord  to 
God's  sovereignty,  as  if  his  loill  were  not  reason  suf- 
ficient ;  and  an  affront  to  his  wisdom,  as  if  he  did 
not  know  what  was  good  for  men  ;  and  to  his  jtis- 
tice,  as  if  the  ways  of  God  were  unequal ! 

13.  The  apostle  had  been  mentioning,  in  the 
twenty-sixth  verse  of  the  first  chapter,  speech,  the 
guidance  of  the  tongue,  and  in  this  chapter  actions  ; 
and  now  he  joins  his  directions  and  says,  "  So  speak 
ye  and  so  do  "  (as  relating  to  the  case  before  you) 
as  persons  who  "  shall  be  judged  by  the  law  of  lib- 
erty." He  was  addressing  Christians — persons  not 
under  the  law  as  a  covenant,  but  under  grace.  Be- 
lievers are  freed  from  the  bondage  and  terror  of  the 
law,  yet  not  from  the  obedience  of  it.  The  law  in 
the  hands  of  Christ  is  a  law  of  liberty,  not  a  law  of 
license  to  sin,  for  Christ  is  not  the  minister  of  sin. 

T.  M. There  is  no  proper  liberty  but  under  rule, 

and  in  the  sense  of  rule.  It  holds  high  sisterhood 
with  law,  nay,  it  is  twin-born  with  law  itself.  Even 
our  existence  droops  and  drags  a  chain  if  it  can  not 
touch  some  principled  way  of  order,  to  be  ennobled 
by  it.  There  is,  in  fact,  no  bondage  so  dreadfully 
sterile  as  vagabondage ;  that  which  strays  and 
straggles  where  it  will,  and  finds  no  hand  of  disci- 
pline ever  laid  upon  it.    H.  B. No  one  denies  the 

perfection,  the  sublimity  of  the  gospel  morality; 
men  indeed  seem  to  feel  a  sort  of  self-complacency, 
a  satisfaction  in  celebrating  it,  with  a  view  to  the 
conclusion,  more  or  less  explicitly  stated,  that  mo- 
rality constitutes  the  whole  gospel.    This  is,  how. 


ever,  not  less  than  absolutely  to  mistake  the  bond 
that  unites  in  man  thought  with  sentiment  and  be- 
lief with  action.  Man  is  grander  and  less  easy  to 
satisfy  than  superficial  moralists  pretend  ;  the  law 
of  his  life  is  for  him,  in  the  profound  instinct  of 
his  soul,  necessarily  connected  with  the  secret  of  his 
destiny ;  and  it  is  only  the  Christian  dogma  that 
gives  to  Christian  ethics  the  royal  authority  of  which 
they  stand  in  need  to  govern  and  to  regenerate  hu- 
manity,    Gulzot. 

13.  To  be  unmerciful  is  a  sin  most  unsuitable 
to  grace.  We  pray,  "  forgive  us  our  trespasses  as 
we  forgive  them  that  trespass  against  us."  God's 
love  to  us  ought  to  melt  the  soul,  and  affect  us  not 
only  with  contrition  toward  God,  but  with  compas- 
sion to  our  brethren.  To  be  unmerciful  is  unlike 
God ;  Ac  gives  and  forgives.  Unmercifulness  is 
twofold  ;  it  HQ\t\i%T  gives  nor  forgives.     T.  M. 

14-20.  True  faith  evinces  itself  in  fraternal 
consideration  and  charity.  Dead  and  formal  faith 
betrays  itself  in  heartless  selfishness.  Such  is  the 
teaching  of  this  famous  passage  which  many  writers 
have  been  at  pains  to  "  reconcile  "  with  Paul's  doc- 
trine of  gratuitous  justification.  But  we  have  only 
to  observe  with  common  fairness  the  scope  of  each 
apostle,  in  order  to  see  that  the  one  in  no  wise 
opposes  or  weakens  the  other's  teaching.  Paul, 
writing  against  legalists,  afiirms  that  a  sinner  is 
justified  before  God  by  grace  through  faith  in  Christ, 
without  deeds  of  the  law.  James,  writing  against 
formalism,  selfishness,  and  pride  within  the  Church, 
declares  that  a  Christian  who  says,  "  I  have  faith," 
and  does  not  live  and  act  as  a  believer  ought,  con- 
demns himself.  Paul  teaches  that  we  must  be  in 
union  with  Christ  by  faith,  as  the  branch  is  in  the 
vine,  else  we  perish.  James  teaches  that  the  branch 
which  appears  to  be  in  the  vine  must  bear  fruit,  else 
its  union  is  a  mere  semblance,  and  it  will  be,  as  so 

much  dead  wood,  cut  away.     D.  F. Paul  says, 

Faith  only  is  that  which  justifies  us,  not  works.  But 
James  says,  "  Not  a  faith  which  is  without  works." 
There  will  be  works  with  faith,  as  there  is  thunder 
with  lightning ;  but  just  as  it  is  not  the  thunder  but 
the  lightning,  the  lightning  without  the  thunder,  that 
strikes  the  tree,  so  it  is  not  the  works  which  justify. 
Put  it  in  one  sentence  :  Faith  alone  justifies  ;  but  not 
the  faith  ichich  is  alone.  God  reckons  the  trust  in 
him  as  righteousness,  because  it  is  the  fountain  and 
the  root  of  righteousness,  being,  indeed,  the  life  di- 
vine in  the  soul.  He  reckons  it  as  such  (that  is,  he 
justifies  the  soul  that  has  it)  without  works — that  is, 
before  works  are  done,  and  not  because  of  the  works. 
But,  then,  that  faith  will  not  be  without  works ;  for 
the  fountain  must  flow  on,  and  the  tree  must  grow, 
and  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul,  sanguine  trust  in 
God,  must  spring  up  with  acts.     F.  W.  R. 

14.  The  apostle  does  not  write,  "If  any  man 


630 


SECTION  352.— JAMES  2  : 1-26. 


have  faith,"  but,  "  If  any  man  sat  he  hath  faith  "  ! 
He  that  hath  faith  is  sure  of  salvation,  but  not  al- 
ways he  that  saith  he  hath  faith !  In  this  whole 
discourse  the  apostle's  intention  is  to  show,  not  what 
justifies,  but  WHO  is  justified  ;  not  what  faith  does, 
but  ivhat  faith  is :  and  the  drift  of  the  context  is  not 
to  show  that  faith  without  works  does  not  justify, 
but  that  a  persuasion  or  assent  without  works  is  not 
faith  ;  and  the  justification  he  speaks  of  is  not  so 
much  of  the  person  as  of  the  faith.  Can  faith 
save  him  ?  That  is,  a  pretense  of  faith.  In  the 
words  "  and  hath  not  works,"  the  apostle  proves  it  is 
but  saying  they  have  faith,  if  there  be  not  works 
and  fruits  of  it.  Where  there  is  faith  there  will  be 
works.  Three  things  incline  the  soul  to  duty:  a 
forcible  principle,  a  mighty  aid,  a  high  aim;  all 
these  are  where  faith  is.  The  forcible  principle  is 
God's  love  ;  the  mighty  aid  is  God's  spirit ;  the  high 
aim  is  God's  glory !  The  next  two  verses  show  he 
means  such  a  faith  as  is  in  the  tongue  and  the  lips, 
such  a  faith  as  is  alone  and  by  itself ;  in  the  seven- 
teenth verse  he  speaks  of  such  a  faith  as  the  devils 
may  have,  and  in  the  nineteenth  such  a  faith  as  is 
"dead,"  that  is,  no  more  to  be  accounted  real  faith 
than  a  dead  man  can  be  accounted  a  man ! 

15,  16.  The  apostle  compares  faith  and  charity, 
and  shows  that  pretenses  of  faith  avail  no  more 
than  pretenses  of  charity.  He  says  that  an  excellent 
way  to  discover  your  deceitful  dealing  with  God  is  to 
put  the  case  fairly  and  honestly,  and  to  parallel  it 
with  your  own  dealings  one  with  another.  You 
will  not  count  words  liberality,  neither  will  God 
count  pretenses  faith.  Yet  words  argue  that  you 
have  a  knowledge  of  duty,  while  hare  ivords  show 
that  you  want  a  heart  for  it ! 

17.  A  naked  profession  of  faith  is  no  better 
than  a  verbal  charity ;  God  looks  upon  it  as  dead, 
cold,  and  useless.  By  "  works,"  the  apostle  does 
not  only  intend  acts  of  charity,  but  all  other  fruits 
and  operations  of  faith.  If  faith  have  not  works,  it 
"  is  dead."  The  allusion  is  to  a  corpse  or  a  dead 
plant,  which  has  only  an  outward  similitude  and 
likeness  to  those  which  are  living  ;  it  is  dead  in  re- 
gard of  root,  and  dead  in  regard  of  fruits ;  it  is 
void  of  the  life  of  Christ,  and  void  of  good  fruits. 
Operation  or  motion  is  always  an  argument  and 
effect  of  life.  The  words  "  being  alone "  denote 
the  emptiness,  barrenness,  and  nakedness  of  such 
profession.  A  living  faith  will  be  active,  and  let 
itself  be  seen  by  some  gracious  effects.  Faith  is  in 
truth  the  life  of  our  lives,  the  soul  that  animates 
the  whole  body  of  obedience.  Faith  is  not  always 
alike  lively,  but  where  it  is  true  it  is  always  living. 
T.  M. Our  religion  is  one  half  the  loving  adora- 
tion of  God ;  the  other  half  is  the  loving  service  of 
the  brother  whom  we  have  seen — our  fellow-man. 
Get  down  on  your  knees,  alone,  or  you  will  begin 


no  work  aright ;  and  then  up  and  be  doing !  Our 
Lord  gave  it  for  the  creed  of  his  Church  that  faith 
justifies.  He  gave  it  for  the  life  of  his  followers 
that  faith  without  works  is  dead.     F,  D.  H. 

18.  The  dispute  lies  between  faith  pretended 
and  faith  discovered  by  works.  Works  are  not  a 
ground  of  confidence,  but  an  evidence;  not  the 
foundations  of  faith,  but  the  encouragements  of 
assurance.  T.  M. The  husks  of  emptiness  rus- 
tle in  every  wind,  the  full  corn  in  the  ear  holds  up 
its  golden  fruit  to  the  Lord  of  the  harvest ;  a  good 
man's  faith  is  manifested  by  his  labors,  standing 
not  in  woftls,  but  in  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit, 
a  faith  that  works  by  love  to  the  purifying  of  the 
heart.      Mliittier. 

19.  Thou  belierest  that  there  is  one 
God.  From  this  single  expression  it  is  abundantly 
manifest  that  the  whole  of  this  disputation  is  not 
concerning  faith,  but  that  common  knowledge  of 
God  which  no  more  joins  a  person  to  God  than  the 
sight  of  the  sun  elevates  him  to  heaven ;  whereas 
it  is  certain  that  by  faith  we  draw  near  to  God. 
Besides,  it  would  be  absurd  if  any  one  should  assert 
that  the  devils  have  faith ;  but  James  here  prefers 
them  to  hypocrites.  The  devil  trembles,  says  he, 
at  the  mention  of  God,  because,  while  he  acknowl- 
edges him  as  his  judge,  he  stands  in  awe  of  him : 
therefore,  he  who  acknowledges  God,  but  despiseth 

him,  is  something  worse  than  the  devil.     Calv. 

Devils  believe  there  is  a  God,  that  there  is  a  Christ, 
that  he  is  the  Son  of  God,  that  Christ  died  for  sin- 
ners ;  but  can  the  devils  be  justified  or  saved? 
Then  never  rest  in  the  mere  faith  of  devils.  A 
Christian's  faith  must  go  beyond  the  faith  of  dev- 
ils ;  nay,  beyond  the  faith  of  other  men — ^beyond 
the  faith  of  hypocrites  and  pretenders,  who  "s«^" 
they  have  faith !  Bare  assent  to  the  articles  of 
religion  does  not  infer  true  faith.  True  faith  unites 
to  Christ.  There  is  not  only  assent  in  faith,  but 
consent;  not  only  an  assent  to  the  truth  of  the 
word,  but  a  consent  to  take  Christ,  to  receive  him 
into  our  hearts  as  prophet,  priest,  and  king ;  to  be 
taught,  redeemed,  and  governed  by  him !     T.  M. 

Faith,   as   a  grace  in  us,   severed    from  the 

righteousness  of  Christ,  is  only  a  beholder  of  things, 
but  not  a  justifier  of  persons  ;  and  that,  if  it  lay  not 
hold  of  and  applieth  not  that  righteousness  which 
is  in  Christ,  it  carries  us  no  further  than  to  the 
devils.     Bun. 

20.  The  disputation  is  not  about  the  cause  of 
justification,  but  what  we  should  think  of  an  empty 
faith.  AVorks  that  are  gracious  are  a  proper,  per- 
petual, and  inseparable  effect  of  faith;  they  are 
such  effects  as  do  not  give  life  to  faith,  but  declare 
it,  as  fruit  does  not  give  life  to  the  tree,  but  shoivs  it 
forth  f  "  0  vain  man,"  empty  professor,  "  barren 
and  unfruitful  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus 


SECTION'  353.— JAMES  3  : 1-18. 


631 


Christ,"  wilt  thou  not  know  that  an  empty  barren 
faith  is  a  dead  faith  ? 

21-23.  James  speaks  of  some  special  justifica- 
tion that  Abraham  received  upon  his  offering  of 
Isaac ;  and  you  will  find  that  from  God  he  then  re- 
ceived a  justification  of  his  faith,  though  thirty 
years  before  that  he  had  received  a  justification  of 
his  person.  When  he  was  an  idolater  and  ungodly, 
then  God  "called  him"  by  his  grace  and  justified 
him.  "  He  believed,  and  it  was  counted  to  him  for 
righteousness"  (Gen.  15).  But  noiv  when  he  offered 
up  Isaac,  his  faith  was  justified  to  be  true  and  right, 
for  that  command  was  for  the  trial  of  it.  There- 
fore, upon  his  obedience,  God  did  two  things:  re- 
newed the  promise  of  Christ  to  him  (Gen.  22)  and 
gave  him  a  testimony  and  declaration  of  his  sin- 
cerity. "  Now  I  know  that  thou  fearest  God,"  saith 
Christ  to  him,  who  is  there  called  "</te  angel  of  the 
Zord.^'  Therefore  Paul  and  James  may  be  thus 
reconciled.  Paul  speaks  of  the  justifying  of  a  sin- 
ner from  the  curse  of  his  natural  condition  and  from 
the  accusations  of  the  law ;  James  speaks  of  the 
justifying  approbation  of  that  faitli  by  which  we 
are  thus  accepted  with  God.  And  to  this  purpose 
Diodati  remarks,  "  that  justification  in  Paul  is  oppo- 
site to  the  condemnation  of  a  sinner  in  general,  and 
justification  in  James  is  opposite  to  the  condemna- 
tion of  a  hypocrite  in  particular."  In  Paul's  sense 
a  sinner  is  absolved,  in  James's  sense  a  believer  is 
approved ;  and  so,  without  exception,  the  apostles 
are  agreed. 

24.  Not  justified  by  a  bare,  naked  profession  or 
a  dead,  vain  faith,  such  as  consists  in  a  mere  assent 
or  speculation,  which  is  so  far  from  justifying  that 

it  is  not  properly  faith.     T.  M. When  I  write  of 

justification  before  God  from  the  dreadful  curse  of 
the  law,  then  I  must  speak  of  nothing  but  grace, 
Christ,  the  promise,  and  faith ;  but  when  I  speak  of 
our  justification  before  men,  then  I  must  join  to 
these  good  works :  for  grace,  Christ,  and  faith  are 
things  invisible,  and  so  not  to  be  seen  by  another, 
otherwise  than  through  a  life  that  befits  so  blessed 


a  gospel  as  has  declared  unto  us  the  remission  of 
our  sins  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ.  He,  then, 
that  would  have  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  so  be  de- 
livered from  the  curse  of  God,  must  believe  in  the 
righteousness  and  blood  of  Christ;  but  he  that 
would  show  to  his  neighbors  that  he  hath  truly  re- 
ceived this  mercy  of  God  must  do  it  by  good  works, 
for  all  things  else  to  them  is  but  talk,  as  a  tree  is 
known  to  be  what  it  is,  whether  of  this  or  that  kind, 
by  its  fruit.  Bun. "  We  never  dream,"  says  Cal- 
vin, "  either  of  a  faith  destitute  of  good  works,  or 
of  a  justification  unattended  by  them."  And  there 
is  falsehood  in  neither  of  these  statements,  nor  any 
real  contradiction  between  them.  Only  the  truth 
has  a  double  front.  Facing  toward  formalism,  its 
front  is  grace ;  facing  toward  the  conscience  of  a 
pardoned  sinner,  rejoicing  in  hope,  its  front  is  good 
works.     R.  D.  H. 

25.  Purposely  he  hath  joined  together  two  per- 
sons so  very  opposite,  that  he  might  the  more  clear- 
ly demonstrate  that  no  person,  of  whatever  condition, 
family,  or  rank,  was  ever  accounted  among  the  num- 
ber of  the  justified  and  the  faithful  without  good 

works.     Calv. She  was  "  justified  by  works  " — 

that  is,  approved  to  be  sincere  and  honored  by  God 
before  all  the  congregation,  there  being  a  special 
charge  to  spare  and  to  save  her  and  her  household, 
when  all  her  countrymen  were  slain ;  and  she  be- 
ing afterward  joined  in  marriage  with  a  prince  of 
Israel. 

26.  Here  is  the  conclusion  of  the  whole  argu- 
ment, showing  how  little  is  to  be  ascribed  to. an 
empty  profession  of  faith  without  works.  The  body 
without  the  spirit  "  is  dead,"  that  is,  can  not  perform 
the  functions  and  offices  of  life  or  of  a  man.  So 
faith  without  works,  or,  in  other  words,  dead  faith  ; 
and  dead  faith  can  not  be  true  faith  any  more  than 
a  carcass  can  be  a  true  man  !  A  true  faith  can  not 
be  without  works ;  so  that  we  must  understand  the 
apostle  as  referring  here  to  an  external  profession 
of  belief,  which,  because  of  some  resemblance  to 
what  is  true,  is  called  faith.     T.  M. 


Section  353. 


jAiTEs  iii.  1-1 S. 


1  Mx  bretnren,  be  not  many  masters,  knowing  that  we  shall  receive  the  greater  condemna- 

2  tion.     For  in  many  things  we  offend  all.     If  any  man  offend  not  in  word,  the  same  is  a 

3  perfect  man,  aiid  able  also  to  bridle  the  whole  body.     Behold,  we  put  bits  in  the  horses' 

4  mouths,  that  they  may  obey  ns ;  and  we  turn  about  their  whole  body.    Behold  also  the  ships, 
which  though  they  ie  so  great,  and  are  driven  of  fierce  Avinds,  yet  are  they  turned  about 

5  with  a  very  small  helm,  whithersoever  the  governor  listeth.     Even  so  the  tongue  is  a  little 
member,  and  boasteth  great  things.     Behold,  how  great  a  matter  a  little  fire  kindleth! 

6  And  the  tongue  is  a  fire,  a  world  of  iniquity  :  so  is  the  tongue  among  our  members,  that  it 
defileth  the  whole  body,  and  setteth  on  fire  the  course  of  nature  ;  and  it  is  set  on  fire  of  hell. 


032 


SECTION  353.— JAMES  3  :  1-lS. 


7  For  every  kiud  of  beasts,  and  of  bii'ds,  and  of  serpents,  and  of  things  in  the  sea,  is  tamed, 

8  and  hath  been  tamed  of  mankind  :  but  the  tongue  can  no  man  tame ;  it  is  an  unruly  evil, 

9  fuU  of  deadly  poison.     Therewith  bless  we  God,  even  the  Father;  and  therewith  curse  we 

10  men,  which  are  made  after  the  similitude  of  God.    Out  of  the  same  mouth  proceedeth  bless- 

11  ing  and  cursing.    My  brethren,  these  things  ought  not  so  to  be.    Doth  a  fountain  send  forth 

12  at  the  same  place  sweet  water  and  bitter?     Can  the  fig  tree,  my  brethren,  bear  olive  ber- 

13  ries?  either  a  vine,  figs?  so  can  no  fountain  both  yield  salt  water  and  fresh.    Who«s  a  wise 
man  and  endued  with  knowledge  among  yon?  let  him  shew  out  of  a  good  conversation  his 

14  works  with  meekness  of  wisdom.     But  if  ye  have  bitter  envying  and  strife  in  your  hearts, 

15  glory  not,  and  lie  not  against  the  truth.     This  wisdom  descendeth  not  from  above,  but  is 

16  earthly,  sensual,  devilish.    For  where  envying  and  strife  is,  there  is  confusion  and  every  evil 

17  work.     But  the  wisdom  that  is  from  above  is  first  pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle,  and  easy  to 

18  be  entreated,  full  of  mercy  and  good  fruits,  without  partiality,  and  without  hypocrisy.    And 
the  fruit  of  righteousness  is  sown  in  peace  of  them  that  make  peace. 


The  tongue  may  be  made  an  instrument  of  evil.  Many  is  the  mind  into  which  the  tongue  of  the  vile 
has  introduced  some  foul  image,  that  has  left  a  serpent's  trail  behind  it,  as  it  crawled  in  and  coiled  itself 
about  the  heart's  core,  folding  it  like  a  guardian  demon — not  angel — for  final  doom.  But  preeminently 
the  tongue  should  be  consecrated.  The  words  that  we  speak  should  be  words  of  truth  and  soberness. 
Liberty  of  speech  is  a  noble  privilege,  but  God  gives  no  liberty  to  speak  the  teachings  of  sin.  Our  free- 
dom is  linked  with  accountability.  How  much  holy  work,  if  the  tongue  was  a  consecrated  thing,  might  be 
done  for  God  by  it !  Not  in  the  pulpit  only,  or  in  the  hall  of  debate,  or  on  the  lecturer's  platform,  or  in 
the  courts  of  justice,  but  in  the  daily  walks  of  life,  in  humble  scenes,  by  the  fireside,  in  familiar  conver- 
sation, in  confidential  intercourse.  If  the  gospel  of  Christ  dwelt  in  every  heart,  and  the  love  of  Christ  on 
every  tongue,  all  of  us  would  become  evangelists.  Our  words  in  the  ears  of  a  dying  world  would  be  as 
the  message  of  a  prophet,  rich  with  the  peace  and  hope  of  heaven.     E.  H.  G. 

It  is  an  argument  of  a  candid,  ingenuous  mind  to  delight  In  the  good  name  and  commendation  of  others  ; 
to  pass  by  their  defects,  and  take  notice  of  their  virtues ;  to  speak  and  hear  of  those  willingly,  and  not 
endure  either  to  speak  or  hear  of  the  other ;  for  in  this  indeed  you  may  be  little  less  guilty  than  the  evil 
speaker,  in  taking  pleasure  in  it  though  you  speak  it  not.  He  that  willingly  drinks  in  tales  and  calumnies 
will,  from  the  delight  he  hath  in  evil  hearing,  slide  insensibly  into  the  humor  of  evil  speaking.  Until  a 
Christian  sets  himself  to  an  inward  watchfulness  over  his  heart,  not  suffering  in  it  any  thought  that  is 
uncharitable,  or  any  vain  self-esteem  upon  the  sight  of  others'  frailties,  he  will  be  subject  to  somewhat  of 
this  evil  humor  in  the  tongue  or  ear.  For  the  evil  of  guile  in  the  tongue,  a  sincere  heart,  truth  in  the 
inward  parts,  powerfully  redresses  it ;  therefore  it  is  expressed  (Ps.  15  :  2),  7'hai  speaJceih  (he  truth  from 
his  heart.  Seek  much  after  this,  to  speak  nothing  with  God  nor  men  but  what  is  the  sense  of  a  single 
unfeigned  heart.  Oh,  sweet  truth  !  excellent  but  rare  sincerity  !  he  that  loves  that  truth  zuithin,  and  who 
is  himself  at  once  the  truth  and  the  life.  He  alone  can  work  it  there !    Seek  it  of  him.    L. 


1.  James  is  not  here  dissuading  from  brotherly 
admonitions,  which  the  Spirit  so  often  and  so  much 
recommends  to  us ;  but  he  is  condemning  that  im- 
moderate desire,  which  arises  from  pride  and  ambi- 
tion, of  exalting  ourselves  above  our  neighbor,  of 
reviling,  censuring,  backbiting,  and  maliciously  in- 
quiring out  everything  which  they  can  turn  to  his 
disadvantage.  Calv. Those  persons  who  by  un- 
charitable words  and  censures  condemn  others,  and 
yet  are  the  servants  of  sin  themselves,  add  malice 
to  their  hypocrisy,  and  thus  are  liable  to  a  double 
condemnation. 

2.  When  the  apostle  Paul  gives  us  the  anatomy 
of  wickedness  in  all  the  members  of  the  body,  he 
stays  longest  on  the  organs  of  speech,  and  goes  over 


them  all  (Eom.  3  :  13-15).  The  sin  of  the  tongue 
is  one  into  which  we  easily  fall,  partly  by  reason  of 
that  quick  intercourse  that  there  is  between  the 
tongue  and  the  heart,  partly  because  speech  is  an 
act  which  is  performed  without  labor,  and  partly 
because  the  evils  of  the  tongue  are  pleasing  to  many 
— pleasing  to  utter,  and  pleasing  to  hear,  and  mar- 
velously  in  accordance  with  unregenerated  nature ! 
T.  M. 

"A  perfect  man,  able  also  to  bridle  the  whole 
body."  He  is  entire,  powerful,  because  he  has  not 
spent  his  strength.  Few  men  suspect  how  much 
mere  talk  fritters  away  spiritual  energy — that  which 
should  be  spent  in  action  spends  itself  in  words. 
The  fluent  boaster  is  not  the  man  who  is  steadiest 


SECTION  353.— JAMES  3  : 1-18. 


633 


before  the  enemy.  Loud  utterance  of  virtuous  in- 
dignation against  evil  from  the  platform,  or  in  the 
drawing-room,  is  wasted,  taken  away  from  the  work 
of  coping  with  evil ;  the  man  has  so  much  less  left. 
And  hence  he  who  restrains  that  love  of  talk  lays 
up  a  fund  of  spiritual  strength.     F.  W.  R. 

3;  4.  The  drift  is  to  show  that  little  things  are 
able  to  guide  great  bodies,  as  a  bridle  and  a  rudder ; 
and  so  the  guiding  of  the  tongue,  "  a  little  member," 
may  be  of  as  great  use  and  consequence  in  moral 
matters.  By  the  bridle  the  horse  is  checked  and 
guided  ;  by  the  rudder  the  ship  is  steered  and  pre- 
served from  danger ;  and  to  this  effect  Solomon 
says,  "  Whoso  keepeth  his  mouth  and  his  tongue, 
keepeth  his  soul  from  troubles."     T.  M. 

5.  For  ^^  how  great  a  matter  ei  lit/leJireHndletJi" 
read,  "  how  great  a  forest  is  kindled  by  how  small  a 

fire."    A. You  can  not  stop  the  consequences  of 

a  slander ;  you  may  publicly  prove  its  falsehood,  you 
may  sift  every  atom,  explain  and  annihilate  it,  and 
yet  years  after  you  had  thought  that  all  had  been 
disposed  of  for  ever,  the  mention  of  a  name  wakes 
up  associations  in  the  mind  of  some  one  who  heard 
the  calumny,  but  never  heard  or  never  attended  to 
the  refutation,  or  who  has  only  a  vague  and  confused 
recollection  of  the  whole.     F.  W.  R. 

6.  If  vain  words,  the  signs  and  immediate  effects 
of  a  vain  mind,  shall  sadly  increase  our  accounts, 
how  much  more  all  the  contentious,  fierce,  and  re- 
vengeful words ;  the  detracting,  false,  contumelious, 
and  injurious  words;  the  impure,  filthy,  and  con- 
tagious words ;  the  profane,  blasphemous,  and  im- 
pious words  that  "  flow  from  the  evil  treasure  of  the 
heart "  ?  Oh,  their  dreadful  number  and  oppressing 
weight !    Hates. 

Defileth  the  whole  body.  When  a  man 
speaks  evil,  he  will  commit  it.  When  the  tongue 
has  the  boldness  to  talk  of  sin,  the  rest  of  the  mem- 
bers have  the  boldness  to  act.  First  we  think,  then 
speak,  then  do  f  Men  will  say  it  is  but  talk  ;  be  not 
deceived,  a  pestilent  tongue  will  infect  other  mem- 
bers !  Nay,  it  sets  on  fire  the  "  whole  course "  or 
circle  of  nature,  diffusing  its  evils  into  all  conditions 
and  states  of  life.  There  is  no  faculty  that  the 
tongue  does  not  poison ;  from  the  understanding  to 
the  locomotive ;  it  violently  stirs  up  the  will  and 
affe(;tions,  and  makes  the  hands  and  feet  "  swift  to 
shed  blood."  There  is  no  action  that  it  does  not 
reach.     T.  M. 

Set  on  fire  of  hell.  The  apostle  means  liter- 
ally what  he  says — slander  is  diabolical.  The  first 
illustration  we  give  of  this  is  contained  in  the  very 
meaning  of  the  word  devil.  "  Devil,"  in  the  origi- 
nal, means  traducer  or  slanderer.  The  first  introduc- 
tion of  a  demon  spirit  is  found  connected  with  a 
slanderous  insinuation  against  the  Almighty,  imply- 
ing that  his  command  had  been  given  in  envy  of  his 


creature.  And  in  the  magnificent  imagery  of  the 
book  of  Job,  the  accuser  is  introduced  with  a  de- 
moniacal and  malignant  sneer,  attributing  the  excel- 
lence of  a  good  man  to  interested  motives.    F.  W.  R. 

7,  8.  Our  own  art  and  skill  and  courage  are 
able  to  tame  the  fiercest  beasts  and  make  them  ser- 
viceable. But  there  is  more  rebellion  and  untam- 
ableness  in  our  own  affections  than  in  the  fiercest 
beast  or  reptile.  The  apostle  docs  not  say  none  can 
tame  the  tongue,  but  "no  man"  ;  no  human  art  or 
power  can  find  a  sufficient  remedy  or  curb  for  it ! 
The  horse,  the  camel,  the  elephant  do  not  tame 
themselves ;  nor  man  himself.  Man  tames  the 
beast,  but  God  tames  man.     T.  M. 

Full  of  deadly  poison.  Formed  to  be  the 
messenger  of  peace  and  love,  knitting  hearts  to- 
gether in  a  mutual  bond  of  amity,  it  has  become  the 
fomenter  of  jealousy,  distrust,  and  ill-will,  the  lash 
of  uncharitableness,  and  the  weapon  of  hatred.  In- 
tended to  be  the  interpreter  of  sincerity  and  the 
propagator  of  truth,  it  has  been  made  the  ready  in- 
strument of  falsehood  and  deceit.  Created  to  speak 
the  praises  of  God,  and  to  give  utterance  to  the 
feelings  of  thankfulness,  it  is  wasted  on  the  follies 
of  worldliness  and  self,  and  profaned  by  the  awful 
accents  of  impurity,  impiety,  and  blasphemy.  It  has 
become  the  index  of  the  corruption  of  our  moral  na- 
ture, the  test  by  which  we  may,  in  a  great  degree, 
gauge  and  measure  the  spiritual  unsoundness  and 
sinfulness  of  our  souls  ;  "  for  out  of  the  abundance 
of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh."    J.  J. 

9.  Here  he  exhibits  the  good  and  bad  use  of 
the  tongue :   the  good  use,  to  bless  God  ;  the  bad 

use,  to  curse  men.     T.  M. Man,  he  says,  was 

made  in  the  image  of  God ;  to  slander  man  is  to 
slander  God  ;  to  love  what  is  good  in  man  is  to  love 
it  in  God.  Love  is  the  only  remedy  for  slander ; 
no  set  of  rules  or  restrictions  can  stop  it ;  we  may 
denounce,  but  we  shall  denounce  in  vain.  The  rad- 
ical cure  of  it  is  charity — "out  of  a  pure  heart 
and  faith  unfeigned  "  to  feel  what  is  great  in  the 
human  character,  to  recognize  with  delight  all  high 
and  generous  and  beautiful  actions,  to  find  a  joy 
even  in  seeing  the  good  qualities  of  your  bitterest 
opponents,  and  to  admire  those  qualities  even  in 
those  with  whom  you  have  the  least  sympathy — this 
is  the  only  spirit  which  can  heal  the  love  of  slander 
and  of  calumny.     F.  W.  R. 

10.  It  is  obvious  that  blessing  and  cursing  do 
not  become  the  same  mouth.  A  good  man  should 
be  uniform  and  constant.  The  same  heart  can  not 
be  occupied  by  God  and  the  devil,  nor  the  same 
tongue  be  employed  to  such  different  uses.     T.  M. 

13.  The  term  here  rendered  "conversation" 
signifies  the  whole  action  of  life,  the  development 
of  character,  the  way  a  man  works,  turns,  or  be- 
haves himself  in  the  world.    The  use  of  knowledge 


63.1: 


SECTION  35Jt.~JAMES  4  :  1-17. 


is  to  guide  and  elevate  the  life.  Wise  men,  or 
well-educated  men,  are  those  that  make  what  they 
know  illuminate  and  enrich  what  they  do.  If  you 
would  find  out  who  among  you  is  endued  with 
knowledge,  and  who  is  not,  you  can  apply  this 
proof.  Inquire  who  puts  his  knowledge  into  a 
"  good  conversation  " — a  noble  or  beautiful  manner 
of  living.     F.  D.  H. 

With  meekness.  Meekness  is  love  at  school 
— love  at  the  Saviour's  school.  It  is  Christian  low- 
lihood.  It  is  the  disciple  learning  to  know  him- 
self ;  learning  to  fear  and  distrust  and  abhor  him- 
self. It  is  the  disciple  practicing  the  sweet  but 
self-emptying  lesson  of  putting  on  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  finding  all  his  righteousness  in  that  righteous 
Lord.  It  is  the  disciple  learning  the  defects  of 
his  own  character,  and  taking  hints  from  hostile 
as  well  as  friendly  monitors.  It  is  the  disciple 
praying  and  watching  for  the  improvement  of  his 
talents,  the  mellowing  of  his  temper,  and  the  amel- 
ioration of  his  character.  It  is  the  living  Christian  at 
the  Saviour's  feet,  learning  of  him  who  is  meek  and 
iowly,  and  finding  rest  for  his  own  soul.     Hamilton. 

15.  Earthly,  sensual,  devilish.  The  dis- 
tinction is  admirably  drawn.  The  evils  of  the  world 
may  be  reduced  to  these  three  heads :  covetousness, 
sensuality,  pride,  suitable  to  the  treble  bait  that  is 
in  the  world  :  profits,  pleasures,  honors.  The  three 
great  ends  of  our  creation  are  our  salvation,  the 
good  of  others,  and  the  glory  of  God.  But,  when 
men  melt  away  their  days  in  pleasure,  they  neglect 
the  great  salvation ;  covetousness  is  the  bane  of 
charity  ;  and  pride  and  self-seeking  do  quite  divert 
us  from  serving  God's  glory.  All  sins  grow  from 
these  roots. 

16,  Such  wisdom  as  serves  envy  and  strife  can 
not  be  good  wisdom,  for  it  brings  forth  evil  effects. 
Wisdom  from  above  is  for  holiness  and  meekness  ; 
wisdom  from  below  is  for  confusion  and  profane- 
ness.  For  an  envious,  contentious  spirit  is  an  un- 
quiet, disorderly  spirit.  Nothing  more  discomposes 
the  mind  than  envy.     The  contentment  and  felicity 


of  others  is  the  very  sorrow  of  the  envious.  Satan 
works  upon  nothing  so  much  as  envy  and  discon- 
tent ;  such  a  spirit  is  exactly  fit  for  Satan's 
lure !    T.  M. 

17.  "Lord,  set  a  watch  on  my  mouth;  keep 
the  door  of  my  lips  " :  this  prayer  of  David  must 
constantly  be  ours.  If  with  this  be  combined  the 
earnest  striving  after  the  wisdom  which  cometh 
down  from  above,  which  James  recommends  to  us, 
we  shall  also  on  this  path  be  preserved  from  many 

false  steps.     Van    0. Without   hypocrisy. 

The  praise  of  a  hypocrite  is  not  of  God,  but  of 
man  ;  the  praise  of  a  Christian  is  not  of  man,  but 
of  God.  The  former  desires  to  seem  good,  that  he 
may  be  admired ;  the  latter  to  be  good,  that  God 
may  be  honored.     Scclcer. 

18.  They  that  with  their  peaceable  endeavors 
unite  a  care  for  righteousness  shall  have  a  threefold 
blessing — increase  of  grace,  with  peace  for  the 
present,  and  shall  reap  the  crop  of  all  hereafter. 
Whatever  we  do  in  this  life  is  seed.  As  we  sow,  so 
we  reap.  The  metaphor  is  used  in  Scripture  both 
ways,  in  point  of  sin  and  duty.  It  may  be  long 
first,  but  the  crop  will  be  according  to  the  seed. 
This  is  our  comfort  against  all  the  difficulties  and 
inconveniences  that  holy  and  peaceable  endeavors 
meet  with  in  the  world,  your  reward  is  with  God ; 
you  have  a  pledge  of  it  in  your  own  souls.  While 
strifes  lessen  grace  in  others,  you  grow  and  thrive, 

and  you  shall  reap  in  glory.     T.  M. God  abides 

none  but  charitable  discussions,  those  that  are  well 
grounded  and  well  governed  with  Christian  charity 
and  wise  moderation,  those  whose  beginning  is 
equity  and  whose  end  is  peace.  If  we  must  differ, 
let  these  be  the  conditions.  Let  every  one  of  God's 
ministers  be  ambitious  of  that  praise  which  Gregory 
Nazianzen  gives  to  Athaseus,  viz.,  to  be  an  adamant 
to  them  that  strike,  and  a  loadstone  to  them  that 
dissent  from  him — the  one  not  to  be  removed  with 
wrong,  the  other  to  draw  those  hearts  who  disagree ; 
so  the  fruit  of  righteousness  shall  be  sown  in  peace 
of  them  that  make  peace.     Bp.  H. 


Section  354. 

Jambs  iv.  1-17. 

1  From  whence  come  wars  and  fightings  among  you?   come  they  not  hence,  even,  of  yonr 

2  hists  that  war  in  your  members  ?     Ye  lust,  and  have  not :  ye  kill,  and  desire  to  have,  and 

3  cannot  obtain :  ye  fight  and  war,  yet  ye  have  not,  because  ye  ask  not.     Ye  ask,  and  receive 

4  not,  because  ye  ask  amiss,  that  ye  may  consume  it  upon  your  lusts.     Ye  adulterers  and 
adulteresses,  know  ye  not  that  the  friendship  of  the  world  is  enmity  with  God?  whosoever 

5  therefore  will  be  a  friend  of  the  world  is  the  enemy  of  God.    Do  ye  think  that  the  scrip- 

6  ture  saith  in  vain,  The  spirit  that  dwelleth  in  us  lusteth  to  envy?    But  he  giveth  more 


SECTION  354.— JAMES  4  : 1-17. 


635 


I 


grace.     Wherefore  he  saith,  God  resisteth  the  proud,  hut  giveth  grace  unto  the  humhle. 

7  Submit  yourselves  therefore  to  God.     Resist  the  devil,  and  he  will  flee  from  you.     Draw 

8  nigh  to  God,  and  he  will  draw  nigh  to  you.     Cleanse  your  hands,  ye  sinners;  and  purify 

9  your  hearts,  ye  doubleminded.     Be  afflicted,  and  mourn,  and  weep :  let  your  laughter  be 

10  turned  to  mourning,  and  your  joy  to  heaviness.     Humble  yourselves  in  the  sight  of  the 

11  Lord,  and  he  shall  lift  you  up.     Speak  not  evil  one  of  another,  brethren.     He  that  speaketh 
evil  of  his  brother,  and  judgeth  his  brother,  speaketh  evil  of  the  law,  and  judgeththe  law  : 

12  but  if  thou  judge  the  law,  thou  art  not  a  doer  of  the  law,  but  a  judge.     There  is  one  law- 

13  giver,  who  is  able  to  save  and  to  destroy:  who  art  thou  that  judgest  another?    Go  to  now, 
ye  that  say.  To  day  or  to  morrow  we  will  go  into  such  a  city,  and  continue  there  a  year, 

14  and  buy  and  sell,  and  get  gain:  whereas  ye  know  not  what  shall  he  on  the  morrow.    For 
what  is  your  life  ?    It  is  even  a  vapour,  that  appeareth  for  a  little  time,  and  then  vanisheth 

15  away.     For  that  ye  ought  to  say.  If  the  Lord  will,  we  shall  live,  and  do  this,  or  that. 

16  But  now  ye  rejoice  in  your  boastings :  all  such  rejoicing  is  evil.    Therefore  to  him  that 

17  knoweth  to  do  good,  and  doeth  it  not,  to  him  it  is  sin. 


Draw  niyh  to  God,  and  he  tvill  draw  nigh  to  you.  Under  the  laws  of  Providence,  life  is  a  probation ; 
probation  is  a  succession  of  temptations ;  temptations  are  emergencies ;  and  for  emergencies  we  need  the 
preparation  and  the  safeguard  of  prayer.  We  have  duties  which  are  perilous.  We  meet  surprises  of 
evil.  We  struggle  with  a  wily  adversary.  We  feel  perplexities  of  conscience,  in  which  holy  decision  de- 
pends on  the  mind  we  bring  to  them.  We  encounter  disappointments  which  throw  us  back  from  our 
hopes  rudely.  We  have  difficult  labors,  in  which  we  sometimes  do  not  know  what  to  do.  We  bave  an  un- 
known experience  opening  upon  us  every  hour.  Providence  is  thus  continually  calling  for  the  aids  of 
prayer ;  and  in  a  soul  which  is  keen  in  its  vigilance,  prayer  will  be  continually  responsive  to  providences, 
often  anticipative  of  them.  There  is  often  a  beautiful  alliance  between  providence  and  grace  in  these 
experiences.  A  Christian  who  will  be  studious  of  his  own  history  will  probably  discover  that  often  the 
occasions  for  such  fragmentary  communings  with  God  follow  hard  upon  these  secret  incitements  to  them. 
Emergencies  come  soon  for  which  they  are  needed.  The  Holy  Spirit  has  anticipated  them,  and  sought  to 
forearm  us.  Providence  and  grace  thus  hover  over  us,  not  far  asunder.  In  this  view,  those  Biblical  ex- 
hortations to  prayer,  which  men  have  sometimes  deemed  extravagant,  are  transparently  rational :  "  Continue 
in  prayer  " ;  "  Continue  instant  in  prayer  "  ;  "  Pray  without  ceasing  "  /  "  Rejoice  in  the  Lord  always  !  " 
Such  exhortations  contemplate  a  state,  not  insulated  acts,  of  prayer.  They /<  m  well  to  the  system  of 
things  in  which  we  are  living.     A.  P. 


1-5.  The  apostle  had  in  the  former  chapter 
spoken  against  strifes  as  proceeding  from  envy, 
and  pressed  them  to  a  holy  wisdom ;  he  here 
speaks  against  strifes  and  contentions  as  proceed- 
ing from  other  lusts,  as  ambition,  covetousness,  etc.) 
which  made  them  vex  one  another,  and  break  out 
into  unseemly  brawlings.  He  proceeds  by  way  of 
question  and  conviction,  as  appealing  to  their  con- 
sciences.    T.  M. Nothing  can  be  more  clear  than 

that  far  the  greater  part  of  the  evils  we  suffer  our- 
selves, and  of  those  we  bring  upon  others,  arise  from 
the  dominion  of  the  passions.  From  whence  come 
murders,  robberies,  oppression,  and  fraud,  breaches 
of  friendship  and  hospitality,  ruin,  infamy,  and  re- 
morse, confusion  and  distress  to  whole  families,  the 
destruction  of  health  and  repose,  the  dissipation  of 
fortunes,  but  from  the  violence  of  headstrong  and 
unruly  desires,  bursting  forth  like  a  torrent  upon 
mankind,  throwing  down  every  obstacle,  and  break- 
ing through  every  the  most  sacred  fence  that  opposes 
itself  to  their  impetuous   course  ?     P. Unruly 


lusts  witmn  are  the  cause  of  the  unquictnesses  and 
contentions  abroad  in  the  world.  One  man  will 
have  his  cori'upt  will,  and  another  his,  and  thus 
they  flock  and  justle  one  another ;  and  by  the  cross 
encounters  of  their  purposes,  as  flints  meeting,  they 
strike  out  these  sparks  that  set  all  on  fire.     L. 

3.  Consume  upon  lusts.  We  would  have 
something  from  God  to  give  to  our  enjoyments : 
health  and  long  life,  that  we  may  live  pleasantly ; 
wealth,  that  we  may  fare  sumptuously  every  day ; 
estates,  that  we  may  raise  up  our  name  and  families ; 
success  in  our  undertakings,  that  we  may  live  inde- 
pendently of  God's  providence.    T.  M. 

4.  In  every  man  there  is  a  root  of  selfishness. 
So  long  as  we  follow  the  impulses  of  our  nature,  we 
are  apt  to  refer  everything  to  some  selfish  end,  to 
our  own  pleasure,  to  our  profit,  to  our  advancement 
and  exultation.  Again,  in  every  man  there  is  a  root 
of  icorldly-mindedness.  Our  aims,  our  purposes,  our 
wishes,  our  hopes,  our  fears  are  all  hemmed  in  by 
the  world,  and  summed  up  in  it.    Moreover,  in  every 


G36 


SECTION  354.—JAMFS  It :  1-17. 


man  there  is  a  root  of  fleshly-mindediiess.  His  soul 
is  drugged  from  childhood  upward  with  the  stimu- 
lants and  opiates  of  the  senses.  In  every  man's 
heart  there  is  this  triple  root  of  sin — no  one  who 
knows  his  own  heart  will  dispute  it — the  root  of  self- 
ishness, from  which  spring  self-indulgence,  self- 
will,  self-esteem,  and  the  whole  brood  of  vanity  and 
pride ;  the  root  of  worldly-mindedness,  which  issues 
in  ambition,  in  covetousness,  in  the  love  of  money, 
in  the  desire  of  advancement,  of  honor,  of  power ; 
and  the  root  of  carnal-mindedness,  from  which,  if 
it  be  not  cut  down  betimes,  and  kept  diligently  from 
shooting  up  again,  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  will  sprout 
rankly,  and  overrun  and  stifle  the  soul.     Hare. 

"  The  friendship  of  the  world  is  enmity  with 
God."  There  is  a  similar  expression  used  by  Paul. 
"  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  " — averse 
and  adverse  !  So  does  the  world  not  only  withdraw 
the  heart  from  God,  but  oppose  him.  They  who 
would  join  worldliness  with  religion  seek  to  unite 
two  of  the  most  unsuitable  things  in  the  world! 
Worldly  people  are  here  called  adulterers  and  adul- 
teresses because  of,  their  unfaithfulness  to  God : 
they  give  their  best  affections  to  the  world.  World- 
liness in  Christians  is  most  unsuitable  to  the  mar- 
riage covenant,  the  covenant  of  grace,  wherein  God 
propounds  himself  to  be  all  sufficient.     T.  M. 

5.  Envy  is  only  a  malignant,  selfish  hunger 
casting  its  evil  eye  on  the  elevation  or  supposed 
happiness  of  others.  The  bitterness  of  it  is  not 
simply  that  it  really  wants  what  others  have,  but 
that  the  soul,  gnawed  by  a  deep  spiritual  hunger 
which  it  thinks  not  of,  is  so  profoundly  embittered 
that  every  kind  of  good  it  looks  upon  rasps  it  with 
a  feeling  of  torment,  and  rouses  a  degree  of  impa- 
tience and  ill  nature,  out  of  all  terms  of  reason. 
It  is  the  feeling  of  a  prodigal,  or  spendthrift,  who, 
after  he  has  spent  all,  vents  his  ill  nature  on  every- 
body but  himself,  and  hates  the  good  possessed  by 
others  because  it  is  not  his  own.  How  many  human 
souls  are  gnawed  through  and  through,  all  their 
lives  long,  by  this  devilish  hunger,  envy  !     H.  B. 

6.  Gireth  more  grace.  The  world  gives  a 
Utile,  that  it  may  give  no  more ;  but  Christ  gives 
"  that  he  may  give."  He  gives  a  little  grace,  that 
he  may  give  grace  upon  grace.  He  gives  a  little 
comfort,  that  he  may  give  fullness  of  joy.  Souls 
that  are  rich  in  grace,  labor  after  greater  measures 
of  grace  out  of  love  to  grace,  and  because  of  an 
excellency  that  they  see  in  grace.  Grace  is  a  very 
sparkling  jewel,  and  he  who  loves  it  and  pursues 
after  it  for  its  own  native  beauty  has  much  of  it 
within  him.     Brooks. 

Resisteth  the  prond.  Of  all  the  evils  of 
our  nature,  there  is  none  more  natural  and  uni- 
versal  than  pride  ;  the  grand  wickedness,  self-exalt- 
ing  in   our   own    and    others    opinion.      Of   that 


complicated  first  sin,  certainly  pride  was  a  main 
ingredient — that  which  the  unbelief  going  before 
and  the  disobedience  following  after  were  both  ser- 
vants to — and  ever  since  it  sticks  still  deep  in  our 
nature.  So  that  Augustine  says  truly,  "  That  which 
first  overcame  man  is  the  last  thing  he  overconjes." 
Some  sins,  comparatively,  may  die  before  us,  but 
this  hath  life  in  it,  sensibly,  as  long  as  we.  It  is  as 
the  heart  of  all,  the  first  living  and  the  last  dying ; 
and  hath  this  advantage  that,  whereas  other  sins  are 
fomented  by  one  another,  this  feeds  even  on  virtues 
and  graces,  as  a  moth  that  breeds  in  them  and  con- 
sumes them ;  even  in  the  finest  of  them,  if  it  be 
not  carefully  looked  to.  This  hydra,  as  one  head  of 
it  is  cut  off,  another  rises  up.  It  will  secretly  cleave 
to  the  best  actions  and  prey  upon  them.  And  there- 
fore is  there  so  much  need  that  we  continually  watch 
and  fight  and  pray  against  it,  and  be  restless  in  the 
pursuit  of  real  and  deep  humiliation,  daily  seeking 
to  advance  further  in  it ;  to  be  nothing,  and  desire 

to  be  nothing.     L. God  abhors  other  sinners, 

but  against  the  proud  he  professes  open  defiance 
and  hostility.  This  was  the  sin  that  turned  angels 
into  devils.  You  may  trace  the  story  of  pride  from 
paradise  to  this  day.  Other  sins  are  more  hateful 
to  man,  because  they  bring  disgrace  and  have  more 
of  baseness  and  turpitude  in  them  ;  whereas  pride 
seems  to  have  a  kind  of  bravery  in  it.  But  the 
Lord  hates  it,  because  it  is  a  sin  that  sets  itself 
most  against  Mm.  Other  sins  are  against  God's 
laws,  but  pride  is  against  God's  sovereignty.  Pride 
does  not  only  withdraw  the  heart  from  God,  but 
lifts  it  up  against  God.  Other  sins  are  more  patient 
of  reproof,  for  conscience  will  frequently  consent  to 
the  reproofs  of  God's  word,  but  pride  first  blinds 
the  mind,  and  then  arms  the  affections — it  lays  the 
judgment  asleep,  and  then  awakens  anger.     T.  M. 

Those  showers  of  grace  that  slide  off  from  the 
lofty  mountains  rest  on  the  valleys  and  make  them 
fruitful.  He  giveth  grace  to  the  loivly  ;  loves  to  be- 
stow it  where  there  is  most  room  to  receive  it,  and 
most  return  of  ingenuous  and  entire  praises  upon 
the  receipt.  And  such  is  the  humble  heart ;  and 
truly,  as  much  humility  gains  much  grace,  so  it  grows 
by  it.  He  whom  the  Lord  loads  most  with  his  rich- 
est gifts  stoops  lowest,  as  pressed  down  with  the 
weight  of  them  ;  the  free  love  of  God  humbles  that 
heart  most  to  which  it  is  most  manifested.     L. 

7.  There  is  a  threefold  submission  to  God :  of 
our  carnal  hearts  to  his  holiness ;  of  our  proud 
hearts  to  his  mercy  ;  and  of  our  revolting  hearts  to 
his  sovereignty  ;  and  all  this  that  we  may  be  pure, 

humble,  and  obedient !    T.  M. The  submission 

that  makes  no  merit  of  its  cross ;  that  does  not 
venture  to  choose  one  lighter  than  the  Lord  lays  on 
us  ;  that  does  not  seek  the  ability  to  bear  it  in  the 
delirium  of  pleasure,  or  the  drugs  of  the  world,  or 


SECTION  354.— JAMES  4  : 1-17. 


G37 


the  deadening  influence  of  time  and  change ;  that 
does  not  compare  your  cross  with  those  borne  by 
others,  or  asli  an  explanation  of  it  till  the  day 
break  and  the  shadows  flee  away,  but  bears  it  all 
with  a  child's  love  for  His  sake  who  did  not  impose 
it  till  He  had  borne  all  the  might  and  sharpness  of 
all  the  world's  crosses  together — this  is  the  victory. 
The  earth  has  no  fatal  fear  and  no  insupportable 
sorrow  in  it  after  you  have  come  to  this ;  you  are 
free  in  a  boundless  liberty,  strong  in  immortal 
strength,  and  at  peace  in  a  peace  too  deep  for  the 
understanding  to  explain,  or  any  sufferings  to  dis- 
turb.    F.  D.  H. 

Resist  the  devil.  It  is  not  more  Satan  who 
destroys  us  than  we  who  destroy  ourselves  at  his 
bidding.  Even  in  his  boldest  achievements  he  still 
does  not  create  but  pervert ;  he  is  to  the  last  a  sub- 
ordinate and  permissive  agent  in  the  territory  of 
God.  It  is  not  to  infuse  new  powers  that  he  labors, 
but  by  every  art  to  corrupt  and  poison  the  old  to 

ruin !     W.  A.  B. God  draws ;  Satan  only  tempts. 

Satan  is  powerful,  but  not  omnipotent ;  he  is  cun- 
ning, but  neither  omniscient  nor  wise.  He  has  an 
ally  within  us,  but  he  has  never  yet  understood  a 
human  heart.  God  alone  can  search  the  heart; 
he  alone  can  draw  it,  can  open,  can  melt,  can  fill  it. 
Satan  can  not  draw ;  he  can  not  reach  the  inmost 
depth  of  yourself ;  he  has  no  right  over  you ;  he 
has  no  power  except  the  power  you  give  him.  Only 
resist,  only  show  your  face  as  conscious  of  your 
divine  origin,  only  adore  God,  and  Satan,  powerless 
and  abashed,  will  flee  from  you.  There  is  no  real 
connection  between  us  and  Satan.  A.  S. When- 
ever one  of  us,  wearied  and  grieved  with  the  burden 
of  his  sins,  comes  to  Christ  for  salvation ;  whenever 
one  of  us,  feeling  the  yoke  upon  him  of  some  invet- 
erate evil  habit,  wicked  temper,  or  deadly  lust, 
kneels  down  seriously  and  humbly  before  God,  and 
asks  him  for  Jesus  Christ's  sake  to  forgive  and  to 
cleanse  him ;  to  pardon  all  that  is  past,  and  to  send 
into  his  heart  that  Holy  Spirit  who  is  all  liberty,  and 
love,  and  peace,  and  strength ;  and  when,  in  answer 
to  this  prayer  (as  will  be  the  case  if  he  only  prays 
on  and  faints  not)  he  is  set  free — gradually,  tardily 
it  may  be,  but  really,  decisively,  and  at  last  com- 
pletely— then  does  Christ  conquer  Satan.     V. 

8.  There  is  no  exhortation  more  solemn  and 
profound,  more  fundamental,  reaching  into  the  very 
beginnings  of  spiritual  life,  and  more  comprehen- 
sive, embracing  the  deepest  experience  of  divine 
grace,  than  these  words:  "Draw  nigh  to  God,  and 
he  will  draw  nigh  to  you."  No  frequency  of  repeti- 
tion can  weaken  their  force  or  exhaust  their  mean- 
ing ;  but  they  grow  in  power  and  sweetness  as  we 
obey  the  command  and  test  the  truth  of  the  prom- 
ise.    A.  S. Draw  nigh,  oh,  every  solitary  soul,  to 

Mary's  Son  1     Let  him  draw  nigh  to  you  ;  he  under- 


stands the  most  reserved.  He  knows  your  unutter- 
able secret  without  the  telling,  infinite  in  tenderness. 
He  has  watched  your  silent  war,  and  waited  with 
your  waiting,  and  carried  griefs  just  like  yours. 
"If  any  heart  will  open  the  door  to  me,  I  will  come 

in,  and  my  Father  will  come."     F.  D.  H. He 

will  draw  nigh  to  you.  He  himself,  although 
he  may  use  various  channels  and  instruments — it 
may  be  affliction  or  prosperity ;  it  may  be  through 
the  voice  of  Nature  or  of  Providence;  it  may  be 
through  the  word  or  the  example  of  a  Christian — 
yet  it  is  God  himself.  But,  of  all  instruments  and 
channels,  the  written  word  is  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance ;  it  stands  supreme.  It  is  through  Scrip- 
ture, eminentlj',  that  God  draws  nigh  to  the  soul. 
But  let  us  never  mistake  the  reading  of  the  Scrip- 
ture for  that  real  drawing  nigh  of  the  living  God, 
toward  which  it  is  the  great  help,  and  of  which  it  is 
the  great  witness.  Scripture  is  not  the  substitute 
for  God's  drawing  nigh  to  us,  it  is  only  the  channel ; 
the  written  word  of  the  past  must  become  the  living 
word  of  the  present.     A.  S. 

9.  When  James  says,  "Let  your  laughter  be 
turned  into  mourning  and  your  joy  into  heaviness," 
he  means  that  it  is  a  good  exchange  to  put  away 
carnal  joy  for  godly  sorrow ;  for  then  we  have  that 
in  the  duty  which  we  expected  in  the  sin,  and  in  a 
more  pure,  full,  and  sweet  way.  When  the  world 
repents  of  its  joy,  the  Christian  will  never  repent  of 
his  sorrow.     T.  M. 

10.  No  humility  is  perfect  and  proportioned  but 
that  which  makes  us  hate  ourselves  as  corrupt,  but 
respect  ourselves  as  immortal — the  humility  that 
kneels  in  the  dust,  but  gazes  on  the  skies  !    W.  A. 

B. Bring  into   captivity  every  thought  to   the 

obedience  of  Christ.  Order  thy  life  according  to 
the  life  of  Jesus,  after  Jesus  hath  put  his  life  with- 
in thee.  Humble  thyself,  so  shalt  thou  be  exalted. 
Be  poor,  so  shalt  thou  be  rich.     Have  nothing,  so 

canst  thou  receive  all  things.    A.  C. Seek  here 

to  be  humble  with  the  humble  Jesus,  and  he  will 
exalt  thee.  Seek  humility,  and  thou  wilt  find  it,  and 
when  thou  hast  found  it  thou  wilt  love  it,  and  by 
God's  grace  wilt  not  part  with  it ;  with  it  thou  canst 
not  perish.  Yea,  thou  wilt  reign  for  ever  with 
Jesus,  who  was  humbled  for  thee,  and  with  the 
choirs  in  the  heavenly  dwellings.  For  there,  too, 
thou  wilt  be  humble,  not  as  now  in  the  need  of  all 
things,  but  in  the  possession  of  all  things,  in  glory, 
and  honor,  and  power,  and  beauty,  and  knowledge, 
and  wisdom,  of  which  we  have  but  the  faintest 
shadow  here ;  and  all  from  God  and  in  God.    Pusey. 

11.  Speak  not  evil.  The  bitter  root  of  this 
iniquity  is  that  wicked  self-love  that  dwells  in  us. 
Every  man  is  naturally  his  own  grand  idol,  would  be 
esteemed  and  honored  by  any  means ;  and  to  mag- 
nify that  idol  self  kills  the  good  name  and  esteem 


638 


SECTION  SoJf.— JAMES  4  ;  1-17. 


of  others  in  sacrifice  to  it.  Hence  is  the  narrow, 
observing  eye  and  broad,  speaking  tongue  upon  any- 
thing that  tends  to  the  dishonor  of  others.  One 
of  another.  All  of  you  that  desire  to  walk  as 
Christians,  be  very  wary  that  you  wrong  not  one 
another,  and  help  not  the  wicked  against  you  by 
your  mutual  misconstructions  and  miscensures  one 
of  another.  Far  be  it  from  you  to  take  pleasure  in 
hearing  others  evil  spoken  of,  whether  unjustly  or 
though  it  be  some  way  deservedly  ;  yet  let  it  be  al- 
ways grievous  to  you  and  no  way  pleasing  to  hear 
such  things,  much  less  to  speak  of  them.  It  is  the 
devil's  delight  to  be  pleased  with  evil  speakings. 
The  Syrian  calls  him  an  eater  of  slanders  or  calum- 
nies.    L. 

Jndgeth  the  law.  There  are  three  things 
exempted  from  man's  judicatory :  God's  counsels.,  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  and  the  hearts  of  men.  We  should 
not  dogmatize  and  subject  men  to  ordinances  of  our 
own  making.  It  is  too  common  for  us  to  condemn 
everything  that  does  not  please  us,  as  if  our  magis- 
terial dictates  were  articles  of  faith.  We  must 
judge  as  the  word  judges,  or  else  we  judge  the 
word ! 

12.  In  spiritual  things,  none  else  but  the  Lord 
can  give  laws  to  the  conscience ;  in  external  poUcy, 
the  laws  and  edicts  of  men  are  to  be  observed.  But 
here  the  apostle  speaks  of  the  internal  government 
of  the  conscience  where  God  alone  judges,  since 
God  alone  can  give  laws  to  the  conscience.  "  The 
Lord  is  our  judge,  the  Lord  is  our  lawgiver,  the 
Lord  is  our  king"  (Isa.  33  :  22).  Take  these  words 
in  a  spiritual  sense,  and  they  are  exclusive.  Hie 
Lord  and  none  other  f 

13-15*  Having  before  spoken  against  those 
that  contemned  the  law,  he  now  speaks  against 
those  that  contemned  Providence ;  promising  them- 
selves a  long  time  in  the  world,  and  a  happy  accom- 
plishment of  their  worldly  projects,  without  any 
sense  or  thought  of  their  own  frailty,  or  the  sudden 
strokes  of  God.  In  this  verse  the  apostle  does,  as 
it  were,  personate  them,  and  gives  an  accurate  repre- 
sentation of  their  thoughts.     T.  M. 

13.  The  great  Lord  of  all  has  no  part  in  this 
scheme.  These  little  arrogant  words,  we  will,  thrust 
him  out  at  once,  and  occupy  his  place.  The  persons 
here  described  undertake,  without  hesitation,  to  in- 
sure their  lives  against  death,  their  bodies  against 
sickness,  and  their  effects  against  every  casualty  or 
hazard.  They  promise  themselves  that  to-morrow 
they  shall  not  only  be  alive,  but  in  health  to  set 
out  on  their  journey ;  that  they  shall  meet  with  no 
cross  accidents  by  the  way,  and  that  in  due  time 
they  shall  arrive  at  the  city  where  their  plan  of  bus- 
iness is  to  be  carried  into  execution.  What  is  still 
more  extravagant,  they  promise  upon  life  for  a  full 
year,  and  not  upon  life  only,  but  on  health  of  body 


and  soundness  of  mind  dui'ing  all  that  time.  Nay, 
more,  they  assure  themselves  of  success.  "  We  will 
buy  and  sell,  and  get  gain."  They  undertake  that 
they  shall  have  large  profits  from  those  to  whom 
they  sell,  and  cheap  bargains  from  those  of  whom 
they  buy.  In  a  word,  they  speak  as  if  everything 
relating  to  themselves  and  others  were  so  dependent 
on  their  will  that  they  might  command  the  events 
which  they  desired,  and  dispose  of  all  things  ac- 
cording to  their  own  pleasure.     R.  W. 

14.  Your  life.  The  lowest  view  of  life  looks 
out  upon  it  as  no  scene  of  the  workings  and  reveal- 
ings  of  the  divine  Spirit,  but  only  as  a  hostelry 
where  every  guest  is  to  seize  on  so  many  of  the 
good  things  exposed  as  the  laws  of  the  place  allow 
— to  consume  what  the  senses  crave,  regarding  no 
other  than  sensual  penalties — to  grasp  the  largest 
handful  of  comfort  irrespective  of  rights  or  ser- 
vices, and  to  push  pleasure  to  the  utmost  pitch  of 
intensity  consistent  with  its  continuance.  Of  course, 
this  selfish  hunt  will  take  different  directions,  ac- 
cording to  the  ruling  appetite ;  proceeding  with  some 
men  by  a  cool  calculation,  and  with  others  by  pas- 
sionate plunges  of  impulse.  But  the  characteristic 
mark  on  all  its  phases  is,  that  it  disowns  God.  The 
whole  eager  race  through  which  it  strains  its  muscles 
ignores  the  spiritual  presence.  Religious  accounta- 
bility is  an  element  foreign  to  it.  Duty  is  a  word 
without  a  meaning.  Conscience  is  only  one  of  the 
furies.  Christ  is  a  veiled  figure.  Stewardship  is  a 
visionary  fancy.  The  curtain  that  drops  over  the 
grave  is  of  stone,  as  immovable  as  it  is  impenetra- 
ble.    F.  D.  H. 

15.  If  the  Lord  will.  Kot  to  be  fulfilled 
by  the  mere  use  of  the  words  "  please  God,"  or  of 
the  letters  D.  V.,  when  we  speak  of  our  future  proj- 
ects, but  by  a  deep  inner  consciousness  that  the 
future  is  wrapped  iu  utter  uncertainty,  that  we  can 
see  no  further  than  to  what  lies  under  our  hand, 
and  that  even  the  cycle  of  the  present  day  em- 
braces more  time  than  we  have  any  right  to  calculate 

upon.     E.  M.  G. "  We  shall  live,  and  do  this  or 

that."  It  is  not  enough,  then,  that  God  suffers  us  to 
live,  but  he  must  also  by  the  same  will  suffer  us  to 
do,  or  act.  The  point  is,  that  God's  will  concurs  not 
only  to  our  lives,  but  to  our  actions.  It  is  by  his 
conduct  and  blessing  that  all  things  come  to  pass. 
Our  very  counsels  and  wills  are  subject  to  the  di- 
vine government,  and  he  can  turn  them  as  it  pleas- 
eth  him;  and  therefore  we  must  not  only  commit 
our  ways  to  his  providence,  but  commend  our  hearts 
to  the  tuition  of  his  Spirit !  In  short,  all  things 
are  done  by  his  will,  and  must  be  ascribed  to  his 
praise. 

17.  Sins  of  knowledge  are  most  dangerous. 
They  are  more  sins  than  others,  as  having  more 
malice  and  contempt  in  them:    contempt  both  of 


SECTION  355.— JAMES  5  :  ISO. 


639 


the  law  of  God  and  of  God's  kindness.  Sins  against 
knowledge  have  more  of  God's  vengeance  upon  them. 
In  the  reprobate  they  are  punished  with  great  re- 
morse and  horror  of  conscience,  or  with  hardness  of 
heart,  or  with  madness  against  the  truth.  Apos- 
tates become  the  greatest  persecutors !  Not  only 
sins  of  commission  but  sins  also  of  otyiission  are  ag- 
gravated by  knowledge ;  "  to  him  that  knoweth  to 
do  good,  and  doe'h  it  not,  to  him  it  is  sin."  Foul 
acts  of  sinful  commission  bring  more  shame  and 
impress  more  horror  upon  the  mind  than  bare  neg- 


lects ;  yet  here  we  see  that  evcri/  omissimi  of  a 
know  duty  is  sin.  The  rule,  you  see,  is  positive, 
enforcing  duty,  as  well  as  prohibitory,  forbidding 
sin  ;  and  according  to  the  knowledge  of  it,  so  is  the 

obligation.     T.  M. The  neglect  of  improving  all 

the  means,  advantages,  and  opportunities  of  doing 
or  receiving  good  will  be  a  great  part  of  that  judg- 
ment. The  Lord  called  his  servants  to  an  account 
for  the  talents  committed  to  their  trust,  and  re- 
quired profit  in  proportion  to  their  number  and 
worth.     Bates. 


I 


Section  355. 

Jaues  v.  1-20. 

1  Go  to  now,  ye  rich  men,  weep  and  howl  for  yonr  miseries  that  shall  come  upon  you. 

2  Your  riches  are  corrupted,  and  your  garments  are  motheaten.     Your  gold  and  silver  is 

3  cankered;  and  the  rust  of  them  shall  be  a  witness  against  you,  and  shall  eat  your  flesh  as 

4  it  were  fire.  Ye  have  heaped  treasure  together  for  the  last  days.  Behold,  the  hire  of  the 
labourers  who  have  reaped  down  your  fields,  which  is  of  you  kept  back  by  fraud,  crieth ; 
and  the  cries  of  them  which  have  reaped  are  entered  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  Sabaoth. 

5  Ye  have  lived  in  pleasure  on  the  earth,  and  been  wanton ;  ye  have  nourished  your  hearts, 

6  as  in  a  day  of  slaughter.     Ye  have  condemned  and  killed  the  just ;  and  be  doth  not  resist 

7  you.  Be  patient  therefore,  brethren,  imto  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  Behold,  the  husband- 
man waiteth  for  the  precious  fruit  of  the  earth,  and  hath  long  patience  for  it,  until  he  re- 

8  ceive  the  early  and  latter  rain.     Be  ye  also  patient ;  stablish  your  hearts :  for  the  coming 

9  of  the  Lord  draweth  nigh.  Grudge  not  one  against  another,  brethren,  lest  ye  be  con- 
demned :  behold,  the  judge  standeth  before  the  door. 

10  Take,  my  brethren,  the  prophets,  who  have  spoken  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  fur  an  ex- 

11  ample  of  suffering  affliction,  and  of  patience.     Behold,  we  count  them  happy  which  endure. 
Ye  have  heard  of  the  patience  of  Job,  and  have  seen  the  end  of  the  Lord  ;  tliat  the  Lord  is 

12  very  pitiful,  and  of  tender  mercy.     But  above  all  things,  my  brethren,  swear  not,  neither 
by  heaven,  neither  by  the  earth,  neither  by  any  other  oath  :  but  let  your  yea  be  yea;  and 

13  your  nay,  nay;  lest  ye  fall  into  condemnation.     Is  any  among  you  afflicted?  let  him  pray, 

14  Is  any  merry?  let  him  sing  psalms.     Is  any  sick  among  you?  let  him  call  for  the  elders  of 
the  church ;  and  let  them  pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  : 

15  and  the  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick,  and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up ;  and  if  he  have 

16  committed  sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven  him.     Confess  your  faults  one  to  another,  and  pray 
one  for  another,  that  ye  may  be  healed.     The  effectual  fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man 

17  availeth  much.     Elias  was  a  man  subject  to  like  passions  as  we  are,  and  he  prayed  earnest- 
ly that  it  might  not  rain  :  and  it  rained  not  on  the  earth  by  the  space  of  three  years  and 

18  six  months.     And  he  prayed  again,  and  the  heaven  gave  rain,  and  the  earth  brought  forth 

19  her  fruit.     Brethren,  if  any  of  you  do  err  from  the  truth,  and  one  convert  him;  let  him 

20  know,  that  he  which  converteth  the  sinner  from  the  error  of  his  way  shall  save  a  soul  from 
death,  and  shall  hide  a  multitude  of  sins. 


Theee  is  no  more  contradiction  between  a  fixed  order  of  laws  and  special  answers  to  our  asking,  than 
there  is  between  a  general  household  arrangement  for  their  children's  good  on  the  part  of  earthly  parents, 
and  their  daily  favors  granted  in  answer  to  particular  requests.  Through  all  this  stable  and  mighty  sys- 
tem of  irreversible  decrees — laws  of  growth  and  decay,  summer  and  winter,  evening  and  morning,  cen- 
tripetal and  centrifugal  forces,  regimen  and  health,  cause  and  consequence — there  plays  for  ever  the 
silent  presence  of  God,  the  unrestricted  action  of  God's  free  will.  So  has  he  built  the  world,  and  organ- 
ized its  constitution.  The  balance  of  these  two  forces — law  and  liberty — is  the  wonder  of  the  universe, 
the  supernal  sign  set  upon  it.    Before  we  pray,  ho  is  love  itself ;  yet  he  hears  the  prayer,  and  sends  a 


640 


SECTION  S55.— JAMES  5  : 1-30. 


blessing  that  could  not  have  come  without.  The  uniform  shelter  of  laws  that  we  can  rely  upon  in  our 
every-day  business  is  merciful ;  and  so  are  those  direct,  impressive  tokens  of  his  listening  spirit,  which 
make  a  part  of  the  experience  of  devout  souls  that  no  reasoning  can  take  away.  Ills  care  extends  to 
your  lowly  path  each  morning  from  street  to  street,  as  much  as  to  the  august  pilgrimage  of  Arcturus 
along  the  "  streets  of  stars,"  or  to  the  rise  and  fall  of  empires,  or  the  reformation  that  liberates  nations. 
Believing  this,  I  can  no  more  hesitate  to  ask  a  divine  direction  for  the  details  of  my  common  life  than 
for  the  salvation  of  my  soul.  What  companions  I  shall  be  thrown  among,  what  tasks  I  shall  have 
brought  me  to  do,  what  difBculties  I  shall  have  to  encounter,  what  misunderstandings  and  consequent 
alienations  I  shall  be  rescued  from,  what  words  I  shall  be  inwardly  .prompted  to  speak,  what  temptations 
I  may  be  spared  each  time  I  go  out  of  my  house  or  return  to  it — these,  and  all  the  class  of  events  they 
belong  to,  are  the  very  material  out  of  which  salvation  or  ruin  is  wrought ;  and  so  they  are  fit  subjects  of 
prayer.  They  are  things  wherein  God  answei's.  For  over  the  motions  of  heart  and  mind — others  as  well 
as  my  own — he  holds  an  unceasing  control.  And  if  you  watch  the  history  of  almost  any  hour,  you  will 
see  many  junctures  in  it  where  two  ways  parted  before  you,  and  the  choice  was  more  with  God  than 
yourself.  In  this  spirit,  and  with  this  faith,  a  Christian  will  find  no  difficulty  in  asking  for  earthly  good. 
If  he  does  it  regarding  its  moral  connections  and  influences  on  character,  it  is  lawful,  reverent  prayer ; 
such  prayer  as  was  often  on  the  lips  of  righteous  men  of  old,  and  had  signal  answers  •  such  prayer  as 
James  enjoins,  citing  Elijah  as  an  example.     F.  D.  H. 


1-6.  The  first  six  verses  arc  not  so  much  an 
admonition  as  a  denunciation,  wherein  the  apostle 
does  not  so  much  direct  them  what  to  do  as  foretell 
what  should  be  done  to  them,  that  the  godly  might 
be  encouraged  to  the  more  patience  under  their  op- 
pressions ;  for  that  James  infers  plainly  in  the  sev- 
enth verse. 

3,  3.  They  would  hoard  up  their  goods  and 
money,  and  suffer  them  to  be  eaten  out  by  moths 
and  dust,  and  thus  to  be  corrupted  or  perish  with- 
out any  profit  at  all,  rather  than  lay  them  out  for 
good  uses.  God  gave  wealth,  not  that  men  should 
be  hoarders,  but  dispensers.  Covetousness  brings  the 
curse  of  God  upon  the  estates  of  men.  He  sends 
corruption  and  the  rust  and  the  moth.  There  is  no- 
thing in  the  end  gotten  by  rapine  or  tenacity,  by 
greedy  getting  or  close  withholding.  Learn  then 
the  meaning  of  that  gospel  riddle,  that  he  that  will 
save  must  lose  ;  and  the  best  way  of  bringing  in,  is 
laying  out ! 

7.  Be  patient.  The  word  "patient"  is  put 
for  long-suffering,  which  is  a  further  degree  of  pa- 
tience; im  patience  is  a  sense  of  afiiictions  without 
murmuring  and  of  injuries  without  revenge ;  but 
long-suffering  is  patience  extended  and  lengthened 
out  to  that  which  our  apostle  calls  its  perfect  work. 

T.  M. God  is  patient  because  he  is  eternal ;  if  by 

his  grace  we  imbibe  something  of  the  spirit  of  the 
Eternal  One,  we  must  then  also  in  long-suffering 
patience  show  ourselves  his  children,  bearing  his 
image.  God's  work  in  us  and  through  us  stretches 
from  eternity  to  eternity,  and  it  is  completed  in  the 
restless  but  appointed  waiting  of  seconds.     Van  0. 

The  husbandman  has  long  patience — must  have 
it — till  he  receives  the  early  and  the  latter  rain. 
"  The  winter  frost  must  mellow  the  seed  lying  in 
the  genial  bosom  of  the  earth  ;  the  rains  of  spring 


must  swell  it,  and  the  suns  of  summer  mature  it." 
So  with  us.  And  God  is  not  unjust  that  he  should 
forget  our  labor  of  love.  We  shall  reap  all  that 
we  have  sown,  and  more  than  we  sowed.  For  "  he 
that  giveth  seed  to  the  husbandman,  and  bread  to 
the  eater,"  will  "  multiply  "  the  seed  we  have  sown, 
and  give  us  to  eat  of  the  fruit  of  our  toils.  Let 
us  be  patient,  therefore ;  let  us  be  steadfast,  and 
stablish  our  hearts  before  him.     Cox. 

8.  The  coming  of  the  Lord.  This  great 
event  is  constantly  represented  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment as  near,  and  the  view  is  natural  and  true. 
Never  does  the  meeting  with  a  beloved  friend  come 
so  close  to  us  as  when  we  have  just  parted  from  him. 
It  is  moreover,  in  the  New  Testament,  the  great  event 
that  towers  above  every  other.  The  heaven  that 
gives  back  Christ  gives  back  all  we  have  loved  and 
lost,  solves  all  doubts  and  ends  all  sorrows.  It  may 
surely  be  for  us  to  consider  whether  our  removal  of 
Christ's  coming  farther  from  us  in  feeling  does  not 
arise  from  a  less  vivid  impression  of  its  reality  and 
surpassing  moment.  Such  views  depend  in  no  way 
upon  peculiar  opinions  regarding  his  advent,  for  the 
longing  expectancy  of  his  appearance  should  be  as 
common  to  all  Christians  as  is  their  hope,  and  a 
thousand  years  are  as  a  day  to  the  grand  event  which 
opens  evei'lasting  life.  At  the  same  time  there  is 
included  in  the  view  of  Christ's  coming  the  thought 
of  our  own  death,  which  brings  each  one  of  us 
close  up  to  his  second  advent,  whensoever  it  may  be. 
Kcr. 

10.  Two  ways  arc  the  prophets  an  example  to 
us :  in  their  sufferings  and  in  their  patience.  Their 
sufferings  are  mentioned  to  allay  discontent ;  their 
patience  to  stir  up  imitation.  "  Let  us  be  followers 
of  them  who  through  faith  and  patience  inherit  the 
promises."    Never  any  went  to  heaven  but  these 


SECTION  355.— JAMES  5  : 1-20. 


641 


two  graces  were  first  exercised,  faith  and  patience : 
faitli  in  expectation  of  the  future  reward ;  patience 
in  sustaining  the  present  inconveniences. 

11.  We  coant  them  happy  which  en- 
dure* We  that  arc  enlightened  bj  the  Spirit  of 
God.  God's  people  and  the  people  of  the  world 
have  different  principles :  the  spirit  of  the  world 
and  the  spirit  of  God ;  they  have  different  lights 
and  rules :  that  of  faith  and  that  of  sense.  All  the 
beatitudes  are  affixed  to  conditions  of  humiliation 
or  suffering.  Happy  are  they  that  endure,  and 
thrice  happy  they  that  "  endure  unto  the  end."  God 
has  promised  bountifully  to  reward  patient  endur- 
ance. There  is  a  blessing  in  hand,  but  more  in 
hope. 

The  patience  of  Job.  In  all  the  expressions 
of  his  patience,  two  are  notable,  which  run  through 
every  vein  of  the  whole  book,  his  advancing  God, 
and  debasing  himself.  Good  thoughts  of  God,  lower 
thoughts  of  himself.  In  all  your  affliction,  then, 
look  upon  this  spectacle  of  misery  and  example  of 

patience !     T.  M. As  the  Lord  sustained  him 

under  the  tremendous  trial,  so  in  due  time  he  took 
his  servant  out  of  it.  If  Job  was  very  patient,  the 
Lord  was  very  pitiful ;  and  the  same  tender  mercy 
which  tempered  the  trial  was  in  haste  to  end  it.  As 
if  from  some  huge  horn  of  plenty,  there  poured  on 
his  lot  unprecedented  blessings,  and,  along  with 
doubled  flocks  and  herds,  the  seven  sons  and  three 
daughters  came  again.  And  like  those  stars  which 
take  a  sudden  start,  and  burn  with  a  broader  luster 
than  of  yore,  Job  in  his  mellow  age,  and  the  Lord 
in  his  gracious  ending,  say  to  every  mourner,  "  Be 
patient ;  the  Lord  is  very  pitiful."  And  it  is  not  so 
much  the  patriarch's  patience  as  the  Lord's  piteous- 
ness  that  we  perceive.  The  patriarch's  history  is 
fitted  to  show  the  afflicted  not  so  much  Job  the 
mourner's  model  as  the  Lord  the  mourner's  friend. 
HamiUon. 

12.  Swear  not.  The  nation  of  the  Jews 
were  guilty  of  three  things :  frequent  swearing ; 
swearing  by  the  creatures ;  breaking  these  oaths  as 
not  binding  and  valid ;  for  the  Jews,  so  that  they  did 
omit  the  great  oath,  thought  they  were  safe.  Swear- 
ing properly  is  an  act  of  worship — it  is  a  solemn 
appeal  to  the  omniscient  God ;  and,  therefore,  it 
must  be  only  done  in  weighty  cases.  "Thou  shalt 
fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  swear  by  his  name  " 

(Deut.  6  :  13).    T.  M. Let  your  yea  be  yea ; 

and  your  nay,  nay.  He  proposes  the  best  rem- 
edy for  the  correction  of  the  vice  which  he  is  cen- 
suring; namely,  that  mankind  should  accustom 
themselves  to  truth  and  constancy  in  all  their  words 
and  actions.  Since  the  perfidy,  or  levity,  of  man  is 
the  source  whence  the  pernicious  practice  of  swear- 
ing issues,  James,  in  order  to  correct  the  latter 
vice,  warns  us  that  the  former  ought  to  be  removed. 

41 


For  the  reason  of  a  cure  ought  to  begin  from  the 
cause.      Cah. 

13.  We  should  make  use  of  the  present  condi- 
tion ;  of  sadness,  to  put  us  upon  jjrayer ;  of  glad- 
ness, to  put  us  upon  thanksgiving.  The  apostle 
shows  the  chiefest  season  for  singing  sacred  songs — 
it  is  when  we  are  "  merry  " — but  does  not  mean  that 
to  be  the  only  time  for  the  performance  of  that 
duty ;  for,  as  prayer  is  to  be  practiced  at  other 
times  besides  seasons  of  affliction  (though  then  most 
needful),  so  also  singing  is  not  only  useful  when 
we  are  merry,  but  sometimes  to  beget  spiritual  joy, 
and  to  divert  our  sadness.  Paul  and  Silas  sang  in 
prison ;  and  the  disciples  sang  a  hymn  after  the 
supper  of  the  Lord,  though  our  Lord  was  shortly 
after  to  suffer.     In  that  sad  hour  they  sang. 

14.  Anointing  with  oil.  Oil  among  the 
Hebrews  was  a  symbol  of  the  divine  grace,  and  so 
fitly  used  as  a  sign  of  that  power  and  grace  of  the 
Spirit  which  was  put  forth  in  miraculous  healing. 
As  long  as  the  gift  remained,  the  accustomed  rite 
and  symbol  might  be  used.  But  he  couples  it  with 
prayer,  which  is  an  act  of  perpetual  worship.  In 
the  apostles'  time  it  was  promiscuously  used  and 
applied  to  every  member  of  the  Church,  but  with 
great  prudence  and  caution ;  for  the  apostles  only 
anointed  those  of  whose  recovery  they  were  assured 
by  the  Holy  Ghost.  James  here  seems  to  restrain 
it  to  such  an  object,  where  they  could  joray  in  faith, 
for  the  effect  did  not  depend  upon  the  anointing, 
but  the  prayer  of  faith.  The  rite  ceased  when  tJie 
gift  ceased,  which  God  has  taken  from  the  world 
these  fifteen  hundred  years  (1644).  Gifts  of  heal- 
ing are  coupled  with  other  miraculous  gifts,  and 
ceased  when  they  ceased. 

15.  He  does  not  mention  the  anointing,  but  "</ie 
prayer  offaith,''^  to  show  that  this  is  the  standing 
spiritual  means  of  cure,  the  other  being  but  an  arbi- 
trary rite  suited  to  those  times.  In  primitive  times, 
when  miracles  were  in  their  full  force  and  vigor, 
the  effect  is  always  ascribed  to  faith.  The  efficacy 
of  faith  in  the  use  of  means  is  not  from  its  own 
merit,  but  from  God's  power  and  grace.  The 
apostle  says,  faith  savetb,  but  adds,  "  the  Lord 
shall  raise  him  up."  Faith  is  but  the  instrument. 
It  is  a  grace  that  has  no  merit  in  itself ;  it  is  the 
empty  hand  of  the  soul,  and  deputed  to  such  high 
services  because  it  looks  to  all  from  God.  Christ  is 
the  true  physician.  His  acts,  when  upon  earth,  in 
taking  away  sickness,  were  types  of  taking  away  sin. 
He  had  '■^ power  on  earth  to  forgive  sin  also";  is 
his  power  in  heaven  less  ?  Truly  there  is  forgivc9iess 
with  him  and  ])le)iicous  redanption. 

16.  There  is  a  season  for  confessing  our  sins, 
not  only  to  God,  but  to  man.  Sometimes  it  may  be 
well  to  confess  our  faults  to  some  prudent  minister 
or  praying  friend,  that  they  may  help  us  to  plead 


64:2 


SECTION  355.— JAMBS  5  :  ISO. 


with  God  for  mercy  and  pardon.  In  like  manner 
it  may  be  of  good  use  to  Christians  to  disclose  their 
peculiar  weaknesses  and  infirmities  to  one  another, 
where  there  are  confidential  intimacies  and  friend- 
ships ;  and  where  they  may  help  each  other  by 
their  prayers  to  obtain  pardon  of  their  sins,  and 
power  against  them.  Those  who  make  confession 
of  their  faults  one  to  another  should  thereupon 
pray  ivUh  and  foi'  one  another.  The  thirteenth 
verse  of  this  chapter  directs  persons  to  p7'ai/  for 
themselves.  The  fourteenth  verse  directs  to  seek  for 
the  prayers  of  ministers  ;  and  here  in  the  sixteenth 
verse  are  directions  for  private  Christians  to  pray 
one  for  another.  So  that  here  we  have  all  sorts  of 
prayer  recommended  to  us  !     T.  M. 

Pray  one  for  another.  No  wonder  that  the 
heart  of  man  should  feel  strangely  yet  sweetly  at 
home  in  the  region  of  spiritual  intervention ;  no 
wonder  that  intercession  for  others,  which  is  but 
the  practical  extension  of  the  atonement,  the  pour- 
ing out  of  one  human  soul  for  another  in  prayer, 
even  as  Christ's  soul  was  poured  forth  for  the  world 
in  agony  and  death,  should  become  the  natural  lan- 
guage of  every  heart  whose  highest  energies  divine 
grace  has  touched  and  kindled  into  life.  Interces- 
sion is  the  mother-tongue  of  the  whole  family  of 

Christ.     Keble. Seek  to  make  your  prayers  for 

others  specific,  as  far  as  your  knowledge  of  their 
character  and  circumstances  allows.  Bring  before 
your  mind  their  trials  and  their  needs,  and  endeavor 
to  place  yourself  in  their  point  of  view,  from  which 
point  you  may  be  sure  the  trials  and  needs  will  look 
very  different  than  they  do  from  yours.  Then  offer 
for  them  the  petitions  which,  if  the  case  were  yours, 
you  would  offer  for  yourself.  And  if  the  prayer  seem 
as  regards  them  to  be  ineffectual,  yet  it  shall  be  ac- 
cepted on  your  own  behalf  as  an  act  of  love.  E.  M.  G. 

The  prayer  of  a  righteous  man  that  availeth 
much,  which  our  English  Bible  so  infelicitously  de- 
scribes as  "  effectual,  fervent,"  is  in  the  original  an 
"  energetic "  prayer,  a  "  loorking  "  prayer.  Some 
conception  of  the  inspired  thought  in  the  epithet 
may  be  derived  from  the  fact  that  the  same  word 
is  elsewhere  used  to  intensify  the  description  of  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  a  renewed  heart.  Thus : 
"  According  to  the  power  that  workxth  in  us  " — the 
power  that  energizes  us  in  a  holy  life ;  such  is  the 
inspired  idea  of  a  good  man's  prayer.  What  else 
is  the  force  of  the  frequent  conjunction  of  "  watch- 
ing "  and  "  praying,"  in  the  scriptural  style  of  exhor- 
tation to  the  duties  of  the  closet  ?  Thus :  "  Watch 
and  pray,"  "  watch  imto  prayer,"  "  praying  always 
and  watching,"  "  continue  in  prayer  and  watch  " — 
there  is  no  mental  lassitude,  no  self-indulgence 
here.     A.  P. 

It  availeth  mnch.  The  apostle  does  not  say 
how  much — you  will  find  that  upon  trial  and  experi- 


ence. This  we  may  assuredly  know :  that  prayers 
rightly  managed  caji  not  and  tuill  not  want  effect. 
This  is  one  of  the  means  which  God  has  consecrated 
for  our  receiving  the  highest  blessings.  Prayer 
is  the  key  by  which  the  saints  of  God  could  lock 
heaven  and  open  it  at  their  pleasure.  As  faith  is 
so  great  among  graces,  so  is  prayer  among  duties.  It 
is  wonderful  to  consider  what  the  Scripture  ascribes 
to  faith  and  prayer.  Praj'cr  sues  its  blessings  in  the 
court  of  grace,  and  faith  receives  them.     T.  M. 

It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  earnest  consideration  that 
Scripture  never  attempts  to  remove  the  doubts  and 
difficulties  which  human  reasoning  advances  against 
the  efficacy  of  prayer.  If  reason  therefore  says,  in 
various  forms,  "  Prayer  is  unnecessary,  because  God 
knows  all  things,  and  is  full  of  goodness  to  bless 
and  to  help,"  or  "  Prayer  is  of  no  avail,  because 
there  is  no  room  for  its  action,  as  all  things  are  or- 
dered and  under  the  reign  of  fixed  and  all-wise  law," 
the  Scripture  method  of  dealing  with  these  errone- 
ous inferences  is  simply  to  ignore  them.  As  Scrip- 
ture always  presupposes  faith  in  the  existence  of 
God,  so  it  does  not  prove  the  reality  and  efficacy  of 
prayer,  but  continually  takes  belief  in  it  for  granted, 
asserting  and  illustrating  it  in  every  variety  of  form. 

A.  S. Prayer  and  the  answer  of  prayer  are 

simply  the  preferring  of  a  request  upon  one  side 
and  the  compliance  with  that  request  upon  the  oth- 
er.   Man  applies ;  God  complies.    Man  asks  a  favor ; 

God  bestows  it.     T.  C. God  commonly  answers 

prayer  by  natural  means  appointed  for  this  purpose 
from  the  very  beginning,  when  he  gave  to  mind  and 
matter  their  laws,  and  arranged  the  objects  with 
these  laws  for  the  accomplishment  of  his  wise  and 
beneficent  ends,  for  the  encouragement  of  virtue  and 
the  discouragement  of  vice,  and,  among  others,  to 
provide  an  answer  to  the  acceptable  petitions  of  his 
people.  God,  in  answer  to  prayer,  may  restore  the 
patient  by  an  original  strength  of  constitution  or  by 
the  well-timed  application  of  a  remedy.  The  be- 
liever is  in  need  of  a  blessing,  and  he  asks  it ;  and 
he  finds  that  the  God  who  created  the  need  and 
prompted  the  prayer  has  provided  the  means  of 
granting  what  he  needs.     McCosh. 

17.  A  man  of  like  passions.  The  greatest 
saints  who  ever  lived,  whether  under  the  old  or  new 
dispensations,  are  on  a  level  which  is  quite  within 
our  reach.  If  we  had  the  same  faith,  the  same 
hope,  the  same  love  which  they  exhibited,  we  could 
achieve  marvels  as  great  as  those  which  they  achieved 
— not,  indeed,  in  marvels  which  change  the  outward 
face  of  nature,  but  those  higher  marvels,  whose  field 
is  the  heart  and  soul  of  man.  A  word  of  prayer  in 
our  mouths  would  be  as  potent  to  call  down  the  gra- 
cious dews  and  the  melting  fires  of  God's  Spirit  as 
it  was  in  Elijah's  mouth  to  call  down  literal  rain 
and  fire,  if  we  could  only  speak  the  word  with  that 


SECTION  356.— 1  PETER  1 : 1-12. 


643 


full  assurance  of  faith  wherewith  he  said  it.  Let 
us  no  more  say,  "  God  has  put  the  great  standards 
of  holiness  out  of  my  reach."  It  is  not  so.  As  if 
with  the  design  of  meeting  such  an  objection,  he  ex- 
hibits to  us  in  his  word  the  occasional  failures  and 
feebleness  of  his  most  illustrious  servants.  They 
were  "  men  of  like  passions  with  ourselves,"  though 
under  the  empire  of  principles  which  brought  God 
into  immediate  relation  with  them,  and  thus  lifted 
them  above  self  and  the  world.     E.  M.  G. 

19.  Brethren  may  err  from  the  truth.  There  is 
no  saint  mentioned  in  the  word  of  God  but  his  fail- 
ings and  errors  are  recorded.  In  the  visible  church 
there  may  be  errors  ;  God's  children  may  be  some- 
times led  aside,  not  totally,  not  finally,  even  into 
gross  errors.  From  the  words  "  convert  him,"  we 
must  understand  restore  him  from  his  error.  Among 
other  acts  of  Christian  communion,  this  is  one  of  the 
chiefest — to  restore  those  that  are  gone  astray.  T.  M. 

80.  To  impart  to  others  is  to  gain  for  one's  self. 
Every  honest  effort  to  bring  some  other  human  heart 
into  conscious  possession  of  Christ's  love  deepens 
my  own  sense  of  its  preciousness.  Every  attempt 
to  lead  some  other  understanding  to  the  perception 
of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  helps  me  to  under- 
stand it  better  myself.  If  you  would  learn,  teach. 
That  will  clear  your  mind,  will  open  hidden  harmo- 
nies, will  reveal  unsuspected  deficiencies  and  contra- 


dictions in  your  own  conceptions,  will  help  you  to 
feel  more  the  truths  that  come  from  your  lips.   A.  M. 

Is  there  anything  so  evident  or  so  inexplicable 

as  the  paralysis  that  affects  so  great  a  multitude  of 
professing  Christians  in  their  intercourse  with  those 
who  plainly  know  not  God  ?  Is  it  that  we  do  not' 
believe  that  souls  can  be  lost,  or  is  it  that  we  do  not 
care  ?    A.  W.  T. 

Notice  the  words  "  shall  save."  Man,  under  God, 
has  this  honor,  to  be  a  saviour.  We  are  workers 
together  with  God.  He  is  pleased  to  take  us  into  a 
fellowship  of  his  own  work,  and  to  cast  the  glory  of 
his  grace  upon  our  endeavors.  It  is  a  high  honor 
which  the  Lord  does  us ;  we  should  learn  to  turn  it 
back  to  God,  to  whom  alone  it  is  due.  When  the 
honor  of  the  supreme  cause  is  put  upon  the  instru- 
ment, the  instrument  may  well  ascribe  all  to  the  effi- 
cacy of  the  supreme  cause.  Such  is  the  grace  of 
God,  that  when  thou  hast  used  the  means  he  will 
reckon  it  to  the  score  :  "  Thou  hast  gained  thy  broth- 
er."    T.  M. 

Hide  sins.  Where  no  other  interest  is  con- 
cerned, where  no  claims  demand  a  disclosure,  where 
no  injury  is  done  by  concealment,  and  no  benefit  is 
conferred  by  giving  publicity  to  a  fault — there  our 
duty  is  to  cover  it  over  with  the  veil  of  secrecy, 
and  maintain  an  unbroken  silence  upon  the  sub- 
ject.    J.  A.  J. 


Section  356. 

1  Petee  i.  1-12. 

1  Peter,  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  strangers  scattered  throughout  Pontus,  Gala- 

2  tia,  Cappadocia,  Asia,  and  Bithynia,  elect  according  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God  the 
Father,  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  unto  obedience  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of 

3  Jesus  Christ,  Grace  unto  you,  and  peace,  be  multiplied.     Blessed  ie  the  God  and  Father 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  according  to  his  abundant  mercy  hath  begotten  us  again 

4  unto  a  lively  hope  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead,  to  an  inheritance 

5  incorruptible,  and  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for  you,  who  are 
kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation  ready  to  be  revealed  in  the  last  time. 

6  Wherein  ye  greatly  rejoice,  though  now  for  a  season,  if  need  be,  ye  are  in  heaviness  through 

7  manifold  temptations :  that  the  trial  of  your  faith,  being  much  more  precious  than  of  gold 
that  perisheth,  though  it  be  tried  with  fire,  might  be  found  unto  praise  and  honour  and  glory 

8  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ :  whom  having  not  seen,  ye  love ;  in  whom,  though  now 

9  ye  see  him  not,  yet  believing,  ye  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory:  receiving 
the  end  of  your  faith,  even  the  salvation  of  your  souls. 

10  Of  which  salvation  the  prophets  have  enquired  and  searched  diligently,  who  prophesied 

11  of  the  grace  that  should  come  unto  you  :  searching  what,  or  what  manner  of  time  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  which  was  in  them  did  signify,  when  it  testified  beforehand  the  suflFerings  of  Christ, 

12  and  the  glory  that  should  follow.  Unto  whom  it  was  revealed,  that  not  unto  themselves, 
but  unto  us  they  did  minister  the  things,  which  are  now  reported  unto  you  by  them  that 
have  preached  the  gospel  unto  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from  heaven ;  which 
things  the  angels  desire  to  look  into. 


644: 


SECTION  356.— 1  PETER  1  : 1-12. 


If  such  prospects  as  these  be  our  covenanted  inheritance — everlasting  communion  with  the  very  Lord 
of  glory,  immersion  in  the  very  fountain-head  of  life  and  light,  capacities  of  knowledge  and  happiness 
increased  and  still  filled  and  satisfied  as  they  increase,  earthly  sorrows  forgotten,  or  remembered  only 
that  we  may  feel  how  they  are  consumed  and  lost  in  the  bliss  of  his  immediate  presence — if  all  of  us  are 
called,  still  called  to  this,  entreated  by  its  very  Author,  besought  by  Christ  himself,  as  of  old  from  the  cross 
so  now  from  the  throne,  to  share  it,  and  besought  upon  the  one  condition  of  turning  to  him  in  simplicity 
and  obedient  love,  that  is,  besought  to  be  happy  hereafter  on  the  sole  condition  of  being,  in  the  purest 
and  deepest  sense,  happy  now — what  words  can  describe  the  folly,  the  fatuity,  the  madness,  of  those  who, 
professing  to  believe  this  truth,  will  not  turn  this  truth  to  account,  will  resolve — and  to  delay  is  to  resolve 

rather  to  cling  to  nothingness,  emptiness,  uncertainty,  to  moments  of  ease,  hours  of  unquiet,  a  cloudy 

day  at  best  for  their  life,  an  everlasting  midnight  for  their  eternity,  than  to  seek  the  substance  of  immu- 
table happiness  in  God,  to  bid  boldly  for  this  mighty  prize,  to  attempt  to  reach  the  divine  life,  and,  through 
food  report  and  evil  report,  through  trial  and  danger,  to  seek  the  one  sole  aim  of  reasonable  man,  the 
"  inheritance  incorruptible,  and  undefiled,  and  that  f adeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for  them  who  are 
keptby  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation"  ?     W  A.  B. 


Peteu's  First  Epistle. 

This  Epistle  is  written  from  Babylon,  .which 
probably  means,  not  Rome,  the  mystic  Babylon  of 
the  Apocalypse,  but  the  ancient  city  on  the  banks 
of  the  Euphrates.  In  that  region  jews  were  very 
numerous,  and  it  is  natural  that  the  leading  apostle 
to  the  Jews  should  be  found  among  them.  Whether 
he  had  visited  the  Christians  of  Asia  Minor,  to 
whom  his  Epistle  is  directed,  is  uncertain.     G.  P.  F. 

The  date  of  the  Epistle  is  probably  a.  d.  60-62, 

and  the  place  of  composition,  Babylon — this  apostle 
having  gone  eastward  to  spread  the  gospel  among 
the  Jews  in  ancient  Chaldea.  He  writes  "to  the 
strangers  of  the  Dispersion  in  Pontus,  Galatia,  Cap- 
])adocia,  Asia,  and  Bithynia."  The  expression,  the 
Dispersion^  was  a  well-understood  designation  of 
Israelites  scattered  among  the  Gentiles.  There  are 
not  wanting  in  the  Epistle  indications  of  a  recogni- 
tion of  Gentile  Christianity ;  but  it  is  certainly  in- 
tended as  a  communication  to  the  Jewish  Christians 
in  Asia  Minoi*.  There  is  obvious  propriety  in  this ; 
for  Simon  Peter  was  the  apostle  of  the  circumcision, 
as  Paul  of  the  uncircumcision.     D.  F. 

A  more  important  indication  than  that  of  place 
is  found  in  the  names  of  the  persons  who  were  with 
Peter  when  he  wrote  this  Epistle,  Silvanus  and 
Ilarh.  The  close  connection  of  both  with  Paul 
furnishes  evidence  of  intercourse  between  the  two 
apostles,  though  severed  by  the  distance  between 
the  capitals  of  the  Eastern  and  Western  world.  01' 
Silvanus  (or  Silas)  we  have  lost  sight,  since  we  saw 
him  as  the  companion  of  Paul's  second  missionary 
journey ;  and  there  is  nothing  to  show  how  he  came 
to  be  in  Peter's  company.  The  case  of  Mark  is 
clearer  ;  for  he  was  with  Paul  in  his  first  imprison- 
ment at  Rome,  and  he  was  then  contemplating  a 
journey  to  Asia  Jlinor.  This  intention  was  no 
doubt  fulfilled,  since  we  find  him  afterward  with 
Timothy  at  Ephesus.  The  interval  is  just  the  time 
at  which  all  indications  concur  to  place  Peter's  first 
Epistle,  and  consequently  Mark's  companionship 
with  him  ;  and  the  inference  is  highly- probable  that 
Mark  was  the  bearer  of  communications  from  Paul 
to  Peter.  The  fact  is  deeply  significant  that,  when 
Peter  wrote  this  Epistle  to  the  Hebrew  Christians  of 
the  Eastern  Dispersion,  two  of  Paul's  companions 
were  his  intimate  associates,  and  one  of  them  the 
bearer  of  the  Epistle  which  its  writer  intended  as  a 
manifesto  of  the  true  doctrine  of  the  grace  of  God. 
"By  Silvanus  I  have  written  briefly,  exhorting  and 


testifying  that  iMs  is  the  true  grace  of  God  wherein 
ye  stand."     S. 

The  individual  character  of  Simon  Peter  seems 
to  be  better  known  to  us  than  that  of  any  of  the 
disciples  of  our  Lord,  illustrated  as  it  is  in  many 
incidents  of  the  evangelical  narrative,  and  in  the 
early  chapters  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  The 
book  before  us  was  written  in  his  old  age,  and  shows 
a  heart  warm  as  in  his  youth,  a  spirit  still  fervent 
and  courageous,  but  combined  with  a  deeper  self- 
knowledge  and  humility.  Here  is  Peter  strengthen- 
ing his  brethren,  as  the  Lord  enjoined  him.     D.  F. 

There  is  no  Epistle  in  the  sacred  canon  the 

language  and  spirit  of  which  come  more  directly 
home  to  the  personal  trials  and  wants  and  weak- 
nesses of  the  Christian  life.  Its  affectionate  warn- 
ings and  strong  consolation  have  ever  been  treasured 
up  close  to  the  hearts  of  the  weary  and  heavy-laden 
but  onward-pressing  servants  of  God.  The  mind  of 
our  Father  toward  us,  the  aspect  of  our  blessed  Lord  as 
presented  to  us,  the  preparation  by  sufferings  for  our 
heavenly  inheritance — all  these,  as  here  set  forth,  are 
peculiarly  lovely  and  encouraging.  And  the  motives 
to  holy  purity  spring  direct  out  of  the  simple  and 
childlike  recognition  of  the  will  of  our  heavenly 
Father  to  bring  us  to  his  glory.  The  entire  Epistle 
is  the  following  out  of  our  Lord's  command  to  its 
writer,  ^^And  thou,  when  Ihou  art  converted,  strengthen 
thy  brethren.''^     A. 

As  James  calls  Christianity  a  law,  so  Peter  con- 
siders it  a  promise  or  prophecy,  the  precious  earnest 
of  a  still  more  gloi'ious  future.  This  is  well  suited 
to  his  purpose  of  consolation,  and  of  encourage- 
ment to  persevere  under  suffering.  At  the  very  be- 
ginning of  the  Epistle  he  presents  the  Christian 
salvation  as  an  inheritance  reserved  in  heaven  ;  and 
with  the  prospect  of  the  eternal  glory  of  God  in 
Christ,  to  which  wc  are  called,  the  Epistle  concludes. 
It  is  in  perfect  accordance  with  this  conception  of 
the  gospel  that  Peter  represents  the  Christian  life, 
in  the  first  place,  indeed,  as  penitent  faith  in  the 
revealed  Messiah,  the  only  Saviour,  but  at  the  same 
time  as  lively  liope  for  the  glorious  return  of  the 
Lord,  and  the  consummation  of  salvation  thereby 
to  be  accomplished.  Hence  his  ])redi]ection  for  the 
title  "  strangers  and  pilgrims  "  in  addressing  Chris- 
tians. On  account  of  "this  frequent  reference  to 
hope,  Peter  has  been  called  the  apostle  of  hope. 
Thus,  according  to  the  Petrine  type  of  doctrine,  ob- 
jective Christianity  is  at  once  a  fulfillment  of  the 


SECTION  356.— 1  PETER  1  : 1-12. 


645 


Old  Testament  prophecy  and  itself  a  precious  prom- 
ise ;  subjective  Christianity  is  at  once  faith  in  the 
revealed  Messiah  and  lively  hope  in  his  glorious  re- 
appearance.    P.  S. 

That  Peter  was  not  at  Piome  before  the  date  of 
the  Epistle  to  the  Romans  (about  a.  d.  58),  we  are 
sure ;  that  he  was  not  there  during  any  part  of 
Paul's  imprisonment  there,  we  may  with  certainty 
infer ;  that  the  two  apostles  did  not  together  found 
the  churches  of  Corinth  and  Kome,  we  may  venture 
safely  to  affirm ;  that  Peter  ever  was,  in  any  sense 
like  that  usually  given  to  the  word,  Bishop  of  Rome, 
is  we  believe  an  idea  abhorrent  from  Scripture  and 
from  the  facts  of  primitive  apostolic  history.  But 
that  Peter  traveled  to  Rome  during  the  persecution 
under  Nero,  and  there  suffered  martyrdom  nearly  at 
the  same  time  with  Paul,  is  a  tradition  which  does 
not  interfere  with  any  known  facts  of  Scripture  or 
early  history,  and  one  which  we  have  no  means  of 
disproving,  as  we  have  no  interest  in  disproving  it. 

A. That  he  died  as  a  martyr  seems  evident  from 

John  21  :  IS,  19.  The  first  authority  in  support  of 
the  belief  that  he  died  at  Rome  is  Dionysius  of 
Corinth,  in  an  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  written  about 
A.  D.  170,  who  says  that  Peter  and  Paul  suffered 
martyrdom  there  at  about  the  same  time.  Ireneus 
(a.  d.  176  or  177)  refers  to  the  preaching  of  both 
of  these  apostles  at  Rome,  without  speaking  of  the 
mode  and  time  of  their  death.     G.  P.  F. 

The  heads  of  doctrine  that  are  most  insisted  on 
in  the  Epistle  are  these  three :  faith,  obedience,  and 
patience ;  to  establish  them  in  believing,  to  direct 
them  in  doing,  and  comfort  them  in  suffering.  And 
because  the  first  is  the  groundwork  and  support  of 
the  other  two,  this  first  chapter  is  much  on  that, 
persuading  them  of  the  truth  of  that  mystery  they 
had  received  and  did  believe,  viz.,  their  redemption 
and  salvation  by  Christ  Jesus — that  inheritance  of 
immortality  bought  by  his  blood  for  them,  and  the 
evidence  and  stability  of  their  right  and  title  to  it. 
And  then  he  uses  this  belief,  this  assurance  of  the 
glory  to  come,  as  the  great  persuasive  to  the  other 
two,  both  to  holy  obedience  and  to  constant  pa- 
tience, since  nothing  can  be  too  much,  either  to 
forego  or  undergo,  either  to  do  or  to  suffer,  for  the 
attainment  of  that  blessed  state. 

2.  There  is  none  truly  purged  by  the  blood  of 
Christ  that  doth  not  endeavor  after  purity  of  heart 
and  conversation ;  but  yet  it  is  the  blood  of  Christ 
by  which  they  are  all  fair,  and  there  is  no  spot  in 
them.  Here  it  is  said,  elect  to  obedience ;  but  be- 
cause that  obedience  is  not  perfect,  there  must  be 
sprinkling  of  the  blood  too.  Their  estate  is  that 
they  are  sanctifed  and  justified.  The  nearest  cause 
of  both  these  is  Jesus  Christ ;  he  is  made  unto  them 
both  righteousness  and  sanctification  ;  the  sprinkling 
of  his  blood  purifies  them  from  guiltiness  and  quick- 
ens them  to  obedience.  The  appropriating  or  ap- 
plying cause  is  the  holy  and  holy  making  or  sancti- 
fying Spirit,  the  author  of  their  selecting  from  the 
world  and  effectual  calling  unto  grace.  The  source 
of  all,  the  appointing  or  decreeing  cause,  is  God  the 


Father ;  for,  though  they  all  work  equally  in  all, 
yet  in  order  of  working  we  are  taught  thus  to  dis- 
tinguish, and  particularly  to  ascribe  the  first  work 
of  eternal  election  to  the  first  person  of  the  blessed 
Trinity.  The  Hebrew  word  of  salutation  we  have 
here — peace  ;  and  that  which  is  the  spring  both  of 
this  and  all  good  things  in  the  other  word  of  salu- 
tation used  by  the  Greeks — grace.  All  right  rejoic- 
ing and  prosperity  and  happiness  flow  from  this 
source  and  from  this  alone,  and  are  sought  else- 
where in  vain.     L. 

3-9.  Most  characteristically  this  apostle  rushes 
at  once  into  an  animated  passage  on  the  Christian 
hope  and  the  inheritance  of  saints.  He  cheers  "  the 
strangers  of  the  Dispersion  "  among  their  manifold 
trials  by  assurances  of  the  abounding  mercy  of  God, 
his  powerful  keeping  of  believers,  and  the  trium- 
phant issue  of  well-tried  faith  at  the  appearing  of 
Jesus  Christ.  In  this  exordium  we  find  faith,  hope, 
and  love — these  three  after  the  manner  of  Paul. 
The  saints  arc  "kept  through  faith";  they  have  a 
trial  of  faith ;  and  the  end  of  their  faith  is  "  the 
salvation  of  souls."  They  are  "  begotten  again  to 
a  living  hope  by  the  resurrection  of  Christ."  They 
have  love  to  the  unseen  Saviour  in  whom  they  be- 
lieve. Faith  is  not  enough  without  hope  and  love, 
or  hope  w-ithout  faith  and  love,  or  love  without  faith 
and  hope.  But  from  the  three  issues  "  joy  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory."     D.  F. 

3.  Unto  a  lively  hope.  Sons  are  heirs,  but 
all  this  lifetime  is  their  minority;  yet,  even  then 
being  partakers  of  this  new  birth  and  sonship,  they 
have  right  to  it,  and,  in  the  assurance  of  that  right, 
this  living  hope.  Christ,  having  conquered  death 
and  risen  again,  is  set  down  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  and  hath  entered  into  possession  of  that  in- 
heritance. This  gives  us  a  living  hope  that,  accord- 
ing to  his  own  will,  tvhere  he  is  there  we  may  be  also. 
Thus  this  hope  is  strongly  underset,  on  the  one  side 
by  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  on  the  other  by  the 
abundant  mercy  of  God  the  Father.  Our  hope  de- 
pends not  on  our  own  strength  or  wisdom,  nor  on 
anything  in  us — for  if  it  did  it  would  be  short-lived, 
would  die  and  die  quickly — but  on  his  resurrection 
who  can  die  no  more.  This  makes  this  hope  not  to 
imply  uncertainty,  as  worldly  hopes  do ;  but  it  is  a 
firm,  stable,  inviolable  hope,  an  anchor  fipced  within 
the  veil.     L. 

4.  Fadeth  not  away.  As  it  hath  no  princi- 
ple of  decay  within  itself,  so  neither  can  it  be 
wasted  by  anything  from  without.  It  is  "  reserved," 
or  laid  up,  "  for  them  in  heaven "  ;  a  place  of  ab- 
solute safety,  beyond  the  reach  of  every  adverse 
power,  and  equally  secured  against  deceit  and 
rapine.  There  is  no  thief  to  steal,  no  spoiler  to  lay 
waste.  In  those  regions  of  perfect  light  and  love 
all  is  order  and  harmony  ;  there  is  nothing  to  hurt, 


646 


SECTION  356.— 1  PETER  1  : 1-12. 


nothing  to  destroy,  through  the  whole  extent  of  the 
heavenly  Jerusalem,   that  imperial  seat   of  Zion's 

king.     R.  W. The  blessedness  of  the  saints,  as 

it  is  without  diminution,  so  it  is  without  end  :  it  is 
complete  and  continual  for  ever.  This  makes 
heaven  to  be  heaven  ;  the  security  is  as  valuable  as 
the  felicity.  There  is  no  satiety  of  the  present,  no 
solicitude  for  the  future.  Were  there  a  possibility, 
or  the  least  suspicion  of  losing  that  happy  state,  it 
would  cast  an  aspersion  of  bitterness  upon  all  their 
delights ;  it  would  disturb  their  peaceful  fruition 
and  joyful  tranquillity ;  as  hope  in  misery  allays 
sorrow,  so  fear  in  happiness  dashes  joy ;  and  the 
more  excellent  the  happiness  is,  the  more  stinging 
would  be  the  fear  of  losing  it.  "  But  the  inherit- 
ance reserved  in  heaven  is  immortal,  undefiled,  and 
fades  not  away."  And  the  tenure  of  their  posses- 
sion is  infinitely  firm,  by  the  promise  of  God,  who 
is  truly  immutable,  and  immutably  true  ;  and  by  the 
divine  power,  the  support  of  their  everlasting  dura- 
tion. Our  Saviour  assures  his  disciples,  "  Because 
I  live,  ye  shall  live  also  "  ;  and  "  he  lives  for  ever- 
more."    Bates. 

Kept  by  the  power  of  God.  The  children 
of  God  are  kept  safe  indeed,  but  not  unmolested 
and  unassaulted  ;  they  have  enemies,  and  such  as 
are  stirring  and  powerful ;  but  in  the  midst  of  them 
they  are  guarded  and  defended.  The  word  here 
translated  kept  is  a  military  term,  used  for  those 
who  are  kept  as  in  a  fort  or  garrison-town  besieged. 
So  Satan  is  still  raising  batteries  against  this  fort, 
using  all  ways  to  take  it,  by  strength  or  stratagem ; 
unwearied  in  his  assaults,  and  very  skillful  to  know 
his  advantages,  and  where  we  are  weakest,  there 
to  set  on.  And,  besides  all  this,  he  hath  intelligence 
with  a  party  within  us,  ready  to  betray  us  to  him ; 
so  that  it  were  impossible  for  us  to  hold  out  were 
there  not  another  watch  and  guard  than  our  own, 
and  other  walls  and  bulwarks  than  any  that  our 
skill  and  industry  can  raise  for  our  own  defense. 
In  this,  then,  is  our  safety,  that  there  is  a  power 
above  our  own,  yea,  and  above  all  our  enemies,  that 
guards  us :  salvation  itself  our  walls  and  bulwarks.  L. 

It  is  not  the  hold  which  we  have  of  God,  but 
that  which  he  hath  of  us,  that  makes  us  hold  on  our 
way.     We  should  quickly  let  go  our  hold  of  God  if 

God  had  not  infinite  faster  hold  of  us.     Caryl. 

Where  is  the  vessel  upon  earth  into  which  the  full- 
ness of  the  life  of  faith  could  be  poured  without  its 
suffering  it  to  be  lost  from  time  to  time  through 
want  of  watchfulness  and  prayer  ?  and  from  this 
frail  vessel  of  the  human  heart  should  v/e  expect 
the  fruit  of  constancy  ?  Never ;  there  is  no  feel- 
ing, there  is  no  heart,  which  holds  Jesus  fast.  Jesus 
holds  us.  Because  he  of  his  great  grace  and  mercy 
holds  us  in  repentance  and  faith,  therefore  it  is  that 
we  continue  in  the  constancy  of  the  life  of  faith. 


The  faithfulness  of  Jesus  Christ  toward  us  is  the 
ground  of  our  constancy.     A.  C. 

6.  Whatsoever  oppositions  or  difficulties  grace 
meets  with  in  its  acting  go  under  this  general  name 
of  temptations  ;  yet  it  is  particularly  meant  of  their 
afflictions  and  distresses,  as  the  apostle  James  like- 
wise uses  it.  And  they  are  so  called  because  they 
give  particular  and  notable  proof  of  the  temper  of 
a  Christian  spirit,  and  draw  forth  evidence  both  of 
the  truth  and  the  measure  of  the  grace  that  is  in 
them.  L. Mere  feelings  of  irritability,  indo- 
lence, weariness,  partisanship,  unkindness,  suspi- 
ciousness, and  so  forth,  are  not  in  themselves  sins. 
They  must  be  consented  to  and  harbored  before 
they  can  become  so.  Our  minds  may  be  rendered 
uncomfortable  by  them  ;  we  may  be  "  in  heaviness 
through  manifold  temptations  "  ;  but  heaviness  and 
discomfort  are  no  sins.  Nay,  heaviness  of  spirit 
resulting  from  temptation  is  the  cross  of  the  gar- 
den laid  on  us  by  him  who  bore  it  in  Gethsemane  ; 
and  it  is  a  great  honor  and  privilege  to  be  called 
upon,  like  the  three  chosen  ones  of  the  chosen,  to 
come  and  watch  with  him  for  one  short  hour.  Mul- 
titudinous temptations  are,  indeed,  if  we  comport 
ourselves  well  under  them,  a  great  means  of  spirit- 
ual advancement.    E.  M.  G. 

Though  now  for  a  season.  A  consideration 
that  moderates  this  heaviness  is  its  shortness.  Be- 
cause we  willingly  forget  eternity,  therefore  this 
moment  seems  much  in  our  eyes ;  but,  if  we  could 
look  upon  it  aright,  of  how  little  concernment  is  it 
what  be  our  condition  here  ?  Well  might  Austin 
say,  "  Use  me  here  as  plcaseth  thee,  so  as  that  here- 
after it  may  be  well  with  me."     L. 

If  need  be.  Affliction  indeed  is  not  good  in 
itself,  but  only  when  God  comes  in  and  with  it. 
Therefore  no  man  is  required  to  desire  affliction  or 
to  pray  for  suffering,  even  for  Christ's  sake,  but  if 
God  sends  it,  to  faint  not,  but  receive  and  bear  it  as 
his  discipline  for  good.  There  is  always  a  need  be 
connected  with  it ;  and  those  who  are  the  subjects 
of  such  discipline,  "  kept  by  the  power  of  God"  are 
enabled  greatly  to  rejoice  in  the  promises  of  God, 
though  now  for  a  season,  "  if  need  be,"  they  are  in 
heaviness  through  manifold  temptations.  They  may 
thus  even  count  it  all  joy  when  they  fall  into  divers 
trials,  because,  in  the  endurance  of  such  trials,  God 
dealeth  with  them  as  sons,  and  their  faith  and  pa- 
tience are  perfected.  The  seeds  of  a  harvest  of 
holiness  are  sown,  and  the  causes  are  set  in  motion 
which  will  work  out  an  exceeding  and  eternal  weight 
of  glory.  This  need  be  is  exceedingly  precious  and 
encouraging;  this  is  the  way  God  must  take  with 
you ;  it  is  a  need  be  on  your  account,  not  on  his ;  a 
need  be  by  reason  of  your  weakness  and  of  his 
great  goodness  ;  and  if  you  persevere  waiting  upon 
him,  your  heaviness,  under   such  circumstances,  is 


SECTION  356.— 1  PETER  1 : 1-12. 


647 


quite  as  good  a  seal  and  proof  of  your  sonship,  of 
your  belonging  to  God,  as  another  person's  raptu- 
rous enjoyment  under  different  circumstances.  Only 
be  anxious  to  please  Christ ;  only  wait  on  him.  And 
remember  that,  when  you  pray  that  God  would  make 
you  holy,  you  really  pray  that  he  would  take  what- 
ever means  might  be  necessary  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  this  prayar.     G.  B.  C. 

7.  Here  the  apostle  expoimds  the  if  need  be  of 
the  former  verse,  and  so  justifies  the  joy  in  afflic- 
tions which  there  he  speaks  of,  by  their  utility  and 
faith's  advantage  by  them ;  it  is  so  tried  that  it 
shall  appear  in  its  full  brightness  at  the  revelation 
of  Jesus  Christ.  L. A  man  must  be  proved  be- 
fore he  can  be  approved.  In  the  very  nature  of  the 
case,  trial  precedes  approbation.  God  tries  and 
trains  men  before,  and  for,  advancement.  The 
advancement  is  to  be  great ;  the  trial  must  be 
searching.  Therefore  the  individual  life  is  so  ad- 
justed in  its  circumstances,  and  so  measured  as  to 
its  length,  as  to  constitute  on  the  whole  a  complete 
probation  for  the  man.  What  makes  it  such  is  not 
alone  the  tribulation  that  is  in  it.  Health,  and  hap- 
py temperament,  and  prosperous  circumstances,  and 
pleasant  friendships,  and  all  social  advantages,  are 
elements  in  the  probation  just  as  much  as  the  trib- 
ulation ;  indeed,  in  most  instances  rather  more  so, 
since,  in  by  far  the  greater  number  of  human  lives, 
there  is  a  large  preponderance  of  what  is  felt  to  be 
good  over  its  opposite.  Still,  without  the  tribula- 
tion, the  trial  would  not  be  complete ;  it  would  be 
partial,  and  in  regard  to  some  men  very  superficial. 
Indeed,  there  is  probably  that  in  every  one  of  us 
which  only  suffering  in  some  form  can  touch  and 
try.  Hence  we  read  such  words  of  God  as  these : 
"  I  will  bring  the  third  part  through  the  fire,  and 
will  refine  them  as  silver  is  refined,  and  will  try  them 
as  gold  is  tried."     A.  R. 

Itlight  be  found  nnto  praise,  and  honor, 
and  glory.  This  is  the  end  that  is  intended,  and 
shall  be  certainly  obtained  by  all  these  hot  trials. 
An  unskillful  beholder  may  think  it  strange  to  see 
gold  thrown  into  the  fire,  and  left  there  for  a  time ; 
but  he  that  puts  it  there  would  be  loth  to  lose  it ; 
his  purpose  is  to  make  some  costly  piece  of  work  of 
it.  Every  believer  gives  himself  to  Christ,  and  he 
undertakes  to  present  them  blameless  to  the  Father  ; 
not  one  of  them  shall  be  lost,  nor  one  drachm  of 
their  faith ;  they  shall  be  found,  and  their  faith 
shall  be  found  when  he  appears.  That  faith  that 
is  here  in  the  furnace  shall  there  be  made  up  into  a 
crown  of  pure  gold. 

8.  Faith  in  Christ  begetting  love  to  him,  and 
both  these  giving  assured  hope  of  salvation  by  him, 
make  it  as  certain  to  them  as  if  it  were  already  in 
their  hand,  and  they  in  possession  of  it.  And  from 
all  those  together  results  this  exultation,  or  leaping 


for  joy,  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  (/lory.     L. 

Faith  is  indeed  to  us  a  second  sight,  which  reveals 
Jesus  crowned  in  heaven  with  glory  and  honor,  and 
entering  within  the  veil  where  his  very  presence  is 
an  intercession.  To  faith  he  is  no  mere  bright 
record  of  the  past  traced  on  the  most  sacred  page 
of  history,  still  less  is  he  an  ideal  of  humanity  that 
never  was  realized.  For  faith  holds  daily  com- 
munion with  him,  as  with  a  person,  as  with  a  vast, 
all-comprehending  intellect,  as  with  a  resistless  will, 
as  with  a  living  heart  of  surpassing  tenderness. 
H.  P.  L. 

The  spiritual  joy  of  the -Christian  takes  root  at 
the  same  time  in  faith,  hope,  and  love,  which  are  the 
great  powers  of  the  inner  life.  He  believes,  although 
he  does  not  perceive ;  he  loves,  although  he  may  not 
behold ;  he  hopes,  although  he  does  not  possess. 
Then  he  must  rejoice  in  this  Lord  with  a  joy  un- 
speakable, and,  as  it  stands  literally,  a  "glorified 
joy."  Yea,  it  is  unspeakable,  the  calm  joy  of  faith 
and  love  which,  at  least  now  and  again,  the  ran- 
somed sinner  may  attain  !  It  may  cause  a  reflection 
of  heavenly  glory  to  fall  upon  a  pale,  suffering 
countenance,  and  what  shall  it  be  when  he,  "  whom 
having  not  seen  we  love,"  shall  stand  before  us,  face 

to  face,  in  all  "  his  beauty  "  !    Van  0. We  never 

saw  our  Saviour's  face.  We  never  heard  our  Fa- 
ther's voice.  Faith  here  achieves  what  in  other 
things  would  be  impossibilities.  In  Jesus  Christ  we 
believe  in  one  we  never  saw ;  and  we  commit  the 
keeping  of  our  most  precious  treasure  to  one  who 
dwells  in  a  country  from  which  no  traveler  has  ever 
returned  to  assure  us  that  his  trust  was  not,  and 
that  ours  will  not,  be  misplaced.  Yet  blessed  are 
they  that  have  not  seen  and  yet  have  believed.  The 
seen  are  shadows ;  the  substance  is  found  in  the  un- 
seen. These  are  the  most  real  objects — God,  whom 
no  man  ever  saw  and  lived ;  the  soul,  which  does  not 
grow  infirm  with  time  and  defies  the  sharpest  darts 
of  death;  not  this  world  of  matter,  which  shall 
vanish  in  the  smoke  of  its  own  funereal  fires,  but 
that  world  of  spirits,  where  saints  enjoy  a  glory 
that  never  fades.     T.  G. 

Think  of  all  the  affection  of  human  hearts  that 
has  been  given  to  the  Saviour  of  the  world  since  he 
withdrew  his  visible  presence  from  it!  He  has 
appeared  to  no  eye  of  man  since  the  apostles ;  but 
millions  have  loved  him  with  a  fervency  which  no- 
thing could  extinguish  in  life  or  death.  Think  of 
the  great  "  army  "  of  those  who  have  suffered  death 
for  this  love,  and  have  cherished  it  in  death  !  And 
a  mightier  number  still  would  have  died  for  it,  and 
with  it,  if  summoned  to  do  so.  Think  of  all  those 
who  in  the  incitement  and  inspiration  of  this  love 
have  indefatigably  labored  to  promote  the  glory  of 
its  great  object !  And  the  innumerable  multitude  of 
those  who,  though  less  prominently  distinguished, 


648 


SECTION  356.— 1  PETER   1 : 1-12. 


have  felt  this  sacred  sentiment  living  in  the  soul,  as 
the  principle  of  its  best  life,  and  the  source  of  all 

its  immortal  hopes !     J.  F. ^Once,  as  I  rode  out 

into  the  woods,  having  alighted  from  my  horse  in  a 
retired  place  for  divine  contemplation  and  prayer,  I 
had  a  view,  that  for  me  was  extraordinary,  of  the 
glory  of  the  Son  of  God  as  Mediator  between  God 
and  man,  and  his  wonderful,  great,  full,  pure,  and 
sweet  grace  and  love,  and  meek  and  gentle  con- 
descension. The  grace  that  appeared  so  calm  and 
sweet  appeared  also  great  above  the  heavens.  The 
person  of  Christ  appeared  ineffably  excellent,  with 
an  excellency  great  enough  to  swallow  up  all  thought 
and  conception ;  which  continued,  as  near  as  I  can 
judge,  about  an  hour ;  which  kept  me  the  greater 
part  of  the  time  in  a  flood  of  tears  and  weeping 
aloud.  I  felt  an  ardency  of  soul  to  be — what  I 
know  not  otherwise  how  to  express — emptied  and 
annihilated ;  to  lie  in  the  dust  and  to  be  full  of 
Christ  alone;  to  love  him  with  a  holy  and  pure 
love  ;  to  trust  in  him ;  to  live  upon  him ;  to  serve  and 
follow  him ;  and  to  be  perfectly  sanctified,  and  made 
pure  with  a  divine  and  heavenly  purity.  Ediuards. 
9.  This  is  the  certainty  of  their  hope,  that  it  is 
as  if  they  had  already  received  it.  If  the  promise 
of  God  and  the  merit  of  Christ  hold  good,  then  they 
that  believe  in  him  and  love  him  are  made  sure  of 
salvation.  Sooner  may  the  rivers  run  backward, 
and  the  course  of  the  heavens  change,  and  the 
frame  of  nature  be  dissolved,  than  any  one  soul 
that  is  united  to  Jesus  Christ  by  faith  and  love  can 
be  severed  from  him,  and  so  fall  short  of  salvation 
hoped  for  in  him ;  and  this  is  the  matter  of  their 

rejoicing.     L. The  end  of  this  salvation  is  in  the 

immortal  result  toward  which  the  change  of  spirit 
and  life  experienced  on  earth  continually  points  ;  in 
a  power  ever  exercised,  yet  ever  renewed ;  in  the 
inward  sanctity  made  complete ;  in  the  fellowship 
of  saints,  our  eternal  possession;  in  the  wisdom, 
before  which  all  secrets  open  ;  in  a  joy  ecstatic,  that 
touches  with  its  intenser  beauty  whatever  surrounds 
it ;  in  the  perfect  love,  that  makes  each  work  an  ex- 
ulting worship,  toward  him  once  suffering  and  now 
crowned ;  in  the  beatific  vision  of  God  !     R.  S.  S. 

10-12.  If  we  collate  these  words  with  the  first 
sermons  of  Peter,  we  shall  find  they  take  up  the 
habitual  theme  of  his  preaching  at  Jerusalem  ;  and 
if  we  remember  further  that  we  are  to  seek  the 
special  doctrinal  characteristic  of  the  various  sacred 
writers  in  the  solution  given  by  them  to  the  ques- 
tion of  the  relation  of  the  two  covenants,  we  shall 
feel  that  we  can  not  attach  too  much  importance  to 
this  passage  of  the  Epistle  of  Peter.  He  affirms 
most  explicitly  the  unity  of  the  old  and  new  cove- 
nants. The  Spirit  of  Christ  which  lives  in  the  apos- 
tles was  also  the  animating  Spirit  of  the  prophets, 
who  were  the  true  forerunners  of  the  evangelists, 
since  they  foretold  both  the  sufferings  and  the  glory 
of  Messiah.     True  religion  rises  before  his  eyes  lilce 


a  vast  and  splendid  temple — prophecy  its  foundation, 

the  gospel  its  top-stone.     De  F. The  gospel  is 

represented  as  the  doctrine  of  the  sufferings  and 
glory  of  Christ  as  the  means  of  salvation.  The 
worker  of  this  salvation,  whom  the  prophets  and 
apostles  make  the  sum  of  all  their  doctrine,  is  Jesus 
Christ,  and  the  sum  of  that  work  of  redemption,  as 
we  have  it  here,  is  his  humiliation  and  exaltation, 
his  sufferings  and  the  glory  that  followed  there- 
upon.    L. 

13.  Unto  us  they  did  minister.  The  law 
and  the  prophets,  as  scriptures,  as  a  book,  were  still 
under  the  new  dispensation  what  they  had  been  un- 
der the  old — the  voice  of  the  Spirit  and  the  word 
of  God.  Nay !  this  written  word  belonged  to  the 
new  dispensation  more  truly  than  the  old,  for  these 
Scriptures  also  were  now  raised  to  newness  of  life, 
and  were  recognized  as  prepared  for  the  uses  to 
which  they  were  now  applied,  and  written  less  for 
the  immediate  than  for  the  ulterior  purposes,  as 
Peter  has  here  expressed  it.     T.  D.  B. 

The  angels  desire  to  look  into.  These, 
like  us,  are  powers  of  endless  life,  intelligences  that 
have  had  a  history  parallel  to  our  own.  Some  of 
them,  doubtless,  have  existed  myriads  of  ages,  and 
consequently  now  are  far  on  in  the  course  of  their 
development.  Hence  their  interest  in  us,  who  as 
yet  are  only  candidates,  in  their  view,  for  a  great- 
ness yet  to  be  revealed.  They  break  into  the  sky, 
when  Christ  is  born,  chanting  their  all-hail.  They 
visit  the  world  on  heavenly  errands,  and  perform 
their  unseen  ministries  to  the  heirs  of  salvation. 
They  watch  for  our  repentances,  and  there  is  joy 
among  them  before  God  when  but  one  is  gathered 
to  their  company  in  the  faith  of  salvation.  And 
the  reason  is  that  these  ancient  princes  and  hie- 
rarchs,  that  have  grown  up  in  God's  eternity  and 
unfolded  their  mighty  powers  in  whole  ages  of  good, 
recognize  in  us  compeers  that  are  finally  to  be  ad- 
vanced as  they  are.     II.  B. 

The  glory  of  redemption  !  It  is  the  chief  delight 
of  the  infinite  mind  ;  the  joy  of  angels ;  the  bliss 
of  mankind  ;  the  central  sun  and  moral  bond  of  the 
universe.  As  the  theatre  of  this  redemption,  our 
world  is  honored  above  all  worlds.  Though  in  itself 
an  obscure  corner  of  creation,  it  is  made  the  center 
of  highest  interest.  A  moral  force  is  gathering  in  it 
to  uphold  the  universe  in  love  and  obedience.  It  is 
heaven's  laboratory,  in  which  are  to  be  worked  out 
the  great  principles  which  are  to  exist  in  and  rule 
God's  kingdom.  It  is  the  battle-field  of  the  universe, 
on  which  holiness  and  sin,  truth  and  error,  life  and 
death,  Christ  and  the  devil  are  to  wage  their  one 
great  and  decisive  warfare.  History  may  record  her 
eventful  eras,  when  all  the  powers  of  earth  were 
drawn  up  in  hostile  array,  and  all  its  interests  sus- 
pended on  a  single  conflict.  But  time  is  a  more 
eventful  era,  in  relation  to  eternity.  The  spiritual 
powers  of  tlic  universe  are  met  on  this  earth  in  hos- 
tile array ;  for  nearly  sixty  centuries  has  the  conflict 
raged  already,  and  it  will  continue  to  rage  we  know 
not  how  hng.  And  who  can  conceive  the  extent  of 
the  interests  at  stake  in  this  warfare  ?  The  honor  of 
God,  the  maintenance  of  law  and  order,  and  the  hap- 
piness of  all  worlds  arc  involved.  Our  highest  con- 
ceptions of  the  grandeur  and  importance  of  this  con- 
test fall  amazingly  short  of  the  reality.  '  There  is  a 
breadth  of  purpose,  a  depth  of  meaning,  a  height  of 
glory,  and  a  fullness  of  love  and  blessing  in  this 
work  of  redemption,  which  eternal  ages  will  hardly 
disclose.     An. 


SECTION  357.-1  PETER  1 :  13-25. 


649 


Section  357. 

1  Peter  i.  13-25. 

13  Wherefore  gird  up  the  loins  of  your  mind,  be  sober,  and  hope  to  the  end  for  the  grace  that 

14  is  to  be  brought  unto  you  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ ;  as  obedient  children,  not  fash- 

15  ioning  yourselves  according  to  the  former  lusts  in  your  ignorance ;  but  as  he  -whicij  hath 

16  called  you  is  holy,  so  be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation  ;  because  it  is  written,  Be  ye 

17  holy  ;  for  I  am  holy.    And  if  ye  call  on  the  Father,  who  without  respect  of  persons  judgeth 

18  according  to  every  man's  work,  pass  the  time  of  your  sojourning  here  in  fear :  forasmuch 
as  ye  know  that  ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as  silver  and  gold,  from 

19  your  vain  conversation  received  by  tradition  from  your  fathers  ;  but  with  the  precious  blood 

20  of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish  and  without  spot :  who  verily  was  foreordained  be- 

21  fore  the  foundation  of  the  world,  but  was  manifest  in  these  last  times  for  you,  who  by  him 
do  believe  in  God,  that  raised  him  up  from  the  dead,  and  gave  him  glory  ;  that  your  faith 

22  and  hope  might  be  in  God.  Seeing  ye  have  purified  your  souls  in  obeying  the  truth  through 
the  Spirit  unto  unfeigned  love  of  the  brethren,  see  that  ye  love  one  another  with  a  pure 

23  heart  fervently :  being  born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the  word 

24  of  God,  which  liveth  and  abideth  for  ever.    For  all  flesh  is  as  grass,  and  all  the  glory  of  man 

25  as  the  flower  of  grass.  The  grass  withereth,  and  the  flower  thereof  falleth  away  :  but  the 
word  of  the  Lord  endureth  for  ever.  And  this  is  the  word  which  by  the  gospel  is  preached 
unto  you. 

If  there  be  a  true  purpose  in  the  life,  it  shall  reach  a  perfect  close  one  day ;  its  shortcomings  shall  yet 
be  completed,  its  errors  rectified,  its  visions  realized.  There  are  no  ruins  nor  half-finished  structures  in 
the  city  of  God.  One  of  the  most  blessed  assurances  of  the  Christian  faith  is,  that  not  only  can  there  be 
a  compensation  for  failure  now,  in  the  lessons  of  humility,  of  trustfulness  in  God,  and  of  inward  peace 
amid  outward  loss,  but  that  there  shall  vet  be  a  compensation  in  the  perfectness  of  deed  and  of  attain- 
ment. All  the  inward  gains  of  the  soul  in  its  struggles,  its  defeats,  and  disappointed  hopes  shall  he  rep- 
resented, and  more  than  represented,  in  the  fullness  of  power  and  possession  which  shall  be  its  heritage 
in  the  endless  life.  It  is  by  privation,  not  unfrequently  by  disaster,  that  God  qualifies  souls  for  the  high- 
est ends,  and  the  thought  of  this  may  make  the  most  wearied  heart  among  us  bear  up  bravely,  and  "  hope 
to  the  end  for  the  grace  that  shall  be  brous;ht  to  it  at  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ."    Ker. 


13.  The  great  error  of  man's  mind,  and  the 
cause  of  all  his  errors  of  life,  is  the  diverting  of 
the  soul  from  God,  and  turning  downward  to  infe- 
rior confidences  and  comforts ;  and  this  mischoice  is 
the  very  root  of  all  our  miseries.  Therefore,  the 
main  end  of  the  holy  word  of  God  is  to  untie  the 
hearts  of  men  from  the  world,  and  reduce  them  to 
God  as  their  only  rest  and  solid  comfort ;  and  this 
is  here  the  apostle's  mark,  at  wliich  all  the  preceding 
discourse  aims.  It  all  meets  and  terminates  in  this 
exhortation:  Wlierefore  gird  xip  the  loins  of  your 
mind.  Hope  to  the  end.  The  difference  of  the 
two  graces,  faith  and  hope,  is  so  small  that  the  one 
is  often  taken  for  tlie  other  in  Scripture.  It  is  but 
a  different  aspect  of  the  same  confidence,  faith  ap- 
prehending the  infallible  truth  of  those  divine  prom- 
ises, of  which  hope  doth  assuredly  expect  the  ac- 
complishment, so  that  this  immediately  results  from 
the  other.  This  is  the  anchor,  fixed  within  the  veil, 
that  keeps  the  soul  firm  against  all  the  tossings  on 


these  swelling  seas.  The  firmest  thing  in  this  in- 
ferior world  is  a  believing,  hoping  soul ! 

14,  15,  Of  all  children  the  children  of  God 
are  most  obliged  to  obedience,  for  he  is  both  the 
wisest  and  the  most  loving  of  Fathers.  And  the 
sum  of  all  his  commands  is  that  which  is  their  glory 
and  happiness,  that  they  endeavor  to  be  like  him, 
to  resemble  their  heavenly  Father.  £e  ye  perfect  as 
your  heavenly  Father  is  perfect,  says  our  Saviour. 
And  here  the  apostle,  citing  out  of  the  law,  Be  ye 
holy,  for  I  am  holy  (Lev.  1 1  :  44).  Law  and  gospel 
agree  in  this.     L. 

17.  "  And  if  ye  call  him  Father."     T. Pass 

the  time  in  fear.  The  fear  here  recommended 
is,  out  of  question,  a  holy  self-suspicion  and  fear  of 
offending  God,  which  may  not  only  consist  with  as- 
sured hope  of  salvation,  and  with  faith  and  love 
and  spiritual  joy,  but  is  their  inseparable  companion, 
as  all  divine  graces  are  linked  together.  The  apos- 
tle, having  stirred  up  his  Christian  brethren,  what- 


650 


SECTION  357.— 1  PETER  1  :  13-25. 


soever  be  tlicir  estate  in  the  world,  to  seek  to  be 
rich  in  those  jewels  of  faith  and  hope  and  love  and 
spiritual  joy,  and  then  considering  that  they  travel 
amon'^  a  world  of  thieves  and  robbers,  he  advises 
them  to  give  those  their  jewels  in  custody,  under 
God,  to  this  trusty  and  watchful  grace  of  godly  fear ; 
and,  having  earnestly  exhorted  them  to  holiness,  he 
is  very  fitly  particular  in  this  fear,  which  makes  up 
so  great  a  part  of  that  hoUuess  that  it  is  often  in 

Scripture  named  for  it  all.     L. This  grace  of 

fear  is  the  softest  and  most  tender  of  God's  honor 
of  all  the  graces.  To  keep  a  good  watch  is  a  won- 
derful safety  to  a  place  that  is  in  continual  danger 
because  of  the  enemy.  Why,  this  is  the  grace  that 
setteth  the  watch  and  that  keepcth  the  watchman 
awake.     Bun. 

18,  19.  He  sets  forth  this  as  the  strongest  in- 
centive to  holiness.  Not  only  have  you  the  exam- 
ple of  God  set  before  you  as  your  Father,  and  the 
justice  of  God  as  your  Judge,  to  argue  you  into  a 
pious  fear  of  offending  him,  but  he  is  your  Re- 
deemer ;  he  hath  bought  out  your  liberty  from  sin 
and  the  world,  to  be  altogether  his ;  think  on  the 

price  laid  down  in  this  ransom.     L. Christ  our 

Passover  is  no  unconscious  victim,  but  one  who 
freely  gives  himself  that  he  may  bring  us  to  God. 
It  is  no  corruptible  thing  that  is  the  ransom  price, 
but  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  with- 
out blemish  and  without  spot.  In  this  was  seen  the 
height  of  divine  love  and  the  depth  of  human  sin 
and  loss,  that  the  highest  in  the  universe  devoted 
himself  for  the  lowest,  and  died  the  death  for  them, 
which  was  the  ransom  of  the  soul.  He  who  made 
the  world  came  into  the  world  to  save  it,  and  bore' 

for  it  the  burden  of  shame  and  guilt.     Ker. 

The  precious  soul  could  be  redeemed  by  no  blood 
but  that  of  this  spotless  Lamb  Jesus  Christ,  who  is 
God  equal  with  the  Father,  and  therefore  his  blood 
is  called  the  blood  of  God  (Acts  20).  So  that  the 
apostle  may  here  well  call  it  precious,  exceeding  the 
whole  world  and  all  things  in  it  in  value.  There- 
fore, frustrate  not  the  sufferings  of  Christ ;  if  he 
shed  his  blood  to  redeem  you  from  sin,  be  not  false 

to  his  end.     L. Without  blemish.     It  is  the 

extraordinary  combination  of  excellences  which  it 
displays  that  constitutes  the  peculiar  attraction  of 
the  character  of  Christ.  Meekness  and  majesty — 
firmness  and  gentleness — zeal  and  prudence — com- 
posure and  warmth — patience  and  sensibility — sub- 
missiveness  and  dignity — sublime  sanctity  and  ten- 
der sympathy — piety  that  rose  to  the  loftiest  devo- 
tion and  benevolence  that  could  stoop  to  the  meanest 
suifcrer — intense  abhorrence  of  sin  and  profound 
compassion  for  the  sinner,  mingle  their  varied  rays 
in  the  tissue  of  our  Saviour's  character,  and  pro- 
duce a  combination  of  virtues  such  as  the  world 
never  saw  besides.    W.  L.  A. 


30,  21.  Before  there  was  time  or  place  or  any 
creature,  God,  the  blessed  Trinity,  was  in  himself 
and  as  inhabitinc/  eternity  completely  happy  in  him- 
self. But  intending  to  manifest  and  communicate 
his  goodness,  he  gave  being  to  the  world,  and  to 
time  with  it ;  made  all  to  set  forth  his  goodness, 
and  the  most  excellent  of  his  creatures  to  contem- 
plate and  enjoy  it.  But  amongst  all  the  works  he 
intended  before  time  and  in  time  effected,  this  is 
the  master-piece  that  is  here  said  to  be  fore-ordained, 
the  manifesting  of  God  in  the  flesh  for  man's  re- 
demption ;  and  that  by  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  This 
is  the  great  work  wherein  all  those  glorious  attri- 
butes  shine  jointly,  the  wisdom,  and   power,  and 

goodness,  and  justice,  and  mei'cy  of  God.     L. 

The  agency  of  the  Father  ordained  the  Saviour  :  he 
manifested  him  to  the  world  ;  he  raised  him  ujjfrom 
the  dead  ;  he  gave  him  glory.  And  all  those  partic- 
ulars are  made  known  to  us.  For  what  end  ?  71iat 
our  faith  and  hope  may  be  in  Ood!     E.  W. 

32.  Purified  your  souls  in  obeying  the 
truth  through  the  Spirit.  Here  is  the  chief 
seat  or  subject  of  the  work  of  sanctification,  the 
sold;  the  subordinate  means,  truth;  the  nature  of 
it,  obeying  of  truth  ;  the  chief  worker  of  it,  the  holy 
Spirit.  They  are  here  said  to  purify  themselves. 
For  it  is  certain  and  undeniable  that  the  soul  itself 
doth  act  in  believing  or  obeying  the  truth  ;  but  not 
of  itself,  it  is  not  the  first  principle  of  motion. 
They  purify  their  souls,  but  it  is  by  the  Spirit.  They 
do  it  by  his  enlivening  power,  and  a  purifying  virtue 
received  from  him.  Faith,  or  obeying  the  truth, 
works  this  purity ;  but  the  Holy  Ghost  works  that 
faith;  as  God  is  said  to  purify  their  hearts  by  faith, 
he  doth  that  by  giving  them  the  Holy  Ghost.  The 
truth  is  pure  and  purifying,  yet  can  it  not  of  itself 
purify  the  soul  but  by  the  obeying  or  believing  it ; 
and  the  soul  can  not  obey  or  believe  but  by  the 
Spirit,  which  works  in  it  that  faith,  and  by  that 

faith  purifies   it   and  works  love  in  it.     L. If 

Christ  becomes  wisdom  to  any  mind,  it  is  because 
that  mind  exercises  its  thought  upon  Christ  and  his 
truth — opens  itself  to  his  teaching,  yields  to  his 
truth.  If  Christ  becomes  righteousness  to  any  soul, 
it  is  because  that  soul  by  its  own  act  of  faith,  by 
looking  to  him  and  trusting  in  him,  accepts  his 
atonemeni  as  its  plea  for  pardon.  If  Christ  be- 
comes sanctification  to  any  soul,  it  is  because  that 
soul,  feeling  its  guilt  and  need,  seeks  by  his  grace 
to  conquer  sin,  to  become  holy,  and  to  purify  itself 
by  obeying  the  truth  through  the  Spirit.  But  while 
man's  activity  must  be  put  forth  in  acts  of  thought 
and  resolve,  in  faith  and  love  and  obedience,  or 
Christ  will  never  avail  him,  it  is  yet  true  that  no 
man  really  comes  to  Christ,  "  except  the  Father 
draw  him."  The  holy  Spirit  takes  the  things  of 
Christ  and  shows  them  to  us,  and  thus  makes  Christ 


SECTION  357.— 1  PETER  1  :  13-25. 


651 


our  -wisdom ;  the  holy  Spirit  incites  us  to  the  act  of 
faith ;  the  holy  Spirit  by  the  ti'uth  kindles  within  us 
desires  after  holiness,  and  inciting  us  to  prayer  and 
watchfulness,  promotes  our  sanctification ;  and 
therefore,  though  Christ  can  be  literally  nothing  to 
us  without  our  own  act  of  reflection,  of  repentance, 
of  faith,  of  love,  yet  since  we  will  put  forth  no 
proper  act  toward  him  except  as  moved  by  grace,  we 
do  owe  to  that  grace  our  salvation  from  first  to 
last.     J.  P.  T. 

There  may  be  truth  in  the  intellect  separate  from 
its  regenerating  power  on  the  soul ;  light  in  the 
reason  without  the  corresponding  love  in  the  heart ; 
but  there  can  not  be  the  transforming  and  regenera- 
ting effect,  nor  the  intelligent  kindling  of  holy  emo- 
tion, without  the  truth  and  the  light  first.  There 
may  be  little  truth,  and  feeble  perception  of  it ;  but 
truth  and  the  sight  of  it  there  must  be.  Now,  the 
influence  or  work  of  the  holy  Spirit  is  that  move- 
ment— whatever  it  be,  or  however  exercised — which 
gives  truth  its  regal  and  penetrating  power,  and 
kindles  through  it  the  fire  of  the  affections.     T.  B. 

Let  us  never  forget  that,  in  speaking  of  divine 

truth,  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  the  soul  of  man,  we 
are  speaking  of  living  and  life-giving  things,  and 
that  therefore  the  whole  subject  devolves  on  us  the 
duties  of  prayer  and  w-atchfulness,  of  labor  and 
study,  of  thought  and  effort,  to  see  that  these  living 
and  life-giving  things  be  not  kept  apart.  It  is  only 
by  keeping  the  truth,  the  Spirit,  and  the  soul  in  close 
companionship,  that  we  can  expect  the  blessed  re- 
sult of  renewed  and  purified  natures.  Indolence 
and  indifference  here  are  as  deeply  mischievous,  and, 
in  one  sense,  as  deeply  criminal,  as  dislike  and  op- 
position. Though  God  is  always  first  in  action  in 
the  great  work  which  we  have  considered,  yet  we 
should  always  labor  as  though  first  action  belonged 
to  us ;  and  though  he  will  ever  be  found  to  have 
wrought  all  our  good  in  us,  yet  we  should  always 
work  as  though  there  were  a  sense  in  which  all 
things  depend  on  ourselves. 

Unfeigned  love  for  the  brethren.  Liter- 
ally, a  "  love  without  hi/pocrist/"  "  fervent  love  for 
one  another  out  of  a  pure  heart "  ;  this  is  religion  in 
its  fairest,  most  perfect  development  on  earth. 
Were  all  that  claims  to  be  religion  really  imbued 
with  this  spirit,  truth  would  have  a  safer  as  well  as 
a  warmer  home  than  she  now  has  in  this  lower  world. 
Pure,  holy,  Christian  love  furnishes  no  soil  for  the 
roots  of  error ;  nor  does  it  ever  baptize  truth  in  the 

waters  of  strife.    J.  S.  S. Love  one  another. 

They  that  are  indeed  lovers  of  God  are  united  ;  by 
that  their  hearts  meet  in  him  as  in  one  center.  They 
can  not  but  love  one  another.  And  as  the  Chris- 
tian's love  is  pure  in  its  cause,  so  in  its  effects  and 
exercise  ;  his  society  and  converse  with  any  tends 
mainly  to  this,  that  he  may  mutually  help  and  be 


helped  in  the  knowledge  and  love  of  God ;  he  de- 
sires most  that  he  and  his  brethren  may  further  one 
another  in  their  way  to  the  full  enjoyment  of  God. 
And  this  is  truly  the  love  of  a  pure  heart,  that  both 
begins  and  ends  in  God. 

33.  This  incorruptible  seed  is  the  living  and 
everlasting  word  of  the  living  and  everlasting  God. 
Because  the  word  is  enlivening  and  living,  therefore 
they  into  whose  hearts  it  is  received  are  made  alive 
by  it ;  and  because  the  word  endureth  for  ever, 
therefore  that  life  begot  by  it  can  not  perish ;  no, 
this  spiritual  life  of  grace  is  the  certain  beginning 
of  that  eternal  life  of  glory  and  shall  issue  in  it. 

34.  How  easily  and  quickly  hath  the  highest 
splendor  of  a  man's  prosperity  been  blasted,  either 
by  men's  power,  or  by  the  immediate  hand  of  God  ! 
The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  blows  upon  it,  as  Isaiah  says, 
and  not  only  withers  the  grass,  but  the  flower  fades 
though  never  so  fair.  Would  we  consider  this,  it 
would  give  us  wiser  thoughts,  and  ballast  our  hearts ; 
make  them  more  solid  and  steadfast  in  those  spirit- 
ual endeavors  which  concern  a  durable  condition,  a 
being  that  abides  for  ever ;  in  comparison  of  which 
the  longest  term  of  natural  life  is  less  than  a  mo- 
ment, and  the  happiest  estate  of  it  but  a  heap  of 
miseries.  Were  all  of  us  more  constantly  pros- 
perous than  any  of  us  is,  yet  that  one  thing  were 
enough  to  cry  down  the  price  we  put  on  this  life  ; 
that  it  continues  not.     L. 

The  word  endureth.  It  is  an  authority 
which  survives  when  others  perish,  and  a  light 
which  waxes  when  others  wane.  By  it,  as  the  in- 
strument of  God  for  the  education  of  men,  nations 
are  humanized  and  churches  sanctified.  And  yet 
more  real  and  lasting  than  these  are  the  ultimate 
results  which  it  secures.  An  elect  nation  is  being 
gathered  from  among  us,  and  an  eternal  Church  pre- 
pared which  shall  supplant  all  transient  and  pro- 
visional societies  in  that  day  for  which  the  whole 
creation  waits.  Then  is  it  not  to  each  of  us  a  mat- 
ter of  the  deepest  personal  concern  that  the  truth 
which  it  teaches  and  the  spirit  which  it  breathes 
should  have  entered  into  his  own  soul ;  and  that  he 
should  thus  become  a  partaker  in  the  life  which  it 
reveals,  an  example  of  the  character  which  it  de- 
mands, and  an  inheritor  of  the  portion  which  it 
promises  ?  But  this  can  not  be,  unless  he  yield  to 
the  written  Word  the  confidence  which  it  claims. 
Oh,  deal  worthily,  deal  trustfully  with  such  a  guide 
as  this  !  Receive  the  message  "  not  as  the  word  of 
man,  but  as  it  is  in  truth,  the  word  of  God,"  and 
then  you  will  find  that  it  "  effectually  worketh  also 
in  them  that  believe  " ;  for  he  who  obeys  it  from 
the  heart  finds  that  a  course  of  progressive  teaching 
is  opened  in  his  own  soul,  to  which  the  holy  Scrip- 
ture will  never  cease  to  minister,  and  which  tho 
Holy  Spirit  will  never  cease  to  guide.     T.  D.  B. 


G52  SECTION  358.— l  PETER  2  :  1-25. 

Section  358. 

1  Peteb  ii.  1-25. 

1  WnEREFOEE  laying  aside  all  malice,  and  all  guile,  and  hypocrisies,  and  envies,  and  all  evil 

2  speakings,  as  newborn  babes,  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  that  ye  may  grow  thereby : 

3  if  so  be  ye  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious.     To  whom  coming,  as  tinto  a  living  stone, 

4  disallowed  indeed  of  men,  but  chosen  of  God,  and  precious,  ye  also,  as  lively  stones,  are 

5  built  up  a  spiritual  house,  an  holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices,  acceptable  to 

6  God  by  Jesus  Christ.     "Wherefore  also  it  is  contained  in  the  scripture,  Behold,  I  lay  in  Sion 
a  chief  corner  stone,  elect,  precious:  and  he  that  believeth  on  him  shall  not  be  confounded. 

7  TJnto  you  therefore  which  believe  he  is  precious :  but  unto  them  which  be  disobedient,  the 

8  stone  which  the  builders  disallowed,  the  same  is  made  the  head  of  the  corner,  and  a  stone 
of  stumbling,  and  a  rock  of  offence,  even  to  them  which  stumble  at  the  word,  being  disobe- 

9  dient:    whereunto  also  they  were  appointed.     But  ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal 
priesthood,  an  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people ;  that  ye  should  shew  forth  the  praises  of  him 

10  who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light :  which  in  time  past  tcej'enot  a 
people,  but  are  now  the  people  of  God :  which  had  not  obtained  mercy,  but  now  have  obtained 

11  mercy.     Dearly  beloved,  I  beseech  you  as  strangers  and  pilgrims,  abstain  from  fleshly  lusts, 

12  which  war  against  the  soul ;  having  your  conversation  honest  among  the  Gentiles :  that, 
whereas  they  speak  against  you  as  evildoers,  they  may  by  your  good  works,  which  they 
shall  behold,  glorify  God  in  the  day  of  visitation. 

13  Submit  yourselves  to  every  ordinance  of  man  for  the  Lord's  sake:  whether  it  be  to  the 

14  king,  as  supreme;  or  unto  governors,  as  unto  them  that  are  sent  by  him  for  tlie  punishment 

15  of  evildoers,  and  for  the  praise  of  them  that  do  well.     For  so  is  the  will  of  God,  that  with 

16  well  doing  ye  may  put  to  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men:  as  free,  and  not  using  your 

17  liberty  for  a  cloke  of  maliciousness,  but  as  the  servants  of  God.     Honour  all  men.     Love  the 

18  brotherhood.     Fear  God.     Honour  the  kiug.     Servants,  he  subject  to  your  masters  with  all 

19  fear ;  not  only  to  the  good  and  gentle,  but  also  to  the  froward.     For  this  is  thankworthy, 

20  if  a  man  for  conscience  toward  God  endure  grief,  suffering  wrongfully.  For  what  glory  is 
it,  if,  when  ye  be  buffeted  for  your  faults,  ye  shall  take  it  patiently?  but  if,  when  ye  do 

21  well,  and  suSer  for  it,  ye  take  it  patiently,  this  is  acceptable  with  God.  For  even  hereunto 
were  ye  called :  because  Christ  also  suffered  for  us,  leaving  us  an  example,  that  ye  should 

22  follow  his  steps:  who  did  no  sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in  his  mouth:  who,  when  he  was 

23  reviled,  reviled  not  again;  when  he  suffered,  he  threatened  not;  but  committed  himself  to 

24  him  that  judgeth  righteously:  wlio  his  own  self  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree, 
that  we,  being  dead  to  sins,  should  live  unto  righteousness :  by  whose  stripes  ye  were  healed. 

25  For  ye  were  as  sheep  going  astray ;  but  are  now  returned  unto  the  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of 
•     your  souls. 

"  I  AM  not  come  to  destroy,"  said  Christ,  "  but  to  fulfill "  ;  and  as  in  his  own  sacrifice  he  fulfilled  the 
ritual  of  the  law,  and  in  his  own  mediation  now  fulfills  its  priesthood,  so  in  his  Church  he  realizes  the 
ideal  of  the  temple  as  the  spiritual  habitation  of  God.  How  wondrous  is  this  temple  !  built  upon  the 
stone  that  God  had  chosen  and  designated  as  his  offering  of  love  before  the  world  began ;  built  of  living 
Stones,  conscious  of  their  position,  feeling  their  union  with  the  foundation,  and  radiating  the  glory  which 
they  receive  from  the  presence  of  God — even  as  stones  hewn  from  the  quarry,  and  set  on  high  in  ordered 
beauty,  they  "  show  forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called  them  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvelous 

light."     J.  P.  T. We  often  think  and  speak  as  if  little  was  accomplished,  because  little  is  seen  on 

earth.  But  we  forget  that  only  part  of  the  living  structure  is  here,  and  this  a  small  part.  Every  moment, 
blessed  souls,  fitted  by  gracious  discipline  in  this  vale,  by  the  axe  and  hammer  and  furnace  of  trial,  and 
the  molding  hand  of  sanctification,  are  carried  away  in  angelic  arms,  to  be  placed  in  the  house  above. 
This  is  only  the  preparatory  state.  Out  of  this  mass  God  is  gathering  his  elect,  and  taking  them  to  his 
temple.  There  is  nothing  which  we  can  do  in  life  so  important  as  to  contribute  in  some  humble  measure 
to  the  upbuilding  of  the  Church.  It  is  the  only  work  of  which  the  fruit  can  not  be  lost.  One  soul  saved 
by  our  means  is  a  living  stone  added  to  the  edifice.  One  soul  made  holier  and  better  through  our  labors 
id  a  new  ornament  to  the  unseen  sanctuary.  Not  a  toil,  a  self-denial,  or  a  tear  shall  fail  of  recognition ; 
though  lost  to  the  view  of  men,  "  the  day  will  reveal  it."     J.  W.  A. 


SECTION  358.— 1  PETER  2  :  1-25. 


653 


2.  Grow  thereby.  The  word  feeds  faith,  by 
setting  before  it  the  free  grace  of  God,  his  rich 
promises,  and  his  power  and  truth  to  perform  them 
all ;  showing  it  the  strength  of  the  new  covenant, 
holding  in  Christ,  in  whom  all  the  promises  of  God 
are  yea  and  amen  ;  and  drawing  faith  still  to  rest 
more  entirely  upon  his  righteousness.  It  feeds  re- 
■pentance  by  making  the  vileness  and  deformity  of 
sin  daily  more  clear  and  visible.  It  increaseth  leme 
to  God  by  opening  up  still  more  and  more  of  his 
infinite  excellency  and  loveliness.  But,  above  all 
other  considerations,  the  word  is  the  incrcaser  of 
grace  in  that  it  holds  forth  Jesus  Christ  to  our  view 
to  look  upon,  not  only  as  the  perfect  pattern,  but  as 
the  full  fountain  of  all  grace,  from  whose  fullness 
we  all  receive.  The  contemplating  of  him  as  the 
perfect  image  of  God,  and  then  drawing  from  him 
as  having  in  himself  a  treasure  for  us — these  give 
the  soul  more  of  that  image,  which  is  truly  spiritual 
growth. 

3.  This  looks  back  to.  the  whole  exhortation. 
For,  if  you  have  tasted  of  that  kindness  and  sweet- 
ness of  God  in  Christ,  there  will  be  nothing  but 
love  and  meekness  and  singleness  of  heart ;  there- 
fore they  that  have  bitter,  malicious  spirits  evidence 
they  have  not  tasted  of  the  love  of  God.  This 
graciousness  is  first  conveyed  to  us  by  the  word ; 
there  we  taste  it,  and  there  still  we  are  to  seek  it ; 
there  the  love  of  God  in  Christ  streams  forth  in  the 
several  promises ;  the  heart  that  cleaves  to  the 
word  of  God,  and  delights  in  it,  can  not  but  find  in 
it  daily  new  tastes  of  his  goodness  ;  there  it  reads 
his  love,  and  by  that  stirs  up  its  own  to  him,  and  so 
grows,  and  loves  every  day  more  than  the  former, 
and  thus  is  tending  from  tastes  to  fullness. 

4.  5.  The  whole  building  is  Christ  mystical : 
Christ,  together  with  the  entire  body  of  the  elect ; 
he  as  the  foundation,  and  they  as  the  stones  built 
upon  him ;  he  the  living  stone,  and  they  likewise, 
by  union  with  him,  as  living  stones  ;  he  having  life 
in  himself  and  they  deriving  it  from  him  ;  he  prim- 
itively living,  and  they  by  participation.  For  there- 
fore is  he  called  here  a  living  stone,  not  only  because 
of  his  immortality  and  glorious  lesurrection,  but 
because  he  is  the  principle  of  spiritual  aad  eternal 
life  unto  us,  a  living  foundation,  that  transfuses 
this  life  into  the  whole  building  and  every  stone  of 
it,  in  u'hom  all  the  building  is  fdly  framed  together. 

L. Shut  the  eyes  of  the  body,  open  the  eyes  of 

the  soul,  and  you  will  say  with  Pascal,  "  Oh,  with 
how  great  pomp  and  magnificence  has  he  come  in 
the  eyes  of  the  heart,  and  of  those  who  see  wis- 
dom ! "  Behold  for  once,  behold  the  true  temple 
of  the  true  God  !  Vast  thoughts,  secular  traditions, 
splendid  recollections,  all  these  are  stones ;  cold 
materials,  hard  and  dead.  There  are  other  stones, 
living  stones,  which  form  together  a  spiritual  build- 


ing, a  holy  priesthood.  Of  the  number  of  those 
living  stones  are  all  those  sincere  and  humble  souls 
who  by  repentance  have  been  born  to  the  new  life 
which  is  hidden  with  Christ  in  God  ;  souls,  some  of 
whom  perhaps  have  not  been  able  to  give  God  any- 
thing but  themselves,  but  given  unreservedly.    A.  V. 

By  various  discipline  here  God  fits  and  polishes 

each  living  stone  for  the  place  which  it  is  destined 
to  occupy  in  the  spiritual  temple ;  and,  when  all 
the  stones  are  made  ready,  he  will  build  them  to- 
gether each  into  its  place,  and  exhibit  to  men  and 
angels  their  perfect  unity.     E.  M.  G. 

An  holy  priesthood.  The  Xew  Testament 
owns  the  idea  of  the  priesthood,  but  applies  it  ex- 
pressly to  all  true  Christians.  All  have  immediate 
access  to  Christ  by  faith,  and  should  daily  offer  him 
the  sacrifices  of  praise  and  intercession.  In  virtue 
of  their  union  with  Christ  they  are  here  called  "  a 
spiritual  house,  a  holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  spir- 
itual sacrifices."  It  is  by  this  universal  priesthood 
that  we  are  to  account  for  the  liberty  of  itaclnng 
and  the  pai-tieipafion  of  the  people  in  the  worship 
and  government  of  the  Church  which  we  observe  in 

the  apostolic  age.     P.  S. The  priesthood  of  the 

law  represented  Eim  as  the  great  High  Priest  that 
offered  up  himself  for  our  sins,  and  that  is  altogether 
incommunicable ;  neither  is  there  any  peculiar  office 
of  priesthood  for  offering  sacrifice  in  the  Christian 
Church  but  Ills  alone  who  is  Head  of  it.  But  this 
digTiity  here  mentioned,  of  a  spij-itual  priesthood 
offering  spiritual  saerifce,  is  common  to  all  those 
that  are  in  Christ ;  as  they  are  living  stones  built 
on  him  into  a  spiritual  temple,  so  they  are  priests 
of  that  same  temple.  As  he  was,  after  a  transcen- 
dent manner,  temple  and  priest  and  sacrifice,  so, 
in  their  kind,  are  Christians  all  these  three  through 
him ;  and  by  his  Spirit  that  is  in  them  their  ofifer- 

ings  through  him  are  made  acceptable.     L. It  is 

the  certain  doctrine  of  Scripture  that  God  I'cquires 
fi'om  Christians,  not  indeed  a  sin-  or  trespass-offer- 
ing, which  we  could  never  render,  but  offerings  of 
sweet  savor,  as  a  testimony  of  their  love  and  grati- 
tude. These  are  generally  described  as  "  spiritual 
sacrifices,"  whicli  we  are  ordained  to  offer.    E.  M.  G. 

6.  The  rapid  transition  of  mind  here  certainly 
gives  origin  to  a  double  figure  ;  for  the  same  persons 
who  in  one  clause  are  called  the  temple  are  in  the 
next  represented  as  the  worshipers.  Both  temple 
and  worshipers,  in  the  type,  were  intended  to  show 
forth  the  Church  of  God,  or  the  entire  body  of  sanc- 
tified believers.     J.  W.  A. The  prophecy  here 

cited  we  find  inserted  in  the  middle  of  a  very  sad 
denunciation  of  judgment  against  the  Jews.  And 
this  is  usual  with  the  prophets — particularly  with 
this  evangelical  prophet  Isaiah — to  uphold  the  spirits 
of  the  godly  in  the  worst  times  with  this  one  great 
consolation,  the  promise  of  the  Messiah ;  as  weigh- 


654 


SECTION  358.— 1  PETER  2  : 1-25. 


ing  down  all,  both  temporal  distresses  and  deliver- 
ances. Hence  are  those  sudden  ascents  (so  frequent 
in  the  prophets),  from  their  present  subject,  to  this 
great  Hope  of  Israel.  And,  if  this  expectation  of  a 
Saviour  was  so  pertinent  a  comfort  in  all  estates 
so  many  ages  before  the  accomplishment  of  it, 
how  wrongfully  do  we  undervalue  it,  being  accom- 
plished, if  we  can  not  live  upon  it  and  answer  all 
with  it,  and  sweeten  all  our  griefs  in  this  advan- 
tage, that  there  is  a  foundation-stone  laid  in  Zion, 
on  tohick  they  that  arc  builded  shall  be  sure  not  to  he 
ashamed !    L. 

7.  Every  man  obeys  Christ  as  he  prizes  Christ, 
and  no  otherwise.  The  higher  price  any  soul  sets 
upon  Christ,  the  more  noble  will  that  soul  be  in  its 
obedience  to  Christ.     Brooks. 

9.  Hath  called.  That  God,  who  is  the  au- 
thor of  all  kind  of  being,  hath  called  you  from 
darkness  into  his  marvelous  light.  If  you  be  a  cho- 
sen generation.,  it  is  he  that  hath  chosen  you.  If  you 
be  a  royal  priesthood,  you  know  that  it  is  he  that 
hath  anointed  you.  If  a  holy  nation,  he  hath  sanc- 
tified you.  If  a  peculiar  or  purchased  people,  it  is 
he  that  hath  bought  you.     All  are  in  this  calling. 

L. The  Church  Catholic,  despite  all  appearances 

to  the  contrary,  is  a  holy  body,  for  they  only  are  its 
members  who  are  in  true  and  living  fellowship  with 
Christ.  All  others,  however  they  may  have  the 
outward  notes  of  belonging  to  it,  are  in  it,  but  not 
of  it.  They  are  like  chaff  on  the  same  barn-floor 
with  the  grain,  tares  growing  in  the  same  field  with 
the  wheat,  endured  for  a  while,  but  in  the  end  to  be 
separated  off,  the  evil  from  the  good.     A%i.g. 

11.  This  entreaty  is  strengthened  much  by  the 
words  Dearly  beloved.  Scarce  can  the  harshest  re- 
proofs, much  less  gentle  reproofs,  be  thrown  back 
that  have  upon  them  the  stamp  of  love.  That 
which  is  known  to  come  from  love  can  not  readily 
but  be  so  received  too,  and  it  is  thus  expressed  for 
that  very  purpose,  that  the  request  may  be  the  more 

welcome.      L. Warnings   and   cautions  against 

the  lusts  of  the  flesh  are  so  often  accompanied  by 
expressions  of  love  and  tenderness  as  to  make  you 
think  that  the  connection  is  not  accidental.  Hear 
how  the  Holy  Ghost  speaks  to  us  here  in  warning 
us  of  certain  sins,  the  consciousness  of  which  dis- 
poses us  to  indulge  fear  and  despair.  Oh,  the  ten- 
derness of  God,  in  dealing  with  us  as  sinners  in 
this  world  of  mercy  !     N.  A. 

Strangers  and  pilgrims.  If  you  were  citi- 
zens of  this  world,  then  you  might  drive  the  same 
trade  with  them ;  but,  seeing  you  are  chosen  and 
called  into  a  new  society,  made  free  of  another 
city,  and  are  therefore  here  but  travelers  passing 
through  to  your  own  country,  there  should  be  this 
difference  betwixt  you  and  the  world,  that  while 
they  live  as  at  home,  your  carriage  be  such  as  fits 


strangers ;  as  wise  strangers  living  warily  and  so- 
berly, minding  most  of  all  your  journey  homeward, 
suspecting  dangers  and  snares  in  your  way,  and  so 
walking  with  holy  fear,  as  the  Hebrew  word  for  a 
stranger  imports.  We  are  to  abstain  not  only  from 
the  serving  of  our  flesh  in  things  forbidden,  as  un- 
just gain  or  unlawful  pleasures,  but  also  from  im- 
moderate desire  of  and  delighting  in  any  earthly 
thing,  although  it  may  be  in  itself  lawfully  desired 
and  used ;  yea,  to  have  any  feverish,  pressing  thirst 
after  even  just  gain,  or  after  earthly  delights  though 
lawful,  is  a  thing  very  unbeseeming  the  dignity  of 
a  Christian.  It  was  a  high  speech  of  a  heathen, 
that  he  was  greater  and  born  to  greater  things  than 
to  be  a  servant  to  his  body  ;  how  much  more  ought 
he  that  is  born  again  to  say  so,  being  born  heir  to 
a  crown  that  fadeih  not  away  ! 

12.  Honest.  Fair  or  beautiful ;  the  same 
word  doth  fitly  signify  goodness  and  beauty.  Could 
the  beauty  of  virtue  be  seen,  said  a  philosopher,  it 
would  draw  all  to  love  it.  A  Christian,  holy  con- 
versation hath  such  a  beauty,  as  when  they  that  are 
strangers  to  it  begin  to  discern  it  anywise  a  right, 
they  can  not  choose  but  love  it ;  and  where  it  be- 
gets not  love,  yet  it  silences  calumny,  or  at  least 
evinces  its  falsehood.  Trouble  not  yourselves  with 
many  apologies  and  clearings  when  you  are  evil 
spoken  of,  but  let  the  tract  of  your  life  answer  for 
you,  your  honest  and  blameless  conversation.  That 
will  be  the  shortest  and  most  real  and  effectual  way 
of  confuting  all  obloquies.  It  was  a  king  that  said, 
It  was  kingly  to  do  ivell  and  be  ill  spoke  of.  Well 
may  Christians  acknowledge  it  to  be  true,  when 
they  consider  that  it  was  the  lot  of  their  king,  Jesus 
Christ;  and  well  may  they  be  content,  seeing  he 
hath  made  them  likewise  kings  (as  we  heard,  verse 
9),  to  be  conformable  to  him  in  this  too.  This  is  a 
kingly  way  of  suffering,  to  be  im justly  evil  spoken 
of  and  still  to  go  on  in  doing  the  more  good,  always 
aiming  in  so  doing,  as  our  Lord  did,  at  the  glory  of 
our  heavenly  Father.     L. 

13-17.  Christianity  does  not  prescribe  any  pe- 
culiar form  of  government,  but  regulates  the  re- 
spective duties,  both  of  those  who  govern  and  those 
who  are  governed.  It  reminds  the  latter  that  their 
Christian  profession  does  by  no  means  dissolve  or 
weaken  their  political  obligations,  but  confirms  and 
strengthens  them ;  that  their  religion  makes  no 
other  alteration  than  that  of  rendering  them  still 
better  citizens  and  better  subjects,  and  of  enforcing 
every  civil  tie  by  the  sanction  of  divine  as  well  as 
human  authority.  They  are  not,  therefore,  to  use 
their  spiritual  freedom  "  as  a  cloak  of  malicious- 
ness," as  a  cover  for  faction  and  mischief,  as  a  pre- 
tense for  disturbing  the  peace  and  order  of  society ; 
but  they  are  to  submit  themselves  patiently  to 
"  every  ordinance  of  man  for  the  Lord's  sake."    P. 


SECTION  358.— 1  PETER  1 : 1-S5. 


G55 


The  main  ground  of  submitting  to  human  au- 
thority is  the  interest  that  Divine  authority  hath  in 
it;  having  both  appointed  civil  government  as  a 
common  good  among  men,  and  particularly  com- 
manded his  people  obedience  to  it  as  a  particular 
good  to  them  and  suitable  with  their  profession — it 
is  for  the  Lord's  sake.  Although  civil  authority,  in 
regard  of  particular  forms  of  government  and  the 
choice  of  particular  persons  to  govern,  is  but  a  hu- 
man ordinance,  or  man^s  creature,  as  the  word  is, 
yet  both  the  good  of  government  and  the  duty  of 
subjection  to  it  is  God's  ordinance ;  and,  therefore, 
for  his  sake  submit  yourselves.  But  not  only  ought 
the  exercise  of  authority  and  submission  to  it  be  in 
things  just  and  lawful  in  themselves,  but  the  very 
purpose  of  the  heart,  both  in  command  and  obe- 
dience, should  be  in  the  Lord  and  for  his  sake. 
This  is  the  only  straight  and  only  safe  rule  both  for 
rulers  and  for  people  to  walk  by.     L. 

He  who  has  resolved  to  stand  on  the  side  of 
God  is  the  best  friend  of  his  country  that  any 
country  can  have ;  and  there  is  no  earthly  country 
good  enough  to  be  loved  safely,  except  the  love  of 
it  be  hallowed  by  faith  in  a  better  country,  even  a 

heavenly.     F.  D.  H. "We  should  be  accustomed 

to  look  upon  political  matters  as  Christians ;  we 
should  by  that  standard  try  our  common  views  and 
language  about  it,  and,  if  it  may  be,  correct  them, 
that  so,  when  called  upon  to  act,  we  may  act  accord- 
ing to  the  apostle's  teaching,  for  the  sake  of  our 
Lord  Jesus.  And  I  am  quite  sure  if  we  do  so  think 
and  act,  although  our  differences  of  opinion  might 
remain,  yet  the  change  in  ourselves — and  I  verily 
believe  in  the  blessings  which  God  would  give  us — 
would  be  more  than  we  can  well  believe ;  and  a 
general  election,  instead  of  calling  forth  a  host  of 
unchristian  passions  and  practices,  would  be  rather 
an  exercise  of  Christian  judgment  and  forbearance 
and  faith  and  charity,  promoting,  whatever  was  the 
mere  political  result,  the  glory  of  God,  advancing 
Christ's  kingdom,  and  the  good  of  this,  as  it  would 
be  then  truly  called.  Christian  nation.     T.  A. 

17.  Here  is  the  sum  of  our  duty  toward  God 
and  men :  to  men  in  general,  honor  all  men ;  in 
their  Christian  or  religious  relation,  love  the  brother- 
hood;  and  in  a  chief  civil  relation,  honor  the  king. 
And  our  whole  duty  to  God,  comprised  under  the 
name  of  his  fear,  is  set  in  the  middle  betwixt  these, 
as  the  common  spring  of  all  duty  to  men  and  of  all 
due  observance  of  it,  and  the  sovereign  rule  by 
which  it  is  to  be  regulated.  Honor  all  men. 
The  Jews  would  not  willingly  tread  upon  the  small- 
est piece  of  paper  in  their  way,  but  took  it  up ;  for 
possibly,  said  they,  the  name  of  God  may  be  on  it. 
Though  there  was  a  little  superstition  in  that,  yet 
truly  there  is  nothing  but  good  religion  in  it  if  we 
apply  it  to  men.     Trample  not  on  any  ;  there  may 


be  some  work  of  grace  there  that  thou  knowest  not 
of.  The  name  of  God  may  be  written  upon  that 
soul.  Wheresoever  thou  findest  the  least  trace  of 
Christ's  image,  if  thou  lovest  him,  thou  wilt  honor 

it.      L. The  divine   image,  expressed  in  man's 

intelligence  and  freedom ;  the  atoning  blood,  giving 
the  measure  of  man's  preciousncss  in  the  eyes  of 
God ;  the  glorified  manhood  of  Jesus,  revealing  to 
man  his  capacity  for  glory — these  are  the  privileges 
of  no  class  or  station ;  they  are  the  right  and  the 
possession  of  humanity.     H.  P.  L. 

Fear  God.  This  fear  hath  chiefly  these  things : 
a  reverent  esteem  of  the  majesty  of  God  that  molds 
the  heart  most  powerfully  to  the  obedience  of  his 
will ;  a  firm  belief  of  the  purity  of  God  and  of  his 
power  and  justice ;  that  he  loves  all  holiness  and 
hates  all  sin,  and  can  and  will  punish  it ;  a  right 
apprehension  of  the  bitterness  of  his  wrath  and 
the  sweetness  of  his  love.  From  all  these  things 
springs  a  desire  to  please  him  in  all  things,  and  an 
unwillingness  to  offend  him  in  the  least ;  and  be- 
cause of  our  danger  through  the  multitude  and 
strength  of  temptations  and  our  weakness,  a  con- 
tinual self-suspicion,  a  holy  fear  lest  we  should  sin, 
and  a  care  and  watchfulness  that  we  sin  not.     L. 

19.  The  virtue,  value,  and  glory  of  conscience 
have  been  manifested  in  its  habitual  predominance 
in  the  spirit  and  conduct  of  good  men.  A  good 
conscience  has  been  the  source  of  unspeakable  com- 
placency and  delight ;  it  has  been  mighty  in  trial  and 
temptation,  consolatory  under  injustice,  reproach, 
and  undeserved  ignominy ;  a  sublime  energy  under 
persecution  for  fidelity  to  God.     J.  F. 

31.  Gods  thoughts  are  not  ours;  those  whom 
he  calls  to  a  kingdom  he  calls  to  suffering  as  the 
way  to  it.  He  will  have  the  heirs  of  heaven  know 
they  are  not  at  home  on  earth,  and  that  this  is  not 
their  rest.  He  will  not  have  them  with  the  abused 
world  fancy  a  happiness  here,  and  seek  a  happy  life 
in  the  region  of  death,  as  Augustin  says.  That  we 
are  called  to  suffering,  the  apostle  puts  out  of  ques- 
tion by  the  supreme  example  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  for  the  sum  of  our  calling  is  to  follow  him. 
In  both  suffering,  and  suffering  innocently  and  pa- 
tiently, the  whole  history  of  the  gospel  testifies  how 

complete  a  pattern  he  is.     L. Christ  left  us  an 

example  of  all  meekness,  and  patience,  and  humili- 
ty ;  he  left  us  an  example  of  perfect  submission  to 
God's  will ;  he  left  us  an  infinite  comfort  by  letting 
us  feel  when  we  are  in  any  trouble,  or  pain,  or  af- 
fliction, that  he  was  troubled  too ;  that  he  knew 
pain  and  endured  affliction.  Above  all,  in  that  hour 
which  must  come  to  all  of  us,  he  has  left  us  the 
greatest  of  all  supports  ;  for  he  endured  to  die ;  and 
we  may  enter  with  less  fear  into  the  darkness  of 
the  grave,  for  even  there  Christ  has  been  for  our 
sakes,  and  arose  from  out  of  it  a  conqueror.     T.  A. 


656 


SECTION'  35S.—1  PETER  2  : 1-25. 


It  is  obviously  not  every  part  of  his  life  that 
was  intended  to  be  an  example  to  man,  but  only 
that  in  which  he  stood  in  the  relations  common  to 
men,  in  which  he  moved  and  walked  as  one  of  them. 
And  he  did  move  and  mingle  freely  with  men  of  all 
classes  and  of  all  conditions.  lie  was  placed  not 
only  in  such  a  condition  in  life,  but  in  so  many  situ- 
ations— he  came  into  collision  with  human  passion 
and  interest  in  so  many  ways — as  most  fully  to  test 
his  character  and  make  him  an  example  to  all. 
M.  H. As  man,  he  had  specific  traits  of  charac- 
ter, the  assemblage  of  which  in  harmony,  resting  on 
a  foundation  of  spotless  godliness,  constituted  his 
perfection.  These  traits  of  character  were  culti- 
vated under  the  guiding  hand  of  Providence  and  the 
control  of  godliness,  until  they  reached  their  highest 
beauty  and  excellence.  Hence  the  beauty  of  his  ex- 
ample, hence  his  nearness  to  our  hearts,  and  the 
soft  attractiveness  of  his  love.  T.  D.  W. In  imi- 
tating Christ  no  man  is  led  out  of  his  sphere.  The 
rich  and  the  poor,  the  contemplative  and  the  active, 
the  gifted  and  the  ungifted,  men  of  every  class  and 
of  all  dispositions,  find  in  him  the  teaching  they 
need  ;  and  all  are  led,  by  looking  to  him,  into  that 
path  which  is  most  suitable  for  them.  He  is  the 
contrast  of  all  that  men  should  shun  and  the  pei"- 
f ection  of  all  they  should  coJ)y.     J.  A. 

23.  "  AVho,  when  he  was  reviled,  reviled  not 
again."  Ah !  why  are  we  who  call  ourselves  his 
disciples  so  little  like  him  ?  and  when  shall  we  un- 
derstand that  we  ai'e  not  genuine  Christians  so  long 
as  the  crown  of  meekness  is  wanting  to  our  sullied 
brow  ?  We  always  wish  to  gain  it  through  the 
maintenance  of  our  real  or  imagined  rights  :  Jesus 
overcame  through  suffering  wrong,  but  never  doing 

wrong.     Van  0. Instead  of  revilings  and  threat- 

enings,  he  committed  all  to  him  that  judgcih  righteous- 
ly. And  this  is  the  true  method  of  Christian  pa- 
tience, that  which  quiets  the  mind  and  keeps  it  from 
the  boiling,  tumultuous  thoughts  of  revenge :  to 
turn  the  whole  matter  into  God's  hand,  to  resign  it 
over  to  him  to  prosecute  when  and  as  he  thinks 
good.  Not  to  reply  to  reproach  with  reproach,  as 
our  custom  is,  to  give  an  ill  word  for  another,  or 
two  for  one  to  be  sure  not  to  be  behind.  Men  take 
a  pride  in  this,  and  think  it  ridiculous  simplicity  to 
suffer ;  and  this  makes  strifes  and  contention  so 
much  to  abound.  But  it  is  true  greatness  of  spirit 
to  despise  the  most  of  those  things  which  set  you  usu- 
ally on  fire  one  against  another.  It  were  a  part  of 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  in  you,  and  is  there  any  spirit 
greater  than  that,  think  you  ?  Oh,  that  there  were 
less  of  the  spirit  of  the  dragon,  and  more  of  the 
spirit  of  the  dove,  among  us  ! 

24.  That  Jesus  Christ  is  in  doing  and  suffering 
our  supreme  and  matchless  example,  and  that  he 
came  to  be  so,  is  a  truth.     Eut  that  he  is  nothing 


further,  and  came  for  no  other  end,  is  a  high  point 
of  falsehood ;  for  how  should  man  be  enabled  to 
learn  and  follow  that  example  of  obedience  unless 
there  were  more  in  Christ  ?  and  what  would  become 
of  that  great  reckoning  of  disobedience  that  man 
stands  guilty  of  ?  No,  these  are  too  narrow ;  he 
came  to  hear  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree, 
and  for  this  purpose  had  a  body  fitted  for  him  and 
given  him  to  bear  this  burden ;  to  do  this  as  the 
will  of  his  Father ;  to  stand  for  us  instead  of  all 
offerings  and  sacrifices ;  and  by  that  luill,  says  the 
apostle,  we  are  sanctified  through  the  offering  of  the 

body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for  all.    L. If  Christ 

in  any  real  sense  died  instead  of  sinners,  he  was  in 
his  death  their  representative  ;  this  character  which 
he  thus  assumed  can  not  be  disassociated  from  his 
death,  and  therefore  his  death  is  vicariously  penal. 
He  bears  on  his  cross  "  our  sins  and  the  penalty  of 
our  sins."  Bright. In  virtue  of  the  union  con- 
stituted by  the  wisdom  and  grace  of  God  between 
the  Saviour  and  mankind,  he  voluntarily  jom<  himself 
in  their  place,  and  suffered  as  if  he  had  been  a 
transgressor,  in  order  that  they  might  be  delivered 
from  the  guilt  or  legal  condemnation  of  their  sins, 
and  by  consequence  from  the  pollution  and  practical 
power  of  sin.  The  Saviour  of  mankind  voluntarily 
yielded  himself  a  sacrifice  of  expiation,  bearing  the 
guilt  and  punishment  of  sin  not  his  own.  The  fire 
of  heaven  consumed  the  sacrifice.  The  tremendous 
manifestations  of  God's  displeasure  against  sin  he 
endui'ed,  though  in  him  was  no  sin;  and  he  en- 
dured them  in  a  manner  of  which  even  those  un- 
happy spirits,  who  shall  drink  the  fierceness  of  the 
wrath  of  Almighty  God,  will  never  be  able  to  form 
an  adequate  idea.  They  know  not  the  holy  and  ex- 
quisite sensibility  which  belonged  to  this  immacu- 
late sacrifice.     Pye  Smith. 1  rest  on  the  fact  that 

on  him  all  our  iniquities  were  laid  ;  that  he,  by  the 
satisfaction  of  his  meritorious  death,  standing  in 
the  root  of  our  nature  as  Adam  did,  suffered,  ex- 
hausted once  for  all,  the  punishment  of  the  world's 
sin.     A. 

The  sublime  idea  of  the  incarnation  and  death 
of  the  Son  could  only  have  originated  in  the  mind  of 
him  who  is  wonderful  in  counsel  and  unsearchable 
in  his  judgments.  In  Jesus,  the  Mediator  of  the 
new  covenant,  we  behold  a  kinsman,  who,  through 
the  eternal  Spirit,  is  able  to  endure  the  wrath  of 
God — a  man  who  can  satisfy  justice  and  yet  recover 
from  the  stroke — a  being  who  could  die  and  in  dying 
conquer  death.  Great  indeed  is  the  mystery  of  god- 
liness, but  it  is  no  less  glorious  than  great.  Through 
the  infinite  wisdom  of  God  a  suitable  substitute  is 
found  who  takes  the  place  of  the  guilty ;  the  law 
is  executed  in  its  utmost  rigors,  and  God  is  just, 
perfectly  and  gloriously  just,  in  justifying  those  who 
believe.     J.  H.  T. 


SECTION  359.— 1  PETER  3  : 1-SS.  657 


Section  359. 

1  Peter  iii.  1-22. 

1  Likewise,  ye  wives,  le  in  subjection  to  your  own  husbands ;  that,  if  any  obey  not  the 

2  word,  they  also  may  without  the  word  be  won  by  the  conversation  of  the  wives;  while 

3  they  behold  your  chaste  conversation  coupled  with  fear.  "Whose  adorning,  let  it  not  be  that 
outward  adorning  of  plaiting  the  hair,  and  of  wearing  of  gold,  or  of  putting  on  of  ap- 

4  parel;  but  let  it  be  the  liidden  man  of  the  heart,  in  that  which  is  not  corruptible,  even  the 

5  ornament  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which  is  in  the  sight  of  God  of  great  price.  For  after 
this  manner  in  the  old  time  the  holy  women  also,  who  trusted  in  God,  adorned  themselves, 

6  being  in  subjection  unto  their  own  husbands:  even  as  Sarah  obeyed  Abraham,  calling  him 
lord :  whose  daughters  ye  are,  as  long  as  ye  do  well,  and  are  not  afraid  with  any  amaze- 

7  ment.  Likewise,  ye  husbands,  dwell  with  the7n  according  to  knowledge,  giving  honour 
unto  the  wife,  as  unto  the  weaker  vessel,  and  as  being  heirs  together  of  the  grace  of  life ; 
that  your  prayers  be  not  hindered. 

8  Finally,  be  ye  all  of  one  mind,  having  compassion  one  of  another ;  love  as  brethren,  be 

9  pitiful,  be  courteous:  not  rendering  evil  for  evil,  or  railing  for  railing:  but  contrariwise 

10  blessing;  knowing  that  ye  are  thereunto  called,  that  ye  should  inherit  a  blessing.  For  he 
that  will  love  life,  and  see  good  days,  let  him  refrain  his  tongue  from  evil,  and  his  lips  that 

11  they  speak  no  guile:  let  him  eschew  evil,  and  do  good;  let  him  seek  peace,  and  ensue  it. 

12  For  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  over  the  righteous,  and  his  ears  are  open  unto  their  prayers : 

13  but  the  face  of  the  Lord  is  against  them  that  do  evil.     And  who  is  he  that  will  harm  you, 

14  if  ye  be  followers  of  that  which  is  good?    But  and  if  ye  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake, 

15  happy  are  ye:  and  be  not  afraid  of  their  terror,  neither  be  troubled;  but  sanctify  the  Lord 
God  in  your  hearts :  and  be  ready  always  to  give  an  answer  to  every  man  that  asketh  you  a 

16  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you,  with  meekness  and  fear :  having  a  good  conscience ;  that, 
whereas  they  speak  evil  of  you,  as  of  evildoers,  they  may  he  ashamed  that  falsely  accuse 

17  your  good  conversation  in  Christ.     For  it  is  better,  if  the  will  of  God  be  so,  that  ye  suffer 

18  for  well  doing,  than  for  evil  doing.  For  Christ  also  hath  once  suffered  for  sins,  the  just  for 
the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us  to  God,  being  put  to  death  in  the  flesh,  but  quickened  by 

19  the  Spirit :  by  which  also  he  went  and  preached  unto  the  spirits  in  prison  ;  which  sometime 

20  were  disobedient,  when  once  the  longsuffering  of  God  waited  in  the  days  of  Noah,  while 

21  the  ark  was  a  preparing,  wherein  few,  that  is,  eight  souls  were  saved  by  water.  The  like 
figure  whereunto  even  baptism  doth  also  now  save  us,  (not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of 
the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  toward  God,)  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 

22  Christ :  who  is  gone  into  heaven,  and  is  on  the  right  hand  of  God ;  angels  and  authorities 
and  powers  being  made  subject  unto  him. 


We  may  disparage  the  power  that  is  operating  within  us.  It  is  the  common  mistake  of  retired  and 
suffering  Christians.  Because  they  are  not  called  to  public  manifestations,  they  think  there  is  no  advance- 
ment. But  faith  may  be  diffusing  its  mighty  influence  on  every  side.  Holy  devotion  may  be  sending  up 
clouds  of  incense,  acceptable  to  God.  Intercessory  prayer  may  be  stretching  its  arms  of  love,  to  take  in 
all  the  brotherhood  of  Christ  and  all  the  family  of  man.  Appetite  and  passion  may  be  dying,  by 
repeated  blows.  Patience  may  be  approaching  to  its  perfect  work.  Submission  to  God's  chastising  hand 
may  be  gaining  strength  in  the  furnace.  The  world  may  be  waning,  and  the  attraction  of  heaven  waxing 
more  luminous.  Joy  in  the  Lord  may  be  like  the  fragrance  of  a  field  which  God  hath  blessed.  And 
gentle  humility,  the  ornament  and  preservative  of  all  graces,  may  be  growing  more  constant.     Is  all  this 

nothing  ?     Is  it  not  the  very  process  to  which  our  Master  calls  us  ?     J.  W.  A. The  slowness  of  those 

steps  by  which  you  are  following  after  your  blessed  Master — slow  in  spite  of  your  best  efforts — has  dis- 
heartened you.  But  think.  You  have  not  to  overtake  your  Lord,  in  order  to  be  sure  of  his  comfort  and 
his  blessing.  He  is  not  hurrying  away  from  you.  He  has  come  to  you.  All  the  way  from  heaven — down 
to  our  poor,  miserable  mortahty  he  has  come,  that  he  might  seek  after  us,  and  find  us,  and  stand  with  us 
just  where  we  are,  and  love  us  here — if  only  our  willing  hearts  will  let  him.  Would  he  have  been  Hkely 
to  do  and  to  give  all  that  if  he  did  not  love  you ;  if  he  did  not  mean  to  have  you  for  his  own  ?  F.  D.  H. 
42    ■ 


658 


SECTION  359.— 1  PETER  3  : 1-22. 


1.  That  which  is  here  said  of  tlieir  conversation 
holds  of  the  husband  in  the  like  case,  and  of  friends 
and  kindred  and  of  all  Christians,  in  reference  to 
them  with  whom  they  converse ;  that  their  spotless 
holy  carriage  as  Christians,  and  as  Christian  hus- 
bands, wives,  or  friends,  is  a  hopeful  means  of  con- 
verting others  who  believe  not.  Men  who  are  pre- 
judiced observe  actions  a  great  deal  more  than 
words.  In  those  first  times  especially,  the  blame- 
less carriage  of  Christians  did  much  to  the  increas- 
ing of  their  number. 

3)  4.  Though  clothing  was  first  drawn  on  by 
necessity,  yet  all  regard  of  comeliness  and  ornament 
in  apparel  is  not  unlawful ;  nor  doth  the  apostle's 
expression  here,  rightly  considered,  fasten  that 
upon  the  adorning  he  here  speaks  of.  He  doth  no 
more  universally  condemn  the  use  of  gold  for  orna- 
ment than  he  doth  any  other  comely  raiment,  which 
here  he  means  by  that  general  word  of  putting  on  of 
apparel,  for  his  not  is  comparative ;  not  this  adorn- 
ing hut  the  ornament  of  a  meek  spirit,  that  rather 
and  as  more  comely  and  precious.  The  apostle 
doth,  indeed,  check  and  forbid  vanity  and  excess  in 
apparel,  and  excessive  delight  in  lawful  decorum, 
but  his  prime  end  is  to  recommend  this  other  orna- 
ment of  the  soul,  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart.  The 
particular  grace  he  recommends,  this  meekness  and 
quietness  of  spirit,  is,  withal,  the  comeliness  of  every 
Christian  in  every  estate ;  it  is  not  a  woman's  gar- 
ment or  ornament,  improper  for  men. 

7.  That  the  Christian  husband  and  wife  are  equal- 
ly coheirs  of  the  same  grace  of  life  is  that  which  most 
strongly  binds  all  these  duties  on  the  hearts  of  hus- 
bands and  wives ;  and  most  strongly  indeed  binds 
their  hearts  together  and  makes  them  one.  If  each 
be  reconciled  unto  God  in  Christ,  and  so  heirs  of 
life  and  one  with  God,  then  are  they  truly  one  in 
God ;  and  that  is  the  surest  and  sweetest  union  that 
can  be.  Natural  love  hath  risen  very  high  in  some 
husbands  and  wives ;  but  the  highest  of  it  falls 
very  far  short  of  that  which  holds  in  God.  Hearts 
concentering  in  him  arc  most  excellently  one.  That 
love  which  is  cemented  by  youth  and  beauty,  when 
these  moulder  and  decay  it  fades  too.  That  is 
somewhat  purer  and  so  more  lasting,  that  holds  in 
a  natural  or  moral  harmony  of  minds,  yet  these 
likewise  may  alter  and  change.  But  the  most  re- 
fined, most  spiritual,  and  most  indissoluble  is  that 
which  is  knit  with  the  highest  and  purest  Spirit. 
And  the  ignorance  or  disregard  of  this  is  the  great 
cause  of  so  much  bitterness,  or  so  little  true  sweet- 
ness, in  the  life  of  most  married  persons,  because 
God  is  left  out,  because  they  meet  not  as  one  in  him. 

That  your  prayers  be  not  hindered.  He 
takes  it  for  granted  that  the  heirs  of  life  can  not 
live  without  prayer.  This  is  the  proper  breathing 
and  language  of  these  heirs.     Can  the  husband  and 


wife  have  that  love,  wisdom,  and  meekness  that  may 
make  their  life  happy,  and  that  blessing  that  may 
make  their  affairs  successful,  while  they  neglect 
God,  the  only  giver  of  these  and  all  good  things? 
It  is  prayer  that  sanctifies,  seasons,  and  blesses  all. 

8.  This  one  verse  hath  a  cluster  of  five  Christian 
graces  or  virtues.  That  which  is  in  the  middle  as 
the  stalk  or  root  of  the  rest,  love,  and  the  other 
growing  out  of  it,  two  on  each  side ;  unardmity  and 
sympathy  on  one  side,  and  pity  and  courtesy  on  the 
other. 

Be  pitiful.  Christian  pity  is  more  than  man- 
ly, it  is  divine.  There  is  of  natural  pity  most  in 
the  best  and  most  ingenuous  natures,  but  where  it 
is  spiritual  it  is  a  prime  lineament  of  the  image  of 
God  ;  and  the  more  absolute  and  unselfish  it  is  in 
regard  of  those  toward  whom  it  acts,  the  more  it  is 
like  unto  God  ;  looking  upon  misery  as  a  sufficient 
incentive  of  pity  and  mercy,  without  the  ingredient 
of  any  other  consideration.  Be  courteous.  It 
is  not  that  graver  and  wiser  way  of  external  plausi- 
ble deportment  that  answers  fully  this  word,  it  is 
the  outer  half  indeed ;  but  the  thing  is  a  radical 
sweetness  in  the  temper  of  the  mind  that  spreads 
itself  into  a  man's  words  and  actions.  And  this  is 
not  merely  natural,  a  gentle,  kind  disposition,  which 
indeed  some  have  ;  but  this  is  spiritual,  from  a  new 
nature  descended  from  heaven,  and  so  in  its  original 
and  nature  it  far  excels  the  other,  supplies  it  where 
it  is  not  in  nature,  and  doth  not  only  increase  it 
where  it  is,  but  elevates  it  above  itself,  renews  it, 
and  sets  a  more  excellent  stamp  upon  it.  Religion 
is  In  this  mistaken  sometimes,  in  that  men  think  it 
imprints  an  unkindly  roughness  and  austerity  upon 

the  mind  and  carriage.     L. The  most  earthly  of 

earthly  actions,  those  which  are  most  bound  up  with 
this  transitory  state  of  things,  and  which  have  no 
intrinsic  dignity  or  sacredness  whatever,  may  be 
spiritualized  by  importing  into  them  a  spiritual  in- 
tention. The  little  courtesies,  for  example,  which 
society  requires  may  be  yielded  simply  because  they 
are  social  requirements,  in  which  case  they  will  be 
often  done  ''  grudgingly,  and  of  necessity  "  ;  or  they 
may  be  regarded  as  so  many  opportunities  of  com- 
pliance with  the  inspired  precept,  "  Be  courteous," 
in  which  case  they  will  be  done  cheerf  ull)',  "  as  to 
the  Lord,  and  not  unto  men."     A.  M. 

9.  "  Not  rendering  to  others  evil  for  evil,  or 
reproach  for  reproach,  but  contrariwise  blessing 
them."     A. 

10.  11.  Life,  lor>g  life,  and  days  of  good,  is  the 
thing  men  most  desire.  But  he  that  will  wisely  love 
it,  that  will  take  the  way  to  it,  must  refrain  his 
tongue  from  evil ;  he  must  eschew  evil  and  do  good  ; 
seek  peace  and  ensue  if.  To  be  deprived  of  peace 
calls  for  our  prayers  and  tears  to  pursue  it,  and  en- 
treat its  return ;  to  seek  it  from  his  hand  that  is 


SECTION  359.— 1  PETER  3  : 1-22. 


659 


the  sovereign  Dispenser  of  peace  and  war ;  to  seek 
to  be  at  peace  with  him,  and  thereby  ffood,  all  good 
shall  come  unto  us.  We  may  pursue  it  among  men 
and  not  overtake  it ;  we  may  use  all  good  means 
and  fall  short.  But  pursue  it  up  as  far  as  the 
throne  of  grace ;  seek  it  by  prayer,  and  that  will 
overtake  it,  will  be  sure  to  find  it  in  God's  hand. 

12.  Against  them  that  do  evil.  Prosper 
they  may  in  their  aifairs  and  estates,  may  have 
riches  and  friends,  and  the  world  smiling  on  them 
on  all  hands  ;  but  there  is  that  one  thing  that  damps 
all,  the  face  of  the  Lord  is  against  them.  This  they 
feel  not  indeed  for  the  time  ;  it  is  an  invisible  ill, 
out  of  sight  and  out  of  mind  with  them.  But  there 
is  a  time  of  the  appearing  of  this  face  of  the  Lord 
against  them,  the  revelation  of  his  righteous  judg- 
ment.    L. 

15.  Light  in  the  understanding  is  scarcely  less 
an  object  with  Christianity  than  purity  in  the  affec- 
tions. Its  whole  scope  and  tendency  is  to  magnify 
the  importance  of  truth.  The  enemies  of  Chris- 
tianity can  not  point  out  anything,  either  in  its  let- 
ter or  spirit,  which  would  restrict  knowledge  or 
cramp  the  intellect.  We  are,  indeed,  required  to 
have  faith ;  but  we  are  also  required  to  "  add  to 
faith  knowledge."  We  are  to  adopt  no  conviction 
on  the  ground  of  any  blind  impulse  ;  we  are  always 
to  be  able  to  give  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  us. 
We  glory  in  Christianity  as  a  religion  of  light  not 

less  than  a  religion  of  love.     M.  H. We  are  to 

answer  every  one  that  inquires  a  reason,  or  an  ac- 
count ;  which  supposes  something  receptive  of  it. 
We  ought  to  judge  ourselves  engaged  to  give  it,  be 
it  an  enemy  if  he  will  hear  ;  if  it  gain  him  not,  it 
may  in  part  convince  and  cool  him ;  much  more, 
should  it  be  one  who  ingenuously  inquires  for  satis- 
faction, and  possibly  inclines  to  receive  the  truth, 
but   has  been  prejudiced  by  false  repi'csentations 

of  it.    S.  T.  C. With  meekness.    Truth  needs 

not  the  service  of  passion  ;  yea,  nothing  so  disserves 
it  as  passion  when  set  to  serve  it.  The  spirit  of 
truth  is  withal  the  spirit  of  meekness.  The  dove 
that  rested  on  that  great  champion  of  truth,  who  is 
the  truth  itself,  is  from  Him  derived  to  the  lovers 
of  truth,  and  they  ought  to  seek  the  participation 
of  it.  The  soul  that  hath  the  deepest  sense  of 
spiritual  things,  and  the  truest  knowledge  of  God, 
is  most  afraid  to  miscarry  in  speaking  of  him,  most 
tender  and  wary  how  to  acquit  itself  when  engaged 
to  speak  of  and  for  God. 

16.  The  goodness  of  conscience  here  recom- 
mended is  the  integrity  and  holiness  of  the  whole  in- 
loard  man.  The  ingredients  of  it  are  (1)  a  due 
light  or  knowledge  of  our  rule — so  much  knowledge 
of  the  will  of  God  as  may  regulate  you  and  shew 
you  your  way,  may  teach  you  how  to  do  and  speak 
and    think,  as   in   his   presence ;    (2)   a    constant 


using  of  this  light,  applying  it  to  all ;  still  seeking 
a  nearer  conformity  with  the  known  will  of  our 
God ;  daily  redressing  and  ordering  the  affections 
by  it ;  not  sparing  to  knock  off  whatsoever  we  find 
irregular  within,  that  our  hearts  may  be  polished 
and  brought  to  a  right  frame  by  that  rule.  And 
this  is  the  daily  inward  work  of  the  Christian,  his 
great   business,  to  purify  himself,  as  the  Lord  is 

pure.    L. In  order  to  have  a  good  conscience,  it  is 

not  necessary  that  a  man  should  be  without  sin,  but 
that  in  spiritual  things  he  seeks  and  desires  but  one 
object ;  that  not  indeed  without  stumbling,  but  yet 
without  willful  deviation,  he  walks  in  the  path  of 
obedience,  and  longs  to  be  tried  by  the  searcher  of 
hearts,  because,  in  fellowship  with  God,  he  desires 
above  all  things  truth  in  the  inward  part.  He  who 
in  humility  can  profess  this  with  regard  to  himself 
has,  in  spite  of  all  momentary  neglects  and  failures 
(which  a  faithful  conscience  incessantly  points  out 
to  him),  grounds  for  a  good  conscience  toward  God. 
Van  0. 

17.  The  mind  feels  itself  invincibly  firm  and 
content  when  it  hath  attained  self-resignation  to  the 
loill  of  God  ;  to  agree  to  that  in  everything.  This 
is  the  very  thing  wherein  tranquillity  of  spirit  lies. 
And  what  is  gained  by  our  reluctancies  and  repin- 
ings  but  pain  to  ourselves  ?  God  doth  lohat  he  will 
whether  we  consent  or  not ;  our  disagreeing  doth 
not  prevent  his  purposes,  but  our  own  peace.  If  we 
will  not  be  led,  we  are  drawn.  We  must  suffer  if 
he  will ;  but  if  we  will  what  he  wills  even  in  suffer- 
ing, that  makes  it  sweet  and  easy;  when  our  mind 
goes  along  with  his,  and  we  willingly  move  with  his 
providence. 

18.  The  whole  life  of  a  Christian  is  a  steady 
aiming  at  conformity  with  Christ ;  so  that  whether 
doing  or  suffering,  there  can  be  no  argument  so  ap- 
posite and  persuasive  as  his  example.  The  apostle 
doth  not  decline  the  frequent  use  of  it.  Here  we 
have  it  thus,  for  Christ  also  suffered.  There  can  be 
no  higher  example.  Not  only  are  the  sons  of  adop- 
tion sufferers,  but  the  only  begotten  Son,  the  eternal 
heir  of  glory,  in  whom  all  the  rest  have  their  title, 
sonship,  and  heirship,  derived  from  and  dependent 
on  his :  not  only  all  the  saints,  but  the  king  of 
saints.     Who  shall  now  repine  at  suffering  ? 

Bring  us  to  God.  Though  the  heart  once 
gone  from  God  turns  continually  farther  away  from 
him,  yet  even  wandering  it  retains  that  natural  re- 
lation to  God  as  its  center,  that  it  hath  no  true  rest 
elsewhere.  It  is  made  for  him,  and  is  therefore 
restless  till  it  meet  with  him.  And  there  is  no  other 
but  the  power  of  Christ  alone  that  is  able  to  effect 
this,  to  persuade  a  sinner  to  return,  to  bring  home  a 
heart  unto  God.     L. 

19.  20.  "The  meaning  of  the  text  appears  to 
be,  that  the  Spirit  of  Christ  influenced  Noah,  who 


660 


SECTION  359.— 1  PETER  3  : 1-i 


was  a  '  preacher  of  righteousness,'  to  warn  the  un- 
happy men,  whose  spirits  were  then,  and  still  are, 
in  prison,  of  the  danger  which  was  so  near  them 
while  the  ark  was  preparing."     Quoted  by  J.  W.  A. 

This  preaching  was  done,  as  to  time,  while  the 

ark  was  preparing ;  as  to  place,  on  this  earth,  not 
in  Hades  ;  on  the  point  by  whom,  by  Christ  really, 
but  through  Noah  instrumentally,  whom  Peter  speaks 
of  (2 :  5)  as  a  "preacher  of  righteousness"  ;  on  the 
point  to  ivhom  specifically,  to  those  hardened,  defiant 
sinners,  with  whom  God  in  long-suffering  waited  so 
long,  and  of  whom  he  at  length  said,  "  My  Spirit 
shall  not  always  strive."  Peter  tells  the  Christians 
to  whom  he  is  writing  that  it  is  better  to  suffer  for 
doing  well  than  for  doing  ill,  and  would  enforce  this 
by  the  example  of  Christ.  He  suffered  for  us  even 
unto  death,  but  rose  to  a  more  glorious  life,  and  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  was  exalted  to  a  deathless,  om- 
nipotent power.  Expanding  and  illustrating  the 
latter  point,  he  thinks  of  the  divine  Spirit  as  the 
embodiment  of  divine  power,  and  as  having  been 
manifested  first  in  his  striving  with  the  generation 
of  Noah's  time,  but  reaching  his  climax  of  force 
after  the  resurrection  of  Jesus.  The  going  (of 
Christ,  by  the  Spirit)  to  preach  to  the  wicked  men 
of  Noah's  time  (verse  19)  is  set  over  against  the  go- 
ing into  heaven  (verse  22),  which  shortly  followed 
his  resurrection.  The  former  going  and  preaching 
proved  unavailing ;  but  the  latter  going,  following 
close  upon  his  death  of  agony,  opened  a  new  era  of 
unsurpassed  power  and  majesty.  Therefore,  let  his 
saints  have  no  fear  of  suffering,  be  it  only  for 
righteousness'  sake ;  there  is  unspeakable  glory  to 
follow.     H.  C. 

20,  31.  The  manner  of  salvation,  as  well  as 
the  necessity  for  it,  is  taught  from  the  history  of 
Noah.  He  was  delivered  "  by  water,"  passed 
through  the  death  in  which  others  were  swallowed 
up,  concealed  or  buried  out  of  sight  for  a  time,  and 
then  emerged  as  by  resurrection  to  render  to  God 
his  sacrifice  of  praise.  So  are  we  saved  by  baptism 
into  the  death  of  Christ,  by  burial  with  him  through 
"baptism  into  death,"  and  by  resurrection  with 
him  who  is  risen  and  gone  into  heaven.  Then  and 
therefore  have  we  good  cause  to  offer  our  sacrifice 
of  praise  to  God  continually.     D.  F. 

The  passage  may,  with  strict  justice  to  the  origi- 
nal, be  thus  paraphrased :  "  Noah  and  his  family 
were  carried  in  the  ark  through  the  whelming  wa- 
ters of  the  flood,  and  thus  saved  from  present  tem- 
poral death.  The  antitype  to  this — I  mean  baptism, 
not,  however,  the  mere  putting  away  of  the  filth  of 
the  flesh,  but  what  this  material  washing  signifies, 
in  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  toward  God,  giv- 
en as  the  result  of  the  inward  baptism  of  the  Spirit 
— now  saves  us  also,  or  assures  us,  as  God's  pledge. 


the  seal  of  his  promise  and  his  oath,  that  our  bod- 
ies shall  hereafter  be  raised  from  the  grave  through 
the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ,  or  by  the  same 
power  which  raised  him  from  the  dead."     J.  S.  S. 

31.  Baptism  doth  save  us.  Not  by  a 
natural  force  of  the  element,  though  adapted  and 
sacramentally  used.  But  it  is  in  the  hand  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  as  the  word  itself  is,  to  purify  the 
conscience  and  convey  grace  and  salvation  to  the 
soul  by  the  reference  it  hath  to  and  union  with  that 
which  it  represents.  It  saves  by  the  answer  of  a 
good  conscience  unto  God,  and  it  affords  that  by  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus  from  the  dead.  Thus  we  have 
a  true  account  of  the  power  of  sacraments  and 
a  discovery  of  the  error  of  two  extremes:  1.  Of 
those  that  ascribe  too  much  to  them,  as  if  they 
wrought  by  a  natural  inherent  virtue  and  carried 
grace  in  them  inseparably ;  2.  Of  those  that  ascribe 
too  little  to  them,  making  them  only  signs  and 
badges  of  our  profession.  Signs  they  are,  but  more 
than  signs  merely  representing  :  they  are  means  ex- 
hibiting and  seals  confirming  grace  to  the  faithful. 
But  the  working  of  faith  and  the  conveying  of 
Christ  into  the  soul  to  be  received  by  faith  is  not  a 
thing  put  into  them  to  do  of  themselves,  but  still  in 
the  Supreme  Hand  that  appointed  them.  And  he 
indeed  both  causes  the  souls  of  his  own  to  receive 
these  his  seals  with  faith,  and  makes  them  effectual  to 
confirm  that  faith  which  receives  them  so.  They  are, 
then,  neither  empty  signs  to  them  that  believe,  nor  ef- 
fectual causes  of  grace  to  them  that  believe  not. 

The  taking  away  of  spiritual  filthiness  as  the 
true  and  ^saving  effect  of  baptism,  the  apostle  here 
expresses  by  that  which  is  the  further  result  and 
effect  of  it,  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  unto  God. 
The  purified  and  good  condition  of  the  whole  soul 
may  well,  as  here  it  doth,  go  under  the  name  of  the 
good  conscience,  it  being  so  prime  a  faculty  of  it, 
and  as  the  glass  of  the  whole  soul  wherein  the  estate 
of  it  is  represented.  This  answer  of  a  good  conscience 
u7ito  God  is  touching  two  great  points,  that  are  of 
chief  concern  to  the  soul,  its  justification  and  sanc- 
tification ;  for  baptism  is  the  seal  of  both,  and 
purges  the  conscience  in  both  respects.  That  water 
is  the  figure  both  of  the  blood  and  water,  the  jus- 
tifying blood  of  Christ  and  the  pure  water  of  the 
sanctifying  Spirit  of  Christ ;  he  takes  away  the  con- 
demning guiltiness  of  sin  by  the  one,  and  the  pol- 
luting filthiness  by  the  other. 

22.  This  is  added  on  purpose  to  show  us  further 
what  he  is,  how  high  and  glorious  a  Saviour  we 
have.  The  particulars  are  clear  in  themselves.  The 
sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  God  is  a  borrowed  ex- 
pression, drawn  from  earth  to  heaven,  to  bring 
down  some  notion  of  heaven  to  us  ;  to  signify  to  us 
the  supreme  dignity  of  Jesus  Christ,  God  and  man, 
the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  his  matchless 
nearness  unto  his  Father,  and  the  sovereignty  given 
him  over  heaven  and  earth.  And  the  subjection  of 
angels  is  but  a  more  particular  specifying  of  that 
his  dignity  and  power,  as  enthroned  at  the  Father's 
right  hand,  they  being  the  most  elevated  and  glo- 
rious creatures  ;  so  that  his  authority  over  all  the 
world  is  implied  in  that  subjection  of  the  highest 
and  noblest  part  of  it.     L. 


SECTION  360.— 1  PETER  4  : 1-19.  661 

Section  360. 

'  1  Peter  iv.  1-19. 

1  Forasmuch  then  as  Christ  hath  suffered  for  us  in  the  flesh,  arm  yourselves  likewise  with 

2  the  same  mind :  for  he  that  hath  suffered  in  the  flesh  hath  ceased  from  sin ;  that  he  no  lon- 
ger should  live  the  rest  of  his  time  in  the  flesh  to  the  lusts  of  men,  but  to  the  will  of  God. 

3  For  the  time  past  of  our  life  may  suffice  us  to  have  wrought  the  will  of  the  Gentiles,  when 
we  walked  in  lasciviousness,  lusts,  excess  of  wine,  revellings,  banquetings,  and  abominable 

4  idolatries :  wherein  they  think  it  strange  that  ye  run  not  with  them  to  the  same  excess  of 

5  riot,  speaking  evil  of  you:  who  shall  give  account  to  him  that  is  ready  to  judge  the  quick 

6  and  the  dead.     For  for  this  cause  was  the  gospel  preached  also  to  them  that  are  dead,  that 
they  might  be  judged  according  to  men  in  the  flesh,  but  live  according  to  God  in  the  spirit. 

7  But  the  end  of  all  things  is  at  hand  :  be  ye  therefore  sober,  and  watch  unto  prayer.     And 

8  above  all  things  have  fervent  charity  among  yourselves :  for  charity  shall  cover  the  multi- 

9  tude  of  sins.     Use  hospitality  one  to  another  without  grudging.     As  every  man  hath  re- 

10  ceived  the  gift,  even  so  minister  the  same  one  to  another,  as  good  stewards  of  the  manifold 

11  grace  of  God.  If  any  man  speak,  let  him  speah  as  the  oracles  of  God ;  if  any  man  minis- 
ter, let  him  do  it  as  of  the  ability  which  God  giveth :  that  God  in  all  things  may  be  glorified 
through  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  be  praise  and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 

12  Beloved,  think  it  not  strange  concerning  the  fiery  trial  which  is  to  try  you,  as  though 

13  some  strange  thing  happened  unto  you :  but  rejoice,  inasmuch  as  ye  are  partakers  of  Christ's 
sufferings;  that,  when  his  glory  shall  be  revealed,  ye  may  be  glad  also  with  exceeding  joy. 

14  If  ye  be  reproached  for  the  name  of  Christ,  happy  are  ye  ;  for  the  spirit  of  glory  and  of 
God  resteth  upon  you :  on  their  part  he  is  evil  spoken  of,  but  on  your  part  he  is  glorified. 

15  But  let  none  of  you  suffer  as  a  murderer,  or  as  a  thief,  or  as  an  evildoer,  or  as  a  busybody 

16  in  other  men's  matters.     Yet  if  any  man  suffer  as  a  Christian,  let  him  not  be  ashamed  ;  hut 

17  let  him  glorify  God  on  this  behalf.  For  the  time  is  come  that  Judgment  must  begin  at  the 
house  of  God :  and  if  it  first  begin  at  us,  what  shall  the  end  be  of  them  that  obey  not  the 

18  gospel  of  God?    And  if  the  righteous  scarcely  be  saved,  where  shall  the  ungodly  and  the 

19  sinner  appear?  Wherefore  let  them  that  suffer  according  to  the  will  of  God  commit  the 
keeping  of  their  souls  to  him  in  well  doing,  as  unto  a  faithful  Creator. 


The  world  sleeps  her  old  sleep,  and  dreams  her  old  dreams,  and  wanders  like  a  sleep-walker  on  the 
brink  of  the  abyss.  The  wicked  servant  begins  to  give  way  to  self-indulgence,  and  to  deal  hardly  with 
his  fellow-servants,  in  proportion  as  the  Master  of  the  house  delayeth  his  coming.  The  faithful  servant, 
on  the  contrary,  although  in  the  stifling  atmosphere  around  him  the  light  will  not  always  burn  with  equal 
clearness  and  cheerfulness,  keeps  with  all  his  might  sleep  from  his  eyes,  and  ever  holds  in  memory  this 
apostolic  saying :  "  The  end  of  all  things  is  at  hand ;  be  ye  therefore  sober,  and  watch  unto  prayer." 
And  thus  he  watches  finally,  when  all  has  been  put  in  readiness,  when  it  shall  please  the  Lord  to  return 
to  his  own.  When  others  have  already  long  ceased  from  such  ministration,  he  continues  steadfast  in 
working,  watching,  hoping,  and  remains  to  the  last  moment  what  he  has  been  since  the  first  of  his  life  of 
faith — a  servant.      Van  0. 

If  there  be  a  mode  of  life,  a  system  of  duties,  a  series  of  acts,  which  bears  the  same  relation  to  our 
spiritual  prosperity  that  the  toil  of  the  student,  the  care  of  the  merchant,  and  the  labor  of  the  artisan 
bear  to  their  success,  then  there  follows  a  conclusion  of  fearful  import.  It  follows  that  our  spiritual 
progress  depends,  not  only  upon  the  reception  of  a  divine  influence,  silent,  unseen,  incomprehensible,  but 
also  upon  the  performance  of  plain,  matter-of-fact  duty,  in  reference  to  which  the  reason  and  the  con- 
science consider  and  the  will  acts  ;  and  that  the  waters  of  life  in  our  souls  do  not  passively  rise  and  fall, 
like  the  ocean  tides,  swayed  wholly  by  a  power  far  away,  but  flow  in  a  full  channel  when  we  maintain,  in 
the  appointed  way,  our  connection  with  the  fountain,  and  fail  when  our  neglect  and  remissness  shut  off 
the  stream.  Yes,  with  all  the  weight  of  accountability  which  the  confession  devolves  upon  us,  we  are 
compelled  to  admit  that  there  are  means  of  grace,  mtelligible,  visible  duties,  without  constant  attention 
to  which  it  is  presumption  to  expect  spiritual  prosperity.  We  are  driven  to  the  conclusion  that  self-denial, 
watchfulness,  worship,  the  spirit  and  the  habit  of  obedience  to  the  divine  will,  are  essential  to  spiritual 
safety  and  growth.     An. 


662 


SECTION  360.— 1  PETER  4  : 1-19. 


!•  Patience  in  suffering  and  avoidance  of  sin 
have  a  natural  influence  each  upon  the  other.  Al- 
though affliction  simply  doth  not,  yet  affliction  sweet- 
ly and  humbly  carried  doth,  purify  and  disengage  the 
heart  from  sin,  wean  it  from  the  world  and  the  com- 
mon ways  of  it.  And  again,  holy  and  exact  walk- 
ing keeps  the  soul  in  a  sound,  healthful  temper,  and 
so  enables  it  to  patient  suffering,  to  bear  things 
more  easily.  Therefore  the  apostle  hath  reason  to 
insist  so  much  on  these  two  points  in  this  Epistle, 
and  to  interweave  the  one  so  often  with  the  other, 
pressing  jointly  throughout  the  cheerful  bearing  of 
all  kind  of  afflictions  and  the  careful  forbearing  all 
kind  of  sin  ;  and  out  of  the  one  discourse  he  slides 
into  the  other,  as  here.  And  as  the  things  agree  in 
their  nature,  so  in  their  great  pattern  and  principle, 
Jesus  Christ. 

Arm  yourselves.  There  is  still  fighting,  and 
sin  will  be  molesting  you ;  though  wounded  to  death, 
yet  will  it  struggle  for  life  and  seek  to  wound  its 
enemy — will  assault  the  graces  that  are  in  you.  So 
long  as  you  live  in  the  flesh  there  will  be  remainders 
of  the  life  of  this  flesh — ^your  natural  corruption; 
therefore,  ye  must  be  armed  against  it.  The  chil- 
dren of  God  often  find  to  their  grief  that  corrup- 
tions, which  they  thought  had  been  cold  dead,  stir 
and  rise  up  again  and  set  upon  them.  Therefore  is 
it  continually  necessary  that  they  live  in  arms,  and 
put  them  not  off  till  they  put  off  the  body,  and  be 
altogether  free  of  the  flesh.  You  may  take  the 
Lord's  promise  for  victory  in  the  end — that  shall 
not  fail ;  but  do  not  promise  yourself  ease  in  the 
way,  for  that  will  not  hold.     L. 

2-4.  In  an  age  when  sensuality  was  wrought 
into  all  forms  of  literature  and  art,  was  blazoned 
shamelessly  in  the  decorations  of  private  houses 
and  enshrined  in  the  temples  of  the  gods,  the  con- 
trast of  a  chaste  and  godly  conversation  in  the  Chris- 
tian community  witnessed  for  the  redemptive  and 
renovating  power  of  the  gospel.  The  exhortations 
of  apostles  at  once  testify  of  this  contrast  and  urge 
that  it  be  made  emphatic.     J.  P.  T. 

5.  "  They  shall  give  account  to  him  that  is  ready 
to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead."  He  hath  the  day 
set ;  and  it  shall  surely  come,  though  they  think  it 
far  off.  Though  the  wicked  themselves  forget  their 
scoffs  against  the  godly,  and  though  the  Christian 
slights  them  and  lets  them  pass,  they  pass  not  so ; 
they  are  all  registered ;  and  the  great  court-day  shall 
call  them  to  account  for  all  these  riots  and  excesses, 
and  withal  for  all  their  reproaches  of  the  godly  that 
would  not  run  with  them  in  these  ways. 

6.  They  that  formerly  received  the  gospel  re- 
ceived it  upon  these  terms ;  therefore  think  it  not 
hard.  And  they  ai-e  now  dead ;  all  the  difficulty  of 
that  work  of  dying  to  sin  is  now  over  with  them. 
If  they  had  not  died  to  their  sins  by  the  gospel,  they 


had  died  in  them,  and  so  died  eternally.  It  is  there- 
fore a  wise  prevention  to  have  sin  judged  and  put 
to  death  in  us  before  we  die.  If  we  will  not  part 
with  sin,  if  we  die  in  it  and  with  it,  we  and  our  sin 
perish  together ;  but  if  it  die  first  before  us,  then 
we  live  for  ever. 

Live  according  to  God.  If  this  life  be  in 
thee,  it  will  act.  It  will  be  moving  toward  God ; 
often  seeking  to  him,  making  still  toward  him  as  its 
principle  and  fountain,  exerting  itself  in  holy  and 
affectionate  thoughts  of  him.  And  as  it  will  thus 
act  within,  so  it  will  be  outwardly  laying  hold  on  all 
occasions,  seeking  out  ways  and  opportunities  to  be 
serviceable  to  thy  Lord ;  employing  all  for  him, 
commending  and  extolling  his  goodness,  doing  and 
suffering  cheerfully  for  him,  laying  out  the  strength 
of  desires  and  parts  and  means,  to  gain  him  glory ; 
if  thou  be  alone,  then  not  alone,  but  with  him ; 
seeking  to  know  more  of  him  and  to  be  made  more 
like  him ;  if  in  company,  then  casting  about  how 
to  bring  his  name  in  esteem,  and  to  draw  others  to 
a  love  of  religion  and  holiness  by  the  true  behavior 
of  thy  carriage ;  tender  over  the  souls  of  others, 
to  do  them  good  to  thy  utmost ;  thinking  an  hour 
lost  when  thou  art  not  busy  for  the  honor  and  ad- 
vantage of  him  to  whom  thou  now  livest. 

7.  End  of  all  things  at  hand.  This  might 
always  have  been  said  in  respect  of  succeeding  eter- 
nity. The  whole  duration  of  the  world  is  not  con- 
siderable, and  to  the  eternal  Lord  that  made  it  and 
hath  appointed  its  period,  a  thousand  years  are  but 
as  07ie  day.  We  think  a  thousand  years  a  great 
matter  in  respect  of  our  short  life.  But  what  is 
the  utmost  length  of  time,  were  it  millions  of  years, 
to  a  thought  of  eternity  !  To  each  man  the  end  of 
all  things  is,  even  after  our  measure,  at  hand  ;  for 
when  he  dies  the  world  ends  for  him.  Now,  seeing 
all  things  shall  be  quickly  at  an  end,  even  the  frame 
of  heaven  and  earth,  why  should  we,  knowing  this 
and  having  higher  hopes,  lay  out  so  much  of  our 
desires  and  endeavors  upon  these  things  that  are 
posting  to  ruin  ?  Why  should  our  hearts  cleave  to 
those  things  from  which  we  shall  so  quickly  part, 
and  from  which,  if  we  will  not  freely  part  and  let 
them  go,  we  shall  be  pulled  away,  and  pulled  with 
the  more  pain  the  closer  we  cleave  and  faster  we 
are  glued  to  them  ? 

Sobriety  is  the  friend  of  walclifulncss,  and  prayer 
of  both.  When  the  affections  are  soberly  acted, 
and  care  is  taken  that  even  in  lawful  things  they 
have  not  full  liberty  to  follow  the  world  ;  when  the 
unavoidable  affairs  of  this  life  are  done  with  a  spir- 
itual mind,  a  heart  kept  free  and  disengaged  ;  then 
is  the  soul  more  nimble  for  spiritual  things,  for  di- 
vine meditation  and  prayer.  It  can  watch  and  con- 
tinue in  these  things,  and  spend  itself  in  that  excel- 
lent way  with  more  alacrity.     And  as  this  sobriety, 


SECTION  360.— 1  PETEE  J,  :  1-19. 


663 


and  the  watchful  temper  attending  it,  enables  for 

prayer,  so  prayer  preserves  these.     L. He  must 

be  a  close  Christian  that  will  be  a  closet  Christian. 
When  I  say  a  close  Christian,  I  mean  one  that  is  so 
in  the  hidden  part,  and  that  also  walks  with  God. 
Many  there  be  that  profess  Christ,  who  sooner  in  a 
jnorning  run  to  make  bargains  than  to  pray  unto 
God  and  begin  the  day  with  him.  But  for  thee,  who 
professest  the  name  of  Christ,  do  thou  make  con- 
science of  beginning  the  day  with  God.  For  he 
that  begins  it  not  with  him  will  hardly  end  it  with 
him ;  be  that  runs  from  God  in  the  morning  will 
hardly  find  him  at  the  close  of  the  day ;  nor  will  he 
that  begins  with  the  world  and  the  vanities  thereof 
in  the  first  place  be  very  capable  of  walking  with 
God  all  the  day  after.  It  is  he  that  finds  God  in 
his  closet  that  will  carry  the  savor  of  him  into  his 
house,  his  shop,  and  his  more  open  conversation. 
Bun. 

He  that  is  much  in  prayer  shall  grow  rich  in 
grace.  He  shall  thrive  and  increase  most  that  is 
busiest  in  this,  which  is  our  very  traffic  with  heaven 
and  fetches  the  most  precious  commodities  thence. 
He  that  makes  the  most  voyages  to  that  land  of 
epices  and  pearls  shall  be  sure  to  improve  his  stock 
most,  and  have  most  of  heaven  upon  earth.  But 
the  true  art  of  this  trading  is  very  rare.  Industry 
is  to  be  used  in  it,  but  the  faculty  of  it  comes  from 
above ;  that  spirit  of  prayer,  without  which  learn- 
ing and  wit  and  religious  breeding  can  do  nothing. 
Therefore,  this  is  to  be  our  great  suit  for  the  spirit 
of  prayer,  that  we  may  speak  the  language  of  the 
SODS  of  God,  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 

8.  The  graces  of  the  Spirit  are  an  entire  frame, 
making  up  the  new  creature,  and  none  of  them  can 
be  wanting  ;  therefore  the  doctrine  and  exhortation 
of  the  apostles  speak  of  them  usually,  not  only  as 
inseparable,  but  as  one.  But  there  is  among  them 
all  none  more  comprehensive  than  this  of  love,  inso- 
much that  Paul  calls  it  the  fulfilling  of  the  law. 
Cover  the  multitade  of  sins.  It  delights  not  in 
undue  disclosing  of  brethren's  failings,  doth  not  eye 
them  rigidly,  nor  expose  them  willingly  to  the  eyes 
of  others.  The  uncovering  of  sin  necessary  to  the 
curing  of  it  is  not  only  no  breach  of  charity,  but  is 
a  main  point  of  it,  and  the  neglect  of  it  the  highest 
kind  of  cruelty.  But,  further  than  that  goes,  cer- 
tainly this  rule  teaches  the  veiling  of  our  brethren's 
infirmities  from  the  eyes  of  others,  and  even  from 
our  own  that  we  look  not  on  them  with  rigor ;  no, 

nor  without  compassion.     L. It  is  a  noble  and  a 

great  thing  to  cover  the  blemishes  and  to  excuse  the 
failings  of  a  friend  ;  to  draw  a  curtain  before  his 
stains,  and  to  display  his  perfections ;  to  bury  his 
weakness  in  silence,  but  to  proclaim  his  virtues 
upon  the  house-top.     R.  S. 

9.  Without  grudging.     Some  look  to  the 


actions,  but  few  to  the  intention  and  posture  of 
mind  in  them,  and  yet  that  is  the  main ;  it  is  in- 
deed all,  even  with  men,  so  far  as  they  can  perceive 
it ;  much  more  with  thy  Lord,  who  always  perceives 
it  to  the  full.  He  delights  in  the  good  he  does  his 
creatures.  He  would  have  them  so  affected  to  one 
anothei',  especially  would  see  his  children  to  have 
this  trace  of  his  likeness.  See  then,  when  thou 
givest  alms  or  entertaincst  a  stranger,  that  there  be 
nothing  either  of  undergrumbling  or  crooked  self- 
seeking  in  it. 

10.  Every  man  hath  received  some  gift,  no 
man  all  gifts  ;  and  this,  rightly  considered,  would 
keep  all  in  a  more  even  temper.  As  all  is  received^ 
so  all  is  received  to  minister  to  each  other ;  and 
mutual  benefit  is  the  true  use  of  all,  suiting  the 
mind  of  him  that  dispenses  all,  and  the  way  of  his 
dispensation.  Thou  art  not  proprietary  lord  of  any- 
thing thou  hast,  but  a  steward  ;  and  therefore  ought- 
est  gladly  to  be  a  good  steward,  both  faithful  and 
prudent  in  thy  intrusted  gifts,  using  all  thou  hast  to 
the  good  of  the  household,  and  so  to  the  advantage 
of  thy  Lord  and  master. 

llo  Particular  rules  for  the  preaching  of  the 
word  may  be  many,  but  this  is  a  most  comprehen- 
sive one  which  the  apostle  gives:  If  any  speak,  let 
him  speak  as  of  the  oracle  of  God.  He  that  would 
faithfully  teach  of  God  must  be  taught  of  God,  be 
God-learned  ;  and  this  will  help  to  all  the  rest ;  this 
will  effectually  engage  him  to  be  faithful  in  deliver- 
ing the  message  as  he  receives  it,  not  detracting  or 
adding,  nor  altering.  And  you  that  hear  would  cer- 
tainly meet  and  suit  in  this  too.  '  If  any  hear,  let 
him  hear  as  the  oracles  of  God— not  as  a  well-tuned 
sound  to  help  you  to  sleep  an  hour ;  not  as  a  hu- 
man speech  or,  oration  to  displease  or  please  you  an 
hour,  according  to  the  suiting  of  its  strain  and  your 
palate ;  but  hear  as  the  oracles  of  God,  the  discov- 
ery of  sin  and  death  lying  on  us,  and  the  discovery 
of  a  Saviour.'  These  are  the  things  brought  you  in 
this  word  ;  therefore  come  to  it  with  suitable  rever- 
ence, with  ardent  desires,  and  hearts  open  to  re- 
ceive it  with  meekness,  as  the  ingrafted  word  that  is 
able  to  save  your  souls. 

That  God  may  be  glorified  through  Je- 
sus Christ.  Here  we  have,  like  that  of  the  heav- 
ens, a  circular  motion  of  all  sanctified  good ;  it 
comes  forth  from  God  through  Christ  unto  Chris- 
tians ;  and,  moving  in  them  to  the  mutual  good  of 
each  other,  returns  through  Christ  unto  God  again, 
and  takes  them  along  with  it  in  whom  it  was  and 
had  its  motion.  All  persons  and  things  shall  pay 
this  tribute,  even  they  that  most  wickedly  seek  to 
withhold  it ;  but  this  is  the  happiness  of  the  saints, 
that  they  move  willingly  thus,  are  sweetly  drawn, 
not  forced  or  driven.  As  it  is  most  just,  so  it  is 
also  most  sweet,  to  aim  all  at  this,  that  God  be  glo- 


6Q4: 


SECTION  3G0.—1  PETER  4  : 1-19. 


rified ;  it  is  the  alone  worthy  and  happy  design 
that  fills  the  heart  with  heavenliness  and  with  a 
heavenly  calmness. 

12.  This  fighting  life  !  surely,  when  we  consider 
it  aright,  we  need  not  be  dissuaded  from  loving  it, 
but  have  rather  need  to  be  strengthened  with  pa- 
tience to  go  through  and  to  fight  on  with  courage 
and  assurance  of  victory,  still  combating  in  a  high- 
er strength  than  our  own  against  sin  within  and 
troubles  without.  This  is  the  great  scope  of  this 
Epistle,  and  the  apostle  often  interchanges  his  ad- 
vices and  comforts  in  reference  to  these  two.  The 
words  to  the  end  of  the  chapter  contain  grounds  of 
•encouragement  and  consolation  for  the  children  of 
God  in  sufferings,  especially  in  suffering  for  God.  L. 

Think  it  not  strange.  If  we  considered  well, 
must  not  we  much  more  wonder  and  be  astonished 
over  happiness  unbroken  here  below  than  at  adver- 
sity ?  must  it  not  more  disturb  us  if  we  should  see 
the  rod  of  chastisement  strike  others  while  against 
us  it  absolutely  was  never  raised  ?  As  if  some 
strange  thing  happened  unto  us  when  we  are  led 
to  heaven  by  the  same  path  as  God's  most  favored 

children  have  trod  since  time  began  !      Van  0. 

If  God  had  promised  us  all  peace  and  quiet  in  this 
world,  then  our  troubles  here  might  amaze  us,  and 
make  us  doubt  of  our  future  rest ;  but,  finding  by 
proof  the  manifold  tribulations  of  the  life  pres- 
ent, we  may  expect  with  comfort  the  promise  of 
the  time  to  come.     Jerome. 

There  is  nothing  that  a  Christian  man  meets 
with  in  his  course  through  life,  however  difficult  or 
painful,  but  he  might  have  anticipated  it  all  if  he 
had  only  studied  the  chart  drawn  out  in  the  word 
of  God.  If  he  encounters  worldly  losses,  cross-cur- 
rents which  try  his  patience  and  temper,  sore  be- 
reavements that  lay  waste  his  heart,  it  was  written 
down,  "  In  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribulation." 
If  there  are  inward  assaults  of  evil  thoughts  or 
hours  of  languor  and  depression,  God's  word  has 
spoken  of  "  fiery  darts,"  of  "  hands  that  hang  down 
and  feeble  knees."  If  sometimes  these  accumulate 
and  threaten  utter  ruin,  we  may  be  reminded  of 
"  deep  calling  unto  deep,"  of  the  "  great  fight  of  af- 
flictions," and  that"  we  must  through  much  tribula- 
tion enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  Probably 
none  of  us  realize  these  things  fully  till  they  come 
upon  us,  and  then  we  open  the  Bible  and  read  it 
with  a  new  light ;  but  it  is  well  for  us  to  have  at 
least  some  idea  of  them  beforehand,  that  we  may 
be  kept  from  the  murmurs  and  backsliding  of  men 
taken  by  utter  surprise.     Ker. 

15.  Keep  far  off  from  all  impure,  unholy  ways; 
siiffer  not  as  evil-doers,  no,  nor  as  busy-bodies ;  be 
much  at  home,  setting  things  at  rights  within  your 
own  breast,  where  there  is  so  much  work  and  such 
daily  need  of  diligence,  and  then  you  will  find  no 


leisure  for  unnecessary  idle  pryings  into  the  ways 
and  affairs  of  others  ;  and,  further  than  your  calling 
and  the  rules  of  Christian  charity  engage  you,  you 
will  not  interpose  in  any  matters  without  you,  nor 
be  found  proud  and  censorious,  as  the  world  is  ready 
to  call  you.     L. 

16.  Glorify  God  on  this  behalf.  It  has 
never  entered  into  human  thought,  unsanctified  by 
religion,  that  there  is  or  can  be  any  such  thing  aa 
greatness  in  the  mere  passive  virtues,  or  in  simply 
suffering  well ;  least  of  all,  in  suffering  wrong  and 
evil  with  a  forgiving,  unresentful  spirit.  Christian- 
ity is  here  alone,  holding  it  forth  as  being,  when  re- 
quired, the  divinest,  sublimest,  and  most  powerful 
of  all  virtues,  to  suffer  well.  H.  B. True  Chris- 
tians are  witnesses  for  God  by  their  sufferings.  All 
Christian  suffering  is  a  kind  of  witness-bearing.  It 
is  the  greatest  consolation  of  saints  under  heavy 
trials,  in  long,  debilitating  illnesses,  and  those  retire- 
ments and  straits  which  forbid  active  service,  that 
they  are  all  the  while  passively  serving.  Under 
the  cross  they  bear  witness  of  God,  attesting  his 
justice,  his  faithfulness,  his  power,  his  wisdom,  his 
covenant  gentleness  ;  they  bear  witness  of  Jesus, 
that  he  hears  the  sigh  of  the  humble,  distils  the  dew 
of  his  grace,  sustains  the  fainting  head  with  his 
arm,  tranquilizes  and  elevates  by  his  Spirit,  and 
shows  himself  altogether  lovely.  Only  they  can  say, 
"  We  speak  that  which  we  know,  and  testify  that 
we  have  seeij."  They  can  tell  of  a  Saviour  who  has 
proved  himself  sufficient  in  the  day  of  trial,  who 
has  lifted  them  out  of  the  swoon  of  despair,  and 
breathed  rapture  into  them  with  the  kiss  of  peace. 
J.  W.  A. 

17.  The  gospel  of  God.  It  is  his  embassy 
of  peace  to  men,  the  riches  of  his  mercy  and  free 
love  opened  and  set  forth — ^not  simply  to  be  looked 
on,  but  laid  hold  on — the  glorious  holy  God  declar- 
ing his  mind  of  agreement  with  man  in  his  own 
Son,  his  blood  streaming  forth  in  it  to  wash  away 
uncleanness — and  yet  this  gospel  is  not  obeyed.  Sure 
the  conditions  of  it  must  be  very  hard  and  the  com- 
mands must  be  intolerably  grievous,  that  they  are 
not  hearkened  to.  Why,  judge  you  if  they  be.  The 
great  command  is,  to  receive  that  salvation ;  the 
other  is,  to  love  that  Saviour — and  there  is  no  more. 
Perfect  obedience  is  not  now  the  thing.  And  the 
obedience  which  is  required  love  makes  sweet  and 
easy  to  us  and  acceptable  to  him.  Tliis  is  pro- 
claimed to  all  that  hear  the  gospel,  and  the  greatest 
part  refuse  it ;  they  love  themselves  and  this  present 
world,  and  will  not  change,  and  so  they  perish. 
They  perish  !  What  is  that  ?  What  is  their  end  ? 
I  will  answer  that  but  as  the  apostle  doth,  and  that 
is  even  asking  the  question  over  again.  What  shall 
be  their  end  ?  There  is  no  speaking  of  it ;  a  curtain 
is  drawn  ;  silent  wonder  expresses  it  best,  telling  it 


SECTION  361.— 1  PETER  5  : 1-I4. 


665 


can  not  be  expressed.  How  then  shall  it  be  en- 
dured ?  It  is  true  that  there  be  resemblances  used 
in  Scripture,  giving  us  some  glance  of  it ;  we  hear 
of  a  burning  lake,  a  fire  that  is  not  quenched,  and  a 
worm  that  dies  not ;  but  these  are  but  shadows  to 
the  real  misery  of  them  that  obey  not  the  gospel. 
Oh,  to  be  filled  with  the  wrath  of  God,  the  ever- 
living  God,  for  ever !  What  words  or  thoughts  can 
reach  it !  Oh,  eternity,  eternity !  Oh,  that  we  did 
believe  it ! 

18.  The  righteous  scarcely  saved.  That 
imports  not  any  uncertainty  or  hazard  in  the  thing 
itself,  in  respect  of  the  purpose  and  performance  of 
God,  but  only  the  great  difficulties  and  hard  encoun- 
ters in  the  way.  And  yet  through  all  these  they 
are  brought  safe  home.  There  is  another  strength 
which  bears  them  up  and  brings  them  through.     L. 

Where  shall  the  sinner  appear  ?   If  some 

of  the  good  are  to  be  saved  with  difficulty,  how  can 
the  bad  be  saved  at  all  ?  If  for  a  man  to  "  mffer 
loss"  is  represented  as  so  awful,  what  must  it  be 
for  him  "  to  lose  himself  "  ?  It  is  terrible  to  have 
to  endure  some  purgative  discipline  intended  to  save 
us  from  being  "  condemned  with  the  world  "  ;  more 
terrible  must  be  that  condemnation  itself  !  It  will 
be  awful  to  be  seized  upon  by  the  flaming  minister 
of  the   divine   displeasure,  and,  instead   of  being 


purged  by  it  from  superficial  defects,  to  have  "  ut- 
terly to  perish  in  your  own  corruption  "  !     T.  B. 

19.  Nothing  doth  so  establish  the  mind  amid 
the  turbulency  of  present  things  as  both  a  look 
above  them  and  a  look  beyond  them ;  above  them 
to  the  steady  and  good  hand  by  which  they  are 
ruled,  and  beyond  them  to  the  sweet  and  beautiful 
end  to  which,  by  that  hand,  they. shall  be  brought. 
This  the  apostle  lays  here  as  the  foundation  of  that 
patience  and  peace  in  troubles  wherewith  he  would 
have  his  brethren  furnished.  And  thus  he  closes 
this  chapter  in  these  words :  Wherefore  let  them 
that  suffer  according  to  the  ivill  of  God  commit  the 
keeping  of  their  souls  to  him  in  ivell-doing,  as  unto 
a  faithful  Creator.     L. 

Men,  when  they  persecute,  are  for  the  stuff,  but 
the  devil  is  for  the  soul,  nor  will  anything  less  than 
that  satisfy  him.  Let  him  then  that  is  a  sufferer 
commit  the  keeping  of  his  soul  to  God,  lest  stuff 

and  soul  and  all  be  lost  at  once.     Bun. As  he  is 

powerful,  he  is  no  less  faithful,  a  faithful  Creator, 
truth  itself.  Them  that  believe  on  him  he  never 
deceives  nor  disappoints.  Well  might  Paul  say,  1 
know  whom  I  have  trusted.  Faith  engages  the  truth 
and  power  of  God ;  his  royal  word  and  honor  lies 
upon  it,  to  preserve  the  soul  that  faith  gives  him  in 
keeping.     L. 


Section  361. 

1  Peter  v.  1-14. 

1  The  elders  which  are  among  you  I  exhort,  who  am  also  an  elder,  and  a  witness  of  the 

2  sufferings  of  Christ,  and  also  a  partaker  of  the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed :  Feed  the  flock 
of  God  which  is  among  you,  taking  the  oversight  thereof,  not  by  constraint,  but  willingly ; 

3  not  for  filthy  lucre,  but  of  a  ready  mind ;  neither  as  being  lords  over  Oocfs  heritage,  but 

4  being  ensamples  to  the  flock.     And  when  the  chief  Shepherd  shall  appear,  ye  shall  receive 

5  a  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away.     Likewise,  ye  younger,  submit  yourselves  unto 
the  elder.     Yea,  all  of  you  be  subject  one  to  another,  and  be  clothed  with  humility ;  for 

6  God  resisteth  the  proud,  and  giveth  grace  to  the  humble.     Humble  yourselves  therefore 

7  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  that  he  may  exalt  you  in  due  time :  casting  all  your  care 

8  upon  him  ;    for  he  careth  for  you.     Be  sober,  be  vigilant ;    because  your  adversary  the 

9  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh  about,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour :  whom  resist  stead- 
fast in  the  faith,  knowing  that  the  same  aflflictions  are  accomplished  in  your  brethren  that 

10  are  in  the  world.     But  the  God  of  all  grace,  who  hath  called  us  unto  his  eternal  glory  by 
Christ  Jesus,  after  that  ye  have  suffered  a  while,  make  you  perfect,  stablish,  strengthen, 

11  settle  you.    To  him  he  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 

12  By  Silvanus,  a  faithful  brother  unto  you,  as  I  suppose,  I  have  written  briefly,  exhorting, 

13  and  testifying  that  this  is  the  true  grace  of  God  wherein  ye  stand.     The  church,  that  is  at 

14  Babylon,  elected  together  with  you,  saluteth  you ;  and  so  doth  Marcus  my  son.     Greet  ye 
one  another  with  a  kiss  of  charity.    Peace  le  with  you  all  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus.    Amen. 


666 


SECTION  361.— 1  PETER  5  : 1-I4. 


It  is  very  instructive  to  observe  liow  deeply  the  experiences  of  Peter's  fall,  and  of  Christ's  mercy 
then,  had  impressed  themselves  on  his  memory,  and  how  constantly  they  were  present  with  him  all  through 
his  after-life.  His  Epistles  are  full  of  allusions  which  show  this.  Ue  remembered  the  contempt  for 
others  and  the  trust  in  himself  with  which  he  had  said,  "  Though  all  should  forsake  thee,  yet  will  not  I "  • 
and,  taught  what  must  come  of  that,  he  writes,  "Be  clothed  with  humility,  for  God  resisteth  the  proud 
and  giveth  grace  to  the  humble."  He  remembers  how  hastily  he  had  drawn  his  sword  and  struck  at 
Malchus,  and  he  writes,  "  If  when  ye  do  well  and  suffer  for  it,  ye  take  it  patiently,  this  is  acceptable  with 
God."  He  remembers  how  he  had  been  surprised  into  denial  by  the  questions  of  a  sharp-tongued  ser- 
vant-maid, and  he  writes,  "Be  ready  always  to  give  an  answer  to  every  one  that  asketh  you  a  reason  of 
the  hope  that  is  in  you,  with  meekness."  He  remembers  how  the  pardoning  love  of  his  Lord  had  hon- 
ored him,  unworthy,  with  the  charge,  "  Feed  my  sheep,"  and  he  writes,  ranking  himself  as  one  of  the 
class  to  whom  he  speaks,  "  The  elders  I  exhort,  who  am  also  an  elder,  .  .  .  feed  the  flock  of  God."  He 
remembers  that  last  command,  which  sounded  ever  in  his  spirit,  "  Follow  thou  me,"  and  discerning  now, 
through  all  the  years  that  lay  between,  the  presumptuous  folly  and  blind  inversion  of  his  own  work  and 
his  Master's  which  had  lain  in  his  earlier  question,  "  Why  can  not  I  follow  thee  now  ?  "  he  writes  to  all, 
"  Christ  also  suffered  for  us,  leaving  us  an  example,  that  we  should  follow  his  steps."  So  well  had  he 
learned  the  lesson  of  his  own  sin,  and  of  that  immortal  love  which  had  beckoned  him  back,  to  peace  at 
its  side  and  purity  from  its  hand.  Let  us  learn  how  the  love  of  Christ,  received  into  the  heart,  triumphs 
gradually  but  surely  over  all  sin,  transforms  character,  turning  even  its  weakness  into  strength,  and  so, 
from  the  depths  of  transgression  and  very  gates  of  hell,  raises  men  to  God.  To  us  all  this  divine  message 
speaks.  Christ's  love  is  extended  to  us ;  no  sin  can  stay  it ;  no  fall  of  ours  can  make  him  despair.  He 
will  not  give  us  up.     lie  waits  to  be  gracious.     A.  M. 


1-4.  In  the  opening  of  the  Epistle,  Peter  takes 
the  title  of  Apostle ;  but  the  apostolate  was  not  an 
office  to  be  continued  in  the  Church.  Apostles  were 
gifts  to  the  Church,  not  officials.  The  permanent  of- 
tice  of  superintendence  is  that  of  Presbyterate.  So 
Peter,  in  addressing  those  who  occupied  that  office, 
calls  himself  their  "  co-presbyter,"  and  bids  them 
"  feed  the  flock  of  God."  Without  doubt  he  has  in 
mind  the  charge  he  had  himself  received  from  the 
Lord — "  Feed  my  lambs ;  keep  my  sheep ;  feed  my 
sheep."  He  transmits  it  to  all  the  presbyters,  bid- 
ding them  regard  the  Christian  people,  not  as  their 
flocks  or  followers,  but  as  the  flock  of  God,  and 
both  tend  and  nourish  that  flock  as  they  shall  be 
answerable  to  the  divine  "  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of 
souls."     D.  F. 

1.  A  partaker  of  the  glory  to  be  re- 
vealed. As  a  witness  of  those  sufferings,  so  a 
partaker  of  the  glory  purchased  by  these  sufferings ; 
and,  therefore,  as  one  insightcd  and  interested  in 
what  he  speaks,  the  apostle  might  fitly  speak  of 
that  peculiar  duty  which  these  sufferings  and  glory 
do  peculiarly  persuade.  L. Christ  himself  con- 
nects the  suffering  and  the  reward  in  that  question 
to  the  wondering  disciples,  "  Ought  not  Christ  to 
have  suffered  these  things,  and  to  enter  into  his 
glory  ?  "  And  Peter,  in  like  manner,  combines  the 
same  double  aspect  of  the  office  of  the  Redeemer — 
"  the  sufferings  of  Christ  ayid  the  glory  that  should 
follow  " — declaring  them  both  equally  the  subject 
of  ancient  prophecy.  Christ,  then,  is  the  bright 
and  eternal  model  of  suffering  and  its  recompense  ; 
in  his  own  divine  Person  he  has  immortalized  their 
union.     W.  A.  B. 

3.  Feed  the  flock.  The  preacher  who  dis- 
cards  theology  from  the  course  of  his  studies  is  in 
danger  of  taking  from  the  Bible  suggestions  in- 
stead of  teachings.  He  is  likely  to  lose  the  support 
of  the  great  cloud  of  witnesses  who  confess  the 
Christian  truth  in  every  age.  He  is  in  peril  of  eon- 
ceding  that  the  realm  of  thought  must  be  yielded 


up  to  science,  while  faith  retains  only  ihe  domain 
of  feeling.  Ministers  now  must  have  fresh  and 
perpetually  deepened  convictions  upon  fundamental 
questions,  which  in  the  days  of  our  fathers  were 
taken  for  granted.  But  withal,  this  is  to  be  strenu- 
ously asserted  also,  that  the  substance  of  Christian 
theology  is  for  us  the  same  that  it  was 'for  them. 
We  know,  as  they  knew,  of  no  genuine  power  for 
the  minister,  save  that  which  is  wielded  in  the  use 
of  the  great  Christian  truths.     Karr. 

The  preaching  which  is  most  to  be  desired  is 
that  in  which  the  great  objects  of  religion  shall 
stand  forth  with  greater  prominence,  while  the  in- 
terests and  duties  of  man  shall  force  themselves  on 
the  attention,  as  following  of  course.  It  is  that 
which  occupies  itself  more  with  invisible  realities, 
and  which  trusts  to  the  spiritual  power  of  truth  and 
of  God  rather  than  to  the  power  by  which  man  can 
move  the  feelings  and  the  will.  It  is  preaching 
which  comes  from  a  mind  profoundly  penetrated 
wiih  divine  truth,  and  used  to  long  reflection  upon 
it,  rather  than  from  a  mind  which  has  mastered  and 
can  recall  a  theological  system.  It  is  that  which 
lodges  weighty  thoughts  and  wide-sweeping  princi- 
ples in  the  hearer's  soul,  rather  than  that  which 
awaken  sensibilities  that  die  down  again,  because 
they  are  not  rooted  in  deep  truth.  Preaching,  even 
of  the  best  kind,  has  now  too  subjective  a  tendency. 
Those  parts  of  the  truth  which  are  the  most  telling 
and  exciting ;  those  parts  whicli  relate  most  imme- 
diately to  the  operations  of  the  soul,  take  a  front 
rank,  while  others  have  sunk  in  their  importance. 
It  results  from  the  same  tendency  that  the  senti- 
ments which  lie  deepest  in  the  soul,  such  as  a  sense 
of  dependence,  reverence,  and  acquiescence,  are  but 
little  trained  and  cherished  ;  while  the  more  violent 
sensibilities,  which  are  connected  with  human  inter- 
ests and  doings,  are  appealed  to  and  trusted  in  as 
the  regulators  of  the  life.  The  preacher  of  medita- 
tive spirit  will  avoid  the  extremes  of  this  tendency. 
God  and  eternal  truth  being  near  and  real  to  him- 


SECTION  361—1  PETER  5  : 1-I4. 


667 


self,  how  can  he  fail  to  try  to  bring  them  near  to 
his  hearers  ?  He  will  thus  be  a  serious  preacher, 
being  penetrated  by  faith  in  invisible  things.  He 
will  be  a  preacher  titted  to  build  up  the  Church  of 
God,  to  make  it  intelligent,  thoughtful,  and  con- 
stant. He  will  carry  his  influence  far  down  into 
the  lives  of  men.  Let  him  die  young  in  his  field, 
still  he  has  not  ceased  to  live  or  to  preach.  The 
best  and  ripest  portion  of  his  flock  will  associate 
him  with  principles  which  sway  their  conduct,  with 
thoughts  which  have  borne  fruit  through  their  lives, 
with  their  whole  progress  in  Christian  excellence. 
T.  D.  W. 

Of  a  ready  mind.  There  is  nothing  moves 
us  aright,  nor  shall  we  ever  find  comfort  in  this  ser- 
vice, unless  it  be  from  a  cheerful  inward  readiness 
0/  mind,  and  that  from  the  love  of  Christ.  Love  to 
Christ  begets  love  to  his  people's  souls,  that  are  so 
precious  to  him,  and  a  care  of  feeding  them.  He 
devolves  the  working  of  love  toward  him  upon  his 
flock  for  their  good ;  puts  them  in  his  room  to  re- 
ceive the  benefit  of  our  services,  which  can  not 
reach  him  considered  in  himself ;  he  can  receive  no 
other  profit  from  it.  Love,  much  love,  gives  much 
unwearied  care  and  much  skill  in  this  charge.  How 
sweet  is  it  to  him  that  loves  to  bestow  himself, 
to  spend  and  be  spent,  upon  His  service  whom  he 
loves !     L. 

3.  The  shepherd  goes  before  the  sheep  and  leads 
them  as  "  ensamples  to  the  flock."  As  the  doctrine 
of  true  shepherds  is  life  within  them,  so  again  their 
life  itself  is  holy  doctrine.  Their  peaceful  life  pro- 
claims the  virtues  of  him  to  whom  they  invite  and 
lead  souls ;  their  life  hidden  in  God  is  made  mani- 
fest by  fruits,  to  the  edifying  of  the  Church.  Besscr. 

If  we  would  sketch  the  portrait  of  a  Christian 

pastor,  it  would  be  that  of  a  parent  walking  among 
his  children,  always  at  hand,  to  be  found  in  his  own 
house,  or  met  with  among  the  folds  of  his  flock,  en- 
couraging, warning,  directing,  instructing,  as  a  coun- 
selor ready  to  advise,  as  a  friend  to  aid,  sympathize, 
and  console,  with  the  affection  of  a  mother  to  lift 
up  the  weak,  with  the  "  long-suifering  "  of  a  father 
to  "  reprove,  rebuke,  and  exhort."  Such  a  one,  who 
really  lives  in  the  hearts  of  his  people,  will  do  more 
for  their  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare  than  men 
of  the  most  splendid  talents  and  commanding  elo- 
quence.    Bridges. 

5.  Let  this  be  all  the  strife  :  who  shall  put  most 
respect  each  on  another.  In  giving  honor,  go  each 
one  before  another.  That  such  carriage  may  be  sin- 
cere, no  empty  compliment,  but  a  part  of  the  solid 
holiness  of  a  Christian,  the  apostle  requires  the 
true  principle  of  such  deportment — the  grace  of 
humility— i\iA.t  a  Christian  ^jm<  on  that,  not  the  ap- 
pearance of  it  to  act  in  as  a  stage-garment,  but  the 
truth  of  it  as  their  constant  habit :  Be  ye  clothed  icith 
humility.  It  must  appear  in  your  outward  carriage, 
so  the  resemblance  of  clothing  imports ;  but  let  it 
appear  aS  really  it  is,  so  the  very  name  of  it  im- 
ports. It  is  not  a  shovi  of  humility,  but  heart  low- 
liness, humility  of  mind.     L. It  is  striking  that, 

nlmost  without  exception,  the  word  humility,  used 
before  the  time  of  Christ,  is  used,  contemptuously 
and  rebukingly.  It  always  meant  meanness  of  spirit. 
It  described  a  cringing  soul.   It  was  a  word  of  slaves. 


Such  is  its  almost  constant  classic  use.  Where  could 
we  find  a  more  striking  instance  of  the  change  that 
the  Christian  religion  brought  into  the  world  than 
in  the  way  in  which  it  took  this  disgraceful  word 
and  made  it  honorable  ?     P.  B. 

God  resisteth  the  proud.  He  singles  out 
pride  for  his  grand  enemy,  and  sets  himself  in  battle- 
array  against  it,  so  the  word  is.  Pride  rises  up  in 
rebellion  against  God,  and  doth  what  it  can  to  de- 
throne him  and  usurp  his  place.  Therefore  he 
orders  his  forces  against  it ;  and  be  sure  if  God  be 
able  to  make  his  party  good,  pride  shall  not  escape 
ruin.  He  will  break  it,  for  he  is  set  upon  that  pur- 
pose. But  to  the  humble  he  giveth  grace,  pours  it 
out  plentifully  upon  humble  hearts.  His  sweet 
dews  and  showers  of  grace  slide  off  the  mountains 
of  pride,  and  fall  on  the  low  valleys  of  humble 
hearts  and  make  them  pleasant  and  fertile.  The 
swelling  heart,  puffed  up  with  a  fancy  of  fullness, 
hath  no  room  for  grace.  It  is  lifted  up,  is  not  hol- 
lowed and  fitted  to  receive  and  contain  the  graces 
that  descend  from  above.  And  again,  as  the  hum- 
ble heart  is  most  capacious,  and  as  being  emptied 
and  hollowed  can  hold  most,  so  it  is  most  thankful, 
acknowledges  all  as  received.  The  return  of  glory 
that  is  due  from  grace  comes  most  freely  and  plen- 
tifully from  an  humble  heart.  God  delights  to  en- 
rich it  with  grace  and  it  delights  to  return  him 
glory.  .  The  more  he  bestows  on  it,  the  more  it  de- 
sires to  honor  him  with  all ;  and  the  more  it  doth 
so,  the  more  readily  he  bestows  still  more  upon  it ; 
and  this  is  the  sweet  intercourse  betwixt  God  and 
the  humble  soul.  When  all  is  reckoned,  the  lowli- 
est mind  is  truly  the  highest ;  and  these  two  agree  so 
well,  that  the  more  lowly  it  is,  it  is  thus  the  higher ; 
and  the  higher  thus  it  is,  still  the  more  lowly.     L. 

6.  There  is  excellency  enough  in  God;  he  re- 
quires only  a  sense  of  emptiness  in  us.  God  loves  to 
make  all  his  works  creations  ;  and  grace  works  most 
freely  when  it.  works  upon  nothing.  It  is  not  for 
the  honor  of  God  that  the  creatures  should  receive 
anything  from  mercy  until  they  arc  brought  humbly 
to  seek  it.  Humility  fits  a  man  to  receive,  and  leads 
him  to  value  the  grace  received  from  God.  Hence 
humble  persons  are  most  gracious  and  gracious  per- 
sons most  humble.     T.  M. To  be  the  least  among 

those  who  truly  love  and  faithfully  obey  God,  is  the 
highest  honor  to  which  humanity  can  be  exalted,  and 
within  the  reach  of  all.  It  cometh  through  our  be- 
coming as  little  children,  and  yielding  ourselves  up 
to  those  gracious  influences  of  the  divine  Spirit  by 
which  alone  the  proud  heart  can  be  humbled,  and 
the  doubtful  heart  be '  assured,  and  the  unloving 
heart  be  brought  to  love.     W.  H. 

7.  The  combination  of  lowliness  and  boldness, 
humble  confidence,  is  the  true  temper  of  a  child  of 
God  toward  his  great  and  good  Father  ;  nor  can  any 


668 


SECTION  361.— 1  PETER  5  : 1-lIf. 


other  have  it  but  they  that  are  indeed  his  children, 
and  have  within  them  that  Spirit  of  adoption  which 
he  sends  into  their  hearts.  And  these  two  the  apos- 
tle here  joins  together :  humble  yourselves  under  the 
hand  of  God,  and  yet  cast  your  care  on  him  ;  upon 
that  same  hand  under  which  you  ought  to  humble 
yourselves  must  you  withal  cast  over  your  care,  all 

your   care,  for   he  cardh  for  you.     L. Where 

everything  that  belongs  to  self  is  buried  and  God 
becomes  all  in  all,  there  true  and  effective  care  is 
possible.  To  take  thought  in  our  own  strength 
makes  us  either  madly  active  or  desperate.  The 
care  of  Jesus  Christ  guards  us  from  moroseness  and 
despair,  and  gives  our  hands  the  power  to  work, 

and  our  hearts  the  wish  to  do  so.     A.  C. No 

anxiety,  no  displeasure,  no  grief,  no  sorrow,  proceed- 
eth  from  prayer,  but  joy,  delight,  and  pleasure,  by 
reason  of  sweet  converse  with  God,  the  eternal 
King.  After  prayer  we  are  sure  that  our  concerns 
shall  have  a  happy  ending.  All  anxiety  ariseth 
from  distrust  of  God ;  and  distrust  proceedeth  from 
the  omission  of  prayer.  Faith  and  prayer  trust 
God  and  drive  away  all  care.     Arnd. 

For  he  careth  for  yon.  Nothing  can  be 
more  simple,  and  nothing  can  be  more  persuasive. 
If  the  great  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth  vouchsafe  to 
become  our  friend,  nay,  our  guardian,  then  surely 
with  a  cheerful  and  unreserved  confidence  we  may 
resign  ourselves  wholly  to  his  disposal  and  govern- 
ment. The  objects  of  his  care  must  always  be  safe ; 
no  real  evil  can  befall  them,  neither  shall  anything 
that  is  truly  good  be  withheld  from  them.  The 
Christian  who  has  attained  a  full  and  unsuspecting 
dependence  upon  God's  wisdom  and  goodness,  such 
a  dependence  as  quiets  the  mind,  disposing  it  to 
wait  patiently  upon  God  and  to  accept  with  thank- 
fulness whatsoever  he  is  pleased  to  appoint,  not 
only  brings  his  cares  to  the  throne  of  grace,  but 

there  also  he  leaves  them.     R.   W. Christians 

are  not  men  who  do  not  care,  but  men  who  cast  their 
care  upon  the  Lord.  Christians  are  not  men  who 
see  no  thorns  upon  the  track  of  life ;  they  are 
men  who  perhaps  see  far  more  thorns  than  all 
others  do  ;  but  they  are  men  who  know  from  their 
own  experience  that  where  Christ's  grace  is  granted 
all  thorns  at  last  swell  and  burst  open  into  roses. 
In  short,  Christians  are  men  who  believe  in  the 
words,  "  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  us  ? 
lie  that  spared  not  his  own  son  but  delivered  him 
up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also  freely 
give  us  all  things  "  ?     A.  T. 

8.  Because  your  adversary  the  devil. 
An  alarm  to  watchfulness  is  here  given,  from  the 
watchfulness  of  our  grand  adversary.  There  be 
other  two  usually  ranked  with  him  as  the  leading 
enemies  of  our  souls,  the  world  and  our  own  flesh  ; 
but  here  he  is  expressly  named  who  commands  in 


chief  and  orders  and  manages  the  war,  uses  the  ser- 
vice of  the  other  two  against  us,  as  prime  officers, 
under  which  most  of  the  forces  of  particular  tempta- 
tions are  ranked.  Some  others  there  be  which  he 
immediately  commands  and  leads  on  himself,  a  regi- 
ment of  his  own,  some  spiritual  temptations.  And 
we  have  need  to  be  put  in  mind  of  the  hostility  and 
practices  of  Satan  against  us  ;  for  if  the  most  were 
put  to  it,  they  would  be  forced  to  confess  that  they 
very  seldom  think  on  their  spiritual  danger  from 
this  hand.  And  this  seeking  the  destruction  of 
souls  is  marked  as  all  his  work.  The  prey  he  hunts 
is  souls,  that  they  may  be  as  miserable  as  himself : 
Therefore  he  is  justly  called  our  adversary;  the 
enemy  of  holiness  and  of  our  souls,  tempting  to  sin 
and  then  accusing  for  sin,  as  his  name  here  imports ; 
appearing  against  us  upon  the  advantages  he  hath 
gained.  He  studies  our  nature  and  fits  his  tempta- 
tions to  it ;  knows  the  prevalency  of  lust,  or  earth- 
liness,  or  that  great  and  most  general  evil  of  pride, 

so  like  himself.    L. When  the  tempter  continues 

his  importunity  and  siege  about  a  soul,  he  has  all 
these  advantages  over  it;  as,  to  view  its  strong- 
holds, and  to  spy  where  they  are  least  fortified  ;  to 
observe  the  intervals  and  cessations  of  duty ;  when 
devotion  ebbs,  and  the  spiritual  guards  draw  off ; 
when  the  affections  revel,  and  slide  into  a  posture 
of  security ;  and  then  to  renew  and  bring  on  the 
assault  afresh,  and  so  to  force  a  victorious  entrance 

for  his  temptations.     R.  S. Satan  is  the  author 

of  evil,  the  adversary  of  the  truth,  the  corrupter  of 
the  world,  man's  perpetual  enemy;  he  planteth 
snares,  goadeth  souls,  suggesteth  thoughts,  exposeth 
virtues  to  hatred,  maketh' vices  beloved,  soweth  er- 
ror, nourisheth  contention,  disturbeth  peace,  and 
scattereth  affliction.     Quarles. 

9.  Steadfast,  or  solid,  by  faith.  This  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  for  resistance ;  a  man  can  not  fight 
upon  a  quagmire  ;  there  is  no  standing  without  firm 
ground  to  tread  upon ;  and  this  faith  alone  fur- 
nishes. It  lifts  the  soul  up  to  the  firm  advanced 
ground  of  the  promises  and  fastens  it  there ;  and 
there  it  is  sure,  even  as  Mount  Zion,  that  can  not  be 
removed.  He  says  not,  steadfast  by  your  own  resolu- 
tions and  purposes,  but  steadfast  by  faith.  The 
power  of  God  by  faith  becomes  ours,  for  that  is 
contained  and  engaged  in  the  word  of  promise  ;  and 
this  is  our  victory,  says  John,  whereby  we  overcome 
the  world,  even  our  faith.  And,  universally,  all  diffi- 
culties and  all  enemies  are  overcome  hj  faith.  Faith 
sets  the  stronger  Lioii  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  against 
this  roaring  lion  of  the  bottomless  pit  ;  that  deliver- 
ing Lion  against  this  devouring  lion.     L. When 

the  soul  is  beleagured  by  enemies,  weakness  on  the 
walls,  treachery  at  the  gates,  and  corruption  in  the 
citadel,  then  by  faith  she  says — Lamb  of  God,  slain 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world !   thou  art  my 


SECTION  36S.—S  PETER  1 : 1-21. 


669 


strength !  I  look  to  thee  for  deliverance !  And 
thus  she  overcomes.     S.  T.  C. 

10.  The  God  of  all  grace.  By  reason  of 
our  many  wants  and  great  weakness,  we  had  need 
to  have  a  very  full  hand  and  a  very  strong  hand  to 
go  to  for  supplies  and  support.  And  such  we  have 
indeed  ;  our  Father  is  the  God  of  all  grace,  a  spring 
that  can  not  be  drawn  dry,  no,  nor  so  much  as  any 
whit  diminished.  The  work  of  salvation  is  all  grace 
from  beginning  to  end — free  grace  in  the  plot  of  it 
laid  in  the  counsel  of  God  and  performed  by  his  own 
hand  all  of  it ;  his  Son  sent  in  the  flesh,  and  his 
Spirit  sent  into  the  hearts  of  his  chosen  to  apply 
Christ.  All  grace  is  in  him  the  living  spring  of  it, 
and  flows  from  him  ;  all  the  various  actings  and  all 
the  several  degrees  of  grace.  He  is  the  God  of 
pardoning  grace,  that  blots  out  the  transgressions  of 
his  own  children,  for  Ids  own  name^s  sake ;  makes 
one  act  of  oblivion  serve  for  all  reckonings  betwixt 
him  and  them.  So  he  is  the  God  of  sanctifying 
grace,  who  refines  and  purifies  all  those  he  means 
to  make  up  into  vessels  of  glory,  and  hath  in  his 
hand  all  the  fit  means  and  ways  of  doing  this  ; 
purges  them  by  afflictions  and  outward  trials.  For 
the  further  opening  up  of  his  riches  expressed  in 
this  title,  the  God  of  all  grace,  is  added  one  great  act 
of  grace,  which  doth  indeed  include  all  the  rest; 
for  we  have  in  it  the  beginning  and  end  of  the  work 
linked  together :  the  first  'eif ect  of  grace  upon  us 
in  effectual  calling,  and  the  last  accomplishment  of 
it  in  eternal  glory.  WJio  hath  called  us  to  his  eter- 
nal glory.  Consider  what  is  there,  how  worthy  the 
affection,  worthy  the  earnest  eye  and  fixed  look  of 
an  heir  of  this  glory !  What  can  he  either  desire 
or  fear  whose  heart  is  thus  deeply  fixed  ?  Who 
would  refuse  this  other  clause,  to  suffer  awhile,  a 
little  while,  anything  outward  or  inward  he  thinks 
fit  ?  How  soon  shall  all  this  be  overpast,  and  then 
overpaid  in  the  very  entry,  at  the  beginning  of  this 

glory  that  shall  never  end  !     L. If  my  reaching 

the  goal  depended  on  myself  and  on  my  strength,  I 
should  never  get  there;  but  through  God's  free 
grace  I  expect  to  reach  it.  I  build  not  my  salvation 
on  my  vows  of  eternal  faithfulness  to  Jesus.  I  build 
on  God's  promise,  that  he  will  "  perfect,  stablish, 
strengthen,  settle"  me.     I  might  perhaps  let  him 


go,  but  he  holds  me  fast ;  and  my  salvation  \z  sure 
because  it  rests  on  Jesus  and  his  blood.    A.  C. 

The  hand  that  beckons  us  to  glory  waves  out 
of  impenetrable  clouds.  We  walk  in  a  way  which 
we  know  not.  We  lay  wise  plans,  and  they  mis- 
carry. We  commit  gross  blunders,  and  they  are 
overruled  for  good.  We  run  toward  the  light,  and 
find  it  darkness.  We  sink  shivering  into  the  dark- 
ness, and  find  it  light.  We  run  toward  the  doors  to 
which  worldly  ambition  has  called  us,  and  only  a 
solid  granite  wall  is  across  our  path.  We  move 
against  that  wall  at  the  call  of  duty,  and  it  opens  to 
let  us  through.  What  shall  befall  us,  we  can  not 
know.  What  is  expedient,  we  can  not  tell.  Only  this 
we  know,  that  God  would  shape  us  to  himself,  whether 
by  the  discipline  of  joy  or  of  sorrow.  To  make  us 
perfect  as  he  is  perfect,  this  is  the  choice  of  our 
heavenly  Father,  this  is  the  end  of  all  his  revela- 
tions.   Everything  not  helpful  to  this  he  hides  away 

out  of  our  sight.     R.  D.  H. At  every  step  the 

disciple  takes  his  rewards  as  he  goes  on  ;  and  they 
are  rewards  in  the  kind  of  his  toil  ;  for  the  charity 
that  suffereth  long  and  thinketh  no  evil  there  will 
be  given  a  mightier  power  of  love,  till  tongues  shall 
cease  and  that  which  is  perfect  is  come ;  for  the 
struggles  of  uncomplaining  patience  there  will  be 
the  grand  endurance  which  smiles  on  pain ;  for 
faith,  the  sunlit  country  where  no  doubt  ever  casts 
a  shadow ;  and  for  that  Christlike  purity  of  heart 
which  is  the  transparent  air  in  which  all  spiritual 
graces  live  and  move,  the  vision  beatific  and  divine, 
a  vision  not  to  be  wholly  postponed  and  waited  for 
till  death  changes  us.  Death  to  sin  is  always  chang- 
ing us  ;  victory  over  evil  is  always  transfiguring  us. 
The  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God  will  begin  where 
the  purity  begins.  It  will  be  an  immediate  and  ever- 
growing "  blessedness  "  even  here.  The  vision  will 
be  ever-brightening,  till  we  see  not  in  the  least  "  as 
through  a  glass  darkly,"  but  "  face  to  face."   F.  D.  H. 

11.  "  ^o  Him,  the  God  of  all  grace,  the  glory 
and  might  to  the  ages  of  the  ages.  Amen."  Let  all 
the  people  of  the  Lord  say  Amen.  Let  none  of  them 
seek  their  own  glory  or  boast  of  their  own  might ; 
but  let  all,  catching  the  spirit  of  this  precious  Epis- 
tle, hope  in  God,  live  in  the  world  as  pilgrims,  and 
wait  patiently  for  Christ.    D,  F. 


Section  362. 

2  Petee  i.  1-21. 

1  Simon  Peter,  a  servant  and  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  them  that  have  obtained  like 
precious  faith  with  us  through  the  righteousness  of  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ : 

2  grace  and  peace  be  multiplied  unto  you  through  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  of  Jesus  our 

3  Lord,  according  as  his  divine  power  hath  given  unto  us  all  things  that  pertain  unto  life  and 


670 


SECTION  362.-2  PETER  1 : 1-21. 


4  godliness,  through  the  knowledge  of  him  that  hath  called  us  to  glory  and  virtue  :  whereby 
are  given  unto  us  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises :  that  by  these  ye  might  be  par- 
takers of  the  divine  nature,  having  escaped  the  corruption  that  is  in  the  world  through  lust. 

5  And  beside  this,  giving  all  diligence,  add  to  your  faith  virtue ;  and  to  virtue  knowledge ; 

6  and  to  knowledge  temperance ;  and  to  temperance  patience ;  and  to  patience  godliness ; 

7  and  to  godliness  brotherly  kindness ;  and  to  brotherly  kindness  charity.     For  if  these  things 

8  be  in  you,  and  abound,  they  make  you,  that  ye  shall  neither  he  barren  nor  unfruitful  in  the 

9  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     But  he  that  lacketh  these  things  is  blind,  and  cannot 

10  see  afar  off,  and  hath  forgotten  that  he  was  purged  from  his  old  sins.    Wherefore  the  rather, 
brethren,  give  diligence  to  make  your  calling  and  election  sure  :  for  if  ye  do  these  things, 

11  ye  shall  never  fall :  for  so  an  entrance  shall  be  ministered  unto  you  abundantly  into  the 
everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

12  Wherefore  I  will  not  be  negligent  to  put  you  always  in  rerqembrance  of  these  things, 

13  though  ye  know  them^  and  be  established  in  the  present  truth.     Yea,  I  think  it  meet,  as 

14  long  as  I  am  in  this  tabernacle,  to  stir  you  up  by  putting  you  in  remembrance;  knowing 
that  shortly  I  must  put  off  this  my  tabernacle,  even  as  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  hath  shewed 

15  me.     Moreover  I  will  endeavor  that  ye  may  be  able  after  my  decease  to  have  these  things 

16  always  in  remembrance.     For  we  have  not  followed  cunningly  devised  fables,  when  we 
made  known  unto  you  the  power  and  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  were  eyewit- 

17  nesses  of  his  majesty.     For  he  received  from  God  the  Father  honour  and  glory,  when  there 
came  such  a  voice  to  him  from  the  excellent  glory.  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am 

18  well  pleased.     And  this  voice  which  came  from  heaven  w^e  heard,  when  we  were  with  him 

19  in  the  holy  mount.     We  have  also  a  more  sure  word  of  prophecy  ;  whereunto  ye  do  weU 
that  ye  take  heed,  as  unto  a  light  that  shineth  in  a  dark  place,  until  the  day  dawn,  and  the 

20  day  star  arise  in  your  hearts  :  knowing  this  first,  that  no  prophecy  of  tiie  scripture  is  of  any 

21  private  interpretation.     For  the  prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by  the  will  of  man :  but 
holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 


Admission  to  his  kiugdojn,  the  reception  of  his  Spirit,  commuijion  with  himself,  participation  in  his 
knowledge,  the  unutterable  happiness  conferred  by  his  love,  the  entire  and  sweet  repose  of  affection 
exalted  yet  satisfied  in  him,  the  boundless  and  sublime  freedom  that  comes  with  acquiescence  in  the  will 
of  the  Infinite,  the  exultant  and  interminable  progress  of  heaven,  heirship  with  Christ  to  the  forces,  the 
enjoyments,  and  the  dominions  of  God — all  these  are  promised  to  those  who  receive  redemption  in  the 
Son.  God  promises  himself  !  We  shall  not  only  be  "  sons  "  and  "  heirs  "  of  God,  but  we  shall  be  par- 
takers  of  the  divine  nature.  We  know  not  what  we  shall  be,  but  we  shall  be  like  God  ;  seeing  him  as  he 
is.  We  shall  be  filled  with  all  the  fullness  of  God.  The  language  of  earth  fails  fully  to  utter  these 
mysteries  of  glory.  It  staggers  beneath  the  wealth  of  the  heavenly  revelations.  What  no  aspiring  desire 
in  its  loftiest  flight  has  dared  to  deem  possible,  they  offer  to  all  on  condition  of  faith.  On  the  ground  of 
acceptance,  established  in  the  cross,  illustrated  in  the  ascension,  recorded  in  the  gospel,  and  ever  sym- 
bolized in  the  ordinance  of  the  supper,  they  offer  to  man  the  felicity  of  the  Godhead  !     R.  S.  S. 


Peter's  Second  Epistle. 
The  First  Epistle  was  written  to  fortify  Christian 
brethren  in  the  endurance  of  afflictions  from  with- 
out. This  bids  them  watch  against  dangers  within 
the  Church,  in  the  form  of  deceptive  teachers  and 
mocking  skeptics,  who  would  turn  them  away  from 

the  hope  of  the  gospel.     D.  F. The  object  and 

aim  of  the  Epistle  are  best  set  forth  in  the  last  two 
verses  of  it,  as  being  a  caution  to  the  readers  against 
falling  from  their  steadfastness,  and  an  exhortation 
to  grow  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
To  the  fervent  enforcing  of  this  latter  and  main 
purpose,  chapter  1  :  1-11  is  devoted.  Then  (1  :  12- 
21)  the  grounds  of  this  knowledge  are  stated  to 
consist  in  the  apostolic  testimony  and  prophetic  an- 
nouncement. This  serves  as  an  introduction  to  the 
description  of  the  false  teachers  and  prophets  who 
were  coming  in  among  them  (ch.  2).  In  chapter  3 
the  further  error  which  should  arise,  that  of  reject- 


ing the  hope  of  the  Lord's  coming,  is  stigmatized, 
with  a  reference  to  the  Epistles  of  Paul,  as  teaching 
the  same  truths,  but  b'eing  perverted,  like  the  other 
Scriptures,  by  the  ignorant  and  unstable.  The  main 
purpose  of  exhortation  is,  notwithstanding  many  al- 
lusive and  polemical  digressions,  kept  closely  in  view 
throughout.  The  later  portions  are  all  based  on  the 
earlier.  The  whole  sprang  from  a  holy  desire  to 
build  up  and  confirm  the  readers,  in  especial  refer- 
ence to  certain  destructive  forms  of  error  in  doc- 
trine and  practice  which  were  then  appearing,  and 
would  continue  to  wax  onward.     A. 

2.  Through  the  knowledge  of  Jesns  onr 
Lord.  Take  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  see  how 
often  Christ  is  there  spoken  of  as  an  indwelling 
Christ,  present  now,  formed  within,  living  in  the  be- 
liever and  the  behever  in  him,  the  very  Life  of  life. 


SECTION  362.— 2  PETER  1 :  1-21. 


671 


Light  even  breaks  in  on  that  almost  inexplicable 
and  incredible  saying  of  Peter,  that,  by  the  "  ex- 
ceeding great  and  precious  promises  "  of  the  Word 
made  flesh,  men  may  be  "  partakers  of  the  divine 
nature,  escaping  the  corruption  that  is  in  the  world 
through  lust."  Reason,  blind  and  anxious,  may  still 
have  its  difficulties,  and  toil  and  grind  in  its  prison- 
house,  "  bound  in  affliction  and  iron " ;  but  Faith 
marches  right  over  them  as  if  they  were  not — nay, 
she  takes  wings  and  leaves  them  out  of  her  sight. 
What  we  want,  that  our  gospel  gives.  While  Reason 
is  puzzling  herself  about  the  mystery,  Faith  is  turn- 
ing it  into  her  daily  bread,  and  feeding  on  it  thank- 
fully in  her  heart  of  hearts.  While  Reason  is  ap- 
plying the  tests  of  her  earthly  chemistry,  threatening 
to  dissolve  the  very  cross  of  Calvary  in  her  crucibles. 
Faith  has  quietly  set  the  holy  doctrine  to  the  music 
of  her  joy,  and  is  singing  it  as  her  hymn  of  Bene- 
didus  or  Magnificat  in  unquestioning  peace.  The 
doctrine  may  crucify  the  proud,  but  it  crowns  the 
meek  with  salvation.     F.  D.  H. 

4.  The  word  which  is  here  given  to  us  is  full 
of  promises,  and  they  are  "  exceedingly  great  and 
precious  " :  great  in  their  range,  because  there  is  no 
circumstance  which  they  do  not  reach ;  precious  in 
their  character,  because  there  is  no  exigency  in  our 

affairs  to  which  they  are  not  adapted.     E.  M. 

The  grant  includes  all  that  the  infinite  God  can  do 
for  the  well-being  of  man;  it  far  surpasses  all  hu- 
man comprehension  and  thought.  It  is  the  breadth 
and  length  and  depth  and  height  of  the  love  of 
Christ  which  passeth  knowledge,  which  is  concerned 
for  the  believer's  interests  ;  it  is  that  he  may  know 
this  by  experience,  and  that  ho  may  be  filled  with 
all  the  fullness  of  God,  that  God  has  made  a  cov- 
enant with  him.  It  is  pardon,  grace,  and  eternal 
glory.  Thus,  all  there  is  in  heaven  is  opened  to 
man  by  the  promises  of  God ;  all  there  is  in  God, 
all  there  is  in  the  universe,  concentered  and  poured 
upon  the  heart  of  man  by  the  promises  of  the  im- 
mutable God.  For  what  ?  To  allure  him  "  to  be  a 
partaker  of  the  divine  nature" — the  holiness  of 
God.    N.  W.  T. 

Every  promise  is  built  upon  four  pillars  :  God's 
justice,  which  will  not  suffer  him  to  deceive  ;  God's 
grace  or  goodness,  which  will  not  suffer  him  to  for- 
get ;  God's  truth,  which  will  not  suffer  him  to  change ; 
God's  jDOiwr,  which  makes  him  able  to  accomplish  ! 

T.  M. The  promises  are  a  precious  book ;  every 

leaf  drops  myrrh  and  mercy.  They  are  golden  ves- 
sels, laden  with  the  choicest  jewels  that  heaven  can 
afford  or  the  soul  desire.  Tliere  is  nothing  you  can 
truly  call  a  mercy  but  you  will  find  it  in  the  prom- 
ises.    Brooks. 

5-7.  We  venture  to  affirm  that  this  passage  is 
fraught  at  once  with  philosophical  justness  of  classi- 
fication and  with  prophetic  truth.     To  convey  the 


full  sense  of  the  apostolic  language,  it  is  necessary 
to  resort  to  a  paraphrase  of  the  passage.  "  Divinely 
endowed,"  says  the  apostle,  "  with  whatever  is  im- 
portant to  (spiritual)  life  and  piety  ;  enriched  also 
with  those  inestimable  promises  wliich  insure  to  us 
a  participation  in  the  divine  nature — a  participation 
we  derive  from  our  acquaintance  with  him  who  has 
challenged  us  to  so  high  a  glory ;  and  having,  by  the 
same  means,  gained  freedom  from  the  defilement  of 
mundane  passions,  my  brethren,  take  heed  that  you 
beseem  yourselves  worthily  of  your  vocation — using 
the  utmost  assiduity  in  the  pursuit  of  Christian  ex- 
cellence— see  that  your  faith  in  these  promises  is 
always  associated  with  manly  energy  or  vigor — 
that  your  faith  be  not  pusillanimous — and  then,  that 
your  courage  {virtue)  bo  duly  informed  by  evan- 
gelical principles  [knoioledge).  7\gain,  take  heed 
that  your  knowledge  (of  the  gospel)  be  not  abused 
to  licentiousness,  but  rather  be  united  with  self- 
command  and  temperance.  Nor  must  this  control 
of  the  appetites  spring  from  a  haughty  and  fanatical 
temper,  but  must  consist  with  humility  and  submis- 
sion. Yet  let  your  humility  be  religious  {not  stoical). 
Then  remember  that  your  piety  is  not  to  be  unsocial 
{or  anchoretic),  but  fraught  with  brotherly  affection. 
And  lastly,  that  your  affection  toward  your  fellow- 
Christians  is  not  to  be  sectarian,  but  expansive,  and 
that  it  is  to  spring  from  the  principle  of  universal 
love."     I.  T. 

5.  Add.  The  root  of  the  word  is  a  chorus — 
a  chorus,  not  of  voices,  but  a  band  or  company  of 
persons  united  in  one  group  by  the  taking  hold  of 
hands.  So  have  we  here  a  circle  of  properties  in 
which  each  supports  and  qualifies  every  other ;  be- 
ginning with  one  quality,  this  striking  hands  with 
the  next,  and  so  through  the  whole,  till  the  last 
named  is  joined  again  to  the  first  in  one  or- 
ganic whole,   a  chorus  of  most  musical  harmony. 

W.  A. To  faith  virtue.     Faith  being  laid,  in 

the  individual  soul,  as  the  "  foundation  "  on  which 
a  Christian  life  is  to  be  erected,  every  believer  is  to 
build  upon  it  the  virtues  and  excellences  of  that 
life.  Each  of  these  is  as  a  separate  stone  which  is 
to  be  added  to  the  structure.  Virtue  stands,  accord- 
ing to  the  exact  import  of  the  original  term,  for 
"  force,"  "  energy,"  "  manly  strength."  It  describes 
a  readiness  for  action  and  effort;  the  disposition 
and  the  power  of  strenuous  achievement.  "  Add," 
then,  "  to  your  faith,"  force.  Be  strong.  Have 
manly  energy,  and  let  it  be  manifested  by  prompt- 
ness, decision,  and   resolute  action.      T.  B. It 

would  conduce  to  childlike  humility  if  the  use  of  the 
term  virtue,  in  that  comprehensive  and  notional 
sense  in  which  it  was  used  by  the  ancient  Stoics, 
were  abandoned  as  a  relic  of  paganism,  and  if 
Christians,  restoring  the  word  to  its  original  import, 
viz.,  manhood,  or  manliness,  used  it  exclusively  to 
express  the  quality  of  fortitude ;  strength  of  char- 
acter in  relation  to  the  resistance  opposed  by  nature 
and  the  irrational  passions  to  the  dictates  of  reason ; 
energy  of  will  in  preserving  the  line  of  rectitude 
tense   and   firm    against    the   warping   forces   and 

treacheries  of  temptation.     S.  T.  C. To  virtue 

knowledge.  Practical  wisdom  to  direct  force. 
By  this  union  of  "energy"  and  "wisdom,"  standing 
together  on  the  basis  of  "  faith,"  there  will  come  to 
be  within  you  the  harmonious  cooperation  of  great 
powers,  principles,  and  habits ;  high  aims,  true 
thoughts,  sound  judgment,  rectitude  of  purpose, 
strong  impulse,  practicable  plan,  indomitable  per- 
severance, tact  to  discern  "  time  and  opportunity  " — 


672 


SFCTIOIf  362.-2  PETER  1 : 1-21. 


all  issuing  in  a  wise  and  intelligent  course  of  action, 
fruitful  in  noble  deeds,  and  crowned  with  frequent 
success. 

6.  To  knowledge  temperance ;  and  to 
temperance  patience.  These  two  virtues  have 
relation  to  life  as  a  scene  of  mixed  enjoj-ment  and 
suffering.  In  respect  to  both,  we  want  "  temper- 
ance," that  is,  self-government,  self-control — a  re- 
gal power  to  limit  or  resist.  But  the  same  nature 
and  the  same  constitution  of  things  that  render 
"  temperance "  necessary  expose  us  to  that  which 
requires  "  patience."  There  is  nothing  for  it  but  to 
bear  up  and  to  oppose  to  suffering  a  store  of  deter- 
mined joassiz'e  force  in  the  form  of  the  "  patience  " 
inculcated  by  the  apostle.  The  circle  of  duty  seems 
to  be  getting  complete.  "  Energy  "  and  "  knowl- 
edge " — motive  force  and  practical  wisdom  ;  "  tem- 
perance "  and  "  patience  " — masterhood  of  self  in 
two  noble  forms  ;  these  elements  of  heroic  action, 
of  regulated  joy  and  uncomplaining  endurance,  based 
on  "  faith  "  and  beautified  by  "  godliness,"  would 
seem  to  make  provision  for  almost  all  the  excellence 
that  can  be  demanded  of  humanity.  But  men  are 
not  living  alone  now.  Goodness  in  us  is  not  only  to 
be  divine  and  personal,  but  is  especially  to  have  a 
social  and  human  aspect.  7.  Therefore  add  to  god- 
liness brotherly  kindness,  or  the  love  of  the  brother- 
hood, "  the  household  of  faith."  It  is  the  fraternal 
or  family  affection  of  Christianity  which  unites  to- 
gether, or  ought  to  unite,  all  those  who  profess  to 
regard  themselves  as  "  heirs  together  of  the  grace 
of  life."  The  feeling  that  comes  next  to  the  love  of 
God  is,  or  ought  to  be,  the  love  of  godlike  men. 
And  to  brotherly  kindness  charity.  Charity 
here  signifies  "  philanthropy  " — universal  love  ;  the 
love  of  all  mankind.  This  love  is  not,  as  a  Chris- 
tian sentiment,  to  be  a  bit  of  barren  though  beauti- 
ful idealism,  a  vague,  philosophic  glow  of  "  frater- 
nity," but  a  really  deep,  earnest,  intense  thing  as 
to  its  nature,  and  a  real,  effective  doer  of  work  as 
to  its  expression.     T.  B. 

Religion  begins  with  faith  and  ends  in  love,  and 
the  circle  is  complete — for  of  him  and  to  him  are 
all  things.  We  set  out  with  believing ;  we  graduate 
at  last  in  that  holy  affection  which  makes  us  "  par- 
takers of  the  divine  nature."  We  can  make  no  ad- 
vance beyond  the  point  we  have  now  reached.  We 
stand  on  that  summit  which  has  nothing  higher  than 
itself.  "  God  is  love  ;  and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love 
dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him."     He  who  liveth 

in  love  is  one  with  his  Maker.     W.  A. Such  is 

the  edifice  which  every  individual  Christian,  as  a 
wise,  diligent,  and  honest  workman,  is  to  build  up 
on  the  "foundation"  of  his  faith.  It  is  wonderfully 
comprehensive  and  exquisitely  beautiful,  this  enu- 
meration of  virtues,  this  catalogue  of  the  materials, 
which,  being  put  together  according  to  rule,  shall 
stand  forth  a  noble,  symmetrical,  divine  thing,  the 
becoming  embodiment  of  a  divine  life.     T.  B. 

8.  Neither  barren  nor  unfruitful.  Study 
if  you  will,  nay,  study  because  you  ought,  the  his- 
torical or  logical  evidences  of  Christianity.  Trace 
the  symmetry  of  its  form,  the  minute  and  marvel- 
ous articulations  of  all  the  joints  and  bones  of  its 
doctrinal  system,  but  remember,  when  you  have 
thus  reconstructed  its  frame,  you  have  not  discov- 
ered its  life,  any  more  than  the  knife  of  the  anato- 
mist can  lay  bare  for  him  the  life  of  the  frame  he 
examines.  That  is  to  be  seen  in  its  actings  only. 
Jor  that,  you  must  come  out  into  the  world  where 
"Christianity  lives,  breathes,  moves,  and  acts,  a  living 


thing.  You  must  see  it  in  the  beauty  and  the  grace 
and  the  might  of  its  life.     Magee. 

10.  Give  diligence.  Depending  with  an  ap- 
parent faith,  a  real  negligence,  upon  the  agency  of 
the  Spirit  of  God,  we  too  much  forget  that  the  Spirit 
urges  us  bif  means  and  to  the  use  of  means ;  that 
his  object  is  not  to  supersede  the  prudence  and  the 
reason,  but  to  disentangle  it  of  encumbrance,  and  call 
it  more  forcibly,  clearly,  and  constantly  into  action. 
Employ  every  means  to  rise  from  sense  to  faith. 
Consult  with  candor  your  own  experience  of  your 
own  temptations,  and  then  the  sincere  prayer  of 
faith  will  be  heard — God  will  direct  and  overrule. 

W.  A.  B. Make  your  calling  sic7'e,  and  by  that 

your  election  ;  for,  that  being  done,  this  follows  of 
itself.  We  are  not  to  pry  immediately  into  the  de- 
cree, but  to  read  it  in  the  performance.  Though 
the  mariner  sees  not  the  pole-star,  yet  the  needle  of 
the  compass  that  points  to  it  tells  him  which  way 
he  sails.  Thus  the  heart  that  is  touched  with  the 
loadstone  of  divine  love,  trembling  with  godly  fear 
and  yet  still  looking  toward  God  by  fixed  believing, 
points  at  the  love  of  election,  and  tells  the  soul  that 
its  course  is  toward  the  haven  of  eternal  rest.  He 
that  loves  may  be  sure  he  was  loved  first,  and  he 
that  chooses  God  for  his  delight  and  portion  may 
conclude  confidently  that  God  hath  chosen  him 
to  be  one  of  those  that  shall  enjoy  him  and  be 
happy  in  him  for  ever — for  that  our  love  and  elect- 
ing of  him  is  but  the  return  and  repercussion  of 
the  beams  of  his  love  shining  upon  us.    L. 

Christian  salvation  is  a  spiritual  state,  here  or 
hereafter,  where  nobler  and  heartier  service  can  be 
done  for  God  and  man.  It  is  right  to  exhort  men 
to  make  sure  their  calling  and  election  in  heaven. 
Only  we  must  remember,  heaven  is  not  a  spot  to  lie 
down  in,  and  there,  on  our  couches,  tuning  our 
harps,  to  think  how  much  misery  we  have  person- 
ally escaped.  The  Christian  heaven  is  an  exalted 
society  of  self-sacrificing  spirits,  bound  together  in 
mutual  fellowship  by  their  common  consecration  to 
him  who  is  above  them,  where  each  accepted  soul 
will  go  from  strength  to  strength,  run  and  not  be 
weary,  toil  and  not  faint,  aspire  and  not  be  baflfiied, 
do  good  and  not  be  misinterpreted,  and  will  be  as- 
similated in  ever  closer  and  closer  aflSnity  to  him 
who  is  its  light  and  life.     F.  D.  H. 

11.  Shall  be  ministered.  The  "add"  in 
the  fifth  verse  and  "  ministered "  in  the  eleventh 
are  both  parts  of  the  same  verb ;  as  if  it  were  said, 
"  add  "  to  your  faith  these  virtues  in  this  world, 
and  God  will  "  add  "  to  them — or  to  you  because  of 
them — "  an  abundant  entrance  "  into  that  which  is 
to  come.     T.  B. 

Everlasting.  This  word  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment is  employed  seventy-two  times.  In  four  in- 
stances it  is  loosely  used  in  describing  long  past. 


SECTION'  362.-3  PETER  1 : 1-21. 


6T3 


events,  as  in  2  Tim.  1  :  9,  where  it  is  translated 
with  its  accompanying  noun,  "before  the  world 
began " ;  in  two  instances  it  is  used  to  represent  a 
complete  eternity,  without  beginning  or  end — once 
of  God  and  once  of  Christ ;  in  eight  instances  it 
refers  to  an  eternal  future,  as  in  2  Cor.  4  :  18,  "the 
things  which  are  not  seen  are  eternal " ;  in  seven 
instances  it  is  applied  to  the  future  of  Christ's  king- 
dom as  here,  the  "  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ " ;  in  forty-four  instances 
it  describes  the  unending  life  of  the  good ;  and  in 
the  remaining  seven  instances  it  similarly  describes 
the  unending  death  of  the  wicked.  There  is  abso- 
lutely no  indication  in  its  New  Testament  use  that, 
in  Mat.  25  or  any  similar  one,  it  was  intended  to  in- 
clude any  limit  to  its  significance.  And,  whatever 
that  significance  may  be,  it  is  clear  that  Christ  at- 
taches it  as  effectually  to  the  life  of  the  good  as  to 
the  death  of  the  bad ;  so  that,  if  the  latter  be  lim- 
ited, the  former  must  be  also.     Dexter. 

16.  Not  cunningly  devised  fables.  Those 
who  are  not  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel 
must  at  any  rate  admit  that  Christianity  exists. 
How  it  came  here,  how  it  thrives,  and  how  it  works 
more  than  all  other  energies,  are  questions  that  no 
man  has  solved  without  assuming  far  more  unlikely 
things  than  the  existence  of  a  Christ  such  as  the 
Scriptures  describe.  The  phenomenon  appeared, 
they  must  allow,  some  eighteen  centuries  ago,  and 
among  a  few  fishermen  upon  Bethsaida  beach. 
These  simple  folk  carved  out  the  only  Godlike 
image  ever  seen.  They  devised  the  most  novel  and 
successful  scheme  of  moral  conduct,  and  kept  on 
preaching  doctrines  that  convicted  every  day  their 
own  falsehood  and  deception.  They  invented  the 
very  best  plan  for  benefiting  other  people,  but  they 
utterly  failed  to  get  anything  out  of  it  themselves 
except  weeping  and  loss.  These  simpletons,  that 
could  not  see  through  the  flimsy  veil  of  fable,  saw 
deeper  into  human  hearts  than  any  other  men,  and 
gave  voice  to  yearnings  that  were  felt  everywhere, 
but  were  never  understood  before.  These  dupes  ex- 
posed all  other  deceptions  that  had  deceived  the 
wisest  of  philosophers.     3faegregor. 

16-18.  One  closing  testimony  he  bears,  con- 
sciously or  unconsciously,  for  the  Church  of  all 
time,  to  the  reality  of  that  which  he  calls  "  the 
power  and  presence  "  of  Christ ;  in  other  words, 
the  great  and  glorious  advent  which  is  to  be 
the  Revelation,  the  Epiphany,  of  the  King  of 
kings.  I  have  been,  he  says,  an  eye-witness  of 
his  majesty.  I  heard  with  these  ears  that  voice 
from  heaven,  on  the  holy  mount  of  transfiguration, 
which  attested  him  as  the  beloved  Son  of  God. 
And,  therefore,  I  can  not  be  misled,  I  can  not  be 
misleading,  when  I  bid  you  to  believe,  to  expect,  and 

to  adore.    V. "  The  power  and  coming  of  our 

Lord  Jesus  Christ."  That  is,  our  Lord's  coming  in  his 
kingdom  with  joower,  and  glory,  and  majesty,  to  judge 
the  world.  Peter  here  proves  that  he  will  so  come 
by  declaring  that  he  and  the  two  other  disciples, 
James  and  John,  were  eye-witnesses  of  his  majesty  ; 
that  is,  they  actually  saw  him  on  the  mount,  in- 
vested with  majesty  and  glory  similar  to  that  which 
he  would  assmne  in  his  kingdom  at  the  last  day. 

P. To  a  few  quickened  eyes  and  elevated  spirits, 

43 


and  through  them  to  the  Christian  multitudes  and 
ages,  for  a  demonstration  never  to  be  forgotten,  the 
gates  of  the  unseen  home  were  opened ;  the  curtain 
of  the  hidden  glory  was  lifted ;  the  sublime  forms 
of  the  great  religious  masters  of  antiquity,  long 
since  withdrawn  from  the  flesh  into  the  tabernacle 
of  their  eternal  worship,  were  revealed.  They  came 
in  shapes  like  those  of  their  mortality,  indicating 
some  mysterious  and  transcendent  correspondence 
between  the  perishable  and  the  celestial  bodies. 
Above  all,  in  the  center  of  all,  was  seen,  for  once, 
the  glorified  appearance  of  the  Redeemer,  not  marred 
or  mortal  any  more ;  and  the  wonderful  words  spoken 
were  of  the  suffering  that  was  to  be  borne  for  the 
remission  of  the  sins  of  mankind.     F.  D.  H. 

19.  Peter's  description  of  the  office  of  the  Bible 
— its  office  and  the  limit  of  it.  "A  light  shining  in 
a  dark  place  until  a  dawning  day."  The  day — that 
which  has  still  to  dawn,  that  of  which  the  day-star 
has  not  yet  risen,  though  already  some  streaks,  prog- 
nostics of  daybreak,  are  visible  in  the  horizon  of  the 
far  eastern  sky.  The  day  is  the  advent,  not  the 
first  advent — for  that  was  past  when  he  wrote — nor 
only  the  spiritual  advent — wherein  Christ  comes,  with 
his  Father,  by  the  Spirit,  to  make  his  abode  with 
the  believing  and  loving  one,  for  after  this  advent 
there  is  but  the  more  need  of  that  lamp  of  the  word 
by  which  the  Christian  man  must  walk,  warily  and 
circumspectly,  till  his  change  come — but  the  great 
advent,  that  to  which  the  eye  of  longing  expectation 
should  ever  be  turned  in  awe  and  hope,  that  of 
which,  although  the  world,  dead  and  living,  shall  see 
the  glorious,  dazzling  brightness,  the  Christian  alone 
shall  behold  in  his  heart  the  beauty  and  the  satis- 
faction. Till  then  let  us  study,  let  us  love,  let  ua 
live  by  the  light  of  God's  word.  Let  us  say,  and 
find  it  true,  "  Thy  word  is  a  lantern  unto  my  feet, 
and  a  lamp  to  my  step."  "  Thy  testimonies  are 
wonderful :  therefore  doth  my  soul  keep  them."  So 
living,  so  dying,  it  shall  be  said  to  each  one,  as  he 
prepares  to  exchange  the  dark  chamber  of  his 
earthly  being  for  the  light  of  an  everlasting  day : 
"  Thine  eyes  shall  see  the  king  in  his  beauty ;  they 
shall  behold  the  land  that  is  very  far  off." 

20,21.  "Knowing  this  first" — as  a  condition 
of  all  profiting  from  it — "  that  no  prophecy,"  no 
utterance,  "  of  Scripture  is  of  private  solution  " — 
due,  that  is,  to  the  writer's  individual  will  or  effort 
to  solve  one  of  God's  mysteries — it  is  not  that  the 
human  writer,  of  any  book  or  any  chapter  of  Scrip- 
ture, volunteers  to  explain  God,  his  way  and  his 
doing,  his  will  and  his  counsel,  to  the  creatures  of 
his  hand.  The  prophecy  comes  to  solve ;  and  in 
coming  to  solve,  it  comes  not  of  itself,  not  of  the 
will  or  the  wisdom  of  the  man  who  writes,  but  of 
God  who  sends  and  who  inspires.  No  testimony 
was  ever  stronger  or  more  comprehensive  to  the  in- 
spiration of  the  Bible.  Every  part  of  it,  Peter  de- 
clares, is  due,  not  to  man,  but  to  God.  Every  part 
of  it  has  its  divine  purpose,  and  every  writer  his 


674 


SEGTION  363.— 2  PETER  2  : 1-22. 


divine  mission.    V. Whether  we   look    at  the 

prophecies  that  related  to  events  before  the  time  of 
Christ,  or  to  those  relating  to  him,  or  to  those  which 
he  uttered,  or  to  the  present  state  of  tlie  Jews,  and 
indeed  of  the  world,  as  indicating  a  complete  fulfill- 
ment of  the  prophecies,  we  shall  see  the  fullest 
reason  to  believe  that  "  the  prophecy  came  not  in 
old  time  by  the  will  of  man,  but  that  holy  men  of 
God  spake  as  thev  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost." 
M.  II. 

Divine  truth  has  been  revealed  to  us,  not  in  a 
law  of  the  letter,  not  in  a  digested  summary  of  spe- 
cific articles  of  faith,  but  in  this  historical  embodi- 
ment, this  application  to  individual  cases,  to  specific 
historical  circumstances  and  social  relations,  im- 
parted through  the  instrumentality  of  individual 
men,  who  lived  as  depositaries  of  divine  truth  among 
their  fellow-men ;  who,  in  the  common  intercourse 
of  human  life,  testified  of  and  revealed  the  divine, 
speaking  and  acting  as  men,  each  in  his  own  pecu- 
liar human  manner,  though  hallowed  indeed  by  the 
Spirit  of  God.    Thus  was  divine  truth  to  be  brought 

humanly  near  to  us.     N. It  is  a  great  evidence 

of  the  inspiration  which  held  the  minds  of  the  apos- 
tles in  check,  while  they  wrote,  that  the  mere  love 
of  sentiment  toward  Christ  is  never  heard  in  their 
writings;  Peter  and  John  may  be  mentioned  his- 
torically in  the  gospels  as  manifesting  feeling  of 


this  kind  on  one  or  two  occasions ;  but  in  their 
Epistles  you  find  no  trace  of  love  to  the  human 
friend.  Jesus,  viewed  under  the  light  of  Pentecost, 
is  simply  the  redeeming  God,  the  one  Mediator,  the 
only  name  given  among  men  whercbv  we  must  be 
saved.     E.  M.  G. 

21.  Our  Bible  is  both  divine  and  human.  It 
comes  to  us  from  God's  Spirit ;  it  comes  also  from 
man's  spirit.  It  is  written  in  the  language  of  earth, 
yet  its  words  are  the  words  of  him  "  who  speaketh 
from  heaven."  Natural,  yet  supernatural ;  simple, 
yet  profound  ;  undogmatical,  yet  authoritative ;  very 
like  a  common  book,  yet  very  unlike  also  ;  dealing 
often  with  seeming  incredibilities  and  contradictions, 
yet  never  assuming  any  need  for  apology,  or  ex- 
planation,  or  retractation  ;  a  book  for  humanity  at 
large,  yet  minutely  special  in  its  fitnesses  for  every 
case  of  every  soul ;  carrying  throughout  its  pages, 
from  first  to  last,  one  unchanging  estimate  of  sin  as 
an  infinite  evil,  yet  always  bringing  out  God's  gra- 
cious mind  toward  the  sinner,  even  in  his  condemna- 
tion of  the  guilt :  such  is  the  great  book  with  which 
man  has  to  do,  which  man  has  to  study,  out  of 
which  man  has  to  gather  wisdom  for  eternity,  one 
of  the  many  volumes  of  that  divine  library  which 
is  one  day  to  be  thrown  open  to  us,  when  that  which 
is  perfect  is  come,  and  that  which  is  in  part  shall 
be  done  awav.     Bonar. 


Section  363. 

2  Petee  ii.  1-22. 

1  But  there  were  false  prophets  also  among  the  people,  even  as  there  shall  he  false  teachers 
among  you,  who  privily  shall  bring  in  damnable  heresies,  even  denying  the  Lord  that  bought 

2  them,  and  bring  upon  themselves  swift  destruction..    And  many  shall  follow  their  pernicious 

3  ways;  by  reason  of  whom  the  way  of  truth  shall  be  evil  spoken  of.     And  through  covet- 
ousness  shall  they  with  feigned  words  make  merchandise  of  you:  whose  judgment  now  of 

4  a  long  time  lingereth  not,  and  their  damnation  slumbereth  not.     For  if  God  spared  not  the 
angels  that  sinned,  but  cast  them  down  to  hell,  and  delivered  them  into  chains  of  darkness, 

5  to  be  reserved  unto  judgment ;  and  spared  not  the  old  world,  but  saved  Noah  the  eighth 
person,  a  preacher  of  righteousness,  bringing  in  the  flood  upon  the  world  of  tlie  ungodly ; 

6  and  turning  the  cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrha  into  ashes  condemned  them  with  an  over- 

7  throw,  making  them  an  ensample  unto  those  that  after  should  live' ungodly ;  and  dehvered 

8  just  Lot,  vexed  with  the  filthy  conversation  of  the  wicked:  (for  that  righteous  man  dwell- 
ing among  them,  in  seeing  and  hearing,  vexed  his  righteous  soul  from  day  to  day  with  their 

9  unlawful  deeds;)  the  Lord  knoweth  how  to  deliver  the  godly  out  of  temptations,  and  to  re- 

10  serve  the  unjust  unto  the  day  of  judgment  to  be  punished  :  but  chiefly  them  that  walk  after 
the  flesh  in  the  lust  of  uncleanness,  and  despise  government.     Presumptuous  are  they,  self- 

11  willed,  they  are  not  afraid  to  speak  evil  of  dignities.     Whereas  angels,  which  are  greater 

12  in  power  and  might,  bring  not  railing  accusation  against  them  before  the  Lord.  But  these, 
as  natural  brute  beasts,  made  to  be  taken  and  destroyed,  speak  evil  of  the  things  that  they 

13  understand  not;  and  shall  utterly  perish  in  their  own  corruption  ;  and  shall  receive  the  re- 
ward of  unrighteousness,  as  they  that  count  it  pleasure  to  riot  in  the  daytime.  Spots  they 
are  and  blemishes,  sporting  themselves  with  their  own  deceivings  while  they  feast  with  you; 

14  having  eyes  full  of  adultery,  and  that  cannot  cease  from  sin;  beguiling  unstable  souls:  an 

15  heart  they  htive  exercised  with  covetous  practices ;  cursed  children :  w^hich  have  forsaken 
the  right  way,  and  are  gone  astray,  following  the  way  of  Balaam  the  son  of  Bosor,  who 

16  loved  the  wages  of  unrighteousness ;  but  was  rebuked  for  his  iniquity  :  the  dumb  ass  speak- 

17  ing  with  man's  voice  forbade  the  madness  of  the  prophet.  These  are  wells  without  water, 
clouds  that  are  carried  with  a  tempest;  to  whom  the  mist  of  darkness  is  reserved  for  ever. 

18  For  when  they  speak  great  swelling  wonU  of  vanity,  they  allure  through  the  lusts  of  the  flesh, 
through  much  wantonness,  those  that  were  clean  escaped  from  them  who  live  in  error. 

19  While  they  promise  them  liberty,  they  themselves  are  the  servants  of  corruption :  for  of 


SECTIOIT  363.— 2  PETER  2  : 1-22. 


675 


20  whom  a  man  is  overcome,  of  the  same  is  he  brought  in  bondage.  For  if  after  they  have 
escaped  the  pollutions  of  the  world  through  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ,  they  are  again  entangled  therein,  and  overcome,  the  latter  end  is  worse  with  them 

21  than  the  beginning.  For  it  had  been  better  for  them  not  to  have  known  the  way  of  right- 
eousness, than,  after  they  have  known  it,  to  turn  from  the  holy  commandment  delivered 

22  unto  them.  But  it  is  happened  unto  them  according  to  the  true  proverb,  The  dog  is  turned 
to  his  own  vomit  again ;  and  the  sow  that  was  washed  to  her  wallowing  in  the  mire. 


While  the  first  letter  of  Peter  arms  the  Chris- 
tians chiefly  against  outward  danger  from  the 
heathen  persecution,  which  was  to  proceed  from 
Rome,  the  seat  of  the  centralized  despotism  of  the 
world,  the  second  letter  has  mainly  in  view  the 
dangers  from  within,  from  pseudo-christian  and 
antichristian  errorists.  It  is  an  earnest  prophecy 
of  future  conflicts,  the  germs  of  which  were  ah-eady 
beginning  to  unfold  themselves.     P.  S. 

As  we  pass  into  the  second  chapter,  we  find  the 
tone  of  this  book  changed  from  grave  exhortation 
to  stern  warning  and  even  severe  denunciation. 
Having  set  before  the  brethren  the  light  to  which 
they  should  take  heed,  the  apostle  puts  them  on 
their  guard  against  false  lights  that  would  lure 
them  to  destruction.  There  had  been  pseudo- 
prophets  among  the  people  of  Israel,  and  in  like 
manner  there  would  be  pseudo-teachers  in  the 
Church.  The  Lord  himself  had  said,  "  Beware  of 
false  prophets."  Paul  gave  warning  that  such 
should  arise.  John  and  Jude  describe  them  as  al- 
ready producing  a  baneful  effect  on  Christian  faith 
and  life.  Peter  here  points  out  their  pernicious 
ways,  and  affirms  their  doom.  Those  who  should 
"bring  in  heresies"  (i.  e.,  divisions)  "tending  to 
destruction  "  he  stigmatizes  as  denying  "  the  Lord," 
for  by  their  willfulness  and  disobedience  they  would 
set  aside  all  his  authority.  Their  chief  lure  would 
be  licentious  living,  and  their  chief  motive  would  be 
avarice.  History  soon  showed  that  such  warnings 
were  required ;  for  in  the  end  of  the  first  century, 
and  in  the  second,  teachers  appeared  and  sects  were 
formed,  that  brought  infamy  on  the  Christian  name 
by  their  unruly  principles  and  shameless  lives. 
Woe,  woe  to  all  who  demoralize  Christian  society  ! 
This  is  the  tenor  of  this  chapter,  and  of  the  Epistle 
of  Jude.  Woe  to  those  who  obliterate  the  distinc- 
tion, between  Christian  and  heathen  life,  encourag- 
ing licentiousness,  despising  authority,  indulging  a 
railing,  contemptuous  spirit,  and  attending  the  love 
feasts  of  the  Church  with  impure  eyes  and  hearts. 
Their  course  is  in  harmony  with  the  vile  counsel  of 
the  prophet  Balaam,  who  was  the  anti-Moses  of  his 
time,  and  prevailed  against  Israel  not  by  direct  at- 
tack, but  by  a  crafty  and  licentious  device.  In  his 
steps  walked  those  antichristian  men  who  beguiled 
and  corrupted  unstable  souls.  That  they  had  known 
Christ  made  their  wickedness  all  the  worse.     D.  F. 

4.  This  passage  and  the  parallel  in  Jude  6  are 
two  important  texts  on  the  present  condition  and 
future  (hstiny  of  evil  angels,  and,  consequently,  of 
those  persons  who  yield  to  their  solicitations.  These 
two  texts  declared:  1.  That  some  angels  sinned, 
and,  as  a  penalty  for  their  sin,  were  cast  out  of 
their  original  habitation.  2.  That  they  have  been 
committed  in  custody  to  chains  of  darkness,  and 
that  they  are  now  being  kept  in  them,  and  they 
there  endure  some  punishment.  3.  That  they  there 
remain  even  to  the  end  of  the  world,  and  are  re- 
served there  for  the  judgtnetit  of  the  great  day.  This 
appears  also  from  the  language  of  the  devils  them- 


selves to  Christ :  "  Art  thou  come  to  torment  us  be- 
fore the  season  of  judgment  ?  "  It  is  also  evident 
from  our  Lord's  words  describing  the  transactions 
of  the  great  day.  He  there  preannounces  that  he 
will  then  say  to  them  on  the  left  hand,  "  Depart 
from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  that  hath 
been  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels,"  They 
are,  therefore,  not  yet  cast  into  it.  It  is  also  further 
apparent  from  the  Apocalypse,  revealing  the  cast- 
ing of  the  devil  into  the  lake  of  fre,  as  an  event 
which  has  not  taken  place,  but  is  yet  future  (Rev. 
20  :  10).  4.  Comparing  also  these  texts  with  other 
portions  of  Holy  Scripture,  where  the  devil  is  com- 
pared to  a  roaring  lion  walking  about,  seeking  whom 
he  may  devour,  and  (Rev.  20  :  7)  where  Satan  is 
described  as  loosed,  and  with  the  clear  assertions 
of  the  apostolic  writings,  describing  his  present 
liberty,  energy,  and  influence,  and  designating  him 
as  "  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,"  and  as 
"  the  god  of  this  world,"  we  must  conclude  that  the 
chains  of  darkness,  of  which  Peter  and  Jude  speak, 
and  to  which  Satan  and  his  associates  are  now  con- 
fined, and  in  which  they  will  be  kept  even  till  the 
day  of  judgment,  are  of  such  power  as  to  restrain 
them  from  ever  recovering  their  place  in  the  regions 
of  light,  but  not  such  as  to  prevent  them  from  ex- 
ercising great  power  over  those  persons  in  the  lower 
world  who  allow  themselves  "  to  be  taken  captive  by 
them  at  their  will."     W. 

7.  When  Lot  was  compelled  to  quit  Sodom,  he 
could  not  count  a  single  convert,  nor  carry  with  him 
one  religious  friend.  The  best  thing  we  know  of 
him  is  what  is  here  said  by  the  apostle  Peter,  "  that 
his  soul  was  grieved  by  their  conversation"  ;  but  if 
it  was  so,  and  if  from  fear  of  the  consequences,  or 
despair  of  doing  any  good,  he  had  left  off  all  efforts 
to  reform  them,  the  sooner  he  quitted  Sodom  the 
better.  When  a  man  ceases  to  strive  against  evil, 
he  yields  to  it ;  and  it  can  be  no  one's  duty,  in  such 
a  case,  ta  remain  where  his  holiest  feelings  are  lace- 
rated, his  conscience  deadened,  and  his  family  ex- 
posed to  the  corruption  of  a  debasing  atmosphere. 
Unhappily,  the  longer  he  continues,  the  less  able  he 
becomes  to  move,  for  conscience  offers  less  remon- 
strance, associations  strengthen  their  hold,  and  the 
only  thing  that  saves  him  is  the  shock  of  some  sore 
judgment.  The  more  carefully  therefore  should 
every  Christian  weigh  the  first  choice.     Ker. 

14-19.  The  apostle  Peter,  speaking  of  the  influ- 
ence of  corrupting  and  licentious  men,  who  have 
"  eyes  full  of  adultery,  and  that  can  not  cease  from 
sin,"  remarks  that,  while  they  promise  their  dupes 
"  liberty,  they  themselves  are  the  servants  (slaves) 
of  corruption  ;  for  of  lohom  a  man  is  overcome,  of 
the  same  is  he  brought  in  bondage.''''  This  latter 
clause  explains  how  it  is  that  an  unrenewed  man  is 
unable  perfectly  to  keep  the  law  of  God,  and  unable 
to  change  his  own  heart.  Sin  contains  in  itself  the 
elements  of  servitude.  In  the  very  act  of  trangress- 
ing  the  law  of  God  there  is  a  reflex  action  of  the 
human  will  upon  itself,  whereby  it  becomes  less 


676 


SECTION  364.-3  PETER  3  : 1-18. 


able  than  before  to  keep  that  law.  Sin  is  the  sui- 
cidal action  of  the  human  will.  To  do  wrong  de- 
stroys the  power  to  do  right.  We  see  this  in  every- 
day life,  and  in  hundreds  of  examples  before  our 
very  eyes.  Hear  the  following  wail  and  lament  from 
the  lips  of  one  of  the  most  genial  of  English  writers, 
in  which  he  confesses,  in  a  way  not  to  be  mistaken, 
that  "  whosoever  committeth  sin  is  the  slave  of  sin  "  : 
"  The  waters  have  gone  over  me.  But  out  of  the 
black  depths,  could  I  be  heard,  I  would  cry  out  to 
all  those  who  have  set  a  foot  in  the  perilous  flood. 
Could  the  youth,  to  whom  the  flavor  of  the  first 
wine  is  delicious  as  the  opening  scenes  of  life,  or 
the  entering  upon  some  newly  discovered  paradise, 
look  into  my  desolation,  and  be  made  to  understand 
what  a  dreary  thing  it  is  when  he  shall  feel  himself 
going  down  a  precipice  with  open  eyes  and  a  passive 
will ;  to  see  his  destructioyi,  and  have  no  power  to  stop 
ity  and  yet  feel  it  all  the  way  emanating  from  himself; 
could  he  see  my  fevered  eye,  feverish  with  the  last 
night's  drinking,  and  feverishly  looking  for  to-night's 
repetition  of  the  folly  ;  could  he  but  feel  the  body 
of  the  death  out  of  which  I  cry  hourly  with  feebler 
outcry  to  be  delivered,  it  were  enough  to  make  him 
dash  the  sparkling  beverage  to  the  earth,  in  all  the 
pride  of  its  mantling  temptation."     Shcdd. 

20,  31.  Those  that  religiously  name  the  name 
of  Christ  and  do  not  depart  from  iniquity,  how  will 
they  die  ?  and  how  will  they  look  that  man  in  the 
face,  unto  the  profession  of  whose  name  they  have 
entailed  an  unrighteous  conversation  ?  or  do  they 
think  that  he  doth  not  know  what  they  have  done, 
or  that  they  may  take  him  off  with  a  few  cries  and 
wringing  of  hands,  when  he  is  on  the  throne  to  do 
judgment  against  transgressors  ?  It  had  been  better 
they  had  not  known,  had  not  professed ;  yea,  better 
they  had  never  been  born.  And  as  Christ  says  it 
had  been  good,  so  Peter  says  it  had  been  better — 
good  they  had  not  been  born,  and  better  they  had 
not  known  and  made  profession  of  the  name  of 
Christ.  Bun. The  truth  is  perceived  by  the  un- 
derstanding, and  has  commended  itself  to  the  con- 
science, but  the  blindness  of  the  heart  still  maintains 
its  gloomy  and  obstinate  resistance.    They  believe 


it  in  every  sense  which  can  create  responsibility,  en- 
hance guilt,  and  secure  perdition,  and  that  is  all. 
And,  I  ask,  if  they  are  thus  blind  to  truth  ;  if  they 
can  confess  the  majesty  and  glory  of  God,  when  pre- 
sented in  visible  manifestation  before  them ;  if  they 
can  see  and  acknowledge  that  the  claims  of  their 
liedeemer  are  brought  to  them  by  the  actual  pres- 
ence of  their  Redeemer,  and  yet  remain  blind  to  the 
perception  of  the  reality;  if  they  can  admit  that 
heaven  and  hell  are  opened  before  them,  that  death 
is  at  hand,  their  final  Judge  at  the  door,  and  yet 
slumber  on  ;  if  all  the  appointed  means  of  impres- 
sion are  thus  counteracted,  and  nothing  new  will  be 
furnished — I  ask  if  such  men  are  not  outcasts  of 
condemnation  ?     N.  W.  T. 

Whatever  be  the  fate  of  human  speculations  on 
this  tremendous  topic,  be  it  ours  to  cultivate  the 
simplicity  of  faith  which  is  independent  of  them. 
Even  though  in  its  vastness  and  mystery  it  continue 
to  rebuke  our  feeble  reason,  let  it  stand  in  the  naked 
simplicity  of  fact ;  a  truth — great,  and  terrible,  and 
certain  ;  planted  deep  in  the  nature  of  God's  attri- 
butes, and  therefore  unfathomable  as  all  things  are 
that  are  of  him  ;  but,  withal,  addressing  itself  to 
the  simplest  and  strongest  feelings  of  man — ^his 
dread  of  pain,  his  horror  of  shame,  and  misery,  and 
death  ;  meeting  him  at  every  turn  to  evil,  and  cast- 
ing a  fearful  shadow  across  those  pleasures  that  are 
not  of  God,  and  those  glories  where  God's  glory  is 
forgotten  ;  meeting  him  at  the  first  fatal  steps  upon 
that  course  which  ends  in  the  abyss  of  woe  it  de- 
nounces ;  warning  him  to  flee  the  bondage  of  seduc- 
tions which  grow  as  they  are  obeyed  and  strengthen 
with  every  victory ;  warning  him  that  all  the  tem- 
poral results  of  sin — the  shame  of  detection,  the 
loss  of  reputation,  the  ruin  of  prospects,  the  destruc- 
tion of  health,  the  early  grave — all  are  but  shadows 
of  the  overwhelming  penalty  it  brings,  when  the 
mercy  which  still  restrains  to  these  limits  the  full- 
ness of  divine  vengeance  shall  have  ceased,  and  the 
sin  and  the  punishment,  which  are  now  but  tempo- 
rary, passing  together  into  the  world  of  eternity, 
and  still,  as  ever,  bound  in  inseparable  links,  shall 
become  themselves  alike  eternal !     W.  A.  B. 


Section  364. 

2  Pkter  ill.  1-13. 

1  This  second  epistle,  beloved,  I  now  write  nnto  you ;  in  hoth  which  I  stir  up  your  pure 

2  minds  by  way  of  remembrance :  that  ye  may  be  mindful  of  the  words  which  were  spoken 
hefore  by  the  holy  prophets,  and  of  the  commandment  of  us  the  apostles  of  the  Lord  and 

3  Saviour :  knowing  this  first,  that  there  shall  come  in  the  last  days  scofters,  walking  after 

4  their  own  lusts,  and  saying,  Where  is  the  promise  of  his  coming?  for  since  the  fathers 

5  fell  asleep,  all  things  continue  as  they  were  from  the  beginning  of  the  creation.  For  this 
they  willingly  are  ignorant  of,  that  by  the  word  of  God  the  heavens  were  of  old,  and  the 

6  earth  standing  out  of  the  water  and  in  the  water :  whereby  the  world  that  then  was,  being 

7  overflowed  with  water,  perished :  but  t!ie  lieavens  and  the  earth,  wliich  are  now,  by  tlie 
same  word  are  kept  in  store,  reserved  unto  fire  against  the  day  of  judgment  and  perdition 
of  ungodly  men. 

8  But,  beloved,  be  not  ignorant  of  this  one  thing,  that  one  day  is  with  the  Lord  as  a  thou- 

9  sand  years,  and  a  thousand  years  as  one  day.  The  Lord  is  not  slack  concerning  his  prom- 
ise, as  some  men  count  slackness ;  but  is  longsuffering  to  ns-ward,  not  willing  that  any 

10  should  perish,  but  that  all  should  come  to  repentance.     But  the  day  of  the  Lord  will  come 
as  a  thief  in  the  night ;  in  the  which  the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a  great  noise,  and 


SECTION  36Jt.—2  PETER  3  : 1-18. 


6T7 


tbe  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat,  the  earth  also  and  the  works  that  are  therein 

11  shall  he  burned  up.     Seeing  then  that  all  these  things  shall  be  dissolved,  what  manner  of 

12  persons  ought  ye  to  be  in  all  holy  conversation  and  godliness,  looking  for  and  hasting 
unto  the  coming  of  the  day  of  God,  wherein  the  heavens  being  on  fire  shall  be  dissolved, 

13  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat?     Nevertheless  we,  according  to  his  prom- 

14  ise,  look  for  new  heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness.  Wherefore, 
beloved,  seeing  that  ye  look  for  such  things,  be  diligent  that  ye  may  be  found  of  him  in 

15  peace,  without  spot,  and  blameless.  And  account  that  the  longsuffering  of  our  Lord  is 
salvation ;  even  as  our  beloved  brother  Paul  also  according  to  the  wisdom  given  unto  him 

16  hath  written  unto  you;  as  also  in  all  his  epistles,  speaking  in  them  of  these  things;  in 
which  are  some  things  hard  to  be  understood,  which  they  that  are  unlearned  and  unstable 

17  wrest,  as  they  do  also  the  other  scriptures,  unto  their  own  destruction.  Ye  therefore,  be- 
loved, seeing  ye  know  these  things  before,  beware  lest  ye  also,  being  led  away  with  the 

18  error  of  the  wicked,  fall  from  your  own  stedfastness.  But  grow  in  grace,  and  in  the 
knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  To  him  ie  glory  both  now  and  for  ever. 
Amen. 

The  coming  of  Christ  may  be  distant  as  measured  on  the  scale  of  human  life,  but  may  be  "  near,"  "  at 
hand,"  "  at  the  door,"  when  the  interval  of  the  two  advents  is  compared,  not  with  the  four  thousand 
years  which  were  but  its  preparation,  but  with  the  line  of  infinite  ages  which  it  is  itself  preparing. 
View  the  interval  that  spans  the  first  and  second  coming,  as  we  now  do  in  the  midst  of  it,  and  it  swells 
to  a  vast  extent ;  view  it  as  we  shall  yet  do  from  some  far  height  in  the  measureless  eternity  of  the 
Church  triumphant,  view  it  as  these  holy  men  were  wont  to  do,  the  first  stage  in  an  infinite  progress,  and 
it  lessens  to  a  point !  The  use  of  terms  importing  nearness,  rapidity,  immediate  approach,  which  startle 
us  as  with  the  very  presence  of  Christ,  seem  specially  adapted  to  keep  alive  expectation,  by  bringing  em- 
phatically before  us  the  perpetual  possibility  of  an  immediate  manifestation,  and  thus  indirectly  second 
all  those  express  exhortations  which  make  the  hope  and  desire  of  the  coming  of  Christ  a  leading  motive 
and  impulse  in  the  whole  life  of  the  Christian  disciple.  It  is  the  confessed  object  of  our  blessed  Master, 
in  training  his  disciples  for  glory,  that  they  should,  in  the  school  of  this  world,  learn  such  divine  arts  as 
those  of  hope,  of  watchfulness,  of  fidelity,  of  humility,  of  earnest  inquiry,  of  reverential  awe.  And  this 
he  accomplishes,  as  in  other  ways,  so  by  shrouding  his  march  in  mystery,  revealing  enough  to  win  affec- 
tion and  to  guide  duty,  but  reserving  his  deeper  purposes  for  the  council-chamber  of  the  Iloly  Trinity.  It 
is  his  gracious  will  that  this  matter  shall  be  the  perpetual  subject  of  watchfulness,  expectation,  conjec- 
ture, fear,  desire — but  no  more.  To  cherish  anticipation,  he  has  permitted  gleams  of  light  to  cross  the 
darkness ;  to  bafile  presumption,  he  has  made  them  only  gleams.  He  has  harmonized,  with  consummate 
skill,  every  part  of  his  revelation  to  produce  this  general  result — now  speaking  as  if  a  few  seasons  more 
were  to  herald  the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth,  now  as  if  his  days  were  thousands  of  years.  He  who 
knows  us  best  knows  the  deep  devotion  of  watchfulness,  humility,  and  awe  to  be  the  fittest  posture  for 
our  spirits ;  therefore  does  he  preserve  the  salutary  suspense  that  insures  it,  and  therefore  will  he  deter- 
mine his  Advent  to  no  definite  day  in  the  calendar  of  eternity.     W.  A.  B. 


5«  Willingly  ignorant.  Men  will  not  know 
that  which  they  have  a  mind  to  hate.  It  argues  a 
secret  fear  and  suspicion  of  the  truth  ;  men  arc 
unwilling  to  follow  it  too  close  lest  it  cross  their 
lusts  and  interests ;  they  "  will  not  come  to  the 
light  lest  their  deeds  be  reproved "  ;  "  they  are 
willingly  ignorant "  ;  those  that  can  please  them- 
selves in  the  ignorance  of  any  truth  err  not  only  in 
their  minds  hut  hearts.     T.  M, 

5-7.  The  heavens  and  the  earth  became  the 
instruments  of  destruction  of  the  then  existing 
world  of  human  beings  and  animals.  The  heavens 
became  such  an  instrument   of  destruction   when 


before  since  the  creation  of  the  world.  The  earth, 
which  had  been  founded  upon  the  waters  and  risen 
out  of  the  water  (Ps.  24  :  2),  in  obedience  to  the 
command  of  God  was  compelled  to  pour  forth  its 
treasures  of  water  (Gen.  8  :  2),  in  order  to  destroy 
man  and  beast.  The  same  divine  omnipotence 
which  commanded  the  water  to  destroy  men  and  to 
lay  waste  the  earth,  will  hereafter  destroy  the  pres- 
ent world  by  fire,  and  not  only  change  the  surface 
of  the  earth.  Fronmuller. After  passing  symp- 
toms of  destruction,  destined  to  give  note  of  warn- 
ing that  the  earth  itself  with  all  its  inhabitants  sub- 
sists only  by  mercy,  the  earth  and  the  heavens  have 


their  windows  were  opened  and  it  rained  as  never  I  continued  to  see  an  uninterrupted  series  of  day  sue- 


678 


SECTION  364.— S  PETER  3  : 1-18. 


ceeding  night,  and  night  day,  the  sea  ebbing  and 
flowing  under  the  gravitation  of  the  heavenly  bodies, 
and  these  again  performing  their  wonted  orbits  in 
the  heavens.  But  the  sentence  is  only  delayed. 
This  temple  itself,  with  its  movable  architecture, 
amid  which  the  earth  occujjies  so  small  a  spot,  must 
siuk  iuto  an  ocean  of  fire  in  order  that  the  catas- 
trophe, by  its  easy  and  sudden  accomplishment, 
may  establish  in  all  created  minds  this  eternal  prin- 
ciple of  the  divine  government — matter  is  made  for 
mind,  and  mind  for  truth  and  God.     A.  V. 

8«  To  short-lived  creatui-es  a  few  years  may 
seem  an  age ;  but  Scripture,  measuring  all  things 
by  the  existence  of  God,  reckons  otherwise.  Human 
reason  sticks  altogether  in  the  outward  sense  and 
feeling,  and  therefore,  as  man  measures  his  happi- 
ness by  temporal  accidenis,  so  his  daration  by  tem- 
poral existences.  When  shall  we  look  within  the 
veil,  and  learn  to  measure  things  by  faith  and  not 
by  sense  ?  We  count  moments  long ;  and  God, 
who  is  of  an  eternal  duration,  counts  thousands  of 
years  a  small  moment.  All  outward  accidents  have 
their  periods  beyond  which  they  can  not  pass  ;  but 
eternity  is  a  day  that  is  never  overcast  with  the 

shadows  of  a  night.     T.  M. God  hath  not  made 

a  creature  that  can  comprehend  him ;  'tis  the  privi- 
lege of  his  own  nature.  I  am  that  I  am,  was  his 
own  definition  unto  Moses ;  and  'twas  a  short  one 
to  confound  mortality,  that  durst  question  God  or 
ask  him  what  he  was  ;  indeed,  he  only  is  ;  all  others 
have  been  and  shall  be,  but  in  eternity  there  is  no 
distinction  of  tenses.  To  his  eternity,  which  is  in- 
divisible and  all  together,  the  last  trump  is  already 
sounded,  the  reprobates  in  the  flame,  and  the 
blessed  in  Abraham's  bosom.  Peter  speaks  mod- 
estly when  he  saith  a  thousand  years  to  God  are 
but  as  one  day ;  for  those  continued  instances'  of 
time  which  flow  into  a  thousand  years  make  not  to 
him  one  moment ;  what  to  us  is  to  come,  to  his  eter- 
nity is  present,  his  whole  duration  being  but  one 
permanent  point  without  succession,  parts,  or  divi- 
sion.    Browne. 

9«  Not  slack  concerning  his  promise. 
God  oftentimes  delays,  that  his  people  may  come  to 
him  with  greater  importunity ;  he  puts  them  off, 
that  they  may  put  on  more  life  and  vigor.  God 
seems  to  be  slack,  that  he  may  make  us  the  more 
earnest;  he  seems  to  be  backward,  that  he  may 
make  us  the  more  forward  in  pressing  upon  him. 

Brooks. Xever  be  discouraged    because  good 

things  get  on  so  slowly  here,  and  never  fail  to  do 
daily  that  good  which  lies  next  to  your  hand.  Do 
not  be  in  a  hurry,  but  be  diligent.  Enter  into  the 
sublime  patience  of  the  Lord.  Be  charitable  in 
view  of  it.  God  can  afford  to  wait;  why  can  not 
we,  since  we  have  him  to  fall  back  upon  ?  Let  pa- 
tience have  her  perfect  work,  and  bring  forth  her 


celestial  fruits.  Remember  that  the  grand  harvest 
of  the  ages  shall  come  to  its  reaping,  and  the  day 
shall  broaden  itself  to  a  thousand  years,  and  the 
thousand  years  shall  show  themselves  as  a  perfect 

and  finished  day.  McD. Long-suffering.  God 

does  not  love  to  condemn,  but  to  save ;  and  the 
reason  why  he  is  patient  with  bad  men  is  that  he 
may  change  them  into  good  ones.     Aug. 

10.  Forbearance  may  be  long,  but  it  will  end 
abruptly.  Then  comes  sudden  judgment,  with  crash- 
ing ruin  and  a  blazing  sky.  The  earth  itself,  on  the 
stability  of  which  the  scoffers  count  so  confidently, 
will  be  wrapt  in  all-dissolving  fire.  How  long  or 
short  will  be  that  day  of  judgment,  no  mortal  man 
can  tell.  We  are  warned  not  to  apply  the  scale  of 
human  days  to  the  day  of  God.  But  what  it  most 
concerns  us  to  know  is  that  the  day  will  come  surely 

and  suddenly.     D.  F. The  passages  in  the  Bible 

are  but  few  in  which  anything  like  a  detailed  de- 
scription of  the  incidents  of  the  judgment-day  is 
given  us.  Of  the  great  fact  itself,  that  the  Lord 
hath  appointed  a  day  in  which  he  will  judge  the 
world  in  righteousness  by  that  man  whom  he  hath 
ordained,  we  are  frequently  and  earnestly  reminded. 
But  of  the  mode  or  outer  circumstances  of  the  event 
comparatively  little  is  revealed.  Nearly  all  that  is 
told  us  in  the  Scriptures  is  comprised  in  four  pas- 
sages:  Matt.  25  :  31-46;  1  Thes.  4  :  13-18;  Rev. 
20  :  11-15;  and  2  Peter  3 — a  chapter  to  which  we 
are  inclined  to  attach  the  greater  importance,  as  it 
is  so  purely  didactical  in  its  character.  One  leading 
feature  of  the  great  day  of  reckoning — the  one  per- 
haps more  than  any  other  pressed  upon  our  regard 
in  Holy  Writ — shall  be  its  suddenness,  its  unexpect- 
edness, the  world's  unpreparedness  for  it.  The  day 
before  its  last  shall  see  them  all  going  on  as  usual. 
Then,  without  a  herald  sent  or  note  of  warning 
given,  the  Son  of  man  shall  descend  from  heaven 
with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and 
the  trump  of  God.  That  trumpet-call  of  heaven 
shall  span  at  once  the  globe,  and  be  heard  the  same 
moment  at  either  pole.  At  its  summons  the  million 
sleepers  of  the  earth  shall  all  start  up  from  their 
last  repose,  their  dreamings  of  earthly  to-morrows 
all  cut  short.  But  that  trumpet-call  shall  do  more 
than  waken  all  the  sleeping  and  arrest  all  the  living 
inhabitants  of  the  globe.  It  shall  go  where  sound 
never  went  before — it  shall  do  what  sound  never 
did.  It  shall  pierce  the  stony  monument ;  it  shall 
penetrate  the  grassy  mound  ;  far  down  through  many 
a  fathom  of  the  ebbing  waters  shall  it  make  its  way ; 
over  the  deep  bed  of  ocean  shall  it  roll ;  and  the 
sea  shall  give  up  at  once  the  dead  that  are  in  it,  and 
the  earth  the  dead  that  are  there.  And  all  the  dead, 
small  and  great,  shall  arise.  And  in  a  moment,  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  by  the  forthgoing  of  one 
fiat  of  the  Omnipotent,  over  all  the  viist  congrega- 
tion of  the  living  with  which  that  still  vaster  con- 
gregation of  the  dead  is  to  mingle,  over  all  the 
bodies  of  the  living,  a  change  shall  pass  that  shall 
make  them  like  to  those  new  bodies  of  the  raised. 
And  all  shall  be  caught  up  together  in  the  clouds  to 
meet  the  Lord  in  the  air.     W.  H. 

1 1 .  Having  warned  the  scoffers,  Peter  concludes 
by  exhorting  the  believers  to  vigilance  and  piety. 
What  is  to  other  men  a  fearful  prospect  should  be 
by  them  expected  with  a  solemn  joy.     It  is  incum- 


SEC¥IOy  364.-2  PETER  3  : 1-18. 


6Y9 


bent  on  them  to  use  well  the  present  time,  and  serve 
Christ  with  diligence  during  this  period  of  toil  and 
struggle  on  the  part  of  the  Church,  patience  and 
long-suffering  on  the  part  of  God.     D.  F. 

A  believer  is  "  the  light  of  the  world,"  "  the  salt 
of  the  earth,"  "  a  child  of  God,"  "  a  friend  of  God," 
"  an  heir  of  God,"  "  a  joint  heir  with  Christ."  He  is 
a  "partaker  of  the  divine  nature  "  ;  he  is  "one  with 
Christ,  and  Christ  is  one  with  him."  Christ  "  liveth 
in  him,"  "  dwells  in  his  heart,"  "  sups  with  him,  and 
he  with  Christ " ;  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit  (the 
blessed  Trinity  in  Unity)  "  make  their  abode  with 
him,"  and  condescend  to  have  "  fellowship  and  com- 
munion "  with  him.  He  hath  "  put  on  Christ ! "  is 
"in  Christ,"  is  "crucified  with  Christ,"  is  "risen 
with  Christ,"  is  "  set  down  in  heavenly  places  with 
Christ."  Oh,  love  passing  knowledge !  "  What 
manner  of  persons  ought  we  to  be,  in  all  holy  con- 
versation and  godliness ! "     Hill. 

12.  Looking  for  the  coming.  It  is  one  of 
the  mightiest,  most  overwhelming  truths  of  our  ex- 
istence, that  we  are  all  advancing  into  the  immediate 
presence  of  God.  It  is  the  great  event  to  which  we 
are  all  hastening.  It  is  the  event  which  is  to  deter- 
mine our  eternal  destiny,  according  to  the  character 
with  which  we  meet  God.  And  one  would  think  the 
sense  of  this  truth,  the  remembrance  of  it,  and  a 
watchfulness  accordingly,  would  never  be  out  of  our 
minds.  One  would  think  that  the  very  breath  of 
ceaseless  prayer  in  our  hearts,  and  the  thought  and 
the  yearning  co-present  with  all  other  thoughts, 
would  be:  0  Thou,  whom  I  must  shortly  meet, 
take  possession  of  me  now  for  thyself !  let  the  re- 
fining flame  of  thy  love  kindle  within  me  and  never 
go  out,  but  burn  on  till  every  sinful  thing  shall  be 
consumed,  every  native  faculty  transfigured,  and 
every  impulse  of  will,  feeling,  and  emotion  baptized 
in  that  regenerating  flame !     G.  B.  C. 

15,  16.  The  specific  doctrine  here  quoted  from 
Paul,  that  "  the  long-suffering  of  our  Lord  is  sal- 
vation," is  found  in  the  Ejnstle  to  the  Romans  (2  :  4), 
an  interesting  confirmation  of  what  is  implied  in 
the  context,  that  all  Paul's  Epistles  were  in  gen- 
eral circulation  throughout  the  churches,  and,  with 
the  other  books  of  the  New  Testament  that  were  al- 
ready written  (included,  like  the  Epistles,  in  the 
phrase  the  other  Seripiurcs),  were  regarded  as  parts 
of  Holy  Scripture.  So  early  do  we  trace  the  forma- 
tion of  the  JVeit)  Testament  Canon  by  a  progress  of 
vital  growth,  not  of  arbitrary  selection.  .  .  .  This 
celebrated  passage,  the  very  key-stone  of  apostolic 
evidence  to  the  divine  authority  of  all  Paul's  Epis- 
tles, and  by  inference  of  the  other  Scriptures  of  the 
New  Testament  as  well  as  of  the  Old,  gives  at  the  same 
time  the  clearest  exhibition  of  an  apostle  applying 
his  ordinary  human  intelligence  to  the  study  of  those 
Scriptures.    What  a  suggestive  picture :  Pder perus- 


ing Paul's  Epistles  !  Such  an  attentive  study,  pe- 
rused with  an  anxiety  to  clear  up  the  doubts  at 
which  the  unlearned  and  unstable  might  stumble, 
could  not  but  leave  its  mark  on  Peter's  style.  Nor 
can  we  think  that  he  would  despise  the  aid  of  Paul's 
companion,  the  Hellenist  Silvanus,  whose  name  was 
joined  with  Paul's  in  the  superscription  of  some  of 
these  very  Epistles,  and  in  the  declaration  of  the 
gospel  taught  by  the  apostle.     S. 

16.  "In  which  are  some  things  hard  to  be  un- 
derstood." Our  three  most  ancient  MSS.  have  the 
relative  "  which  "  in  the  feminine  gender,  and  there- 
fore referring  to  "  Epistles,"  which  has  preceded, 
not  to  "  things  "  or  "  subjects  "  understood.  It  will 
be  best,  therefore,  to  read,  "  in  which  Epistles."    A. 

Although  there  are  acknowledged  difiiculties  in 

the  Epistles  and  in  other  Scriptures,  and  though 
these  are  misinterpreted  by  incompetent  persons,  no 
argument  ought  to  be  founded  thereon  against  the 
right  and  duty  of  appeal  to  Holy  Writ.  No  com- 
position has  been  so  twisted  and  wrested  as  sacred 
Scripture.  So  much  the  worse  for  those  who  misuse 
it.  It  is  "  to  their  own  destruction " ;  but  the 
Scriptures  can  not  be  destroyed,  and  to  them  should 
all  religious  questions  be  taken  with  competent 
learning  and  spiritual  power  of  insight.     D.  F. 

Holy  Mr.  Gilford's  doctrine,  by  God's  grace,  was 
much  for  my  stability.  This  man  made  it  much  his 
business  to  deliver  the  people  of  God  from  all  those 
hard  and  unsound  tests  that  by  nature  we  are  prone 
to.  He  would  bid  us  take  special  heed  that  we  took 
not  up  any  truth  upon  trust,  as  from  this  or  that  or 
any  other  man  or  men ;  but  cry  mightily  to  God  that 
he  would  convince  us  of  the  reality  thereof,  and 
set  us  down  therein  by  his  own  Spirit  in  the  holy 
word ;  "  for,"  said  he,  "  if  you  do  otherwise,  when 
temptation  comes  strongly  upon  you,  you,  not  having 
received  them  with  evidence  from  heaven,  will  find 
you  want  that  help  and  strength  now  to  resist  that 
once  you  thought  you  had."  Now  was  my  soul  led 
from  truth  to  truth  by  God ;  even  from  the  birth 
and  cradle  of  the  Son  of  God  to  his  ascension  and 
second  coming  from  heaven  to  judge  the  world.  Bun. 

18.  Read  "grow  in  the  grace  and  knowledge  of 

our  Lord."    A. Those  who  are  weak  in  grace 

dwell  more  upon  their  sins  than  upon  the  Saviour  ; 
more  upon  their  misery  than  upon  free  grace  and 
mercy ;  more  upon  that  which  may  feed  their  fears 
than  upon  that  which  may  strengthen  their  faith  ; 
more  upon  the  cross  than  upon  the  crown;  more 
upon  those  that  are  against  them  than  upon  those 
that  are  for  them ;  and  this  keeps  them  low  and 
weak  in  spirituals,  it  causes  a   leatmess  in  their 

souls.     Brooks. ^Past  attainments  can  not  serve 

us.  We  rest  on  them,  and  we  wither  and  become 
weak  and  emasculated.  We  can  only  be  strong  and 
joyous  as  we  go  on  growing  more  and  more  day  by 


680 


SBGTIOJ^  365.— 1  JOHN  1 : 1-10. 


day.  A  Christian  does  not  liave  to  go  down  into 
the  dark  recesses  of  his  own  soul  and  beget  and 
nourish  the  law  of  growth.  All  he  has  to  do  is  to 
comply  with  the  conditions  of  growth,  the  law  of  it 
being  already  in  him.  It  is  alike  our  privilege  and 
duty  to  grow  all  through  life.  Though  our  outward 
man  may  perish,  though  our  intellects  become  torpid 
and  stiff,  yet  our  hearts  may  become  more  and  more 
mellow,  devout,  loving,  and  sweet.     J.  D. 

The  one  sign  of  vital  personal  religion  is  growth. 
There  is  no  growth  in  a  life  of  spiritual  routine,  in 
a  mechanical  performance  of  duties  however  im- 
portant, or  a  mechanical  attendance  upon  ordinances 
however  sacred.  There  is  no  growth  without  that 
sort  of  enthusiastic  interest  in  religion  with  which 
a  man  must  take  up  anything  if  he  wishes  to  suc- 
ceed in  it.  There  is  no  growth  in  the  deliberate 
adoption  of  a  low  standard,  in  the  attempt  to  keep 
back  a  moiety  of  the  heart  from  Christ,  in  consent- 
ing to  go  with  God  thus  far  only,  and  no  farther. 
There  is  no  growth  in  contenting  ourselves  with  re- 
spectability, and  declining  the  pursuit  of  holiness. 
There  is  no  growth  without  fervent  prayer,  "  in  spirit 
and  in  truth."  And,  finally,  there  is  no  growth 
(whatever  be  the  hopes  with  which  we  may  be  flat- 
tering ourselves)  without  continual  and  sincere  ef- 
fort.    E.  M.  G. There  are  laws  in  the  economy 

of  grace  as  in  the  growth  of  the  body  and  the  mind. 
Blessings  are  according  to  faith.  Spiritual  glory 
will  be  revealed  to  spiritual  eyes.  Character  will 
unfold  and  strengthen  in  its  heavenly  order.  Ac- 
cording to  your  faith  it  will  be  unto  you.  Every 
new  year  will  set  you  nobly  forward  toward  higher 
purities  of  sanctification.  Power,  patience,  con- 
sistency, self-control,  peace  with  God,  joy  in  believ- 
ing, victory  over  the  world — these  and  every  other 
grace  will  grow  with  your  growth.     Such  a  life  will 


be  a  perpetual  journey  of  honor,  with  light  all  the 
way,  and  immortality  at  the  end.     F.  D.  II. 

And  knowledge.  Seek  not  so  much  either  to 
vent  thy  knowledge  or  to  increase  it  as  to  know 
more  spiritually  and  effectually  wjiat  thou  dost 
know.  And  in  this  way  these  truths  will  have  a 
new  sweetness  and  use  in  them,  and  in  thy  humble, 
sincere  way  thou  shalt  grow  in  knowledge  too.  L. 
It  is  by  the  believer's  walk  with  God,  by  the  ex- 
perimental acquaintance  he  gets  with  Him,  that  he 
attains  to  more  solid,  more  comprehensive  views  of 
his  glory,  grace,  and  truth,  as  they  shine  forth  in  the 
person  and  work  of  Jesus.  The  truth,  moreover,  of 
God's  nature,  as  one  God  in  trinity  and  trinity  in 
unity,  becomes  daily  better  understood  and  delighted 
in,  not  as  a  matter  of  speculation,  but  as  minister- 
ing a  eoWA  foundatto7i  of  trust  to  a  guilty  sinner. 
As  far  as  the  believer  can  see,  the  very  possibility  of 
salvation  rests  on  this  distinction  of  persons  in  the 
one  blessed  God ;  so  that  the  Father  could  give  his 
Only-begotten  Son,  the  Son  could  offer  himself  with- 
out spot  to  God,  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Father  and 
the  Son  could  go  forth  to  apply  this  salvation  by  the 
testimony  of  Jesus,  quickening  his  soul  together 
with  Christ,  and  fitting  him  for  the  enjoyment  of 
God.  The  longer  the  Christian  lives  the  more  he 
sees  of  wisdom,  holiness,  and  love  in  the  plan,  the 
accomplishment,  the  application  of  the  salvation 
which  is  by  Christ :  mercy  and  truth  blended  with 
infinite  holiness  in  the  Father ;  infinite  amiableness 
in  Christ ;  infinite  condescension  and  tenderness  in 
God  the  Spirit.  This  knowledge,  by  sweet  experience 
of  the  divine  nature  and  character  as  they  are  made 
known  in  Christ,  is  the  food  and  feast  of  his  soul 
all  the  days  of  his  pilgrimage ;  the  foretaste  of  that 
fullness  of  delights  which  he  shall  enjoy  when  he 
shall  see  God  as  he  is. 


Section  365. 


1  John  i.  1-10. 

1  Th.'Vt  which  was  from  the  beginning,  which  we  have  heard,  which  we  have  seen  with 
our  eyes,  which  we  have  looked  upon,  and  our  hands  have  handled,  of  the  "Word  of  Life: 

2  (for  the  life  was  manifested,  and  we  have  seen  it,  and  bear  witness,  and  shew  unto  you  that 

3  eternal  life,  which  was  with  the  Father,  and  was  manifested  unto  us ;)  that  which  we  have 
seen  and  heard  declare  we  unto  you,  that  ye  also  may  have  fellowship  with  us  :  and  truly 

4  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.     And  these  things  write 

5  we  unto  you,  that  your  joy  may  be  full.     This  then  is  the  message  which  we  have  heard  of 

6  him,  and  declare  unto  you,  that  God  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no  darkness  at  all.     If  we  say 

7  that  we  have  fellowship  with  liim,  and  walk  in  darkness,  we  lie,  and  do  not  the  truth :  but 
if  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  he  is  in  the  light,  we  have  fellowsliip  one  with  another,  and  the 

8  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin.     If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we 


SECTION  365.— 1  JOEN  1  : 1-10. 


681 


9  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  ns.     If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just 
10  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  aud  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness.     If  we  say  that  we  have 
not  sinned,  we  make  him  a  liar,  and  his  word  is  not  in  us. 


From  the  absolute  certainty  of  the  divine  existence  and  authority  of  Christ  comes  a  certainty  as  perfect 
that  to  follow  and  love  him,  to  trust  ourselves  to  him,  to  be  guided  by  his  rules,  to  be  vitally  imbued  and 
pervaded  by  his  spirit,  to  be  consecrated  to  the  ends  which  he  proposes,  and  to  that  sublime  service  to 
which  he  invites  us — that  this  is  the  way  of  absolute  safety,  peace,  and  well-being  to  all  who  will  take  it ! 
We  can  not  be  out  of  the  path  of  safety,  we  must  be  in  harmony  with  the  wisdom,  the  righteousness,  and 
the  glory  of  the  universe  while  we  seek,  and  serve,  and  adore  this  Lord.  Before  his  greatness  royalties  fade. 
Before  his  prescience  that  of  sages  is  folly.  His  temper  but  expresses  the  perfection  of  God.  His  do- 
minion stands  supreme  over  nature  and  man.  The  earth  is  more  sacred  since  he  has  been  on  it.  The 
family  is  more  august  since  he  was  born  into  it.  Celestial  spheres  are  nearer  men  since  he  has  come  from 
them  to  Bethlehem,  and  again  has  returned  from  Bethany  to  them.  And  while  we  serve  and  honor  him 
with  lip  and  life,  with  heart  and  strength,  the  power  that  lifted  the  dead  is  our  guardian ;  the  wisdom  that 
illuminates  the  world  is  our  teacher  ;  the  grace  that  sacrificed  life  on  the  cross  is  our  guarantee  of  the 
future.     R.  S.  S. 


John's  First  Epistle. 

The  Epistles  of  John  were  undoubtedly  written 
at  Ephesus  after  the  gospel,  which  is  presumed  to 
be  known,  and  in  the  advanced  years  of  the  apos- 
tle, though  before  the  date  of  the  Apocalypse.  The 
first  Epistle  attests  itself  at  once  by  the  introduction 
as  well  as  by  the  striking  similarity  of  thought  and 
style,  as  the  work  of  the  author  of  the  fourth  Gos- 
pel, with  which  it  stands  intimately  connected  as  a 
practical  application.  It  is  a  circular  letter  of  ex- 
hortation and  encouragement  to  the  churches  of 
Asia  Minor  (comp.  Rev.  2  and  3),  which  were  already 
well  versed  in  the  faith,  built  on  the  golden  founda- 
tion of  Paul's  doctrine  of  grace.  The  object  of  the 
Epistle  is  to  nourish  the  Christian  life,  and  to  warn  its 
readers  against  moral  laxness,  against  all  intermix- 
ture of  light  with  darkness,  of  truth  with  falsehood, 
of  the  love  of  God  with  the  love  of  the  world,  and 
against  the  influence  of  those  Gnostic,  Docetistic 
"  antichrists  "  who  denied  the  reality  of  the  incar- 
nation, the  true  union  of  deity  and  humanity  in 
Jesus  Christ ;  who  separated  the  knowing  of  Christ 
from  the  following  of  him,  religion  from  morality. 
He  briefly  points  out  their  fundamental  error  with 
profound  discernment  and  holy  horror,  and  contrasts 
it  with  the  Christian  principle.  The  simple,  sublime 
thought  of  the  Epistle,  which  he  presents  at  the 
very  beginning,  and  continually  enforces  under  dif- 
ferent shapes,  is  the  love  of  God  and  of  the  brethren, 
founded  on  living  faith  in  the  God-man,  whose  his- 
tory is  fully  given  in  the  gospel ;  in  other  words,  the 
idea  of  fellowship  in  its  twofold  aspect ;  the  union 
of  believers  with  God  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and 
the  union  of  believers  with  one  another.  The  latter 
is  rooted  in  the  former,  and  is  its  necessary  product ; 
the  two  are  the  marks  of  regeneration  and  adoption, 
and  are  inseparable  from  the  keeping  of  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  from  a  holy  walk  in  the  light 
after  the  example  of  Christ,  as  well  as  from  true 
joy  and  the  possession  of  the  eternal  life,  which  the 
incarnate  Logos  has  brought  into  the  world,  and 
which  he  alone  can  give.  These  few  thoughts, 
clothed  in  the  simplest  words,  contain  the  sum  of 
Christian  morality  and  describe  the  inmost  essence 
of  piety.  What  Herder  says  of  John's  writings  in 
general  may  be  applied  with  peculiar  emphasis  to 
this  first  Epistle  :  "  They  are  still  waters,  which  run 


deep  ;  flowing  along  with  the  easiest  words,  but  the 
most  profound  meaning."    P.  S. 

It  is  beautiful  to  notice  how  the  apostle  who  had 
drunk  the  deepest  at  this  river  of  revelation,  and  as 
if  the  cry  of  Moses  and  David  and  Ilabakkuk,  and 
all  the  old  yearning  saints  who  panted  for  a  sight  of 
God,  were  ringing  in  his  ears,  as  if  in  the  straining 
eyes  and  wistful  faces  of  every  believer  he  read  the 
same  behest,  and  could  hear  from  the  bosom  of  the 
Church  universal  a  murmur  asking  for  God  mani- 
fest— it  is  beautiful  to  observe  how  John  the  divine, 
in  the  beginning  of  his  Gospel,  his  Apocalypse,  and 
his  general  Epistle,  comes  bursting  out  with  the  won- 
drous tidings,  and  tells  that  the  want  is  at  last  sup- 
plied, that  the  manifestation  is  vouchsafed,  for  which 
the  weary  Church  had  so  long  been  waiting.  Ham- 
ilton. 

John  is  the  apostle  of  spirituality.  He  goes  for 
evidence,  proof,  satisfaction,  within,  into  the  breast. 
His  wisdom  is  of  the  heart ;  his  faith  is  less  of  be- 
lief than  trust ;  less  by  argument  than  by  intuition. 
No  apostle  seems  to  have  clung  with  such  reveren- 
tial affection  to  the  person  of  Jesus.  His  faith  is 
all  bound  up  in  that  personal  attachment.  John 
completes  the  full  apostolic  manifestation  of  Chris- 
tian character.  He  is  the  fourth  of  that  united 
quaternion  that  show  us  what  we  ought  to  be.  Ho 
adds  to  Peter's  fervor,  and  Paul's  belief,  and  James's 
morality,  his  o.wn  affection.  He  is  a  reconciler,  and 
brings  in  that  crowning  and  harmonizing  element  of 
love  without  which  zeal  and  faith  and  conscience 
are  all  wanting.     F.  D.  H. 

1.  The  Word  of  Life.  In  his  divine  nature, 
as  Logos,  he  is  the  eternal  Son  of  the  Father,  and 
the  agent  in  the  creation  and  preservation  of  the 
world.  In  him  dwells  all  the  fullness  of  the  God- 
head bodily ;  and  in  him  also  is  realized  the  ideal  of 
human  virtue  and  piety.  He  is  the  eternal  Truth 
and  the  divine  Life  itself,  personally  joined  with  our 
nature,  our  Lord  and  our  God ;  yet  at  the  same 
time  flesh  of  our  flesh.  In  him  is  solved  the  prob- 
lem of  religion,  the  reconciliation  and  fellowship  of 
man  with  God.  P.  S. The  Word  has  been  with- 
out a  human  soul,  but  it  was  when  the  Word  was  in 


G82 


SEGTI02r  365.— 1  JOEN'  1  : 1-10. 


the  beginning,  and  was  with  God,  and  was  God. 
But  ever  since  the  Word  became  flesh  and  dwelt 
among  us,  and  manhood,  that  is,  the  whole  of  man- 
hood, soul  and  flesh,  was  assumed  by  the  Word, 
what  was  the  result  of  the  passion,  what  of  the 
death,  save  the  separation  of  the  body  from  the 
soul?  But  the  soul  was  not  separated  from  the 
Word.  For  if  the  Lord  died — yes,  even  because 
the  Lord  died — (for  he  died  for  us  on  the  cross), 
doubtless  his  flesh  breathed  forth  his  soul;  for  a 
short  space  the  soul  forsook  the  flesh,  but  the  flesh 
was  to  rise  again  when  the  soul  returned  to  it.  But 
I  deny  that  the  soul  was  separated  from  the  Word. 
He  said  to  the  soul  of  the  robber,  "  To-day  shalt 
thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise."  He  forsook  not 
the  robber's  faithful  soul,  and  did  he  forsake  his 
own  ?  God  forbid ;  as  its  Lord,  he  kept  the  rob- 
ber's soul  safe,  while  he  retained  his  own  insep- 
arably.   Aug. 

2.  All  heretics  have  set  themselves  against 
Christ.  Manicheus  opposed  Christ's  humanity,  for 
he  alleged  Christ  was  a  spirit ;  "  even,"  says  he,  "  as 
the  sun  shines  through  a  painted  glass,  and  the  sun- 
beams go  through  on  the  other  side,  and  yet  the  sun 
takes  nothing  away  from  the  substance  of  the  glass, 
even  so  Christ  took  nothing  from  the  substance  and 
nature  of  Mary."  Arius  assaulted  the  Godhead  of 
Christ.  IS'ostorius  held  there  were  two  persons. 
Eutychius  taught  there  was  but  one  person  ;  "  for," 
said  he,  "  the  person  of  the  Deity  was  swallowed 
up."  Macedonius  opposed  only  the  article  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  but  he  soon  fell,  and  was  confounded. 
If  this  article  of  Christ  remain,  then  all  blasphe- 
mous spirits  must  vanish  and  be  overthrown.  The 
Turks  and  Jews  acknowledge  God  the  Father ;  it 
i3  the  Son  they  shoot  at.  About  this  article  much 
blood  has  been  shed.  1  verily  believe  that  at  Rome 
more  than  twenty  hundred  thousands  of  martyrs 
have  been  put  to  death.  It  began  with  the  begin- 
ning of  the  world — with  Cain  and  Abel,  Ishmael 
and  Isaac,  Esau  and  Jacob,  and  I  am  persuaded  that 
it  was  about  it  the  devil  was  cast  from  heaven  down 
to  hell ;  he  was  a  fair  creature  of  Gfod,  and  doubt- 
less strove  to  be  the  Son.  Next  after  the  Holy 
Scripture,  we  have  no  stronger  argument  for  the 
confirmation  of  that  article  than  the  sweet  and  lov- 
ing Cross.  For  all  kingdoms,  all  the  powerful,  have 
striven  against  Christ  and  this  article,  but  they  could 
not  prevail.     Luther. 

Manifested.  By  means  of  the  incarnation, 
God  has  reduced  himself  to  the  level  of  human  ap- 
prehensions and  human  sympathies.  He  gives  us 
in  Christ  a  definite  object,  upon  M'hich  all  our  senti- 
ments of  love,  loyalty,  veneration,  affection,  may 
fasten ;  yet  without  fear  of  idolatry,  inasmuch  as 
this  object  is  divine.  To  conceive  of  Christ  is  to 
conceive  of  God ;  and  to  love  Christ  is  to  love  God ; 


for  he  that  hath  seen  Christ  hath  seen  the  Father. 

E.  M.  G. How  can  you  see  life,  but  by  seeing 

some  one  live  it  ?  You  can  not  see  a  man's  life  un- 
less you  see  him  live  such  and  such  a  life,  or  hear 
of  his  living  such  and  such  a  life,  and  so  knowing 
what  his  life,  manners,  character,  are.  And  so  no 
one  could  have  seen  God's  life,  or  known  what  life 
God  lived,  and  what  character  God's  life  was,  had  it 
not  been  for  the  incarnation  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us, 
that  by  seeing  him  the  Son,  we  might  see  the  Fa- 
ther, whose  likeness  he  was,  and  is,  and  ever  will 
be.     C.  K. 

3.  May  have  fellowship  with  us.  We 
have  fellowship  with  those  that  speak,  not  only  in 
their  spiritual  relations  with  their  Lord  (which  they 
fully  understood  only  after  he  was  gone),  but  in 
their  remembrances  of  him  in  that  earlier  time  when 
he  was  yet  with  them.  Their  witness  is  effectual 
for  this  end.  For  ?«  also  it  is  all  real.  He  dwelt 
among  us.  We  beheld  his  glory.  We  caught  the 
gracious  words  that  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth. 
So  things  went  with  him.  So  he  looked  and  moved 
and  spoke.  So  he  wrought  and  suffered  and  died. 
We  have  stood  by  the  cross  of  Jesus.  We  have 
entered  the  empty  sepulchre.  We  have  seen  him 
alive  after  his  passion.  He  has  shown  us  his  hands 
and  his  feet.  We  have  been  led  out  as  far  as  to 
Betham',  have  seen  the  hands  lifted  up  to  bless, 

and  watched  the  ascending  form.   T.  D.  B. The 

great  requisites  for  fellowship  with  the  Father 
and  Son  are  determined  by  the  nature  and  char- 
acter of  God.  God  is  light ;  and  it  is  communion 
in  the  light.  God  is  love ;  and  it  is  a  fellowship  of 
love.     D.  F. 

4.  Joy.  This  affords  a  new  proof  of  God's 
infinite  benevolence,  that  he  has  made  it  our  religion 
to  be  happy.  In  exhorting  us  to  believe,  and  hope, 
and  love,  he  only  summons  us  to  that  harmony  of 
the  powers  which  tends  to  their  most  blissful  exer- 
cise. And  hence,  in  the  tender  and  affecting  dis- 
courses which  the  Lord  held  with  his  disciples  after 
the  eucharist,  having  promised  them  peace,  his  own 
peace,  he  goes  on  to  promise  them  joy,  even  his  own 
joy.  "  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that 
my  joy  might  remain  in  you,  and   that  your   joy 

might  be  full."   J.  W.  A. The  latter  words  John 

here  repeats.      B. Joy  is  of   the   soul,  or  the 

soul's  character ;  it  is  the  wealth  of  the  soul's  own 
being  when  it  is  filled  with  the  spirit  of  Jesus, 
which  is  the  spirit  of  eternal  love.  Every  soul  is 
made  to  be  a  well-spring  of  eternal  blessedness,  and 
will  be  if  only  it  permits  the  waters  of  the  eternal 
love  to  rise  within.  It  can  have  right  thoughts  and 
true,  and  be  set  in  everlasting  harmony  with  itself. 
It  can  love,  and  so,  without  going  about  to  find  what 
shall  bless  it,  it  has  all  the  material  of  blessing  in 


SECTION  $65.-1  JOHN  1 : 1-10. 


683 


itself ;  resources  in  its  own  immortal  nature,  as  a 
creature  dwelling  in  the  light  of  God,  which  can  not 
fail,  or  be  exhausted.     II.  B. 

5>  God  is  light.  We  get  the  full  sense  of 
this  richly  comprehensive  word  "  light "  as  said  of 
God  when  we  combine  the  two  great  ideas — truth, 
and  purity  or  holiness.  God  truthful ;  God  sinless  ; 
God  the  fountain  of  all  truth  ;  God  the  author 
and  giver  of  all  holiness  to  his  ci'eatures — these  are 
the  great  ideas  which  lie  in  the  word  Licjht  as  it 
stands  here  descriptive  of  God.     II.  C. 

6.  Light  is  clear  and  open.  If  a  man  walks 
deceitfully,  and  has  not  the  truth  in  him,  but  a  lie, 
he  offends  against  the  perfect  integrity  of  God,  and 
has  no  fellowship  with  him.  Light  is  inviolably 
pure.  It  takes  cognizance  of  foulness  and  corrup- 
tion, yet  receives  no  soil,  contracts  no  stain  ;  shines 
on  what  is  base  and  noisome,  keeping  itself  unsul- 
lied, undefiled.  If  a  man  becomes  contaminated 
with  evil,  and  has  fellowship  with  "  the  unfruitful 
works  of  darkness,"  he  has  no  fellowship  with 
God.    D.  F. 

7.  The  apostle,  in  these  words  of  holy  mystery, 
contemplates  the  church  of  the  sanctified  walking 
together  under  the  radiance  of  a  common  light, 
which  streams  from  the  presence  of  God,  and  which, 
involving  them  all,  assimilates  them  all.  He  sees 
them  move  in  holy  fear,  and  yet  holier  hope,  be- 
neath the  meridian  blaze  of  the  everlasting  glory, 
receiving  its  rays,  and,  in  the  very  community  of  the 
same  gift,  by  the  very  force  of  a  common  investi- 
ture, enjoying  blessed  '■'•fellowship  one  with  an- 
other." The  fair  procession  of  the  people  of  God 
passes  calmly  on  before  his  gifted  eyes ;  and  each, 
in  the  luminous  robe  that  vests  him,  wears  the  high 
insignia  of  a  celestial  adoption.  Co-heirs  of  heaven, 
they  know  their  brotherhood ;  walking  in  that  light 
which  issues  from  no  earthly  sun,  they  feel  it  theirs 
alone,  and  recognize  in  each  other  the  mystic  fel- 
lowship it  gives !    "W.  A.  B. 

And  what  shall  we  do  about  our  sins  ?  Hear 
what  follows :  "  And  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his 
Son  cleanses  us  from  all  sin."  It  is  great  ease  of 
mind  that  God  has  given  us.  The  devil  once  held  a 
bond  of  slavery  against  us,  but  it  was  obliterated 
by  the  blood  of  Christ.  If  you  have  confessed  your 
sins,  truth  is  in  you ;  for  truth  itself  is  light.  Your 
life  is  not  yet  perfectly  lustrous,  for  sins  are  there ; 
but  yet  you  now  begin  to  be  illuminated,  for  confes- 
sion of  sins  is  there.     Aug. Nothing  will  do  for 

a  Gospel  that  leaves  any  trouble  incurable,  any 
sorrow  uncomforted,  any  sin  beyond  forgiveness. 
The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin, 
all  its  kinds,  and  all  its  degrees — the  hard  cold  sins 
of  avarice  and  hypocrisy ;  the  hot  impulsive  sins  of 
passion  and  desperation.  The  most  perfectly  de- 
vised system  of  morahty,  or  even  of  spirituality,  if 


the  Cross  is  left  out  of  it,  can  do  nothing  like  that. 
F.  D.  H. 

8.  Dreams  of  perfection  in  the  flesh  would  be 
little  entertained  if  men  kept  clearly  in  view  the 
distinction  between  what  we  are  in  Christ  and  what 
we  are  in  ourselves.  To  be  in  him  is  to  be  saved  at 
once  and  for  ever  from  the  condemnation  of  sin, 
but,  as  the  lives  of  the  highest  and  the  lowest  saints 
alike  testify,  not  immediately  from  the  presence 
and  inworking  of  sin.  Christ  had  sin  upon  him, 
though  he  had  no  sin  in  him.  He  that  is  in  Christ 
has  no  sin  upon  him,  though  he  still  has  sin  in  him. 
And  just  in  proportion  to  the  completeness  of  his 
abiding  in  him  by  communion  and  obedience  will 
he  be  free  from  sin  within  him  as  he  is  from  sin 
upon  him.  But  let  us  not  be  deceived.  Because 
the  Spirit  addresses  us  as  those  that  are  "  sanctified 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus"  let  us  not  therefore 
claim  to  have  reached  a  state  of  practical  and  real- 
ized sanctification  in  ourselves.  "We  are  in  him 
that  is  true,"  and  "  In  him  is  no  sin."  "  But  if  we 
say  that  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and 

the  truth  is  not  iti  us."     A.  J.  G. The  belief  of 

Christian  perfectibility  seems  inapplicable  to  indi- 
vidual practice  from  the  very  nature  of  Christian 
holiness.  Were  a  perfect  man  to  exist,  he  himself 
would  be  the  last  to  know  it ;  for  the  highest  stage 
of  advancement  is  the  lowest  descent  in  humility. 
As  long  as  this  humility  is  necessary  to  the  fullness 
of  the  Christian  character,  it  would  seem  that  it  is 
of  the  essence  of  the  constant  growth  in  grace  (how- 
ever encouraged  by  holy  joy  and  inwdrd  testimonies) 
to  see  itself  lowlier  as  God  exalts  it  higher.  In 
truth,  it  is  only  piety,  and  piety  fervent  and  exalt- 
ed, that  can  really  feel  how  immeasurably  far  it  is 

from  perfect  holiness.     W.  A.  B. The  belief  of 

one's  perfect  freedom  from  sin,  while  God's  own 
discipline  is  going  on  to  beat  down  sin,  takes  the 
place  of  faith  in  Christ,  and  plunges  the  soul  into 
sin.  So  has  that  great  master  of  the  human  heart, 
and  of  the  workings  both  of  nature  and  of  grace  in 
it,  John  Bunyan,  presented  the  consequences  of  the 
self-flattering  idea  of  perfect  freedom  from  sin. 
The  Flatterer  may  seem  a  bright,  glorious  man,  in  a 
white  robe,  with  white,  shining  wings,  without  us ; 
but  he  is  the  dark,  deceitful  old  man  within  us. 
Grace  in  this  world  is  medicinal,  curative,  as  long 
as  the  world  stands.     G.  B.  C. 

9.  If  we  confess.  The  man  who  confesses 
his  misdeeds  and  reproaches  himself  for  them  sides 
and  cooperates  with  God.  God  upbraids  your  sins ; 
if  you  do  the  same,  you  act  with  God.  That  you 
are  a  man,  'tis  God's  work  ;  that  you  are  a  sinner, 
'tis  your  own.  You  must  abhor  in  yourself  your 
own  production,  that  you  may  love  in  yourself  the 

work   of  God.      Aug. Under  the  teaching   of 

Satan  men  invert  God's  order.     For  God  hits  at" 


684 


SECTION  366.— 1  JOHN  2  : 1-29. 


tached  a  sense  of.  shame  to  sin,  and  given  confidence 
to  the  confession  of  sin ;  but  the  devil  attaches  con- 
fidence to  sin,  and  to  confession  shame.     Chrys. 

God  is  both  "faithful  and  just  to  forgive": 
"faithful,"  as  having  promised,  and  therefore  as 
in  good  faith  fulfilling ;  "  just,"  as  doing  a  righteous 
thing — a  thing  which  he  can  righteously  do  by  rea- 
son of  the  provisions  made  in  the  atoning  death  of 

Christ.     II.  C. It  is  Christ  in  our  nature  who 

has  stood  in  our  place,  and  offended  law  is  satisfied 
in  the  very  nature  that  broke  it.  Death  is  over- 
come in  the  very  nature  that  was  doomed  to  die. 
Heaven  is  opened  by  the  very  nature  that  was  ex- 
cluded from  it.  Christ  in  our  nature,  God  in  hu- 
manity's form  bearing  the  cross !  Does  the  law 
come  and  threaten  me,  I  refer  the  law  to  Christ ;  he 
is  my  substitute.  Does  justice  come  with  its  sword 
and  lift  it  over  my  head  to  strike,  I  refer  justice  to 
my  substitute  and  ask.  Hath  not  Jesus  paid  the 
penalty  that  was  demanded  of  me?  An.- — The 
penalty  having  been  endured  by  the  substitute  of 
man,  God's  holiness  and  justice  no  longer  present  a 
barrier  to  that  salvation.    Yea,  his  holiness  and  jus- 


tice are  enlisted  on  the  side  of  (he  sinner  who  by 
penitence  and  faith  has  appropriated  the  expiation. 
E.  M.  G. 

Though  God  forgives  once  and  for  ever  as  a 
Judge,  he  forgives  often  as  a  Father.  In  point  of 
fact,  he  justifies  us  vjhen  ice  believe,  and  renews  the 
sense  of  his  pardon  when  we  return  to  him  at  the 
throne  of  grace,  and  take  a  believing  look  at  the 

Saviour.     J.  Rail. The  forgiven  soul  may  daily 

sin,  and  come  under  God's  fatherly  displeasure,  and 
so  need  a  daily  renewal  of  the  joys  of  salvation  at 
the  mercy-seat ;  but  he  can  never  come  again  under 
the  divine  wrath  and  curse.  Ilis  Father  in  heaven 
may  visit  his  transgressions  with  the  rod  of  correc- 
tion; "  nevertheless,  his  loving-kindness  will  he  not 
utterly  take  from  him,  nor  suffer  his  faithfulness  to 
fail."  The  forgiveness  of  sins  is  the  pledge  of  all 
spiritual  blessings.  Like  a  tree  of  life  it  stands  in 
the  garden  of  God's  delights,  thrusting  its  roots 
downward,  and  lifting  its  branches  upwai-d  laden 
with  precious  fruits.  It  is  preceded  and  followed 
by  the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  the  joys  of  salvation, 
the  glories  of  heaven.     V.  D. 


Section  366. 

1  John  ii.  1-29. 

1  My  little  cliildren,  these  things  write  I  unto  you,  that  ye  sin  not.     And  if  any  man  sin, 

2  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous :  and  he  is  the  propitia- 

3  tion  for  our  sins :  and  not  for  ours  only,  hut  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.     And 

4  hereby  we  do  know  that  we  know  him,  if  we  keep  his  commandments.     lie  that  saith,  I 
know  him,  and  keepeth  not  his  commandments,  is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  him. 

5  But  whoso  keepeth  his  word,  in  him  verily  is  the  love  of  God  perfected :  hereby  know 

6  we  that  we  are  in  him.     He  that  saith  he  abideth  in  him  ought  himself  also  so  to  walk, 

7  even  as  he  walked.     Brethren,  I  write  no  new  commandment  unto  you,  but  an  old  com- 
mandment which  ye  had  from  the  beginning.     The  old  commandment  is  the  word  which 

8  ye  have  heard  from  the  beginning.     Again,  a  new  commandment  I  write  unto  you,  which 
thing  is  true  in  him  and  in  you :  because  the  darkness  is  past,  and  the  true  light  now 

9  shineth.     He  that  saith  he  is  in  the  light,  and  hateth  his  brother,  is  in  darkness  even  until 

10  now.     He  that  loveth  his  brother  abideth  in  the  light,  and  there  is  none  occasion  of  stum- 

11  bling  in  him.     But  he  that  hateth  his  brother  is  in  darkness,  and  walketh  in  darkness,  and 

12  knoweth  not  whither  he  goeth,  because  that  darkness  hath  blinded  his  eyes.     I  write  unto 

13  you,  little  children,  because  your  sins  are  forgiven  you  for  his  name's  sake.  I  write  unto 
you,  fathers,  because  ye  have  known  him  that  is  from  the  beginning.  I  write  unto  you, 
young  men,  because  ye  have  overcome  the  wicked  one.    I  write  unto  you,  little  children, 

14  because  ye  have  known  the  Father.  I  have  written  unto  you,  fathers,  because  ye  have 
known  him  that  is  from  the  beginning.  I  have  written  unto  you,  young  men,  because  ye 
are  strong,  and  the  word  of  God  abideth  in  you,  and  ye  have  overcome  the  wicked  one. 

15  Love  not  the  world,  neither  the  things  that  are  in  the  world.     If  any  man  love  the  world, 

16  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him.  For  all  that  is  in  the  world,  the  lust  of  the  flesh, 
and  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life,  is  not  of  the  Fathei*,  but  is  of  the  world. 

lY  And  the  world  passeth  away,  and  the  lust  thereof:  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  God  abid- 
eth for  ever. 


\ 


SECTION  366.— 1  JOHN  2  : 1-29. 


685 


25 
26 

27 

28 
29 


Little  children,  it  is  the  last  time  :  and  as  ye  have  heard  that  antichrist  shall  come,  even 
now  are  there  many  antichrists ;  whereby  we  know  that  it  is  the  last  time.  They  went  out 
from  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us ;  for  if  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have 
continued  with  us :  but  they  went  out,  that  they  might  be  made  manifest  that  they  were  not 
all  of  us.  But  ye  have  an  unction  from  the  Holy  One,  and  ye  know  all  things.  I  have  not 
written  unto  you  because  ye  know  not  the  truth,  but  because  ye  know  it,  and  that  no  lie  is 
of  the  truth.  Who  is  a  liar  but  he  that  denieth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ?  He  is  anti- 
christ that  denieth  the  Father  and  the  Son.  Whosoever  denieth  the  Son,  the  same  hath 
not  the  Father:  [but]  he  that  achnowledgeth  the  Son  hath  the  Father  also.  Let  that  there- 
fore abide  in  you,  which  ye  have  heard  from  the  beginning.  If  that  which  ye  have  heard 
from  the  beginning  shall  remain  in  you,  ye  also  shall  continue  in  the  Son,  and  in  the  Fa- 
ther. And  this  is  the  promise  that  he  hath  promised  us,  even  eternal  life.  These  things 
have  I  written  unto  you  concerning  them  that  seduce  you.  But  the  anointing  which  ye 
have  received  of  him  abideth  in  you,  and  ye  need  not  that  any  man  teach  you :  but  as  the 
same  anointiog  teacheth  you  of  all  things,  and  is  truth,  and  is  no  lie,  and  even  as  it  hath 
taught  you,  ye  shall  abide  in  him.  And  now,  little  children,  abide  in  him ;  that,  when  he 
shall  appear,  we  may  have  confidence,  and  not  be  ashamed  before  him  at  his  coming.  If  ye 
know  that  he  is  righteous,  ye  know  that  every  one  that  doeth  righteousness  is  born  of  him. 


Religion  does  something  better  than  sigh  and  muse  over  the  perishableness  of  earthly  things  ;  it 
finds  in  them  the  seed  of  immortality.  No  work  done  for  Christ  perishes.  Xo  action  that  helps  to  mold 
the  deathless  mind  of  a  saint  of  God  is  ever  lost.  Live  for  Christ  in  the  world,  and  you  carry  out  with 
you  into  eternity  all  of  the  results  of  the  world's  business  that  are  worth  the  keeping.  The  river  of 
life  sweeps  on,  but  the  gold  grains  it  held  in  solution  are  left  behind,  deposited  in  the  holy  heart.  "  The 
world  passeth  away,  and  the  lust  thereof ;  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  God  abideth  for  ever."  The 
world's  scenes  of  business  may  fade  on  our  sight,  the  noise  of  its  restless  pursuits  may  fall  no  more  upon 
our  ear,  when  we  pass  to  meet  our  God ;  but  not  one  unselfish  thought,  not  one  kind  and  gentle  word,  not 
one  act  of  self-sacrificing  love  done  for  Jesus'  sake,  in  the  midst  of  our  common  work,  but  will  have  left 
an  indehble  impress  on  the  soul,  which  will  go  out  with  it  to  its  eternal  destiny.  So  live,  then,  that  this 
may  be  the  result  of  your  labors.  So  live  that  your  work,  whether  in  the  Church  or  in  the  world,  may 
become  a  discipline  for  that  glorious  state  of  being  in  which  the  Church  and  the  world  shall  become  one ; 
where  woi'k  shall  be  worship,  and  labor  shall  be  rest.     Caird. 


1.  My  children.  The  hour  for  work  had 
sounded  in  the  first  place  for  Simon  Peter.  He 
had  founded  the  Church  in  Israel,  and  planted  the 
standard  of  the  new  covenant  on  the  ruins  of  the 
theocracy.  Paul  had  followed.  His  task  had  been 
to  liberate  the  Church  from  the  restrictions  of  ex- 
piring Judaism,  and  to  open  the  door  of  the  king- 
dom of  God  to  the  Gentiles.  Then,  finally,  the 
hour  sounded  for  John — for  him  who  had  been  the 
first  disciple,  and  whom  his  Master  reserved  to  be 
the  last.  He  completed  the  fusion  of  these  hetero- 
geneous elements,  and  conducted  the  Church  to  the 
comparative  perfection  of  which  it  was  then  suscep- 
tible. According  to  all  the  traditions,  John  never 
had  any  other  spouse  than  the  Church  of  the  Lord, 
nor  any  other  family  than  that  which  he  salutes  in 
his  Epistles  by  the  title  of  "  my  children."     Godet. 

That  ye  sin  not.  This  is  the  great  and 
blessed  end — sinlessness,  like  that  of  the  sinless 
One.  "  This,"  says  Calvin,  "  is  not  only  a  summing- 
up  of  what  goes  before,  but,  so  to  speak,  a  recapitu- 
lation of  the  whole  gospel,  that  we  should  cease  from 
sin."  And  when  the  soul  has  proceeded  thus  far  in 
experience,  and  breaketh  for  the  longing  which  it 
hath  to  be  loosed  from  the  loathsome  and  gigantic 


foe,  which  wrestles  with  it  only  to  defile  and  poison, 
the  news  it  hails  on  bended  knees  is  glad  news,  for 
it  is  gospel.     J.  W.  A. 

We  have  an  advocate.  Sin  hath  made  a 
breach;  there  needs  a  mediator  to  heal  it.  God 
and  sinful  man  are  two,  and  they  can  not  be  made 
one  but  by  a  third.  Christ  appears  for  us  in  heaven, 
a  faithful  Advocate.  His  intercession  is  a  part  of 
his  priestly  office.  We  have  a  faithful  High  Priest, 
therefore  a  faithful  Advocate.  He  lays  our  cause 
to  heart ;  our  cause  is  his  cause.  He  hath  espoused 
the  interests  of  his  people,  and  does  all  upon  his 
own  account.  Caryl. The  Greek  word,  of  fre- 
quent occurrence  and  great  preciousness,  sometimes 
means  one  who  takes  up  his  client's  cause  to  carry 
it  through  by  pleadings  and  acts — an  advocate; 
sometimes  one  who  goes  forth  to  make  peace  be- 
tween two  parties,  beseeching  for  an  offender — an 
intercessor ;  sometimes  one  who  stands  by  the  sink- 
ing sufferer,  uttering  words  of  consolation  and 
strength — a  comforter:  All  these  ofiices  concur  in 
Jesus  Christ,  who  is  our  Advocate  to  urge  our  cause, 
an  Intercessor  to  make  our  peace,  our  Comforter  to 
fill  us  with  joy ;  and  hence  one  might  almost  wish 
the  text  had  said,  "  If  any  man  sin,  we  have  a  Parc^- 


686 


SECTION  366.— 1  JOHN  2  : 1-29. 


cleios  with  the  Father."  Now,  though  this  name  of 
love  is  also  given  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  there  is  some- 
thing delightful  in  regarding  both  the  adorable  Son 
and  the  Spirit  as  standing  toward  us  in  this  same 
benignant  relation  of  manifold  good.  In  our  mind's 
apprehension  of  divine  consolation,  there  need  be 
no  nice  discriminating  between  the  work  of  the  Son 
and  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  for  when  the  Lord  Jesus 
comforts  it  is  by  the  hand  of  the  Comforter. 
J.  W.  A. 

2*  "  He  is  the  propitiation,"  i.  e.,  the  Propitia- 
tor— one  who  makes  propitiation ;  who  propitiates 
in  the  sense  of  making  pardon  possible  by  a  right- 
eous God,  consistently  with  due  regard  to  the  law 
which  sin  has  broken  and  the  sacredness  of  the 
penalty  which  the  transgressor  has  incurred.  The 
way  being  thus  opened,  the  infinite  love  of  God 
flows  out  naturally  and  mightily  in  the  freest  for- 
giveness of  the  penitent  who  accepts  for  himself 

the  atonement  made  by  Jesus.     11.  C. Then  fix 

thy  thought  on  what  Christ  did,  what  Christ  suf- 
fered, what  Christ  is — as  if  thou  wouldst  fill  the 
hoUowness  of  thy  soul  with  Christ !  If  he  emptied 
himself  of  glory  to  become  sin  for  thy  salvation, 
must  not  thou  be  emptied  of  thy  sinful  self  to  be- 
come.  righteousness  in  and  through  his  agony  and 
the  effective  merits  of  his  cross  ?  By  what  other 
means,  in  what  other  form,  is  it  possible  for  thee  to 
stand  in  the  presence  of  the  Holy  One  ?  With 
what  mind  wouldst  thou  come  before  God,  if  not 
with  the  mind  of  him,  in  whom  alo7ie  God  loveth 
the  world  ?     S.  T.  C. 

The  death  of  Christ  is  called  a  propitiation,  for 
it  makes  it  possible  for  God  to  receive  sinners  into 
favor,  and  prompts  to  the  exercise  of  mercy  in  a 
way  consistent  with  the  claims  of  justice.  It  is 
called  an  expiation,  for  it  covers  sin,  and  provides 
for  the  removal  of  guilt  and  consequent  punishment. 
It  is  an  atonement,  both  expiating  and  propitiating, 
while  it  brings  into  friendship  those  who  were  once 
opposed.  It  is  vicarious  or  substitutional,  being 
endured  in  our  stead.  And  it  is  satisfactory,  for  it 
vindicates  the  broken  law,  answers  all  the  moral 
purposes  of  punishing  the  transgressors,  and  is 
deemed  by  the  Lawgiver  himself  to  be  a  sufficient 
reason  for  pardoning  all  who  believe.  Its  first 
fruit  is  forgiveness  and  peace — complacency  on  God's 
part  and  confidence  on  ours  ;  its  ultimate  fruits, 
redemption  and  salvation — that  is,  actual  freedom 
from  sin  in  its  guilt,  power,  and  misery,  and  in  the 
end  eternal  life ;  redemption  differing  from  salva- 
tion only  in  suggesting  the  price  paid  for  these 
gifts.  In  part  they  are  already  enjoyed,  but  in 
their  fullness  they  are  yet  to  come.     J.  A. 

6.  Christ  is  not  only  the  principle  of  holiness, 
but  also  the  pattern  of  holiness  to  his  people. 
They  that  say  they  abide  in  him  must  loalk  as  he 


walked.  His  works  (except  those  which  were  mi- 
raculous,  and  works  of  mediation  between  God  and 
us)  are  our  rule  as  well  as  his  word.  Look  to  Jesua 
when  you  have  a  race  of  patience  to  run  ;  let  your 
eye  always  be  upon  Christ,  and  draw  the  lines  of 
your  carriage,  both  in  your  spirits  and  outward  ac- 
tions, according  to  what  you  see  in  him.     Caryl. 

As  a  prophet  he  teaches  us  the  way  of  life, 

and,  as  the  best  and  greatest  of  prophets,  is  per- 
fectly like  his  doctrine ;  and  his  acting  (that  in  all 
teachers  is  the  liveliest  part  of  doctrine),  his  carriage 
in  life  and  death  is  our  great  pattern  and  instruc- 
tion. But  he  is  more  than  a  prophet,  a  priest  satis- 
fjing  justice  for  us,  and  a  king  conquering  sin  and 
death  for  us ;  an  example,  indeed,  but  more  than 
an  example,  our  sacrifice,  our  life,  and  all  in  all.  It 
is  our  duty  to  walk  as  he  walked,  to  make  him  the 
pattern  of  our  steps ;  but  our  comfort  and  salva- 
tion lieth  in  this,  that  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our 
sins  (v.  2).     L. 

14.  Victory  is  made  so  sure  unto  us  in  Jesus 
that  the  Scriptures  represent  us  as  having  already 
obtained  it :  "  Ye  are  strong,  and  the  word  of  God 
abideth  in  you,  and  ye  have  overcome  the  wicked 
one."  In  Jesus  all  is  accomplished  ;  "  we  are  more 
than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us." 
Monod. 

15.  A  true  Christian  living  in  the  world  is  like 
a  ship  sailing  on  the  ocean.  It  is  not  the  ship 
being  in  the  water  which  will  sink  it,  but  the  water 
getting  into  the  ship.  So  in  the  like  manner  the 
Christian  is  not  ruined  by  living  in  the  world,  which 
he  must  needs  do  while  he  remains  in  the  body, 
but  by  the  world  living  in  Mm.  Our  daily  avoca- 
tions, yea,  our  most  lawful  enjoyments,  have  need 
to  be  narrowly  watched,  lest  they  insensibly  steal 
upon  our  affections,  and  draw  away  our  hearts  from 

God.     An. All   immoderate  use   of  the   world 

wrongs  the  soul  in  its  spiritual  condition,  makes  it 
sickly  and  feeble,  full  of  spiritual  distempers  and 
inactivity,  benumbs  the  graces  of  the  Spirit  and  fills 
the  soul  with  sleepy  vapors,  makes  it  grow  secure 
and  heavy  in  spiritual  exercises  and  obstructs  the 
way  and  motion  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  Therefore,  if 
you  would  be  spiritual,  healthful,  and  vigorous,  and 
enjoy  much  of  the  consolations  of  heaven,  be  spar- 
ing and  sober  in  those  of  the  earth,  and  what  you 
abate  of  the  one  shall  be  certainly  made  up  in  the 
other.     L. 

Whoever  is  contriving  by  how  little  faith  or  how 
little  grace,  and  with  how  large  interspersing  of  gay- 
eties  and  worldly  pleasure  he  may  make  his  title  to 
salvation  good,  is  engaged  in  a  very  critical  experi- 
ment. He  is  trying  how  to  be  a  Christian  without 
being  at  all  a  saintly  person ;  how  to  love  God 
enough  without  loving  him  enough  to  be  taken 
away   from   his  lighter  pleasures ;   and   he   really 


SECTION  366.-1  JOHN  2 :  1-29. 


68T 


thinks  that,  aiming  low  enough  to  be  a  little  of  a 
Christian,  he  still  may  just  hit  the  target  on  the 
lower  edge.  Perhaps  he  will,  but  is  he  sure  of  it  ? 
And,  if  he  really  is,  what  miserable  economy  is  it  to 
be  so  little  in  the  love  of  God  and  the  joys  of  a  glo- 
rious devotion,  that  he  can  be  just  empty  enough  to 
want  his  deficit  made  up  by  amusements  !  If  that 
will  answer,  a  very  mean  soul  certainly  can  be  saved. 

H.  B. The  heart  and  affections  of  man  are  too 

precious  to  be  wasted.  Lay  not  out  your  rich  capi- 
tal of  faith  and  hope  and  love  and  admiration  upon 
the  poor,  precarious  investments  this  world  at  best 
can  offer  you  !  Impress  upon  your  hearts  the  con- 
viction that  not  one  energy  of  all  this  host  of  ener- 
gies but  was  primarily  designed  for  heaven ;  and 
open  in  this  blessed  belief  the  full  tide  of  your  af- 
fections to  that  world  where  alone  they  can  ever 
find  repose  !  Eealize  the  presence  of  God  by  faith, 
know  him  as  he  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  and,  I  will  not  say 
love  him — to  know  him  thus  is  to  love  him.  W.  A,  B- 

16.  Worldliness  is  determined  by  the  spirit  of 
a  life,  not  the  objects  with  which  the  life  is  conver- 
sant. It  is  not  the  "  flesh,"  nor  the  "  eye,"  nor 
"  life  "  which  are  forbidden,  but  it  is  the  lust  of  the 
flesh,  and  the  lust  of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of  life. 
It  is  not  this  earth,  nor  the  men  who  inhabit  it,  nor 
the  sphere  of  our  legitimate  activity,  that  we  may 
not  love,  but  the  way  in  which  the  love  is  given. 
Worldliness  consists  in  these  three  things  :  attach- 
ment to  the  outward,  attachment  to  the  transitory, 
attachment  to  the  unreal,  in  opposition  to  love  for 
the  inward,  the  eternal,  the  true  ;  and  the  one  of 
these  affections  is  necessarily  expelled  by  the  other. 
"  If  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father 

is  not  in  him."     F.  W.  R. The   sin  of  the  man 

in  whom  the  love  of  the  world  predominates  is  of 
deliberate  choice,  and  it  engages  the  whole  man  in 
pursuit  of  its  own  ends.  It  is  not  an  error  about 
the  means,  it  is  not  seeking  a  right  end  in  a  mis- 
taken way,  but  it  is  pursuing  a  false  and  pernicious 
end  with  care,  anxiety,  and  self-approbation.  Hence 
it  is  called  in  Scripture  idolatry,  not  from  any  re- 
semblance it  has  to  the  outward  act  of  falling  down 
before  stocks  or  stones,  but  because  it  entirely  dis- 
places our  affections  from  their  proper  object,  and 
leads  them  to  the  preference  df  an  unjust  and  delu- 
sive rival.     R.  W. 

17.  Lust  is  in  Scripture  the  usual  name  of 
all  the  irregular  and  sinful  desires  of  the  heart, 
both  the  polluted  habits  of  them  and  their  corrupt 
streams,  both  as  they  are  within  and  outwardly  vent 
themselves  in  the  lives  of  men.  The  apostle  here 
calls  it  the  Itist  of  the  world,  and,  verse  15,  love  of  the 
world;  and  then,  verse  16,  branches  it  into  those 
three  that  are  indeedi  the  base  anti-trinity  that  the 
world  worships,  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  the  lust  of  the 
fiesh,  and  the  pride  of  life.     L. 


The  World.  The  Bible  touches  us  because  it 
seems  to  know  all  about  this  "  world  " — this  aggre- 
gate of  disorder  with  purposes  of  order  all  through 
it,  this  sea  of  tempest  with  its  tides  of  law,  this 
mixture  of  insignificant  trifles  with  the  most  appalling 
solemnities,  this  storehouse  of  life  and  activity  and 
influence  which  we  are  crowding  on  and  crowded  by 
every  day,  out  of  which  come  the  shaping  forces  of 
our  life,  which  we  call  the  world.  The  Bible  knows 
all  about  it,  and  so  we  listen  when  the  Bible  speaks. 
P.  B. 

Passeth  away.  The  strange  thing  is,  not 
that  amid  the  world's  work  we  should  be  able  to 
think  of  our  home,  but  that  we  should  ever  be  able 
to  forget  it ;  and  the  stranger,  sadder  still,  that, 
while  the  little  day  of  life  is  passing — morning,  noon- 
tide, evening,  each  stage  more  rapid  than  the  last — ■ 
while  to  many  the  shadows  are  already  fast  length- 
ening, and  the  declining  sun  warns  them  that  "  the 
night  is  at  hand  wherein  no  man  can  work  " — ^there 
should  be  those  among  us  whose  whole  thoughts  are 
absorbed  in  the  business  of  the  world,  and  to  whom 
the  reflection  never  occurs  that  soon  they  must  go 
out  into  eternity  without  a  friend,  without  a  home  ! 
Caird. 

Doeth  the  will  abideth.  The  one  business 
of  life  with  us  now  is  that  we  do  the  divine  will. 
There  is  a  will  of  God  for  us  in,  and  right  through, 
every  day — running  along  the  line  of  its  duties  and 
cares  ;  a  will  which  we  are  to  discover ;  which  we 
are  to  do  ;  and  in  the  doing  of  which  we  consolidate 
our  immortality.  Every  duty  faithfully  done  is 
like  a  stone  built  in,  that  shall  abide.  And  love 
and  prayer  will  add  cohesion.  And  suffering  pa- 
tience will  give  depth  and  strength.  And  hope  and 
aspiration  will  bring  tenderness  and  beauty.  Every 
active  and  every  passive  grace  will  contribute  some- 
thing to  the  completeness  and  permanency  of  the 
life  that  is  set  in  obedience  to  the  will  of  God.  And 
the  thing  to  be  desired  is  (so  simple  and  yet  so  difii- 
cult),  that  we  should  lay  this  idea  along  our  whole 
life,  and  make  it  touch  every  part  of  it.  And  all 
this,  not  on  high  days  and  at  special  times  alone, 
but,  as  much  as  we  can,  at  all  times,  and  in  all 
things — in  the  sanctuary,  in  the  city  ;  when  we  eat 
and  when  we  pray  ;  when  we  are  glad  in  the  joy  of 
life  and  when  our  tears  fall  like  rain.  In  all  we 
are  to  do  the  will  of  God,  and  then  and  thus  we 
live  upon  the  flow  of  his  being ;  we  participate,  as 
far  as  creature  can,  in  his  immortality  ;  at  his  bid- 
ding we  put  forth  our  hand  and  take  of  the  tree  of 
life  and  live  for  ever.     A.  R. 

18.  The  solemn  asseveration  of  the  apostle  is 
that  this  under  which  we  live  is  the  final  economy, 
and  that  with  its  close  will  terminate  for  ever  the 
probation  of  mankind.  For,  when  the  glorious  helps 
to  holiness  provided  by  this  last  economy  arc  re- 


688 


SECTI02T  366.— 1  JOHN'  S  :  1-29. 


Tiewed,  it  is  to  see  that  God  has  lavished  upon  these 
arrangements  all  the  resources  of  his  love  and  wis- 
dom, and  that  nothing  more  could  have  been  done 
to  his  vineyard  which  he  has  not  done  in  it.  He  has 
put  in  operation  motives  more  than  adequate  to  the 
resistance  of  every  temptation;  has  offered  full  and 
free  forgiveness  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  to- 
gether with  the  gift  of  his  indwelling  Spirit ;  has 
issued  a  perfect  law  for  our  moral  guidance,  and  a 
prediction  fraught  as  much  with  comfort  to  one  class 
of  characters  as  with  terror  to  another;  and  we 
may  safely  challenge  any  one  to  point  out  what  he 
could  have  done  beyond  this  consistently  with  the 
maintenance  of  a  state  of  probation.  Reason,  there- 
fore, echoes  back  the  solemn  accents  of  inspiration, 
when  she  asserts  that  the  passing  bell  of  the  econo- 
mies is  being  rung  at  pi'esent,  that  with  the  close  of 
this  periodic  time  trial  will  expire :  "  Little  children, 
it  is  the  last  time."     E.  M.  G. 

19.  Though  some  should  wholly  forsake  the  way 
of  godliness,  wherein  they  seemed  to  walk,  yet  why 
should  that  reflect  upon  such  as  are  real  and  stead- 
fast in  it  ?  Thei/  went  out  from  us,  says  the  apostle, 
but  were  not  of  us.  Offenses  of  this  kind  must  be, 
but  the  ivoe  rests  on  him  by  ivhom  they  come,  not  on 
other  Christians.  Religion  itself  remains  still  the 
same,  whatsoever  be  the  failings  and  blots  of  one  or 
more  that  profess  it.  It  is  pure  and  spotless  ;  if  it 
teach  not  holiness  and  meekness  and  humility,  and  all 
good  purely,  then  except  against  it.  But,  if  it  be  a 
straight,  golden  reed  by  which  the  temple  is  mea- 
sured, then  let  it  have  its  own  esteem,  both  of 
straightness  and  preciousness,  whatsoever  uneven- 
ness  be  found  in  those  that  profess  to  receive  it.    L. 

As  there  are  trees  and  herbs  that  are  wholly 

right  and  noble,  fit  indeed  for  the  vineyard ,  so  there 
are  also  their  semblance,  but  wild ;  not  right,  but 
ignoble.  There  is  the  grape,  and  the  wild  grape ; 
the  vine,  and  the  wild  vine ;  the  rose,  and  the  canker- 
rose.  There  are  also  in  the  world  a  generation  of 
professors  that,  notwithstanding  their  profession, 
are  wild  by  nature ;  yea,  such  as  were  never  planted 
into  the  good  olive-tree.  Now  these  can  bring  forth 
nothing  but  wild-olive  berries ;  they  can  not  bring 
forth  fruit  unto  God.  Such  are  all  those  that  have 
lightly  taken  up  a  profession,  and  crept  into  the 
vineyard  without  a  new  birth  and  the  blessing  of 
regeneration.     Bun. 

30.  Apostolical  authority  and  direct  revelation 
diffuse  over  the  Epistles  their  certainty  and  their 
majesty;  but  yet  the  presence  of  these  more  com- 
manding elements  is  not  suffered  to  overpower  that 
general  character  of  doctrine,  which  is  proper  for 
those  who  are  of  full  age,  and  who  have  themselves 
"  an  unction  from  the  Holy  One,  that  they  may  know 
all  things."  The  mind  of  the  teacher  still  enters 
into  a  free  companionship  with  the  mind  that  is 


taught,  so  as  to  exercise  and  educate  the  spiritual 
faculties,  at  the  same  time  conducting  them  with 
decisive  authority  to  conclusions  which  they  might 
else  have  failed  to  reach.     T.  D.  B. 

23.  In  our  English  version  the  last  clause  of 
this  verse  is  put  in  italics,  indicating  doubt  of  its 
being  genuine.  There  seems  to  be  not  the  least  oc- 
casion for  this  doubt.  The  best  manuscripts  con- 
tain it,  and  the  course  of  thought  with  this  clause 
included  is  entirely  in  harmony  with  John's  habit. 
To  deny  the  Son  is  to  lose  the  Father ;  to  confess 
the  Son  retains  to  us  the  Father — two  propositions 
mutually  correlated  to  each  other.     H.  C. 

25.  Xot  that  we  shall  be  exempt  from  loss,  dis- 
appointment, sickness,  human  unkindness,  embar- 
rassment, vexation,  humiliation ;  not  that  we  shall 
have  in  this  world  all  the  displays  of  providential 
favor  on  which  we  may  have  calculated ;  these  are 
not  the  things  promised ;  the  promise  that  he  hath 
promised  us  is  eternal  life.  God  may  have  dealt 
strangely  with  thee ;  but  say  frankly,  has  he  at  all 
dealt  with  thee  in  a  way  to  hinder  the  fulfillment  of 
the  promise  made  thee  ?  He  that  believeth  hath 
eternal  life  ;  he  hath  entered  upon  it ;  he  is  living  a 
new  life,  one  that  stretches  out  into  eternity ;  but 
what  he  has  experienced  is  only  the  beginning  of 
it.     G.  B. 

28.  Abide  in  him.  The  presence  of  Jesus, 
our  divine  Lord,  will  make  our  lives  not  only  solemn, 
but  also  strong  and  vigorous.  It  will  quicken  and 
sustain  every  energy.  He  is  with  us  who  loves  us 
with  more  than  a  father's  affection,  more  than  a 
mother's  tenderness,  more  than  a  brother's  sympa- 
thy, more  than  a  friend's  faithfulness.  This  thought 
will  animate  us.  We  need  never  be  lonely  and 
faint.  In  all  the  meditations  of  our  hearts,  in  our 
intercourse  with  men,  in  our  silent  and  secret  sor- 
rows and  struggles,  his  presence  is  our  rest  and 
strength.     A.  S. 

At  his  coming.  We  are  not  yet  in  our 
home ;  not  as  yet  do  we  reign ;  things  around  us 
still  dazzle  us ;  self -pleased  thoughts  may  yet  mis- 
lead us ;  we  have  still,  while  yet  we  are  in  the  flesh, 
to  strike  closer  and  closer  into  the  narrow  way, 
closer  and  closer  to  cleave  to  God,  more  and  more 
to  part  with  all  which  would  keep  us  from  God. 
AVherever,  then,  we  may  be  in  the  course  heaven- 
ward, morning  by  morning  let  us  place  before  our- 
selves that  morning  which  has  no  evening ;  and  pur- 
pose we  to  do  that,  and  that  only,  which  we  shall 
wish  we  had  done,  when  we  shall  see  it  in  the  light  of 
that  morning  when  in  the  brightness  of  his  presence 
every  plea  of  self-love  which  now  clouds  our  eyes 
shall  melt  away.  Evening  by  evening  set  we  before 
us  that  night  "  wherein  no  man  can  work " ;  and 
resolve  we,  by  God's  grace,  in  union  with  the  all- 
atoning  sacrifice,  to  love  nothing,  to  prize  nothing, 


SECTION  367.— 1  JOHN  3  : 1-S4. 


689 


to  wish  for  nothing,  to  fear  nothing,  to  hold  nothing, 
to  regret  nothing,  but  what  we  shall  love,  prize,  wish 
for,  or  be  glad  we  had  feared,  held,  regretted,  when 
our  Saviour  and  Judge's  voice  shall  utter  those  dread 


words,  "  It  is  done."  So,  baring  ourselves  more  and 
more  of  all  unpleasing  unto  him,  shall  we,  with  less 
sluggish  steps,  follow  him  who  emptied  himself  of 
all  which  was  his  that  he  might  give  us  all.     Pusey. 


Section   367. 


1  John  iii.  1-24. 


1  Behold,  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us,  that  we  should  he 
called  the  sons  of  God :  therefore  the  world  knoweth  us  not,  because  it  knew  him  not. 

2  Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be :  but 
we  know  that,  when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him ;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is. 

3  And  every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him  purifieth  himself,  even  as  he  is  pure. 

4  "Whosoever  committeth  sin  transgresseth  also  the  law :  for  sin  is  the  transgression  of  the 

5  law.     And  ye  know  that  he  was  manifested  to  take  away  our  sins :  and  in  him  is  no  sin. 

6  Whosoever  abideth  in  him  sinneth  not :  whosoever  sinneth  hath  not  seen  him,  neither 

7  known  him.     Little  cliildren,  let  no  man  deceive  you :  he  that  doeth  righteousness  is  right- 

8  eous,  even  as  he  is  righteous.     He  that  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil ;  for  the  devil  sinneth 
from  the  beginning.     For  this  purpose  the  Son  of  God  was  manifested,  that  he  might  de- 

9  stroy  the  works  of  the  devil.     Whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin ;  for  his  seed 

10  remaineth  in  him:  and  he  cannot  sin  because  he  is  born  of  God.     In  this  the  children  of 
God  are  manifest,  and  the  children  of  the  devil :  whosoever  doeth  not  righteousness  is  not 

11  of  God,  neither  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother.     For  this  is  the  message  that  ye  heard  from 

12  the  beginning,  that  we  should  love  one  another.     Not  as  Cain,  who  was  of  that  wicked  one, 
and  slew  his  brother.     And  wherefore  slew  he  him?    Because  his  own  works  were  evil, 

13  and  his  brother's  righteous.     Marvel  not,  my  brethren,  if  the  world  hate  you. 

14  We  know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  because  we  love  the  brethren.     He 

15  that  loveth  not  Ms  brother  abideth  in  death.     Whosoever  hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer: 

16  and  ye  know  that  no  murderer  hath  eternal  life  abiding  in  him.     Hereby  perceive  we  the 
love  of  Godi  because  he  laid  down  his  life  for  us :  and  we  ought  to  lay  down  our  lives  for 

17  the  brethren.     But  whoso  hath  this  world's  good,  and  seeth  his  brother  have  need,  and 
shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compassion  from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in  him? 

18  My  little  children,  let  us  not  lo^  in  word,  neither  in  tongue;  but  in  deed  and  in  truth. 

19  And  hereby  we  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and  shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him. 

20  For  if  our  heart  condemn  us,  God  is  greater  than  our  heart,  and  knoweth  all  things.     Be- 

21  loved,  if  our  heart  condemn  us  not,  then  have  we  confidence  toward  God.     And  whatso- 

22  ever  we  ask,  we  receive  of  him,  because  we  keep  his  commandments,  and  do  those  things 

23  that  are  pleasing  in  his  sight.     And  this  is  his  commandment,  That  we  should  believe  on 
the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  love  one  another,  as  he  gave  us  commandment. 

24  And  he  that  keepeth  his  commandments  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  in  him.    And  hereby  we 
know  that  he  abideth  in  us,  by  the  Spirit  which  he  hath  given  us. 


Xo  external  vision  or  revelation  could  disclose  the  Infinitely  Holy  to  natures  imperfect  and  sinful. 
Divine  Being,  in  its  wondrous  manifestations,  might  play  around  the  unrenewed  mind,  but  it  would  be  as 
a  luminous  atmosphere  bathing  blind  eyes,  or  sweet  music  rippling  round  deaf  ears ;  the  heavenly  efflu- 
ence could  not  pass  inward,  could  wake  no  thrill  of  appreciation,  no  sympathetic  delight  within  the  soul. 
There  must,  in  short,  be  something  godlike  in  us  before  we  can  see  and  know  God ;  we  must  be  "  like 
him  "  before  we  can  "  see  him  as  he  is."  And  into  this  divine  affinity,  this  penetrative  moral  insight,  it 
is  one  great  end  of  the  Christian's  life  on  earth  to  train  him.  By  every  holy  deed,  by  every  spiritual 
aspiration,  by  each  sacrifice  of  inclination  to  duty,  of  passion  to  principle,  of  the  wayw.ird  human  will  to 
God's,  the  spiritual  instincts  of  the  believer  are  becoming  more  refined,  his  spiritual  perceptions  more 
acute.  Not  one  fervent  prayer,  not  one  act  of  earnest,  thoughtful  intercourse  with  God  in  holy  ordi- 
nances, but  is  strengthening  the  wing  of  aspiration  and  purifying  the  eye  of  faith — training  the  spirit  to 
rise  nearer  to  the  region  of  eternal  light,  and  to  bear  its  divine  efEulgence  with  more  undazzled  gaze.  The 
44 


690 


SECTION'  867.— 1  JOHN  3  : 1-24. 


time  will  come  when  this  process  shall  be  completed,  when  love  shall  be  refined  from  all  admixture  of 
selfishness,  and  the  soul,  to  its  inmost  depths,  assimilated  to  God,  shall  be  prepared  to  reflect,  without  one 
dimmins  shadow,  the  beams  of  infinite  beauty.     Caird. 


1 .  "  Behold  what  manner  of  love  !  " — there  is 
something  touching  in  an  old  man  like  John  thus 
suddenly  changing  the  tone  of  calm  reasoning  and 
exhortation  for  one  of  ecstasy.  The  patriarch  of 
the  apostles  feels  himself  in  the  highest  sense  of 
the  term  once  more  a  child,  a  child  of  God,  like  the 
meanest  of  believers,  with  whom  he  here  puts  him- 
self on  a  level,  and  boasts  as  Paul  had  done  before, 

in  the  mercy  vouchsafed  him.      Van  0. When 

you  have  thrown  yourself  into  the  arms  of  the  Son 
of  his  love,  and  cleaved  closely  to  his  heart,  then 
does  the  Father  no  more  look  upon  you  as  you  are 
in  yourself,  encompassed  with  all  your  sins,  en- 
veloped in  your  misery;  he  then  loves  you  in  the 
Son  of  his  love,  and  the  darkness  within  you  is  irra- 
diated by  the  light  that  beams  from  his  countenance. 
It  is  this  love  which  calls  forth  the  instant  cry  of 
amazement  and  of  gratitude,  and  prompts  us  to  ex- 
claim with  John,  "  Behold  what  manner  of  love  the 
Father  hath  shown  us,  that  we  should  be  called  his 
own  children ! "     A.  T. 

2.  "Beloved,"  proceeds  the  apostle,  "now  are 
we  the  sons  of  God."  We  have  no  empty  title  un- 
attended with  real  dignities  and  real  privileges  ;  we 
are  not  only  "  called  "  (as  in  the  preceding  verse), 
but  we  "  are  "  the  children  of  heaven.  We  are  not 
merely  invested  with  our  rank  by  adopting  favor, 
but  we  are  in  the  exercise  of  our  privileges  by  re- 
generating grace.  This  is  even  noio  the  dignity 
freely  accorded  to  the  disciple  in  the  invisible  em- 
pire of  God.     W.  A.  B. We  were  strangers,  yet 

are  made  sons,  nay,  heirs.  It  is  God's  good  plea- 
sure to  give  those  who  were  strangers  to  his  family, 
and  rebels  to  his  crown,  a  joint  heirship  with  his 
only  Son  !  Every  person  in  the  Holy  Trinity  shows 
his  love  to  believers.  The  Father  adopts  ;  the  Son 
for  a  while  resigns  and  lays  aside  his  honor — nay, 
even  dies  to  purchase  our  right — the  Holy  Spirit 
witnesseth  that  we  are  the  sons  of  God  !  Oh,  adore 
the  love  of  the  Trinity  with  high  and  raised 
thoughts !     T.  M. 

What  we  shall  be  !  IIow  profoundly  this 
question,  this  mystery,  concerns  us,  and  in  compari- 
son with  this  what  are  to  us  all  questions  of  all 
sciences  ?  What  to  us  all  researches  into  the  con- 
stitution and  laws  of  material  nature,  all  investiga- 
tions into  the  history  of  past  ages,  the  future  career 
of  states  and  empires?  What  to  us — what  shall 
become  of  this  globe  itself?  What  we  shall  be, 
we  ourselves,  is  the  matter  of  surpassing  and  infinite 
interest !  There  is  in  the  contemplation  a  magni- 
tude, a  solemnity  which  transcends  and  overwhelms 


our  utmost  faculty  of  thought.  To  think  that  we 
shall  continue  to  be  in  some  mode  and  scene  of  ex- 
istence, for  millions  of  ages,  and  that  that  will  still 
be  as  nothing  in  comparison  with  what  is  still  to 
follow !  that  a  duration  passing  away  beyond  all 
reach  of  the  stupendous  power  of  numbers  will  still 
be  as  nothing!  that  it  will  still  be  we  ourselves, 
the  very  same  beings !  that  it  will  be  a  perfectly 
specific  manner  of  being — with  a  full  consciousness 
of  what  it  is — an  internal  world  of  thought  and 
emotion — a  perfect  sense  of  relations  to  the  system 
in  which  we  shall  find  ourselves  placed ;  and  this  a 
continual  succession  of  distinct  sentiments  and  ex- 
periences, and  with  the  constant  certainty  of  the 

train  going  on  for  ever  !     J.  F. To  our  Lastructed 

hopes  there  is  a  certain  future  on  which  we  can 
build,  far  more  glorious,  far  more  beautiful  than 
anything  in  the  past.  "We  know  that  when  he 
shall  appear  we  shall  be  like  liim."  We  have  a  fu- 
ture, not  of  dim  expectation  and  trembling  hope, 
but  of  knowledge.  Our  word  is  not  "  it  may  be," 
but  "  it  will  be."  That  which  is  to  be  becomes  as 
firm  reality  as  that  which  has  been.  Hope  is  truer 
than  history.  The  future  is  not  cloudland,  but  solid 
fruitful  soil  on  which  we  can  plant  a  firm  foot.  A.  M. 

The  Spirit  of  grace  shows  us  that  the  moral 
perfections  of  God  are  the  end  and  reason  of  the 
natural.  And  who  can  doubt  but  that,  when  mat- 
ter and  its  dark  symbols  are  done  with,  that  which 
is  principal  shall  seem  so  ?  In  bursting  from  the 
confinement  of  the  body,  the  spirit  shall  in  a  mo- 
ment reverse  the  order  of  its  old  conceptions ;  and 
almost  cease  to  think  of  Omnipotence,  Eternity,  In- 
finitude, while  the  more  dominant  notions  of  Pu- 
rity, and  Blessedness,  and  Love,  fill  the  soul.     I.  T. 

Whatever  knowledge  we  gain  in  heaven  will  be 

transforming.  All  our  ideas  will  be  as  fuel,  to  feed 
the  flame  of  love,  which  will  then  burn  upon  the 
altar  of  the  soul ;  all  will  be  quickening,  penetrating, 
influential.  Our  opinions  will  be  principles  of  ac- 
tion. Everything  will  lead  us  to  see  more  of  God, 
to  love  him  with  a  more  intense  glow  of  holy  affec- 
tion, and  to  be  more  conformed  to  him.  The  light 
of  truth  will  ever  be  associated  with  the  warmth 
of  love.  "  We  shall  be  like  God,  for  we  shall  see 
him  as  he  is."     J.  A.  J. 

We  know  that  there  is  a  God  whom  it  is  no 
longer  a  hopeless  enthusiasm  to  call  on  man  to  imi- 
tate— one  with  whom,  it  would  seem,  a  connection 
so  perfect  may  be  established  of  heart  and  hope, 
that  all  the  story  of  his  earthly  career  is  spiritually 
acted  over  in  each  of  his  earthly  followers — who 


SECTION'  367.— 1  JOHN  3  : 1-S4. 


691 


are  declared  to  be  "  born  with  Christ,"  "  suffering 
with  Christ,"  "  crucified  with  Christ,"  "  buried  with 
Christ,"  "  risen  with  Christ,"  "  exalted  with  Christ  " 
— until  at  length  these  analogies  are  lost  in  a  deep- 
er and  more  heavenly  resemblance,  when,  admitted 
into  the  sunlight  of  his  glory,  they  catch  the  reflec- 
tion of  his  eternal  beams — as  they  gaze,  approach, 
and,  as  they  approach,  become  more  and  more  com- 
pletely invested  with  his  radiance,  are  transfigured 
as  they  adore  the  God  and  man,  in  the  clear  truth 
of   his  own  unshadowed  essence — "  are  hke  him  ; 

for  they  see  him  as  he  is"!     W.  A.  B. The 

open  vision  of  God  in  Christ  will  then  transform 
us  into  his  image.  By  that  the  most  amazing  mira- 
cle of  divine  love  and  divine  power  will  be  con- 
summated, the  complete  forgiveness  of  sin  crowned 
by  the  transfiguration  of  the  sinner ;  and  in  the 
mean  while  to  look  for  that,  to  prepare  for  that,  as 
far  as  we  may  do,  to  treasure  up  such  glimpses  of 
that  ineffable  glory  as  may  be  shown  to  us,  to  carry 
with  us  throughout  our  whole  work  the  recollection 
of  the  risen  Saviour,  is  the  profession  to  which 
we  are  pledged,  the  mission  to  which  we  are  called, 
the  strength  with  which  we  are  clothed.  To  make 
of  life  one  harmonious  whole,  to  realize  the  invis- 
ible, to  anticipate  the  transfiguring  majesty  of  the 
divine  presence,  is  all  that  is  worth  living  for. 
Death,  after  earthly  duty  loyally,  humbly,  patiently 
fulfilled,  is  not  the  end,  but  the  beginning  of  life. 
B.  F.  W. 

3.  For  "  this  hope  in  him,"  read  "  this  hope  on 
him."  "  Ilim  "  refers  to  the  Lord  Jesus ;  "  this  hope, 
resting  on  him" ;  whereas,  as  it  stands,  it  seems  as  if 
"  in  him  "  meant  "  in  himself,"  in  his  breast ;  and  is 

very  generally  so  read.     A. He  who  will  purify 

himself  as  Christ  is  pure  must  live  in  Christ,  and 
seek  to  be  as  closely  and  intimately  one  with  him  as 
possible.  This  includes  a  willingness  wholly  to 
cease  from  the  old  man,  as  corrupt,  in  order  that  a 
completely  new  man  from  Christ  may  be  formed 
within,  and  a  life  determined  implicitly  by  the  faith 
of  Christ.  It  is  Christ  beheld,  reflecting  God's  own 
beauty  and  love  upon  us,  that  changes  us  from  glory 
to  glory.  If  by  faith  we  go  with  Christ ;  if  we 
bear  his  cross  in  duty  after  him ;  if  we  hang  upon 
his  words  ;  in  a  word,  if  we  are  perfectly  insphered 
in  his  society,  so  as  to  be  of  it,  then  we  shall  grow 
pure.  The  assimilating  power  of  Christ,  when 
faithfully  adhered  to  as  the  soul's  divine  brother, 
and  lived  with  and  lived  upon,  will  infallibly  reno- 
vate, transform,  and  purify  us.    H.  B. "  He  that 

hath  this  hope  in  Him  "  knows  that  the  resemblance 
to  God  is  the  great  element  of  the  celestial  state, 
and  that  the  depths  of  the  spirit  are  the  scene  and 
subject  of  that  resemblance.  He  therefore  labors 
that  God's  image  be  so  reproduced  in  his  heart,  that 
not  merely  his  outward  actions,  but  his  motives  and 


principles  of  action,  may  be  such  as  harmonize  with 
those  of  the  august  society  he  anticipates.   W.  A.  B. 

6.  We  are  living  to  be  pure,  as  Christ  is ;  but, 
regarded  as  apart  from  him,  the  work  is  only  initia- 
ted— we  still  have  sin,  we  are  broken,  disordered, 
and  corrupt.  Yet  as  long  as  we  abide  in  Christ, 
our  action  is  from  him,  not  from  our  own  corrupt 
and  broken  nature,  exactly  as  the  apostle  writes. 
Whosoever  abldeth  in  him  sinneth  not.  He  lives 
in  a  consciousness,  that  is,  which  is  not  sustained 
by  his  own  mere  humanly  personal  character,  but 
by  the  sense  of  the  righteousness  that  is  of  God  by 

faith  upon  him.     H.  B. How  can  we  live  unto 

sin,  seeing  that  by  coming  unto  Jesus,  crucified  for 
us,  we  have  died  unto  sin  ?  How  can  we  sin,  seeing 
that  we  are  not  under  the  law,  which  condemns  and 
gives  no  life,  but  under  grace,  which  brings  to  us 
both  the  pardon  and  the  power  of  God,  because  it 
brings  God  to  us,  and  us  to  God  ?     A.  S. 

8.  The  death  of  Christ  destroi/s  the  works  of  the 
devil,  as  it  displays  the  glory  of  all  the  divine  per- 
fections and  enlarges  the  kingdom  of  God  among 
men,  by  the  very  means  which  Satan  employed  to 
sully  the  one  and  to  diminish  the  other.  The  death 
of  Christ  is  no  less  effectual  to  purchase  and  secure 
the  salvation  of  men,  in  spite  of  all  Satan's  at- 
tempts to  ruin  them.  His  blood  is  the  price  which 
redeems  the  soul ;  it  expiates  the  guilt  of  sin  and 
gives  full  satisfaction  to  divine  justice ;  so  that  now 
the  grand  obstacle  is  removed,  which  obstructed  the 
sinner's  access  to  God  and  excluded  him  from  any 
share  in  the  fruits  of  his  beneficence.  But  this  is 
not  all.  The  death  of  Christ  doth  likewise  afford 
the  most  persuasive  and  effectual  motives  to  that 
holiness,  "without  which  no  man  shall  see  God." 
The  So7i  of  God  will  finally  destroy  the  works  of  the 
devil,  when  he  shall  come  the  second  time  to  judge 
the  world  in  righteousness.  Then  shall  the  kingdom 
of  darkness  be  plucked  up  by  the  roots ;  then  shall 
the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  be  confirmed  in  a  state 
of  unchangeable  purity  and  happiness.  Satan  shall 
no  more  vex  and  seduce  them  ;  but  he,  with  all  the 
workers  of  iniquity,  shall  be  thrust  down  into  those 
everlasting  burnings  which  the  wrath  of  God  doth 
kindle.     E.  W. 

John  was  the  apostle  of  love,  he  was  gentle, 
but  it  is  his  Epistles  in  which  there  comes  out  most 
broadly,  most  sternly,  the  principle  that  all  mankind 
are  divided  into  two  great  classes — the  one,  those 
that  are  of  God ;  and  the  other,  those  that  are  of 
the  world  and  the  devil.  That  is  his  love.  What- 
ever is  not  light  is  darkness.  Whatever  is  not  life 
is  death.  Whatever  is  not  God  is  Satan.  He  has 
no  idea  of  some  on  the  one  side  and  some  on  the 
other,  and  a  great  neutral-tinted  mass  in  the  center 
that  belong  to  neither.  The  contrast  embraces  all 
classes  and  conditions.    Every  man  is  one  thing  or 


692 


SECTION  367.— 1  JOHN  3  : 1-24. 


the  other — God's  or  Satan's  !      A.  M. Nothing 

but  good  comes  from  good  ;  nothing  but  evil  comes 
from  evil.  If  you  declare  that  nothing  but  good 
comes  from  any  man  you  meet  with  on  this  earth, 
some  startling  wrong  in  him  will  confute  your  asser- 
tion. If  you  declare  that  nothing  but  evil  comes 
from  any  man  you  meet  with  on  this  earth,  some 
good  which  you  did  not  expect  will  confute  that  as- 
sertion. Let  all  wickedness,  without  respect  of 
persons,  be  assigned  to  the  devil  as  its  parent ;  let 
all  good,  without  respect  of  persons,  be  assigned  to 
God  as  its  parent.  And  let  each  person  be  encour- 
aged to  say,  I  have  no  right  whatever  to  acknowledge 
the  evil  spirit  as  my  parent.  If  I  have  done  so,  it 
has  been  under  a  dark  and  horrible  infatuation. 
For  in  very  deed  nothing  in  me  is  of  him,  but  that 
which  is  destroying  me.  No  living  powers,  ener- 
gies, affections  are  from  him ;  only  that  which  ex- 
tinguishes my  powers,  energies,  and  affections,  only 
that  which  is  making  me  not  a  man.  I  have  a  right 
to  say  that  God  is  my  parent.  For  every  power, 
energy,  affection,  that  is  awake  or  slumbering  in  me, 
I  have  received  from  him.  Jesus  Christ  has  bidden 
us  say,  "  Our  Father."     Maurice. 

9.  Saving  grace  is  distinguished  by  its  preva- 
lency  and  constancy.  There  may  be  a  declination  in 
saints  tending  to  a  downfall,  but  the  seed  of  God, 
that  supernatural  grace  that  remains  in  them,  will 
by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  recover  the  supre- 
macy. Where  the  Spirit  savingly  works,  he  is  said 
to  dwell.  He  is  not  like  a  tenant  at  will  that  neg- 
lects the  house,  but  as  the  owner  he  keeps  perpetual 
residence  in  true  Christians,  and  by  his  continual 

influence  preserves  them  from  apostasy.   Bates. 

It  is  the  distinguishing  character  of  a  believer  that 
he  has  fellowship  with  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
through  the  indwelling  of  the  Spirit.  Whatsoever 
has  not  this  fellowship  with  God,  hath  fellowship 
with  sin ;  and  fellowship  with  God  and  fellowship 
with  sin  are  incompatible.  Yet  a  believer  may 
have  many  sad  falls  into  sin  without  having  fellow- 
ship with  it.  Grace  and  nature  are  inmates  in  the 
heart  of  a  renewed  man;  yet  they  are  just  like  two 
persons  who  dwell  under  the  same  roof  and  are 
always  at  variance ;  they  have  no  fellowship  at  all 
the  one  with  the  other.  The  regenerate  part  "  can 
not  sin,  because  it  is  born  of  God,"  the  divine  seed 
reraaineth  in  the  believer  uncorrupt  and  immacu- 
late. "  It  is  no  more  I,"  says  the  apostle,  "  but  sin 
which  dwelleth  in  me."     Hill. 

10.  It  is  remarkable  how — more  in  fact  now  than 
for  many  ages — Christ  forces  himself  upon  the  no- 
tice of  those  who  believe  him  not.  When  they  specu- 
late about  religion,  when  they  trace  human  culture 
back  through  history,  Christ  stands  right  in  their 
way,  doctrines  of  men,  claims  of  churches,  moral 
codes  they  might  pass  by ;  but  they  can  not  pass 


Christ  by ;  he  confronts  them  with  a  revered  yet 
not  welcome  presence.  They  can  not  be  indifferent 
to  him ;  they  must  examine  his  pretensions ;  he  per- 
plexes them  like  some  problem  hard  to  be  solved. 
They  say  to  him,  "  Thou  who  hast  killed  the  old  re- 
ligions, thou  who  hast  divided  history  in  twain,  and 
begun  a  new  order  of  ages,  and  hast  struck  thy 
roots  into  all  human  interests,  who  art  thou  ?  Give 
us  more  proof  of  thy  rights  over  us  than  gospels 
and  their  fruits  in  the  world  afford."  They  raise 
this  and  that  objection,  they  pare  down  the  Gospel, 
they  lop  oif  myths,  but  still  there  he  stands  to  be 
accounted  for,  and  claims  of  them  that  they  follow 
him.  They  must  be  for  him  or  against  him ;  for 
his  side,  whoever  he  be,  is  the  side  of  all  virtue. 
They  can  not  be  neutral,  even  when  they  deny  that 
he  has  any  right  over  them,  for  whatever  else  he 
has  done  or  not  done,  he  has  set  up  a  kingdom  of 
love  and  well-doing  in  the  world ;  every  one  that  lov- 
eth,  and  doeth  well,  must  be  for  hira,  every  one  who 
loveth  not,  and  doeth  evil,  is  against  him,     T.  D.  W. 

Love  of  the  brethren  is,  with  John,  a  habit  or 
state  of  mind  which  leads  directly  to  practice,  and 
is  treated  as  utterly  worthless  apart  from  practice. 
The  love  of  God  to  man  is  manifested  not  in  any 
tenderness  to  his  evil  ways,  but  in  bringing  him 
into  the  right  way.  The  two  indications  of  the  off- 
spring of  evil  he  gives  us  here  are,  he  doeth  not 
righteousness,  and  he  loveth  not  his  brother.  We 
shall  find  that  the  two  are  never  separated.  Love 
does  not  interfere  with  the  strictness  of  right,  but 
establishes  it.  Right  does  not  make  love  less  deep, 
or  less  universal ;  apart  from  right  it  would  be  su- 
perficial and  partial.     Maurice. 

11.  A  touching  incident  is  related  by  Jerome 
in  his  exposition  of  Galatians.  In  his  extreme  old 
age  John  was  too  weak  to  go  into  the_  assembly, 
and  had  to  be  carried.  Unable  to  deliver  long  dis- 
courses, he  simply  said :  "  Little  children,  love  one 
another."  When  asked  why  he  continually  repeated 
this  one  exhortation,  he  replied,  "  Because  this  is 
the  command  of  the  Lord,  and  enough  is  done  if 
this  one  command  be  obeyed." — Assuredly  so.  For 
as  God  himself  is  love,  love  to  him  and  to  the 
brethren  is  the  essence  and  sum  of  religion  and 
morality,  the  fulfilling  of  the  law  and  the  prophets, 
the  bond  of  perfectness.     P.  S. 

14.  In  the  same  degree  that  men  are  near  to 
Christ,  we  are  commanded  that  they  be  near  to  us. 
All  humanity  claims  our  affectionate  sympathy,  for 
He  has  assumed  the  nature  of  a  man;  every  re- 
generate believer  in  Christ  Jesus  claims  yet  higher 
and  more  peculiar  affection,  for  with  him  Christ  is 
one  not  in  body  alone,  but  in  Spirit  also.     W.  A.  B. 

It  is  vain  to  imagine  that  you  can  let  God's  love 

flow  in  if  you  can  not  let  it  flow  out.  We  must  let 
the  love  we  are  to  receive  have  free  course,  flowing 


SECTION  367—1  JOHN  3  : 1-S4. 


693 


through  us  in  such  kind  of  works  and  lovings  as  it 
will  naturally  instigate.  It  must  be  allowed  not 
only  to  beget  itself  in  us,  but  to  make  us  to  others 
what  God  is  to  us.  Hence  the  soul  that  is  actuated 
or  impelled  by  any  kind  of  hatred  or  revenge,  or 
that  holds  a  grudge  against  another,  and  can  not, 
will  not  forgive  him,  can  not  really  be  said  to  let 
God  love  him ;  for  God's  love  to  him  is  a  forgiving 
love  that  bends  in  blessing  and  even  bleeds  over  all 
enemies.     H.  B. 

15.  The  apostle  says  not  that  all  hatred  will  end  in 
murder — -far  from  it — nor  tlmt  all  hatred  is  equally 
intense  and  equally  reckless,  nor  that  hatred  which 
bursts  out  into  great  crime  may  not  imply  a  worse 
state  of  soul  than  such  as  remains  within,  and  does 
no  obvious  harm  to  others.  Nor  does  he  intend  to 
confine  the  murderous  quality  to  positive  hatred. 
Want  of  love,  hardened  selfishness,  acting  on  cal- 
culation with  no  rage  or  wrath  in  it,  may  be  as 
deadly,  as  murderous,  as  malignity  or  revenge.  TJie 
apostle  teaches  us  in  these  words,  that  evil  lies  in  the 
heart,  and  that  the  evil  there,  which  meets  with  some 
temporary  or  some  lasting  hindrance,  differs  not  in 
kind  from,  that  which  is  ripened  by  opportunity.  It 
may  be  for  ever  dormant  as  far  as  the  notice  of  man 
is  concerned.  It  may  never  burst  forth  into  wicked 
action,  yet  the  hatred  within  and  the  hatred  in  the 
wicked  action  are  one  and  the  same,  one  quality  runs 
through  both.  The  powder  that  is  explosive  and  the 
powder  that  explodes  do  not  differ.  But  if  there  be 
no  principle  reigning  in  the  soul,  which  will  intro- 
duce love  instead  of  hatred,  and  cJiange  the  nature 
of  the  soul  itself,  the  thought  and  the  act  will  be 
both  evil,  and  the  act  will  he  the  measure  of  the 
thought.     T.  D.  W. 

16.  Hereby  perceive  we  love.  The  cure 
which  God  has  provided,  while  it  reveals  the  depth 
of  man's  ruin,  has  in  it  also  a  token  of  the  great- 
ness of  man's  nature.  It  is  God  giving  himself  for 
man's  deliverance,  a  free,  unbought  love,  which  de- 
votes itself  to  suffering  and  death  that  it  may 
awaken  a  response  in  the  sinful  heart,  and  recall 
the  sinner  to  the  Father's  arms,  when  he  knows  that 
all  has  been  atoned  for,  and  that  the  past  of  guilt 
is  ready  to  be  forgiven  and  forgotten  for  ever.  It 
reveals  to  us  the  nature  of  God,  but  it  also  reveals 
to  us  something  of  the  nature  of  man ;  for  man's 
nature  must  be  capable  of  appreciating  free,  unsel 
fish  love,  if  it  is  to  return  it.     Ker. 

17.  If  the  pursuits  of  some  of  us  do  not  allow 
of  our  visiting  the  haunts  of  distress  in  our  own 
persons,  we  may  at  least  contribute  to  the  great 
work  of  relief  our  utmost  of  sympathy,  of  prayer, 
and  of  almsgiving.  Remember  that  in  the  relief  of 
distress  in  some  or  other  of  its  forms  stands  to  a 
great  extent  the  vitality  of  your  religion.  For  if  any 
man  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his. 


And  the  spirit  of  Christ  is  not  to  sit  apart  from 
suffering  in  selfish  isolation,  but  to  come  down  to  it 
with  tender  sjTnpathy  and  timely  succor.  This  is  what 
the  Infinite  Love  did  for  us  all ;  and  unless  a  simi- 
lar character  be  formed  in  us,  we  shall  not  be  among 
those  whom  at  the  last  day  he  will  recognize  and  set 
upon  his  right  hand.     E.  M.  G. 

18.  True  Christians  do  "not  love  in  word,  nei- 
ther in  tongue,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth."  "  Love  un- 
feigned "  is  perpetually  passing  into  act  with  regard 
to  every  member  of  Christ  who  can  be  reached.  In 
this  way  a  true  follower  of  Christ  fills  up  his  life. 
The  new  nature  is  continually  working  its  way  out- 
ward, according  to  the  various  objects  which  invite 
its  flow ;  and  benevolence  inspired  of  God  seeks 
new  ways  of  communicating  happiness  even  in  the 
smallest  particulars.  Nor  are  these  effluences  of  the 
sanctified  nature  in  the  way  of  kindly  acts  the  less 
Christian  even  if  at  the  moment  of  performance 
the  happy  spirit  does  not  distmctly  think  of  its  be- 
ing done  to  Christ  himself.  The  inward  spring  is 
perpetually  running,  marking  its  track  by  the  green 
margin  which  it  irrigates.  A  kind,  merciful,  unsel- 
fish heart  is  always  looking  around  for  some  one  to 
be  the  object  of  its  care ;  and  love  is  the  same  in 
its  kind  when  it  gives  a  kingdom  and  when  it  gives 
a  flower.     J.  W.  A. 

19.  We  know.  When  we  say  that  wc  have 
come  to  realize  a  doctrine  we  mean  that,  somehow, 
that  doctrine  has  been  wrought  into  the  roots  of  our 
life.  It  has  passed  from  a  proposition  accepted  in- 
to an  influence  that  actuates.  For  our  religion  is 
neither  a  dogma  nor  a  theory.  It  has  a  spiritual 
power.  It  is  a  personal  presence.  It  is  a  comfort- 
er of  actual  sorrows.  It  is  a  quickener  to  every 
noble  work.  It  is  not  a  stranger  to  be  scrutinized, 
but  a  friend  to  be  loved  because  it  has  first  loved  us. 
It  is  not  a  guest  to  be  entertained,  but  a  leader  to 
be  followed.    F.  D.  H. 

20.  The  law  can  not  condemn  a  believer — 
Christ  has  fulfilled  it  for  him ;  divine  justice  can 
not  condemn  him — that  Christ  has  satisfied ;  his 
sins  can  not  condemn  him — they  are  pardoned 
through  the  blood  of  Christ ;  and  his  own  con- 
science, upon  righteous  grounds,  can  not  condemn 
him  because  Christ,  who  is  greater  than  his  con- 
science, has  acquitted  him.     Brooks. When  my 

soul  contemplates  his  divine  love,  then  am  I  com- 
forted ;  for  he  who  loves  me  thus  can  not  condemn 
me.  Condemn  me,  my  conscience  !  Accuse  me,  Sa- 
tan !  Slander  me,  oh  world !  Curse  me,  oh  law! 
Behold,  my  peace  stands  immovable  before  you  and 
your  voice  of  thunder  and  cursing ;  for  Jesus  who 
loves  me  and  redeems  me  is  far  greater  than  are  all 
my  accusers  !     A.  C. 

21.  If  the  illuminated  tender  conscience  doth 
not  accuse  us  of  insincerity,  "  we  have  confidence 


694 


SECTION'  368.— 1  JOHN'  It :  1-21. 


toward  God  "  that  he  will  spare  and  accept  us  not- 
withstanding our  frailties,  and  give  free  and  safe 
access  into  his  presence.     Bates. 

22.  He  merely  says  that  consciousness  of  hon- 
esty toward  God  and  of  a  steadfast  aim  to  do  his 
commandments  legitimately  begets  confidence  be- 
fore him,  and  that  God  will  respond  with  favoring 
answer  to  our  prayer — of  course  only  for  Christ's 
sake.  Well  does  Ncander  remark  on  this  passage  : 
"As  sons  whose  filial  relation  has  suffered  no  inter- 
ruption can  with  childlike  trust  and  confidence  ask 
all  from  their  father,  so  believers  whose  life  is  of 
the  truth,  who  are  conscious  of  no  disturbance  of 
their  filial  relation  to  God  through  unfaithfulness  on 
their  part,  can  ask  all  with  childlike  confidence 
from  God  their  Father." 

23,  24.  If  you  ask  what  are  the  central  com- 
mandments in  the  gospel  scheme,  he  answers  ;  Be- 
lieve in  Jesus  ;  love  one  another.  Keeping  his  com- 
mandments ye  come  into  most  intimate  mutual  rela- 
tions to  him ;  ye  dwell  in  him ;  he  dwells  in  you ; 
and  of  this  indwelling  his  Spirit,  present  to  your 

soul,  is  the  witness.     H.  C. He  abideth  in 

us.  There  is  something  at  once  dreadful  and  de- 
lightful in  this  indwelling  of  the  Holy  One  in  houses 
of  clay.  It  is  dreadful  to  be  so  near  that  divine 
glory,  before  which  the  seraphim  veil  their  faces. 
It  is,  on  the  other  hand,  delightful  to  consider  that 


the  source  of  all  holiness  and  comfort  is  within  us, 
if  we  belong  to  Christ.  The  promised  Comforter 
has  made  his  shrine  in  our  very  bodies,  and  pos- 
sesses our  souls  with  his  presence.  He  can  not  be 
ignorant  of  our  condition,  and  no  trial  can  befall  us 
without  his  permission,  as  there  is  also  no  sorrow 
which  he  can  not  assuage.  This  is  felt  with  un- 
utterable peace  when  the  divine  witness  testifies 
within  the  soul.  "  And  hereby  we  know  that  he 
abideth  in  us,  by  the  Spirit  which  he  hath  given 
us."     J.  W.  A. 

The  Spirit  which  he  hath  given  us.  It 
is  at  our  worst  peril  that  we,  either  theoretically  or 
practically,  lose  sight  of  this  sacred  agent,  the  Spirit 
of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  amid  that  branching  yet 
united  system  of  channels  through  which  he  makes 
his  ordinary  approaches  to  our  understandings  and 
our  hearts ;  seeking  thus  to  reach  our  invisible 
souls  through  our  bodily  senses,  and  through  those 
audible  and  visible  means,  of  preaching  and  the  sac- 
raments, in  which  those  senses  are  met.  Let  the 
divine  Spirit,  the  sacred  Illuminator  and  Comforter 
of  the  soul,  be  ever  held  in  clear  view  amid  the  sur- 
rounding institutes  of  the  Church,  and  always  re- 
garded as  the  only  efficient  agent  in  our  renewal  and 
sanctification ;  acting  alone  through  all  sensible 
channels,  and  using  truth,  men,  and  ordinances  in 
doing  his  own  proper  work.     J.  S.  S. 


Section  368. 

1  John  iv.  1-21. 

1  Beloved,  believe  not  every  spirit,  but  try  the  spirits  whether  they  are  of  God :  because 

2  many  false  prophets  are  gone  out  into  the  world.     Hereby  know  ye  the  Spirit  of  God : 

3  Every  spirit  that  confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  is  of  God :  and  every 
spirit  that  confesseth  not  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  is  not  of  God  :  and  this  is 
that  spirit  of  antichrist,  whereof  ye  have  heard  that  it  should  come  ;  and  even  now  already 

4  is  it  in  the  world.     Ye  are  of  God,  little  children,  and  have  overcome  them  :  because  greater 

5  is  he  that  is  in  you,  than  he  that  is  in  the  world.     They  are  of  the  world  :  therefore  speak 

6  they  of  the  world,  and  the  world  heareth  them.  "We  are  of  God :  he  that  knoweth  God 
heareth  us ;  he  that  is  not  of  God  heareth  not  us.  Hereby  know  we  the  spirit  of  truth, 
and  the  spirit  of  error. 

7  Beloved,  let  us  love  one  another  :  for  love  is  of  God  ;  and  every  one  that  loveth  is  born 

8  of  God,  and  knoweth  God.     He  that  loveth  not  knoweth  not  God  ;  for  God  is  love.    In 

9  this  was  manifested  the  love  of  God  toward  us,  because  that  God  sent  his  only  begotten 

10  Son  into  the  world,  that  we  might  live  through  him.     Herein  is  love,  not  that  we  loved 

11  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  he  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.    Beloved,  if 

12  God  so  loved  us,  we  ought  also  to  love  one  another.     No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time. 

13  If  we  love  one  another,  God  dwelleth  in  us,  and  his  love  is  perfected  in  us.     Hereby  know 

14  we  that  we  dwell  in  him,  and  he  in  us,  because  he  hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit.    And  we 

15  have  seen  and  do  testify  that  the  Father  sent  the  Son  to  he  the  Saviour  of  the  world.     "Who- 
soever shall  confess  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  God  dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  in  God. 

16  And  we  have  known  and  believed  the  love  that  God  hath  to  us.     God  is  love  ;  and  he  that 

17  dwelleth  in  love  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him.    Herein  is  our  love  made  perfect,  that 


SECTION  368.— 1  JOHN  4  : 1-21. 


695 


we  may  have  boldness  in  the  day  of  judgment:  because  as  he  is,  so  are  we  in  this  w^^rld• 

18  There  is  no  fear  in  love ;  but  perfect  love  casteth  out  fear  :  because  fear  hath  torment.     He 

19  that  feareth  is  not  made  perfect  in  love.     We  love  him,  because  he  first  loved  us.     If  a 

20  man  say,  I  love  God,  and  hateth  his  brother,  he  is  a  liar :  for  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother 

21  whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can  he  love  God  whom  he  hath  not  seen  ?    And  this  command- 
ment have  we  from  him,  That  he  who  loveth  God  love  his  brother  also. 


It  is  easy  to  see  that,  with  this  apostle,  all  centers  ultimately  in  love.  That  holy  name  most  aptly 
describes  the  heart  of  God,  and  reveals  the  deepest  meaning  of  all  his  works  and  ways.  The  creation  is 
the  act  of  love,  laying  the  foundation  for  its  future  manifestations.  The  law  and  promise  are  the  revela- 
tion of  a  love  which  would  draw  men  to  Christ.  The  Incarnation  is  the  personal  manifestation  of  redeem- 
ing love  in  intimate,  indissoluble  union  with  our  nature.  So,  on  our  part,  love  to  God  and  man  is  the  sum 
of  all  duty  and  virtue.  Does  it  not  lie  at  the  bottom  of  all  the  apostles'  exhortations  ?  James,  indeed, 
makes  Christianity  chiefly  law  and  obedience  ;  but  he  makes  love  the  queen  of  the  law.  Peter,  the  apos- 
tle of  promise  and  hope,  is  most  beautiful  and  lovely  in  his  enthusiastic  devotion  to  Christ  and  his  flock. 
Paul,  the  apostle  of  righteousness  and  faith,  still  calls  love  the  bond  of  perfectness,  the  most  precious  of 
all  spiritual  gifts,  the  greatest  in  that  triplet  of  cardinal  Christian  virtues ;  because,  being  the  highest 
form  of  union  with  the  Godhead,  it  never  ceases.  In  John,  the  apostle  of  incarnation  and  love,  this 
virtue  meets  us  in  the  deepest  and  tenderest  form — as  in  his  life,  from  the  time  he  first  lay  on  Jesus' 
bosom  to  that  last  touching  exhortation  to  his  little  children  in  his  extreme  old  age,  so  also  in  his  writ- 
ings, the  whole  design  of  which  is  to  lift  the  veil  from  the  mystery  of  eternal  love,  and  draw  all  his  sus- 
ceptible readers  into  the  same  holy  and  happy  fellowship  of  hfe  with  the  divine  Eedeemer.     P.  S. 


To  expose  false  spirits ;  to  prove  their  false 
character  by  decisive  tests ;  to  give  tests  of  real 
piety  for  each  one's  own  self -judgment ;  to  give 
prominence  to  love  as  the  cardinal  element  of  Chris- 
tian character — these  are  the  leading  themes  in  this 
chapter.     H.  C. 

1.  The  gift  of  discerning  spirits  is  of  a  critical 
character,  concerned  primarily  with  distinguishing 
true  prophets  from  false,  divine  inspiration  from 
human  or  perhaps  Satanic.  For,  where  the  powers 
of  light  are  specially  active,  there  also,  according  to 
the  law  of  antagonisms,  the  powers  of  darkness 
also  most  bestir  themselves.  But  the  discerning  of 
spirits  in  the  wider  sense  denotes  in  general  the 
power  of  keenly  discriminating  between  the  truth 
and  error,  which  might  be  mixed  together  in  the 
discourse  of  a  genuine  prophet — for  none  but  the 
apostles  have  any  claim  to  infallibility — as  also  the 
power  of  judging  characters  and  discerning  motives 

hidden  from  the  common  eye.     P.  S. We   are 

commanded  to  "  try  the  spirits,  whether  they  be  of 
God  " — that  is,  we  are  to  bring  the  statements  of 
those  who  profess  to  teach  in  the  name  of  God  to 
the  one  standard  of  truth,  and  to  receive  nothing 
which  that  standard  disallows,  by  whomsoever  ad- 
vanced, and  whatever  may  be  the  antiquity  and  the 
authority  by  which  it  is  enforced.     Ferguson. 

3.  Come  in  the  flesh.  The  Docetre  were  a 
sect  of  the  Gnostics  who  held  that  Jesus  Christ  was 
a  mere  phantasm,  destitute  of  a  real  body,  that  he 
lived,  labored,  and  suffered  only  in  appearance.  The 
First  Epistle  of  John  belongs  to  that  age,  when  this 
Docetic  or  Gnostic  error  was  gradually  becoming 
more  dangerous,  and  specially  in  Asia  Minor.  The 
Manichasans  held  that  Christ  descended  from  the 
sun  in  a  seeming  body,  to  lead  men  to  the  worship 
of  the  true  God.  It  is  supposed  that  1  John  1  :  1-3, 
and  4  :  1-6  were  designed  to  oppose  the  doctrine  of 
the  Docetse.     B.  B.  E. 

6.  The  disciple  whom  "  Jesus  loved  "  (and  we 


can  not  doubt  on  account  of  a  kindred  simplicity, 
purity,  and  elevation  of  temper)  occupied  a  sphere 
of  meditative  abstraction  which  raised  him  above 
that  level  where  faith  is  most  assaulted — in  an  em- 
phatic sense,  he  lived  on  high,  and  looked  upon  the 
things  of  earth  as  angels  may  look  upon  them.  It 
is  altogether  in  harmony  with  this  order  of  feeling 
that  we  hear  him  calmly  (and  justly)  and  like  a  mes- 
senger from  heaven  challenging  all  truth  for  the 
Church,  and  assigning  all  error  to  the  world.    "  We 

know  that  we  are  of  God."     I.  T. The  great 

apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  amid  fightings  without  and 
fears  within,  built  in  his  argumentative  Epistles  the 
outworks  of  that  temple,  of  which  his  still  greater 
colleague  and  successor  was  chosen  noiselessly  to 
complete,  in  his  peaceful  old  age,  the  inner  and  ho- 
lier places.  And  this,  after  all,  ranging  under  it  all 
secondary  aims,  we  must  call  the  great  object  of 
the  evangelist ;  to  advance,  purify  from  error,  and 
strengthen  that  maturer  Christian  life  of  knowledge, 
which  is  the  true  development  of  the  teaching  of  the 
Spirit  in  men,  and  which  the  latter  part  of  the  apos- 
tolic period  witnessed  in  its  full  vitaUty.  And  this, 
by  setting  forth  the  person  of  the  Lord  Jesus  in  all 
its  fullness  of  grace  and  truth,  in  all  its  manifesta- 
tion in  the  flesh  by  signs  and  by  discourses,  and  its 
glorification  by  opposition  and  unbelief,  through  suf- 
ferings and  death.     A. 

7.  Born  of  God.  There  is  no  possibility  of 
redemption  or  spiritual  restoration  for  us  save  that, 
as  being  open  to  the  inbreathing  of  God,  we  may  so 
be  impregnated  with  a  new  power  of  life,  and,  by 
force  of  a  divine  visitation  within,  be  regenerated  in 
the  holiness  of  God.  All  which  is  described  in  the 
Scripture  as  being  born  of  God.  And  what  a  height 
of  almost  divinity  do  we  look  upon  in  such  a  truth 
as  that !    What  man  will  not  even  tremble,  as  in 


696 


SECTION  368.— 1  JOHN  4  ;  1-21. 


awe  of  himself,  when  he  contemplates,  in  this  word 
of  Scripture,  the  eternal  Spirit  of  God  coursing 
through  the  secret  cells  and  chambers  of  his  feel- 
ings, turning  him  about  in  his  motions,  breathing  in 
his   thoughts,  and  calling  back  his  wild  affections 

to   a  common  center  with  his  own?     H.  B. 

That  loveth  knoweth.  Between  God  and  man, 
the  interpreter  is  love.  Love  renders  intelligible 
to  man  the  truths  of  the  gospel — not  indeed  those 
abstract  truths  which  relate  to  the  essence  of 
God,  the  knowledge  of  which  is  equally  inaccessible 
and  useless  to  us,  but  those  other  truths  which  con- 
cern our  relations  to  God,  and  constitute  the  very 
foundation  of  religion.  Let  love,  sweet,  gracious, 
luminous,  interpreting,  come  between  the  gospel  and 
the  human  soul,  and  the  truth  of  the  gospel  shall 
have  a  meaning,  and  one  as  clear  as  it  is  profound. 
Then  shall  your  soul  find  itself  free  and  happy  in 
the  midst  of  these  strange  revelations.  Then  shall 
those  truths  you  have  accepted,  through  submission 
and  obedience,  become  to  you  as  familiar  and  as 
necessarily  true  as  those  common,  every-day  truths 
upon  which  depends  your  existence.     A.  V. 

8.  All  who  become  children  necessarily  wear  the 
image.  And  he  that  loveth  not  is  not  of  God.  A 
man  without  love,  without  inward  fountains  of  hu- 
man tenderness,  without  a  heart  that  broods  over 
the  world  in  some  measure  like  the  heart  of  God,  is 
without  the  chief  feature  of  the  great  family  like- 
ness. But  those  who  return  good  for  evil  and  love 
for  hatred,  who  forgive  all  who  trespass  against 
them  as  they  are  themselves  forgiven  of  God,  and 
seek  the  salvation  of  souls  as  men  seek  gold — they 
put  on  the  image  of  the  heavenly,  they  look  like 
their  brothers  of  the  upper  kingdom,  they  look  like 
what  they  are — the  children  of  the  King  !    A.  R. 

God  is  love.  God  has  not  denied  us  what  was 
most  important.  He  has  told  us  his  name  in  the 
gospel ;  and  henceforth  we  know  that  God  is  holy, 
that  God  is  love.  To  know  this  is  to  know  all.  It 
is  to  know  that  this  world  is  not  a  chaos,  but  a 
world.  It  is  to  know  that  our  earthly  career  is  not 
without  reason  nor  without  end.  It  is  to  know  that 
man,  even  in  the  depth  of  his  fall,  is  a  being  whose 
nature  God  honors.  It  is  to  know  the  true  name  of 
prosperity,  which  is  grace ;  and  of  distress,  which 
is  trial.  It  is  to  know  that  life  is  not  what  we  call 
by  this  name,  but  that  our  true  life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  the  bosom  of  God.  It  is,  in  fine,  to  know 
our  true  name ;  we  are  the  children  of  pardon, 
after  having  been  the  children  of  wrath.  All  this 
has  been  proclaimed  from  the  height  of  the  cross, 
and  transcribed  in  the  gospel,  where  the  most  igno 
rant  among  us  can  spell  it  with  the  most  learned. 
In  naming  himself,  God  has  named  all.     A.  V. 

The  everlasting  love  was  disclosed  by  our  Lord's 
life  and  death.     It  showed  that  God  forgives  because 


he  loves  to  forgive.  He  works  by  smiles,  if  possi- 
ble ;  if  not,  by  frowns.     Pain  is  only  a  means  of 

enforcing  love.     D.  Livingstone. God  is  love,  not 

God  became  love.  Above  all  creation,  above  every 
beginning  and  end,  from  everlasting  to  everlasting 
in  himself,  God  is  love ;  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost 
is  the  one  living  and  loving  Jehovah.  It  is  into  this 
love  that  we  are  planted  by  the  incarnation,  death, 

and  resurrection  of  Jesus,    A.  S. Redemption  is 

the  fruit  of  that  sovereign  benignity  which  equally 
belongs  to  the  Father,  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Christ  did  not  die  that  God  might  love 
man  ;  he  died  because  God  loved  man.  The  atone- 
ment is  not  the  cause,  but  the  effect  of  the  love  of 
God.     J.  B. 

10.  The  highest  act  of  love  is  the  sacrifice  of 
self ;  the  highest  act  of  God's  infinite  love  to  man 
was  in  the  redemption ;  but  from  the  ineffable  mys- 
tery which  hangs  over  the  Godhead,  God  could  not 
be  said  to  sacrifice  himself,  and  therefore  he  sacri- 
ficed his  only  Son — that  object  which  was  so  near 
and  so  dear  to  him,  that  nothing  could  be  nearer 

and  dearer.     T.  A. When  you  would  revive  the 

spirit  of  the  contrite,  say  to  him,  God  is  love.  Jt 
will  be  a  dead  letter  to  him,  unless  he  looks  at  the 
cross  ;  but  let  him  so  look,  and  he  beholds  a  door. 
Thus  the  solitary  young  monk  was  led  in  by  Stau- 
pitz :  "  Look  at  the  wounds  of  Christ,"  he  said  to 
Luther,  "  and  you  will  there  see  shining  clearly  the 
purpose  of  God  toward  men.  We  can  not  under- 
stand God  out  of  Christ.''^  Hence  the  maxim  of 
the  reformer's  after  years :  "  I  can  not  come  near 
the  absolute  God."    J,  W,  A. 

11.  This  was  the  main  cause  of  Christ's  coming, 
that  man  might  know  how  much  God  loves  him,  and 
know  it  to  this  end,  that  he  might  be  kindled  with 
affection  for  him  who  loved  him  first,  and  might  love 
his  neighbor  at  the  bidding  of  him,  who  became 
man's  neighbor  by  loving  him  when  he  was  no 

neighbor,  but  one  sojourning  far  away,    Aug. 

Jesus  crucified  is  God's  charity  toward  man.  Im- 
possible that  men  should  not  feel  themselves  bound 
to  act  toward  each  other  as  God  has  done  to  them  ; 
and  toward  what  man  is  not  charity  a  duty  ?  With- 
out the  divinity  and  sacrifice  of  Jesus  Christ,  the 
value  of  man's  soul,  if  I  may  be  pardoned  the  ex- 
pression, sinks  ;  neither  his  salvation  nor  the  exam- 
ple of  his  Saviour  is  any  longer  the  question ;  chari- 
ty becomes  nothing  more  than  human  goodness,  a 
sentiment,  however  noble  and  useful,  still  limited 
both  in  impulsive  energy  and  in  efiicacy;  having 
its  source  in  man  alone,  it  is  not  suited  to  inspire 
any  long  effort  or  great  sacrifice  ;  it  is  not  adequate 
to  convert  the  longing  desire  for  the  moral  amend- 
ment, the  physical  relief  of  humanity,  into  that  in- 
extinguishable sympathy  and  untiring  and  impas- 
sioned emotion  which  really  constitute  charity,  and 


SECTION  368.— 1  JOEX  4  ;  1-21. 


697 


which  the  Christian  faith,  in  the  history  of  the 
world,  has  alone  been  able  to  inspire.     Guizot. 

12.  The  Scripture  itself  recognizes  the  difiR- 
culty  of  considering  God  in  his  own  nature,  and 
therefore  urges  us  to  seek  him  in  and  through  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ.  Providence,  the  Supreme  Being, 
the  Deity,  and  other  such  terms,  repel  us  of  ne- 
cessity to  an  infinite  distance ;  they  speak  of  One 
incomprehensible  and  unapproachable.  Our  God  is 
the  Lord,  revealed  to  the  Israelites  as  the  God  of 
their  own  nation,  who  came  down  upon  Mount  Sinai 
to  give  the  law,  who  dwelt  between  the  cherubim 
in  the  mercy -seat,  in  the  innermost  part  of  the 
Temple  ;  revealed  to  us  as  the  Son  of  man,  born  of 
a  woman,  made  in  all  but  sin  one  of  ourselves,  liv- 
ing and  dying  and  rising  again,  after  the  common 
condition  of  us  all.  This  is  our  manifestation  of 
God.  To  Him  we  should  come  in  faith  and  love, 
and  He  will  show  us  of  the  Father,  and  give  us  of 
his  Holy  Spirit,  in  such  measure  as  our  present  na- 
ture  can  bear,  preparing  us  for  a  fuller  revelation 
hereafter.     T.  A. 

13.  Find  thou  but  within  thee  sanctification  by 
the  Spirit,  and  this  argues  necessarily  both  justifi- 
cation by  the  Son  and  the  election  of  God  the  Fa- 
ther. Hereby  know  we  that  we  dwell  in  him,  and  he 
in  uSy  because  he  has  given  us  of  his  Spirit.  Where 
this  sanctifying  Spirit  is  not,  there  can  be  no  per- 
suasion of  this  eternal  love  of  God ;  they  that  are 
children  of  disobedience  can  conclude  no  otherwise 
of  themselves  but  that  they  are  the  children  of  toraih. 

L. The  exhibition  of  that  love  in  God  is  to  be 

made  the  means  of  producing  love  in  us ;  the  glori- 
ous spectacle  of  love  as  beheld  in  God  is  to  be 
turned  into  a  living  principle  in  us.  For  this  end, 
the  holy,  unconfined,  and  infinite  Spirit  came  down 
with  a  fullness  and  a  power  as  if  he  sought  to  fill 
every  heart,  to  replenish  the  Church,  to  be  the  soul 
of  the  world,  to  encircle  the  earth  with  an  atmos- 
phere of  grace  as  real  and  universal  as  the  ele- 
mental air  which  encompasses  and  circulates  around 
the  globe  itself,  that  whoever  inhaled  it  might  have 
eternal  life.     J.  H. 

14.  It  is  simple;  love  to  that  only  Jesus,  who  is 
very  man  and  at  the  same  time  very  God  and  eter- 
nal life,  that  speaks  from  the  mouth  of  John,  and 
that  would  fain  constrain  the  spirits  of  men,  yea,  of 
all  who  come  into  the  world,  to  come  to  John's  be- 
loved Master,  and  to  the  bosom  on  which  he  lay. 
Loke. 

16.  The  naturcd  child-faith  is  a  faith  without 
light.  Hence  the  exhortation  of  the  apostle :  "  Be 
no  more  children  tossed  to  and  fro  by  every  wind 
of  doctrine."  The  blind  child-faith  is  that  which 
believes  because  others  have  believed  and  testified. 
The  glorified  child-faith  is  that  which  believes  be- 
cause it  has  known.    A.  T. ^^Andive  have  known 


and  believed  the  love  that  Ood  hath  to  us."  This  was 
the  blessing ;  this  was  the  privilege.  The  infinite 
misery  of  the  denying  world  was  that  it  did  not 
know  and  believe  the  love  that  God  had  to  it ;  that 
it  believed  him  to  have  no  love  to  it ;  that  it  refused 
all  communion  with  love.  That  neither  the  belief 
of  the  Church  nor  the  unbelief  of  the  world  affected 
the  nature  and  being  of  God  in  the  least,  he  affirms 
in  the  next  clause,  "God  is  love."  This  is  not  an 
accident  of  his  character,  but  its  essence ;  not  an 
aspect  which  it  wears  at  certain  times  or  to  some 
fortunate  persons,  but  that  which  is  the  same  yes- 
terday, to-day,  and  for  ever,  that  which  has  no  re- 
spect of  persons.     Maurice. 

When  God  loves  us  his  heart  goes  out  toward  us, 
and  with  his  heart  all  that  he  can  bestow.  All  the 
resources  of  his  power,  all  the  counsels  of  his  wis- 
dom, all  the  preciousness  of  his  promises,  all  the 
gifts  of  his  Spirit,  are  at  our  disposal,  if  only  our 
hearts  are  open  to  receive  them  in  the  day  of  his 
power.  To  know  and  believe  the  love  God  hath  to 
us — here,  in  a  single  sentence,  is  the  beginning  of 
Christian  life,  the  history  of  Christian  experience, 
the  fullness  of  Christian  joy.  That  God  should  love 
me,  and  yet  refuse  me  anything  for  my  good,  is  as 
utterly  impossible  as  that  he  should  cease  to  be  God. 
To  suppose  that  Christ  can  have  suffered  for  me,  and 
yet  while  laying  on  me  his  cross  deny  me  the  need- 
ful grace  to  carry  it  after  him  ;  sooner  than  think 
this,  let  us  boldly  say  at  once  that  he  has  died  in 

vain !     A.  W.  T. "  God  is  love — fountain,  flood, 

and  sea — and  he  that  dwelleth  in  love  dwelleth  in 
God,  and  God  in  him."  We  let  God  love  us  into 
love,  which  itself  sufiices,  and  carries  all  grace  with 
it.  Know,  then,  and  believe  the  love  God  hath  to 
you,  and  you  shall  have  all  that  you  are  willing  to 
receive,  more  than  you  can  ask  or  even  think.    H.  B. 

18.  It  is  not  by  any  power  in  our  love  to  ap- 
pease the  stingings  of  sin  that  we  get  rid  of  the 
fear.  We  lose  it  because  our  love  comes  from  ap- 
prehending that  great  gospel  and  blessed  hope,  that 
God's  love  is  mine,  mine  in  his  Son,  mine  that  my 
love  may  be  perfectly  fixed  upon  it,  mine  without 
disturbance  from  any  of  his  awful  attributes,  mine 
without  fear  of  loss  or  harm  from  any  events.  Be- 
lieving this,  the  heart  fills  with  a  mighty  tide  of 
calm,  responding  love,  which  sweeps  away  on  the 
crest  of  its  rejoicing  wave  the  vileness,  the  sorrows, 
the  fears,  which  once  choked  its  channels.  They 
are  flooded  out,  and  the  heart  is  delivered.  We 
stand  peaceful,  safe,  blessed.  Whatever  betide, 
nothing  can  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God.  We 
are  bound  to  him  by  that  everlasting  loving-kind- 
ness with  which  he  has  drawn  us.  There  is  lifted 
off  the  heart  the  whole  burden  of  "  fearful  looking- 
for  of  judgment,"  the  whole  burden  arising  from 
the  dark  thought,  God  is  mighty,  God  must  be  right- 


698 


SECTION  368.— 1  JOHN'  4  :  1-21. 


eous,  God  may  strike !  because  we  know  "  he  hath 
borne  our  griefs  and  carried  our  sorrows."  Hence- 
forth our  thoughts  of  God  are  to  be  thoughts  of 
perfect,  absolute,  everlasting  love,  who  is  the  foun- 
dation of  our  life  and  the  basis  of  all  our  hope 
and  work.  The  love  of  God  casts  out  the  fear 
of  God,  and  the  love  of  God  casts  out  all  other 
fear!    A.  M. 

19.  "We  love  him  because  he  first  loved  us." 
This  is  indeed  the  gospel  in  its  sublime  simpUcity 
and  its  harmonious  purity,  but,  moreover,  in  its  un- 
fathomable riches  and  its  all-conquering  power.  If 
once  the  word — nay,  the  fact — "  God  first  loved  us," 
as  see7i  in  Christ,  has  indeed  become  to  us  the  fact 
unparalleled,  this  henceforth  determines  all  our  life 
and  faith — nay,  then  there  is  no  need  to  say  to  us, 
"  Love  him  again."     Love  has  awakened  love.     We 

really  love  "  because  he  first  loved  us."    Van  0. 

There  is  no  foundation  for  my  love  to  God  except 
only  the  old  one,  "  God  loves  me."  There  is  no 
proof  that  that  foundation  is  laid  except  only  the 
old  one,  "  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his 
only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  There 
is  no  way  of  building  on  that  foundation  except 
only  the  old  one.  We  believe  and  are  sure  that  thou 
art  the  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world  !     A.  M. 

To  love  God  is  verily  a  gift  of  God.  He  who, 
when  he  was  not  loved,  loved  us,  gave  us  power  to 
love  him.  When  we  were  displeasing  to  him,  he 
loved  us,  that  there  might  be  formed  in  us  that 
whereby  we  might  please  him.     Council,  a.  d.  529. 

We  are  not  to  understand  the  apostle  as  saying 

that  we  love  God  out  of  gratitude  for  the  love  he 
shows  us.  Let  us  understand  him  to  say,  "  We  love 
God  only  because  that  true  original  love  which  is  in 

him  is  moving  us  and  inspiring  us."     Maurice. It 

is  actually  "  God's  "  own  "  love  "  (to  use  the  apos- 
tle's expression),  "  shed  forth  in  our  hearts  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  unto  us  "  ;  it  is  not  man's 
love  at  all,  if  you  trace  it  up  to  its  source,  but  God's 
love,  intercepted  and  retu^-ned  upon  him  from  a 
heart  which  has  the  capacity  of  reciprocating  it.  It 
does  not  take  its  rise  in  our  own  bosoms ;  we  have 
no  other  property  in  it  than  that  of  simply  reflecting 
and  giving  it  back.  If  this  be  so,  if  our  love  to 
God  be  only  his  love  to  us  reflected  from  our  hearts, 
it  must  be  quite  clear  that  the  more  we  expose  our 
hearts  to  his  love  the  more  truly  shall  we  love  him. 
E.  M.  G. 


30.  Our  love  to  our  brethren  is  not  only  the  evi- 
dence but  the  measure  of  our  love  to  Christ,  He 
that  hath  not  love  enough  in  him  for  a  man  like 
himself,  how  can  he  love  God,  whose  goodness,  be- 
ing above  our  knowledge,  requireth  a  transcendency 
in  our  love  ?  This  is  a  sure  rule.  He  that  loveth  not 
a  member  of  Christ  loveth  not  Christ ;  and  he  who 
groweth  in  his  love  to  his  brethren  groweth  likewise 

in  his  love  to  Christ.    Bp.  Reynolds. We  are  not 

required  to  love  infirmities  or  imperfections ;  nay, 
we  could  not  do  so,  if  required ;  for  infirmities  and 
imperfections  are  naturally  repelling.  Our  brother's 
true  self  is  the  object  upon  which  our  love  is  to 
fasten  ;  and  as  to  his  infirmities  and  imperfections, 
which  he  shares  with  us  in  virtue  of  our  common 
deterioration  by  the  fall,  those  are  to  be  borne  vath 
and  overlooked  out  of  regard  to  his  true  self,  and 
to  the  filial  relation  which  this  true  self  bears  to 
God.  He  would  have  me  love  my  neighbor  exactly 
as  He  loves  me,  fastening  my  regard  upon  his  true 
self,  upon  the  feature  of  God's  image  which  is  re- 
flected in  his  soul,  and  bearing  with  his  infirmities 
out  of  this  esteem  for  the  true  self.  Must  it  not  be 
practicable  ?  It  is  what  He  is  constantly  doing  to 
me.     E.  M.  G. 

Jesus  Christ  sending  in  his  Spirit  into  the  heart 
tHiites  it  to  God  in  himself  by  love,  which  is  indeed 
all,  that  loving  of  God  supremely  and  entirely,  with 
all  the  mind  and  soul,  all  the  combined  strength  of  the 
heart !  And  then  that  same  love,  first  wholly  carried 
to  him,  is  not  divided  or  impaired  by  the  love  of  our 
brethren,  but  is  dilated,  as  derived  from  the  other.  - 
God  allows,  commands,  yea,  causes,  that  it  stream 
forth  and  act  itself  toward  them ;  remaining  still  in 
him  as  in  its  source  and  center ;  beginning  at  him 
and  returning  to  him ;  loving  our  brethren  in  God 
and  for  him ;  not  only  because  he  commands  us  to 
love  them,  but  because  in  loving  our  brethren  after 
a  Christian  manner  we  do  even  in  that  love  our  God. 
L. You  can  not  compel  light  to  shine  in  one  di- 
rection, or  on  one  side  only.  It  will  radiate  all 
around.  So  will  true  love.  Upward  to  God  it  is 
reverence  and  worship ;  toward  angels  and  saints  it 
is  affectionate  and  grateful  interest ;  abroad  among 
the  good  it  is  brotherly  love  ;  among  the  bad  the 
kindness  of  pity.  To  an  enemy  it  is  generous  for- 
giveness ;  and  to  one's  own  flesh  and  blood,  what 
should  it  be  but  unquenchable  tenderness,  natural 
feeling  strengthened,  purified,  and  made  fruitful  by 
the  grafting  of  grace  upon  it  ?     /.  Hall. 


^TION  369.— 1  JOHN  5  : 1-21.  699 

Section  369. 

1  John  v.  1-21. 
I 

1  WnosoEVEP.  believeth  that  Ji^sus  is  the  Christ  is  born  of  God :  and  every  one  that  lovetb 

2  him  that  begat  loveth  him  also  fjhat  is  begotten  of  him.     By  this  we  know  that  we  love  the 

3  children  of  God,  when  we  love  (|Tod,  and  keep  his  commandments.     For  this  is  the  love  of 

4  God,  that  we  keep  his  commandments :  and  his  commandments  are  not  grievous.     For 
whatsoever  is  born  of  God  overcometh  the  world :  and  this  is  the  victory  that  overcometh 

5  the  world,  even  our  faith.     "Who  is  he  that  overcometh  the  world,  but  he  that  believeth 

6  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  ?     This  is  he  that  came  by  water  and  blood,  even  Jesus  Christ ; 
not  by  water  only,  but  by  water  and  blood.     And  it  is  the  Spirit  that  beareth  witness, 

7  because  the  Spirit  is  truth.    For  there  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the 

8  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost :  and  these  three  are  one.     And  there  are  three  that  bear  wit- 

9  ness  in  earth,  the  spirit,  and  the  water,  and  the  blood :  and  these  three  agree  in  one.     If 
we  receive  the  witness  of  men,  the  witness  of  God  is  greater:  for  this  is  the  witness  of 

10  God  which  he  hath  testified  of  his  Son.     He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath  the 
witness  in  himself:  he  that  believeth  not  God  hath  made  him  a  liar;  because  he  believeth 

11  not  the  record  that  God  gave  of  his  Son.     And  this  is  the  record,  that  God  hath  given  to 

12  us  eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son.    He  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life ;  and  he  that  hath 
not  the  Son  of  God  hath  not  life. 

13  These  things  have  I  written  unto  you  that  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God;  that 
ye  may  know  that  ye  have  eternal  life,  and  that  ye  may  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Son  of 

14  God.     And  this  is  the  confidence  that  we  have  in  him,  that,  if  we  ask  any  thing  according 

15  to  his  will,  he  heareth  us:  and  if  we  know  that  he  hear  us,  whatsoever  we  ask,  we  know 
IG  that  we  have  the  petitions  that  we  desired  of  him.     If  any  man  see  his  brother  sin  a  sin 

wMch  is  not  unto  death,  he  shall  ask,  and  he  shall  give  him  life  for  them  that  sin  not  unto 

17  death.     There  is  a  sin  unto  death  :  I  do  not  say  that  he  shall  pray  for  it.     All  unrighteous- 

18  ness  is  sin  :  and  there  is  a  sin  not  unto  death.     "We  know  that  whosoever  is  born  of  God 
sinneth  not ;  but  he  that  is  begotten  of  God  keepeth  himself,  and  that  wicked  one  toucheth 

19  him  not.     And  we  know  that  wo  are  of  God,  and  the  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness. 

20  And  we  know  that  the  Son  of  God  is  come,  and  hath  given  us  an  understanding,  that  we 
may  know  him  that  is  true,  and  we  are  in  him  that  is  true,  even  in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ. 

21  This  is  the  true  God,  and  eternal  life.     Little  children,  keep  yourselves  from  idols.     Amen. 


Faith — that  is  to  say,  in  all  possible  spheres  the  vision  of  the  invisible  and  the  absent  brought  nigh — is 
the  energy  of  the  soul  and  the  energy  of  life.  We  do  not  go  too  far  in  saying  that  it  is  the  point  of 
departure  for  all  action,  since  to  act  is  to  quit  the  firm  position  of  the  present  and  stretch  the  hand  into 
the  future.  But  this  at  least  is  certain,  that  faith  is  the  source  of  everything  in  the  eyes  of  man  which 
bears  a  character  of  dignity  and  force.  "Vulgar  souls  wish  to  see,  to  touch,  to  grasp ;  others  have  the 
eye  of  faith,  and  they  are  great.  It  is  always  by  having  faith  in  others,  in  themselves,  in  duty,  or  in  the 
Divinity,  that  men  have  done  great  things.  Faith  has  been,  in  all  time,  the  strength  of  the  feeble  and 
the  salvation  of  the  miserable.     And  Christian  faith  is  the  victory  over  the  world,  since  it  contains  all  the 

elements  of  a  holy  life.     A.  "V. We  are  not  only  final,  hnt  present,  conquerors.     Each  hour  is  a  battle, 

and  each  battle  a  victory ;  our  life  is  not  merely  a  series  of  battles,  but  a  series  of  victories — all  ending  in 
one  complete  and  glorious  triumph,  to  be  rewarded  by  a  crown  and  a  throne  !  The  overcoming  principle 
in  this  war  is  "  the  whatsoever  is  born  of  God."  However  small  at  first  and  feeble  it  may  be,  if  it  be  bom 
of  God  it  is  enough.  With  that  we  are  safe,  for  it  can  not  be  extinguished  by  either  earth  or  hell. 
Storms  may  quench  the  lights  of  man's  kindling,  but  they  can  not  touch  the  stars.  So,  whatever  is  of 
man,  or  of  earth,  or  of  self,  may  and  shall  perish  amid  the  rough  blasts  of  this  world  ;  but  that  which  is 
of  God  shall  survive  and  gather  fresh  vitality  and  power  from  what  seeks  to  destroy  it.     Bonar. 


700 


SECTION  369.— 1  JOHN  5  : 1-21. 


3*  When  the  sun  of  prosperity  shines  out  warm 
and  bright  upon  us ;  when  we  are  in  a  state  of 
robust  health,  and  have  a  flow  of  animal  spirits ; 
when  our  friends  are  around  us,  our  homes  happy, 
our  means  abundant  for  our  needs,  and  there  is  no 
call  for  pinching,  or  saving,  or  straitening ;  when, 
moreover,  our  reputation  is  good,  and  we  are  looked 
up  to  in  the  little  circle  in  which  we  move — nothing 
is  easier,  under  these  circumstances,  than  to  feel 
an  occasional  glow  of  gratitude  to  the  Giver  of  all 
these  blessings,  and  to  mistake  that  for  the  love 
which  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  first  and  great  com- 
mandment.    E.  M.  G. Love  is  a  beautiful  plant 

M'ith  a  beautiful  flower  of  which  duty  is  the  stalk. 
*'  This  is  the  love  of  God,"  says  the  apostle  of  love, 
"  that  we  heep  his  commandments.^^  The  devotion 
to  God  and  to  God's  service,  which  will  gradually 
grow  to  greater  and  greater  strength  and  ripeness 
in  the  heart  of  any  Christian,  includes  most  assured- 
ly a  certain  bent  and  direction  of  the  feelings  and 
impulses,  but  it  is  not  itself  made  up  of  them  and 
of  them  alone.  It  includes  also  something  deeper 
than  all  feelings  and  steadier  than  all  impulses. 
The  love  that  would  reach  its  true  perfection  must 
make  the  sense  of  dtity  stronger,  and  deeper,  and 
keener,  and  the  obedience  more  careful  and  more 
inflexible.     F.  T. 

"  His  commandments  are  not  grievous,"  can 
not  be,  coaling  from  such  a  source,  for  they  come 
from  the  kindest  and  most  loving  of  Fathers  ;  are 
not  in  their  nature,  for  they  enjoin  only  love  and 
good  will,  which,  the  heart  being  right,  are  of  all 
things  most  delightful ;  are  not  therefore  in  the 
conscious  experience  of  the  obedient,  for  they 
find  all  true  obedience  supremely  joyous.  The 
service  of  love  is  a  perpetual  charm  to  the  loving 
heart.     H.  C. 

4.  Our  faith  is  our  spiritual,  our  Christian 
power.  In  the  Scriptures  it  is  continually  exhibited 
under  this  character  oi  power  ;  its  deficiency,  there- 
fore, is  our  spiritual  weakness.  It  is  that  by  which, 
according  as  it  is  great  or  small,  we  may  turn  all 
things  to  our  highest  advantage,  or  carry  on  but  a 
profitless  commerce ;  by  which  we  may  "  overcome 
the  world"  or  hardly  be  sure  that  we  are  not  its 
slaves  ;  by  which  we  may  do  much  for  God,  or  but 
bring  him  such  a  tribute  as  we  should  be  utterly 

ashamed  to  think  of  offering  to  him.     J.  F. 

There  is  nothing  which  faith  does  not  overcome ; 
nothing  which  it  will  not  accept.  Faith  passes  be- 
yond all  earthly  things,  pierces  all  shadows,  to  at- 
tain the  truth  ;  keeps  it  ever  in  a  firm  embrace,  and 
will  never  let  herself  be  separated  from  it.  The 
simplicity  and  elevation  which  faith  gives  to  the  soul 
make  it  satisfied  with  everything.  Nothing  is  want- 
ing to  it ;  nothing  is  too  much  for  it ;  and  at  all 
times  it  blesses  the  divine  hand  which  causes  the 


waters  of  grace  to  flow  so  gently  upon  it.     An. 

The  sound  and  steadfast  belief  of  eternal  things  is 
requisite  to  direct  our  choice  aright.  Faith  assures 
us  of  their  reality  and  worth,  as  if  they  were  before 
our  eyes  and  in  our  actual  possession.  This  divine 
light  governs  and  conducts  the  will  to  choose  wise- 
ly. When  the  devil,  the  deadly  flatterer,  by  invit- 
ing representations  of  the  world,  entices  the  heart, 
the  serious  belief  of  the  future  reward,  so  glorious 
and  eternal,  disgraces  the  most  splendid  temptations 
and  makes  them  ineffectual.  "  This  is  the  victory 
that  overcomes  the  world,  even  our  faith."     Bates. 

5«  To  throw  ourselves  on  his  promises  ;  to  purify 
ourselves  in  the  full  assurance  that  Christ's  love  can 
carry  us  through  all  that  we  shall  encounter;  to 
cling  to  Christ  not  only  in  spite  of  pain  and  dark- 
ness and  strange  perplexity,  but  in  spite  of  our 
sins  also — this  is  Christian  faith.  This  is  the  power 
which,  both  in  great  things  and  in  small,  both  in 
hard  trials  and  in  easy,  ever  supports  the  disciple  of 
Christ  by  bringing  within  his  reach  all  the  strength 
of  his  Master.  And  this  faith  which,  resting  on  the 
certainty  of  Christ's  help  and  striving  to  hold  fast 
his  Spirit,  lives  in  us  throughout  our  daily  life,  and 
secretly  influences  our  works  and  deeds  and  thoughts, 
will  gradually  build  up  within  the  soul  a  temple  to 
the  Lord,  not  of  hay,  wood,  stubble,  but  of  gold, 
silver,  precious  stones,  a  calm,  firm,  pure  character, 
knit  to  our  Redeemer  by  the  hidden  bonds  of  a 
Christian  purpose,  at  peace  with  God,  and  master  of 
itself.    F.  T. 

6.  Who  is  he,  and  what  is  the  mysterious  power 
of  his  coming  which  makes  him  the  Giver  of  eternal 
life  to  those  that  believe,  in  all  lands  and  ages  of 
the  world  ?  "  It  is  he  that  came  by  water  and  blood ; 
not  by  water  only,  but  by  water  and  blood."  One 
great  part  of  the  power  of  Christ  among  men  is  the 
cleansing  away  of  moral  corruptions.  Stains  on 
the  lips,  the  hands,  the  habits ;  worst  of  all, 
stains  on  the  sacred  temple  walls  of  the  soul  itself 
— these  all  have  to  be  washed  away,  first  by  one 
true  repentance  and  regeneration,  having  water  for 
their  sacramental  sign,  and  then,  afterward,  by  the 
repeated  washings  of  Christ's  truth  and  Spirit,  ap- 
plied faithfully  to  all  the  departments  of  our  action. 
Christ  came  to  cleanse  his  followers  from  all  un- 
righteousness. He  "came  by  water."  .  .  .  '■'■Not 
hy  water  only,  but  by  water  and  blood."  The  daily 
sacrifice  of  four  thousand  preparatory  years  had 
pre-signified  it  to  a  waiting  world.  From  the  outset 
of  his  personal  ministry,  as  it  had  been  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  the  Saviour  was  pointing 
to  the  sacrifice,  journeying  always  toward  Calvary. 
Other  prophets  and  reformers  had  come  "  by  water," 
preaching  purification  for  the  future.  He  alone 
came  "  by  blood,"  giving,  in  himself,  atonement  for 
past  and  future  both.     F.  D.  H. 


SECTION  369.— 1  JOHN  5  : 1-2L 


701 


The  conclu&ion  of  the  Epistle  begins  with  verse 
6.  It  is  in  two  portions  (vs.  6-12  and  vs.  13-21). 
Both  of  these  serve  to  bring  the  subject  of  the 
whole  to  its  full  completion,  and,  so  to  speak,  to 
set  it  at  rest.  "  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God."  This 
is  the  sum  and  substance  of  the  apostolic  testimony 
and  exhortation.  In  the  opening  of  the  Epistle  it 
was  rested  on  the  testimony  of  eye-  and  ear-wit- 
nesses ;  now  it  is  rested  on  witness  no  less  secure, 
viz.,  on  the  religious  life  and  experience  of  the 
i-eaders  themselves.  Between  these  two  testimonies 
comes  in  the  Epistle  itself  with  all  its  teaching,  ex- 
hortation, and  warning.  This  last  testimony  that 
Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  is  threefold :  the  water  of 
baptism,  the  blood  of  reconciliation,  the  Spirit  of 
sanctification  (vs.  6-S).  These,  in  threefold  unity, 
form  God's  own  witness  for  his  Son  (v.  9).  Only 
in  faith  on  the  Son  of  God  (v.  10)  do  we  receive  and 
possess  this  witness  of  God,  the  true  substance  of 
which  is  eternal  life,  bestowed  on  us  in  Christ 
through  water,  blood,  and  the  Spirit.  So  that  he 
that  hath  the  Son  hath  life.     A. 

In  this  Epistle  it  seems  quite  manifest  that  the 
signature  of  the  threefold  God  is  not  merely  wrought 
into  spots  and  corners  of  the  texture,  but  broadly 
impressed  upon  the  whole  web.  In  thus  making 
this  threefold  distinction  the  basis  of  his  whole 
scheme  of  instruction,  John  has  taught  not  only  its 
absolute  truth,  but  its  relative  importance.  Learn- 
ing from  him  "  the  proportion  of  the  faith,"  wc  will 
safely  value  that  most  which  he  thought  most  pre- 
cious. If,  under  those  brief  but  wondrous  words — 
Father,  Son,  and  Spirit — he  was  accustomed  to  clas- 
sify all  the  bright  treasures  of  his  inspiration ;  if 
into  this  mold  every  narrative,  every  exhortation 
naturally  flowed  ;  if  he  was  wont  to  see,  in  the 
adoration  that  bowed  before  this  mysterious  Triad 
of  eternal  powers,  the  last  and  loftiest  act  of  re- 
ligion, the  sum  and  abstract  of  all  the  rest,  we  can 
not  be  wrong  in  preserving  the  equilibrium  that  he 
has  fixed.  And  if,  too,  to  him  this  great  belief  was 
more  than  belief,  this  "  light "  was  also  "  life  "  ;  if 
he  could  feel  it  blessed  to  acknowledge  a  Father 
who  is  our  Father,  a  Son  in  whom  we  also  "are 
called  the  sons  of  God,"  a  Holy  Spirit  who  "dwell- 
eth  with  us,  and  shall  be  in  us  " ;  may  we  also  find 
in  the  Trinity  the  ground  of  practical  devotion,  pure 
and  deep,  till,  quickened  by  the  power  of  this  faith, 
the  Three  that  bear  record  in  heaven  shall  bear 
their  witness  in  our  hearts;  and  the  Trinity  shall 
have  become,  not  the  cold  conclusion  of  the  intellect, 
but  the  priceless  treasure  of  the  affections,  the 
blessed  foundation  and  the  perpetual  strength  of 
the  new  and  spiritual  life !     W.  A.  B. 

Verse  7  is  perhaps  the  most  celebrated  case  of 
interpolation  in  the  whole  New  Testament.  The 
words,  "mi  heaven,  the  Fatheo;  the  Word,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost :  and  these  three  are  one.  And  there  are 
three  that  bear  witness  in  earth,"  are  wanting  in  all 
Greek  manuscripts  whatever  previous  to  the  sixteenth 
century,  when  a  Greek  manuscript  containing  them 
was  apparently  forged  in  answer  to  a  challenge  from 
Erasmus ;  no  Greek  father  whatever  takes  any  no- 
tice of  them  in  expounding  the  passage ;  the  an- 
cient Syriac  version  does  not  contain  them ;  the 
Latin  fathers  were  long  supposed  to  quote  them, 
tut  hardly  an  imagined  example  of  this  citation  in 
their  works  will  bear  strict  examination.  There  is 
Tiot  the  shadow  of  a  reason  for  supj^osing  the  ivords 
genuine.     A. 

8-10,  This  witness  is  threefold :  by  the  Spirit, 


the  water,  and  the  blood.  It  is  an  external  and 
historical  witness.  It  also  becomes  an  internal  and 
experimental  evidence  to  believers.  "  He  that  be- 
lieves on  the  Son  of  God,  has  the  witness  in  him- 
self," i.  e.,  the  triple  witness  of  the  Spirit  clarifying 
the  mind,  the  water  cleansing  the  heart,  and  the 
blood  purging  the  conscience,  so  that  there  is  ob- 
tained an  inwrought  certainty  of  the  divine  Sonship 
of  Jesus  Christ,  which  no  surface  objection  or  sug- 
gested doubt  can  shake.  We  are  reminded  of  a 
fine  stroke  of  Bunyan,  in  his  allegory  of  the  "  Holy 
War,"  when  he  names  "  Captain  Experience  "  among 
the  chief  oSicers  who  routed  and  slew  the  army  of 
ten  thousand  Doubters  that  came  against  the  city  of 
Mansoul.  There  is  nothing  so  impervious  to  doubts 
as  a  sound,  personal  experience  of  Christ's  saving 
power  and  love.     D.  F. 

10.  We  trust  not  to  our  good  frames,  or  warm 
feelings,  or  sensible  comforts,  or  to  any  of  the  gen- 
uine fruits  and  effects  of  faith,  but  we  trust  what 
God  says  simply,  as  his  record ;  and,  therefore,  we 
walk  in  a  constant  dependence  of  the  truth  of  God 
in  his  word,  and  upon  the  faithfulness  of  God  to  his 
word.  True  faith  has  no  foundation  but  the  word 
of  God ;  nothing  to  rest  on  but  the  divine  truth,  no 
support  but  the  divine  power,  and  no  growth  but 
from  the  divine  influence.     Romaine. 

11.  Christ  founded  on  earth  a  kingdom  within 
which  is  to  be  found  a  life  that  is  not  to  be  found 
beyond  its  limits;  a  kingdom  which  is  not  "in 
words  but  in  power" — that  is  to  say,  is  not  pro 
duced  by  any  words  or  ideas  alone,  however  true  or 
however  beautiful,  but  by  a  power,  a  vital  force  pe- 
culiar to  itself ;  and  that  this  force  is  the  indwell- 
ing life  of  Jesus  Christ — God  and  Man.  Christian- 
ity is  not  a  code  of  morals  merely,  nor  a  philosophy, 
nor  a  creed,  nor  a  system  of  religious  discipline ; 
but  over  and  above  all  these  it  is  a  life,  a  new  and 
real  vital  force  in  the  world;  a  life  with  its  own 
conditions  of  existence,  laws  of  development,  and 
peculiar  phenomena,  as  real  and  as  distinct  as  those 
of  any  other  form  of  life  which  science  investigates 
and  classifies ;  and  this  life  is  in  Christ ;  for  "  this 
is  our  record,  that  God  has  given  to  us  eternal  life, 

and  this  life  is  in  his  Son."    Magec. Eternal  life 

is  the  life  which  God  himself  lives,  and  has  lived 
from  all  eternity,  and  in  which  he  has  his  blessed- 
ness ;  whose  thought  is  truth,  and  its  force  life,  and 
its  nature  love.  As  truth  it  contains  and  declares 
the  essence  and  substance  and  relation  of  all  things ; 
as  light  it  makes  manifest  by  the  very  force  and  act- 
ing of  its  nature ;  as  love  it  finds  its  joy  and  satis- 
faction, even  at  the  cost  of  infinite  sacrifice,  in  go- 
ing out  of  itself  for  the  sake  of  others.     A.  W.  T. 

12.  He  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life.  He  doth 
not  say,  he  shall  have  life  at  some  distant  period, 
but  he  hath  it  already  in  present  possession.    How 


702 


SECTION  369.— 1  JOHN  5  : 1-21. 


much  they  mistake  the  gospel  constitution,  who 
represent  eternal  life  as  a  distant  reward,  suspended 
upon  the  performance  of  certain  conditions  on  the 
part  of  the  creature;  whereas  salvation  through 
Christ,  though  perfected  in  heaven,  is  a  present  sal- 
vation.    R.  W. 13.  "  Ye  may  know  that  ye  have 

eternal  life."  Our  knowledge  of  Jesus,  or  of  grace, 
is  not  according  to  our  feeling,  but  according  to  the 
testimony  which  God  has  given  of  his  Son.  When 
we  come  to  Jesus,  we  receive  him  at  once,  as  he  is, 
in  all  his  fullness,  as  God  hath  made  him  for  us ;  we 
receive  the  whole  Christ,  and  are  blessed  with  all 
spiritual  blessings  in  him.  The  believer  is  gradually 
growing  in  the  knowledge  and  enjoyment  of  the 
blessings  he  has  received ;  but  the  possession  of  them 
is  not  a  gradual  acquisition,  but  an  immediate  and 
perfect  reception.  The  word  of  God  declares  that, 
believing  in  Jesus,  I  have  eternal  life.  This  is  far 
beyond  my  conception,  experience,  and  feeling;  yet 
I  believe  and  rejoice  in  this  wonderful  gift  of  eter- 
nal life.     A.  S. 

14.  "If  we  ask  according  to  his  will,  he  heareth 
us."  Outward  diversions  may  break  the  reverential 
intimacy  of  our  communion  with  him ;  the  chill  of 
worldhness  may  cool  the  pulse  of  fervent  desire ; 
but  if  the  will  yet  moves  needle-like  to  the  one 
blessed  point,  the  holy  will  of  Jesus,  and  rests  there, 
the  deepest  condition  of  prevailing  prayer  is  real- 
ized.    A.  J.  G. 15.  He  who  prays  in  the  name 

of  Christ  is  moved  and  guided  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
in  prayer.  He  can  ask  for  nothing  but  that  which 
is  in  accordance  with  the  will  of  God  ;  can  with  as- 
surance ask  only  that  which  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
makes  known  to  him  in  prayer  as  corresponding  to 
the  Father's  will.  When  this  certainty  is  wanting, 
bis  prayer  will  always  be  accompanied  with  the  con- 
dition that  the  desire  arising  in  his  soul  and  taking 
the  form  of  prayer  may  have  for  its  object  some- 
thing which  the  Father  approves.    N. If  ever  we 

have  a  request  refused,  it  is  because  it  does  not  agree 
with  the  one  fundamental,  all-important  prayer :  "  If 
it  be  good ! "  Yet  this  master-prayer,  even  when  not 
expressed,  is  always  implied,  in  every  prayer  offered 
up  in  the  name  of  Jesus  ;  and  God's  answer  always 
brings  out  into  prominence  this  main  request,  while, 
at  the  same  time,  he  forgives  the  folly  which  caused 
us  ourselves  to  cover  over  this  "  If  it  be  good ! " 
Besser. 

16.  In  order  that  no  convinced  sinner  may  de- 
spair of  mercy,  there  is  no  sin  that  ever  was  or  can 
be  committed  (the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost  ex- 
cepted, which  none  have  committed  who  are  willing  to 
be  saved  in  the  gospel  way)  which  some  that  are  now 
in  glory  have  not  been  guilty  of.  Nay,  more,  there 
is  perhaps  not  a  sin  which  can  be  thought  of  that 
some  of  God's  eminent  Scripture  saints  have  not 
fallen  into  after  their  conversion,  though,  through 


grace,  they  have  been  enabled  to  renew  the  actings 
of  their  faith  and  repentance,  and  are  now  singing 
before  the  throne  "  unto  him  that  hath  loved  and 
redeemed  them,  and  that  hath  washed  them  from 
their  sins  in  his  own  blood."     Hill. 

19.  The  whole  world  lieth  in  the  wicked  one ;  is 
entangled  in  the  coils,  and  bitten  by  the  fangs,  and 
tortured  by  the  venom  of  the  old  serpent — the  devil. 
Think  upon  the  passions  which  predominate  in  hu- 
man affairs  ;  think  of  the  vile  affections  which,  like 
furies,  tyrannize  over  the  minds  of  men:  wrath, 
malice,  revenge,  envy,  pride,  suspicions,  selfishness, 
cruelty,  slander — these  are  the  oligarchy  of  diaboli- 
cal tempers,  which  usurp  the  dominion  of  the  world 
in  the  name  of  Satan,  and  which,  with  something  of 
his  power  and  of  his  fury,  torment  the  miserable 
children  of  men.  How  much  of  the  most  sangui- 
nary warfare,  the  most  remorseless  oppression,  the 
most  deadly  revenge,  the  most  operative  mischief, 
the  most  crafty  subtilty,  the  most  insulting  pride, 
is  perpetually  at  work  in  the  destruction  of  human 
happiness.     J.  A.  J, 

20.  We  are  in  him.  Believers  are  in  Christ, 
so  as  to  be  partakers  in  all  that  he  does,  and  has, 
and  is.  They  died  with  him,  and  rose  with  him,  and 
live  with  him,  and  in  him  are  seated  in  heavenly 
places.  When  the  eye  of  God  looks  on  them,  they 
are  found  in  Christ,  and  there  is  no  condemnation 
to  those  that  are  in  him,  and  they  are  righteous  in 
his  righteousness,  and  loved  with  the  love  which 
rests  on  him,  and  are  sons  of  God  in  his  sonship, 
and  heirs  with  him  of  his  inheritance,  and  are  soon 
to  be  glorified  with  him  in  his  glory.  And  this 
standing  which  they  have  in  Christ,  and  the  present 
and  future  portion  which  it  secures,  are  contem- 
plated in  eternal  counsels,  and  predestined  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world.  As  the  sense  of  this 
fact  breathes  in  every  page,  so  also  does  the  sense 
of  the  correlative  fact,  that  Christ  is  in  those  who 
believe;  associating  his  own  presence  with  their 
whole  inward  and  outward  life.  They  live,  yet  not 
they,  but  Christ  liveth  in  them,  and  he  is  their 
strength  and  their  song.     T.  D.  B. 

21.  A  strange  but  fitting  conclusion  to  the  Epis- 
tle. No  farewell  salutations  to  particular  persons, 
as  at  the  close  of  other  Epistles ;  no  blessing  even 
uttered  on  the  whole  Church.  The  tenderness  of 
love  only  manifests  itself  in  that  cordial  "little 
children  "  with  which  this  father  in  Christ  winds  up 
his  address ;  but  all  yields  to  the  earnestness  with 
which  he  would  impress  upon  their  hearts  the  ex- 
hortation which  he  must  have  esteemed  his  last,  his 
very  last  word  to  them:  "Keep  yourselves  from 
idols."  It  is  no  less  than  an  earnest  warning 
against  everything  which,  either  in  theory  or  in  prac- 
tice, would  take  the  place  in  the  Christian  life  of 
"  the  true  God  aud  eternal  life."     Van  0. 


SECTION'  870.— 2  JOHN  1 : 1-13. 


703 


Section  370. 

2  John  i.  1-13. 

1  The  elder  unto  the  elect  lady  and  her  children,  whom  I  love  in  the  truth  ;  and  not  I  onlr, 

2  but  also  all  they  that  have  known  the  truth ;  for  the  truth's  sake,  which  dwelleth  in  us,  and 

3  shall  be  with  us  for  ever.     Grace  be  with  you,  mercy,  and  peace,  from  God  the  Father,  and 

4  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  Father,  in  truth  and  love.     I  rejoiced  greatly 
that  I  found  of  thy  children  walking  in  truth,  as  we  have  received  a  commandment  from 

5  the  Father.     And  now  I  beseecli  thee,  lady,  not  as  though  I  wrote  a  new  commandment 

6  unto  thee,  but  that  which  we  had  from  the  beginning,  that  we  love  one  another.     And  this 
is  love,  that  we  walk  after  his  commandments.     This  is  the  commandment,  That,  as  ye  have 

7  heard  from  the  beginning,  ye  should  walk  in  it.     For  many  deceivers  are  entered  into  the 
world,  who  confess  not  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh.     This  is  a  deceiver  and  an 

8  antichrist.     Look  to  yourselves,  that  we  lose  not  those  things  which  we  have  wrought,  but 

9  that  we  receive  a  full  reward.     "Whosoever  transgresseth,  and  abideth  not  in  the  doctrine  of 
Christ,  hath  not  God.     He  that  abideth  in  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  he  hath  both  the  Father 

10  and  the  Son.     If  there  come  any  unto  you,  and  bring  not  this  doctrine,  receive  him  not 

11  into  your  house,  neither  bid  him  God  speed:  for  he  that  biddeth  him  God  speed  is  partaker 

12  of  his  evil  deeds.     Having  many  things  to  write  unto  you,  I  would  not  write  with  paper 
and  ink :  but  I  trust  to  come  unto  you,  and  speak  face  to  face,  that  our  joy  may  be  full. 

13  The  children  of  thy  elect  sister  greet  thee.     Amen. 


The  comprehensive  summary  of  a  noble  and  upright  life  is  "  to  walk  in  truth."  There  is  nothing 
grander,  purer,  higher.  And  there  is  nothing  so  exactly  descriptive  of  the  complete  and  perfect  character. 
To  walk  in  truth  is.  not  only  to  be  what  we  seem ;  not  only  to  scorn  masks  ;  not  only  to  shun  the  hollow- 
ness  of  all  that  the  dying  man  pronounces  unreal ;  not  only  to  withdraw  from  the  path  hung  about  with 
shows  and  pageants  and  shadows,  but  to  walk  as  God's  child,  to  live  as  the  heir  of  heaven,  to  be  true  at 
once  to  truth,  to  conscience,  and  to  God.  No  doubt  all  this  was  included  in  the  idea  of  the  apostle.  It 
was  unquestionably  his  summary  of  a  Christian  life.  His  highest  idea  of  the  truth  was,  as  Paul  expresses 
it,  "the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus."  To  him  the  highest  truth,  the  sum  of  all  truth,  the  sum  itself  of  truth, 
of  which  all  science  and  philosophy  were  but  darkhng  rays,  was  Christ  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world.  To  accept  him  as  the  great  teacher,  the  great  example,  the  great  atoning  sacrifice  ; 
to  be  found  in  him,  not  having  his  own  righteousness ;  to  be  able  to  say,  "  for  me  to  live  is  Christ,"  "  I 
live,  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me,"  and  to  walk  in  his  steps,  the  steps  of  incarnate  truth  itself — this, 
beyond  question,  was  what  the  apostle  meant  by  his  expressive  phrase,  walking  in  truth.     E.  H.  G. 


This  is  not  only  a  private  letter,  but  one  ad- 
dressed to  a  Christian  lady.  It  is  a  tribute  to  the 
position  of  respect  to  which  woman  is  raised  by  the 
influence  of  our  holy  religion.  Apart  from  Chris- 
tian ideas  and  usages,  how  little  is  woman  accoimted 
of  even  at  this  day,  in  the  lands  of  the  Bible  ;  how 
little  regard  is  paid  to  her  mental  and  moral  capac- 
ity !  An  oriental  is  astonished  to  find  that,  of  the 
canonical  books  which  form  our  Bible,  two,  viz., 
Ruth  and  Esther,  actually  bear  the  names  of  women. 
This  circumstance  of  itself  has  suggested  quite  a 
new  estimate  of  woman's  position  toward  God  and 
his  Word.  But  still  more  significant  of  that  posi- 
tion is  this  Second  Epistle  of  John,  a  canonical 
book  of  Scripture,  consisting  of  nothing  else  but  the 
letter  of  an  apostle  to  a  Christian  lady  and  her 
children.    No  one  knows  the  lady's  name.      The 


letter  was  doubtless  sent  by  a  private  messenger, 
and  the  writer  inserted  neither  his  correspondent's 
name  nor  his  own.  It  was  enough  to  describe  him- 
self as  by  emphasis  "  the  presbyter,"  and  to  address 
his  friend  as  "  elect  lady,"  one  who  was  manifestly 
chosen  of  God,  and  was  for  her  gracious  qualities 
beloved  by  all  around  her  who  "  knew  the  truth." 
The  matters  most  prominent  in  the  Epistle  are 
John's  appreciation  of  female  piety,  his  joy  over 
young  Christians,  and  his  very  decided  resistance 
to  all  who  propagated  antichristian  error.     D.  F. 

1.  Love  in  the  truth.  The  love  he  thinks 
of  is  not  sentimentalism,  is  not  a  mere  emotional 
good  nature,  but  is  an  intelligent  benevolence, 
which  seeks  for  all  men  the  good  that  is  seen  to  be 
the  highest  and  best  possible ;  which  intelligently 
sees  a  perfect  God  at  the  head  of  the  universe,  and, 


70i 


SECTION'  371.— 3  JOHN  1 : 1-U. 


giving  him  the  supreme  love  of  the  heart,  loves  all 
his  creatures  for  his  sake,  following  his  high  exam- 
ple, obeying  his  perfect  will.  Thus  love  in  crea- 
tures, being  at  once  intelligent  and  moral,  rests  on 
the  basis  of  truth.     H.  C. 

4,  Apostolic  joy  over  young  Christians.  It  was 
in  all  probability  at  Ephesus,  a  busy  city  to  which 
young  men  flocked  from  the  country  behind,  that 
the  aged  John  saw  some  of  the  children  of  this 
lady,  and  was  pleased  with  their  demeanor  and  con- 
duct. In  writing  to  her,  he  mentions  this  in  words 
which  must  have  filled  her  heart  with  pure  motherly 
delight.  "  I  rejoiced  greatly  that  I  found  (some)  of 
thy  children  walking  in  truth."  They  were  not 
young  children,  for  they  had  left  home,  and  had 
some  occupation,  as  indicated  by  the  expression 
"  walking  up  and  down,"  or  having  their  course  of 
life  in  conformity  with  truth.  But  their  Christian 
walk  as  young  men  might  be  traced  to  the  Christian 
training  they  had  received  in  childhood.  It  was 
therefore  a  fitting  subject  of  congratulation  in  such 
an  Epistle  as  this.  The  oldest  and  most  experi- 
enced shepherds  devote  the  most  watchful  care  to  the 
lambs,  and  the  wisest  as  well  as  the  kindest  of  our 
old  pastors,  teachers,  and  private  Christians  are 
they  who  attach  most  consequence  to  the  religious 
training  and  development  of  children  and  of  young 
men  and  maidens  in  the  Lord.     D.  F. 

5.  What  he  meant  was,  that  this  is  the  para- 
mount and  crowning  duty  of  the  Christian  believer. 
He  did  not  say,  "  Agree  with  one  another  in  doc- 
trine." He  did  not  say,  "  Flatter  one  another,  in- 
dulge one  another."  He  did  not  even  say,  "  Teach 
one  another,  inform  one  another."  What  he  did 
urge  was  that  difficult  but  necessary  grace,  "  Love 
one  another."  That  is,  love  one  another  in  spite  of 
your  differences,  in  spite  of  your  faults ;  do  what 
you  can  to  serve  each  other,  to  lighten  each  other's 
trials  and  inconveniences  and  burdens  ;  above  all, 
if  we  may  turn  the  precept  into  its  most  practical 
form,  make  the  best  of  one  another.     A.  P.  S. 


6.  As  the  teaching  of  this  Epistle  is  opposed  to 
the  enforced  seclusion  of  religious  women  from  so- 
cial and  family  life,  so  also  does  it  repudiate  all  re- 
liance on  mere  raptures  and  ecstasies  as  evidences 
of  personal  religion.  Woman  as  well  as  man  is  to 
show  piety  by  a  steady,  consistent  obedience  to  the 
known  will  of  Christ.  "  This  is  love,  that  we  walk 
after  his  commandments."  When  John  wrote  these 
words,  he  was  an  old  and  experienced  man.  He  had 
seen  many  who  once  appeared  full  of  fervent  feel- 
ing and  lofty  aspiration  turn  aside  from  Christ ;  and 
now  the  only  evidence  of  a  vital  Christianity  on 
which  he  relied  was  that  of  a  daily  and  hearty  com- 
pUance  with  the  commandments  of  God.    D.  F. 

10.  John,  the  apostle  of  love,  as  if  to  show  us 
that  this  grace  is  entirely  consistent  with  a  hatred 
of  evil,  launches  against  the  heretics  of  the  day  who 
depraved  God's  truth  by  the  denial  of  the  incarna- 
tion this  very  pointed  sentence  of  excommunication : 
"  Receive  him  not,  neither  bid  him  God  speed." 
God's  truth  is  his  great  instrument  for  saving  souls, 
and  a  person  who  seriously  mutilates  it  in  a  vital 
part  deprives  it  of  efficacy,  and  thereby  does  his  best 
to  maintain  the  empire  of  sin.  The  apostle  of  love 
will  have  no  truce  with  such  a  one  ;  will  not  even 

harbor  him  under  his  roof.     E.  M.  G. Let  not 

the  direction  of  the  apostle  be  misunderstood.  It 
has  no  reference  to  a  case  of  want  or  distress.  No 
matter  what  a  man's  opinions  may  be,  when  he  is  in 
danger,  in  pain,  or  in  trouble,  he  ought  to  receive 
our  good  offices.  What  the  Scripture  before  us 
really  enjoins  is,  that  we  must  not  regard  and  treat 
as  brethren  those  who  are  actively  engaged  in  un- 
dermining the  faith.  So  to  do  would  be  to  encour- 
age teachers  who  ought  to  be  discouraged  and  dis- 
owned, and  to  involve  ourselves  in  some  complicity 
with  the  evil  results  that  sooner  or  later  ensue  on 
false  doctrine.  Freedom  of  discussion  is  an  impor- 
tant element  of  civilization,  but  the  Church  can  not 
admit  that  a  cardinal  doctrine,  like  that  of  the  per- 
son of  our  Saviour,  is  open  to  question.     D.  F. 


Section  371. 

3  John  i.  1-14. 

1  The  elder  unto  the  wellbeloved  Gains,  whom  I  love  in  the  truth.    Beloved,  I  wish  above 

2  all  things  that  thou  mayest  prosper  and  be  in  health,  even  as  thy  soul  prospereth.    For  I 

3  rejoiced  greatly,  when  the  hrethren  came  and  testified  of  the  truth  that  is  in  thee,  even  as 

4  thou  walkest  in  the  truth,     I  have  no  greater  joy  than  to  hear  that  my  children  walk 

5  in  truth.     Beloved,  thou  doest  faithfully  whatsoever  thou  doest  to  the  brethren,  and  to 

6  strangers ;  which  have  home  witness  of  thy  charity  before  the  church :  whom  if  thou  bring 

7  forward  on  their  journey  after  a  godly  sort,  thou  shalt  do  well :  because  that  for  his  name's 

8  sake  they  went  forth,  taking  nothing  of  the  Gentiles.     We  therefore  ought  to  receive 
such,  that  we  might  he  fellowhelpers  to  the  truth. 


SECTION  371.— 3  JOHN  1 : 1-U. 


705 


9      I  wrote  unto  the  church :  but  Diotrephes,  who  loveth  to  have  the  preeminence  among 

10  them,  receiveth  us  not.  Wherefore,  if  I  come,  I  will  remember  his  deeds  which  he  doeth, 
prating  against  us  with  malicious  words:  and  not  content  therewith,  neither  doth  he  himself 
receive  tlie  brethren,  and  forbiddeth  them  that  would,  and  casteth  them  out  of  the  church. 

11  Beloved,  follow  not  that  which  is  evil,  but  that  which  is  good.     He  that  doeth  good  is  of 

12  God  :  but  he  that  doeth  evil  hath  not  seen  God.  Demetrius  hath  good  report  of  all  men, 
and  of  the  truth  itself:  yea,  and  we  also  bear  record  ;  and  ye  know  that  our  record  is  true. 

13  I  had  many  things  to  write,  but  I  will  not  with  ink  and  pen  write  unto  thee:  but  I  trust  I 

14  shall  shortly  see  thee,  and  we  shall  speak  face  to  face.  Peace  le  to  thee.  Our  friends 
salute  thee.     Greet  the  friends  by  name. 


The  two  private  letters  of  "  the  Presbyter  "  taken  together  show  us  the  thoughts  of  an  apostle  regard- 
ing Christian  womanhood  and  manhood  for  all  generations.  The  woman  is  not  to  be  a  mere  household 
drudge,  but  she  appears  to  most  advantage  in  the  domestic  sphere.  Her  best  credentials  are  found  in  her 
children,  nourished  and  trained  in  Christ  from  their  earliest  recollections,  and,  when  they  go  out  from  her 
into  the  busy  world,  walking  in  the  truth ;  and  the  beauty  of  her  character  and  example  is  most  impres- 
sively evinced  in  her  love  to  the  saints,  and  willing  obedience  to  the  commandments  of  God  her  Saviour. 
Then  the  essentials  of  Christian  disposition  are  just  the  same  in  the  man  as  in  the  woman  ;  but  his  range  is 
wider  and  more  exposed  to  view.  It  is  in  his  power  more  than  in  that  of  a  woman  to  further  or  hinder  the 
cause  of  the  gospel  in  the  place  where  he  dwells.  The  model  for  both  the  woman  and  the  man  is  Jesus 
Christ.  He  bore  witness  to  the  truth  at  every  risk,  and  obeyed  and  suffered  in  perfect  love.  Let  none 
but  Christ  "have  the  preeminence."  Let  the  thought  of  his  sublime  ascendancy  suppress  and  put  to 
shame  all  petty  ambitions  among  his  disciples.  Jesus  is  the  Perfect  Man,  in  whom  all  are  complete ;  for 
"  neither  is  the  woman  without  the  man,  nor  the  man  without  the  woman  in  the  Lord."  She  who  would 
be  as  "  the  elect  lady  "  must  look  not  so  much  to  even  the  best  of  women  as  to  Jesus.  He  who  would  be 
kind  as  Gains,  or  exemplary  as  Demetrius,  must  look  not  to  saints  and  apostles  so  much  as  to  Jesus.  He 
who  would  shun  the  offensive  spirit  of  Diotrephes  should  look  steadfastly  to  Jesus,  and  consider  the  self- 
abnegation  and  humility  through  which  he  passed  to  glory.     D.  F. 


The  third  letter  of  John  resembles  the  second. 
It  has  the  same  style,  same  length,  same  recogni- 
tion of  the  truth  and  of  Christian  life  as  a  walk  in 
truth,  the  same  mode  of  beginning — the  writer  not 
naming  himself,  but  sufficiently  indicating  himself 
as  "  the  presbyter  " — and  the  same  statement  at  the 
end  of  a  preference  for  personal  intercourse  and 
conversation  over  communication  by  means  of  paper 
and  ink.  There  is  also  that  combination  of  tender- 
ness with  sternness  which  we  always  trace  in  the 
apostle  John.  But  the  position  of  his  correspon- 
dents differs.  The  letter  to  the  lady  recognizes  her 
in  family  life,  and  warns  her  against  the  admission 
of  pernicious  teachers  into  her  domestic  circle.  The 
letter  to  the  man  refers  more  to  public  standing  and 
responsibility  as  "  before  the  Church."  Three  men 
are  brought  before  us  in  this  Epistle :  Gaius,  to 
whom  it  is  addressed  ;  Diotrephes,  who  is  blamed  ; 
and  Demetrius,  who  is  praised. 

2.  From  the  reports  which  he  had  received  of 
the  conduct  of  Gaius  toward  brethren  in  the  Lord, 
John  infers  that  his  soul  was  prospering,  or  moving 
in  a  right  way,  and  therefore  prays  that  in  all  re- 
spects it  may  go  as  well  with  him  as  it  does  in  his 
spiritual  life.  Alas  !  how  seldom  can  we  put  it  thus  ! 
We  see  many  a  hale  and  prosperous  man  for  whom 
45 


we  can  fervently  wish  that  his  soul  prospered  as 
much  as  his  body  and  his  outward  estate  ;  but  we  do 
not  often  see  spiritual  prosperity,  as  in  Gaius,  the 
most  prominent  and  indisputable  characteristic  of 

the  man.     D.  F. Such  a  measure  of  outward  and 

general  progress  as  their  souls  are  making  in  inward 
and  spiritual  things  would  be  no  great  advancement 
to  many.  It  would  be  more  natural  and  true  to  the 
facts  with  many  to  express  one's  kindly  desires  in 
this  form :  "  I  wish  thy  soul  may  prosper  even  as 
thy  body,  or  business,  or  family  prospers."    J.  Hall. 

4.  Walk  in  truth*  There  are  some  men  who 
walk  in  falsehood.  You  might  write  their  biogra- 
phy in  a  tombstone  epitaph  that  might  almost  make 
the  marble  blush — "  a  thirty-,  forty-,  fifty-,  seventy- 
years'  lie."  It  is  false  to  God,  false  to  conscience, 
false  to  the  reality  of  things,  false  to  the  eternal 
laws  of  duty  and  righteousness.  It  starts  with  a 
false  principle,  and  ends  in  false  results.    E.  H.  G. 

5-8.  Certain  disciples  on  a  missionary  tour  had 
come  to  the  town  where  Gaius  lived.  We  learn  that 
when  those  missionary  volunteers  had  been  haugh- 
tily disowned  by  Diotrephes  (v.  10),  Gaius  kindly 
received  them,  although  they  were  "  strangers  "  to 
him,  or  personally  unknown.  When  they  reached 
Ephesus,  they  made  a  missionary  report  to  the 


706 


SECTION  371.— 3  JOHN  1  : 1-I4. 


churcli  there,  and,  in  doing  so,  mentioned  this  timely- 
act  of  Christian  love.  The  apostle  thereupon  wrote 
to  Gaius  to  commend  his  conduct,  and  to  encourage 
in  him  the  disposition  to  welcome  such  brethren, 
and  so  to  bear  himself  as  a  "  fellow-helper  for  the 
truth."  The  spread  of  the  gospel  among  the  hea- 
then, now  as  then,  can  not  be  conducted  by  the  whole 
Church,  but  it  ought  to  engage  the  attention  and  in- 
terest of  the  whole  Church  on  earth.  All  Christians 
are  not  required  to  leave  their  homes  and  go  out  on 
this  errand  ;  but  those  who  do,  whether  for  a  short- 
er or  a  longer  time,  should  have  encouragement  and 
aid  from  those  who  do  not  render  personal  service. 

It  is  well  to  observe  that  Gaius  is  thus  honored  in 
Holy  Scripture,  and  embalmed  in  blessed  memory,  not 
for  any  surpassing  powers  he  possessed,  any  social 
influence,  or  any  qualities  of  intellectual  eminence, 
but  for  truth  and  love  in  daily  life,  and  for  a  simple, 
unpretending  act  of  kindness.  These  are  the  things 
which  men  often  neglect,  thinking  it  necessary  to 
show  their  religion  in  more  ambitious  and  conspicu- 
ous ways.  But  there  is  really  no  better  proof  of 
personal  Christianity  than  that  which  Gaius  fur- 
nished in  his  adherence  to  the  truth  at  a  time  when 
many  departed  from  it,  and  his  brotherly  kindness 
to  those  who  had  no  other  claim  on  him  than  their 
service  to  the  Lord  whom  he  loved.  Always  and 
everywhere  that  man  is  to  be  highly  esteemed  in  the 
Church  who  combines  firm  convictions  with  a  gen- 
erous heart,  who  walks  in  holy  truth  and  heaven- 
born  charity.     D.  F. 

Feeling  that  we  each  are  members  of  the  Church, 
that  it  is  our  highest  country,  to  which  we  are  bound 
with  a  far  deeper  love  than  to  our  earthly  country, 
is  not  its  welfare  our  welfare,  its  triumph  our  tri- 
umph, its  failures  our  shame  ?  Church  questions 
are  all  questions  in  which  God's  glory  and  man's 
sins  or  duties  are  concerned  ;  all  questions  in  the 
decision  of  which  there  is  a  moral  good  and  evil ;  a 
grieving  of  Christ's  Spirit,  or  a  conformity  to  him. 
And  in  such  questions  as  concern  the  Church,  in  the 
more  narrow  and  common  sense  of  the  word,  seeing 
that  we  are  all  members  of  the  Church,  we  should 
not  neglect  them,  as  the  concern  of  others,  but  take 
an  interest  in  them,  and  act  in  them,  so  far  as  we 
have  opportunity,  as  in  a  matter  which  most  nearly 
•concerns  ourselves.     T.  A. 

9,  10.  Diotrephcs  was  the  reverse  of  Gaius ;  a 
man  ambitious,  domineering,  and  ungracious.  It 
does  not  appear  whether  he  held  any  recognized 
office  in  a  congregation,  or  was  one  who  pushed  to 
the  front  from  mere  willfulness  and  a  desire  to  dic- 
tate to  others.  Either  because  he  was  a  Jewish 
Christian  and  disliked  the  Gentiles,  or  because  he 
had  no  hearty  zeal  for  the  truth,  he  felt  no  interest 
in  missions  to  the  heathen.  If  strangers  came  on 
such  errands,  he  let  them  alone,  and  would  not  give 


them  any  reception  or  recognition  in  the  Church. 
D.  F. Even  the  venerable  John  encountered  op- 
position in  his  own  churches.  The  spirit  of  this 
opponent  John  puts  in  one  Greek  word  which  it  may 
be  hard  to  match  perfectly  in  our  tongue ;  yet  we 
might  call  him  s,  power-loving  man,  whose  master 
passion  was  to  be  first  everywhere.  Consequently 
he  must  needs  oppose  whatever  counterworked  his 
ruling  passion.  This  Diotrephes  would  not  receive 
those  whom  John  commended  to  the  Church  by  let- 
ter. They  not  being  his  men,  nor  working  under 
his  control,  he  was  bound  to  oppose.  Worse  still, 
he  slandered  the  aged  apostle  ;  would  neither  receive 
the  brethren  he  sent  nor  let  the  Church  receive 
them,  and  seems  to  have  had  power  enough  to  expel 
them.  John  writes  :  "If  I  should  come,  I  will  re- 
member his  deeds  " — said  apparently  with  reference 
to  some  infliction  of  physical  evil — judgment  from 
God — a  form  of  miraculous  power  which  seems  to 
have  been  lodged  in  the  hands  of  the  apostles  to 
meet  cases  of  this  sort.     H.  C. 

12.  Demetrius  was,  like  Gaius,  a  man  after  the 
apostle's  own  heart.  Perhaps  he  was  the  leader  of 
the  missionary  band.  Perhaps  he  was  the  bearer  of 
this  letter.  In  either  case,  John  sends  to  Gaius  a 
very  high  testimonial  in  his  favor.  Not  only  did  all 
the  brethren  who  knew  him  testify  to  his  character ; 
not  only  did  the  apostle  add  the  emphatic  expression 
of  his  own  good  opinion ;  but  the  truth  itself  bore 
testimony  to  Demetrius.  He  so  walked  in  it  that  it 
was  familiar  with  his  footsteps,  and  knew  him  well. 
He  so  reflected  it  in  its  influence  on  his  character 
and  life  that,  while  he  bore  witness  to  the  truth,  the 
truth  in  turn  bore  witness  to  him.  This  man  was 
an  epistle  of  Christ  known  and  read  of  all.     D.  F. 


Stages  of  New  Testament  Revelation. 

We  stand  on  the  declaration  of  the  giver  of 
the  word  himself,  when  we  consider  the  progress  of 
Christian  doctrine  in  its  communication  from  God 
as  extending,  not  only  over  one  stage  in  which  it 
was  delivered  by  the  Lord  in  the  flesh,  but  through 
a  second  stage  in  which  it  was  delivered  by  the 
same  Lord  through  the  Spirit.  We  have  the  re- 
vealed truth  presented  to  us  in  the  Epistles,  not 
only  as  a  communication  from  God,  but  also  as 
an  apprehension  by  man.  The  great  transition 
from  the  one  stage  to  the  other  is  exhibited  be- 
fore our  eyes  as  already  effected.  We  have  the 
gospel  as  it  existed  in  the  mind  of  Peter  and  of 
Paul,  of  James  and  of  John.  It  is  thus  pre- 
sented to  us  in  combination  with  the  processes  of 
human  thought  and  the  variations  of  human  feel- 
ings, in  association  with  peculiarities  of  individual 
character,  and  in  the  course  of  its  more  perfect 
elaboration  through  the  exigencies  of  events  and 
controversies.  On  the  gospel  doctrine  itself,  which 
is  thus  confirmed,  a  fresh  light  seems  to  be  thrown 
by  the  spirit  of  these  precious  Epistles,  the  faith 
expounded  by  Paul  kindling  into  fervent  hope  in  the 
words  of  Peter,  and  expanding  into  sublime  love 


SECTION  373.—JUDE  1 : 1-S5. 


707 


in  those  of  John.  At  the  same  time  the  reader  can 
not  fail  to  note  how  these  writings  of  the  original 
apostles,  by  express  references,  by  borrowed  lan- 
guage, and  by  their  whole  spirit,  seem  to  bind  the 
doctrine  which  the  Epistles  have  developed  to  the 
gospels  in  which  it  first  began  to  be  opened. 

Every  age,  every  Church,  every  sect,  every  con- 
troversy, in  some  way  or  other  contributes  some- 
thing to  the  working  out,  the  testing,  or  the  illus- 
trating of  some  part  of  the  revelation  of  God.  Thus 
the  history  of  the  apprehension  of  Christian  truth 
by  man,  which  commences  within  the  New  Testa- 
ment, is  continued  in  the  history  of  the  Church  to 
the  end  of  time  ;  and  still,  while  it  is  continued,  it 
is  in  some  sort  a  history  of  progress,  and  one  in 
which  the  Spirit  of  God  mingles,  and  which  the 
providence  of  God  molds.  The  line  of  separation 
between  the  apostolic  period  and  all  the  subsequent 
periods  of  this  history  is  this  :  That  the  apostolic 
period  is  not  only  a  part  of  the  history  of  (he  appre- 
hension of  truth  by  man  ;  it  is  also  a  part  of  the 
history  of  the  communication  of  truth  by  God.     It 


is  the  first  stage  of  the  one,  and  the  last  stage  of 
the  other.  The  aspect  which  the  gospel  bears  in 
the  writings  of  the  apostles  is  a  communication 
from  God  of  what  it  really  is,  a  revelation  of  what 
he  intended  that  it  should  be  in  the  minds  of  men  for 
ever.  This  character  of  the  apostolic  writings  has, 
without  variation  of  testimony,  been  acknowledged 
by  the  Church  from  the  beginning;  but  this  ac- 
knowledgment has  been  confined  to  these  writings, 
and  has  never  been  extended  to  subsequent  exposi- 
tions or  decrees. 

The  sum  of  what  has  been  said  is  this :  1. 
There  are  words  (definite  doctrinal  communications) 
of  which  it  is  said  by  the  Lord  Jesus,  "  The  words 
which  thou  gavest  me  I  have  given  them."  2.  These 
words  are  not  only  those  which  he  spake  with  his 
lips  in  the  days  of  his  flesh ;  they  include  other 
words,  afterward  given  through  men  in  the  Spirit, 
during  a  period  of  time  which  is  represented  to 
us  by  the  books  of  the  New  Testament.  3.  Those 
words  were  finished  in  that  period,  and  have  re- 
ceived no  subsequent  additions.     T.  D.  B. 


Section  372. 

JuDE  i.  1-25. 

1  JuDE,  the  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  brother  of  James,  to  them  that  are  sanctified  by 

2  God  the  Father,  and  preserved  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  called :  mercy  unto  you,  and  peace,  and 

3  love,  be  multiplied.  Beloved,  when  I  gave  all  dihgence  to  write  unto  you  of  the  common 
salvation,  it  was  needful  for  me  to  write  unto  you,  and  exhort  you  that  ye  should  earnestly 
contend  for  the  faith  which  was  once  delivered  unto  the  saints. 

4  For  there  are  certain  men  crept  in  unawares,  who  were  before  of  old  ordained  to  this 
condemnation,  ungodly  men,  turning  the  grace  of  our  God  into  lasciviousness,  and  denying 

5  the  only  Lord  God,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  will  therefore  put  you  in  remembrance, 
though  ye  once  knew  this,  how  that  the  Lord,  having  saved  the  people  out  of  the  land  of 

6  Egypt,  afterward  destroyed  them  that  believed  not.  And  the  angels  which  kept  not  their 
first'estate,  but  left  their  own  habitation,  he  hath  reserved  in  everlasting  chains  under  dark- 

7  ness  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day.  Even  as  Sodom  and  Gomorrha,  and  the  cities 
about  them  in  like  manner,  giving  themselves  over  to  fornication,  and  going  after  strange 

8  flesh,  are  set  forth  for  an  example,  suffering  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire.     Likewise  also 

9  these  filthy  dreamers  defile  the  flesh,  despise  dominion,  and  speak  evil  of  dignities.  Yet 
Michael  the  archangel,  when  contending  with  the  devil  he  disputed  about  the  body  of 
Moses,  durst  not  bring  against  him  a  railing  accusation,  but  said,  The  Lord  rebuke  thee. 

10  But  these  speak  evil  of  those  things  which  they  know  not :  but  what  they  know  naturally, 

11  as  brute  beasts,  in  those  things  they  corrupt  themselves.  Woe  unto  them!  for  they  have 
gone  in  the  way  of  Cain,  and  ran  greedily  after  the  error  of  Balaam  for  reward,  and 

12  perished  in  the  gainsaying  of  Core.  These  are  spots  in  your  feasts  of  charity,  when  they 
feast  with  you,  feeding  themselves  without  fear :  clouds  they^  are  without  water,  carried 
about  of  winds;  trees  whose  fruit  withereth,  without  fruit,  twice  dead,  plucked  up  by  the 

13  roots;  raging  waves  of  the  sea,  foaming  out  their  own  shame;  wandering  stars,  to  whom 

14  is  reserved  the  blackness  of  darkness  for  ever.     And  Enoch  also,  the  seventh  from  Adam, 

15  prophesied  of  these,  saying,  Beliold,  the  Lord  cometh  with  ten  thousands  of  his  saints,  to 
execute  judgment  upon  all,  and  to  convince  all  that  are  ungodly  among  them  of  all  their 
ungodly  deeds  which  they  have  ungodly  committed,  and  of  all  their  hard  speeches  which 

16  ungodly  sinners,  have  spoken  against  him.  These  are  murraurers,  complainers,  walking 
after  their  own  lusts;  and  their  mouth  speaketh  great  swelling  words^  having  men's  persons 
in  admiration  because  of  advantage. 

17  But,  beloved,  remember  ye  the  words  which  were  spoken  before  of  the  apostles  of  our 

18  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  how  that  they  told  you  there  should  be  mockers  in  the  last  time,  who 

19  should  walk  after  their  own  ungodly  lusts.     These  be  they  who  separate  themselves,  sen- 

20  sual,  having  not  the  Spirit.     But  ye,  beloved,  building  up  yourselves  on  your  most  holy 


708 


SECTION  372.—JUDE  1 :  1-25. 


21  faith,  praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  keep  yourselves  in  the  love  of  God,  looking  for  the  mercy 

22  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life.     And  of  some  have  compassion,  making  a  diifer- 

23  ence :  and  others  save  with  fear,  pulling  them  out  of  the  fire ;  hating  even  the  garment 

24  spotted  by  the  flesh.     Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to  keep  you  frpra  falling,  and  to  present 

25  you  faultless  before  the  presence  of  his  glory  with  exceeding  joy,  to  the  only  wise  God  our 
Saviour,  le  glory  and  majesty,  dominion  and  power,  both  now  and  ever.     Amen. 


The  motion  of  the  heart  Godward,  holy  and  divine  affection,  makes  prayer  real  and  living  and  ac- 
ceptable to  the  living  God,  to  whom  it  is  presented — the  pouring  out  of  thy  heart  to  him  that  made  it, 
and  therefore  hears  it  and  understands  what  it  speaks  and  how  it  is  moved  and  affected  in  calUng  on  him. 
It  is  not  the  gilded  paper  and  good  writing  of  a  petition  that  prevails  with  a  king,  but  the  moving  sense 
of  it ;  and,  to  the  King  that  discerns  the  heart,  heart-sense  is  the  sense  of  all,  and  that  which  he  alone 
regards.     He  listens  to  hear  what  that  speaks,  and  takes  all  as  nothing  where  that  is  silent.     All  other 

excellence  in  prayer  is  but  the  outside  and  fashion  of  it ;  that  is  the  life  of  it.     L. Why  is  there  so 

httle  of  the  life  of  God  in  our  souls,  or  the  love  of  God  in  our  hearts,  or  the  peace  of  God  in  our 
bosoms,  or  the  image  of  God  in  our  lives  ?  Chiefly  because  we  are  so  little  in  prayer — cordial,  fervent, 
humble,  persevering  prayer ;  because  we  talk  so  much  about  God  in  public,  but  so  little  ivith  God  in  pri- 
vate ;  because  we  are  so  much  more  in  every  exercise  than  in  devotion ;  and  thus,  the  blessing  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  not  being  abundantly  vouchsafed,  because  not  fervently  implored,  a  withering  blight  comes  over  all 

our  doing,  and  we  read  and  hear  and  talk  and  labor  almost,  if  not  altogether,  in  vain.     Kirke  White. 

The  most  solemn  faith  in  God  as  a  real  object  is  not  the  most  arduous  act  of  the  reason  and  the  will.  Oh, 
no ;  it  is  to  pray,  to  pray  as  God  would  have  us.  Believe  me,  to  pray  with  all  your  heart  and  strength, 
with  the  reason  and  the  will,  to  believe  vividly  that  God  will  listen  to  your  voice  through  Christ,  and 
verily  do  the  thing  he  pleaseth  thereupon — this  is  the  last,  the  greatest  achievement  of  the  Christian's 
warfare  upon  earth.     Teach  us  to  pray,  0  Lord  !     S.  T.  C. 


The  "  wise  master-builders,"  who  placed  the  first 
"  living  stones  "  upon  that  "  Rock  of  Ages,"  are  now 
vanishing  from  the  scene  of  their  labors,  at  the  very 
time  when  the  newly  finished  Temple — the  type  of 
that  spiritual  edifice — awaits  its  destruction  from 
the  Roman  armies.  The  greater  number  of  the 
apostles  have  early  disappeared  to  the  uncertain 
scenes  of  their  evangelic  labors.  Of  those  who  fill 
a  prominent  place  in  the  Scripture  history,  James 
the  son  of  Zebedee  has  long  since  died  by  the  sword 
of  Herod,  and  James,  the  brother  of  our  Lord,  has 
lately  fallen  by  the  tumultuous  judgment  of  the  San- 
hedrim. Jule's  voice  alone  is  heard,  concurring 
with  Peter's  in  denouncing  the  corruptions  of  the 
last  times.  During  the  years  included  within  the 
range  of  doubt  concerning  the  martyrdom  of  Paul 
and  Peter  (a.  d.  66-68)  the  final  revolt  of  the  Jews 
has  broken  out;  and  an  exterminating  war  only 
awaits  its  end  in  the  destruction  of  the  Temple.  As 
the  prophecy  of  that  catastrophe  finished  the  public 
testimony  of  Christ  himself,  so  did  its  fulfillment 
set  the  seal  to  the  work  of  his  apostles.  The  events 
themselves  were  not  a  more  striking  confirmation  of 
the  divine  truth  which  had  predicted  them  than  was 
the  change  that  they  effected  the  fulfillment  of  the 
divine  plan  of  establishing  a  Church  on  earth.     S. 

Jude  was  a  brother  of  that  James  whose  Epistle 
to  the  Twelve  Tribes  we  have  already  considered. 

D.  F. As  I  believe  James,  "the  brother  of  the 

Lord,"  to  be  the  person  intended  (v.  1),  in  conse- 
quence I  hold  this  writer  to  be  the  Judas  of  Mat. 
13  :  55,  another  brother  of  our  Lord,  and  a  younger 
son  of  Joseph  and  Mary.     A. 

The  short  book  before  us  was  probably  written 
in  Palestine,  or  some  part  of  Syria,  not  long  before 
the  fall  of  Jerusalem.     It  is  an  Epistle  General  or 


Catholic,  addressed  to  all  saints ;  but  its  strain  is 
Jewish,  like  the  Epistle  of  James,  and  it  presup- 
poses in  its  readers  a  knowledge  of  Hebrew  history 
and  tradition.  While  it  has  much  in  common  with 
the  Epistle  of  James,  it  has  even  more  with  the 
Second  Epistle  of  Peter,  which  it  greatly  resembles 
in  its  vehement  invective  against  those  profligate 
teachers  who  had  begun  to  disturb  and  defile  the 
primitive  Church.  During  the  last  quarter  of  the 
first  century,  some  of  the  Asiatic  Churches  were 
notoriously  infested  with  a  class  of  separatists  and 
sectaries  who,  magnifying  their  knowledge  and  ex- 
aggerating their  liberty,  led  impure  lives,  and  en- 
couraged others  to  do  likewise.     D.  F. 

1.  Sanctified,  preserved,  and  called.    In 

Christ,  God  chose  them  '■'■unto  salvation,  through 
sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  and  belief  of  the  truth  "  ; 
he  gave  them  to  the  Son  as  the  reward  of  the 
"  travail  of  his  soul "  in  man's  redemption ;  and  he 
covenanted  with  him,  ou  their  behalf,  to  bestow  upon 
them  all  the  grace  that  should  effectually  call  them 
into  fellowship  with  him,  and  confirm  them  in  it 
unto  the  end.  Hence  Jude  describes  them  to  whom 
he  writes  as  "  sanctified  by  God  the  Father,  and 
preserved  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  called."  All  things 
that  concern  them  in  time  are  wisely  and  graciously 
ordered  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  their  ex- 
perience, with  this  view — the  bringing  them  to  glory. 
He  prepares  all  events  that  befall  them  (dark  and 
intricate  as  they  may  seem)  for  f ulfiUing  the  designs 
of  his  everlasting  love  ;  and  in  ways  as  manifold  as 


SECTION  372.~JUDE  1 : 1-25. 


709 


the  riches  of  his  own  wisdom,  love,  and  power,  he 
constrains  them,  through  ahnighty  grace,  to  obey 
the  call,  and  henceforth  to  live  indeed.     Goode. 

3.  The  common  salvation.  God  is  most 
free  of  his  best  blessings.  lie  affords  salvation  in 
common  to  all  his  people.  He  gives  honor  and 
riches  but  to  few  of  them:  he  gives  Christ  and 
heaven  to  them  all.  God  sometimes  denies  a  crumb 
even  to  him  on  whom  he  bestows  a  kingdom.  There 
are  many  things  that  a  child  of  God  can  not  promise 
to  himself,  but  heaven  he  may  reckon  on.     Jenkyn. 

By  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints  is  to  be 
understood  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel.  These  were 
delivered  to  the  saints  by  holy  men,  who  spake  as 
they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  saints  to 
whom  they  were  delivered  were  those  who  consti- 
tuted the  Church  under  the  old  dispensation  and  the 
new.  The  exhortation  to  contend  for  them  earnestly 
supposes  that  they  would  be  powerfully  assailed ; 
and  yet  that  they  might  be  known  and  defended. 
L.  B. A  sad  characteristic  of  the  age  is  the  fright- 
ful latitudinarianism  tvhich  is  making  the  most  in- 
sidious inroads  on  the  faith.  A  strong  dislike  has 
grown  up  in  the  minds  of  many  educated  and  think- 
ing men  for  all  dogmatic  teaching;  a  strong  ten- 
dency discovers  itself  in  them  to  accept  nothing  of 
Christianity  but  the  spirit  of  love  and  philanthropj-, 
and  to  apply  to  all  its  doctrines  those  supposed  sol- 
vents, of  which  infidelity  has  always  had,  in  her 
infernal  laboratory,  a  sufficient  store  at  hand.  "  Let 
the  doctrines  fare  as  they  may,"  is  the  cry ;  "  let 
them  thaw  away  little  by  little  under  the  objections 
of  the  skeptic ;  all  that  we  care  to  retain  is  the  spirit 
which  they  embody  and  represent."  We  must  be- 
ware, above  all  things,  how  we  yield  into  the  hands 
of  the  adversary,  from  the  impulse  of  a  false  liber- 
ality, one  jot  of  that  precious  deposit  of  the  faith 
which  God  has  solemnly  committed  to  our  charge. 
E.  M.  G. 

4.  One  characteristic  of  the  leaders  of  this 
apostasy  was  wantonness.  They  made  the  mercy  of 
God  in  Christ  a  mere  shield  to  cover  their  self- 
indulgence.  Instead  of  purifying  their  hearts 
through  belief  of  the  truth,  they  abused  the  divine 
grace,  as  though  it  relaxed  the  obligation  of  con- 
tinence, and  gave  some  latitude  to  immorality.  So 
they  disgraced  the  Christian  name  by  living  as  the 
heathen,  and  sheltering  their  vices  under  an  asser- 
tion of  divine  favor  and  religious  liberty.  Another 
characteristic  was  willfulness.  The  men  denounced 
by  Jude  did  not  deny  the  name  of  God  or  of  Christ, 
for  they  vaunted  themselves  as  Christians ;  but  they 
rejected  the  Lord's  authority. 

5-7.  On  the  punishment  that  awaited  these  men 
Jude  is  terribly  emphatic.  He  recalls  to  mind  great 
judgments  in  the  days  of  old  ;  the  destruction  of 
the  murmuring,  unbelieving  Isi'aelities  in  the  wilder- 
ness ;  the  reservation  of  fallen  angels  to  future 
punishment ;  and  the  burning  of  "  Sodom  and  Go- 
morrah and  the  cities  about  them  "  as  with  an  eter- 
nal fire,  i.  e.,  a  fire  out  of  which  there  is  no  restora- 
tion, a  condign  and  final  judgment.  The  memory  of 
these  terrors,  illustrating  the  holy  severity  of  God, 
should  admonish  the  saints  to  give  no  countenance 
whatever  to  the  ungodly  men  who  had  "crept  in" 
to  the  Christian  community.     D.  F. 

7.  Suffering  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire. 
In  these  tremendous  declarations  of  Holy  Scripture 


the  same  God  who  promises  heaven  threatens  hell ; 
and  the  same  skepticism  which  trifles  with  the  one 
must  reject  both.  Of  a  truth  it  is  no  marvel  that 
such  things  as  these  should  be  bitter  and  unwelcome 
to  man  ;  that  they  should  naturally  tend  to  fade  and 
disappear  from  our  thoughts  like  all  else  we  dread 
and  dislike.  Who  that  knows  aught  of  our  custom- 
ary weaknesses  can  anticipate  but  that  preposses- 
sions, not  to  be  overborne  except  by  the  most  reso- 
lute perseverance  of  the  watchmen  of  Christ,  shall 
rise  against  a  truth  which,  were  it  conceived  in  its 
full  proportions,  would  involve  the  whole  face  of 
nature  in  gloom,  would  hang  the  very  heavens  in 
black,  and  make  all  their  daily  and  nightly  glories 
but  the  torchlights  of  a  funeral  chamber ;  a  truth 
which  loads  every  instant  of  life  with  a  weight  al- 
most intolerable  of  responsibility ;  which,  contract- 
ing life  to  a  short  winter-day,  stretches  out  beyond  it 
the  drear,  the  starless  dark  of  a  midnight  on  which 
no  morrow  shall  ever  dawn  ;  which  affrights  us  with 
the  horrible  thought  of  a  duration  of  woe,  counted 
not  by  years,  but  by  ages ;  which  tells  us — us  who 
live  by  pity,  social  enjoyment,  mutual  kindness, 
friendship  real  or  supposed — that  there  can  be,  and 
for  millions  will  be,  a  time  when  no  pity  shall  exist 
in  the  whole  wide  universe  for  them  ;  no  mercy  from 
God,  no  compassion  from  each  other,  no  refuge,  no 
hope  ;  when  that  on-looking  tendency  which  makes 
the  best  happiness  of  us  all  shall  shrink  back 
upon  itself  withered  and  blasted,  or  exist  only  to 
press  home  to  the  heart  more  keenly  the  reality  of 
eternal,  immutable  wretchedness  ?  Shall  we,  indeed, 
wonder  that  this  mystery  of  woe — for  a  mystery  it 
surely  is — should  ever  be  an  unwilling  theme  for 
man  to  listen  to  or  man  to  speak  ?     W.  A.  B. 

9.  The  tradition  regarding  Moses  is  supposed  to 
be  familiar  to  the  readers  of  this  book,  and  the 
allusion  to  it  is  made  with  a  view  to  expose  the  pre- 
sumption of  the  false  teachers  in  disparaging  digni- 
ties. We  should  not  have  known  this  incident, 
unless  Jude  had  embodied  the  tradition  in  his  Epis- 
tle, any  more  than  we  should  have  known  the 
names  of  the  Egyptian  magicians  wko  withstood 
Moses  and  Aaron,  if  Paul  had  not  mentioned  Jannes 
and  Jambres.  Slichael,  the  archangel,  appears  in 
the  Book  of  Daniel  as  a  great  prince  with  God,  and 
the  protector  of  the  holy  nation,  Israel.  In  this  ca- 
pacity he  was  occupied  with  the  burial  of  Moses, 
Israel's  great  lawgiver  and  leader.  The  point  for 
which  Jude  makes  the  allusion  is  this  :  the  archan- 
gel did  not  speak  contemptuously  to  that  mighty 
spirit  of  evil,  a  celestial  dignity  before  he  fell,  but 
said,  "  The  Lord  rebuke  thee."     D.  F. 

10-13.  It  is  astonishing  to  see  how  those  who 
once  seemed  sons  of  the  morning  now  at  last  by 
the  judgment  of  God  are  permitted,  being  past  feel- 
ing, "  to  give  themselves  over  unto  lasciviousness, 
to  work  all  uucleanness  with  greediness."  A  great 
number  of  such  were  in  the  first  gospel  days ; 
against  whom  Peter  and  Jude  and  John  pronounce 
the  just  judgment  of  God.  These  are  beyond  all 
mercy ;  these  are  beyond  all  promises ;  these  are 
beyond  all  hopes  of  repentance ;  these  have  no  in- 
tercessor, nor  any  more  share  in  the  one  sacrifice 
for  sin.  For  these  there  remains  nothing  but  a  fear- 
ful looking-for  of  judgment.  These  men  go  whither 
they  will,  do  what  they  will ;  they  may  range  from 
opinion  to  opinion,  from  notion  to  notion,  from  sect 
to  sect,  but  are  steadfast  nowhere :  they  are  left  to 
their  own  uncertainties ;  they  have  not  grace  to  es- 
tablish their  hearts  ;  and  though  some  of  them  have 


710 


SECTION  S72.—JUDE  1 : 1-25. 


boasted  themselves  of  this  liberty,  yet  Jude  calls 
them  wandering  stars,  to  whom  is  reserved  the 
blackness  of  darkness  for  ever.  They  are  left  to 
be  fugitives  and  vagabonds  in  the  earth,  to  wander 
everywhere,  but  to  abide  nowhere,  until  they  shall 
descend  to  their  own  place,  with  Cain  and  Judas, 

men  of  the  same  fate  with  themselves.     Bun. Oh, 

wretchedness  beyond  words,  that,  surrounded  by 
love  and  invited  to  glory,  man  should  have  no  heart 
for  happiness,  but  should  still  love  to  cower  in  the 
dark  while  light  ineffable  solicits  him  to  behold  and 
to  enjoy  it !  Oh,  horror  yet  more  terrific,  that  he 
whom  love  and  joy  can  not  attract,  even  vengeance 
and  torment  can  not  alarm ;  that,  unwilling  to  re- 
ceive God  as  merciful,  he  can  not  be  taught  to 
remember  him  as  just;  or  to  reflect  that  he  who 
refuses  to  prepare  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints 
in  light  is  by  that  very  refusal  hardening  his  own 
heart  to  the  temper  of  the  inheritors  of  darkness  ! 
W.  A.  B. 

That  sin  does  not  succeed  is  owing  to  nothing 
but  want  of  power  and  skill.  If  its  malignant  na- 
ture, as  it  exists  in  men  and  devils,  could  be  fully 
expressed  in  action,  it  would  dethrone  the  God  of 
heaven,  abolish  his  law,  overturn  his  government, 
extinguish  the  joy  of  God  and  of  the  universe,  and 
fill  the  mighty  void  with  everlasting  woe.  It  is  a 
wandering  star,  which  will  not  obey  the  impulse  of 
the  sun,  and  which,  if  able,  would  blot  out  the  sun, 
and  leave  to  blackness  of  darkness  every  other  lumi- 
nary, that  it  might  roll  above  the  mighty  ruin, 
eclipsed  by  no  superior  luster.  Let  benevolence 
abandon  the  throne  of  the  universe,  and  let  sin  as- 
cend and  take  possession  of  the  treasures  of  knowl- 
edge and  power,  and  reign  to  express  its  own  nature 
in  action,  as  God  reigns  to  express  his  love,  and  it 
would  soon  dismay  the  universe  with  demonstrations 
of  its  evil  nature.     L.  B. 

13.  What  a  thought  it  is  that  every  life  that 
sets  itself  against  the  Lord  is  a  futile  life,  that  it 
comes  to  nothing  at  last !  It  is  true  on  the  widest 
scale.  It  is  true  on  the  narrowest.  It  is  true  about 
all  those  tempests  that  have  risen  up  against  God's 
church  and  Christ's  gospel  like  "  waves  of  the  sea 
foaming  out  their  own  shame,"  and  never  shaking 
the  great  rock  that  they  break  against.  And  it  is 
true  about  all  godless  lives  ;  about  every  man  who 
carries  on  his  work,  except  in  loving  obedience  to 
his  Father  in  heaven.  There  is  one  power  in  the 
world,  and  none  else.  When  accounts  are  set  right 
at  the  end,  you  will  find  that  the  power  that  seemed 
to  be  strong,  if  it  stood  against  God,  was  weak  as 
water  and  has  done  nothing,  and  is  nothing !  Do 
not  waste  your  lives  in  a  work  that  is  self-condemned 
to  be  hopeless!  Rather  ally  yourselves  with  the 
tendencies  of  God's  universe,  and  do  the  thing  which 
will  last  for  ever,  and  live  the  life  that  has  hope  of 
fruit  that  shall  remain.  Submit  yourselves  to  God ! 
Love  Christ !  Do  his  will !  Put  your  faith  in  the 
Saviour  to  deliver  you  from  your  sins ;  and,  when 
the  wild  tossing  of  that  great  ocean  of  ungodly 
power  and  rebellious  opposition  is  all  hushed  down 
into  dead  silence,  you  and  your  work  will  last  and 
live  hard  by  the  stable  throne  of  God.     A.  M. 


20.  The  Christians  are  admonished  to  keep 
themselves  in  the  love  of  God,  i.  e.,  in  the  posses- 
sion and  enjoyment  of  Divine  love  as  the  true  element 
and  elixir  of  a  spiritual  life.  And  how?  1.  By 
building  themselves  up  on  their  most  holy  faith.  So 
the  faith  was  to  be  contended  for,  not  with  a  view  to 
barren  controversial  victory,  but  because  Christian 
character  must  be  built  thereon.  It  was  delivered 
to  the  saints  in  order  that  they  might  continue  in 
it,  and  not  be  moved  away  from  the  hope  of  the 
gospel.  2.  By  praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost ;  for  the 
Divine  Spirit  (which  the  false  teachers  had  not,  v. 
19)  helps  infirmities,  corrects  errors,  subdues  pride, 
cures  lethargy,  kindles  fervor,  and  teaches  believers 
how  to  pray,  and  what  to  pray  for  as  they  ought. 
Between  the  ascension  of  their  Master  and  the  day 
of  Pentecost,  the  disciples,  and  Jude  among  them, 
prayed  much  for  the  Spirit.  After  the  day  of  Pen- 
tecost it  became  their  privilege,  and  continues  to  be 
ours,  to  pray  in  the  fellowship  of  the  Spirit,  through 
the  mediation  of  the  Son,  to  the  Father  of  mercies 
and  God  of  all  consolation ;  the  Spirit  within  us 
making  intercession  with  unutterable  pantings  of 
hope  for  the  manifestation  of  the  glory  of  the  sons 

of   God.     D.  F. Because   all  the  precepts  and 

promises  in  the  law  and  in  the  gospel  do  hang  upon 
this,  believe  ;  and  because  the  last  of  the  graces  of 
God  doth  so  follow  the  first,  that  he  glorifieth  none 
but  whom  he  hath  justified,  nor  justifieth  any  but 
whom  he  hath  called  to  a  true,  eifectual,  and  lively 
faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  therefore  Jude,  exhorting  us 
to  huild  ourselves,  mentioneth  here  only  faith  as  the 
thing  wherein  we  must  be  edified ;  for  that  faith  is 
the  ground  and  the  glory  of  all  the  welfare  of  this 
building.     HooJcer. 

Praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  There  is  a 
threefold  strength  needful  in  prayer,  and  God  by 
his  Spirit  puts  these  three  strengths  in  us :  strength 
of  argument  to  plead  with  God ;  strength  of  faith 
in  taking  hold  upon  God  ;  strength  of  patience  in 
waiting  upon  God  till  we  receive  what  we  prayed 
for.     Caryl. 

23.  Save  with  fear.  There  are  crises  of 
temptation,  as  many  of  us  can  testify,  when  the 
ground  was  slipping  under  our  feet,  when  some 
sophistry  was  taking  the  edge  off  from  the  right 
and  from  dutj',  when  the  desired  evil  seemed  so  good, 
and  the  enticement  of  sin  was  growing  so  irresisti- 
ble, and  the  will  was  becoming  so  weak,  that  all  was 
well-nigh  lost  for  us,  and  we  had  perhaps  half  given 
ourselves  over.  If  at  such  a  time  fear — fear  of 
divine  wrath,  or  fear  of  loss  of  reputation,  or  fear 
of  remorse,  yes,  or  fear  even  of  hell — came  to  the 
rescue  of  the  discouraged  forces  of  Christian  virtue, 
and  we  were  enabled  to  refuse  and  to  overcome, 
ashamed  as  we  might  well  be  of  our  surprise  and 
of  our  all  but  defeat,  we  had  in  that  experience 


SECTION  372.—JUDE  1 : 1-25. 


711 


a  measure  of  the  service  that  fear  could  render 
to  our  salvation  at  such  a  time  of  imminent  peril. 
Verily  we  are  sometimes  saved  by  fear  as  well  as 
by  hope.     T.  D.  W. 

24.  Him  that  is  able  to  keep  you.  He 
says,  in  the  first  verse,  we  are  preserved  by  Jesus 
Christ.  This  only  wise  God  and  this  preserving 
Jesus  Christ  are  in  his  mind  one  and  the  same.  The 
ability  of  Christ  to  keep  us  is  grounded  on  his  pow- 
er over  us,  and  over  those  who  are  the  tempters  of 
us.  Our  danger  lies  partly  in  our  ovm  hearts.  He 
can  master  those  hearts,  and,  by  the  agency  of  his 
Holy  Spirit,  sway  and  incline  them  as  he  pleases. 
And  the  same  as  to  the  world  and  Satan ;  he  can 
overrule  their  temptations.  "  Be  of  good  cheer," 
he  says  to  us,  "  I  have  overcome  the  world." 
"  Greater,"  says  John,  "  is  he  that  is  in  you  than 
he  that  is  in  the  world."  And  how  all  this  magni- 
fies the  Lord's   power!     C,   B. Our   Lord   and 

Chief  Shepherd  will  not  want  one  weak  sheep  or 
dying  lamb  that  he  hath  redeemed.  He  will  tell  his 
flock,  and  gather  them  all  together,  and  make  a 
faithful  account  of  them  to  his  Father  who  gave 
them  all  to  him.     Rufhei-ford. 

We  are  to  be  faultless  before  his  glorious  pres- 
ence. His  perfect  image  will  be  on  us ;  his  own 
pure  eyes  will  see  in  us  no  spot  or  stain.  Faultless 
before  the  throne — think  of  that  when  sin  is  tor- 


menting you.  How  complete  in  the  end  will  be 
your  deliverance-f  rom  it !     C.  B. Of  his  glory. 

The  discovery  of  this  glory  is  the  ultimate  product 
of  that  infinite  wisdom  and  love  that  have  been 
working  from  eternity,  and  for  so  many  thousand 
years  through  all  the  successions  of  time,  toward 
the  heirs  of  salvation :  the  last  and  complete  issue 
of  the  great  achievements,  sharp  conflicts,  glorious 
victories,  high  merits  of  our  mighty  Redeemer.  All 
these  end  in  the  opening  of  heaven  to  all  believers. 
This  is  the  upshot  and  close  of  that  great  design ; 
will  it  not,  think  ye,  be  a  satisfying  glory  ?    Howe. 


We  may  observe  with  admiration  the  singular 
fitness  of  the  few  words  of  Jude  to  close  the  series 
of  writings  through  which  the  faith  has  been 
wrought  out  and  consigned  to  the  Church  for  ever. 
It  only  remains  for  our  last  instructor  to  exhort  us 
"  earnestly  to  contend  for  the  faith  once  for  all  de- 
livered to  the  saints  "  ;  to  warn  us  of  the  dangers  of 
relapse  ;  to  entreat  us  "  to  build  ourselves  up  on  our 
holy  faith,  and  praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost  to  keep 
ourselves  in  the  love  of  God,  looking  for  the  mercy 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life " ;  and, 
finally,  to  commend  us  "  to  him  who  is  able  to  keep 
us  from  falling,  and  to  present  us  faultless  before  the 
presence  of  his  glory  with  exceeding  joy."   T.  D.  B. 


THE 


REVELATION  OF  JOHN. 


Section  373. 


1.  The  Unity,  Progress,  and  Completeness  of 
Doctrine  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament  Scriptures. 
— He  who  reads  through  the  New  Testament  finds 
himself  educated  as  by  an  orderly  scheme  of  ad- 
vancing doctrine.  The  several  books  seem  to  have 
grown  into  their  places  as  component  parts  of  an 
organic  whole  ;  and  "  the  New  Testament  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ "  lies  before  us  as  an 
account  of  a  perfected  revelation,  and  a  course  of 
divine  teaching  designed  and  prepared  by  one  pre- 
siding mind.  The  reality  of  this  progress  is  very 
visible  ;  and  more  especially  so  when  we  regard  the 
New  Testament  as  the  last  stage  of  that  progressive 
teaching  which  is  carried  on  through  the  Scriptures 
as  a  whole.  Glance  from  the  first  words  to  the 
last,  "  In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heavens 
and  the  earth " — "  Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus." 
How  much  lies  between  these  two !  The  one  the 
first  rudiment  of  revelation  addressed  to  the  earliest 
and  simplest  consciousness  of  man,  that,  namely, 
which  comes  to  him  through  his  senses,  the  con- 
sciousness of  the  material  world  which  lies  in  its 
grandeur  round  him  ;  the  other  the  last  cry  from 
within,  the  voice  of  the  heart  of  man,  such  as  the 
intervening  teaching  has  made  it ;  the  expression 
of  the  definite  faith  which  has  been  found,  and 
of  the  certain  hope  which  has  been  left  by  the 
whole  revelation  of  God.  The  course  of  teaching 
which  carries  us  from  the  one  to  the  other  is  pro- 
gressive throughout,  but  with  different  rates  of 
progress  in  the  two  stages  which  divide  it.  In  the 
Old  Testament  the  progress  is  protracted,  inter- 
rupted, often  languid,  sometimes  so  dubious  as  to 
seem  like  retrogression.  Accessions  take  place  in 
sundry  parts,  in  divers  manners,  at  times  under  dis- 
guises of  earthly  forms,  seeming  to  suggest  mis- 
takes, which  have  to  be  themselves  corrected.  Yet 
through  it  all  the  doctrine  grows,  and  the  revelation 
draws  nearer  to  the  great  disclosure.  Then  there  is 
entire  suspension.  We  turn  the  vacant  page  which 
represents  the  silence  of  400  years,  and  we  are  in 
■  the  New  Testament. 

Now,  again  there  is  progress,  but  rapid  and  un- 
broken. Our  steps  before  were  centuries ;  now 
they  are  but  years.  From  the  manger  of  Bethle- 
hem on  earth  to  the  city  of  God  coming  down  from 


heaven  the  great  scheme  of  things  unrolls  before  us 
without  a  check,  without  a  break.  First  we  are  con- 
ducted through  the  manifestation  of  Christ  in  the 
flesh  :  we  see  and  hear  and  learn  to  know  the  living 
person,  who  is  at  once  the  source  and  the  subject  of 
all  the  doctrine  of  which  we  speak.  He  is  presented 
as  the  source  of  doctrine,  delivering  with  his  own 
lips  the  first  Christian  instructions,  the  first  preach- 
ing of  a  present  gospel  and  the  pregnant  principles  of 
truth.  He  is  presented  as  the  subject  of  doctrine,  for 
it  is  himself  that  he  offers  to  us  by  word  and  deed  as 
the  object  of  our  faith,  and  the  events  which  we  see 
accomplished  in  his  earthly  history  are  the  predes- 
tined substance  of  all  subsequent  instruction.  Then, 
in  the  Book  of  Acts,  Christ  is  preached  as  perfected, 
and  as  the  refuge  and  life  of  the  world.  The  results 
of  his  appearing  are  summed  up  and  settled  ;  and 
men  are  called  to  believe  and  be  saved.  Those  who 
do  so  find  themselves  in  new  relations  to  each 
other ;  they  become  one  body,  and  grow  into  the 
form  and  life  of  a  Catholic  Church.  The  state 
which  has  thus  been  entered  needs  to  be  expounded, 
and  the  life  which  has  been  begun  needs  to  be  edu- 
cated. The  Apostolic  letters  perform  the  work. 
The  questions  which  universally  follow  the  first 
submissions  of  the  mind  receive  their  answers,  and 
so  the  faith  which  was  general  grows  definite.  The 
rising  exigencies  of  the  new  light  are  met,  both  for 
the  man  and  for  the  Church  ;  and  we  learn  what  is 
the  happy  consciousness,  and  what  the  holy  conver- 
sation, which  belong  to  those  who  are  "m  Christ 
Jesus."  Lastly,  as  members  of  the  body  of  Christ, 
we  find  ourselves  partakers  in  a  corporate  life  and 
a  history  larger  than  our  own.  We  feel  that  we  are 
taken  up  into  a  scheme  of  things  which  is  in  con- 
flict with  the  present,  and  which  can  not  realize 
itself  here.  Therefore  our  final  teaching  is  by 
prophecy,  which  shows  us,  not  how  we  are  person- 
ally saved  and  victorious,  but  how  the  battle  goes 
upon  the  whole ;  and  which  issues  in  the  appear- 
ance of  a  holy  city,  in  which  redemption  reaches  its 
end,  and  the  Redeemer  finds  his  joy ;  in  which  hu- 
man tendencies  are  realized,  and  divine  promises 
fulfilled  ;  in  which  the  ideal  has  become  the  actual, 
and  man  is  perfected  in  the  presence  and  glory  of 
God. 


SECTION'  373.— THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN. 


ns 


2.  Relation  of  (he  Epislles  io  the  Revelation. — 
I  know  not  how  any  man,  in  closing  the  Epistles, 
could  expect  to  find  the  subsequent  history  of  the 
Church  essentially  different  from  what  it  is.  In 
those  writings  we  seem,  as  it  were,  not  to  witness 
some  passing  storms  which  clear  the  air,  but  to  feel 
the  whole  atmosphere  charged  with  the  elements  of 
future  tempest  and  death.  Every  moment  the  forces 
of  evil  show  themselves  more  plainly.  They  are 
encountered,  but  not  dissipated.  Or,  to  change  the 
figure,  we  see  battles  fought  by  the  leaders  of  our 
band,  but  no  security  is  promised  by  their  victories. 
New  assaults  are  being  prepared ;  new  tactics  will 
be  tried ;  new  enemies  pour  on;  the  distant  hills  are 
black  with  gathering  multitudes,  and  the  last  ex- 
hortations of  those  who  fall  at  their  posts  call  on 
their  successors  to  "  endure  hardness  as  good  sol- 
diers of  Jesus  Christ,"  and  "  earnestly  to  contend 
for  the  faith  which  was  once  delivered  to  the 
saints."  The  fact  is  not  merely  that  these  indica- 
tions of  the  future  are  in  the  Epistles,  but  that  they 
increase  as  we  approach  the  close,  and  after  the 
doctrines  of  the  Gospel  have  been  fully  wrought 
out,  and  the  fullness  of  personal  salvation  and  the 
ideal  character  of  the  Church  have  been  placed  in 
the  clearest  light,  the  shadows  gather  and  deepen 
on  the  external  history.  The  last  words  of  Paul  in 
the  Second  Epistle  to  Timothy,  and  those  of  Peter 
in  his  Second  Epistle,  with  the  Epistles  of  John  and 
Jude,  breathe  the  language  of  a  time  in  which  the 
tendencies  of  that  history  had  distinctly  shown 
themselves ;  and  in  this  respect  these  writings  form 
a  prelude  and  a  passage  to  the  Apocalypse.  Thus 
we  arrive  at  this  book  with  wants  which  it  is  meant 
to  supply ;  we  come  to  it  as  men  who  not  only  per- 
sonally are  in  Christ,  and  who  know  what  as  indi- 
viduals they  have  in  him,  but  who  also,  as  mem- 
bers of  his  body,  share  in  a  corporate  life,  in  the 
perfection  of  which  they  are  to  be  made  perfect, 
and  in  the  glory  of  which  their  Lord  is  to  be  glori- 
fied. For  this  perfection  and  glory  we  wait  in  vain, 
among  the  confusions  of  the  world  and  the  ever- 
active,  ever-changing  forms  of  evil.  What  is  the 
meaning  of  this  wild  scene  ?  what  is  to  be  its  issue  ? 
and  what  prospect  is  there  of  the  realization  of  that 
which  we  desire  ?  To  such  a  state  of  mind  as  this, 
and  to  the  wants  which  it  involves,  this  last  part  of 
the  teaching  of  God  is  addressed,  in  accordance 
with  that  system  of  progressive  doctrine  wherein 
each  stage  of  advance  ensues  in  the  way  of  natural 
sequence  from  the  effect  of  that  which  preceded 
it.     T.  D.  B. 

3.  Substance  and  Design  of  the  Book.  —  The 
Revelation  of  John  forms  the  third  species  of 
apostolic  literature,  and  the  most  appropriate  and 
sublime  conclusion,  the  divine  seal  of  the  whole. 
The  Gospels  and  Epistles  proceeded  from  a  state  of 
divine  illumination  united  with  entire  self-control 
and  clear  consciousness.  The  Apocalypse  is  the  re- 
sult of  a  special  act  of  inspiration,  an  immediate 
revelation  of  Jesus  Christ  respecting  his  advent, 
dictated,  as  it  were,  to  the  entranced  seer  by  the 

Holy  Ghost.     P.  S. It  is  no  "  fine  phrensy,"  but 

a  wonderful  work  of  divine  art,  curiously  wrought 
and  most  delicately  balanced.  This  is  carried  out 
into  the  most  minute  detail,  while  it  is  shown  on  a 
large  scale  in  the  parallelism  of  the  great  cyclical 
visions.  Only  the  most  careless  reader  can  suppose 
the  Book  to  be  tangled  and  confused.  It  is  a  mas- 
terpiece of  construction,  fitted  and  bound  together 
by  wisdom  from  above.     D,  F. 


In  matter  and  form  the  Revelation  is  closely  al- 
lied to  the  prophetic  literature  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, particularly  the  book  of  Daniel,  combining  its 
boldest  and  most  powerful  tones  in  an  overwhelm- 
ing harmony.  But  with  the  poetical,  symbolical 
style  it  unites  also  the  epistolary  in  the  letters  to 
the  seven  churches.  It  intersperses  its  visions  with 
lyric  songs  of  praise,  which  afford  the  soul  a  de- 
lightful resting-place  amid  the  rushing  crowd  of 
events.  And  it  surpasses  all  the  Hebrew  prophe- 
cies in  the  sublimity  of  its  views,  the  majesty  of  its 
imagery,  the  variety  of  its  symbols,  the  dramatic  viv- 
idness, unity,  and  finish  of  its  composition,  the  prog- 
ress of  its  action,  and  finally  in  its  specifically  Chris- 
tian element,  the  reference  of  all  the  parts  to  the 
crucified  and  now  glorified  God-man.  Prophecy,  alike 
in  the  Old  Testament  and  in  the  New,  is  founded 
on  the  idea  of  the  divine  government  of  the  world, 
unavoidably  presupposing  that  history  is  not  a  prod- 
uct of  chance,  but  an  unfolding  of  the  thoughts  and 
plans  of  eternal  wisdom,  justice,  and  love,  and  must 
therefore  always  issue  in  the  glory  of  God,  the  sal- 
vation of  his  people,  and  the  confusion  of  his  ene- 
mies. The  grand  theme  of  the  Old  Testament  proph- 
ecy is  the  first  coming,  that  of  the  New  Testament 
prophecy  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord  and  his 
kingdom  with  all  the  preparatory  and  attendant 
events.  P.  S. There  is  one  voice  in  all  its  epis- 
tles, seals,  trumpets,  vials,  plagues,  and  visions  of 
glory  and  joy.  The  Lord  cometh.  That  voice 
has  been  sounding  along  the  ages  for  more  than 
eighteen  hundred  years  ;  and  he  has  come  again  and 
again  to  the  overthrow  of  one  enemy  after  another, 
Jew  and  pagan,  priest  and  emperor ;  and  still  it 
sounds,  and  still  he  is  coming  to  the  overthrow  of 
superstition,  idolatry,  and  bigotry,  wherever  found, 
in  whatever  form  practiced,  and  by  whatever  sacred 
names  baptized.  Scripture  would  lead  us  to  be  al- 
ways expecting  Christ ;  and  there  has  always  been 
something  present  in  the  world  to  warrant  the  expec- 
tation. While  some  who  have  thought  they  saw  symp- 
toms of  his  coming  to  judgment,  or  of  his  millenial 
reign,  have  been  disappointed,  others,  who  have 
desired  his  spiritual  presence,  and  have  interpreted 
the  providential  events  of  their  own  times  by  the 
light  of  divine  truth,  have  felt  that  their  prayers  for 
his  advent  have  not  been  unanswered.    Macdonald. 

The  book  is  a  revelation  of  the  connection  be- 
tween things  that  are  seen  and  things  that  are  not 
seen,  between  things  on  earth  and  things  in  heaven  ; 
a  revelation  which  fuses  both  into  one  mighty  drama, 
so  that  the  movements  of  human  action  and  the 
course  of  visible  fact  are  half  shrouded,  half  dis- 
closed, amid  the  glory  and  the  terror  of  the  spiritual 
agencies  at  work  around  us,  and  of  the  eternal  in- 
terests which  we  see  involved.  We  are  borne  to  the 
courts  above,  and  the  temple  of  God  is  opened  in 
heaven,  and  we  behold  the  events  on  earth  as  orig- 
inating in  what  passes  there.  There  seals  are  bro- 
ken, trumpets  are  sounded,  and  vials  are  poured  out 
which  rule  the  changes  of  the  Church  and  of  na- 
tions. While  we  are  looking  down  through  the 
rolling  mists  on  things  that  pass  below,  we  are  all 
the  time  before  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb, 
and  among  the  four  and  twenty  elders,  the  four  liv- 
ing beings,  and  the  innumerable  company  of  angels  ; 
and  we  hear  voices  proceeding  out  of  the  throne, 
the  cries  of  disembodied  spirits,  and  hallelujahs  that 
roll  through  the  universe.  We  see,  further,  that 
there  is  cause  for  this  participation  of  the  world 
above  in  the  events  of  the  world  below,  for  it  be- 


714 


SECTION  313. —TEE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN. 


comes  every  moment  more  plaia  that  the  earth  is 
the  battle-tield  of  the  kingdoms  of  light  and  darli- 
ness.  There  is  a  far  bolder  revelation  than  we  have 
had  before  of  the  presence  and  action  of  the  powers 
of  evil.  The  old  serpent  is  on  one  side  as  the  Lamb 
is  on  the  other,  and  the  same  light  which  shows  the 
movements  of  the  Head  and  Redeemer  of  our  race 
falls  also  upon  those  of  the  enemy  and  destroy- 
er.    T.  D.  B. 

The  Book  discloses  the  triumph  of  Christianity 
over  all  enemies  and  opposers,  its  universal  preva- 
lence in  the  world  for  a  long  series  of  years,  and 
its  termination  in  an  endless  period  of  glory  and 
happiness.  It  is  filled  with  encouragement,  admo- 
nition, and  consolation.  A  final  and  eternal  victory 
of  the  Church  over  all  her  enemies  is  echoed  at  ev- 
ery pause ;  and  a  crown  of  glory  is  held  forth  by 
the  Judge  of  all  as  ready  to  be  placed  on  the  mar- 
tyr's head.  A  most  painful  end,  moreover,  awaits 
the  enemies  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Even  now 
such  a  book  as  the  Apocalypse  is  greatly  needed  to 
encourage  the  faith  and  hope  of  Christians  in  re- 
gard to  the  prospects  of  the  Church,  and  to  com- 
fort them  under  their  various  sufferings  and  dis- 
couragements.    M.  S. 

We  can  see  a  clear  testimony  running  through  it 
to  the  holiness  of  God,  to  the  power  of  Christ,  to 
the  providence  which  is  working  in  or  overruling  all 
things,  to  the  divine  purpose  which  all  things  and 
all  men  are  willingly  or  unwillingly  subserving,  and 
to  that  final  triumph  of  good  over  evil,  of  Christ 
over  antichrist,  of  God  over  Satan,  which  will  be 
the  last  and  most  decisive  justification  of  the  ways 

of  God  to  men.     V. It  is  a  book  of  very  definite 

teaching  on  redemption  by  blood.  This,  which  is 
expressed  or  implied  in  all  the  Scriptures,  has  in  the 
Revelation  a  marked  and  solemn  emphasis.  This 
holy  Apocalypse,  in  the  midst  of  its  most  heavenly 
scenes,  celebrates  the  atoning  blood.  Saints  sing 
and  angels  speak  of  redemption  by  the  blood,  clean- 
sing in  the  blood,  and  victory  by  the  blood  of  the 

Lamb.     D.  F. From  the  beginning  to  the  end, 

through  the  long  conflict,  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
glorious  issue,  there  is  still  one  title  for  him  who 
conquers,  and  judges,  and  reigns.  It  is  the  Lamb 
who  makes  war  and  overcomes ;  and  from  the  wrath 
of  the  Lamb  kings  and  nations  flee.  It  is  the  Lamb 
in  whose  blood  his  servants  also  overcome ;  in 
whose  blood  they  have  washed  their  robes  ;  before 
whom  they  stand  in  white  raiment ;  and  to  whom 
they  ascribe  salvation.  In  the  Lamb's  Book  of 
Life  the  names  of  the  saved  are  written.  The  Holy 
City  is  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife.  The  Lord  God 
Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it,  and 
the  light  of  it;  and  the  river  of  the  water  of  life 
flows  for  ever  from  the  throne  of  God  and  the 
Lamb.  In  the  peculiar  title,  thus  studiously  em- 
ployed, and  illustrated  by  the  repeated  mention  of 
the  slaying  and  the  blood,  we  read  the  doctrine  that 
the  ground  of  the  personal  is  the  ground  of  the 
general  salvation  ;  that  the  place  which  the  sacrifice 
of  the  death  of  Christ  holds  in  the  consciousness  of 
the  believer  is  the  same  which  it  also  occupies  in 
the  history  of  the  Church,  and  that  he  conquers  for 
us,  and  reigns  among  us,  and  achieves  the  restora- 
tion of  all  things,  because  he  has  first  offered  him- 
self for  us,  and  is  the  Lamb  of  God  who  takes  away 
the  sin  of  the  world.     T.  D.  B. 

Notwithstanding  the  profound  depths  of  this  di- 
vine book,  one  feels,  in  reading  it,  an  impression  so 
sweet  and  altogether  so  sublime  of  the  majesty  of 


God  ;  ideas  so  lofty  of  the  mystery  of  Jesus  Christ 
appear  ;  a  recognition  of  the  people  bought  with  his 
blood  is  so  lively  ;  the  pictures  of  his  victories  and 
of  his  dominion  arc  so  noble  ;  the  songs  which  cele- 
brate the  greatness  of  those  are  so  wonderful,  that 
there  is  enough  to  ravish  all  heaven  and  earth.  All 
the  beauties  of  the  Scriptures  are  concentrated  in 
this  book  ;  all  that  is  most  touching,  most  vivid, 
most  majestic  in  the  Law  and  in  the  Prophets  re- 
ceives here  a  new  splendor,  and  passes  again  before 
our  eyes,  that  we  may  be  filled  with  the  consolations 
and  the  graces  of  all  past  ages.  Here  we  find  again 
in  this  apostle  the  spirit  of  all  the  prophets  and  of 
all  the  men  commissioned  by  God.  He  has  received 
the  spirit  of  Moses,  in  order  to  sing  the  song  of  the 
new  deliverance  of  the  holy  people.  He  has  received 
the  spirit  of  Isaiah,  and  of  Jeremiah,  so  as  to  de- 
scribe the  plagues  of  the  new  Babylon,  and  to  aston- 
ish the  universe  with  the  noise  of  its  fall.  It  is  by 
the  spirit  of  Daniel  that  he  has  disclosed  to  us  the 
new  beast,  i.  e.,  the  new  empire  which  is  the  enemy 
and  persecutor  of  the  saints,  with  its  defeat  and 
ruin.  By  the  spirit  of  Ezekiel  he  has  shown  us  all 
the  riches  of  the  new  temple,  where  God  will  be 
worshiped,  i.  e.,  the  riches  of  heaven  and  of  the 
Church.  In  fine,  all  the  consolations,  all  the  prom- 
ises, all  the  grace,  and  all  the  light  of  the  divine 
books  are  united  in  this.  All  men  inspired  of  God 
seem  to  have  contributed  for  it  all  which  they  pos- 
sess of  the  rich  and  the  magnificent,  in  order  to  form 
the  most  beautiful  picture  of  Jesus  Christ  which  one 
can  imagine ;  and  we  see  nothing  more  clearly  shown 
than  that  he  is  truly  the  word  of  the  Law,  the  reali- 
ty of  its  symbols,  the  body  of  its  shadows,  and  the 
soul  of  its  prophets.     Bossuet. 

A  book  with  such  characteristics  fitly  concludes 
the  holy  Bible.  Full  of  allusions  to  ancient  visions, 
prophecies,  and  songs,  it  brings  the  whole  continuity 
of  Scripture  to  a  sublime  and  worthy  close.  At  last 
the  patience  of  patriarchs  and  saints  is  rewarded ; 
the  longings  of  Israel  and  of  the  Church  are  ful- 
filled ;  and  the  glory  of  God  shines  unhindered  on  a 
scene  of  righteousness  and  peace.     D.  F. 

4.  The  date  of  the  Revelation. — This  is  given  by 
the  great  majority  of  critics  as  a.  d.  95-97.  The 
weighty  testimony  of  Irenaeus  is  almost  sufficient  to 
prevent  any  other  conclusion.  He  says :  "  It  (i.  e., 
the  Revelation)  was  seen  no  very  long  time  ago,  but 
almost  in  our  own  generation,  at  the  close  of  Domi- 
tian's  reign."  Irenseus  had  the  best  opportunity  to 
collect  authentic  accounts  of  this  fact  from  one 
who,  like  Polycarp,  was  a  personal  friend  and  pupil 

of   the  apostle.      P.  S. Eusebius    also    records 

that,  in  the  persecution  under  Domitian,  John  the 
apostle  and  evangelist  was  banished  to  the  island  of 
Patmos  for  his  testimony  of  the  divine  Word.  There 
is  no  mention  in  any  writer  of  the  first  three  centu- 
ries of  any  other  time  or  place.  Unsupported  by 
any  historical  evidence,  some  commentators  have 
put  forth  the  conjecture  that  the  Revelation  was 
written  as  early  as  the  time  of  Nero.  This  is  sim- 
ply their  inference  from  the  style  and  contents  of 
the  book,  and  is  connected  with  a  theory  of  the 

early  fulfillment  of   its  chief   prophecies.     S. 

[This  is  also  the  view  of  French,  Alford,  Vaughan, 
Schafif  ("  Apos.  History,"  p.  403),  Eraser,  Barnes, 
and  others,  who  present  considerations  in  its  support 
that  seem  to  be  conclusive.  The  Neronic  date  is 
supported  by  some  German  and  English  scholars, 
and  by  Stuart,  Macdonald,  Cowles,  and  Fisher.     B.] 

5.  Interpretation. — A  short  account  of  the  dif- 


SECTION  373.— THE  REVELATION  OF  JOEK 


Y15 


ferent  directions  in  which  attempts  have  been  made 
to  interpret  the  Revelation  is  all  that  can  be  given 
in  this  place.  The  interval  between  the  apostolic 
age  and  that  of  Constantine  has  been  called  the 
ChiJiasiic  period  of  Apocalyptic  interpretation.  The 
visions  of  John  were  chiefly  regarded  as  representa- 
tions of  general  Christian  truths,  scarcely  yet  em- 
bodied in  actual  facts,  for  the  most  part  to  be  exem- 
plified or  fulfilled  in  the  reign  of  Antichrist,  the 
coming  of  Christ,  the  Millennium,  and  the  Day  of 
Judgment.  The  fresh  hopes  of  the  early  Chris- 
tians, and  the  severe  persecution  they  endured, 
taught  them  to  live  in  those  future  events  with  in- 
tense satisfaction  and  comfort.  They  did  not  en- 
tertain the  thought  of  building  up  a  definite  con- 
secutive chronological  scheme  even  of  those  symbols 
which  some  moderns  regard  as  then  already  ful- 
filled ;  although  from  the  beginning  a  connection 
between  Rome  and  antichrist  was  universally  al- 
lowed, and  parts  of  the  Revelation  were  regarded 
as  the  filling-up  of  the  great  outline  sketched  by 
Daniel  and  Paul.  Immediately  after  the  triumph 
of  Constantine,  the  Christians,  emancipated  from 
oppression  and  persecution,  and  dominant  and  pros- 
pei'ous  in  their  turn,  began  to  lose  their  vivid  ex- 
pectation of  our  Lord's  speedy  advent  and  their 
spiritual  conception  of  his  kingdom,  and  to  look 
upon  the  temporal  supremacy  of  Christianity  as  a 
fulfillment  of  the  promised  reign  of  Christ  on  earth. 
The  Roman  empire,  become  Christian,  was  regarded 
no  longer  as  the  object  of  prophetic  denunciation, 
but  as  the  scene  of  a  millennial  development.  This 
view,  however,  was  soon  met  by  the  figurative  inter- 
pretation of  the  millennium,  as  the  reign  of  Christ 
in  the  hearts  of  all  true  believers.  As  the  barbar- 
ous and  heretical  invaders  of  the  falling  empire  ap- 
peared, they  were  regarded  by  the  suffering  Chris- 
tians as  fulfilling  the  woes  denounced  in  the  Reve- 
lation. In  the  da\vn  of  the  reformation,  the  views 
to  which  the  reputation  of  Abbot  Joachim  had  given 
currency  were  taken  up  by  the  harbingers  of  im- 
pending change,  as  by  Wycliffe  and  others ;  and  they 
became  the  foundation  of  that  great  historical  school 
of  interpretation  which  up  to  this  time  seems  the 
most  popular  of  all.  It  is  impossible  to  construct 
ar<  exact  classification  of  modern  interpreters  of  the 
Revelation.  They  are  generally  placed  in  three 
great  divisions:  1.  The  Historical  or  Continuous ex- 
positors,  in  whose  opinion  the  Revelation  is  a  pro- 
gressive history  of  the  fortunes  of  the  Church  from 
the  first  century  to  the  end  of  time.  2.  The  Prce- 
terist  expositors,  who  are  of  opinion  that  the  Revela- 
tion has  been  almost  or  altogether  fulfilled  in  the 
time  which  has  passed  since  it  was  written  :  that  it 
refers  principally  to  the  triumph  of  Christianity 
over  Judaism  and  Paganism,  signalized  in  the  down- 
fall of  Jerusalem  and  of  Rome.  This  is  the  favor- 
ite interpretation  with  the  critics  of  Germany.  3. 
The  Futurist  expositors,  whose  views  show  a  strong 
reaction  against  some  extravagances  of  the  two  pre- 
ceding schools.  They  believe  that  the  whole  book, 
excepting  perhaps  the  first  three  chapters,  refers 
principally,  if  not  exclusively,  to  events  which  are 
yet  to  come. 

Each  of  these  three  schemes  is  open  to  objec- 
tion. Against  the  Futurist  it  is  argued,  that  it  is 
not  consistent  with  the  repeated  declarations  of  a 
speedy  fulfillment  at  the  beginning  and  end  of  the 
book  itself  (see  ch.  1 :  3  ;  22  :  6,  7,  12,  20).  Chris- 
tians, to  whom  it  was  originally  addressed,  woiild 
have  derived  no  special  comfort  from  it,  had  its  ful- 


fillment been  altogether  deferred  for  so  many  cen- 
turies. The  rigidly  literal  interpretation  of  Baby- 
lon, the  Jewish  tribes,  and  other  symbols,  which 
generally  forms  a  part  of  Futurist  schemes,  presents 
peculiar  difficulties.  Against  the  Prseterist  exposi- 
tors it  is  urged  that  prophecies  fulfilled  ought  to  be 
rendered  so  perspicuous  to  the  general  sense  of  the 
Church  as  to  supply  an  argument  against  infidelity: 
that  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  having  occurred 
twenty-five  years  previoush',  could  not  occupy  a 
large  space  in  prophecy ;  that  the  supposed  predic- 
tions of  the  downfall  of  Jerusalem  and  of  Nero 
appear  from  the  context  to  refer  to  one  event,  but 
are  by  this  scheme  separated,  and  moreover  placed 
in  a  wrong  order ;  that  the  measuring  of  the  temple 
and  the  altar,  and  the  death  of  the  two  witnesses 
(ch.  11),  can  not  be  explained  consistently  with  the 
context.  Against  the  Historical  scheme  it  is  urged 
that  its  advocates  differ  very  widely  among  them- 
selves ;  that  they  assume  without  any  authority  that 
the  1,260  days  are  so  many  years  ;  that  several  of 
its  applications — e.  g.,  of  the  symbol  of  the  ten- 
horned  beasts  to  the  Popes,  and  the  sixth  seal  to 
the  conversion  of  Constantine  —  are  inconsistent 
with  the  context ;  that  attempts  by  some  of  this 
school  to  predict  future  events  by  the  help  of  the 
Revelation  have  ended  in  repeated  failures.  A  sug- 
gestion is  made,  or  rather  revived,  by  Dr.  Arnold  in 
his  Sermons  "  On  the  Interpretation  of  Prophecy  "  : 
that  we  should  bear  in  mind  that  predictions  have  a 
lower  historical  sense  as  well  as  a  higher  spiritual 
sense ;  that  there  may  be  more  than  one  typical, 
imperfect,  historical  fulfillment  of  a  prophecy,  in 
each  of  which  the  higher  spiritual  fulfillment  is 
shadowed  forth  more  or  less  distinctly.  The  recog- 
nition of  this  would  pave  the  way  for  the  acceptance 
in  a  modified  sense  of  many  of  the  interpretations 
of  the  historical  school,  and  would  not  exclude  the 
most  valuable  portions  of  the  other  schemes.     S. 

6.  The  Series  of  "  Sevens  "  mainly  Parallel,  not 
Consecutive. — Prominent  in  the  book  are  certain 
septenary  series.  One  of  these — that  of  the  seven 
thunders — is  not  declared,  but  "sealed  up,"  and, 
therefore,  not  to  be  interpreted.  But  the  four 
great  series  are  declared — viz.,  the  seven  churches 
addressed ;  seven  seals  broken ;  seven  trumpets 
blown  ;  seven  bowls  poured  out.  Does  each  series, 
taken  by  itself,  indicate  a  course  of  consecutive 
events  ?  And  do  the  various  series  follow  each 
other  in  a  direct  line  of  time,  so  as  to  form,  in  an- 
ticipation, a  continuous  history  of  the  Church  ? 
The  annals  of  Christendom  refuse  to  arrange  them- 
selves in  harmony  with  such  a  theory  of  the  Apoca- 
Ivpse.  It  has  been  attempted  to  assign  the  seven 
seals  to  Rome  Pagan,  the  seven  trumpets  to  Rome 
Christian,  and  the  seven  bowls  of  wrath  to  Rome 
antichristian.  It  has  been  held  that  the  seals  de- 
note the  overthrow  of  heathenism,  and  the  success 
of  the  Emperor  Constantine ;  that  the  trumpets  an- 
nounce the  irruption  of  the  northern  barbarians, 
and  the  ruin  of  the  Moslem  power ;  and  that  the 
bowls  of  wrath  began  to  be  poured  out  at  the 
French  revolution  in  the  end  of  the  last  century, 
and  are  being  poured  out  still.  But  it  is  a  vain  and 
desperate  attempt  to  lay  these  prophetic  series 
alongside  of  the  actual  annals  of  Europe.  The 
effort  to  arrange  such  history  in  three  or  four  grand 
divisions,  and  subdivide  into  twenty-one  or  twenty- 
eight  successive  epochs,  has  led,  on  the  one  hand, 
to  such  puerile  handling  of  Scripture,  and,  on  the 
other,  to  such  capricious  and  arbitrary  emphasizing 


716 


SECTION'  373.— THE  REVELATION  OF  JOHN. 


of  particular  events  and  dates,  as  is  positively  re- 
pulsive to  a  sober  and  reverent  mind.  Better  the 
most  vague  and  hazy  conception  of  the  contents  of 
this  Book,  if  accompanied  by  some  recognition  of 
its  poetic  grandeur,  than  a  prosaic  interpretation 
brought  about  by  fixing,  in  the  most  arbitrary  way, 
on  particular  passages  of  European  history,  slight- 
ing other  events  perhaps  quite  as  important  as 
those  which  are  selected,  and  passing  over  centuries 
in  silence. 

There  is  a  parallelism  between  some  of  the  series 
in  question  that  points  to  a  conclusion  quite  at  vari- 
ance with  the  theory  of  historic  continuity.  This  is 
particularly  obvious  in  the  case  of  the  series  of 
trumpets  as  compared  with  that  of  vials  or  bowls. 
They  go  over  the  same  course  of  events,  and  are 
synchronous,  not  successive.  The  latter  reiterates 
the  lessons  and  warnings  of  the  former,  according 
to  that  fashion  of  doubling  or  repeating  the  sense 
which  belongs  to  Hebrew  poetry,  proverb,  prophecy, 
and  dream.  Who  can  read  Old  Testament  prophecy 
and  psalm  without  being  struck  by  the  use  made  of 
refrain  and  iteration?  And  why  should  we  not  see 
in  the  duplicate  dreams  of  Joseph  and  of  Pharaoh, 
and  in  the  virtual  repetition  of  Nebuchadnezzar's 
dream  of  successive  empires  in  a  dream  of  Daniel, 
a  hint  of  the  manner  in  which  the  visions  of  John 
are  connected  together,  and  ought  to  be  interpreted  ? 
In  fact,  the  prophetic  movement  is  not  in  straight 
lines  from  one  date  to  another,  but  in  mighty  cy- 
cles or  wheels,  more  or  less  coincident;  and  one 
may  say  of  them  in  the  words  of  Ezekiel,  "  As  for 
the  rings,  they  were  so  high  that  they  were  dread- 
ful." But  it  is  not  meant  that  one  cycle  is  a  mere 
repetition  of  another.  There  is  eschatological  prog- 
ress. There  is  an  indication  of  growing  intensity 
of  good  and  of  evil.  The  tragic  element  especially 
becomes  more  prominent ;  and  with  increasing  se- 
verity, each  series  or  cycle  of  judgment  moves  the 
world  further  on  toward  the  last  judgment  in  the 
great  day  of  God.     D.  F. 

In  sorting  the  prophecies  of  Scripture  with  their 
events,  we  must  allow  for  that  latitude  which  is 
agreeable  and  familiar  unto  divine  prophecies,  be- 
ing of  the  nature  of  the  Author,  with  whom  "a 
thousand  years  are  but  as  one  day " ;  and,  there- 
fore, they  are  not  fulfilled  punctually  at  once, 
but  have  springing  and  germinant  accomplishment 
throughout  many  ages,  though  the  height  or  full- 
ness of  them  may  refer  to  some  one  age.     Bacon. 

We  may  be  honestly  persuaded  that  the  proper 

key  to  the  full  scientific  and  historical  understand- 
ing of  this  remarkable  book  has  not  yet  been  found, 
without  thereby  being  obliged  in  the  least  to  doubt 
its  divine  origin  and  high,  practical  value.  It  be- 
longs, in  fact,  to  the  nature  of  every  divine  prophe- 
cy to  unveil  itself  but  gradually,  and  to  be  fully  in- 
telligible only  in  the  light  of  its  fulfillment.  So  the 
prophetic  writings  of  the  Old  Testament  remained 
half  understood  or  misunderstood  till  the  appear- 
ance of  Christ ;  as  in  fact  the  whole  Old  Testament 
becomes  clear  only  in  the  New.  Nay,  even  the 
apostles  were  long  entangled  in  all  sorts  of  carnal 
prejudices.  It  was  only  by  degrees,  and  under  the 
special  guidance  of  their  Master,  that  they  rose  to  a 
deeper  spiritual  knowledge  of  the  Messianic  prom- 
ises. Nevertheless,  to  souls  anxiously  waiting  for 
the  salvation  of  Israel  these  prophecies,  though  in 
many  points  misapprehended,  were  an  inexhaustible 
source  of  spiritual  strength,  comfort,  and  refresh- 
ment.    Precisely  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  last 


strains  of  the  beloved  disciple,  in  which  at  the  close 
of  the  apostolic  age,  and  the  century  of  miracles, 
soaring  yet  once  more  on  eagle's  wings  to  behold  the 
eternal  triumph  of  his  divine  Master  and  the  gloiy 
of  the  bride  "  adorned  for  her  husband  "  on  the 
.  sanctified  earth,  he  bequeathed  to  the  church  mili- 
tant these  precious  visions  under  the  seal  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  as  a  cordial  for  all  her  hours  of  tempta- 
tion and  afiiiction.  As  such  the  Apocalypse  has  al- 
ready been  in  fact  of  the  most  valuable  service  to 
the  people  of  God ;  during  the  bloody  persecutions 
by  the  Roman  power  in  the  first  three  centuries ;  at 
the  descent  of  the  barbarian  hordes  amid  the  storms 
of  the  migration ;  under  the  conquests  of  Moham- 
medanism ;  and  in  every  heavy  calamity  and  perse- 
cution which  has  since  befallen  the  Church.  Hence 
also  its  significance  did  not  cease  with  the  dissolution 
of  the  old  Roman  heathenism,  any  more  than  did 
the  fulfillment  of  the  Old  Testament  prophecies  stop 
with  the  events  of  Jewish  history  to  which  they 
primarily  refer.  The  age  of  the  Ncronian  and  Domi- 
tianic  persecutions  is  not  the  goal,  but  only  the  his- 
torical starting-point  of  the  Apocalypse,  and  the 
basis  of  its  interpretation.  As  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  advances,  so  rises  also  the  empire  of  Anti- 
christ and  false  prophecy  in  ever  new  and  more 
dangerous  forms  ;  and  every  new  conflict  of  the  two 
and  every  new  victory  follows  the  same  general  laws, 
and  forms  a  new  and  higher  fulfillment  of  the  pro- 
phecy.    P.  S. 

v.  Of  Symbols.  Most  copious  and  varied  are 
the  Apocalyptic  symbols ;  and  they  must  be  care- 
fully studied,  and  consistently  and  soberly  inter- 
preted. There  are  symbols  in  numbers,  e.  g. :  4, 
the  number  of  the  earth,  or  mundane  space ;  4 
quarters,  4  winds,  etc.  7,  the  number  of  comple- 
tion and  of  rest.  Its  half,  3^,  is  the  sign  of  broken 
and  limited  operation  ;  but  when  a  divine  cycle  of 
creative  work  or  providential  government  is  indi- 
cated it  is  marked  by  Y.  The  sign  of  protracted 
labor,  never  reaching  rest,  is  666,  the  number  of  the 
wild  beast.  10,  the  number  of  the  world's  activity 
and  development.  Therefore,  both  in  the  Book  of 
Daniel  and  here,  a  world-power  has  10  horns.  12, 
the  number  of  Church  order  and  plenitude ;  12 
stars,  12  gates,  12  foundations,  12  apostles,  12  fruit 
harvests  from  the  tree  of  life.  From  10  and  12  are 
formed  greater  numbers,  1,000,  144,  and  144,000. 

There  are  symbols  in  colors,  e.  g. :  White,  denot- 
ing purity  (white  garments),  righteousness  (a  white 
throne),  joy  (a  white  cloud),  victory  (a  white  horse). 
Red,  for  bloodshed  and  war.  Purple,  for  imperial 
luxury  and  pomp.  Emerald  green,  for  patient,  win- 
ning grace.     Black,  for  calamity  and  distress. 

There  are  symbols  in  animated  forms :  The  zoa, 
composite  figures,  expressive  of  the  whole  life  in 
creation,  and  the  redemption  of  the  whole  creation 
to  God.  The  lamb,  a  symbol  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  he 
once  suffered,  and  is  now  enthroned.  The  eagle, 
indicating  swift  movements  in  the  region  of  thought 
and  opinion.  Horses,  representing  movements  on 
the  earth.  A  wild  beast,  a  cruel  trampling  power. 
Frogs,  unclean  spirits.  Locusts,  all  things  that 
waste  and  torment. 

There  are  symbols  in  the  elements  and  forces 
of  nature :  The  air,  the  sphere  of  life,  and  of  intel- 
lectual and  spiritual  influence.  The  earth,  the  place 
of  nations.  An  earthquake,  sudden  shaking  of  na- 
tions. The  sea,  human  society  tossed  and  troubled. 
A  cloud  is  the  chariot  of  divine  manifestation.  A 
storm  of  lightning  and  hail  denotes  a  great  crisis  or 


SECTION'  374.— REVELATION  1 : 1-20. 


717 


judgment.     These  are  only  examples  of  apocalyptic 
symbols. 

In  its  symbolism,  and  in  the  whole  tenor  of  its 
prophecy,  this  book  rests  on  visions  of  an  earlier 
date,  especially  those  imparted  to  Daniel,  Ezekiel, 
and  Zechariah.  It  is  vain  to  attempt  an  interpreta- 
tion of  it  without  considerable  familiarity  with  the 
Old  Testament,  for,  though  written  in  Greek,  the 
book  is  entirely  Hebrew  in  its  images  and  allusions. 


There  is  also  a  very  marked  connection  with  that 
prophecy  of  the  Master  Jesus  Christ  which  he 
poured  into  the  ears  of  his  disciples  on  the  Mount 
of  Olives.  In  particular,  there  is  the  same  scenic 
or  panoramic  combination  of  events  remote  from 
each  other,  but  having  the  same  character  and  in- 
tention. Two,  if  not  more,  horizons  of  judgment 
are  in  view  at  once,  the  nearer  a  foreshadow  of  the 
more  distant,     D.  F. 


Section  374. 

Eevelation  i.  1-20. 


1  The  Eevelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  whicli  God  gave  unto  him,  to  shew  unto  his  servants 
things  which  must  shortly  come  to  pass;  and  he  sent  and  signified  it  by  his  angel  unto  his 

2  servant  John :  who  bare  record  of  the  word  of  God,  and  of  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ, 

3  and  of  all  things  that  he  saw.  Blessed  is  he  that  readeth,  and  they  that  hear  the  words  of 
this  prophecy,  and  keep  those  things  which  are  written  therein  :  for  the  time  is  at  hand. 

4  Jomsr  to  the  seven  churches  which  are  in  Asia  :  Grace  te  unto  you,  and  peace,  from  him 
which  is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is  to  come ;  and  from  the  seven  Spirits  which  are  be- 

5  fore  his  throne ;  and  from  Jesus  Christ,  wlio  is  the  faithful  witness,  and  the  firstbegotten  of 
the  dead,  and  the  prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth.     Unto  him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us 

6  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his  Fa- 

7  ther;  to  him  ie  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen.  Behold,  he  cometh  with 
clouds ;  and  every  eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  also  which  pierced  him  :  and  all  kindreds  of 

8  the  earth  shall  wail  because  of  him.  Even  so,  Amen.  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  begin- 
ning and  the  ending,  saith  the  Lord,  which  is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is  to  come,  the 
Almighty. 

9  I  John,  who  also  am  your  brother,  and  companion  in  tribulation,  and  in  the  kingdom  and 
patience  of  Jesus  Christ,  was  in  the  isle  that  is  called  Patmos,  for  the  word  of  God,  and 

10  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ.     I  was  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  heard  behind 

11  me  a  great  voice,  as  of  a  trumpet,  saying,  I  am  Alpha  and  Omegn,  the  first  and  the  last: 
and.  What  thou  seest,  write  in  a  book,  and  send  it  unto  the  seven  churches  which  are  in 
Asia;  unto  Ephesus,  and  unto  Smyrna,  and  unto  Pergamos,  and  unto  Thyatira,  and  unto 

12  Sardis,  and  unto  Philadelphia,  and  unto  Laodicea.     And  I  turned  to  see  the  voice  that  spake 

13  with  me.  And  being  turned,  I  saw  seven  golden  candlesticks;  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
seven  candlesticks  one  like  unto  the  Son  of  man,  clothed  witli  a  garment  down  to  the  foot, 

14  and  girt  about  the  paps  with  a  golden  girdle.     His  head  and  his  hairs  were  white  like  wool, 

15  as  white  as  snow;  and  his  eyes  icere  as  a  flame  of  fire;  and  his  feet  like  unto  fine  brass,  as 

16  if  they  burned  in  a  furnace;  and  his  voice  as  the  sound  of  many  waters.  And  he  had  in 
his  right  hand  seven  stars :  and  out  of  his  mouth  went  a  sharp  two-edged  sword :  and  his 

17  countenance  teas  as  the  sun  shineth  in  his  strength.  And  when  I  saw  him,  I  fell  at  his  feet 
as  dead.     And  he  laid  his  right  hand  upon  me,  saying  unto  me,  Fear  not ;  I  am  the  first  and 

18  the  last:  lam  he  that  liveth,  and  was  dead;  and,  behold,  I  am  alive  for  evermore.  Amen; 

19  and  have  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death.     Write  the  things  which  thou  hast  seen,  and  the 

20  things  which  are,  and  the  things  which  shall  be  hereafter ;  the  mystery  of  the  seven  stars 
which  thou  sawest  in  my  right  hand,  and  the  seven  golden  candlesticks.  The  seven  stars 
are  the  angels  of  the  seven  churches:  and  the  seven  candlesticks  which  thou  sawest  are  the 
seven  churches. 


Evert  blessing  that  belongs  to  our  inheritance  centers  in  this  great  truth,  that  he  "  who  was  dead  "  is 
now  "  alive  for  evermore."  In  him  newly  born,  we  in  him  die,  rise,  and  ascend ;  our  life  is  the  reflection 
of  his ;  if  spiritually  quickened  by  him,  we  too,  like  him,  are  even  now,  and  hereafter  are  destined  yet 
more  gloriously  to  be,  "alive  for  evermore"!     "For  evermore"  !     Words  easily  uttered,  but  in  compre- 


718 


SECTION  Slit.— REVELATION  1 : 1-20. 


hension  vaster  than  human  thought  can  grasp,  till  man,  entering  upon  eternity,  shall  rise  to  faculties  JBitted 
for  the  scene  !  "  For  evermore  "  :  for  an  existence  to  which  the  age  of  the  earth,  of  the  starry  heavens 
of  the  whole  vast  universe,  is  less  than  a  morning  dream ;  for  a  life  which,  after  the  reiteration  of  millions 
of  centuries,  shall  begin  the  endless  race  with  the  freshness  of  infancy,  and  all  the  eagerness  that  wel- 
comes enjoyments  ever  new.  The  blight  of  all  our  earthly  pleasures  is  decay ;  our  suns  have  scarcely 
risen  when  they  set ;  we  have  but  just  persuaded  ourselves  that  we  are  happy  when  the  happiness  is  van- 
ished. Pining  after  something  that  will  endure,  we  are  not  to  be  for  ever  disappointed.  Born  for  eternity, 
eternity  shall  surely  be  ours.  But  oh !  agony  insufferable,  if  the  eternal  life  of  Christ — the  Christian's 
warrant  of  justification,  of  sanctity,  of  happiness — be  but  the  guarantee  of  a  death  as  everlasting  as  his 
everlasting  life. 

The  time  shall  come — we  know  not  when,  we  know  not  how — but  come  it  shall,  when  every  deathless 
spirit  shall  awake  to  the  world  of  deathless  retribution,  and  each  shall  utter  for  himself  the  words  of 
Christ :  "  Behold,  /  am  alive  for  evermore  ! "  How  such  words  shall  be  uttered,  with  the  anguish  of  an- 
ticipated woe,  with  the  remembrance  of  years  misspent,  warnings  despised,  opportunities  neglected,  or 
with  the  blessed  recollection  of  faith  unwavering  amid  a  hostile  world,  of  tempers  meek  and  loving  in 
despite  of  all  its  bitterness,  of  temptations  met  and  vanquished,  of  services  that,  never  indeed  sufficient, 
were  still  sincere — those  humble  but  rapturous  recollections  that  in  their  fearful  joy  are  bright  already 
with  the  glory  they  herald :  lohich  shall  be  our  destiny  when  that  long-promised  morn  shall  have  dawned, 
as  under  God  it  lies  with  ourselves,  may  God  in  his  mercy  enable  us  wisely  to  resolve !     W.  A.  B, 


1 .  "  The  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ  which  God 
gave  unto  him,  to  show  unto  his  servants  the  things 
which  must  come  to  pass,"  is  a  repetition  and  a 
particular  application  of  that  assui-ance  on  which 
all  the  gospel  rests,  "  7  have  given  unto  them  the 
words  ivhich  thou  gavesf  7ne."  Even  the  visible  dis- 
covery of  this  fact  is  not  withheld.  If  Paul,  as  the 
great  expositor  of  the  present  spiritual  life,  had 
seen  Jesus  Christ  himself,  and  received  immediately 
from  the  Lord  that  which  he  had  delivered  unto 
men,  so  John,  as  the  prophet  of  the  things  to 
come,  saw  the  well-remembered  form  again,  sur- 
rounded with  the  symbols  of  majesty  and  judgment, 
and  looked  upon  his  countenance,  now  like  the  sun 
shining  in  his  strength,  and  heard  his  voice  as  the 
sound  of  many  waters.  Thus  the  continuity  of  the 
line  of  prophecy  within  the  canonical  books  is  made 
as  clear  as  that  of  the  line  of  doctrine ;  both  com- 
mencing in  the  words  of  Jesus  in  the  flesh,  both  per- 
fected by  the  words  of  Jesus  in  the  Spirit.     T.  D.  B. 

The  truth  brought  into  the  world  by  the  Son  does 

not  consist  of  new  metaphysical  ideas  about  God,  but 
rather  of  the  revelation  of  his  Father  character. 
To  make  this  revelation,  it  was  sufficient  for  Jesus 
to  reveal  himself  as  the  Son ;  for  to  prove  himself 
Son  is  to  teach  the  world  what  it  never  would  have 
suspected — that  God  is  essentially  a  Father.  And  if 
he  is  Father  in  his  inmost  essence,  and  in  virtue  of 
an  eternal  relation,  how  could  his  relations  to  his 
creatures  fail  to  have  also  a  paternal  character  ? 
Such  is  the  new  explanation  which  the  Son  has  given 
of  the  divine  being,  and  which  he  alone  as  the  Son 
could  give.  It  is  the  initiation  of  the  earth  into  the 
deepest  secret  of  heaven :  God  is  from  all  eternity 
Father — that  is  to  say,  love.     Godet. 

4.  The  seven  churches  of  Asia.  Tlie 
^^  Asia^^  of  the  New  Testament  is  not  the  continent 
of  Asia  nor  "  Asia  Minor,"  but  a  Roman  province 
which  embraced  the  western  part  of  the  peninsula 
of  Asia  Minor,  and  of  which  Ephesus  was  the  capi- 
tal. It  was  a  senatorial  province,  and  was  governed 
by  a  proconsul.  Among  its  many  important  cities 
were  those  of  the  Seven  Churches  of  the  Apocalypse. 
It  included  the  territory  subdivided  into  Mysia, 
Lydia,  and  Caria.     It  is  referred  to  in  Acts  2:9; 


6:9;  19  :  26 ;  and  1  Pet.  1  :  1.  Note  the  position  of 
the  Seven  Churches  on  map,  page  91.     B. 

Grace  unto  you  and  peace.  This  opening 
salutation  may  fitly  remind  us  (for  in  reading  the 
Apocalypse  we  are  often  in  danger  of  forgetting  it) 
that  the  book  is  an  Epistle,  that  besides  containing 
within  its  bosom  those  seven  briefer  Epistles  ad- 
dressed severally  to  the  Seven  Churches  in  particu- 
lar, it  is  itself  an  Epistle  addressed  to  them  as  a 
whole,  and  as  representing  in  their  mystic  unity  all 
the  Churches,  or  the  Church. 

By  "^Ae  seven  Spi7'its"  we  must  understand,  not 
indeed  the  sevenfold  operations  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
but  the  Holy  Ghost  sevenfold  in  his  operations; 
"  that  doth  his  sevenfold  gifts  impart."  He  is  re- 
garded here  not  so  much  in  his  personal  unity  as  in 
his  manifold  energies ;  just  as  light,  being  one,  does 
yet  in  the  prism  separate  itself  into  its  seven  colors ; 
for  "there  are  diversities  of  gifts,  but  the  same 
Spirit"  (1  Cor.  12  :  4).  The  manifold  gifts,  opera- 
tions, energies  of  the  Holy  Ghost  are  here  repre- 
sented under  the  number  seven,  being,  as  it  is,  the 
number  of  completeness  in  the  Church.  We  have 
anticipations  of  this  in  the  Old  Testament. 

5.  Christ  is  indeed  ^Uhe  first  begotten  of  the 
dead,''^  notwithstanding  that  such  raisings  from  the 
grave  as  that  of  the  widow's  son,  and  Jairus's  daugh- 
ter, and  Lazarus,  and  his  who  revived  at  the  touch 
of  Elisha's  bones  (2  K.  13  :  21),  went  before. 
None  of  them  could  be  truly  said  to  be  "begotten 
from  the  dead,"  but  rather  begotten  to  die  again ; 
for  to  be  born  and  begotten  from  the  dead  includes 
an  everlasting  freedom  from  the  power  and  ap- 
proach of  death. 

"  Unto  him  that  hath  loved  us,  and  washed  us 
from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood.^^  The  words  are 
richer  still  in  comfort,  when  we  read,  as  we  ought, 
"  ITnto  him  that  loves  us,"  whose  love  rests  evermore 
on  his  redeemed.  T. This  is  the  current  phrase- 
ology of  the  Scriptures.  It  is  the  burden  of  proph- 
ecy. It  pervades  and  vitalizes  the  whole  Levitical 
ritual.     It  is  the  constant  teaching  of  the  Redeemer 


SECTION  374.— REVELATION  1 : 1-20. 


719 


himself.  It  is  the  harmonious,  joyful  testimony  of 
the  apostles,  it  is  the  sublime  song  of  the  re- 
deemed in  heaven.  All,  all  concur  in  declaring  that 
Christ  died  to  redeem  his  people  from  the  curse  of 
the  law,  and  make  them  kings  and  priests  unto  God 
his  Father.     H.  A.  B. 

There  is  no  such  thing  as  age  in  his  sacrifice ; 
centuries  can  not  give  antiquity  to  his  atonement ; 
time  can  not  wear  out  its  virtues.  His  blood  is  as 
precious  now  as  when  it  first  was  shed,  and  the 
fountain  for  sin  and  uncleanness  flows  with  a  stream 
as  full  and  purifying  as  when  first  it  was  opened. 
And  how?  Simply  because  by  his  intercession  he 
perpetuates  his  sacrifice ;  and  his  ofi'ering,  though 
not  repeated  on  earth,  is  incessantly  presented  in 
heaven.  It  was  enough  that  he  should  once  die  to 
make  atonement,  seeing  he  ever  lives  to  make  inter- 
cession. He  is  now  carrying  on  in  heaven  the  very 
office  and  work  which  he  commenced  when  upon 
earth ;  and,  though  there  is  no  visible  altar  and  no 
literal  sacrifice,  no  endurance  of  anguish  and  no 
shedding  of  blood,  yet  still  he  presents  vividly  and 
energetically  the  marks  of  his  passion,  and  the  effect 
is  the  same  as  though  he  died  daily,  and  acted  over 
again  and  again  the  scene  of  his  tremendous  con- 
flict with  "  the  powers  of  darkness."     E.  M. 

6.  "  To  kirn  be  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and 
ever.  Amen."  A  fuller  doxology,  being  three- 
fold, occurs  4  :  9,  11 ;  and  a  fuller  yet,  being  four- 

i^         fold,  at  5  :  13  :  and  the  fullest  of  all,  the  sevenfold 
i  doxology,  at  7  :  12.     A  study  of  these  would  serve 

to  remind  us  of  the  prominence  which  the  doxologi- 
cal  element  assumes  in  the  highest  worship  of  the 
Church,  the  very  subordinate  place  which  it  often- 
times takes  in  ours.  We  can  make  our  requests 
known  unto  God,  and  this  is  well,  for  it  is  prayer ; 
but  to  give  glory  to  God,  quite  apart  from  anything 
to  be  directly  gotten  by  ourselves  in  return,  to  thank 
God  for  his  great  glory,  this  is  better,  for  it  is  ado- 
ration ;  but,  if  better,  it  is  rarer  as  well.     T. 

7.  The  book,  being  entitled  the  Unveiling  of 
Jesus  Christ,  opens  with  this  announcement  of  his 
appearing :  "  Behold  he  cometh  with  clouds,  and 
every  eye  shall  see  him  ;  and  whosoever  they  were 
that  pierced  him ;  and  all  tribes  of  the  earth  shall 
wail  because  of  him."  We  seem  to  hear  again  the 
words  of  our  Lord  in  that  great  prophecy  which  he 
pronounced  while  he  sat  on  the  Mount  of  Olives  a 
day  or  two  before  his  death — a  prophecy  which  un- 
derlies much  of  the  phraseology  of  this  book : 
"  Then  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  in 
heaven ;  and  then  shall  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth 
mourn,  and  they  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  coming 
in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and  great  glory  " 

(Mat.  24  :  30).  D.  F. Shall  wail.    These  words 

set  forth  the  despair  of  the  sinful  world,  of  "  all 
the  tribes  of  the  earth,"  when  Christ  the  Judge 


shall  come  to  execute  judgment  on  all  that  obeyed 
not  his  gospel,  who  pierced  him  with  their  sins; 
they  describe  their  remorse  and  despair,  but  give  no 
hint  of  their  repentance.  The  closing  words,  "£ven 
so,  Amen,"  are  to  be  taken  as  God's  own  seal  and 

ratification  of  his  own  word.     T. The  crucifiers 

of  every  age  and  nation  shall  shrink  in  horror  and 
dread  before  the  blaze  of  his  advent  glory !  In 
that  fearful  hour,  how  happy,  beyond  all  that  thought 
can  conceive  or  words  declare,  for  those  who,  fa- 
miliar with  the  cross,  can  look  upon  it,  not  as  the 
symbol  of  the  sorrow  and  shame  they  have  willingly 
inflicted,  but  as  the  symbol  of  sufferings  in  which 
they  were  willingly  united  ivlth  their  Master,  with 
him  crucified,  that  they  may  be  with  him  glorified, 
his  blessed  associates  in  the  bliss  unspeakable  of 
his  own  immortal  kingdom !     W.  A.  B. 

9.  The  kingdom  and  patience  of  Jesns 
Christ.  Kingdom  and  patience  !  as  if  in  Jesua 
Christ  were  made  compatible  authority  and  suffer- 
ing, the  impassive  throne  of  a  monarch  and  the 
meek  subjection  of  a  cross,  the  reigning  power  of  a 
prince  and  the  mild  endurance  of  a  lamb.  What 
more  striking  paradox  !  And  yet  in  this  you  have 
exactly  that  which  is  the  prime  distinction  of  Chris- 
tianity. It  is  a  kingdom  erected  by  patience.  It 
reigns  in  virtue  of  submission.  Its  victory  and 
dominion  are  the  fruits  of  a  most  peculiar  and  sin- 
gular endurance.  By  this  I  mean  not  the  reward, 
but  the  proper  results  or  effects  of  endurance. 
Christ  reigns  over  human  souls  and  in  them,  erect- 
ing there  his  spiritual  kingdom,  not  by  force  of  will 
exerted  in  any  way,  but  through  his  most  sublime 
passivity  in  yielding  himself  to  the  wrongs  and  the 
malice  of  his  adversaries.  And  with  him,  in  this 
most  remarkable  peculiarity,  all  disciples  are  called 
to  be  partakers  ;  even  as  the  apostle  in  his  exile  at 
Patmos  writes  :  "  I  John,  who  also  am  your  brother 
and  companion  in  tribulation,  and  in  the  kingdom 
and  patience  of  Jesus."    H.  B. 

Patmos.  One  of  the  group  called  the  Spora- 
des,  lying  twenty-four  miles  off  the  coast  of  Asia 
Minor,  southwest  of  Ephesus.  It  is  now  called 
Patino,  and  is  about  twenty-five  miles  in  circum- 
ference, and  has  only  about  six  hundred  inhabi- 
tants.    D.  F. "  I  John  was,"  or  rather  "  became 

a  dweller,"  "  in  the  isle  that  is  called  Patmos  for  the 
word  of  God  and  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ." 
He  stood  on  the  heights  of  Patmos  in  the  center  of 
a  world  of  his  own.  The  island,  then  probably  less 
inhabited  than  now,  was  almost  a  solitude.  "  He 
was  in  the  Spirit,"  withdrawn  from  earthly  things, 
like  Moses  on  Sinai,  or  Elijah  on  Carmel.  But  the 
view  from  the  topmost  peak,  or,  indeed,  from  any 
lofty  elevation  in  the  island,  unfolds  an  unusual 
sweep,  such  as  well  became  the  "  Apocalypse,"  the 
"  unveiling  "  of  the  future  to  the  eyes  of  the  solitary 
seer.  It  was  "  a  great  and  high  mountain,"  whence 
he  could  see  things  to  come.  Above,  there  was  al- 
ways the  broad  heaven  of  a  Grecian  sky ;  some- 
times bright,  with  its  "  white  cloud,"  sometimes 


720 


SECTION  37^.— REVELATION  1  : 1-20. 


torn  with  "  lightnings  and  thunderings,"  and  dark- 
ened by  "  great  hail,"  or  cheered  with  "  a  rainbow 
like  unto  an  emerald."  Over  the  high  tops  of 
Icaria,  Samos,  and  Naxos  rise  the  mountains  of 
Asia  Minor,  among  which  would  lie,  to  the  north, 
the  circle  of  the  Seven  Churches  to  which  his  ad- 
dresses were  to  be  sent.  Around  him  stood  the 
mountains  and  islands  of  the  archipelago — "  every 
mountain  aud  island  shall  be  moved  out  of  their 
places  "  ;  "  every  island  fled  away,  and  the  moun- 
tains were  not  found."    When  he  looked  around, 


above  or  below,  "  the  sea  "  would  always  occupy  the 
foremost  place.  He  saw  "  the  things  that  arc  in 
the  heavens  and  in  the  earth  and  in  the  sea."  The 
angel  was  " not  to  hurt  the  earth  or  the  sea"  nor 
"  to  blow  on  the  earth  or  on  the  sea."  "  A  great 
mountain,"  like  that  of  the  volcanic  Thera,  "  as  it 
were  burning  with  fire,"  was  "  to  be  cast  into  the 
sea."  The  angel  was  to  stand  with  "  his  right  foot 
upon  the  sea,  and  his  left  foot  on  the  earth  "  ;  "  the 
vial  was  to  be  poured  out  upon  the  sea  "  ;  the  voices 
of  heaven  were  like  the  sound  of  the  waves  beating 


Patmos. 


on  the  shore,  as  "  the  sound  of  many  waters " ; 
"  the  millstone  was  cast  into  the  sea "  ;  "  the  sea 
was  to  give  up  the  dead  which  were  in  it "  ;  and  the 
time  would  come  when  this  wall  of  his  imprison- 
ment, which  girdled  round  the  desolate  island, 
should  have  ceased  ;  "  there  shall  be  no  more  sea." 
Such  was  the  scene  of  the  Apocalypse,  varied, 
doubtless,  by  other  images  drawn  from  the  pro- 
phetic books  of  the  older  Scriptures,  and  from  the 
report  or  the  actual  sight  of  the  great  cities  of  the 
earth.  We  understand  the  Apocalypse  better  for 
having  seen  Patmos.  But  we  can  understand  the 
Gospel  and  Epistles  of  John  as  well  in  England  as 
in  Patmos  or  Ephcsus,  or  even  in  his  own  native 
Palestine.     A.  P.  S. 

10.  On  the  Liord's  day.  Though  the  name, 
"  the  Lord's  day"  probably  had  here  its  rise,  the 
thing,  the  celebration  of  the  first  day  of  the  week 
as  that  on  which  the  Lord  brake  the  bands  of  death 
and  became  the  head  of  a  new  creation,  was  as  old 
as  Christianity  itself.  T. — — The  Jewish  Sabbath 
was  partly  of  political  institution  and  partly  of 
moral  obligation.  So  far  as  it  was  a  political  ap- 
pointment, designed  to  preserve  the  Jews  distinct 
from  other  nations,  it  is  abrogated ;  so  far  as  it  was 
of  moral  obligation,  it  remains  in  force.  Our  Lord 
evidently  designed  to  relax  the  strictness  of  the  ob- 
servance. Christianity  is  not  a  hedge  placed  round 
a  peculiar  people.  A  slave  might  enter  into  the 
spirit  of  Christianity,  though  obliged  to  work  as  a 
slave  on  the  Sabbath  ;  he  might  be  "  in  the  Spirit 
on  the  Lord's  day,"  though  in  the  mines  of  Patmos. 
Cecil. 

11.  These  seven  words  of  warning  and  encour- 
agement so  penetrated  to  the  heart  of  things  that. 


meeting  the  needs  of  these  seven  Churches,  they 
also  met  the  needs  of  all  others  subsisting  in  simi- 
lar or  nearly  similar  conditions.  Typical  and  rep- 
resentative Churches,  these  embodied,  one  or  an- 
other of  them,  I  will  not  say  all  the  great  leading 
aspects  of  the  Church  in  its  faithfulness  or  its  un- 
faithfulness, but  they  embodied  a  great  many,  the 
broadest  and  the  oftenest  recurring.  The  seven 
must  in  this  point  of  view  be  regarded  as  constitut- 
ing a  complex  whole,  as  possessing  an  ideal  com- 
pleteness.    T. 

13.  AVhat  the  apostle  saw  was  not  seven  can-. 
dlesticks,  which  are  a  modern  piece  of  furniture, 
but  seven  lamps.  There  is  a  distinct  reference  in 
this,  as  in  all  the  symbols  of  the  Apocalypse,  to  the 
Old  Testament.  We  know  that  in  the  Jewish  Tem- 
ple there  stood,  as  an  emblem  of  Israel's  work  in 
the  world,  the  great  seven  -  branched  candlestick 
burning  for  ever  before  the  veil  and  beyond  the 
altar.  The  difference  between  the  two  symbols  is 
as  obvious  as  their  resemblance.  The  ancient  lamp 
had  all  the  seven  bowls  spring  from  a  single  stem. 
It  was  a  formal  unity.  The  New  Testament  seer 
saw  not  one  lamp  with  seven  arms  rising  from  one 
pillar,  but  seven  distinct  lamps — the  emblems  of  a 
unity  which  was  not  formal,  but  real.  They  were 
one  in  their  perfect  manifoldness,  because  of  him 
who  walked  in  the  midst.  In  which  difference  lies 
a  representation  of  one  great  clement  in  the  superi- 
ority of  the  Church  over  Israel,  that  for  the  hard 
material  oneness  of  the  separated  nation  there  has 
come  the  true  spiritual  oneness  of  the  Churches  of 
the  saints,  one  not  because  of  any  external  connec- 
tion, but,  by  reason  that  Christ  is  in  them.  The 
seven-branched   lamp   lies   at  the   bottom   of    the 


SECTION  37Jt.— REVELATION  1 : 1-30. 


721 


Tiber.  There  let  it  lie.  We  have  a  better  thing, 
in  these  manifold  lights,  which  stand  before  the 
Throne  of  the  New  Temple,  and  blend  into  one, 
because  lighted  from  one  Source,  fed  by  one  Spirit, 
tended  and  watched  by  one  Lord.     A.  M. 

The  Jewish  Church  was  one,  for  it  was  the 
Church  of  a  single  people;  the  Christian  Church, 
that  too  is  one,  but  it  is  also  man_y — at  once  the 
"  Church "  and  the  "  Churches."  These  may  be 
quite  independent  of  one  another,  the  only  bond  of 
union  with  one  another  which  they  absolutely  re- 
quire being  that  of  common  dependence  on  the 
same  head,  and  derivation  of  life  from  the  same 
spirit,  and  are  fitly  represented  by  seven,  the  num- 
ber of  mystical  completeness.  In  the  image  itself 
by  which  the  churches  are  symbolized  there  is  an 
eminent  fitness.  The  candlestick,  or  lampstand,  as 
we  must  rather  conceive  it  here,  is  not  light,  but  it 
is  the  bearer  of  light,  that  which  diffuses  it,  that 
which  holds  it  forth  and  causes  it  to  shine  through- 
out the  house,  being  the  appointed  instrument  for 
this.  It  is  thus  with  the  Church.  God's  word, 
God's  truth,  including  in  this  all  which  he  has  de- 
clared of  himself  in  revealed  religion,  is  light ;  the 
Church  is  the  light-bearer,  light  in  the  Lord  (Eph. 

5  :  8),  not  having  light  of  its  own,  but  diffusing  that 
which  it  receives  of  him.  Each  too  of  the  faithful 
in  particular,  after  he  has  been  illuminated  (Heb. 

6  :  4),  is  a  bearer  of  the  light ;  "lights  in  the  world, 
holding  forth  the  word  of  life"  (Phil.  2  :  15).     T. 

13-16.  With  the  Hebrew  symbolism  the  first 
necessity  is  that  the  symbol  should  set  forth  truly 
and  fully  the  religious  idea  of  which  it  is  intended 
to  be  the  vehicle.  Thus  the  New  Jerusalem  "  lieth 
foursquare ;  the  length  and  the  breadth  and  the 
height  of  it  are  equal  "  (21  :  16).  A  city,  constitut- 
ing thus  a  perfect  cube,  is  simply  inconceivable  to 
us  ;  but  the  divine  seer  did  not  care  that  we  should 
conceive  it ;  he  was  only  careful  to  express  the  fact 
that  this  was  a  city  which  should  never  be  moved. 
In  this  as  in  so  many  other  cases,  how  the  idea  would 
appear  when  it  clothed  itself  in  an  outward  form 
and  shape,  whether  it  could  clothe  itself  in  this  at 
all,  and,  if  it  could,  whether  it  would  find  favor  and 
allowance  at  the  bar  of  taste,  as  satisfying  the  con- 
ditions of  beauty,  this  was  quite  a  secondary  consid- 
eration. Nay,  we  may  affirm  that  this  was  not  a 
consideration  at  all ;  for  indeed,  with  the  one  excep- 
tion of  the  cherubim,  there  was  no  intention  that 
the  symbol  should  embody  itself  outwardly,  but 
rather  that  it  should  remain  ever  and  only  a  purely 
mental  conception,  the  unembodied  sign  of  an  idea ; 
— I  may  observe,  by  the  way,  that  no  skill  of  deline- 
ation can  make  the  cherubim  themselves  other  than 
unsightly  objects  to  the  eye.  Thus  in  this  present 
description  of  Christ,  sublime  and  majestic  as  it  is 
beyond  all  conception  of  ours,  it  is  only  such  so  long 
as  we  keep  it  wholly  apart  from  any  external  em- 
bodiment.    T. It  was  a  "  mystery  "  full  of  voice, 

full  of  light;  and  he  who  filled  it  was  girt  in  the 
robe  and  golden  zone  of  divine  beauty  and  graceful- 
ness. It  was  full  of  voice  for  teaching,  and  of  liffht 
for  illumination;  and  the  garment  which  was  girt 
there  was  as  a  vesture  of  righteousness,  zoned  with 
truth.  Its  voice  was  as  "  many  waters  "  for  sound- 
ing forth,  and  as  "  a  two-edged  sword  "  for  piercing ; 
its  light  was  as  a  flame  of  fire  for  searching,  and  as 
the  sun  in  his  strength  for  shedding  perfect  day ; 
and  its  garment  was  as  holiness  for  an  enrobing 
glory,  and  as  truth  for  a  girdle  of  gracious  beauty. 
Such  was  the  wondrous  symbol  in  its  dress :  one  like 

46 


unto  the  son  of  man,  standing  in  the  midst  of  seven 
golden  candlesticks,  and  holding  in  his  hand  seven 
shining  stars :  more  glorious  in  array  than  words 
could  describe,  and  more  powerful  for  operation 
than  thought  could  conceive.  What,  then,  was  the 
symbol  in  its  signification  ?  Not  Christ's  flesh  and 
blood  commingled  and  co-united  with  the  bodies  and 
souls  of  individual  Christians,  effecting  thus  a  per- 
petual and  living  incarnation  of  himself ;  but  Christ, 
showing  his  relation  to  his  light-bearing  churches, 
and  to  those  true  ministers  whom  he  upholds  with 
his  right  hand,  and  who,  as  starry  lights,  catch  and 
cast  forth  through  his  churches  upon  the  world  his 
own  glorious  effulgence  of  saving  truth  and  life, 
"The  seven  stars,"  said  the  interpreting  form,  in 
the  very  idiom  of  Christ's  native  tongue  as  he  spake 
on  earth — "  the  seven  stars  are  (represent)  the  angels 
of  the  seven  churches ;  and  the  seven  candlesticks 
are  (represent)  the  seven  churches."  This,  then, 
was  not  Christ  incarnate  in  a  darkly  incomprehensi- 
ble symbol ;  but  it  was  the  most  gorgeously  lumi- 
nous symbol  ever  conceived  of  Christ  and  his 
churches ;  of  Christ  upholding  his  true  ministers 
with  his  right  hand ;  speaking  through  them  his 
two-edged  word  of  life,  in  sounds  terribly  piercing 
to  the  sinner,  and  affectingly  solemn  to  the  saint ; 
and  casting,  through  them  on  the  churches,  and 
through  the  churches  on  the  wide  world,  the  efful- 
gent daylight  of  his  own  saving  truth.  This  was 
"  the  mystery,"  the  meaning,  of  the  symbol.  It  was 
a  mystery,  not  because  it  was  incomprehensible,  but 
because  it  was  rich  in  a  meaning  designed  to  be  un- 
derstood, and  luminously  intelligible  the  moment  the 
word  of  interpretation  was  spoken. 

In  this  symbolic  mystery,  Christ  sets  forth  to  all 
ages  the  relation  which  he  holds  to  his  Church,  as 
one  whole,  composed  of  many  branches ;  exhibiting 
himself  as  the  source  and  upholder  of  its  ministry, 
the  source  and  dispenser  of  its  light ;  its  centrally 
supreme  and  governing  head,  directing  its  move- 
ments in  the  divinely  merciful  work  of  slaying  sin, 
and  of  spreading  both  the  light  of  truth  and  the 
garment  of  holiness  over  all  the  earth.  And  this 
relation  of  Christ  to  his  Church,  this  agency  of  Christ 
through  his  Church,  must  become  more  and  more 
perfectly  apprehended  and  appreciated.  His  Church 
must  carry  less  and  less  of  the  darkness  of  super- 
stitious mystery,  and  more  and  more  of  the  light  of 
evangelic  mystery ;  till  finally,  what  was  represented 
to  the  lesser  Asia  by  the  mystic  circle  of  the  seven 
golden  candlesticks,  with  their  accompanying  seven 
shining  stars,  shall  have  widened  and  thrown  its 
circumference  around  the  globe ;  becoming  thus  the 
one  Church  of  all  lands,  and,  with  its  numberless 
stellar  angels,  making  universal  the  light  both  of 
the  knowledge  and  of  the  love  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord.     J.  S.  S. 

13.  The  beloved  Apostle  by  this  "  like  unto  the 
Son  of  man  "  would  imply  that  in  this  sublime  appari- 
tion he  recognized  him  whom  he  had  once  known 
on  earth,  the  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary  ;  who  even 
then  had  claimed  to  be  executor  of  all  judgment, 
because  he  was  the  Son  of  man.  14.  His  eyes 
as  a  flame  of  fire.  The  words  do  not  say  merely 
that  nothing  can  escape  his  searching,  penetrative 
glance ;  they  express  the  indignation  of  the  Holy 
One  at  the  discoveries  of  evil  which  he  thus  makes. 
These  "  en/es  of  fire ''^  do  not  merely  ?oo A-  through 
the  hypocrite  and  the  sinner,  but  cons^mie  him,  him 
and  his  sins  together — unless  indeed  he  will  suffer 
them  to  consume  his  sins,  that  so  he  may  live.    For 


m 


SECTION  374.— REVELATION  1 : 1-20. 


indeed  in  the  symbolism  of  Scripture  fire  is  through- 
out the  expression  of  the  divine  anger  ;  and,  seeing 
that  nothing  moves  that  anger  but  sin,  of  the  divine 
anger  against  sin.  15.  "  His  feet  like  unto  fine 
brass,  as  if  they  burned  in  a  furnace."  This  grand 
and  terrible  image  sets  forth  to  us  Christ  in  his 
power  to  tread  down  his  enemies ;  at  once  to  tread 
down  and  to  consume  them.     T. 

16.  He  it  is  who  holds  the  stars  in  his  right 
hand,  and  walks  among  the  candlesticks.  That 
strong  grasp  of  that  mighty  hand — for  the  word  in 
the  original  conveys  more  than  "  holds,"  it  implies 
a  tight  and  powerful  grip — sustains  and  guards  his 
servants,  whose  tasks  need  special  grace,  and  whose 
position  exposes  them  to  special  dangers.  They 
may  be  of  good  cheer,  for  none  shall  pluck  them 
out  of  his  hand.  That  strengthening  and  watch- 
ful presence  moves  among  bis  churches,  and  is  ac- 
tive on  their  behalf.  The  symbols  are  but  the  pic- 
torial equivalent  of  his  own  parting  promise,  "  Lo, 
I  am  with  you  always  !  "     A.  M. 

1 7.  Though  John  was  in  the  Spirit  when  he  had 
the  vision  of  Christ,  yet  it  made  him  fall  at  his  feet 
as  dead  ;  and  also  turned  Daniel's  beauty  into  cor- 
ruption, it  was  so  glorious  and  so  overweighing  a 
glory  that  he  appeared  in.  But  we  shall  at  the  day 
of  our  resurrection  be  so  furnished  that  we  shall 
with  the  eagle  be  able  to  look  upon  the  sun  in 
his  strength.  We  shall  then  "  see  him  as  he  is," 
who  now  is  in  the  light  that  no  eye  hath  seen,  nor 
any  man  can  see  till  that  day.     Bun. 

The  very  majesty  of  his  celestial  state,  far  from 
forming  a  ground  of  separation,  seems  made  the 
ground  of  consolation  and  confidence  to  his  poor 
disciples ;  when  John  sank  in  lifeless  terror  before 
the  apparition  of  his  glorified  Master,  the  divine 
visitant  did  not  abridge  the  splendors  of  his  pres- 
ence, but  gave  the  disciple  strength  to  endure  them  ; 
to  allay  the  shrinking  apostle's  fears.  He  did  not 
speak  of  past  humiliation,  but  of  present  glory. 
He  did  not  diminish,  but  assert,  the  full  magnificence 
of  his  claims,  and  fixed  them  as  the  basis  of  a  high 
and  holy  trust.     "  JPear  not  !    I  am  the  First  and 

the  Last !  "     W.  A.  B. This  prerogative  is  three 

times  claimed  for  the  Lord  Jehovah  in  Isaiah  ;  and 
in  like  manner  three  times  in  this  Book.  It  is 
the  expression  of  absolute  Godhead :  "  I  am  the 
first  and  the  last,  and  beside  me  there  is  no  God  " 
(Isai.  44:  6).  He  is  from  eternity  to  eternity,  so 
that  there  is  no  room  for  any  other.  All  creation 
comes  forth  from  him,  and  returns  to  him  again, 
as  from  whom  and  by  whom  and  to  whom  are  all 
things.     T. 

18.  "I  am  he  that  liveth."  That  word, 
"  liveth,"  is  a  word  of  continuous,  perpetual  life.  It 
describes  the  eternal  existence  which  has  no  begin- 
ning and  no  end ;  which,  considered  in  its  purity 
and  perfectness,  has  no  present  and  no  past,  but 


one  eternal  and  unbroken  present — one  eternal  now. 
It  is  the  "  I  am  "  of  the  Jehovah  who  spoke  to  Clo- 
ses. "  He  that  liveth  "  is  the  Living  One ;  he  whose 
life  is  the  Life  complete  in  itself,  and  including  all 
other  lives  within  itself.  Those  years  shut  in  out 
of  the  eternities  between  the  birth  and  tlie  ascen- 
sion, that  resurrection  opening  the  prospect  of  that 
life  which  never  was  to  end — these  are  the  never- 
failing  interpretation  to  the  man  who  believes  in 
them  of  the  temporal  and  eternal  in  his  own  expe- 
rience. Christ  comes  and  puts  his  essential  life 
into  our  human  form.  In  that  form  he  claims  the 
truest  brotherhood  with  us.  He  shares  our  lot. 
He  binds  his  life  with  ours  so  that  they  can  never 
be  separated.  What  he  is,  we  must  be ;  what  we 
are,  he  must  be  for  ever.  By  the  cross  of  love,  he, 
entering  into  our  death,  takes  us  completely  into  his 
life.  And  when  he  had  done  all  this  he  rose.  Out 
of  his  tomb,  standing  there  among  human  tombs, 
he  comes,  and  lo,  before  him  there  rolls  on  the  un- 
broken endlessness  of  being.  And  not  before  him 
alone — before  those  also  whom  he  had  taken  so 
completely  to  himself.  His  resurrection  makes  our 
resurrection  sure.  Our  earthly  life,  like  his,  be- 
comes an  episode,  a  short,  special,  temporary  thing, 
when  it  is  seen  like  his  against  an  immortality. 
P.  B. 

It  is  the  mystery  of  redemption  that  establishes 
a  truth  so  astounding  as  that  man  is  to  live  for 
ever  by  placing  it  in  a  subordinate  position  to  the 
still  more  amazing  truth  of  the  union  of  the  divine 
and  human  natures  in  the  person  of  the  Mediator. 
Our  Lord,  in  his  private  conversations  with  his  dis- 
ciples, avails  himself  of  the  stores  of  tropical  ex- 
pression for  the  purpose  of  fixing  in  their  minds 
the  belief  of  an  intimate  and  indissoluble  union  be- 
tween themselves  and  him.  The  Author  of  Immor- 
tality, resplendent  in  his  title  as  "  Prince  of  Life," 
"  the  Living  One,"  he  who  "  has  life  in  himself," 
who  is  abstractedly  "the  Life  and  the  Light  of 
Men,"  and  is  "  alive  for  evermore  " ;  and  "  the  same 
yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever  " ;  the  possessor  of 
all  duration,  "  whose  goings  forth  have  been  from 
everlasting ;  whose  name  is  Father  of  Eternity  "  ; 
he  who  thus  draws  to  himself  all  honors  as  Foun- 
tain of  Existence,  sums  up  every  other  assurance, 
when  ho  tells  his  followers  that,  "  because  he  lives, 
THEY  SHALL  LIVE  ALSO,"  as  if  formally  to  pledge  his 
own  immortality  for  theirs ;  or,  as  if  they  might 
fear  extinction,  when  he,  the  Lord  of  Life,  should 
be  no  more.     I.  T. 

18.  ^^And  have  the  keys  of  hell  and  of  dcatJi."  We 
should  read  rather  "  0/  death  and  of  hell"  for  so  all 
the  best  manuscripts  and  versions  have  it.  In  the 
natural  and  logical  order  it  is  death  which  peoples 
hell  or  hades ;  it  is  a  king  Death  who  makes  pos- 
sible a  kingdom  of  the  dead  (6:8;  20  :  13,  14) ;  for 
by  "^c/Z"  or  hades  this  invisible  kingdom  or  domin- 


SECTION  375.— REVELATION  2  : 1-11. 


723 


ion  of  the  dead  is  intended,  and  that  in  all  its  extent, 
not  merely  in  one  dark  province  of  it,  the  region 
assigned  to  the  lost.  All  who  have  thoughtfully 
compared  our  version  with  the  original  must  regret 
that  the  one  word  "hell"  covers  in  it  two  words  so 
different  in  meaning  as  hades  and  gehcnna^  the  first 
"  Sheol,"  the  gathering-place  of  all  departed  souls 
(Prov.  27  :  20),  the  second  the  lake  of  fire  of  this 
book  (19  :  20 ;  20  :  10),  the  final  abode  of  the  lost. 
All  must  lament  the  manifold  confusions  which  out 
of  this  have  arisen;  the  practical  loss,  indeed, 
among  our  people  of  any  doctrine  about  hades  at 
all.  The  relations  of  hades  to  gehenna,  and  also 
to  paradise,  are  well  put  in  this  extract  from  Jeremy 
Taylor  :  "  The  word  hades  signifies  indefinitely  the 
state  of  separation,  whether  blessed  or  accursed ;  it 
means  only  '  the  invisible  place,'  whither  whoso 
descends   shall   be  no  more  seen. ,  Paradisus   and 

gshenna  are  the  distinct  states  of  hades."     T. 

Hades  is  the  world  unseen,  which  has  its  door  or 
portal  by  which  men  enter  into  it.  Death  is  the 
departure  from  the  seen  world,  which  seen  world 
has  its  door  of  exit  by  which  men  pass  out  of  it. 
Hence  death  is  called,  in  two  or  three  passages  of 
Scripture,  exodus,  or  going  out.  Peter  speaks  of  his 
exodus,  or  death  ;  and  Moses  and  Elias,  at  the  Trans- 
figuration, talk  with  the  Lord  on  the  subject  of  his 
exodus  ;  a  word  which  our  translators  have  rendered 
decease.  There  are  many  doors  or  avenues  by  which 
men  pass  out  of  this  life,  none  of  which  can  be 
opened  except  by  the  key  which  the  risen  Son  of 
God  holds  in  his  hand.     E.  M.  G. 

He  abolished  death ;  he  destroyed  ^lim  that  had 
the  power  of  death  ;  he  was  the  destruction  of  the 


grave ;  he  hath  finished  sin,  and  made  an  end  of  it ; 
he  hath  vanquished  the  curse  of  the  law,  nailed  it  to 
his  cross,  triumphed  over  them  upon  his  cross,  and 
made  a  show  of  these  things  openly.  Yea,  and 
even  now,  as  a  sign  of  his  triumph  and  conquest,  he 
is  alive  from  the  dead,  and  hath  the  keys  of  death 

and  hell  in  his  own  keeping.     Bun. Stand  still 

now  in  spirit,  and  think  that  the  door  is  unclosing 
for  thee,  and  that  the  great  things  of  eternity  are 
about  to  be  revealed  to  thy  apprehension.  A  solemn 
moment !  Flesh  and  blood  thrill  with  awe  and  fear, 
like  the  apostles  at  the  Transfiguration,  as  they 
enter  into  the  cloud.  But  if  thou  art  a  sincere  be- 
liever and  follower  of  Christ,  he  is  here,  and  the 
light  of  his  countenance  shall  stream  in  upon  thine 
eye,  and  the  divine  music  of  those  words  shall  break 
upon  thine  ear :  "  I,  the  Good  Shepherd,  the  Rock 
of  Ages,  the  Man  who  drunk  to  the  dregs  of  the  cup 
of  death,  I,  the  Resurrection  and  the  Life,  even  I 
have  the  keys  of  hell  and  death."     E.  M.  G. 

19.  John  is  commanded  to  write:  the  things 
which  he  had  seen,  i.  e.,  the  vision  given  to  him  of 
the  Son  of  man ;  the  things  which  are,  i.  e.,  wonders 
in  heaven ;  and  the  things  which  shall  be  hereafter, 
i.  e.,  future  judgments,  defeats,  and  victories.    D.  F. 

This  vision  is  the  natural  introduction  to  all 

that  follows,  and  indeed  defines  the  main  purpose  of 
the  whole  book,  inasmuch  as  it  shows  us  Christ  sus- 
taining, directing,  dwelling  in  his  Churches.  We  are 
thus  led  to  expect  that  the  remainder  of  the  proph- 
ecy shall  have  the  Church  of  Christ  for  its  chief 
subject,  and  that  the  politics  of  the  world,  and  the 
mutations  of  nations,  shall  come  into  view  mainly 
in  their  bearing  upon  that.     A.  M. 


Section  375. 


Revelation  ii.  1-11. 


1  Unto  the  angel  of  the  church  of  Ephesus  write ;  These  things  saith  he  that  holdeth  the 
seven  stars  in  his  right  hand,  who  walketh  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  golden  candlesticks ; 

2  I  know  thy  works,  and  thy  labour,  and  thy  patience,  and  how  thou  canst  not  bear  them 
which  are  evil :  and  thou  hast  tried  them  which  say  they  are  apostles,  and  are  not,  and  hast 

3  found  them  liars  :  and  hast  borne,  and  hast  patience,  and  for  my  name's  sake  hast  laboured, 

4  and  hast  not  fainted.     Nevertheless  I  have  somewhat  against  thee,  because  thou  hast  left 

5  thj  first  love.  Eemeraber  therefore  from  whence  thou  art  fallen,  and  repent,  and  do  the 
first  works ;  or  else  I  will  come  unto  thee  quickly,  and  will  remove  thy  candlestick  out  of 

6  his  place,  except  thou  repent.    But  this  thou  hast,  that  thou  hatest  the  deeds  of  the  Nicolai- 

7  tanes,  which  I  also  hate.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the 
churches ;  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which  is  io  the 
midst  of  the  paradise  of  God. 

8  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Smyrna  write  ;  These  things  saith  the  first  and  the 

9  last,  which  was  dead,  and  is  alive ;  I  know  thy  works,  and  tribulation,  and  poverty,  (hut 
thou  art  rich)  and  /  know  the  blasphemy  of  them  which  say  they  are  Jews,  and  are  not, 

10  but  are  the  synagogue  of  Satan.  Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou  shalt  suffer:  be- 
hold, the  devil  shall  cast  some  of  you  into  prison,  that  ye  may  be  tried ;  and  ye  shall  have 
tribulation  ten  days :  be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life. 

11  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches;  He  that  over- 
cometh shall  not  be  hurt  of  the  second  death. 


724 


SECTION  375.— REVELATION  2  : 1-11. 


What  Christian  is  there  who  does  not  feel  pierced  through  by  the  words,  "  I  have  somewhat  against 
thee,  because  thou  hast  left  thy  first  love  "  ?  Sometimes  we  are  uplifted  by  high- wrought  feelings  till  no 
service  seems  too  hard,  no  self-denial  too  severe  ;  our  resolution  appears  sufficient  for  a  repetition  of  all 
previous  trials  and  many  besides  them.  In  the  warmth  and  earnestness  of  our  feelings  old  temptations 
fall  off  like  a  garment,  and  we  are  more  disposed  to  wonder  that  we  were  ever  enslaved  than  to  fear  that 
we  shall  be  enslaved  again.  Selfishness,  impurity,  cowardice,  falsehood,  indolence — these  seem  impossible 
thenceforward  for  ever.  And  then  comes  the  languor  which  is  almost  sure  to  follow ;  the  return  to  our 
ordinary  ways  and  habits ;  the  gathering  of  old  temptations  with  new  ones  added ;  the  discovery  that 
these  high  impulses  have  not  made,  after  all,  any  great  difference  in  our  character ;  the  want  of  delight  in 
worship,  public  or  private  ;  the  loss  of  keen  sensibility  of  conscience.  Resolutions  once  made  with  great 
fervor  seem  the  fruit  of  mere  excitement.  And  so  we  are  in  danger  of  being  untrue  to  our  first  love; 
because  when  we  come  into  this  world  our  eyes  are  not  strong  enough  to  pierce  below  the  surface  and  see 
the  truth  of  God  behind  the  unreality  of  things,  and  our  memory  is  not  able  to  retain  the  impression  of 
our  purer  and  better  moments.  We  must  not  allow  ourselves  to  be  cast  down,  nor  to  despair  because  our 
hearts  seem  colder  at  one  time  than  at  another.  The  test  of  the  cold  heart  is  the  yielding  to  sin ;  and, 
if  we  are  clinging  to  Him  and  to  his  will,  we  may  be  quite  sure  that  what  we  take  for  coldness  of  heart  is 
a  trial,  not  a  treason.  It  is  not  inconstancy  to  our  first  love  that  we  are  not  so  passionate  as  we  were,  if 
we  have  not  given  our  hearts  to  any  other  love  or  swerved  from  the  duties  which  love  imposes.  The  will 
does  not  really  lose  its  strength  to  obey  because  the  hour  for  feeling  is  past  and  the  hour  for  real  obe- 
dience has  come.  The  power  to  serve  is  still  left,  though  the  service  no  longer  seems  easy  or  delightful : 
and  the  knowledge  to  serve  remains  behind  as  well  as  the  power.     F.  T. 


Seven  Churches  are  selected  in  the  province  of 
Asia,  where  the  apostle  John,  in  his  later  years, 
wielded  a  patriarchal  influence.  These  were  not  all 
the  Churches  in  the  province,  but  seven  are  taken  to 
represent  the  whole  visible  Church ;  and  such  seven, 
as  in  their  diversities  of  faithfulness  and  unfaith- 
fulness, zeal  and  lethargy,  give  opportunity  for  the 
most  various  counsels,  reproofs,  and  promises  with 
a  view  to  the  profit  of  the  Church  in  all  time  com- 
ing.    D.  F. Here,  as  everywhere,  the  word  of 

God  and  the  history  of  the  apostolic  Church  evince 
their  applicability  to  all  times  and  circumstances, 
and  their  inexhaustible  fullness  of  instruction, 
warning,   and    encouragement    for   all   states   and 

stages  of  religious  life.     P.  S. What  notable 

contrasts  do  these  seven  offer — a  Church  face  to 
face  with  danger  and  death  (Smyrna),  and  a  Church 
at  ease,  settling  down  upon  its  lees  (Sardis) ;  a 
Church  with  abundant  means  and  loud  profession, 
yet  doing  little  or  nothing  for  the  furtherance  of  the 
truth  (Laodicea),  and  a  Church  with  little  strength 
and  small  opportunities,  yet  accomplishing  a  mighty 
work  for  Christ  (Philadelphia) ;  a  Church  intolerant 
of  doctrinal  error,  yet  too  much  lacking  that  love 
toward  its  Lord  for  which  nothing  else  is  a  substi- 
tute (Ephesus),  and  over  against  this  a  Church  not 
careful  nor  zealous,  as  it  ought  to  be,  for  doctrinal 
purity,  but  diligent  in  works  and  ministries  of  love 
(Thyatira) ;  or,  to  review  these  same  Churches  from 
another  point  of  view,  a  Church  in  conflict  with 
heathen  libertinism,  the  sinful  freedom  of  the  flesh 
(Ephesus),  and  a  Church  or  Churches  in  conflict  with 
Jewish  superstition,  the  sinful  bondage  of  the  spirit 
(Pergamos,  Philadelphia) ;  or,  for  the  indolence  of 
man  a  more  perilous  case  than  either.  Churches  with 
no  vigorous  forms  of  opposition  to  the  truth  in  the 
midst  of  them,  to  brace  their  energies  and  to  cause 
them,  in  the  act  of  defending  the  imperiled  truth, 
to  know  it  better  and  to  love  it  more  (Sardis,  Lao- 
dicea). These  Churches  are  more  or  less  representa- 
tive Churches,  having  been  selected  because  they  are 
so;  the  great  Head  of  the   Church  contemplates 


them  for  the  time  being  as  symbolic  of  his  univer- 
sal Church,  implying  as  much  in  that  mystic  seven, 
and  giving  many  other  indications  of  the  same. 

The  seven  Epistles  are  all  constructed  precisely 
on  the  same  model.  They  every  one  of  them  con- 
tain :  1.  A  command  in  exactly  the  same  form  to 
the  seer  that  he  should  write  to  the  Angel  of  the 
Church.  2.  One  or  more  glorious  titles  which  Christ 
claims  for  himself,  as  exalting  the  dignity  of  his 
person,  and  thus  adding  weight  and  authority  to  the 
message  which  he  sends ;  these  titles  being  in  al- 
most every  case  drawn  more  or  less  evidently  from 
the  attributes  ascribed  to  him,  or  claimed  by  him, 
in  the  manifestation  of  himself  which  has  just  gone 
before  (1  :  4-20).  3.  The  actual  message  from 
Christ  to  the  Angel  of  the  Church,  declaring  his  in- 
timate knowledge  of  its  condition,  good,  or  bad,  or 
mixed,  with  a  summons  to  steadfastness  in  the  good, 
to  repentance  from  the  evil — all  this  brought  home 
by  the  fact  that  he  was  walking  up  and  down  in  the 
midst  of  his  Churches,  in  readiness  to  punish  and 
in  readiness  to  reward.  4.  A  promise  to  the  faith- 
ful, to  him  that  should  overcome — the  heavenly 
blessedness  being  presented  under  the  richest  va- 
riety of  the  most  attractive  and  often  the  most 
original  images.  There  is  not  one  of  these  prom- 
ises which  does  not  look  on  to,  and  perhaps  first  find 
its  full  explanation  in,  some  later  portion  of  the 
book.  5.  Finally,  the  whole  is  summed  up  with  an 
exhortation  which  shall  give  a  universal  character 
to  these  particular  addresses,  a  summons  to  every  one 
with  a  spiritual  ear  that  he  should  give  earnest  heed 
to  the  things  which  were  indeed  spoken  to  all.  In* 
the  addresses  to  the  four  last  Churches  the  position 
of  4  and  5  is  reversed.  ...  It  is  recorded  of  the 
admirable  Bengel  that  it  was  his  wont  above  all 
things  to  recommend  the  study  of  these  Epistles  to 
youthful  ministers  of  Christ's  word  and  sacraments. 
And  indeed  to  them  they  are  full  of  teaching,  of 
the  most  solemn  warning,  of  the  strongest  en- 
couragement. 

1.  Ephesus,  the  chief  city  of  Ionia,  "light  of 


SECTION  375.— REVELATION  2  : 1-11. 


725 


Asia,"  as  the  Ephesians  themselves  styled  it,  assert- 
ing in  this  style  that  primacy  for  Ephesus  which 
Smyrna  and  Pergamos  disputed  with  it,  had  now  so 
far  outstripped  both  its  competitors  that  it  was  at 
once  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  center  of  that "  Asia  " 
with  which  we  have  to  do.  Wealthy,  prosperous, 
and  magnificent,  a  meeting-place  of  oriental  re- 
ligions and  Greek  culture,  and  famous  on  many 
grounds  in  heathen  antiquity,  it  was  most  famous 
of  all  for  the  celebrated  temple  of  Diana,  one  of  the 
seven  wonders  of  the  world,  about  which  we  read  so 
much,  Acts  19  (read  pages  135,  136).  But  Ephe- 
sus had  better  titles  of  honor  than  these.  It  was  a 
city  greatly  favored  of  God.  Paul  labored  there 
during  three  years ;  Timothy,  Aquila,  Priscilla,  Apol- 
los,  Tychicus,  all  contributed  to  build  up  the  Church 
in  that  city.  And,  if  we  may  judge  from  Paul's 
Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  and  from  his  parting  ad- 
dress to  the  elders  of  that  Church,  nowhere  did  the 
word  of  the  gospel  find  a  kindlier  soil,  strike  root 
more  deeply,  or  bear  fairer  fruits  of  faith  and  love. 
John  too  had  made  it  the  chief  seat  of  his  ministry 
during  the  closing  years  of  his  protracted  life ;  from 
whence  he  exercised  a  wide  jurisdiction  over  the 
whole  of  "  Ada.''''  From  a  church  to  which  so  much 
was  given  much  would  be  required. 

Who  walketh.  The  seer  had  indeed  already 
beheld  the  Lord  "  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  candle- 
sticks" but  not  "  tocdking "  in  their  midst.  The 
word  expresses  the  unwearied  activity  of  Christ  in 
his  Church,  moving  up  and  down  in  the  midst  of  it ; 
beholding  the  evil  and  the  good ;  evermore  trim- 
ming and  feeding  with  oil  of  grace  the  golden  lamps 
of  the  sanctuai-y. 

3.  The  original  as  it  stands  in  the  best  critical 
editions  :  "  And  hast  patience^  and  didst  bear  for  my 
name's  sake,  and  hast  not  grown  weary'''  The  Lord 
here  praises  the  angel  and  in  him  the  Church  at 
Ephesus,  that  he  and  it  had  borne  the  burden  and 
heat  of  a  long  day's  toil  without  fainting  or  waxing 
weary. 

4.  On  the  question,  whe)i  the  Apocalypse  was 
given,  we  have  a  certain  amount  of  implicit  evidence 
here,  in  this  reproach  with  which  the  Lord  re- 
proaches the  Ephesian  Angel ;  such  as  has  its  value 
in  confirming  the  ecclesiastical  tradition  which  places 
it  in  the  reign  of  Domitian,  as  against  the  more  mod- 
ern view  which  gives  the  reign  of  Nero  as  the  date 
of  the  composition  of  this  book.  It  has  been  well  ob- 
served that  in  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Church  of  Ephe- 
sus there  are  no  signs,  nor  even  presentiments,  of 
this  approaching  spiritual  declension  with  which  the 
great  Searcher  of  hearts  upbraids  it  here.  Writing 
to  no  Church  does  he  treat  of  higher  spiritual  mys- 
teries. There  is  no  word  of  blame  in  the  Epistle, 
no  word  indicating  dissatisfaction  with  the  spiritual 
condition  of  his  Ephesian  converts.  He  warns  them, 
indeed,  in  his  parting  charge  given  at  Miletus,  against 
dangers  threatening  them  at  once  from  within  and 
from  without  (Acts  20  :  29,  30) ;  but  no  word  indi- 
cates that  they  by  any  fault  of  theirs  were  laying 
themselves  open  to  these.  Those  who  place  the 
Apocalypse  in  the  reign  of  Nero  hardly  allow  ten 
years  between  that  condition  and  this — too  brief  a 
period  for  so  vast  and  lamentable  a  change.  It  is 
inconceivable  that  there  should  have  been  such  a 
letting-go  of  first  love  in  so  brief  a  time.  Place 
the  Apocalypse  under  Domitian,  and  thirty  years 
will  have  elapsed  since  Paul  wrote  his  Epistle  to 
Ephesus.  The  outlines  of  the  truth  are  still  pre- 
served ;  but  the  truth  itself  is  not  for  a  second  gen- 


eration what  it  was  for  the  first.  The  latter  has  the 
same  watchwords  as  had  the  earlier,  but  they  do  not 
rouse  as  they  did  once.  The  virtue  which  they  once 
had  has  gone  from  them.  Apparently  there  is  no- 
thing changed ;  while  in  fact  everything  is  changed. 
How  often  has  something  of  this  kind  repeated  it- 
self in  the  Church  !     T. 

Left  thy  first  love.  No  evil  is  more  marked 
among  the  Christian  Churches  of  this  day  than  pre- 
cisely the  absence  of  this  "  spirit  of  burning."  There 
is  plenty  of  liberality  and  effort,  there  is  much  in- 
terest in  religious  questions,  there  is  genial  tolerance 
and  wide  culture,  there  is  a  high  standard  of  mo- 
rality, and,  on  the  whole,  a  tolerable  adherence  to  it 
— but  there  is  little  love  and  little  fervor.  Where 
is  that  Spirit  which  was  poured  out  on  Pentecost  ? 
Where  are  the  cloven  tongues  of  fire,  where  the 
flame  which  Christ  died  to  light  up  ?  Where  ?  The 
question  is  not  difiicult  to  answer.  His  promise  re- 
mains faithful.  He  does  send  the  Spirit,  who  is 
fire.  But  our  sin,  our  negligence,  and  our  eager  ab- 
sorption with  worldly  cares,  and  our  withdrawal  of 
mind  and  heart  from  the  patient  contemplation  of 
his  truth,  have  gone  far  to  quench  the  Spirit.  Is  it 
not  so  ?  Are  our  souls  on  fire  with  the  love  of  God, 
aglow  with  the  ardor  caught  from  Christ's  love  ? 

A.  M. The  real  object  of  the  subsequent  life,  as 

a  struggle  of  experience,  is  to  make  a  fixed  state  of 
that  which  was  initiated  only  as  a  love.  It  is  to 
convert  a  heavenly  impulse  into  a  heavenly  habit. 
It  is  to  raise  the  Christian  childhood  into  a  Christian 
manhood — to  make  the  first  love  a  second  or  com- 
pleted love ;  or,  what  is  the  same,  to  fulfill  the  first 
love,  and  give  it  a  pervading  fullness  in  the  soul ; 
such  that  the  whole  man  shall  be  for  ever  rested, 
immovably  grounded  in  it.     H.  B. 

5.  '■'■  And  repent,  and  do  the  first  works.'''  Christ 
does  not  say  "  Feel  thy  first  feelings  " — that  per- 
haps would  have  been  impossible,  and  even  if  possi- 
ble, might  have  had  but  little  value  in  it — but  "  Bo 
the  first  works,"  such  as  thou  didst  in  the  time  of 
thy  first  devotedness  and  zeal.  Not  the  quantity, 
but  the  quality,  of  the  works  was  now  other  and 
worse  than  once  it  had  been.  Will  remove  thy 
candlestick.  The  removing  of  the  candlestick 
from  a  place  implies  the  entire  departure  of  Christ's 
grace,  of  his  Church  with  all  its  blessings,  from 
that  spot,  with  the  transfer  of  it  to  another  ;  for  it 
is  removal  of  the  candlestick,  not  extinction  of  the 
candle,  which  is  threatened  here  —  judgment  for 
some,  but  that  very  judgment  the  occasion  of  mercy 
for  others.  And  so  it  has  proved.  The  candle- 
stick  has  been  removed,  but  the  candle  has  not 
been  quenched  ;  and  what  the  East  has  lost  the  West 
has  gained.  How  awful  for  Ephesus  the  fulfillment 
of  the  threat  has  been  every  modern  traveler  who 
has  visited  the  ruins  of  that  once  famous  city  has 
borne  witness.     T. 


726 


SECTION  375.— REVELATION  2  : 1-11. 


Forgetfulness  makes  us  as  if  things  had  never 
been ;  and  so  takes  away  from  the  soul  one  great 
means  of  stay,  support,  and  encouragement.  When 
choice  David  was  dejected,  the  remembrance  of  the 
hill  Hermon  was  his  stay ;  when  he  was  to  go  out 
against  Goliath,  the  remembrance  of  the  lion  and 
the  bear  was  his  support ;  so  when  those  that  have 
had  the  power  of  the  things  of  God  upon  them  can 
think  of  this  when  they  are  withdrawn,  it  will  have 
some  kind  of  operation  upon  the  soul.  And  there- 
fore you  shall  find  that  the  recovering  of  a  back- 
slider usually  begins  at  the  remembrance  of  for- 
mer things.  "Remember  from  whence  thou  art 
fallen,  and  repent  and  do  thy  first  works."     Bun. 

6.  "  But  this  thou  hast,  (hat  thou  hatest  the  deeds 
of  the  Nicolaitans,  which  I  also  hate."  Very  beauti- 
ful is  the  tenderness  of  the  Lord  in  thus  bringing 
forward  a  second  time  some  good  thing  which  he 
had  found  at  Ephesus. 

7,  "  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  ivhat  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the  Churches.''^  These  words  recur 
in  all  the  Epistles ;  with  only  this  difference,  that  in 
the  former  three  they  occur  before,  in  the  latter  four 
after,  the  final  promise.  That  in  every  case  the 
words  usher  in,  or  commend,  truths  of  the  deepest 
concernment  to  all,  we  gather  from  a  comparison 
of  the  passages,  all  of  them  of  deepest  significance, 
where  the  same  summons  to  attention  recurs  (Mat. 
11  :  15;  13  :  9,  43;  Mark  7  :  16;  Rev.  13  :  9);  so 
that  Irving  has  perfect  right  when  he  affirms,  "  This 
form  always  is  used  of  radical,  and  as  it  were  gen- 
erative, truths,  great  principles,  most  precious  prom- 


Bmyrna. 

ises,  most  deep  fetches  from  the  secrets  of  God, 
being  as  it  were  eyes  of  truth,  seeds  and  kernels  of 
knowledge."  These  words  proclaim  to  us  that  they 
are  matters  of  weightiest  concernment  to  the  whole 
Church  of  God,  which  Christ  is  uttering  here. 


"  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  cat  of  the 
tree  of  life,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of 
God.''^  It  is  deeply  interesting  and  instructive  to 
observe  how  in  this,  and  probably  in  every  other 
case,  the  character  of  the  promise  corresponds  to 
the  character  of  the  faithfulness  displayed.  They 
who  have  abstained  from  the  idol  meats,  from  the 
sinful  dainties  of  the  flesh  and  world,  shall,  in  re- 
turn, "  eat  of  the  tree  of  life  "  /  or,  as  it  is  in  the 
Epistle  to  Pergamos,  "  of  the  hidden  manna  "  (2  : 
17).  They  who  have  not  feared  those  who  can  kill 
the  body  only,  who  have  given,  where  need  was,  their 
bodies  to  the  flame,  shall  not  be  hurt  by  the  second 
death  (2:11).  They  whom  the  world  has  not  van- 
quished shall  have  dominion  over  the  world  (2  :  2(3, 
27).  They  who  keep  their  garments  here  undefiled 
shall  be  clad  in  the  white  and  shining  garments  of 
immortality  there  (3  :  4,  6).  They  who  overcome 
Jewish  pretensions  (and  the  earnest  warnings  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  show  us  that  this  for  some 
was  not  done  without  the  hardest  struggle)  shall  be 
made  free,  not  of  an  earthly  but  of  a  heavenly  Jeru- 
salem (3  :  12).  The  only  Church  in  which  any  dif- 
ficulty occurs  in  tracing  the  correlation  between  the 
form  of  the  victory  and  the  form  of  the  reward  is 
the  last. 

Paradise.  We  may  trace  the  word  through 
an  ascending  scale  of  meanings.  From  any  garden 
of  dehght,  which  is  its  first  meaning,  it  comes  to  be 
predominantly  applied  to  the  garden  of  Eden,  then 
to  the  resting-place  (in  the  invisible  world)  of  sepa- 
rate souls  in  joy  and  felicity,  and  lastly,  to  thcA'ery 
heaven  itself;   and  we 

.^^^ see  eminently  in  it  what 

we  see  indeed  in  so  many 
words,  how  revealed  re- 
ligion assumes  them  in- 
to her  service,  and 
makes  them  vehicles  of 
far  higher  truth  than 
any  which  they  knew  at 
first,  transforming  and 
transfiguring  them,  as 
in  this  case,  from  glory 
to  glory.     T. 

8.  The  next  in  or- 
der to  Ephesus  of  the 
Seven  Churches  is  Smyr- 
na; the  next  not  only 
in  the  spiritual  order 
here,  but  in  the  natu- 
ral as  well,  lying  as  it 
does  a  little  to  the  north  of  that  city.  Smyrna 
was  one  of  the  fairest  and  noblest  cities  of  Ionia. 
This  Church  must  have  been  founded  at  a  very  early 
date,  though  there  is  no  mention  of  it  either  in  the 
Acts  or  the  Epistles  of  Paul.     T. Smyrna  was 


SECTION  376.— REVELATION  2  :  12-29. 


727 


considered,  in  the  time  of  the  apostles,  the  second 
city  of  Asia*  Ephesus  holding  the  first  rank.  One 
of  its  early  bishops  was  Polycarp,  who  had  been 
the  disciple  of  John.  Like  Ephesus,  it  was  ru- 
ined in  the  Turkish  invasion,  yet  its  admirable 
situation  for  commerce  revived  it,  and  it  is  now 
large  and  opulent.  The  Apostolic  Church  in  Smyr- 
na seems  to  have  been  harassed  by  the  insults  of 
the  Jews,  the  original  persecutors,  who  retained 
their  hostility  and  even  their  power  long  after  the 
fall  of  their  city.      Croly. 

9.  These  words  constitute  a  very  beautiful  pa- 
renthesis, declaring  as  they  do  the  judgment  of 
Heaven  concerning  this  Church  of  Smyrna  as  con- 
tradistinguished from  the  judgment  of  earth.  Men 
saw  nothing  there  save  the  poverty,  but  he  who  sees 
not  as  man  seeth  saw  the  true  riches  which  this 
seeming  poverty  concealed,  which  indeed  the  pover- 
ty, rightly  interpreted,  ivas ;  even  as  he  too  often 
sees  the  real  poverty  which  may  lie  behind  the  show 
of  riches ;  for  there  are  both  poor  rich  men  and 
rich  poor  men  in  his  sight. 

The  synagogue  of  Satan.  A  hard  saying,  a 
terrible  designation  on  the  lips  of  him  who  uses  not 
such  words  at  random,  but  one  which  they,  once  the 
chosen  people  of  the  Lord,  had  wrought  with  all 
their  might  to  deserve.  Nothing  else  indeed  was 
possible  for  them,  if  they  would  not  be  his  people 
indeed ;  they  could  not  be  as  the  heathen,  merely 
?io?i-Christian,  they  must  be  a?i<2-Christian.  The 
measure  of  their  former  nearness  to  God  was  the 
measure  of  their  present  distance  from  him.  As 
nothing  is  accidental  in  this  book,  so  it  is  worth  re- 
marking that,  as  we  have  here  "  the  synagogue  of  Sa- 
tan" so  presently,  "  the  throne  of  Satan  "  (2  :  13), 
and  then  lastly,  "  the  depths  of  Satan  "  (2  :  24) ;  "  the 
synagogue  of  Satan  "  representing  the  Jewish  an- 


tagonism to  the  Church,  "  the  throne  of  Satan  "  the 
heathen,  and  "  the  depths  of  Satan  "  the  heretical. 

10.  "  Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou  shall 
suffer."  The  great  Captain  of  our  salvation  never 
keeps  back  or  conceals  what  those  who  faithfully 
witness  for  him  may  have  to  bear  for  his  name's 
sake  ;  never  entices  recruits  into  his  service,  or  seeks 
to  retain  them  under  his  banner  by  the  promise 
that  they  shall  find  all  things  easy  and  pleasant 
there.  He  here  announces  that  bonds,  and  tribula- 
tion, and  death  itself  are  before  as  many  as  at 
Smyrna  shall  continue  faithful  to  the  end.  But  for 
all  this  they  are  not  to  fear.  Presently  he  will  de- 
clare to  them  why  they  should  not  fear.    T. "  Be 

faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of 
life."  We  are  to  be  faithful  unto  death,  this  day, 
and  every  day.  We  are  to  live  a  life  of  entire  con- 
secration; crucified  unto  the  world  and  the  world 
unto  us.  And  if  we  have  sufficient  faith  to  let  him 
day  by  day  and  in  all  things  dispose  of  us,  take  what 
he  will,  give  what  he  will,  send  where  he  will,  we 
need  not  envy  those  who  literally  suffered  martyr- 
dom for  his  name's  sake.     For  us,  too,  there  is  laid 

up  a  crown  of  life.     G.  B. When  eternal  life  is 

promised  to  faith,  or  love,  or  hope,  it  is  upon  sup- 
posal  that  those  graces,  being  planted  in  the  heart, 
shall  finally  prosper.  He  that  is  faithful  to  the 
death  shall  inherit  the  crown  of  life.  It  is  love  that 
never  fails  that  shall  enter  into  heaven.  "  It  is 
hope  firm  unto  the  end  "  that  shall  be  accomplished 
in  a  glorious  fruition.     Bates. 

11.  This  "  second  death,"  setting  forth  as  it  does 
the  death  in  life  of  the  lost,  as  contrasted  with  the 
life  in  death  of  the  saved,  is  a  phrase  peculiar  to  the 
Apocalypse.  But,  though  the  word  is  not  on  the 
lips  of  the  Lord  during  his  earthly  life,  he  does  not 
shrink  from  proclaiming  the  fearful  thing.     T. 


Section  376. 

Eevelation  ii.  12-29. 

12  And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Pergamos  write ;  These  things  saith  he  which  hath 

13  the  sharp  sword  with  two  edges;  I  know  thy  works,  and  where  thou  dwellest,  even  where 
Satan's  seat  is :  and  thou  holdest  fast  my  name,  and  hast  not  denied  my  faith,  even  in  those 
days  wherein  Antipas  was  my  faithful  martyr,  who  was  slain  among  you,  where  Satan 

14  dwelleth.  But  I  have  a  few  things  against  thee,  because  thou  hast  there  them  that  hold' 
the  doctrine  of  Balaam,  who  taught  Balak  to  cast  a  stumblingblock  before  tDe  children  of 

15  Israel,  to  eat  things  sacrificed  unto  idols,  and  to  commit  fornication.     So  hast  thou  also 

16  them  that  hold  the  doctrine  of  the  Nicolaitans,  which  thing  I  hate.     Eepent ;  or  else  I  will 

17  come  unto  thee  quickly,  and  will  fight  against  them  with  the  sword  of  my  mouth.  He 
that  hath  an  ear,  let  hira  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches :  To  him  that  over- 
cometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  hidden  manna,  and  will  give  him  a  white  stone,  and  in  the 
stone  a  new  name  written,  which  no  man  knoweth  saving  he  that  receiveth  it. 


728 


SEGTIO:^  376.— REVELATION  2:12-29. 


18  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Thyatira  write;  These  things  saith  the  Son  of  God, 

19  who  hath  his  eyes  Uke  unto  a  flame  of  fire,  and  his  feet  are  like  fine  brass ;  I  know  thy 
works,  and  charity,  and  service,  and  faith,  and  thy  patience,  and  thy  works ;  and  the  last 

20  to  he  more  than  the  first.     Notwithstanding  I  have  a  few  things  against  thee,  because  thou 
suflferest  that  woman  Jezebel,  which  calleth  herself  a  prophetess,  to  teach  and  to  seduce 

21  my  servants  to  commit  fornication,  and  to  eat  things  sacrificed  unto  idols.     And  I  gave  her 

22  space  to  repent  of  her  fornication  ;  and  she  repented  not.     Behold,  I  will  cast  her  into  a 
bed,  and  them  that  commit  adultery  with  her  into  great  tribulation,  except  they  repent  of 

23  their  deeds.     And  I  will  kiU  her  children  with  death;  and  all  the  churches  shall  know 
that  I  am  he  which  searcheth  the  reins  and  hearts  :  and  I  will  give  unto  every  one  of  you 

24  according  to  your  works.     But  unto  you  I  say,  and  unto  the  rest  in  Thyatira,  as  many  as 
have  not  this  doctrine,  and  which  have  not  known  the  depths  of  Satan,  as  they  speak;  I 

25  will  put  upon  you  none  other  burden.     But  that  which  ye  have  already^  hold  fast  till  I 

26  come.     And  he  that  overcometh,  and  keepeth  my  works  unto  the  end,  to  him  will  I  give 

27  power  over  natrbns  :  And  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron ;  as  the  vessels  of  a  potter 

28  shall  they  be  broken  to  shivers :  even  as  I  received  of  my  Father.     And  I  will  give  him  the 

29  morning  star.    He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches. 


The  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with  them  that  fear  him,  and  is  felt  by  dwelling  with  God,  by  thinking  of  God 
more  than  by  talking  of  him.     To  each  of  his  servants  he  giveth  "  a  white  stone,  and  in  the  stone  a  new 

name  is  written,  which  no  man  knoweth  save  he  that  reeeiveth  it."   F.  W.  R. He  that  overcometh — every 

victorious  soul  prevailing  by  faith  and  by  righteousness  in  the  long  and  patient  battle  of  life — shall  have  se- 
cret satisfactions  springing  up  in  his  heart,  known  only  between  himself  and  his  Lord.  They  will  not  consist 
in  outward  applauses,  in  visible  successes,  in  any  worldly  compensations  whatever.  The  chief  of  them  all 
will  be  the  silent  assurances  of  his  personal  affection  who  is  the  purest,  highest,  holiest.  Faith  must 
dwell  in  her  own  sanctuary,  see  by  her  own  light,  feed  on  her  own  secret  and  immortal  manna,  be  con- 
tent with  her  own  joy,  cling  to  the  white  stone  with  the  ineffable  name,  and  wait  for  her  spiritual  justifi- 
cation and  victory.     F.  D.  H. 

And  I  will  give  him  the  morning  star.  In  the  last  chapter  of  the  Book  we  read,  /  Jesus  am  the  root 
and  offspring  of  David,  and  the  bright  and  morning  star.  The  words  before  us  are,  therefore,  /  will  give 
myself  to  him.  But  myself  especially  in  one  character  ;  as  the  light  of  life  ;  as  the  light  which  springs  up  in 
the  morning  after  a  long  night  of  gloom  and  storm  ;  as  the  joy  and  comfort  of  the  weary  watcher,  the  com- 
pensation for  long  waiting,  and  the  prize  of  long  struggling.  It  is  not  wholly  unlike  the  words  of  Peter 
with  reference  to  the  prophetic  word  :  Whereunto  ye  do  well  if  ye  give  heed,  as  to  a  lamp  giving  light  in  a 
murky  place,  until  day  dawn  and  the  day-star  arise  in  your  hearts.  The  promise  is  that  that  day  shall 
dawn,  that  that  day-star  shall  at  last  rise  upon  our  hearts.    V. 


12.  Pergamos.  Although  of  high  antiquity, 
its  greatness,  splendor,  and  importance  did  not  date 
very  far  back.  It  only  attained  these  under  the 
successors  of  Alexander ;  of  whom  one  made  Per- 
gamos the  capital  of  his  kingdom — the  same  king- 
dom which  a  later  of  his  dynasty,  Attalus  III.,  be- 
queathed to  the  Romans.  It  was  famous  for  its 
immense  library,  collected  in  rivalry  with  that  of 
Alexandria;  our  "parchment"  (pergamenum)  de- 
riving its  name  from  thence ;  for  splendid  temples 
of  Zeus,  of  Athene,  and  of  Apollo ;  but  most  of  all 
for  the  worship  of  ^sculapius,  the  remains  of  whose 
magnificent  temple  outside  the  walls  of  the  city  still 
remain.     T. 

"  The  two-edged,  the  sharp  sword.'''' — We  read  of 
this  sword  in  the  first  chapter  and  also  in  the  Epis- 
tle to  the  Hebrews.     The  word  of  God  is  living  and 


active,  and  sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword,  divid- 
ing asunder  of  soul  and  spirit,  and  of  the  joints  and 
marroio,  and  it  is  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  in- 
tents. This  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of 
God,  proceeds  out  of  the  mouth  of  Christ. 

13.  Where  the  throne  of  Satan  is.  A 
very  fearful  description,  and  indicating  a  very  mer- 
ciful recognition  on  the  part  of  Christ  of  the  diffi- 
culties and  of  the  temptations  of  his  people.  In 
this  case  he  was  able  to  testify  that  difficulties  and 
temptations,  of  an  outward  kind  at  least,  had  not 
overcome  their  constancy.  They  had  held  fast  what 
they  had  been  taught  of  Christ. 

14.  But  what  the  fires  of  martyrdom  could  not 
do,  a  more  secret  and  insidious  snare  might  effect. 
They  who  could  brave  martyrdom  for  Christ  can 
not  always  resist  an  enemy  in  their  own  camp — 


SECTION  3ie.— REVELATION  2  :  12-29. 


729 


some  bosom  sin  may  do  what  intimidation  and  per- 
secution have  failed  to  effect.  Listen,  then.  But  I 
have  against  thee  a  feio  things.  How  serious  a  be- 
ginning !  Which  of  us  can  hear  unmoved  when 
Christ  says,  /  have  agahist  thee  a  few  things  ?  Thou 
hast  there,  in  Pergamos,  men  holding  the  teaching  of 


Balaam,  who  taught  to  Balak  how  to  throw  a  stum- 
blingblock  before  the  sons  of  Israel — namely,  both  to 
eat  things  sacrificed  to  idols,  and  to  commit  fornica- 
tion. That  strange  mixture  of  a  man,  as  Balaam 
has  been  called  but  too  truly,  a  man  who  heard  the 
words  of  God  and  saw  the  vision  of  the  Almighty^ 


Pergamos. 


yet  whose  heart  went  after  covetousness,  and  made 
a  fatal  compromise  between  the  service  of  God  and 
the  service  of  Mammon ;  when  he  found  that  he 
was  not  allowed  to  curse  Israel,  and  thus  to  possess 
himself  of  the  promised  reward  in  one  way,  sug- 
gested to  Balak  a  more  subtle  but  far  more  potent 
spell,  in  the  form  of  a  temptation  to  Israel  through 
the  lusts  of  the  flesh.  The  iniquities  described  in 
the  25th  chapter  of  the  Book  of  Numbers,  follow- 
ing immediately  upon  the  unsuccessful  visit  of  Ba- 
laam in  which  cursing  itself  had  been  supernatural- 
ly  turned  into  blessing,  are  expressly  ascribed  in  a 
later  chapter  of  that  book  (ch.  31)  to  the  secret 
agency  of  Balaam. 

15.  There  is  no  occasion  for  distinguishing  here 
between  the  doctrine  of  the  Nicolaitans  and  the 
doctrine  of  Balaam.  The  Nicolaitans  were  persons 
who  talked  loudly  of  the  liberty  of  Christ,  and  used 
that  liberty  for  an  occasion  to  the  flesh.  They  were 
among  those  described  in  the  Epistle  of  Jude  as 
ungodly  men  turning  the  grace  of  God  into  lascivious- 
ness.     V. 

17.  To  eat  of  the  hidden  manna.  The 
seeing  of  Christ  as  he  is,  and  through  this  beatific 
vision  the  being  made  like  to  him,  is  identical  with 
this  eating  of  the  hidden  manna;  which  shall,  as  it 


were,  be  then  brought  forth  from  the  sanctuary,  the 
holy  of  holies  of  God's  immediate  presence,  where 
it  was  withdrawn  from  sight  so  long,  that  all  may 
partake  of  it ;  the  glory  of  Christ,  now  shrouded 
and  concealed,  being  then  revealed  at  once  to  his 
people  and  in  them. 

18.  Thyatira.  a  city  of  no  first-rate  dignity,  was 
a  Macedonian  colony ;  and  it'  may  be  looked  at  as  a 
slight  and  unintentional  confirmation,  in  a  minute 
particular,  of  the  veracity  of  the  Acts,  that  Lydia, 
a  purple-seller  of  Thyatira,  is  met  exactly  in  the 
Macedonian  city  of  Philippi,  this  being  precisely 
what  was  likely  to  happen  from  the  close  and  fre- 
quent intercourse  maintained  between  a  mother  city 
and  its  daughter  colonies.  From  this  Lydia,  whose 
heart  the  Lord  had  opened  to  attend  to  the  things 
spoken  of  Paul,  the  Church  at  Thyatira  may  have 
taken  its  beginnings.  She  who  had  gone  forth  for 
a  while,  to  buy  and  sell  and  get  gain,  when  she  re- 
turned home  may  have  brought  home  with  her  far 
richer  merchandise  than  any  she  had  looked  to 
obtain. 

19.  "  And  the  last  to  be  more  than  the  frst." 
The  faithful  in  Thyatira  were  growing  and  increas- 
ing in  this  service  of  love,  this  patience  of  faith  ; 
herein  satisfying  the  desire  of  him,  who  evermore 


730 


SECTION'  376.— REVELATION  2  :  12-29. 


desires  for  his  people  that  they  should  abound  more 
and  more  in  all  good  things.  30.  The  whole  condi- 
tion of  things  at  Thyatira  was  exactly  the  reverse 
of  what  it  was  at  Ephesus :  there  much  zeal  for 
the  maintenance  of  sound  doctrine,  but  little  love, 
and  as  a  consequence,  no  doubt,  few  ministrations 
of  love ;   here  the  activity  of  faith  and  love,  but 


insufficient  zeal  for  the  maintenance  of  godly  dis- 
cipline and  doctrine,  a  patience  of  error  even  where 
there  was  not  a  participation  in  it,  Jezebel.  A 
comparison  of  this  verse  with  vs.  14-16  leaves  no 
doubt  that  the  Jezebelites,  and  Balaamites,  and  Ni- 
colaitans,  with  secondary  differences  no  doubt,  were 
yet  substantially  the  same ;  all  libertine  sects,  dis- 


Thyatira. 


claiming  the  obligations  of  the  moral  law ;  all 
starting  with  a  denial  that  Jesus  Christ  was  come 
in  the  flesh,  and  that  in  the  flesh  therefore  men 
were  to  be  holy  ;  all  alike  false  spiritualists,  whose 
high-flying  pretensions  did  not  hinder  them  from 
ending  in  the  foulest  fleshly  sins ;  or  which  rather 
were  themselves  the  means  of  entangling  them 
therein. 

31.  I  gave  her  space  to  repent,  and  she 
repented  not.  The  fact  that  punishment  does 
not  at  once  overtake  sinners  is  constantly  misunder- 
stood by  them  as  an  evidence  that  it  never  will 
overtake  them  (Eccl.  8:11;  Isa.  26  :  10 ;  Ps.  26  : 
11);  that  God  docs  not  see,  or,  seeing,  does  not 
care  to  avenge.  Christ  opens  out  here  another  as- 
pect under  which  this  delay  in  the  divine  revenges 
may  be  regarded.  The  very  time  during  which  un- 
godly men  are  heaping  up  for  themselves  greater 
wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath,  was  a  time  lent 
them  for  repentance  (Rom.  2  :  4 ;  2  Pet.  3  :  9),  if 
only  they  would  have  understood  the  object  and 
the  meaning  of  it. 

35.  ^'^  But  thai  which  ye  have  already  hold  fast 
till  I  comc.^'  It  is  on  this  condition  that  he  will 
impose  on  them  no  additional  burden.     What  they 


have  of  sound  doctrine,  of  holy  living,  this  they 
must  hold  fast,  must  so  grasp  it  that  none  shall 
wrest  it  from  them,  till  the  day  when  the  Lord  shall 
come,  and  bring  this  long  and  painful  struggle  for 
the  maintenance  of  his  truth  to  an  end.  Ever  and 
ever  in  Scripture,  not  the  day  of  death,  but  the  day 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  is  put  as  the  term  of  all  conflict. 

36.  "  To  him  ivill  I  give  powm-  over  the  nations^ 
The  royalties  of  Christ  shall  by  reflection  and  com- 
munication be  the  royalties  also  of  his  Church. 
They  shall  reign ;  but  only  because  Christ  reigns, 
and  because  he  is  pleased  to  share  his  dignity  with 
them. 

38.  Thus  does  he  who  is  "  fairer  than  the  chil- 
dren of  men  "  claim  all  that  is  fairest  and  loveliest 
in  creation  as  the  faint  shadow  and  image  of  his 
perfections.  When  Christ  promises  that  he  will 
give  to  his  faithful  ones  the  morning  star,  he  prom- 
ises that  he  will  give  to  them  himself,  that  he  will 
impart  to  them  his  own  glory  and  a  share  in  his 
own  royal  dominion ;  for  the  star  is  evermore  the 
symbol  of  royalty,  being  therefore  linked  with  the 
scepter  (Num.  24  :  17).  All  the  glory  of  the  world 
shall  end  in  being  the  glory  of  the  Church,  if  only 
this  abide  faithful  to  its  Lord.     T. 


SECTION  377.— BEVEL  ATI  ON  3  : 1-22.  731 

Section  377. 

Eevelation  iii.  l-2i 

1  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Sardis  write  ;  These  things  saith  he  that  hath  the 
seven  Spirits  of  God,  and  the  seven  stars ;  I  know  thy  works,  that  thou  hast  a  name  that 

2  thou  livest,  and  art  dead.     Be  watcliful,  and  strengthen  the  things  whicli  remain,  that  are 

3  ready  to  die :  for  I  have  not  found  thy  works  perfect  before  God.  Eemember  therefore 
how  thou  hast  received  and  heard,  and  hold  fast,  and  repent.  If  therefore  thou  shalt  not 
watch,  I  will  come  on  thee  as  a  thief,  and  thou  shalt  not  know  what  hour  I  will  come  upon 

•    4  thee.     Thou  hast  a  few  names  even  in  Sardis  which  have  not  defiled  their  garments  ;  and 

6  they  shall  walk  with  me  in  white :  for  they  are  worthy.     He  that  overcometh,  the  same 

shall  be  clothed  in  white  raiment ;  and  I  will  not  blot  out  his  name  out  of  the  book  of  life, 

6  but  I  will  confess  his  name  before  my  Father,  and  before  his  angels.  He  that  hath  an  ear, 
let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches. 

7  And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Philadelphia  write  ;  These  things  saith  he  that  is  holy, 
he  that  is  true,  he  that  hath  the  key  of  David,  he  that  openeth,  and  no  man  shutteth  ;  and 

8  shutteth,  and  no  man  openeth  ;  I  know  thy  works  :  behold,  I  have  set  before  thee  an  open 
door,  and  no  man  can  shut  it :  for  thou  hast  a  little  strength,  and  hast  kept  my  word,  and 

9  hast  not  denied  my  name.  Behold,  I  will  make  them  of  the  synagogue  of  Satan,  which  say 
they  are  Jews,  and  are  not,  but  do  lie ;  behold,  I  will  make  them  to  come  and  worship 

10  before  thy  feet,  and  to  know  that  I  have  loved  thee.  Because  thou  hast  kept  the  word  of 
my  patience,  I  also  wOl  keep  thee  from  the  hour  of  temptation,  which  shall  come  upon  all 

11  the  world,  to  try  them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth.     Behold,  I  come  quickly:  hold  that  fast 

12  which  thou  hast,  that  no  man  take  thy  crown.  Him  that  overcometh  will  I  make  a  pillar 
in  the  temple  of  my  God,  and  he  shall  go  no  more  out :  and  I  wUl  write  upon  him  the 
name  of  my  God,  and  the  name  of  the  city  of  my  God,  which  is  new  Jerusalem,  which 

13  cometh  down  out  of  heaven  from  my  God  :  and  I  will  write  upon  him  my  new  name.  He 
that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches. 

14  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  of  the  Laodiceans  write ;  these  things  saith  the  Amen, 

15  the  faithful  and  true  witness,  the  beginning  of  the  creation  of  God ;  I  know  thy  works,  that 

16  thou  art  neither  cold  nor  hot;  I  would  thou  wert  cold  or  hot.     So  then  because  thou  art 

17  lukewarm,  and  neither  cold  nor  hot,  I  will  spew  thee  out  of  my  mouth.  Because  thou  say- 
est,  I  am  rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing;  and  knowest  not  that 

18  thou  art  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked :  I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of 
me  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that  thou  mayest  be  rich  ;  and  white  raiment,  that  thou  mayest  be 
clothed,  and  that  the  shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not  appear;  and  anoint  thine  eyes  with 

19  eyesalve,  that  thou  mayest  see.     As  many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke  and  chasten :  be  zealous  there- 

20  fore,  and  repent.     Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door,  and  knock :  if  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and 

21  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me.  To  him  that 
overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  also  overcame,  and  am  set 

22  down  with  my  Father  in  his  throne.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the  Spirit 
saith  unto  the  churches. 


Christ  approaches  the  door  of  the  heart,  and  says,  when  there  is  no  ear  to  listen,  "  Behold,  I  stand  at 
the  door  and  knock."  In  the  hour  of  thought,  in  the  depth  of  night,  in  the  shadow  of  trial,  in  the  agony 
of  remorse,  he  makes  the  soul  feel  that  it  is  alone  with  himself.  Ker. The  thought  of  a  Divine  Per- 
son, our  Lord  and  our  God,  knocking  for  admittance  ;  coming  to  us  divested  of  his  terrors,  and  pleading 
with  us  as  a  suppliant ;  this  is  the  meaning  of  everything  which  befalls  us,  this  the  object  of  every  pang 
of  remorse,  of  every  chastisement  for  sin,  of  every  disappointment  of  a  heart's  wish,  of  every  dispensa- 
tion of  an  afflicting  Providence,  of  every  pain  and  sorrow,  of  every  sickness  and  care,  of  every  loss  and 
woe,  that  Christ  may  make  his  knock  heard ;  that  the  owner  of  the  mansion  may  hear  at  last  that  calm 
patient  ceaseless  sound,  and  bestir  himself  to  let  the  stranger  in.     V. 


732 


SECTION  371.— REVELATION  3  : 1-22. 


1.  Sardis  was  the  ancient  seat  of  the  Lydian 
kings,  and  memorable  as  the  city  of  Croesus.  It 
was,  like  all  the  leading  cities  of  Asia,  magnificent, 
intellectual,  and  profligate.  It  perished  in  the  gen- 
eral decay  of  Asia  Minor.     The  crime  imputed  to  the 


Euins  oi  Sardis. 

Church  of  Sardis  is  inactivity  in  the  preservation 
and  diffusion  of  the  faith.  Its  punishment  is  ap- 
propriate.    It  shall  be  taken  by  surprise.     Croly. 

He  who  hath  the  seven  Spirits  of  God. 
The  same  expression  occurs  in  the  first  chapter. 
When  the  Spirit  of  God  is  thus  described  in  a 
sevenfold  character,  it  is  designed,  no  doubt,  to  ex- 
press his  diffusion  (as  we  call  it)  through  the  univer- 
sal Church,  the  manifold  gifts  and  graces  by  which 
he  pervades  all  the  congregations  of  Christ's  people 
everywhere.  And  here  we  are  reminded  that  wher- 
ever the  Holy  Spirit  acts,  he  acts  as  the  Spirit 
of  Jesus;  it  is  he  who  has  the  seven  Spirits  of 
God.     V. 

A  name  that  thou  livest.  The  fact  that 
Sardis  should  have  had  this  name  and  fame  of  life 
is  very  startling,  and  may  summon  each  and  all  to 
an  earnest  heart-searching.  There  would  be  no- 
thing nearly  so  startling  if  Sardis  had  been  counted 
by  the  Churches  round  about  as  a  Church  fallen 
into  lethargy  and  hastening  to  death.  But  there  is 
no  appearance  of  the  kind.  Sardis  had  a  name  that 
she  lived,  was  well  spoken  of,  regarded,  we  may  well 
believe,  as  a  model  Church,  can  therefore  have  been 
by  no  means  wanting  in  the  outer  manifestations  of 
spiritual  life ;  while  yet  all  these  shows  of  life  did 
but  conceal  the  realities  of  death ;  so  he,  before 
whose  eyes  of  fire  no  falsehood  can  endure,  too 


surely  saw.     T. The  dead  thing  that  has  a  name 

to  live  is  deadly ;  it  deals  in  death ;  it  assimilates 
all  around  to  itself;  it  testifies  powerfully  against 
vital  religion  by  the  exhibition  of  a  lifeless  religion. 
If  the  light  in  you  be  darkness,  how  great  that  dark- 
ness! How  mightily  grew 
Sardis !  how  large  the 
place  it  occupies  in  the 
ecclesiastical  history  of 
the  last  eighteen  cen- 
turies 1  how  baneful  its 
influence  upon  the  other 
Churches,  so  that  they 
had  almost  to  hide  their 
diminished  heads ;  and 
how  largely  is  it  repre- 
sented at  the  present  day 
upon  the  earth  !  Men 
know  our  name;  Christ 
knows  our  works.  G.  B, 
It  is  a  very  instruc- 
tive fact,  that  every- 
where else,  in  the  Epis- 
tles to  all  the  Churches 
save  only  to  this  and  to 
Laodicea,  there  is  men- 
tion of  some  burden  to 
be  borne,  of  a  conflict 
either  with  foes  within 
the  Church  or  without,  or  with  both.  Only  in  these 
two  nothing  of  the  kind  occurs.  The  exceptions 
are  very  significant.  There  is  no  need  to  assume 
that  the  Church  at  Sardis  had  openly  coalesced  and 
joined  hands  with  the  heathen  world ;  this  would  in 
those  days  have  been  impossible ;  nor  yet  that  it 
had  renounced  the  appearance  of  opposition  to  the 
world.  But  the  two  tacitly  understood  one  another. 
The  world  could  endure  it,  because  it  too  was  a 
world.     T. 

2.  If  watching  were  absent,  work  would  become 
formal  and  dead.  The  labor  of  the  hands,  as  we 
all  feel,  degenerates  quickly  into  barren  routine,  if 
there  be  not  a  constant  effort  to  keep  the  heart  fresh. 
Duty  can  never  live  long  separate  from  truth.  Chris- 
tian service  from  Christ.  There  must  be  oil  in  the 
lamp  if  it  is  to  burn.  It  is  watching  unto  prayer 
that  brings  in  this  divine  life,  that  quickens  the 
powers,  and  makes  them  rise  up  for  new  and  higher 
work.  The  special  danger  of  our  age  is  that  we 
may  lose  perception  of  the  real  soul  and  end  of  all 
our  labor  in  the  multiplied  machinery  that  carries 
it  on.  Our  very  Christian  activities  will  lead  to  de- 
cline and  death  if  spiritual  life  is  not  growing  with- 
in, in  proportion  to  them,  if  we  are  not  realizing 
more  strongly  our  own  individual  spiritual  wants, 
living  more  in  the  presence  of  eternity,  and  remem- 
bering that  admonition  which  stands  connected  with 


SECTION  377.— REVELATION  3:1-22. 


733 


Christ — "  Be  watchful,  and  strengthen  the  things 

which  remain,  that  are  ready  to  die."     Ker. God 

wills  that  with  all  due  regret  for  what  we  have  lost, 
wc  do  not  forget  what  we  still  have.  Let  us  concen- 
trate all  the  elements  of  life  which  are  scattered 
in  the  midst  of  us.  Let  us  unite  our  efforts,  our 
prayers.  Let  us  ask  life  for  the  community,  that  life 
which  we  want,  and  which  doubtless  comes  only  by 
individuals  to  the  community ;  but  which  is  reflect- 
ed from  the  community  to  individuals.  Life  in  the 
Spirit,  love  in  the  Spirit,  the  Spirit  himself,  that  is 
truth  in  truth  itself ;  life  in  life,  eternity  in  love, 
the  Spirit,  that  is  Jesus  Christ  within  us.  This  we 
must  conquer  on  our  knees,  this  we  must  urgently 
beg,  this  energetically  will.     A.  V. 

3>  "  Prize  now  " — this  is  what  the  warning  word 
of  a  gracious  Lord  would  say — "  that  which  thou 
didst  once  prize  at  so  high  a  rate,  which  came  to  thee 
so  evidently  as  a  gift  from  God,  accompanied  with 
the  Holy  Ghost  from  heaven  ;  and  repent  thee  of  all 
the  coldness  and  heartlessness  with  which  thou  hast 
learned  to  regard  it."  I  will  come  on  thee  as  a 
thief.  The  Lord  takes  up  and  repeats  here  his 
own  words,  twice  spoken,  with  slight  variations,  in 
the  days  of  his  ministry  on  earth  ;  words  which  must 
have  profoundly  impressed  themselves  on  those  who 
heard  them,  and  on  the  early  Church  in  general,  as 
is  evidenced  from  the  frequent  references  to  them 
in  other  parts  of  the  New  Testament.  It  is  the 
stealthiness  of  Christ's  advent,  and  thus  his  coming 
upon  the  secure  sinner  when  least  he  is  looked  for, 
which  is  the  point  of  the  comparison. 

4.  Here  are  many  promises  in  one.  The  prom- 
ise of  life,  for  only  the  living  walk,  the  dead  are 
still ;  of  liberty,  for  the  free  walk,  and  not  the  fast 
bound  ;  of  beauty,  for  the  grace  and  dignity  of  long 
garments  only  appear  to  the  full  when  the  person 
wearing  them  is  in  motion.  And  all  this  has  its 
corresponding  truth  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
God's  saints  and  servants  here  in  this  world  of 
grace,  and  no  doubt  also  in  that  world  of  glory,  are 
best  seen  and  most  to  be  admired  when  they  are  en- 
gaged in  active  services  of  love.  And  such  they 
shall  have.  They  shall  walk  with  their  Lord,  shall 
be  glorified  together  with  him  ;  his  servants  shall 
serve  him.  And  why  ?  '■\for  they  are  toortJiy."  There 
are  those  who  "  are  tuorthy  "  according  to  the  rules 
which  free  grace  has  laid  down,  although  there  are 
none  according  to  those  which  strict  justice  might 
have  laid  down  ;  and  God  is  "  faithful "  in  that  hav- 
ing set  forth  these  conditions  of  grace  he  will  ob- 
serve and  abide  by  them.     T. "  They  shall  walk 

with  him  in  white ;  they  shall  foDow  the  Lamb 
whithersoever  he  goeth."  It  is  true  that  there  will 
be  a  great  difference  in  many  things.  The  Jerusa- 
lem above,  golden  and  glorious,  with  the  temple 
where  they  serve  him  day  and  night,  shall  be  some- 


thing else  than  that  where  he  endured  the  contra- 
diction  of  sinners  against  himself.  The  goodly  land 
of  Canaan,  flowing  with  milk  and  honey,  could  have 
no  glory  at  its  best  compared  with  the  better  coun- 
try when  that  promise  is  fulfilled — "  Thine  eyes 
shall  see  the  King  in  his  beauty  ;  they  shall  behold 
the  land  that  is  very  far  off."     Ker. 

5.  He  that  conquereth.  Not  he  who  has  been 
without  sin,  not  he  who  has  never  fallen.  Not 
these ;  but  they  rather  who  have  had  a  hard  fight 
for  it  with  self  and  sin,  with  world  and  flesh  and 
devil,  separately  now,  and  now  combined ;  who  fell 
often,  but  ever  rose  again  ;  were  often  defeated,  but 
never  vanquished  ;  were  often  struck  down,  but  only 
upon  their  knees ;  and,  by  the  help  of  prayer  and 
faith  and  patience,  were  made  conquerors  at  last 
through  the  grace  of  him  that  loved  them.  These, 
having  confessed  Christ  below,  shall  be  confessed 
by  him  as  his  before  his  Father  and  before  his 
angels.     V. 

But  I  will  confess  his  name  before  my  Father  and 
before  his  angels.  Christ  had  spoken  when  on  earth 
of  confessing  those  who  confessed  him  before  his 
Father  in  heaven  and  before  the  angels.  That  "  in 
heaven "  is  of  course  omitted  now,  for  there  is  no 
longer  any  contrast  between  the  Father  in  /leaveic 
and  the  Son  on  earth ;  but  the  two  confessions, 
which  were  separated  before,  appear  united  now  -, 
and  in  general  we  may  observe  of  this  Epistle  that, 
in  great  part,  it  is  woven  together  of  sayings  which 
the  Lord  had  already  uttered  once  or  oftener  in  the 
days  during  which  he  pitched  his  tent  among  men  ; 
he  now  setting  his  seal  from  heaven  upon  his  words 
uttered  on  earth.     T. 

7.  Philadelphia  (brotherly  love).  A  city  of  the 
province  of  Lydia,  in  Asia  Minor,  about  seventy 
miles  east  of  Smyrna.  It  contains  a  population  of 
about  15,000,  one  twelfth  of  whom  are  nominal 
Christians.  This  church  was  highly  commended, 
more  than  any  of  the  seven,  and  while  her  sister 
cities  have  fallen  into  decay,  she  still  survives  with 
the  remains  of  her  Christian  temples  and  worship. 
Gibbon  says  of  her :  "  Among  the  Greek  colonies 
and  churches  of  Asia,  Philadelphia  is  still  erect — a 
column  in  a  scene  of  ruins."  A  tall  colxmin  still 
graces  those  ruins,  so  that  this  church  appears  like 
a  symbolic  realization  of  the  12th  verse.     Croly. 

10.  "  Because  thou  has  kept  my  word,  therefore 
in  return  I  will  keep  thee."  The  promise  does  not 
imply  that  the  Philadelphian  church  should  be  ex- 
empted from  persecutions  which  should  come  on  all 
other  portions  of  the  Church.  It  is  a  better  prom- 
ise than  this  ;  and  one  which,  of  course,  they  share 
with  all  who  are  faithful  as  they  are — to  be  kept  in 
temptation,  not  to  be  exempted  /Vom  temptation. 

11.  Behold,  I  come  quickly.  This  an- 
nouncement  of   the   speedy  coming  of   the  Lord, 


734 


SECTION  377.— REVELATION  3  : 1-22. 


the  ever-recurring  key-note  of  this  book,  is  some- 
times used  as  a  word  of  fear  for  those  who  are 
abusing  the  Master's  absence,  careless  and  secure  as 
those  for  whom  no  day  of  reckoning  should  ever 
arrive ;  but  sometimes  as  a  word  of  infinite  com- 
fort for  those  with  difficulty  and  painfulness  hold- 


ing their  ground;  he  that  should  bring  the  long 
contest  at  once  to  an  end ;  who  should  at  once  turn 
the  scale,  and  for  ever,  in  favor  of  righteousness 
and  truth,  is  even  at  the  door.  Such  a  word  of 
comfort  is  this  announcement  here :  "  Yet  a  little 
while,  and  thy  patience  shall  have  its  full  reward ; 
only  in  the  interval,  and  till  I  come,  hold  that  fast 
which  thou  hastV  That  which  Philadelphia  "  had  " 
we  have  just  seen — zeal,  patience,  with  little  means 
accomplishing  no  little  work.     T. 

13.  Those  whom  the  Lamb  has  redeemed  are 
the  fittest  to  worship  him.  While  they  speak  of 
his  power  to  save  as  none  others  can,  and  sing  of 
his  grace  and  love  as  none  but  they  can  sing  of 
them,  they  are  living  proofs  of  the  might  of  that 
power  and  the  riches  of  that  grace  and  love.  The 
mere  presence  of  a  redeemed  sinner  in  heaven  is  a 
nobler  setting  forth  of  Jehovah's  glory  than  any 
words  could  be,  than  all  the  songs  of  all  the  angels. 
"Him  that  overcometh,"  says  our  Lord,  "will  I 
make  a  pillar,"  a  trophy,  a  monumental  column, 

"  in  the  temple  of  my  God."     C.  B. It  is  a  little 

striking,  as  a  mere  coincidence,  that  travelers  de- 
scribe, among  the  few  ruins  of  Philadelphia  at  this 
day,  four  strong  marble  pillars  standing  in  one  spot, 
which  once  supported  the  dome  of  a  church,  and  on 
the  sides  of  these  pillars  inscriptions.  It  is  added. 
One  solitary  pillar  of  high  antiquity  has  been  often 
noticed,  as  reminding  beholders  of  the  remarkable 
words  in  the  Apocalyptic  message  to  the  Philadelphian 


Church,  him  that  overcometh  will  I  make  a  pillar  in 
the  temple  of  my  Qod.     V. 

The  name  of  the  city  of  my  God.     He 

that  hath  the  name  of  this  city  written  upon  him  is 
hereby  declared  free  of  it.  This  heavenly  city  which 
hath  the  foundations,  and  for  which  Abraham  looked, 
the  "continuing  city,"  is 
but  referred  to  here ;  the 
full  and  magnificent  descrip- 
tion of  it  is  reserved  as  the 
fitting  close  of  the  book  ; 
and  not  of  this  book  only, 
but  of  the  whole  Bible.  It 
goes  by  many  and  glorious 
names  in  Scripture.  "  That 
great  city,  the  holy  Jerusa- 
lem," John  calls  it,  claiming 
for  it  this  title  of  "holy," 
which  the  earthly  Jerusa- 
lem once  possessed,  but 
which  it  had  forfeited  for 
ever.  "Jerusalem  which  is 
above,"  Paul  calls  it,  while 
elsewhere  for  it  is  "the 
city  of  the  living  God,  the 
heavenly  Jerusalem." 

I  can  not  leave  this  Epistle,  so  full  of  precious 
promises  to  a  Church  which,  having  little  strength, 
had  yet  held  fast  the  word  of  Christ's  patience, 
without  citing  a  remarkable  passage  from  Gibbon 
{Decline  and  Fall,  c.  Ixiv.),  in  which  he  writes  like 
one  who  almost  believes  that  the  threaten] ngs  and 
promises  of  God  did  fulfill  themselves  in  history : 
"  In  the  loss  of  Ephesus  the  Christians  deplored  the 
fall  of  the  first  angel,  the  extinction  of  the  first 
candlestick,  of  the  Revelation ;  the  desolation  is 
complete  ;  and  the  temple  of  Diana  or  the  church  of 
Mary  will  equally  elude  the  search  of  the  curious 
traveler.  The  circus  and  three  stately  theatres  of 
Laodicea  are  now  peopled  with  wolves  and  foxes; 
Sardis  is  reduced  to  a  miserable  village ;  the  God 
of  Mahomet,  without  a  rival  or  a  son,  is  invoked  in 
the  mosques  of  Thyatira  and  Pergamus,  and  the 
populousness  of  Smyrna  is  supported  by  the  foreign 
trade  of  the  Franks  and  Armenians.  Philadelphia 
alone  has  been  saved  by  prophecy,  or  courage.  At 
a  distance  from  the  sea,  forgotten  by  the  emperors, 
encompassed  on  all  sides  by  the  Turks,  her  valiant 
citizens  defended  their  religion  and  freedom  above 
fourscore  years,  and  at  length  capitulated  with  the 
proudest  of  the  Ottomans.  Among  the  Greek  colo- 
nies and  Churches  of  Asia,  Philadelphia  is  still  erect 
— a  column  in  a  scene  of  ruins — a  pleasing  example 
that  the  paths  of  honor  and  safety  may  sometimes 
be  the  same."     T. 

14.  Laodicea,  on  the  Lycus,  was  a  city  in  South- 
ern Phrygia,  between  Philadelphia  and  Colosse.  In 
Roman  times  it  was  a  foremost  city  among  those  of 
the  second  rank  in  Asia  Minor.  T. All  has  per- 
ished now.  He  who  removed  the  candlestick  of 
Ephesus  has  rejected  Laodicea  out  of  his  mouth. 
Tlie  fragments  of  aqueducts  and  theatres  spread 
over  a  vast  extent  of  country  tell  of  the  former  mag- 
nificence of  this  city.     Modern  travelers  speak  of  its 


SECTION  377.— REVELATION  3  : 1-& 


Y35 


present  state  as  one  of  blank  dreariness.  "  Nothing 
can  exceed,"  says  one  of  these,  "  the  desolation  and 
melancholy  appearance  of  the  site  of  Laodicea  ;  no 
picturesque  features  in  the  nature  of  the  ground  on 
which  it  stands  relieve  the  dull  uniformity  of  its 
undulating  and  barren  hills ;  and  with  few  excep- 
•  tions,  its  gray  and  widely  scattered  ruins  possess  no 
architectural  merit  to  attract  the  attention  of  the 
traveler.  Yet  it  is  impossible  to  view  them  without 
interest,  when  we  consider  what  Laodicea  once  was, 
and  how  it  is  connected  with  the  early  history  of 
Christianity."  It  is  indeed  in  that  connection  that 
its  name  still  lives  among  us.     V. 

The  state  of  things  in  the  Seven  Churches  marks 


evidently  a  period  considerably  later  than  that  of 
Paul's  Epistles  addressed  to  the  same  parts.  The 
germs  of  error  apparent  in  those  Epistles  had  ex- 
panded into  definite  sects  (Rev.  2:6,  15) ;  the  first 
ardor  of  some  churches  had  cooled  (Rev.  2  :  4,  5 ; 
3  :  2),  while  that  of  others  had  further  kindled  (2  : 
19).  The  days  of  the  martyrdom  of  Antipas,  Christ's 
servant,  arc  referred  to  (2  :  13)  as  certainly  not  re- 
cent. Again,  Laodicea  is  described  (3  :  17)  as 
wealthy  and  proud.  Now  that  city  was  destroyed 
by  an  earthquake  between  the  sixth  and  tenth  years 
of  Nero,  and  recovered  by  her  own  means,  unassisted 
by  the  state.  This  would  take  some  years  to  accom- 
plish, and  still  more  time  would  be  required  to  bring 


about  such  a  state  of  careless  ease  as  is  here  de- 
scribed.    A. 

Beginning  of  the  creation  of  God.    Not 

he  whom  God  created  the  first,  but  he  who  was  the 
fountain-source  of  all  the  creation  of  God,  by  whom 
God  created  all  things  (John  1  :  1-3  ;  Col.  1:15, 
IS) ;  even  as  elsewhere  in  this  book  Christ  appears 
as  the  author  of  creation. 

15,  16.  Best  understood  by  regarding  the  "cold" 
here  as  one  hitherto  untouched  by  the  powers  of 
grace.  There  is  always  hope  of  such  an  one,  that, 
when  he  does  come  under  those  powers,  he  may  be- 
come a  zealous  and  earnest  Christian.  But  the 
"  lukeivarm  "  is  one  who  has  tasted  of  the  good  gift 
and  of  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come,  who  has 
been  a  subject  of  divine  grace,  but  in  whom  that 
grace  has  failed  to  kindle  more  than  the  feeblest 
spark. 

17.  "  And  knmvest  not  that  thou  art  the  ivretched 
and  the  miserable  one,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  na- 
ked.'''' The  Laodicean  angel  and  Church  were  walk- 
ing in  a  vain  show  and  imagination  of  their  own 


righteousness,  their  own  advances  in  spiritual  in- 
sight and  knowledge.  18.  There  is  a  certain  irony, 
but  the  irony  of  divine  love,  in  the  words.  He  who 
might  have  commanded,  prefers  rather  to  counsel. 
To  the  merchants  and  factors  of  this  wealthy  mer- 
cantile city  he  addresses  himself  in  their  own  dia- 
lect. Christ  here  invites  to  dealings  with  himself. 
He  has  gold  of  so  fine  a  standard  that  none  will  re- 
ject it.  The  wools  of  Laodicea,  of  a  raven  black- 
ness, were  famous  throughout  the  world.  He  has 
raiment  of  dazzling  white  for  as  many  as  will  receive 
it  at  his  hands.  There  were  ointments  for  which 
many  of  the  Asiatic  cities,  perhaps  Laodicea  among 
the  number,  were  famous ;  but  he,  as  he  will  pres- 
ently announce,  has  eyesalve  more  precious  than 
them  all.  Would  it  not  be  wise  to  transact  their 
chief  business  with  him  ? 

What  things  does  the  Lord  name,  which  when 
the  man  has  made  his  own,  he  shall  be  no  longer 
"poor,  and  blind,  and  naked"!  They  are  three. 
And  first,  as  he  is  "poor'''' — "gold  tried  in  the  fire. 


736 


SECTION  311.— REVELATION  3  : 1-S2. 


that  thou  mayest  he  rich."  A  comparison  with  1  Pet. 
1  :  7,  teaches  us  that  by  this  '■'■gold"  we  must  un- 
derstand faith ;  for  faith  being  a  gift  of  God,  must 
therefore  be  bought  of  Christ;  and  such  faith  aa 
would  stand  the  test,  would  endure  in  the  furnace 
of  affliction.  Then  should  he  be  rich  indeed.  Sec- 
ondly, as  he  is  ^^ naked"  '■'■Buy  of  me"  says  the 
Lord,  '■'white  raiment,  that  thou  mayest  he  clothed. 
We  should  understand  by  this  raiment  not  merely 
the  righteousness  of  Christ  imparted,  but  also  that 
righteousness  imputed;  for  both  are  needful,  the 
one  as  needful  as  the  other,  if  the  shame  of  our 
nakedness  is  not  to  appear ;  it  is  the  being  "  found 
in  him  "  with  all  which  this  implies  and  involves. 
And  then,  lastly,  "anoint  thine  eye  with  eyesalve, 
that  thou  mayest  see."  The  eye  for  which  this  salve 
is  needed  is,  of  course,  the  spiritual  eye,  that  eye  of 
the  conscience  by  which  spiritual  things  are  dis- 
cerned and  appreciated.  The  beginning  of  all  true 
amendment  is  to  see  ourselves  as  we  are,  in  our 
misery,  our  guilt,  our  shame ;  and  the  ability  to  do 
this  is  the  first  consequence  of  the  anointing  with 
that  eyesalve  which  the  Lord  here  invites  this  angel 
to  purchase  of  him.  The  Spirit  convinces  of  sin, 
and  by  this  "  eyesalve  "  we  must  understand  the  illu- 
minating grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  at  once 
shows  to  us  God,  and  in  God  and  in  his  light  our- 
selves. 

19.  As  many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke  and 
chasten.  He,  the  great  Master-builder,  squares 
and  polishes  with  many  strokes  of  the  chisel  and 
the  hammer  the  stones  which  shall  find  a  place  at 
last  in  the  walls  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem.  In 
this  ''  as  many "  lies  the  same  emphasis  as  in  the 
"every  son"  of  Hcb.  12  :  6.  All  whom  He  loves 
are  included  in  the  same  discipline  of  correction, 
are  made  sooner  or  later  to  be  able  to  say,  "  Thy 
loving  correction  shall  make  me  great "  (Ps.  18  :  35). 
Others  may  be  let  alone  (Ps.  73  :  5,  12  ;  Isa.  1:5); 
but  not  they.  Not  a  few,  if  their  prosperity  lasts  a 
little  longer  than  that  of  others,  fancy  that  they  are 
to  be  exceptions  to  this  rule.  But  it  is  never  so. 
They  can  only  be  excepted  from  the  discipline 
through  being  excepted  from  the  sonship.     T. 

20.  When  we  read  the  gracious  words  of  the 
Saviour  in  the  gospel,  we  might  well  think  that 
divine  condescension  could  go  no  further.  There, 
he  bids  us  to  come  to  him,  to  pray  for  pardon  and 
not  faint,  to  knock  at  the  door  of  mercy,  to  strive 
for  entrance  at  the  strait  gate,  promising  us  cer- 
tain and  full  salvation,  if  we  thus,  with  sincere 
earnestness,  endeavor  after  eternal  life ;  and,  surely, 
they,  who  will  not  seek  him,  deserve  to  perish.  But 
hei-e,  he  takes  the  very  means  to  win  our  love  which 
he  requires  of  us  to  win  his.  He  comes  nigh  to  us, 
stands  knocking  at  our  hearts,  calling  upon  us  to 
open  the  door  and  admit  him,  entreating  leave  to 


enter  that  he  may  have  fellowship  with  us,  and  we 
with  him.  The  last  vestige  of  excuse  is  taken  away, 
the  last  shadow  of  doubt  should  pass  from  our 
minds.  We  need  no  longer  seek  for  him,  he  has 
found  us.  The  question  is  no  longer,  Will  he  hear 
our  prayer  ?  but,  Shall  we  hear  his  ?  Not,  Will  he 
open  the  door  of  heaven  to  us  ?  but.  Shall  we  keep 
our  hearts  closed  against  him?  His  readiness  to 
save  is  assured  ;  it  is  now  for  us  to  decide  whether 

we  will  be  saved  or  not.     Bethune. Christ  indeed 

knocks,  claims  admittance  as  to  his  own ;  so  lifts  up 
his  voice  that  it  may  be  heard,  in  one  sense  must  be 
heard ;  but  he  does  not  break  open  the  door,  gc 
force  an  entrance  by  violence.  There  is  a  sense  in 
which  every  man  is  lord  of  the  house  of  his  own 
heart ;  it  is  his  fortress ;  he  must  open  the  gates  of 
it,  and  unless  he  does  so,  Christ  can  not  enter. 
And,  as  a  necessary  complement  of  this  power  to 
open,  there  belongs  also  to  man  the  mournful  pre- 
rogative and  privilege  of  refusing  to  open :  he  may 
keep  the  door  shut  even  to  the  end ;  he  may  thus 
continue  to  the  last  blindly  at  strife  with  his  own 
blessedness ;  a  miserable  conqueror,  who  conquers 
to  his  own  everlasting  loss  and  defeat.     T. 

I  will  come  in  to  him.  His  presence  is 
promised,  and  with  it  the  light,  and  comfort,  and 
bliss,  and  glory  of  it.  Of  these  the  heart  can  not 
hold  much,  and  the  little  it  can  hold  it  is  not  always 
in  a  frame  to  enjoy ;  but  oh  to  have  Christ  in  the 
heart,  to  have  the  King  of  glory  making  our  un- 
worthy souls  his  dwelling  place,  living,  abiding,  act- 
ing in  them — whether  he  reveal  his  presence,  or 
cloud  at  seasons  the  glory  of  it — who  does  not  say, 
"  This  indeed  is  blessedness  ?  I  have  my  sorrows, 
but  with  Christ  within  me,  I  have  still  within  me  a 
fountain  of  amazing  joy."     C.  B. 

31.  "  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit 
with  me  in  my  throne."  A  magnificent  variation  of 
Christ's  words  spoken  in  the  days  of  his  flesh : 
"  The  glory  which  thou  gavest  me,  I  have  given 
them.  Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou  hast 
given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am."  Wonderful  in- 
deed is  this  promise,  which,  being  the  last  and  the 
crowning,  is  also  the  highest  and  most  glorious  of 
all.  Step  by  step  they  have  advanced,  till  a  height 
is  reached  than  which  no  higher  can  be  conceived. 
And  more  wonderful  still,  if  we  consider  to  whom 
this  promise  is  here  addressed.  He  whom  Christ 
threatened  just  now  to  reject  with  loathing  out  of 
his  mouth,  is  offered  a  place  with  liim  on  his  throne. 
But  indeed  so  it  is ;  the  highest  place  is  within 
reach  of  the  lowest ;  the  faintest  spark  of  grace 
may  be  fanned  into  the  mightiest  flame  of  divine 

love.   T. What  combatant  would  not  be  satisfied 

if  he  were  promised  the  lowest  place  of  honor 
among  the  conquerors  ?  But  nothing  less  than  the 
highest  of  all,  the  place  of  honor,  not  on  the  foot- 


SFCTIOy  378.— REVEL  ATI  OX  4  : 1-11. 


Y37 


stool,  but  in  the  center  of  the  throne  ;  in  truth,  only 
in  such  a  loving  heart  as  that  of  God  could  such  a 
promise  originate,  and  an  eternity  will  be  required 
by  slow  degrees  to  comprehend  its  import !  Then 
open  the  door  wide,  so  that  nothing  bars  entrance 
within.  And,  "  overcome  ! "  The  crown  is  a  thou- 
sandfold worthy  of  the  struggle,  and  he  who  holds 
it  forth  stands  with  us  !     Van  0. 

My  Father's  throne.     Here  are  two  thrones 


mentioned.  My  throne,  saith  Christ ;  this  is  the 
condition  of  glorified  saints  who  sit  with  Christ  in 
his  throne ;  but  my  Father's  (i.  e.,  God's)  throne  is 
the  power  of  divine  majesty ;  herein  none  may  sit 
but  God,  and  the  God-man  Jesus  Christ.  To  be  in- 
stalled in  God's  throne,  to  sit  at  God's  right  hand, 
is  to  have  a  godlike  royalty,  such  as  his  Father  hath, 
a  royalty  altogether  incommunicable,  whereof  no 
creature  is  capable.    Mede. 


Section  378. 

Eevelation  iv.  1-11. 


1  After  this  I  looked,  and,  behold,  a  door  was  opened  in  heaven :  and  the  first  voice  which 
I  heard  wcis  as  it  were  of  a  trumpet  talking  with  me ;  which  said.  Come  up  hither,  and  I 

2  will  shew  thee  things  which  must  be  hereafter.    And  immediately  I  was  in  the  spirit :  and, 

3  behold,  a  throne  was  set  in  heaven,  and  one  sat  on  the  throne.  And  he  that  sat  was  to  look 
upon  like  a  jasper  and  a  sardine  stone :  and  there  was  a  rainbow  round  about  the  throne,  in 

4  sight  like  unto  an  emerald.  And  round  about  the  throne  were  four  and  twenty  seats :  and 
upon  the  seats  I  saw  four  and  twenty  elders  sitting,  clothed  in  white  raiment ;  and  they  had 

5  on  their  heads  crowns  of  gold.  And  out  of  the  throne  proceeded  lightnings  and  thunder- 
ings  and  voices :  and  there  were  seven  lamps  of  fire  burning  before  the  throne,  which  are 

6  the  seven  Spirits  of  God.  And  before  the  throne  there  was  a  sea  of  glass  like  unto  crystal : 
and  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  and  round  about  the  throne,  were  four  beasts  full  of  eyes 

7  before  and  behind.     And  the  first  beast  icas  like  a  lion,  and  the  second  beast  like  a  calf,  and 

8  the  third  beast  had  a  face  as  a  man,  and  the  fourth  beast  was  like  a  flying  eagle.  And  the 
four  beasts  had  each  of  them  six  wings  about  Mm  ;  and  they  \cere  full  of  eyes  within  :  and 
they  rest  not  day  and  night,  saying,  Holy,  holy,  holy.  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was,  and 

9  is,  and  is  to  come.     And  when  those  beasts  give  glory  and  honour  and  thanks  to  him  that 

10  sat  on  the  throne,  who  liveth  for  over  and  ever,  the  four  and  twenty  elders  fall  down  be- 
fore him  that  sat  on  the  throne,  and  worship  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  and  cast 

11  their  crowns  before  the  throne,  saying.  Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord,  to  receive  glory  and 
honour  and  power :  for  thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for  thy  pleasure  they  are  and  were 
created. 

He  sees  a  throne  in  heaven  and  one  sitting  on  it,  bright  and  pure  as  richest  precious  stone  ;  and  roimd 
his  throne  a  rainbow  like  an  emerald,  the  sign  to  us  of  hope  and  faithfulness,  mercy  and  truth,  which  he 
himself  appointed  after  the  flood  to  comfort  the  fearful  hearts  of  men.  Around  him  are  angels  crowned  ; 
men  like  ourselves,  but  men  who  have  fought  the  good  fight,  and  conquered,  and  are  now  at  rest ;  pure, 
as  their  white  garments  tell  us ;  and  victorious,  as  their  crowns  tell  us.  And  from  the  throne  came 
thunderings,  and  lightnings,  and  voices,  as  they  did  when  he  spoke  to  the  Jews  of  old — signs  of  his  ter- 
rible power  as  judge,  and  lawgiver,  and  avenger  of  all  the  wrong  which  is  done  on  earth.  And  there  are 
there,  too,  seven  burning  lamps — the  seven  spirits  of  God  which  give  light  and  life  to  all  created  things, 
and  most  of  all  to  righteous  hearts.  And  before  the  throne  is  a  sea  of  glass,  the  same  sea  which  John 
saw  in  another  vision,  with  us  human  beings  standing  on  it ;  the  sea  of  time,  and  space,  and  mortal  life,  on 
which  we  all  have  our  little  day.  It  seems  to  us  to  be  a  great  thing  now — time,  and  space,  and  the  world  ; 
and  yet  it  looked  small  enough  to  John  as  it  lies  in  heaven  before  the  throne  of  Christ,  and  he  passes  it 
by  in  a  few  words.  For  what  are  all  suns  and  stars,  and  what  are  all  ages  and  generations,  and  millions 
and  millions  of  years,  compared  with  eternity,  with  God's  eternal  heaven,  and  God  whom  not  even  heaven 
can  contain  ?     C.  K. 


47 


738 


SECTION  378.— REVELATION  4  : 1-11. 


The  series  of  seven  seals  is  here  introduced 
by  a  glorious  vision.  The  divine  throne  is  seen  in 
heaven,  surrounded  by  twenty-four  thrones  for  the 
presbyters  who  represent  the  redeemed  Church,  and 
by  four  composite  cherubic  figures,  instinct  with 
life,  symbols  of  the  vital  powers  of  creation  in  har- 
mony with  redemption.  These  all  praise  the  Lord ; 
but  the  creation,  symbolized  by  the  Zoa  [unhappily 
translated  beasts],  only  speaks  of  the  Lord,  while 
the  Church,  represented  by  the  presbyters,  speaks  to 
him,  saying,  "  Thou  art  worthy,  0  Lord,  to  receive 
glory,  and  honor,  and  power."     D.  F. 

The  purpose  of  this  chapter  and  the  following  is 
to  authenticate  the  connection  of  the  Jewish  and  the 
Christian  dispensations.  The  Deity,  the  God  of 
Israel,  as  he  appeared  to  Isaiah  (ch.  6)  and  Ezekiel 
(ch.  1),  is  seen  combined  with  the  Christian  Saviour 
and  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  development  of  the  seals, 
a  course  of  Providence,  relative  to  the  Christian 
Church.  His  splendor  is  imaged  by  precious  stones, 
the  usual  emblem  of  all  that  is  most  magnificent 
and  luminous.  The  "  rainbow"  is  probably  expres- 
sive of  the  divine  mercy  exercised  in  the  act  of 
covenant  and  probation.  The  "  living  creatures  " 
re?emble  the  cherubim  and  seraphim  of  Isaiah  and 
Ezekiel ;  and  under  the  shapes  of  the  lion,  the  bull, 
the  man,  and  the  eagle,  are  emblematic  of  the  su- 
premacy, strength,  wisdom,  and  rapidity  of  Provi- 
dence. The  "glassy  sea"  (v.  6),  a  natural  and 
usual  image  of  tranquillity,  signifies  the  perfect 
peace  of  the  Church  when  it  shall  stand  in  the  pres- 
ence of  God.     Croly. 

It  is  from  the  earlier  visions  of  the  Apocalypse, 
from  the  openings  of  the  door,  the  sights  of  the 
throne,  and  the  four-and-twenty  seats,  and  the 
angels,  and  the  elders,  and  the  living  creatures,  and 
the  white-robed,  palm-bearing  host,  and  the  harpers 
with  their  lofty  hymns  of  praise,  that  many  persons' 
notions  of  heaven  are  chiefly  borrowed.  Nor  are 
they  wrong  in  taking  up  the  representations  given 
in  these  visions  of  the  position  and  services  of  the 
redeemed  as  faithful  types  and  patterns  of  the 
destiny  in  reserve  for  those  who  at  death  do  imme- 
diately pass  into  glory — of  the  adoration  and  praises 
which  throughout  eternity  shall  be  ascending  from 
their  lips  encompassing  the  throne.  But  it  should 
ever  be  remembered  that  the  pictures  given  in  these 
visions  of  the  place  and  circumstances  and  outward 
condition  of  the  redeemed  contain  but  a  description 
of  the  state  of  disembodied  spirits  during  that  in- 
termediate period  which  intervenes  between  death 
and  the  resurrection.  They  tell  us  nothing  of  that 
state  which  is  to  follow  upon  the  resurrection,  when, 
invested  once  again  with  a  material  framework,  the 
spirit  shall  be  fitted  to  renew  its  intercourse  with 
material  things.  It  is  not  its  materialism  which  un- 
fits this  world,  even  as  it  now  is,  from  becoming  tlje 


eternal  home  of  the  redeemed.  What  we  want  in 
order  to  turn  earth  into  heaven,  is  not  to  have 
brighter  skies  above  us,  or  lovelier  landscapes 
around  us ;  the  skies  are  bright  enough,  the  land- 
scapes lovely  enough,  for  beings  a  thousand  times 
holier  and  a  thousand  times  happier  than  we.  Nor 
would  any  outward  change  whatever  bring  the  un- 
forgiven,  the  unaccepted,  the  unredeemed  sinners  of 
our  race  a  step  nearer  to  the  true  heaven.  That 
heaven  we  desire  ever  to  remember  is  a  condition 
rather  than  a  place,  an  inner  state  of  the  soul  rather 
than  an  outward  habitation  for  the  body.  Never- 
theless, a  correspondence  shall  exist  between  the 
sinless,  purified,  exalted  estate  of  the  redeemed 
hereafter  and  that  material  habitation  which  shall 
be  prepared  for  them.     W.  H. 

1 .  It  was  at  once  a  most  sublime  and  a  most 
practical  feature  in  the  prophetic  vision  vouchsafed 
to  John  that  so  large  a  part  of  its  scenes  was  laid 
in  heaven  rather  than  on  earth.  "A  door  was 
opened  in  heaven,"  i.  e.,  a  door  opening  into  heaven ; 
the  very  door  of  entrance  to  the  heavenly  world. 
This  door  into  the  world  above  was  set  open  to  lift 
their  thought  above  the  murderous  edicts  of  tyrants, 
and  their  souls  above  all-  fear  of  prison,  torture,  and 
death ;  to  inspire  them  with  the  Christian  heroism 
of  faith  and  love  and  hope  of  a  blessed  immortality. 
H.  C. 

2.  The  words  in  the  original  rather  signify  that 
"  a  throne  loas  hing  in  heaven,  and  there  was  one 
sitting  upon  the  throne."  The  throne  had  been 
lying  in  heaven,  and  its  occupant  had  been  sitting 
upon  it  long  before  the  apostle's  eyes  were  opened 
to  discern  it — yea,  long  before  the  mountains  were 
brought  forth,  or  ever  the  earth  and  the  world  were 
made — even  from  everlasting.  The  beloved  disci- 
ple, "  becoming  in  the  Spirit "  at  a  certain  moment, 
perceived  what  had  been  enacted  from  eternity,  and 
&hall  never  j^ass  away,  "a  throne  set  in  heaven  and 
one  sitting  thereupon." 

3.  "  He  that  sat  was  to  look  upon  like  a  jasper 
and  sardine  stone,"  an  appearance  of  the  divine 
majesty  in  the  person  of  God  the  Father,  exactly 
harmonizing  with  that  which  the  prophet  Ezekiel 
had  seen  of  old.  "  Upon  the  likeness  of  the  throne," 
says  he,  recording  his  vision,  "  was  the  likeness,  as 
the  appearance  of  a  man  above  upon  it,  and  I  saw 
as  the  color  of  amber,  as  the  appearance  of  fire 
round  about  within  it,  from  the  appearance  of  his 
loins  even  upward,  and  from  the  appearance  of  his 
loins  even  downward,  I  saw  as  it  were  the  appear- 
ance of  fire."  That  is  to  say,  the  form  which  both 
prophet  and  apostle  saw  seated  on  the  heavenly 
throne,  was  of  a  clear,  brilUant  flame-color,  partly 
red  like  the  sardine,  or,  to  use  a  modern  term,  the 
carnelian,  and  partly  of  the  lighter  hue  of  yellow 
amber.     E.  M.  G. 


SECTION  878.— REVELATION  4  :  l-H- 


739 


6*  "  In  the  midst,''^  etc. ;  or,  according  to  a  Greek 
idiom,  between  if  and  the  throne,  in  the  interval  be- 
tween the  sea  and  the  throne.  "  Four  beasts "  .• 
fotir  livincf  creatures.  As  the  four-and-twenty  eld- 
ers are  the  representatives  of  the  Church,  so  the 
four  living  beings  are  representatives  of  creation. 
The  number  four  is  characteristic  of  the  earth,  with 
its  four  quarters,  four  courses,  and  four  winds. 
The  figure,  originally  taken  from  the  cherubim  in 
the  tabernacle,  was  applied  in  the  visions  of  the 
prophet  Ezekiel,  in  a  manner  from  which  the  de- 
scription before  us  is  transferred.     V. 

7,  8.  The  cherubim  here  have  six  wings,  like 
the  seraphim  in  Isa.  6,  whereas  the  cherubim  in 
Ezek.  1  :  6  had  four  wings  each.  They  are  called  by 
the  same  name,  "  living  creatures."  But,  whereas 
in  Ezekiel  each  living  creature  has  all  four  faces, 
here  the  four  belong  severally  one  to  each.  The 
four  living  creatures  answer  by  contrast  to  the  four 
■world-powers  represented  by  four  beasts.     JFaussct. 

Adoration  at  the  throne,  activity  in  the  temple — 

the  worship  of  the  heart,  the  worship  of  the  voice, 
and  the  worship  of  the  hands — the  whole  being  con- 
secrated and  devoted  to  God — those  are  the  service 
of  the  upper  sanctuary.  IIe)-e  the  flesh  is  often 
wearied  with  an  hour  of  worship  ;  there  "  they  rest 
not  day  and  night,  saying,  Iloly,  holy,  holy.  Lord 
God  •  Almighty,  which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come." 
And  it  matters  not  though  sometimes  the  celestial 
citizens  are  represented  as  always  singing,  and  some- 
times as  always  flying ;  sometimes  as  always  work- 
ing, and  sometimes  as  always  resting ;  for  there  the 
work  is  rest,  and  every  movement  song ;  and  the 
"  many  mansions  "  make  one  temple,  and  the  whole 
being  of  its  worshipers  one  tune — one  mighty  an- 
them, long  as  eternity,  and  large  as  its  burden,  the 
praise  of  the  great  Three-One — the  self-renewing 
and  ever-sounding  hymn,  in  which  the  flight  of  every 
seraph  and  the  harp  of  every  saint  and  the  smile  of 
every  raptured  spirit  is  a  several  note,  and  repeats 
ever  over  again,  "  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God  Al- 
mighty, which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come."  Hamilton. 

11.  Thon  hast  created  all  things.  To 
make  anything  but  God  his  own  end  were  to  set 
something  above  God.  When  as  yet  there  was  no 
creation,  and  no  providence,  God  contained  in  him- 
self all  the  reasons  of  what  was  afterward  to  be ; 
and  these  reasons  still  remain.  To  create  was  in  a 
manner  to  reveal  himself — the  earliest  revelation  ; 
not  by  words,  but  acts,  and  every  creature,  with  all 


t|^at  proceeds  from  it,  is  a  part  of  this  display.  The 
addition  of  spiritual  and  intellectual  agencies,  men 
and  angels,  afforded  indeed  spectators  of  this  glory, 
and  judges  of  this  skill.  But  all  creature  minds, 
however  spiritual  and  however  free,  are  infinitely  in- 
ferior to  Jehovah,  and  infinitely  too  small  to  afford 
the  real  motive  of  the  universe,  which  must  have 
been  eternal,  which  must  have  been  God.  All  the 
boundless  combinations  and  interchanges  of  matter 
and  mind  (the  latter  being  far  the  more  complicated 
and  wonderful),  all  the  play  of  wheel  in  wheel,  of 
cause  in  cause,  of  thought  in  thought,  of  passion  in 
passion,  conspire  to  work  out  one  and  the  same  re- 
sult—the glory  of  God.     J.  W.  A. 

For  thy  pleasure  they  are.  God  delights 
in  his  law,  as  the  transcript  of  his  nature ;  he  de- 
lights in  his  Son,  as  the  express  image  of  his  per- 
son; in  the  whole  plan  of  salvation,  as  unfolding 
the  riches  of  his  goodness  and  wisdom ;  in  the  holi- 
ness of  his  intelligent  universe,  as  reflecting  his  own 
moral  character ;  in  their  happiness,  as  the  effect  of 
his  power,  his  grace,  and  his  mercy.  For  the  same 
reason  he  delights  in  all  his  purposes  and  all  his 
works — in  his  providential  government — in  the  God- 
exalting  truths  of  his  word — in  the  enlargement, 
purity,  and  final  perfection  of  his  Church,  and  the 
fulfillment  of  all  the  designs  of  infinite  love  and 
mercy.  As  God  thus  delights  in  the  manifestation 
of  himself — that  is,  in  his  own  glory — so  all  his  acts, 
guided  by  his  infinite  wisdom  and  performed  by  his 
almighty  power,  are  directed  to  this  end.     N.  W.  T. 

We  may  fearlessly  say  that  we  men  are  of  too 
noble  a  make  and  too  lofty  a  mien  to  give  the 
strength  of  our  thoughts  and  hearts  to  any  beneath 
the  throne  of  him  who  made  us.  No  mortal  man, 
no  angel,  no  creature  however  noble  and  eminent, 
may  claim  in  its  own  name  and  for  itself  the  hom- 
age of  a  soul  which,  living  once,  lives  for  ever.  Our 
end  in  thought,  and  affection,  and  effort  must  be 
none  other  than  the  end  for  which  the  best  of  men, 
for  which  the  angel,  for  which  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  for  which  the  almighty  God  himself 
lives,  and  thinks,  and  loves,  and  works.  For  whom 
does  God  live  ?  For  himself ;  that  he  may  con- 
template, and  love,  and  glorify  himself.  And  such 
is  the  high  honor  that  he  has  put  on  us  men,  that 
the  end  of  our  being  is  none  other  than  that  of  his 
own ;  nor  can  we  refuse  to  love  and  to  serve  him 
without  forfeiting  our  true  patent  of  nobility  among 
the  creatures  of  his  hand.     H.  P.  L. 


740 


SECTION  379.— REVELATION  5  : 1-I4. 


Section  379. 

Eevelation  v.  1-14.  • 

1      And  I  saw  in  the  right  hand  of  him  that  sat  on  the  throne  a  book  written  within  and  on  the 
•  2  backside,  sealed  with  seven  seals.     And  I  saw  a  strong  angel  proclaiming  with  a  loud  voice, 

3  Who  is  worthy  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the  seals  thereof?  And  no  man  in  heaven, 
nor  in  earth,  neither  under  the  earth,  was  able  to  open  the  book,  neither  to  look  thereon. 

4  And  I  wept  much,  because  no  man  was  found  worthy  to  open  and  to  read  the  book,  neither 

5  to  look  thereon.  And  one  of  the  elders  saith  unto  me.  Weep  not :  behold,  the  Lion  of  the 
tribe  of  Juda,  the  Eoot  of  David,  hath  prevailed  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the  seven 

6  seals  thereof.  And  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  and  of  the  four  beasts,  and 
in  the  midst  of  the  elders,  stood  a  Lamb  as  it  had  been  slain,  having  seven  horns  and  seven 

7  eyes,  which  are  the  seven  Spirits  of  God  sent  forth  into  all  the  earth.     And  he  came  and 

8  took  the  book  out  of  the  right  hand  of  him  that  sat  upon  the  throne.  And  when  he  had 
taken  the  book,  the  four  beasts  and  four  and  twenty  elders  fell  down  before  the  Lamb,  hav- 
ing every  one  of  them  harps,  and  golden  vials  full  of  odours,  which  are  the  prayers  of 

9  saints.  And  they  sung  a  new  song,  saying,  Thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open 
the  seals  thereof:  for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood  out  of 

10  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation;  and  hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings 

11  and  priests:  and  we  shall  reign  on  the  earth.  And  I  beheld,  and  I  heard  the  voice  of  many 
angels  round  about  the  throne,  and  the  beasts  and  the  elders:  and  the  number  of  them  was 

12  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and  thousands  of  thousands;  saying  with  a  loud  voice. 
Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength, 

13  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  blessing.  And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the 
earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such  as  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I 
saying.  Blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  power,  le  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the 

14  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever.  And  the  four  beasts  said,  Amen.  And  the 
four  and  twenty  elders  fell  down  and  worshipped  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever. 


That  song  of  angels  which  ceases  neither  day  nor  night — we  would  not  detract  from  its  harmony  or  its 
significance.  Verily  the  majesty  of  the  Invisible  is  deserving  of  such  homage  ;  and  the  wonders  of  crea. 
tion  even  of  old  waked  into  melody  the  sons  of  God,  when  with  the  morning  stars  they  "  shouted  and  sang 
together  for  joy."  Yet  there  is  a  song  more  rapturous  and  elevated,  such  as  breaks  from  the  lips  of  each 
new  inmate,  and  is  echoed  by  the  sympathetic  choir  of  the  saints,  until  all  heaven  rings  with  the  gladsome 
acclamation,  "  Worthy  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  for  he  has  redeemed  me  by  his  blood."  Although  angels 
join  in  that  song,  it  has  a  significance  which  they  can  never  learn.  They  can  never  say,  This  Lamb  was 
slain /or  us.  Accordingly,  the  nearest  to  the  throne  of  Jesus  are  those  who  represent  the  Church  of  the 
redeemed.  They  commence  the  new  and  exalted  strain,  "  Thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open 
the  seals  thereof :  for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood  out  of  every  kindred 
and  tongue  and  people  and  nation,  and  hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests."  Next  after  them, 
the  angels  who  circle  around,  unable  to  repress  their  sympathy  and  admiration,  to  the  number  of  "  ten 
thousand  times  ten  thousand  and  thousands  of  thousands,"  cry  with  a  loud  voice,  "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain  to  receive  power  and  riches  and  wisdom  and  strength  and  honor  and  glory  and  blessing." 
And,  finally,  the  whole  intelligent  universe  is  introduced  as  uniting  in  this  glorious  tribute,  and  the  chorus 
that  swells  all  hearts  and  voices  is,  "  Blessing  and  honor  and  glory  and  power  be  unto  him  that  sitteth 
upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever."     Homer. 


It  is  to  be  noted  that  this  revelation  of  God  is  as 
the  God  of  his  Church.  The  Father  seated  on  the 
throne ;  the  Lamb  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  bear- 
ing the  marks  of  his  atoning  sacrifice  ;  the  sevenfold 
Spirit  with  his  lamps  of  fire — this  is  Jehovah  the 


covenant  God  of  his  redeemed.  And  next  we  have 
creation,  symbolized  by  the  four  living  beings  ;  the 
Church,  patriarchal  and  apostohc,  represented  by  the 
twenty-four  ciders ;  and  the  innumerable  company 
of  angels,  ministering  in  their  glory  and  might,  now 


SECTION  S79.— REVELATION  5  : 1-U. 


741 


by  one  of  them,  now  by  another,  throughout  the 
course  of  the  prophecy.     A. 

1-7.  In  the  right  hand  of  God  is  seen  a  sealed 
roll ;  and  Jesus  Christ,  appearing  as  a  lamb  which 
had  been  slain,  takes  the  roll  amid  loud  acclama- 
tions of  praise,  and  proceeds  to  open  its  seven  seals. 
Thus,  while  the  preliminary  vision  to  the  first  series 
represents  Christ  as  the  inspector  of  the  Churches, 
this  reveals  him  as  the  powerful  ruler  in  the  midst 
of  the  throne,  who  "  has  prevailed  to  open  the  roll, 
and  to  loose  the  seven  seals  thereof."     D.  F. 

5,  6.  Here  the  divine  nature  of  our  Lord  is  dis- 
tinctly displayed.  He  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne. 
The  Saviour  is  in  intimate  union  with  the  Father. 
The  throne  is  subsequently  called  "  the  throne  of 
God  and  the  Lamb."  He  is  also  in  intimate  union 
with  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  is  the  Lamb,  having 
"  seven  horns  " — a  customary  Scripture  expression 
of  majesty  and  power.  The  number  seven  implies 
perfection.  The  Saviour  is  thus  Omnipotence  and 
Omniscience — God  !  The  connection  of  the  Jewish 
and  Christian  dispensation  is  sustained  as  in  the 
previous  chapter.  Christ  is  at  once  the  "  Lion  of 
the  tribe  of  Judah,"  and  "  the  Lamb  that  was 
slain":  the  Jewish  conqueror  and  the  Christian 
sacrifice.  Crohj. Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Ju- 
dah* Under  this  emblem  Jesus  Christ  is  repre- 
sented, alluding  to  the  prophetic  benediction  of  the 
patriarch  Jacob  (Gen.  19  :  9).  Judah  was  the  regal 
tribe,  and  famous  for  its  warlike  exploits;  distin- 
guished by  a  succession  of  illustrious  princes  and 
conquerors,  the  descendants  of  David,  who  were  at 
most  but  the  forerunners  and  representatives  of  an 
incomparably  greater  personage,  the  Son  of  God, 
who,  after  he  had  vanquished  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness, was  to  be  invested  with  an  everlasting  do- 
minion, that  all  nations,  tongues,  and  people  should 
serve  him.    R.  Hall. 

6.  Surely  these  notes  of  preparation,  this  won- 
derful and  splendid  preliminary  process,  would  lead 
us  to  anticipate  in  the  person  of  him  who  alone  was 
able  to  open  the  book  the  appearance  at  least  of 
surpassing  glory ;  and  yet,  while  the  apostle  looks 
with  admiring  expectation  for  the  coming  of  one 
thus  hailed  and  announced,  he  beholds  not  a  being 
wearing  an  aspect  of  resistless  power,  and  seeming- 
ly able  to  trample  upon  principalities  and  powers, 
but  "  a  Lamb  as  it  had  been  slain,"  a  being,  wear- 
ing amid  all  the  grandeur  by  which  he  was  sur- 
rounded the  imagery  of  death.  It  was  the  glorified 
humanity  of  Jesus  Christ  upon  which  he  gazed, 
bearing  yet  the  evidences  of  a  cruel  and  languishing 
death,  to  which  it  had  submitted  ;  the  print  of  the 
nails  was  there,  the  gash  of  the  spear  was  there. 
Exalted  though  he  was,  the  evidences  of  his  humili- 
ation had  not  been  effaced  ;  there  amid  all  his  glory 
were  the  traces  of  his  previous  infamy  and  suffer- 


ing :  the  crucified  is  not  lost  in  the  glorified.  We 
can  not  measure  his  power,  his  dignity,  or  his  hap- 
piness ;  but,  whatever  they  may  be,  they  have  not 
removed  Christ  to  a  distance  from  his  members  ;  he 
is  still  linked  with  all  "  who  sorrow  in  Zion  "  ;  for, 
though  he  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  and  sur- 
rounded by  the  praises  of  heaven,  he  is  there,  and 
is  praised  there,  "  a  Lamb  as  it  had  been  slain  " ;  and 
while  he  bears  the  marks  of  the  scourge,  the  nails, 
and  the  spear,  we  are  safe  in  believing  that  he  can 
feel  for  us  in  trouble,  and  succor  us  in  trial.  It  is 
precisely  this  combination  of  the  emblems  of  gran- 
deur and  the  mementoes  of  sorrow  which  makes 
the  exhibition  so  beautiful  and  interesting  to  us : 
there  are  the  traces  of  his  sorrow  to  teach  us  his 
sympathy ;  there  is  the  throne  to  reveal  to  us  his 
power ;  and  thus  the  Lamb  in  the  midst  of  the  throne 
is  still  our  sympathizing  and  Almighty  Saviour.  E.  M. 

Once  I  was  troubled  to  know  whether  the  Lord 
Jesus  was  a  man  as  well  as  God,  and  God  as  well 
as  man  ;  and  truly,  in  those  days,  let  men  say  what 
they  would,  unless  I  had  it  with  evidence  from 
heaven,  all  was  nothing  to  me.  I  was  much 
troubled  about  this  point,  and  could  not  tell  how  to 
be  resolved ;  at  last,  that  in  Rev.  5  :  6  came  into 
my  mind  :  "  And  lo,  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  and 
in  the  midst  of  the  elders,  stood  a  Lamb."  "  In 
the  midst  of  the  throne " — thought  I,  there  is  the 
Godhead  ;  "  in  the  midst  of  the  elders  " — there  is 
his  manhood  ;  but  oh,  methought  this  did  glister ; 
it  was  a  goodly  touch,  and  gave  me  sweet  satisfac- 
tion.    Bun. 

9.  It  must  be  that  each  soul  in  heaven  being 
for  ever  full  of  love  will  for  ever  be  full  of  praise. 
Every  new  sight  of  grandeur  or  of  beauty,  and 
every  new  contrivance  of  the  Creator's  wisdom  or 
power,  will  but  prompt  the  beholder  to  praise  the 
wondrous  Creator.  Every  intellectual  height  reached 
in  the  infinite  progress  of  the  soul,  onward  and  up- 
ward, must  awe  it  into  a  profounder  sense  of  the 
glory  of  the  great  Intelligence.  Every  active  pur- 
suit will  swell  the  tide  of  gratitude  and  praise  to 
him  the  ceaseless  worker,  in  whom  all  persons  and 
things  "  live,  move,  and  have  their  being "  ;  while 
the  loving  and  holy  soul,  ever  consciously  dwelling 
in  him  who  is  everywhere  present,  must  derive  from 
increasing  knowledge  of  and  communion  with  the 
infinite  and  glorious  One  a  source  of  exulting,  end- 
less praise — praise  which  will  be  intensified  by  the 
sympathy  and  song  of  the  great  minds  and  great 
hearts  of  the  "innumerable  company  of  angels" 
and  of  "just  men  made  perfect"  !  But  if  in  that 
voiceful  temple  any  one  song  of  praise  will  more 
than  any  other  issue  from  a  deeper  love,  or  express 
a  deeper  joy,  that  must  be  the  song  of  the  re- 
deemed !  For  that  is  a  "  new  song "  never  heard 
before  by  the  angels  in  the  amplitudes  of  creation, 


742 


SECTION  380.— REVELATION  6  : 1-8  : 1. 


and  which  the  strange  race  of  mankind  alone  can 
sing.     N.  M. 

While  duration  rolls  away  its  ages,  Jesus  Christ 
is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever — the 
Lamb  on  the  throne !  And  for  us,  saved  by  the 
blood,  cheered  by  the  presence,  consoled  by  the 
love,  blessed  with  the  gifts,  and  enlightened  with 
the  glory  of  Jesus,  is  not  such  a  heaven  enough  ? 
"  Worthy,"  cry  the  mingled  voices  of  saints  and 
angels,  "  worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  to  re- 
ceive power  and  riches  and  wisdom  and  strength 
and  honor  and  glory  and  blessing."  "  Worthy," 
again  cry  his  redeemed,  in  a  song  which  angels  may 
not  sing,  but  in  which,  with  holy  ecstasy,  we  will 
join,  "  worthy  art  thou ;  for  thou  wast  slain,  and 
hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood."     N.  W.  T. 

We  will  embalm  his  name  in  our  hearts.     We 

will  embalm  it  by  a  life  savoring  of  his  loveliness. 
We  will  embalm  it  by  our  praise,  which  shall  be 
prolonged  while  we  have  breath,  and  sink  away  at 
last  upon  our  dying  lips.  And  we  will  embalm  it 
among  the  songs  of  the  upper  world.  While  grati- 
tude and  truth  remain,  the  name  and  the  love  of 
Jesus  shall  never  be  forgotten.  It  shall  be  the 
sweetest  part  of  our  heaven  to  see  him  on  the 


throne — to  see  him  bending  with  infinite  delight 
over  his  beloved  Church,  to  hear  that  shout  of  praise 
from  all  the  redeemed,  from  all  the  angels,  from  all 
the  holy  creation.  It  shall  be  our  heaven  to  bow 
with  them  and  join  the  song.     Griffin. 

10.  The  four  -  and  -  twenty  presbyters  whoso 
thrones  compass  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the 
Lamb  represent  the  entire  host  of  the  redeemed. 
Twenty-four  are  selected  for  the  whole,  perhaps, 
because  there  were  twenty-four  courses  of  priests ; 
and,  under  the  present  dispensation,  all  believers 
are  priests  and  kings.     G.  B. 

12-14.  Everything  we  hear  in  that  world  is 
the  voice  of  praise  and  thanksgiving — the  universal 
burst  of  gratitude  and  wonder  and  love  in  songs  of 
joy  and  transport,  filling  all  its  arches  and  making 
all  its  pillars  tremble.  What  meetness,  then,  for 
heaven  can  ho  have  who  has  no  taste  for  the  ser- 
vice and  worship  of  God  on  earth  ?  Alas !  he 
knows  not  the  meaning  of  the  eternal  song :  "  Wor- 
thy is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain."  Not  a  single  note 
in  that  song  can  he  sing,  not  a  single  sentiment  can 
he  adopt,  not  a  single  ecstasy  can  he  feel.  Love,  love 
only,  produces  all  this ;  and  love  he  hath  not.  On 
him,  heaven  were  a  gift  bestowed  in  vain.     N.  W.  T. 


Section  380. 

Ebvelation  vi.  1-17 ;   vii.  1-17 ;  viii.  1 

6 : 1     Akd  I  saw  when  the  Lamb  opened  one  of  the  seals,  and  I  heard,  as  it  were  the  noise 

2  of  thunder,  one  of  the  four  beasts  saying,  Come  and  see.  And  I  saw,  and  behold  a  white 
horse :  and  he  that  sat  on  him  had  a  bow  ;  and  a  crown  was  given  unto  him  :  and  he  went 

3  forth  conquering,  and  to  conquer.     And  when  he  had  opened  the  second  seal,  I  heard  the 

4  second  beast  say,  Come  and  see.  And  there  went  out  another  hoi'se  that  was  red :  and 
power  was  given  to  him  that  sat  thereon  to  take  peace  from  the  earth,  and  that  they  should 

5  kill  one  another :  and  there  was  given  unto  him  a  great  sword.  And  when  he  had  opened 
the  third  seal,  I  heard  the  third  beast  say,  Come  and  see.     And  I  beheld,  and  lo  a  black 

6  horse  ;  and  he  that  sat  on  him  had  a  pair  of  balances  in  his  hand.  And  I  heard  a  voice  in 
the  midst  of  the  four  beasts  say,  A  measure  of  wheat  for  a  penny,  and  three  measures  of 

7  barley  for  a  penny ;  and  see  thou  hurt  not  the  oil  and  the  wine.     And  when  he  had  opened 

8  the  fourth  seal,  I  heard  the  voice  of  the  fourth  beast  say,  Come  and  see.  And  I  looked, 
and  behold  a  pale  horse  :  and  his  name  that  sat  on  him  was  Death,  and  Hell  followed  witli 
him.     And  power  was  given  unto  them  over  the  fourth  part  of  the  earth,  to  kill  with 

9  sword,  and  with  hunger,  and  with  death,  and  with  the  beasts  of  the  earth.  And  when  he 
had  opened  the  fifth  seal,  I  saw  under  the  altar  the  souls  of  them  that  were  slain  for  the 

10  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony  which  they  held  :  and  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  say- 
ing. How  long,  O  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost  thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them 

11  that  dwell  on  the  earth  ?  And  white  robes  were  given  unto  every  one  of  them  ;  and  it  was 
said  unto  them,  that  they  should  rest  yet  for  a  little  season,  until  their  fellow  servants  also 

12  and  their  brethren,  that  should  bo  killed  as  they  were^  should  be  fulfilled.  And  I  beheld 
when  he  had  opened  the  sixth  seal,  and,  lo,  there  was  a  great  earthquake;  and  the  sun  be- 

13  came  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair,  and  the  moon  became  as  blood ;  and  the  stars  of  heaven 
fell  unto  the  earth,  even  as  a  fig  tree  casteth  her  untimely  figs,  when  she  is  shaken  of  a 

14  mighty  wind.     And  the  heaven  departed  as  a  scroll  when  it  is  rolled  together:  and  every 

15  mountain  and  island  were  moved  out  of  their  places.  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the 
great  men,  and  the  rich  men,  and  the  chief  captains,  and  the  mighty  men,  and  every  bond 
man,  and  every  free  man,  hid  themselves  in  the  dens  and  in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains; 

16  and  said  to  the  mountains  and  rocks,  Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of  him  that  sit- 


SECTION  380.— REVELATION  6  : 1-8  : 1.  743 

IV  teth  on  the  tlirone,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb:  for  the  great  day  of  his  wrath  is 

come ;  and  who  shall  be  able  to  stand  ? 
7  :  1     And  after  these  things  I  saw  four  angels  standing  on  the  four  corners  of  the  earth, 

holding  the  four  winds  of  the  earth,  that  the  wind  should  not  blow  on  the  earth,  nor  on 

2  the  sea,  nor  on  any  tree.  And  I  saw  another  angel  ascending  from  the  east,  having  the 
seal  of  the  living  God:  and  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice  to  the  four  angels,  to  whom  it  was 

3  given  to  hurt  the  earth  and  the  sea,  saying,  Hurt  not  the  earth,  neither  tlie  sea,  nor  the 

4  trees,  till  we  have  sealed  the  servants  of  our  God  in  their  foreheads.  And  I  heard  the 
number  of  them  which  were  sealed :  and  there  were  sealed  a  hundred  and  forty  and  four 

5  thousand  of  all  the  tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel.  Of  the  tribe  of  Juda  icere  sealed  twelve 
thousand.     Of  the  tribe  of  Reuben  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.     Of  the  tribe  of  Gad  were 

6  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Aser  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the  tribe 
of  Nephthalim  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.     Of  the  tribe  of  Manasses  were  sealed  twelve 

V  thousand.     Of  the  tribe  of  Simeon  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.     Of  the  tribe  of  Levi  were 

8  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Issachar  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the 
tribe  of  Zabulon  were  sealed  twelve  thousand.  Of  the  tribe  of  Joseph  were  sealed  twelve 
thousand.     Of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin  icere  sealed  twelve  thousand. 

9  After  this  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  a  great  multitude,  which  no  man  could  number,  of  all  na- 
tions, and  kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues,  stood  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb, 

10  clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands ;  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying, 

11  Salvation  to  our  God  which  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb.  And  all  the 
angels  stood  round  about  the  throne,  and  ahout  the  elders  and  the  four  beasts,  and  fell 

12  before  the  throne  on  their  faces,  and  worshipped  God,  saying,  Amen :  Blessing,  and  glory, 
and  W'isdom,  and  thanksgiving,  and  honour,  and  power,  and  might,  le  unto  our  God  for 
ever  and  ever.     Amen. 

13  And  one  of  the  elders  answered,  saying  unto  me,  What  are  these  which  are  arrayed  in 

14  white  robes?  and  whence  came  they?  And  I  said  unto  him,  Sir,  thou  knowest.  And  he 
said  to  me,  These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their 

15  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  Therefore  are  they  before  the 
throne  of  God,  and  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple :  and  he  that  sitteth  on  the 

16  throne  shall  dwell  among  them.     They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more; 

17  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat.  For  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of 
the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters :  and  God 
shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes. 

8:1  And  when  he  had  opened  the  seventh  seal,  there  was  silence  in  heaven  about  the  space 
of  half  an  hour. 

If  the  mere  conception  of  the  reunion  of  good  men,  in  a  future  state,  infused  a  momentary  rap- 
ture into  the  mind  of  Tully,  what  may  we  be  expected  to  feel  who  are  assured  of  such  an  event  by 
the  true  sayincfs  of  God?  llow  should  we  rejoice  in  the  prospect — the  certainty  rather — of  spending  a 
blissful  eternity  with  those  whom  we  loved  on  earth,  of  seeing  them  emerge  from  the  ruins  of  the  tomb 
and  the  deeper  ruins  of  the  fall,  not  only  uninjured,  but  refined  and  perfected,  "  with  every  tear  wiped 
from  their  eyes,"  standing  before  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb  in  ivhite  robes  and  palins  in  their 
hands,  crying  with  a  loud  voice,  Scdvadon  to  God  that  sitteth  ujjon  the  throne,  and  to  the  Lamh,for  ever  and 
ever  !  What  delight  will  it  afford  to  renew  tlie  sweet  counsel  we  have  taken  together,  to  recount  the  toils 
of  combat,  and  the  labor  of  the  way,  and  to  approach,  not  the  house,  but  the  throne  of  God  in  company, 
in  order  to  join  in  the  symphonies  of  heavenly'  voices,  and  lose  ourselves  amid  the  splendors  and  fruitions 
of  the  beatific  vision !  To  that  state  all  the  pious  on  earth  are  tending :  and  if  there  is  a  law  from  whose 
operations  none  are  exempt,  which  irresistibly  conveys  their  bodies  to  darkness  and  to  dust,  there  is 
another  not  less  certain  or  less  powerful  which  conducts  their  spirits  to  the  abodes  of  bliss,  to  the  bosom 
of  their  Father  and  their  God.  The  wheels  of  nature  are  not  made  to  roll  backward ;  everything  presses 
on  toward  eternity  ;  from  the  birth  of  time  an  impetuous  current  has  set  in,  which  bears  all  the  sons  of 
men  toward  that  interminable  ocean.  Meanwhile  heaven  is  attracting  to  itself  whatever  is  congenial  to  its 
nature,  is  enriching  itself  by  the  spoils  of  earth,  and  collecting  within  its  capacious  bosom  whatever  is 
pure,  permanent,  and  divine,  leaving  nothing  for  the  last  fire  to  consume  but  the  objects  and  the  slaves  of 
concupiscence ;  while  everything  which  grace  has  prepared  and  beautified  shall  be  gathered  and  selected 
from  the  ruins  of  the  world  to  adorn  that  eternal  city  which  hath  no  need  of  the  swi  neither  of  the  moon  to 
shine  in  it,  for  the  glory  of  God  doth  ciilic/hteyi  it,  and  tlie  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof     H.  Hall. 


744 


SECTION  3S0.— REVELATION  6  :  1-8  : 1. 


The  Lamb,  alone  found  worthy,  opens,  one  after 
another,  the  seals  of  the  closed  book  or  roll,  so  that 
when  they  are  all  opened,  it  may  be  unrolled  and 
read.  One  point  siiould  be  urged,  which  is  very 
commonly  passed  over :  viz.,  that  the  roll  is  never 
during  the  prophecy  actually  opened,  nor  is  any 
part  of  it  read.  The  openings  of  its  successive  seals 
are  but  the  successive  preparations  for  its  contents 
to  be  disclosed  :  and  as  each  is  opened,  a  new  class 
of  preparations  is  seen  in  prophetic  vision.  When 
the  seventh  is  loosed,  and  all  is  ready  for  the  un- 
folding and  reading,  there  is  a  symbolic  silence,  and 
a  new  series  of  visions  begins.     A. 

The  opening  of  each  separate  seal  is  not  the 
opening  of  a  portion  of  the  roll,  but  a  necessary 
preliminary  to  the  opening  of  the  entire  roll.  What 
the  prophet  sees,  as  each  particular  seal  is  broken, 
is  not  something  in  the  roll  itself,  but  something 
which  occurs  on  the  stage  of  vision  at  the  moment 
when  that  step  is  taken  toward  the  unfolding  of 
God's  counsels.  In  the  case  of  the  first  four  seals, 
the  act  of  breaking  is  followed  by  a  loud  utterance 
from  one  of  the  four  living  beings  which  represent 
the  universe  of  animated  creation.  The  vision 
which  is  thus  introduced  affects  creation  in  some 
one  of  its  great  departments.  The  utterance  itself 
consists  of  the  single  word,  Come  ;  not,  as  the  ordi- 
nary reading  gives  it.  Come  and  see.  The  latter 
would  have  been  addressed  to  the  prophet:  the 
former  is  more  probably  addressed  to  the  Lamb  of 
God,  whose  coming  in  glory  is  the  desire  and  expec- 
tation of  the  creation,  and  is  in  some  definite  manner 
promoted  and  advanced  by  that  which  the  accom- 
panying vision  denotes.    V. 

Ch.  6.  The  roll  of  divine  purpose,  as  unfolded 
in  seven  portions,  seal  by  seal,  produces  the  follow- 
ing results :  1.  A  figure  of  conquest  on  a  white 
horse,  white  being  the  color  of  triumph  (v.  2).  2. 
A  figure  of  civil  war  on  a  red  horse,  taking  away 
peace  from  the  earth  (v.  4).  3.  A  figure  of  dearth 
or  scarcity  on  a  black  horse,  black  being  a  sign  of 
mourning  (vs.  5,  6).  4.  A  figure  of  devastation ; 
death  riding  on  a  livid  horse,  with  hades  like  a 
hearse,  or  moving,  yawning  grave  following  after 
(v.  8).  This  devastation  proceeds  under  the  four 
forms  mentioned  by  the  old  prophets,  war,'  famine, 
pestilence,  and  the  ravages  of  wild  beasts  (compare 
Ezek.  14  :  21).  These  four  judgments  being  directed 
against  life  on  the  earth,  are  successively  announced 
by  the  four  zoa.  Evidently  they  coincide  with  "  the 
beginning  of  sorrows  "  foretold  by  our  Saviour  in 
his  great  prophecy  or  eschatological  discourse,  de- 
livered on  the  Mount  of  Olives  three  days  before  his 
death.  5.  The  martyrs  are  to  be  avenged,  but  not 
yet.  The  Lord  had  said,  in  the  discourse  to  which 
we  have  just  referred,  "  Then  shall  they  deliver  you 
up  to  be  afflicted,  and  shall  kill  you ;  and  ye  shall 
be  hated  of  all  nations  for  my  name's  sake."  When 
the  fifth  seal  was  broken  John  saw  the  souls  of  the 
martyrs,  like  the  life  blood  of  ancient  sacrifices, 
poured  out  at  the  bottom  of  the  altar.  They  cried, 
as  once  the  blood  of  Abel  cried  to  God  from  the 
ground  ;  and  they  were  clothed  with  favor,  and  bid- 
den to  rest  awhile  till  the  cup  of  persecution  was 
full  (vs.  9-11).  6.  Universal  panic.  A  great  earth- 
quake denotes  the  convulsion  of  society.  Portents 
in  the  sky  announce  revolution  and  disaster  (vs.  12- 
14).  It  is  supposed  by  the  terrified  dwellers  on  the 
earth  to  be  the  great  day  of  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb 

(vs.  15-17).     D.  F. At  the  opening  of  the  sixth 

seal  we  have  reproduced  the  well-known  imagery  of 


our  Lord's  discourse  and  of  the  Old  Testament  pro- 
phets, describing  the  very  eve  and  threshold,  so  to 
speak,  of  the  day  of  the  Lord :  the  portents  which 
should  usher  in  his  coming,  but  not  that  coming 
itself.  For  the  revelation  of  this,  the  time  is  not 
yet.  First  (ch.  7)  his  elect  must  be  gathered  out  of 
the  four  winds,  the  complete  number  sealed  before 
the  judgments  invoked  by  the  martyred  souls  de- 
scend on  the  earth,  the  sea,  the  trees.  The  Seer 
must  be  vouchsafed  a  vision  of  the  great  multitude 
whom  none  can  number,  in  evei'lasting  glory.  The 
day  of  the  Lord's  coming  is  gone  by,  and  the  vision 
reaches  forward  beyond  it  into  the  blissful  eternity. 
Why  ?  Because  then,  and  not  till  then,  shall  the 
seventh  seal,  which  looses  the  roll  of  God's  eternal 
purposes,  be  opened,  and  the  book  read  to  the 
adoring  Church  in  glorv.  Then  (8  :  1)  we  have  the 
last  seal  opened,  and  the  half-hour's  silence — the 
"  beginning,"  as  Victorinus  sublimely  says,  "  of 
eternal  rest." 

Thus  far  the  vision  of  the  seals  necessarily 
reached  onward  for  its  completion.  But  there  is 
much  more  to  be  revealed.  God's  judgments  on  the 
earth  and  its  inhabitants  are  the  subject  of  the 
next  series  of  visions.  The  praye"rs  of  the  martyred 
saints  had  invoked  them.  Then  follow  the  seven 
trumpet-blowing  angels.     A. 

6.  Four  beasts.  The  zoa,  living  creatures,  are 
the  heavenly  representatives  of  all  created  life  wor- 
shiping before  the  throne  in  heaven.     T. 

In  verse  8,  for  "//f//,"  substitute  "Hades"; 
Hell  is  the  place  of  punishment,  as  now  understood, 
whereas  the  abode  of  the  departed  is  here  meant. 

A. Hades   is   described   here  as  the  hearse  of 

death,  following  to  receive  those  whom  death  strikes 
down.  Thus  the  first  four  visions  have  given  us 
the  various  images  of  conquest,  of  civil  war,  of 
scarcity,  and  of  mortality.  Each  of  these  is  pre- 
sented to  the  eye  of  a  suffering  and  buffeted  church, 
as  one  of  those  all  thiiigs  which  are  in  the  hands  of 
God,  and  which  are  worlcing  together  for  eventual 
good  to  the  cause  of  Christ  on  earth. 

9.  Bleeding  souls  at  the  foot  of  the  altar,  as  sym- 
bols in  vision,  are  no  incongruity.  The  Lamb  as  it 
vias  slain,  is  no  incongruity.  Li  vision  everything 
assumes  form  and  shape,  as  if  it  were  material. 
M.  S.  10.  The  righteous  blood  shed  upon  the 
earth,  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  is,  if  rightly  under- 
stood, a  sign,  not  of  the  discomfiture  of  his  truth, 
but  of  the  certainty  of  his  coming  to  judgment.  So 
Paul  uses  it  (2  Thes.  1  :  4-10).  And  the  opening 
of  the  sixth  seal  is  followed  by  signs  of  this  very  re- 
sult. We  recognize  in  this  passage  much  of  the 
imagery  of  the  Old  Testament  prophets.     V. 

9.  Beneath  the  altar.  We  have  not  yet 
had  an  altar  described  as  part  of  the  scene ;  but  the 
transition  to  the  imagery  of  the  earthly  temple,  with 
its  great  altar  of  burnt-offering  standing  in  front  of 
the  building,  is  easily  and  naturally  made.  The 
word  here  used  for  the  souls  of  the  martyred  saints 
is  that  which  expresses  their  natural  life  rather  than 
their  spiritual :  their  spirits  are  in  the  Paradise  of 
the  blessed.  10.  Dost  thou  not  .juds:e  and 
avenge  our  blood.  It  is  not  that  saints  in  Par- 
adise desire  vengeance :  it  is  the  voice  of  their  blood 
crying  from  the  ground,  and  rising  into  the  ears  of 
a  righteous  Judge  who  can  not  suffer  iniquity  and 
cruelty  to  triumph  as  now  for  ever. 

12.  Whatever  secondary  fulfillments  this  open- 
ing of  the  sixth  seal  may  have  found  in  history — as 
in  the  fall  of  the  Roman  Empire,  or  in  the  destruc- 


SEOTIOR  380.— REVELATION  6  : 1-8  : 1. 


745 


tion  of  idolatry,  or  in  the  demolition  of  any  great 
persecuting  and  oppressing  power  in  any  aQ;e  of  the 
world — who  does  not  feel  as  he  listens  to  it  that  it 
has  one,  and  can  have  but  one,  full  and  exhaustive 
accomplishment  in  the  events  which  shall  precede 
and  usher  in  the  second  coming  of  our  Lord  him- 
self for  judgment  ?  The  key  to  its  meaning  is  to 
be  found,  in  every  particular,  in  our  Saviour's  great 
prophecy,  and  delivered  in  answer  to  the  question 
of  his  disciples  (Mat.  24).  This  6th  chapter,  clos- 
ing with  the  result  of  the  opening  of  the  sixth  seal, 
stops  just  short  of  this  actual  coming  of  the  Son  of 
man.  It  is  the  ancient  belief  that  the  Book  of 
Revelation  was  written  after  the  destruction  of 
Jerusalem,  under  Domitian,  not  under  Nero.  If 
this  be  so,  remark  that  John,  and  he  who  taught 
and  inspired  John  with  the  vision  of  truth,  did  not 
consider  the  prophecy  of  our  Lord  contained  in  the 
chapter  referred  to,  to  be  completed  and  done  with, 
as  many  would  now  tell  us,  when  Jerusalem  fell. 
The  ruin  of  Jerusalem,  and  of  the  Mosaic  and  Le- 
vitical  institutions  with  it,  was  a  fulfillment,  but  not 
the  fulfillment,  of  our  Saviour's  words.  Those  words 
are  manifold  in  their  accomplishment.  Wherever 
there  is  a  church  in  a  world ;  wherever  there  is  a 
power  of  unbehef,  ungodliness,  and  violence,  throw- 
ing itself  upon  Christ's  faith  and  people,  and  seek- 
ing to  overbear  and  to  destroy:  whether  it  be  the 
power  of  Jewish  bigotry  and  fanaticism,  as  in  the 
days  of  the  first  disciples ;  or  of  pagan  Rome,  with 
its  idolatries  and  its  cruelties,  as  in  the  days  of 
John  and  of  the  Revelation;  or  of  papal  Rome, 
with  its  lying  wonders  and  its  anti-Christian  assump- 
tions, in  ages  later  still;  or  of  open  and  rampant 
atheism,  as  in  the  days  of  the  first  French  Revolu- 
tion ;  or  of  a  subtler  and  more  insidious  infidelity, 
like  that  which  is  threatening  now  to  deceive,  if  it 
icere  possible,  the  very  elect — wherever  and  whatever 
this  power  be,  then,  in  each  successive  century,  the 
words  of  Christ  to  his  first  disciples  adapt  then^- 
selves  afresh  to  the  circumstances  of  his  struggling 
servants ;  warn  them  of  danger,  exhort  them  to 
patience,  arouse  them  to  hope,  assure  them  of  vic- 
tory ;  tell  of  a  near  end,  for  the  individual  and  for 
the  generation ;  tell  also  of  a  far  end,  not  for  ever 
to  be  postponed,  for  time  itself  and  for  the  world ; 
predict  a  destruction  which  shall  befall  each  enemy 
of  the  truth,  and  predict  a  destruction  which  shall 
befall  the  enemy  himself  whom  each  in  turn  has 
represented  and  served ;  explain  the  meaning  of 
tribulation,  show  whence  it  conies,  and  point  to  its 
swallowing  up  in  glory;  reveal  the  moving  hand 
above,  and  disclose,  from  behind  the  cloud  which 
conceals  it,  the  clear,  definite  purpose  and  the  un- 
changing, loving  will.  Thus  understood,  each  sepa- 
rate downfall  of  evil  becomes  a  prophecy  of  the 
next  and  of  the  last ;  and  the  partial  fulfillment  of 
our  Lord's  words  in  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
or  of  John's  words  in  the  downfall  of  idolatry  and 
the  dismemberment  of  Rome,  becomes  itself  in  turn 
a  new  warrant  for  the  Church's  expectation  of  the 
second  advent  and  of  the  day  of  judgment.     V. 

16.  The  wrath  of  the  Lamb.  The  word, 
even  in  a  context  of  vengeance  and  woe,  still  whis- 
pers mercy,  grace,  and  peace.  Even  on  the  judg- 
ment-throne it  is  rich  with  the  tender  memories  of 
Gethsemane  and  Calvary ;  even  amid  the  dread  so- 
lemnities of  Omnipotent  anger  it  speaks  of  a  scene 
more  sublimely  divine  than  all  their  terrors.  It  ut- 
ters the  chosen  title  of  crucified  innocence,  of  pa- 
tience unmurmuring,  of   love  self-sacrificing.     W. 


A.  B. The  wrath  in  God  is  as  much  more  in- 
tensely revealed  in  the  incarnate  life  and  ministry  of 
Christ,  as  the  love  is,  or  the  patience,  or  any  other 
character  of  God.  Since  he  is  the  Lamb,  in  other 
words,  the  most  emphatic  and  appalling  of  all  epi- 
thets will  have  its  place,  viz.,  the  wrath  of  the 
Lamb.  Our  Christ  must  be  the  real  king — Messiah 
— and  no  mere  victim ;  he  must  govern,  have  his 
indignations,  take  the  regal  way  in  his  salvation. 
His  goodness  must  have  fire  and  fiber  enough  to 
make  it  divine.  His  character  is  weak,  unkingly, 
unchristly,  and  it  can  not  be  more,  till  the  wrath  is 
added  to  the  patience  of  the  Lamb.  As  he  has 
come  into  the  flesh  to  unfold  God's  human  sympathy 
and  tenderness,  so,  to  maintain  what  is  only  fit  pro- 
portion, he  must  needs  be  clothed  in  the  rigors  of 
judicial  majesty.  He,  then,  is  to  be  the  judge,  as 
he  himself  openly  declares,  and  before  his  judg- 
ment-seat all  mankind,  including  all  his  rejecters, 
shall  be  gathered.  He  will  separate  them  to  their 
fit  award.  He  will  say,  "ye  did  it  not  to  me."  He 
will  speak  the  "depart."     And  this  is  the  wrath, 

and  this  the  day  of  wrath !     H.  B. If  we  with 

our  bodily  eyes  were  to  see  the  sign  of  the  Son  of 
Man  in  heaven,  and  were  to  hear  that  trumpet  call, 
at  which  the  dead  shall  arise,  can  we,  can  our  con- 
sciences tell  us  what  would  be  our  feelings  at  that 
sight  and  sound  ?  Should  we  be  filled  with  fear  to 
our  inmost  souls,  as  if  certain  death  were  coming 
upon  us,  or  should  we  look  up  to  him  whom  we  be- 
held amid  the  blessed  company  of  his  saints  and 
angels,  as  to  one  whom  we  had  long  known,  long 
loved,  long  desired  to  see,  so  that,  love  casting  out 
fear,  we  should  be  full  of  joy  amid  all  the  terrors 
of  the  perishing  world,  because  our  Saviour  and  Re- 
deemer was  come,  and  our  trial  was  over,  and  our 
perfect  rest  and  happiness  was  at  hand  ?  Should 
we  say  to  the  mountains,  "Fall  on  us,"  and  to  the 
hills,  "  Cover  us  "  ?  or  should  we  say,  rather,  "  Lo, 
this  is  our  God !  we  have  waited  for  him,  and  he  will 
save  us  "  ?     T.  A. 

1 7.  If  there  were  no  other  argument  for  a  f u- 
tui'e  life,  sin  would  furnish  one,  never  to  be  refuted. 
We  need  descend  into  no  depths  of  abstruse  rea- 
soning here — the  simplest  notions  are  conclusive 
enough.  There  is  a  cause  standing  over  between 
the  impartial  Judge  and  ourselves ;  and  a  time  for 
the  hearing  and  decision  of  it  must  certainly  come. 
If  indefinitely  delayed  and  forgotten,  all  loyal  or- 
ders must  harbor  dissatisfaction  and  fear ;  while  all 
who  have  actually  been  called  to  account  and  pun- 
ished, will  protest  against  the  partiality.  If  con- 
science be  but  awake,  the  transgressor,  as  he  stands 
at  the  verge  of  the  present  Hfe,  may  thus  properly 
decide  upon  his  own  fate.  "  I  have  sinned  and  per- 
verted that  which  was  right.  Let  me  hide  myself 
in  the  darkness  of  the  grave !  No ;  for  God's  min- 
isters, and  all  beings — good  and  evil — shall  demand 
me  at  the  hands  of  death,  and  forbid  I  should  be 
forgotten.  The  dust  may  not  screen  me — the  clods 
may  not  cover  me.  Corruption  may  not  say  I  am 
lost  and  gone.  The  highest  tribunal  is  waiting  my 
appearance  ;  and,  unless  I  am  made  there  to  stand, 
the  honor  of  all  government  is  blasted — the  per- 
fections of  God  impugned.  True,  I  am  insignifi- 
cant ;  but  yet  am  party  in  a  cause  in  which  the  wis- 
dom and  purity  and  power  of  the  eternal  God  are  in 

question."    I.  T. God  regulates  the  movements 

of  conscience,  and  God  allows  of  no  apology  for  sin. 
He  can  forgive  it ;  he  can  forget  it ;  he  can  blot  it 
out  as  a  cloud  and  a  thick  cloud ;  he  can  bury  it  in 


746 


SECTION-  380.—:SEYELATION  6:1-8  : 1. 


the  depths  of  the  sea ;  he  can  carry  it  away,  so  that 
no,  more  mention  shall  be  made  of  it ;  but  he  never, 
no,  never  can  excuse  it.  And  the  man  who  rejects 
Christ  now,  and  treats  him  with  scorn,  and,  instead 
of  forsaking  his  sins,  extenuates  and  apologizes  for 
them,  may  be  sure,  that  if  not  before,  he  will  be 
startled  by  the  trumpet  peal  of  judgment ;  and  then 
all  his  sophistry  will  leave  him,  and  all  his  apolo- 
gies will  vanish,  and  as  the  great  white  throne  is 
set,  and  the  Judge  descends,  there  will  be  a  cry  of 
agony,  "This  is  Jesus  whom  I  crucified;  hide  me 

from  the  presence  of  the  Lamb."     E.  M. If  no 

immortal  punishments  were  awaiting  us,  still  the 
mere  fact  of  being  alienated  from  Christ,  the  gen- 
tle and  the  loving,  who  gave  himself  up  to  death 
for  us,  and  suffered  everything  to  rescue  us  from 
that  punishment,  and  reconcile  us,  who  were  ene- 
mies by  our  transgressions,  to  his  Father — this 
is  greater  than  any  punishment,  and  sufficient  to 
arouse  our  souls,  and  induce  us  to  be  continually 
watchful.     Chrijs. 

Ch.  T.  Six  seals  have  been  broken ;  and  the 
breaking  of  each  has  been  followed  by  a  certain 
sign  witnessed  on  the  stage  of  vision.  It  has  been 
shown  how  each  one  of  the  great  classes  of  human 
suffering  is  in  reality  under  the  control  of  God,  and 
how  each  one  is  premonitory  of  and  preparatory  for 
the  return  of  Christ  in  glory.  The  cry  of  creation 
which  introduces  each  is  the  brief  and  significant 
Come,  addressed  to  the  Lamb  that  vjas  slain,  and  ex- 
pressing that  earnest  expectation  of  the  creature  itself, 
which  is  waiting,  ever  waiting,  for  the  manifestation 
of  the  sons  of  God.  There  has  been  seen  the  white 
horse  of  conquest,  and  the  red  horse  of  discord,  and 
the  black  horse  of  scarcity,  and  the  pale  horse  of 
mortality ;  there  has  been  seen,  as  the  fifth  seal  was 
broken,  the  vivid  image  of  Christian  martyrdom ; 
and  at  the  opening  of  the  sixth,  the  fearful  repre- 
sentation of  those  last  terrors  which  shall  instantly 
precede  the  second  advent  of  the  Son  of  man.  We 
were  prepared  therefore  to  expect  the  immediate 
opening  of  the  seventh  and  last  seal,  and  with  it  the 
arrival  of  the  consummation  of  all  things.  But  a 
whole  chapter  intervenes.  Might  it  not  be  appre- 
hended that  amid  convulsions  so  terrific  as  those 
described  under  the  opening  of  the  sixth  seal  the 
Church  itself  might  founder  ?  Who  shall  secure 
Christ's  servants  against  being  involved  in  that  ca- 
tastrophe ?  Such  is  the  misgiving  to  which  the 
particular  revelation  now  before  us  would  minister. 

1.  The  winds  are  symbols  of  judgment,  and  the 
four  winds  indicate  the  universality  of  that  judg- 
ment. The  angels  are  to  be  its  executioners,  so  de- 
scribed in  the  verse  which  follows.  But  at  present 
they  are  seen  restraining  the  winds.  3.  Until  we 
have  sealed.  One  alone  actually  impresses  the  seal : 
the  rest  concur  and  assist  by  restraining  the  opera- 
tion of  judgment  until  the  sealing  is  accomplished. 
The  image  of  the  sealing  is  derived  from  the  book 
of  the  prophet  Ezekiel  (9  :  2-6).  There,  too,  are 
found  the  executioners  of  vengeance,  in  contrast 
with  the  one  sealer. 

And  can  we  doubt,  after  proceeding  thus  far, 
what  is  the  precise  thing  designated  by  the  sealing  ? 
We  have  seen  God's  judgments  abroad  in  the  earth  ; 
we  have  seen  the  train  and  procession  of  execution- 
ers starting  with  the  sword  of  Roman  conquest,  and 
ending  with  the  prognostications  of  the  instantly 
impending  advent.  And  we  have  traced  the  very 
same  line  of  prediction  through  our  Lord's  own 
prophecy  of  the  things  that  should  come,  as  written 


in  the  24th  chapter  of  Matthew's  gospel.  We  have 
seen  there  also  the  very  same  order  and  sequence  ; 
wars  and  rumors  of  wars ;  nation  rising  against 
nation ;  famines,  pestilences,  then  martyrdoms ; 
then,  after  those  tribulations,  the  sun  darkened  and 
the  moon  withdrawing  her  light,  and  the  sign  of 
the  Son  of  man  already  seen  in  heaven.  He  is,  as 
it  were,  in  act  to  descend.  The  sixth  seal  is  opened, 
the  seventh  is  trembling  for  its  breaking.  At  that 
point  the  one  prophecy  says,  I  saw  four  angels 
standing  at  the  four  corners  of  the  earth,  restrain- 
ing the  four  winds  of  final,  devastating,  desolating 
judgment ;  and  I  saw  another  angel  rising  from  the 
east,  and  bidding  them  wait  till  he  should  have 
sealed,  for  distinction  and  preservation,  the  servants 
of  his  God  and  theirs  ;  and  the  other  prophecy 
says,  The  Son  of  man  shall  send  his  angels  with  a 
(jrcat  sound  of  a  trumpet,  and  they  shall  gather  to- 
gether his  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from  one  end 
of  heaven  td  the  other.  What  can  be  more  precise, 
to  the  very  letter,  to  the  very  end,  than  the  coinci- 
dence of  the  two  prophecies  ?  What  more  evident, 
to  one  who  will  judge  of  Scripture  by  Scripture  and 
ask  the  Holy  Spirit  who  inspired  both  to  interpret 
to  him  each  by  each,  than  that  the  sealed  of  the  one 
are  the  elect  of  the  other,  and  that  the  loving  pur- 
pose and  the  preserving  care  in  the  one  and  in  the 
other  is  the  same,  not  less  in  the  occasion  of  its  ex- 
ercise than  in  the  nature  of  its  operation  ?     V. 

9.  The  Scriptures  do  not  intimate  that  in  the  ulti- 
mate winding  up  of  things  the  aggregate  of  God's 
people  will  be  small.  The  Bible  seeks  to  excite  no 
tears,  no  lamentations,  because  so  few  will  join  in 
the  chorus  of  redemption.  It  gives  no  intimation 
that  the  Father's  house  will  lack  occupants,  or  that 
any  of  its  apartments  will  stand  vacant.  The  whole 
tone  of  the  Bible,  when  it  speaks  of  the  final  issue 
of  time — the  final  results  of  all  this  world's  history — 
is  one  of  jubilee  and  triumph,  never  of  sorrow  and 
despondency.  There  is  no  intimation  that  God  will 
make  a  sad  failure  out  of  this  entei-prise  of  earth, 
or  that  he  will  lack  hearts  and  voices  redeemed  from 
earth  to  praise  him.  There  will  be  no  thinness  in 
the  ranks,  no  poverty  of  hearts  or  voices,  when  all 
his  people,  the  portion  of  the  Lord,  shall  be  gath- 
ered in.  J.  D. And  when  we  look  at  the  num- 
bers without  number  of  the  redeemed,  and  at  the 
wonderful  revelation  of  the  glory  of  God,  of  his 
mingled  justice  and  mercy,  which  is  made,  and  shall 
be  for  ever,  in  every  one  of  these,  wc  see  a  result 
worthy  of  this  strange  scene  of  six  thousand  years, 
of  its  central  figure,  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  of  its 
closing  scenes,  the  final  conflagration,  and  the  gene- 
ral judgment.     M.  II. 

10-12.  This  we  are  told  they  do.  They  wor- 
ship. They  satisfy,  it  would  seem,  in  perfection, 
that  mysterious  instinct  of  devotion — that  inborn 
craving  to  look  upward  and  adore,  which,  let  false 
philosophy  say  what  it  will,  proves  the  most  be- 
nighted idolater  to  be  a  man,  and  not  a  brute — a 
spirit,  and  not  a  merely  natural  thing.  They  have 
worshiped,  and  so  arc  blest.     They  have  hungered 


SECTION  380.— REVELATION  6  : 1-8  : 1. 


747 


and  thirsted  after  righteousness,  and  now  they  are 
filled.  They  have  longed  for,  toiled  for,  it  may  be 
died  for,  the  true,  the  beautiful,  and  the  good  ;  and 
now  they  can  gaze  upward  at  the  perfect  reality  of 
that  which  they  saw  on  earth,  only  as  in  a  glass 
darkly,  dimly,  and  afar ;  and  can  contemplate  the 
utterly  free,  the  utterly  beautiful,  and  the  utterly 
good  in  the  character  of  God  and  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ.  They  entered  while  on  earth  into  the  mys- 
tery and  glory  of  self -sacrifice ;  and  now  they  find 
their  bliss  in  gazing  on  the  one  perfect  and  eternal 
sacrifice,  and  rejoicing  in  the  thought  that  it  is  the 
cause  and  ground  of  the  whole  universe,  even  the 
Lamb  slain  before  the  foundation  of  the  world.  C.  K. 

Every  image  which  denotes  the  purest  joy  is 

introduced  into  this  description  of  the  ultimate  bless- 
edness of  the  redeemed.  They  are  clad  in  white, 
the  wedding  garments  of  a  great  festivity.  Music  is 
the  natural  utterance  of  their  delight.  Nor  is  this  a 
strained  and  artificial  expression.  It  is  full-toned 
chorus ;  it  is  hearty  praise ;  it  is  jubilant  adoration. 
And  as  that  doxology  of  the  Redeemer  waxes  louder 
and  fuller,  the  very  pillars  and  arches  of  heaven  are 
tremulous  with  joy.  Divested  of  all  that  is  tropical 
and  symbolical  in  form,  the  one  idea  conveyed  to  us 
is,  that  the  climacteric  of  redemption  is  full,  irre- 
pressible, eternal  joy.  A  religion  which  falls  short 
of  positive  and  unfailing  pleasure,  as  the  ultimate 
law  of  life,  can  not  meet  the  necessities  of  humanity. 
Redemption  is  an  advance  on  creation.  It  more 
than  regains  what  was  lost,  more  than  restores  what 
was  original.  The  burden  of  that  heavenly  song  is 
salvation,  blessing,  and  thank sgivinc/.  The  second 
Paradise  is  better  than  Eden.  The  joy  of  man  re- 
deemed, restored,  and  perfected,  is  greater  than  that 
of  man  in  the  glory  of  his  innocence.     W.  A. 

What  a  brave  encouragement  is  it  for  one  that 
is  come  for  grace  to  the  throne  of  grace,  to  see  so 
great  a  number  already  there  on  their  seats,  in  their 
robes,  with  their  palms  in  their  hands  and  their 
crowns  upon  their  heads,  singing  of  salvation  to 
God  and  the  Lamb  !  And  I  say  again — and  speak 
now  to  the  dejected — methinks  it  would  be  strange, 
oh,  thou  that  art  so  afraid  that  the  greatness  of 
thy  sins  will  be  a  bar  unto  thee,  if  among  all  this 
great  number  of  pipers  and  harpers  that  are  got 
to  glory,  thou  canst  not  espy  one  that,  when  here, 
was  as  vile  a  sinner  as  thyself.  Look,  man ;  they 
are  there  for  thee  to  view  them,  and  for  thee  to 
take  encouragement  to  hope,  when  thou  shalt  con- 
sider what  grace  and  mercy  have  done  for  them. 
Behold,  tempted  soul ;  dost  thou  not  yet  see  what  a 
throne  of  grace  here  is,  and  what  multitudes  are 
already  arrived  thither,  to  give  thanks  unto  his 
name  that  sits  thereon,  and  to  the  Lamb  for  ever 
and  ever  ?  And  wilt  thou  hang  thy  harp  upon  the 
willows,  and  go  drooping  up  and  down  the  world,  as 


if  there  was  no  God,  no  grace,  no  throne  of  grace, 
to  apply  thyself  unto  for  mercy  and  grace  to  help 
in  time  of  need  ?  Hark ;  dost  thou  not  hear  them 
what  they  say  ?  "  Worthy,"  say  they,  "  is  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wis- 
dom, and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  bless- 
ing." And  this  is  written  for  our  learning,  that  we 
through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures 
might  have  hope ;  and  that  the  drooping  ones  might 
come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  to  obtain  mercy 
and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need.     Bun. 

11.  Angels  welcome  them  as  partakers  of  their 
joy,  and  delight  in  their  happiness.  When  man  was 
created,  "  these  morning  stars  sang  together  ;  these 
sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy."  When  he  was  re- 
deemed, their  bright  hosts  flew  to  earth,  and  sang, 
"  Glory  to  God  m  the  highest."  When  a  sinner  re- 
pents, there  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels ; 
and  in  the  midst  of  all  the  sorrows  and  trials  and 
temptations  here  below,  they  are  ministering  spirits 
to  the  heirs  of  salvation.  With  warmth  of  affection 
will  these  holy  beings  welcome  us  to  their  blissful 
society  above !  With  what  transport  will  they  lead 
us  up  to  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb,  and  point 
us  to  the  surrounding  glories  of  our  eternal  abode ; 
with  what  joy  will  they  relate,  and  we  hear,  the  ac- 
count of  their  embassies  of  love  to  us,  while  we 
were  here  training  for  heaven !  And  while  we  cele- 
brate the  grace  that  brought  us  through,  and  dwell 
on  the  wonders  of  redeeming  love,  though  they  sing 
not  our  song,  yet  with  a  voice  as  the  sound  of  many 
waters  and  the  voice  of  mighty  thunderings,  they 
will  strike  the  chorus  to  our  praises. 

14-17.  The  description  is  highly  figurative,  but 
it  conveys  to  us  the  clearest  conception  of  unquali- 
fied good,  and  the  total  absence  of  all  evil.  There, 
and  above  all,  sin  shall  be  no  more ;  there  nothing 
that  defiles  shall  enter.  Every  cause  of  sin  will  be 
removed :  no  enticing  companions  to  seduce,  nor 
carnal  body  to  corrupt,  nor  deceitful  heart  to  en- 
snare ;  no  evil  world  to  tempt,  no  Satan  to  deceive, 
no  cessation  of  divine  influence  on  the  soul.  All 
sufferings  are  forgotten,  or  remembered  only  to 
bless  God,  who  counted  them  worthy  to  suffer  for 
his  name.  From  these  hills  of  salvation,  they  shall 
look  back  on  their  passage  through  this  troubled 
life,  and — the  winds  and  waves  having  ceased — shall 
enjoy  the  everlasting  calm  of  heaven.  Everything 
is  done  by  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness  to  banish 
the  very  elements  of  evil,  to  dispel  the  slightest 
shade  of  misery.  With  his  own  hand  of  mercy, 
their  Father,  God,  hath  wiped  away  all  tears  from 
their  eyes.     N.  W.  T. 

17.  The  Lamb  who  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne, 
appearing  still  as  the  Lamb  of  Calvary — for  the 
scenes  of  that  great  sacrifice  have  left  their  endur- 
ing impression  on  all  the  life  and  joy  of  heaven — 


748 


SECTION  3S1.— REVELATION  8  : 2-11 :  19. 


Jesus,  their  once  crucified  Redeemer,  is  still  as  ever 
their  Shepherd,  and  shall  feed  them,  and  he  shall 
lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters.  Food 
for  their  mental  and  moral  nature — thought,  knowl- 
edge, truth,  such  revelations  of  God  and  of  God's 
works  as  will  minister  to  the  endless  growth  of  sin- 
less minds  around  the  throne  of  God  shall  be  sup- 
plied to  them  by  their  well-known  Shepherd.  Has 
he  not  constituted  that  being,  social,  intellectual,  and 
moral  ?  and  has  he  not  nurtured  each  and  all  of  its 
growing  powers  on  such  scale  as  the  scenes  of  earth 
admit,  so  that  with  infinite  facility  he  can  resume 
their  education  and  carry  it  on  from  one  stage  of 
progress  to  another,  all  along  the  march  of  heaven's 
eternal  ages  ?  All  this  and  more  may  be  included 
and  implied  in  the  simple  words — "  The  Lamb  who 
is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and 
shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters."  H.  C. 


8:1.  We  see  reason  to  doubt  whether  the 
book  itself,  the  sealed  book  which  the  Lamb  takes 
out  of  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  of  which  he  has 
now  broken  each  successive  seal,  is  ever  read  to  us ; 
whether  its  contents  are  not  rather  reserved  for  a 
future  state,  to  be  the  subject  of  satisfying  and 
adoring  meditation  through  the  ages  of  the  eternal 
age.  The  breaking  of  each  of  the  first  six  seals  is 
followed  by  a  new  sign,  a  new  scone,  a  new  dis- 
closure :  but  the  consequence  of  the  opening  of  the 
seventh  seal  is  not  sign  nor  scene,  not  speech  nor 
disclosure,  but  silence :  it  is  the  signal  for  the  drop- 
ping of  the  curtain  upon  the  stage  of  vision,  and 
when  it  rises  again,  it  is  for  a  new  act,  with  other 
performers  and  amid  altered  circumstances.  The 
impediments  are  removed,  the  scroll  is  spread,  the 
divine  reader  is  prepared :  but  the  actual  reading  is 
not  for  earth,  but  for  heaven.     V. 


Section  381. 

Eevelation  viii.  2-13  ;  ix.  1-21 ;  x.  1-11 ;  xi.  1-19. 

8:2     And  I  saw  the  seven  angels  which  stood  before  God ;  and  to  them  were  given  seven 

3  trumpets.  And  another  angel  came  and  stood  at  the  altar,  having  a  golden  censer;  and 
there  was  given  unto  him  much  incense,  that  he  should  offer  it  with  the  prayers  of  all  saints 

4  upon  the  golden  altar  which  was  before  the  throne.     And  the  smoke  of  the  incense,  which 

5  came  with  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  ascended  up  before  God  out  of  the  angel's  hand.  And 
the  angel  took  the  censer,  and  filled  it  with  fire  of  the  altar,  and  cast  it  into  the  earth :  and 
there  were  voices,  and  thunderingrs,  and  lightnings,  and  an  earthquake. 

6  And  the  seven  angels  which  had  the  seven  trumpets  prepared  themselves  to  sound.  The  first 

7  angel  sounded,  and  there  followed  hail  and  fire  mingled  with  blood,  and  they  were  cast  upon 

8  the  earth :  and  the  third  part  of  trees  was  burnt  up,  and  all  green  grass  was  burnt  up.  And 
the  second  angel  sounded,  and  as  it  were  a  great  mountain  burning  with  fire  was  cast  into  the 

9  sea:  and  the  third  part  of  the  sea  became  blood  ;  and  the  third  part  of  the  creatures  which 

10  were  in  the  sea,  and  had  life,  died  ;  and  the  third  pari!  of  the  ships  were  destroyed.  And  the 
third  angel  sounded,  and  there  fell  a  great  star  from  heaven,  burning  as  it  were  a  lamp,  and  it 

11  fell  upon  the  third  part  of  the  rivers,  and  upon  the  fountains  of  waters;  and  the  name  of 
the  star  is  called  Wormwood  :  and  the  third  part  of  the  waters  became  wormwood  ;  and 

12  many  men  died  of  the  waters,  because  they  were  made  bitter.  And  the  fourth  angel 
sounded,  and  the  third  part  of  the  sun  was  smitten,  and  the  third  part  of  the  moon,  and  the 
third  part  of  the  stars;  so  as  the  third  part  of  them  was  darkened,  and  the  day  shone  not 

13  for  a  third  part  of  it,  and  the  night  likewise.  And  I  beheld,  and  heard  an  angel  flying 
through  the  midst  of  heaven,  saying  with  a  loud  voice,  "Woe,  woe,  woe,  to  the  inhabiters  of 
the  earth  by  reason  of  the  other  voices  of  the  trumpet  of  the  three  angels,  which  are  yet  to 
sound ! 

0  :  1     And  the  fifth  angel  sounded,  and  I  saw  a  star  fixll  from  heaven  unto  the  earth  :  and  to 

2  him  was  given  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit.  And  he  opened  the  bottomless  pit ;  and  there 
arose  a  smoke  out  of  the  pit,  as  the  smoke  of  a  great  furnace :  and  the  sun  and  the  air  were 

3  darkened  by  reason  of  the  smoke  of  the  pit.  And  there  came  out  of  the  smoke  locusts 
upon  the  earth :  and  unto  them  was  given  power,  as  the  scorpions  of  the  earth  have  power. 

4  And  it  was  commanded  them  that  they  should  not  hurt  the  grass  of  the  earth,  neither  any 
green  thing,  neitlier  any  tree ;  but  only  those  men  which  have  not  tlie  seal  of  God  in  their 

5  foreheads.  And  to  them  it  was  given  that  they  should  not  kill  them,  but  that  they  should 
be  tormented  five  months:  and  their  torment  was  as  the  torment  of  a  scorpion,  when  he 

fi  striketh  a  man.     And  in  those  days  shall  men  seek  death,  and  shall  not  find  it ;  and  shall 

7  desire  to  die,  and  death  shall  flee  from  them.  And  the  shapes  of  the  locusts  ivere  like  unto 
horses  prepared  unto  battle ;  and  on  their  heads  were  as  it  were  crowns  like  gold,  and  their 

8  faces  were  as  the  faces  of  men.     And  they  had  hair  as  the  hair  of  women,  and  their  teeth 


SEGTIOF  381.—REVELATI0ir  8  :  2-11 :  19.  749 

9  were  as  the  teeth  of  lions.  And  they  had  breastplates,  as  it  were  breastplates  of  iron ;  and 
the  sound  of  their  wings  teas  as  the  sound  of  chariots  of  many  horses  running  to  battle. 

10  And  they  had  tails  like  unto  scorpions,  and  there  were  stings  in  their  tails :  and  their  power 

11  was  to  hurt  men  five  months.  And  they  had  a  king  over  them,  which  is  the  angel  of  tiie 
bottomless  pit,  whose  name  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  is  Abaddon,  but  in  the  Greek  tongue  hath 

12  his  name  ApoUyon.     One  woe  is  past;  and,  behold,  there  come  two  woes  more  hereafter. 

13  And  the  sixth  angel  sounded,  and  I  heard  a  voice  from  the  four  horns  of  the  golden  altar 

14  which  is  before  God,  saying  to  the  sixth  angel  which  had  the  trumpet,  Loose  the  four  angels 

15  which  are  bound  in  the  great  river  Euphrates.  And  the  four  angels  were  loosed,  which 
were  prepared  for  an  hour,  and  a  day,  and  a  month,  and  a  year,  for  to  slay  the  third  part  of 

16  men.     And  the  number  of  the  array  of  the  horsemen  tcere  two  hundred  thousand  thousand : 

17  and  I  heard  the  number  of  them.  And  thus  I  saw  the  horses  in  the  vision,  and  them  that 
sat  on  tliem,  having  breastplates  of  fire,  and  of  jacinth,  and  brimstone :  and  the  heads  of 
horses  were  as  the  heads  of  lions  ;  and  out  of  their  mouths  issued  fire  and  smoke  and  brim- 

18  stone.     By  these  three  was  the  third  part  of  men  killed,  by  the  fire,  and  by  the  smoke,  and 

19  by  the  brimstone,  which  issued  out  of  their  mouths.  For  their  power  is  in  their  mouth, 
and  in  their  tails :  for  their  tails  tcere  hke  unto  serpents,  and  had  heads,  and  with  them 

20  they  do  hurt.  And  the  rest  of  the  men  which  were  not  killed  by  these  plagues  yet  repented 
not  of  the  works  of  their  hands,  that  they  should  not  worship  devils,  and  idols  of  gold,  and 
silver,  and  brass,  and  stone,  and  of  wood ;  which  neither  can  see,  nor  hear,  nor  walk : 

21  neither  repented  they  of  their  murders,  nor  of  their  sorceries,  nor  of  their  fornication,  nor 
of  their  thefts. 

10  ;  1  And  I  saw  another  mighty  angel  come  down  from  heaven,  clothed  with  a  cloud  :  and  a 
rainbow  was  upon  his  head,  and  his  face  was  as  it  were  the  sun,  and  his  feet  as  pillars  of 

2  fire :  and  he  had  in  his  hand  a  little  book  open :  and  he  set  his  right  foot  upon  the  sea,  and 

3  his  left  foot  on  the  earth,  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  as  when  a  lion  roareth  :  and  when 

4  he  had  cried,  seven  thunders  uttered  their  voices.  And  when  the  seven  thunders  had 
uttered  their  voices,  I  was  about  to  write :  and  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto 

5  me.  Seal  up  those  things  which  the  seven  thunders  uttered,  and  write  them  not.     And  the 

6  angel  which  I  saw  stand  upon  the  sea  and  upon  the  earth  lifted  up  his  hand  to  heaven,  and 
sware  by  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  who  created  heaven,  and  the  things  that  therein 
are,  and  the  earth,  and  the  things  that  therein  are,  and  the  sea,  and  the  things  which  are 

7  therein,  that  there  should  be  time  no  longer :  but  in  the  days  of  the  voice  of  the  seventh 
angel,  when  he  shall  begin  to  sound,  the  mystery  of  God  should  be  finished,  as  he  hath 
declared  to  his  servants  the  prophets. 

8  And  the  voice  which  I  heard  from  heaven  spake  unto  me  again,  and  said.  Go  and  take  the 
little  book  which  is  open  in  the  hand  of  the  angel  which  standeth  upon  the  sea  and  upon 

9  the  earth.  And  I  went  unto  the  angel,  and  said  unto  him.  Give  me  the  little  book.  And 
he  said  unto  me,  Take  it,  and  eat  it  up  ;  and  it  shall  make  thy  belly  bitter,  but  it  shall  be  in 

10  thy  mouth  sweet  as  honey.  And  I  took  the  little  book  out  of  the  angel's  hand,  and  ate  it 
up  ;  and  it  was  in  my  mouth  sweet  as  honey :  and  as  soon  as  I  had  eaten  it,  my  belly  was 

11  bitter."  And  he  said  unto  me,  Thou  must  prophesy  again  before  many  peoples,  and  nations, 
and  tongues,  and^kings. 

11:1     And  there  was  given  me  a  reed  like  unto  a  rod :  and  the  angel  stood,  saying,  Rise, 

2  and  measure  the  temple  of  God,  and  the  altar,  and  them  that  worship  therein.  But  the 
court  which  is  without  the  temple  leave  out,  and  measure  it  not ;  for  it  is  given  unto  the 

3  Gentiles  :  and  the  holy  city  shall  they  tread  under  foot  forty  and  two  months.  And  I  will 
give  power  unto  my  two  witnesses,  and  they  shall  prophesy  a  thousand  two  hundred  and 

4  threescore  days,  clothed  in  sackcloth.     These  are  the  two  olive  trees,  and  the  two  candle- 

5  sticks  standing  before  the  God  of  the  earth.  And  if  any  man  will  hurt  them,  fire  proceed- 
eth  out  of  their  mouth,  and  devoureth  their  enemies :  and  if  any  man  will  hurt  them,  he 

6  must  in  this  manner  be  killed.  These  'have  power  to  shut  heaven,  that  it  rain  not  in  the 
days  of  their  prophecy :  and  have  power  over  waters  to  turn  them  to  blood,  and  to  smite 

7  the  earth  with  all  plagues,  as  often  as  they  will.  And  when  they  shall  have  finished  their 
testimony,  the  beast  that  ascendeth  out  of  the  bottomless  pit  shall  make  w^ar  against  them, 

8  and  shall  overcome  them,  and  kill  them.  And  their  dead  bodies  shall  lie  in  the  street  of  the 
great  city,  which  spiritually  is  called  Sodom  and  Egypt,  where  also  our  Lord  was  crucified. 

9  And  they  of  the  people  and  kindreds  and  tongues  and  nations  shall  see  their  dead  bodies 

10  three  days  and  a  half,  and  shall  not  suffer  their  dead  bodies  to  be  put  in  graves.  And  they 
that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  rejoice  over  them,  and  make  merry,  and  shall  send  gifts  one 

11  to  another ;  because  these  two  prophets  tormented  them  that  dwelt  on  the  earth.  And 
after  three  days  and  a  half  the  Spirit  of  life  from  God  entered  into  them,  and  they  stood 

12  upon  their  feet ;  and  great  fear  fell  upon  them  which  saw  them.  And  they  heard  a  great 
voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  them.  Come  up  hither.     And  they  ascended  up  to  heaven 

13  in  a  cloud  ;  and  their  enemies  beheld  them.  And  the  same  hour  was  there  a  great  earth- 
quake, and  the  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell,  and  in  the  earthquake  were  slain  of  men  seven 


^50  SECTION  381.— REVELATION  8  : 2-11 :  19. 

14  thousand  :  and  the  remnant  were  affrighted,  and  gave  glory  to  the  God  of  lieaven.  The 
second  woe  is  past ;  and^  behold,  the  third  woe  Cometh  quickly. 

15  And  the  seventh  angel  sounded ;  and  there  were  great  voices  in  heaven,  saying.  The 
kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  l'i?igdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ ;  and  he 

16  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever.     And  the  four  and  twenty  elders,  which  sat  before  God  on 

17  their  seats,  fell  upon  their  faces,  and  worshipped  God,  saying.  We  give  thee  thanks,  O  Lord. 
God  Almighty,  which  art,  and  wast,  and  art  to  come  ;  because  thou  hast  taken  to  thee  thy 

18  great  power,  and  hast  reigned.  And  the  nations  were  angry,  and  thy  wrath  is  come,  and 
the  time  of  the  dead,  that  they  should  be  judged,  and  that  thou  shouldest  give  reward  unto 
thy  servants  the  prophets,  and  to  the  saints,  and  them  that  fear  thy  name,  small  and  great; 

19  and  shouldest  destroy  them  which  destroy  the  earth.  And  the  temple  of  God  was  opened 
in  heaven,  and  there  was  seen  in  his  temple  the  ark  of  his  testament ;  and  there  were  light- 
nings, and  voices,  and  thunderings,  and  an  earthquake,  and  great  hail. 


Nothing  is  great  in  this  world  but  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ ;  nothing  but  that,  to  a  spiritual  eye, 
has  an  air  of  permanency.  The  history  of  the  past  has  been  but  a  history  of  the  rise  and  fall  of  in- 
dividuals and  of  nations ;  but  amid  all  the  changes  and  overturnings  which  have  thus  far  gone  to  fill  up 
the  annals  of  time,  the  kingdom  of  Christ  has  remained,  and,  under  the  protection  of  him  whose  wisdom 
and  power  are  symbolized  by  the  seven  spirits  of  God  abroad  in  all  the  earth,  it  is  steadily  advancing, 
enlarging  its  boundaries  on  every  side,  and  going  on  to  fill  the  earth.  The  days  which  are  passing  now 
are  the  days  of  the  Son  of  man ;  and  each  successive  one  as  it  passes,  heaving  into  being  new  and  sur- 
prising events,  is  but  an  illustration  of  the  wisdom  and  the  might  of  Him  who  sits  upon  the  throne,  as 
they  all  mark  the  different  stages  of  that  grand  revolution  which  is  going  on,  and  which  in  its  issue  shall 
show  the  earth  converted  into  a  noble  temple,  and  that  consecrated  to  Christ ;  and  whose  melody,  issuing 
simultaneously  from  every  dwelling-place,  shall  be  but  the  echo  of  the  anthem  long  since  raised  in  heaven 
— the  anthem  of  praise  to  the  "  Lamb  that  has  been  slain."     E.  M. 


Chs.  8-11.  Seven  trumpets  blown.  The  in- 
troduction to  this  series  is  a  vision  of  high  solemni- 
ty in  the  presence  of  God  (8  :  2-6).  There  is  a 
presentation  of  the  prayers  of  saints  with  incense, 
and,  as  a  sign  of  the  answering  of  those  prayers  "  by 
terrible  things,"  there  is  a  casting  down  of  altar-fire 
upon  the  earth.  The  same  golden  censer  that  waft- 
ed up  the  incense  receives  and  pours  down  the  fire. 
Thus  the  way  is  prepared  for  a  series  of  devouring 
judgments. 

Seven  angels  "  prepared  to  sound  "  the  trumpets 
which  were  given  lo  them.  The  results  which  en- 
sue are  arranged  in  several  i-espects  like  those  which 
follow  the  breaking  of  seals.  Thus,  in  cither  case, 
there  is  a  difference  marked  between  the  first  four 
and  the  remaiuing  three.  [The  first  four  complete 
the  world-wide  judgments,  and  with  the  fifth  the 
three  woes  on  mankind  begin.  A.]  There  is  an 
interval  between  the  sixth  and  seventh,  occupied  by 
two  episodical  visions.  The  greatest  intensity  of 
terror  is  under  the  sixth  ;  and  then,  as  under  the 
seventh  seal  there  was  silence  in  heaven,  so  under 
the  seventh  trumpet  the  mystery  of  God  is  finished. 

D.  r. When  the  seventh  is  about  to  sound  the 

consummation  of  God's  judgment  passes  unrecord- 
ed, as  it  did  under  the  seals ;  and  at  the  seventh 
trumpet  we  have  the  song  of  thanksgiving  and  tri- 
umph in  heaven.  Such  remarkable  correspondence 
carries  its  own  explanation  :  the  two  visions  of  the 
seals  and  trumpets  run  to  one  and  the  same  termi- 
nation.   A, This  section  of  the  prophecy  does  not 

follow  chronologically  upon  the  former,  that  of  the 
seals.  As  the  former,  so  this  also  had  no  doubt  a 
minor  fulfillment,  perhaps  many  minor  fulfillments. 


in  times  near  to  (or  in  part  coincident  with)  those  of 
John  himself ;  and  certainly  the  former,  no  less 
than  this,  carries  us  down  to  thp  very  end  of  time. 
The  two  visions,  briefly  distinguishable  as  that  of 
the  seven  seals  and  that  of  the  seven  trumpets,  are 
on  the  whole  rather  parallel  to  each  other  than  con- 
secutive. 

The  trumpet  had  various  sacred  as^ciations  in 
the  history  and  ritual  of  1%1'ael.  In  the  giving  of 
the  law  on  Mount  Sinai  it  was  the  last  signal  of 
God's  immediate  presence  (Ex.  19  :  16,  19).  Hence 
its  solemn  application  in  the  New  Testament  (1  Thes. 
4  :  16).  The  trumpet  was  the  appointed  summons 
to  sacrifice  and  to  worship  (Num.  10  :  10).  It  was 
the  signal  of  war;  announcing  its  approach,  and 
summoning  to  defense  (1  Sam.  13  :  3).  Ijut,  various 
as  were  the  Old  Testament  associations,  all  sacred 
and  solemn,  with  the  sounding  of  the  trumpet,  there 
was  one  only  with  the  particular  combination  here 
found,  that  of  scvn  trumpets  (Josh.  6  :  2-5).  This 
passage  contains  the  key  to  the  prophecy  now  before 
us.  In  the  days  of  John  the  Church  of  Christ  was 
a  little  army  compassing  a  mighty  stronghold,  peo- 
pled with  gigantic  powers,  and  ready  to  laugh  to 
scorn  its  few  and  feeble  assailants.  But  the  vision 
of  the  seven  trumpets  was  full  of  hope,  full  of  com- 
fort, for  them.  It  bade  them  remember  the  siege 
of  Jericho  in  the  days  of  old,  when  by  faith  alone 
the  victory  was  won,  without  one  blow  struck  or  one 
engine  aimed  by  man.  Even  so  shall  it  be  in  that 
greater  and  more  magnificent  war  by  which  the  king- 
doms of  the  world  are  to  be  made  at  last  the  king- 
dams  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ.  The  great  city 
with  its  walls  and  bulwarks  before  which  the  little 


SECTION  381.—REVELATI0F  8  :  2-11 :  19. 


751 


army  of  the  faithful  is  encamped,  and  which  must 
fall  before  they  can  gain  entrance  into  the  heavenly 
Canaan,  is  now  the  world  of  sin,  of  apostasy,  of  un- 
belief ;  the  world,  calling  itself  by  different  names 
in  different  centuries,  but  uniform  and  unchanged 
through  all  ages  at  least  in  this,  that  it  is  not  subject 
to  the  law  of  God,  and  is  not  on  the  side  of  Christ 
in  his  warfare  against  the  enemies  of  human  good 
and  human  happiness.  Against  this  world,  chang- 
ing ever  in  its  form,  but  unchanged  and  unchange- 
able in  its  deep  inner  principles,  the  Church  which 
is  Christ's  army  has  to  make  war  in  Christ's  name. 
And  how?  Not  by  t7ri(/ht,  nor  by  power,  bict  by  my 
Spirit,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Who  art  thou,  0 
great  mountain?  Before  my  servant,  before  my 
people,  before  the  ark  of  my  covenant,  before  my 
word  and  my  will  and  my  outstretched  arm,  thou 
shall  become  a  ptlain  ;  for  the  battle  is  the  Lord's, 
and  the  cause  of  his  Church  is  his  cause.    V. 

The  effects  produced,  as  the  trumpets  are  suc- 
cessively blown,  may  be  summarily  stated  thus: 
1.  Havoc  on  the  earth.  2.  Convulsion ;  part  of  the 
sea  turned  into  blood.  3.  Bitterness.  4.  Darkness. 
All  these  woes  fall  upon  "  a  third  part "  of  the  earth, 
the  sea,  the  rivers  and  fountains,  and  the  heavenly 
orbs.  There  is  a  marked  reserve.  The  judgments 
recall  the  plagues  of  hail,  flood,  and  darkness  that 
fall  on  Egypt;  and,  like  those  plagues,  they  stop 
short  of  extermination,  being  intended  for  humilia- 
tion and  warning.  5.  The  letting  loose  of  hellish 
malice  for  a  season.  6.  The  loosing  of  "four  an- 
gels, which  are  bound  in  the  great  river  Euphrates." 
That  river  represents  the  peoples  and  multitudes 
that  sustain  the  mystic  Babylon  (IV  :  15);  and  a 
great  force  among  them,  held  in  for  a  time,  breaks 
forth.  A  mighty  host  goes  out  to  kill  and  slay. 
After  seven  thunders  have  been  uttered,  and  a 
vision  had  of  the  death  and  resurrection  of  two 
witnesses,  the  last  step  in  the  series  is  reached. 
7.  Groat  voices  are  heard  in  heaven.  Under  the 
seventh  seal,  heaven  was  silent ;  but  now  "  great 
voices  "  proclaimed  the  world-sovereignty  of  "  our 
Lord  and  of  his  Christ ;  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever 
and  ever."  Therefore  the  Church,  represented  by 
the  twenty-four  presbyters,  gives  solemn  thanks  to 
the  "  Lord  God  Almighty." 

Some  of  the  historical  interpreters  give  definite 
meanings  to  this  series  in  a  wonderful  fashion.  The 
first  trumpet  announces  the  invasion  of  Italy  by 
Alaric,  the  second  sounds  for  Genseric,  the  third  for 
Attila,  the  fourth  for  Odoacer,  the  fifth  for  Mo- 
hammed, and  the  sixth  proclaims  the  Turkish  inva- 
sion of  Christendom,  and  capture  of  Constantinople. 
All  this  seems  wild  and  arbitrary  in  the  extreme. 
The  cycles  of  visions  repeat  the  same  lessons  and 
warnings,  announcing  judgments  and  distress  of 
nations  before  the  coming  of  the  Lord.  Yet  they 
are  not  mere  repetitions.  The  revelation  under  the 
trumpets  is  in  advance  of  that  under  the  seals.  It 
shows  more  fully  the  agencies  to  he  employed  for 
and  against  the  Church,  and  mentions  evils  and  op- 
positions which  are  yet  more  clearly  developed  un- 
der the  next  revolution  of  the  wheel.     D.  F. 

8  :  3,  Tlicrc  was  yiven  to  him  much  incense,  that 
he  might  give  it  to  the  prayers  of  all  the  saints  on  to, 
that  is,  to  be  offered  •  upon,  the  golden  altar.  The 
incense  was  used  to  give  a  sweet  scent  to  that  fire- 
offering  upon  which  it  was  thrown.  When  the  an- 
gel has  incense  given  him  to  throw  upon  the  prayers 
of  the  saints,  it  indicates  that  those  prayers  may 
now  rise  with  acceptance  to  the  throne  of  God ;  in 


other  words,  that  the  time  for  actually  offering  them, 
because  the  time  when  God  will  answer  them,  is  now 
fully  come.  And  then  there  goes  up  the  smoke  of 
the  incense  out  of  the  angel's  hand,  for  (that  is,  to 
give  a  sweet  scent  to)  those  prayers  w  hich  before 
were  lying  as  it  were  savorless  because  premature. 
We  Christians  know  of  one  and  but  one  Mediator. 
The  angel's  part  is  not  one  of  intercession  or  of 
mediation :  he  comes  simply  to  testify  that  God's 
time  is  come,  and  that  the  prayers  of  the  saints  for 
deliverance  and  for  victory  have  been  heard  and 
shall  now  be  answered. 

And  now  the  angel  has  taken  the  censer,  and  he 
filled  it  from  the  fire  of  the  altar,  and  cast  the  con- 
tents upon  the  earth.  The  censer  had  fulfilled  its 
first  office,  that  of  scenting  and  perfuming  the 
prayers  of  the  saints  :  now  it  has  a  ministry  of  judg- 
ment. The  very  censer,  which  had  just  been  used 
to  give  fragrance  to  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  was 
immediately  afterward  employed  to  scatter  fire  from 
off  the  same  altar  upon  the  earth.  Prayer,  then, 
has  two  aspects.  It  brings  an  answer  of  peace  to 
the  offerer :  it  brings  an  answer  of  judgment  upon 
the  world  of  evil.  And  does  not  this  passage  give 
us  what  I  may  indeed  call  a  formidable  idea  of  the 
consequences  of  Christian  prayers  ?  The  final  an- 
swer to  such  prayers,  the  fulfillment  of  the  cry  ut- 
tered from  generation  to  generation.  Thy  kingdom 
come,  is  the  discomfiture  and  destruction  of  all  evil ; 
sin  first  of  all,  and  with  it  all  those  who  have  de- 
terminately  taken  part  with  sin.  Yes,  the  prayer 
of  a  Christian  man  may  be  set  forth,  as  the  Psalmist 
says,  before  God  as  incense  ;  but  it  returns  back  up- 
on earth  in  the  shape  of  a  fire  to  consume  evil. 

9-13.  The  sixth  judgment.  A  voice  is  heard 
from  among  the  four  horns  of  that  golden  altar  on 
which  lie  for  sacrifice  the  prayers  of  saints.  It  is 
the  cry  of  God's  oppressed  people  on  earth  which 
brings  down  this  judgment  upon  the  world  of  their 
oppressors.  The  judgment  itself  consists  In  set- 
ting free  four  angels  hitherto  bound;  in  giving 
scope,  that  is,  to  the  operation  of  a  particular 
agency  thus  far  restrained  by  God's  long-suffering 
toward  the  world  of  the  ungodly.  The  angels  are 
four  in  number,  in  allusion  to  the  four  corners  of 
the  earth,  or  the  four  winds,  to  express  the  world- 
wide character  of  the  judgments  foretold.  The 
place  of  their  binding  first  and  then  of  their  loos- 
ing is  the  river  Euphrates,  marked  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament as  the  boundary  between  the  kingdom  of 
Israel  and  the  kingdoms  of  the  East,  whether  As- 
syrian, Chaldean,  or  Persian,  as  the  limit  from  be- 
yond which  came  the  hosts  of  invading  nations  to 
make  war  upon  the  nations  and  upon  the  city  of 
God.  The  Euphrates  is  thus  used  as  a  general  em- 
blem of  the  scat  of  God's  hosts  of  war  gathered 
for  attack  upon  an  unbelieving  or  apostate  world. 
(See  Isa.  13.)  Who  the  enemy  is  against  whom  the 
hosts  of  the  Lord  are  thus  mustered  may  be  gath- 
ered from  the  20th  and  21st  verses.  He  is  the 
world  sunk  in  sin,  and  therefore  hostile  to  the 
Church. 

The  predictions  of  chapters  8  and  9,  like  those 
in  the  section  of  the  seven  seals,  are  manifold,  not 
single,  in  their  fulfillment.  Wherever  war  has  been 
employed,  under  God's  overruling  providence,  to 
humble  pride  and  to  break  up  overgrown  and  over- 
bearing powers,  there  have  these  chapters  had  an 
accomplishment  again  and  again,  and  each  separate 
accomplishment  has  been  in  its  turn  a  prediction 
and  prognostication  of  the  greatest  accomplishment 


752 


SECTION  881.— REVELATION  8  :  S-11 :  19. 


and  of  the  last.  Those  hordes  of  invading  bar- 
barians which  broke  up  the  monster  empire  of 
Rome,  and  out  of  whose  conquests  modern  Europe 
eventually  grew,  were  one  fulfillment — they  were 
not  the  only  fulfillment — of  these  prophecies.  Never 
were  the  figures  of  locust-swarms,  with  their  teeth 
as  of  lions  and  their  hair  as  of  women,  more  strik- 
ingly exemplified  than  in  those  irruptions.  But 
they  did  not  exhaust  these  prophecies.  The  words 
of  God  are  manifold  in  their  application,  just  be- 
cause they  deal  not  with  instances  only,  but  with 
principles. 

10  :  7.  The  statement  is  that  a  time  is  fixed  in 
God's  counsels  for  the  completion  and  termination 
of  the  present  mixed  state ;  that  the  sounding  of 
the  seventh  trumpet,  according  to  the  figurative 
language  of  this  portion  of  the  Book  of  Revelation, 
shall  be  the  signal  for  the  close  of  that  which  is ; 
and  that  this  purpose  and  determination  of  God  is 

good  news   to   his   servants.     V. [For  a  more 

complete  and  satisfactory  exposition  of  this  and 
other  points,  read  Dr.  Vaughan's  judicious  and  ad- 
mirable Lectures  upon  this  book.     B.] 

10:8toll:14.  These  episodes  between  the 
sixth  and  seventh  trumpets,  are  distinctly  introduc- 
tory to  that  which  is  next  to  follow.  A  little  book 
is  given  to  the  seer,  sweet  to  his  mouth,  but  bitter 
in  digestion,  with  an  announcement  that  he  is  yet 
again  to  prophesy  to  many  nations — that  a  fresh 
series  of  prophetic  visions,  glorious  indeed  but  wo- 
ful,  was  now  to  be  delivered  by  him. 

These  begin  by  the  measurement  of  the  temple 
of  God — seeing  that  it  is  the  Church  herself,  in  her 
innermost  hold,  which  is  noio  to  become  the  subject 
of  the  prophecy.  The  course  of  the  two  witnesses, 
recalling  to  us  by  their  spirit  and  power  Moses  and 
Elias,  is  predicted :  and  during  the  prediction,  one 
principal  figure  of  the  subsequent  visions  is  by  an- 
ticipation introduced :  the  wild  beast  that  cometh 
up  out  of  the  abyss.  That  this  is  so,  is  at  once 
fatal  in  my  estimation  to  the  continuous  historical 
interpretation.  I  can  give  no  explanation  of  the 
two  witnesses.  I  have  studied  the  various  solu- 
tions, and  I  own  that  I  can  not  find  any  which  I  can 
endorse  as  satisfactory.     A. 

11  :  1,  2.  Even  before  Jerusalem  was  de- 
stroyed, even  while  the  material  temple  was  still 
standing — how  much  more  now,  when  (as  we  be- 
lieve) the  sword  of  Roman  conquest  had  already 
done  its  work  upon  the  holy  city  and  its  sanctuary — 
the  name  of  the  temple  of  God  had  been  transferred 
from  the  building  on  Mount  Zion  to  the  living  com- 
munity of  believing  men.  Now,  to  measure  this  tem- 
ple is  to  mark  out  its  extent ;  to  ascertain  how  much 
(if  I  might  so  express  it)  is  temple ;  what  are  the 
dimensions,  what  the  limits,  of  that  which  is  really 
holy.  Like  the  very  different  yet  not  wholly  diver- 
gent vision  of  the  sealing,  it  is  the  object  of  this 
passage  to  indicate  the  safety,  because  the  indelible 
consecration,  of  God's  true  servants.  The  shrine  is 
to  be  measured  :  the  court  is  to  be  left  out.  There 
shall  always  be  a  true  Church,  a  true  spiritual  divine 
temple :  but  there  shall  be  appended  to  it  a  larger 
space  which  must  be  described  rather  as  an  outer 
court  of  that  temple,  a  community  which  parttkes 
not  in  the  true  worship  of  devotion  and  self-dedica- 
tion, and  which,  whatever  its  profession  and  what- 
ever its  name,  is  in  reality  a  multitude  without  grace 
and  without  vitality. 

3.  The  witnesses  are  in  one  sense  ideal,  but  in 
another  sense  they  are  real  persons :  they  are  the 


witnesses  of  revelation,  the  witnesses  of  truth,  the        m 
witnesses  of  the  gospel,  the  witnesses  of  God,  the  i 

witnesses  of  Christ,  in  every  age  :  personified  here 
as  two  in  number.  The  two  witnesses  must  raise 
the  voice  of  their  prophesying  during  the  interval 
longer  or  shorter,  the  symbolical  three  years  and  a 
half,  forty  and  two  months,  or  twelve  hundred  and 
sixty  days  of  mingled  fidelity  and  defection,  of  a 
measured  shrine  and  a  trampled  court ;  and  then, 
then  at  length,  in  the  days  of  the  voice  of  the  seventh 
angel,  who  is  about  to  sound,  then  shall  the  end  come  ; 
then  shall  the  mystery  of  God  be  finished  even  as  he 
evangelized  his  servants  the  prophets  (10  :  7). 

4.  The  witnesses  here  are  said  to  be  the  two 
olive-trees  a7id  the  two  candlesticks  which  stand  before 
the  Lord  of  the  earth.  And  the  vision  of  Zechariah 
(4  :  11-14)  has  taught  us  to  connect  the  two  em- 
blems. The  olive-trees  are  the  feeders  of  the  lamps. 
Through  the  two  golden  pipes  they  empty  the  golden 
oil  out  of  themselves  into  the  lights  which  shine  be- 
fore God.  How  glorious  a  description  of  the  office 
of  the  earthly  witnesses!  They  are  channels  of 
grace,  and  they  are  concentrations  of  light.  The 
Church  in  her  darkest  times  shall  not  lack,  has  not 
lacked,  these.     V. 

6.  The  half  of  the  mystic  seven  is  a  ruling 
number  in  the  apocalyptic  periods.  Three  years 
and  a  half  had  been  the  duration  of  the  drought 
prayed  for  by  Elijah  (Jas.  5: 17);  "a  time,  times, 
and  the  dividing  of  time"  (=  three  years  and  a 
half),  was  the  prophetic  duration  of  the  persecution 
of  the  saints  in  Dan.  7 :  23.  Thus  we  find  here  that 
the  two  witnesses,  one  of  whose  powers  is  to  shut 
up  heaven  that  there  shall  be  no  rain,  shall  prophesy 
1,260  days,  i.  e.,  three  years  and  a  half;  also  the 
testimony  of  three  witnesses  is  to  endure  forty-two 
months  (=  three  years  and  a  half),  as  that  of  Moses 
endured  through  the  fort3'-two  stations  of  Israel  in  ~« 
the  wilderness.  Three  days  and  a  half  are  the 
bodies  of  the  witnesses  to  lie  unburied  in  the  street 
of  the  great  city  (v.  9);  again,  for  1,260  days  is  the 
woman  to  be  fed  in  the  wilderness ;  again,  forty-two 
months  is  the  period  of  the  power  of  the  first  wild 
beast,  which  ascended  from  the  sea  (13:5).  Of 
these  latter  periods  no  satisfactory  solution  has  ever 
been  given.  Again  and  again,  the  interpreters  of 
prophecy  have  fixed  a  time  for  the  end  of  them ; 
again  and  again,  that  time  has  passed  unsignalized 
by  any  event ;  again  and  again,  these  interpreters 
have  shifted  on  their  ground  into  the  as  yet  safe 
future.    A. 

7-13,  There  is  a  triumph  over  the  fall  of 
Christ's  witnesses.  The  world  rejoices  over  them, 
as  one  after  another  they  pass  away  from  the  scene 
of  their  testimony ;  for  deeply  had  the  sting  of  their 
words  and  the  sting  of  their  deeds,  the  reproof  of 
their  gospel,  and  the  reproof  of  their  example,  en- 
tered into  the  souls  of  their  despisers  and  their 
adversaries.  For  three  days  and  a  half,  for  the 
half  of  the  seven,  for  a  period  short  and  incom- 
plete, the  triumph  of  the  world,  the  dance  around 
the  corpses,  is  suffered  to  continue:  men  send 
gifts  one  to  another,  as  in  a  day  of  feasting  and 
of  joy  over  glad  tidings.  But  there  comes  for 
the  faithful  witnesses  a  morning  of  joy  after  this 
night  of  toecping ;  their  cause  triumphs,  though 
they  may  be  no  more;  their  memory  revives,  and 


SECTION-  SSL— REVELATION  8  :  2-11 :  19. 


753 


is  honored  when  honor  can  no  more  elate:  they 
themselves  are  in  the  heavenly  mansions:  already 
rest,  hereafter  glory !  V. — Christianity,  like  civil- 
ization, may  be  overborne  at  different  points,  or 
turned  from  its  course ;  but  it  must  recover  its  lost 
ground.  It  is  a  guardian  power,  -which  has  long 
been  carrying  the  human  family,  as  in  its  bosom, 
over  a  rugged  road,  and  beneath  inclement  skies; 
but  will  not  be  stayed  until  it  have  fulfilled  its  trust. 
I.  T. 

15.  "The  kingdom  (sovereignty)  over  the  world 
is  our  Lord's,  and  his  Christ's."  The  kingdoms  of 
the  world  give  way  to  the  kingdom  over  the  world 
exercised  by  Christ  (Dan.  2  :  44).  The  earth-king- 
doms are  many ;   His  shall  be  one  (Zech.  14  :  9). 

Faussd. Can  the  earth  be  enlightened?      Can 

the  nations  be  disenthralled  ?  Can  the  whole  crea- 
tion, which  has  groaned  and  travailed  together  in 
pain  until  now,  be  brought  out  of  bondage  into 
glorious  liberty  ?  Yes,  all  this  can  be  done,  and 
loill  be  done :  First,  by  the  judgments  of  heaven,  in 
which  the  Son  of  man  will  come  upon  the  strong 
man  ariucd.,  and  take  away  his  armor  ;  secondly,  by 
the  universal  propagation  of  the  gospel,  before  the 
light  of  which  idolatry,  imposture,  and  superstition 
will  retreat  abashed ;  Ihlrdly,  by  frequent  and,  at 
last,  general  revivals  of  religion,  giving  resistless 
power  to  the  gospel,  as  it  is  preached  •  to  every 

creature.     L.  B. The  means  are  at   command, 

and  just  so  soon  as  the  Spirit  is  poured  out  like 
water  upon  the  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry 
ground,  we  shall  find  the  great  cause  of  the  world's 
convei^ion  moving  on  toward  its  ultimate  triumphs, 
with  an  efiScacy  and  a  glory  that  will  awaken  new 
songs  in  heaven.  Expansion  is  the  very  law  of  the 
Saviour's  kingdom.  Christianity  embraces  every 
feature  of  increase  and  perpetuity ;  and,  whenever 
it  shall  please  God  to  give  the  Spirit  in  primitive 
fullness  and  power  to  all  our  churches  and  all  our 
missionaries,  we  shall  be  prepared  to  hear  it  shout- 
ed on  earth,  and  echoed  from  heaven,  '■^  The  king- 
doms of  fhis  icorld  are  become  (he  kingdoms  of  our 
Lord,  and  of  his  Christ !    D.  Magie. 

16.  The  twenty  four  elders.  The  scenery  of  the 
fourth  and  fifth  chapters  still  continues ;  the  council 
is  still  sitting  in  heaven  upon  the  fortunes  of  earth ; 
with  such  additional  features  as  we  have  from  time 
to  time  noticed  in  the  sections  which  followed.  And 
here  the  adorations  of  the  fifth  chapter  are  renewed, 
in  special  acknowledgment  of  the  assumption  of 
universal  dominion  by  the  Lord  and  his  Christ. 

18.  And  to  destroy  those  who  destroy  the  earth. 
There  is  only  one  word  in  the  original  language  for 
destroying  and  corrupting.  To  defile  is  to  destroy. 
To  corrupt  the  earth  is  to  destroy  the  earth.  It  is, 
to  spoil  God's  work ;  to  mar  and  to  disfigure  by  its 
abuse  that  which  God  made  all  beautiful  and  all 
48 


holy.  See  then  what  a  sinful  life  is  !  See  how 
God's  enemies,  that  is,  the  ungodly  and  the  sinful, 
are  regarded  in  heaven !  They  destroy  the  earth. 
God  meant  everything  for  one  use,  and  they  turn 
everything  to  another  use.  God  meant  his  creation 
to  be  enjoyed  by  his  creatures  ;  enjoyed  with  mod- 
eration, enjoyed  with  thankfulness,  enjoyed  in  kind- 
ness, in  tenderness,  in  love ;  and  behold,  we  have 
gone  forth  to  trample  and  to  waste,  to  sully  and  to 
defile,  to  turn  to  selfish  indulgence,  to  use  as  instru- 
ments of  vile  temptation,  or  as  implements  of  un- 
holy warfare,  those  things  or  those  persons,  those 
members  and  faculties,  those  bodies,  those  minds, 
those  souls,  which  might  have  been  and  which  ought  to 
have  been  altogether  applied  to  his  service  and  made 
vocal  with  his  praise.  And  now  at  last  the  season 
is  come  to  destroy  those  who  have  thus  destroyed 
the  earth. 

19.  T7te  temple  of  God  ivas  opened.  The  secret 
place  of  his  dicelling  was  thrown  wide  open,  giving 
sight,  giving  access,  giving  place  and  abode  for  men. 
The  eye  of  John  rests  once  again  in  vision  upon  the 
lost  ark  of  his  nation :  he  sees  it  in  heaven,  and  he 
sees  it  disclosed  to  public  gaze.  There  is  no  longer 
any  enclosing  wall,  no  longer  a  concealing  curtain. 
What  could  this  indicate  but  that  the  mystery  of 
God  is  now  finished,  his  counsels  accomplished,  his 
work  concerning  man  consummated  ?     V, 

Christianity  fulfills  its  own  prophecies  ;  it  proves 
its  divine  origin  by  superhuman  victories.  Every 
opposing  religion,  and  every  arrogant  philosopher, 
it  has  overcome  in  its  resistless  march,  and  from 
them  all,  one  after  another,  has  been  heard  the  ex- 
piring cry,  wrested,  it  is  said,  from  the  apostate 
Julian :  "  Thou  hast  conquered,  0  Galilean  !  "  It 
is  more  than  realizing  the  vision  of  Cicero,  in  his 
"  Laws,"  that  "  the  whole  world  is  to  be  esteemed 
one  community  of  gods  and  men."  Through  our 
earth  it  is  diffusing  the  principle  of  justice,  as  it 
also  here  first  made  charity  to  be  the  greatest  of  the 
virtues.  It  has  ennobled  womanhood,  sanctified 
childhood,  spiritualized  manhood,  and  opened  to  all 
the  gates  of  endless  life.  It  helps  us  to  "  strip  off 
our  fond  and  false  identity,"  and  "  woos  and  clasps 
us  to  the  eternal  spheres."  It  has  brought  the  king- 
dom of  God  to  the  very  vision  and  heart  of  man. 
It  touches  our  deepest  and  tenderest  feelings,  and 
makes  us  strong  for  conflict  or  submission.  It 
awakens,  that  it  may  still,  the  sense  of  guilt.  It 
relieves  our  untold  sorrows,  and  imparts  these  hid- 
den joys  no  tongue  can  tell.  Its  inmost  efficacy  is 
seen  in  the  formation  of  a  holy  mind,  in  the  trans- 
formation of  a  sinner  into  a  loving  child  of  God,  a 
marvel  which  neither  science  knows,  nor  art  can 
imitate.  And  in  the  race,  as  in  the  soul,  it  creates 
new  and  higher  wants,  apd  satisfies  them.  Its  prom- 
ises  irradiate  the  future,   as   its   beneficence  has 


754 


SECTION  382.— REVELATION  12  : 1-U  :  20. 


blessed  the  past.  Human  rights  and  human  wants 
demand  its  triumphs.  The  world  travails  and  sighs 
for  redemption,  so  that  perpetual  war  may  issue  in 
perpetual  peace  ;  that  oppression  and  caste  may  be 
abolished ;  that  labor  may  be  guided  by  moral  law, 
and  not  by  the  soulless  rule  of  supply  and  demand ; 
that  our  politics  may  be  patriotic  and  just ;  that  the 
terrible  inequalities  of  social  life  may  be  eradicated, 
the  hungry  fed,  the  naked  clothed  ;  that  the  physi- 
cal may  be  for  the  moral,  and  the  moral  for  the 
spiritual ;  that  our  humanity  may  be  one  brother- 
hood, in  Christ  our  elder  brother  and  our  King.  All 
this  is  pledged  in  the  triumph  of  his  kingdom,  fore- 


shadowed in  the  promise  of  its  millenial  glory.  And 
though  some  expositors,  adhering  to  the  letter,  put 
that  glory  in  a  merely  sensual  and  Jewish  form,  re- 
minding us  of  Milton's  sarcasm,  that  "  what  to  the 
Jew  is  only  Jewish  is  for  the  Christian  Canaanit- 
ish,"  yet,  that  it  is  to  be  a  kingdom  in  which  Christ 
shall  reign  and  redemption  be  completed,  is  insured 
to  us  by  the  faithful  pledge  of  him  who  has  prom- 
ised, and  is  alone  able  to  effect,  that  grandest  of 
consummations,  that  brightest  vision  of  the  race, 
the  ushering  in  of  that  "  sacred,  high,  eternal  noon," 
in  which  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  shall  become 
the  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ.     II.  B.  S. 


Section  382. 

Eevelation  xii.  1-17 ;   xiii.  1-18 ;   xiv.  1-20. 

13  :  1     And  there  appeared  a  great  wonder  in  heaven ;  a  woman  clothed  with  the  snn,  and  the 

2  moon  under  her  feet,  and  upon  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars:  and  she  being  with  child 

3  cried,  travailing  in  birth,  and  pained  to  be  delivered.     And  there  appeared  another  wonder 
in  heaven ;  and  behold  a  great  red  dragon,  having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  seven 

4  crowns  upon  his  heads.     And  his  tail  drew  the  third  part  of  the  stars  of  heaven,  and  did 
cast  them  to  tlie  earth :  and  the  dragon  stood  before  the  woman  which  was  ready  to  be 

5  delivered,  for  to  devour  her  child  as  soon  as  it  was  born.     And  she  brought  forth  a  man 
child,  who  was  to  rule  all  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron :  and  her  child  was  caught  up  unto 

6  God,  and  to  his  throne.     And  the  woman  fled  into  the  wilderness,  where  she  hath  a  place 
prepared  of  God,  that  they  should  feed  her  there  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  three-score 

7  days.    And  there  was  war  in  heaven  :  Michael  and  his  angels  fought  against  the  dragon ; 

8  and  the  dragon  fought  and  his  angels,  and  prevailed  not ;  neither  was  their  place  found  any 

9  more  in  heaven.    And  the  great  dragon  was  cast  out,  that  old  serpent,  called  the  Devil,  and 
Satan,  which  deceiveth  the  whole  world :  he  was  cast  out  into  the  earth,  and  his  angels 

10  were  cast  out  with  him.  And  I  heard  a  loud  voice  saying  in  heaven,  Now  is  come  salva- 
tion, and  strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our  God,  and  the  power  of  his  Christ :  for  the 
accuser  of  our  brethren  is  cast  down,  which  accused  them  before  our  God  day  and  night. 

11  And  they  overcame  *im  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of  their  testimony; 

12  and  they  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death.  Therefore  rejoice,  ye  heavens,  and  ye  that 
dwell  in  them.  Woe  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth  and  of  the  sea!  for  the  devil  is  come 
down  unto  you,  having  great  wrath,  because  he  knoweth  that  he  hath  but  a  short  time. 

13  And  when  the  dragon  saw  that  he  was  cast  unto  the  earth,  he  persecuted  the  woman  which 

14  brought  forth  the  man  child.  And  to  the  woman  were  given  two  wings  of  a  great  eagle, 
that  she  might  fly  into  the  wilderness,  into  her  place,  where  she  is  nourished  for  a  time,  and 

15  times,  and  half  a  time,  from  the  face  of  the  serpent.  And  the  serpent  cast  out  of  his 
mouth  water  as  a  flood  after  the  woman,  that  he  might  cause  her  to  be  carried  away  of  the 

16  flood.     And  the  earth  helped  the  woman  ;  and  the  earth  opened  her  mouth,  and  swallowed 

17  up  the  flood  which  the  dragon  Cast  out  of  his  mouth.  And  the  dragon  was  wroth  with  the 
woman,  and  went  to  make  war  with  the  remnant  of  her  seed,  which  keep  the  command- 
ments of  God,  and  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ. 

13 :  1  And  I  stood  upon  the  sand  of  the  sea,  and  saw  a  beast  rise  up  out  of  the  sea,  having 
seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  upon  his  horns  ten  crowns,  and  upon  his  heads  the  name 

2  of  blasphemy.     And  the  beast  which  I  saw  was  like  unto  a  leopard,  and  his  feet  were  as 
the  feet  of  a  bear,  and  his  mouth  as  the  mouth  of  a  lion:  and  the  dragon  gave  him  his 

3  power,  and  his  seat,  and  great  authority.     And  I  saw  one  of  his  heads  as  it  were  wounded 
to  death ;  and  his  deadly  wound  was  healed :  and  all  the  world  wondered  after  the  beast. 

4  And  they  worshipped  the  dragon  which  gave  power  unto  the  beast:  and  they  worshipped 

5  the  beast,  saying,  Who  is  like  unto  the  beast  ?  who  is  able  to  make  war  with  him  ?     And 
there  was  given  unto  him  a  mouth  speaking  great  things  and  blasphemies ;  and  power  was 

6  given  unto  him  to  continue  forty  and  two  months.     And  he  opened  his  mouth  in  blas- 
phemy against  God,  to  blaspheme  his  name,  and  his  tabernacle,  and  them  that  dwell  in 

7  heaven.     And  it  was  given  unto  him  to  make  war  with  the  saints,  and  to  overcome  them  : 


SECTION  SSZ—BEVFLA  TIOX  12  : 1  U  :  20.  755 

8  and  power  was  given  him  over  all  kindreds,  and  tongues,  and  nations.  And  all  that  dwell 
upon  the  earth  shall  worship  him,  v.'hose  names  are  not  written  in  the  hook  of  life  of  the 

9  Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world.     If  any  man  have  an  ear,  let  him  hear. 

10  He  that  leadeth  into  captivity  shall  go  into  captivity  :  he  that  killeth  with  the  sword  must 

11  be  killed  with  the  sword.  Here  is  the  patience  and  the  faith  of  the  saints.  And  I  beheld 
another  beast  coming  up  out  of  the  earth  ;  and  he  had  two  horns  hke  a  lamb,  and  he  spake 

12  as  a  dragon.  And  he  exerciseth  all  the  power  of  the  first  beast  before  him,  and  causeth 
the  earth  and  them  which  dwell  therein  to  worship  the  first  beast,  whose  deadly  wound 

13  was  healed.     And  he  doeth  great  wonders,  so  that  he  maketh  fire  come  down  from  heaven 

14  on  the  earth  in  sight  of  men,  and  deceiveth  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  by  the  means  of 
those  miracles  which  he  had  power  to  do  in  the  sight  of  the  beast ;  saying  to  them  that 
dwell  on  the  earth,  that  they  should  make  an  image  to  the  beast,  which  had  the  wound  by 

15  a  sword,  and  did  live.  And  he  had  power  to  give  life  unto  the  image  of  the  beast,  that  the 
image  of  the  beast  should  both  speak,  and  cause  that  as  many  as  would  not  worship  the 

16  image  of  the  beast  should  be  killed.     And  he  causeth  all,  both  small  and  great,  rich  and 

17  poor,  free  and  bond,  to  receive  a  mark  in  their  right  hand,  or  in  their  foreheads :  and  that 
no  man  might  buy  or  sell,  save  he  that  had  the  mark,  or  the  name  of  the  beast,  or  the  num- 

18  her  of  his  name.  Here  is  wisdom.  Let  him  that  hath  understanding  count  the  number 
of  the  beast:  for  it  is  the  number  of  a  man:  and  his  number  is  Six  hundred  threescore 
and  six. 

14  :  1    And  I  looked,  and,  lo,  a  Lamb  stood  on  the  mount  Sion,  and  with  him  a  hundred  forty 

2  and  four  thousand,  having  his  Father's  name  written  in  their  foreheads.  And  I  heard  a 
voice  from  heaven,  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  a  great  thunder :  and 

3  I  heard  the  voice  of  harpers  harping  with  their  harps:  and  they  sung  as  it  were  a  new 
song  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  four  beasts,  and  the  elders:  and  no  man  could  learn 
that  song  but  the  hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand,  which  were  redeemed  from  the 

4  earth.  These  are  they  which  were  not  defiled  with  women;  for  they  are  virgins.  These 
are  they  which  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth.     These  were  redeemed  from 

5  among  men,  heing  the  firstfruits  unto  God  and  to  the  Lamb.  And  in  their  mouth  was 
foimd  no  guile ;  for  they  are  without  fault  before  the  throne  of  God. 

6  And  I  saw  another  angel  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to 
preach  unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to  every  nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue, 

Y  and  people,  saying  with  a  loud  voice.  Fear  God,  and  give  glory  to  him  ;  for  the  hour  of  his 
judgment  is  come:  and  worship  him  that  made  heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  the 

8  fountains  of  waters.  And  there  followed  another  angel,  saying,  Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen, 
that  great  city,  because  she  made  all  nations  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  forni- 

9  cation.     And  the  third  angel  followed  them,  saying  with  a  loud  voice.  If  any  man  worship 

10  the  beast  and  his  image,  and  receive  Ms  mark  in  his  forehead,  or  in  his  hand,  the  same  shall 
drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mixture  into  the  cup 
of  his  indignation ;  and  he  shall  be  tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone  in  the  presence  of 

11  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  Lamb:  and  the  smoke  of  their  torment  ascend- 
eth  up  for  ever  and  ever :  and  they  have  no  rest  day  nor  night,  who  worship  the  beast  and 

12  his  image,  and  whosoever  receiveth  the  mark  of  his  name.     Here  is  the  patience  of  the 

13  saints:  here  are  they  that  keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus.  And  I 
heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  me,  Write,  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the 
Lord  from  henceforth :  Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labours ;  and 
their  works  do  follow  them. 

14  And  I  looked,  and  behold  a  white  cloud,  and  upon  the  cloud  one  sat  like  unto  the  Son  of 

15  man,  having  on  his  head  a  golden  crown,  and  in  his  hand  a  sharp  sickle.  And  another 
angel  came  out  of  the  temple,  crying  with  a  loud  voice  to  him  that  sat  on  the  cloud.  Thrust 
in  thy  sickle,  and  reap :  for  the  time  is  come  for  thee  to  reap :  for  the  harvest  of  the  earth 

16  is  ripe.     And  he  that  sat  on  the  cloud  thrust  in  his  sickle  on  the  earth ;  and  the  earth  was 

17  reaped.     And  another  angel  came  out  of  the  temple  which  is  in  heaven,  he  also  having  a 

18  sharp  sickle.  And  another  angel  came  out  from  the  altar,  which  had  power  over  fire ;  and 
cried  with  a  loud  cry  to  him  that  had  the  sharp  sickle,  saying.  Thrust  in  thy  sharp  sickle, 

19  and  gather  the  clusters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth ;  for  her  grapes  are  fully  ripe.  And  the 
angel  thrust  in  his  sickle  into  the  earth,  and  gathered  the  vine  of  the  earth,  and  cast  it  into 

20  the  great  winepress  of  the  wrath  of  God.  And  the  winepress  was  trodden  without  the 
city,  and  blood  came  out  of  the  winepress,  even  unto  the  horse  bridles,  by  the  space  of  a 
thousand  and  six  hundred  furlongs. 


75G 


SECTIOX  382.— REVELATION  12  : 1-U  :  20. 


Only  "  they  who  die  in  the  Lord  "  are  here  accounted  blessed  ;  it  can  not  possibly  be  gain  to  die  till 
Christ  has  first  been  made  the  life  of  the  soul.  Where  this  becomes  gur  matchless  privilege,  in  the  way 
of  faith  and  penitence,  we  may  expect  a  state  of  bliss,  not  merely  after  centuries  have  rolled  over  our 
dust  but  even  from  the  moment  of  our  departure  from  this  life.  "  Henceforth,"  said  the  Spirit,  "  the 
dead  in  Christ  are  blessed."  And  in  this  rest  "  their  works  do  follow  them,"  that  is  to  say,  from  every 
seed  of  faith  and  love,  strewed  here  below  with  unwearied  hands,  the  harvest  is  to  be  expected  there. 
Mark  well,  it  stands  not  that  their  works  precede  them,  in  any  wise  to  open  for  them  heaven's  portals ; 
but  that  their  works  do  follow  them,  where  hidden  good  treads  forth  at  once  to  view.      Va7i  0, 

We  rest  on  this,  "  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you."  A  place  is  prepared  for  each  one  of  us  ;  a  place 
fitted  to  our  distinct  character,  a  separate  work  fitted  to  develop  that  character  into  perfection,  and  in  the 
doing  of  which  we  shall  have  the  continual  delight  of  feeling  that  we  are  growing.  Our  ideals  shall  be- 
come more  beautiful,  and  minister  continually  to  fresh  aspiration.  Feelings  for  which  we  found  no  food 
here  shall  there  be  satisfied  with  work,  and  exercised  by  action  into  exquisite  perfection.  And  this  shall 
shall  be  in  a  father's  home,  where  all  the  dearest  dreams  of  home-life  shall  find  their  happy  fulfillment ; 
in  a  perfect  society,  where  all  the  charming  interchange  of  thought  and  giving  and  receiving  of  each 
other's  good  which  makes  our  best  happiness  on  earth,  shall  be  easier,  freer,  purer,  more  intimate,  more 
spiritual,  more  intellectual ;  and  binding  all  together,  the  omnipresent  Spirit  of  love,  goodness,  truth,  and 
life,  whom  we  call  God,  and  whom  we  know  in  Jesus  Christ,  shall  abide  in  us,  and  we  in  him,  "  for  he  is 
not  a  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living:  for  all  live  unto  him."     S.  A.  B. 


Chs.  12-14.  We  have  seen  in  the  Book  of 
Revelation  thus  far,  and  we  shall  see  in  it  hereafter, 
not  so  much  one  continuous  stream  of  prophecy, 
starting  from  the  times  of  John,  and  carrying  down 
the  fortunes  of  the  Church  with  historical  precision 
till  they  are  finally  lost  in  the  great  ocean  of  eter- 
nity :  but  rather  a  number  of  parallel  streams,  each 
marked  by  some  definite  purpose  and  principle,  and 
each  ending  only  with  the  end  of  time,  even  with 
that  last  discomfiture  of  the  opposing  powers  of  evil 
which  shall  introduce  the  universal  reign  of  Christ, 
and  usher  in  the  neiv  heavens  and  new  earth  loherchi 
dwellcth  righteousness.  We  shall  not  be  surprised 
therefore  to  observe  in  the  section  now  to  be  opened 
a  return  to  a  very  elementary  point  in  the  history  of 
the  Church  of  God.  The  general  subject  of  the 
three  chapters  which  form  this  section  is  the  ene- 
mies, the  three  enemies,  of  Christ's  Church.  We 
shall  find  that  this  also  is  a  passage  complete  in 
itself,  and  ending  only  with  the  same  catastrophe  of 
the  powers  of  evil  which  we  have  already  observed 
as  the  termination  of  the  vision  of  the  seals  in  the 
1st  verse  of  the  8th  chapter,  and  of  the  vision  of 
the  trumpets  in  the  last  verse  of  the  11th.     V. 

12:  1-17.  And  now  opens  the  great  prophetic 
course  of  visions  regarding  the  Church.  Her  iden- 
tification in  the  eyes  of  the  seer  is  first  rendered  un- 
mistakable, by  the  scene  opening  with  the  appear- 
ance of  the  woman  and  the  serpent,  the  enmity 
between  him  and  her  seed,  the  birth  of  the  man-child 
who  should  rule  over  the  nations — his  ascension  to 
heaven  and  to  the  throne  of  God.  The  flight  of  the 
woman  into  the  wilderness,  the  casting  down  of 
Satan  from  heaven  no  longer  to  curse  the  brethren 
there,  his  continued  enmity  on  earth,  his  persecution 
of  the  remnant  of  the  woman's  seed,  these  belong 
to  the  introductory  features  of  the  great  vision  which 
is  to  follow,  and  serve  to  describe  the  state  in  which 
the  Church  of  God  is  found  during  the  now  pending 
stage  of  her  conflict. 

13  :  1-10.  What  follows  carries  out  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  war  made  by  the  dragon  on  the  seed  of 
the  woman.  A  wild  beast  is  seen  rising  out  of  the 
deep,  uniting  in  itself  the  formerly  described  heads 
and  horns  of  the  dragon,  and  also  the  well-known 


prophetic  symbols  of  the  great  empires  of  the  world : 
representing,  in  fact,  the  secular  powers  antagonistic 
to  the  Church  of  Christ.  To  this  wild  beast  tke 
dragon  gives  his  might  and  his  throne;  and  not- 
witlastanding  that  one  of  its  heads — ^tbe  pagan 
Roman  empire — is  crushed  to  death,  its  deadly  wound 
is  healed,  and  all  who  are  not  written  in  the  Laml>'s 
book  of  life  worship  it.  11-18.  The  further  carry- 
ing out  of  the  power  and  influence  of  the  beast  is 
now  set  before  us  by  the  vision  of  another  wild 
beast,  born  of  the  earth,  gentle  as  a  lamb  in  appear- 
ance, but  dragon-like  and  cruel  in  character.  This 
second  beast  is  the  ally  and  servant  of  the  former  : 
makes  men  to  worship  its  image  and  receive  its  mark, 
as  the  condition  of  civil  rights  and  even  of  life  itself. 
Here,  in  common  with  very  many  of  the  best  inter- 
preters, I  can  not  fail  to  recognize  the  sacerdotal 
persecuting  power,  leagued  with,  and  the  instrument 
of,  the  secular :  professing  to  be  a  lamb,  but  in  reality 
being  a  dragon,  persecuting  the  saints  of  God,  the 
inseparable  companion  and  upholder  of  despotic  and 
tyrannical  power.  This  in  all  its  forms,  pagan,  papal, 
and  in  so  far  as  the  reformed  churches  have  retro- 
graded toward  papal  sacerdotalism,  Protestant  also, 
I  believe  to  be  that  which  is  symbolized  under  the 
second  wild  beast. 

14  :  1-20.  Next,  the  apocalyptic  vision  brings 
before  us  the  Lamb  on  Blount  /ion  with  the  first- 
fruits  of  his  people,  and  the  heavenly  song  in  which 
they  join — as  prefatory  to  the  announcement,  by 
three  angels,  of  the  prophecies  which  are  to  follow, 
so  full  of  import  to  the  people  and  Church  of  God. 
These  are,  first  (vs.  6,  V),  the  proclamation  of  the 
everlasting  gospel  as  previous  to  the  final  judgments 
of  God  ;  next,  the  fall  of  Babylon  (v.  8),  as  an  en- 
couragement for  the  patience  of  the  saints ;  third 
(vs.  9-U))  the  final  defeat  and  torment  of  the  Lord's 
enemies.  After  these  (vs.  11,  12)  is  heard  a  voice 
proclaiming  the  blessedness  of  the  holy  dead.  Then 
follow,  in  strict  accord  with  these  four  announce- 
ments, 1,  the  harvest  and  the  vintage  of  the  earth 
(vs.  14-20),  and  the  seven  last  plagues,  symbolized 
by  the  outpouring  of  the  vials  (15  :  1  ;  16  :  1-21); 
2,  the  ample  details  of  the  fall  and  juuiishment  of 
Babylon  (chs.  17,  IS) ;  0,  the  triumph  of  the  Church 


SECTION  382.— REVELATION'  12  :  l-lJj. :  20. 


i57 


in  the  last  defeat  of  her  Lord's  enemies  (19: 11-21); 
4,  the  millennial  reign  (clis.  20-22) ;  and  finally, 
the  eternity  of  bliss.  There  is  reason  to  interpret 
the  harvest  (14  :  1"),  16),  of  the  ingathering  of  the 
Lord's  people:  the  vintage  (14:  18,  19),  of  the 
cruslang  of  his  enemies ;  both  these  being,  accord- 
ing to  the  usage  of  tliis  booii,  compendious,  and  in- 
clusive of  the  fuller  details  of  both,  which  are  to 
follow.  The  vintage  is  taken  up  and  expanded  in 
detail  by  the  series  of  the  vials  (ch.  16);  seven  in 
number,  as  were  the  seals  and  the  trumpets  before. 
These  final  judgments,  specially  belonging  to  the 
Church,  are  introduced  by  a  song  of  triumph  from 
the  saints  of  both  dispensations,  and  are  poured  out 
by  angels  coming  forth  from  the  opened  sanctuary 
of  the  tabernacle  of  witness  in  heaven  (15 :  2-S).  A. 

Ch.  12.  One  of  the  prime  objects  of  this  en- 
tire chapter  is  manifestly  to  put^tlie  devil  in  his 
true  light  as  the  chief  persecutor,  the  arch-traitor 
and  rebel  against  the  throne  of  God — the  chieftain 
who  heads  all  the  sin  and  all  the  war  against  God 
and  goodness  which  appear  in  the  universe.  Let  all 
Christians  know  their  enemy ;  let  them  know  his 
past  history,  his  present  designs,  his  determined  an- 
tagonism to  the  Mesgiah  and  to  his  Church  and  peo- 
ple ;  and  his  certain  defeat  and  shameful  fall  in  the 
end.     H.  C. 

1-6.  Some  leading  facts  in  relation  to  the  Sa- 
viour's entrance  into  the  world  and  exit  from  it  are 
obviously  glanced  at  here.  The  reader  can  not 
avoid  calling  to  mind  the  birth  of  Christ,  the  mas- 
sacre at  Bethlehem  by  Herod,  the  character  of  him 
who  was  to  "  rule  over  the  nations  "  as  disclosed  in 
Pfalm  2,  the  temptation  of  Christ  by  Satan,  the 
ascension  of  the  Kedeemer  to  heaven  after  he  had 
risen  from  the  dead,  and  finally  the  persecution  of 
the  Church  with  the  protection  vouchsafed  to  it  on 
the  pai't  of  Heaven.  That  Satan  is  here  presented 
as  following  the  ascended  Redeemer  with  the  design 
of  annoying  him  must  strike  every  well-informed 
mind  as  a  lively  symbol  of  the  malignity  and  bitter- 
ness with  which  the  enemy  of  God  and  man  pur- 
sued Jesus  and  liis  disciples  at  all  times  and  on  all 
occasions.     M.  S. 

1*  The  woman  clothed  with  the  sun,  and  having 
on  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars,  is  the  Church 
of  God ;  the  Church  regarded  as  one  whole  from 
the  days  of  Abraham,  perhaps  we  may  say  from  the 
day  of  the  fall  itself,  under  whatever  special  dispen- 
sation placed — the  Patriarchal,  the  Israelite,  or  the 
Christian. 

3.  The  dragon  represents  in  various  passages  of 
the  prophets  of  the  old  testament  that  gi-eat  Egyp- 
tian power  which  had  been  the  first  oppressor  of  the 
Church  of  Israel.  And  thus  with  equal  fitness  it 
becomes  in  this  Book  of  Revelation  the  title  of  that 
jiriiice  of  this  world  whosQ  Ac^\i  and  bitter  hostility 
to  God  and  his  Christ  prompts  all  the  efforts  and 
frames  all  the  machinations  by  which  the  world 
seeks  to  undermine  the  influence  of  the  Saviour  and 
of  his  people.  The  dragon  is  henceforth  another 
name  for  the  devil  or  Satan. 

Seven  heads  and  ten  horns.  Notice  that 
though  there  is  a  unity  of  persons  in  the  arch-enemy 
of  God,  he  is  yet  in  his  operations  a  many-headed 
power ;  he  exercises  his  influence  through  many  chan- 
nels ;  every  phase  of  the  ungodly,  antichristian  world 
is  one  of  his  manifestations  ;  and  further,  the  power 
which  is  thus  various  and  thus  multiplied  is  also 
a  strength  ;  it  possesses  ten  horns,  the  scriptural 
emblem  of  vigor  and  force.     We  can  not  despise 


the   power  of    evil,  though  we    may  forebode   its 
downfall. 

5.  Causjht  np  nnto  God.  The  years  of  in- 
fancy and  boyhood,  of  youfli  and  of  manhood,  the 
workshop  of  Nazareth,  the  jourueviugs  to  Jerusa- 
lem, the  call  of  disciples,  tlie  labors  of  teaching 
and  of  healing,  the  cruel  mocking  and  scourging, 
the  bitter  cross  and  the  quiet  grave,  all  are  passed 
over:  he  who  declares  the  end  from  the  beginning 
speaks  here  but  of  birth  and  of  ascension,  and  tells 
us  only  that,  while  the  dragon  stood  in  readiness  to 
devour  the  child  which  should  be  born,  the  child 
was  caught  up  unto  God  and  to  his  throne. 

The  woman  flees  into  the  wilderness.  Like  Israel 
of  old  fleeing  from  the  wrath  of  Pharaoh,  the  Church 
of  God,  whose  Lord  and  Master  has  been  taken  up 
from  her,  finds  a  dwelling-place  in  her  desolation  in 
the  wilderness.  There,  like  Israel  of  old,  she  has 
food  provided  for  her  of  God.  The  period  of  her 
abode  is  described  in  figures  now  familiar  to  us. 
The  1,260  days  are  the  same  period  during  which 
God's  two  witnesses  prophesy  clothed  in  sackcloth. 
It  is  the  same  period,  otherwise  described  as  one  of 
forty  and  two  months,  during  which  the  holy  city  is 
trodden  under  foot  of  the  Gentiles  (11 :  2,  3).  It  is 
the  same  period,  otherwise  described  as  one  of  three 
years  and  a  half,  of  a  time  and  times  and  hedf  a  time 
(v.  14),  during  which  our  Lord's  own  ministry  upon 
earth  was  protracted,  and  after  which  the  sjnrit  of 
life  from  God  entered  into  the  two  dead  witnesses 
and  the;i  ascended  up  to  heaven  in  a  cloud  while  their 
enemies  beheld  them  (11:11,  12).  It  is,  in  short,  that 
pferiod,  of  the  three  and  a  half,  tlie  half  seven,  the 
broken  and  imperfect  as  opposed  to  the  complete 
and  sacred  whole,  which  is  again  and  again  the 
designation  of  the  reign  of  evil,  of  the  humiliation 
of  God's  truth  and  of  God's  Church,  as  contrasted 
with  that  endless  triumph  of  the  cause  of  holiness 
and  of  Christ  which  shall  comfort  the  sufferings  of 
Zion  and  redress  the  wrongs  of  the  saints. 

9.  That  spiritual  enemy  with  whom  our  strug- 
gle and  our  warfare  lies,  is  (1)  the  great  dragon; 
the  prince  of  this  world  ;  the  leader  and  commander 
of  the  aggressions  of  the  world  upon  the  Church  of 
Christ,  upon  the  people  of  God.  He  is  (2)  the  an- 
cient serpent ;  the  very  person  who  in  the  earliest 
days  of  our  race,  having  himself  fallen  yet  earlier 
from  his  original  uprightness,  appeared  as  the 
tempter  of  man,  and  through  his  bodily  appetite 
seduced  him  from  his  Maker.  He  is  (3)  the  slanderer 
and  the  adversary,  the  devil  and  Satan  ;  he  who,  as 
we  read  in  the  opening  of  the  Book  of  Job,  and 
again,  more  briefly,  in  the  3d  chapter  of  Zechariah, 
calumniates  and  slanders  before  God  those  whom  he 
has  first  deceived  and  overthrown  below.  He  is  the 
slanderer,  or  calumniator,  as  well  as  the  adversary. 
He  first  seduces  man,  and  then  tells  of  him  !  And 
thus  (4)  he  is  described  as  the  misleader  of  all  the 
world  ;  he  who  leads  astray  all  the  uorld.  He  was 
cast  out  into  the  earth.  The  real  thing  spoken 
of  is  the  breaking  of  Satan's  power  by  the  Redemp- 
tion. The  devil  is  like  one  who  has  been  thrown 
from  a  great  height,  and  falls  upon  the  earth  bruised 
and  humbled.  He  is  no  longer  master.  If  any  one 
still  serves  him,  it  is  his  own  fault. 

11.  We  shall  best  regard  the  words  as  anticipa- 
tive  and  prophetic  in  their  tone  ;  as  describing  the 
victory  which  has  been  won  by  Christ's  servants, 
one  after  another,  and  age  after  age,  under  the  dis- 
pensation of  the  gospel ;  and  of  which  the  comple- 
tion of   Christ's  work  by  ascension  contained  not 


758 


SECTION  382.— REVELATION  12  : 1~U  :  20. 


the  promise  only,  but  the  power.  They  conquered 
him,  it  is  written  of  these,  as  one  by  one  they  have 
finished  their  course  ayd  accomplished  their  loar- 
farc,  him  the  deceiver  and  the  slanderer,  him  the 
tempter  and  the  accuser,  owing  to  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb.  This  was  the  secret  of  their  strength. 
They  overcame  him,  too,  through  [owing  to)  the 
word  of  their  testimony:  that  is,  the  word  or  mes- 
sage which  they  attest ;  of  which  they  are  witnesses. 
And  they  loved  not  their  life  unto  death.  They  car- 
ried their  life's  devotion  even  to  the  length  of 
death.  They  overcame  the  devil  by  a  self-sacrifice 
which  stopped  not  short  of  death.  The  three  weap- 
ons by  which  the  Christian  victory  is  won,  as  de- 
scribed for  us  in  the  song  of  triumph  in  heaven 
over  the  downfall  of  the  great  enemy  of  man,  are 
these :  the  atonement  made  for  all  sin  in  the  death 
of  Christ ;  the  word  or  message  of  God,  to  which 
all  true  Christians  bear  in  act  and  in  endurance  a 
firm  and  intelligible  testimony ;  and  that  spirit  of 
entire  self-devotion  and  self-surrender  which  per- 
severes even  unto  death,  and  stops  not  short  (if 
God  so  require)  of  the  sacrifice  of  life  itself  for 
Christ.     V. 

In  the  martyr  ages  of  the  Church  we  behold  a 
vast  array  of  active  genius  and  power,  that  could 
not  be  permitted  to  spend  itself  in  works  of  bene- 
faction to  the  race,  but  was  consecrated  of  God  to 
the  more  sacred  and  more  fruitful  grace  of  sufPer- 
ing.  The  design  was,  it  would  seem,  to  prepare  a 
Christly  past,  to  show  whole  ages  of  faith  populated 
with  men  who  were  able,  coming  after  their  Master 
and  bearing  his  cross,  to  suffer  with  him  and  add 
their  human  testimony  to  his.  And  so  it  has  been 
ordered  that  the  Church  of  God  shall  know  itself  to 
be  the  child  of  suffering  patience.  The  scholars, 
the  preachers,  all  the  great  and  noted  characters, 
who  have  served  the  Church  by  their  labors,  pass 
into  shade,  we  think  little  of  them ;  but  the  men  of 
patience,  the  holy  martyrs,  these  we  feel  as  a  sacred 
fatherhood,  charging  it,  oh,  how  seriously  and  filially ! 
upon  our  souls,  to  be  followers  of  them,  who  through 
faith  and  patience  inherit  the  promises.  Who  that 
feels  the  power  of  these  martyr  ages  descending  on 
him,  can  ever  think,  even  for  a  moment,  that  the 
passive  virtues  of  the  Christian  life  are  sterile  vir- 
tues, and  that  action  is  the  only  fruitful  thing  ?  H.  B. 

17,  The  description  here  given  of  the  true  seed 
is  twofold.  They  keep  the  commandments  of  Ood, 
and  they  hold  the  testimony  of  Jesus.  Either  of 
these  without  the  other  must  be,  for  us  at  least — 
we  enter  not  into  the  question  as  it  may  affect  past 
ages,  or  nations  still  sitting  in  darkness — an  incom- 
plete, nay,  a  fallacious  test  of  true  membership,  of 
true  worship.  It  is  the  old  combination  ;  faith  and 
works  ;  a  heart  sprinkled  from  an  evil  consscience, 
and  a  life  suitable  to  one  who  loves  God.  That  is 
salvation.  That  is  redemption.  Not  the  liberty  to 
keep  the  testimony  of  Jesus  without  keeping  the 
commandments  of  God.  Not  the  liberty  to  use 
words  of  love  and  faith  toward  Jesus,  and  go  forth 
in  works  to  deny  him.     V. 

13  :  1-7.  Out  of  the  sea,  i.  e.,  from  the  midst 
of  troubled  nations,  emerged  a  wild  beast  before  the 
eyes  of  the  seer ;  a  dreadful  monster,  having  the 
agile  frame  of  a  leopard,  the  paws  of  a  bear,  and 
mouth  of  a  lion,  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns. 
It  combined  all  the  bestial  forms  seen  by  Daniel ; 
and  must  be  understood  as  recalling  and  condensing 
in  one  formidable  power  all  the  old-world  despot- 
isms that  oppressed  the  Israel  of  God. 


The  beast  took  up  the  persecution  of  the  saints 
which  the  dragon  instigated.  Therefore  it  can  bo 
nothing  else  than  that  Roman  imperialism  which 
sent  the  apostle  John  himself  into  exile  for  his 
faith,  and  became  throughout  all  the  known  world 
a  merciless  tyrant  to  the  Christians.  All  world- 
tyranny,  all  use  of  brute  force  to  repress  spiritual 
life  and  movement,  in  whatever  age,  falls  under  the 
same  symbol  of  the  wild  beast.     D.  ¥. 

3.  The  deadly  wound  indicates  some  blow 
struck,  with  apparently  fatal  consequences,  at  the 
power  of  the  ungodly  and  antichristian  world.  Such 
a  blow  was  the  conversion  of  the  Emperor  Constan- 
tine  to  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  the  establishment  of 
a  nominal  Christianity  as  the  religion  of  the  great 
Roman  Empire.  It  might  have  seemed  fts  though 
the  trials  of  the  Church,  collectively  at  least,  were 
then  for  ever  eaded.  But  the  deadly  wound  was 
healed.  Not  yet  had  the  kingdoms  of  the  viorld 
really  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his 
Christ ;  the  nominally  Christian  empire  could  per- 
secute as  well  as  the  openly  idolatrous  ;  he  that  was 
born  after  the  fiesh  was  still  the  natural  enemy  of 
him  that  was  born  after  the  spirit  ;  and  papal  Rome 
in  later  ages  too  often  resumed  the  sword  which 
pagan  Rome  had  dropped.  But  let  it  call  itself 
what  it  may,  pagan  or  Christian,  popish  or  Protes- 
tant, the  world  is  still  God's  enemy  ;  still  hates  the 
light  ;  still  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God  ;  still  is 
offended  in  Christ,  first  for  his  humility,  and  then 
for  his  holiness  ;  still  looks  coldly  upon,  still  casts 
out,  still,  if  it  dares — and  it  does  dare — will  pci-se- 
cute  those  who  by  act  and  word  testify  of  it  that  its 
works  are  evil !    V. 

7.  It  was  given  nnto  him  to  overcome 
them.  As  of  old,  so  now,  those  to  be  persecuted 
by  the  beast  in  various  ways  have  their  trials  sever- 
ally appointed  them  by  God's  fixed  counsel.     Faus- 

set. The  afflictions,  therefore,  that  the  church  in 

the  wilderness  has  met  with,  these  cups  of  gold,  are 
of  more  worth  than  are  all  the  treasures  of  Egypt ; 
they  are  needful  and  profitable,  and  praiseworthy 
also,  and  tend  to  the  augmenting  of  our  glory  when 
the  next  world  shall  come.  They  are  also  a  means 
by  which  men  are  proved  to  be  sound,  honest,  faith- 
ful, and  true  lovers  of  God ;  to  be  those  whose 
graces  are  not  counterfeit,  feigned,  or  unsound,  but 
true,  and  such  as  will  be  found  to  praise  and  honor 
and  glory  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ.  And 
this  has  been  the  cause  that  the  men  of  our  church 
in  the  wilderness  have  gloried  in  tribulation,  taking 
pleasure  in  reproaches,  in  necessities,  in  persecu- 
tions, and  in  distresses,  for  Christ's  sake.     JBun. 

10.  Here  is  the  patience  and  the  faith  of  the 
saints.  In  these  coming,  these  predicted,  these  in- 
evitable sufferings  under  the  power  of  the  second 
enemy  of  the  Church,  a  large  demand  will  be  made 
upon  the  submission  and  upon  the  faith  of  God's 
saints. 

11.  And  I  saw  another  u'ild  beast  rising  out  of 
the  earth.  The  third  enemy  —  we  may  gather,  I 
think,  from  the  marks  affixed  to  him — is  the  un- 
godly antichristian  wisdom,  as  the  second  is  the 
ungodly  antichristian  power,  of  the  world.  It  is 
that  false  philosophy,  that  science  falsely  so  called, 
that  speculative  and  skeptical  opinion,  that  reason 
without  humility  and  without  God,  which,  with  all 
its  professions  of  elevation  and  of  independence, 
has  ever  been  the  real  ally  of  the  world  and  the 
bitterest  enemy  of  revelation  and  of  the  Church. 
This  it  was  which  propped  up  a  system  of  idolatry 


SECTIOK  382.— REVELATION  12  : 1-U  :  20. 


759 


in  wbich  it  had  itself  no  vestige  of  faith.  This  it 
was  which  united  with  the  coercive  power  of  a 
heathen  state  in  running  down  and  making  havoc 
of  the  new  religion  and  the  young  Church  of  Christ. 
J7m  vjisdom  descendeth  not  from  above,  hut  is  earth- 
ly, sensual,  devilish.  The  brute  force  of  the  second 
enemy  were  powerless  without  this  intelligence  of 
the  third.  Sometimes  the  two  may  work  together 
in  one  ruler;  the  demoniacal  acuteness,  and  the 
animal  cruelty.  Sometimes,  more  often  perhaps, 
they  are  found  disjoined ;  and  the  only  link  of 
union  is  a  common  godlessness.  That  is  the  com- 
bining and  cementing  sympathy.  That  is  the  one 
characteristic  which  the  second  enemy  shares  with 
the  third.  Both  of  them  look  earthward ;  neither 
can  lift  up  his  eyes  to  the  God  above.  Therefore 
they  are  one  in  their  work,  one  in  their  aim,  and 
one  in  their  end. 

14  :  1.  And  I  saw— the  usual  opening  of  a  new 
vision — ftyid  behold,  the  Lamb  standing  on  the  mount 
Sion.  Not  a  Lamb,  but  the  Lamb.  By  this  time 
the  figure  of  the  Lamb  is  so  familiar  to  the  readers 
of  the  book  in  its  application  to  Christ  the  Saviour 
and  Redeemer  that  it  may  be  introduced  without 
comment  or  explanation.  Sion,  which  was  properly 
one  of  the  group  of  hills  forming  the  metropolis  of 
Israel,  became  in  the  language  of  prophecy  the 
name  of  that  heavenly  city  which  is  to  be  the  ever- 
lasting abode  of  the  Saviour  and  of  His  redeemed. 
And  I  heard  a  sound  out  of  the  heaven — not  a  sound 
from  Mount  Zion,  but  from  above,  out  of  heaven — 
as  a  soimd  of  many  loaters  and  as  a  sound  of  a  great 
thunder;  and  the  sound  which  I  heard  was  as  of 
harpers  harping  on  their  harps.  The  combination 
of  fullness,  of  majesty,  and  of  sweetness,  in  the 
sound  heard,  is  expressed  by  bringing  together  the 
Ig  three  comparisons  thus  indicated.  A^id  they,  the 
j  heavenly  harpers,  sing  a  new  song  before  {in  jiresence 

of)  the  throne  and  before  {in  presence  of)  the  four 
living  creatures,  representatives  of  creation,  and  the 
elders,  representatives  of  the  universal  Church ;  aiid 
no  one  teas  able  to  learn  the  song,  except  the  hundred 
and  forty  and  four  thousands,  even  they  who  have 
been  purchased  from  the  earth.  The  heavenly  song, 
though  sweet  and  glorious  in  its  general  sound  to 
the  ear  of  the  prophet  who  is  still  in  flesh,  can  be 
learned  only  by  those  who  are  no  longer  clogged 
with  mortality,  but  have  already  passed  through 
death  into  incorruption  and  glory. 

4,  5.  The  character  of  the  redeemed  is  here 
set  before  us  under  the  four  heads,  of  purity,  of 
obedience,  of  unworldliness,  of  truthfulness ;  and 
their  heavenly  state,  as  one  of  safety,  of  rest,  of  hap- 
piness, of  converse  and  communion  with  Christ.  V. 
They  arc  the  redeemed  from  among  men.  They 
are  the  first  fruits  unto  God  and  the  Lamb.  They 
are  the  subjects  of  his  regenerating  love  and  grace. 
They  were  once  creatures  of  sin  and  children  of 
wrath.  Now  they  are  before  the  throne  of  God  in 
his  likeness.  Before  the  throne  of  God  vAthout  fault. 
Before  the  throne  of  God  in  glory !  And  therefore, 
a  faultlcssness  infinitely  perfect,  a  glory  and  a  bless- 
edness unchangeable  and  everlasting,  and  boundless 
as  the  perfection  of  God  !     G.  B.  C. 

6.  The  everlasting  gospel.  It  is  called 
"the  gospel  of  his  grace,"  because  it  flows  from 
God's  free  love ;  "  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom,"  as  it 
treats  of  the  kingdom  of  grace  and  of  glory  ;  "  the 
gospel  of  Christ,"  because  he  is  the  author  and  sub- 
ject of  it ;  "  the  gospel  of  peace  and  salvation,"  as 
it  promotes  our  present  comfort,  and  leads  to  eter- 


nal glory ;  "  the  glorious  gospel,"  as  in  it  the  glo- 
rious perfections  of  Jehovah  are  displayed ;  "  the 
everlasting  gospel,"  as  it  was  designed  from  elcrnity, 
is  permanent  in  time,  and  the  effects  of  it  are  eter- 
nal.    Buck. 

12.  We  can  not  be  useless  while  we  are  doing 
and  suffering  God's  will,  whatever  it  may  be  found 
to  be.  And  we  can  always  do  that.  If  we  are 
bringing  forth  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  we  are  not 
useless.  And  we  can  always  do  that.  If  we  are 
increasing  in  the  knowledge  of  God's  will  in  all 
wisdom  and  spiritual  understanding,  we  are  not 
useless.  And  we  can  always  do  that.  While  we 
pray  we  can  not  be  useless.  And  we  can  always  do 
that.  God  will  always  find  us  a  work  to  do,  a  niche 
to  fill,  a  place  to  serve,  nay,  even  a  soul  to  save, 
when  it  is  his  will,  and  not  ours,  that  we  desire  to 
do ;  and  if  it  please  him  that  we  sit  still  for  the 
rest  of  our  lives,  doing  nothing  else  but  waiting  on 
hira,  and  waiting  for  him,  why  should  we  complain  ? 
Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints.     A.  W.  T. 

13.  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  ; 
blessed  from  henceforth  ;  blessed  from  the  moment 
of  their  death,  blessed  yet  more  as  the  end  of  all 
things  draws  near.  Then  shall  the  condition  of  re- 
pose be  exchanged  for  a  condition  of  glory ;  the  wv- 
clothed  soul  for  the  soul  clothed  upon  with  that  spirit- 
ual, that  resurrection  body,  which  Paid  describes  as 
its  house  from  heaven.  For  action,  for  those  blessed 
works  of  unwearied  ministration,  for  which  God,  we 
doubt  not,  destines  his  saints  in  the  ages  of  an  eter- 
nal existence,  the  soul  will  need  the  presence  of  that 
body  which  shall  be  restored  to  it  at  the  resurrection 
of  the  fust.  For  rest,  for  repose  after  the  storms  of 
life,  for  thankful  reminiscence,  adoring  praise,  and 
glorious  anticipation,  the  soul  divested  of  the  body 
will  suOSce  :  Verily  1  say  unto  thee.  To-day  shall  thou 
be  with  me  in  paradise.  Blessed,  from  henceforth, 
are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord:  Even  so,  saith 
the  Spirit ;  for  they  rest  from  their  labors. 

And  their  works  follow  ivith  them.  Not  one  act 
honestly  done  for  Christ — done  in  humility,  done  in 
sincerity,  done  in  earnestness,  done  in  unselfishness — 
shall  fail  or  be  forgotten  when  the  joyful  summons 
shall  be  heard  at  evening,  Ccdl  the  laborers  and  give 
them  their  hire.  It  is  not  for  man  to  anticipate  the 
reward  of  his  deeds  on  earth :  he  knows  that  the 
very  best  of  them  needs  itself  to  be  forgiven,  needs 
to  be  washed  in  tears  of  repentance  and  sanctified 
through  a  more  availing  blood.  This  is  well.  Never- 
theless the  word  of  God  standeth  sure.  They  shall 
rest  from  their  labors :  and  their  works  follow  toith 
them.     V.  

The  Condition  of  Souls  between  Death  and  the 
Resurrection. — That  this  state  will  be  something 
other  than  that  which  follows  the  final  judgment  is 
evident.  The  work  of  redemption  will  not  be  com- 
plete till  death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory,  and  the 
resurrected  bodies  of  the  saints  rehabilitate  their 
waiting  spirits  and  both  are  glorified  together. 
Neither  will  any  soul  in  the  future  life  be  fully  con- 
scious of  the  measure  of  its  desert  till  the  influence 
which  survives  us  all  has  borne  its  fruit  in  time  ;  nor 
the  glory  of  Christ  in  his  mediatorial  work  be  com- 
plete till  all  enemies  are  put  under  his  feet.  More- 
over, it  is  clearly  intimated  of  that  glorious  array  of 
faithful  soids,  illustrious  patriarchs,  martyrs,  and 
men  of  renown  mentioned  in  the  eleventh  of  He- 
brews, that  they  have  not  yet  attained  all  that  they 
sought ;  and  that  one  believing  age  is  not  to  be  per- 


roo 


SECTION  383.— REVELATION  15  :  1-19  :  21. 


fecteJ,  except  in  connection  with  every  other,  in 
that  glorious  consummation  at  the  end  of  the  world, 
after  which  will  come  the  a;ons  in  which  God  will 
show  "the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace  in  his  kind- 
ness toward  us  through  Christ  Jesus." 

It  is  a  fair  inference  from  Scripture,  not  only 
that  souls  are  in  a  state  of  conscious  activity,  but 
that,  as  Judas,  so  every  other  goes  to  his  own  place. 
"  Death  alters  our  condition  and  our  surroundings, 
but  most  likely  affects  our  essential  personality  not 
at  all."  Says  Von  Oosterzee,  "The  to-day  of  the 
soul  after  death  is  the  simple  continuation  of  the 
course  followed  on  earth,  downward  or  upward,  and 
in  which  it  now  inwardly  ripens  for  the  portion 
which  will  be  manifested  at  the  last  day,  and  of 
which  it  already  experiences  a  foretaste  of  the  en- 
joyment or  the  terror."  Absent  from  the  body  is  to 
be  present  with  the  Lord  in  some  one  of  the  many 
mansions,  or  to  awake  to  the  consciousness  of  an 
abused  probation  and  a  rejected  opportunity.  This 
intermediate  state  may  also  serve  an  end,  as  well  as 
actually  be  a  waiting  for  the  consummation  of  all 
things.  The  soul  released  from  all  bodily  hin- 
drances and  infirmities  is  open  to  the  searching 
scrutiny  of  the  hght  of  truth  as  never  before ;  and, 


"  pervaded  with  light  by  the  heavenly  glancing  of 
God's  fire,"  is  becoming  adjusted  to  that  life,  into 
which  death  is  a  birth,  and  which  invites  it  to  a  yet 
sublimer  destiny  when  rehabilitated  by  its  glorified 
body,  and  admitted  to  its  inheritance  as  an  heir  of 
God  in  the  new  earth  wherein  righteousness  shall 
for  ever  dwell.  No  adjustment  to  the  absolutely 
holy  life  of  heavenly  society  is  so  essential  as  a 
moral  one.  No  place  is  now  found  so  favorable  to 
it  as  that  which  brings  us  into  communion  with  God. 
How  rapid  the  progress  when  the  veil  is  taken  away 
and  we  see  him  as  he  is. 

We  are,  then,  to  regard  the  intermediate  state 
between  death  and  the  resurrection  as  one  of  transi- 
tion from  this  state  to  that  which  is  final,  along  the 
lines  of  choice  and  habit  made  our  own  here  and 
now.  "  Upon  the  broad  as  upon  the  narrow  way 
falls  the  impenetrable  curtain  of  death ;  but  the 
first  step  after  borders  immediately  ujjon  the  last 
step  before  the  curtain.  Advancement  and  progress 
are  made  ever  in  the  same  path  in  which  the  man 
was  already  walking  even  before  his  death.  A 
transition  from  the  one  to  the  opposite  condition 
after  death  is  accordingly  spoken  of  as  inconceivable 
by  the  mouth  of  truth  itself."     Haydn, 


Section  383. 

Eevelation  XV.  1-8 ;  xvi.  1-21 ;  xvii.  1-18  ;  xviii.  l-2i  ;  xis.  1-21. 

15:1     And  I  saw  another  sign  in  heaven,  great  and  marvellous,  seven  angels  having  the  seven 

2  last  plagues;  for  in  them  is  filled  up  the  wrath  of  God.  And  I  saw  as  it  were  a  sea  of  glass 
mingled  with  fire :  and  them  that  had  gotten  the  victory  over  the  beast,  and  over  his  im- 
age, and  over  his  mark,  and  over  the  number  of  his  name,  stand  on  the  sea  of  glass,  having 

3  the  harps  of  God.  And  they  sing  the  song  of  Moses  the  servant  of  God,  and  the  song  of 
the  Lamb,  saying,  Great  and  marvellous  are  thy  works,  Lord  God  Almighty ;  just  and  true 

4  are  thy  ways,  thou  King  of  saints.  Who  shall  not  fear  thee,  O  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name? 
for  ^AoM  only  ari  holy :  for  all  nations  shall  come  and  worship  "before  thee;  for  thy  judg- 

5  ments  are  made  manifest.     And  after  that  I  looked,  and,  behold,  the  temple  of  tlie  taber- 

6  nacle  of  the  testimony  in  heaven  was  opened :  and  the  seven  angels  came  out  of  the  temple, 
having  the  seven  plagues,  clothed  in  pure  and  white  linen,  and  having  their  breasts  girded 

7  with  golden  girdles.     And  one  of  the  four  beasts  gave  unto  the  seven  angels  seven  golden 

8  vials  full  of  the  wrath  of  God,  who  liveth  for  ever  and  ever.  And  the  temple  was  filled 
with  smoke  from  the  glory  of  God,  and  from  his  power;  and  no  man  was  able  to  enter  into 
the  temple,  till  the  seven  plagues  of  the  seven  angels  were  fulfilled. 

16  : 1     And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple  saying  to  the  seven  angels,  Go  your  ways, 

2  and  pour  out  the  vials  of  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  earth.  And  the  first  went,  and 
poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  earth;  and  there  fell  a  noisome  and  grievous  sore  upon  the  men 

3  which  had  the  mark  of  the  beast,  and  iqjon  them  which  worshipped  his  image.  And  the 
second  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  sea ;  and  it  became  as  the  blood  of  a  dead  man  : 

4  and  every  living  soul  died  in  the  sea.     And  the  tliird  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the 

5  rivers  and  fountains  of  waters;  and  they  became  blood.  And  I  heard  the  angel  of  the 
waters  say,  Thou  art  righteous,  O  Lord,  which  art,  and  wast,  and  shalt  be,  because  thoii 

6  hast  judged  thus.     For  they  have  shed  the  blood  of  saints  and  prophets,  and  thou  hast  given 
Y  them  blood  to  drink  ;  for  they  are  worthy.     And  I  heard  another  out  of  the  altar  say,  Even 

8  so,  Lord  God  Almighty,  true  and  righteous  are  thy  judgments.     And  the  fourth  angel  poured 

9  out  his  vial  upon  the  sun ;  and  power  was  given  unto  him  to  scorch  men  with  fire.  And 
men  were  scorched  witli  great  heat,  and  blasphemed  the  name  of  God,  which  hath  power 

10  over  these  plagues  :  and  they  repented  not  to  give  him  glory.     And  the  fifth  angel  poured 
out  his  vial  upon  the  seat  of  the  beast;  and  his  kingdom  was  full  of  darkness;  and  they 

11  gnawed  their  tongues  for  pain,  and  blasphemed  the  God  of  heaven  because  of  their  pains 

12  and  their  sores,  and  repented  not  of  their  deeds.     And  the  sixth  angel  poured  out  his  vial 
upon  the  great  river  Euphrates ;  and  the  water  tliereof  was  dried  up,  that  the  way  of  the 

13  kings  of  the  east  might  be  prepared.     And  I  saw  three  unclean  spirits  like  frogs  cojne  out  of 
the  mouth  of  the  dragon,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  beast,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the 


SECTION  383.— REV  EL  ATI  OK  15  : 1-19  :  SI.  761 

14  false  prophet.  For  they  are  the  spirits  of  devils,  working  miracles,  tchich  go  forth  unto  the 
kings  of  the  earth  and  of  the  whole  world,  to  gatlier  them  to  the  battle  of  that  great  day  of  God 

15  Almighty.    Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief.    Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth,  and  keepeth  his  garments, 

1 6  lest  he  walk  naked,  and  they  see  his  shame.    And  he  gathered  them  together  into  a  place  called 

17  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  Armageddon.  And  the  seventh  angel  poured  out  his  vial  into  the 
air ;  and  there  came  a  great  voice  out  of  the  temple  of  heaven,  from  the  throne,  saying,  It  is 

18  done.  And  there  were  voices,  and  thunders,  and  lightnings;  and  there  was  a  great  earth- 
quake, such  as  was  not  since  men  were  upon  the  earth,  so  mighty  an  oartliquake,  and  so 

19  great.  And  the  great  city  was  divided  into  three  parts,  and  the  cities  of  the  nations  fell: 
and  great  Babylon  cauie  in  remembrance  before  God,  to  give  unto  her  the  cup  of  the  wine 

20  of  the  fierceness  of  his  wrath.     And  every  island  fled  away,  and  the  mountains  were  not 

21  found.  And  there  fell  upon  men  a  great  hail  out  of  heaven,  every  stone  about  the  weight  of 
a  talent:  and  men  blasphemed  God  because  of  the  plague  of  the  hail;  for  the  plague  thereof 
was  exceeding  great. 

17;  1  And  there  came  one  of  the  seven  angels  which  had  the  seven  vials,  and  talked  with 
me,  saying  unto  me.  Come  hither;  I  will  shew  unto  thee  the  judgment  of  the  great  whore 

2  that  sitteth  upon  many  waters:  with  whom  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  committed  forni- 
cation, and  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  have  been  made  drunk  with  tlie  wine  of  her  forni- 

3  cation.  So  he  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit  into  the  wilderness:  and  I  saw  a  woman  sit 
upon  a  scarlet  coloured  beast,  full  of  names  of  blasphemy,  having  seven  heads  and  ten 

4  horns.  And  the  woman  was  arrayed  in  purple  and  scarlet  colour,  and  decked  with  gold 
and  precious  stones  and  pearls,  having  a  golden  cup  in  her  hand  full  of  abominations  and 

5  filthiness  of  her  fornication :  and  upon  her  forehead  was  a  name  written,  MYSTERY  BAB- 
YLON  THE   GREAT,  THE  MOTHER   OF  HARLOTS   AND   ABOMINATIONS    OF 

6  THE  EARTH.  And  I  saw  the  woman  drunken  with  the  blood  of  the  saints,  and  with  the 
blood  of  the  martyrs  of  Jesus:  and  when  I  saw  her,  I  wondered  with  great  admiration. 

7  And  the  angel  said  unto  me.  Wherefore  didst  thou  marvel?  I  will  tell  thee  the  mystery  of 
the  woman,  and  of  the  beast  that  carrieth  her,  which  hath  the  seven  heads  and  ten  horns. 

8  The  beast  that  thou  sawest  was,  and  is  not ;  and  shall  ascend  out  of  the  bottomless  pit,  and 
go  into  perdition :  and  they  that  dwell  on  the  earth  shall  wonder,  whose  names  were  not 
written  in  the  book  of  life  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  when  they  behold  the  beast 

9  that  was,  and  is  not,  and  yet  is.     And  here  is  the  mind  which  hath  wisdom.     The  seven 

10  heads  are  seven  mountains,  on  which  the  woman  sitteth.  And  there  are  seven  kings :  five 
are  fallen,  and  one  is,  and  the  other  is  not  yet  come ;  and  when  he  cometh,  he  must  con- 

11  tinue  a  short  space.     And  the  beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  even  he  is  the  eighth,  and  is  of 

12  the  seven,  and  goeth  into  perdition.  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest  are  ten  kings, 
which  have  received  no  kingdom  as  yet ;  but  receive  power  as  kings  one  hour  with  the 

13  beast.     These  have   one  mind,  and  shall  give  their  power  and  strength  unto  the  beast. 

14  These  shall  make  war  with  the  Lamb,  and  the  Lamb  shall  overcome  them:  for  he  is  Lord 
of  lords,  and  King  of  kings :  and  they  that  are  with  him  are  called,  and  chosen,  and  faith- 

15  ful.     And  he  saith  unto  me.  The  waters  which  thou  sawest,  where  the  whore  sitteth,  are 

16  peoples,  and  multitudes,  and  nations,  and  tongues.  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest 
upon  the  beast,  these  shall    hate  the  whore,  and  shall  make  her  desolate  and  naked,  and 

17  shall  eat  her  flesh,  and  burn  her  with  fire.  For  God  hath  put  in  their  hearts  to  fulfil  his 
will,  and  to  agree,  and  give  their  kingdom  unto  the  beast,  until  the  words  of  God  shall  be 

18  fulfilled.  And  the  woman  which  thou  sawest  is  that  great  city,  which  reigneth  over  the 
kings  of  the  earth. 

18:1     And  after  these  things  I  saw  another  angel  come  down  from  heaven,  having  great  power ; 

2  and  the  earth  was  lightened  with  his  glory.  And  he  cried  mightily  with  a  strong  voice, 
saying,  Babylon  the  great  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  and  is  become  the  habitation  of  devils,  and 

3  the  hold  of  every  foul  spirit,  and  a  cage  of  every  unclean  and  hateful  bird.  For  all  nations 
have  drunk  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  fornication,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  have 
committed  fornication  with  her,  and  the  merchants  of  the  earth  are  waxed  rich  through 

4  the  abundance  of  her  delicacies.  And  I  heard  another  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  Come 
out  of  her,  my  people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her 

5  plagues.     For  her  sins  have  reached  unto  heaven,  and  God  hath  remembered  her  iniquities. 

6  Reward  her  even  as  she  rewarded  you,  and  double  unto  her  double  according  to  her  works : 

7  in  the  cup  which  she  hath  filled  fill  to  her  double.  How  much  she  hath  glorified  herself, 
and  livqd  deliciously,  so  much  torment  and  sorrow  give  her :  for  she  saith  in  her  heart,  I  sit 

8  a  queen,  and  am  no  widow,  and  shall  see  no  sorrow.  Therefore  shall  her  plagues  come  in 
one  day,  death,  and  mourning,  and  famine ;  and  she  shall  be  utterly  burned  with  fire :  for 

9  strong  is  the  Lord  God  who  judgeth  her.  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  who  have  committed 
fornication  and  lived  deliciously  with  her,  shall  bewail  her,  and  lament  for  her,  when  they 

10  shall  see  the  smoke  of  her  burning,  standing  afar  off  for  the  fear  of  her  torment,  saying, 
Alas,  alas  that  great  city  Babylon,  that  mighty  city !  for  in  one  hour  is  thy  judgment  come, 

11  And  the  merchants  of  the  earth  shall  weep  and  mourn  over  her ;  for  no  man  buyeth  their 


762  SECTION  383.— REVELATION  15  : 1-19  :  21. 

12  merchandise  any  more.  The  merchandise  of  gold,  and  silver,  and  precious  stones,  and  of 
pearls,  and  fine  linen,  and  purple,  and  silk,  and  scarlet,  and  all  thyine  wood,  and  all  manner 
vessels  of  ivory,  and  all  manner  vessels  of  most  precious  wood,  and  of  brass,  and  iron,  and 

13  marble,  and  cinnamon,  and  odours,  and  ointments,  and  frankincense,  and  wine,  and  oil,  and 
fine  flour,  and  wheat,  and  beasts,  and  sheep,  and  horses,  and  chariots,  and  slaves,  and  souls 

14  of  men.  And  the  fruits  that  thy  soul  lusted  after  are  departed  from  thee,  and  all  things 
which  were  dainty  and  goodly  are  departed  from  thee,  and  thou  shalt  find  them  no  more 

15  at  all.     The  merchants  of  these  things,  which  were  made  rich  by  her,  shall  stand  afar  off 

16  for  the  fear  of  her  torment,  weeping  and  wailing,  and  saying,  Alas,  alas  that  great  city,  that 
was  clothed  in  fine  linen,  and  purple,  and  scarlet,  and  decked  with  gold,  and  precious 

17  stones,  and  pearls!  For  in  one  hour  so  great  riches  is  come  to  nought.  And  every  ship- 
master, and  all  the  company  in  ships,  and  sailors,  and  as  many  as  trade  by  sea,  stood  afar 

18  off,  and  cried  when  they  saw  the  smoke  of  her  burning,  saying,  What  city  is  like  unto  this 

19  great  city !  And  they  cast  dust  on  their  heads,  and  cried,  weeping  and  wailing,  saying, 
Alas,  alas  that  great  city,  wherein  were  made  rich  all  that  had  ships  in  the  sea  by  reason  of 

20  her  costliness!  for  in  one  hour  is  she  made  desolate.     Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven,  and 

21  ye  holy  apostles  and  prophets ;  for  God  hath  avenged  you  on  her.  And  a  mighty  angel  took 
up  a  stone  like  a  great  millstone,  and  cast  it  into  the  sea,  saying.  Thus  with  violence  shall 

22  that  great  city  Babylon  be  thrown  down,  and  shall  be  found  no  more  at  all.  And  the  voice 
of  harpers,  and  musicians,  and  of  pipers,  and  trumpeters,  shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in 
thee ;  and  no  craftsman,  of  whatsoever  craft  he  be,  shall  be  found  any  more  in  thee ;  and 

23  the  sound  of  a  millstone  shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee  ;  and  the  light  of  a  candle 
shall  shine  no  more  at  all  in  thee ;  and  the  voice  of  the  bridegroom  and  of  the  bride  shall 
be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee  :  for  thy  merchants  were  the  great  men  of  the  earth  ;  for 

24  by  thy  sorceries  were  all  nations  deceived.  And  in  her  was  found  the  blood  of  prophets, 
and  of  saints,  and  of  all  that  were  slain  upon  the  earth, 

19  :  1     And  after  these  things  I  heard  a  great  voice  of  much  people  in  heaven,  saying,  Alle- 

2  luia ;  Salvation,  and  glory,  and  honour,  and  power,  unto  the  Lord  our  God :  for  true  and 
righteous  are  his  judgments :  for  he  hath  judged  the  great  whore,  which  did  coi'rupt  the 

3  earth  with  her  fornication,  and  hath  avenged  the  blood  of  his  servants  at  her  hand.     And 

4  again  they  said.  Alleluia.  And  her  smoke  rose  up  for  ever  and  ever.  And  the  four  and 
twenty  elders  and  the  four  beasts  fell  down  and  worshipped  God  that  sat  on  the  throne, 
saying.  Amen;  Alleluia. 

5  And  a  voice  came  out  of  the  throne,  saying,  Praise  our  God,  all  ye  his  servants,  and  ye 

6  that  fear  him,  both  small  and  great.  And  I  heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  a  great  multitude, 
and  as  tbe  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  mighty  thunderings,  saying,  Alleluia: 

7  for  the  Lord  God  oijmipotent  reigneth.     Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and  give  honour  to 

8  him:  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  herself  ready.  And 
to  her  was  granted  that  she  should  be  arrayed  in  fine  linen,  clean  and  white :  for  the  fine 

9  linen  is  the  righteousness  of  saints.  And  he  saith  unto  me.  Write,  Blessed  are  they  which 
are  called  unto  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb.     And  he  saith  unto  me.  These  are  the 

10  true  sayings  of  God.  And  I  fell  at  his  feet  to  worship  him.  And  he  said  unto  me.  See 
thou  do  it  not:  I  am  thy  fellowservant,  and  of  thy  brethren  that  have  the  testimony  of 

11  Jesus:  worship  God:  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy.  And  I  saw 
heaven  opened,  and  behold  a  white  horse  ;  and  he  that  sat  upon  him  was  called  Faithful  and 

12  True,  and  in  righteousness  he  doth  judge  and  make  war.  His  eyes  icere  as  a  flame  of  fire, 
and  on  his  head  were  many  crowns  ;  and  he  had  a  name  written,  that  no  man  knew,  but  he 

13  himself.     And  he  was  clothed  with  a  vesture  dipped  in  blood :  and  his  name  is  called  the 

14  Word  of  God.     And  the  armies  which  were  in  heaven  followed  him  upon  white  horses, 

15  clothed  in  fine  linen,  white  and  clean.  And  out  of  his  mouth  goeth  a  sharp  sword,  that 
with  it  he  should  smite  the  nations:  and  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron:  and  he 

16  treadeth  the  winepress  of  the  fierceness  and  wrath  of  Almighty  God,  And  he  hath  on  his 
vesture  and  on  his  thigh  a  name  written,  KING  OF  KINGS,  AND  LORD  OF  LORDS. 

17  And  I  saw  an  angel  standing  in  the  sun;  and  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying  to  all  the 
fowls  that  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven.  Come  and  gather  yourselves  together  unto  the  supper 

18  of  the  great  God ;  that  ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of  captains,  and  the 
flesh  of  mighty  men,  and  the  flesh  of  horses,  and  of  them  that  sit  on  them,  and  the  flesh  of 

19  all  men,  hoth  free  and  bond,  both  small  and  great.  And  I  saw  the  beast,  and  the  kings  of 
the  earth,  and  their  armies,  gathered  together  to  make  war  against  him  that  sat  on  the 

20  horse,  and  against  his  army.  And  the  beast  was  taken,  and  with  him  the  false  prophet 
that  wrought  miracles  before  him,  with  which  he  deceived  them  that  had  received  the 


SECTION  383.— REVELATION  15  : 1-19  :  21. 


763 


mark  of  tlie  beast,  and  them  that  worshipped  bis  image.     These  both  were  cast  alive  into 
21  a  lake  of  fire  burning  with  brimstone.     And  the  remnant  were  slain  with  the  sword  of  him 
that  sat  upon  the  horse,  which  »word  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth :  and  all  the  fowls  were 
filled  with  their  flesh. 

The  Bible  is  a  self -evidenced  miracle ;  and  the  miracle  consists  in  this,  that  a  book  the  composition  of 
which  occupied  more  than  fifteen  centuries  of  time,  prepared  by  different  hands  and  minds,  with  no  possi- 
bility of  collusion,  and  differing  each  from  the  other  so  much  as  Moses  and  John,  Samuel  and  Peter,  Solo- 
mon and  Paul,  Ezekiel  and  Luke,  David  and  James,  each  preparing  and  shaping  his  appropriate  work, 
and  that  work  of  each  as  distinct  from  every  other  as  the  book  of  Genesis  and  the  Apocalypse,  the  Psalms 
and  the  acts  of  the  Apostles,  the  book  of  Ruth  and  the  argument  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  the 
prophecies  of  Isaiah  and  the  letters  of  the  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved  ;  that,  in  all  this  vast  variety  of 
material,  history,  ritual,  description,  genealogy,  law,  proverb,  prophecy,  ode,  apothegm,  precept,  fact,  doc- 
trine, apology,  reasoning,  there  should  be  as  complete  a  unity  of  subject,  the  whole  compacted  and  framed 
together  into  one  book,  and  that  having  but  one  theme,  as  if  it  had  been  composed  in  the  lifetime  of  one 
man,  and  by  his  own  many-sided  and  varied  faculties.  And  that  which  alone  gives  unity  to  this  far- 
stretching  and  varied  material  is  Jesus  Christ  and  his  salvation.  Deep  answers  to  deep  across  intervening 
ages,  and  there  is  but  one  voice,  "  the  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy " ;  all  times  and  all 
events  converge  in  one  truth,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  He 
who  does  not  comprehend  this  structure  of  the  Book  of  God  in  the  unity  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son,  will 
never  reach  himself  the  compactness  and  strength  of  a  perfect  Christian  man,  the  measure  of  the  stature 
of  the  fullness  of  Christ.     "W.  A. 


Chs.  15-19.  The  last  passage  of  the  14th 
chapter  brought  down  the  inspired  disclosure  to  the 
very  end  of  all  things.  After  the  vision  of  the  har- 
vest and  the  vintage  there  can  be  no  later  transac- 
tion upon  the  defiled  and  desecrated  earth.  The 
next  revelation  in  order  of  time  must  be  that  of  the 
new  heavens  and  new  earth  ivherein  dwelleth  righteous- 
ness. But  there  are  parts  of  the  picture  still  to  be 
completed  before  we  are  prepared  for  the  descent 
of  the  holy  city  from  heaven  to  earth,  and  the  final 
establishment  among  men  of  the  tabernacle  of  God. 
In  particular,  we  have  yet  to  learn  in  fuller  detail 
the  fate  of  the  three  enemies  described  in  the  last 
section.  We  have  heard  in  the  14th  chapter  in  gen- 
eral terms  that  their  overthrow  is  destined  and  cer- 
tain. But  the  particulars  of  the  overthrow  have  not 
yet  been  disclosed.     V. 

15  :  1-4.  Here,  also,  preceding  the  seven  vials 
of  wrath,  is  a  scene  of  heavenly  triumph.  Victors 
stand  over  the  crystal  sea  mingled  with  fire,  as  on 
a  shore  of  safety,  singing  "  the  song  of  Moses,  the 
servant  of  God,  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb."  We 
are,  of  course,  reminded  of  the  song  of  Moses  and 
his  triumphant  host  on  the  shore  of  the  Red  Sea. 
In  that  ancient  ode  of  victory  they  sang,  "  Who  is 
like  unto  thee,  0  Lord,  among  the  gods  ?  Who  is 
like  thee,  glorious  in  holiness,  fearful  in  praises,  do- 
ing wonders  ?  "  In  this  they  sing,  "  Great  and  mar- 
velous are  thy  works,  0  Lord  God  Almighty !  just 
and  true  are  thy  ways,  thou  King  of  nations.  Who 
should  not  fear,  0  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name,  for 
thou  only  art  holy  ?  " 

5-8.  This  prepares  for  judgment  on  oppressors. 
Seven  angels  come  out  of  the  temple,  and  to  them 
one  of  the  "  four  living  ones  "  delivers  seven  golden 
vials  or  goblets  full  of  the  anger  of  the  ever-living 
God.  The  action  of  the  living  creature  is  signifi- 
cant, because  the  plagues  or  blows  are  about  to  fall 
on  the  various  regions  of  creation — the  earth,  the 
sea,  the  fresh  waters,  and  the  sun. 

16  :  1-21.  As  the  vials  are  successively  poured 
out  by  the  angels,  the  seven  last  blows  or  plagues 
fall  upon  men,  and  recall  several  of  the  plagues  in- 


flicted on  Egypt.  The  parallel  between  these  and 
the  judgments  under  the  trumpets  is  very  remarka- 
ble. 


Tetimpets. 

1.  Fire  and  blood  on  the  earth. 

2.  Fire  and  blood  on  the  sea. 

8.  Wormwood  on  rivers  and 
fountains  of  water. 

4.  Darkness  of  sun,  moon,  and 

stars. 

5.  A  fallen  star— the  opening  of 

the  abyss  —  darkness  —  lo- 
custs. 

G.  Loosing  of  four  angels  in  the 
Euphrates,  and  issuing  of  a 
great  host  to  hurt  and  de- 
stroy. 

7.  Consummation,  -n-ith  an- 
nouncement of  divine  judg- 
ment ;  voices,  thunders, 
lightnings,  and  hail. 


VlAiS. 

Grievous  sore  on  the  earth- 
Blood  in  the  sea. 

Blood  in  rivers  and  foun- 
tains of  water. 

Scorching  heat  from  the 
sun. 

Darkness  on  the  throne  of 
the  beast,  and  in  his  king- 
dom. 

Drying  up  of  Euphrates — 
appearance  of  three  un- 
clean frog-like  spirits — 
gathering  of  kings  to  war. 

Consummation,  with  an- 
nouncement of  divine 
judgment ;  voices,  thun- 
ders, lightnings,  and  hail. 


Is  it  not  plain  that  these  do  not  describe  consec- 
utive periods  of  history  ?  They  have  such  a  coinci- 
dence as  plainly  indicates  that  they  set  forth,  by 
line  upon  line,  and  in  the  old  Hebrew  style  of  repe- 
tition with  expansion,  the  same  principles  of  divine 
judgment.     D.  F. 

The  course  of  these  judgments  is  in  some  par- 
ticulars the  same  as  that  of  the  trumpets.  The 
earth,  the  sea,  the  rivers,  the  hghts  of  heaven,  these 
are  the  objects  of  the  first  four ;  but  ever  with  ref- 
erence to  those  who  worship  the  beast  and  have  his 
mark  on  them.  At  the  fifth,  as  in  each  case  before, 
there  is  a  change  from  general  to  special;  the 
throne  and  kingdom  of  the  beast,  the  river  Eu- 
phrates, these  are  now  the  objects ;  and  the  seventh 
passes  off,  as  in  each  former  case,  to  the  consumma- 
tion of  all  things.  Meantime,  as  so  often  before, 
anticipating  hints  have  been  given  of  new  details 
belonging  to  the  other  angelic  announcements.  At 
the  sixth  vial  (vs.  12-16)  we  have  the  sounds  of  the 
gathering  of  an  approaching  battle  of  God's  ene- 
I  mies  against  him,  and  the  very  battle-field  pointed 
I  out.  After  the  seventh  and  its  closing  formida  (vs. 
I  1'7-21),   Babylon  comes  into  remembrance  before 


'64 


SECTION  3S3.—REVELATI0F  15  : 1-19  :  21. 


God,  to  give  her  the  cup  of  his  vengeance.  Thus, 
then,  we  pass  to  the  second  of  the  angelic  an- 
nouncements— the  fall  of  Babylon  (ch.  17).     A, 

1-11.  The  special  object  of  the  judgments  now 
to  commence  is  the  second  of  the  three  enemies 
of  Christ  and  his  Church,  the  zvild  beast  from  the  sea, 
which  unites  in  itself  the  attributes  of  the  worldly 
power  in  every  form  and  phase.  These  judgments 
have  been  executed  in  a  greater  or  less  degree 
throughout  all  time.  But  the  terms  of  this  proph- 
ecy, no  less  than  the  position  which  it  occupies  in 
the  Book  of  Revelation,  prepare  us  to  expect  a  more 
intense  and  concentrated  manifestation  of  God's 
judgment  upon  an  opposing  and  blaspheming  world 
as  the  last  end  of  all  things  shall  draw  on.  The 
judgments  of  which  we  here  read  are  described  as 
//<c  seven  last  plagues,  in  which  is  filled  up  the  lorath . 
of  God. 

13.  At  the  sounding  of  the  sixth  trumpet  there 
is  a  similar  introduction  of  the  river  Euphrates. 
Loose  the  four  angels  bound  at  the  river  Euphrates. 
The  Euphrates,  speaking  roughly,  was  the  boundary 
between  Israel  and  Israel's  invaders.  It  was  the 
eastern  barrier  (with  the  desert  between)  of  the 
holy  land  and  of  the  chosen  people.  The  river  Eu- 
phrates, the  ancient  barrier  between  Israel  and  the 
enemies  of  Israel — the  typical  barrier  between  the 
Church,  which  is  the  Israel  of  God,  and  the  enemies 
of  the  Church — is  to  be  dried  up,  to  prepare  the  way 
of  the  kings  from  the  east.  The  typical  home  of 
the  Church  hi  the  language  of  all  prophecy  is  Pales- 
tine and  Jerusalem ;  and  therefore  the  typical  home 
of  the  foes  of  the  Church  is  in  the  region  to  which 
Palestine  and  Jerusalem  ever  looked  as  the  quarter 
of  danger,  as  the  source  of  attack.  The  enemies  of 
Christ  are  gathering  for  one  last  and  decisive  on- 
slaught upon  his  servants  and  upon  his  throne :  God 
foresees  this ;  God  permits  this ;  yea,  God  would 
have  it  so :  and  therefore  one  of  his  latest  vials  of 
judgment  is  poured  upon  the  Euphrates,  that  the 
hostile  powers  may  march  undisturbed  against  Jeru- 
salem, and  meet  their  great  discomfiture  in  a  strug- 
gle the  deadliest  and  the  last  of  all. 

13.  There  is  an  agency  of  God,  and  there  is  an 
agency  too  of  man.  God  dries  the  Euphrates  ;  the 
enemy  emits  the  spirits,  the  unclean  and  lying 
spirits,  which  are  to  draw  the  nations  across  it. 
Thus  it  is  in  all  time:  man  can  ill  distinguish  be- 
tween the  agency  of  permission  and  the  agency  of 
causation  ;  between  that  power  which  stands  aside 
and  makes  room,  and  that  power  which  solicits, 
which  inspires,  and  which  directs.  That  which  God 
hinders  not  he  in  some  sort  does.  Often  does  his 
word  speak  of  him  as  acting  where  a  cautious  and 
timid  theology  might  rather  speak  of  him  as  allow- 
ing. This  we  know,  and  thus  far,  at  all  events,  we 
arc  safe  in  affirming  constnntli/,  that  all  good  is  of 
God,  and  that  all  evil  is  of  God's  enemy.  It  is  of 
good  that  the  conflict  of  truth  and  falsehood,  of 
light  and  darkness,  should  at  last  receive  its  de- 
cision :  it  is  of  evil  than  any  one  soul  is  induced  to 
cast  in  its  lot  in  that  struggle  with  the  hosts  of  anti- 
christ. God  dries  the  Euphrates  ;  but  the  unclean 
spirits  fill  the  invading  ranks. 

God  prepares  the  way.  But  the  influence  by 
which  the  hosts  of  evil  are  mustered  is  not  of  God. 
I  saw  three  unclean  spirits  like  frogs  come  out  of  the 
mouth  of  the  dragon,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the 
heast,  and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  false  prophet. 
Each  of  the  three  great  enemies  of  Christ's  truth 
a.ud  of  Christ's  Church  contributes  a  special  influ- 


ence toward  this  result,  this  gathering  of  the  powers 
of  evil  to  combat  and  to  ruin.  There  comes  out  of 
the  mouth  of  the  dragon  that  spirit  of  unbelief,  of 
doubting,  mistrusting,  at  last  denying,  God's  express 
word,  whether  of  revelation,  of  command,  or  of 
promise,  by  which  in  Eden  itself  the  serpent  tempted, 
and  by  listening  to  which  woman  first  and  then  man 
fell.  The  evil  spirit  from  the  mouth  of  the  beast 
which  is  the  world  bids  us  think  the  things  that  are 
seen  more  real  and  more  valuable  than  the  things 
which  are  not  seen ;  bids  us  deem  nothing  so  desir- 
able, nothing  so  necessary  to  us,  as  the  good  opinion 
of  a  man  that  shall  die  ;  bids  us  live  for  esteem,  or 
live  for  praise,  or  live  for  power,  or  live  for  pleasure, 
or  live  for  wealth,  and  not  live  for  God,  and  not  live 
for  eternity.  And  what  shall  we  say  of  the  unclean 
spirit  of  the  third  enemy,  of  the  false  prophet,  the 
creature  and  abettor  of  the  second  ?  Surely  the 
wisdom  of  this  world,  no  less  than  the  power  of  this 
world,  has  in  this  generation  a  real  and  an  oppres- 
sive influence. 

15.  Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief.  The  thief  comes 
at  night ;  comes  without  notice ;  comes  while  men 
sleep  ;  comes  suddenly  and  by  surprise  upon  a  house 
barred  against  his  approach.  I  beseech  you  to  re- 
member that  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  that 
coming  which  will  set  the  seal  of  permanence  upon 
what  is,  and  make  your  then  state  before  God  your 
state  for  ever,  will  have  this  special  peculiarity,  it 
will  be  a  surprise.  And  everything  in  you  which 
says  peace  and  safety  ;  every  feeling  of  your  heart 
which  breathes  tranquillity  in  the  present ;  every 
calculation  based  upon  to-morrow  being  as  this  day  ; 
every  confident  look  at  the  bright  cheerfulness  of 
your  fireside,  or  at  the  healthy  and  happy  counte- 
nance of  wife  or  child ;  still  more  every  prayerless 
morning  and  every  thankless  night,  when  you  rise 
as  to  a  life  all  your  own,  or  close  your  eyes  in  sleep 
as  upon  a  world  which  will  as  certainly  be  yours 
to-morrow — is  a  sign,  not  of  the  distance,  but  of 
the  nearness  of  Christ's  advent.  The  peculiarity  of 
Christ's  coming  is  that  everything  which  seems  to 
defer  really  brings  it  near ;  everything  which  seems 
to  make  it  improbable  is  an  argument  of  its  cer- 
tainty and  of  its  approach.  Behold,  I  come  as  a 
thief  What  shall  we  say  then,  but  that  the  in- 
spired word  is  reasonable  which  adds.  Blessed  is  he 
that  ivatchcth  ?  Against  an  event  so  sure  in  its  fact 
but  so  doubtful  in  its  time,  what  can  we  do  but  watch 
always  ?  To  be  wakeful,  in  the  Christian  sense  of 
that  word,  is  not  to  be  sleeping  in  indifference,  not 
to  be  sleeping  in  self-indulgence,  not  to  be  sleeping 
in  godlessness,  not  to  be  sleeping  in  sin.  It  is  to  be 
men  of  prayer,  men  of  self-command,  men  of  ac- 
tivity ;  I  say  it  again,  men  of  prayer.  It  is  to  have 
the  communication  ever  open  between  the  soul  and 
its  God.  It  is  to  have  the  aspect  ever  upward  and 
ever  onward.  It  is  to  have  Christ  ever  real  to  us, 
the  Holy  Spirit  ever  present.  It  is  to  observe  with 
a  serious  steadfastness  the  signs  of  the  times ;  to 
compare  the  features  of  our  generation  with  the 
marks  given  in  Scripture  of  the  latter  days,  of  the 
times  of  the  end.  It  is  to  rejoice  with  a  sincere  and 
a  thankful  joy  in  every  victory  won  for  Christ  in  the 
world  or  in  a  soul.  It  is  to  use  this  xvorld  as  not 
abusing  it ;  to  use  it  as  a  trust,  not  as  a  possession. 
It  is  to  have  the  affection  set  on  things  above,  not  on 
things  on  the  earth  ;  to  have  our  conversation,  our 
citizenship,  already  in  heaven ;  to  have  our  very 
life,  the  life  that  is  most  dear  and  most  real  and 
most  precious  to  us,  hidden  even  now  with  Christ  in 


SECTION  383.— REVELATION  15  :  1-19  : 21. 


765 


God.  So  ivhcn  Christy  who  is  our  life,  shall  appear, 
then  shall  we  also  appear  tcifh  him  in  glory.     V. 

16.  In  Judges  5  :  19  we  read  :  "  The  kings 
came  and  fought,  then  fought  the  kings  of  Canaan 
in  Taanach  by  the  Avaters  of  Megiddo."  There  the 
Israelites  gained  a  signal  victory  over  the  Canaanit- 
ish  kings.  Here,  it  is  said,  "  he  gathered  them  to- 
gether into  a  place  called  Armageddon."  Now,  if 
it  was  meant  that  the  people  of  God  should  be  vic- 
torious over  the  combined  forces  of  their  enemies, 
could  it  be  better  represented  than  by  saying  that 
the  battle  of  Megiddo  should  be  fought  again  ?  On 
this  assumption  the  battle  of  Armageddon  is  simply 
a  conflict  between  the  Lord's  servants  and  his  allied 
foes,  in  which  the  former  should  gain  a  signal  vic- 
tory. That  it  will  be  a  struggle  involving  blood- 
shed, and  the  other  circumstances  of  human  war- 
fare, appears  to  be  entirely  an  assumption.  The 
conflict  may  be  moral.  The  weapons  of  warfare 
may  be  spiritual.  This  view  is  more  in  harmony 
with  the  general  character  of  the  Revelation  *han 
that  which  would  make  one  human  battle  with  car- 
nal weapons  the  symbolic  representation  of  another 
human  battle  of  the  same  kind.     J.  Hall. 

17-21.  Since  the  hailstones  come  by  weight 
and  the  wrath  comes  by  measure — for  so  a  talent 
and  a  cup  import  —  it  follows  that  the  Almighty 
God,  even  in  the  midst  of  the  heat  of  all  this  anger, 
will  keep  to  the  rules  of  justice  and  judgment  while 
he  is  dealing  with  this  enemy  ;  he  has  not  passions 
to  carry  him  beyond  rules  of  judgment,  nor  weak- 
ness to  cause  him  to  fall  short  of  doing  justice ; 
therefore  he  has  his  judgments  for  her  by  weight, 
and  his  indignation  by  measure.  But  yet  this 
weight  and  measure  arc  disposed  according  to  the 
measure  and  nature  of  her  iniquity,  and  come  to 
sweep  her  as  with  the  besom  of  destruction,  until 
she  is  swept  off  from  the  face  of  all  the  earth.   Bun. 

Ch.  7.  It  is  there  told,  almost  without  figure, 
what  is  the  seat,  and  what  the  name,  and  what  the 
place  in  history,  and  what  the  singular,  the  unpre- 
cedented end,  of  that  power  which  in  John's  time 
was  the  rider  upon  the  wild  beast.  Her  seat  was 
the  city  of  the  seven  hills.  Her  name,  that  of  the 
great  empire  then  reigning  over  the  kings  of  the 
earth.  Her  place  in  history,  the  sixth  and  last  but 
one  of  those  mighty  empires  which  have  successive- 
ly towered  above  the  thrones  of  the  earth.  She 
comes  after  Egypt,  after  Assyria,  after  Babylon, 
after  Persia,  after  Greece.  Strange  to  tell,  she  docs 
not  come  before  any  one  similar  embodiment  of  the 
giant  strength  of  that  beast  which  is  the  world. 
She  is  to  be  followed  by  a  seventh  head  ;  but  that 
seventh  head  is  a  mere  cluster  of  ten  horns.  The 
head  exists  but  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  those 
ten  horns.  The  power  which  is  to  replace  imperial 
Rome  is  a  divided,  not  a  concentrated,  force.  Mar- 
velous prediction !  audacious,  were  it  not  divine ! 
but  not  more  marvelous  in  its  peculiarity,  not  more 
bold  in  its  positiveness,  than  true  in  its  fulfillment, 
in  the  history  of  the  past  and  in  the  circumstances 
of  the  present !     V. 

14.  In  the  Gospel  of  John  we  read  the  life  of 
Christ  on  earth ;  a  man  conversing  with  men,  hum- 
ble, poor,  weak,  and  suffering,  we  behold  a  sacrifice 
ready  to  be  offered,  and  a  man  appointed  to  sorrows 
and  death  ;  but  in  the  Revelation  of  John,  we  have 
the  gospel  of  Christ  now  raised  from  the  dead.  He 
speaks  and  acts  as  having  conquered  the  grave,  and 
triumphed  over  death  and  hell,  as  entered  into  the 


place  of  his  glory  ;  angels,  principalities,  and  pow- 
ers  being  made  subject  unto  him,  and  exercising 
the  supreme  universal  power  he  has  received  from 
the  Father  over  all  things  in  heaven  and  earth,  as 
our  Saviour,  for  the  protection  of  his  Church,  and 
for  the  sure  happiness  of  his  faithful  servants  in 
the  end.     Bossuct. 

17.  AVe  live  under  the  most  peculiar  of  all  the 
phases  of  the  world's  power ,  and  we  are  taught  in 
prophecy  that  it  is  the  last  of  all.  Since  John  wrote, 
one  phase  has  passed  and  another  has  come  in  ;  he 
wrote  under  the  sixth ;  we  are  living  under  the 
seventh ;  and  there  is  no  eighth.  With  what  earnest- 
ness ought  we  to  read  and  to  ponder  the  brief  say- 
ing of  the  text,  until  the  icords  of  God  shall  be  ful- 
Jilled  !  God  has  fulfilled  some  of  them,  yea,  many, 
since  the  time  that  John  fell  on  sleep.  He  has  caused 
the  curtain  to  fall  upon  one  act  of  the  drama,  and 
he  has  raised  it  by  his  providence  upon  another, 
upon  the  last  of  all.  Who  can  tell  us  how  long  it 
shall  yet  continue,  ere  the  incidents  be  quite  ex- 
hausted and  the  catastrophe  be  fully  come  ?  At  all 
events  we  know  this ;  that  for  each  one  of  us  the 
end  of  edl  things  is  (d  hand :  if  the  Saviour's  ad- 
vent come  not  soon  to  us,  we  shall  surely  go  to  it. 
Meanwhile  let  us  at  least  know  that  there  is  an  end ; 
and  let  us  be  waiting  for  it,  and  watching ! 

Ch.  18.  This  chapter  is  a  graphic  picture  of 
the  fall  of  Rome.  It  is  drawn  from  an  earlier  like- 
ness, and  painted  in  colors  not  new  but  old.  Ear- 
lier prophecies,  denouncing  judgment  upon  preceding 
empires,  furnish  the  main  features  of  this.  Those 
things  which  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah,  Ezekiel  and  Xa- 
hum,  saw  and  recorded  concerning  Tyre  and  Nine- 
veh and  Babylon  of  old,  are  here  gathered  together, 
and  written  of  a  later  tyrant ;  of  an  oppressor  not 
of  Israel,  but  of  the  Church  of  Christ  and  of  the 
gospel.  In  the  very  fact  of  that  application,  of  that 
transfer, .  of  that  repetition,  we  see  a  sign  of  the 
wisdom  and  of  the  grace  of  God.  What  could  be  so 
encouraging,  so  reassuring,  to  a  prostrate,  exiled, 
persecuted  people,  as  to  be  reminded,  from  their 
own  Scriptures,  of  oppressions  and  sufferings  en- 
dured of  old  time  by  God's  servants,  and  of  the 
retribution  by  which  those  ancient  wrongs  had  been 
recompensed  and  redressed  ?  What  could  be  a  surer 
warrant  for  the  hope  that  a  Babylon  of  the  present, 
powerful  as  she  appeared,  and  deeply  rooted,  and 
securely  fenced  and  guarded,  might  yet  in  the  mys- 
terious working  of  God's  providence  be  brought  to 
desolation  and  to  nothingness,  than  the  declaration 
that  one  sits  in  the  seat  of  an  earlier  Babylon,  whose 
houses  are  now  full  of  doleful  creatures,  wild  beasts 
crying  in  her  desolate  houses,  and  dragons  in  her 
pleasant  paleices  ?  To  call  Rome  Babylon  was  of 
itself  a  pledge  of  its  demolition.  The  poUcy  of  that ' 
great  empire,  and  the  philosophy  of  that  great  em- 
pire ;  its  principle,  and  its  want  of  principle ;  its 
iDelief  in  human  power,  and  its  indifference  to  divine 
power ;  its  skepticism  as  to  all  truth,  and  its  tolera- 
tion of  all  religions  which  would  themselves  tolerate ; 
all  had  conspired  together  to  make  the  empire  of 
Rome  the  foe  of  Christianity.  Sometimes  by  the 
caprices  of  her  rulers,  and  sometimes  in  spite  of 
their  injunctions,  Rome  had  proved  herself  in  fact 
not  a  neutral  but  a  persecuting  power.  In  her, 
when  she  came  to  be  judged,  whether  by  history  or 
by  prophecy,  was  found  the  blood  of  prophets  and 
of  saints  anel  of  edl  that  were  slain  upon  the  earth. 
And  at  last  judgment  fell ;  a  judgment  of  disruption 


766 


SECTI02T  3S3.— REVELATION  IB  :  1-19  :  21. 


and  of  dissolution ;  a  judgment  full  of  justice,  and 
a  Judgment  full  of  admonition.  To  the  seventy  of 
that  judgment  the  city  itself  bears  an  infallible  tes- 
timony. So  early  as  the  beginning  of  the  fifteenth 
century  this  was  the  language  of  a  reflecting  observer : 
"  The  hill  of  the  Capitol,  on  which  we  sit,  was  former- 
ly the  head  of  the  Roman  empire,  the  citadel  of  the 
earth,  the  terror  of  kings ;  illustrated  by  the  footsteps 
of  so  many  triumphs,  enriched  with  the  spoils  and 
tributes  of  so  many  nations.  This  spectacle  of  the 
world,  how  is  it  fallen !  how  changed  !  how  defaced  ! 
the  path  of  victory  is  obliterated  by  vines,  and  the 
benches  of  the  senators  are  concealed  by  a  dunghill. 
Cast  your  eyes  on  the  Palatine  hill,  and  seek  among 
the  shapeless  and  enormous  fragments  the  marble 
theatre,  the  obelisks,  the  colossal  statues,  the  porti- 
coes of  Nero's  palace :  survey  the  other  hills  of  the 
city,  the  vacant  space  is  interrupted  only  by  ruins 
and  gardens.  The  forum  of  the  Roman  people, 
where  they  assembled  to  enact  their  laws  and  elect 
their  magistrates,  is  now  enclosed  for  the  cultivation 
of  pot-herbs,  or  thrown  open  for  the  reception  of 
swine  and  buffaloes.  The  public  and  private  edifices, 
that  were  founded  for  eternity,  lie  prostrate,  naked, 
and  broken,  like  the  limbs  of  a  mighty  giant ;  and 
the  ruin  is  the  more  visible,  from  the  stupendous 
relics  that  have  survived  the  injuries  of  time  and 
fortune"  (Gibbon,  ch.  11). 

But  is  it  then  with  walls  and  buildings  that  the 
righteous  anger  of  God  wages  its  warfare?  Is  it 
any  impeachment  of  the  truth  of  his  prediction,  if 
another  city  rises  in  its  turn  upon  the  ruins  of  Baby- 
lon, or  another  power  diverse  from  the  former  plants 
its  throne  upon  the  ruins  of  imperial  Rome  ?  Not 
so.  It  may  be  noticeable,  as  a  permanent  index  of 
judgment,  if  wild  beasts  of  the  desert  still  lie  where 
Babylon  ihe  glory  of  kingdoms  once  spread  wide  her 
habitations ;  if  dragons  still  cry  in  those  pleasant 
palaces  where  kings  once  reigned,  vassals  of  a  yet 
mightier  throne.  But  not  less  really,  if  less  visibly, 
are  God's  denunciations  against  a  second  Babylon 
verified,  if  after  the  fall  of  imperial  Rome  papal 
Rome  rose  and  flourished  for  her  season,  built  her- 
self churches  with  the  stones  of  temples,  and  reigned 
in  turn  over  subject  consciences  as  her  predecessor 
had  reigned  over  prostrate  nationalities.  There 
have  been  times^  it  has  been  well  said,  wheji  the 
papacy  looked  very  like  the  beast  of  the  Revelation: 
at  such  times,  in  the  same  degree,  God's  judgments 
upon  Babylon  were  applicable  and  appropriate  to 
the  papacy.  And  that  which  was  not  explained  nor 
meant  to  be  explained  to  John,  time  has  revealed  to 
us  ;  namely,  that  the  fall  of  the  Babylon  that  then  vvas 
was  not  destined  to  be  the  immediate  precursor  of 
the  end  of  all  things.  Even  John  was  instructed  to 
write,  There  are  seven  kings :  five  are  fallen  ;  and  one 
is  ;  and  the  other  is  not  yet  come  ;  and  when  he  comcth, 
he  must  continue  a  short  space  (17  :  10).  That  sho)-t 
space  has  been  expanded  l)y  the  event  into  a  period 
of  several  centuries.  Other  Babylons,  on  a  smaller 
scale,  and  with  features  less  precisely  marked,  have 
come  and  gone  since  John's  prophecy  against  Rome 
was  fulfilled.  The  beast  still  is,  and  still  develops 
himself  from  time  to  time  in  new  forms.  Wherever 
he  develops  himself,  there  arises  another  Babylon ; 
and  of  the  ruin  of  that  other  Babylon  the  ruin  of 
the  first  Babylon  and  of  the  second  is  an  infallible 
and  ever-growing  proof.    V. 

19  :  1-10»  The  time  now  draws  near  for  the 
final  termination  of  the  conflict.     The  irrevocable 


doom  has  been  pronounced.  But  before  the  final 
condemnation,  the  episode  (so  usual  in  this  book) 
of  praise,  thanksgiving,  and  anticipated  completion 
of  victory,  comes  in  with  a  delay  of  the  main  ac- 
tion. The  episode  (as  usual)  has  three  parts:  1. 
All  the  inhabitants  of  the  heavenly  world  are  repre- 
sented as  uniting  in  a  song  of  triumph  and  of  thanks- 
giving on  account  of  the  righteous  judgments  of  God 
which  are  about  to  be  inflicted  (vs.  1-4).  2.  A  voice 
from  the  throne  in  heaven  speaks,  and  requires  of 
all  his  servants  everywhere  renewed  praise,  which 
accordingly  is  shouted  (vs.  5-8).  3.  The  glorious 
prospect  for  suffering  martyrs  is  disclosed.  They 
will  be  guests  at  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb. 
The  Church  is  indeed  the  Lamb's  bride,  and  the  ex- 
ultation of  the  Messiah  is  vividly  sketched  in  the 
declaration  of  the  angel  interpreter,  at  whose  feet 
John,  in  a  state  of  astonishment,  falls.  Jesus,  the 
angel  declares,  is  the  object  of  worship  by  him ;  and 
therefore  he  (the  angel)  can  not  claim  the  worship 
of  his  fellow-servants,  who,  like  him,  are  merely  in- 
struments in  making  known  the  prophecies  respect- 
ing the  triumph  of  redeeming  grace  (vs.  9,  10).  M.  S. 

10.  Jesus.  The  lines  of  both  Testaments 
meet  in  him  as  in  one  common  center.  In  the  tes- 
timonies of  the  Bible  concerning  the  glory,  grace, 
and  work  of  Christ,  the  Old  Testament  confirms  the 
New,  and  the  New  Testament  illustrates  the  Old. 
"  The  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy" ; 
that  is,  the  essence,  the  substance,  the  aim  and  end 
of  all  prophecy.  Without  the  preeminence  of  Christ 
they  become  like  other  writings ;  but  admit  this,  and 
then  there  is  but  one  gospel  under  all  dispensations 
— but  one  Saviour  for  all  sinners.  And  whoever 
are  the  speakers  or  writers,  whether  patriarchs,  or 
prophets,  or  kings,  or  angels,  or  poets,  or  apostles, 
or  disciples,  each  vies  with  the  other  to  give  Christ 
the  preeminence.  The  glories  of  heaven  and  the 
wonders  of  the  earth,  the  honors  of  offices  or  the 
happiness  of  relations,  the  attractions  of  beauty  or 
the  authority  of  dignity,  are  chosen  as  metaphors  to 
set  forth  the  preeminent  excellence  of  Christ.  Sher- 
man. 

11-16.  The  wisest  of  living  Britons  has  said, 
"Infinite  pity,  yet  infinite  rigor  of  law.  It  is  so 
that  the  world  is  made."  It  is  so  the  world  must 
be  made,  because  it  is  made  by  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord,  and  its  laws  are  the  likeness  of  his  character ; 
pitiful,  because  Christ  is  pitiful ;  and  rigorous,  be- 
cause he  is  rigorous.  So  pitiful  is  Christ  that  he 
did  not  hesitate  to  be  slain  for  men,  that  mankind 
through  him  might  be  saved.  But  so  rigorous  is 
Christ  that  he  does  not  hesitate  to  slay  men,  if  need- 
ful, that  mankind  thereby  may  be  saved.  War  and 
bloodshed,  pestilence  and  famine,  earthquake  and 
tempest — all  of  them,  as  sure  as  there  is  a  God,  are 
the  servants  of  God,  doing  his  awful  but  necessary 


SECTION  SS^.—REVELATIOR  20  : 1-15. 


work  for  the  final  benefit  of  the  whole  human  race. 
C.  K. It  is  "  the  faithful  and  true  who  in  right- 
eousness doth  judge  and  make  war."  lie  is  repre- 
sented as  Head  of  the  Church,  sitting  on  "  a  white 
horse  " ;  while,  as  Head  over  all  things  to  the  Church, 
he  is  described  as  "  having  on  his  head  many  crowns, 
as  clothed  with  a  vesture  dipped  in  blood,  as  smiting 
the  nations  with  a  sharp  sword,  ruling  them  with  a 
rod  of  iron,  treading  the  wine-press  of  the  fierceness 
and  wrath  of  Almighty  God,  and  having  on  his  ves- 
ture and  on  his  thigh  the  name  written,  King  of 
kings  and  Lord  of  lords."    W.  S. 

17-21,  A  great  contest  ensues,  to  which  the 
hosts  are  gathered  under  the  sixth  bowl  of  wrath 
(16  :  14).  But  the  actual  conflict  does  not  occur 
till  after  the  fall  of  Babylon,  which  is  under  the 
seventh  bowl  or  vial.  This  battle  is  symbolical,  not 
literal.  We  are  never  to  think  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  as  asserting  his  rightful  power  on  the  earth 
by  onsets  of  cavalry,  or  the  slaughter  of  wild  beasts, 
princes,  and  soldiers,  amid  the  screaming  of  vul- 
tures assembled  for  a  ghastly  feast.  The  only  sword 
wielded  by  the  King  of  kings  is  the  sword  of  his 
mouth,  and  no  weapons  are  seen  in  the  armies  from 
heaven  that  follow  him.  Ilis  sharp  mouth-sword  or 
word  sufiices  to  slay  the  opposing  kings  and  armies 
— i.  e.,  to  subdue  and  extinguish  national  opposition 
to  Christ.  But  that  mouth-sword  had  no  effect  on 
the  beast  and  the  false  prophet ;  it  is  not  even  ap- 
plied to  them.  They  are  cast  alive  into  a  "  pool 
which  burns  with  fire  and  brimstone."  Thus  these 
formidable  symbols  of  evil  activity  are  committed 
to  an  element  which  wholly  consumes.  In  other 
words,  the  influences  which  they  represent  and  im- 
personate come  to  such  an  end  that  they  can  never 
rise  or  reappear  among  the  sons  of  men.     D.  F. 


God  will  have  things  go  on  thus  in  the  world  till 
his  word  shall  be  fulfilled ;  the  deceived  and  the 
deceiver  are  his.  Things  therefore  must  have  their 
course  in  the  church  in  the  wilderness  till  the  mys- 
tery of  God  shall  be  fulfilled.  God  will  get  to  him- 
self great  glory  by  permitting  the  boar,  the  man  of 
sin  and  the  dragon,  to  revel  in  the  church  of  God ; 
for  they  by  setting  up  and  contending  for  their  dark- 
ness, and  calling  it  the  light,  and  by  setting  it 
against  that  light  which  is  light  in  very  deed,  do  not 
only  prove  the  power  of  truth  where  it  is,  but  illus- 
trate it  so  much  the  more ;  for  as  black  sets  off 
white,  and  darkness  light,  so  error  sets  off  truth. 
The  Church  will  not  give  place,  for  she  knows  she 
has  the  truth  ;  the  dragon  and  his  angels,  they  will 
not  give  place,  but  as  beaten  back  by  the  power  of 
truth.  Therefore  there  will,  there  must,  there  can 
not  but  be,  a  spiritual  warfare  here,  and  that  until 
one  of  the  two  is  destroyed,  and  its  body  given  to 
the  burning  flame.     Bun. 

We  are  living,  not  in  the  time  of  the  sixth,  but 
in  the  time  of  the  seventh  head  of  the  wild  beast ; 
that  head  which  is  known  by  its  ten  horns ;  that 
power  which  is  designated  by  division,  not  by  con- 
centration ;  by  a  plurality,  not  by  a  unity,  of  crowns 
and  thrones  on  earth.  And  here  we  read  of  the 
closing  scene  of  the  period  of  that  seventh  suprem- 
acy. It  is  the  last  of  the  empires :  there  is  none  to 
follow  it.  It  is  to  terminate  in  that  great  outbreak 
of  evil  which  under  many  different  figures  appears 
both  in  Old  Testament  and  in  New  Testament  pro- 
phecy as  the  sure  token  of  the  last  end  of  all.  And 
then  upon  this  last  concourse  of  the  powers  of  evil 
bursts  the  full  blaze  of  the  divine  glory  in  the  per- 
son of  Jesus  Christ,  unto  conviction,  consternation, 
and  final  ruin.     V. 


Section  384. 

Eevzlation  XX.  1-15. 

1  And  I  saw  an  angel  come  down  from  heaven,  having  the  key  of  the  hottomless  pit  and  a 

2  great  chain  in  his  land.     And  he  laid  hold  on  the  dragon,  that  old  serpent,  which  is  the 

3  Devil,  and  Satan,  and  bound  him  a  thousand  years,  and  cast  him  into  the  bottomless  pit, 
and  shut  him  up,  and  set  a  seal  upon  him  that  he  should  deceive  the  nations  no  more,  till 
the  thousand  years  should  be  fulfilled :  and  after  that  he  must  he  loosed  a  little  season. 

4  And  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon  them,  and  judgment  was  given  unto  them :  and  / 
saw  the  souls  of  them  that  were  beheaded  for  the  witness  of  Jesus,  and  for  the  word  of 
God,  and  which  had  not  worshipped  the  beast,  neither  his  image,  neither  had  received  his 
mark  upon  their  foreheads,  or  in  their  hands ;  and  they  lived  and  reigned  with  Christ  a 

5  thousand  years.     But  the  rest  of  the  dead  hved  not  again  until  the  thousand  years  were 

6  finished.  This  is  the  first  resurrection.  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first 
resurrection :  on  such  the  second  death  hath  no  power,  hut  they  shall  he  priests  of  God 

7  and  of  Christ,  and  shall  reign  with  him  a  thousand  years.     And  when  the  thousand  years 


768 


SECTION'  384.— REVELATION  20  : 1-15. 


8  are  expired,  Satan  shall  be  loosed  out  of  his  prison,  and  shall  go  out  to  deceive  the  nations 
which  are  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth,  Gog  and  Magog,  to  gather  them  together  to 

9  battle :  the  number  of  whom  is  as  the  sand  of  the  sea.     And  they  went  up  on  the  breadth 
of  the  earth,  and  compassed  the  camp  of  the  saints  about,  and  the  beloved  city :  and  fire 

10  came  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  and  devoured  them.  And  the  devil  that  deceived 
them  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  where  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet 
are,  and  shall  be  tormented  day  and  night  for  ever  and  ever. 

11  And  I  saw  a  great  white  throne,  and  him  that  sat  on  it,  from  whose  face  the  earth  and 

12  the  heaven  fled  away  ;  and  there  was  found  no  place  for  them.  And  I  saw  the  dead,  small 
and  great,  stand  before  God  ;  and  the  books  were  opened  :  and  another  book  was  opened, 
which  is  the  iooh  of  life  :  and  the  dead  were  Judged  out  of  those  things  which  were  written 

13  in  the  books,  according  to  their  works.  And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which  were  in  it ; 
and  deatli  and  hell  delivered  up  the  dead  which  were  in  them  :  and  they  were  judged  every 

14  man  according  to  their  worke.     And  death  and  hell  were  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.     This  is 

15  the  second  deatli.  And  whosoever  was  not  found  written  in  the  book  of  life  was  cast  into 
the  lake  of  fire. 

In  the  very  being — the  rational  and  moral  being — that  God  has  given  us,  he  has  inwoven  the  future 
judgment ;  he  has  constructed  our  nature  so  that  it  demands  this  award  as  its  necessary  completion.  Our 
daily  life  is  one  long  prophecy  of  that  day.  In  the  gloomy  recollections  of  age,  in  the  man  of  crime  who 
struggles  in  vain  to  crush  a  rebuking  conscience,  in  the  youth  who  weeps  the  bitter  fruits  of  passion,  in 
the  very  child  who  runs  to  hide  his  conscious  fault — in  all  alike  is  foreshadowed  the  terrible  decree  of 
universal  judgment.  For  judgment  we  are  born,  for  judgment  we  flourish,  grow  old,  and  die.  Nature 
herself  dares  not  deny  the  certainty  of  retribution  ;  the  gospel  but  confirms  her  conviction  ;  for,  even  in 
regions  where  the  gospel  has  never  sounded,  her  voice,  speaking  in  all  nations,  languages,  and  times,  has 
proclaimed  from  pole  to  pole  that  God  shall  judge  his  creature.  But  revelation  alone  could  tell  the  cir- 
cumstances and  accessories  of  this  great  event ;  and  revelation  has  abundantly  done  so.  The  Judge 
himself  has  undrawn  the  curtain  of  eternity  ;  he  has  shown  us  his  own  everlasting  throne,  and  the  pro- 
cedures of  his  court,  and  the  test  he  shall  demand,  and  the  verdict  he  shall  deliver.  It  is  a  strange  thing 
thus  to  read  the  story  of  our  own  hereafter  ;  to  hear  delivered,  with  all  the  minuteness  of  some  history 
of  past  events,  a  scene  in  which  each  of  us  individually  must  perform  his  own  special  part,  and  that  part 
the  most  awful  and  decisive  in  all  eternity.  Strange  to  see  one  single  point  in  the  clouded  future  thus 
flashing  out  amid  the  impenetrable  obscurity  of  all  the  rest ;  and  that  one  the  point  on  Avhich  all  the  rest 
is  ultimately  to  depend.  Strange,  indeed  ;  yet  stranger  still,  that  it  can  be  contemplated  with  so  "little 
emotion ;  that  men  can  live  admitting  its  certainty,  yet  never  remembering  its  approach ;  that,  when  once 
granted  to  be  true,  it  should  not  be  found  to  occupy  every  thought,  and  to  make  the  great  directive  prin- 
ciple of  existence.     W.  A.  B. 


1-3.  The  doom  of  the  dragon. — He  has  been 
cast  out  of  heaven  into  the  earth  (12  :  9).  Let 
that  be  the  first  stage  of  his  discomfiture.  The 
second  will  be  when  he  is  bound  with  a  chain  and 
cast  into  the  abyss,  there  to  be  confined  for  a  thou- 
sand years.  Though  sin  will  not  bo  wholly  ex- 
punged from  the  earth  during  that  period,  the  ac- 
tive power  of  the  tempter  will  be  restrained,  and 
the  saints  will  be  free  from  his  wiles  as  well  as  his 
fiery  darts.  7,  8.  But  the  dragon  is  to  be  let  loose 
again,  and  wickedness  will  have  a  brief  revival  on 
the  earth.  Satan  will  come  out  of  prison  incorrigi- 
ble  and  incurable  as  he  entered  it — the  inveterate 
impersonation  of  malice  and  deceit.  Terrible  fiend  ! 
The  sight  of  Eve's  innocence  stirred  in  him  no  pity. 
The  manifestation  of  the  Son  of  God  brought  him 
to  no  repentance.  A  thousand  years  of  restraint 
in  the  abyss  teach  him  no  submission.     lie  is  no 


sooner  at  large  again  than  he  resumes  his  old  em- 
ployment of  deceiving  the  nations?  and  assailing  the 
saints.  9,  10.  But  the  cup  of  his  iniquity  is  full ; 
and  he  reaches  the  third  and  final  stage  of  his  dis- 
comfiture. The  confederacy  which  he  leads  against 
the  holy  city  is  scattered  by  devouring  fire  from 
heaven,  and,  then  he  himself  is  overtaken  by  his 
doom.  It  is  not,  as  the  mediaeval  notion  was  (not 
yet  extinct  among  us),  that  the  devil  is  to  be  a  king 
in  hell,  tormenting  at  his  pleasure  lost  souls  of  men, 
but  that  he  himself  is  tormented ;  as  hitherto  the 
most  active  of  sinners,  hereafter  the  most  helpless ; 
as  more  wicked  than  others,  so  in  the  end  more 
miserable. 

There  is  a  serious  difficulty  about  the  second 
coming  of  Christ.  Many  passages  in  both  Testa- 
ments connect  his  advent  with  the  establishment  of 
his  kingdom  on  the  earth ;  and  it  is  taught  in  the 


SECTION  38Jf.— REVELATION  20  : 1-15. 


Y69 


nineteenth  chapter  of  this  book  that  he  will  be  re- 
vealed from  heaven  with  attendant  saints  before 
the  millennium ;  that  he  will  then  subdue  his  ene- 
mies, and  introduce  a  reign  of  righteousness  and 
peace.  There  are,  however,  many  other  passages, 
of  equal  authority,  which  describe  our  Lord  as  com- 
ing with  flaming  fire  to  judge  the  world ;  and  the 
last  judgment  is  certainly  after  the  millennium  (vs. 
11-15).  On  this  interpreters  have  broken  into  par- 
ties ;  and  then,  as  is  not  uncommon  in  controversy, 
each  party,  occupying  itself  with  the  parts  of  Scrip- 
ture which  favor  its  distinctive  theory,  becomes 
more  and  more  confident  in  its  own  opinion.  It  is 
not  within  the  power  of  man  to  tell  us  now  what 
may  or  may  not  be  inclosed  within  the  truth  and 
fact  of  the  Lord's  second  coming.  Only  the  future 
can  determine.  The  prophecy  regarding  Messiah 
in  the  Old  Testament  seemed  to  intimate  only  one 
advent  for  all  purposes  ;  but  we  now  perceive  that 
it  covered  a  double  advent,  a  coming  in  weakness, 
and  a  coming  in  power,  a  coming  to  suffer,  and  a 
coming  to  reign.  There  is  no  reason  why  the 
prophecy  in  the  New  Testament  regarding  the  sec- 
ond advent  may  not  unfold  a  double  import ;  the 
more  so  that  the  language  touching  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead,  though  often  seeming  to  point  to  one 
event,  unfolds  a  double  import,  a  resurrection  of 
the  just,  and  a  subsequent  uprising  of  the  unjust. 

It  is  clear  that  Christ  will  come  to  quell  his  ad- 
versaries, reward  his  servants,  and  bring  in  millen- 
nial peace ;  but  it  is  not  clear  whether  or  not  that 
appearing  will  be  visible  to  the  world  at  large. 
Enough  that  it  will  be  quite  appreciable  by  his 
saints.  He  will  interpose  in  such  a  way  that  they 
who  follow  him  in  the  great  battle  of  God  Al- 
mighty will  know  right  well  who  it  is  by  whom 
they  are  led,  and  to  whom  the  victory  is  due ;  and 
they  who  reign  in  life  upon  or  over  the  earth  will 
know  well  who  it  is  with  whom  they  reign  as  kings 
and  priests  to  God.  But  this  does  not  exhaust  the 
prophecy  of  his  appearing.  At  the  last  day  he  will 
come  in  his  glory,  seen  by  every  eye,  to  judge  the 
quick  and  the  dead.  Let  us  endeavor  to  keep  all 
this  truth  honestly  in  mind. 

4.  The  Millennial  blessedness. — Whether  or  no 
one  thousand  ordinary  solar  years  are  intended,  a 
definite  period  is  fixed,  during  which  the  meek  shall 
"  inherit  the  earth,"  and  the  kingdom  under  the 
whole  heaven  shall  be  "  given  to  the  people  of  the 
saints  of  the  Most  High."     D.  F. 

Dr.  Hodge  thus  summarizes  the  generally  re- 
ceived views  of  the  future  of  time :  "  It  is  clearly 
revealed,  both  in  the  Old  and  the  New  Testaments, 
that  the  gospel  is  to  exercise  an  influence  over  all 
branches  of  the  human  family,  immeasurably  more 
extensive  and  more  thoroughly  transforming  than 
any  it  has  ever  realized  in  time  past.  This  end  is 
49 


to  be  gradually  attained  through  the  spiritual  pres- 
ence of  Christ  in  the  ordinary  dispensations  of 
Providence  and  ministrations  of  his  Church.  The 
period  of  this  general  prevalency  of  the  Gospel  will 
continue  a  thousand  years.  Either  at  the  com- 
mencement, or  during  the  continuance  of  this  pe- 
riod, the  Jews  are  to  be  converted  to  Christianity. 
At  the  end,  there  will  be  a  comparatively  short  sea- 
son of  apostasy  and  violent  conflict  between  the 
kingdoms  of  light  and  darkness.  Then  will  follow 
— Christ's  advent,  the  general  resurrection  and 
judgment:  these  will  be  simultaneous;  and  they 
will  be  succeeded  by  the  burning  of  the  old  and  the 
revelation  of  the  new  earth  and  heavens." 

Of  the  Millennium  so  far  as  revealed  by  John, 
the  description  is  very  limited,  making  only  three 
leading  points,  viz.,  the  binding  of  Satan ;  the  dura- 
tion of  this  restraint ;  and  the  joy  of  the  martyrs 
with  Christ  over  the  glorious  event.  If  we  ask  for 
the  agencies  which  are  to  introduce  and  produce 
this  millennial  age,  these  visions  give  no  answer  be- 
yond what  is  comprehended  in  the  one  fact — Satan 
bound.  If  we  ask  what  John  has  taught  us  respect- 
ing the  state  of  the  world  during  this  Millennium, 
we  are  left  to  infer  it  from  these  two  facts — the 
withdrawing  of  Satan's  influence,  and  the  joy  of  the 
martyrs  and  of  Jesus  over  the  victory  of  his  cause, 
the  triumph  of  his  reign.  We  may  however  turn 
back  to  Old  Testament  prophecy  and  there  find  many 
of  the  most  important  questions  fully  answered.  If 
we  ask  for  the  political,  moral,  and  religious  state 
of  the  world,  we  learn  that  wars  will  cease ;  crime 
disappear  ;  that  hate  will  die  out  of  human  bosoms 
and  love  reign  in  its  stead ;  the  idols  will  utterly 
perish ;  one  God  only  shall  be  worshiped  and  obeyed 
from  the  rising  to  the  setting  sun.  K  we  ask,  What 
agencies  are  to  work  this  wondrous  change  ?  we  are 
promptly  answered — "  For  the  earth  shall  be  full  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  [Jesus]  as  the  waters 
cover  the  sea."  Satan  deceives  no  longer ;  the  truth 
of  God  in  his  gospel  leads  men  in  the  paths  of 
righteousness  and  peace.  These  long  ages  form  the 
grand  theatre  for  manifesting  the  transforming  power 
of  the  gospel  of  salvation — redemption  by  the  cross  of 
Jesus.  It  is  the  consummation  of  the  gospel  age,  in 
which  the  inherent  power  of  God's  spirit  with  his 
truth,  borne  in  the  willing  hands  and  loving  hearts 
of  his  people,  will  have  free  course  and  be  glori- 
fied.    H.  C. 

4-6.  Nearly  all  through  the  Christian  centuries 
there  has  existed  an  opinion,  gaining  at  times  a 
wide  prevalence,  that  there  is  to  be  a  pre-millennial 
resurrection  of  the  righteous,  who  shall  reign  with 
Christ  for  a  thousand  years,  while  the  rest  of  the 
dead  still  slumber  on  in  their  graves.  In  support  of 
this  opinion,  appeal  is  made  to  the  twentieth  chap- 
ter of  the  Apocalypse.     But  a  closer  inspection  of 


770 


SECTION  SSJf.— REVELATION  20  : 1-15. 


the  chapter  might  have  disclosed  the  fact  that  the 
resurrection  here  spoken  of  as  preceding  the  thou- 
sand years,  is  a  resurrection  not  of  all  the  saints,  but 
only  of  the  martyred  saints.  It  would  be  disingenuous 
to  deny,  or  try  to  blink,  the  difficulties  which  beset 
not  this  passage  alone,  but  the  entire  book  of  the 
Apocalypse.  Till  the  Champollion  appears,  who 
shall  decipher  this  mysterious  hieroglyph,  wo  can  do 
no  better  than  interpret  the  passage  in  question 
figuratively.  Perhaps  the  meaning  of  it  is,  that  be- 
fore the  Millennium  is  ushered  in — that  "mellow 
Indian  summer  of  the  church  on  earth  " — the  spirit 
of  the  martyrs  must  be  reproduced  throughout  the 
ranks  of  the  redeemed.  The  martyrs  may  thus  be 
said  to  issue  from  their  graves  in  advance  of  the 
general  resurrection,  to  sit  regnant  with  Christ.  But 
whatever  may  be  done  with  this  passage,  it  will  not 
answer  for  us  to  disregard  the  many  other  passages 
which  speak  of  only  one  resurrection  at  the  end  of 
the  world.  The  New  Testament  holds  up  clearly 
before  us  one  great  day,  for  which  all  other  days 
are  made ;  the  day  of  final  judgment,  the  day  of 
God,  when  the  Son  of  Man  shall  be  seen  coming  in 
the  clouds  with  the  retinue  of  all  his  disembodied 
saints,  when  the  heavens  shall  be  rolled  together  as 
a  scroll,  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent 
heat,  and  all  the  dead  shall  live  again  embodied,  in 
order  to  the  completeness  of  their  being  and  the  full- 
ness of  their  retribution.     R.  D.  H. 

As  to  the  notion  of  a  descent  to  the  earth  by 
Christ  and  the  martyrs  and  their  visible  reign  here, 
there  is  not  a  word  in  the  text  nor  even  an  implica- 
tion. What  a  conception  it  would  be,  to  mingle 
celestial  and  terrestrial  beings  in  one  common  mass  ? 
The  glorified  Saviour  and  the  glorified  martyrs, 
mingling  with  material  and  punishable  beings,  and 
becoming  subject  again  to  the  laws  of  matter  ?  If 
it  be  said  that  the  earth  is  to  be  changed  entirely, 
at  the  beginning  of  the  millennium,  and  to  be  fitted 
by  this  change  for  the  abode  of  such  glorious  beings 
raised  from  the  dead,  where  then  are  Gog  and  Ma- 
gog to  live  during  this  period — and  other  men — are 
they  still  mortal  beings  or  not  ?  Besides  all  this, 
John  has  not  yet  said  a  word  respecting  the  renova- 
tion of  the  earth.  It  .is  only  at  or  after  the  period 
of  the  general  judgment  that  this  renovation  takes 
place,  Rev.  21  :  1.     M.  S. 

6.  On  such  the  second  death  has  no 
power.  The  Scriptures  set  before  us  "  death  "  as 
manifested  in  two  forms ;  and  Christ  as  the  de- 
stroyer of  one,  the  ruler  and  restrictor  of  the  other. 
These  are  mysteriously  entitled  "  the  first"  and  "  the 
second"  death;  both,  as  we  may  infer  from  the 
sameness  of  the  name,  successive  developments, 
first  on  a  less,  afterward  on  a  vaster  and  more 
terrible  scale,  of  that  common  principle,  whatever 
it  be,  of  death,  which  is  the  original  and  stated 


"  wages  of  sin."  The  first  form  of  death  results  on 
the  sin  of  nature,  and  is  therefore  universal  as  it  is ; 
the  second  form,  which  perhaps  is  naturally  the 
sequel  or  maturity  of  the  former,  is,  by  the  mercy 
of  God,  restricted  to  unpardoned  guilt.  To  both, 
Christ,  "  who  is  our  life,"  is  the  appointed  adver- 
sary, and  over  both  he  triumphs,  though  in  different 
ways ;  over  i\iQ  first  by  raising  all  mankind,  over  the 
second  by  conducting  his  faithful  to  glory.  W.  A.  B. 

9.  Gog  and  Magog.  John  borrows  his  im- 
agery from  Ezek.  37,  38,  and  39.  That  the  names 
of  these  enemies  will  be  literally  Gog  and  Magog, 
and  that  they  are  literally  to  come  from  the  four 
corners  of  the  earth,  and  besiege  the  literal  Jerusa- 
lem, no  one  versed  in  the  language  of  prophecy  will 
contend.  Enough  that  the  names  of  old  enemies 
are  employed  to  designate  new  ones,  as  yet  without 
a  name.  Enough  that  they  come  from  the  bosom 
of  unconverted  heathens,  and  that  they  oppose 
and  persecute  Christians  wherever  they  meet  them. 
These  are  the  things  signified ;  all  the  rest  is 
costume. 

11-15.  The  opposition  of  all  enemies  being 
thus  effectually  put  down,  it  follows,  of  course,  that 
the  Church  will  afterward  enjoy  undisturbed  tran- 
quillity and  prosperity.  But  on  this  the  writer 
does  not  dwell.  Still  the  fact  that  he  does  not 
makes  nothing  against  the  supposition  of  a  long 
intervening  period  between  the  destruction  of  Gog 
and  Magog  and  the  general  judgment.  It  should  be 
remembered  that  one  leading  topic  of  the  book  is 
the  subjugation  of  the  enemies  of  the  Church  ;  and 
that  topic  is  now  completed.  The  writer  passes  on 
immediately,  therefore,  to  the  final  and  glorious  re- 
ward of  the  righteous,  when  the  probation  of  all 
the  redeemed  is  to  be  completed,  and  the  august 
drama  is  brought  to  its  final  close.  But  before 
the  final  reward  can  be  distributed,  a  general 
judgment  is  to  be  instituted,  at  which  all  that 
have  been  concerned  in  the  Redeemer's  kingdom, 
either  as  friends  or  enemies,  are  to  be  present,  and  to 
receive  their  final  sentence.  The  remainder  of  the 
chapter  is  occupied  in  describing  this  scene.    M.  S. 

The  opening  proclamation  of  the  Lord's  coming 
(1  :  7)  notifies  also  its  effect  on  the  world :  "  Every 
eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  also  which  pierced  him, 
and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail  because  of 
him."  And  these  sounds  continue.  Things  do  not 
melt  quietly  into  the  peace  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 
There  is  a  crash  of  ruin,  and  a  winepress  of  the 
wrath  of  Almighty  God,  and  a  lake  that  burns  with 
fire  and  brimstone.  And  this  judgment  falls,  not 
only  on  principles  and  powers  of  evil,  but  on  na- 
tions of  men  ;  and  not  only  on  nations,  but  on  sepa- 
rate persons,  even  on  "  every  one  who  is  not  found 
written  in  the  book  of  life."  He  who  does  not  ac- 
cept the  reality  of  the  world's  rebellion  and  ruin, 


SECTION  384.— REVELATION  ^0  : 1-15. 


771 


and  of  the  wrath  and  judgment  which  it  brings, 
must  certainly  reject  this  whole  book  from  the 
canon ;  and,  with  it,  must  tear  away  large  and  liv- 
ing portions  of  every  preceding  book  of  Scripture. 
T.  D.  B. 

It  was  a  visionary  representation  only  of  this 
august  scene  that  the  apostle  beheld :  we  shall  be- 
hold the  scene  itself,  the  great  reality.  And  we 
shall  be  more  than  spectators  of  it,  we  shall  be  par- 
ties in  it.  With  some  things  that  are  written  in  this 
mysterious  book  we  may  have  little  or  nothing  to 
do ;  they  concern  others,  but  not  us :  with  what  is 

written  here  we  have  everything  to  do.     C.  B. 

Mix  ourselves  up  as  we  may,  let  the  gradations  in 
the  appearances  and  outer  details  of  character  be 
what  they  will,  the  line  runs  out  straight  from  the 
great  white  throne,  and  you  and  I  and  all  souls  are 
on  the  right  hand  of  it,  or  on  the  left.     F.  D.  H. 

13.  The  dead,  small  and  great,  stand 
before  God.  Of  a  multitude  like  this  we  can  not 
conceive.  But  here  are  all  the  millions  of  men  who 
have  lived  and  died  in  all  the  earth  since  the  earth 
began,  all  uprising  in  one  and  the  same  awakening 
moment,  and  all  brought,  by  some  secret,  irresistible 
impulse,  to  one  and  the  same  spot ;  gathering  to- 
gether, some  willingly,  some  reluctantly ;  some  joy- 
fully, some  despairingly ;  but  yet  gathering  together 
all  in  one  vast  assembly,  before  one  and  the  same 
throne.  What  a  spectacle  !  a  being  in  the  human 
form  calling  up,  and  compelling  to  stand  before 
him,  every  one  of  the  human  race  who  has  ever 
breathed ;  without  difficulty,  without  effort,  placing 
them  all  passive  and  powerless  at  his  bar !  Well 
may  he  say,  "  Ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  coming 
in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power."     C.  B. 

Nations  and  men  have  acted  freely,  and  their 
very  caprice  and  willfulness  have  been  worked,  by  an 
overmastering  wisdom,  into  that  web  whose  woof 
no  hand  of  man  has  held,  and  whose  web  and  woof 
together  have  made  up  one  grand,  consecutive,  ad- 
vancing history.  The  scroll  of  time  has  been  slowly 
unrolled  ;  each  nation,  each  man,  has  written  upon 
it,  as  he  thought  he  would,  his  own  brief  record, 
and  then  it  was  rolled  up,  and  others  came  and 
wrote  ;  and  when  it  is  all  unrolled  and  read,  we  find 
thereon  one  epic,  the  connected  history  of  God  and 
man.    H.  B.  S. 

The  books  opened.  By  what  means  soever 
made  known,  it  is  the  truth  that  will  come  out. 
None  shall  be  wearied  by  the  tediousness  of  the 
trial;  leisure  enough  shall  be  granted  to  carry  it 
through.  A  man's  deeds,  in  due  succession,  shall 
be  recounted:  and  the  most  succinct  and  satisfac- 
tory method,  perhaps,  will  be  for  himself  to  recount 
them.  He  may  well  be  trusted  to  do  so ;  for  he 
feels  at  every  pore  that  the  atmosphere  of  truth  is 
about  him.     I.  T. 


Every  man  is  now,  whether  he  wills  it  or  not, 
unconsciously  writing  his  own  biography ;  his  whole 
life  forming  a  work  of  more  importance,  to  himself 
at  least,  than  any  other  in  the  universe — each  vol- 
ume a  year,  each  chapter  a  month,  each  day  or  hour 
a  page.  At  judgment  memory  will  read  the  whole, 
and  be  compelled  to  feel  that  every  word  is  true. 
It  is  strange,  too,  how  rapid — reasoning  from  anal- 
ogy— such  a  review  may  be,  without  diminishing 
from  its  distinctness ;  states  of  being,  or  successive 
acts  which  occupied  long  periods  of  time,  may  rap- 
idly be  recalled  in  all  their  minute  features.  In 
moments  of  sudden  peril,  when"  death  seemed  ap- 
proaching, how  frequently  have  men  told  us  that 
they  beheld,  in  a  twinkhng  of  an  eye,  the  great  fea- 
tures of  their  whole  life,  like  a  panorama,  passing 
before  their  mind's  eye !  And  thus  at  judgment, 
clear,  yet  rapid — intensely  real  and  vivid,  yet  sud- 
den as  light — may  the  life  of  the  boy,  and  the  man, 
and  the  patriarch,  from  the  first  to  the  last  moment 
of  conscious  and  responsible  existence  upon  earth, 
be  presented  to  the  mind  with  a  self-evidencing 
power  of  truth,  which  can  not,  which  dare  not,  be 
denied  or  resisted. 

Tlie  Book  of  Providence  shall  be  opened.  In  this 
book  has  been  recorded,  and  from  its  pages  can  be 
shown,  by  Jesus  Christ,  everything  which  has  been 
done  to  us  by  himself  since  the  hour  of  our  birth  till 
that  of  our  death.  Every  temporal  mercy  or  spirit- 
ual blessing,  every  advice  given  by  ministers,  rela- 
tions or  friends,  every  Sabbath  which  dawned  upon 
us,  every  visitation  of  sickness  or  domestic  affliction, 
every  item,  in  short,  of  that  immense  sum  of  things 
which,  in  his  providence,  or  by  his  grace,  was  given 
us  each  successive  hour  of  our  life,  and  which  was 
intended  to  mold  our  characters  according  to  the 
will  of  God ;  all  shall  be  revealed  at  judgment,  that 
the  universe  may  know  what  Jesus  Christ,  the 
King,  has  really  done  for  each  one  of  his  subjects, 
and  what  each  subject  has  been,  and  done,  in  rela- 
tion to  him. 

"Another  book  will  be  opened,  which  is  the 
Book  of  Life."  In  that  book  are  inscribed  the  char- 
acters of  all  God's  people,  and  the  evidence  of  the 
reality  of  their  faith  in  Christ  and  obedience  to  him. 
Their  works,  which  are  the  evidence,  results,  and 
rewards  of  faith,  are  recorded  by  that  same  Spirit 
through  whose  power  alone  the  soul  has  lived,  be- 
lieved, and  been  enabled  to  bring  forth  such  fruit 
to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  God  by  Jesus  Christ. 
In  the  book  of  life  will  be  found  recorded  by  the 
omniscient  Holy  Spirit  of  Truth,  that  secret  life  of 
every  saint  which  was  "hid  with  Christ  in  God." 
Then  shall  be  revealed  the  reality  of  their  repen- 
tance and  inward  renewal  of  soul ;  the  sincerity  of 
their  love  to  God  and  his  people ;  their  secret 
prayers,   thanksgivings,   confessions,   intercessions, 


TY2 


SECTION  38J!t.—EEVELATI0F  20  : 1-15. 


and  holy  communion  with  God ;  their  plans,  long- 
ings, and  sacrifices  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  and 
the  glory  of  God  upon  earth ;  their  deeds  of  charity 
for  Christ — every  prison  they  entered,  every  naked 
one  they  clothed,  the  hungry  they  fed,  or  the  offenses 
forgiven  by  them  from  love  to  him  who  forgave 
them ;  that  whole  character,  in  short,  which  is  the 
result  of  union  with  Christ,  will  bo  evidenced  to  the 
universe  from  what  is  recorded  of  it  in  the  Lamb's 
Book  of  Life.    N.  M. 

14.  The  second  death.  The  true  death — 
the  real  death — is  the  death  of  the  soul.  It  is 
when  the  soul  is  severed  from  its  God,  and  from 
hope,  and  peace,  and  joy;  when  it  lives  without 
life ;  survives  only  to  suffer ;  is  cut  off  from  its 
high  destiny,  and  driven  away  from  him  who  is  the 
Resdrrection  and  the  Life.  Religion  is  life,  and 
heaven  is  life,  and  hell  is  existence  without  life, 
continued  being,  where  the  soul  is  held  in  existence 
only  to  continue  to  die.  This  is  death.  Hear  him 
speak  who  saw  it  all,  and  who  knew  it  all :  "  The 
Son  of  man  shall  send  forth  his  angels,  and  shall 
gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend, 
and  them  which  do  iniquity,  and  shall  cast  them 
into  a  furnace  of  fire ;  there  shall  be  wailing  and 
gnashing  of  teeth."  There,  according  to  him,  the 
sufferer  shall  lift  up  the  eyes,  "  being  in  torment," 
and  ask  in  vain  for  a  single  "  drop  of  water "  to 
cool  the  tongue ;  there  "  the  worm  dieth  not,  and 
the  fire  shall  not  be  quenched " ;  there  shall  be 
"  everlasting  punishment "  ;  there  shall  be  "  outer 
darkness  "  ;  there  shall  be  the  execution  of  the  sen- 
tence, "  Depart,  accursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  his  angels."  These  are  the 
words  of  the  meek  and  mild  and  benevolent  Re- 
deemer— the  most  tender  and  kind  and  merciful  of 
all  who  have  dwelt  on  the  earth ;  who  used  such 
expressions  as  these,  "  How  can  ye  escape  the  dam- 
nation of  hell?"  as  if  they  became  no  other  lips 
but  his.  In  that  dread  sphere  no  spirit  strives  to 
reclaim  the  lost.  On  no  zephyr  there  is  the  mes- 
sage of  mercy  borne,  whispering  peace.  No  God 
meets  the  desponding  there  with  promises  and 
hopes  ;  and  from  no  eye  there  is  the  tear  of  sorrow 
ever  wiped  away.  There  is  no  such  friend  as  Je- 
sus, no  voice  of  mercy.  Ho  day-star  of  hope,  no  fa- 
ther, mother,  daughter,  pastor,  angel,  to  sympa- 
thize ;  no  one  to  breathe  for  the  lost  the  prayer  for 
pardon ;  no  great  Intercessor  to  bear  the  cry  for 
mercy  up  to  the  throne  of  God.  It  is  death — lin- 
gering, long,  interminable  death — the  dying  sorrow 
prolonged  from  age  to  age ;  outward,  onward  to- 
ward eternity — ever  lingering,  never  ending.     A.  B. 

The  Final  Judgment. 
The  word  of  prophecy  foretold  the  coming  of 
Messiah  to  set  up  a  kingdom  of  saving  mercy,  accord- 


ing to  which  he  did  come.  By  the  same  word  are 
we  assured  of  his  return  as  Judge  of  quick  and  dead. 
The  fact,  not  the  method ;  not  the  details,  but  the 
grand  outlines  of  this  conclusion  of  history  in  time 
are  given  us.  This  much  only  is  necessary  to  its 
full  moral  effect  upon  us.  Inquiries,  therefore,  in 
the  direction  of  detail,  serve  rather  to  belittle  than 
to  exalt  and  define  to  our  view  this  "  spiritual  moun- 
tain-land "  unto  which  we  are  come,  led  by  the  word 
of  Revelation.     The  Scriptures  affirm  that : 

1.  God  hath  appointed  a  day  in  the  which  he  will 
judge  the  world.  This  day  is  not  to  be  conceived 
of  as  a  period  of  twenty-four  hours,  but  rather  as 
one  of  the  days  of  creation,  or  as  a  prophetic  day  ; 
a  period  of  time  long  enough  for  the  full  and  proper 
consummation  of  the  trial  of  every  man,  the  bring- 
ing of  every  secret  thing  into  judgment,  and  the 
awarding  according  to  righteousness. 

2.  This  day  follows  immediately  upon  the  gen- 
eral resurrection  of  all  the  dead.  No  words  can 
better  set  forth  this  solemn  judgment  scene  than 
those  of  our  Lord  in  the  twenty-fifth  chapter  of 
Matthew ;  "  When  the  Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his 
glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him,  then  shall 
he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory  ;  and  before  him 
shall  be  gathered  all  nations,  and  he  shall  separate 
them  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the 
goats."  In  anticipation  of  this  hour,  at  the  voice 
of  the  Son  of  man,  the  graves  and  the  sea  give  up 
the  dead  which  are  in  them. 

3.  Not  only  will  all  who  have  lived  upon  the 
earth,  without  exception,  be  numbered  in  that  vast 
assemblage,  but  also  "  the  angels  which  kept  not 
their  first  estate,  but  left  their  own  habitation,  he 
hath  reserved  in  everlasting  chains  under  darkness, 
unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day."  So  that  this 
judgment  scene  must  be  regarded  as  having  relation 
to  the  two  rival  kingdoms  in  this  world  now  con- 
tending for  mastery,  and  yet  to  grapple  in  more 
deadly  conflict  as  the  day  approaches ;  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  and  the  kingdom  of  Satan. 

4.  The  Judge  will  be  none  other  than  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  It  is  most  fitting  that  he,  "  by  whom, 
and  for  whom,  and  to  whom  are  all  things,"  should 
judge  the  world.  By  his  omniscient  wisdom  and 
unimpeachable  righteousness,  by  his  two-fold  nature 
as  divine  yet  human,  by  his  providence  over  the 
race  from  the  beginning,  and  his  headship  to  his 
Church,  by  his  matchless  love  for  the  world  and  his 
redeeming  power  over  it,  he  is  qualified  to  judge  the 
world  in  righteousness,  according  to  the  deserts  and 
qualifying  conditions  of  every  man's  life  and  char- 
acter. 

5.  At  that  tribunal  will  every  man  be  impartially 
tried  and  judged.  Every  work  will  he  bring  into 
judgment  with  every  secret  thing,  the  little  as  well 
as  the  great.     The  great  springs  from  the  little,  is 


SECTION  SSB.—EEVELATIOF  21 : 1-22  :  5. 


773 


made  up  of  littles,  hinges  on  littles.  Nothing  is 
unimportant  as  determining  character  and  desert. 
The  possibility  of  such  a  minute  disclosure  is  set 
forth  in  the  fact  that  men  are  to  be  judged  out  of 
the  Books.  The  expression  implies,  beyond  ques- 
tion, that  the  waves  of  time  have  swept  nothing  in- 
to utter  oblivion — that  it  is  possible  to  call  up  the 
secret  and  public  life  of  every  man  from  Adam  to 
the  latest  born  of  time,  and  every  moment  of  it. 
That  which  is  hid  shall  yet  be  made  known,  that 
which  is  covered  shall  yet  be  revealed.  And  this  is 
so  aearchingly  and  universally  true,  that  it  matters 
not  how  successfully  guilt  has  been  covered,  how 
long  men  have  ceased  to  wonder  over  some  deed  of 
wrong,  or  how  many  years  have  been  throwing  their 
ever-accumulating  events  upon  it,  it  shall  yet  be 
trumpeted  abroad,  and  the  light  shall  reveal  it,  when 
God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of  men  by  Jesus  Christ. 

Though  personal  desert  is  closed  at  death,  no 
man  is  then  ready  for  final  award  in  respect  to  the 
outcome  of  time.  Though  he  has  passed  oif  the 
stage  of  life,  and  character  has  taken  its  final  shape, 
he  is  still  a  factor  in  the  forces  of  this  world.  The 
evil  and  the  good  men  do,  live  after  them  ;  and  what 
is  seen  to  flow  from  their  lives  after  death  may  far 
exceed  all  for  which  they  were  held  responsible  be- 
fore death.  In  life  they  were  just  able  to  set  the 
ball  of  influence  in  motion,  and  nothing  has  been 
able  to  arrest  its  progress.  When  will  such  a  man 
as  Paul  be  ready  for  the  judgment  ?  He  is  only 
more  widely  potential  now  than  ever  before,  and 
the  last  trump  will  break  upon  his  undiminished  in- 
fluence for  good.  So  of  all  marked  men  and  women. 
Christian  and  infidel,  who  in  life  throw  the  weight 
of  their  character  for  or  against  the  Lord  and  his 
truth,  and  possibly  commit  to  the  stream  of  time  a 
book  which  will  live  after  them,  a  name  which  pos- 
terity will  reverence  or  detest,  and  deeds  which  will 
be  celebrated  and  have  their  influence  upon  coming 
generations. 

Obviously,  there  is  well-nigh  no  limit  to  the  il- 
lustration of  a  fact  which  bears  in  upon  us  with  an 


awful  solemnity,  and  assures  us  that  a  hundred  or  a 
thousand  years  away  our  influence  may  be  found  in- 
carnated in  some  noble  or  some  vagabond  life.  We 
are  not  done  with  our  influence  till  the  story  is  all 
told,  and  its  bearings  upon  the  present  economy  are 
all  registered  in  the  Books,  and  the  opening  tells 
the  story  of  our  desert,  and  fixes  our  final  place. 

A  general  judgment  has,  also,  a  deep  signifi- 
cance as  the  condusion  of  an  economy ;  the  grand 
finale  of  a  dispensation.  Time  was,  and  time  shall 
be  no  longer,  and  what  is  the  outcome  of  God's 
government  over  men?  For  scores  of  centuries 
men  have  been  swarming  upon  this  earth.  It  has 
been  the  scene  of  the. rise  and  fall  of  nations;  of 
warring  armies  and  bitter  feuds  ;  of  religious  faiths 
clashing  at  every  point ;  of  sweeping  visitations  of 
judgment  and  glorious  dispensations  of  mercy ! 
Clouds  murky  with  the  blackness  of  unbelief,  and 
bright  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun  with  the  ra- 
diance of  a  martyr-faith,  have  swept  over  it.  And 
it  is  a  fit  and  an  august  conclusion  of  a  world-econ- 
omy like  this,  that  God  should  make  apparent  be- 
fore all  kindred?,  and  peoples,  and  tongues,  the  ex- 
cellency and  righteousness  of  his  ways. 

As  the  centuries  shall  pass  in  review,  each  life, 
each  deed,  exposed  before  all,  to  the  searching  light 
of  that  day,  setting  them  in  fairest  view  and  in  hid- 
den springs,  with  all  qualifying  circumstances ;  the 
ways  of  providence  no  longer  obscure ;  no  sophistry 
any  more  allowed  to  dim  the  escutcheon  of  truth  ; 
no  love  of  sin  or  blinding  selfishness  warping  the 
judgment — as  on  and  on  the  scroll  of  time  unrolls, 
the  antediluvian  world,  the  patriarchal  age,  Israel's 
kingly  period,  the  new  dispensation  of  gospel  light, 
and  the  final  act  of  history  is  reached,  bringing  out, 
as  it  certainly  will,  the  unsullied  glory  of  the  gov- 
ernment of  God  over  men,  angels,  and  devils — one 
can  almost  hear,  from  the  depths  of  that  future,  the 
acclaim,  in  which  even  the  condemned  must  ac- 
quiesce, "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to 
receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength, 
and  honor,  and  glory,  and  blessing !  "     Hojjdn. 


Section  385. 

Kevelatiox  xxi.  1-27 ;  xxii.  1-5. 

31  :  1     A^TD  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth :  for  the  first  heaven  and  the  first  earth 

2  were  passed  away ;  and  there  was  no  more  sea.  And  I  John  saw  the  holy  city,  new  Jerusa- 
lem, coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband. 

3  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  heaven  saying,  Behold,  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men, 
and  he  will  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be  his  people,  and  God  himself  shall  be  with 

4  them,  and  he  their  God.  And  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes;  and  there 
shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain ; 
for  the  former  things  are  passed  away. 


774:  SECTION'  385.— REVELATION  SI :  1-22  :  5. 

5  And  he  that  sat  upon  the  throne  said,  Behold,  I  make  all  things  new.     And  he  said  unto 

6  me,  Write:  for  these  words  are  true  and  faithful.  And  he  said  unto  me,  It  is  done.  I  am 
Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end.     I  will  give  unto  him  that  is  athirst  of  the 

7  fountain  of  the  water  of  life  freely.     He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things ;  and  I  will 

8  be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be  my  son.  But  the  fearful,  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abominable, 
and  murderers,  and  whoremongers,  and  sorcerers,  and  idolaters,  and  all  liars,  shall  have 
their  part  in  the  lake  which  burneth  with  fire  and  brimstone:  which  is  the  second  death. 

9  And  there  came  unto  me  one  of  the  seven  angels  which  had  the  seven  vials  full  of  the 
seven  last  plagues,  and  talked  with  me,  saying.  Come  hither,  I  will  shew  thee  the  bride,  the 

10  Lamb's  wife.     And  he  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit  to  a  great  and  high  mountain,  and 

11  shewed  me  that  great  city,  the  holy  Jerusalem,  descending  out  of  heaven  from  God,  hav- 
ing the  glory  of  God  :  and  her  hght  was  like  unto  a  stone  most  precious,  even  like  a  jasper 

12  stone,  clear  as  crystal ;  and  had  a  wall  great  and  high,  aiid  had  twelve  gates,  and  at  the 
gates  twelve  angels,  and  names  written  thereon,  which  are  the  names  of  the  twelve  tribes 
of  the  children  of  Israel : 

13  On  the  east  three  gates  ;  on  the  north  three  gates;  on  the  south  three  gates;  and  on  the 

14  west  three  gates.     And  the  wall  of  the  city  had  twelve  foundations,  and  in  them  the  names 

15  of  the  twelve  apostles  of  the  Lamb.     And  he  that  talked  with  me  had  a  golden  reed  to  mea- 

16  sure  the  city,  and  the  gates  thereof,  and  the  walls  thereof.  And  the  city  lieth  foursquare, 
and  the  length  is  as  large  as  the  breadth :  and  he  measured  the  city  with  the  reed,  twelve 

17  thousand  furlongs.  The  length  and  the  breadth  and  the  height  of  it  are  equal.  And  he 
measured  the  wall  thereof,  a  hundred  and  forty  and  four  cubits,  according  to  the  measure 

18  of  a  man,  that  is,  of  the  angels.     And  the  building  of  the  wall  of  it  was  of  jasper:  and 

19  the  city  was  pure  gold,  like  unto  clear  glass.  And  the  foundations  of  the  wall  of  the  city 
■were  garnished  with  all  manner  of  precious  stones.     The  first  foundation  «)as  jasper;  the 

20  second,  sapphire ;  the  third,  a  chalcedony ;  the  fourth,  an  emerald ;  the  fifth,  sardonyx ; 
the  sixth,  sardius;  the  seventh,  chrysolite;  the  eighth,  beryl;  the  ninth,  a  topaz;  the  tenth, 
a  chrysoprasus ;  the  eleventh,  a  jacinth  ;  the  twelfth,  an  amethyst. 

21  And  the  twelve  gates  were  twelve  pearls ;  every  several  gate  was  of  one  pearl ;  and  the 

22  street  of  the  city  was  pure  gold,  as  it  were  transparent  glass.     And  I  saw  no  temple  therein : 

23  for  the  Lord  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it.  And  the  city  had  no  need 
of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon,  to  shine  in  it :  for  the  glory  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and  the 

24  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof.     And  the  nations  of  them  which  are  saved  shall  walk  in  the 

25  light  of  it :  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  do  bring  their  glory  and  honour  into  it.     And  the 

26  gates  of  it  shall  not  be  shut  at  all  by  day:  for  there  shall  be  no  night  there.     And  they 

27  shall  bring  the  glory  and  honour  of  the  nations  into  it.  And  there  shall  in  no  wise  enter 
into  it  any  thing  that  defileth,  neither  whatsoever  worketh  abomination,  or  maheth  a  lie : 
but  they  which  are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life. 

33 :  1     And  he  shewed  me  a  pure  river  of  water  of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of 

2  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb.  In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  on  either  side 
of  the  river,  was  there  the  tree  of  life,  which  bare  twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  yielded  her 

3  fruit  every  month,  and  the  leaves  of  the  tree  were  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  And 
there  shall  be  no  more  curse  :  but  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall  be  in  it ;  and 

4  his  servants  shall  serve  him:  and  they  shall  see  his  face;  and  his  name  sAaZi  Je  in  their 

5  foreheads.  And  there  shall  be  no  night  there;  and  they  need  no  candle,  neither  light  of 
the  sun  ;  for  the  Lord  God  giveth  them  light :  and  they  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever. 


The  Lamb  who  on  earth  was  declared  to  be  "  the  light  of  the  world,"  is  in  heaven  equally  declared  to 
be  "  the  light  thereof''  In  the  infinite  progression  of  holiness  that  belongs  to  an  infinite  existence  of 
glory,  we  shall  be  but  drawing  more  and  more  freely  from  an  infinite  source ;  the  Holy  One  that  "  in- 
habiteth  eternity  "  is  inexhaustible  as  the  eternity  he  inhabits.  Christ  is  as  necessary  to  the  hcavenliness 
of  heaven  as  he  is  to  the  holiness  of  earth.  The  abiding  sanctity  of  his  nature  is  the  condition  of  ours. 
In  the  eternal  laws  of  the  divine  reason  it  is  decreed  that  Christ  shall  be  the  authorized  dispenser  of 
spiritual  blessedness  to  his  redeemed ;  that  every  grace  shall  flow  through  his  channel,  or  cease  to  flow, 
and  to  this  law,  universal  in  the  world  of  time  and  sense,  eternity  can  bring  no  termination,  heaven  pre- 
sent no  exception.    W.  A.  B. God  designs  that  we  shall  expect  and  desire  the  heaven  he  has  prepared, 


I 


SEGTIOis''  385.— REVELATION  21 : 1-22  :  5. 


775 


not  because  we  know  what  is  there,  but  because  we  trust  him,  and  believe  that  it  is  a  world  where  the  law 
of  Christ  has  unobstructed  and  perfect  sway.  To  kindle  and  sustain  in  us  that  faith,  his  word  represents 
heaven  under  images  which,  in  their  natural  sense,  are  quite  incompatible  with  each  other.  It  is  a  city 
of  gems  and  gold,  it  is  an  open  country  with  trees  and  running  water,  it  is  a  world  .rith  no  more  sea,  and 
it  is  a  sea  of  glass,  it  is  a  house,  and  it  is  an  innumerable  multitude  of  worshipers  on  a  mountain  top 
before  the  throne.  These  are  the  helps  applied  to  our  feeble  spiritual  sense  through  the  imagination. 
But  underneath  the  uncertainties  of  imagination  there  is  a  fixed  and  solid  substance  of  revealed  truth. 
To  this  truth  every  separate  image  points,  exhibiting  some  one  or  another  of  its  attractive  faces.  The 
truth  itself  is,  that  of  that  society  of  redeemed  souls,  glad  in  their  infinite  joy,  Jesus  Christ  is  the  center, 
the  light,  and  the  life.  There  is  no  discord  or  division  there,  because  he  is  love,  and  there — as  it  is  not 
here — every  spirit  and  the  whole  place  take  their  law  and  temper  from  him.  Nothing  that  is  defiled  or 
that  maketh  a  lie  enters  there,  because  he  is  pure  and  true.  If  the  memory  of  the  miseries  of  this  life 
remains  at  all,  such  recollections  will  not  be  painful ;  the  knotted  problems  will  all  be  loosened  and  dis- 
solved in  the  celestial  chemistry  of  some  strange,  new  light ;  for  he  has  pledged  himself  that  there  shall 
be  no  pain  there :  no  sick-beds  ;  no  broken  friendships  ;  no  lost  love  ;  no  aching  heart ;  they  shall  hun- 
ger no  more.  There  will  be  no  wretchedness  of  unfulfilled  desire,  of  failure  to  do  right,  of  unanswered 
affection,  of  baffled  aspiration  and  poor  performance,  because,  having  chosen  him  before  all,  and  got  clear 
of  all  the  earthly  competitions  and  shortcomings,  we  shall  have  enough  in  having  him,  and  shall  be  satis- 
fied with  his  likeness.    F.  D.  H. 


We  have  seen  that  the  events  of  a  thousand 
years — the  invasion  by  Gog  and  Magog,  with  their 
defeat;  the  ultimate  confinement  and  punishment 
of  Satan;  and,  lastly,  the  general  judgment — are 
all  crowded  into  the  space  of  twelve  verses  (20  :  4- 
15).  This  shows  that  the  very  distant  future  is  de- 
signed to  be  merely  glanced  at  by  the  writer.  So  it 
is  with  our  Hebrew  prophets.  But  here  there  is 
special  reason  for  brevity.  The  main  object  of 
writing  the  book  is  already  accomplished  in  sub- 
stanca  Christians  have  been  consoled  by  assur- 
ances that  all  the  enemies  with  whom  the  Church 
was  in  conflict  would  surely  be  overthrown.  That 
the  writer  should  enlarge  so  much  as  he  has  done  in 
the  last  two  chapters,  in  the  description  of  th«  new 
Jerusalem  and  the  final  and  glorified  state  of  the 
Church,  falls  entirely  within  his  general  plan.  He 
set  out  to  cheer  desponding  Christians,  and  animate 
them  in  the  great  contest  that  was  going  on  to 
fidelity,  fortitude,  and  perseverance,  by  assurances 
of  certain  victory  here  and  of  eternal  crowns  of 
glory  hereafter.  Often,  in  the  course  of  the  work, 
he  opens  heaven  to  the  eye  of  faith,  and  makes  it 
to  see  the  glories  there  enjoyed.  Often  he  repeats 
the  most  solemn  assurances  of  future  happiness. 
Why  should  he  not  close  with  a  description  of  this 
which  would  cause  every  heart  to  beat  high  with 
hope  and  joy,  and  make  the  faithful  followers  of 
Christ  regardless  of  persecution  and  distress  ?    M.  S. 

The  coming  of  the  Lord  is  not  the  last  thing 
which  we  know.  After  that  event  has  closed  the 
present  age,  after  the  victory  has  been  won  and  the 
judgment  has  dealt  with  things  that  are  past,  the 
final  results  appear  and  the  true  life  of  man  begins. 
The  doctrine  of  the  book  is  ultimately  and  pre- 
eminently one  of  restoration.  The  drama  of  the 
world  must  be  finished  and  its  dispensation  closed. 


The  Lord  must  have  come,  the  dead  have  been 
raised,  the  judgment  have  sat,  the  heavens  and  the 
earth  which  are  now  have  passed  away,  and  the  new 
creation  have  appeared,  before  the  chosen  people 
shall  sec  the  city  of  their  habitation.  Here,  at  the 
last  step,  we  have  a  definite  and  satisfactory  com- 
pletion of  the  former  doctrine  of  the  future.  There 
is  to  be  a  perfect  humanity ;  not  only  perfect  indi- 
vidually, but  perfect  in  society.  There  is  to  be  a 
city  of  God.  "  The  Holy  City  !  "—there  is  the  re- 
alization  of  the  true  tendencies  of  man.  "  New 
Jerusalem ! " — there  is  the  fulfillment  of  the  ancient 
promises  of  God.  Dwell  for  a  moment  on  the  word 
"  city,"  under  the  remembrance  of  what  it  was  to 
those  in  whose  language  the  book  is  written.  The 
city  is  a  constitution  of  society  complete  in  its  own 
local  habitation,  the  visible  collection  of  buildings 
being  a  symbol  of  the  organized  life  within.  It  is 
the  most  perfect  realization  and  the  most  convenient 
representation  of  society  in  its  maturity,  in  which 
the  various  relations  of  men  are  so  combined  as  to 
promote  the  welfare  of  the  several  members  and 
secure  the  unity  of  a  common  life  to  the  whole. 
"  It  is  "  (as  has  been  said)  "  the  perfecting  of  the 
self-provisions  of  Nature,  and  the  condition  of  the 
highest  well-being  of  man." 

The  Bible  is  one  long  account  of  the  preparation 
of  the  city  of  God.  We  are  accustomed  in  the  pres- 
ent day  to  read  it  too  exclusively  from  the  indi- 
vidual point  of  view,  as  the  record  for  each  man  of 
that  will  of  God  and  that  way  of  salvation  with 
which  he  is  personally  concerned.  This  it  is,  but  it 
is  more  than  this.  It  places  before  us  the  restora- 
tion, not  only  of  the  personal,  but  of  the  social  life ; 
the  creation,  not  only  of  the  man  of  God,  but  of  the 
city  of  God  ;  and  it  presents  the  society  or  city,  not 
as  a  mere  name  for  the  congregation  of  individuals, 


776 


SECTION  385.— REVELATION  21 : 1-23  :  5. 


but  as  having  a  being  and  life  of  its  own,  in  whicli 
the  Lord  finds  his  satisfaction  and  man  his  perfec- 
tion. The  "  Jerusalem  which  is  above  "  is,  in  rela- 
tion to  the  Lord,  "  the  Bride,  the  Lamb's  Wife,"  and, 
in  relation  to  man,  it  is  "  the  Mother  of  us  all."  In 
its  appearance  the  revealed  course  of  redemption 
culminates,  and  the  history  of  man  is  closed  ;  and 
thus  the  last  chapters  of  the  Bible  declare  the  unity 
of  the  whole  book,  by  completing  the  design  which 
has  been  developed  in  its  pages,  and  disclosing  the 
result  to  which  all  preceding  steps  have  tended. 
Take  from  the  Bible  the  final  vision  of  the  heavenly 
Jerusalem,  and  what  will  have  been  lost  ?  Not 
merely  a  single  passage,  a  sublime  description,  an 
important  revelation ;  but  a  conclusion  by  which  all 
that  went  before  is  interpreted  and  justified.  We 
should  have  an  unfinished  plan,  in  which  human 
capacities  have  not  found  their  full  realization,  or 
divine  preparations  their  adequate  result.  To  the 
mind  that  looks  beyond  individual  life,  or  that  un- 
derstands what  is  needful  to  the  perfection  of  indi- 
vidual life,  a  Bible  that  did  not  end  by  building  for 
us  a  city  of  God  would  appear  to  leave  much  in  man 
unprovided  for,  and  much  in  itself  unaccounted  for. 
But,  as  it  is,  neither  of  these  deficiencies  arises. 
Revelation  decrees  not  only  the  individual  happiness, 
but  the  corporate  perfection  of  man  ;  and  closes  the 
book  of  its  prophecy  by  assuring  the  children  of  the 
living  God  that  he  hath  prepared  for  them  a  city. 
T.  D.  B. 

The  vision  of  holy  Jerusalem  recalls  a  similar 
one  in  the  Book  of  Ezekiel.  When  that  prophet 
was  in  exile,  and  the  city  of  Jerusalem  was  desolate, 
he  was  "  brought  in  the  visions  of  God  into  the  land 
of  Israel,"  and  set  upon  "  a  very  high  mountain  by 
which  was  the  frame  of  a  city  on  the  south."  He 
proceeds  to  describe  that  ideal  city  and  its  temple. 
Now  was  John  in  exile,  and  Jerusalem  lay  desolate ; 
and  he  was  taken  "  in  the  spirit,"  or  in  the  visions 
of  God,  "to  a  great  and  high  mountain,"  where 
he  saw  Jerusalem  in  splendor  "  descending  out  of 
heaven  from  God  "  (v.  2).  The  city  described  has 
within  it  the  glory  of  God ;  a  brightness  as  of  jas- 
per, or  rather  of  what  we  call  the  diamond,  clear  as 
crystal.  A  city  gate  in  the  East  was  the  seat  and 
symbol  of  justice  and  power.  This  city  has  twelve 
magnificent  gates,  each  one  "  a  several  pearl."  The 
gate-keepers  are  holy  angels.  The  names  inscribed 
on  the  gates  are  those  of  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel, 
God's  covenant  people,  in  contrast  with  the  "  names 
of  blasphemy"  seen  on  the  mystic  Babylon  (vs.  11, 
12).  The  foundations  of  the  walls  are  twelve  pre- 
cious stones ;  and  on  them  are  inscribed  "  the  names 
of  the  twelve  apostles  of  the  Lamb."  This  indeed 
is  noble  fame.  Where  are  the  names  of  those  who 
treated  the  apostles  with  contumely  as  the  offscour- 
ing  of  all  things  ?     The  high  priests  and  elders  who 


imprisoned  them,  the  emperors  and  governors  who 
sat  in  judgment  on  them,  where  will  their  names  be 
found  ?  In  oblivion  or  in  infamy.  But  the  very 
foundations  of  the  city  of  God  must  crumble  away, 
before  the  names  of  the  twelve  apostles  can  be  lost 
(v.  14).  The  wall  is  great  and  high :  and  the  city 
itself  a  cube  of  unparalleled  size.  That  which  E^- 
kiel  saw  was  very  vast,  as  measured  by  an  angel. 
But  we  are  not  to  literalize  the  measurements  in  one 
case  or  the  other.  In  Hebrew  symbolism,  all  con- 
sideration of  symmetrical  form  is  subordinated  to 
that  of  religious  significance.  And  it  is  as  absurd 
to  materialize  the  holy  Jerusalem  as  it  is  to  literal- 
ize the  cherubic  figures  (v.  16).  The  city  is  of  pure 
gold,  a  symbol  of  entire  sacredness.  In  Scripture, 
silver  is  the  metal  of  commerce ;  gold  of  royal  dig- 
nity and  of  sacred  value.  It  is  especially  mentioned 
that  "  the  street "  is  of  pure  gold ;  not  the  streets, 
but  the  broadway  or  place  of  civic  concourse.  It  is 
implied  that  daily  intercourse,  public  opinion,  and 
social  life  will  all  be  pure  and  holy  to  the  Lord  (v. 
18).  Externalism  in  divine  worship  is  superseded. 
No  more  need  of  temples  made  with  hands,  for  the 
Lord  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of 
the  holy  city.  Nay,  the  very  sun  and  moon  shall  be 
needless  in  the  blaze  of  divine  glory,  shining  on  the 
c?ty  of  the  saints  (vs.  22,  23).  There  are  kings  and 
nations,  not  dwelling  in  the  city,  who  bring  offerings 
and  homage  to  its  gates.  This,  too,  is  in  contrast 
with  what  has  been  said  of  great  Babylon,  which 
weakened  the  kings  of  the  earth  who  supported  it, 
and  hurt  the  prosperity  of  nations  (v.  24).  The 
crowning  glory  of  Jerusalem  in  this  vision  is  its 
purity.  The  earth  itself  will  not  be  purged  of  all 
impurity,  till  it  is  renewed  by  fire ;  the  nations,  even 
in  millennial  times,  shall  not  be  free  of  plagues,  for 
they  require  "healing";  but  the  city,  symbolic  of 
the  Church,  will  admit  no  unclean  persons,  idolaters, 
or  liars,  but  those  only  "who  are  written  in  the 
Lamb's  book  of  life"  (v.  27).  0  blessed  Civitas 
Dei !  The  ransomed  shall  see  it  with  still  greater 
joy  than  filled  the  way-worn  and  war-worn  crusad- 
ers, when  at  last  they  looked  on  the  city  which  had 
drawn  them  from  afar,  and  shouted  Jerusalem ! 
Jerusalem !  The  vision  is  prolonged  (22  :  1-5)  so 
as  to  show  us  Paradise  restored.  The  waters  of 
Eden  and  the  tree  of  life  reappear.  The  former 
flow  in  one  shining  river  from  the  throne  of  God 
and  the  Lamb  which  is  within  the  city.  [This  also 
is  a  reproduction  of  the  river  which  Ezekiel  saw 
issuing  from  the  sanctuary  and  giving  life  whither- 
soever it  flowed,  ch  47.]  The  tree  of  life  stands  "  in 
midst  of  the  street,"  or  chief  place  of  concourse,  open 
to  all  the  citizens ;  and  such  trees  line  both  banks 
of  the  river,  yielding  fresh  fruit  every  month.  The 
curse  which  fell  on  man  for  disobedience  in  Eden  is 
now  removed.     It  is  a  paradise  of  obedience.     The 


SECTION  385.—BEVELATI0N'  21 : 1-22  :  5. 


Til 


servants  of  God  openly  honor  and  serve  him ;  there- 
fore they  shine  in  his  light,  and  reign  for  ever  and 
ever.     D.  F. 

Every  beautiful  and  precious  object  on  earth  is 
a  type  and  a  shadow  of  heaven.  The  whole  visible 
universe,  with  its  manifold  works  of  divine  wisdom 
and  power,  is  but  a  volume  of  illustrations,  leading 
us  by  easy  steps  to  the  knowledge  of  that  world  of 
infinite  love  above  and  beyond  the  stars.  The  Spir- 
it of  all  truth  has  interpreted  these  pictures  with 
exquisite  clearness  and  grace.  The  Book  of  Reve- 
lation, especially  in  its  closing  chapters,  is  illumi- 
nated with  a  wealth  of  imagery  beside  which  all 
the  poet's  dreams  of  the  golden  age  and  all  man's 
uninspired  aspirations  of  the  good  time  coming  are 
poor  and  mean.  Here  is  the  perfection  of  all  beau- 
ty, a  light  ineffable,  to  which  the  sun  can  add  no 
brightness  ;  a  celestial  paradise,  infinitely  surpass- 
ing the  garden  which  the  Creator's  own  hand  plant- 
ed eastward  in  Eden  ;  an  eternal  city,  of  which  God 
is  the  builder,  the  temple,  and  the  light.  And  the 
inhabitants  of  the  heavenly  world  are  in  harmony 
with  their  dwelling-place,  for  "  the  nations  of  them 
that  are  saved  walk  in  the  light  of  it."  From  the 
feet  that  tread  those  golden  streets,  or  wander  in 
the  sweet  fields  of  everlasting  spring,  all  defilement 
is  removed  and  all  weariness  has  departed  ;  from 
the  eyes  that  behold  those  heaven-built  walls  and 
fountains  of  living  water  God  has  wiped  all  tears 
away ;  and  the  voices  that  flow  together  in  the  an- 
thems of  celestial  rapture  know  no  note  of  sadness 
for  evermore.  0  blessed  vision  of  unfading  glory  ! 
0  sweet,  seraphic  vision  of  perfect  purity  and 
peace,  of  eternal  rest,  of  joy  unspeakable  !     V.  D. 

1.  "  And  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth  " 
— the  same,  yet  not  the  same,  because  gloriously 
renewed  in  symmetry  and  beauty  by  the  Almighty 
power,  and  adapted  to  the  residence  of  beings  of  a 
higher  physical,  intellectual,  and  moral  order  than  the 
children  of  Adam — viz.,  the  children  of  the  resurrec- 
tion ;  a  world  as  far  superior  to  this  as  this  excels 
the  dismal  earth  that  existed  before  the  Creator 
fitted ,  up  Adam's  dwelling-place,  a  scene  of  vast 
thickets  and  marshy  flats,  where,  through  the  gloom, 
huge  saurians  sought  their  prey,  and  "  dragons  tare 
each  other  in  the  slime."  In  the  arrangement  of 
heaven  and  earth  described  in  Genesis,  the  sea  has 
prominent  mention:  but  in  the  new  home  of  the 
blessed,  John  saw  "  no  more  sea "  ;  no  separating 
waste  of  briny  waters ;  sweet  fountains  and  rivers 
of  pleasures,  but  no  cruel,  restless,  stormy  sea.  D.  F. 

Life  is  a  voyage  over  a  turbulent  sea ;  changing 

circumstances  come  rolling  after  each  other,  like  the 
undistinguishable  billows  of  the  great  ocean.  Tem- 
pests and  storms  rise.  There  is  wearisome  sailing, 
no  peace,  but  "  ever  climbing  up  the  climbing  wave." 
That  is  life !    But  for  all  that,  there  is  an  end  to  it 


some  day ;  and  it  is  worth  while  for  us  to  think 
about  our  "  island  home,  far,  far  beyond  the  sea." 
Surely  some  of  us  have  learned  the  weariness  of  the 
work  and  voyage  of  this  world.  Surely  some  of  us 
are  longing  to  find  anchorage  while  the  storm  lasts, 
and  a  haven  at  the  end.  There  is  one,  if  only  you 
will  believe  it,  and  set  yourselves  toward  it.  On  the 
shore  stands  the  Christ ;  and  there  is  rest  there. 
There  is  no  more  sea,  but  unbroken  rest,  unchanging 
blessedness,  perpetual  stability  of  joy,  and  love  in 
the  Father's  house.  Are  we  going  there  ?  Are  we 
living  for  Christ  ?  Then,  "  he  brings  us  to  the  de- 
sired haven."    A.  M. 

2.  This  grand  conception — a  vast  city  let  down 
from  the  highest  heaven — should  be  thought  of  as 
a  thing  of  symbol  rather  than  of  reality.  Jerusalem 
— a  name  dear  above  all  other  names  to  the  ancient 
saints — dear  because  it  was  the  city  where  God 
dwelt  with  his  people  and  where  all  the  hallowed 
associations  of  his  presence  and  worship  clustered 
together — became  the  fitting  symbol  for  the  new 
heavenly  state.  Remarkably  it  appears  here  in 
forms  of  perfect  beauty ;  even  as  the  bride  adorned 
for  her  husband  in  the  holy  scenes  of  marriage. 
This  comparison  appears  again  (vs.  9,  10) — the  city 
in  its  virgin  attire,  arrayed  for  that  one  hour  most 
eventful  of  her  life,  where  taste,  adornment,  and 
beauty  are  more  in  place  than  ever  elsewhere.  The 
reader  will  notice  that  this  conception  is  essentially 
the  same  which  we  have  in  the  Song  of  Solomon  and 
which  appears  in  various  forms  throughout  the  Old 
Testament  prophets  and  the  New  Testament  writers 
— the  Church  washed  from  her  sins,  clothed  in  white, 
her  loving  heart  given  in  virgin  simplicity  and  purity 
to  her  glorious  husband,  her  Jesus — at  once  both 
lover,  lord,  and  king.  This  symbol  fitly  gives  us 
the  grand  consummation  of  the  heavenly  state.  H.  C. 

3.  With  men  ....  his  people.  Personal- 
ity is  the  crowning  fact  of  history.  It  thrills  the 
life  of  to-day ;  it  will  make  the  society  of  heaven 
resplendent.  What  would  be  the  significance  of 
heavenly  fellowships  if  Abraham  is  not  to  be  recog- 
nized as  the  man  who  was  called  from  Ur  of  the 
Chaldees  to  be  the  father  of  the  faithful !  What  if 
David  is  not  to  be  recognized  as  the  shepherd  king, 
author  of  a  psalmody  that  will  never  grow  old  ;  a 
great  sinner  profoundly  penitent,  washing  his  hands 
in  innocency  and  humbly  trusting  in  the  mercy  of 
God  !  What  if  Paul,  "  the  greatest  purely  human 
power  in  history,"  is  not  to  be  known  as  the  man 
whose  writings  we  have  read,  loved,  and  cherished, 
and  whose  flaming  life  kindled  our  souls  in  the  war- 
fare we  were  called  to  wage !  In  this  fact  of  per- 
sonality, never  to  be  weakened,  making  life,  here 
and  for  ever,  a  continuous  chain  without  a  missing 
link,  lies  the  possibility  of  a  social,  intellectual,  lov- 
ing, serving,  worshipful   existence  in  the   eternal 


r78 


SECTION'  385.— REVELATION  21 : 1-S2  :  5. 


home  of  the  redeemed,  such  as  we  but  faintly  imag- 
ine. Heaven  will  be  a  commonwealth  of  living 
personalities,  numberless,  peerless,  sinless ;  gathered 
out  of  every  people,  and  tongue,  and  kindred,  and 
nation  of  the  earth ;  coming  up  from  the  moral 
battle-fields  of  this  world  to  the  Mount  of  God  ;  the 
powers  that  made  them-  shine,  that  made  them  use- 
ful and  beloved,  that  made  them  immortal  upon 
earth,  only  enhanced  in  brilliancy  ;  and  their  deeds 
only  set  in  bolder  relief,  as  justifying  the  honor  put 
upon  them  by  the  righteous  judge.     Haydn. 

God  himself  with  them.  The  best  inter- 
course of  the  most  favored  men  with  their  Maker, 
in  the  transfigurations  of  devotion,  is  imperfect.  It 
is  unsatisfactory,  and  provokes  hungerings  and 
thirstings  after  some  manifestation  of  God  more 
direct  and  sensible.  Meanwhile  this  process  of 
spiritual  reconciliation  and  recovery  is  going  on,  and 
the  promise  of  redemption  is  that  man  again  shall 
see  the  face  of  his  God.  Now,  partially  restored, 
man  sees  through  a  glass  darkly,  but  ultimately  his 
intercourse  with  his  Maker  shall  be  immediate,  un- 
interrupted, direct,  and  joyful.  Through  the  mighty 
power  of  him  who  assumed  our  nature,  we  shall  be 
as  truly  reconciled  to  God,  harmonized  with  him, 
and  associated  with  him,  as  if  the  shadow  of  sin, 
and  fear,  and  repulsion,  had  never  passed  upon  the 
soul.     W.  A. 

4.  Could  language  well  be  more  exhaustive  of 
the  ills  of  life  which  are  thus  for  ever  excluded  from 
the  paradise  of  God  ?  Death,  pain,  sorrow,  crying, 
tears,  all  manner  of  curse !  Each  word  tells  a  tale 
which  every  human  life  has  helped  to  make  tragic 
and  awful.  They  have  all  displayed  their  worst  as 
the  fruit  of  sin  and  been  made  the  instruments  of 
discipline  against  sin,  and  now,  with  it  left  out 
their  mission  is  ended.  God  be  praised  !  We  shall 
see  the  last  of  these.  A  single  glance  through  this 
open  window  reveals  a  consummation  of  the  king- 
dom of  life  and  glory  which  fitly  concludes  and  sub- 
limely crowns  the  history  of  this  world's  conflicts 
and  trials.  Haydn. We  are  not  told  what  heav- 
en is,  nor  of  what  its  joys  consist ;  but  nothing  that 
has  here  caused  evil  or  suffering  shall  be  there. 
The  apostle  pictures  before  him  all  the  woe  of  this 
world  ;  and  he  takes  his  pencil,  dipped  in  the  incan- 
descent light  of  heaven,  and  draws  it  across  the 
scene,  and  every  vestige  of  sorrow  vanishes,  and  the 
golden  city  of  God  fills  the  whole  vision.  This  won- 
drous blessedness  shall  be  given  to  every  one  who 

trusts  lovingly  in  Christ.    J.  P.  T. None  too  soon 

can  we  give  up  expecting  to  have  our  weary  question- 
ings answered  here,  and  begin  to  look  for  the  bright 
appearing  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  to  clear  away  all 
the  clouds  and  turn  our  night  into  day.  It  is  to  be 
accepted  with  a  sublime  faith  in  the  power  and 
faithfulness  of  God,  that  this  is  a  sphere  of  broken 


households,  of  wedlocks  and  partings,  of  hopes  and 
disappointments,  of  welcomes  and  adieus,  and  no- 
thing else  is  to  be  expected  till  he  who  is  the  resur- 
rection and  the  life  makes  all  things  new,  and  the 
gathering  together  of  his  people  is  into  a  kingdom 
which  death  shall  not  invade.     Haydn. 

The  former  things  are  passed  away.  How 
all  that  is  loftiest  in  human  conception — its  learn- 
ing, its  philosophy,  and  its  poetry — pale  before  one 
glance  at  such  a  scene !  Sorrow  passed  away,  and 
the  unclouded  dawn  begun!  All  that  humanity 
groans  for,  all  that  man  asks  of  nature  and  that  na- 
ture can  not  give,  all  that  love  (the  essential  spirit 
of  the  universe)  outpoured  upon  its  chosen  objects 
could  bestow,  all  seen  to  be  the  bright  lot  of  these 
blessed  ones,  and  all  for  eternity  !  The  love  of  knowl- 
edge satisfied  in  the  perpetual  contemplation  of  the 
substantial  truth ;  the  love  of  beauty  in  the  unveiled 
source  of  all  that  is  beautiful ;  the  love  of  happiness 
in  the  enjoyment  of  secure  and  perpetual  bliss ;  the 
love  of  the  fellow-creatures  in  the  society  of  holy 
and  responding  brother-spirits :  and  this  to  be  for 

ever  !    W.  A.  B. This  life,  so  full  of  conscious 

power,  so  bright  with  immortal  love,  so  divine  in  its 
glorious  fellowships,  so  grand  with  tuneful  har- 
monies and  holy  blessedness  of  inward  rapture  and 
perfect  knowledge,  is  ceonian.  It  is  life  eternal. 
Heaven  will  never  cease  to  be  a  holy  temple.  The 
tabernacle  of  God  will  never  be  withdrawn  from 
men.  The  Song  of  Moses  and  the  Lamb  will  never 
die  away  into  forgetful  silence.  Darkness  will  never 
shroud  the  glory  of  God  in  awful  eclipse.  Sin  will 
never  enter ;  the  unclean  thing  will  never  defile  the 
city  of  God,  the  inheritance  of  those  who  hear  his 
— "  Come,  ye  blessed,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared 
for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world."  It  is 
life  ceonian — life  eternal !     Haydn. 

6.  In  this  shadowy  state  of  mortal  life,  unbe- 
lief is  for  ever  crowding  redemption  into  a  corner 
— conceiving  it  to  be  the  faith  of  a  few  people,  the 
concern  of  Sabbath  days,  the  mere  comfort  of  the 
sick  and  dying ;  but  in  the  illumination  of  eternity, 
redemption  will  be  seen  as  the  great  end  and  unity 
of  all  things  human,  the  key  of  history,  the  har- 
mony of  events,  the  beginning  and  the  ending  of 
this  world's  life.  Then  shall  we  attach  new  mean- 
ing to  the  august  titles  of  our  Lord — the  Alpha 
and  the  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last,  the  King  of 
kings  and  Lord  of  lords — for  of  him,  and  through 
him,  and  to  him,  arc  all  things,  to  whom  be  glory 
for  ever  !     W.  A. 

8.  The  "  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  the  black- 
ness of  darkness  for  ever,"  are  words  of  a  terrible 
signification.  But  no  words  can  fully  express  the 
terrible  ingredients  of  their  misery ;  the  punish- 
ment will  be  in  proportion  to  the  glory  of  God's 
majesty  that  is  provoked,  and   the  extent  of  his 


SECTION  3S5.— REVELATION  21 :  1-22 :  5. 


779 


power.  And  as  the  soul  wag  the  principal,  and  the 
body  but  an  accessory,  in  the  works  of  sin,  so  its 
capacious  faculties  shall  be  far  more  tormented  than 
the  limited  faculties  of  the  outward  senses.     Bates. 

We  do  not  expect  to  find  the  New  Jerusalem  a 
city  whose  walls  are  four  hundred  and  fifty  leagues 
in  length,  breadth,  and  height.  The  figure  is  that 
of  a  perfect  cube,  like  the  holy  of  holies  in  the 
temple,  and  indicates  its  perfectness,  as  the  dwell- 
ing-place of  God.  We  are  not  actually  looking  for 
a  city  of  gold,  "  as  it  were  transparent  glass,"  the 
foundations  of  whose  walls  are  garnished  with  all 
manner  of  precious  stones,  and  whose  twelve  gates 
are  as  many  resplendent  pearls.  Ideas  of  its  per- 
fectness and  its  glory  must  be  given  us,  if  at  all, 
through  some  sort  of  imagery.  And  how  better 
than  by  putting  for  commonest  uses,  such  as  walls, 
gates,  and  streets,  the  rarest,  costliest,  most  coveted 
things  of  earth ;  by  making  the  glory  of  God  like 
a  jasper  stone,  clear  as  crystal,  the  light  of  a  city 
which  is  being  let  down  from  heaven,  and  all  so 
holy,  so  divine,  as  to  be  one  grand  and  solemn  tem- 
ple !  We  do  not  empty  this  imagery  of  its  con- 
tent ;  we  seize  it  as  embodying  an  unspeakable  fact 
which  language,  under  the  breath  of  the  Divine 
Spirit,  labors  to  express.  We  are  bound  to  do  the 
same  thing  by  the  "  bottomless  pit,"  "  the  lake 
of  fire  and  brimstone,"  "  the  smoke  of  torment," 
"  the  Gehenna  of  fire."  These,  like  the  others,  are 
material  symbols  of  solemn  and  awful  facts  in  the 
life  beyond  death.  We  have  no  right  to  empty 
them  of  their  content  any  more  than  we  have  to  in- 
sist upon  their  literal  interpretation.  The  one  sym- 
bolizes the  abode  of  holiness  and  righteousness, 
which  may  well  be  glorious  as  language  can  paint 
it ;  its  river,  water  of  life,  straight  from  the  throne 
of  God ;  its  tree,  a  tree  of  life  yielding  perennial 
fruit.  The  other  symbolizes  the  place  where  "  the 
fearful,  and  unbelieving,  and  abominable,  and  mur- 
derers, and  whoremongers,  and  sorcerers,  and  idol- 
aters, and  all  liars,"  shall  congregate.  There  is  a 
place  there  that  corresponds  to  their  true  character. 
It  is  described  under  the  awful  imagery  of  a  "lake 
of  fire,"  and  the  torment  of  a  guilty  conscience  is 
a  "  worm  that  never  dies,"  and  a  "  fire  that  is  never 
quenched."  We  are  not  at  liberty  to  make  the 
Christian  heaven  a  Mohammedan  paradise  of  sen- 
sual delights.  We  are  no  more  at  liberty  to  make 
the  Gehenna  of  lost  men  a  mediajval  hell  of  physi- 
cal torments.     Haydn. 

14.  Names  of  the  twelve  apostles  of  the 
Lamb.  The  builders  of  cities  are  celebrated  in 
history,  but  here  are  men  whose  names  are  associ- 
ated with  the  very  foundations  of  that  heavenly 
city,  the  "  new  Jerusalem,"  "  which  is  above  all." 
They  had  the  Saviour's  constant  instructions.  They 
enjoyed  his  daily  care  and  love.     They  received  the 


Holy  Ghost  and  the  gift  of  tongues.  They  spread 
the  knowledge  of  his  name  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
Their  names  are  symbolically  represented  to  us  as 
inscribed  in  the  foundation  stones  of  heaven,  be- 
cause they  were  honored  with  the  work  of  building 
up  the  kingdom  of  Christ  from  its  foundations ;  and 
all  who  are  saved  are  said  to  be  built  on  the  founda- 
tion of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self being  the  chief  cornerstone.    N.  A. 

22,  23.  That  no  temple  is  there  shows  that  it 
rises  high  above  the  earthly  Jerusalem  in  which  the 
temple  was  the  preeminent  glory.  That  it  needs 
not  the  sun  or  the  moon  for  its  light  testifies  in  like 
manner  that  its  glory  far  transcends  the  glory  of 
earth.  It  is  everything  to  that  world  that  God  and 
the  Lamb  are  there !  are  there  in  such  revelations 
of  their  glory  and  in  such  relations  to  their  redeemed 
sons  and  daughters  as  language  and  symbols  strive 

in  vain  to  set  forth.     H.  C. God  is  the  source  of 

the  light  and  the  Lamb  is  the  medium  through  which 
it  shines.  lie  is  "the  image  of  the  invisible  God" 
— "  the  Word  "  by  which  the  whole  mind  of  God  is 
expressed.  By  the  works  of  creation  produced  "  by 
him  and  for  him  "  ;  by  his  providence  which  devel- 
ops God's  designs  (for  the  Lamb  was  appointed  to 
open  all  the  seals) ;  by  his  great  mediatorial  work  ; 
by  the  instructions  which  he  has  imparted  in  person 
and  through  his  prophets  and  apostles ;  and  by  the 
Spirit  which  acts  under  him ;  he  has  brought  forth 
all  the  light  which  has  been  shed  on  the  character, 
government,  and  designs  of  God.  Add  to  this,  that 
the  splendor  surrounding  his  human  body,  and  which 
he  will  impart  to  the  bodies  of  his  saints  as  the 
royal  robes  in  which  the  sons  of  God  are  to  be  set 
forth,  will  pour  immortal  day  upon  the  senses.  Grif- 
fin.  Then  we  shall  behold  him,  who  is  the  sun 

from  whom  our  light  comes,  the  King  from  whom 
our  royalty  comes,  the  Priest  who  gives  us  our 
priesthood,  the  Lamb  who  has  bought  us  our  salva- 
tion ;  and  the  more  we  gaze  the  more  we  shall  love. 
A.  W.  T. 

The  light  thereof.  There  are  two  ideas  gen- 
erally connected  with  the  word  "  light  "  in  Scripture, 
when  used  in  a  spiritual  sense — one  primary  idea, 
knowledge,  because  light  shows  us  things  as  they 
are  ;  and  then  a  secondary  idea,  joy,  because  a  right 
knowledge  of  spiritual  things  imparts  joy.  When, 
therefore,  we  are  told  that  there  is  light  in  heaven, 
that  God  dwells  in  light  there,  that  the  inheritance 
of  the  saints  there  is  an  inheritance  in  light,  we  are 
to  understand  that  heaven  is  a  world  of  knowledge, 
and  such  knowledge  as  gives  rise  to  pleasure  and 
joy ;  that  we  shall  not  lose  our  character  as  intel- 
lectual beings  there ;  that  our  minds  and  under- 
standings will  go  with  us  to  heaven,  and  be  called 
into  exercise  in  heaven,  and  have  everything  brought 
before  them,  that  can  expand,  and  elevate,  and  de- 


780 


SECTION  SSS.—BEVELATION  SI :  1-S2  :  5. 


light  tlicm.     C.  B. Unto  God  eternal  light  was 

ever :  created  light  was  for  the  creation,  not  him- 
self, and  as  he  saw  before  the  sun,  may  still  also  see 
without  it.  In  the  city  of  the  new  Jerusalem  there 
is  neither  sun  nor  moon ;  where  glorified  eyes  must 
see  by  the  archetypal  sun,  or  the  light  of  God,  able 
to  illuminate  intellectual  eyes,  and  make  unknown 
visions.  Intuitive  perceptions  in  spiritual  beings 
may  perhaps  hold  some  analogy  unto  vision;  but 
yet  how  they  see  us,  or  one  another,  what  eye,  what 
light,  or  what  perception  is  required  unto  their  in- 
tuition, is  yet  dark  unto  our  apprehension  ;  and 
even  how  they  see  God,  or  how  unto  our  glorified 
eyes  the  beatifical  vision  will  be  celebrated,  another 
world  must  tell  us,  when  perceptions  will  be  new 
and  we  may  hope  to  behold  invisibles.     Browne. 

26.  Vast,  and  beyond  all  comprehension,  is  the 
temple  of  eternity ;  but  it  is  still  growing.  All 
they  who,  before  Christ,  confessed  that  they  were 
strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth,  and  died  in 
faith,  not  having  received  the  promises,  but  having 
seen  them  afar  off — all  these  are  in  the  kingdom 
and  temple  of  Christ.  All  the  redeemed,  the  fruit 
of  all  the  centuries  since  the  Lord  was  received  up 
into  heaven,  are  in  his  kingdom.  Imagine  the 
mighty  gathering!  Imagine  one  God,  one  Christ, 
one  Spirit,  and  one  temple!  Imagine  the  number 
of  glorified  human  forms  which  will  compose  that 
living  temple  !  Imagine  every  heart  full  of  the  ve- 
hemence of  love,  and  every  tongue  burdened  with 
praise !     PuJsford. 

24.  Walk  in  the  light  of  it.  It  has  been 
observed  by  Cudworth  that  divine  wisdom  hath  so 
ordered  the  frame  of  the  whole  universe  that  every- 
thing should  have  its  own  appropriate  receptacle,  to 
which  it  shall  be  drawn  by  all  the  mighty  force  of 
an  irresistible  affinity;  and,  as  all  heavenly  bodies 
press  toward  the  common  center  of  gravity,  so  is  all 
sin,  by  a  kind  of  strong  sympathy  and  magnetic  in- 
fluence, drawn  toward  hell ;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  all  holiness  is  continually  drawn  upward  to 
heaven,  to  embosom  itself  in  glory.  Ileaven  is  not 
merely  a  thing  to  come ;  it  is  in  one  sense  a  present 
possession ;  for  "  he  that  believeth  in  the  Son  hath 
everlasting  life."  It  is  rather  a  state  than  a  place 
— a  state  within  us,  rather  than  a  thing  without  us ; 
it  is  the  likeness,  and  the  enjoyment,  and  the  service 
of  God  ;  that  which  every  true  Christian  carries  in 
his  bosom  now,  and  to  which  he  will  fully  enter 
hereafter,  when  he  shall  be  made  perfect  in  love. 
To  this  state  all  true  religion  is  ever  tending ;  the 
spirit  of  love  is  the  motion  and  progress  of  the  soul 
toward  its  eternal  rest  in  the  presence  of  God.  No 
man  can  be  prepared  for  the  celestial  felicity  while 
his  heart  is  destitute  of  this ;  and  whosoever  has 
most  of  it  knows  most  of  the  unseen  and  ineffable 
joys  of  the  righteous.    He  lives  in  the  vestibule  of 


the  heavenly  temple,  and  is  ready,  whenever  its 
doors  shall  be  opened,  to  enter  into  the  dwelhng- 
place  of  God.  The  image  of  God  is  upon  him,  and 
the  likeness  of  Deity  is  always  attended  with  some- 
thing of  the  happiness  of  the  Deity.  Oh,  the  bliss 
of  that  state,  where  the  faculties  of  the  mind,  in- 
conceivably expanded,  shall  let  in  the  full  streams 
of  the  divine  beneficence,  and  open  themselves  to 
the  uttermost  to  comprehend  the  breadth  and  length, 
the  depth  and  height,  of  that  love  which  passeth 
knowledge ;  where  divine  goodness  will  so  act  di- 
rectly upon  the  soul  as  to  raise  it  to  a  state  of  holy 
enjoyment  surpassing  all  our  present  imaginations. 
J.  A.  J. 

27.  There  is  no  figure  of  speech  to  be  evaded 
or  explained  away  in  the  words  which  affirm  that 
"  there  shall  in  nowise  enter  into  it  anything  that 
defileth,  neither  worketh  abomination,  nor  maketh 
a  lie."  Were  it  otherwise,  what  would  the  story  of 
redemption  mean  ?  What  empty  rhetoric  the  invi- 
tations and  warnings  of  Jesus  become !  But  now, 
from  a  world  that  sin  has  cursed,  from  hells  on 
earth  where  the  worm  now  gnaws  and  the  fire  is 
already  kindled ;  from  eyes  blear  with  sin,  and 
hearts  livid  with  blackness;  from  far-off,  strange 
lands  of  prodigal  wanderings ;  from  haunts  lurid 
with  evil  thinking,  evil  speaking,  evil  doing,  and 
ghastly  with  near  proximity  to  the  pit ;  from  heights 
where  pride  looks  coldly  down  in  self-righteousness 
— men  are  bidden  to  look  away  to  the  Mount  of 
God  ;  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  ;  to  lay  hold 
of  eternal  life ;  and  in  their  impotence,  unclean- 
ness,  their  pride,  their  madness,  their  despair,  to 
look  to  him,  who  in  love  and  might  comes  forth  to 
save  that  which  is  lost,  and  bring  the  wanderer 
home  !  Laying  hold  of  him,  following  him,  the  de- 
filing thing  is  left  behind ;  the  defiling  haunts  are 
forsaken ;  the  true  and  upright  life  is  entered  upon  ; 
the  righteous  character  is  in  process  of  formation. 
Think  not  to  enter  heaven  but  through  Christ,  the 
door.     Haydn. 

22  :  1.  Since  this  river  of  water  of  life  pro- 
ceeds from  the  throne,  it  intimates  that  in  grace 
and  mercy  there  is  great  majesty  ;  for  grace,  as  it 
proceeds,  has  a  voice  from  the  throne.  And  indeed 
there  is  nothing  in  heaven  or  earth  that  has  such 
majesty  and  commanding  greatness  in  and  upon 
the  hearts  of  the  sons  of  men,  as  has  the  grace  of 
God.  There  is  nothing  overmastereth  the  heart  like 
grace,  and  so  obligeth  to  sincere  and  unfeigned  obe- 
dience  as   that.     Bun. However  profound    the 

knowledge  to  which  they  have  attained,  however 
pure  the  white  robes  in  which  they  are  arrayed, 
however  exquisite  the  felicity  which  they  enjoy, 
however  boundless  and  mag-nificent  the  prospects 
that  are  stretched  out  before  them — they  are  in- 
debted for  them  all  solely  and  exclusively  to  the 


SECTION  385.— REVELATION  21 : 1-22  :  5. 


T81 


soTcreign  grace  of  God,  manifested  through  Jesus 
Christ  his  Son.  Every  stream,  every  spring,  every 
drop  of  the  water  of  life  proceedeth  from  the 
throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb,  and  the  glory,  the 
stability,  the  security,  the  everlasting  blessedness  of 
every  saint  or  angel  that  belongs  to  the  glorified 
hosts  is  resting  upon  that  fact.  And  as  it  is  just  as 
impossible  for  that  river  to  be  dried  up,  or  despoiled 
of  its  virtues,  or  diverted  from  its  course,  as  it  is  for 
God's  throne  to  be  demolished,  or  the  regal  crown 
torn  from  the  great  Redeemer's  head,  we  conclude 
that  there  shall  be  the  bursting  forth  everlastingly, 
and  through  all  the  ages  of  an  interminable  eternity, 
of  the  river  of  the  water  of  life,  of  which  the  saints 
drink,  and  which  maketh  glad  the  city  of  our  God, 
and  that,  therefore,  the  glory  of  the  saints  shall  be 
contemporaneous  with  the  throne  of  Jehovah,  and 
durable  as  the  government  of  eternity.     J.  A.  W. 

2.  The  harmonious  unity  of  Scripture  is  herein 
exhibited.  The  fathers  compared  it  to  a  ring,  an 
unbroken  circle,  returning  into  itself.  Between  the 
events  of  Genesis  and  those  at  the  close  of  the 
Apocalypse,  at  least  six  thousand  or  seven  thousand 
years  intervene ;  and  between  Moses  the  first  writer, 
and  John  the  last,  about  fifteen  hundred  years. 
How  striking  it  is  that,  as  in  the  beginning  we 
found  Adam  and  Eve,  his  bride,  in  innocence  in 
Paradise,  then  tempted  by  the  serpent,  and  driven 
from  the  tree  of  life,  and  from  the  pleasant  waters 
of  Eden,  yet  not  without  a  promise  of  a  Redeemer 
who  should  crush  the  serpent,  so  at  the  close,  the 
old  serpent  cast  out  for  ever  by  the  second  Adam, 
the  Lord  from  heaven,  who  appears  with  his  bride, 
the  Church,  in  a  better  Paradise,  and  amid  better 
waters  (v.  1);  the  tree  of  life  also  is  there  with  all 
its  healing  properties,  not  guarded  with  a  flaming 
sword,  but  open  to  all  who  overcome  (2  :  7),  and 

there  is  no  more  curse.     Faiisset. While  in  this 

New  Jerusalem  there  is  no  more  "  sea  " — that  being 
a  symbol  of  whatever  is  agitating,  uncertain,  tem- 
pestuous ;  there  is  a  river,  a  precious  oriental  sym- 
bol of  blessings,  for  ever  flowing,  naturally  insuring 
perennial  verdure,  trees  and  shade  unfailing,  and 
exemption  from  thirst  and  barrenness — the  sore 
evils  of  oriental  tropical  regions.  This  tree  of  life 
and  its  various  fruits  come  also  from  Ezek.  47  (see 
V.  12),  where  obviously  we  have  the  plural,  "  trees." 
So  also  here,  there  must  be  trees.  The  meaning 
seems  to  be  that  these  trees  lined  either  bank  of 
the  river  between  it  and  the  streets  which  also  ran 
parallel  on  each  side  —  a  scene  of  superlative 
beauty.     H.  C. 

In  that  he  saith  this  city  hath  a  tree  of  life  in  it, 
he  alludes  to  the  garden  of  Eden,  the  pleasant  para- 
dise that  God  began  the  world  withal ;  whereby 
he  signifies,  that  as  the  world  began  with  a  para- 
dise, so  also  it  shall  end  with  a  paradise,  when  sin 


and  Satan  have  done  their  worst.  This  new  Jerusa- 
lem shall  be  the  wind-up  of  the  world ;  and  in  it 
shall  stand  the  tree  of  life,  as  there  stood  one  in 
the  goodly  garden  which  was  the  beginning  thereof. 
Now,  this  tree  of  life  being  in  the  midst  of  this  city, 
it  signifies  that  the  inhabitants  of  it  shall  be  sweet- 
ly shadowed,  refreshed,  and  defended  with  its  cool- 
ness, and  also  sweetly  nourished  and  comforted  with 
its  dainties.     Bun. 

3.  Shall  serve  him.  It  is  perfectly  clear 
that  heaven  is  a  state  of  vigorous  emplojrment. 
The  worlds  which  God  has  made  are  the  theatre 
where  labor  is  to  be  performed,  where  the  designs 
of  Jehovah  are  to  be  accomplished  by  human  and 
by  angelic  agency.  Those  new  heavens  and  that 
new  earth  will  be  filled  with  means  and  instruments 
for  diffusing  happiness,  for  doing  good.  They  shall 
follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  be  goeth.  They 
shall  serve  God  day  and  night  in  his  temple.  They 
shall  rest  only  from  sin  and  from  its  efl;ects,  from 
calamity,    pain,    sickness,    pollution,     and     death. 

B.  B.  E. Next  to  the  removal  of  every  curse, 

the  perfection  of  body,  soul,  and  spirit,  and  the 
actual  vision  of  God,  is  the  joyful  activity  of  man's 
renovated  nature.  Occupation  was  the  pleasure  of 
innocence.  Man  was  made  for  action,  as  streams 
are  made  to  flow.  lie  was  God's  image  and  like- 
ness, and  God  is  life  and  action,  motion  and  power. 
Sin  entered,  and  retribution  changed  uvrk  into 
labor.  The  curse  doomed  man  to  earn  and  eat  his 
bread  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow.  Christianity  has 
immensely  modified  and  changed  man's  condition 
already ;  the  curse  has  been  mitigated  and  light- 
ened ;  and  we  have  only  to  anticipate  the  promised 
time  when  there  shall  be  no  more  curse,  to  satisfy 
ourselves  what  enjoyment  will  spring  from  the  un- 
wearied exercise  of  our  immortal  powers.  What 
forms  of  service  await  restored  humanity — what 
occupations  shall  furnish  occasion  for  its  renovated 
activity — to  what  labor  of  love,  what  ministrations 
of  mercy,  what  vigorous  work,  or  sweet  grace,  the 
redeemed  shall  be  invited — we  may  not  conjecture ; 
but  surely  he  who  gives  us  so  much  to  do  on  earth, 
and  so  much  pleasure  in  doing  it,  will  not  fail,  amid 
the  relations  of  all  worlds  and  all  beings,  in  furnish- 
ing to  man  restored  to  his  loyalty  abundant  occu- 
pation.   W.   A. Sleepless,   unfatigued,  needing 

neither  food  nor  rest,  subject  to  no  wants,  weak- 
nesses, or  wearinesses,  how  may  the  redeemed  be 
ever  plying  the  glad  and  busy  task  of  acting  out  the 
impulses  of  their  own  spiritual  nature,  and  doing  the 
pleasure  of  the  Lord  that  bought  them  !  And  when 
all  is  spiritual,  and  all  immortal,  what  an  opening  is 
there  for  the  spiritual  and  immortal  soul — possessed 
of  a  kindred  body,  and  ushered  into  a  congenial 
world  ;  to  express  itself  in  communion  with  all  holy 
intelligence,  unembarrassed  and  unclogged  by  any 


782 


SECTION  386.— REVELATION  22  :  6-21. 


perishable  claims  ;  to  receive  pure  light  from  the 
light  that  shines  all  around  in  "  the  new  heavens 
and  the  new  earth  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness  "  ; 
and  to  go  forth,  with  strength  proportioned  to  its 
own  untiring  aspirations,  on  the  errands  of  God's 
holy  righteousness  and  love  over  all  the  realms  of 
creation.     Candlish. 

5.  No  night  there.  In  the  eternal  summer 
there  is  nothing  that  is  doomed  to  die.  All  things 
live  unfadingly  that  breathe  in  unbroken  communion 
the  breath  of  life ;  and  now  for  these  immortal 
ones,  as  to  the  Lord  himself,  a  thousand  years  are 
as  one  day,  but  a  day  to  which  there  comes  no  night. 
The  whole  history  of  the  kingdom  of  nature,  of  hu- 
manity, of  the  kingdom  of  God,  is  an  eternal  alter- 
nation of  light  and  shade.  The  earthly  Jerusalem, 
moreover,  expired  in  clouds  and  darkness ;  but  be- 
hold, the  heavenly  city  bathes  itself  in  eternal  sun- 
beams, and  never  does  the  approach  of  evening  dim 
the  joy  of  its  inhabitants.      Van  0. 

What  need  now  for  the  lighting  up  of  the  golden 
candlesticks,  or  for  the  radiance  of  the  stars  which 
Christ  now  holds  in  his  right  hand,  when  the  dark- 
ness of  the  night  is  past,  and  the  Sun  of  Righteous- 
ness himself  is  shining  ?  What  need  now  for  tem- 
ples, for  ministrations,  or  for  intercessions,  for  the 
lessons  of  sages  or  prophets,  for  the  sweet  psalms 
first  struck  on  David's  lyre,  or  for  the  magnificent 
visions  of  men  who  spoke  even  as  they  were  moved 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  What  need  of  these  when 
Christ  himself  is  there,  the  end  of  the  law,  the  sum 
of  the  gospel,  the   desire  of    saints,  the   glory  of 


heaven,  whom  all  the  hosts  of  the  unfallen  and  the 
redeemed  everlastingly  worship  and  adore  ?  I  saw 
no  temple  therein,  for  the  Lord  God  Almighty  and 
the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it ;  and  where  these  are 
there  is  the  shining  of  an  everlasting  light,  and  the 
spreading  of  a  perennial  feast ;  there  the  green  pas- 
tures that  never  wither  and  the  quiet  waters  that 
never  fail ;  and  there  the  strains  of  golden  harps 
blending  with  glad  voices  in  the  melodies  of  the 
new  and  everlasting  song.     J.  A.  W. 

Oh,  the  safety,  oh,  the  comfort,  oh,  the  repose 
and  the  satisfaction  of  being  for  ever  with  the  Lord, 
in  whose  blood  we  have  already  washed  our  robes ! 
Then  to  be  fed  by  him,  then  to  be  led  by  him,  will 
be  indeed  the  consummation  of  the  joy  of  heaven. 
To  be  with  him,  as  one  cared  for  upon  earth,  sought 
out,  rescued,  emancipated,  sanctified ;  as  one  carried 
safely  through  life's  dangers,  soothed  under  life's 
sorrows,  supported  through  life's  trying  and  painful 
end ;  to  be  with  him  at  last,  as  never  before,  face  to 
face^  and  yet  without  ceasing  to  be  with  him  heart 
to  heart  and  spirit  to  spirit ;  to  be  always  with  him, 
and  for  ever ;  to  do  everything,  not  only  for  him, 
but  in  his  presence,  under  his  eye,  and  beneath  his 
smile  ;  this  will  be  beyond  mere  safety,  beyond  mere 
comfort,  beyond  mere  service,  however  constant  and 
perfect ;  this  will  be  a  relation  into  which  no  human 
love  ever  is  admitted  ;  this  will  be  a  community  of 
life  and  soul  beyond  the  nearest  and  dearest  of 
earth's  friendships ;  this  will  be  the  ideal  to  which 
human  sympathy  pointed,  this  the  goal  of  which 
human  love  was  but  the  starting-point.     V, 


Section  386. 

Eevelation  xxii.  6-21. 

6      And  he  said  unto  me,  These  sayings  are  faithful  and  true  :  and  the  Lord  God  of  the  holy 

prophets  sent  his  angel  to  shew  unto  his  servants  the  things  which  must  shortly  be  done. 

1  Behold,  I  come  quickly :  blessed  is  he  that  keepeth  the  sayings  of  the  prophecy  of  this 

8  hook.     And  I  John  saw  these  things,  and  heard  them.     And  when  I  had  heard  and  seen,  I 

9  fell  down  to  worship  before  the  feet  of  the  angel  which  shewed  me  these  things.     Then 
saith  he  unto  me,  See  thou  do  it  not :  for  I  am  thy  fellowservant,  and  of  thy  brethren  the 

10  prophets,  and  of  them  which  keep  the  sayings  of  this  book:  worship  God.     And  he  saith 

11  unto  me,  Seal  not  the  sayings  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book :  for  the  time  is  ^at  hand.     He 
that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  unjust  still :  and  he  which  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy  still :  and  he 

12  that  is  righteous,  let  him  be  righteous  still :  and  he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be  holy  still.     And, 
behold,  I  come  quickly ;  and  my  reward  is  with  me,  to  give  every  man  according  as  his 

13  work  shall  be.     I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end,  the  first  and  the  last. 

14  Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  commandments,  that  they  may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life, 

15  and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city.     For  without  are  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and 

16  whoremongers,  and  murderers,  and  idolaters,  and  whosoever  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie.    I 
Jesus  have  sent  mine  angel  to  testify  unto  you  these  things  in  the  churches.     I  am  the  root 

17  and  the  offspring  of  David,  and  the  bright  and  morning  star.     And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride 


SECTION  S86.— REVELATION 


6-31. 


Y83 


say,  Come.     And  let  liim  that  heareth  say,  Come.     And  let  him  that  is  athirst  come.    And 

18  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely.  For  I  testify  unto  every  man  that 
heareth  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book,  If  any  man  shall  add  unto  these  things 

19  God  shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues  that  are  written  in  this  book :  and  if  any  man  shall  tako 
away  from  the  words  of  the  book  of  this  prophecy,  God  shall  take  away  his  part  out  of  the 
book  of  life,  and  out  of  the  holy  city,  and.  from  the  things  which  are  written  in  this  book. 

20  He  which  testifieth  these  things  saith.  Surely  I  come  quickly  :  Amen.     Even  so,  come.  Lord 

21  Jesus.    The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  le  with  you  all.     Amen. 


TJie  Spirit  and  the  bride  sat/,  Come.  This  remarkable  gospel  of  invitation  has  a  peculiar  significance  as 
a  message  of  Jesus  back  to  the  sinners  of  earth,  for  whom  "  he  endured  the  cross,  despising  the  shame." 
It  comes  from  the  throne  of  all  power  to  which  sixty  years  before  he  had  ascended,  carrying  the  humanity 
with  him,  and  after  his  finished  sacrifice  and  completed  scheme  of  redemption  had  been  proclaimed  by  his 
inspired  apostles  to  the  utmost  limits  of  the  known  world.  In  full  view  of  the  scheme  completed  by  the 
offering  of  the  sacrifice  once  for  all,  of  the  outpouring  of  his  Spirit,  of  the  complete  opening  of  the  new 
and  last  era  of  redemption,  of  the  dispensation  of  the  Spirit,  of  the  historic  faith,  now  substituting  facts 
actual  for  the  types  and  symbols  of  prophecy,  and  of  the  Church  of  one  nation,  under  the  old  covenant 
with  Abraham,  become  the  Church  of  all  nations  under  the  new  covenant,  he  utters  this  last  gospel  as  the 
climax  of  all  the  gospels  which  God  had  revealed  through  the  prophets,  through  his  Incarnate  Son,  and 
through  the  apostles.  This,  then,  is  the  gospel  according  to  Jesus  ascended.  It  is  the  peculiar  type  of 
that  gospel  which,  without  symbol  or  altar  or  limit  of  nation,  is  to  be  preached  till  his  second  coming. 
So,  also,  it  is  significant  as  the  last  paragraph  of  the  last  chapter  of  the  last  book  of  God's  revealed  word. 
For  immediately  upon  its  utterance  and  record,  that  great  seal — written  all  over  with  curses  against  him 
who  shall  by  a  single  word  add  to  or  subtract  from  the  revelation  here  finished — closes  up  finally  the  com- 
munications from  heaven.  But  Jesus  has  one  more  last  word  to  say.  In  every  conceivable  form  of  as- 
surance and  invitation  he  had  called  sinners  through  all  the  divers  manner  of  his  revelations  before,  yet 
still  his  love  seems  to  stay  the  hand  that  is  putting  on  the  seal,  that  it  may  first  insert  one  more  invitation 
and  assurance,  lest  some  poor,  dark-minded  sinner  should  still  despond  and  despair.  "  Stay,"  the  ascended 
Jesus  seems  to  say :  "  Put  not  on  the  cursing  seal,  till  there  first  be  put  in  one  more  gospel  assurance  and 
invitation.  And  make  it  wide  as  human  thought  can  possibly  conceive  of  it ;  plain  as  human  language 
can  possibly  utter  it ;  and  cordial  as  the  heart  of  God  alone  can  give  it.  Assure  them  from  me,  David's 
Creator,  and  yet,  as  the  offspring  of  David,  their  brother,  partaker  of  flesh  and  blood ;  assure  them  from 
me,  the  Day-star  of  all  their  longings,  now  risen  and  enthroned  in  the  heaven,  that  the  fountain  of  life  is 
now  thrown  wide  open,  and  its  streams  are  gushing  forth  in  all  their  infinite  fullness,  with  every  barrier 
of  approach  to  it  absolutely  taken  away.  Tell  them  that  not  only  have  they  leave  to  come,  but  every  lov- 
ing voice  in  heaven  and  earth  pleads  and  urg*s  them  to  come.  My  spirit  whispers  to  the  depths  of  their 
spirits,  saying,  '  Come.'  My  bride,  the  Church,  in  all  her  divinely  appointed  ordinances  cries,  '  Come ! ' 
'  Come.'  Nay,  more,  lest  it  be  in  highways  and  hedges  where  there  should  be  no  Church  ordinances  to 
reach  any  one,  every  sinner  that  heareth  my  voice  himself  is  authorized  to  say  to  any  other  sinner, 
'  Come.'  Nay,  more,  lest  there  should  be  no  such  sinner  to  invite  him,  tell  any  soul  that  feels  the  thirst 
not  to  stand  on  ceremony,  but,  self-invited,  '  Come.'  Nay,  more  still,  lest  now  some  poor,  sin-darkened 
soul  should  stumble  at  the  word  '  athirst,'  and  doubt  if  his  thirst  is  real  or  great  enough,  say  absolutely, 
'  ^VAosoever  will,  let  him  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely.'  I  will  be  the  Saviour  of  any  that  will  have  me 
for  a  Saviour.     Only  let  him  cry  in  his  despair,  '  0  Lamb  of  God  I  come — just  as  I  am.'  "     S.  R. 


6-21.  This  epilogue  to  the  book  corresponds  to 
its  brief  prologue.  It  enforces  the  authority  of  the 
book,  and  emphasizes  the  hope  of  the  Lord's  com- 
ing.    The  order  of  speech  in  it  seems  to  be  this : 

The  angel,  v.  6.       The  Lord,  v.  7.        The  seer,  v.  8 

"        vs.  9-11.  "      vs.  12-20.        "      vs.  20, 21. 

The  angel  of  chapter  1  :  1  dwells  on  the  faithful- 
ness and  truth  of  the  revelation.  The  Lord  says, 
"  Behold  I  come  quickly,"  and  pronounces  a  bless- 


ing on  him  who  keeps  the  sayings  of  this  book. 
The  seer  adds  his  testimony,  "  It  was  I,  John,  who 
heard  and  saw  these  things."  Again  the  angel 
announces  the  imminence  of  the  things  revealed, 
and  draws  a  deep  line  between  the  righteous  and 
the  wicked.  The  Lord  repeats  the  intimation  of 
his  coming ;  proclaims  himself  the  first  and  the 
last ;  defines  who  they  are  that  will  be  admitted 
into  the  holy  city,  and  who  will  be  shut  out ;  warns 


784 


SECTION  S86.— REVELATION' 


6-Sl. 


against  all  tampering  with  "  the  words  of  the  book 
of  this  prophecy " ;  and  then,  for  the  third  time, 
declares,  "  Yes,  I  come  quickly."  The  seer  replies 
with  the  grand  and  simple  prayer,  "  Amen.  Yes, 
come.  Lord  Jesus  !  " 

This  chapter  is  a  noble  conclusion  of  the  book, 
and  the  book  a  noble  conclusion  of  the  Bible.  The 
last  sweet  note  of  a  piece  of  music  dwells  in  the 
listener's  ear.  Even  though  in  a  lengthened  piece 
there  may  have  been  many  varieties  of  musical  ex- 
pression, and,  among  these,  wild  piercing  strains 
and  pealing  tumults  of  sound,  the  composer  and 
performer  take  care  to  produce  the  last  notes  round 
and  soft,  to  fill,  soothe,  and  satisfy  the  sense.  And 
may  not  this  book  of  prophecy  be  likened  to  a 
mighty  oratorio  in  which  there  is  one  all-prevailing, 
oft-recurring  air,  "Behold!  the  Lord  cometh"? 
There  is  a  splendid  burst  of  sound,  then  a  sustained, 
difficult  passage,  then  a  gentle  or  a  pensive  melody ; 
now  a  solemn  recitative  and  then  a  high  strain  and 
grand  chorus  of  sublimity,  in  which,  from  the  open 
heavens,  myriads  of  voices  join.  But,  as  this  mag- 
nificent composition  draws  to  a  close,  the  notes 
are  loving,  simple,  and  sweet.  After  ecstasies  that 
move  every  power  of  the  imagination  and  every 
feeling  of  the  heart,  all  is  ended  in  a  prayer  that 
Christ  would  come,  and  a  kindly  benediction  of  all 
saints.  So  terminates,  not  this  book  only,  but  the 
Bible,  the  complete  book  of  God,  and  therefore  the 
book  of  love.  The  words  fall  with  soothing  ca- 
dence, and  linger  with  us  when  more  brilliant  pas- 
sages are  lost :  "  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
be  with  the  saints."     D.  F. 

7.  The  prophet  MalacM  closes  the  canon  of 
the  Old  Testament  by  a  solemn  appeal  "  to  the  law 
of  Moses,  and  to  the  statutes  and  judgments : " 
"  Remember  them  "  (Mai.  4  :  4).  John  closes  the 
four  Gospels  with  a  similiar  reference  (John  20 :  31). 
Faul  closes  his  Epistles  with  a  testimony  to  the 
sufficiency  and  inspiration  of  Holy  Scripture  (2  Tim. 
3  :  14-1*7).  Peter  in  like  manner  closes  his  Epis- 
tles with  similar  exhortation,  and  with  a  warning 
against  perversion  of  Scripture.  Jude  also  closes 
the  Catholic  Epistles  with  a  memento  to  his  readers : 
"  Remember  ye  the  words  spoken  before  by  the 
apostles  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ "  (Jude  17). 
Lastly,  John  closes  the  Apocalypse  with  a  promise 
of  blessing  to  those  who  keep  its  sayings,  and  a 
curse  on  those  who  take  from  it  or  add  to  it.     W. 

We  must  all  feel  that  the  piety  of  our  day  in- 
closes itself  too  much  within  the  limits  of  individual 
life.  That  /  should  be  pardoned,  saved,  and  sancti- 
fied ;  that  /  should  serve  before  God  and  be  accepted 
in  my  service ;  that  /  should  die  in  peace  and  rest  in 
Christ ;  that  /  should  have  confidence  and  not  be 
ashamed  before  him  at  his  coming — these  are  wor- 
thy desires  for  an  immortal  being,  and  for  these  the 


gospel  provides.  But  it  provides  for  more  than 
these ;  making  me  the  member  of  a  kingdom  of 
Christ,  and  the  citizen  of  a  city  of  God.  There 
ought  surely  to  be  a  consciousness  within  me  cor- 
responding to  that  position  ;  there  ought  to  be  affec- 
tions which  will  associate  me  in  spirit  with  that  larger 
history,  in  which  my  own  is  included,  and  which 
will  make  me  long  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  should 
come  and  the  city  of  God  be  manifested.  The 
blessedness  ascribed  to  him  that  reads  and  those 
who  hear  the  words  of  this  prophecy  can  belong 
only  to  those  who  read  it  and  hear  it  thus.  These 
are  soberly  truthful  words,  whose  thought  is  far  too 

often  overlooked.     T.  D.  B. We  ought  to  receive 

and  to  ponder  God's  whole  revelation ;  not  its  gen- 
tler and  softer  parts  only,  but  those  which  are  sad- 
der and  sterner  too ;  not  those  verses  or  chapters 
only  which  tell  of  unconditional  forgiveness  and  il- 
limitable mercy,  but  those  also  which  ring  the  knell 
of  sin  and  disclose  to  an  incredulous  world  the  fu- 
ture punishment  of  the  wicked.  It  is  not  because 
it  is  a  joyful  message,  but  because  it  is  God's  mes- 
sage, that  the  revelation  is  siveeter  than  honey  and 
the  honeycomb  to  him  who  loves  God.  It  is  the  be- 
ing spoken  to  at  all  by  him  which  is  the  joy  and  the 
glory.  It  is  the  being  in  communication  at  all  with 
the  source  of  light,  with  the  fountain-head  of  truth ; 
it  is  the  being  fed  out  of  the  heavenly  store,  and 
dealt  with  as  one  cared  for  by  him  who  is  life 
and  love;  it  is  this  which  the  faithful  servant, 
it  is  this  which  the  reverent  son  regards  as  above 
price,  and  accepts  in  every  part  with  adoring  grati- 
tude.   V. 

11«  It  is  not  that  there  are  not  many  mansions 
in  heaven ;  it  is  not  that  men  or  angels  prevent 
their  entrance  ;  it  is  not  that  the  election  or  repro- 
bation of  God  bars  the  door  against  them  ;  it  is  not 
that  means,  many  and  great,  are  not  employed  to 
introduce  them  into  the  presence  of  the  Lord ;  but 
it  is  because  men  are  unholy  that  they  do  not  enter 
in.  The  unholy  are,  in  the  eternal  state,  xmholy 
still;  and  hence  they  never  see  the  Lord.  They 
continue  to  sin,  and  they  reap  the  wages  of  sin, 

which  is  death.     R.  T. "  He  that  believeth  not," 

saith  Christ,  "  is  condemned  already,  and  the  wrath 
of  God  abideth  on  him."  On  the  other  hand,  "  He 
that  believeth  hath  everlasting  life  " ;  the  estate  of 
heaven  is  already  begun  in  his  soul.  Every  man 
carries  within  him  here  the  germs  of  his  heaven  or 
hell.  The  grace  of  God  nurtures  the  one,  keeping 
it  alive  to  the  day  of  deliverance  ;  the  mercy  of  God 
restrains  the  other  from  bursting  forth  until  the  day 
of  doom.  The  gospel  theory  leaves  really  no  place 
for  the  cavils  against  the  injustice  of  punishing  a 
man  eternally  for  the  sin  of  a  few  days  on  earth. 
For,  according  to  this  theory,  the  sinnei",  remaining 
unchanged  by  the  grace  of  God,  and  without  the 


SECTION  386.—REYELATI0N'  22  :  6-21. 


785 


new  life,  goes  on  into  eternity  just  as  he  is,  to  sin 

on,  and  therefore  to  suffer  on  for  ever.     S.  R. 

The  general  impression  of  the  Bible,  as  a  whole,  is 
that  of  two  classes  of  people — the  godly  and  the 
wicked;  of  a  God,  boundless  in  his  love, mercy, and 
patience  toward  all ;  offering  pardon  to  all,  without 
respect  of  persons  or  conditions ;  treating  with  ten- 
der fatherliness  all  who  accept  his  overtures,  and 
with  righteous  retribution  all  who  finally  reject  them ; 
of  two  destinations  corresponding  to  each  sort  of 
character,  popularly  known  as  heaven  and  hell — it 
is  a  matter  of  indifference  by  what  names  these 
localities  are  known,  for  character  is  the  essential 
thing — that  these  two  states  are  conscious  states  of 
being;  the  wicked  know  themselves  as  punished 
and  miserable  for  cause — the  righteous  know  them- 
selves as  blessed  for  cause ;  and  that  these  states 
are  then  final  and  eternal.  With  this  general  Im- 
pression that  the  Bible  leaves  correspond  the  last 
chapters  of  Revelation  and  the  finality  which  sounds 
out  with  dreadful  emphasis :  "  The  time  is  at  hand. 
He  that  is  unjust  let  him  be  unjust  still ;  and  he 
that  is  filthy  let  him  be  filthy  still ;  and  he  that  is 
righteous  let  him  be  righteous  still ;  and  he  that  is 
holy  let  him  be  holy  still."  With  this  aspect  of 
finality  harmonizes  the  intense  earnestness  of  the 
Saviour  and  the  apostles  in  pressing  upon  men  the 
claims  of  God,  and  urging  their  acceptance  this  day, 
this  hour,  as  if  it  were  noiu  or  never.  Also  the 
clearly  revealed  fact  that,  after  the  judgment,  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  sinful  men  have  access 
to  God,  will  give  up  his  mediatorial  office — an  em- 
phatic intimation  that  the  work  of  redemption  is 
finished.     Haydn. 

13.  The  one  solemn  proclamation  begins  in  the 
first  and  ends  in  the  last  chapter,  as  though  it  were 
the  key-note  of  the  entire  :  "  I  am  Alpha  and  Ome- 
ga, the  first  and  the  last ! "  marking  the  same- 
ness of  his  eternal  being  and  agency  through  the 
long  succession  of  revolutions  the  book  records,  and, 
in  this  brief  expression  of  the  divine  omnipotence 
of  the  Messiah,  drawing,  as  it  were,  the  moral  of  it 
all.     W.  A.  B. 

17.  The  tone  of  this  verse,  considered  in  view  of 
its  place  amid  the  scenes  of  this  book,  is  wonderful- 
ly rich  and  impressive.  Think  of  the  real  author's 
standpoint  and  of  the  grand  objects  that  lie  within 
his  range  and  ours.  The  "  river  of  the  water  of 
life  "  is  flowing  before  the  eye  ;  the  joys  of  the  re- 
deemed have  come  down  in  their  voices  of  song  and 
alleluias  of  praise  and  triumph.  Over  against  these 
there  have  been  visions  of  the  lost,  the  smoke  of 
their  torment  arising  for  ever  and  ever ;  and,  not 
least,  we  have  the  grand  issue  of  the  great  moral 
conflict  of  earth — victory  for  Zion  and  magnificent 
success  to  the  gospel  in  subduing  the  world  to  Jesus 
— all  significant  of  the  grand  truth  that  "  the  seed 
50 


of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the  serpent's  head,"  and 
Satan  be  not  only  foiled  but  infinitely  cursed  for  his 
antagonism  to  God  and  goodness,  and  all  his  follow- 
ers with  him.  And  now,  all  these  sublime  realities 
standing  embodied  before  us  in  speaking  symbols, 
the  voice  from  heaven  is  heard,  "  Whosoever  will, 
let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely  ! "  Provided  for 
all ;  offered  to  all ;  welcome  to  all ;  none  shall  fail 
but  those  who  dash  the  brimming  cup  from  their 
own  lips ;  none  but  those  who  hate  Jesus  and  love 
death !    H.  C. 

The  river  of  life  will  roll  on  for  ever.  Its 
pure  waters,  clear  as  crystal,  shall  for  ever  gladden 
and  refresh  the  inhabitants  of  heaven.  But  on  the 
banks  of  that  river  you  may  never  recline.  Far 
away  from  that  pure  stream — far  away  from  all  the 
bliss  of  heaven — far  away  from. the  redeemed  and 
happy  throng  assembled  there,  may  be  your  eternal 
abode,  where  never  again  shall  you  hear  the  invita- 
tion, "  Whosoever  will,  let  him  come  and  take  the 
water  of  life  freely."  To-day,  all  the  universe  in- 
vites you.  The  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Spirit  say, 
"  Come."  The  Church  on  earth  and  the  Church  re- 
deemed say,  "  Come."  The  friend  that  has  gone  to 
the  skies  and  the  friend  on  earth  say,  "  Come." 
The  tender  father ;  the  ailectionate  mother ;  the 
pastor  ;  the  brother  ;  the  sister — all  say,  "  Come." 
Your  own  nature ;  your  conviction  of  the  truth  ; 
your  sense  of  sin ;  your  dread  of  death ;  your  in- 
extinguishable desire  of  immortality ;  your  convic- 
tion that  "  this  world  can  never  give  the  bliss  for 
which  you  sigh  " — all  say,  "  Come."  To-morrow, 
how  changed  may  be  the  scene  !  Death's  cold  fin- 
gers may  have  felt  after  the  strings  of  life,  and 
chilled  them,  and  your  soul  may  be  beyond  hope 
and  heaven.  Not  a  voice  from  all  the  universe  will 
ever  say  to  you  again,  "  Come,  take  the  water  of  life 

freely."    A.  B. The  next  word  which  we  shall 

hear  from  the  world's  Redeemer  will  decide  and 
divulge  what  treatment  we  have  bestowed  on  his 
great  salvation.  Which  shall  it  be,  Come,  or  De- 
part ?  What  an  epitaph  that  would  be  for  a  ruined 
soul  for  which  Christ  died,  "  Ye  icoidd  not  come 
unto  me,  that  you  might  have  life !  "     W.  A. 

The  wide  commission  of  Christ  at  the  very  close 
of  Revelation,  "  Let  him  that  heareth  say.  Come !  " 
was  successfully  carried  out  in  the  earliest  days  of 
Christianity.  All  who  learned  the  story  of  the 
cross  felt  and  obeyed  the  impulse  to  tell  it.  And 
this  great  lay  commission  abides  in  full  force  to-day. 

It  is  addressed  to  every  disciple.     B. Man,  the 

moment  he  is  made  a  Christian,  becomes  a  mis- 
sionary ;  the  unction  of  the  saint  is  thus  expended 
in  the  duties  and  sacrifices  of  the  servant.  And  it 
is  the  feature,  the  grand,  ennobling  feature,  of  the 
gospel,  that  he  who  drinks  deepest  of  its  living 
water  thirsts  most  to  diffuse  it.     Cummmg. 


786 


SECTION  386.— REVELATION  22  :  6-21. 


18,  19.  The  Bible  as  an  inspired  record  is  an 
infallible,  and  it  is  the  final,  authority  for  faith  and 
life.  Its  inspiration  involves  its  infallibility.  In- 
terpreted, as  all  works  must  be,  by  its  real  spirit, 
it  gives  us  truth  without  error.  Light  and  life  come 
from  the  ministry  of  the  word.  Its  hallowed  say- 
ings arc  our  stay,  when  all  other  support  fails ;  our 
rock  amid  the  billows ;  the  songs  of  our  pilgrimage ; 
the  pledge  of  our  final  rest.  Such  implicit  faith 
may  be  stigmatized  as  bibliolatry ;  but  where  else 
can  we  go  to  find  the  words  of  eternal  life  ?  Bibli- 
olatry clings  to  the  letter ;  spirituality  in  the  letter 
finds  the  spirit,  and  dares  not  disown  the  letter 
which  guided  to  the  spirit.  For  the  enduring  wants 
of  the  soul,  for  the  problems  of  sin,  salvation  and 
eternity,  we  here  find  an  unwavering  authority,  and 
rest  in  faith  and  joy  upon  the  last  assurance  of  the 
highest  testimony.  Thus  saith  the  Lord.  And,  as.it 
is  an  infallible,  so  is  it  a  final  authority.  No  man 
may  add  unto,  or  take  away  from,  the  words  of  this 
book.  "Here  is  the  judge  that  ends  the  strife." 
Like  its  divine  author,  it  has  full  oft  been  called 
before  human  tribunals,  been  reviled,  spit  upon,  yea 
buried,  that  it  might  rise  again  with  new  power 
and  bless  even  its  persecutors.  Of  controversy,  as 
history  testifies,  it  has  ever  been  the  arbiter;  of 
opposing  systems,  the  invariable  conqueror :  every 
scheme  of  men  has  become  wan  and  shriveled  at  its 
touch.  Beyond  its  revelations  and  its  prophecies 
thought  can  not  reach ;  it  contains  as  well  the  oldest 
of  records  as  the  most  living  of  prophecies.  New 
assailants  in  the  flush  of  self-consciousness  call  it 
antiquated,  and  its  antiquity  is  as  that  of  God  him- 
self ;  it  is  older  than  the  stars  and  the  earth,  and 
awaits  their  dissolution,  that  all  its  revelations  may 
be  fulfilled.  But  it  is  also  ever  new,  as  well  as  ever 
old,  the  most  progressive  as  it  is  the  most  conserva- 
tive of  influences,  the  counterpart  of  the  wisdom  of 
God :  all  literature  has  drawn  deep  and  precious 
draughts  from  this  unfaihng  fountain;  its  orient 
pearls  are  scattered  through  all  lands ;  philosophy 
has  there  found  the  test  of  its  errors  and  the  lord- 
liest of  its  truths ;  for  four  thousand  years  its  words 


have  been  inspiration  and  life,  comforting  the  down- 
cast, and  breaking  the  oppressor's  rod ;  pledging 
peace  to  the  penitent,  and  opening  to  all  the  very 
gates  of  endless  life ;  subduing  with  imperial  might 
all  other  words,  speaking  in  such  tones  of  authority 
as  you  read  in  no  other  books ;  and  in  the  very 
name  of  the  Lord  proclaiming  a  kingdom,  which 
has  been  ever  advancing  yet  never  subdued ;  and 
thus  like  a  living  power  has  it  been  doing  a  living 
and  abiding  work  among  the  children  of  men,  in 
every  clime,  in  every  language,  and  now  wider  than 
ever  before  are  its  words  rehearsed — its  lines  have 
gone  out  through  all  the  earth  and  its  words  to 
the  end  of  the  world.     H.  B.  S. 

20.  That  disciple  who  had  been  favored  in  a 
peculiar  degree  with  the  gift  of  intuition  and  pro- 
found contemplation;  who  was  admitted  to  the 
special  confidence  of  the  Head  of  the  Church ;  and 
who,  as  the  patriarch  of  the  apostolic  Church,  ex- 
perienced most  of  its  conflicts  and  sufferings,  its 
victories  and  hopes — that  disciple  was  best  fitted  of 
all  the  apostles  to  be  the  organ  of  these  revelations 
of  the  future  and  the  final  completion  of  the  Church, 
and  to  seal  her  sacred  records.  The  mystic  John 
was  by  his  sanctified  natural  gifts,  as  well  as  by  his 
position  and  experience,  predestinated,  so  to  speak, 
to  unveil  the  deep  foundations  of  the  Church's  life 
and  the  ultimate  issue  of  her  history ;  so  that  in  the 
Apocalypse  the  apostle  simply  placed  the  majestic 
dome  upon  the  wonderful  structure  of  his  gospel, 
with  the  golden  inscription  of  holy  longing:  "Even 
so,  come.  Lord  Jesus !  "     P.  S. 

"  Come,  Lord  Jesus,"  is  the  epitome  of  all  the 
prayers  that  the  believer  is  called  upon  to  offer.  It 
is  a  prayer  for  the  overthrow  of  Satan's  kingdom ; 
for  the  extinction  of  sorrows,  the  cessation  of  pain, 
the  wiping  away  of  tears ;  for  the  descent  of  the 
New  Jerusalem ;  for  the  sanctification  and  perfec- 
tion of  saints ;  for  the  creating  anew  of  all  things ; 
in  a  word,  for  the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth 
wherein  dwelleth  righteousness.  Let  this  prayer 
never  die  on  our  lips  while  we  have  breath :  "Even 
so,  come.  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly."     G.  B. 


SUMMARIZED  TOPICS. 


Section  387. 
Clirist  tlie  Center  of  Christian  Theology 


The  central  idea  of  Christianity,  as  a  dis- 
tinct system,  can  only  be  found  in  him  of 
whom  prophets  did  testify,  evangelists  write, 
and  apostles  preach  ;  whose  life  was  the 
crowning  glory  of  humanity,  as  his  death  was 
its  redemption ;  and  from  whose  death  and 
from  whose  life  influences  and  blessings  have 
streamed  forth,  constant  and  inestimable ;  in 
him,  whose  nature,  more  wonderful  than  any 
other,  unites  the  extremes  of  humanity  and 
divinity ;  whose  work,  more  glorious  and 
needed  than  any  other,  reconciles  heaven  to 
earth  and  earth  to  heaven  ;  and  whose  domin- 
ion is  as  intimate  in  its  efficiency  as  it  is  emi- 
nent in  its  claims  and  beneficent  in  its  results. 
He  is  the  center  of  God's  revelation  and  of 
man's  redemption;  of  Christian  doctrine  and 
of  Christian  history,  of  conflicting  sects,  and 
of  each  believer's  faith,  yea,  of  the  very  his- 
tory of  this  our  earth,  Jesus  Christ  is  the  full, 
the  radiant,  the  only  center — fitted  to  be  such 
because  he  is  the  God-man  and  the  Eedeem- 
er  ;  Christ — Christ,  he  is  the  center  of  the 
Christian  system,  and  the  doctrine  respecting 
Christ  is  the  heart  of  Christian  theology. 

And  with  that  glorious  Person  all  the  other 
truths  of  our  faith  are  inherently  connected. 
The  distinct  personality  of  Christ  is  the  start- 
ing point  from  which  to  infer  the  reality  of  the 
distinctions  in  the  Godhead ;  atonement  and 
justification  center  in  him  ;  our  very  spiritual 
life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God ;  if  we  believe 
in  him  we  are  born  of  God  ;  we  are  to  be 
changed  into  the  image  of  Christ ;  the  sacra- 
ments of  the  Church  testify  of  him  until  he 
come.    And  a  theology  which  finds  its  center 


in  such  a  being,  can  not  be  a  barren,  abstract 
system ;  but  it  gives  us  a  direct  and  personal 
object  for  our  faith  and  love.  Thus,  and  thus 
only,  does  Christian  theology  express  the  Chris- 
tian faith  in  its  perfect  form. 

Let  us  come  to  have  a  deeper  sense  of  the 
grand  realities  of  our  faith.  To  corpe  to  these 
is  our  safety,  our  defense.  To  see  and  feel 
and  know  what  Christianity  really  is  in  its 
inward  and  distinctive  character ;  to  study 
those  central  truths  which  lie  at  its  foundation ; 
here  is  our  strength.  Let  us  come  unto  Jesus. 
"When  Christ  is  to  us  more  than  a  doctrine,  and 
the  atonement  more  than  a  plan ;  when  the 
Incarnation  assumes  as  high  a  place  in  revealed, 
as  creation  does  in  natural  theology ;  when  the 
Trinity  is  viewed  not  as  a  formula,  but  as  a 
vital  truth,  underlying  and  interwoven  with 
the  whole  Christian  system ;  when  from  this 
foundation  the  whole  edifice  rises  up  majes- 
tically, grand  in  its  proportions,  sublime  in  its 
aims,  filled  with  God  in  all  its  parts  ;  when  we 
feel  its  inherent  force  streaming  out  from  its 
living  centers  ;  then,  then  are  we  saved  from 
those  extreme  tendencies  which  are  the  most 
significant  and  alarming  sign  of  our  times; 
then,  then  are  we  elevated  above  those  lesser 
controversies  which  liave  narrowed  our  mind's 
and  divided  our  hearts.  Here  also  we  have  a 
real  inward  experience  as  well  as  an  objective 
reality ;  for  the  best  and  fullest  inward  expe- 
rience is  that  which  centers  in  Christ ;  and  the 
center  of  the  experience  is  then  identical  with 
the  center  of  the  divine  revelation. 

Kever  are  we  so  far  from  having  any  ab- 
stract ethical  or  metaphysical  principles  exer- 


788 


SECTION  388.— TEE  PRIESTHOOD   OF  CERIST. 


cise  an  undue  influence ;  never  are  we  so  far 
from  a  too  fond  reliance  on  self  and  never  is 
self  so  full  and  satisfied;  never  are  we  in  a 
better  position  for  judging  all  our  controver- 
sies with  a  righteous  judgment,  or  nearer  to 
the  highest  Christian  uuion ;  never  do  the 
divine  decrees  shine  in  so  mild  a  luster,  so  be- 
nignant with  grace,  so  solemn  and  severe  in 
justice ;  never  can  we  be  more  wisely  deliv- 
ered from  the  material  attractions  of  an  out- 
ward rite,  or  from  the  ideal  seductions  of  a 
pantheistic  system ;  never  is  doctrine  so  full 
of  life,  and  life  so  richly  expressed  in  doctrine ; 
never  does  systematic  theology  so  perfectly 
present  the  full  substance  of  the  Christian  faith 
in  a  truly  scientific  form ;  and  never  are  phi- 
losophy and  faith  so  joined  in  hymeneal  bonds, 
where  they  may  "  exult  in  over-measure,"  as 
when  Christ  is  set  forth  as  the  living  center  of 
all  faith  and  of  all  theology,  in  whom  the 
whole  body  is  fitly  joined  together,  compacted 
by  that  which  every  joint  supplieth. 

For,  to  Christ,  as  Mediator,  all  parts  of 
theology  equally  refer.  He  is  both  God  and 
man,  and  also  the  Redeemer.  The  logical  an- 
tecedents of  his  mediation  are,  therefore,  the 
doctrine  respecting  God,  the  doctrine  respect- 
ing man,  the  fall  and  consequent  need  of  re- 
demption, as  also  that  triune  constitution  of 
the  Godhead,  which  alone,  so  far  as  we  can 
conceive,  makes  redemption  by  an  Incarnation 
to  be  possible.  Thus  we  have  the  first  division 
of  the  theological  system,  the  antecedents  of 
redemption,  which  is  also  first  in  both  the 
logical  and  historical  order.  Its  second  and 
central  portion  can  only  be  found  in  the  per- 
son and  work  of  Christ,  his  one  Person  uniting 
humanity  with   divinity,  in   the  integrity  of 


both  natures,  adapting  him  to  his  one  super- 
human work,  as  our  prophet,  priest,  and  king, 
making  such  satisfaction  for  sin  that  God  can 
be  just  and  justify  every  one  that  believeth ; 
and  this  second  division  of  the  system  follows 
the  first  in  both  the  logical  and  historical  or- 
der, giving  the  peculiar  ofiice  of  the  second 
person  of  the  Godhead,  the  purchase  of  re- 
demption, the  Christology  of  theology.  And 
in  like  manner  the  same  mediatorial  idea  passes 
over  into  the  third  and  last  division  of  the 
system  which  treats,  in  proper  logical  and  his- 
torical order,  of  the  application  of  the  redemp- 
tion that  is  in  Christ,  to  the  individual,  to  the 
Church,  and  to  the  history  and  final  supremacy 
of  the  kingdom  of  God  both  in  time  and  eter- 
nity. Union  with  Christ  through  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  here  the  dominant  fact ;  his  union 
with  the  individual,  whence  justification,  re- 
generation, and  sanctification,  for  our  life  is 
hid  with  Christ  in  God ;  his  union  with  the 
Church,  which  is  his  body,  here,  as  Gerhard 
says,  "  like  Christ  subjected  to  the  cross  that 
it  may  in  the  future  life  with  him  be  glorified." 

And  this  scheme  of  divine  realities,  and 
not  of  mere  abstract  doctrine,  is  ultimately  to 
be  referred  to  the  counsel  of  him,  of  whom,       ■ 
through  whom,  and  to  whom  are  all  things.        * 
It  gives  us  the  true  end  of  God  in  creation,      *"•* 
which  can  only  be,  in  any  profound  philosophi- 
cal, not  to  say  theological  aspect,  the  making 
the  essential  glory  of  the  triune  God  to  be  ex- 
tant and  manifest  in  space  and  time,  in  a  sys- 
tem which  subordinates  happiness  to  holiness 
and  man  to  God. 

In  redemption  prepared,  purchased,  and 
applied,  we  have  the  whole  of  Christian  theol- 
ogy.   E.  B.  Smith. 


Section  388. 
The  Priesthood  of  Christ. 


While  the  Scriptures  insist  with  peculiar 
emphasis  upon  the  mediation  of  Christ,  and 
represent  the  functions  which  are  discharged 
in  it  as  essential  to  salvation,  it  is  not  suffi- 
ciently considered  that  these  functions  them- 
selves are  not  necessarily  sacerdotal  —  that 
they  might  have  been  discharged  by  one  who 
was  not  a  priest  in  the  common  acceptation  of 
the  term.    All  that  seems  to  be  indispensable 


to  salvation  is  the  obedience  of  a  substitute 
voluntarily  assuming  our  guilt  and  able  to 
endure  the  curse  of  the  law.  The  Epistle  to 
the  Romans  discusses  the  principles  of  the 
gospel  in  their  general  relations  to  the  moral 
government  of  God,  and  demonstrates,  as  well 
as  asserts  iipon  authority,  the  absolute  neces- 
sity of  legal  substitution  in  order  to  life.  But 
if  the  disclosures  of  revelation  stopped  here, 


SECTION  388.— TEE  PRIESTHOOD    OF  CHRIST. 


789 


we  might  look  upon  the  death  of  the  Redeem- 
er as  the  result  simply  of  the  operation  of  jus- 
tice— a  death  inflicted  by  the  law,  exclusively 
penal  in  its  nature  and  relations,  exacted  of 
him  in  the  same  sense  in  which  it  would  other- 
wise have  been  exacted  of  the  sinner.  We 
might  regard  pardon  as  resulting  from  faith  in 
that  death  as  a  satisfaction  to  justice,  and  ac- 
cess to  God  as  immediate  and  tiirect  in  conse- 
quence of  this  historical  fact  as  a  past  reality. 
The  principles  here  discussed  would  resolve 
the  security  of  our  state  into  the  covenant 
faithfulness  of  God  without  the  least  insight 
into  the  manner  in  which  it  is  actually  made 
available  to  the  saints.  All  that  we  could  say 
would  be  that  our  debt  has  been  paid,  that 
justice  no  longer  demands  our  lives,  that  God 
has  promised  in  consequence  of  the  Redeem- 
er's death  to  receive  us  into  favor,  and  upon 
the  ground  of  that  death  we  might  appi'oach 
him  ourselves  and  sue  for  mercy.  This  is  all 
that  could  be  certainly  collected  from  the  gen- 
eral discussion  of  this  Epistle.  But  when  we 
turn  to  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  we  find  in- 
deed a  substitute,  and  the  substitute  demanded 
by  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  but  that  substi- 
tute is  embodied  in  a  priest ;  we  find  a  death, 
a  penal  death,  a  death  which  is  commensurate 
with  the  curse  of  the  law,  but  it  is  a  death 
which  is  also  a  sacrifice — at  once  the  result  of 
the  operation  of  justice  and  of  a  free-will  of- 
fering to  God.  "We  find  justification  and  par- 
don resolved  ultimately  into  the  obedience  and 
death  of  Christ  as  past  historical  facts,  but  im- 
mediately due  to  relations  sustained  to  him  as 
a  living  person  and  Redeemer;  and  access  to 
God  ascribed,  not  so  much  to  faith  in  his  past 
achievements  as  to  his  present  appearance  for 
us  in  the  holiest  of  all ;  and  the  covenant  faith- 
fulness of  God  is  seen  to  be  maintained  through 
the  agency  of  him  who  ever  liveth  to  make  in- 
tercessions for  us. 

The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  may  be  regard- 
ed as  a  detailed  account  of  the  method  in  which 
the  great  law  of  substitution  has  been  actually 
applied  in  the  redemption  of  our  race.  While 
that  to  the  Romans  shows  what  must  needs  be 
done  in  order  to  our  salvation,  the  Epistle  to 
the  Hebrews  shows  how  it  has  been  done ;  and 
where  the  arrangements  have  gone  beyond  the 
strict  requisitions  of  necessity,  they  are  dem- 
onstrated to  be  the  dictates  at  once  of  mercy 
and  wisdom.  Priesthood  is  the  perfection 
of  mediation.     There  is  not  a  single  circum- 


stance which  distinguishes  a  priest  from  a 
general  substitute  which  is  not  significant,  a 
proof  of  goodness,  a  fresh  illustration  of  the 
adaptation  of  redemption  to  the  condition  of 
its  objects ;  not  a  single  circumstance  which 
distinguishes  a  sacrifice  from  the  ordinary 
forms  of  death  that  does  not  enhance  the 
preciousness  of  the  Saviour's  work.  The  full 
effect  of  this  truth  is  lost  upon  most  Christian 
minds  through  inattention  to  the  distinctions 
in  question.  They  admire  the  goodness  and 
adore  the  wisdom  of  God  in  providing  a  sub- 
stitute for  the  guilty,  able  to  reconcile  the  con- 
flicting claims  of  justice  and  of  grace ;  but 
apart  from  the  adaptation  of  his  person  to  the 
mighty  work  they  see  nothing  upon  which  they 
are  accustomed  to  dwell  as  peculiarly  indica- 
tive of  the  divine  goodness.  They  overlook 
the  adaptation  of  his  ofiice ;  they  forget  that 
the  manner  in  which  he  has  accomplished  the 
work  is  as  glorious  as  the  matter — the  how  as 
sublime  as  the  what.  The  work  as  done,  the 
person  by  whom,  exhaust  their  topics  of  ad- 
miration and  of  praise,  and  they  fail  to  enter 
into  those  other  motives  of  faith,  devotion  and 
thanksgiving,  which  are  derived  from  the  con- 
templation of  the  oflace  in  its  essential  and 
distinguishing  features.  They  use  the  terms 
Priest  and  High  Priest,  and  have  a  habitual 
reference  to  the  appearance  of  the  Saviour  in 
the  presence  of  God ;  but  their  High  Priest  is, 
after  all,  but  little  more  than  an  all-sufficient 
sponsor,  and  his  intercessions  are  regarded 
rather  as  acts  of  royalty  than  sacerdotal  pleas. 
It  is  amazing  how  little  and  seldom  we  enter 
into  those  views  of  the  death  of  the  Redeemer 
which  spring  from  the  consideration  of  it  as 
a  real  and  proper  sacrifice — how  little  we  dis- 
criminate betwixt  a  legal  representative  and  a 
consecrated  priest,  betwixt  Christ  glorious  in 
his  kingdom  and  equally  glorious  in  the  holiest 
of  all,  betwixt  even  his  triumphant  ascension 
as  a  King  and  his  passage  as  intercessor,  not 
without  blood,  into  the  presence  of  God.  As 
these  distinctions  are  evidently  important,  and 
the  benefits  of  that  peculiar  form  of  mediation 
to  which  the  Saviour  was  appointed  are  clearly 
explained  by  the  apostle,  it  may  be  well  to 
show  how  much  we  have  gained  and  how  pre- 
eminently God  is  glorified  by  this  whole  ar- 
rangement. 

A  priest  is  a  solemn  minister  of  religion — 
the  channel  through  which  all  worship  is  con- 
ducted— the  organ  of  all  communications  be- 


790 


SECTION'  3S8.—TEE  PRIESTHOOD   OF  CHRIST. 


twixt  God  and  the  people.  This  august  agency 
none  can  assume  without  the  authority  of  God. 
So  awful  and  momentous  is  this  office,  which 
really  collects  the  prayers  and  praises  and 
thanksgivings  of  a  world  into  a  single  person, 
which  centers  the  hopes  of  mankind  upon  the 
conduct  of  a  single  individual  throughout  all 
ages — so  tremendous  is  this  responsibility  and 
so  sublime  this  honor,  that  it  would  be  the 
climax  of  presumption  on  the  part  of  any  one 
to  propose  that  it  should  be  conceded  to  him. 
It  belongs  to  God,  and  to  God  alone,  to  desig- 
nate a  priest.  The  idea  of  a  mediatorial  wor- 
ship conducted  by  a  permanent  and  glorious 
minister,  and  so  conducted  as  to  strengthen 
the  ties  of  personal  obligation,  is  an  idea  which 
could  only  originate  in  the  mind  of  the  Deity ; 
and  there  was  an  evident  fitness  and  propriety 
in  the  solemnity  and  grandeur  attached  to  the 
appointment  of  Jesus  to  this  office  when  he 
was  consecrated  not  without  an  oath.  A 
scheme  which  contemplates  an  arrangement 
of  this  sort  bears  stamped  upon  it  the  strongest 
impress  of  grace.  It  sprang  from  the  bosom 
of  God;  it  was  mercy,  which  conceived  the 
purpose  of  salvation;  mercy,  which  accepted 
the  substitute;  and  mercy  upon  mercy,  the 
exuberance  of  grace,  which  made  that  substi- 
tute a  priest. 

The  very  nature  of  the  priesthood  de- 
mands that  the  spirit  of  sublime  devotion  to 
God  and  heroic  self-sacrifice  to  man,  which 
first  secured  his  consent  to  the  enterprise, 
should  animate  him  at  every  step  in  his  his- 
tory, and  sanctify  every  function  of  his  office. 
He  is  not  to  be  the  passive  recipient  of  ill. 
As  a  priest  he  must  act — there  are  things  to 
be  done  even  in  the  endurance  of  the  curse — 
and  his  whole  heart  must  burn  with  piety  and 
compassion  while  he  bears  the  sins  of  the 
world  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree.  The  lofty 
and  godlike  motives  which  induced  the  Re- 
deemer, in  the  counsels  of  eternity,  before  the 
morning  stars  had  yet  sung  together  or  the 
sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy,  to  become  the 
Lamb  to  be  slain,  must  have  continued  to 
operate  with  imdiminished  intensity,  or  the 
prerogatives  and  glory  of  his  office  had  been 
forfeited.  The  priestly  spirit  must  have  con- 
tinued to  dwell  and  to  reign  in  his  heart,  or 
the  priestly  robes  would  have  been  taken 
from  his  shoulders.  He  must  have  been  as 
free,  as  cordial,  as  delighted,  when  he  uttered 
the  cry  of  lamentation  and   woe   upon  the 


cross,  which  shook  the  earth  and  startled  the 
dead,  as  when  at  the  glorious  suggestion  of 
the  scheme  he  uttered  the  language,  Lo,  I 
come.  As  the  work  of  a  priest,  it  is  stamped 
upon  the  whole  process  of  redemption  that 
the  substitute  gave  his  consent ;  that  his  self- 
devotion  was  spontaneous  and  free — the  exe- 
cution of  a  settled  purpose  to  which  he  was 
impelled  by  n6  constraining  influence  of  the 
divine  will,  by  no  transitory  fervors  of  en- 
thusiasm, no  martyr  impulse  of  the  moment ; 
that  he  delighted  in  the  work — it  was  his  meat 
and  drink ;  he  felt  it  to  be  an  honor  and  not  a 
hardship,  its  successful  achievement  a  crown 
of  glory,  and  not  a  triumph  over  cruelty. 
This  single  consideration,  that  it  displays  so 
conspicuously  the  freeness  of  the  Saviour's 
mediation,  is  itself  a  sufficient  vindication  of 
the  wisdom  and  fitness  of  a  priesthood.  It 
shows  that  our  felicity  has  not  been  purchased 
at  the  expense  of  the  rights  of  another ;  and, 
though  there  was  an  immense  cost  of  suifering 
and  of  blood,  it  was  never  for  a  moment  be- 
grudged. The  joy  of  the  Mediator  in  the 
work,  therefore,  and  the  vindication  of  God 
from  all  suspicion  of  cruelty,  injustice,  or 
severity,  is  complete  and  triumphant  when  the 
Saviour's  death  is  made  a  sacrifice — a  free-will 
ofi'ering  to  God. 

Furthermore,  when  Jesus  is  seen  to  be  a 
priest,  and  his  death  a  sacrifice,  the  whole 
transaction  becomes  an  august  and  glorious  act 
of  worship.  And  there  is  something,  to  our 
minds,  inexpressibly  sublime  when  we  contem- 
plate the  scheme  of  redemption  as  accom- 
plished by  an  act  of  worship — when  we  look 
upon  Jesus  not  as  a  passive  recipient  of  woes, 
the  unresisting  victim  of  law,  but  as  a  minister 
of  religion,  conducting  its  services  in  the  pres- 
ence of  angels  and  men,  upon  an  emergency 
which  seemed  to  cover  the  earth  with  darkness. 
Our  world  becomes  the  outer  court  of  the  sanc- 
tuary, where  a  sacrifice  is  to  be  offered  in 
which  the  Priest  and  the  Victim  are  alike  the 
wonder  of  the  universe — in  which  the  worship 
which  is  rendered  leaves  it  doubtful  whether 
the  Deity  is  more  glorious  in  his  justice  or  his 
grace.  In  this  aspect  the  satisfaction  of  Jesus 
is  not  merely  the  ground  upon  which  others 
are  at  liberty  to  approach  and  adore  the  divine 
perfections ;  it  is  itself  a  prayer  uttered  by  the 
lips  of  one  whose  deeds  were  words — a  hymn 
of  praise  chanted  by  him  whose  songs  were 
the  inspiration  of  holiness  and  truth.    Every 


SECTION  388.— TEE  PRIESTHOOD   OF  CHRIST. 


791 


proud  imagination  is  rebuked,  every  insinua- 
tion against  the  character  of  God  is  felt  to  be  a 
shame  to  us,  every  disposition  to  cavil  or  con- 
demn is  consigned  to  infamy,  when  we  remem- 
ber that  the  whole  work  of  Jesus  was  a  solemn 
service  of  religion,  as  well  that  by  which  he 
descended  into  the  grave  as  that  by  which  he 
passed  through  the  heavens  into  the  holiest  of 
all.  He  was  a  priest  in  his  death,  a  priest  in 
his  resurrection,  a  priest  in  his  ascension.  He 
worshiped  God  in  laying  his  life  upon  the  altar, 
he  worshiped  him  in  taking  it  again,  and  it  was 
an  act  of  worship  by  which  he  entered  with 
his  blood  into  the  very  presence  of  the  highest 
to  intercede  for  the  saints.  It  was  religion  in 
Jesus  to  die,  to  rise,  to  reign,  as  it  is  religion 
in  us  to  believe  in  these  great  events  of  his  his- 
tory. 

Here,  then,  is  an  incalculable  advantage  of 
priesthood.  While  it  makes  the  passion  of  the 
Eedeeraer  a  full  and  perfect  satisfaction  of 
divine  justice,  and  so  lays  an  adequate  foun- 
dation of  pardon,  it  vindicates  the  divine  glory 
in  every  step  of  the  proceeding  by  making 
every  step  an  act  of  adoration  and  praise.  It 
makes  the  Saviour  adore  the  Father  in  his 
death,  makes  that  very  death  an  offering  of 
praise,  redemption  itself  a  mighty  prayer,  and 
throws  the  sanctities  and  solemnities  of  wor- 
ship— and  worship  on  the  part  of  one  who 
knew  what  was  the  proper  ground  of  worship 
— around  all  the  stages  in  the  development  of 
the  economy  of  grace.  This  seems  to  us  to  be 
the  very  climax  of  wisdom.  It  was  glorious 
to  have  provided  a  substitute  who  should  be 
able  to  bear  our  sins  in  his  own  body  upon  the 
tree,  to  have  devised  a  scheme  by  which  the 
conflicting  claims  of  mercy  and  justice  should 
be  adjusted  and  harmonized — by  which  God 
could  be  just  and  at  the  same  time  the  justifier 
of  those  who  believe  in  Jesus ;  but  it  was  the 
very  perfection  of  wisdom  to  have  executed 
this  scheme  so  that  the  intensest  sufferings 
should  have  produced  only  a  deeper  impres- 
sion of  the  divine  glory  and  of  the  excellence 
and  value  of  the  divine  law.  Surely  in  this 
arrangement  the  law  is  magnified  and  made 
honorable. 

Another  immense  advantage  of  a  priesthood 
is  that  it  quickens  and  stimulates  the  devotion 
of  the  Church  by  the  assurance  it  inspires  that 
all  true  worship,  however  imperfect  or  inade- 
quate, shall  infallibly  be  accepted  and  rewarded. 
There  must  be  a  mediator  of  prayer  and  praise, 


of  all  the  exercises  of  religious  worship,  as 
well   as  a  mediator  to   purchase  our  pardon. 
This  is  accomplished  by  a  priesthood.     There 
is  no  direct  and  immediate  approach  to  God. 
We  come  before  him  only  in  the  name  of  our 
priest,  who  attracts  us  by  community  of  nature, 
and  who  presents  all  our  worship  for  us  be- 
fore the  eternal  throne.     Our  prayers  are  not 
heard  and  received  as  ours,  but  as  the  prayers 
of  Jesus;   our   praises   are   not  accepted    as 
o^^rs,  but  as  the  praises  of  Jesus.     The  imper- 
fection which  attaches  to  our  performances,- 
our  pollution  and  weakness  and  unbelief,  stop 
with   the  High   Priest;    his  intercession   and 
atonement  cover  all  defects,  and  we  are  fault- 
less and  complete  in  him.     The  prayer  which 
reaches  the  ear  of  the  Almighty  is  from  him, 
and  not  from  us,  and  must  be  as  prevalent  as 
his  worth.     Here  is  our  confidence,  not  only 
that  Jesus  died,  but  that  Jesus  lives — that  he 
is  our  intercessor  in  the  heavenly  sanctuary, 
and  there  presents,  enforces,  and  sanctifies  the 
religious  worship  of  earth;  here  is  our  con- 
fidence that  in  the  whole  process  of  salvation 
God  regards  the  Redeemer  and  not  us,  and 
deals  out  blessings  according  to  his  estimate  of 
Christ;  here  is  our  confidence  that  if  any  man 
sin  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus 
Christ  the  righteous.    What  an  encouragement 
to  prayer  and  praise  !     And  what  thanks  shall 
we  render  unto  God  for  adapting  the  marvelous 
scheme  of  his  grace  with  such  consummate 
wisdom  to  the  wants  and  weaknesses  of  men! 
It  deserves,  finally,  to  be  added  that  a  me- 
diation of  priesthood  is  the  form  in  which  con- 
solation is  most  effectually  administered  to  the 
children  of  men.   It  is  necessary  to  any  substi- 
tute that  he  should  be  a  kinsman  of  our  race, 
bone  of  our  bone  and  flesh  of  our  flesh.     But 
besides  the  possession  of  our  nature  free  from 
the  stain  and  impurities  of  sin,  nothing  more 
is  required  for  the  purposes  of  vicarious  right- 
eousness and  penal  expiation  than  the  consent 
of  the  substitute  to  undertake  the  task.    If  he 
can  die  the  death  to  which  we  are  doomed, 
and  is  willing  to  suffer  in  our  stead,  he  is  a 
competent  redeemer.     But  though  this  is  all 
which  is  absolutely  essential  to  a  legal  substi- 
tution, it  is  not  all  which  the  state  and  condi- 
tion of  men  evince  to  be  desirable.     We  want 
a  redeemer  with  a  brother's  heart  as  well  as 
a  brother's  nature.     Though  not  indispensable 
to  our  safety,  it  is  indispensable  to  our  com- 
fort that  our  substitute  should  be  touched  with 


792 


SECTION  389.— CHRIST  TEE  CENTER   OF  HISTORY. 


a  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  that  he  should  be 
able  to  bear  our  sorrows  and  carry  our  griefs. 
Now  this  exquisite  sympathy,  which  is  one  of 
the  most  powerful  incentives  to  faith  and  love, 
is  essential  to  a  priest.  Every  high  priest  or- 
dained for  men  must  not  only  be  a  participant  of 
their  nature,  but  must  have  compassion  on  the 
ignorant  and  on  them  that  are  out  of  the  way. 
He  must  enter  with  sympathetic  tenderness 
into  all  their  temptations  and  calamities,  their 
fears  and  apprehensions,  their  cares  and  sor- 
rows. He  must  be  prepared  to  pity  and  en- 
courage the  weak,  to  comfort  the  weeper  in 
the  house  of  mourning,  to  wipe  the  widow's 
tears,  to  hear  the  orphan's  cries,  to  lie  down 
with  the  beggar  upon  his  pallet  of  straw,  and 
to  watch  with  those  to  whom  wearisome  nights 
are  appointed.  He  must  be  a  friend  in  all 
those  emergencies  in  which  friendship  is  our 
richest  boon.  This  qualification  is  found  pre- 
eminently in  Jesus.  And  those  who  have  felt 
his  presence  in  their  trials  can  appreciate  the 
priceless  value  of  his  sympathy.  He  has  gone 
before  us  through  every  path  of  sorrow,  and 
we  can  not  utter  a  groan  nor  heave  a  sigh 
which  does  not  go  to  his  heart.  His  pity  for 
the  guilty  is  as  tender  as  his  sympathy  with 
the  saint?.  No  language  can  express  the  in- 
tensity of  his  compassion  for  those  who  in  ig- 
norance and  folly  disregard  the  day  of  their 


merciful  visitation,  and  are  heaping  up  wrath 
against  the  day  of  wrath  and  revelation  of  the 
righteous  judgment  of  God.  He  has  no  pleas- 
ure in  their  death.  The  sublimest  example  of 
compassion  which  the  world  has  ever  beheld 
was  furnished  by  the  Saviour  in  that  memora- 
ble prayer  in  which — when  "the  clouds  of 
wrath  from  heaven  and  from  earth,  pregnant 
with  materials  which  nothing  but  a  divine  hand 
could  have  collected,  were  about  to  discharge 
themselves  on  him  in  a  deluge  of  agony  and 
blood,"  when  insulted  by  men,  abandoned  by 
his  friends,  mocked  by  his  enemies,  jeered  by 
devils  and  deserted  by  God,  he  was  about  to 
expire  in  solitude  and  darkness — he  could  still, 
for  a  moment  in  the  plenitude  of  his  pity  for- 
getting these  unspeakable  calamities,  sue  for 
the  forgiveness  of  the  remorseless  agents  of  his 
death.  This  was  compassion  like  a  God.  And 
what  an  exquisite  spectacle  of  tenderness  was 
that  when  Jesus,  on  the  cross,  just  before  the 
consummation  of  the  last  event  that  should 
fulfill  the  predictions  of  ancient  prophecy,  con- 
signed his  mother  to  the  care  of  the  beloved 
disciple !  Surely  such  a  High  Priest  became 
us.  In  our  waywardness  and  folly,  in  our  sins 
and  temptations,  in  our  murmurs  and  impa- 
tience, we  should  alienate  any  other  friend  but 
him  that  sticketh  closer  than  a  brother.  /.  H. 
Thornwell. 


Section  389. 
Christ  the  Center  and  Solution  of  Human  History. 


Ait  old  Jewish  proverb  runs  that  "  The  se- 
cret of  man  is  the  secret  of  the  Messiah."  Man 
knows  what  he  is,  and  is  to  be,  only  as  he  knows 
the  Son  of  God.  In  him  the  enigma  of  human 
destiny  is  resolved.  And  this  is  the  testimony 
of  history,  as  well  as  the  pledge  of  revelation. 
For  eighteen  hundred  years  millions  of  living 
and  believing  hearts  have  hailed  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth as  the  Head  and  Redeemer  of  the  race,  the 
incarnation  of  divinity.  Ancient  history  con- 
verged to  his  cross ;  modern  history  has  re- 
ceived from  him  its  organizing  law.  In  him 
human  thought,  too,  has  found  the  solution  of 
the  problem  of  human  life,  the  disclosure  of 
the  divine  theodicy,  the  reconciliation  between 
God  and  man,  the  center  of  the  whole  drama 
of  history,  even  to  its  consummation  in  a  king- 


dom which  shall  know  no  sin,  and  have  no  end. 
The  facts  of  Christ's  life,  testimony,  death,  re- 
surrection, ascension  and  regal  dominion,  are 
the  substance  of  the  faith  of  the  Church  ;  with- 
out them  Christianity  itself  has  no  vital  power 
or  independent  being. 

This  historic  supremacy  of  Jesus  is  incon- 
trovertible. It  is  as  real  as  religious  life  and 
faith.  Christ  can  no  more  be  expelled  from 
the  course  of  history  than  the  sun  from  the 
circle  of  the  sky.  Skepticism  about  Christ  is 
also  skepticism  about  history  itself;  unbelief 
in  him  is  unbelief  in  the  controlling  ideas  by 
which  men  have  been  inspired,  and  in  the  chief 
objects  for  which  men  have  hitherto  lived. 
And  such  is  the  mysterious  fascination  which 
still  issues  from  his  transcendent  person,  that 


SECTION  390.— CHRISTIANITY,   AS  HISTORY. 


793 


even  the  incredulous  are  drawn  to  him  against 
their  very  will.  He  has  power  over  them. 
To  take  the  veil  from  his  form  is  dimly  felt  to 
be  like  taking  the  veil  from  the  master  of  our 
fate,  and  reading  the  profoundest  meaning  of 
our  earthly  life.  Here  is  the  urn  of  destiny, 
and  that  urn  holds  no  dead  ashes.  His  power 
over  men  is  still  the  power  of  a  hving  person- 
ality. To  every  thoughtful  mind,  believing  or 
unbelieving,  he  is  the  ideal  of  humanity,  the 
Son  of  man,  and,  as  no  other,  the  very  Son  of 
God.  The  vehemence  with  which  his  claims  are 
denied  implies  a  covert  apprehension  that  they 
may  still  be  real.  When  faith  is  lost  reverence 
is  cherished.  Not  to  bow  before  his  matchless 
worth  is  to  be  faithless  to  humanity  if  not  to 
divinity  itself.  His  influence  is  the  marvel  of 
history.  This,  to  say  the  least,  is  a  wonderful 
spectacle,  and  puzzling  to  the  skeptic.  All  the 
logic,  the  criticism,  and  the  philosophy  of  nat- 
m*alisra,  and  of  pantheism,  can  not  suppress 
this  spontaneous  homage  to  the  unrivaled 
spiritual  excellence  of  him  who  is  supernat- 
uralism  itself  in  the  midst  of  human  history. 
And  the  problem  infidelity  has  to  solve  is  this : 
How  can  the  recorded  facts,  attesting  his  char- 
acter and  work,  be  explained,  or  explained 
away,  and  still  leave  room  for  reverence?  Not 
in  the  miracles  iflone,  but  in  the  whole  life  of 
Jesus,  supernaturalism  has  its  stronghold. 
Here,  and  here  alone,  all  is  to  be  won,  or  all 
lost.  If  Christ's  whole  life  can  be  interpreted 
on  the  basis  of  naturalism,  and  he  still  remain 
the  hero  of  humanity ;  if  such  faith  in  him 
can  be  retained  while  prophecy  and  miracle 
are  annulled,  then  the  battle  of  infidelity  is 
substantially  gained. 

Naturalism  must  find  Christ  inexplicable 
and  paradoxical.     It  can  neither  explain  his 


nature,  nor  his  acts,  nor  his  words,  nor  his 
historic  position  and  influence.  But  in  the 
faith  of  the  Church,  the  ideal  and  real  are 
blended,  the  earlier  and  later  words  of  Jesus 
are  harmonized,  his  profoundest  teachings  made 
luminous,  his  mysterious  death  seems  to  be 
necessai'y  to  his  divine  office,  while  his  resur- 
rection and  ascension  complete  his  work  and 
explain  his  historic  triumphs.  The  universe  is 
no  longer,  as  in  the  theory  of  Renan,  on  its 
dark  side,  an  "  abyss,"  and  on  its  side  of  light 
the  phantom  life  of  transient  human  beings  ; 
but  the  infinite  One  and  the  finite  world  are 
united  and  reconciled  in  one  complete  system, 
whose  center  is  found  in  the  person  and  work 
of  an  incarnate  Deity.  Nothing  in  all  litera- 
ture and  all  philosophy  equals  this  sublime  and 
radiant  idea,  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
glory  of  God,  as  it  shines  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.  It  is  written  in  the  open 
page  of  the  divine  oracles,  it  is  impressed  upon 
the  soul  of  the  believer,  it  is  drawn  out  in  the 
theologies  of  the  Church,  it  is  hymned  in  pen- 
itential and  jubilant  psalms,  in  its  substantial 
lineaments  it  is  omnipresent  in  the  history  of 
the  world,  it  unites  time  with  eternity,  and  it 
explains  the  controlling  power  of  the  Son  of 
God  in  the  annals  of  our  race,  whose  highest 
destiny  is  to  be  found  in  coming  to  the  mea- 
sure of  the  stature  of  the  fullness  of  Christ. 

The  Jesus  of  the  Gospels,  the  Epistles,  and 
of  the  Church,  is  human  and  divine,  is  king 
and  priest  in  an  eternal  kingdom,  is  the  Saviour 
of  the  world,  is  the  lord  of  life.  And  this  is 
the  essence  of  supernaturalism.  And  natural- 
ism must  expel  Christ  from  the  heart  and 
the  Church,  from  the  conscience  and  the  life, 
before  it  can  expel  supernaturalism  from  hu- 
man history.     H.  B.  Smith. 


Section  390. 
Christianity— as  History,  as  Truth,  and  as  Life. 


1.  As  History. —  Christianity  hegins  aa  his- 
tory, the  history  of  the  most  extraordinary 
man,  by  common  consent,  in  character,  career, 
and  influence,  who  ever  lived  upon  the  earth, 
or  influenced  the  course  of  human  affairs.  He 
appears  at  first  as  a  teacher  and  reformer.  He 
gathers  disciples,  impressing  himself  by  some 


uncommon  fascination,  wherever  he  goes,  upon 
one  and  another  whom  he  attaches  to  his  per- 
son and  his  cause,  in  spite  of  the  severity  of 
the  service  and  the  frankness  with  which  he 
explains  it.  He  speaks  to  the  public  doctrines 
that  are  strange  for  their  searching  character, 
and  almost  revolutionary  for  their  boldness. 


Y94 


SECTION  SQO.—  CHRISTIANITT,  AS  TRUTH. 


but  always  with  the  air  of  authority,  as  one 
divinely  commissioned  to  proclaim  the  truth 
and  exact  obedience.  His  deeds  attract  atten- 
tion and  enforce  awe  at  the  mysterious  power 
which  lay  in  his  hand  and  his  voice.  He  ut- 
tered mysterious  words  respecting  his  person, 
liis  origin,  his  future  destiny,  and  the  triumph 
of  his  kingdom — words  which,  as  they  grew 
more  explicit,  were  more  and  more  perplexing 
for  their  marvelous  import  and  their  astound- 
ing audacity — words  at  which  his  most  con- 
fiding followers  were  more  and  more  amazed, 
though  they  believed  he  could  not  deceive 
them ;  while  his  bitterest  enemies  were  more 
exasperated,  though  they  could  not  satisfy  even 
themselves  that  "  he  had  a  devil,  or  was  mad." 
Once  or  twice,  extraordinary  manifestations 
were  made  to  a  select  number  of  his  most 
trusted  friends  of  something  as  yet  unexplained 
in  his  person,  whicli  overwhelmed  them  with 
amazement  and  exalted  them  with  reverent 
delight. 

As  we  follow  this  new  historic  force  to  the 
death  of  its  Author,  it  is  all  gathered  within 
the  person  and  tlie  life  of  this  one  Being.  All 
its  energy  and  capacity  to  endure  are  in  him ; 
all  its  power  to  gain  or  hold  the  convictions  or 
the  confidence  of  others  is  his  personal  force. 
He  dies  in  shame  and  agony:  he  is  buried; 
and  in  his  tomb  are  buried  with  him  the  hopes 
of  those  who  had  looked  for  his  coming  and 
kingdom.  But  he  lives  again:  he  remains 
alive  some  forty  days,  and  is  then  removed  for 
ever  from  the  earth.  But  first  he  bequeaths 
to  his  followers  the  simple  duty  of  proclaim- 
ing the  history  of  his  life.  And  at  the  first 
recorded  assembly  of  those  who  received  this 
trust,  they  show  that  they  are  mindful  of  it 
by  taking  measures  to  give  it  effect. 

Christianity  thenceforward  was  propagated 
as  history.  At  the  bold  proclamation  of  this 
completed  life,  the  cause,  that  was  apparently 
lost,  gains  as  it  never  had  gained  before.  In 
the  story  of  the  dead  Christ  who  had  risen, 
there  was  power  to  shake  the  nations.  A  new 
adherent  also  appears  among  the  boldest  advo- 
cates of  the  cause  which  he  had  persecuted — 
not  convinced,  indeed,  by  the  testimony  of  the 
other  witnesses,  but  by  the  direct  manifesta- 
tion of  the  Master  himself,  from  whom  he  re- 
ceived, not  only  his  commission  to  teach,  but 
the  matter  of  the  gospel  which  he  was  to  pro- 
claim. But  Paul,  like  the  rest,  propagated 
Christianity  as  a  history,  telling  the  one  story 


of  the  facts  of  Christ's  life,  superadding  and 
emphasizing  Christ's  appearance  and  commu- 
nications to  himself.  In  Lis  writings,  largely 
doctrinal  as  they  are,  the  well-known  history 
is  repeatedly  assumed  and  affirmed  to  be  true. 

The  history  proclaimed  and  accepted  was, 
very  largely,  a  history  of  supernatural  events. 
The  very  kernel  and  interest  of  this  history, 
as  well  as  its  attractiveness  and  force,  lay  in 
what  was  believed  to  have  been  wrought  by 
divine  power,  and  to  have  been  incapable  of 
being  effected  by  any  inferior  agent  or  agency, 
whether  of  knowledge  or  skill.  This  was  what 
Paul  believed ;  this  was  what  Paul's  disciples 
were  taught  in  Thessalonica  and  Corinth,  in 
the  provinces  of  Galatia,  and  in  Rome — all 
within  some  sixteen  or  twenty  years  after  the 
Christian  story  was  complete. 

The  Christian  history  is  still  lelicved  to  he 
a  true  history  hy  the  great  mass  of  men  over 
whom  Christianity  is  a  controlling  power.  The 
majority  of  those  who  call  themselves  Chris- 
tian worshipers,  every  time  they  assemble 
renew  the  profession  of  their  faith  in  the  lead- 
ing facts  which  this  history  records.  And  no 
examples  of  human  duty  and  perfection  have 
ever  yet  been  furnished  which  are  at  once  so 
instructive  and  so  moving  as  those  which  this 
history  records.  No  stories  of  human  duty  and 
self-sacrifice  are  more  instructive  and  more 
animating  than  the  stories  which  Christ  taught 
in  parable  and  precept,  and  himself  enacted  in 
this  life. 

Every  man  who  lives  in  Christendom  can 
not  but  live  in  a  temple  where  the  history  of 
Christ  and  the  Christ  of  history  are  fult  in  ten 
thousand  influences.  The  earth  to  him  is  far 
more  green  and  beautiful,  the  heavens  are 
more  benign,  the  spring  more  full  of  hope,  the 
summer  more  joyful,  the  autumn  more  sage, 
the  winter  more  serene,  man  is  more  interest- 
ing, life  is  more  sacred,  death  is  more  signifi- 
cant, the  universe  is  more  full  of  moral  import, 
because  Christ  is  believed  to  have  visited  the 
earth,  and  to  have  dwelt  among  men,  and  to 
have  gone  before  to  prepare  a  place  for  them 
in  better  dwellings. 

2.  Cheistianitt  as  Teuth  oe  Doctrine. — 
Christianity  is  more  than  a  history  :  it  is  also 
a  system  of  truths.  Every  event  which  its 
history  records  either  is  a  truth,  or  suggests  a 
truth,  or  expresses  a  truth,  which  man  needs 
to  assent  to  or  to  put  into  practice.  Wherever 
we  begin — with  the  person  of  Christ,  the  work 


SECTION  390.—  CERmTIANIT\\   AS  LIFE. 


795 


of  Christ,  or  the  promises  of  Christ — we  find 
some  truth  suggested,  confirmed,  or  enforced. 
If  we  begin  with  his  person,  we  are  led  into 
authorized  inferences  or  unauthorized  specula- 
tions concerning  God,  and  Christ's  relation  to 
God  before,  during,  and  after  his  appearance 
upon  the  earth.  If  we  consider  his  work — 
whether  in  his  life  or  death,  or  both — we  are 
beset  by  inquiries,  which  we  are  forced  to  at- 
tempt to  answer,  concerning  man's  need ;  and 
these  open  the  Christian  truth  concerning  sin, 
and  man's  deliverance ;  and  this  unfolds  to  us 
the  truth  concerning  redemption.  If  we  re- 
flect on  the  promises  of  Christ,  the  doctrines  of 
the  purifying  Spirit,  of  perfected  holiness,  and 
of  eternal  life,  claim  our  attention. 

Christianity  is  a  series  of  truths  upon  which 
its  power  and  dignity  depend — truths  which 
it  implies,  enforces,  or  reveals.  It  implies  the 
being  and  holiness  of  a  personal  God  ;  it  mani- 
fests and  impresses  him  as  a  forgiving  Father, 
who  sympathizes  with  and  seeks  to  reclaim  his 
wandering  children ;  it  implies  and  enforces 
the  fact  and  the  evil  of  personal  guilt,  w-hich, 
if  persisted  in,  must  separate  the  guilty  crea- 
ture from  the  equitable  and  guiltless  Creator ; 
it  manifests  Christ  as  the  Saviour  from  sin  with 
all  its  evils.  Among  these  evils,  none  is  more 
prominent  than  its  self-propagatiug  and  pro- 
gressive power,  involving  discouragement  and 
despair.  Against  this  it  provides  the  promised 
aid  and  help  of  a  divine  agency  that  encourages 
and  assists  the  human  spirit  to  confidence  and 
victory.  It  enforces  and  reveals  all  these  truths 
by  the  constant  manifestation  of  the  super- 
natural as  an  agency  above  the  laws  and  above 
the  forces  of  mere  Nature,  but  which  neither 
disturbs  nor  interrupts  the  harmony  or  order 
of  a  universe  in  which  a  personal  God  and  im- 
personal law  can  never  be  in  conflict.  And 
its  truths  are  tauglit  and  enacted  for  practical 
efi'ect  alone.  If  God  is  revealed  as  a  Spirit,  it 
is  that  we  may  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in 
truth ;  not  that  the  speculations  of  mere  curi- 
osity respecting  the  possibility  of  an  Infinite 
Spirit,  and  of  his  relations  to  the  finite,  may  be 
excited  or  put  to  rest.  If  men  are  convinced 
ox  guilt  and  danger,  it  is  not  that  they  may 
speculate  about  either,  but  that  they  may  re- 
pent, and  be  reformed.  If  Christ  is  set  forth 
to  them  as  a  Deliverer,  it  is  not  that  they  may 
perfect  a  science  respecting  his  person  or  his 
work,  but  that  they  may  believe  and  obey  him. 

Christianity,  then,  as  truth,  proves  Chris- 


tianity to  be  superhuman :  first,  because  tlie 
truths  themselves  are,  some  of  them,  such  as 
man  could  not,  and  others  of  them  are  such  as 
he  would  not,  attain  of  himself;  secondly,  be- 
cause the  most  important  and  peculiar  of  them, 
though  wide-reaching  and  general,  and  capable 
of  being  expanded  into  a  science  that  is  pro- 
found and  recondite,  are  presented  to  the  race, 
not  as  doctrines,  but  as  facts — not  in  the  forms 
of  science,  but  simply  as  history ;  and,  last  of 
all,  because  they  are  such  in  their  nature  and 
adaptations  as  to  justify  the  acceptance  of  a 
supernatural  history  itself  as  probable  and 
true,  which  would  otherwise  be  improbable 
and  incredible.  Thus  Christianity  as  history 
declares  and  enforces  Christianity  as  doctrine ; 
and  Christianity  as  doctrine  makes  credible 
Christianity  as  a  history.  Thus  whatever  in- 
dependent and  separate  claims  Christianity  may 
assert  as  a  history  are  made  doubly  strong  by 
the  separate  claims  of  Christianity  as  doctrine. 
The  union  of  the  two  more  than  doubles  the 
strength  of  either  ;  the  mutual  dependence  of 
the  two  gives  to  their  union  an  organic  power. 
3.  CnRisTiANiTY  13  A  LIFE. — Its  Mstory  is 
not  enacted  as  a  mysterious  or  attractive  spec- 
tacle ;  its  truth  is  not  enforced  in  order  to 
satisfy  human  curiosity,  or  to  enlarge  human 
knowledge  in  respect  to  the  infinite  and  the 
unseen :  but  both  history  and  truth  look  for- 
ward to  the  life  which  they  will  awaken  and 
perfect  in  the  soul  of  man  and  in  every  human 
relation.  Christianity,  both  as  history  and 
doctrine,  is  given  to  mould  the  character  and 
to  serve  the  ends  of  life.  The  ideal  of  a  per- 
fect human  life  and  a  perfect  human  being, 
proposed  by  Christianity,  is  more  comprehen- 
sive, more  elevated,  and  more  symmetrical 
than  any  that  was  distinctly  conceived  by  man 
before.  And  every  truth  which  Christianity 
declares  is  also  a  motive  to  the  performance  of 
some  duty.  What  God  is,  and  what  God  wills ; 
what  God  is  now  doing,  and  what  he  will  do 
in  the  future  state  of  being ;  what  man  is  in 
his  needs  and  guilt,  and  what  God  has  done, 
and  how  he  feels  in  respect  to  his  help  and  his 
pardon — are  every  one  of  them  powerful  rea- 
sons why  man  should  seek  after  ethical  perfec- 
tion. Yet  further,  Christianity  does  not  sim- 
ply give  wise  and  ample  directions  of  what  we 
are  to  do;  biit  it  furnishes  us  the  moving 
power.  It  does  not  merely  command  and  for- 
bid ;  but  it  enkindles  inspiration.  Hence  it  is 
that  Christianity  is  a  life. 


(96 


SECTION  39L— FEATURES  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


Christianity  is  not  only  life  to  the  individ- 
ual, but  it  gives  life  to  human  society.  It  re- 
fines its  manners ;  it  perfects  its  civilization ; 
it  renders  its  laws  more  just,  and  their  admin- 
istration more  perfect ;  it  fosters  and  popular^ 
izes  education ;  it  furnishes  inspiration  to  art, 
and  taste  to  its  admirers.  Its  ethics  are  broad 
enough  to  meet  every  exigency,  and  minute 
enough  to  let  none  escape.  They  are  progres- 
sive enough  to  keep  pace  with  any  advance  of 
culture  or  civilization,  and  tolerant  enough  to 
be  charitable  to  every  offense  that  comes  of 
ignorance  or  barbarism.  Its  comprehensive, 
final  aim  is  the  moral  and  spiritual  perfection 
of  the  race,  and  all  that  such  perfection  in- 
volves in  the  reformation  of  human  society 
and  the  refinement  of  human  culture.    To  this. 


as  its  sole  and  controlling  end,  its  history  and 
its  truth  are  completely  subjected ;  from  this 
they  derive  all  their  importance  and  their  in- 
terest. 

Christianity  claims  to  be  a  supernatural 
product ;  and  it  enforces  its  claims  by  its  su- 
perhuman excellence  as  a  history,  a  doctrine, 
and  a  life.  Each  one  of  these  features,  con- 
sidered alone,  substantiates  this  claim ;  the 
union  of  these  three  features  in  the  same 
system  makes  the  argument  stronger ;  the 
inter-dependence  of  the  three,  each  giving  and 
receiving  strength  from  the  other,  unites 
them  in  an  organic  union,  which  makes  the 
argument  invincible  and  complete.  It  is  in- 
deed a  threefold  cord,  which  is  not  quickly 
broken.     Noah  Porter. 


Section  391. 
The  Three  Distinctive  Features  of  Christianity. 


1.  The  Incaenation  of  God  in  Christ. — 
If  anything  is  clear  from  history,  it  is  clear 
that  human  nature  can  not  endure  a  bald  spir- 
itual theism.  Man  has  two  thoughts  of  God, 
equally  normal  and  necessary.  He  thinks  of 
God  as  One  Infinite  Spirit,  wholly  separated 
from  matter,  without  form,  or  voice,  or  change- 
able affections,  transcending  the  limitations  of 
time  and  space,  wise,  just,  and  awful  in  his 
holiness.  Hence  the  pure  monotheism  now 
recognized  as  lying  in  the  background  of  all 
the  better  pagan  mythologies.  Hence,  in  part, 
the  triumphs  of  Mohammed,  whose  wild  voice 
out  of  the  Arabian  peninsula  went  pealing 
over  three  continents  :  "  Your  God  is  One 
God."  That  there  are  more  gods  than  one,  or 
that  this  One  God  is  anything  else  than  pure 
Spirit,  human  reason  in  its  best  estate  has  al- 
ways steadily  refused  to  believe.  The  divine 
imity  and  spirituality  were  affirmed  by  Plato, 
looking  the  Greek  polytheism  boldly  in  the 
face,  and  were  reaffirmed  by  the  Neo-Platon- 
ists  as  essential  parts  of  their  eclectic  creed. 
But  human  weakness  and  human  sinfulness 
necessitate  another  conception  of  God.  Across 
the  great  gulf  between  the  finite  and  the  in- 
finite, between  sin  and  holiness,  the  voice  of 
man  is  afraid  to  speak.  The  human  heart 
sinks  discouraged  and  shudders  with  affright. 
A  boinff  so  feeble  and  so  defiled  must  have 


God  nearer  to  him.  Hence  the  patriarchal  and 
Hebrew  theophanies,  in  which  the  ineffable 
Jehovah  is  seen  wearing  the  human  form,  and 
is  heard  speaking  in  human  tones.  Hence, 
likewise,  the  pagan  deification  of  nature  and 
man,  and  all  the  inferior  divinities  of  the  pagan 
Pantheon,  bridging,  as  best  they  might,  the 
bottomless  abyss  which  yawns  betwixt  the 
finite  and  the  infinite,  the  sinful  and  the  sin- 
less. The  idea  of  incarnation  is  thus  seen  to 
be  congenial  to  our  nature.  And  yet  in  none 
of  the  instances  referred  to  was  this  idea  real- 
ized. The  patriarchal  and  Hebrew  theopha- 
nies were  only  transient  manifestations  of  God 
in  the  human  form,  a  temporary  expedient 
of  merely  provisional  economies.  They  only 
abated  a  hunger  which  they  could  not  feed. 
Still,  they  served  what  appears  to  have  been 
their  providential  purpose  :  they  prevented  at 
once  the  worship  of  nature,  and  the  multipli- 
cation of  inferior  divinities.  Accordingly,  for 
centuries,  down  even  to  the  time  of  the  Del- 
uge, when  wicked  men  shrank  away  from  the 
awfulness  of  God,  they  took  refuge  not  in 
polytheism,  but  in  atheism.  After  the  Deluge 
mankind,  no  longer  able  to  be  atheists,  betook 
themselves  to  the  worship  of  innumerable  di- 
vinities. Nature  in  all  her  range  was  deified, 
from  the  starry  hosts  on  high  down  to  the 
mountains,  the  rivers,  and  the  trees.    At  firsts 


SECTION  391.— FEATURES  OF  CERISTIANITY. 


T97 


these  natural  objects  were  revered  only  as 
symbols  of  the  Divine  presence  and  power. 
At  first,  the  carved  or  molten  image  was  only 
a  symbol ;  but  in  process  of  time  the  symbols 
themselves  were  worshiped.  Even  the  He- 
brews, in  spite  of  their  theophanies,  were,  till 
after  the  exile  in  Babylon,  constantly  lapsing 
into  these  idolatries.  Outside  of  Judaism  the 
declension  was  monstrous.  The  Creator  was 
sunk  and  lost  sight  of  in  his  creation.  In  the 
great  hunger  of  the  human  heart  for  an  incar- 
nate God,  polytheism  became  the  faith  of  the 
masses,  and  pantheism  the  speculation  of  the 
schools.  Human  reason  pronounces  for  unity 
in  its  conception  of  the  Godhead  ;  but  the 
human  heart,  yearning  for  sympathy  in  its 
weakness,  and  stricken  with  terror  in  its  de- 
filement, cries  out  for  an  incarnate  God. 

This  importunate  demand  of  our  finite  and 
sinful  nature  is  for  the  first  time  met,  and  fully 
met,  by  the  incarnation  of  God  in  Christ.  The 
theophanies  were  transient  and  provisional. 
They  merely  adumbrated  the  coming  reality. 
The  incarnations  of  the  pagan  world  were  all 
of  a  pantheistic  type,  involving  no  proper  per- 
sonal union  between  the  divine  and  the  human. 
In  the  pagan  philosophies,  God  could  enter 
humanity  no  otherwise  than  he  entered  na- 
ture. The  tree  and  the  man  fared  alike.  But 
in  Christ  the  two  natures,  each  complete  and 
perfect  in  itself,  were  united  in  a  real,  perfect 
personality.  He  was  a  man,  born  of  the  Vir- 
gin Mary,  with  a  real  human  body,  and  a  real 
human  soul ;  as  human,  in  every  proper  sense 
of  the  word,  as  any  one  of  us.  He  was  also 
God  ;  not  God  the  Father,  but  God  the  Word, 
the  second  person  in  the  Trinity,  whom  angels 
worship,  and  who  made  the  worlds.  In  one 
breath  we  may  say  of  him  that  he  was  born 
and  died.  In  the  next  breath  we  may  say  of 
him.  Before  Abraham  began  to  be,  he  eternally 
and  unchangeably  is.  And  for  three  and 
thirty  years  this  mysterious  being  lived  and 
walked  in  Palestine.  Now  he  sailed  upon  the 
lake,  and  now 'he  smoothed  its  angry  billows 
by  a  word.  Now  he  was  a  genial  guest  at  a 
marriage  feast,  and  now  he  turned  the  water 
into  wine.  Now  he  wept  before  a  sepulchre, 
and  now  he  waked  the  dead.  Now  he  died 
himself,  and  now,  having  risen  from  the  dead, 
he  ascended  up  where  he  was  before.  Such  is 
the  Christ  of  the  New  Testament.  Such  was 
the  Christ  of  Christendom  for  three  hundred 
years  before  the  Nicene  Creed  echoed  the  spec- 


ulations of  Athanasius.  And  such  has  been 
the  Christ  of  Christendom,  by  a  vast  prepon- 
derance of  numbers,  in  every  succeeding  cen- 
tury. Such,  too,  must  continue  to  be  the 
Christ  of  Christendom,  by  an  equally  vast 
preponderance  of  numbers,  through  all  com- 
ing time.  Here  at  last  our  nature  rests ;  here 
at  last  is  the  great  hunger  of  the  heart  ap- 
peased. We  need  no  less,  as  we  can  ask  no 
more.  God  manifest  in  the  flesh  is  the  end  of 
all  our  desires,  the  solace  of  all  our  sorrows, 
the  conquest  of  all  our  fears.  And  what  is 
more,  even  philosophy  is  now  ranging  herself 
on  the  side  of  faith.  From  pantheistic  specu- 
lations there  is  no  legitimate  escape  but  in  the 
doctrine  of  the  word  made  flesh.  Here,  then, 
the  sage  and  the  savage  meet,  bowing  together 
at  the  feet  of  an  incarnate  God.  The  concep- 
tion of  such  a  divine  humanity  is  equally  above 
them  both ;  but,  as  an  accomplished  fact,  it 
satisfies  and  renovates  and  saves  them  both. 

2.  The  Atonement. — If,  as  a  Roman  poet 
has  said,  it  be  human  to  err,  equally  human  is 
it  to  undergo  the  pangs  of  remorse  and  the 
fear  of  punishment.  Dualism  may,  indeed, 
affirm  an  eternal  independent  principle  of  evil, 
and  pantheism  may  seek  to  resolve  all  evil 
into  good,  but  the  conscience  of  the  race  re- 
fuses thus  to  be  relieved  of  its  crushing  bur- 
den of  guilt.  In  man's  own  unperverted  and 
honest  judgment  of  himself,  he  is  an  offender, 
not  merely  against  the  moral  order  of  the 
universe,  but  an  offender  against  the  moral 
ruler  of  the  universe,  against  whom  personally 
he  has  rebelled,  and  whose  inmost  moral  na- 
ture has  been  aroused  to  the  vindication  of 
its  righteous  claims.  Punishment  is,  of  com'se, 
the  instinctive  apprehension  of  the  soul  that 
has  sinned.  Nature,  it  is  observed,  always 
punishes,  never  pardons,  an  offender.  Human 
governments  seldom  pardon.  Human  society 
would  lose  its  coherence,  and  human  life  itself 
become  a  hideous  riot,  were  not  punishment 
the  rule  for  evil  doers,  and  pardon  the  rare 
exception.  How,  then,  can  impunity  for  sin- 
ners be  looked  for  under  the  moral  govern- 
ment of  God?  But  the  abyss  thus  opened 
is  frightful ;  for  every  human  being  misery, 
and  that  misery  eternal.  Hence  a  wild  cry 
everywhere  for  relief.  Is  there  no  escape  ? 
Is  the  law  to  have  its  course  ?  In  this  sphere 
of  spirit,  as  in  the  sphere  of  sense,  must  fire 
always  burn,  and  water  always  drown  ?  Veri- 
ly they  must,  says  reason ;  there  is  no  such 


798 


SECTION  391.— FEATURES  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


thing  as  forgiveness.  Altars  and  sacrifices  are 
of  no  avail.  From  the  topmost  heights  of  the 
Greek  philosophy,  more  than  two  thousand 
years  ago,  the  verdict  came  that  "  the  gods  are 
not  easily  propitiated."  Sorrow,  O  sinner  !  is 
bootless  ;  by  penance  you  must  yourself  atone 
for  the  mischief  you  have  wrought.  I  will  not 
say  that  human  beings  in  their  distress  would 
never  dare  to  dream  that  God  might  somehow 
succor  such  misery.  But  I  must  say,  what  no 
sound  thinker  will  venture  to  question,  that 
there  is  no  safety  in  reasoning  from  mere 
goodness  to  mercy.  The  rude  peasant,  with 
low,  confused  notions  of  what  is  due  to  justice 
and  law,  might  have  imagined  that  somehow 
pardon  was  attainable  ;  but  philosophy  would 
have  rebuked  his  presumption.  And  yet,  in 
spite  of  philosophy,  men  everywhere  have  had 
their  altars  and  victims.  Whence  these  altars 
and  victims  ?  Of  blind,  human  instinct,  say 
some,  making  thus  the  strongest  possible  con- 
fession of  ill-desert,  in  the  hope  of  averting  a 
retribution  seen  to  be  justly  impending.  Of 
gross  conceptions,  say  others,  as  though  God 
might  be  wrought  upon  and  moved  to  favor 
by  such  offerings.  But  penitent  confession, 
how  bitter  soever  it  may  be,  is  no  atonement, 
says  philosophy.  Nor  is  God  so  coarse  and 
savage  a  monster  as  to  delight  in  tlie  scent  of 
burning  flesh.  Let,  then,  these  altars  and  vic- 
tims be  swept  away ;  they  are  an  offense  to 
reason.  And  yet  the  altars  stand,  dotting 
every  continent,  and  with  their  huge  volumes 
of  smoke  blackening  the  whole  firmament. 
Whatsoever  it  may  be  that  builds  them,  and 
lights  their  fires,  these  altars  are  evidently  in- 
destructible. Philosophy  may  frown,  but  still 
they  smoke.  And  their  meaning  is  that  sin, 
in  order  to  be  remitted,  must  first  be  atoned 
for.  The  necessity  of  expiation  is  what  they 
preach  with  their  tongues  of  flame.  But  there 
is  no  real  expiation  in  the  blood  of  beasts  and 
of  birds.  Such  victims  take  away  no  sin. 
The  whole  system  of  bloody  sacrifices  is  there- 
fore vain ;  a  dismal  cheat,  if  it  promises  atone- 
ment ;  and  pitiful  at  best  if  it  be  only  a  con- 
fession that  atonement  is  needed.  Such  is  the 
dilemma  of  philosophy.  Here,  on  the  one  side, 
is  the  admitted  universality  of  sacrifice,  prov- 
ing its  connection  with  something  imperish- 
able within  us ;  and,  on  the  other  side,  the 
demonstration  of  its  impotency. 

From  this  dilemma  Christianity  offers  the 
only  possible  escape.     In  the  sufferings  and 


death  of  Christ  it  sets  before  us  a  real  atone- 
ment actually  accomplished  in  history ;    an 
atonement  eternally  prepared,  of  course,  since 
God  himself,  its  author,  is  eternal ;  an  atone- 
ment which  began  its  saving  work  by  the  very 
cradle  of  our  apostate  race.     It  was  no  mere 
show  of  condescension  and  of  sympathy  enact- 
ed for  moral  effect,  but  a  real  thing.     Christ 
actually  suffered  for  us  in  his  Divine  humanity, 
enduring  mysterious  and  immeasurable  agonies, 
that  there  might  be  a  real  satisfaction  to  the 
awful  justice  of  God.     Not  God's  honor  only, 
but  God's  own  nature  required  it.     This  sub- 
lime work  of  atonement  was  to  him,  as  well  as 
of  him,  penetrating  the  very  depths  of  his  be- 
ing,   and   answering   a  holy   demand,    which 
otherwise  could  have  been  answered  only  by 
the   punishment  of  the  guilty.     It  was  not 
merely  that  he  might  safely  pardon,  but  that 
he  might  pardon  at  all.      Pardon  required 
some  other  basis  than  that  of  penitence  in  the 
offender;  it  required  a  basis  of  satisfied  jus- 
tice in  God's  own  nature.     And  that  basis  was 
furnished  by  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ. 
As  for  man,  there  was  nothing  for  him  to  do, 
indeed  there  was  nothing  he  could  do,  but  sim- 
ply accept  the  atonement  thus  accomplished 
for  him.     He  had  only  to  confess  his  sin,  and 
receive  forgiveness  on  the  ground  of  what  had 
been  done  for  him  by  another.     In  this  way 
was  Adam  saved,  if  saved  at  all.     It  mattered 
not  that  thousands  of  years  were  to  roll  away 
before  the  Son  of  man  should  go  as  it  was  pur- 
posed for  him.     The  Lamb  that  taketh  away 
sin  was  already  slain,  slain  from  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  and  faith  had  only  to 
await  the  historic  consummation  of  an  eternal 
act.     But  the  goal  was  distant,  and  the  way 
was  rough.     And  so  the  altar  was  built,  and 
the  victim  brought,  not  of  human  impulse  or 
invention,  but  by  divine  appointment ;  not  for 
the  taking  away  of  sin,  but  only  to  typify  the 
real  sacrifice.     That  this  was  too  crude  a  ritu- 
alism, beneath  the  dignity  of  its  alleged  origi- 
nal, let  no  one  say  who  has  ever  heard  of  the 
holy  walk  of  Enoch,  who  has  ever  heard  of  the 
titlies  paid  to  Melchisedek  as  the  representative 
of  an  economy  older  and  wider  than  that  of 
Abraham.     We  who  have  never  used,  nor  had 
need  to  use,  these  types,  must  be  careful  how 
we  sit  in  judgment  upon  the  pious  men  of  the 
elder  ages,  whose  faith  embraced  not  an  as- 
cended but  only  a  coming  Saviour.     To  them 
these  types  were  eloquent.    The  gleaming  knife 


SECTION  391.— FEATURES  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


799 


which  slew  the  shrinking  victim  pierced  their 
own  hearts.  The  flame  which  leaped  from  the 
altar  pointed  its  red  finger  toward  the  throne 
at  once  of  justice  and  of  grace.  And  so  these 
men  were  saved,  as  all  men  might  have  been. 
The  system  had  certainly  its  limitations  and 
its  perils.  There  was  always  danger  that  type 
would  usurp  the  place  of  antitype.  There  was 
always  danger  that  atonement  would  be  sought 
for  in  the  sign,  rather  than  in  the  thing  signi- 
fied. When  thus  emptied  of  its  great  meaning, 
the  whole  sacrificial  system  of  course  miscar- 
ried. No  wonder  the  Greek  philosophy  made 
such  havoc  of  the  Greek  religion.  No  wonder 
the  time  arrived  when  the  masses  thought  all 
religions  equally  true,  and  philosophers  thought 
them  all  equally  false.  Even  a&ong  the  He- 
brews, faith  withered  into  formalism.  Indig- 
nant prophets  accordingly  denounced  their 
temple  service  as  an  abomination.  The  lamb 
of  the  priest  had  ceased  to  be  suggestive  of  the 
Lamb  of  God.  But  the  world  has  now  a  tem- 
ple, an  altar,  and  an  offering  not  liable  to  such 
abuse.  The  sensuous  types  are  aU  withdrawn. 
The  real  victim  has  been  slain.  The  atone- 
ment has  become  an  historic  fact.  And  so 
faith  marches  out  from  among  the  shadows, 
to  lay  hold  upon  the  substance.  Philosophy, 
which  derided  the  former,  cannot  deride  the 
latter.  Human  nature  remains  unchanged  in  its 
corruption,  unchanged  in  its  fears,  unchanged 
in  its  craving  for  atonement ;  and  there  is  no 
solid  peace  for  the  troubled  conscience  but  in 
the  blood  of  Christ. 

3.  Regeneration'. — As  already  intimated, 
confession  of  sin  is  not  confined  to  Christen- 
dom, and  is  no  new  thing  in  history.  Univer- 
sal sacrifice,  of  which  we  have  just  spoken,  is 
itself  a  universal  confession  of  sin.  It  stands 
confessed  likewise  in  all  literatures;  even  in 
that  of  China,  the  coldest  and  poorest  of  all. 
In  the  better  literatures,  as  of  Greece  and 
Eome,  this  confession  strikes  down  deep,  pro- 
nouncing the  very  nature  of  man  depraved. 
"It  is  clear,"  says  Aristotle  in  his  "  Nicoma- 
chean  Ethics,"  "  that  not  one  of  the  moral  vir- 
tues springs  up  in  us  by  nature."  "  We  all 
have  sinned,"  says  Seneca ;  "  some  more,  otli- 
ers  less."  Accordingly,  when  Paul,  in  liis  Epis- 
tle to  the  Ephesians,  says  of  all  men  that  they 
are  "by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,"  he 
says  no  more  than  philosophy  had  said  before. 

In  regard,  however,  to  the  genesis  of  this 
confessed  depravity,  the  ancient  philosophers 


were  greatly  at  fault.  Assuming  a  better  orig- 
inal state  of  man,  they  explained  his  present 
character  by  supposing  a  gradual  degeneracy. 
As  Coleridge  has  justly  observed,  they  "had 
no  notion  of  a  fall  of  man."  Only  this  they 
knew,  that  the  golden  age  of  the  race  had  been 
followed  by  the  ages  of  silver,  of  brass,  and  of 
iron.  Of  course  they  knew  of  no  adequate 
remedy.  And  yet  near  the  conclusion  of  Plato's 
dialogue  "Respecting  Virtue,"  there  is  the  re- 
markable assertion,  that  virtue  is  neither  nat- 
ural nor  acquirable  by  study,  but  comes,  if  it 
come  at  all,  by  a  Divine  fate,  without  any  pur- 
pose of  our  own.  Here  at  length  is  a  finger 
pointing  in  the  right  direction;  from  the  help- 
lessness of  man,  to  the  mighty  power  of  God. 

Christianity  begins  its  curative  work  by  a 
better  diagnosis  of  the  disease.  It  sets  in  a 
clear  light  tlie  original  rectitude  of  man,  re- 
veals the  Tempter,  and  reports  the  Fall.  As 
by  one  man  sin  is  said  to  have  entered  into  the 
world,  and  that  one  man  was  the  first  man, 
and  father  of  all  men,  it  is  seen  that  the  poi- 
son is  in  our  very  blood.  And  it  follows,  of 
course,  that  a  damage  so  radical  can  be  re- 
paired only  by  the  hand  that  fashioned  us. 
These  two  points  had  doubtless  been  empha- 
sized in  the  very  morning  of  history,  along 
with  the  promise  of  redemption  and  the  ap- 
pointment of  sacrifice.  If  Adam  and  Eve 
repented  of  their  sin,  we  may  be  sure  that 
their  repentance  was  born  of  faith,  and  that 
their  faith  was  begotten  of  God.  But  in  pro- 
cess of  time  these  points  became  obscured. 
The  disease  ran  on,  but  its  origin  was  forgot- 
ten, and  the  only  infallible  prescription  for  it 
lost.  Hence  the  mistaken  and  fruitless  at- 
tempts of  heathen  moralists  to  retrieve  by  cul- 
ture a  loss  which  could  be  retrieved  only  by 
regeneration. 

But  although  Christianity,  in  its  essence,  is 
thus  as  old  as  the  promise  in  the  garden,  the 
coming  of  Christ  in  the  flesh  inaugurated  a 
new  economy  of  the  Spirit.  From  the  day  of 
Pentecost  there  dates  a  more  pungent  convic- 
tion of  sin,  with  a  far  greater  energy  of  reno- 
vating grace.  From  that  time  onward,  wher- 
ever the  Gospel  went,  it  darted  a  new  light 
down  into  the  depths  of  sin,  and  offered  man 
the  very  intervention  of  which  Plato  had  only 
vaguely  dreamed.  It  sounded  a  new  call  to  re- 
pentance, rendered  more  urgent  by  what  was 
disclosed  of  the  origin  and  malignity  of  the 
evil ;  and  accompanied  this  new  call  to  repent- 


800 


SECTION  392.— CHRISTIANITY  A  BE  LI  GI  ON  OF  FACTS. 


ance  witli  the  offer  of  certain  deliverance. 
Christ  himself  touched  the  very  heart  of  the 
matter,  when  he  told  Nicodemus  that  he  must 
be  born  again. 

But  the  new  birth  is  not  merely  a  doctrine 
of  Christianity ;  it  is  a  work  of  the  Spirit, 
pledged  to  attend  the  faithful  proclamation  of 
the  gospel  in  every  age  and  in  every  land. 
Persuasion  to  virtue  was  the  task  and  function 
of  the  pagan  moralist.  The  offer  of  God's  re- 
newing grace  is  the  task  and  function  of  the 
Christian  evangelist.  And  there  is  that  in  man 
which  can  be  satisfied  with  nothing  less  than 
what  is  thus  offered  in  the  gospel.  He  knows 
that  he  has  sinned.  He  knows  that  his  nature 
is  depraved.  And  he  knows  that  he  has  no 
power  to  restore  himself  to  the  image  and  fa- 
vor of  God.  It  only  remains  for  him  to  be 
told  that  the  hand  which  first  framed  now 
offers  to  renew  liim.  This,  and  this  only,  meets 
his  case.  Made  as  we  are,  deliverance  from 
the  consequences  merely  of  sin  is  not  enough 
for  us ;  we  must  be  delivered  also  from  the  sin 
itself.  It  matters  not  what  difference  there 
may  be  of  race,  of  language,  of  rank,  of  cult- 
ure, of  outward  morality ;  it  is  enough  that  we 
all  are  human.  The  first  Adam  is  for  ever  re- 
peating himself  in  his  offspring.     And  the  one 


imperative  necessity  of  qxqtj  child  of  Adam  is 
to  be  born  again. 

Such  is  Christianity  in  its  grand  distinctive 
features  of  Incarnation,  Atonement,  and  Ee- 
generation.  These  three  features  are  all  in  the 
line  of  human  reason,  as  is  seen  by  reference 
to  pagan  philosophies  and  false  religions  ;  and 
yet  are  infinitely  beyond  and  above  human 
reason,  as  is  proved  by  the  fact,  so  palpable  to 
every  candid  inquirer,  that  no  pagan  philoso- 
phy or  religion  was  ever  able  to  grasp  them. 
Christianity  thus  stands  absolutely  and  sub- 
limely alone,  transcending  every  other  religion 
by  all  the  difference  there  is  between  a  line 
which  reaches  only  to  the  clouds,  and  a  line 
which  reaches  to  the  very  throne  and  bosom 
of  the  King  eternal,  immortal,  and  invisible. 
And  not  only  so,  but  it  fully  meets  every  want 
of  our  finite  and  fallen  nature.  Precisely  those 
things  which  are  peculiar  to  it  as  a  system  are 
precisely  the  things  we  need.  The  conclusion 
is  irresistible,  that  a  system  at  once  so  unique 
and  so  essential  must  be  of  God.  And  if  it  be 
of  God,  then,  as  Gamaliel  told  the  Sanhedrim, 
it  can  not  be  overthrown.  So  long  as  man  is 
man,  and  God  is  God,  so  long  must  this  reli- 
gion stand,  working  its  miracles  of  grace.  E. 
D.  Eitchcoch 


Section  392. 
Christianity  a  Religion  of  Facts. 


We  use  the  term  in  its  plain  historic  sense. 
Christianity  touches  the  affections,  and  binds 
the  consciences  of  men,  on  no  other  plea  than 
that  of  its  being  a  declaration  of  facts;  and 
these,  either  long  past,  or  now  passing,  or  cer- 
tainly anticipated  as  yet  impending.  The  facts 
of  Christianity  are  in  themselves  of  bound- 
less range,  and  our  personal  concernment 
with  them  is  of  incalculable  moment.  When 
admitted  as  true,  they  are  of  a  kind  to  excite, 
and  to  maintain  in  activity,  the  warmest  and 
the  most  profound  emotions  of  which  men  are 
susceptible,  according  to  the  individual  consti- 
tution of  their  minds.  Yet  is  Christianity  a 
religion  of  sobriety  and  reason.  And  it  is  so 
because  its  seat  is  in  the  moral  faculties,  which 
are  never  profoundly  moved  but  when  they 
are  moved  tranquilly.     The  characteristic  of 


the  affections  is  depth,  not  visible  agitation. 
It  is  on  this  very  ground  that  Christianity  tri- 
umphs, as  compared  with  every  other  religious 
system,  ancient  or  modern,  which  has  power- 
fully affected  the  human  mind.  These  sys- 
tems, so  far  as  they  have  been  powerful  at  all, 
have  been  religions  of  agitation.  Christianity, 
on  the  contrary,  so  far  as  it  is  effectual  for  its 
own  purposes,  is  a  religion  of  affection  and 
habit,  not  of  passionate  commotion.  Every 
powerful  religion,  Christianity  excepted,  has 
been  either  wild  or  sullen :  and  the  same  is 
true  of  every  corruption  of  Christianity  itself, 
in  all  the  wide  circuit  of  delusions,  commenc- 
ing with  the  ascetic  frenzy,  and  ending  in  the 
base  superstition  of  the  middle  ages.  If  asce- 
ticism be  tranquil,  it  is  tranquil  by  apathy:  if 
superstition  be  tranquil,  it  js  tranquil  by  the 


SECTION  393.— FOES  OF  EARLY  CHBISTIAmTY. 


801 


constraint  of  dread  ;  but  Christianity  is  at  once 
tranquil  and  happy.  It  is  a  religion  of  sobri- 
ety, and  a  religion  of  self-control,  because  it 
is  a  religion  of  love,  intense  and  deep.  /. 
Taylor. 

Christianity  is  not  founded  in  creeds  or 
dogmas.  To  a  certain  extent  Hume's  sarcasm 
is  true :  "  That  Christianity  is  not  founded  in 
argument."  The  facts  of  our  faith  antedate 
its  dogmas ;  the  dogmas  do  not  make,  but  ex- 
press the  facts.  All  the  human  creeds  that 
were  ever  framed  are  but  partial,  fragmentary 
expressions  of  the  great  original — reflected  and 
broken  lights  of  that  one  light  which  lighteth 
every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world.  The 
living  reality  is  in  historic  facts  which  have 
shaped  every  syllable  of  the  records  and  ev- 
ery formula  of  Christian  doctrine. 

Christianity — would  that  we  could  see  and 
grasp  this  vital  point! — Christianity  is  not  a 
creed,  not  a  dogma,  not  a  system  of  theology, 
but  it  is  essentially  historic  fact — a  sublime, 
incarnated  spiritual  reality — the  most  real  his- 
toric power,  which,  for  centuries  (in  its  ele- 
ment from  the  very  beginning),  has  controlled 


the  grandest  evolution  upon  the  earth — the 
historic  development  of  the  human  race.  It 
is  as  unrivaled  and  unique  in  human  history, 
as  is  tlie  sacred  Person  of  its  head  and  center ; 
it  is,  as  the  faith  of  the  Church  declares,  the 
living  presence  of  that  Person  in  history  itself. 
The  living  Person  stands  first  and  central,  and 
then  his  apostles,  and  then  the  Church,  and 
then  the  simple  creed,  and  then  the  canon, 
and  then  the  conflicts,  and  then  the  dogmas, 
and  then  the  systems  of  theology,  and  so  on 
through  the  centuries ;  and  in  and  through  all, 
a  living,  spiritual  power,  comparable  only  to 
the  light  of  nature.  And  this  Christianity,  so 
sublime  as  an  objective  fact,  becomes  subjec- 
tively a  renovating  power — the  life  of  God  in 
the  soul  of  man — the  mysterious  consciousness 
of  an  unearthly  presence  in  the  soul — God  in 
Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself-  the 
highest  form  of  spiritual  life.  Vast  material 
forces,  guided  by  divine  power  and  wisdom, 
control  the  development  of  the  earth ;  equally 
vast  spiritual  forces  guide  and  guard  the  course 
of  history  and  the  destiny  of  Christianity. 
H.  B.  Smith. 


Section  393. 

Three  Opponents  of  Primitive  Christianity  and  their 

Overthrow. 


1.  Judaism. — Into  collision  and  controversy 
with  Judaism,  Christianity  came  at  the  very 
beginning ;  since  the  more  essentially  harmoni- 
ous it  was  with  the  ancient  religion  truly  in- 
terpreted, the  more  positive  and  vehement  was 
the  contest  urged  against  it  by  that  arrogant 
system  which  now  clothed  itself  in  the  robes 
and  occupied  the  place  of  Moses  and  the  proph- 
ets— a  system  not  content  to  be  recognized  and 
honored  as  divine  in  its  sphere,  yet  introduc- 
tory to  a  higher,  but  claiming  for  itself  to  be 
final  and  universal.  Unconscious  of  imperfec- 
tion, and  intolerant  of  change,  this  bred  a  tem- 
pei  domineering  and  defiant  in  those  who  ad- 
hered to  it  toward  all  other  faiths,  but  most 
of  all  toward  the  faith  which  adored  a  cruc^ 
fied  Nazarene.  It  is  one  of  the  most  signifi- 
cant illustrations  of  the  drift  of  human  nature 
— this  character  of  Judaism  in  the  day  of  the 
Apostle  Paul,  and  the  position  it  assumed  to- 
ward the  doctrines  he  proclaimed.  Ennobled 
51 


and  vitalized  as  it  had  been  at  the  beginning 
by  the  supreme  truth  of  the  being  of  God, 
eternal  and  holy,  almighty  and  wise,  the  crea- 
tor, moral  governor,  and  judge  of  the  universe ; 
receiving  a  yet  mightier  practical  impressive- 
ness  from  the  discoveries  which  it  made  of  his 
presence  and  providence  and  of  his  perfect 
law ;  becoming  pervaded  through  and  through 
with  a  divine  glory,  as  it  showed  to  men  some- 
thing of  his  heavenly  empire,  rehearsed  the 
history  of  his  dealings  with  mankind,  and  even 
imfolded,  through  prophecy  and  psalm,  the 
scope  and  splendor  of  his  purposes  of  love ; 
bringing  all  these  manifold  elements  of  power 
into  contact  with  men  through  a  mechanism 
of  worship  unequaled  in  its  majesty  and  its 
fitness  to  its  end :  the  religion  of  the  Hebrews 
was  intrinsically  adapted,  not  only  above  all 
other  religions,  but  to  the  highest  degree  then 
possible,  to  educate  the  mind,  to  stimulate  the 
conscience,  to  implant  and  develop  the  holiest 


802 


SECTION  393.— FOES  OF  EARLY  CHRISTIANITY. 


affections,  and  to  make  the  nation  which  had 
its  oracles  for  their  constant  possession  the 
purest,  noblest,  and  most  devout  on  the  earth. 
No  other  result  of  it  could  have  been  antici- 
pated by  those  who  should  have  assumed  as 
an  axiom  the  moral  integrity  or  the  moral  in- 
difference of  the  nature  of  man.  And  doubt- 
less such  effects,  through  the  grace  of  the 
Spirit,  were  realized  in  many  whose  faces  now 
glow  in  the  vision  of  Christ. 

Yet  from  this  religion  the  nation  had  early 
and  persistently  swung  away  into  grossest  idol- 
atries, reproducing  in  gold  the  Egyptian  Apis 
beneath  the  very  pavement  of  sapphire  on 
which  the  feet  of  God  were  treading  above 
the  mount;  in  their  subsequent  history  pollut- 
ing the  hills  which  looked  out  upon  Jerusalem 
with  the  fury  and  lust  of  sacrilegious  observ- 
ances. And  when  they  had  at  length  been 
driven  out  of  these  by  the  stern  words  of 
preachers  and  the  sterner  strokes  of  providen- 
tial visitation — when  Assyrian  oppressions,  ful- 
filling God's  plans,  had  forced  them  to  a  new 
recognition  of  him,  and  made  them  loathe  at 
last  the  idolatries  whose  cruel  craft  had  so  torn 
and  despoiled  them — they  only  turned  their 
religion  to  an  occasion  of  pride,  and  nurtured 
beneath  it  the  very  arrogance  and  ambition 
which  it  was  especially  designed  to  subdue. 
Its  mystic,  high,  and  moving  truths,  the  vener- 
able associations  it  derived  from  antiquity,  the 
precious  and  kindling  memories  of  the  fathers 
by  whom  it  was  consecrated,  the  wonderful 
interventions  of  God  in  providence  by  which 
so  often  it  had  been  vindicated  or  rescued,  the 
unique  impressiveness  of  the  ceremonies  and 
offices  by  which  it  had  been  conveyed  through 
the  ages,  the  resplendent  array  of  miracles 
which  it  wore  as  the  breast-plate  of  gems  and 
the  golden  mitre  on  the  front  of  its  records, 
the  very  endurance  and  faith  of  the  mai'tyrs 
who  had  died  beneath  the  hands  of  rulers  or 
people  in  allegiance  to  it — all  were  together 
perverted  by  the  Jews  to  minister  more  abun- 
dantly to  their  national  pride,  and  to  make 
them  less  wiUing  to  receive  the  Messiah  whom 
from  the  beginning  their  religion  had  fore- 
shadowed, unless  he  should  come  as  a  conquer- 
ing Prince,  reigning  visibly  at  Jerusalem,  and 
carrying  his  ensigns  with  squadrons  and  navies 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

This  influence  had  now  for  many  genera- 
tions been  working  in  the  nation  ;  and,  as  we 
know,  it  had  reached  its  climax  when  Paul 


was  proclaiming  Christianity  in  the  world. 
The  very  political  calamities  of  the  Jews,  sting- 
ing and  irritating  their  unsubmissive  minds, 
had  only  intensified  their  fanatical  expectation 
of  victory  through  their  ritual  and  law ;  had 
only  exasperated  their  scorn  of  a  Messiah  who 
should  seek  to  rule  by  the  truth  and  by  love. 
The  partial  successes  which  they  had  realized 
— in  establishing  synagogues  in  many  of  the 
cities  to  which  their  restless  enterprise  had 
impelled  them,  in  gaining  numerous  proselytes 
from  the  heathen,  in  compelling  the  admiration 
of  some  of  the  higher  philosophical  minds  for 
the  grand  simplicity  in  which  their  faith  con- 
trasted the  mythologies,  in  adapting  through 
the  Alexandrian  school  their  doctrines  and 
rules  to  the  language,  and  even  in  some  degree 
to  the  spirit,  of  the  Greeks — these  had  still 
further  invigorated  the  tendency.  And  so 
they  stood,  divided  among  themselves  in  many 
particulars,  yet  unanimous  in  a  fierce  hostility 
to  the  Gospel :  the  Sadducees  denying  angels 
and  the  resurrection,  and  almost  it  would  seem 
the  existence  of  the  soul,  as  independent  of  the 
body,  while  still  holding  among  them  the  office 
of  high  priest,  and  some  posts  of  chief  influence 
in  the  national  council;  the  Pharisees  super- 
adding their  traditions  to  the  law,  and  austere- 
ly exacting  the  most  rigorous  and  literal  ob-  •''* 
servance  of  both,  in  disregard,  often,  of  the 
obvious  principles  of  equity  and  of  charity; 
the  Essenes  delighting  in  pietistic  seclusion  and 
remote  meditations ;  the  Herodians  affecting 
foreign  manners  and  maintaining  the  supreme 
authority  of  the  civil  ruler  in  matters  of  relig- 
ion— yet  all  agreed  and  unitedly  zealons  in  ex- 
pecting the  propagation,  by  conquest  of  arms, 
of  their  ancient  faith,  and  all  contemning  the 
religion  of  Jesus.  It  was  to  them  not  only  a 
radical  heresy  and  schism  in  their  national 
church ;  it  involved  what  seemed  to  them  a 
national  suicide,  the  final  extinction  of  hopes  . 
they  had  cherished  until  they  had  come  to  be 
part  of  their  life. 

So  Judaism  confronted  Paul ;  a  perverted 
system,  whose  ancient  glory  now  only  gave 
energy  to  its  ambitious  plans,  and  its  hatred 
and  defiance  of  the  Gospel  he  preached.  Er- 
•ror  and  verity  were  so  intermingled  in  its  prac- 
tical frame,  piety  and  pride  were  so  combined 
beneath  its  influence,  the  lust  of  conquest  had 
blended  so  intimately  with  religious  veneration, 
that  resistance  to  Christ  seemed  now  to  the 
Jew  a  matter  of  conscience,  and  his  fiercest  pas- 


SEGTIOF  393.— FOES  OF  EARLY  GHRISTIAmTY. 


803 


sions  had  the  sanction  of  his  religion.  Inevita- 
bly, therefore,  by  the  essential  contrariety  of 
its  tendency  and  temper,  this  was  the  first  an- 
tagonist of  the  Gospel;  its  first,  and  also,  in 
some  respects,  its  most  effective  and  dangerous. 
It  surrounded  Paul  in  the  synagogues.  It  even 
entered  the  churches.  Peter  himself,  and  many 
of  the  Christians,  yielded  at  intervals  to  its 
vast  influence ;  and,  with  an  extraordinary  te- 
nacity of  life,  where  it  seemed  altogether  sub- 
dued-and  obliterated,  it  still  persistently  reap- 
peared. So  stubborn  in  its  spirit,  so  thorough 
in  its  discipline,  so  fanatical  in  its  zeal,  and  so 
fortressed  with  strength  on  every  side,  it  was 
only  the  prescience  of  an  inspired  apostle,  and 
only  the  utmost  courage  of  a  will  insphered  as 
was  Paul's  in  the  will  of  the  Most  High,  that 
could  have  predicted  its  absolute  overthrow. 

2.  HEATnENisM. — In  some  form  this  was 
the  common  law  and  the  common  life  of  the 
inhabited  world.  First,  it  is  to  be  recognized 
that  the  heathenism  which  withstood  Chris- 
tianity was  not  an  altogether  artificial  sys- 
tem in  any  nation  ;  that  it  grew  out  of  real  and 
even  deep  motions  in  the  general  mind.  Its 
answer  was  a  vain  one,  but  it  sought  to  give 
an  answer,  to  questions  which  never  since  the 
exile  from  Eden  have  ceased  profoundly  to 
agitate  the  race.  Unconscious  prophecies  of 
better  things  lurked  in  many  of  its  forms,  and 
in  some  of  its  traditions.  There  were  thoughts 
in  it  that  had  drifted  down,  as  has  been  said, 
as  "  planks  from  the  wreck  of  Paradise."  Its 
sacrifices  were  efforts  to  staunch  the  flow  from 
bleeding  hearts.  And  while  the  popular  mind 
acknowledged  chiefly  the  bold  of  its  ceremonies 
and  shows,  the  thoughtful  found  also  some  sol- 
ace or  stimulus  in  its  sublimated  legends. 

Further,  it  must  be  noticed  that  as  existing 
in  any  nation  it  took  the  form  most  germane 
to  that  people,  to  its  genius  and  spirit,  to  its 
circumstances  and  habits  ;  and  that  everywhere 
it  allied  itself  with  whatever  was  strongest, 
whatever  most  impressed  and  attracted  men's 
minds.  Thus  in  Greece,  fi  om  the  first,  it  en- 
shrined itself  in  art ;  made  eloquence  its  advo- 
cate ;  was  indebted  for  the  memorable  form 
which  it  assumed  to  the  noble  poetry  in  which 
its  mythologies  were  melodiously  uttered.  It 
was  there  at  the  same  time  a  philosophy  for 
the  studious,  a  cloister  for  the  religious,  a  splen- 
did spectacle  and  continual  entertainment  for 
the  excitable  populace.  In  Egypt,  on  the  other 
hand,  it  folded  around  it  the  solemn  gloom  of 


those  austere  and  mystic  legends  which  told  of 
the  destruction  of  Osiris  by  Typhon,  or  traced 
in  long  unfolding  terrors,  on  Lhe  walls  of  the 
sealed  and  unsunned  tomb,  the  path  of  the 
spirit  from  its  birth  to  its  judgment.  In  Rome, 
the  same  power  allied  itseK  with  politics,  be- 
came a  military  force,  selected  and  blessed  the 
standards  of  the  army,  added  sanctions  to  the 
laws,  and  apotheosized  the  Emperor.  While 
eastward  in  Assyria,  it  subsided  to  a  sluggish 
and  luxurious  development,  as  it  touched  the 
plains  whose  wealth  fed  empires,  and  whose 
teeming  tilth  gave  license  to  indolence.  Every- 
where, with  spontaneous  flexibility  and  pre- 
cision, the  special  form  of  the  heathenism 
which  prevailed  was  fltted  to  the  needs  and 
the  temper  of  the  people. 

Still  further  we  must  remember  that  in  no 
land  was  this  recent ;  in  none  was  it  devoid  of 
that  dignity  and  authority  which  were  derived 
from  a  high  antiquity ;  while  to  all  the  peoples, 
in  proportion  to  their  advancement,  it  was  as- 
sociated with  whatever  was  to  them  most  re- 
nowned and  inspiring  in  their  history.  Their 
early  benefactors  and  eminent  chieftains  had 
been  deified  by  it.  It  bridged  the  interval  be- 
tween their  times  and  the  Golden  Age.  It  was 
signalized  by  connection  with  all  their  inspir- 
iting national  successes.  It  was  under  the  bene- 
diction, as  he  fondly  believed,  of  his  ancestral 
gods  that  the  Greek  had  fought  at  Marathon 
and  Platfea.  From  the  brazen  spoils  of  the 
former  of  these  victories  the  colossal  statue  of 
Minerva  had  been  wrought,  which,  flashing 
afar  from  the  summit  of  the  Acropolis,  seemed 
to  keep  perpetual  ward  over  the  consecrated 
city  and  scene.  It  was  the  god  Pan  who,  in 
the  terrible  clash  of  Platfea,  overwhelming  the 
Persians  with  sudden  fright  as  his  voice  of 
thunder  broke  on  them  from  the  air,  had  de- 
livered the  nation  in  the  crisis  of  its  peril,  and 
made  the  word  "panic"  thenceforth  an  in- 
heritance of  the  speech  of  mankind.  So  with 
all  that  was  majestic  and  delightful  in  the  past 
— and  we  must  not  forget  that  the  nations  of 
the  old  world  looked  back  into  the  past  far 
more  fondly  than  we  do,  whose  eyes,  by  Chris- 
tianity, have  been  turned  with  a  higher  expec- 
tation toward  the  future — with  all  that  was 
charming  and  inspiring  in  their  past,  their  re- 
ligion was  identified.  It  came  to  them  conse- 
crated by  the  memories  most  precious.  It  was 
dear  to  them  as  the  bond  which  connected 
their  lif  3  with  heroic  ages ;  which  knit  them 


804 


SECTION  393.— FOES  OF  EARLY  CHRISTIANITY. 


to  those  great  fathers  of  the  State  who  had 
learned  from  the  gods  their  secreta  of  power 
as  they  walked  with  them  familiarly  in  the 
morning  of  time. 

And  yet,  further,  we  must  remember  that 
diverse  as  were  the  forms  of  heathenism  which 
severally  obtained  among  the  nations,  no  one 
of  them  was  essentially  isolated  from  or  dis- 
cordant with  the  others  around  it;  that  the 
Greek  might  find  much  which  to  him  was  fa- 
miliar in  the  worships  of  the  East ;  that  the 
Roman  had  no  difficulty  in  opening  his  Pan- 
theon to  any  god  of  all  the  tribes,  in  giving,  as 
Gibbon  says,  "  the  freedom  of  the  city  "  to  aU 
divinities ;  that,  as  matter  of  fact,  the  inter- 
changes of  commerce  were  continually  bring- 
ing the  diiferent  idolatries  to  blend  with  each 
other  ;  and  that  when  Alexander,  in  his  rapid 
conquests,  carried  che  Hellenic  arts  and  influ- 
ence over  the  East,  the  Western  and  Oriental 
heathenisms  commingled,  with  ready  affinities, 
to  a  singular  extent.  Thus  all  became  modi- 
fied, expanded,  invigorated ;  and  each,  with- 
out losing  its  local  prestige,  derived  a  fresh 
access  of  strength  from  the  others.  In  the 
temple  of  Diana  at  Ephesus,  while  the  shrine 
was  in  aU  its  conception  Greek,  and  in  aU  its 
execution  of  the  loveliest  of  Greek  styles,  the 
image  within  was  not  the  statue  which  a  stu- 
dent of  Phidias  or  Praxiteles  would  have 
chiseled  of  her  who  hunted  with  flying 
nymphs  on  Arcadian  hills,  instinct  with  a 
vivid,  virginal  authority;  it  was  a  crude, 
rough  image  of  wood,  like  those  still  seen  in 
Eastern  temples  —  below,  a  simple  -  pointed 
block  covered  with  mystic  animal  figures, 
above,  a  mass  of  many  breasts. 

So  it  was  then,  in  part,  that  heathenism 
had  power  and  supremacy  on  earth  in  the  day 
of  Paul ;  a  power  incomparable  by  that  which 
it  now  has  among  any  people;  a  supremacy 
almost  hterally  unquestioned.  It  covered  the 
earth,  embosomed  in  its  influence  all  ranks 
and  vocations,  molded  every  institution,  in- 
filtrated its  forces  into  everything  human. 
Springing  out  of  the  heart  and  mind  of  man- 
kind, it  had  in  turn,  from  its  place  of  power, 
wrought  these  to  its  likeness,  and  toned  them 
to  an  absolute  sympathy  with  itself.  It 
touched  every  class,  and  had  its  appeal  for 
every  person ;  from  the  Sybarite  to  the  Stoic ; 
from  the  profligate  Alcibiades  to  Socrates, 
who  seemed  almost  a  forerunner  of  the  Lord. 
The  philosopher  might  sneer  at  it,  but  even  he 


infused  into  it  an  esoteric  significance  which 
dignified  and  endeared.it  to  himself  and  his 
pupils.  The  popular  mind  absorbed  it  greedi- 
ly, and  was  pervaded  in  every  fiber  by  its  im- 
pression. Its  infinite  complication  of  fancies 
and  myths  was  to  those  who  lived  under  it  a 
spiritual  system,  as  real  as  life,  as  vast  as  the 
skies,  yet  as  near  their  souls  as  fi'iendship  or 
hope.  Through  it  the  living  forces  of  nature, 
personified  and  familiarized,  seemed  to  leap 
forth  to  greet  the  shepherd  or  the  sailor. 
Through  it  the  spirits  of  their  dead  ancestors 
seemed  to  the  citizens  invisibly  but  really  to 
brood  over  and  assist  their  troubled  minds  and 
periled  fortunes.  Above  all,  through  it  the 
vast  Unknown,  the  something  Infinite  and  En- 
during, of  which  the  heavens  gave  them  wit- 
ness, which  inarticulately  encircled  their  life, 
shedding  on  it  at  once  a  shadow  and  a  gleam 
— the  Unspeakable  Power  which,  as  Paul  saw 
at  Athens  when  looking  on  their  pathetic 
altars,  they  "  ignorantly  worshiped,"  and  to 
which  the  Eomans  were  wont  formally  to 
pray  when  the  shuddering  undulations  of  the 
earthquake  surprised  them — this  seemed  to 
them  brought  nearer  tbeir  souls,  and  almost 
made  palpable  to  their  imaginations. 

Heathenism  to  many  had  thus  the  sacred- 
ness  of  a  faith.  It  was  felt  a  real  infidelity  to 
deny  it ;  a  kind  of  atheism,  from  which  sensi- 
tive men  shrank  then  as  now,  as  from  a  denial 
of  man's  great  birthright,  a  piercing  confession 
of  spiritual  orphanage.  And  the  religion  which 
thus  grappled  and  held  them  by  manifold  ties, 
which  engaged  to  itself  on  every  side  tlieir 
affections  and  passions,  and  intermingled  its 
subtile  influence  with  all  their  letters,  laws, 
and  thoughts,  had  become  the  very  life  of 
their  life  to  all  the  nations  ;  till  it  was  in  fact 
attempting  to  remold  their  nature  to  dis- 
turb it. 

3.  Impeeial  Rome. — The  opponent  most 
powerful  of  all,  the  most  dangerous  to  assail, 
to  human  view  the  most  inaccessible  to  change 
or  decay,  supreme  over  every  force  that  could 
touch  it,  and  comparing  with  them  all  as  the 
Mediterranean  with  the  restless  streams  which 
sought  and  sank  into  it,  was  the  authority  and 
power  of  Imperial  Rome.  Immense  in  extent, 
immeasurable  in  energy,  this  was  also  so  com- 
pletely subordinated  to  heathenism,  so  entirely 
impregnated  and  energized  by  its  spirit,  that 
the  Gospel  could  no  more  advance  to  dominion 
without  its  conversion  or  without  its  destruc- 


SECTION  393.— FOES  OF  EARLY  CHRISTIANITY. 


805 


tion,  than  liglit  can  break  through  seven-fold 
walls,  or  the  brook  can  leap  the  mountain-chain. 
It  was  hardly  as  yet  at  its  uttermost  height, 
this  imperial  power ;  for  scores  of  years  still 
slowly  passed  before  that  age  of  Trajan  and 
the  Antonines  which  marked  its  consummate 
might  and  splendor;  while  it  was  later  even 
than  this  that  Severus  carried  his  victorious 
arms  to  Ctesiphon  and  Seleucia,  transferred 
the  entire  legislative  power  from  the  Senate  to 
himself,  and  scattered  the  profuse  memorials 
of  bis  reign  over  Africa  and  the  East.  But 
already  had  Julius  Caesar,  first  of  generals  and 
foremost  of  statesmen,  by  natural  force  the 
leading  man  of  all  bis  world,  laid  the  first 
courses  of  that  immense  structure  in  which 
others  after  him  were  to  perpetuate  his  name, 
and  without  his  genius  to  outrun  his  plans. 
Already  had  Augustus,  with  marvelous  tact, 
dissimulation,  and  ability,  overcoming  all  ob- 
stacles and  destroying  all  rivals,  raised  himself 
by  sure  steps  to  the  empire  of  the  world.  While 
retaining  artfully  some  forms  of  the  Eepublic, 
he  had  centralized  all  authority  in  his  will, 
being  recognized  successively  as  General,  Em- 
peror, Supreme  Pontiff,  and  Censor.  He  had 
adorned  with  the  spoils  of  every  land,  and  had 
nlmost  rebuilt  the  imperial  city;  had  added 
other  regions  and  peoples  to  the  empire ;  had 
disciplined  the  troops,  tranquillized  the  prov- 
inces, and  given  to  the  world  an  unaccustomed 
peace ;  and  he  had  fostered  the  brilliant  litera- 
ture which  is  the  superb  and  imperishable 
crown  of  that  whole  age  which  bears  his  name. 
He  had  been  enthroned  for  forty -five  years  on 
the  Palatine  hill ;  had  been  worshiped  during 
life  in  some  cities  of  the  empire ;  and,  after  his 
death,  had  been  raised  by  the  solemn  decree 
of  the  Senate  to  the  rank  of  a  God.  The  "  dark 
and  unrelenting  "  Tiberius  who  followed  him, 
Caligula,  Claudius,  and  now  at  last  Nero,  had 
successively  inherited  and  abused  his  preroga- 
tives ;  and  their  absolute  power  had  been  only 
confirmed  by  time  and  use.  Nay,  even  their 
unspeakable  cruelty  and  lust,  by  continually 
exciting  the  fears  of  the  people,  and  as  con- 
tinually debasing  their  character,  had  but  ce- 
mented into  more  solid  strength  the  fabric  of 
that  unparalleled  domination  whose  founda- 
tions had  been  laid  by  a  genius  so  rare,  a  saga- 
city so  sure,  and  a  courage  so  complete. 

And  so  was  this  empire  now  exhibited  to 
Paul,  encircling  the  sea  which  was  the  center 
of  his  thoughts,  from  Carthage  to  Alexandria, 


from  Alexandria  to  Ephesus,  and  on  to  the  very 
pillars  of  Hercules  ;  with  no  sign  of  weakness 
and  with  no  shade  of  fear  on  all  its  frame ; 
full,  on  the  other  hand,  of  the  most  intense 
and  commanding  vitality :  the  vigor  of  youth 
blending  in  its  life  with  the  disciplined  craft 
which  was  the  slow  growth  of  ages;  its  or- 
ganization the  most  perfect  of  time  ;  its  wealth 
the  most  ample ;  its  military  system  the  most 
exact  and  effective  ;  its  renown  the  most  vari- 
ous ;  its  ambition  as  unbounded  as  if  conquest 
were  a  novelty,  and  the  stream  of  the  Rubicon 
still  was  its  limit.  Its  name  was  a  terror  to 
the  wildest  barbarians,  while  scholars  rejoiced 
in  the  letters  which  it  cherished.  The  armies, 
to  which  it  had  given  a  name  that  signified  of 
itself  their  constant  practice  and  incessant  ac- 
tivity, were  arrayed  over  the  earth  at  each 
point  of  command,  from  the  Indus  to  the 
Tweed,  from  the  shores  of  Scandinavia  to  the 
Libyan  sands.  Their  helmets  flashed  in  the 
streets  of  each  city.  Their  iron-beaked  gal- 
leys, from  Misenum  or  Ravenna,  were  ready 
at  a  word  to  dart  to  the  onset  against  every  foe. 
The  British  woods  and  the  Assyrian  plains 
were  equally  familiar  with  their  triumphing 
standards. 

The  hundred  millions  of  inhabitants  of  the 
empire,  from  whom  these  armies  were  evermore 
reinforced,  though  not  indeed  pervaded  by  any 
strong  principle  of  inward  unity,  were  yet  by 
no  means  merely  encircled  by  a  brazen  ring  of 
military  force.  Their  obedience  was  in  large 
part  voluntary  and  stable.  They  were  actual- 
ly and  strongly  bound  to  the  metropolis ;  by  ad- 
miration of  its  splendor,  as  well  as  awe  of  its 
power;  by  the  tolerance  in  each  province  of  the 
local  religion,  and  to  some  extent  of  the  local 
law ;  by  the  Roman  colonies,  which  were 
pushed  in  all  directions  after  the  arms  which 
had  opened  the  way  for  them ;  by  the  admis- 
sion to  citizenship  of  those  provincials  who 
most  desired  and  most  had  deserved  it ;  by 
the  comparative  immunity  which  certainly  was 
given  them  from  the  yet  more  capricious  and 
unendurable  tyranny  of  the  smaller  despots 
whom  Rome  displaced. 

The  great  roads  that  radiated  in  every  di- 
rection from  the  golden  milestone  within  the 
forum — crosiing  or  even  piercing  the  hills,  and 
bridging  the  ravines,  with  an  imperial  disre- 
gard of  all  natural  obstacles — were  arteries 
along  which  flowed  constant  circulation  from 
the  heart  to  the  extremities.    The  characteris- 


806 


SECTION  393.— FOES  OF  EARLY  CHRISTIANITY. 


tic  productions  of  each  region  became  gradual- 
ly dispersed  and  domesticated  in  others.  And 
commerce,  religion,  letters,  law,  wove  each  its 
strand  into  that  immense  and  magnificent  girdle 
with  which  the  earth  was  well-nigh  encircled. 

Considering  its  history,  considering  its 
growth,  it  seemed  hardly  so  much  a  construc- 
tion of  man,  this  empire  of  Kome,  as  one  of 
the  pre-ordained  elements  of  nature ;  reaching 
in  its  exhaustive  roots  to  the  centers  of  his- 
tory, and  draining  the  earth  to  give  it  nutri- 
ment ;  increasing  with  a  steadiness,  and  an 
immeasurable  might,  which  no  mere  art  or 
generalship  could  have  given  ;  in  its  production 
therefore  resistible  by  no  agencies,  and  in  the 
result  as  indestructible  by  assault  as  Lebanon 
or  the  Apennines.  Nay,  it  seemed  hardly  so 
much  a  power  terrestrial,  in  its  amazing  and 
terrific  augmentation — to  the  imaginative  stu- 
dent contemplating  its  wonders,  it  still  some- 
times presents  itself  in  history,  hardly  so  much 
a  power  terrestrial — as  a  drear  and  vast  fate ; 
impersonal,  immense  ;  long-slumbering  and  in- 
ert, but  expending  itself  rapidly  from  porten- 
tous beginnings  as  Christianity  came  near ; 
spreading  over  tlie  heavens,  infolding  the  earth, 
locking  liberty  in  paralysis,  while  giving  an 
almost  demoniac  power  to  its  auxiliary  minds; 
combining  all  conquering  passions  and  powers 
in  one  ultimate  aggregate,  and  descending  be- 
yond help  on  the  overwhelmed  nations ! 

So  it  stood  before  Paul,  as  everywhere  he 
met  it,  as  he  knew  and  felt  it  environing  the 
earth.  And  so  long  as  it  remained  undestroyed, 
unchanged,  with  its  muscles  unrelaxed  and  its 
heart  unsubdued,  the  supremacy  of  the  gospel 
could  not  be  realized.  It  was  absolutely  ar- 
rested and  forbidden.  For  in  essential  and 
immovable  antagonism  this  fronted  the  gospel. 
Its  kingdom,  and  law,  and  life  were  different. 
Its  spirit  was  one  of  the  most  malign  selfish- 
ness ;  its  ambitions  were  fierce,  its  passions  im- 
placable, and  its  whole  aim  earthly.  As  soon, 
therefore,  as  the  doctrine  which  Paul  was  pro- 
claiming should  emerge  from  the  shelter  of  its 
early  insignificance,  and  begin  to  declare  itself 
a  world-mai^tering  principle,  this  mightiest  em- 
pire of  Time  was  its  enemy,  nay  more,  its  most 
terrific  and  consuming  assailant.  All  the 
powers  that  pertained  to  it,  so  pi'odigious  and 
omnipresent,  as  swayed  by  one  will,  inspired 
by  one  aim,  and  pushed  to  their  purpose  with 
relentless  ferocity,  were  to  converge  at  once 
on  the  work  of  arresting  and  then  of  eradicat- 


ing the  hated  Christianity.  The  sharpness  of 
swords  and  the  darkness  of  prisons  would  be 
its  swift  and  certain  answer  to  every  appeal 
which  invoked  for  the  gospel  the  tolerance 
that  it  showed  toward  all  other  religions. 
And  Paul  knew  that  this  as  well,  this  might- 
iest establishment  of  govei'nment  on  the  earth, 
this  impregnable  despotism  which  was  touched 
by  no  fear,  against  which  human  power  seemed 
vain,  and  to  strike  which  was  like  trying  to 
startle  the  stars  —  that  this  should  also,  in 
God's  own  time,  be  broken  and  wrecked,  and 
"  brought  to  nought." 

2.  Agencies  fob  their  Overthrow. — By 
what  agencies  should  each  of  these  prophesied 
victories,  over  Judaism,  heathenism,  and  the 
terrible  iron-limbed  empire  of  Kome,  be 
brought  to  pass?  The  truths  which  had  been 
taught  the  apostles,  and  afterward  recalled  to 
them  and  unfolded  more  fully  by  the  witness 
of  the  Spirit,  and  which  were  to  be  enshrined 
in  evangelical  narratives,  not  one  of  which  had 
yet  been  written,  which  were  to  be  expounded 
in  a  series  of  letters  by  the  apostles  to  the 
churches,  of  which  only  those  by  Paul  himself 
to  Thessalonica  had  thus  far  been  prepared — 
these  were  the  primary  instruments  to  be  used, 
with  the  oral  proclamation  of  their  principles' 
and  laws,  for  the  spread  of  God's  kingdom, 
and  the  overthrow  of  whatever  withstood  its 
advance. 

The  living  energy  of  Christianity  in  the 
world,  through  the  souls  into  which  its  truths 
should  bo  transferred,  throughout  whose  af- 
fections its  charity  should  be  shed,  whose 
hopes  should  be  kindled  and  their  courage  in- 
spired by  its  high  promises — this  personal  force 
of  Christianity  in  the  world,  realizing  the  prin- 
ciples which  epistles  were  to  teach,  and  incar- 
nating the  spirit  with  which  gospels  were  to 
glow :  this  was  the  second  of  the  agencies  to 
be  used  for  the  triumph  of  God's  kingdom 
over  all  which  withstood  it. 

These  were  the  very  agencies  —  these 
"  Things  which  were  not "  in  every  sense — 
which  were  not  regarded,  and  which  hitherto 
existed  only  in  germ,  these  gospels  and  epistles 
which  were  still  to  be  written,  these  teachings 
and  preachings  which  had  scarcely  commenced, 
these  Christian  forces  in  life  and  character 
which  hardly  thus  far  had  appeared  on  the 
earth,  which  were  not  self-conscious  enough 
to  be  formed  as  yet  into  separate  communities, 
which  could  not  be  spoken  of  as  one  of  the 


SECTIOir  39J,.— GROWTH  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


807 


fathers  afterward  spoke  of  them  as  "verdant 
islets  amid  raging  oceans,"  but  wiiich  now 
were  only  as  scattered  flowers  casually  dis- 
persed on  the  surface  of  a  sea  that  at  any  mo- 
ment might  swell  with  tempests — these  were 
the  forces  which  God  had  chosen  to  bring  to 
nought  the  "things  that  were":  the  ancieijt, 
immense,  and  impregnable  institutions,  tliat 
stood  in  all  their  august  might  and  tremen- 
dous effectiveness  fronting  the  gospel.  And 
through  them,  by  his  might,  it  did  come  to 
pass  in  the  due  time,  as  Paul  had  known  and 
declared  that  it  should,  that  the  gospel  which 
seemed  so  slight  a  force  when  he  was  proclaim- 
ing it  in  the  school  of  Tyrannus,  and  the 
agencies  for  which  looked  so  frail  and  so  few, 
did  triumph  illustriously  and  dominate  for  all 
time  over  the  colossal  institutions  and  influ- 
ences which  resisted  its  march.  Judaism  was 
surpassed,  absorbed,  and  terminated,  in  a 
higher  religion,  more  adequate  to  man's  wants, 
more  illustrative  of  God's  glory.  Heathenism 
was  not  only  broken  down  and  exterminated 
on  the  scenes  in.  which  so  long  it  had  reigned, 
but  it  was  made,  thenceforth  and  for  ever,  the 
veriest  outcast  of  civilization.  The  Eoman 
empire  was  as  finally  extinguished  as  if  the 
crust  of  the  globe  had  been  opened  to  swallow 
it  up.  And  all  was  wrought — this  change  at 
which  the  world  still  wonders,  and  which  no 


other  change  recorded  in  history  ever  has 
paralleled — all  was  wrought,  within  a  few  cen- 
turies, by  what  at  the  outset  had  appeared  so 
unreal  or  so  ineffectual.  God's  might  had 
crowned  with  an  absolute  victory  what  man- 
kind had  despised ;  and  weakness,  as  used  by 
Omnipotence,  was  supreme.  The  vanishing 
shadow,  as  it  looked  to  men's  eyes,  had  shaken 
and  dissolved  the  earth-centered  mountain. 
Doctrine  and  suffering  had  discomfited  despot- 
ism. The  market-places  vocal,  and  the  cata- 
combs crowded,  had  been  mightier  than  ar- 
mies. The  Mamertine  prison  had  conquered 
the  Capitol ! 

"  The  city  of  God  is  built,"  it  has  been  said, 
"  at  the  confluence  of  three  great  civilizations." 
It  is  built  as  well,  let  it  never  be  forgotten,  on 
the  ruins  of  three  prodigious,  ambitious,  and 
defiant  establishments;  a  perverted  Judaism, 
deriving  vast  strength  from  the  truths  it  de- 
nied ;  an  ancient,  haughty,  and  universal  heath- 
enism ;  a  military  empire  that  encompassed 
the  earth.  And  the  forces  which  brought  all 
these  to  nought  were  not  astute  combina- 
tions of  statesmen,  the  eloquence  of  scholars, 
or  the  strategy  of  soldiers  ;  they  were  forces 
which  Paul  could  only  describe,  even  in  his 
day,  a  score  of  years  after  Christ  had  as- 
cended, as  "  Thu^gs  which  are  not  !  "  R.  S. 
Storrs. 


Section  394. 
The  Spread  and  Achievements  of  Christianity. 


Before  thirty  years  had  elapsed  from  the 
death  of  Christ,  his  Church  had  spread  from 
Palestine  throughout  Syria ;  through  almost 
all  the  numerous  districts  of  Lesser  Asia ; 
through  Greece  and  the  islands  of  the  ^gean 
Sea,  the  seacoast  of  Africa,  and  even  into 
Italy  and  Rome.  The  number  of  converts  in 
the  several  cities  respectively  is  described  by 
the  expressions,  "a  great  number,"  "great 
multitudes,"  "  much  people."  In  the  thii'tieth 
year  after  the  beginning  of  the  work,  the  ler- 
rible  persecution  under  Nero  kindled  its  fires ; 
then  Christians  had  become  so  numerous  at 
Eome  that,  by  the  testimony  of  Tacitus,  a 
"  great  multitude  ''  were  seized.  In  forty  years 
more,  we  are  told,  in  a  celebrated  letter  from 


Pliny,  the  Roman  governor  of  Pontus  and  By- 
thinia,  Christianity  had  long  subsisted  in  these 
provinces,  though  so  remote  from  Judea.  Many 
of  all  ages  and  of  every  rank,  of  both  sexes 
likewise,  were  accused  to  Pliny  of  being  Chris- 
tians. "What  he  calls  the  contagion  of  this 
superstition  (thus  forcibly  describing  the  irre- 
sistible and  rapid  progress  of  Christianity)  had 
seized,  not  cities  only,  but  the  lesser  towns 
dso,  and  the  open  country,  so  that  the  heathen 
temples  ''  were  almost  forsaken,"  few  victims 
were  purchased  for  sacrifice,  and  a  long  inter- 
mission of  the  sacred  solemnities  had  taken 
place.  Justin  Martyr,  who  A^rote  about  thirty 
years  after  Pliny,  and  one  hundred  after  the 
gospel  was  first  preached  to  the  Gentiles,  thus 


808 


SECTIOJSr  39Jf.— GROWTH  OF  CERISTIANITT. 


describes  the  extent  of  Christianity  in  his 
time :  "  There  is  not  a  nation,  either  Greek  or 
barbarian,  or  of  any  other  name,  even  those 
"who  wander  in  tribes  and  live  in  tents,  among 
whom  prayers  and  thanksgivings  are  not  offered 
to  the  Father  and  Creator  of  the  universe  by 
the  name  of  the  crucified  Jesus."  Clemens 
Alexandrinus,  a  few  years  after,  thus  writes : 
"  The  philosophers  were  confined  to  Greece, 
and  to  their  particular  retainers ;  but  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Master  of  Christianity  did  not 
remain  in  Judea,  but  is  spread  throughout  the 
whole  world,  in  every  nation,  and  village,  and 
city,  converting  both  whole  houses  and  sepa- 
rate individuals,  having  already  brought  over 
to  the  truth  not  a  few  of  the  philosophers 
themselves.  If  the  Greek  philosophy  be  pro- 
hibited, it  immediately  vanishes ;  whereas, 
from  the  first  preaching  of  our  doctrine,  kings 
and  tyrants,  governors  and  presidents,  with 
their  whole  train,  and  with  the  populace  on 
their  side,  have  endeavored  with  their  whole 
might  to  exterminate  it,  yet  doth  it  flourish 
more  and  more."    M.  H. 

Tertullian,  writing  about  the  beginning  of 
the  third  century  in  vindication  of  the  new  re- 
ligion, says  to  the  Roman  authorities :  "  Though 
we  are  strangers  of  no  long  standing,  yet  we 
have  filled  all  places  of  your  dominions,  cities, 
islands,  corporations,  councils,  armies,  tribes, 
the  senate,  the  palace,  the  courts  of  judicature. 
If  the  Christians  had  a  mind  to  revenge  them- 
selves, their  numbers  are  abundant,  for  they 
have  a  party,  not  in  this  or  that  province  only, 
but  in  all  quarters  of  the  world.  Nay,  if  they 
were  to  combine  and  forsake  the  Roman  em- 
pire, how  vast  would  be  the  loss!  The  world 
would  be  amazed  at  the  solitude  which  would 
ensue."  In  an  appeal  to  the  persecuting  gov- 
ernor of  Africa,  he  says :  "  If  you  persevere 
in  your  persecution,  what  will  you  do  with 
these  many  thousands,  both  men  and  women, 
of  every  rank  and  every  age,  who  will  prompt- 
ly offer  themselves  ?  Carthage  itself  must  be 
decimated."  And  again,  enumerating  the  na- 
tions who  have  believed  in  Christ,  he  declares 
that  the  gospel  has  penetrated  to  regions  which 
were  inaccessible  even  to  the  eagles  of  imperial 
Rome,  and  that  the  Church  had  already  spread 
itself  more  widely  than  the  four  great  monar- 
chies. "  Excellent  governors,"  says  Tertullian, 
"  you  may  torment,  aflBict,  and  vex  us ;  your 
wickedness  puts  our  meekness  to  the  test;  but 
your  cruelty  is  of  no  avail.    It  is  but  a  strong- 


er invitation  to  bring  others  to  our  persuasion. 
The  more  we  are  mowed  down,  the  more  we 
spring  up  again.     The  blood  of  the  Chbis- 

TIANS  IS  SEED."      J.   W.  A. 

All  religions  that  have  taken  place  in  the 
world's  history  have  been  established  by  moral 
an,d  by  material  agency;  all  appealed  from 
their  very  commencement  as  much  to  force  as 
to  persuasion,  as  much  to  the  arm  as  to  the 
tongue.  Christianity  alone  lived  and  grew  dur- 
ing three  centuries  by  its  own  single  native 
virtue,  without  any  other  appeal  than  that 
made  to  truth,  without  any  other  aid  than 
that  of  faith.  During  those  three  centuries 
the  dogmas,  the  precepts,  and  the  miracles  of 
its  Author  constituted  its  only  weapons,  and 
weapons  which  have  prevailed  against  all  other 
arms.  Those  dogmas,  those  precepts,  and  those 
miracles  effected  the  conquest  of  man's  mind 
and  of  human  society  in  spite  of  the  resistance 
of  Greek  philosophy,  Roman  power,  and  all 
the  poetical  or  mystical  mythologies  of  an- 
tiquity marshaled  against  them.  The  victory 
has  not,  it  is  true,  put  an  end  to  all  struggle  of 
man's  intelligence  :  neither  has  the  light  from 
Christ  dissipated  all  darkness  nor  satisfied  all 
minds ;  the  explanation  and  commentaries  of 
man  have  obscured  the  doctrines  of  Christ ; 
human  prejudices  have  mistaken  his  precepts  ; 
and  legends  have  been  grafted  upon  his  mira- 
cles. But  the  fact  does  not  the  less  exist  that 
the  dogmas,  the  precepts,  and  the  miracles  of 
Christ,  without  any  aid  from  human  sources, 
sufilced  to  found  and  insure  the  triumph  of 
the  Christian  religion  :  this  is  a  fact  primitive 
and  supreme.  And  from  this  single  result 
shines  forth  the  divine  character  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  for  its  triumph  without  the  mi- 
raculous agency  of  God  would  be  of  all  mira- 
cles the  most  impossible  to  receive.     Guizot. 

Christianity  comes  to  our  times  as  the  sur- 
vivor of  all  systems,  and,  after  confronting  in 
turn  every  imaginable  form  of  error,  each  of 
which  has  gone  to  its  almost  forgotten  place  in 
history,  itself  alone  lives.  We  have  before  us 
in  this  history  a  power  which,  even  when  the 
most  enfeebled  or  perverted,  could  lend  a  gran- 
deur even  to  folly,  and  a  sublimity  to  extrava- 
gance ;  which  has  often  imparted  the  energies 
of  virtue  to  crimes;  which  has  never  visited 
mankind  with  a  scourge,  without  bringing  up 
a  blessing;  and  which  now  at  length  stands 
forward  in  no  other  character  than  as  the  re- 
prover of  violence,  and  of  oppression,  and  of 


SECTION  393.— FINAL  SUPEEMACT  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


809 


impurity;  and  as  the  guardian  of  whatever  is 
most  holy  and  happy.  Its  spirit  and  tendency, 
which  once  might  seem  ambiguous,  are  now, 
by  universal  acknowledgment,  simply  benign. 
I.  Taylor. 

When  we  remember  what  Christendom 
was  when  it  began;  the  handful  of  fishermen 
and  peasants  that  preached  it ;  the  narrow  and 
obscure  corner  of  the  earth  in  which  they 
lived ;  their  absolute  insignificance,  measured 
by  the  politics  or  thought  of  the  time ;  when 
we  remember  their  persecution  by  their  own 
countrymen,  and  that  the  few  persons  of  cul- 
ture who  joined  them  sank  in  the  eyes  of  the 
rest  to  the  same  illiterate  level,  yet  how  soon 
their  doctrines  shook  and  overthrew  the  sta- 
blest beliefs  that  then  existed,  and  climbed  up- 
on thrones  to  rule  the  world  ;  when  we  recall 
the  mighty  march  of  Christendom  from  east  to 
west,  and  now  back  again  from  west  to  east, 
noiseless  as  the  pillar  of  cloud,  luminous  as  the 
pillar  of  fire ;  when  we  reflect  on  the  great 
intellects  it  has  seized,  and  how  it  has  laid 
every  art  under  tribute,  claimed  the  homage  of 
science,  and,  while  impressing  upon  culture  its 
own  stamp,  has  widened  it,  and  elevated  it,  and 
made  it,  instead  of  the  badge  and  heritage  of  a 
few,  as  universal  as  itself ;  when  we  remember 
what  geniuses  it  has  molded,  what  wealth  of 
eloquence  and  profound  thought  is  inseparable 
from  its  teaching,  in  what  majestic  and  immor- 
tal words  it  has  poured  its  aspirations  through 
the  lips  of  the  glorified  dead,  and  how  its  in- 
fluence has  been  felt  far  beyond  those  whom  it 
may  claim  as  its  own,  so  that  the  greatest  poets 
and  historians,  the  greatest  painters  and  sculp- 
tors, the  foremost  statesmen  and  orators,  the 
solitary  thinker  whose  "  soul  was  like  a  star, 
and  dwelt  apart,"  have  for  centuries  been  its 


debtors;  when  we  remember  the  literature  it 
has  created,  and,  unlike  all  other  systems,  that 
it  *is  creating  still  with  unimpaired  freshness 
and  energy,  and  for  which  it  uses  every  lan- 
guage under  heaven;  when  we  remember  the 
nations  it  has  builded,  and  the  outcome  of  their 
national  life,  the  commerce  by  which  it  crowds 
the  restless  sea  and  binds  the  parted  lands; 
when  we  consider  its  liberating  power,  the 
energies  and  endowments  it  has  set  free  for 
the  service  of  the  race,  that  it  has  struck  the 
chains  off  the  slave,  and  smitten  the  fetters  of 
class,  and  proclaimed  liberty  to  the  captive 
mind ;  when  we  remember  the  unworn  force 
of  its  truths,  the  consolations  it  pours  into 
numberless  stricken  hearts,  the  braveries  and 
heroisms  with  which  it  makes  common  lives 
illustrious,  the  untold  peace  with  which  it  stills 
the  trouble  of  conscience  and  the  trouble  of 
thought,  the  dying  agonies  it  soothes,  the 
streams  of  joy  that  flow  from  it  to  poor  and 
sad  and  lonely  lives;  and  that  there  is  no  sign 
of  decay  about  it,  of  being  set  aside  when  it 
has  served  its  turn ;  no  failure  to  meet  fresh 
needs,  no  lack  of  potency  to  rouse  men  to  self- 
sacrifice,  no  weakness  to  resist  assault,  no 
want  of  breadth  and  elasticity  to  cope  with 
novel  conditions  of  society,  no  less  spiritual 
grandeur  than  in  those  first  days  when  the 
Spirit  came  down  like  a  mighty  wind — if  all 
that  might  thus  be  fairly  said  could  be  woven 
by  some  skilKul  hand  into  one  broad  picture, 
it  would  surely  represent  a  power  that,  for 
splendor  and  resource,  is  like  no  other  of  which 
we  have  any  knowledge  on  this  earth.  Eegal 
potencies  are  in  it,  unfailing,  undecaying,  inex- 
haustible, irresistible — potencies  that,  because 
they  are  of  God,  are  to  subdue  and  mold  our 
human  life.     W.  F.  Stevenson. 


Section  395. 


Intimations  of  the  Final  Supremacy  of  Christianity 


1.  The  very  fact  that  God  has  established  it, 
and  that  he  has  introduced  it  to  human  hnowl- 
edge,  should  lead  us  to  expect  this.  There  is 
no  presumption  more  definite  or  impressive, 
or  more  immediate,  than  that  the  system  of 
truth  and  salvation  in  Christ,  which  God  has 
prepared  and  has  given  to  men,  shall  advance 
among  them  to  ultimate  supremacy.    That  God 


will  choose  to  accomplish  this,  it  seems  diffi- 
cult to  doubt.  That  he  is  able  to  effect  it, 
can  not  be  questioned.  Amid  the  utmost  con- 
fusions of  history,  through  simply  the  super- 
intending control  of  providence,  his  purposes 
have  come  to  historic  reality  at  just  the  point 
allotted  for  them.  The  central  and  harmo- 
nizing line  in  history  is  that  on  which  these 


810 


SECTION  395.— FINAL  SUPREMACY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


plans  have  advanced.  All  Listory  besides 
converges  toward  that,  is  interpreted  in  its 
radiance ;  and  whatsoever  that  looked  toward 
has  been  fulfilled.  If  such,  then,  is  God's 
control  over  history,  and  if  such  has  been  the 
accomplishment  of  his  plans,  we  look  to  see 
Christianity  successful. 

Still  further  must  we  presume  this,  when 
we  remember  through  what  processes  it  was 
brought  to  development  and  to  general  proc- 
lamation; how  vast  these*  were,  and  how  full 
of  sublimity.  God  showed  it  afar,  remember, 
to  the  beings  who  had  fallen ;  and  the  beauty 
of  his  promise  stamped  the  bow  upon  the 
cloud  that  hung  thunderous  over  them.  From 
that  time  his  purpose  came  ever  into  plainer 
and  larger  exhibition.  It  was  shown  to  the 
patriarchs,  to  the  lawgiver,  to  the  psalmists. 
It  quickened  with  a  celestial  hope  the  thoughts 
and  hearts  of  many  elect  men.  It  gradually 
worked  on  to  realization  in  the  actual,  through 
the  pressure  and  clamor  of  national  histories. 
It  subdued  and  reorganized  other  movements 
and  agencies.  It  came  into  clear  prospective 
manifestation  in  the  ecstasy  of  the  prophets. 
It  was  at  last  accomplished  in  the  advent  of 
Christ,  his  ministry  and  passion,  his  death  and 
his  ascension.  Through  all  this  course,  of  four 
thousand  years,  there  was  never  a  point  where 
God  was  not  moving  to  bring  this  system  to 
completeness.  He  touched  the  troubled  cur- 
rents of  national  progress  with  the  sublime 
baptism  of  his  presence  and  guidance,  that 
they  might  bear  redemption  forward.  He 
shed  upon  lofty  and  purified  souls  the  un- 
speakable brightness  of  his  omniscience;  he 
carried  nations  into  captivity,  and  brought 
them  up  again  with  shoutings;  he  raised  up 
kings,  and  suddenly  overthrew  them ;  he  es- 
tablished a  theocracy  and  a  priesthood  at  Je- 
rusalem ;  he  opened  the  waves  of  the  eager 
sea,  until  they  stood  as  a  wall  on  each  hand ; 
he  made  the  Syrian  sands  brilliant  beneath  the 
march  of  the  pillar  by  night ;  he  descended 
upon  Sinai,  till  it  trembled  and  rocked,  through 
its  every  granite  crag,  under  the  majesty  of 
Infinitude — all,  that  in  its  time  redemption 
might  be  unfolded!  And  when  we  meet  the 
heavenly  hosts  singing  exulting  chants  above 
Bethlehem,  adorning  the  midnight  with  their 
sweet  beauty  and  filling  it  with  their  rapture, 
we  find  in  even  that  no  strangeness.  The 
history  that  precedes  it  has  prepared  for  such 
a  close. 


It  is  not  probable,  then,  that  a  system  like 
this,  so  associated  with  God,  so  sublime  in  it- 
self, introduced  with  such  patience  of  purpose 
and  of  aim,  along  a  path  so  brilliant  with 
theophanies,  is  to  fail  of  success.  Eather,  as 
we  look  on,  we  predict  its  supremacy.  If  the 
presumption  does  not  arise  to  proof,  it  is  al- 
most because  it  supersedes  that,  that  this  will 
triumph  throughout  the  earth. 

2.  The  interior  structure  of  Christianity, 
its  fitnesses  to  man,  the  reply  which  it  gives  to 
his  deepest  demands,  also  promise  this  su- 
premacy. 

It  binds  his  understanding  with  the  stress 
of  its  argument;  and  so,  sometimes,  it  leads 
him  to  Christ.  It  appeals  to  his  inward  con- 
sciousness of  unrest,  and  offers  him  peace  un- 
speakable in  God.  It  kindles  within  him  the 
sense  of  sin,  and  so  of  exposure  and  of  judg- 
ment to  come  ;  and  then  it  offers  him  Christ 
in  atonement,  with  his  fullness  of  expiation, 
with  the  promises  of  God  surrounding  his 
cross,  and  the  gates  into  heaven  swinging  in- 
ward at  his  touch.  Through  the  perfect  em- 
bodiment of  excellence  in  Jesus  it  appeals  to 
that  inmost  susceptibility  to  moral  beauty 
which  almost  never  is  dead  in  any  heart. 
Through  its  warnings  it  speaks  to  fear. 
Through  its  revelations  of  God  it  addresses  the 
sense  of  dependence  in  us,  the  capacity  for  ven- 
eration and  the  sense  of  the  sublime,  as  well  as 
the  conviction  of  moral  obligation.  Through 
its  many  great  and  precious  promises  it  excites 
and  justifies  ardent  desire.  There  is  not  one 
susceptibility  within  us,  which  is  innocent  and 
appropriate  as  a  spring  of  endeavor,  to  which 
the  system  does  not  appeal.  It  addresses  each 
power  that  God  has  placed  in  us.  And  so  at 
length  it  enters  the  heart.  Being  full  of  force 
at  every  point,  being  framed  into  the  subtlest 
adaptation  to  man's  necessities,  being  accom- 
panied by  the  grace  and  the  might  of  God's 
Spirit,  it  overcomes  the  will  and  wins  to  itself 
belief.  How  often  has  this  been  illustrated 
before  us ! 

And  when  Christianity  has  thus  entered 
the  soul,  it  establishes  and  maintains  its  su- 
premacy therein,  through  the  same  divine  fit- 
ness to  every  power.  It  addresses  the  intel- 
lectual nature,  and  gives  it  the  noblest  truth 
that  can  be  proffered ;  truth  that  more  than 
any  other  attracts  and  rewards  study.  It  states 
that  truth  in  every  variety  of  aspect  and  re- 
lation.   It  makes  effort  needful,  and  thought- 


SECTION  395.— FINAL  SUPEEMACY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


811 


fulness,  for  its  apprehension.  Yet  it  states  it 
most  clearly.  It  incites  to  the  study  of  it  by 
the  vast  importance  which  is  shown  to  pertain 
to  it.  There  is  not  an  appetency  or  a  capacity 
of  the  human  intelligence  which  it  does  not 
address.  The  understanding,  the  imagination, 
the  fancy  even,  and  the  taste  for  the  beautiful 
in  form,  to  all  it  holds  a  normal  relation.  It 
contradicts  no  true  philosophy,  but  anticipates 
and  involves  every  principle  in  such.  It  op- 
poses no  science,  but  interprets  each  ;  groxmds 
its  laws  and  their  phenomena  in  an  eternal  re- 
ality, and  harmonizes  them  all  in  the  wisdom 
of  God.  It  is  a  spirit  of  truth  that  illustrates 
and  reconciles  all  departments  of  knowledge, 
while  with  its  own  force  it  fills  each  capacity 
and  quickens  it  anew.  TVe  may  go  out  on  the 
view  of  it  to  the  splendor  and  height  of  the 
throne  of  the  universe,  to  the  shores  of  that 
infinitude  of  truth  which  we  shall  for  ever  be 
exploring  in  heaven,  and  yet  we  may  rest  up- 
on it  elsewhere  as  on  the  familiar  and  obvious 
axiom. 

So  it  addresses  the  conscience  and  the 
sense  of  obligation.  The  apprehension  of  a 
Eight  which  is  immutable  and  universal,  which 
binds  with  its  authority  every  moral  intelli- 
gence, and  unites  into  one  the  vast  spiritual 
systems — an  apprehension  which  seems  bedded 
indelibly  in  every  moral  being,  which  finds 
obscure  expression  even  in  heathenisms,  and 
w'hich  gives  all  efficiency  but  of  force  to  hu- 
man government  and  law — this  the  system  of 
Christ  alone  perfectly  meets ;  revealing  the 
law  of  universal  love,  established  permanently 
throughout  God's  system.  That  sense  of  sin, 
too,  and  of  peril  before  this  law,  which  leads 
to  all  manner  of  religious  observances,  to  the 
endurance  of  every  most  terrible  penance, 
that  innocence  may  be  reached  or  God  pro- 
pitiated, to  this  it  ministers  with  entire  effi- 
ciency. It  does  not  crush  it.  It  does  not 
overlook  it.  It  accepts  it  as  just,  and  devel- 
ops it  more  vividly.  But  it  directs  it  to  the 
cross,  with  the  vicarious  suffering  thereon  en- 
dured ;  a  suffering  which  God  appointed  and 
accepted  as  the  ground  of  forgiveness,  before 
which  the  heavens  were  dark  and  dumb  and 
the  earth  was  heaved  wuth  a  strange  terror, 
yet  through  which  God's  holiness  was  declared 
to  the  universe,  and  in  which  forgiveness  is 
pledged  to  the  penitent.  The  most  intensely 
aroused  conscience  can  conceive  of  no  law 
more  pure  than  God's.     The  most  thoroughly 


startled  and  trembling  conscience  can  ask  no 
atonement  more  ample  than  Christ's. 

So,  equally,  to  the  affectionate  and  emotive 
nature  inherent  in  man  Christianity  appeals. 
Presenting  God  to  us,  as  no  other  system  does, 
in  the  beauty  of  that  holiness  through  which 
love  beams,  in  the  majesty  of  that  power 
which  wisdom  directs,  in  the  grandeur  even 
of  that  eternal  glory  which  is  all  made  visible 
and  personal  to  us  in  Jesus,  it  offers  the  object 
for  our  purest  affection.  It  brings  him  to  us 
through  the  beautiful  biographies  of  a  human 
life.  It  appeals  to  our  love  from  the  level  of 
equality,  even  while  it  shadows  the  heart  with 
the  mystery  of  God — so  it  addresses  the  sensi- 
bility to  joy,  to  hope,  to  perfect  repose  of  soul 
in  confidence  and  faith.  There  is  not  one  con- 
stitutional power  implanted  in  us,  there  is  not 
one  moral  want  felt  by  us,  which  Christianity 
does  not  meet.  The  only  influence  that  debars 
this  system  from  an  instant  conquest  of  every 
heart  is  the  love  of  that  heart  for  the  world 
and  for  sin.  This  may  be  overcome.  The  sys- 
tem itself  brings  powers  for  overcoming  it ; 
among  them  the  greatest  conceivable  by  us. 
"When  that  has  become  accomplished,  the  su- 
premacy of  the  system  is  established  in  the 
soul.  And  if  we  remember  that  God  has 
framed  it,  that  he  has  intentionally  so  fitted 
it  to  man  and  so  endued  it  with  power  for 
every  appeal  that  he  has  made  it  self-diffusive, 
we  scarcely  shall  doubt  that  supremacy  is  be- 
fore it. 

3.  The  accomplishment  of  this  final  su- 
premacy of  Christianity  inill  nobly  complete 
the  circle  ofMstory;  will  give  unity,  wholeness 
to  the  annals  of  the  race;  will  shoio  through 
their  courses  a  suilime  method. 

It  is  a  fearful  mystery — the  permission  of 
sin  with  its  power  in  the  world,  and  the  ex- 
posure of  so  many  to  its  desolating  influence ! 
If  it  could  not  wisely  have  been  prevented 
while  the  system  remained,  why  was  not  the 
race  cut  off  from  being,  its  history  stayed  in 
mid-progress,  and  the  period  put  to  such  de- 
structions? The  question  recurs,  and  presses 
for  an  answer.  The  reply  that  seems  most 
nearly  to  meet  it,  and  to  satisfy  the  heart  that 
is  agitated  by  it,  is  this  :  This  sin  is  for  a  time. 
It  is  permitted  for  a  purpose.  Its  course  of 
triumph  draws  near  the  end.  Christianity  is 
to  overcome  it,  as  a  system  of  God  for  human 
renewal,  replete  with  quickening  and  sanative 
force.    Righteousness  is  to  foUow  it,  to  restoro 


812 


SEGTI02^  395.— FINAL  SUPREMACY  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 


beauty  to  the  earth.  And  the  ages  that  are 
past  shall  be  as  nothing  in  the  comparison  of 
those  that  are  to  come ;  peopled  with  happy 
and  pure  intelligences,  serene  with  the  pres- 
ence and  favor  of  God.  If  this  is  the  order  of 
history,  then  that  becomes  explicable,  and  God 
is  revealed  in  it.  Then  sin  itself  shall  be  seen 
to  have  had  uses.  Then  shall  clearly  be  dis- 
played, through  the  vast  complete  process,  the 
wisdom,  the  grace,  and  the  omnipotence  of 
Jehovah.  Before  that  majestic  spiritual  sys- 
tem amid  which  he  presides,  with  which  we 
have  connection,  where  faculty  is  powerful, 
emotion  vivid — before  that  shall  be  shown, 
through  the  progress  of  our  race,  the  saddest 
yet  the  sublimest  lessons.  Light  shall  be  shed 
on  the  nature  of  sin  ;  on  the  terrible  strength 
of  its  grasp  on  the  will ;  on  the  fearful  effects 
which  it  works  where  obeyed.  Light  shall  be 
shed  on  the  possibility  of  a  recovery  from  sin 
unto  holiness — a  fact  not  unfolded  in  the  econ- 
omy of  heaven  ;  on  the  effectiveness  of  truth 
and  moral  appliance  in  meeting  and  subduing 
this  terrible  power;  especially  on  the  power 
and  grace  of  God's  spirit,  the  source  of  knowl- 
edge and  purity  to  the  fallen.  Light  shall  be 
shed  on  God's  character  and  being ;  on  his  pa- 
tience, long-suffering,  and  unspeakable  mercy ; 
on  the  wisdom  that  arranged  and  the  grace 
that  established  the  agencies  of  redemption ; 
on  the  Trinity  of  the  divine  nature,  that  stands 
above  these  and  comes  to  manifestation  at 
Bethlehem  and  on  Calvary.  Light  shall  be 
shed  on  the  beauty  of  holiness,  as  contrasted 
against  sin,  in  the  blessedness  which  it  erects 
on  the  ruins  of  the  fall;  on  the  power  of  God 
to  make  that  holiness  permanent.  Light  shall 
be  shed  on  each  principle  of  truth  most  need- 
ful to  be  known  by  intelligent  beings,  and 
each  shall  be  set  in  vivid  expression.  Yet 
througli  the  whole  great  scope  of  history,  a 
sum  of  holiness,  and  so  of  joy,  immeasurable 
by  us,  shall  be  secured ;  a  result  shall  be  ac- 
complished most  worthy  of  God.  Where  sin 
hath  abounded,  grace  shall  much  more  abound ; 
and  it  shall  reign,  through  righteousness,  unto 
life.     The  splendid   close  of  human  history 


shall  overshadow  with  beauty  the  gloom  of    R.  S.  Storrs, 


the  beginning.     The  dissonance  of  sin  shall  be 
lost  amid  praises. 

This  seems  to  be  the  method  of  history.  It 
commends  itself  to  us  as  appropriate  to  God, 
On  another  hypothesis  we  can  scarcely  under- 
stand why  the  earth  was  not  dissolved,  or  its 
total  population  destroyed  by  the  flood,  instead 
of  being  left  to  be  ravaged  by  sin.  Particular 
historic  events  suggest  this ;  especially  the  la- 
borious introduction  of  Christianity,  with  the 
agencies  combined  in  it,  and  its  retinue  of 
miracles.  There  is  something,  indeed,  within 
ourselves — an  impression  of  moral  progress 
and  order,  as  realized  in  the  system  adminis- 
tered on  the  earth — a  sense,  if  we  may  so  ex- 
press it,  of  the  rhythm  and  proportion  of  the 
history  which  God  frames — an  intuitive  appre- 
hension of  the  possible  majestic  unity  to  which 
all  agencies  may  be  subordinate,  and  through 
which  may  be  revealed  the  glory  of  the  high- 
est— which  gives  new  impulse  to  the  belief  of 
this  result.  In  such  apprehension  we  use  not 
fancy  or  desire,  but  the  noblest  intelligent  and 
moral  powers  with  which  God  has  endowed 
us.  We  are  spontaneously  impelled  to  at- 
tribute to  it  objective  reality.  Through  it  we 
seem,  to  ourselves  at  least,  to  enter  the  great- 
ness and  breadth  of  God's  plans;  to  stand  for 
the  time  as  under  the  shadow  of  the  Throne  ! 
Remembering  what  man  was,  how  fearfully  he 
has  fallen,  yet  what  powers  he  retains,  for 
what  stations  he  is  fitted,  the  inference  fills  us 
with  the  sense  of  its  justness,  it  appeals  to  the 
soul  with  an  almost  self-evidencing  power, 
that  such  a  result  is  designed  for  the  race.  In 
its  attainment  the  history  of  man  shall  come 
"full-circle";  the  garden  and  the  fall  being 
lost  in  the  effulgence  of  Calvary  and  the  As- 
cension ;  and  the  earth,  won  back  from  dark- 
ness, restored  from  sin,  illumined  and  purified 
by  the  grace  of  the  holiest,  becoming  a  no- 
bler trophy  of  God's  power,  a  more  beauti- 
ful witness  to  his  wisdom  and  his  love,  than 
when  it  first  hung,  blushing  and  glad,  upon 
the  morning  skies !  Christianity  supreme 
will  close  with  songs  and  harping  sympho- 
nies the  turbulent  drama  of  human  history. 


SECTION  396.— THE  INSPIRATION  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


813 


Section  396. 
The  Inspiration  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 


^^All  Scripture  is  given  hy  Inspiration  of 
God.''''  Though  this  passage  refers  most  di- 
rectly to  the  Scripture  of  the  Old  Testament, 
yet  it  distinctly  declares  the  nature  of  all  in- 
spiration ;  it  is  from  God,  it  is  God-breathed 
(Theopneustic).  This  is  the  radical  import  of 
the  term ;  and  it  implies  that,  if  a  Scripture 
be  not  from  God,  it  is  not  inspired ;  that,  if  it 
be  from  God,  it  is  inspired.  The  text  does 
not  assert,  as  some  interpret  it,  that  all  in- 
spired Scripture  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for 
such  a  construction  is  contrary  to  the  gram- 
mar of  the  sentence ;  but  that  each  and  all  of 
those  Scriptures  to  which  the  apostle  refers 
are  inspired  and  profitable. 

1.    PeOB ABILITY   OF    AX    IxSPIEED    EeVELA- 

Tiox. — Thougli  the  finite  can  not  comprehend 
the  Infinite,  yet  the  Infinite  One  may  conde- 
scend to  reveal  himself  to  his  creatures ;  and 
man,  though  sinful,  does  yet  ever  know  the 
law  he  always  violates.  Human  language,  too, 
with  all  its  imperfections,  if  it  can  convey  any 
real  truth,  may  also  impart  such  knowledge  of 
God  and  man  as  is  fitted  to  our  needs.  Man's 
religious  wants  lead  him  to  long  that  an  Infi- 
nite Being  may  impart  himself  to  the  finite, 
and  that  the  Perfect  One  may  have  pity  on 
our  very  sinfulness.  And  if  such  inspiration 
be  possible,  then,  we  add,  it  may  be  recorded ; 
it  may  be  given  in  a  writing,  a  Scripture.  Of 
this,  again,  there  is  no  antecedent  impossi- 
bility. 

If  an  inspired  record  of  Divine  truth  exists, 
it  is  found  in  the  Bible,  or  nowhere.  This  is 
the  only  book  which,  on  the  basis  of  history 
and  general  consent,  can  pretend  to  hold  such 
an  eminent  and  supreme  place.  Here  is  the 
perfect  revelation,  or  we  have  none.  Here 
are  the  words  of  God,  or  we  have  them  not  in 
any  credible  form.  No  creed,  no  system,  no 
book,  in  its  probable  claims  and  paramount  in- 
fluence, can  be  compared  with  the  Scriptures 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  The  con- 
tents of  the  Bible,  taken  as  a  whole,  afford  a 
high  probability  of  its  inspiration.  It  is  every 
way  unique  and  wonderful.  Its  separate  por- 
tions were  composed  by  some  forty  writers, 
during  a  period  of  fifteen  hundred  years,  and 
yet  they  all  make  one  book,  witli  one  consecu- 


tive plan,  from  Genesis  to  the  final  Eevelation, 
more  regular,  more  progressive,  more  stately, 
than  any  epic  or  drama.  All  in  it  centers  in 
one  Person — that  of  the  Kedeemer ;  and  has 
respect  to  one  object — that  of  the  redemption 
of  the  race  from  sin.  Its  special  doctrines, 
too,  bear  the  marks  of  superhuman  truth  and 
grandeur.  Nowhere  does  the  Divine  Being- 
appear  so  majestic  and  so  condescending,  so 
holy  and  so  loving ;  nowhere  is  man  so  truly 
portrayed  in  his  dignity  and  humiliation,  in 
both  his  native  and  his  regenerate  estate, 
and  in  his  immortal  hopes  and  feai'S.  The 
unity  of  the  race  and  of  the  divine  govern- 
ment is  everywhere  implied  and  enforced. 
Central  in  this  marvelous  volume,  its  very  cen- 
ter of  unity,  is  the  God-man,  our  Saviour,  our 
Prophet,  Priest,  and  King,  the  ever-living  Head 
of  a  divine  kingdom,  which  is  never  to  pass 
away.  Miracles  attest  his  divine  commission, 
and  that  of  his  prophets  and  apostles  also ; 
while  Prophecy  speaks  of  him  in  her  most  ex- 
alted strains,  proclaiming  his  advent  through 
thousands  of  years,  and  announcing  the  per- 
petuity and  final  victory  of  his  kingdom  in 
those  daring  promises,  which  only  Omniscience 
could  truly  utter,  which  Omnipotence  alone 
could  carry  into  execution  in  a  manner  so  in- 
dubitable and  unexampled.  And  all  this  is 
presented  in  such  a  wondrous  style  and  meth- 
od, that  human  literature  has  nothing  of  state- 
liness  or  of  simplicity,  of  poetic  inspiration  or 
prosaic  fidelity,  of  that  self-forgetf ulness  in  the 
writers,  which  is  one  of  the  surest  tests  of  ge- 
nius, of  largeness  of  grasp  and  accuracy  of 
delineation,  of  fervid  eloquence,  touching  ap- 
peal, and  concentrated  aim,  to  be  compared 
even  in  fugitive  analogy  with  these  utterances 
of  the  seers  of  Judea  and  the  apostles  of  Jesus. 
History  and  experience  too  add  their  testimo- 
ny; for  this  Book  of  books  has  had  a  divine 
efficacy ;  its  words  are  spirit  and  life ;  peni- 
tence still  confesses  its  abasement  in  the  lan- 
guage of  David ;  faith  lingers  upon  the  rapt 
visions  of  Isaiah ;  v^ith  John  we  meditate  upon 
the  very  words  of  Jesus;  with  Paul  we  receive 
the  assurance  of  redemption  in  looking  unto 
Christ;  with  the  oldest  of  the  prophets  we 
still  anticipate  the  day  when  tlie  seed  of  the 


814 


SECTION  396. —TEE  INSPIRATION   OF  TEE  SCRIPTURES 


woman  shall  crush  all  the  powers  of  sin.  The 
human  heart  knows  no  depth  of  spiritual  sor- 
row, no  height  of  spiritual  joy,  no  elevation  of 
faith,  no  wonder  of  divine  or  human  love,  for 
which  it  may  not  here  find  fitting  speech. 
And  to  all  the  perplexing  and  final  problems 
of  human  destiny,  this  same  volume  off'ers  a 
definite,  a  truly  rational,  and  an  authoritative 
solution.  Beyond  its  revelation  no  scheme  of 
human  wisdom  has  ever  reached.  The  most 
arrogant  system  of  pantheistic  infidelity  only 
resolves  the  Christian  faith  into  barren  and 
abstract  ideas. — Such  is  this  Book ;  and  if  it 
be  such,  if  such  a  work  has  been  written  by 
fallible  and  sinful  men,  then  we  claim  that 
there  is  an  antecedent  probability,  that  it  is 
also  from  God,  and  not  from  man  alone ;  that 
it  is  given  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty. 
Inspiration  is  possible ;  it  may  be  recorded  ;  if 
it  be  recorded,  it  is  only  in  the  Bible ;  and  the 
very  contents  of  the  Bible  are  such  as  to  give 
an  antecedent  probability  that  it  can  not  be 
the  work  of  man,  that  it  may  be  the  Word  of 
God. 

2.  Nature  of  Inspiration. — Inspiration 
designates  that  divine  influence  under  which 
prophets  or  apostles  spake  or  wrote,  as  they 
were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Christ  is  the 
great  Revealer ;  the  Holy  Spirit  inspires. 

God  has  revealed  himself  and  his  will  to 
men  in  a  great  variety  of  ways :  by  minister- 
ing angels ;  in  visible  signs  and  tokens ;  in 
voices  to  the  rapt  ear ;  in  visions  of  the  night; 
in  deep  sleep,  as  to  Abraham  (Gen.  15  :  12) ; 
to  Moses,  mouth  to  mouth,  as  he  beheld  the 
similitude  of  the  Lord  (Numbers  12  :  8) ;  in 
pictures  of  future  events,  spread  out  as  on  a 
prophetic  canvas;  sometimes,  even,  in  such 
prophetic  ecstasy  that  the  recipient  seems  con- 
scious of  naught  else;  in  words  at  the  time 
but  indistinctly  understood,  and  again  in  words 
felt  and  known  in  all  their  fullness  of  wisdom 
and  of  grace.  Such  divine  revelations,  too,  are 
progressive  in  the  sacred  annals,  given  as  men 
were  able  to  hear  them,  ever  advancing  with 
man's  need  and  preparation,  and  in  every  stage 
fitted  to  his  immediate  wants,  as  also  to  pre- 
pare for  yet  higher  manifestations.  Three 
such  eras  are  distinctly  marked  in  Scripture, 
the  legal,  the  prophetic,  and  the  apostolic,  the 
last  centering  in  the  person  and  words  of  Christ 
the  Son,  by  whom  he  at  sundry  times  and  In 
divers  manners  spake  in  time  past  unto  the 
fathers  by  the  prophets,  hath  in  these  last  days 


spoken  unto  us.  He  is  the  grand  Revealer, 
described  not  as  receiving  but  as  making  a 
revelation ;  he  is  the  crown  and  center  of  these 
divine  works;  in  him  the  revelation  is  final 
and  complete. 

Of  inspiration,  now,  in  distinction  from 
revelation,  the  proper  and  Scriptural  function 
is  to  declare  unto  the  world,  through  divinely- 
commissioned  prophets  and  apostles,  either 
orally  or  by  writing,  under  the  specific  influ- 
ence of  the  Holy  Spirit,  whatever  has  been  thus 
revealed,  and  also  all  things  pertaining  to  the 
kingdom  of  God,  which  are  to  be  a  matter  of 
permanent  record  and  instruction.  It  is  a 
special  divine  influence  for  a  special  purpose. 
Its  object  is  the  communication  of  truth  in  an 
infallible  manner,  so  that,  when  rightly  inter- 
preted, no  error  is  conveyed.  At  times  the 
revelation  and  inspiration  are,  doubtless,  insep- 
arable ;  as  when  a  prophet  or  apostle  at  pnce 
utters  or  records  what  is  revealed.  This  defi- 
nite usage  of  the  terra  inspiration  is  authorized 
by  the  text  (2  Tim.  3:16)  which  declares  that 
all  Scripture  is  inspired,  theopneustic — using  a 
word  found  nowhere  else  in  the  Bible,  and  here 
applied  to  written  documents.  The  term  was 
translated  "  inspirata,"  in  the  Vulgate,  whence 
the  word  "  inspired."  In  2  Pet.  1 :  21,  it  is  said 
that  holy  men  of  God  spaT^e  as  they  were  moved 
(borne  along)  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  which  the 
same  fact  of  a  specific  influence  in  respect  to 
the  Scriptures  is  clearly  implied,  as  is  apparent 
from  the  preceding  verse. 

The  same  passage,  from  the  second  epistle 
of  Peter,  may  be  used  to  elucidate  another  fiact 
as  to  the  nature  of  inspiration ;  that  in  all  the 
sacred  writings,  both  divine  and  human  ele- 
ments and  knowledge  cooperate  and  concur, 
the  divine  being  supreme  and  controlling. 
"  Holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  "  ;  they  were  men,  holy  men, 
retaining  this  character,  while  influenced  by 
the  Spirit.  The  reverend  Scriptures,  it  has 
been  well  said  from  ancient  times,  like  the 
adorable  person  of  our  Lord,  who  is  their  sum, 
are  a  union  of  the  divine  with  the  human ;  and 
the  chief  errors  as  to  the  nature  of  inspiration 
have  been  finelj'  compared  with  the  heresies 
about  the  person  of  the  Redeemer ;  they  sprang 
from  insisting  upon  the  one  side  to  the  exclu- 
sion or  suppression  of  the  other.  In  both  cases 
we  have  Docetaj  and  Ebionites,  those  who  de- 
mand pure  divinity  and  those  who  insist  upon 
mere  humanity.     But  all  in  Scripture  is  both 


SECTION  396.— THE  INSPIRATION  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES 


815 


divine  and  human  ;  here,  too,  "  the  God  shines 
gracious  through  the  man."  The  very  word 
inspiration  implies  that  a  divine  influence  moves 
men  to  their  utterances ;  and  it  is  applied  to 
the  books,  or  the  words  they  utter,  considered 
as  the  result  of  such  an  influence.  "  We  are 
witnesses  of  these  things,  and  so  is  also  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  says  Peter  (Acts  5  :  32).  That 
man  can  thus  be  made  the  medium  for  the  very 
oracles  of  God,  gives  the  highest  evidence  of 
the  possible  capacities  and  dignity  of  human 
nature,  and  illustrates  the  doctrine  that  he  was 
made  in  the  image  of  his  Maker. 

That  the  sacred  Scriptures  do  contain  hu- 
man elements,  and  in  their  human  integrity, 
though  never  separated  from  the  divine,  is  ap- 
parent in  their  very  structure.  They  are  given 
us  in  human  language,  in  the  languages  and 
idioms  of  their  times — which  is  necessary  to 
the  proof  of  their  authenticity.  If  we  could 
show,  as  some  uninspired  men  have  tried  to 
do,  that  the  New  Testament  was  written  in 
classic  Greek,  we  should  also  prove  that  it 
could  not  have  been  written  by  the  men  whose 
names  it  bears,  nor  in  their  times.  Each  lead- 
ing book,  too,  has  the  impress  of  its  special 
author  in  style  and  sentiment;  if  it  had  not, 
how  could  we  show  that  it  was  genuine?  In- 
spiration does  not  annul,  it  elevates  individu- 
ality. Prophets  and  apostles,  too,  testify  as 
to  what  they  have  heard  and  seen ;  they  come 
to  us  as  witnesses;  and  when  they  speak  as 
such,  the  Spirit  of  all  truth  could  not  and  would 
not  lead  them  to  say  what  they  had  not  seen 
and  heard.  The  writers,  too,  make  faithful 
use  of  antecedent  documents  containing  his- 
toric facts,  and,  it  may  be,  the  record  of  more 
primitive  revelations ;  and  these  are  of  value 
and  need  even  to  inspired  men.  The  human 
elements  of  Scripture  come  out  most  fully  in 
its  history  and  biographies,  where  neither  the 
errors  nor  sins  of  men  are  withheld  or  pal- 
liated. Bad  men  speak  as  well  as  good ;  the 
angel  of  darkness  as  well  as  the  angel  of  light; 
Peter  denies  his  Lord ;  Paul  rebukes  Peter  to 
his  face,  because  he  was  to  be  blamed ;  David 
lapses  into  gross  sin  ;  the  majesty  of  Solomon 
is  tarnished ;  Abraham  deceives ;  Adam  falls ; 
and  of  all  these  facts  and  sins,  we  have  an  in- 
spired record,  giving  us  the  truth.  And  if  in- 
spiration did  not  give  us  all  these  things,  of 
what  value  would  it  be  in  respect  to  history 
and  fact?  Even  the  most  trivial  personal  de- 
tails may  serve  an  important  office,  such  as 


inspiration  could  not  neglect,  in  verifying  the 
authorship  and  proving  the  authenticity  of 
Epistles  and  prophecies.  That  cloak  of  Paul, 
of  which  it  has  been  said  that  it  "  has  come  to 
higher  honor  than  even  the  mantle  of  Ehjah," 
that  cloak  which  has  been  made  the  covert  of 
so  much  skepticism,  and  the  parchments,  too, 
may  help  to  identify  the  writer  to  the  reader 
for  all  times;  besides  teaching,  what  is  not 
directly  intended,  that  we  should  be  careful  of 
clothing  and  manuscripts.  And  Paul's  dietetic 
advice  to  Timothy  about  the  "  little  wine,"  he 
must  needs  write,  as  an  inspired  friend,  when 
and  as  he  wrote.  His  Epistle  would  be  hardly 
genuine  without  it;  it  would  lack  verisimili- 
tude. Did  he,  then,  need  inspiration  to  write 
it?  The  inspiration  of  him  who  counteth  the 
very  hairs  of  our  heads  might  extend  to  this, 
since  it  helps  to  prove  the  genuineness  of  the 
Epistle,  to  say  nothing  of  the  capital  argument 
for  temperance,  incidentally  conveyed. 

So  wonderfully  do  the  divine  and  human 
elements  commingle  in  the  Scriptures,  as  do 
first  and  second  causes  also  in  all  the  realm  of 
providence,  that  it  is  in  vain  to  try  to  limit  in- 
spiration to  doctrine  and  truth,  excluding  his- 
tory from  its  sphere.  The  attempt  is  as  un- 
philosophical  as  it  is  unscriptural.  No  analysis 
can  detect  such  a  line  of  separation  ;  it  is  both 
invisible  and  not  to  be  spiritually  discerned. 
Historic  facts  contain  as  well  as  enforce  truth 
and  doctrine.  The  fact  of  the  death  of  Christ 
contains  the  truth  of  the  atonement ;  it  is  that 
truth.  Genealogies  instruct  us  in  the  truth  of 
the  Messiahship.  Such  a  distinction  lacks  evi- 
dence, coherence,  and  possibility.  The  whole 
divine  revelation  is  an  historic  matter ;  Chris- 
tianity is  a  body  of  facts,  and  not  of  mere 
doctrines ;  Christ  is  an  historic  personage,  and 
not  a  congeries  of  abstract  truths ;  history 
and  tlieology  are  in  their  inmost  nature  one. 

iS^or  yet,  again,  is  it  possible  to  draw  the 
line,  and  satisfy  the  conditions  of  the  case,  by 
the  Arminian  and  Socinian  formula,  that  the 
Bible  contains  a  revelation,  in  distinction  from 
the  position  that  the  Bible,  as  a  whole,  is  an 
inspired  book.  The  apparent  truth  in  this 
position  is  due  to  the  want  of  discrimination 
between  revelation  and  inspiration.  It  is  a 
fact  that  the  Bible  contains  a  revelation ;  it  is 
also  a  fact  that  all  that  is  in  the  Bible  is  not  a 
matter  of  revelation,  in  the  strict  usage  of  the 
word.  But  these  points  do  not  help  us  at  all 
about  the  real  question,  unless  it  be  arbitrarily 


816 


SECTION  S96.—TEE  INSPIRATION  OF  TEE  SCRIPTURES. 


assumed  that  inspiration  extends  no  further 
than  revelation,  which  it  is  impossible  to 
prove  either  on  rational  or  historic  grounds. 

To  the  idea  of  inspiration,  also,  it  belongs 
that  it  should  be  considered  as  plenary — that 
is,  the  divine  influence,  which  is  its  source,  ex- 
tends to  and  pervades  the  whole  contents  of 
the  Scriptures,  both  historical  and  doctrinal; 
it  includes  the  whole  of  the  strict  divine  revela- 
tions, and  also  whatever  the  sacred  writers 
utter  as  historians  and  witnesses.  Inspiration 
is  the  organizing  principle  of  the  whole  Bible, 
just  as  the  principle  of  life  is  the  organizing 
energy  in  every  bodily  frame,  extending  to  all 
its  parts,  even  those  seemingly  the  most  insig- 
nificant. It  is  not  confined  to  new  truths,  it 
rehearses  the  old  ;  but  of  both  the  old  and  the 
new  it  makes  one  coherent  whole.  It  com- 
prises both  the  matter  and  the  form  of  the 
Bible ;  the  matter  in  the  form  in  which  it  is 
conveyed  and  set  forth.  It  extends  even  to 
the  language,  not  in  the  mechanical  sense  that 
each  word  is  dictated  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  but 
in  the  sense  that,  under  divine  guidance,  each 
writer  spake  in  his  own  language,  according  to 
the  measure  of  his  knowledge  acquired  by 
personal  experience,  by  the  testimony  of  others, 
or  by  immediate  divine  revelation.  They  spake 
as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  And 
thus  is  the  inspiration  plenary,  since  the  Holy 
Spirit  works  in  all  parts  of  the  Scripture,  and 
makes  of  the  many  one,  of  terrestrial  dialects 
a  celestial  tongue,  out  of  human  and  divine 
elements  one  divine  work,  God's  book,  given 
by  men  and  for  men. 

This  doctrine  of  plenary  inspiration  is  not 
inconsistent  with  the  acknowledged  fact  that 
different  parts  of  the  Scripture  are  of  different 
grades  of  importance  for  our  immediate  spirit- 
ual benefit.  The  books  of  the  Chronicles  are 
of  importance  for  the  history  of  God's  king- 
dom, and  to  give  us  that  history  is  one  object 
of  inspiration.  Nor  does  the  doctrine  prevent 
us  from  recognizing  the  fact  that  the  cere- 
monial law  has  passed  into  desuetude,  for  it 
was  the  historic  type  of  him  who  fulfilled  the 
law,  and  without  inspiration  it  could  not  have 
had  its  accurate  prophetic  character.  Nor  does 
plenary  inspiration  forbid  us  to  say  that  some 
portions  of  Scripture  are  of  relatively  greater 
and  others  of  relatively  less  moment ;  all  parts 
of  it  are  needed  as  parts  of  the  one  whole ; 
the  head  can  not  say  to  the  hand,  I  have  no 
need  of  thee,  nor  the  eye  to  the  foot,  I  have  no 


need  of  thee ;  but  yet  the  head  is  better  than 
the  hand,  and  the  eye  is  quicker  than  the  foot. 
There  are  fundamental  truths,  and  truths  not 
fundamental ;  some  parts  have  a  majestic  dig- 
nity, others  are  lowly  and  obscure;  but  the 
great  and  the  small,  the  necessary  and  the  con- 
tingent, together  make  one  whole.  As  it  is  in 
the  material  Cosmos,  so  is  it  in  the  fair  order 
of  the  Book  of  God — one  mind  working  to  one 
end  pervades  the  whole  ;  and  the  very  marvel 
is  that  such  innumerable  facts  and  details  are 
wrought  together  into  one  plan. 

Nor  does  the  doctrine  of  plenary  inspira- 
tion demand  absolute  and  final  perfection  in 
each  writer  or  in  each  individual  statement. 
The  whole  of  revealed  truth  is  to  be  gathered 
only  from  the  whole  Scriptures ;  nor  is  all 
truth  revealed  even  here,  but  only  what  is 
necessary  to  the  great  object  of  the  book — the 
manifestation  of  God's  redemptive  love.  The 
statements  of  each  writer,  it  is  well  said  by 
Dr.  Alliott,  "  may  be  partial  and  imperfect  in 
point  of  fuUness,  while  complete  and  perfect 
in  point  of  truthfulness."  We  need  all  tlie 
gospels  to  get  at  the  entire  life  of  our  Saviour ; 
each  is  to  be  harmonized  with  the  others ;  the 
four  gospels  combined  together  realize  that 
beautiful  comparison,  which  of  old  was  made 
of  them,  to  the  cherubim,  one  living  spirit,  yet 
a  fourfold  form.  The  Avhole  doctrine  of  the 
New  Testament  is  to  be  gathered,  not  from  Paul 
alone,  nor  from  John,  nor  from  Peter,  nor  from 
James,  but  from  James,  Peter,  John,  and  Paul 
together.  The  harmonizing  of  different  his- 
torical statements  and  the  analogy  of  faith  are 
as  necessary  in  the  interpretation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures as  of  any  other  writings  ;  and  only  a  very 
mechanical  and  human  notion  of  inspiration 
has  ever  led  to  a  different  conception. 

Much  less  does  plenary  inspiration  demand 
that  the  sacred  Scriptures  shall  contain  all 
truth  on  all  subjects,  or  the  scientific  form  of 
truth  on  the  matters  to  which  it  incidentally 
refers,  but  about  which  it  does  not  pretend  to 
teach.  Its  popular  statements  in  natural  sci- 
ence are  to  be  received  as  popular ;  they  do  not 
claim  to  be  anything  more.  If  we  have  entire 
truth  on  the  subjects  for  which  the  Scriptures 
were  written,  and  no' error  on  other  incidental 
matters,  it  is  all  that  can  be  needed.  And  one 
of  the  most  wonderful  indirect  testimonies  to 
the  Bible  is  found  in  the  fact  that  science  has 
not  been  able  to  establish  conclusions  incon- 
sistent with  the  narration  of  the  creation,  or 


r^ 


SECTION  396.— THE  INSPIEATIOX  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


817 


overthrowing  the  unity  of  the  race.  One  of 
the  ablest  naturalists  of  Germany,  "Wagner,  the 
successor  of  Blumenbach,  at  GOttingen,  main- 
tains, as  did  Blumenbach,  "  that  the  latest  re- 
sults of  scientific  investigation  leave  the  Biblical 
account  of  the  descent  of  mankind  from  one 
pair  wholly  unmolested." 

As  to  the  nature  of  inspiration,  then,  we 
conclude  that  it  is  to  be  distinguished  from 
direct  revelation,  that  it  involves  a  combina- 
tion of  human  and  divine  elements  with  the 
constant  supremacy  of  the  divine,  and  that  it 
is  best  described  as  plenary,  extending  to  all 
parts  of  the  sacred  record,  giving  us  in  the 
whole  Scripture  all  needful  truth  in  respect  to 
tlie  history  and  doctrines  of  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

3.  Proof  of  the  Ixspieation  of  the  Bible. 
— The  direct  proof  is  derived  from  a  variety 
of  sources  and  not  from  a  few  isolated  texts 
alone,  yet  it  ultimately  centers  in  the  credi- 
bility of  our  Saviour  and  of  his  apostles.  He 
testifies  to  the  authority  of  the  Old  Testament 
as  the  Word  of  God,  and  he  promises  the 
Spirit  who  was  to  guide  and  inspire  the  apos- 
tles— so  that  the  proof  of  inspiration  stands 
or  falls  with  the  authority  of  Christ. 

Of  such  inspiration  there  may  be  said  to  be 
an  anterior  probability,  on  the  general  ground, 
which  we  here  take  for  granted,  that  God  has 
made  a  revelation  to  man.  If  he  would  make 
a  revelation,  it  is  natural  to  infer  that  he  would 
secure  the  record  of  it  from  error.  "With  the 
fact  of  a  revelation  we  naturally  connect  the 
idea  of  an  authoritative  and  final  Scripture, 
valid  for  all  times.  He  who  gave  the  greater 
would  not  withhold  the  less.  He  who  pro- 
posed to  redeem  mankind  would  not  leave 
them  without  sufficient  and  authentic  witness 
of  his  gracious  will. 

The  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament  are 
pervaded  by  the  most  frequent  claims  of  divine 
authority.  The  law  given  by  Moses  was  to  be 
kept  by  the  side  of  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant 
(Deut.  31)  within  the  Holy  of  Holies ;  it  was 
to  be  read  before  all  the  people  every  seven 
years ;  it  was  to  be  copied  by  the  kings  of 
Israel  (Deut.  17:  18);  the  subsequent  writings 
were  added  to  it ;  individual  writers  testify 
that  they  had  a  divine  command  to  write,  as 
Moses  CExod.  34:  27;  Deut.  31  :  19),  Isaiah 
(1:2;  8  :  1),  Jeremiah  (1:2;  36  :  2).  Dan- 
iel says,  ''  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  spake  by  me, 
and  his  word  was  in  my  tongue."  But  the 
52 


chief  and  crowning  proof  is  from  the  testimony 
of  Christ  and  the  apostles.  They  refer  to  these 
writings,  and  to  these  alone,  as  having  divine 
origin  and  authority  ;  they  call  them  the  Scrij)- 
ttire,  and  apply  this  term  in  this  sense  to  naught 
else. 

"While  the  apostles  thus  testify  to  the  in- 
spired authority  of  the  older  Scriptures,  they 
also  claim  that  their  own  writings  are  the 
"Word  of  God,  and  are  to  be  received  as  ha\ing 
at  least  an  equal  divine  authority  (1  Thes. 
2  :  13 ;  2  Cor.  5  :  20  ;  13  :  3;  Eph.  3  :  3-5). 
Apostles  are  coordinate  with  the  prophets 
(Eph.  2  :  20).  Thus  is  the  proof  of  the  inspi- 
ration of  the  ISTew  Testament  linked  with  the 
evidence  for  the  inspiration  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. In  some  respects  the  apostles  claim,  as 
throughout  the  Epistles  to  the  Galatians  and 
Hebrews,  that  the  new  is  higher  than  the 
old.  Moses  was  the  servant,  but  Christ  is  the 
Son.  "While  they  testify  to  the  inspiration  of 
the  Old  Testament,  they  also  claim  for  them- 
selves a  new,  a  higher,  and  a  final  revelation. 

The  direct  evidence  for  the  inspiration  of 
the  Xew  Testament  goes  back  to  the  testimony 
and  authority  of  the  Saviour ;  he  declares  of 
his  own,  as  of  the  Old  Testament  words,  that 
they  shall  not  pass  away  (Luke  21  :  83) ;  that 
the  word  that  he  speaks  shall  judge  men  at  the 
last  day  (John  12  :  48) ;  in  his  last  intercessory 
prayer  he  pleads  that  he  has  given  to  his  dis- 
ciples the  words  which  his  Father  gave  unto 
him  (John  17  :  8).  Four  times,  during  his 
earthly  ministry,  he  gave  a  special  promise  and 
pledge  to  his  apostles  that,  in  all  they  said  as 
apostles,  the  Spirit  should  guide  them  into  the 
truth.  The  first  occasion  was  when  he  sent 
forth  the  twelve  (Mat.  10  :  19,  20),  saying.  It 
is  not  ye  that  speak,  but  the  Spirit  of  your 
Father  that  speaketh  in  you;  the  second  is 
narrated  in  Luke  (12  :  11,  12),  take  ye  no 
thought,  for  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  teach  you  in 
the  same  hour  what  ye  ought  to  say ;  the  third 
is  in  the  week  of  his  passion  (Mark  13  :  11, 
and  Luke  21  :  14,  15),  to  the  same  import; 
the  fourth  and  final  pledge  is  preserved  in  the 
Gospel  of  John,  in  the  full  and  abundant  prom- 
ises of  Christ's  parting  lessons;  his  disciples 
were  to  receive  the  Comforter,  the  Spirit  of 
Truth  (John  14  :  16,  17);  he  was  to  teach 
them  all  things,  and  to  bring  all  things  to  their 
remembrance,  whatsoever  Christ  had  said  un- 
to them  (14  :  25,  26) ;  he  was  to  guide  them 
into  all  truth,  was  to  show  them  things  to  come 


818 


SECTION'  396.— THE  INSPIRATION'  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


(John  16  :  12,  13).  Such  were  the  promises 
and  pledges  of  the  Redeemer,  and  they  were 
most  perfectly  fulfilled  in  the  royal  Pentecostal 
gift  (Acts  2:4;  4  :  31),  whereby  the  disciples 
received  wisdom  and  boldness  which  none  were 
able  to  gainsay  or  resist.  And  the  promise  in- 
cludes and  covers  there  writings  as  well  as 
their  sayings ;  if  it  did  not,  it  were  broken  in 
that  which  is  most  important.  They  them- 
selves say  they  write  as  they  speak  (1  John 
1  :  3,  4;  2  Thes.  2  :  15 ;  Gal.  1  :  8,  12).  And 
through  their  writings  there  is  but  one  strain, 
one  language.  Paul  begins  each  of  his  Epistles, 
excepting  that  to  the  Hebrews,  with  a  claim 
of  divine  authority  and  commission,  which  nev- 
er deserts  him ;  he  proclaims,  as  under  a  con- 
scious divine  influence,  in  a  lordly  strain,  the 
very  oracles  of  God.  He  declares  to  the  Corin- 
thians (1  Cor.  2  :  11,  12)  that  he  has  received 
the  very  Spirit  of  God,  who  alone  knoweth  the 
things  of  God ;  his  words  are  in  demonstration 
of  the  Spirit  (1  Cor.  2  :  4,  and  2  Cor.  2:17); 
he  has  a  revelation  of  the  mystery  not  made 
known  in  other  ages  (Eph.  3  :  5,  and  Gal.  1  : 
12);  the  word  which  he  declared  to  the  Thes- 
salonians  (1  Thes.  2  :  13)  was  in  truth  the  word 
of  God ;  even  the  words  he  speaks  are  those 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  teacheth  (1  Cor.  2  :  W). 
It  is  indeed  said  that  Paul  twice  disclaims  in- 
spiration ;  even  if  he  did  in  the  cases  alleged,  he 
by  inference  claims  it  elsewhere  ;  but  when  he 
says  (1  Cor.  7  :  12),  I  speak  and  not  the  Lord, 
and  that  he  has  no  commandment  (v.  25),  he 
is  not  distinguishing  between  what  is  inspired 
and  uninspired,  but  between  what  is  a  matter 
of  direct  command  and  of  apostolic  advice. 
That  this  advice  was  inspired  appears  from 
verse  40,  when  he  adds,  I  think  also  that  I 
have  the  Spirit  of  God. 

Peter,  too,  reckons  Paul's  writings  as  Scrip- 
ture (2  Pet.  3  :  15,  16),  and  claims  like  author- 
ity for  himself  (1  Pet.  1:12);  he  preaches  the 
word  which  endureth  for  ever  (1  Pet.  1 :  25,  and 
4  :  11) ;  he  puts  his  sayings  on  the  same  ground 
as  the  Old  Testament  (2  Pet.  3  :  2).  The  au- 
thority of  Mark  and  Luke  is  resolved  by  the 
universal  consent  of  the  Church  into  that  of 
Peter  and  Paul.  The  Apocalypse  in  its  very 
form  is  an  immediate  divine  revelation. 

Such  is  the  substance  of  the  evidence,  which 
leaves  us  only  the  alternative  between  impos- 
ture and  inspiration.  Self-deception  to  such 
an  extent  with  such  men  is  incredible.  And 
these  isolated  citations  give  us  the  bare  outline 


of  the  proof;  the  full  evidence  can  only  come 
from  reading  the  Scriptures  themselves,  and 
seeing  the  unequaled  majesty  and  authority 
with  which  the  prophets  and  apostles  discourse 
of  those  high  themes  upon  which  the  wisest  of 
men  lisp  and  stammer.  An  air  of  conscious 
truth  pervades  their  discourse ;  they  speak  as 
by  a  divine  impulse,  and  in  the  name  of  him 
from  whom  there  is  no  appeal.  Their  author- 
ity is  from  him.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  was  the 
spirit  of  prophecy  ;  the  Spirit  of  Christ  is  the 
spirit  of  the  apostles. 

We  rest  here  upon  the  authority  of  apostles 
and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ,  himself  being  the 
chief  corner-stone.  The  argument  for  the  in- 
spiration of  both  the  Old  and  New  Testaments 
runs  back  to  and  centers  in  Him,  who  is  the 
way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life.  The  ultimate 
testimony  to  inspiration  is  thus  not  human,  but 
divine. 

4.  Conclusion. — The  theory  of  plenary  in- 
spiration, as  we  have  already  given  it,  allows 
that  all  of  Scripture  is  inspired  ;  it  recognizes 
the  relative  integrity  of  the  divine  and  human 
elements  ;  and  it  judges  all  parts  of  the  Bible 
with  respect  to  the  great  object  for  which  it 
was  given,  to  redeem  mankind.  Men  are  the 
free  organs  for  this  high  commimication  of 
divine  truth  ;  they  are  selected  and  trained  for 
this  special  work  ;  and  the  divine  influence 
elevates  and  purifies  their  faculties,  their 
thoughts,  and,  where  needful,  their  very  lan- 
guage. And  the  book,  written  under  such  in- 
spiration, for  our  instruction,  contains  what- 
ever is  needful  for  all  mankind,  whether  in 
this  life  or  in  that  which  is  to  come,  and  is 
thus  a  treasury  for  all  times.  Solomon  gives 
us  the  maxims  of  worldly  wisdom,  and  John 
discourses  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  ;  we  have 
that  marriage  song  of  earthly  love,  which  only 
the  impure  revile,  as  well  as  the  promise  of 
that  blessed  estate  where  they  neither  marry 
nor  are  given  in  marriage,  but  are  as  the  an- 
gels of  God.  Temperance  and  chastity  are 
enjoined  for  the  care  of  our  mortal  bodies, 
while  by  faith  we  look  forward  to  the  time 
when  this  mortal  shall  put  on  immortality. 
History  here  instructs  us  even  in  minute  de- 
tails as  to  the  chosen  people  of  God,  for  of 
them  the  Redeemer  was  to  come  ;  and  in  his 
sacred  Person  the  sum  of  type  and  prophecy 
was  fulfilled.  The  same  history  tells  us  of  the 
relations  of  the  ancient  nations  to  this  one 
central  kingdom,  while  prophecy,  not  yet  con- 


i 


SECTION'  397.— FAITH  AND  REVELATION. 


819 


summated,  but  ever  in  the  course  of  fulfillment, 
holds  up  the  elevating  vision  of  its  final  tri- 
umph to  cheer  us  in  all  our  conflicts.  The 
highest  truths,  beyond  which  thought  can  not 
reach,  as  to  God  and  man,  and  their  relations 
to  each  other,  center  in  him,  who  is  both  God 
and  man,  and  the  king  of  this  divine  empire. 
All,  even  the  most  insignificant  portions  of  the 
original  Scriptures,  have  their  life  from  his 
Spirit,  even  as  the  principle  of  life  embraces 
the  hairs  of  the  head  as  well  as  the  beating  of 
the  heart.  All  is  shaped  by  the  wise  Builder 
into  one  glorious  temple,  which  speaks  of  him 
from  the  foundation  to  the  topmost  stone,  and 
whose  arches  reverberate  with  songs  of  saints 
and  angels  magnifying  the  glories  of  his  grace. 
And  hence,  in  conformity  with  the  teach- 
ings of  Scripture,  with  the  confessions  of  the 
Church  in  all  times,  with  the  demands  of  Chris- 


tian experience  and  of  a  wise  philosophy,  we 
judge  that  inspiration  is  to  be  defined  as  ple- 
nary y  working  in  all  portions  of  the  Bible.  It 
is  unwise  and  mechanical  to  try  and  measure 
it  out  by  degrees,  here  a  suggestion,  there  an 
elevation,  again  a  direction,  and  in  fine  a  su- 
perintendency.  It  is  more  than  a  superintend- 
ing guidance  ;  for  that  expresses  but  an  exter- 
nal relation  between  the  Spirit  and  the  writer. 
But  inspiration  is  an  influence  within  the  soul, 
divine  and  supernatural,  working  through  all' 
the  writers  in  one  organized  method,  making 
of  the  many  one,  by  all  one  book,  the  book  of 
God,  the  book  for  man,  divine  and  human  in 
all  its  parts ;  having  the  same  relation  to  all 
other  books  that  the  person  of  the  Son  of  God 
has  to  all  other  men,  that  the  Church  of  the 
living  God  has  to  all  other  institutions.  H.  B. 
Smith. 


Section  397. 
Faith  and  Kevelation. 


Faith,  in  its  widest  usage,  designates  a  con- 
viction in  the  reality  of  things  unseen  and  eter- 
nal ;  in  a  more  religious  sense,  it  is  trust  in 
God  and  God's  word ;  in  a  more  specific  and 
theological  meaning,  it  embraces  the  articles 
of  belief  drawn  out  into  a  definite  system ;  in 
its  most  specific  and  evangelical  sense,  it  de- 
notes that  fuU  reliance  upon  Christ  by  which 
we  become  partakers  of  the  salvation  which 
he  alone  has  purchased  for  the  human  race. 

In  all  these  senses,  excepting  the  first,  it 
has  certain  marked  traits  by  which  it  is  dis- 
tinguished from  philosophy.*     It  rests  upon 

*  Of  the  relations  of  Philoeophy  and  Faith,  the  same 
profoimd  thinker  eloquently  writes :  "  The  problems  of 
the  union  of  the  finite  with  the  infinite,  of  the  reconcilia- 
tion of  a  holy  God  with  a  sinful  race,  and  of  our  personal 
and  immortal  destiny,  which  philosophy  can  only  state, 
the  Christian  system  solves.  The  full  perception  and 
conviction  of  this  great  fact  about  Christianity  would 
end,  and  this  alone  can  terminate,  the  unnatural  war  be- 
tween philosophy  and  faith  ;  for  philosophy  and  faith  are 
set  at  variance  only  by  sin,  and  kept  in  discord  only  from 
not  seeing  Christ  as  he  is  !  Philosophy  and  faith  1  both 
are  from  God  ;  the  one  may  descry  the  end,  and  the  other 
gives  US  the  means ;  the  one  states  the  problems-which 
the  other  solves  ;  philosophy  shows  us  the  labyrinth,  and 
Christ  gives  us  the  clew  ;  the  former  recognizes  the  neces- 
sity of  redemption,  the  latter  gives  ns  the  redemption 
itself.  The  two  at  variance  1  When  every  Christian 
knows,  what  one  has  said,  that  '  when  we  speak  the  lan- 


authority,  upon  good,  upon  the  highest  au- 
thority, but  still  upon  authority — confirmed, 
indeed,  by  experience ;  but  it  is  the  authority, 
and  not  the  experience,  which  is  ultimate  and 
supreme.  That  authority  is  divine  and  decis- 
ive; it  is  the  very  word  of  God  recorded  in 
the  Scriptures.  As  face  answers  to  face  in  a 
glass,  so  does  faith  to  the  Bible,  which  it  re- 
ceives, both  in  history  and  in  doctrine  ;  and  it 
is  not  so  anxious  to  harmonize  the  parts  as  to 
imbibe  the  whole.  It  connects  all  things  di- 
rectly with  the  providence  of  God ;  to  this  it 
is  ever  submissive.     It  is  content  with  mira- 

guage  of  the  Bible,  we  speak  our  mother  tongue';  at 
variance  1  only  when  philosophy  goes  '  sounding  on  its 
dim  and  perilous  way,'  averting  the  heart  from  him  who 
of  God  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  as  well  as,  and  because, 
righteousness  and  redemption  ;  at  variance  !  only  as  the 
light  of  the  sun  is  at  variance  with  the  heat  of  the  sun, 
or  as  the  light  and  heat  of  the  great  ruler  of  the  day  are 
at  variance  with  the  lesser  lights  that  rule  the  night;  at 
variance  1  only  as  redemption  is  at  variance  with  sin, 
eternity  with  time,  the  incarnation  with  creation,  and 
the  God  of  grace  with  the  God  of  justice;  at  variance! 
ever  and  only  as  the  solution  of  a  problem  is  at  vari- 
ance with  the  problem  itself;  since  all  that  Christ  pro- 
poses and  does  is  to  solve,  in  a  practical,  living  method, 
the  absorbing  problem  of  the  relation  of  man  to  God 
and  of  sin  to  redemption.  For  this  end  was  he  born,  and 
for  this  cause  came  he  into  the  world,  that  he  might  be 
the  King  of  the  eternal  truth," 


820 


SECTION  397.— FAITH  AND   REVELATION. 


cles,  and  it  accepts  mysteries;  it  says  God 
alone  is  wise.  Here  we  see  as  through  a 
glass,  darkly  ;  there  we  shall  know  as  we  are 
known. 

Such  is  faith  ;  it  is  called  a  life,  and  it  is 
worthy  of  the  name  of  life,  it  is  so  full  and 
satisfying.  The  man  who  has  it  would  as 
soon  doubt  whether  his  body  were  animated 
by  the  life  of  nature,  when  he  is  conscious  of 
the  movements  of  its  muscles  in  their  most 
strenuous  efforts,  and  of  the  full  delights  of 
nervous  sensation,  as  he  would  doubt  whether 
his  soul  were  a  partaker  of  spiritual  life, 
when  its  powers  are  expanded  to  their  utmost 
intensity  of  action  and  of  blessedness  by  the 
gracious  truths  which  center  in  the  person  of 
our  Lord. 

If  this  be  so,  we  ask  next,  what  is  faith, 
what  does  it  claim  to  be,  in  what  does  it  rest  ? 
Faith,  internally,  is  a  state  of  trust ;  but  it  is 
always  trust  in  something  external.  Its  real 
character  can  only  be  determined  by  stating 
its  objects.  And  the  Christian's  faith  reposes, 
as  we  before  said,  upon  a  revelation — an  his- 
torical revelation — a  revelation  historically  at- 
tested, attested  by  miracle  and  by  prophecy  ; 
a  revelation  recorded  in  a  volume  which 
claims  to  be  inspired.  It  is  not  primarily  a 
system  of  doctrines,  nor  a  confession,  nor  a 
speculation  ;  but  it  is  a  grand  historical  econo- 
my, a  manifestation  of  God  and  his  purposes, 
an  annunciation  of  supernatural  truth  by  nat- 
ural agencies,  by  prophets  and  teachers,  and, 
last  of  all,  by  Jesus  Christ ;  a  manifestation 
forming  a  part  of  human  history,  connected 
and  progressive  through  thousands  of  years. 
And  all  this  series  of  revelations  comes  to  us 
in  the  Scriptures,  which  give  us  both  the 
facts  and  the  divine  interpretation  of  them. 
Christianity  thus  claims  to  be  a  real  revelation 
of  God,  made  in  the  best  form  in  which  we 
can  conceive  a  revelation  to  be  made,  made  to 
give  the  highest  and  most  needed  knowledge, 
made  to  redeem  mankind.  And  this  whole 
historic  revelation  bears  with  steady  and  con- 
centrated aim  upon  one  person,  himself  an 
historical  personage,  himself  a  man,  in  whom 
it  is  declared  that  heaven  and  earth  are  recon- 
ciled, that  the  great  problems  of  human  des- 
tiny are  solved.  And  thus  the  Christian  re- 
ligion presents  itself  as  adapted  to  man's  high- 
est wants  in  an  exclusive  sense,  and  with  re- 
deeming eflScacy.  This  is  the  first  aspect  of 
the  Christian  economy,  and  here  is  the  primary 


basis  of  faith.  But  this  is  not  all,  for  faith 
claims  an  internal  evidence  as  well  as  an  his- 
torical basis.  Man  is  a  believer,  made  to  trust. 
The  infirmities  of  his  finite  and  the  necessities 
of  his  sinful  condition  make  faith  necessary 
to  the  attainment  of  the  great  ends  of  his 
being.  And  the  Christian  finds  in  his  own 
heart  a  profound  experience  which  fills  and 
satisfies  his  soul,  and  which  is  entirely  respon- 
sive to  the  substance  of  the  divine  revelation, 
as  recorded  in  the  word  of  God.  And  here  is 
another  series  of  facts,  reaching  through  thou- 
sands of  years,  embracing  men  of  every  clime 
and  degree,  the  sage  and  the  simple,  the  civil- 
ized and  barbarian,  the  young  and  the  mature, 
the  living  and  the  dying,  who  all,  with  one 
consent,  testify  that  in  this  revelation  they 
have  found  their  solace  and  support,  that  it  is 
the  source  of  the  highest  activity  and  blessed- 
ness of  all  their  powers.  And,  in  the  experi- 
ence of  believers  also,  all  converges  ai'ound 
the  same  divine  person,  who  is  the  center  and 
crown  of  the  historic  revelation. 

Nor  is  this  all.  Tliat  revelation,  historically 
so  grand  in  its  origin,  and  confirmed  by  human 
experience,  has  also  entered  into  and  controlled 
the  whole  course  of  human  history  and  of  hu- 
man thought  since  the  coming  of  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth. And  here  is  another  series  of  facts.  His- 
tory is  the  grand  test  of  truth ;  it  does  not  lie, 
for  it  is  the  ever  unfolding  providence  of  God. 
It  is  more  authoritative  than  mere  speculation, 
for  it  gives  us  the  highest  reality.  And  in  his- 
tory the  Christian  system  has  existed  as  a  real 
and  permanent  power ;  it  has  been  the  center 
of  man's  noblest  thoughts  and  strongest  feel- 
ings in  his  most  cultivated  state  for  eighteen 
hundred  years ;  it  has  controlled  the  destinies 
and  led  the  march  of  the  nations;  from  its 
bitter  contests  it  has  ever  emerged  with  added 
luster,  as  though  endowed  with  immortal  en- 
ergy. It  is  superior  to  defeat.  Its  power  is 
now  more  intense  and  diff'used  than  ever  be- 
fore. And  thus  is  Christianity  not  only  an 
historic  revelation  and  an  internal  experience, 
but  also  an  organic,  diffusive,  plastic,  and  trium- 
phant force  in  human  history ;  and  in  this  his- 
tory, as  in  the  revelation,  and  as  in  the  expe- 
rience, the  center  around  which  all  revolves 
is  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Nor  yet  is  tliis  all.  This  revelation  has 
another  aspect  which  has  already  been  hinted 
at,  but  which  requires  a  fuller  statement.  If 
man  were  entirely  satisfied  with  the  course  of 


SECTION  398.— TEE  CHURCH. 


821 


nature — with  being  born,  living,  and  dying;  if 
he  had  no  sense  of  sin,  if  he  had  never  sinned, 
he  would  not  be  ever  asking  those  sublime 
questions,  to  -which  nature  is  deaf  and  reason 
is  dumb.  But  he  knows  something  of  God,  of 
law,  of  death,  and  eternity,  and  he  Avould  fain 
know  more ;  for  here  are  inquiries  in  compari- 
son with  which  all  the  secrets  of  nature  are 
not  only  insignificant,  but  patent  to  our  gaze. 
Now,  it  is  the  grand  claim  of  the  Christian 
revelation  that  it  answers  these  vital  ques- 
tions; that  it  solves  all  the  great  moral  prob- 
lems of  human  destiny.  For  each  enigma,  so 
dark  to  reason,  it  has  a  definite  and  an  authori- 
tative response  ;  for  all  the  great  moral  prob- 
lems of  our  destiny  it  offers  a  solution,  and  the 
solutions  are  given  in  the  person  and  work  of 
Christ ;  they  all  meet  in  the  same  radiant  cen- 
ter, in  whom  the  revelation  converges,  in  whom 
the  believer  finds  his  blessedness,  awd  to  whom 


all   subsequent  history  has  brought  its  loyal 
tribute. 

This,  then,  is  the  primary  aspect  in  which 
the  Christian  faith  is  to  be  viewed ;  as  an  his- 
torical reality,  confirmed  by  experience,  in- 
fluencing history,  and  professing  to  solve  the 
greatest  questions  of  our  destiny,  and  all  con- 
centering in  Jesus  Christ,  a  personal  object  of 
faith  and  love,  the  very  manifestation  of  God 
here  upon  the  earth.  And  here,  under  God,  is 
the  hiding-place  of  the  strength  of  faith.  It  is 
the  majesty  of  a  revealed  economy  ;  the  pro- 
foundest  experience  of  the  human  heart  is  with 
it;  the  might  of  history  testifies  unto  it;  it,  and 
it  alone,  gives  the  key  which  unlocks  the  mys- 
teries of  our  moral  being.  And  thus  is  the 
Christian  revelation,  considered  as  a  grand, 
historic,  experienced  economy,  centering  in 
one  person,  distinct  from  all  other  pretended 
revelations.     H.  B.  Smith. 


Section   398. 
The  Church. 


Christ  the  Institutor  of  one  Church  in  Suc- 
cessive Dispensations. — God  has  had  but  one 
Church  in  the  world,  and  that  Church  has  ex- 
isted since  the  revelation  of  the  seed  of  the  wo- 
man at  the  fall  of  man.  "When,  at  first,  Adam 
and  Eve  united  in  the  act  of  offering  sacrifice, 
connected  with  prayer  and  praise,  the  visible 
Church  catholic  was  formed,  and  we  can  not 
doubt  that  it  owed  its  being  to  "  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  God,"  who  was  heard  in  the  garden  at  the 
cool  of  the  day,  calling  the  attention  of  the  guilty 
pair  to  their  destitute  and  sinful  state,  and  to  the 
way  by  which  fallen  men  were  to  be  rescued 
from  the  curse  and  condemnation  of  a  broken 
law.  The  covenant  made  with  Abraham  was 
without  doubt  an  ecclesiastical  covenant,  in 
which  the  visible  Church  in  general  was  inter- 
ested. This  appears  from  the  fact  that,  while 
some  of  the  patriai'ch's  natural  posterity  were 
shut  out  from  its  blessings,  express  provision  was 
made  for  the  admission  of  others  who  were  not 
his  seed;  and  from  the  promise  of  being  made 
"  the  father  of  many  nations,"  which  could  not 
have  been  fulfilled  if  the  covenant  had  had  re- 
spect only  to  the  one  nation  of  the  Jews.  He 
who  proclaimed  this  covenant  to  the  patriarch 
was  no  other  than  the  angel  of  Jehovah,  the 


uncreated  Messenger  of  the  covenant ;  for  that 
covenant,  we  know,  "  was  confirmed  of  God 
in  Christ."  With  regard  to  the  solemn  and 
awful  transactions  at  Sinai,  when  the  whole 
Levitical  economy  was  fixed  and  arranged,  we 
are  assured  that  the  law  was  "  ordained  by  an- 
gels in  the  hands  of  a  Mediator."  At  the  in- 
troduction of  the  New  Testament  dispensation 
— that  dispensation  which  is  to  continue  to  the 
end  of  time — we  are  assured  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  himself  administered  ordinances, 
authorized  and  sent  forth  ministers,  counte- 
nanced with  his  presence  the  social  meetings 
of  the  Church,  and,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
shed  abundantly  on  his  assembled  disciples  the 
influences  of  his  Spirit. 

Christ  Head  over  all  Things  to  the  Church. 
— The  fact  of  Christ's  mediatorial  rule  over 
the  Church  is  plainly  testified  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. He  is  "  King  upon  the  holy  hill  of  Zion 
— King  of  Zion ;  he  reigns  over  the  house  of 
Jacob  for  ever;  the  husband  is  the  head  of  the 
wife,  even  as  Christ  is  the  Head  of  the  Church ; 
he  is  the  Head  of  the  body,  the  Church.  Moses 
was  faithful  in  all  his  house  as  a  servant,  but 
Christ  as  a  son  over  his  own  house,  whose 
house  are  we,  if  we  hold  fast  the  confidence 


822 


SECTION  398.— THE  CHURCH. 


and  the  rejoicing  of  the  Lope  firm  unto  the 
end,"  They  "  who  sing  the  song  of  Moses  the 
servant  of  God,  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb," 
address  him,  besides  other  titles,  by  that  of 
"King  of  Saints."  Therefore,  however  inde- 
pendent of  man,  the  Church  is  under  subjec- 
tion to  Christ.  The  doctrines  which  it  is  the 
duty  of  the  Church  to  believe  and  profess  are 
such  as  Tie  taught.  The  ordinances  to  be  ob- 
served are  Ms  institutions.  The  laws  to  be 
obeyed  are  Ms  laws.  The  matter  of  faith,  the 
form  of  worship,  the  line  of  conduct,  are  alike 
sanctioned  by  his  authority.  The  ministers  of 
religion,  neither  individually  nor  collectively, 
possess  any  legislative  power.  Their  authority 
is  wholly  ministerial,  and  is  subordinate  to 
that  of  Christ.  They  are  at  best' but  servants, 
and  whatever  they  do  they  are  required  to  do 
in  the  name  of  their  divine  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter. 

The  Church  possesses  a  Character  of  Visible 
Organization. — It  is  spoken  of  in  Scripture  as 
"  a  body,"  the  members  of  which  exhibit  ad- 
mirable symmetry,  nice  adaptation,  and  wise 
subserviency  one  to  another — as  a  "  house," 
all  the  parts  of  which  are  "fitly  framed  to- 
gether " ;  as  a  "  city,"  whose  streets  are  dis- 
tributed with  regularity,  and  whose  municipal 
regulations  are  calculated  to  secure  the  peace 
and  order  of  the  inhabitants ;  as  a  "  kingdom  " 
and  as  a  "nation,"  figures  which  suggest  ideas 
of  good  government,  orderly  management,  and 
proper  subordination.  The  nature  of  things 
and  the  necessity  of  the  case  require  that  the 
Church  be  considered  as  a  thoroughly  organ- 
ized society.     W.  S. God  has  made  some 

things  to  be  essential  in  the  organization  of 
the  Christian  Church,  without  which  there 
can  be  no  church,  but  a  merely  human  asso- 
ciation. There  must  be  credible  evidence  of 
piety,  some  visible  form  of  public  recognition 
and  mutual  bond  of  covenant  relationship,  and 
an  assent  to  a  Scriptural  creed.  Provision 
must  also  be  made  for  gospel  officers,  ordi- 
nances, and  discipline.  The  whole  must  rest 
on  the  foundation  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  his  sov- 
ereign authority  must  be  recognized  in  the 
prayers  and  praises  and  personal  consecration 
of  all  the  members.  There  may  be  good  men 
where  there  is  no  such  organization — yea,  there 
must  be  good  men,  in  order  to  such  an  institu- 
tion ;  but  those  good  men  can  constitute  no 
gospel  church  in  the  absence  of  these  requisi- 
tions.    The  forms  in  which  these   elements 


shall  be  combined  have  less  consequence ;  the 
substance  must  be  present.     L.  HickoTc. 

The  Church  consists  of  an  Organized  Body  of 
Believers  in  Christ. — A  Christian  is  a  man 
united  to  Christ  by  the  indwelling  of  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  and  a  church  is  a  body  of  men,  really 
or  by  a  credible  profession,  thus  united  to 
Christ,  organized  for  the  purposes  of  Christian 
worship,  the  proclamation  of  the  gospel,  and 
for  mutual  watch  and  care.  If  this  be  the 
Scriptural  definition  of  a  church,  we  are  not 
at  liberty  to  alter  it.  The  Church  consists  of 
the  called,  and  every  body  of  the  called  or- 
ganized for  church  purposes  is  a  church, 
whether  local  or  denominational.  •  Every- 
where in  the  New  Testament  the  word  ecclesia 
is  used  as  a  collective  term  for  the  called.  As 
a  man's  being  a  Christian  does  not  depend 
upon  anything  external — upon  circumcision  or 
uncircumcision,  upon  stature,  color,  or  nation- 
ality— so  whether  a  body  of  Christians  be  a 
church  can  not  depend  upon  anything  exter- 
nal. A  nation  is  a  nation,  whether  its  govern- 
ment be  monarchical,  aristocratic,  or  republi- 
can. So  a  church  is  a  church,  whatever  be  the 
form  of  its  external  organization.  Nothing 
can  be  essential  to  the  being  of  a  church  that 
is  not  essential  to  the  Christianity  of  its  mem- 
bers. "  Ubi  Spiritus  Dei,  ibi  Ecclesia,"  has  in 
all  ages  been  a  motto  and  an  axiom.     C.  H. 

On  the  authority  of  the  New  Testament, 
the  Church  is  the  body  of  persons  who  be- 
lieve in  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  Sa- 
viour of  men,  crucified  and  risen ;  and  so  be- 
lieve in  him  as  to  be  personally  conscious  of  a 
supreme  desire  to  live  his  spiritual  life,  to  re- 
semble him,  and  be  his  true  redeemed  disci- 
ples. This  definition  takes  the  whole  qualifi- 
cation for  church-membership  out  of  the  power 
of  sects  and  external  ceremonies,  lodging  it  in 
the  internal  region  of  the  heart,  among  the 
affections  and  motives,  whence  all  life  makes 
its  way  out  into  speech,  profession,  and  conduct. 
Its  only  test,  therefore,  is  spiritual,  not  formal. 
Love  to  God  as  manifest  in  Christ,  and  love  to 
man  as  God's  child,  must  be  the  ruling  affec- 
tions in  the  soul,  whether  they  have  conformed 
the  character  perfectly  to  them  or  not.  The 
Church  is  the  aggregate  of  these  consecrated 
souls,  aiming  and  longing,  above  all  things, 
to  live  righteously,  irrespective  of  names,  of 
forms,  of  creeds,  of  age,  of  place,  except  so 
far  as  these  affect  this  internal,  central  conse- 
cration to  Christ.     If  there  were  only  "  two  or 


SECTION  398.— THE  CHURCH. 


823 


three  "  such  persons  in  the  world,  thej  would 
be  a  church,  and  Christ,  fulfilling  his  promise, 
would  be  there  in  the  midst  of  them.  In  all 
periods  since  Christ  ascended,  this  has  been 
the  Church.  It  is  distinct  from  all  other  bod- 
ies, whether  scientific,  civil,  educational,  be- 
nevolent, moral,  or  even  religious,  if  they  are 
not  religious  after  the  way  and  gospel  of  Christ. 
Its  boundaries,  as  it  is  embodied  in  actual  per- 
sons, may  be  indistinct  to  man's  eye,  but  they 
are  plain  to  God's;  and  the  definition  is  plain. 
The  Church  is  that  body  of  people,  in  what- 
ever age  or  nation,  of  which  Christ  is  literally 
and  spiritually  the  Head.  And  any  one  par- 
ticular church,  here  or  there,  is  a  smaller  col- 
lection of  such  people,  and  so  a  branch  of  the 

Church  Universal.     F.  D.  H. There  is  a 

Church  invisible,  which  enfolds  and  embraces 
all  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincer- 
ity ;  which  embraces  these,  to  whatever  con- 
fession they  may  belong — these,  and  none  else 
but  these.     T. 

Tlie  Church  is  the  nursery  of  saints,  not 
less  than  the  refuge  of  sinners.  By  its  doc- 
trine and  discipline,  by  the  spiritual  instruc- 
tion and  vigilant  superintendence  it  provides, 
the  edification  of  its  members  in  knowledge, 
holiness,  comfort,  and  social  duty  is  promoted. 
The  ordinances  to  which  it  gives  access,  and 
the  interest  it  secures  in  the  prayers  of  those 
who  have  power  with  God,  can  not  fail  to 
render  the  fellowship  of  the  Church  a  dis- 
tinguished means  of  extending  knowledge, 
strengthening  faith,  confirming  love,  deepen- 
ing humility,  increasing  joy,  and  cherishing 

every  devout  and  holy  affection.,    "W.  S. 

The  relations  of  the  believer  with  the  living 
water,  which  is  Christ,  are  immediate ;  and 
the  Church,  the  Christian  commonwealth,  dur- 
ing successive  ages,  is  the  river  which  brings 
to  us  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ,  and,  so 
to  speak,  Jesus  Christ  himself.  Without  the 
Church  there  is  no  Christianity  and  no  Chris- 
tians. The  very  book  which  contains  the 
truth  is  altered,  forgotten,  or  perishes ;  and 
without  an  entirely  new  revelation,  without  a 
miracle  incessantly  I'epeated,  you  remain  in  ig- 
norance and  death.  The  Church,  by  its  volume 
and  its  weight,  forms  a  current  which  carries 
it  forward,  and  bears  to  each  of  you  that  word, 
that  name,  that  invisible  element  which,  in- 
corporating itself  with  you,  renews  your  whole 
being.  "What  formed  around  you  that  Chris- 
tian atmosphere  which  you  have  not  been  able 


to  avoid  breathing  ?  what  created  in  your 
heart  those  spiritual  wants  of  which  before 
the  gospel  there  was  no  idea?  Though  you 
knew  it  not,  it  was  the  Church ;  and  if  you 
believe  me  you  will  understand,  perhaps  for 
the  first  time,  the  importance  which  the  apos- 
tles and  Jesus  Christ  himself  attach  to  the  idea 
of  the  Church,  that  living  and  continual  per- 
sonification of  the  whole  body  of  believers, 
and  the  remarkable  prepossession  which  so 
often  leads  the  sacred  writers  to  speak  of  the 
Church  where  you  would  have  spoken  only  of 
the  soul.  In  fact,  your  Christianity,  how  in- 
dividual soever  it  may  be  (and  it  never  can  be 
too  much  so),  is  extracted  from,  is  stamped,  so 
to  speak,  by  the  Christianity  of  sixty  genera- 
tions. Ages  and  nations  have  labored  for  each 
of  you ;  each  of  you  is  an  heir  of  antiquity,  and 
the  work  of  a  whole  world.     A.  V. 

The  Christian  Church  of  the  present,  with 
all  its  faults  and  weaknesses,  is  the  salt  and 
the  light  of  the  world.  As  holding,  preserving, 
and  spreading  the  faith  of  Christ,  as  built  on 
the  feeling  of  brotherhood,  and  on  trust  in  a 
common  Saviour,  as  bound  together  by  social 
worship,  sacraments,  a  ministry  and  a  disci- 
pline, and  as  containing  in  itself  a  self-reform- 
ing power,  it  is  one  of  the  bonds  which  bind 
mankind  together,  and  on  it  the  hopes  of  man- 
kind in  a  great  measure  rest.  Its  influence  ex- 
tends far  beyond  its  own  pale,  and  beyond  the 
religious  interests  of  man ;  it  originates  or 
aids  every  effort  to  make  him  wiser,  happier, 

and  more  manly.     T.  D.  Woolsey. Its  aim 

is  not  reached  in  the  communion  of  saints. 
There  is  a  real  end  to  which  these  are  prelimi- 
nary. It  exists  for  the  blessing  and  conquest 
of  men.  The  field  given  to  it  is  the  world : 
the  world  of  all  kindreds  and  tongues,  but  also 
the  world  of  human  sin,  and  human  misery, 
and  human  want.  All  this  human  life,  with 
its  stately  possibilities,  with  its  ceaseless 
thought  and  energy,  its  huge  but  common 
daily  toil,  its  cries  of  pain  and  despair,  its 
weakness,  and  crushed  hopes,  and  awful 
shame,  its  alleys  of  poverty,  its  dens  of  vice, 
its  wounded  spirits,  its  bleeding  hearts,  its 
pitiful  social  sores — to  win  this  hfe  for  Christ, 
to  penetrate  it  at  every  point  like  the  light  of 
the  morning — this  is  the  mission  of  the  Church. 
W.  F.  Stevenson. 

Christ's  doctrine  of  brotherhood  is  the  germ 
of  all  social  virtues  and  reforms.  It  refines 
sympathy,   quickens  justice,  kindles  charity, 


824: 


SECTION  399.— CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


and  inspires  devotion  to  truth,  duty,  and  pub- 
lic welfare.  There  is  no  refinement  of  educa- 
tion, manners,  virtue,  or  charity,  not  provided 
for  in  this  doctrine.  A  late  historian  of  com- 
munism, deploring  its  failures,  incidentally  di- 
rects attention  to  the  Christian  Church  as  the 
most  cheering  hope  of  socialism.  And  what 
do  reformers  seek,  not  provided  for  in  the 
Church?  Her  philosophy  is  more  profound, 
reforming  the  life  by  changing  the  heart.  Her 
dispensation  of  charity  is  without  expense  of 
rents,  pageants,  or  official  service,  and  better 
guarded  against  frauds  and  partiality.  Be- 
sides, she  cultivates  moral  feeling  and  religious 
aspiration,  without  which  material  charities 
lose  half  their  value.  The  Church  perfected  is 
the  most  effective  Temperance  Society,  the  most 
promising  Moral  Eeform  Association,  the  most 
iiseful  Beneficial  Order.  While  the  special  re- 
former strikes  at  a  branch,  the  Churcli  lays 
the  axe  at  the  root  of  the  tree.  While  the 
special  reformer  would  direct  his  water-power 
upon  some  single  detached  wheel,  the  Church 
would  direct  it  upon  a  shaft,  that  by  imping- 
ing cogs  turns  all  the  related  wheels  of  a  stu- 
pendous machinery.  The  most  comprehen- 
sive of  all  reforms  is  Christianizing  the  woi'ld. 
Christianity  incarnated  in  feelings,  sentiments, 
customs,  manners,  and  laws,  will  perfect  the 
social  order  of  the  world.     W.  W.  Everts. 

Perpetuity  of  the  CJiurch. — No  outward 
events  affect  its  existence.  The  apostles,  one 
by  one,  pass  away ;  the  Church  lives  on.  Great 
teachers  and  preachers  arise  and  work,  through 
many  lauds,  and  then  are  not ;  the  Church  re- 
mains. One'language  disappears  from  use,  and 
others  become  mere  languages  of  letters  ;  but 
the  Church  learns  others,  and  is  not  for  an 
hour  interrupted  in  its  life.    The  Empire  falls. 


in  flaming  ruin — the  trophies  of  twelve  hun- 
dred years  crashing  together  in  smoking  heaps, 
above  which  rise  barbarian  shouts,  with  wails 
of  woe  that  fill  the  heavens.  The  Church  is 
not  smitten  by  that  destruction.  It  teaches 
the  savage  barbarian  its  truth,  and  is  seen,  like 
its  Lord,  walking  unscathed  amid  the  furnace, 
speaking  the  words  of  holy  cheer  to  them  that 
suffer.  It  is  corrupted ;  but  again  it  renews 
its  life  from  Christ,  and  becomes,  as  of  old, 
his  faithful  witness.  A  new  era  begins  in  hu- 
man affairs ;  it  is  not  thereby  superseded.  It 
makes  the  recent  arts  its  ministers,  the  more 
powerful  machineries  its  facile  instruments.  It 
rides  abroad  on  the  wheels  of  new  letters, 
scatters  its  seeds  in  the  furrows  of  revolution, 
and  incorporates  other  races  in  itself.  When 
the  time  for  that  has  come,  it  crosses  the  seas 
in  the  track  of  the  discoverer;  it  plants  its 
standards  upon  new  continents,  and  makes  the 
farthest  islands  its  home  as  truly  as  was  Anti- 
och  or  the  plain  of  Philippi.  And  it  is  around 
us  here  to-day  as  vital  in  itself,  and  as  closely 
conformed  to  its  primitive  model,  as  if  but 
eighteen  years  had  passed,  not  eighteen  centu- 
ries, since  first  it  appeared.  Resting  for  ever 
on  the  lordship  of  Christ,  established  in  him 
as  a  brotherhood  of  believers,  simple  as  the 
home  is,  yet  more  impressive  in  its  simplicity 
than  in  all  the  glitter  and  complex  apparatus 
of  Eoman  pomp — the  Church  abides ;  immov- 
able as  mountains ;  not  afraid  of  decay ;  watch- 
ing the  rise  and  change  of  states;  waiting  the 
development  and  the  glory  it  shall  have,  as 
speeding  years  bring  in  millennium.  It  abides, 
while  all  things  pass.  It  shall  abide,  while  the 
earth  continues ;  because  founded  on  the  fact 
that  in  him  from  whose  life  and  death  it 
springs  God  was  incarnate.     E.  S.  Storrs. 


Section  399. 
Considerations  respecting  Christian  Missions. 


Principle  underlying  all  Christian  Effort. — 
As  the  organizing  principle  of  the  kingdom  of 
God  on  earth  is  the  love  of  God,  inbreathed 
by  the  Holy  Spirit,  so  the  characteristic  ex- 
pression of  it  is  love  to  Christ  manifested  by 
his  followers.  Love  to  Christ  as  man;  as  the 
representative  of  a  race  redeemed  and  pur- 
chased by  his  blood ;  as  the  representative  of 


that  eternal  and  all-comprehending  Mercy, 
which,  through  the  agency  of  his  followers,  is 
to  fall,  like  the  rain  and  the  sunlight,  upon 
the  pathway  of  universal  man.  This,  as  touch- 
ing the  relation  of  man  to  his  fellow-man,  is 
the  distinctive  and  characteristic  feature  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  on  earth.  In  one  word,  this 
is  Christianity.     "  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done 


SECTIOF  399.— CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


825 


it  unto  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have 
done  it  unto  me."  There  may  be  much  in 
other  organizations,  other  systems,  other  sov- 
ereignties which  Christianity  approves.  There 
may  be  many  precepts  and  maxims  of  liuman 
morality  and  human  prudence  which  it  envel- 
ops and  sanctions.  But  in  this  one  thing  it  is 
peculiar.  In  this  one  thing  it  stands  forth, 
transcendent,  glorious,  alone.  It  is  the  love 
OF  God  manifested  in  love  to  universal  man. 

But  manifested,  let  us  ask  further,  in  what 
form  ?  The  kingdom  of  God  is  spiritual  and 
moral.  Its  appropriate  and  characteristic  ac- 
tion is  therefore  spiritual  and  moral.  It  is  ac- 
tion which  aims  to  deliver  mankind  from  the 
power  of  sin,  by  propagating  everywhere  faith 
in  Christ  as  a  spiritual  deliverer  from  sin.  The 
spirit  which  prompts  the  Church  to  this  action, 
we  call  the  Missionary  Spirit.  It  would  be 
easy  to  cite  a  thousand  crucial  instances  to 
prove  that  where  this  spirit  burns  the  Church 
lives  and  flourishes,  that  where  this  spirit  flags 
the  Church  wanes  and  dies.  As  touching  hu- 
man relations,  then,  it  follows  that  the  mis- 
sionary spirit  constitutes  Christianity.  It  is 
the  very  core  and  essence  of  it.  It  is  that 
which  being  given,  Christianity  is  given,  and 
which  being  taken  away,  Christianity  is  taken 
away.  It  is  that  without  which  Christianity 
can  not  exist  or  be  conceived.  And  converse- 
ly, it  is  that  which  without  Christianity  could 
never  have  existed,  and  would  never  have  been 
conceived  by  man. 

If  these  views  touching  the  characteristic 
essence  of  Christianity  itself  are  correct,  it  is 
impossible  to  avoid  the  conclusion  that  the  true 
missionary  spirit  in  the  Church  is  the  measure 
of  her  Christian  principle,  the  test  and  ther- 
mometer of  her  piety.     H.  Smith. 

The  Missionary  Idea  and  Spirit  an  Inspira- 
tion of  the  Gospel. — The  one  blood  of  the  cross 
is  offered  to  all,  and  adapted  to  all  in  whose 
veins  flows  the  one  blood  of  creation.  That 
blood  is  as  adequate  for  the  redemption  of  the 
whole  race  as  for  the  redemption  of  a  single 
soul.  It  is  wonderful  to  observe  how  the 
unities  cluster  around  the  cross  of  Christ — 
one  God  and  Father  of  all,  one  Mediator,  one 
dying  race,  one  offering  for  sin,  one  divine 
Spirit,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  gospel,  one 
Church,  one  common  salvation,  and  one  eter- 
nal heaven.  There  is  but  one  Bible  and  but 
one  religion  made  for  man.  In  this  respect 
Christianity  stands  forth  in  solitary  and  un- 


approachable grandeur.  All  other  religions 
have  been  local  and  national,  without  even 
the  conception  of  a  universal  extension.  All 
others  have  risen,  flourished,  and  decayed 
within  their  narrow  domains,  except  only  as 
they  have  been  propagated  by  immigration  or 
the  sword.  None  but  Christianity  has  ever 
sent  its  missionaries  across  the  seas  and  its 
evangelists  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  It  has 
been  reserved  for  the  gospel  to  grasp  the  idea 
of  one  faith  for  all  nations,  and  to  teach  that 
its  field  is  the  world,  and  its  home  the  heart 
of  every  human  being. 

Christian  Europe  and  America  the  Result 
of  Missions  to  Heathen. — The  European  na- 
tions are  now  the  most  enlightened,  powerful, 
and  highly  civilized  portion  of  the  globe.  And 
what  has  civilized  them?  The  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ.  By  what  instrumentality  were  they 
converted  to  Christ  ?  By  the  preaching  of  the 
cross ;  by  missions  to  the  heathen.  They  were 
once  all  heathens,  of  the  darkest,  fiercest,  most 
vindictive  character.  When  Christianity  first 
encountered  them  they  were  as  ignorant,  as 
barbarous,  as  much  without  hope  and  without 
God  in  the  world  as  any  of  the  pagan  tribes 
and  nations  to  which  the  gospel  is  now  sent. 
But  during  the  long  progress  of  ages  the  gos- 
pel was  preached,  the  Scriptures  were  trans- 
lated, the  generations  were  taught  and  trained, 
the  foundations  of  the  Church  were  laid,  a 
native  ministry  was  raised  up,  and  the  mighty 
change  was  wrought.  For  centuries  all  Europe 
was  a  missionary  field ;  and  at  last  all  Europe 
was  converted  from  idolatry  to  Christ.  The 
rude  Goth,  the  roving  Vandal,  th*e  treacherous 
Frank,  the  warlike  Norman,  the  daring  Saxon, 
the  ferocious  Hun,  the  sturdy  German,  the 
impetuous  Celt,  the  hardy  Scot,  the  fur-clad 
Scandinavian  became  a  Chi-istian.  Let  it  never 
be  forgotten  that  all  the  nations  of  modern 
Europe  were  evangelized  and  civilized  by 
Christianity.  This  was  its  second  great  mis- 
sionary triumph,  not  less  decisive  and  impor- 
tant than  the  first.  This  is  the  work  which  it 
was  doing  through  all  the  middle  ages.  And 
though  its  power  was  greatly  impaired  by  the 
corruption  and  despotism  of  the  papacy,  yet 
its  progress  was  onward  and  upward;  and  it 
prepared  the  material  out  of  which  sprang  the 
memorable  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury. And  now  behold  the  result  of  missions 
to  the  heathen — Christian  Europe  and  Chris- 
tian America,  two  continents  conquered  and 


826 


SECTION  399.— CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


given  to  Christ.  Shall  we,  then,  whose  own 
ancestors  were  once  savage  idolaters,  doubt 
the  power  of  the  gospel  to  convert  the  heathen, 
and  to  win  its  final  and  universal  victory? 
L.  J.  Hahey. 

The  Purpose  of  Modern  Missions  is  to  repro- 
duce among  all  other  Heathen  Peoples  what  has 
teen  wrought  in  the  now  Christian  Nations. — 
What  cultivated  peoples  now  present  of  the 
spirit  of  discovery  and  invention;  of  logical 
argumentation  and  research ;  of  profound  con- 
ceptions of  life,  of  man,  of  God,  of  futurity — 
what  each  of  them  has  produced  in  natural 
and  mental  philosophy,  in  chemistry,  agricul- 
ture, theology,  law,  medicine,  political  econ- 
omy, poetry,  history,  biography,  travels — all 
tliese,  Christian  missions  hold  the  philanthropic 
purpose  and  competency  to  produce  for  all 
that  sit  in  darkness,  of  every  kindred  and  na- 
tion and  tongue  and  people.  Actually  and 
truly,  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  are 
to  be  reproduced,  intellectually,  upon  all  pagan 
countries!  And  when  these  missions  shall 
have  been  planted  extensively  over  pagan 
countries,  and  shall  have  turned  the .  heart  of 
the  people  generally  unto  God,  religion  will 
have  reached  a  new  and  holier  age ;  piety  at- 
tained a  vaster  power.  There  will  be  outflow- 
ing a  larger  tide  of  charity ;  there  will  be  a 
purer  scene  of  all  good  works  upon  the  face 
of  society.  And  we,  God's  people,  are  in- 
trusted with  this  great  enterprise  of  exalting 
Jehovah  in  the  world.  Our  missions,  which 
are  to  exalt  him,  must  be  taken  close  into  the 
arms  of  the  Church .  till  they  feel  the  warmth 
and  faith  of  "her  heart  throbbing,  glowing  as  a 
life  all  through  them.  Nothing  less  must  she 
give  to  them  than  the  whole  vitalities  of  her 
spirit  and  the  whole  strength  of  her  arm.  We 
are  detached  to  the  service  of  bringing  man 
back  and  presenting  to  Jehovah  his  godlike 
intellect,  his  vast  heart,  his  powerful  hand,  his 
iron  will,  his  entire  being,  his  whole  race.  C. 
White. 

A  Chief  Ohjection  answered. — It  has  been 
asked.  Why  has  the  progress  of  missions  been 
so  slow  ?  If  Christianity  be  divine,  and  the 
only  religion  for  man,  why  have  not  all  na- 
tions been  converted  long  ago  ?  In  answer  to 
such  an  objection,  it  is  sufficient  to  say  that 
the  God  of  Providence  is  not  straitened  for 
time.  "  Providence,"  says  one,  "  makes  a 
step,  and  ages  have  rolled  away."  If  it  took 
four  thousand  years  to  prepare  the  way  for  the 


advent  of  Christ,  and  the  first  promulgation  of 
his  gospel  to  the  nations,  shall  we  say  that 
eighteen  centuries  are  too  long  for  its  final 
consummation  ?  If  it  took  three  centuries  to 
convert  the  nations  bordering  the  Mediter- 
ranean Sea,  and  from  five  to  ten  centuries  to 
evangelize  the  great  nations  of  modern  Europe, 
are  we  to  say  that  Providence  is  too  slow,  and 
that  the  chariot  wheels  of  a  final  triumph  are 
too  long  delayed,  because  the  Gospel  has  not 
conquered  all  Asia,  Africa,  America,  and  the 
islands  of  the  sea,  in  less  than  a  hundred  years  ? 
Let  us  not  forget  that  almost  all  great  move- 
ments are  slow.  The  coral  reefs  are  slowly 
built ;  but  when  at  last  they  rise  from  their 
deep  and  broad  foundations,  they  form  the  bul- 
wark of  mighty  continents,  and  defy  the  ocean 
and  the  storm.  Colonization  is  slow.  The 
growth  of  nations  is  slow.  The  advance  of 
science,  of  art,  and  of  human  liberty  is  slow. 
The  progress  of  the  gospel  is  in  analogy  with 
all  other  great  moral  movements.  It  has,  in- 
deed, led  the  van  in  the  march  of  human  civ- 
ilization. 

Let  no  one  then  say  that  the  work  of 
modern  missions  has  failed  fti  its  grand  pur- 
pose of  converting  the  world,  because  every- 
thing has  not  been  accomplished  within  this 
nineteenth  century.  When  tempted  to  think 
that  too  much  money  and  time  have  been 
spent  on  the  mission  work,  and  too  many 
valuable  lives  sacrificed,  let  us  remember  that 
the  foundations  of  Christianity  among  the 
heathen  have  to  be  laid  in  the  lowest  depths, 
and  that  it  requires  time  to  raise  the  structure. 
The  apt  illustration  of  one  of  our  missionaries 
now  in  the  field  is  here  in  point :  "  We  build, 
as  they  build  a  breakwater  upon  some  coast 
where  there  is  no  harbor.  Year  after  year, 
thousands  of  tons  of  stone  are  quarried  and 
brought  and  cast  into  the  sea.  Thousands  of 
dollars  are  spent,  but  the  passer-by  sees  not 
the  faintest  sign  of  any  result.  Years  pass, 
and  the  waves  roll  on  unbroken,  but  at  last  a 
solid  wall  rises  above  the  water,  and  remains 
to  defy  all  storms  to  the  end  of  time.  How 
rejoiced  the  builders  must  be  when  the  first 
frail  line  of  stone  peeps  out  of  the  sea  I  Till 
then  they  have  toiled  in  faith  ;  then  faith  be- 
gins to  be  aided  by  sight,  and  they  go  on  joy- 
fully to  assured  triumph.  Just  so  it  is  that 
we  rejoice  over  any  sign  that  Christ's  break- 
water against  idolatry  and  sin — the  Christian 
Church — will  ere  long  arise  here  high  and 


SECTION  399.— CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


827 


strong — lasting  enough  to  bear  all  assaults,  and 
defy  all  opposition.  Men  may  say,  '  The  sea 
has  swallowed  up  all  your  Bibles  and  tracts, 
your  teaching,  your  preaching,  and  your  pray- 
ers, and  gives  no  sign.'  But  we  can  see  tliQ 
wall  arising,  and  it  shall  never  be  swept  a'way, 
for  the  corner-stone  is  Christ."  L.  J.  Hal- 
sey. 

Lo,  I  am  with  you,  saith  the  Master,  till  the 
world  shall  end.  It  is  enough.  It  is  every- 
thing. Be  of  good  heart,  ye  servants  of  the 
Lord  !  Moreover,  Providence  opens  to  you  a 
cheering  vision.  Unmistakable  gleamings  there 
are  even  now  of  that  coming  light  that  shall 
beam  in  upon  every  family  of  the  earth.  The 
heralding  star  is  up.  Night  is  waning.  The 
morning  breaketh.     "Work  on  in  joy  and  hope. 


The  final  consummation  reached ;  Jehovah  ex- 
alted to  reign ;  the  whole  world  subjugated 
affectionately,  obediently  before  him,  and  all  is 
done !  All  might  has  passed  from  the  op- 
pressor to  the  Protector,  from  the  corrupter  to 
the  Sanctifier,  from  the  extinguisher  of  hope 
to  the  Giver  of  assurance  and  glory.  Man  is  a 
sanctified  intelligence;  earth  is  a  suburb  of 
heaven  ;  divine  holiness  is  poured  abroad  over 
it  all.  As  the  lofty  anthem  swells  up  from 
every  nation  and  tribe  and  tongue,  responsive 
peals  forth  the  glorious  psalm  in  heaven :  hear- 
tier, warmer  goes  answering  back  the  acclama- 
tion from  the  heart  of  the  world!  Chorus  of 
heaven  and  earth,  shout  on  !  shout  on  !  For 
the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth  for  ever  I 
C.  White. 


AUTHORS  CITED,  AND  KEY  TO  ABBREVIATIONS. 

[The  titles  of  leading  works,  additional  to  those  given  in  the  previous  volume,  are  here  also  appended  to 
the  names  of  authors.     An  excellent  service  in  the  interest  both  of  readers  and  writers  is  thus  subserved.] 


W.  A. 
N.  A. 
J.  A.  A. 
J.  W.  A. 
W.  L.  A. 


J.  A. 
T.  D.  A. 
M.  B.  A. 


T.  A. 


Anj. 
A.  B. 


Bax. 


L.  B. 

Beng. 
T.  D.  B. 


T.  B. 


Wm.  Adams,  D.  D. 
Nehemiah  Adams,  D.  D. 
J.  Addison  Alexander,  D.  D. 
James  W.  Alexander,  D.  D. 
W.  L.  Alexander,  D.  D. 
Henry  Alford,  D.  D. 

ffow  to  study  the  New  Testament. 
Ambrose,  d.  397. 
Joseph  Angus,  D.  D. 
Thomas  D.  Anderson,  D.  D. 
M.  B.  Anderson,  D.  D. 
Anselm,  d.  1109. 
Johann  Arnd. 
Thomas  Arnold,  D.  D. 

Christian  Life. 
Wm.  Arnot,  D.  D. 

Church  in  the  House. 
Wm,  Arthur,  D.  D. 

Tongue  of  Fire. 
Augustine,  d.  430. 
Francis  Bacon,  d.  1626. 
Albert  Barnes. 

Sermons. 
Isaac  Barrow,  D.  D.,  d.  1677. 
C.  G.  Barth,  D.  D. 
Wm.  Bates,  D.  D.,  d.  1699. 
Richard  Baxter,  d.  1691. 
Basil,  d.  379. 

G.  T.  Bedell,  D.  D.,  Bishop  of  Ohio. 
Lyman  Beecher,  D.  D. 
J.  A.  Bengel,  D.  D.,  d.  1752. 
T.  D.  Bernard,  D.  D. 
Bernard  de  Clairvaux,  d.  1153. 
G.  W.  Bethune,  D.  D. 
R.  Besser,  D.  D. 
Bp.  Wm.  Beveridge,  d.  1708. 
Thomas  Binney,  D.  D. 

Weigh  House  Chapel  Sermons. 


H.  A.  B.    H.  A.  Boardman,  D.  D. 

Earthly  Suffering  and  Heavenly  Glory. 
Horatius  Bonar,  D.  D. 

Light  and  Trzith. 

G.  B.         George  Bowen. 

Thomas  Bowdler. 
J.  B.  Bossuet,  d.  1704. 

C.  B.  Chas.  Bradley. 

Parochial  Sermons. 
Chas.  Bridges. 
William  Bright. 

Faith  and  Life. 
S.  A.  B.     Stopford  A.  Brooke. 

Thomas  Brooks,  d.  1680. 
P.  B.         Phillips  Brooks. 

Sermons. 
Sir  Thomas  Browne. 

lieligio  Medici. 

D.  B.         David  Brown,  D.  D. 
J.  B.  John  Brown,  D.  D. 

Chas.  Buck. 
W.  I.  B.     Wm.  Ives  Budington,  D.  D. 
Bun.  John  Bunyan,  d.  1688. 

Wm.  Burkitt,  D.  D.,  d.  1703. 

Edward  Burton,  D.  D.,  d.  1830. 
IT.  B.         Horace  Bushnell,  D.  D. 
Sermons. 

Bp.  Joseph  Butler,  d.  1752. 
W.  A.  B.  Wm.  Archer  Butler,  D.  D. 
B.  J.  G.  Butler,  D.  D. 

John  Caird,  D.  D. 
Calv.  John  Calvin,  d.  1574. 

John  Cameron,  d.  1625. 

R.  S.  Candlish,  D.  D. 

Joseph  Caryl,  d.  1673. 
A.  C.  A.  Caspers,  D.  D. 

Footsteps  of  Chriat. 

Daniel  Cawdrey,  d.  1664. 


AUTHORS   CITED,  AND  KEY  TO  ABBREVIATION'S. 


829 


Richard  Cecil,  d.  1810. 
T.  C.  Thomas  Chalmers,  D.  D. 

Stephen  Charnock,  d.  1680. 

Peter  Charron,  d.  1603. 
G.  B.  C.     Geo.  B.  Cheever,  D.  D. 

Windings  of  the  River  of  Life,  etc. 

Theodore  Christlieb,  D.  D. 
Chrys.       Chrysostom,  d.  458. 
S.  T.  C.      Samuel  Taylor  Coleridge. 
The  Friend ;  Aids  to  Reflection. 

C.  W.  J.  Conybeare,  D.  D. 

Life  and  Epistles  of  Paul. 
H.  C.  Henry  Cowles,  D.  D. 

Commentary  on  Hebrews  and  Revelation. 

Samuel  Cox. 

Expositor's  Note  Book. 

Tobias  Crisp,  D.  D.,  d.  1642. 

Howard  Crosby,  D.  D. 

Ralph  Cudworth,  D.  D.,  d.  1688. 

Nath'l  Culverwell,  d.  1650. 

John  Cumming,  D.  D. 
T.  L.  C.      T.  L.  Cuyler,  D.  D. 

Cyprian,  d.  258. 

Cyril  of  Jerusalem,  d.  386. 

Cyril  of  Alexandria,  d.  444. 
€).  E.  D.     O.  E.  Daggett,  D.  D. 

D.  D.  David  Dickson,  D.  D.,  d.  1662. 

Select  Practical  Writings. 
Franz  Delitzsch,  D.  D. 
H.  M.  Dexter,  D.  D. 
Thomas  De  Quincey. 

D.  Philip  Doddridge,  D.  D.,  d.  1751. 
J.  D.  James  Drummond. 

J.  T.  D.     J.  T.  Duryea,  D.  D. 

John  Eadie,  D.  D. 

Jonathan  Edwards,  D.  D.,  d.  1758. 
B.  B.  E.     B.  B.  Edwards,  D.  D. 

E.  Charles  J.  Ellicott,  D.  D.,  Bishop 

of  Gloucester  and  Bristol. 
Epictetus. 
G.  S.  Faber,  D.  D. 
P.  F.  Patrick  Fairbairn,  D.  D. 

Pastoral  Epistles. 
Anthony  Farindon,  d.  1656. 
A.  R.  Fausset,  D.  D. 
G.  P.  r.     George  P.  Fisher,  D.  D. 
S.  W.  F.    Sam'l  W.  Fisher,  D.  D. 
Sermons  on  Life  of  Christ. 
John  Forsyth,  D.  D. 
J.  F.  John  Foster. 

Lectures,  2  vols.,  etc. 

D.  F.  Donald  Eraser,  D.  D. 

Synoptical  Lectures,  Romans  to  Rev. 
Andrew  Fuller,  d.  1815. 
Thomas  Fuller,  D.  D.,  d.  1661. 

E.  n.  G.     E.  H.  Gillett,  D.  D. 

LJfe  Lessons. 
F.  Godet,  D.  D. 
J.  H.  G.     J.  H.  Godwin,  D.  D. 


Francis  Goode,  D.  D. 

The  Better  Covenant. 
A.  J.  G.     A.  J.  Gordon,  D.  D. 
In  Christ. 

E.  M.  G.     Edward  M.  Goulburn,  D.  D. 

Pursuit  of  Holiness ;  Sermons,  etc. 
Gregory  Nazianzen,  d.  389. 

D.  S.  Gregory,  D.  D. 
Bp.  Gregg. 

W.  H.  G.  Wm.  H.  Green,  D.  D. 

E.  D.  Griffin,  D.  D. 
M.  Guizot. 

J.  J.  Gurney. 
T.  G.  Thomas  Guthrie,  D.  D. 

H.  B.  Hackett,  D.  D. 
W.  H.        William  Hanna,  D.  D. 
Resurrection  of  Our  Lord. 

Wm.  Hague,  D.  D. 

Sir  Matthew  Hale,  d.  1676. 
Bp.  H.       Bp.  Joseph  Hall,  d.  1656. 

Robert  Hall,  d.  1831. 

John  Hall,  D.  D. 

Newman  Hall. 

James  Hamilton,  D.  D. 
Sermons  and  Lectures. 
J.  n.  John  Harris,  D.  D. 

Mammon,  etc. 

Julius  C.  Hare. 
A.  W.  H.   Aug.  W.  Hare. 

Samuel  Harris,  D.  D. 

F.  W.  Havergal. 
H.  C.  Haydn,  D.  D. 

Death  and  Beyond. 
Matthew  Henry,  D.  D.,  d.  1714' 
Hcngs.        E.  W.  Heugstenberg,  D.  D. 

Hildebert,  d.  1132. 
Hill.  Sir  Richard  Hill,  d.  1808. 

Deep  Things  of  God. 
R.  Hill.     Rowland  Hill,  d.  1833. 
G.  Hill.      George  Hill,  D.  D.,  d.  1820. 
R.  D.  H.    Roswell  D.  Hitchcock,  D.  D. 
C.  11.         Charles  Hodge,  D.  D. 
Wm.  Bradford  Homer. 

Memoir  by  Prof.  Park. 
Richard  Hooker,  D.  D.,  d.  1600. 
n.  H.         Herman  Hooker,  D.  D. 

Bp.  Ezekiel  Hopkins,  d.  1690. 
M.  H.         Mark  Hopkins,  D.  D. 

Evidences  of  Christianity ;  Law  of  Love, 
etc. 
Alvah  Hovey,  D.  D. 
John  Howe,  D.  D.,  d.  1705. 
II.  John  S.  Howson,  D.  D. 

Life  and  Epistles  of  Paul,  etc. 

F.  D.  II.     Fred.  D.  Huntington,  D.  D.,  Bish- 

op of  Central  New  York. 
John  Huss,  d.  1415. 
J.  E.  Huther. 
Edward  Irving,  d.  1834. 


530 


AUTHORS  CITED,  AND  KEY  TO  ABBREVIATIOXS. 


T. 

L. 

H 

P. 

L 

J. 

B. 

L. 

J. 

L. 

J.  A.  J.      John  Angell  James. 

Christian  Charity  Explained. 
J.  J.  John  Jack-son,  D.  D.,  Bishop  of  Lon- 

don. 
Wm.  Jenkyn,  d.  1685. 
Bp.  John  Jebb,  d.  1833. 
Jerome,  d.  422. 
Robert  Johnstone. 

Lectures  on  James. 
Dr.  Sam»l  Johnson,  d.  1784. 
Wm.  S.  Karr,  D.  D. 
Ker.  John  Ker,  D.  D. 

John  Keble,  D.  D. 

E.  N.  Kirk,  D.  D. 
C.  K.          Charles  Kingsley. 

Sermons. 
J.  P.  Lange,  D.  D. 

F.  A.  Lampe,  D.  D.,  d.  1*729. 

L.  Archbp.  Robert  Leighton,  d.  1684. 

Works,  2  vols. 

Leo  the  Great,  d.  461. 
W.  H.  Lewis,  D.  D. 
Taylor  Lewis,  LL.  D. 
H.  P.  Liddon,  D.  D. 

University  Sermons,  etc. 
J.  B.  Lightfoot,  D.  D.,  Bishop  of 

Durham. 
John  Lightfoot,  D.  D.,  d.  1675. 
David  Livingstone. 
John  Locke,  d.  1704. 
C.  E.  Luthardt,  D.  D. 
Martin  Luther,  d.  1546. 
James  Macknight,  D.  D.,  d.  1800. 
Alexander  Maclaren,  D.  D. 

Sermons — First  and  Second  Series. 
Norman  Macleod,  D.  D. 
J.  M.  Macdonald,  D.  D. 
Hugh  Macmillan,  D.  D. 
W.  C.  Magee,  D.  D.,  Bishop  of  Peter- 
borough. 
David  Magie,  D.  D. 
John  McClintock,  D.  D. 
James  McCosh,  D.  D. 
McB.         George  3IcDonald. 
R.  J.  McGhee. 
Bp.  C.  P.  Mcllvaine. 
Hugh  McNeile. 
T.  M.         Thomas  Manton,  D.  D.,  d.  1667. 
Lectures  on  James,  etc. 
James  Martinean. 
E.  M.         Erskine  Mason,  D.  D. 
Pastor's  Legacy. 
.    John  Mason,  d.  1694. 
J.  M.  M.    John  M.  Mason,  D.  D. 

Increase  Mather,  D.  D.,  d.  1723. 
Frederick  D.  Maurice,  D.  D. 

First  John,  etc. 
Maximus,  a.  d.  145. 
Joseph  Mede,  d.  1638. 


A.  M. 

N.  M. 


Selah  Merrill,  D.  D. 

H.  A.  W.  Meyer,  D.  D. 

H.  H.  Milman,  D.  D. 

George  Moberly,  D.  D.,  Bishop  of 

Sali.sbury. 
Adolph  Monod,  D.  D. 

Discourses  on  Paxil. 
3.  B.  Mozley,  D.  D. 
Julius  Miiller,  D.  D. 
N.  J.  Aug.  W.  Neander,  D.  D.,d.  1850. 

Epistle  to  Philippians,  translated  by  Mrs. 
H.  C.  Conant;  etc. 
H.  A.  Nelson,  D.  D. 
John  Henry  Newman,  D.  D. 
0.  Hermann  Olshausen,  D.D.,  d.  1830. 

John  Owen,  D.  D.,  d.  1683. 
William  Paley,  D.  D.,  d.  1805. 
ILorce  Paulina. 
B.  M.  P.     B.  M.  Palmer,  D.  D. 

The  Family,  in  its  Civil  and  Churchhj 
Aspects. 
Blaise  Pascal,  d.  1662. 
John  Parkhurst,  D.  D.,  d.  1797. 

F.  L.  P.      F.  L.  Patton,  D.  D. 

J.  J.  S.  Perowne,  D.  D. 
A.  P.  Austin  Phelps,  D.  D.  , 

The  Still  Hour. 

A.  T.  Pierson,  D.  D. 

Matthew  Pool,  d.  1679. 
X.  P.  Noah  Porter,  Sr.,  D.  D.,  d.  1866. 

Noah  Porter,  D.  D. 
P.  Bp.  B.  Porteus,  d.  1808. 

Thomas  M.  Post,  D.  D. 
De  P.         E.  de  Pressens^,  D.  D. 

S.  Irenajus  Prime,  D.  D. 

Proclus,  A.  D.  429-438. 

John  Pulsford. 

E.  B.  Pusey,  D.  D. 

Francis  Quarles,  d.  1644. 
Q.  Pasqnier  Quesnel,  d.  1719. 

A.  R.         Alexander  Raleigh,  D.  D. 
The  Little  Sanctuary,  etc. 

G.  R.  George  Rawlinson,  D.  D. 

Bp.  E.  Reynolds,  d.  1676. 

John  H.  Rice,  D.  D. 

M.  B.  Riddle,  D.  D. 
F.  W.  R.    Frederick  W.  Robertson,  D.  D. 

Lectures 071  Corinthians;  Sermons. 
S.  R.  Stuart  Robinson,  D.  D. 

Discourses  of  Redemption. 

Wm.  Romaine,  d.  1795. 

J.  L.  Ruckert,  D.  D. 

Samuel  Rutherford,  d.  1661. 

John  Ruskin. 

J.  C.  Ryle,  D.  D. 

Bp.  Robt.  Sanderson,  d.  1662. 
A.  S.  Adolph  Saphir. 

The  Ilidden  Life. 

James  Saurin,  d.  1730. 


AUTHORS  CITED,  AND  KEY  TO  ABBREVIATIONS. 


831 


P.  s. 


T. 

H 

s 

n 

B 

s 

J. 

C. 

s. 

s. 

R. 

S. 

C. 

H. 

s. 

A. 

r. 

s. 

J. 

s. 

s. 

R. 

s. 

s. 

M. 

s. 

W 

.  s 

IT. 


J. 

T. 

X. 

W 

T. 

w 

.  M 

.T 

F. 

T. 

A. 

T. 

J. 

H. 

T. 

T 

P. 

r. 

A. 

W 

T. 

Philip  Schaff,  D.  D. 

F.  E.  D.  Schleiermacher,  D.  D. 

Archbp.  Seeker,  d.  17(3S. 
Jeremiah  Seed,  d.  1747. 
J.  H.  Seelye,  D.  D. 
W.  T.  G.  Shedd,  D.  D. 
James  Sherman. 
Prof.  Shirley. 
Thomas  H.  Skiuner,  D.  D. 
Henry  B.  Smith,  D.  D. 
Henry  Smith,  D.  D. 
John  Cotton  Smith,  D.  U. 
John  Pye  Smith,  D.  D. 
William  Smith,  LL.  D. 
James  Smith. 

Robert  South,  D.  D.,  d.  1716. 
Chas.  H.  Spurgeon. 
Arthur  P.  Stanley,  D.  D. 
Rudolph  Stier,  D.  D. 
John  S.  Stone,  D.  D. 

Mysteries  Opened. 
Richard  S.  Storrs,  D.  D. 
Baron  Stow,  D.  D. 
Moses  Stuart,  D.  D. 
Wm.  Symington,  D.  D. 

Messiah  the  Prince. 
Benjamin  Tappan,  D.  D. 
John  Tauler,  d.  1361. 
Isaac  Taylor. 

Saturday  Evening,  etc. 
Bp.  Jeremy  Taylor,  d.  1667. 
Nathaniel  W.  Taylor,  D.  D. 

Sermons. 
Wm.  M.  Taylor,  D.  D. 
Frederick  Temple,  D.  D.,  Bishop  of 
Exeter. 

Rugby  Sermons. 
F.  A.  G.  Tholuck,  D.  D. 
James  H.  Thornwell,  D.  D. 

Collected  Writings. 
Joseph  P.  Thompson,  D.  D. 
Anthony  W.  Thorold,  D.  D.,  Bish- 
op of  Rochester. 


G. 

T. 

L. 

T.  T. 

T. 

n. 

B.  T. 

Ch.  Tr. 

Andrew  Thomson,  D.  D. 

R.  T.  Reuben  Tinker. 

Sermons. 
Aug.  P.  Toplady,  d.  177S. 
George  Townsend,  D.  D. 
li.  T.  Townsend,  D.  D. 
Richard  Chenevix  Trench,  D.  D., 
Archbp.  of  Dublin. 

Ei^is.  to  Seven  Churchcx ;  Serinons. 
H.  B.  Tristam,  D.  D. 
Christian  Treasury. 
John  Tulloch,  D.  D. 
Karl  Ullmann. 
Charles  J.  Vaughan,  D.  D. 

Lectures  on  the  Revelation,  etc. 
H.  J.  Van  Dyke,  D.  D. 
J.  J.  Van  Oosterzee,  D.  D. 

Year  of  Salvation,  etc. 
T.  E.  Vermilye,  D.  D. 
Alexander  Vinet,  D.  D. 

C.  Wads  worth,  D.  D. 
Robert  Walker,  D.  D.,  d.  1783. 

Sermons. 
J.  A.  Wallace. 
Francis  Wayland,  D.  D. 
Daniel  Webster. 
B.  F.  W.    B.  F.  Westcott,  D.  D. 

The  Christian  Life,  etc. 
Chas.  White,  D.  D. 

D.  D.  Wheedon,  D.  D. 
H.  Kirke  White. 

J.  G.  Whittier. 

Samuel  Wilberforce,  D.  D.,  Bishop 

of  Oxfoid. 
Daniel  Wilcox,  d.  1733. 
W.  R.  W.  Wm.  R.  Williams,  D.  D. 
Bp.  Thos.  Wilson,  d.  1755. 
Octavius  Winslow,  D.  D. 
Christopher  Wordsworth,  D.  D. 

Bishop  of  Lincoln. 
T.  D.  Woolsey,  D.  D. 

Religion  of  the  Present  and  Future. 
Zanchius,  d.  1590. 


V 

D. 

Van  0. 

T. 

E.  V. 

A 

V. 

C. 

W. 

R.W. 

J. 

A.  W 

F. 

W. 

THE    EKD. 


DATE  DUE 

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^^_        DEMCO  38-2 

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